Abstract: In various embodiments, a metal alloy resistant to aqueous corrosion consists essentially of or consists of niobium with additions of tungsten, molybdenum, and one or both of ruthenium and palladium.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flexible circuit board with resistor which is buried in the board includes steps of providing a composite board, the composite board comprising a substrate, and a physical development core layer formed on the substrate. A silver halide emulsion layer is formed on the physical development core layer and the silver halide emulsion layer is exposed. A developing solution is applied to the halide emulsion layer and washed to form a silver layer on the substrate. A conductive layer is formed on the silver layer and the conductive layer is etched, forming at least one opening. Such opening exposes a portion of the silver layer which contains a buried resistor. Different processes and materials applied in the above procedure serve to increase or decrease the resistance of the resistor as desired.

Abstract: Presented herein are solid supports on or in which a composition comprising a lysis reagent and an intracellular microorganism target detection reagent (e.g., an intracellular bacterial target detection reagent) is present in a dried form. Presented herein are also methods for detecting the presence of an intracellular microorganism target (e.g., an intracellular bacterial target) utilizing such solid supports. Further, presented herein are tablets as well as dry powders comprising a lysis reagent and an intracellular microorganism target detection reagent (e.g., an intracellular bacterial target detection reagent), and methods of using such tablets and dry powders to detect the presence of an intracellular microorganism target (e.g., an intracellular bacterial target).

Abstract: In various embodiments, a metal alloy resistant to aqueous corrosion consists essentially of or consists of niobium with additions of tungsten, molybdenum, and one or both of ruthenium and palladium.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for distributing network address translation (NAT) operations to a plurality of network devices on a network. One method includes an operation for identifying, by a controller that controls a network fabric, a plurality of switches in the network fabric, each switch having a module for NAT and being configured to forward packets received at the switch. The controller identifies hosts having at least one internal Internet Protocol (IP) address, and for each of the hosts, the controller selects one of the switches from the plurality of switches for performing the NAT for the host. Further, the controller configures the network fabric to cause the selected switch to perform the NAT for the host to enable the host to communicate with an external network. In case of switch failure, the system reallocates NAT loads to other switches for high availability.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flexible circuit board with resistor which is buried in the board includes steps of providing a composite board, the composite board comprising a substrate, and a physical development core layer formed on the substrate. A silver halide emulsion layer is formed on the physical development core layer and the silver halide emulsion layer is exposed. A developing solution is applied to the halide emulsion layer and washed to form a silver layer on the substrate. A conductive layer is formed on the silver layer and the conductive layer is etched, forming at least one opening. Such opening exposes a portion of the silver layer which contains a buried resistor. Different processes and materials applied in the above procedure serve to increase or decrease the resistance of the resistor as desired.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an adaptive parameter adjustment method for a hybrid precoding millimeter-wave transmission system. The method includes the following step: interacting between a transmitter and a receiver for a number of radio frequency chains that need to be established. The receiver calculates, according to a received signal power at the time of established a different number of radio frequency chains and a total power consumption at the time of established the different number of radio frequency chains, the number of the radio frequency chains that need to be established. According to the present invention, under a condition of balancing power consumption and a rate, a number of radio frequency chains that need to be established is adaptively selected, so as to optimally configure power consumption and a transmission rate in a millimeter-wave transmission system.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch capable of auto-configuration of client devices for a link aggregation. The switch includes a packet processor, an auto-configuration module, and a link-aggregation management module. During operation, the packet processor extracts an identifier of a client device from a notification message received via a local port. The auto-configuration module, which is coupled to the packet processor, associates the local port with the identifier of the client device. If the packet processor recognizes the identifier of the client device in a message received from a remote switch, the link-aggregation management module forms a multi-switch link aggregation for the client device in conjunction with the remote switch.

Abstract: A network of switches having ports coupled to other switches or end hosts may be controlled by a controller. The controller may identify whether any switch ports have failed. In response to identifying that a port has failed at a first switch, the controller may modify link aggregation group mappings of the other switches to handle failover. The controller may modify the link aggregation group mapping of each other switch to include a first mapping that includes ports coupled to the first switch and a second mapping that does not include any ports coupled to the first switch. The controller may configure forwarding tables at the switches to forward network packets using the first or second mappings based on network topology information maintained by the controller.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing the circuit board comprises following steps of providing an insulating substrate, and defining at least one through-hole on the insulating substrate to extending through two opposite surfaces of the insulating substrate; forming a silver layer on each of the two opposite surfaces, and forming a silver conductive structure in each through-hole connecting the silver layers; forming a copper wiring layer on the silver layers to cover each silver conductive structure and a portion region of the silver layers; and etching the silver layers to form a silver wiring layer corresponding to the copper wiring layer, wherein a first etching liquid, which does not etch the copper wiring layer, is used for etching the silver layers.

Abstract: A controller implemented on computing equipment may be used to control switches in a network. End hosts may be coupled to the switches. The controller may generate a virtual network topology of virtual switches, virtual routers, and virtual system routers that are distributed over underlying switches in the network. The controller may form virtual switches from respective groups of end hosts, virtual routers from groups of virtual switches that include virtual interfaces that are coupled to virtual switches, and a virtual system router from groups of virtual routers that includes virtual system router interfaces that are coupled to the virtual routers. The controller may control the virtual network topology by generating respective flow table entries based on identified network policies for each of the virtual routers, virtual system routers, and virtual switches. The controller may control the virtual system routers to route packets between the virtual routers.

Abstract: A container for culturing a blood sample. The container has a reservoir that is no larger than about 40 ml in volume with culture media therein varying in amount by volume 0.5 ml to about 20 ml. The container is adapted to receive a blood sample drawn from a patient, wherein the blood volume is about 1 ml to about 20 ml. In some embodiments the ratio of blood volume to culture media volume is about 2:1 to about 1:2 and the volume of blood does not exceed about 10 ml. In some embodiments, the media is lytic media. A method for using the container to culture a blood sample is also contemplated. In such method, the container is inoculated with the blood sample. In certain embodiments, the volume of the blood sample does not exceed 10 mls.

Abstract: A composite circuit board includes an insulation layer, an inner circuit layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer embedded in the insulation layer, a third conductive layer and a fourth conductive layer formed on opposite surfaces of the insulation layer. The third conductive layer electrically connects with the first conductive layer. The fourth conductive layer electrically connects with the second conductive layer. The inner circuit layer is in a middle portion of the insulation layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer respectively forms on opposite sides of the inner circuit layer. The insulation layer forms a plurality of first through holes between the first conductive layer and the inner circuit layer, a plurality of second through holes between the second conductive layer and the inner circuit layer.

Abstract: A composite circuit board includes an insulation layer, an inner circuit layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer embedded in the insulation layer, a third conductive layer and a fourth conductive layer formed on opposite surfaces of the insulation layer. The third conductive layer electrically connects with the first conductive layer. The fourth conductive layer electrically connects with the second conductive layer. The inner circuit layer is in a middle portion of the insulation layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer respectively forms on opposite sides of the inner circuit layer. The insulation layer forms a plurality of first through holes between the first conductive layer and the inner circuit layer, a plurality of second through holes between the second conductive layer and the inner circuit layer.

Abstract: A gel polymer coating separator with a multi-core-single-shell structure and a preparation method thereof for making lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract: Presented herein are methods and compositions for the detection of specific beta-lactamases, including class A serine carbapenemases, metallo-beta-lactamases, AmpC beta-lactamases, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). The methods presented herein include methods that permit the detection of the presence of specific beta-lactamases in bacterial samples within as few as 2 to 10 minutes.

Abstract: A circuit can be used in a speaker system. The circuit includes an amplifier with an output configured to be coupled to a speaker. An offset comparator has an input coupled the output of the amplifier and is configured to provide an offset control signal. A digital circuit has a first input coupled to an output of the offset comparator, a second input configured to receive an amplifier control signal, a third input configured to receive a play control signal, and an output configured to provide a forced mute signal that can be used to control the amplifier.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an adaptive parameter adjustment method for a hybrid precoding millimeter-wave transmission system. The method includes the following step: interacting between a transmitter and a receiver for a number of radio frequency chains that need to be established. The receiver calculates, according to a received signal power at the time of established a different number of radio frequency chains and a total power consumption at the time of established the different number of radio frequency chains, the number of the radio frequency chains that need to be established. According to the present invention, under a condition of balancing power consumption and a rate, a number of radio frequency chains that need to be established is adaptively selected, so as to optimally configure power consumption and a transmission rate in a millimeter-wave transmission system.

Abstract: A composite circuit board includes an insulation layer, an inner circuit layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer embedded in the insulation layer, a third conductive layer and a fourth conductive layer formed on opposite surfaces of the insulation layer. The third conductive layer electrically connects with the first conductive layer. The fourth conductive layer electrically connects with the second conductive layer. The inner circuit layer is in a middle portion of the insulation layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer respectively forms on opposite sides of the inner circuit layer. The insulation layer forms a plurality of first through holes between the first conductive layer and the inner circuit layer, a plurality of second through holes between the second conductive layer and the inner circuit layer.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a metal alloy resistant to aqueous corrosion consists essentially of or consists of niobium with additions of tungsten, molybdenum, and one or both of ruthenium and palladium.