Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, kits and methods for the selective hybridization and capture of a specific target nucleic acid. The specific target nucleic acid may be present in a heterogeneous mixture of nucleic acids. Selective hybridization and capture provides a target nucleic acid that is substantially free of non-target and/or contaminating nucleic acids. Target nucleic acids that have been selectively hybridized and captured using the current invention are then used in subsequent analysis, wherein the presence of non-target and/or contaminating nucleic acids that interfere with said subsequent analysis have been substantially reduced or eliminated, thereby providing improved analysis results.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, techniques for processing audio data. For instance, an electronic device may include an automatic gain controller (AGC) that determines AGC gains for amplifying or attenuating an audio data. To determine the AGC gains, the AGC uses information from a residual echo suppressor (RES) and/or a noise reductor (NR). The information may indicate RES gains applied to the audio data by the RES and/or NR gains applied to the audio data by the NR. In some instances, to determine the AGC gain, the AGC determines time-constant parameter(s) using the information. The AGC then uses the time-constant parameter(s) to determine an input signal level for the audio data and/or the AGC gain. In some instances, to determine the AGC gain, the AGC operates in an attack mode or a release mode based on the information.

Abstract: A system configured to perform directional speech separation. The system may dynamically associate direction-of-arrivals with one or more audio sources in order to generate output audio data that separates each of the audio sources. The system identifies a target direction for each audio source, dynamically determines directions that are correlated with the target direction, and generates output signals for each audio source. The system may associate individual frequency bands with specific directions based on a time delay detected by two or more microphones. The system may determine a cross-correlation between each direction and the target direction and select directions with strong correlation. The system may generate time-frequency mask data indicating frequency bands corresponding to the directions associated with a particular audio source. Using the mask data, the system generates output audio data specific to the audio source, resulting in directional speech separation between different audio sources.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, kits and methods for the selective hybridization and capture of a specific target nucleic acid. The specific target nucleic acid may be present in a heterogeneous mixture of nucleic acids. Selective hybridization and capture provides a target nucleic acid that is substantially free of non-target and/or contaminating nucleic acids. Target nucleic acids that have been selectively hybridized and captured using the current invention are then used in subsequent analysis, wherein the presence of non-target and/or contaminating nucleic acids that interfere with said subsequent analysis have been substantially reduced or eliminated, thereby providing improved analysis results.

Abstract: A catheter for ablation, mapping, injection, and directional control by an external magnetic system has a catheter body, an intermediate section, and a tip section having a tip electrode with an omnidirectional distal end and a concentric needle port. The tip electrode houses a magnetic device and a position sensor in an integrated configuration that facilitates a path in the tip section for extension and retraction of a component, including an injection needle, with reduced stress and friction. The integrated configuration is an efficient use of space in the tip electrode that allows the tip section to carry both the position sensor and the necessary volume of magnetic or magnetizable material to accomplish magnetic navigation. The catheter also includes a very soft and flexible intermediate section and an even softer and more flexible distal transitional section carrying additional magnetic members to facilitate remote magnetic navigation.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve may be used to repair a diseased or otherwise damaged heart valve such as the mitral valve. The prosthetic valve may include atraumatic anchor tabs which may be radiopaque or echogenic. A cinching mechanism may also be coupled to the prosthetic valve to control radial expansion of the prosthetic valve. The cinching mechanism may include a wire lasso or a belt. The prosthetic valve may include an expandable frame which has a reduced number of strut connection nodes to allow a lower profile collapsed configuration and tighter crimping. The commissure posts of the prosthetic valve may extend beyond an edge of the ventricular skirt portion of the device.

Abstract: A system configured to perform directional speech separation. The system may dynamically associate direction-of-arrivals with one or more audio sources in order to generate output audio data that separates each of the audio sources. The system identifies a target direction for each audio source, dynamically determines directions that are correlated with the target direction, and generates output signals for each audio source. The system may associate individual frequency bands with specific directions based on a time delay detected by two or more microphones. The system may determine a cross-correlation between each direction and the target direction and select directions with strong correlation. The system may generate time-frequency mask data indicating frequency bands corresponding to the directions associated with a particular audio source. Using the mask data, the system generates output audio data specific to the audio source, resulting in directional speech separation between different audio sources.

Abstract: This patent application discloses a lithium secondary battery and methods of making and the same and use thereof. The lithium secondary battery has a cathode including a cathode active material, an anode including an anode active material, and an electrolyte solution including a lithium salt. A coating including a layer of fine polymer fibers is formed on a surface of at least one side of the cathode, the anode, or both the cathode and the anode. The coating having an area larger than the surface of the cathode, anode, or both the cathode and anode, extending to each edge of the at least one side of the cathode, the anode, or both the cathode and the anode.

Abstract: A catheter for ablation, mapping, injection, and directional control by an external magnetic system has a catheter body, an intermediate section, and a tip section having a tip electrode with an omnidirectional distal end and a concentric needle port. The tip electrode houses a magnetic device and a position sensor in an integrated configuration that facilitates a path in the tip section for extension and retraction of a component, including an injection needle, with reduced stress and friction. The integrated configuration is an efficient use of space in the tip electrode that allows the tip section to carry both the position sensor and the necessary volume of magnetic or magnetizable material to accomplish magnetic navigation. The catheter also includes a very soft and flexible intermediate section and an even softer and more flexible distal transitional section carrying additional magnetic members to facilitate remote magnetic navigation.

Abstract: Various embodiments may provide an acoustic device. The acoustic device may include a substrate, an electrically conductive first membrane, a first spacer holding the first membrane to form a first acoustic chamber between the substrate and the first membrane. The acoustic device may additionally include an electrically conductive second membrane, a second spacer holding the second membrane to form a second acoustic chamber between the first membrane and the second membrane, and a plurality of electrical pads in electrical connection with the first membrane and the second membrane.

Abstract: A system configured to perform power normalization for voice enhancement. The system may identify active intervals corresponding to voice activity and may selectively amplify the active intervals in order to generate output audio data at a near uniform loudness. The system may determine a variable gain for each of the active intervals based on a desired output loudness and a flatness value, which indicates how much a signal envelope is to be modified. For example, a low flatness value corresponds to no modification, with peak active interval values corresponding to the desired output loudness and lower active intervals being lower than the desired output loudness. In contrast, a high flatness value corresponds to extensive modification, with peak active interval values and lower active interval values both corresponding to the desired output loudness. Thus, individual words may share the same peak power level.

Abstract: A method involves determining failure in time rate for a circuit. The method may include obtaining circuit data regarding a circuit. The circuit may include a first wire segment and a second wire segment. The method may further include obtaining reliability data. The reliability data may describe a failure of the circuit over a pre-determined time period. The method may further include obtaining a thermal map. The method may further include determining a first failure rate for the first wire segment of the circuit. The first failure rate may be a probability that the first wire segment fails in a predetermined amount of time. The method may further include determining a second failure rate for the second wire segment of the circuit. The method may further include generating a model of the circuit. The model of the circuit may describe the first and the second failure rate of the circuit.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a fiber reinforced metal composite comprising a metal layer and a fiber layer which are arranged in a stack, and adjacent layers are fixed by bonding; the composite has a two-layered or three-layered structure, wherein one layer is closely adhered to another layer and the thickness of the layer is from 0.6 mm˜0.9 mm. Such structure changes the structure of the existing fiber metal composite characterized by generally having more than three layers, and greatly reduces the thickness of the composite while maintaining good mechanical properties. In another aspect, the present invention discloses an application of fiber reinforced metal composite in the field of luggage case manufacturing, provides two preparation methods for providing fiber reinforced metal case shell with simple and available operations.

Abstract: A control circuit is configured to sense an AC input voltage of a power factor correction (PFC) power circuit in a switching power converter, provide a control signal having an on-time and an off-time to at least one power switch of the PFC power circuit, and in response to detecting a peak voltage of the AC input voltage, increase the on-time of the control signal based on the sensed AC input voltage during an interval that begins with the peak voltage of the AC input voltage and ends with the next zero crossing following the peak voltage of the AC input voltage to improve a power factor of the switching power converter. Other example switching power converters, PFC power circuits and control circuits for controlling one or more power switches are also disclosed.

Abstract: This disclosure discloses a preparing method of transforming commercial base thermoplastics into germ-repellent resins or functional masterbatch through plasma and (melt)mixing assisted grafting process. The resins or masterbatch concentrate composition enable a number of product reforming processes, including but not limited to thermoforming, profile extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, blow filming, film casting, and spinning into articles of different shapes and geometries or overmolding on plastic substrates that can resist surface adsorption of microbes after solidification.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, kits and methods for the selective hybridization and capture of a specific target nucleic acid. The specific target nucleic acid may be present in a heterogeneous mixture of nucleic acids. Selective hybridization and capture provides a target nucleic acid that is substantially free of non-target and/or contaminating nucleic acids. Target nucleic acids that have been selectively hybridized and captured using the current invention are then used in subsequent analysis, wherein the presence of non-target and/or contaminating nucleic acids that interfere with said subsequent analysis have been substantially reduced or eliminated, thereby providing improved analysis results.

Abstract: A method involves determining failure in time rate for a circuit. The method may include obtaining circuit data regarding a circuit. The circuit may include a first wire segment and a second wire segment. The method may further include obtaining reliability data. The reliability data may describe a failure of the circuit over a pre-determined time period. The method may further include obtaining a thermal map. The method may further include determining a first failure rate for the first wire segment of the circuit. The first failure rate may be a probability that the first wire segment fails in a predetermined amount of time. The method may further include determining a second failure rate for the second wire segment of the circuit. The method may further include generating a model of the circuit. The model of the circuit may describe the first and the second failure rate of the circuit.

Abstract: The present invention provides nucleic acid amplification systems and methods that desirably reduce or eliminate false positive amplification signals resulting from contaminating biological material, e.g., nucleic acid, that may be present in one or more reagents used in an amplification reaction and/or that may be present in the environment in which an amplification reaction is performed. The invention offers the further advantage of requiring less stringent purification and/or sterility efforts than conventionally needed in order to ensure that enzymes and other reagents used in amplification reactions, and the environment in which an amplification reaction is performed, are free of bacterial or other nucleic acid contamination that may yield false positive results.