Abstract: Techniques to refine solutions to linear optimization problems using symmetries are described. Some embodiments are particularly directed to techniques to refine solutions to linear optimization problems using symmetries to permute an existing solution into other feasible solutions that may improve upon the objective function. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a configuration component, an optimization component, a symmetries component, and an improvement component. The configuration component may be operative to receive an optimization problem described by an objective and constraints on a plurality of variables. The optimization interface component may be operative to receive an initial feasible solution to the optimization problem, the initial feasible solution comprising an assignment of values to the plurality of variables satisfying all the constraints, the initial feasible solution producing an initial objective value when applied to the objective.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing reduced-fat foods such as meat products and sausage products, in particular raw, cooked, or boiled sausages, on the basis of a sausage meat made from a ground amount of meat, optionally a water addition, and the addition of salt, spices, auxiliary substances, and additives. According to the invention, animal tissue, in particular lean meat, treated with high pressure and/or skin treated with high pressure is fed to the mixture cut to produce the sausage meat as an at least partial fat substitute, whereby the protein content of the mixture is increased and the structure of the product is appealing and not similar to reduced-fat products.

Abstract: Provided is a process for treating or preventing a viral infection in a subject, wherein the viral infection is from a flavivirus selected from the group consisting of Hepatitis C Virus (genotypes 1-7) and Japanese Encephalitis Virus.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an optical module that includes a mechanical structure to adjust a zoom level or focus of the optical module.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forecasting ratios in hierarchies are provided. Hierarchies can be formed that have components, including a numerator time series with values from input data, a denominator time series with values from input data, and a ratio time series of the numerator time series over the denominator time series. The components can be modeled to generate forecasted hierarchies. The forecasted hierarchies can be reconciled so that the forecasted hierarchies are statistically consistent throughout nodes of the forecasted hierarchies.

Abstract: A phase-change memory and a semiconductor recording/reproducing device capable of reducing consumed power are provided. A SnxTe100-x/Sb2Te3 SL film obtained by depositing a SnxTe100-x film and a Sb2Te3 film layer by layer contains a SnTe/Sb2Te3 superlattice phase formed of SnTe and Sb2Te3, a SnSbTe alloy phase, and a Te phase. The SnTe/Sb2Te3 superlattice phase is diluted by the SnSbTe alloy phase and the Te phase. Here, X of the SnxTe100-x film is represented by 4 at. %?X?55 at. %.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computation device for optimizing photovoltaic power generation by computing a wire connection pattern of a plurality of photovoltaic modules, the computation device including a parameter acquisition unit configured to acquire a parameter including at least a current value from each of the photovoltaic modules; a class classification unit configured to perform class classification of the photovoltaic modules based on the parameter acquired by the parameter acquisition unit; and a wire connection pattern selection unit configured to select the wire connection pattern based on the class classification performed by the class classification unit.

Abstract: An electronic travel aid (ETA) for visually impaired and blind people (subject) with minimum physical interface adapted to perform real-time navigation without digital camera and complex hardware. Importantly, the electronic travel aid relates to real-time situations with speech messages stored in flash memory for aiding the visually impaired or blind people. The electronic travel aid is provided involving wireless or wired technology and is directed to serve as a low-cost, robust, reliable, and user-friendly solution for blind or visually impaired navigation.

Abstract: A mobile communication device including a wireless communication module, a local display device, and a processing module is provided. The wireless communication module performs wireless transceiving to and from a display host machine. The local display device is equipped with a first display screen including a first control area and a second control area within the first control area. The processing module detects a first touch event in the first control area and a second touch event for moving the second control area within the first control area, transforms coordinate information of the first and second touch events into a first set and a second set of coordinates on a second display screen of the display host machine, respectively, and presents a touch operation and a cursor operation on the second display screen via the wireless communication module according the first set and second set of coordinates, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed are a pyrrolo-pyrroledione-thiophenequinone compound as shown by formula I, a preparation process thereof and the use thereof as an organic semiconductor material. The preparation process for the compound of formula I comprises reacting NaH, an ?-bromine substituted pyrrolo-pyrroledione-thiophene oligomer as shown by formula II and malononitrile sodium salt, in the presence of catalytic Pd(PPh3)4, and then adding to the reaction system saturated bromine water to carry out an oxidation reaction, so as to obtain the compound of formula I. The compound of formula I has a good field effect performance, an electron mobility of above 0.1 cm2V?1s?1, an on/off current ratio up to 105, and is stable in air.

Abstract: An artificial foot and ankle joint consists of a curved leaf spring foot member having a heel extremity and a toe extremity, and a flexible elastic ankle member that connects the foot member for rotation at the ankle joint. An actuator motor applies torque to the ankle joint to orient the foot when it is not in contact with the support surface and to store energy in a catapult spring that is released along with the energy stored in the leaf spring to propel the wearer forward. A ribbon clutch prevents the foot member from rotating in one direction beyond a predetermined limit position. A controllable damper is employed to lock the ankle joint or to absorb mechanical energy as needed. The controller and sensing mechanisms control both the actuator motor and the controllable damper at different times during the walking cycle for level walking, stair ascent, and stair descent.

Abstract: A power consuming management system installed between a power outlet and at least one load includes an electricity meter connected between the power outlet and the at least one load for detection of power consumption and distribution of power to the at least one load, a charger connected to the power outlet, a power saving element connected to the charger, an energy recovery module connected to the power saving element and the electricity meter and a controller connected to the charger, the power saving element, the energy recovery module and the electricity meter to form a loop.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a downhole rotating magnetic field generator, wherein a stator assembly is formed by fixedly connecting a guiding stator, windings, and a body together, and a rotor assembly is formed by mounting a turbine rotor and a permanent magnet together. Between the stator assembly and the rotor assembly, sliding bearings are arranged and small mud passages are formed. There is no metal isolation between the rotor and the stator for cutting through the magnetic lines of force, so that the eddy current loss is relatively small. Meanwhile, with mud flowing through the passages as lubricant, overheating of the generator can be prevented and high power output can be ensured.

Abstract: Shape memory and pseudoelastic martensitic behavior is enabled by a structure in which there is provided a crystalline ceramic material that is capable of undergoing a reversible martensitic transformation and forming martensitic domains, during such martensitic transformation, that have an average elongated domain length. The ceramic material is configured as an oligocrystalline ceramic material structure having a total structural surface area that is greater than a total grain boundary area in the oligocrystalline ceramic material structure. The oligocrystalline ceramic material structure includes an oligocrystalline ceramic structural feature which has an extent that is less than the average elongated domain length of the crystalline ceramic material.

Abstract: The invention provides the nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence of the CDR3 domain of the T cell receptor (TCR) gene of a WT1-specific cytotoxic T cell (CTL) against WT1 protein. Also provided are a method for testing for and treating cancer using the nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence, and a chip, primer set, kit, and device for testing for cancer comprising the nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence.

Abstract: In a method of forming a photonic device, a first silicon electrode is formed, and then a germanium active layer is formed on the first silicon electrode while including n-type dopant atoms in the germanium layer, during formation of the layer, to produce a background electrical dopant concentration that is greater than an intrinsic dopant concentration of germanium. A second silicon electrode is then formed on a surface of the germanium active layer. The formed germanium active layer is doped with additional dopant for supporting an electrically-pumped guided mode as a laser gain medium with an electrically-activated n-type electrical dopant concentration that is greater than the background dopant concentration to overcome electrical losses of the photonic device.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for identifying agents which modulate microRNA activity. The invention involves contacting a cell harboring a microRNA and a microRNA binding sequence, which is operably linked to a nucleic acid molecule encoding a reporter protein, with a test agent and determining whether the test agent increases or decreases the expression of the reporter protein thereby identifying a microRNA modulator. Antagonists identified by this screening assay are provided, as are methods for using the same to inhibit microRNA activity and prevent or treat disease.

Abstract: A position tracking apparatus includes: a depth image obtaining unit for obtaining a depth image; a database created by collecting depth images received from the depth image obtaining unit; a feature extracting unit for extracting features from each pixel of the depth image; a classifier training unit for training a classifier in order to determine the position of the parts of the body by receiving a feature set for each part of the body as inputs which are extracted by using the feature extracting unit from all of the depth images in the database; and a position determination unit for extracting features for each pixel of the depth image received by the depth image obtaining unit using the feature extracting unit in a state in which the classifier training unit trains the classifier, and for tracking the three-dimensional position of each part of the body through the classifier.

Abstract: A method of a multicast/broadcast server to count the number of terminals. The method includes transmitting a request message to a base station to request to count the number of terminals currently being provided with one or more multicast/broadcast services or interested in the multicast/broadcast services; and switching mode of a corresponding service to unicast mode or multicast/broadcast mode according to whether the number of counted terminals is greater than a predefined threshold wherein the number of counted terminals is contained in a message received from the base station as a response to the request message.

Abstract: Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine.