Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for video encoding/decoding by using a geometric modified picture. The encoding method according to the present invention includes: generating a geometric modified picture by geometrically modifying a reference picture; and generating a first prediction block of a current block by performing inter prediction referencing the geometric modified picture.

Abstract: Multi-stage fiber amplifiers can amplify signals from a few Watts to several kilowatts. These amplifiers are limited in power by intensity instabilities resulting from a sequence of nonlinear optical effects. These nonlinear optical effects include stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), with produces a high-intensity pulse close to the signal wavelength that propagates backward up the amplifier chain, causing permanent damage to the upstream components. This SBS pulse can be blocked by an optical isolator that blocks backward-propagating light at or near the signal wavelength. At high enough power levels, the SBS pulse can also induce backward-propagating light at wavelengths tens to hundreds of nanometers away from the signal wavelength. This SBS-Pulse Induced Non-linear Spectrum light is outside the isolator's reject band, so it can propagate upstream and de-stabilize the upstream amplifier stages.

Abstract: The microfluidic devices and systems disclosed herein reduce sample loss and help decrease sample processing bottlenecks for applications such as next generation sequencing (NGS). The microfluidic devices include a plurality of reaction modules. Each reaction module may comprise one or more reaction circuits. Each reaction circuit may comprise a single reaction flow channel with each reaction circuit connected by a bridge flow channel. Alternatively, each reaction circuit may comprise two or more reaction flow channels connected by two or more bridge flow channels. The combination of any two bridge flow channels and a portion of the two or more reaction flow channels between the any two bridge flow channels defining may define the reaction circuit. The reaction module may be arranged as nodes connected by bridge flow channels or each reaction module may be arranged in a parallel fashion on the microfluidic device.

Abstract: The present invention includes compositions and methods for treating arthritic joints found in patients with autoinflammation, e.g., systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis, by administering at the site of inflammation a therapeutically effective amount of at least one agent that reduces or blocks the bioavailability of interleukin-1?.

Abstract: A retractor system for use in preparing an area of the body for a surgical procedure is disclosed. The retractor system includes retractor blades that can be independently inserted and positioned within the body. The system also includes articulating arms that can be used to secure the retractor blades to one another and to rigidly fix the retractor blades in place relative to an operating table or other fixed structure.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus using a line unit operation is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive an image, at least one first line buffer configured to output the received image to be an image line of a line unit, a first convolution operator configured to generate a feature map by performing a convolution operation based on the output image line, and a feature map processor configured to store the generated feature map as at least one line unit and process the feature map stored as the line unit to be output in a two-dimensional (2D) or higher dimensional form.

Abstract: A method and a device are used for generating a jacquard pattern of a preform. The method comprises acquiring initial structure information of a preform to be prepared; generating an initial jacquard pattern of the preform to be prepared; pixel values of pixels in the initial jacquard pattern, comprising a first pixel value and a second pixel value, are equal to the first pixel value when warp yarns corresponding to the pixels are located above corresponding weft yarns, and are equal to the second pixel value when warp yarns corresponding to the pixels are located below corresponding weft yarns; acquiring yarn reduction information of the preform to be prepared; and adjusting the initial jacquard pattern according to the yarn reduction information to obtain the jacquard pattern of the preform to be prepared.

Abstract: Provided are a method of screening for novel therapeutic targets to develop therapeutic agents for colon cancer, and prognostic biomarkers for colon cancer treatment which are screened using the same.

Abstract: A method of processing database queries according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes the steps of acquiring an input query of a database, generating a join graph consisting of vertexes corresponding to the tables of the database and edges corresponding to join information among the tables, dividing the join graph into a plurality of subgraphs, and for the input query, generating an execution plan of a target query including N-ary join operators by using the plurality of subgraphs, optimizing the execution plan of the target query based on a cost model, acquiring a table sort algorithm of the N-ary join operators included in the target query based on an available size of a GPU or CPU memory, determining a sort order of one or more join columns included in the tables of the N-ary join operators, and based on the sort order of the one or more join columns, performing an operation for the plurality of subgraphs.

Abstract: An inter-prediction method according to the present invention comprises the steps of: deriving motion information of a current block; and generating a prediction block for the current block on the basis of the derived motion information. According to the present invention, computational complexity can be reduced and encoding efficiency can be improved.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods are described for non-invasively monitoring and/or measuring or estimating intraocular pressure. Medical or diagnostic methods embodiments described herein include high resolution imaging of the sclera of one or both of a patient's eyes using digital photography or videography. The hardware employed may be for two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) imaging.

Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to improving a representation of objects in a surrounding environment. In one embodiment, a method includes, in response to receiving sensor data depicting the surrounding environment including a corridor that defines a left boundary and a right boundary, identifying at least one object from the sensor data. The method includes transforming segmented data from the sensor data that represents the object into a bounding box by defining the bounding box according to six points relative to the corridor. The method includes providing the six points of the bounding box as a reduced representation of the object.

Abstract: A basalt-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite material may include a thermoplastic resin and a basalt fiber as a reinforcement, wherein the basalt fiber is surface-treated with an alkoxy-group-substituted silane compound.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for eliminating odors including administering a deodorant composition containing an Opuntia ficus (prickly pear) extract or a fraction thereof as an active ingredient. The deodorant composition, which further contains a persimmon extract or a fraction thereof, a persimmon juice, or a green tea extract or a fraction thereof, is useful as a deodorizer for removing or reducing ammonia and trimethylamine.

Abstract: Aspects described herein relate generally to adsorbent systems and methods for capturing and/or separating organic species (e.g., uncharged organic species) from mixtures with water.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for transmitting and receiving data channels in a communication system. An operation method of a terminal in a communication system may comprise receiving, from a base station, resource allocation information of a plurality of physical uplink shared channels (PUSCHs) used for repetitive transmission of a same transport block (TB); identifying a position of each of the plurality of PUSCHs in a time domain based on the resource allocation information; and repeatedly transmitting the same TB to the base station at the position of each of the plurality of PUSCHs. Therefore, performance of the communication system can be improved.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a fluorescent nanomaterial and a preparation method and applications thereof, and the preparation method comprises: subjecting amphiphilic molecules in a solvent system to an illumination treatment and/or a heat treatment to obtain fluorescent nanomaterials. The preparation of fluorescent nanomaterials provided by the present disclosure is simple in process, simple and easily available in raw materials and requires neither additional addition of a strong acid, a strong alkali, a passivating agent and the like, nor high temperature and high pressure in the preparation process. The whole process is environmentally friendly and pollution-free and the products can be used in various fields.

Abstract: A method of generating a terahertz wave and apparatuses performing the method are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, a method of generating a terahertz wave includes outputting a laser comb by modulating a laser output from a laser source based on a linearly modulated frequency of an output that is output from a frequency source, and generating a terahertz wave based on a first comb line and a second comb line selected from the laser comb.

Abstract: The present invention leverages the techniques for expansion microscopy (ExM) to provide improved high-throughput super-resolution whole-organ imaging methodology to image protein architectures over whole organs with nanoscale resolution by using high-throughput microscopes in combination with samples that have been iteratively expanded more than once, in a method referred to herein as “iterative expansion microscopy” (iExM). In the ExM method, biological samples of interest are permeated with a swellable material that results in the sample becoming embedded in the swellable material, and then the sample can be expanded isotropically in three dimensions The process of iteratively expanding the samples can be applied to samples that have been already expanded using ExM techniques one or more additional times to iteratively expand them such that, for example, a 5-fold expanded specimen can be expanded again 3- to 4-fold, resulting in as much as a 17- to 19-fold or more linear expansion.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to improved techniques for performing human parsing functions using neural network architectures. The neural network architecture can model human objects in images using a hierarchal graph of interconnected nodes that correspond to anatomical features at various levels. Multi-level inference information can be generated for each of the nodes using separate inference processes. The multi-level inference information for each node can be combined or fused to generate final predictions for each of the nodes. Parsing results may be generated based on the final predictions.