Abstract: A method of thermoelectric power generation by converting heat to electricity via the use of a ZrCoBi-based thermoelectric material, wherein a thermoelectric conversion efficiency of the ZrCoBi-based thermoelectric material is greater than or equal to 7% at a temperature difference of up to 800 K.

Abstract: A fully automatic peanuts peeling robot for seeds retention and a method using the same are provided. The robot includes a processing mechanism, a feeding mechanism and a screening mechanism. The processing mechanism includes an aluminum profile support bracket, a bracket assembly, a conveyor belt device, and a conversion device, a sensor device and a cut-off device; the aluminum profile support bracket is fixedly connected to the bracket assembly; the bracket assembly includes a first bracket assembly, a second bracket assembly, and a third bracket assembly; and the aluminum profile support bracket is fixedly connected to the conveyor belt device; the conveyor belt device includes a first conveyor belt assembly, a second conveyor belt assembly, and a third conveyor belt assembly; the conveyor belt device is fixedly connected to the conversion device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a high-resolution hyperspectral computational imaging method and system and a medium. The method of the present invention comprises: conducting spectral upsampling on an input RGB image Y to obtain an initial hyperspectral image X0; and inputting the initial hyperspectral image X0 into a pre-trained deep convolutional neural network guided by an imaging model, and conducting iteration computation to obtain a hyperspectral image X. The present invention can effectively achieve reconstruction of the RGB image to the high-resolution hyperspectral image and has the advantages of high reconstruction precision, high computational efficiency, little memory consumption and strong generalization ability.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image encoding method and an image decoding method. The image decoding method, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of: determining a transformation performing region; segmenting the determined transformation performing region into at least one sub-transform block by using at least one of quadtree segmentation and binary tree segmentation; and performing inverse transformation on the at least one sub-transform block.

Abstract: A calibration platform may obtain measurements for aligning a real-world coordinate system and a display coordinate system. For example, the calibration platform may display, via an optical see-through head-mounted display (OST-HMD), a three-dimensional virtual object and receive, from a positional tracking device, information that relates to a current pose of a three-dimensional real-world object to be aligned with the three-dimensional virtual object. The calibration platform may record a three-dimensional position of a plurality of points on the three-dimensional real-world object based on the current pose of the three-dimensional real-world object, based on an indication that the plurality of points on the three-dimensional real-world object respectively corresponds with a plurality of points on the three-dimensional virtual object.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a rock-salt structure formed from an electrochemically-driven amorphous-to-crystalline (a-to-c) transformation of nanostructured Nb2O5, the rock-salt structure including, upon cycling with lithium ions (Li+), an insertion of lithium ions (Li+) into Nb2O5 to form the rock-salt structure (RS—Nb2O5).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring tryptase activity in a blood sample accurately and rapidly by a convenient operation in order to accurately evaluate the state of a disease whose state involves mast cells. The present invention enables tryptase activity in a blood sample to be directly measured without the pretreatment, such as purification or concentration, of the blood sample, using a substrate for measuring tryptase activity, comprising a tripeptide C-terminally linked through a peptide bond to a dye label, selected from the following formulas (1) to (3): (1) Lys-Ala-Arg-X, (2) Ala-Ala-Arg-X, and (3) Abu-Ala-Arg-X (wherein X represents a dye label whose fluorescence characteristics or color development characteristics change upon the cleavage of the peptide bond with Arg, and Abu represents 2-aminobutyric acid).

Abstract: This invention provides an device for electrical stimulation of the spinal cord. The device has an electrode assembly with a sufficiently thin profile to be implanted between the pial surface of the spinal cord and the dura mater, and secured to the dura. Electrodes on the electrode assembly are directed towards the surface of the spinal cord, and connected through the dura to a signal generator located outside the dura. Following implantation, the subject is treated by transmitting electrical signals from the signal generator through the leads to the electrodes, stimulating the subject's spinal cord.

Abstract: Compositions, non-viral vectors, recombinant viruses, and recombinant viral vectors for inhibiting ?FosB expression or activity in a cell and for treating dyskinesia in a subject (e.g., a human patient having Parkinson's disease and Levodopa-induced dyskinesia) include a nucleic acid sequence encoding a shRNA specific for ?FosB. Methods of using these compositions, non-viral vectors, recombinant viruses, and recombinant viral vectors are also described herein. These compositions, non-viral vectors, recombinant viruses, and recombinant viral vectors and methods of use provide novel therapies for dyskinesia based on the reduction of ?FosB expression and/or activity.

Abstract: In at least some aspects, the present concepts include a method for configuring an assistive flexible suit including the acts of outfitting a person with an assistive flexible suit, monitoring an output of at least one sensor of the assistive flexible suit as the person moves in a first controlled movement environment, identifying at least one predefined gait event using the output of the at least one sensor, adjusting an actuation profile of the at least one actuator and continuing to perform the acts of monitoring, identifying and adjusting until an actuation profile of the at least one actuator generates a beneficial moment about the at least one joint to promote an improvement in gait. The at least one controller is then set to implement the actuation profile.

Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor memory device comprising a bit line extending in a first direction, a channel pattern on the bit line and including a first oxide semiconductor layer in contact with the bit line and a second oxide semiconductor layer on the first oxide semiconductor layer, wherein each of the first and second oxide semiconductor layers includes a horizontal part parallel to the bit line and first and second vertical parts that vertically protrude from the horizontal part, first and second word lines between the first and second vertical parts of the second oxide semiconductor layer and on the horizontal part of the second oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate dielectric pattern between the channel pattern and the first and second word lines. A thickness of the second oxide semiconductor layer is greater than that of the first oxide semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An inspection probe and system for inspecting a welded or brazed joint includes a housing having an internal cavity and opposed tapered standoffs disposed at a distal end portion of the housing. Distal ends of the opposed tapered standoffs define pivot surfaces, and the opposed tapered standoffs are spaced apart to define a secondary enclosure. A plurality of transducer elements are disposed within the internal cavity of the housing and a primary coupling medium made of a flexible, semi-solid material is secured between the opposed tapered standoffs. A signal processing module is in communication with a data acquisition unit, which is in communication with the transducer elements. The inspection probe is rotated across the joint, data from the transducer elements is communicated to the signal processing module, and reconstructed and corrected images obtained at different angles from the transducer elements are stitched to generate an inspection image.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a T/R switch. The T/R switch includes a double sided microstripline based hybrid couplers with a top side and a bottom side each including two concentric microstripline based hybrid couplers. Each of the two concentric microstripline based hybrid couplers includes an inner microstripline based hybrid coupler and an outer microstripline based hybrid coupler. The inner microstripline based hybrid coupler forms an inner loop of the two concentric microstripline based hybrid couplers and the outer microstripline based hybrid coupler forms an outer loop. In a transmission mode, the inner microstripline based hybrid coupler and the outer microstripline based hybrid coupler at the top side of the dual-tuned T/R switch are activated. In a receiving mode the inner microstripline based hybrid coupler and the outer microstripline based hybrid coupler at the top side and at the bottom side of the dual-tuned T/R switch are activated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a calcium salt, Ca(HMDS)2, where HMDS is the hexamethyldisilazide anion (also known as bis(trimethylsilyl)amide), enables high current densities and high coulombic efficiency for calcium metal deposition and dissolution. These properties facilitate the use of this salt in batteries based on calcium metal. In addition, the salt is significant for batteries based on metal anodes, which have higher specific energies than batteries based on intercalation anodes, such as LiC6. In particular, a calcium based rechargeable battery includes Ca(HMDS)2 salt and at least one solvent, the solvent suitable for calcium battery cycling. The at least one solvent can be diethyl ether, diisopropylether, methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE), 1,3-dioxane, 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran (THF), tetrahydropyran, glyme, diglyme, triglyme or tetraglyme, or any mixture thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of network resource allocation. The method includes: generating an adjacency matrix of nodes in a metropolitan area network (MAN) according to spatial adjacency relationships of the nodes; generating a network state feature matrix according to traffic information of each node; extracting traffic spatial features of the nodes from the adjacency matrix and the network state feature matrix through a traffic spatial feature extraction model; obtaining predicted traffic of the nodes from the traffic spatial features through a traffic prediction model; and performing a network resource allocation according to the predicted traffic of the nodes. Further, a device of network resource allocation and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: A dental and facial imaging device includes an adjustable arm, an image sensor mounted on a first end of the adjustable arm and an adjustable patient positioning arm mounted on a second end of the adjustable arm. A distance between the adjustable patient positioning arm and the image sensor is adjustable based on an adjustable length of the adjustable arm. A position indicator scale of the adjustable arm includes multiple notches for calibrating the distance between the adjustable patient positioning arm and the image sensor. The adjustable patient positioning arm includes a patient teeth supporting device and a patient chin rest which are positioned at a fixed coordinate reference relative to the image sensor to capture an image of a patient's teeth. The fixed coordinate reference corresponds to co-ordinates of multiple anatomical planes associated with the patient teeth supporting device and a patient chin rest relative to the image sensor.

Abstract: A metal-assisted microwave treatment that converting raw coal powders into nano-graphite is presented. Specifically, four major factors are identified for successful conversion: (1) high temperature; (2) reducing environment; (3) catalyst; and (4) microwave radiation. Specifically, it is determined that the combination of the carbon sources (raw coal powders), the high temperature (microwave induced electric sparking), the reducing environment (the Ar/H2 mixture), the catalyst (Cu foil), with the microwave radiations can generate nano-graphite. This novel approach utilizes the sparking induced by the microwave radiation on the fork-shape metal foils to generate high temperature (>1000° C.) within few seconds. The small thermal load makes this method cost effective and has potential for higher temperature using metals with higher melting temperature. Refinement of this technique is possible to yield a higher quality and quantity of nano-graphite materials for a wider range of applications.

Abstract: A screw smelting machine melts raw materials with a different chemical ratio in a mixing funnel in a feeding order to prevent the long-range diffusion of a melt, and controls outflow at a suitable speed. A centrifugal casting machine solidifies the melt with the ingredients gradient varying into a radial ingredient gradient material by a centrifugal casting style. A temperature sensor monitors temperature of an outer surface of a centrifuge cavity of the centrifugal casting machine during centrifugal casting, and transmits the temperature to a control platform. The control platform determines an optimal flow rate of the melt at an end of screw rod according to ingredient gradient of ingredient radial-gradient pipe materials and a thickness of each component gradient material required with preparation, in combination with a real-time data fed back from the temperature sensor, and feeds back to a feeding end.

Abstract: Various embodiments include an electrical device comprising an antiferromagnetic topological insulator having a surface comprising a bulk domain wall configured to support a first type of 1D chiral channel, a surface step configured to support a second 1D chiral channel and intersecting the bulk domain wall to form thereat a quantum point junction.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for trapping and manipulating portions of tissue are described. In an embodiment, the devices include an array of traps, wherein traps of the array of traps are shaped to trap a tissue sample; and a well is in registry and fluidic communication with a trap of the array of traps.