Abstract: An electroporation system including one or more of a pipette, a pipette tip, a pipette docking assembly, and a pulse generator. The pipette docking assembly includes a pipette station, a pipette station guard, and a reservoir (e.g., a buffer tube). A method for transfecting a cell with a payload including providing an electroporation system, providing the cell, providing the payload, introducing the cell and the payload into a pipette tip, and electroporating the cell within the pipette tip by operating the electroporation system.

Abstract: A server device which is self-adaptive to different placements and locations includes a chassis, a plurality of storage elements, and a storage cabinet. First and third slide rails are positioned at opposite sides of the storage cabinet along a first direction. Second and fourth slide rails are positioned at other two opposing sides of the storage cabinet. The storage cabinet is movably positioned in the chassis along a third direction. When the chassis is horizontal, the first slide rail and the third slide rail provide support for the storage cabinet and when the chassis is vertical, support is provided by the second and fourth slide rails. The problem of the storage cabinet being difficult to slide when the placement of the chassis is changed is reduced, and the server device is more flexible in its placement.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the technical field of growth environment control for plants, and provides a light regulation method, system, and apparatus for a growth environment of leafy vegetables. The method includes: obtaining a growth environment image and growth environment light parameters of leafy vegetables; inputting the growth environment image into an image segmentation model to obtain an initial pixel segmentation map; determining a leaf area of the leafy vegetables according to the initial pixel segmentation map by using a Class Activation Mapping (CAM)-K algorithm; inputting the leaf area and the growth environment light parameters of the leafy vegetables into a leafy vegetable growth index prediction model to obtain a growth index of the leafy vegetables; adjusting the growth environment light parameters according to the growth index of the leafy vegetables. This disclosure achieves automated and intelligent control of light conditions in the growth environment of leafy vegetables.

Abstract: An encoder includes circuitry and memory. The circuitry determines whether a first virtual pipeline decoding unit (VPDU) is split into smaller blocks and whether a second VPDU is split into smaller blocks. In response to a determination the first VPDU is not split into smaller blocks and a determination the second VPDU is split into smaller blocks, a block of chroma samples is predicted without using luma samples. In response to a determination the first VPDU is split into smaller blocks and a determination the second VPDU is split into smaller blocks, the block of chroma samples is predicted using luma samples. In response to a determination the first VPDU is not split into smaller blocks and a determination the second VPDU is not split into smaller block, the block of chroma samples is predicted using luma samples. The block is encoded using the predicted chroma samples.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure is provided. The semiconductor device includes forming nanowire structures stacked over a substrate and spaced apart from one another, and forming a dielectric material surrounding the nanowire structures. The dielectric material has a first nitrogen concentration. The method also includes treating the dielectric material to form a treated portion. The treated portion of the dielectric material has a second nitrogen concentration that is greater than the first nitrogen concentration. The method also includes removing the treating portion of the dielectric material, thereby remaining an untreated portion of the dielectric material as inner spacer layers; and forming the gate stack surrounding nanowire structures and between the inner spacer layers.

Abstract: An endovascular management and tracking system comprises a track and at least one shuttle to which at least one elongate medical device can be respectively affixed. Each of the shuttle(s) is configured for being mechanically coupled to the track. Each of the shuttle(s) comprises a sled configured for riding on the track, an axial drive mechanism carried by the sled and configured for being actuated to axially translate the respective shuttle along the track, and a first actuator carried by the sled and configured for actuating the axial drive mechanism.

Abstract: A method for making iridium oxide nanoparticles includes dissolving an iridium salt to obtain a salt-containing solution, mixing a complexing agent with the salt-containing solution to obtain a blend solution, and adding an oxidating agent to the blend solution to obtain a product mixture. A molar ratio of a complexing compound of the complexing agent to the iridium salt is controlled in a predetermined range so as to permit the product mixture to include iridium oxide nanoparticles.

Abstract: A backlight module includes a light source, a first prism sheet disposed on the light source, and a light type adjustment sheet disposed on a side of the first prism sheet away from the light source and including a base and multiple light type adjustment structures. The multiple light type adjustment structures are disposed on the first surface of the base. Each light type adjustment structure has a first structure surface and a second structure surface connected to each other. The first structure surface of each light type adjustment structure and the first surface of the base form a first base angle therebetween, and the second structure surface of each light type adjustment structure and the first surface of the base form a second base angle therebetween. The angle of the first base angle is different from the angle of the second base angle.

Abstract: A method for producing a polyester polyol is provided, which includes: feeding a first antioxidant and a raw material reactant that includes a polyacid and a polyol into a reactor; subjecting the polyacid and the polyol to an esterification reaction to form an oligomer; and performing a prepolymerization reaction on the oligomer to obtain a prepolymerization reactant. During the prepolymerization reaction, the method includes sampling and monitoring an acid value of the prepolymerization reactant. When the acid value of the prepolymerization reactant reaches a first acid value, an esterification reaction catalyst is added to the prepolymerization reactant for carrying out a polycondensation reaction and generating a polycondensation reactant that contains the polyester polyol. During the polycondensation reaction, the method includes sampling and monitoring an acid value of the polycondensation reactant.

Abstract: An encoder includes circuitry and memory. Using the memory, the circuitry, in operation, selects an encoding mode from among candidates including a decoder-side motion vector refinement (DMVR) encoding mode and a partition encoding mode. When the DMVR encoding mode is selected, the circuitry: obtains a first motion vector for a first image block; derives a second motion vector from the first motion vector using motion search; and generates a prediction image for the first image block using the second motion vector. When the partition encoding mode is selected, the circuitry: determines a plurality of partitions in a second image block; obtains a third motion vector for each partition; and generates a prediction image for the second image block using the third motion vector, without deriving a fourth motion vector from the third motion vector using motion search.

Abstract: An encoder capable of properly handling an image to be encoded or decoded includes processing circuitry and memory connected to the processing circuitry. Using the memory, the processing circuitry: obtains parameters including at least one of (i) one or more parameters related to a first process for correcting distortion in an image captured with a wide angle lens and (ii) one or more parameters related to a second process for stitching a plurality of images; generates an encoded image by encoding a current image to be processed that is based on the image or the plurality of images; and writes the parameters into a bitstream including the encoded image.

Abstract: In a method of forming a pattern, a first pattern is formed over an underlying layer, the first pattern including main patterns and a lateral protrusion having a thickness of less than 25% of a thickness of the main patterns, a hard mask layer is formed over the first pattern, a planarization operation is performed to expose the first pattern without exposing the lateral protrusion, a hard mask pattern is formed by removing the first pattern while the lateral protrusion being covered by the hard mask layer, and the underlying layer is patterned using the hard mask pattern as an etching mask.

Abstract: An encoder includes circuitry and memory connected to the circuitry. The circuitry: derives an absolute value of a sum of horizontal gradient values; derives, as a first parameter, the total sum of the absolute values of horizontal gradient values; derives, as a second parameter, the total sum of the absolute values of vertical gradient values; derives a horizontal-related pixel difference value; derives, as a third parameter, the total sum of the absolute values of horizontal-related pixel difference values; derives a vertical-related pixel difference value; derives, as a fourth parameter, the total sum of the absolute values of vertical-related pixel difference values; and generates a prediction image using the first to fourth parameters.

Abstract: A method of automatedly heating, press molding and replacing multiple molds for insole materials contains steps of: setting manufacture parameters by using a host control unit; setting a size and quantity of multiple insoles, a reloading weight of each mold, a heating temperature and a molding time of each insole in each mold; feeding the insole materials into the multiple molds by using the automatic material feeder to be heated and press molded; judging whether the molding time of each mold is more than or equal to a set time; waiting the molding time when the molding time of each mold is not more than or equal to the set time; taking the multiple insoles out of the multiple molds and judging whether the multiple insoles reach a set production quantity, and stopping production of the multiple insoles, when the insoles reach the set production quantity, thereby obtaining automatically production.

Abstract: An encoder, when sub-block encoding is to be performed, determines a plurality of sub-blocks in a first image block, the plurality of sub-blocks including a first sub-block, determines a first motion vector for the first sub-block by referring to a first candidate list, performs first inter prediction processing on the first sub-block using the first motion vector, and encodes the first image block using a result of the first inter prediction processing. When partition encoding is to be performed, the encoder, in operation, determines a plurality of partitions in a second image block, the plurality of partitions including a first partition, determines a second motion vector for the first partition by referring to a second candidate list, performs second inter prediction processing on the first partition using the second motion vector, and encodes the second image block using a result of the second inter prediction processing.

Abstract: An encoder includes circuitry and a memory coupled to the circuitry. The circuitry, in operation, determines whether or not a ternary split process of splitting a block into three sub blocks in a first direction parallel to a first longer side of the block is allowed by comparing a size of a second shorter side of the block to a minimum threshold value. The circuitry, responsive to the ternary split process being allowed, writes, into a bitstream, a split direction parameter indicative of a splitting direction. The circuitry, in operation, splits the block into a plurality of sub blocks in a direction indicated by the split direction parameter; and encodes the plurality of sub blocks. The minimum threshold value corresponds to a minimum size supported in a transform process.

Abstract: An image encoder/decoder includes circuitry and a memory coupled to the circuitry. When a geometry of a block of a picture satisfies a first condition, the circuitry splits the block of the picture into sub blocks having a first set of geometries. When the geometry of the block does not satisfy the first condition, the circuitry splits the block of the picture into sub blocks having a second set of geometries, the second set of geometries being different from the first set of geometries. The circuitry encodes/decodes the sub blocks of the block.

Abstract: An encoder determines, based on a width and a height of a block, whether or not to disable a prediction mode in which the block is split along a partitioning line defined by a distance and an angle and then prediction is performed; and encodes the block with the prediction mode disabled or not disabled according to a result of the determination on whether or not to disable the prediction mode. Here, the distance is the shortest distance between the center of the block and the partitioning line, and the angle is an angle representing a direction from the center of the block toward the partitioning line in the shortest distance. The encoder determines to disable the prediction mode when (i) a width-to-height ratio is at least 8 or (ii) a height-to-width ratio is at least 8.

Abstract: An image decoder includes circuitry and a memory, wherein the circuitry, in operation, calculates first values of a first partition in a current block, using a first motion vector for the first partition; calculates second values of a second partition in the current block, using a second motion vector for the second partition; calculates third values of a set of pixels between the first partition and the second partition, using the first motion vector; calculates fourth values of the set of pixels, using the second motion vector; and weights the third values and the fourth values. A number of pixels in a row in the set of pixels is two or more, and two or more weights applied to the third values increase along the row.

Abstract: A styrene-modified polyethylene-based expandable resin particle is provided, which comprise a polyethylene resin and a polystyrene resin, wherein a content of the polyethylene resin ranges from 5 wt % to 30 wt % and a content of the polystyrene resin ranges from 70 wt % to 95 wt % based on 100 wt % of the polyethylene resin and the polystyrene resin, wherein the expandable resin particle comprises a xylene insoluble matter and an acetone insoluble matter, and a ratio of a content of the xylene insoluble matter to a content of the acetone insoluble matter ranges from 0.01 to 5. In addition, an expanded resin particle and a foamed resin molded article prepared by the aforesaid expandable resin particle are also provided. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing the aforesaid expandable resin particle is also provided.