Abstract: An imaging apparatus and an imaging method are provided. The imaging apparatus includes an imager configured to output image data for a subject, a motion detector configured to detect motion of the imaging apparatus, and a controller configured to control the imager to suspend output of the image data in response to the motion detector detecting the motion.

Abstract: Compositions of P4HB with high purity have been developed. The compositions are prepared by washing P4HB biomass prior to solvent extraction, and precipitating P4HB from solution. The same solvent is preferably used to wash the P4HB biomass, and as a non-solvent to precipitate the polymer from a P4HB solvent solution. The highly pure P4HB compositions are suitable for preparing implants. The implants may be used for the repair of soft and hard tissues.

Abstract: A low pressure drop structured packing sheet with diversion windows, which are formed on both crests and troughs. When in the expanded state where the diversion window and packing sheet are flat on the same plane, the diversion window has an opening and a fan-shaped portion, with the area of the opening being 0%-1000% of that of the fan-shaped portion. Two side intersection lines between the fan-shaped portion and packing sheet is symmetrical with respect to a central folding line which divides the fan-shaped portion into a left part and a right part. The two side intersection lines intercept to each other with an angel of about 10°-170°. When in the operating state where the diversion window and packing sheet are partially folded towards opposite directions, the fluid at the trough flows to a crest of the other side of the packing sheet with the help of diversion windows, thus increasing the area of vapor-liquid mass transfer.

Abstract: A method includes receiving first data defining a first bounding box for a first image of a sequence of images. The first bounding box corresponds to a region of interest including a tracked object. The method also includes receiving object tracking data for a second image of the sequence of images, the object tracking data defining a second bounding box. The second bounding box corresponds to the region of interest including the tracked object in the second image. The method further includes determining a similarity metric for first pixels within the first bounding box and search pixels within each of multiple search bounding boxes. Search coordinates of each of the search bounding boxes correspond to second coordinates of the second bounding box shifted in one or more directions. The method also includes determining a modified second bounding box based on the similarity metric.

Abstract: A low pressure drop structured packing sheet with diversion windows, which are formed on both crests and troughs. When in the expanded state where the diversion window and packing sheet are flat on the same plane, the diversion window has an opening and a fan-shaped portion, with the area of the opening being 0%-1000% of that of the fan-shaped portion. Two side intersection lines between the fan-shaped portion and packing sheet is symmetrical with respect to a central folding line which divides the fan-shaped portion into a left part and a right part. The two side intersection lines intercept to each other with an angel of about 10°-170°. When in the operating state where the diversion window and packing sheet are partially folded towards opposite directions, the fluid at the trough flows to a crest of the other side of the packing sheet with the help of diversion windows, thus increasing the area of vapor-liquid mass transfer.

Abstract: Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatus to process video images to remove jitteriness due to hand shake. In one aspect, a camera is configured to capture raw video composed of a series of successive image frames of a scene of interest. A processor is configured to receive the image frames, estimate a global camera motion from successive frames, stabilize the camera motion by establishing an upper bound and a lower bound of the global camera motion and smoothing the curve of camera motion between the upper and lower bounds, and upsample the resulting stabilized video frames to produce a smooth video.

Abstract: Continuous processing methods are used for making absorbable polymeric non-wovens, with anisotropic properties, improved mechanical properties and without substantial loss of polymer molecular weight during processing. The method includes producing dry spun-non wovens from a polymer, and collecting the fibers using a rotating collector plate, preferably a rotating cylinder, to collect the non-woven instead of a fiberglass stationary collector plate. The non-wovens can be used for a variety of purposes including fabrication of medical devices.

Abstract: Compositions of P4HB with high purity have been developed. The compositions are prepared by washing P4HB biomass prior to solvent extraction, and precipitating P4HB from solution. The same solvent is preferably used to wash the P4HB biomass, and as a non-solvent to precipitate the polymer from a P4HB solvent solution. The highly pure P4HB compositions are suitable for preparing implants. The implants may be used for the repair of soft and hard tissues.

Abstract: Methods to produce structures containing ultrafine fibers with average diameters from 10 nm to 10 ?m and more preferably from 50 nm to 5 ?m, have been developed. These methods produce ultrafine fibers without substantial loss of the polymer's weight average molecular weight. The ultrafine electrospun fibers have an unexpectedly higher degree of molecular orientation, and higher melt temperature than fibers derived by dry spinning. In the preferred embodiment, the polymer comprises 4-hydroxybutyrate. The ultrafine fibers are preferably derived by electrospinning. A solution of the polymer is dissolved in a solvent, pumped through a spinneret, subjected to an electric field, and ultrafine fibers with a high degree of molecular orientation are collected. These structures of ultrafine fibers can be used for a variety of purposes including fabrication of medical devices.

Abstract: Polymers and copolymers having one or more aliphatic polyester groups or blocks. For example, the aliphatic polyester groups or blocks can be derived from a caprolactone such as, for example, ?-caprolactone. The polymers and copolymers can have desirable properties such as, for example, improved solubility and improved thermal properties.

Abstract: Methods for making P4HB polymers and copolymers thereof that are useful for preparing controlled release systems, medical devices and as intermediates in chemical synthesis, have been developed. These methods avoid the use of organic solvents, and basic conditions that can cause transesterification reactions with polymer terminal end groups or elimination reactions. A preferred embodiment is a method for producing polymers of P4HB with weight average molecular weight less than 250,000, and more preferably, less than 100,000, and a Pd of less than 3, which are useful in controlled release. A particularly preferred embodiment utilizes aqueous acetic acid to hydrolyze pellets of P4HB polymers and copolymers while in suspension.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a channel changing method, apparatus, and system. A network side device records in real time a timestamp of a media packet of a multicast media stream which enters a buffer, and a key frame which enters the buffer; when a terminal's channel changing request has been detected, obtains a first timestamp of a media packet which enters the buffer at a channel changing request moment, and a second timestamp of a media packet in which a key frame which is of the target channel and is the last to enter the buffer is located in the media packet; determines a timestamp difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp; and transmits the timestamp difference and a burst media stream of the target channel to the terminal. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a delay in playing the multicast media stream by the terminal is reduced.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a channel changing method, apparatus, and system. A network side device records in real time a timestamp of a media packet of a multicast media stream which enters a buffer, and a key frame which enters the buffer; when a terminal's channel changing request has been detected, obtains a first timestamp of a media packet which enters the buffer at a channel changing request moment, and a second timestamp of a media packet in which a key frame which is of the target channel and is the last to enter the buffer is located in the media packet; determines a timestamp difference between the first timestamp and the second timestamp; and transmits the timestamp difference and a burst media stream of the target channel to the terminal. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a delay in playing the multicast media stream by the terminal is reduced.

Abstract: Continuous processing methods for making absorbable polymeric dry spun non-wovens with one or more of the following properties: high burst strength, fine fibers of average diameter from 0.01 ?m to 50 ?m, and thickness from 10 ?m to 10 mm, have been developed. Improved fiber cohesion is made possible by controlling the tackiness of the fibers of the non-woven during web collection. The polymer is preferably a polyhydroxyalkanoate, more preferably, a 4-hydroxybutyrate polymer or copolymer. A non-woven of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate is most preferred. The non-wovens have fine fibers with average diameters ranging from 0.01 ?m to 50 ?m, and are derived by dry spun processing, during which a solution of polymer(s) is injected into a stream of high velocity air with a pressure of 1 to 500 psi for solvent stripping and polymer strand attenuation. The non-wovens can be used for a variety of purposes including fabrication of medical devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for calculating the Sum of Squared Differences (SSD) between a source block and a reconstructed block of image or video data encoding according to an encoding scheme such as H.264/AVC. In a preferred embodiment, the method computes the SSD by finding the SSD between coefficients of an integer transformed residual block and the corresponding inverse-quantized coefficients. Preferably the inverse quantized coefficients are found with the aid of a look up table. This method may save computing time and processing power compared to calculating the SSD directly from the source and reconstructed blocks. The SSD is related to the distortion caused by encoding and the method may be used in calculating the rate-distortion of a particular encoding mode. One embodiment of the invention encodes a block of data by selecting the encoding mode with the least rate-distortion.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a system for switching channels are disclosed. The method includes: buffering a multicast Internet Protocol (IP) packet of a live channel; receiving a channel switching request sent by a client for switching to the live channel, and pushing the buffered multicast IP packet to the client; and judging whether the pushed multicast IP packet is synchronous to a real-time multicast IP packet of the live channel; and stopping pushing the buffered multicast IP packet to the client and sending the real-time multicast IP packet to the client if the pushed multicast IP packet is synchronous to the real-time multicast IP packet. The embodiments of the present invention involve no modification of the user terminal and improve the universal applicability and extensibility of the channel switching solution.

Abstract: Functionalized poly(ester-amides) and poly(ether ester amides) polymers having the structural formula: wherein R1 is (C2-C28)alkylene, or (C2-C28)alkylene substituted with a side chain selected from the group consisting of (2-carboxyethyl)thio, (2-hydroxethyl)thio, (2-aminoethyl)thio and (2-aminoethyl)thio hydrochloride salt; R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C1-C6)alkyl, and (C6-C10)aryl (C1-C6)alkyl; and R4 is selected from the group consisting of (C2-C28)alkyloxy, (C2-C28)alkylene substituted with a side chain selected from the group consisting of (2-carboxyethyl)thio, (2-hydroxethyl) thio, (2-aminoethyl)thio and (2-aminoethyl)thio hydrochloride salt, and —C2H4(OC2H4)x; x ranges from 2-4; n ranges from 5 to 150; and wherein at least one of R1 and R4 attaches a functional group.

Abstract: Biodegradable poly(ester-amides) are synthesized from amino acids, diols and dicarboxylic acids where one or both of the diols and dicarboxylic acids contain unsaturation; e.g., from di-p-nitrophenyl dicarboxylates and p-toluenesulfonic acid salts of bis(alpha-amino acid) disesters of diols where one or both of the dicarboxylate and diol moieties contain unsaturation or from di-p-nitrophenyl dicarboxylates, and p-toluene-sulfonic acid salts of bis(alpha-amino acid) diesters of diols and p-toluenesulfonic acid salt of lysine ester where one or both of the dicarboxylate and diol moieties contain unsaturation. The polymers are useful as biodegradable carriers for drugs of other bioactive agents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for calculating the Sum of Squared Differences (SSD) between a source block and a reconstructed block of image or video data encoding according to an encoding scheme such as H.264/AVC. In a preferred embodiment, the method computes the SSD by finding the SSD between coefficients of an integer transformed residual block and the corresponding inverse-quantized coefficients. Preferably the inverse quantized coefficients are found with the aid of a look up table. This method may save computing time and processing power compared to calculating the SSD directly from the source and reconstructed blocks. The SSD is related to the distortion caused by encoding and the method may be used in calculating the rate-distortion of a particular encoding mode. One embodiment of the invention encodes a block of data by selecting the encoding mode with the least rate-distortion.