Abstract: Described is a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe. The shoe can include a sole and a shoe upper. The shoe upper can include (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion. The intermediate portion can include a cupped portion uncoated by a first coating portion on the lateral portion and a second coating portion on the medial portion. When the shoe upper is separate from the sole at least a majority of the cupped portion may be cupped above surrounding areas of the shoe upper.

Abstract: Described is a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe. The shoe can include a sole and a shoe upper. The shoe upper can include (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion. The intermediate portion can include a cupped portion uncoated by a first coating portion on the lateral portion and a second coating portion on the medial portion. When the shoe upper is separate from the sole at least a majority of the cupped portion may be cupped above surrounding areas of the shoe upper.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer (200) includes: a piezoelectric vibrator assembly (10), an acoustic matching layer (20), a heat sink (30), and an acoustic absorption layer (40). The heat sink (30) comprises a body (31), and a head portion (32) and a tail portion (33). The body (31) has a central axis extending in a direction from the head portion (32) to the tail portion (33). A surface of the tail portion (33) of the heat sink (30) disposed away from the head portion (32) is a first surface (331). The first surface (331) is an oblique surface or a tapered surface. The angle between the first surface (331) and the central axis is an acute angle. The acoustic absorption layer (40) at least covers the first surface (331).

Abstract: Described is a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe. The shoe can include a sole and a shoe upper. The shoe upper can include (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion. The intermediate portion can include a cupped portion uncoated by a first coating portion on the lateral portion and a second coating portion on the medial portion. When the shoe upper is separate from the sole at least a majority of the cupped portion may be cupped above surrounding areas of the shoe upper.

Abstract: Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

Abstract: Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer (200) includes: a piezoelectric vibrator assembly (10), an acoustic matching layer (20), a heat sink (30), and an acoustic absorption layer (40). The heat sink (30) comprises a body (31), and a head portion (32) and a tail portion (33). The body (31) has a central axis extending in a direction from the head portion (32) to the tail portion (33). A surface of the tail portion (33) of the heat sink (30) disposed away from the head portion (32) is a first surface (331). The first surface (331) is an oblique surface or a tapered surface. The angle between the first surface (331) and the central axis is an acute angle. The acoustic absorption layer (40) at least covers the first surface (331).

Abstract: A method includes: (a.) providing a fabric comprising a first surface and a second surface; (b.) placing the fabric on a support structure adapted to permit gas circulation through at least a portion of a surface of the support structure, wherein the fabric is placed such that the first surface of the fabric faces the surface of the support structure and such that the fabric is arranged at least in part over a raised or embossed portion of the support structure; (c.) providing at least one coating comprising a first coating surface and a second coating surface opposite the first coating surface; (d.) placing the coating at least partially on the second surface of the fabric, such that the first coating surface faces the fabric; and (e.) applying a gas pressure differential between the second coating surface and the first surface of the fabric.

Abstract: A method for determining ecological risk, particularly a method for the ecological risk assessment of a heavy metal in a river basin sediment based on a toxicity effect. The assessment method includes screening the main aquatic organisms in a river basin; sampling a sediment, and determining and detecting the heavy metal type; measuring the concentration of the heavy metal in the sediment; collecting the heavy metal release coefficient; collecting the heavy metal toxicity data and fitting the data; determining the heavy metal HCsi value according to a fitting equation; calculating the heavy metal toxicity response coefficient; calculating the ecological risk index of the heavy metal. This method can further include calculating the comprehensive ecological risk index of various types of heavy metals. The method can accurately reflect the ecological risk of a heavy metal on aquatic organisms in a river basin.

Abstract: Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

Abstract: Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

Abstract: Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

Abstract: A method for determining ecological risk, particularly a method for the ecological risk assessment of a heavy metal in a river basin sediment based on a toxicity effect. The assessment method includes screening the main aquatic organisms in a river basin; sampling a sediment, and determining and detecting the heavy metal type; measuring the concentration of the heavy metal in the sediment; collecting the heavy metal release coefficient; collecting the heavy metal toxicity data and fitting the data; determining the heavy metal HCsi value according to a fitting equation; calculating the heavy metal toxicity response coefficient; calculating the ecological risk index of the heavy metal. This method can further include calculating the comprehensive ecological risk index of various types of heavy metals. The method can accurately reflect the ecological risk of a heavy metal on aquatic organisms in a river basin.

Abstract: Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

Abstract: A method includes: (a.) providing a fabric comprising a first surface and a second surface; (b.) placing the fabric on a support structure adapted to permit gas circulation through at least a portion of a surface of the support structure, wherein the fabric is placed such that the first surface of the fabric faces the surface of the support structure and such that the fabric is arranged at least in part over a raised or embossed portion of the support structure; (c.) providing at least one coating comprising a first coating surface and a second coating surface opposite the first coating surface; (d.) placing the coating at least partially on the second surface of the fabric, such that the first coating surface faces the fabric; and (e.) applying a gas pressure differential between the second coating surface and the first surface of the fabric.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for video encoding. In some embodiments information on a type of available ranging information is obtained; and a type of ranging information suitable for encoding of a view component is determined. If the determination indicates that the type of the available ranging information differs from the type of ranging information suitable for encoding the view component, the method further comprises converting the available ranging information to the type of ranging information suitable for encoding the view component. There are also disclosed corresponding method for various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for video decoding.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method in which depth related information of a part of a picture is obtained and texture related information of the part of the picture is received. The depth related information is used to determine whether to use the depth related information in intra prediction of the texture related information of the part of the picture. There is also disclosed an apparatus and a computer program product to implement the method.