Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions that include a nanoparticle and a compound that increases the biological activity of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) (e.g., a VDR agonist), and methods of using such compounds to increase retention or storage of vitamin A, vitamin D, and/or lipids by a cell, such as an epithelial or stellate cell. Such methods can be used to treat or prevent fibrosis.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions that include a nanoparticle and a compound that increases the biological activity of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) (e.g., a VDR agonist), and methods of using such compounds to increase retention or storage of vitamin A, vitamin D, and/or lipids by a cell, such as an epithelial or stellate cell. Such methods can be used to treat or prevent fibrosis.

Abstract: There is provided a method of forming a porous particle comprising an electrically conductive continuous shell encapsulating a core, said core comprising an elemental compound that reversibly reduces in the presence of a cation and oxidizes in the absence of said cation, said method comprising the steps of: a) encapsulating an elemental compound precursor with said electrically conductive shell; b) reacting said elemental compound precursor with an oxidation agent to oxidise said elemental compound precursor to form said elemental compound, thereby forming said electrically conductive shell encapsulating said core comprising said elemental compound.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a speech processing device includes an extractor, a classifier, a similarity calculator, and an identifier. The extractor is configured to extract a speech feature from utterance data. The classifier is configured to classify the utterance data into a set of utterances for each speaker based on the extracted speech feature. The similarity calculator is configured to calculate a similarity between the speech feature of the utterance data included in the set and each of a plurality of speaker models. The identifier is configured to identify a speaker for each set based on the calculated similarity.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions that include a nanoparticle and a compound that reduces the biological activity of one or more bromodomain and extra-terminal family member (BET) proteins (e.g., a bromodomain inhibitor), and methods of using such compounds to increase retention or storage of vitamin A, vitamin D, and/or lipids by a cell, such as an epithelial or stellate cell.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sound source direction estimation apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a generator, a comparator, and an estimator. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire acoustic signals of a plurality of channels from a plurality of microphones. The generator is configured to calculate a phase difference of the acoustic signals of the plurality of channels for each predetermined frequency bin to generate a phase difference distribution. The comparator is configured to compare the phase difference distribution with a template generated in advance for each direction, and calculate a score in accordance with similarity between the phase difference distribution and the template for each direction. The estimator is configured to estimate a direction of a sound source based on the scores calculated.

Abstract: In a speech processing apparatus, an acquisition unit is configured to acquire a speech. A separation unit is configured to separate the speech into a plurality of sections in accordance with a prescribed rule. A calculation unit is configured to calculate a degree of similarity in each combination of the sections. An estimation unit is configured to estimate, with respect to the each section, a direction of arrival of the speech. A correction unit is configured to group the sections whose directions of arrival are mutually similar into a same group and correct the degree of similarity with respect to the combination of the sections in the same group. A clustering unit is configured to cluster the sections by using the corrected degree of similarity.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions that include a nanoparticle and a compound that increases the biological activity of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) (e.g., a VDR agonist), and methods of using such compounds to increase retention or storage of vitamin A, vitamin D, and/or lipids by a cell, such as an epithelial or stellate cell. Such methods can be used to treat or prevent fibrosis.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sound source direction estimation apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a generator, a comparator, and an estimator. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire acoustic signals of a plurality of channels from a plurality of microphones. The generator is configured to calculate a phase difference of the acoustic signals of the plurality of channels for each predetermined frequency bin to generate a phase difference distribution. The comparator is configured to compare the phase difference distribution with a template generated in advance for each direction, and calculate a score in accordance with similarity between the phase difference distribution and the template for each direction. The estimator is configured to estimate a direction of a sound source based on the scores calculated.

Abstract: In a speech processing apparatus, an acquisition unit is configured to acquire a speech. A separation unit is configured to separate the speech into a plurality of sections in accordance with a prescribed rule. A calculation unit is configured to calculate a degree of similarity in each combination of the sections. An estimation unit is configured to estimate, with respect to the each section, a direction of arrival of the speech. A correction unit is configured to group the sections whose directions of arrival are mutually similar into a same group and correct the degree of similarity with respect to the combination of the sections in the same group. A clustering unit is configured to cluster the sections by using the corrected degree of similarity.

Abstract: A system for vehicle safety enhancement is disclosed. The system comprises a sudden slowdown detection subsystem, a slight bump detection subsystem, an airbag activation and brake malfunction detection subsystem, and a rollover detection subsystem. A controlling unit is connected to each subsystem for determining a severity level of a collision involving a vehicle, and the controlling unit is in turn connected to a communication unit for sending an alert signal based on the severity level. A method for vehicle safety enhancement is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for vehicle safety enhancement is disclosed. The system comprises a sudden slowdown detection subsystem, a slight bump detection subsystem, an airbag activation and brake malfunction detection subsystem, and a rollover detection subsystem. A controlling unit is connected to each subsystem for determining a severity level of a collision involving a vehicle, and the controlling unit is in turn connected to a communication unit for sending an alert signal based on the severity level. A method for vehicle safety enhancement is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for controlling affairs are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a service end, a request message from a terminal; resolving, by the service end, the request message; and when an operation command in the request message is a data modification operation command, obtaining, according to data modification operation command, an affair type corresponding to the data modification operation command; and performing an operation, by the service end according to the obtained data modification operation command and affair type. Through adding a corresponding affair type in the request message sent by the terminal, the service end may identify the affair type requested by the terminal and conduct appropriate processing. Therefore, the service end may perform affair control on XCAP batch processing according to specific application requirements of the terminal, thereby enhancing practicality and flexibility of the XCAP signaling and terminal user experience.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for blocking network advertising, which comprises the steps of installing a blocking software program having at least one blocking module in the storage medium of an electronic device, each blocking module has different blocking conditions going with a corresponding processing condition respectively, such that during the process of the electronic device reading a webpage editing content, the electronic device will execute the blocking software program and use the blocking module to process the webpage editing content. If the webpage editing content matches any of the blocking conditions, the corresponding processing condition will be used for processing accordingly and prevent the network advertising from appearing on the browser window or keep on processing the webpage editing content.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for displaying multiple frames on a small screen of a communication device, which comprises the steps of setting display width for all subwebs and root web of a webpage to its maximum while the communication device is used for browsing the webpage on the Internet, hiding the subwebs and the root web, and then setting a dialog box on the screen of the communication device. The dialog box comprises at least one option provided for selecting the subwebs and the root web, such that the corresponding selected subweb or root web will be displayed on the screen for browsing according to a selected option, and each subweb or root web can be displayed completely on the small screen of the communication device according to a selected instruction.

Abstract: The invention is to provide an on-screen scrolling position method enabling a user to execute the upward or downward scrolling of a data document displayed on the screen of an electronic device, wherein the central processing unit of the said electronic device reads a previously installed cursor from a memory therein based on a signal of a touch-tip stylus continuously contacting the said screen for a certain period of time and displays the said cursor on the said screen, with the data document displayed on the screen scrolled to the corresponding position according to the distance and direction of the said cursor being dragged