Abstract: Some embodiments provide a network control system with techniques for handling failover of network controllers with minimal churn in the network state distributed to the forwarding elements of the network. Specifically, in some embodiments, the local controller designates a waiting period before computing output network state data entries based on the new version of the input network state data entries. Alternatively, or conjunctively, the local controller of some embodiments calculates the changes between the new version of input state data entries and its stored existing version of the input state data entries, and only generates new output network state data entries based on the calculated changes, in order to minimize unnecessary recalculations of the output network state data entries. The new output network state data entries may then be used by the local controller to provision its managed forwarding element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant C. difficile toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) and binary toxin A (CDTa) proteins comprising specifically defined mutations relative to the native toxin sequence that substantially reduce or eliminate toxicity. The invention also relates to vaccines and immunogenic compositions comprising these recombinant toxins, as well as combinations of these toxins with binary toxin B (CDTb), which are capable of providing protection against C. difficile infection and/or the effects thereof. The invention also relates to methods of inducing an immune response to C. difficile comprising administering the vaccines and immunogenic compositions described herein to a patient. The invention also encompasses methods of expressing recombinant C. difficile toxin A and toxin B and CDTa mutants and CDTb in recombinant expression systems.

Abstract: A method for microvia filling by copper electroplating with a TSV technology for a 3D copper interconnection at a high aspect ratio, which includes: Step 1: formulating an electroplating solution of a copper methyl sulfonate system, Step 2: wetting the microvias of the TSV technology by means of an electroplating pre-treatment, Step 3: charging into the grooves, completing the ultra-low current diffusion, so that the copper ions and the additives are rationally distributed at the surface and the interior of the microvias of the TSV technology, Step 4: connecting the wafer for the TSV technology to the cathode of a power source, fully immersing the electroplating surface of the wafer in the electroplating solution, and electroplating with a step-by-step current method of rotating or stirring the cathode, the current density of the plating conditions is 0.01-10A/dm2 and the temperature is 15-30° C.

Abstract: An additive C capable of changing microvia-filling method by TSV copper plating, and electroplating solution containing same. The additive C contains by mass percentage: 5%-10%, one of polyethylene glycol or polyvinyl alcohol with the molecular weight of 200-100,000, or the mixture with different molecular weight thereof; 0.001%-0.5% isomer of the surfactant which including the alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether or fatty alcohol-polyoxyethylene ether; and the solvent is water.

Abstract: An additive for reducing voids after annealing of copper plating with through silicon via. The additive contains by weight percent: 0.05-1% of one or more of quaternized polyethylene imine and derivatives thereof having different molecular weights, and 1-10% of polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of 200-20000. The additive is used in combination with an electroplating solution of a copper methyl sulfonate system. The electroplating solution of a copper methyl sulfonate system contains 1-5 ml/L of the additive by volume ratio. The electroplating solution of a copper methyl sulfonate system contains by quality volume ratio: 50-110 g/L of copper ions, 5-50 g/L of methanesulfonic acid and 20-80 mg/L of chlorine ions. The electroplating solution also contains by volume ratio: 0.5-5 ml/L of accelerator, 5-20 ml/L of inhibitor and 5-10 ml/L of levelling agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to preparations of induced pluripotent cell-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, and methods of making, isolating, and using these preparations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a hierarchical image recognition framework for classifying digital images are provided. The provided hierarchical image recognition framework utilizes a multi-layer approach to model training and image classification tasks. A first layer of the hierarchical image recognition framework generates first layer confidence scores, which are utilized by the second layer to produce a final recognition score. The provided hierarchical image recognition framework permits model training and image classification tasks to be performed more accurately and in a less resource intensive fashion than conventional single-layer image recognition frameworks. In some embodiments real-time operator guidance is provided for an image classification task.

Abstract: An integrated interactive segmentation with spatial constraint method utilizes a combination of several of the most popular online learning algorithms into one and implements a spatial constraint which defines a valid mask local to the user's given marks. Additionally, both supervised learning and statistical analysis are integrated, which are able to compensate each other. Once prediction and activation are obtained, pixel-wised multiplication is conducted to fully indicate how likely each pixel belongs to the foreground or background.

Abstract: A content recognition system operates in conjunction with a media hosting service to identify hosted media content and ownership rights associated with the hosted content. By applying melody recognition, the content recognition system can identify compositions embodied in hosted media content even when these compositions do not precisely match any known sound recording. Thus, the content recognition system is beneficially able to detect, for example, recorded cover performances and recorded live performances embodied in hosted media content. Once identified, ownership information is determined and the media hosting service can carry out appropriate rights management policies associated with the content such as monetizing or blocking the protected content.

Abstract: Content-based retrieval of digital pathology images (DPI) is a fundamental component in an intelligent DPI processing and management system. The fundamental procedure of the retrieval is evaluating the similarity between the query image and every image in the database with some distance function, and sorting of the latter based on their distances to the query. A novel approach to optimally combine a set of existing distance functions into a stronger distance that is suitable for retrieving DPI in a way respecting human perception of image similarity is described herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recombinant C. difficile toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) and binary toxin A (CDTa) proteins comprising specifically defined mutations relative to the native toxin sequence that substantially reduce or eliminate toxicity. The invention also relates to vaccines and immunogenic compositions comprising these recombinant toxins, as well as combinations of these toxins with binary toxin B (CDTb), which are capable of providing protection against C. difficile infection and/or the effects thereof. The invention also relates to methods of inducing an immune response to C. difficile comprising administering the vaccines and immunogenic compositions described herein to a patient. The invention also encompasses methods of expressing recombinant C. difficile toxin A and toxin B and CDTa mutants and CDTb in recombinant expression systems.

Abstract: A manifold-aware ranking kernel (MARK) for information retrieval is described herein. The MARK is implemented by using supervised and unsupervised learning. MARK is ranking-oriented such that the relative comparison formulation directly targets on the ranking problem, making the approach optimal for information retrieval. MARK is also manifold-aware such that the algorithm is able to exploit information from ample unlabeled data, which helps to improve generalization performance, particularly when there are limited number of labeled constraints. MARK is nonlinear: as a kernel-based approach, the algorithm is able to lead to a highly non-linear metric which is able to model complicated data distribution.

Abstract: Content-based retrieval of digital pathology images (DPI) is a fundamental component in an intelligent DPI processing and management system. The fundamental procedure of the retrieval is evaluating the similarity between the query image and every image in the database with some distance function, and sorting of the latter based on their distances to the query. A novel approach to optimally combine a set of existing distance functions into a stronger distance that is suitable for retrieving DPI in a way respecting human perception of image similarity is described herein.

Abstract: For digital pathology imaging, intelligent processing, such as automatic recognition or content-based retrieval, is one significant benefit that drives the wide application of this technology. Before any intelligent processing on pathology images, every image is converted into a feature vector which quantitatively capture its visual characteristics. An algorithm characterizing pathology images with statistical analysis of local responses of neural networks is described herein. The algorithm framework enables extracting sophisticated textural features that are well adapted to the image data of interest.

Abstract: Content-based retrieval of digital pathology images (DPI) is a fundamental component in an intelligent DPI processing and management system. One key issue of content-based DPI retrieval is how to represent an image as a feature vector, capturing its key information that is most relevant to the goal of retrieval. A unified framework of extracting information of different levels for DPI, namely low level color information, middle level texture information and high level diagnostic information is described herein. Such information from all the levels are integrated to the end of content-based DPI retrieval.

Abstract: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) enables the detection of specific DNA sequences in cell chromosomes by the use of selective staining. Due to the high sensitivity, FISH allows the use of multiple colors to detect multiple targets simultaneously. The target signals are represented as colored dots, and enumeration of these signals is called dot counting. Using a two-stage segmentation framework guarantees locating all potential dots including overlapped dots.

Abstract: A content recognition system operates in conjunction with a media hosting service to identify hosted media content and ownership rights associated with the hosted content. By applying melody recognition, the content recognition system can identify compositions embodied in hosted media content even when these compositions do not precisely match any known sound recording. Thus, the content recognition system is beneficially able to detect, for example, recorded cover performances and recorded live performances embodied in hosted media content. Once identified, ownership information is determined and the media hosting service can carry out appropriate rights management policies associated with the content such as monetizing or blocking the protected content.

Abstract: An interactive segmentation framework for 3-D teeth CT volumetric data enables a user to segment an entire dental region or individual teeth depending upon the types of user input. Graph cuts-based interactive segmentation utilizes a user's scribbles which are collected on several 2-D representative CT slices and are expanded on those slices. Then, a 3-D distance transform is applied to the entire CT volume based on the expanded scribbles. Bony tissue enhancement is added before feeding 3-D CT raw image data into the graph cuts pipeline. The segmented teeth area is able to be directly utilized to reconstruct a 3-D virtual teeth model.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a superpixel boosted top-down image recognition framework are provided. The framework utilizes superpixels comprising contiguous pixel regions sharing similar characteristics. Feature extraction methods described herein provide non-redundant image feature vectors for classification model building. The provided framework differentiates a digitized image into a plurality of superpixels. The digitized image is characterized through image feature extraction methods based on the plurality of superpixels. Image classification models are generated from the extracted image features and ground truth labels and may then be used to classify other digitized images.

Abstract: A content recognition system operates in conjunction with a media hosting service to identify hosted media content and ownership rights associated with the hosted content. By applying melody recognition, the content recognition system can identify compositions embodied in hosted media content even when these compositions do not precisely match any known sound recording. Thus, the content recognition system is beneficially able to detect, for example, recorded cover performances and recorded live performances embodied in hosted media content. Once identified, ownership information is determined and the media hosting service can carry out appropriate rights management policies associated with the content such as monetizing or blocking the protected content.