Abstract: An apparatus for detecting conductance parameter of high protein body fluid sample is provided. The apparatus includes at least one liquid collection element, and at least two electrodes horizontally aligned in the liquid collection element. Also provided are methods for detecting dehydration in a subject, comprising the steps of measuring the conductance parameter of the saliva of the subject.

Abstract: A method of coding a block of video data using palette coding is disclosed. According to the present invention, when a previous block is available, the system receives first information related to a previous palette set corresponding to previous palettes/triplet palette, and second information related to a previous palette predictor set corresponding to previous palette predictors/triplet-palette predictors associated with the previous block. The system then derives a current palette predictor set corresponding to current palette predictors/triplet-palette predictor associated with the current block based on the previous palette set and the previous palette predictor set by including at least one unused color or triplet of the previous palette predictor set in the current palette predictor set. A current palette set corresponding to current palettes/triplet-palette associated with the current block is derived from the current palette predictor set for palette encoding or decoding.

Abstract: A system includes a programmable non-volatile memory, a switch, a control chipset, and a basic input/output (BIOS) module. The switch has a first terminal coupled to the programmable non-volatile memory, and a second terminal coupled to the control chipset. The control chipset is configured to store a SKU parameter set in the programmable non-volatile memory according to a predetermined memory allocation. The BIOS module is coupled to the control chipset, and is configured to load and update the SKU parameter set according to the predetermined memory configuration during a booting operation of the motherboard.

Abstract: A stacked chip package structure includes a first chip, stud bumps, a second chip, pillar bumps, an encapsulant and conductive vias. The first stud bumps are respectively disposed on a plurality of first pads of the first chip, wherein each first stud bump includes a rough surface, and the rough surface of each first stud bump is rougher than a top surface of each first pad. The second chip is disposed on the first chip and exposes the first pads. The pillar bumps are respectively disposed on a plurality of second pads of the second chips. The encapsulant encapsulates the first chip and the second chip and exposes a top surface of each second stud bump. The first conductive vias penetrate the encapsulant and connect the first stud bumps. Each first conductive via covers the rough surface of each first stud bump.

Abstract: A stacked chip package structure includes a first chip, pillar bumps, a first encapsulant, a first redistribution layer, a second chip, a second encapsulant, a second redistribution layer and a through via. The pillar bumps are disposed on a plurality of first pads of the first chip respectively. The first encapsulant encapsulates the first chip and exposes the pillar bumps. The first redistribution layer is disposed on the first encapsulant and electrically connects the first chip. The second chip is disposed on the first redistribution layer. The second encapsulant encapsulates the second chip. The second redistribution layer is disposed on the second encapsulant and electrically coupled to the second chip. The through via penetrates the second encapsulant and electrically connects the first redistribution layer and the second redistribution layer.

Abstract: A method for detecting bone structure includes allocating at least one bone portion from a bone image composed by pixels each including luminance value relating to bone structural parameter; aligning a major axis of principal axes of moment of inertia of the bone portion to a principal axis of Cartesian coordinate system; a cortical bone area of the bone portion intersecting at least one principal plane perpendicular to the principal axis, and each principal plane forming an outer and inner contour line of the cortical bone area; processing an analytic algorithm for the bone structural parameter; calculating distributed state of the bone structural parameter in each principal plane to obtain a distributed state of the bone structural parameter of the bone portion; and obtaining a distributed state of the bone structural parameter of the bone portion by assembling distributed state of the bone structural parameter of each bone portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) for a current MV of a current block in Inter, Merge or Skip mode are disclosed based on motion vector (MV) attribute search. The system determines first MV attribute search comprising whether a given MV pointing to the target reference picture in the given reference list, or whether the given MV pointing to the target reference picture in other reference list, and determines second MV attribute search comprising whether the given MV pointing to other reference pictures in the given reference list, or whether the given MV pointing to the other reference pictures in the other reference list. The MVP for the current block is then determined from the neighboring blocks according to a search order.

Abstract: A small interfering RNA is provided. The small interfering RNA consists of a passenger strand and a guide strand, wherein the sequence of the passenger strand comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 7, and the sequence of the guide strand comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 8, wherein the small interfering RNA is capable of inhibiting galectin-12 expression.

Abstract: A safety device for tackers includes a safety slide slidably connected to the outlet of the tacker and the safety slide has a stop protruding from the inside thereof. The rod has one end contacts the stop and the other end of the rod has a plastic tip connected thereto. An ignition spring is connected between the plastic tip and a safety switch. A recovery spring is connected to another position of the rod to position the rod. The safety slide is slidably connected to grooves of the tacker. When the safety slide contacts against an object to be stapled, the rod is pushed by the stop and activates the ignition spring to activate the safety switch so as to reduce the impact of the rod and the safety switch.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide synchronized sharing of multimedia between multiple devices. The multiple devices may form an ad-hoc network for sharing of multimedia. In an embodiment, group members may have playlist manipulation privileges such as pausing, rewinding, fast forwarding, or adding tracks to the playlist. A system may stream or distribute content according to the shared playlist. Playback may be synchronized for group members so that everyone is exposed to a same part of the content as the same time.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide for coordinated control between multiple devices of playback of a media track or playlist. The multiple devices may form an ad-hoc network for sharing control of media. A control device may coordinate control of the playlist and facilitate playback of the media at a playback device. Then when the control device leaves the group, a second device in the group will seamlessly become the control device and control playback and playlist coordination. The playback device may also be the control device. The playback advice may be a network-enabled speaker. Where the playback device is separate from the control device, the playback device may maintain sufficient information to operate without a control device until a new control device is selected.

Abstract: A video encoder that utilizes adaptive interpolation filtering for coding video data includes a prediction unit, a reconstruction unit, a reference picture buffer, a filter parameter estimator for estimating filter parameters according to the original video data and the predicted samples, and an adaptive interpolation filter for utilizing the stored filter parameters to perform filtering on the reconstructed video data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of line buffer reduction for context adaptive entropy processing are disclosed. The context formation for context adaptive entropy processing depends on block information associated with one or more neighboring blocks. When the neighboring block is on a different side of a region boundary from the current block, the block information is replaced by replacement block information to reduce or remove line buffer requirement for storing the block information of neighboring blocks on the other side of the region boundaries from the current block. The context adaptive entropy processing is CABAC encoding, CABAC decoding, CAVLC encoding, or CAVLC decoding.

Abstract: A composite staple magazine for tackers includes a guide member, a receiving body, a support member, a push member, a resilient member and an end member. The receiving body is fixed to the guide member. The support member is made of plastic material and snapped to the receiving body. The support member includes two respective positioning portions which are engaged with the engaging portion of the receiving body. The resilient member is wrapped to the roller of the support member and connected to the push member which is slidably mounted to the receiving body. The resilient member pushes the staples forward. The end member is fixed by a bolt. The composite staple magazine is simple, easily assembled and saves cost.

Abstract: A light-emitting device is provided. The light-emitting device is configured to emit a radiation and comprises: a substrate; an epitaxial structure on the substrate and comprising a first DBR stack, a light-emitting stack and a second DBR stack and a contact layer in sequence; an electrode; a current blocking layer between the contact layer and the electrode; a first opening formed in the current blocking layer; and a second opening formed in the electrode and within the first opening; wherein a part of the electrode fills in the first opening and contacts the contact layer; and the light-emitting device is devoid of an oxidized layer and an ion implanted layer in the second DBR stack.

Abstract: A wearable electronic device and method of manufacture are disclosed. The electronic device includes at least a printed circuit board, a non-rechargeable battery, a processing system, and a package material. The printed circuit board, the non-rechargeable battery and the processing system are completely and hermetically sealed and surrounded by the package material, such as silicone resin. The package process may include at least a molding process wherein the battery, the PCB and the processing system are placed into a mold cavity and package material, such as liquid resin, is supplied into the cavity and cured. The wearable electronic device fully embedded in the package material and is affixed to an article of clothing or item worn by the user, such as wrist band, head band, sock, glove, and shoe.

Abstract: A method of palette management for palette coding in a video coding system receives input data associated with a current block in a high-level picture structure and initializes a palette predictor in the high-level picture structure before a corresponding palette of a first palette-coded block in the high-level picture structure is coded. If a palette mode is selected for the current block, the method applies the palette coding to the current block using a current palette and updates the palette predictor based on the current palette to generate an updated palette predictor for a next block coded in the palette mode.

Abstract: A method of inter-layer motion vector scaling using an inter-layer MV scaling factor to reduce computational complexity is disclosed. In one embodiment, image size information regarding the EL picture and the BL picture of the video sequence is received. An inter-layer motion vector (MV) scaling factor is determined based on the image size information. Scaled MVs are determined based on the BL MVs and the inter-layer MV scaling factor. The scaled MVs are then provided for inter-layer coding of the EL picture. In another embodiment, an inter-layer position-mapping scaling factor is determined based on the image size information regarding the EL picture and the BL picture. BL mapping positions corresponding to EL pixel positions are determined based on the EL pixel positions and the inter-layer position-mapping scaling factor. The up-sampled BL picture at the BL mapping positions is then provided for inter-layer coding of the EL picture.

Abstract: Functional imaging for localization in biological tissue entails measuring a response in the tissue (240) to electromagnetic radiation. A catheter (200) for real-time monitoring of cardiac ablation is employed to distinguish a hemorrhage zone (232) from the sandwiching necrotic and healthy tissue, or to distinguish exogenous photoacoustic contrast agent from bordering native tissue. A pair of wavelengths is selected for differential absorption (244) of the radiation in, correspondingly, the hemorrhage zone or where the contrast agent exists, and relatively similar absorption elsewhere. Near infrared laser or LED light may be used photoacoustically to serially acquire (S310, S320) the two datasets to be compared, each representative of a time waveform. Alternatively, acquisition is for a pair of wavelength bands of microwave-induced thermoacoustic data.

Abstract: A method for alleviating at least one of the disturbance of bile acid metabolism, the disturbance of amino acid metabolism, and the disturbance of gut microbiota metabolism in a subject, comprising administering to the subject a composition or a health food comprising an active component selected from the group consisting of gallic acid, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of gallic acid, a pharmaceutically acceptable ester of gallic acid, and combinations thereof.