A magnetoresistive sensor having an in stack bias structure and a pinned layer having shape enhanced anisotropy. The sensor may be a partial mill design wherein the track width of the sensor is defined by the width of the free layer and the pinned layers extend beyond the trackwidth of the sensor. The sensor has an active area defined by the stripe height of the free layer. The pinned layer extends beyond the stripe height defined by the free layer, thus providing the pinned layer with the shape enhanced anisotropy. The pinned layer structure can be pinned by exchange coupling with a layer of antiferromagnetic material (AFM) layer, with pinning robustness being improved by the shape enhanced anisotropy, or can be a self pinned structure which is pinned by a combination of magnetostriction, AP coupling and shape enhanced anisostropy.

The heart of a computer's long term memory is an assembly that is referred to as a magnetic disk drive. The magnetic disk drive includes a rotating magnetic disk, write and read heads that are suspended by a suspension arm adjacent to a surface of the rotating magnetic disk and an actuator that swings the suspension arm to place the read and write heads over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The read and write heads are directly located on a slider that has an air bearing surface (ABS). The suspension arm biases the slider into contact with the surface of the disk when the disk is not rotating but, when the disk rotates, air is swirled by the rotating disk. When the slider rides on the air bearing, the write and read heads are employed for writing magnetic impressions to and reading magnetic impressions from the rotating disk. The read and write heads are connected to processing circuitry that operates according to a computer program to implement the writing and reading functions.
The write head includes a coil layer embedded in first, second and third insulation layers (insulation stack), the insulation stack being sandwiched between first and second pole piece layers. A gap is formed between the first and second pole piece layers by a gap layer at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the write head and the pole piece layers are connected at a back gap. Current conducted to the coil layer induces a magnetic flux in the pole pieces which causes a magnetic field to fringe out at a write gap at the ABS for the purpose of writing the aforementioned magnetic impressions in tracks on the moving media, such as in circular tracks on the aforementioned rotating disk.
In recent read head designs a spin valve sensor, also referred to as a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor, has been employed for sensing magnetic fields from the rotating magnetic disk. The sensor includes a nonmagnetic conductive layer, hereinafter referred to as a spacer layer, sandwiched between first and second ferromagnetic layers, hereinafter referred to as a pinned layer and a free layer. First and second leads are connected to the spin valve sensor for conducting a sense current therethrough. The magnetization of the pinned layer is pinned perpendicular to the air bearing surface (ABS) and the magnetic moment of the free layer is located parallel to the ABS, but free to rotate in response to external magnetic fields. The magnetization of the pinned layer is typically pinned by exchange coupling with an antiferromagnetic layer.
The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen to be less than the mean free path of conduction electrons through the sensor. With this arrangement, a portion of the conduction electrons is scattered by the interfaces of the spacer layer with each of the pinned and free layers. When the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers are parallel with respect to one another, scattering is minimal and when the magnetizations of the pinned and free layer are antiparallel, scattering is maximized. Changes in scattering alter the resistance of the spin valve sensor in proportion to cos Θ, where Θ is the angle between the magnetizations of the pinned and free layers. In a read mode the resistance of the spin valve sensor changes proportionally to the magnitudes of the magnetic fields from the rotating disk. When a sense current is conducted through the spin valve sensor, resistance changes cause potential changes that are detected and processed as playback signals.
When a spin valve sensor employs a single pinned layer it is referred to as a simple spin valve. When a spin valve employs an antiparallel (AP) pinned layer it is referred to as an AP pinned spin valve. An AP pinned spin valve includes first and second magnetic layers separated by a thin non-magnetic coupling layer such as Ru. The thickness of the spacer layer is chosen so as to antiparallel couple the magnetizations of the ferromagnetic layers of the pinned layer. A spin valve is also known as a top or bottom spin valve depending upon whether the pinning layer is at the top (formed after the free layer) or at the bottom (before the free layer).
The spin valve sensor is located between first and second nonmagnetic electrically insulating read gap layers and the first and second read gap layers are located between ferromagnetic first and second shield layers. In a merged magnetic head a single ferromagnetic layer functions as the second shield layer of the read head and as the first pole piece layer of the write head. In a piggyback head the second shield layer and the first pole piece layer are separate layers.
Magnetization of the pinned layer is usually fixed by exchange coupling one of the ferromagnetic layers (AP1) with a layer of antiferromagnetic material such as PtMn. While an antiferromagnetic (AFM) material such as PtMn does not in and of itself have a magnetization, when exchange coupled with a magnetic material, it can strongly pin the magnetization of the ferromagnetic layer.
The push for ever increased data rate and data capacity has lead a drive to make magnetoresitive sensors ever smaller. For example, designing a sensor with a narrower track width means that more tracks of data can be fit onto a given area of magnetic medium. The various dimensions of a sensor must scale together, so if the trackwidth is decreased, then the stripe height dimension (perpendicular to the ABS) must also be decreased. As sensors become ever smaller, one problem that arises is that the pinned layer becomes impracticably unstable. In fact, future generation sensor will very soon become so small that the pinned layer will not be capable of being pinned by current pinning mechanisms. This has to do with the size of the pinned layer, which makes the pinned layer itself hard to pin, as well as the reduced area on which traditional pinning mechanisms such as AFM pinning, AP coupling, and magnetostriction induced anisotropy can act.
Therefore, pinning stability of the sensor is one of the key concerns for higher areal recording density. This is especially true for current perpendicular to plane sensors such as current perpendicular to plane giant magnetoresistive (CPP GMR) and magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures where the sensor dimensions will be 50 nm or below. CPP GMR sensors and MTJ sensors are of special interest, due to their capacity for higher signal amplitude. As mentioned above pinning strength deteriorates as the sensor dimensions get smaller. Furthermore, thinner sensor structures such as self pinned sensors are becoming more important, because of the drive to decrease gap thickness to decrease bit length. Therefore, pinning improvement for pinned and self pinned sensors is essential.

Current perpendicular to plane magnetoresistive sensor having a shape enhanced pinned layer and an in stack bias structure

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


An inexpensive, lightweight apparatus and method is provided for removing coagulum and other debris from the tip of cautery blades and needles during use. The cleaner comprises a pad having a lower compressible portion and an upper fibrous abrasive portion which is mounted to a non-compressible base. The apparatus can be attached to a surgical drape or other accessible surface to permit cleaning using only one hand to manipulate the cauterizing instrument. The upper abrasive portion contains one or more elongated slits each of which has opposing abrasive walls and an abrasive floor. Cautery blades are cleaned by pressing the edge of a blade down between two opposing walls and drawing the blade toward the opposite end of the elongated slit. Cautery needles are cleaned by pushing them into, and then withdrawing them from, the upper abrasive portion.

Cauterizing instruments are commonly used in surgery for making and cauterizing incisions and wounds. Such cauterizing instruments are typically used with a flat blade tip or a needle tip, depending upon the extent of cauterizing required. Such flat blade tips and needle tips are available in varying sizes.
As such cauterizing instruments are used, coagulated blood, small bits of flesh and other debris adhere to the tip, causing a degradation in the current flow and efficiency of the cauterizing process, and obstructing the surgeon's view of the tip of the instrument. Thus, it is necessary to periodically remove the coagulum and debris from the tip during use of the cauterizing instrument.
Coagulum and debris can be removed from a cautery tip by wiping the tip repeatedly on a piece of sandpaper which is taped or pinned within reach of the surgeon, typically on the patient's surgical drape. This method usually requires that the surgeon twist or rotate his wrist as he cleans the cauterizing instrument to insure that all surfaces of the cautery tip are sufficiently cleaned. This method is disadvantageous because it is time consuming and takes the attention of the surgeon away from the patient and directs it to the cleaning process. Further, with sandpaper alone there may be a danger of accidental needle sticks to the patient if the sandpaper is accidentally perforated during the cleaning process.
Other, more complex devices for cleaning cautery tips are also found in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,404 provides a disposable sponge for cleaning surgical instruments. U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,926 to Brush provides a cautery tip cleaner which is attached to the cauterizing instrument for moving over the cautery tip for removing the coagulum. However, these devices are disadvantageous because they require two-handed operation and take the attention of the surgeon away from the patient.
One-handed devices for cleaning cautery tips are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,011,693 and 3,982,357 disclose cautery tip cleaners having confronting abrasive strips urged into mutual engagement by magnetic force. Flat cautery tips are cleaned by drawing them between the confronting abrasive strips. U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,923 discloses a compressed coil spring in which a flat cautery blade is cleaned by drawing it through two adjacent individual coils. The problem with these devices is that they are relatively complex and correspondingly expensive to produce, and they do not provide an efficient means for cleaning cautery needles.
Therefore, the need exists for a simple and inexpensive apparatus for efficiently and quickly cleaning both cautery needles and blades by a one-handed operation, and in which the possibility of accidental needle sticks to the patient during the cleaning operation is eliminated.


An inexpensive piezoelectric single-crystal device being excellent in the piezoelectric characteristics and having a complex perovskite structure can be provided by adding a specific additive to a lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) single crystal or a lead zinc niobate-lead titanate (PZN-PT or PZNT) single crystal. Specifically, the piezoelectric single crystal has a complex perovskite structure and is formed of a composition containing 35 to 98 mol % lead magnesium niobate [Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3] or lead zinc niobate [Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3], 0.1 to 64.9 mol % lead titanate [PbTiO3], and 0.05 to 30 mol % lead indium niobate [Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3] wherein calcium is substituted for 0.05 to 10 mol % lead in the composition.

When a piezoelectric single-crystal device is a rectangular parallelepiped, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 and the longitudinal direction is the polarization direction 3 (hereinafter the polarization direction is referred to as PD), the magnitude of vibration in the polarization direction PD (vibration in the longitudinal direction) when a voltage is applied in the polarization direction PD is represented by an electromechanical coupling factor k33 in a longitudinal vibration mode that is proportional to the square root of the conversion efficiency of the electric energy and the mechanical energy. The greater k33 value is, the more the conversion efficiency improves. When the piezoelectric single-crystal device is plate-shaped, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the conversion efficiency increases with an electromechanical coupling factor k31 in the direction 1 (lateral vibration mode) orthogonal to the polarization direction PD. The shape of the piezoelectric single-crystal device may be a bar, a square plate, or a circular plate, in addition to the above-mentioned rectangular parallelepiped and plate-shape, and the electromechanical coupling factor can be similarly determined for each differently shaped device.
With respect to the piezoelectric single-crystal device, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-38963 discloses an ultrasonic wave probe using a piezoelectric device formed of a solid solution single crystal of lead zinc niobate-lead titanate (PZN-PT), for example. It is described that the electromechanical coupling factor (k33) in the polarization direction of such a piezoelectric single-crystal device is 80 to 85% which is sufficiently large to obtain a probe with excellent sensitivity.
However, an ingot and a wafer (substrate) formed of a piezoelectric single crystal of lead zinc niobate-lead titanate (PZN-PT) is expensive compared with those formed of lead zirconium titanate (Pb(Zr, Ti)O3: PZT) which is a conventional piezoelectric device material. Additionally, a piezoelectric single crystal formed of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) using lead magnesium niobate (PMN) instead of lead zinc niobate (PZN) and other piezoelectric single crystals having a similar composition are also expensive.
The causes that the ingots and wafers formed of such piezoelectric single crystals are expensive are thought to be the following:
A first cause is evaporation of lead oxide (PbO) during the single-crystal growth. In the Melt Bridgman method, a single crystal is grown by melting a powder, calcined material, or sintered compact of raw material components for forming the piezoelectric single crystal and solidifying it in one direction. In the Solution Bridgman method, a single crystal is grown by dissolving the raw material components for forming the piezoelectric single crystal in a solution by using a flux and solidifying it in one direction. In single crystal growth by the Melt Bridgman method or the Solution Bridgman method, since the vapor pressure of lead oxide (PbO) existing as a component or the flux becomes high at a temperature used for the single crystal growth, the lead oxide significantly evaporates. Consequently, during the solidification process, a pyrochlore phase which deviates from a desired composition ratio and has a poor piezoelectric characteristic is precipitated or a large number of microcrystals having irregular crystal orientations are precipitated on the pyrochlore phase. Therefore, a crystal yield and a wafer yield are significantly reduced. Here, the term "crystal yield" means percentage (%) of mass of a complete single-crystal portion not having the pyrochlore phase and any heat cracks to the total mass of the fed raw material. The term "wafer yield" means percentage (%) of the number of complete wafers not having the pyrochlore phase and any heat cracks to the total number of the wafers prepared by cutting the resulting single-crystal portion so as to have a desired orientation and a desired thickness with a cutting tool such as a wire saw.
A second cause is the occurrence of cracks during the single-crystal growth. When the single crystal is grown by the Melt Bridgman method or the Solution Bridgman method, a temperature difference is generated in the growth direction of the crystal in a crucible and a temperature difference is generated between the central portion of the single crystal and the external surface of the single crystal being in contact with the inner wall of the crucible in a cooling process to a room temperature during and after the growth of the single crystal. Cracking of the single crystal (heat cracking) tends to occur during the growth process and the cooling process due to thermal strain caused by these temperature differences. Therefore, the crystal yield and the wafer yield are significantly decreased. Additionally, there is a tendency that the cracking occurs more readily in a single crystal having better crystallinity.
A third cause is the occurrence of chipping during the manufacturing of a piezoelectric single-crystal device. After the single crystal growth by the Melt Bridgman method or the Solution Bridgman method, an ingot of the resulting piezoelectric single crystal is cut into wafers and single-crystal plates having a desired piezoelectric device shape. During the cutting process, fine chipping occurs at the peripheries of the cut end faces of the single-crystal plate. Therefore, the single-crystal plate yield of the piezoelectric single-crystal device is significantly decreased. Here, the term "single-crystal plate yield" means the percentage (%) of the number of complete single-crystal plates not having chipping to the total number of the single-crystal plates having a desired size obtained by cutting the resulting wafer with a cutting tool such as a dicing saw.
Thus, when the piezoelectric single-crystal plate and the piezoelectric single-crystal device are manufactured by growing the piezoelectric single crystal using a powder, calcined material, or sintered compact of the raw material components for forming the piezoelectric single crystal, the decreases in the crystal yield and the wafer yield of the piezoelectric single-crystal device, and the single-crystal plate yield cannot be avoided and consequently the production cost is increased. As a result, there have been negative effects such as the number of fields in which they can be applied is limited.

Piezoelectric single crystal and piezoelectric single-crystal device and method for manufacturing the same


Devices for intranasal administration of naloxone are disclosed. The devices comprise a foam applicator and are configured to locate an applicator comprising a naloxone composition. in proximity to the middle turbinate and/or inferior turbinate. Naloxone can be delivered to the nasal mucosa by squeezing the nostril against the applicator. The device and methods of using the devices can be used to treat an opioid overdose.

Naloxone antagonizes opioid effects by competing for opioid receptor sites. Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids, including respiratory depression, sedation, and hypotension. Naloxone can also reverse the psychotomimetic and dysphoric effects of agonist-antagonists such as pentazocine.
Naloxone, first approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1971, is a safe and effective opioid antagonist used to treat and reverse opioid overdoses. Currently, there are two prescription naloxone products, an intranasal spray and an intramuscular (IM) autoinjector, available for non-medically trained individuals such as families, caregivers, and friends of those at risk of an opioid overdose.
Naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray is indicated for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression. Naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray is intended for immediate administration as emergency therapy in settings where opioids may be present. The recommended initial dose of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray in adults is a single spray delivered by intranasal administration into one nostril.
Following a single intranasal administration of naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray at a dose of 2 or 4 mg, the mean plasma half-life of naloxone in healthy adults is about 1.85 hours (33% coefficient of variation (CV)) and 2.08 hours (30% CV); respectively, which is longer than that observed after administration of a 0.4 mg naloxone hydrochloride by IM injection, where the half-life is 1.24 hours (26% CV).
Intranasal administration of naloxone hydrochloride is a clinically effective method for treating an opioid overdose. Intranasal administration can provide for rapid absorption and onset of action; high plasma bioavailability; direct transport to central nervous system from the highly vascularized venous regions of the nasal mucosa to the cardiopulmonary system then quickly to the brain; limited need for intravenous access; and ease of use and familiarity for consumers, as well as health care professionals.
The recent increase in opioid overdose deaths has been attributed to the emergence of highly potent synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. Improved devices and methods for internally administering naloxone hydrochloride to treat an opioid overdose is desired.

Drug delivery device and methods for using same


Readily emulsifyable silicone copolymers containing urethanesulfonamido linking groups are prepared by reacting a hydroxyl-functional organic polymer with a halo- or pseudohalo-sulfonyl isocyanate, and then reacting the halo- or pseudohalo-sulfonyl product with an organopolysiloxane bearing aminoalkyl groups, preferably in stoichiometric excess.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for producing Si—C-linked copolymers from organic polymers and organo-polysiloxanes.
2. Description of the Related Art
SiC-linked copolymers are typically formed from silicones and organic polymers by using essentially three processes: the reaction of silicone polymer such as polyether siloxanes with isocyanates (PU-silicones); the reaction of epoxysiloxanes with polyamines; and the hydrosilylation of allyloxy polymers. While the first two processes require specialty raw materials which are relatively costly, it is costly noble-metal catalysts which are needed in the last case.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,348 describes accelerators for free-radically polymerizable compositions obtained via a two-step reaction of chlorosulfonyl isocyanate, by first reacting the isocyanate group with an equivalent amount of a hydroxyl-containing compound and subsequently reacting the sulfonyl chloride group with an equivalent amount of a primary or secondary amine. The hydroxyl-containing compound may be, for example, propargyl alcohol which can be bound to a silicone by a hydrosilylation reaction, or the primary amine may be an aminosilane and a polymer may be obtained by a subsequent condensation polymerization or equilibration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,217 describes a different reactivity pattern for chlorosulfonyl isocyanate in the background art. Chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (CSI) reacts with a methane-sulfonylmethylamine (MMSA) on the sulfone side at first to form a methanesulfonyl-N-methylaminosulfonyl isocyanate (MSMASI). The isocyanate group is then reacted with an amino compound, 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxy-pyrimidine, in a second step.

Process for producing siloxane copolymers with urethane-sulphonamido linking groups


A system may generate all possible character mistakes in a first uniform resource locator associated with a first website, which may produce a set of unique and similar uniform resource locators associated with a set of similar websites. The system may execute machine vision algorithms to compare visual images of the first website and the set of similar websites, and identify a subset of similar websites, which may be undistinguishable from the first website. The system may block the subset of websites, and thereby prevent any user from accessing these fraudulent and malicious websites.

Phishing is a process of inappropriately acquiring personal and sensitive information of a user. For instance, cyber attackers may generate websites directed towards commonly-misspelled domain addresses in hopes of capturing unsuspecting web users' personal and sensitive information. Accordingly, mistyping a website's uniform resource locator address may direct the user to these "fake" websites. Because these "fake" websites may have the same "look and feel" as the website intended to be visited by the user, the user may incorrectly input their personal and sensitive information. Successful phishing attacks may usually result in a user credential compromise or an installation of a remote access malware on a user computer, which may grant a backdoor access to the user computer.
Presently, the use of subtle mistakes in the uniform resource locators is increasingly being used in targeted phishing attacks where hackers are registering domains that appear similar to a legitimate domain of a company being targeted. Such phishing attacks are largely successful because users typically do not pay close attention to the spelling of the universal resource locators or websites that look trustworthy.
Conventional cyber security software solutions face technical shortcomings to efficiently and correctly identify and block fraudulent and malicious websites. One such traditional software solution is a security filter, which detects these malicious and fraudulent websites and provides a warning to the users. However, these security filters only rely on known fraudulent and malicious websites. Therefore, the security filters usually fail to identify and block unknown bad uniform resource locators associated with the fraudulent and malicious websites. Furthermore, conventional security filtering technique focus on websites having malware or other inappropriate content. However, the above-described phishing techniques may not use the websites that contain malware or other inappropriate content.

Identifying and blocking fraudulent websites

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY


A telephone exchange system includes a connection interface connecting a communication line and a plurality of extension telephones, a database having a dial-in conversion table registering a received number in association with a number after conversion for a dial-in incoming call, and an extension number table registering an extension telephone in association with an extension number of the extension telephone, and a main controller connected to the connection interface and the database. When the dial-in incoming call comes from the communication line, the main controller retrieves an extension number which coincides with the received number from the extension number table. When there is an extension number which coincides with the received number, the main controller causes an extension telephone corresponding to the extension number to ring.

When a dial-in incoming call is received in a telephone exchange system, the system causes a particular telephone to receive the call by converting a number received from a telephone station into a number used in the system. Therefore, the system holds a table of received numbers of dial-in incoming calls and numbers after conversion, and retrieves the received number and carries out conversion of the received number.
In relation to the above system, Patent Literature 1 discloses a system having an private telephone exchange in which the exchange refers to a dial-in/extension correspondence table when a dial-in incoming call comes, and if there is a registration of a pair of a telephone number of the caller and an external telephone number, the exchange calls an extension telephone of an extension number corresponding to the pair. If there is no registration, the exchange refers to an extension group table and calls all extension telephones which belong to an extension group corresponding to the external telephone number.
Also, Patent Literature 2 discloses a private branch exchange system in which, when a dial-in incoming call comes, the system refers to a dial-in number/extension number connecting thereto correspondence conversion table and converts a received dial-in number into a corresponding extension number. If there is a registration of a number received from the caller in a caller number/extension number correspondence registration table, the system causes a terminal to receive the call, the terminal being connected to a port set to an extension number corresponding to the received caller number. If there is no registration, the system causes a terminal to receive the call, the terminal being connected to a port set to an extension number corresponding to the received dial-in number.

Telephone exchange system, dial-in incoming call method thereof, and dial-in incoming call program thereof


An apparatus, computer program, and method are provided for acceleration of a handover if mobile communication device signaling is degrading. Signal information is received in connection with a mobile communication device being serviced by a cell of a network. It is determined whether the signal information indicates that at least one aspect of a signaling in connection with the mobile communication device is degrading. An acceleration of a handover is conditionally caused in connection with the mobile communication device, if it is determined that the signal information indicates that the at least one aspect of the signaling in connection with the mobile communication device is degrading.

Various mobile communication systems offer various services [e.g. voice over long term evolution (VoLTE)] that exhibit connection drop rates that are much higher in certain scenarios. A dropped connection can be an extremely frustrating experience for a user. Further, dropped connections may also impact network reliability and a reputation of carriers, especially in light of governmental standards for reliability of carrier networks.
There are a number of reasons why a connection might drop, which can be categorized by problems with a carrier, or a mobile device (e.g. phone). For example, such problems may include, but are not limited to inadequate coverage, problems with a quality of a signal, interference, low receiver sensitivity/mobility, network congestion, network failure, etc. Since connection maintenance is important for customer satisfaction, a continuing need is felt for reducing a probability of dropped connections.

Apparatus, computer program, and method for acceleration of a handover upon mobile device signal degradation


A system for determining insertion loss of a telephone line under test (LUT) predicts a length d of the LUT at each of a number of discrete frequencies. The system determines for each predicted length d a running standard deviation that is a function of the predicted length(s) d at and below the frequency where the predicted length d was determined; and determines a mean length (dm) of the LUT as a function of the lengths d of the LUT determined for each frequency at and below the pair of adjacent frequencies where the largest difference between running standard deviations occurs. The system determines a gauge of the LUT as a function of the running standard deviation the one of said pair of adjacent frequencies; and determines an insertion loss value of the LUT as a function of the gauge and the mean length dm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method of testing of a conventional telephone line and, more particularly, to a system and method determining the loop insertion loss of a telephone line single-endedly.
2. Description of Related Art
One of the most useful predictors of the maximum data rate achievable by a telephone line broadband service, such as DSL, is the electrical property of a so-called 300 kHz loop insertion loss. "Loop" is an industry term synonymous with "line". Conventional measurement of loop insertion loss requires a transmitter to be placed at one end of the line and a receiver at the other, thus making it a double-ended test. Double-ended tests are slow and costly for telephone companies because they require a "truck roll" to the customer end of each line to be tested. Far superior—and difficult—would be to measure insertion loss single-endedly from a central office location where all of the lines in an area originate.
It would also be desirable for any central office-based test apparatus to be able to make use of the so-called Numbered Test Trunk (NTT) provisions of the office's PSTN switch(es). The NTT interface enables convenient one-at-a-time test access to all telephone lines served by a switch. However, this type of test access introduces a significant technological hurdle. The "switch fabric" (a term describing the electrical makeup of the test path through the switch) has a narrowband frequency response, in that it begins attenuating signals above approximately 10 kHz in frequency. The attenuation becomes extremely severe well before 300 kHz. Thus, in addition to measuring 300 kHz insertion loss single-endedly, any successful technique must also be able to do so without the use of actual 300 kHz signals.
Another hurdle exists when testing through the switch fabric (most notably with the Lucent 5ESS, the prevalent switch type in the U.S.). Non-uniform frequency responses are often exhibited, both between different lines, and between different accesses to the same line. If left unaccounted for, these differences in frequency response would have a profound effect on measured insertion loss, rendering the measurement so erroneous or inconsistent as to have little or no value.
Described herein is a novel technique that solves these problems and others and successfully and single-endedly measures insertion loss through a PSTN switch (or other test path).

Apparatus and method for measuring loop insertion loss single-endedly


A programmable logic device. The device includes reprogrammable logic for generating at least one sum-of-products signal (113) and a control term (115). The device further includes a sum-of-products processing circuit (201). The sum of products processing circuit is adapted to produce a logical XOR of the control term and the sum-of-products term when a carry-in signal (203) from adjacent reprogrammable logic is disabled, and a sum of the carry-in bit, the sum-of-products term, and the control term when the carry-in bit is enabled. Signal storage means (118) is coupled to an output of the sum-of products processing circuit.

The present invention relates to the field of programmable logic and devices therefor. More specifically, in one embodiment the invention provides an improved programmable logic device with that is especially useful in implementation of arithmetic functions, as well as associated methods of operation.
Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are well known to those in the electronics art. Such programmable logic devices are commonly referred to as PALs (Programmable Array Logic), PLAs (Programmable Logic Arrays), FPLAs (Field Programmable Logic Arrays), PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices), EPLDs (Erasable Programmable Logic Devices), EEPLDs, LCAs (Logic Cell Arrays), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), and the like. Such devices are used in a wide array of applications where it is desirable to program standard, off the shelf devices for a specific application. Such devices include, for example, the well known Classic.TM. EPLDs and MAX.RTM. 5000 EPLDs made by Altera.RTM..
While such devices have met with substantial success, such devices also meet with certain limitations. For example, when such devices are programmed to perform an addition function, such devices are not as efficient as could be hoped because carry operations use excessive resources when they are implemented on such devices. Specifically, according to one implementation of an add function in an EPLD, a single macrocell is used for each bit of the add, and an additional macrocell is needed for every third bit for carry generation. In addition, "expanders" are used for implementation of such add functions that provide "bit generate" and "bit propagate" signals, such as described in Langdon, Computer Design, 1982, pp. 494. Use of these resources not only reduces the capacity of the device to perform many functions, but also slows operation of the device.
From the above it is seen that an improved programmable logic device is desired.

Programmable logic with carry-in/carry-out between logic blocks


A method of forming a composite elongated member is provided. The method includes forming a preform having at least one of a groove and a ridge. The at least one of a groove and a ridge extends a length of the preform. The preform is then shaped to create the elongated member having a desired cross-sectional shape with at least one curve formed along at least one of the at least one groove and ridge.

Composite structures made of fiber reinforced resin provide relatively strong structures that are light weight that have many applications such as but not limited to stiffeners for aircraft. One method of forming composite structures is with fibers that are pre-pregnanted (pre-preg) with resin. Once positioned in the desired shape, the fibers and resin are heated to cure the resin thereby bonding the fibers together to form the structure. In the aerospace industry it is common to make elongated stiffeners having various cross-sectional shapes that commonly define the stiffeners such as a hat, a C and a Z shaped stiffeners. One method of forming stiffeners is by laying up layers of fiber to form a flat preform. The preforms are then hot-drape formed or compression molded on a mandrel to create a desired cross-sectional shape. After hot-drape forming, the parts are either co-cured to a laminate or cured in an autoclave and secondary bonded/fastened to a structure. One limitation of the hot-drape method is that winkles commonly occur in corners when forming a desired cross-sectional shape (i.e. C shape, Z shape, hat shape, etc.) in a structure. The wrinkles can lead to an undesired weak point in the formed structure.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for methods of forming efficient and effective composite structures without wrinkles in the corners.

Pressure molded preform process for composite structures


The present invention concerns a device and a method for placing and securing sensors/electrodes on the head of an individual. The device/method optimizes signal information and avoids some of the problems connected to the devices and methods in the prior art. The device comprises a rigid, fluid-proof outer layer, an elastic, fluid-proof inner layer with placement points for sensors or electrodes, and a middle layer comprising a fluid between inner and outer layers. The invention also comprises a device for regulating the pressure of the fluid. Inner and outer layers are joined together to form a cavity for receipt of the middle layer.

Measurements of the electrical activity of the brain are, due to historical reasons, especially widespread in Europe and Russia within neurophysiologic and psychophysiologic diagnostics. Since 1960 the development regarding biofeedback treatment has for a large part been performed in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe and Russia. As known within the field there exists both biological and technical methods for measuring and influencing different types of activities in the brain. The most common methods are: Electroencephalography (EEG), Hemoencephalography (HHG) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Within QEEG (quantitative EEG measurements) several mathematical models have been developed in order to measure discriminant functions that comprise: power-coherence, phase, IFTA pre vs. post treatment statistics, low RATE, instant coherence phase & Z-score biofeedback and others. QEEG is performed as a common EEG-recording, where an operator arranges several (21+) electrodes on the head of an individual in order to register a large part of the electrical activity of the brain at the same time. The brain activity is registered during a time period and functional assignements beyond the standard, eyes open and shut, may be added. The information is often compared to the activity which is analyzed by all of the various software systems that the operator has installed. The different types of software utilises different mathematical models for diagnosis, while others use systemic models, also called protocols, for treatment. Amongst other things, it is important that the electrodes in the QEEG system are placed in a correct manner, and that the contact between the electrodes and scalp is good. This is important in order to obtain an optimal basis for comparison between two measurements, or for comparing measurements from two or several individuals. Therefore, as a standard, the electrodes are placed in accordance with the international 10-20 system (described by for instance Erns Niedermeyer, Fernando Lopes da Silva, Electroencephalography: Basic Principles, Clinical Applications, and Related Fields, page 140). It is challenging to obtain the same result from two measurements. A more standardized system, than the sum of what exists today, would be very advantageous with regard to the further development of the science and research within this field.
Most EEG and QEEG systems today are based on elastic mesh and/or caps which are adapted to the 10-20 system, or other less known placement-charts. These caps are made in various designs with apertures for inserting electrodes. The caps are also made in several different sizes since the distance between the electrodes must be adapted to the size of the skull in accordance to the 10-20 system, or other placement-charts. The problem is often that these caps are not capable of furnishing the electrodes with enough pressure against the skull, due to hair and the shape of the skull. Caps that are tightened are often uncomfortable for the individual, and especially for sensitive children. Optimization is necessary to achieve a signal without too much background noise. Such noise will lead to less accurate measurements and information. The electrodes must also be placed manually in a correct manner with regard to the different sizes of the skull, and this is often time consuming and requires competence. Further, such manual placing of the electrodes increases the risk of placing the electrodes in an erroneously manner due to human failure.
Patent application US 2007/0106170 A1 discloses an electrode/sensor cap for use in EEG. Multiple inflatable bladders are used to achieve pressure on the electrodes. The technical solution of using inflatable bladders according to said application requires multiple caps adapted to individual skull sizes, and manual adaptation of the electrode placing is still necessary.
The Russian patent application SU 676273 A1 discloses an electrode/sensor cap for use in EEG. The technical solution for achieving adequate pressure on the electrodes is similar to the one disclosed in US patent application no. 2007/0106170 A1. The multiple bladders are here formed by joining the inner layer of the cap to the outer shell/layer in such a way that a discrete bladder is formed at each electrode. The drawbacks of said solution are the same as those mentioned for the US patent application no. 2007/0106170 A1.
Japanese patent application JP 2006-6667 A discloses an electrode/sensor cap for use in EEG. In one of the embodiments, a separate balloon situated between an inner hat and an outer helmet is inflated to provide pressure on the electrodes placed on the inner hat. The same drawbacks apply for the electrode/sensor cap of JP 2006-6667 A as the ones mentioned for patent application US 2007/0106170 A1
Measurements of the electrical activity of the brain are also used in a number of other areas in addition to neurophysiologic/psychophysiologic diagnostics and treatment. In the area of biotechnology it is possible, by using such measurements, to transform electrical impulses from the brain to electronic signals by the help of suitable sensors; such signals may in turn guide/control various technical systems. These technical systems may be for example fighter pilot helmets, speech synthesizers, robots, various entertainment systems such as computer games as well as other systems making use of brain-computer interfacing (BCI).
It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a device, and a method, for placing and securing sensors/electrodes on the head of an individual. Said device/method optimizes signal information and avoids some of the problems connected to the devices and methods in the prior art.


A monitoring system and method. The monitoring system receives specified rules related to at least one component within a computing system. The monitoring system receives first data comprising information related to at least one component within a computing system. The monitoring system comprises a repository. The first data is stored within the repository. The first data is analyzed by the monitoring system using specified rules to determine a first health status of the at least one component. The monitoring server indicates for a user the first health status.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system and associated method for monitoring components within a computing system.
2. Related Art
A system typically requires all components within the system to function within specific parameters. Periodically, some components within a system do not function within specific parameters thereby causing the system to malfunction. Therefore there exists a need for monitoring components within a system to determine if all of the components are functioning within specific parameters.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


A hybrid card comprises a substrate carrying an IC chip. An IC terminal is electrically connected to the IC chip and is arranged on a first surface of the substrate. A contact region is defined around the IC terminal and is occupied when a contact terminal of a recording/reproducing apparatus electrically contacts the IC terminal. An optical recording region has a plurality of tracks extending parallel to each other on the first surface. The contact region and the optical recording region are spaced apart in a direction parallel to the tracks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid card having an optical recording/magnetic recording region and an IC chip in its substrate, and to a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing information to/from the hybrid card.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, information industries have been rapidly developed, and an amount of information to be dealt in has been increased. Due to this, IC cards, which can portably hold a large amount of information, and optical cards, may be in great demand as compared with magnetic cards, which are already widely used.
FIG. 19 shows a conventional apparatus for recording/reproducing data to/from the optical card. In this apparatus, a wire 216 is wound around the portion between two pulleys 210 and 215, and a wire 217 is wound around the portion between two pulleys 211 and 215. By these two wires 216 and 217, power of a motor 208 is transmitted to a moving guide member 206, and the moving guide member 206 is moved in a Y direction. In the moving guide member 206, a step motor 220 is provided, and power of the step motor 220 is transmitted to an optical head 218 by a wire 224 wound around the portion between pulleys 222 and 223. In this case, since the optical head 218 must be moved over the entire length of an optical card 202, it is difficult to miniaturize the apparatus.
The recording/reproducing apparatus for the optical card normally has a shuttle on which the optical card is mounted. The shuttle is reciprocated to an optical head and data recording/reproducing is performed. In the shuttle, a function of correcting a warp in the optical card is needed. Similar to the other cards, the optical card is easily warped since the card is put in a wallet or a commutation-ticket holder in carrying.
However, when the card is inserted into the shuttle and ejected from the shuttle, the warp correcting function works as resistance, and this causes an increase in load on the motor and abrasion of the card. Due to this, there is required the structure in which the warp correcting function is released at the time of the card insertion and ejection.
A shuttle having such a structure is disclosed in, for example, Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 2-144686.
Regarding the IC card, an IC terminal provided in the card and a contact terminal provided in the apparatus are brought into contact with each other to perform data recording/reproducing to/from the IC chip. For example, in an apparatus disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 64-76291, when the card is inserted into the apparatus, the contact terminal of the apparatus contacts the IC terminal of the card. Then, when the card is ejected from the apparatus, the contact terminal of the apparatus is spaced from the IC terminal.
The above-mentioned optical card and IC card have merits and demerits, respectively. For example:
(1) The magnetic card can be manufactured at low cost and data can be erased. However, the recording capacity is small; PA1 (2) The IC card can be accessed at high speed, and the transferring rate is fast. However, the manufacturing cost is high per bit. Also, the IC chip included in the IC card is weak against static electricity; and PA1 (3) The optical card has a large recording capacity, and the manufacturing cost is low per bit. However, data cannot be rewritten.
In order to compensate for the above-mentioned demerits, a complex type card (hereinafter called a hybrid card) has been proposed, and this type of card is expected to make use of a new application.
FIGS. 20 and 21 show two examples of the hybrid card. In these examples, the outline of the card has the same size as the ordinary credit card. In the hybrid card of FIG. 20, an optical recording region 102 and an IC terminal 103 are formed on the same plane. In the hybrid card of FIG. 21, they are formed on the different surfaces, respectively.
In using the data recording card, it is easy to deal with the card if a plurality of data recording sections, which are the important part, are formed on the same plane. Also, it can be considered that the disadvantages such as a flaw in the data recording section and breakage of the data recording section lessen.
FIGS. 22 and 23 show a recording/reproducing apparatus for a hybrid card 121 having a shuttle. In a shuttle 104 on which the hybrid card 121 is mounted, a card base 105 is provided. On the surface of the card base 105, there are provided pressing members 106a and 106b pressing the portions other than an optical recording region 102 of the hybrid card 121. A push-up member 109 having a lever 108 at its one end is provided on the upper surface of the card base 105 and is supported by an elastic member 107. Two elastic members 110a and 110b are provided on one side surface of the card base 105. The push-up member 109 is pressed against the lower surfaces of the pressing members 106a and 106b. Also, the hybrid card 121 is pressed onto the other side surface of the card base 105 by the elastic members 110a and 110b. Thereby, the width direction of the card is positioned.
Moreover, a contact terminal 111 is provided in the pressing member 106a. The contact terminal 111 is arranged at the portion where the contact terminal 111 contacts an IC chip 103 on the card when the hybrid card 121 is sandwiched between the pressing members 106a and 106b. The lever 108 is pressed down by a pin 112. The pin 112 is driven by driving means (not shown). The lever 108 is displaced together with the push-up member 109 by the force of the elastic member 107.
At the time when the hybrid card 121 is inserted to the shuttle 104, the pin 112 is moved down by driving means (not shown), and the lever 108 and the push-up member 109 are pressed down against force of the elastic member 107. Under this state, rubber rollers 113a and 113b are rotatated. By this operation, the hybrid card 121 is sandwiched by the pressing members 106a, 106b and the push-up member 109, and the mounting state as shown in FIG. 23 can be obtained.
In this state, the IC chip 103 always contacts the contact terminal 111, and data can be recorded/reproduced to/from the IC chip 103. For recording/reproducing data to/from the recording region 102, the shuttle 104 is reciprocated along the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the hybrid card 121. The position of the light spot, which is irradiated from an object lens 123 of an optical head 122, is scanned by the reciprocating motion, whereby the recording/reproducing is performed in the optical recording region 102.
According to the above apparatus, since the contact terminal 111 is provided in the shuttle 104, the space for providing the contact terminal 111 must be ensured on the shuttle 104 to the hybrid card 101 shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. Moreover, this causes the weight of the shuttle 104 to be increased. Since the shuttle 104 is reciprocated together with the hybrid card when the hybrid card is recorded/reproduced, the increase in weight becomes a big problem.
Moreover, a cable 120 such as an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit cable), FPC, which is used for the power supply to the IC chip 103 and data transmitting and receiving to the main body of the apparatus, must be extended from the shuttle 104 reciprocating in the direction of an arrow X to the side of the main body of the apparatus. Due to this, attention must be paid to durability of the cable 120, and a space for pulling about the cable 120 in the apparatus must be ensured.
Furthermore, the IC chip 103 of the hybrid card 121 and the contact terminal 111 reciprocate together with the shuttle 104 at the time of recording/reproducing to/from the recording region 102. Due to this, the IC chip 103 and the contact terminal 111 may be shifted during the reciprocating motion. Therefore, reliability of the recording/reproducing of the IC chip 103 becomes low.
On the other hand, in the case of the above-structured hybrid card 121, the optical recording region 102 must be formed in a region other than a predetermined region surrounding the IC chip 103. Also, the contact terminal 111 must be provided at the data position of the hybrid card 121 on the shuttle 104. Due to this, the arrangements of the optical head 122 and of the contact terminal 111 are largely restricted and the size in the height direction of the apparatus increased, in order to prevent interference with the contact terminal 111 and the optical head 122.

Hybrid card and its recording/reproducing apparatus


The present invention is related to a system (1) for determining a representation of a multi-tone signal (2) comprising a plurality of phase coherent tones, at least two of said phase coherent tones being modulated by a modulating signal, said system comprising an input (3) for applying the multi-tone signal (2), phase coherent mixing means (5) for demodulation in connection with data acquisition means (6) for digitization, said mixing means and data acquisition means arranged for being fed with the multi-tone signal and with a reference signal (8) comprising said phase coherent tones, each pair of phase coherent tones having a fixed phase difference, whereby the data acquisition means is arranged for being triggered by a trigger signal (4) for yielding a representation of said modulation signals with fixed delay, processing means (7) arranged for receiving digital signals output from the data acquisition means and for comparing phase information of a downconverted tone of the multi-tone signal after demodulation with phase information derived from the corresponding tone of the demodulated reference signal and further arranged for controlling the phase coherent mixing means for sequential downconversion, such that a representation of said multi-tone signal can be determined.

Presently RF and microwave signals are mainly measured by high frequency (HF) spectrum analyzers, real-time and repetitive sampling HF oscilloscopes and HF vector signal analyzers. HF spectrum analyzers provide the amplitude spectrum of a signal as function of the frequency. HF real-time oscilloscopes use very broadband and fast-sampling data acquisition systems, usually limited by the number of bits. They also require deep memory to measure a high frequency tone, e.g. 5 GHz, which is slowly modulated, e.g. a modulation signal with a bandwidth of kHz or MHz compared to the 5 GHz of the carrier. Repetitive sampling oscilloscopes use a very broadband sampler, functioning as a sample and hold circuit, and a slower data acquisition system. They suffer from the dynamic range due to the downfolding of the high-frequency noise. They also require a repetitive trigger which is synchronous both with the HF signal and the slow modulation. When the signal is periodic in carrier and modulation separately, it is possible to synchronously sample the signal, downconverting and compressing the carrier in combination with the modulation into an intermediate frequency (IF) data acquisition which is adapted to the modulation bandwidth. Due to the compression action of the sampling converter, also all the noise of the complete spectrum is being compressed into the IF data acquisition which reduces the signal to noise ratio.
Vector signal analyzers can demodulate a modulated high frequency tone using a mixer, shifting the carrier frequency to a low frequency, band-pass filtering it to limit the noise and digitizing it. High signal to noise ratios can be achieved in this way.
Suppose a modulated carrier is passed through an amplifier, which compresses the signal. As a result modulated fundamental and harmonics will be generated. The vector signal analyzer can demodulate the different high frequency tones, namely the fundamental and harmonics separately. However, it loses the phase coherence between these tones. Hence, there is a need for overcoming this drawback.
Nowadays harmonic signals can be measured inside a network analyzer where a reference signal is used containing phase coherent tones to normalize the harmonic signals. In this way harmonic signals can be measured and calibrated in a repeatable way. Reference is made to the papers "Measurement of Magnitude and Phase of Harmonics Generated in Nonlinear Microwave Two-Ports" (U. Lott, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 37, no 10, October 1989, pp. 1506-1511) and "Measurements of time domain voltage/current waveforms at R.F. and microwave frequencies, based on the use of a Vector Network Analyzer, for the characterization of nonlinear devices. Application to high efficiency power amplifiers and frequency multipliers optimization" (D. Barataud et al., IEEE Trans. Instrumentation and Measurement, vol. 47, no 5, October 1998, pp. 1259-1264).

System and method for representing a multi-tone signal

National Instruments Ireland Resources Limited


Improved methods and apparatus for entraining human brain patterns, employing frequency following response (FFR) techniques, facilitate attainment of desired states of consciousness. In one embodiment, a plurality of electroencephalogram (EEG) waveforms, characteristic of a given state of consciousness, are combined to yield an EEG waveform to which subjects may be susceptible more readily. In another embodiment, sleep patterns are reproduced based on observed brain patterns during portions of a sleep cycle; entrainment principles are applied to induce sleep. In yet another embodiment, entrainment principles are applied in the work environment, to induce and maintain a desired level of consciousness. A portable device also is described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method of inducing desired states of consciousness, including different levels of sleep, in human beings, using a technique known as frequency following response (FFR), developed by the present inventor. The invention also relates to apparatus for performing the method. A number of areas of applicability of the invention are described, in accordance with different preferred embodiments.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a prior patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,218, the present inventor described a method of inducing different levels of sleep, using the FFR technique, in which brain waves could be made to follow superimposed frequency patterns. These frequency patterns were provided as sine waves, at frequencies known to correspond to different levels of sleep, such as alpha (exhibiting brain wave activity in the range of 8-12 Hz), theta (6-8 Hz), and delta (1-4 Hz). EEGs exhibiting frequencies between 12 and 30 Hz (known as a beta range) are characteristic of awake individuals, though beta activity at even higher frequencies has been observed in different types of mental activities. Gamma activity has been characterized as all activity above 30 Hz; until recently, it has not been possible to monitor brain activity in the gamma range. (It should be noted that the boundaries between gamma and beta, beta and alpha, alpha and theta, and theta and delta are somewhat arbitrary; the foregoing delineations are intended to be exemplary and not limiting.)
The present inventor discovered that the human brain could be entrained to output brain wave patterns these different frequencies. While frequencies corresponding to these different levels of sleep are not audible, by superimposing those frequencies on some type of sound, such as music, it was determined to be possible to induce desired levels of sleep. The individual listening to the music would "hear" the low frequencies, with the desired effect on brain activity.
An improvement on the inventor's patented technique, to induce varied states of alertness, is the subject of copending Application No. 07/514,460, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. This copending application describes a general FFR technique using what is known as a binaural beat phenomenon, details of which are provided in that application. Briefly, a binaural beat is produced by sending signals at different frequencies (some Hz apart, depending on the desired effect) to an individual's left and right ears. The difference between the frequencies defines the frequency of the binaural beat. Using this technique, the desired frequency can be introduced into the individual's brain activity, inducing the desired state of consciousness.
The induction of FFR in the human brain in this manner results in the synchronization of activity in the hemispheres of the brain. FIG. 1A shows brain activity without FFR, and FIG. 1B shows brain activity with FFR. The inventor has coined the term HEMI-SYNC (for Hemisphere Synchronization) to describe this phenomenon.
The copending application describes a technique wherein, in one form, sine waves having a frequency corresponding to a consciousness state are superimposed on two different carrier frequencies to form two different signals to set up the binaural beat. In another form, an actual brain pattern, based on an electroencephalogram (EEG) waveform indicative of that consciousness state is superimposed on the different carrier frequencies to form two different signals. In use, each signal is provided to one ear of a subject. The difference in carrier frequencies sets up the binaural beat.
Another, more limited application of the binaural beat phenomenon is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,701. In contrast to the narrow range of frequencies discussed in that patent, in the above-mentioned copending application, the applicability of the binaural beat phenomenon is investigated over a much wider range of frequencies, spanning the spectrum of brain activity.
Through additional investigation involving mapping of brain activities of different individuals, the present inventor has discovered some significance to the fact that, while brain waves at certain frequencies are characteristic of different levels of sleep, brain patterns of different individuals still vary. The inventor has investigated possible enhancements to the FFR effect by making it more generic among individuals, yet still more specific to brain activity than a simple sine wave, or an EEG of a particular individual.
Another area of investigation being performed by the present inventor relates to human sleep patterns. Based on current knowledge of human sleep patterns, it appears that sleep is composed of a series of 90-minute cycles. As stated earlier, the beta stage is one of alertness. The first sleep state is alpha, or mental and physical relaxation. The second is theta, or light sleep. Next is delta, or deep sleep. The inventor has investigated the possibility of providing FFR waveforms in cyclic patterns, replicating these human sleep patterns, to facilitate sleep. Another possibility is to take advantage of the cyclic nature of sleep patterns to provide a more gentle wake-up for a sleeper.
In considering the need for alertness during activities such as work, the inventor also considered how it might be possible to introduce FFR waveforms into ambient noise in one's surroundings to facilitate maintenance of desired states of consciousness. Particularly in environments such as factories, or in offices where office equipment puts out consistent types of noise, it would be desirable to be able to introduce a binaural beat into that noise at different frequencies, to enhance the degree of alertness of factory or office workers as desired.

Method of and apparatus for inducing desired states of consciousness


The method includes the steps of: providing a lead frame, including providing a concaved part in an upper face of a joint part of a die-pad-support lead of a lead frame for setting down a die pad and a tie-bar; bonding a semiconductor chip to a first principal face of the die pad via an adhesive-member layer; then, setting the lead frame between first and second molding dies having first and second cavities respectively so that the first and second cavities are opposed to each other, and the second principal face of the die pad faces toward the second cavity; and forming first and second resin sealed bodies on the sides of the first and second principal faces of the die pad respectively by resin sealing with the first and second molding dies clamping the tie-bar and a part of the lead frame surrounding the tie-bar.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (or a semiconductor integrated circuit device), and particularly to a technique useful in application to a resin molding technique.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. JP-A-2010-263066 relates to resin seal techniques such as QFP (Quad Flat Package), and QFN (Quad Flat Non-Leaded Package). Therein disclosed is a technique for providing a recess part in a gate insert piece in order to prevent an inner lead in a corner part from being deformed as a result of the concentration of a clamp pressure by a gate insert piece (Gate Insert Piece) of a mold.
JP-A-2001-320007, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,744,118 which is a counterpart thereof relate to a single-side collective mold in which a lead frame is used. Therein disclosed is a technique for performing half-etching on a tie-bar portion of a boundary portion between unit device regions to avoid various problems involved in package dicing.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device


A conference supporting system includes plural input terminals and a control apparatus connected through a network. Each input terminal includes a processor and a display screen configured to allow a user to perform handwriting input thereon and to display the data. The processor of each input terminal is configured to perform making a user to choose who acquires an access right, making a request to acquire the access right to the control apparatus, and transmitting handwriting data to the control apparatus. The processor of the control apparatus is configured to perform granting an access right of a part or whole of the area determined by the user, giving one of the input terminals a notice about the granted access right, transmitting the handwriting data to other input terminals and operating the display screen of each of the other input terminals to display the handwriting data.

Various conference supporting systems are proposed so as to share a document screen among a plurality of terminals and to be used in a conference such that each user inputs notes on the terminal by handwriting during the conference. In such a conference supporting system, when two or more handwriting inputs are performed simultaneously on the same area in the document screen via a plurality of terminals, two or more pieces of information inputted by handwriting are displayed so as to overlap with each other on the same area, which lowers the readability of them. Further, in order to prevent a self terminal and other terminals from performing respective handwriting inputs simultaneously, it is required to perform a handwriting input on the self terminal while confirming the timing and area of each of handwriting inputs performed by the other terminals at every time. Accordingly, smooth discussion and information exchange in a conference are disturbed.
For such problems, for example, WO 2008/132977 discloses an image editing apparatus which includes an input section which inputs information with regard to at least an existing object or a new object; a display section which displays at least the existing object or the new object; an overlap detecting section which detects an overlap between the existing object and the new object; a selecting section which selects whether or not to overlap the existing object and the new object; and a moving section which moves the existing object to the outside of the area of the new object so as to make the existing object not to overlap the new object based on the information input by the input section.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 2010-267218 discloses a conference supporting system which includes a plurality of terminal units and an exclusive control apparatus. The conference supporting system is configured to enable each of the plurality of terminal units and the exclusive control apparatus to perform mutual transmission and reception of data to be written in a display page where conference material data is displayed. The conference supporting system is further constituted as follows. That is, each of the plurality of terminal units includes a requesting section and a display section. The requesting section is configured to determine partially an area in a display page which is displayed on the self terminal unit and shows the conference material data and to make a request for write permission to the area to the exclusive control apparatus. The display section is configured to display the data transmitted from the exclusive control apparatus on the display page of the conference material data out of various write data transmitted to the exclusive control apparatus from the input terminals. The exclusive control apparatus includes a request receiving section, an exclusive control section and a transmission control section. The request receiving section is configured to receive the request for the write permission from each of the terminal units. The exclusive control section is configured to grant the write permission to the terminal unit making the request under the condition that the area determined in the request for the write permission does not overlap with other areas whose write permissions have already been granted to other terminal units than the terminal unit making the request, and is configured not to grant the write permission to the terminal unit making the request under the condition that those areas overlap together. The transmission control section is configured to confirm the data received from the plural terminal units, transmit the received data to the plural terminal units under the condition that the received data arc write data transmitted from the terminal unit which has write permission of the area whose write permission has been granted, and forbid the data from being transmitted to the plural terminal units under the condition that the received data are data from a terminal unit other than the terminal unit having write permission of an area overlapping with the area whose write permission has been granted.
Furthermore, JP-A No. 2006-303742 discloses an electric device which includes a setting section, a display section, a control section and a communicating section. The setting section is configured to set two or more devices connectable to each other through a communication network as members of a group. The display section is configured to display a hoard on which data shared among the devices set as the members of the group are written. The control section is configured to write data inputted by a device having a specific right and selected from the devices set as the members of the group on the board and to update the data on the board. The communicating section is configured to distribute the data written on the board to each of the devices set as the members of the group.
With the technique of WO 2008/132977, when an existing object and a new object overlap with each other, the existing object is moved to the outside of the area of the new object. Therefore, the overlapping between the objects can be prevented. However, in this method, since the existing object may be moved against the intention of a user, which makes a problem that contents of the display screen intended by the user cannot be obtained.
Further, with the technique of JP-A No. 2010-267218, when the areas overlap with each other, the exclusive control is performed so as not to grant write permission to the terminal unit making the request for the write permission. Therefore, it is possible to prevent two or more terminal units from writing data into the same area. However, in this method, write permission is granted to only a single user for one area. Accordingly, the other users belonging to the same group cannot perform writing for the area, which makes a problem that discussion and information exchange cannot be performed efficiently. Further, in the case the determined areas overlap with each other, users are required to determine an area again to acquire the permission, which makes a problem that the operation becomes complicated.
Furthermore, with the technique of JP-A No. 2006-303742, the data written on the board are distributed to each of the devices set as the members of the group. Therefore, the data can be shared among the members. However, in the method, the writing on the board screen is limited to a user having write permission, and the other users cannot perform writing for the board unless the write permission is transferred thereto. Accordingly, there is a problem that discussion and information exchange cannot be performed efficiently. The present invention seeks to solve the problems.

Conference supporting system, control apparatus and input terminal


Disclosed is a method for predicting the biological activity of a compound by the similarity of its drug signature score to the scores of a plurality of known drug signatures.

During the course of drug discovery, optimization and development researchers are faced with many important decisions. These decisions frequently determine the success or failure of the drug discovery and optimization program, or at the very least directly affect the number and duration of optimization cycles necessary to develop a treatment for the target disease.
Deciding which lead series of chemical molecules to optimize is of critical importance, complicated by the fact that modern high throughput screening often places 5-10 such options before the discovery team. Decisions are made within a lead series about which molecules deserve further optimization, and about which molecules receive detailed in vivo evaluation. Several of these decisions commit dozens of research workers to experimental programs that may last 1-3 years, so any suboptimal decision can easily result in substantial financial and opportunity costs. Further, in many cases patents will have already been filed and/or granted covering the molecules about which the decisions are being made, and poor decisions can delay a drug's arrival on the market by several years, and thus the length of the effective patent protection for the drug. Thus, an erroneous selection of a compound for final optimization or for detailed in vivo examination can be a very costly error. These key decisions are significant and deserve to be supported with detailed, accurate, and topical experimental findings directed toward fully understanding a candidate's toxicology and mechanism of action.
In current practice many of these critical decisions are made based on an experienced drug developer's best judgment of likely toxicological and off-target effect profiles. This judgment and intuition can be improved and supplemented by chemogenomic annotation of the candidate and comparison of the candidate's profile with a large database of chemogenomic annotations.
"Chemogenomic annotation" is the process of determining the transcriptional and pharmacological response of one or more genes to exposure to a particular chemical, and defining and interpreting such responses in terms of the classes of chemicals for which they interact. A comprehensive library of chemogenomic annotations would enable one to design and optimize new pharmaceutical lead compounds based on the probable transcriptional and biomolecular profile of a hypothetical compound with certain characteristics. Additionally, one can use chemogenomic annotations to determine relationships between genes (for example, as members of a signaling pathway or protein-protein interaction pair), and to aid in determining the causes of side effects and the like. Finally, presenting the drug design researcher with a body of chemogenomic annotation information will generate research hypotheses that will stimulate follow-on experiments and may stimulate changes in the researcher's drug design plan, including development or inclusion of additional counter screens, or may stimulate the selection and elaboration of an alternate lead series, which is revealed by the chemogenomic library to have preferable characteristics.
Several genomic database models have been disclosed. Sabatini et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,712 disclosed a database and system for storing, comparing and analyzing genomic data. Maslyn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,727 disclosed a relational database for storing genomic data. Kohler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,208 disclosed a database and method for comparing polynucleotide sequences and the predicted functions of their encoded proteins. Fujiyama et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,498 disclosed a database and retrieval system, for identifying genes of similar sequence.
Sabry et al., WO00/70528 disclosed methods for analyzing compounds for drug discovery using a cellular informatics database. The system photographs cells that have been manipulated or exposed to test compounds, converting the resulting data into a database. Sabry further describes constructing a database of "cellular fingerprints" comprising descriptors of cell-compound interactions, where the descriptors are a collection of identified data/phenotype variations that characterize the interaction with compounds of known action, constructing a phylogenetic tree from the descriptors, and determining the statistical significance of each descriptor. The descriptor for a new compound can be compared to the phylogenetic tree to determine its most likely mode of action.
Winslow et al., WO00/65523, disclosed a system comprising a database containing biological information which is used to generate a data structure having at least one associated attribute, a user interface, an equation generation engine operative to generate at least one mathematical equation from at least one hierarchical description, and a computational engine operative on the mathematical equation to model dynamic subcellular and cellular behavior. The system is intended to access and tabulate genetic information contained within proprietary and nonproprietary databases, combine that data with functional information regarding the biochemical and biophysical role of gene products, and based on this information formulate, solve and analyze computational models of genetic, biochemical and biophysical processes within cells.
Gould-Rothberg et al., WO00/63435, disclosed a method for identifying hepatotoxic agents by exposing a test cell population comprising a cell capable of expressing one or more nucleic acids sequences responsive to troglitazone (an anti-diabetes drug discovered to cause liver damage in some patients during phase III trials), contacting the test cell population with the test agent and comparing the expression of the nucleic acids sequences in a reference cell population. An alteration in expression of the nucleic acids sequences in the test cell population compared to the expression of the gene in the reference cell population indicates that the agent is hepatotoxic. Gould-Rothberg et al., WO00/37685, disclosed a method for identifying psychoactive agents that lack motor involvement, by identifying genes transcriptionally activated in rat brain striatum in response to haloperidol. Compounds that do not induce these genes are believed to not result in side effects.
Friend et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,203,987, discloses a method for comparing array profiles by grouping genes into co-regulated sets ("genesets"). Friend et al. disclose an embodiment in which the expression profile obtained in response to a drug is projected into a geneset, and compared with other genesets to determine the biological pathways affected by the drug. In another embodiment, the projected profiles of drug candidates are compared with the profiles of known drugs to identify possible replacements for existing drugs.
Tamayo et al., EP 1037158, disclosed a method for organizing genomic data using Self Organizing Maps to cluster gene expression data into similar sets. The method was assumed to identify drug targets, by identifying which move from their expression clusters after a test cell is exposed to a given compound.
Tryon et al., WO01/25473, disclosed a method for constructing expression profiles of genes in response to a drug. In this method, a number of genes are selected on the basis of their expected interaction with the drug or condition to be examined, and their expression in cell culture is measured in response to administration of the drug.


Concepts and technologies disclosed herein are directed to deadlock-free traffic rerouting in software-defined networking (“SDN”) networks. According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a centralized SDN controller can determine that a packet flow along a path within at least a portion of a network is to be rerouted from the path to a new path. The centralized SDN controller can initiate a reroute of the packet flow to the new path. The centralized SDN controller can request a bandwidth for the new path. The bandwidth can be determined such that bandwidth oversubscription on the new path is avoided. In response to the packet flow settling on the new path, the centralized SDN controller can adjust a requested bandwidth of the packet flow to a desired value to complete the reroute of the packet flow from the path to the new path.

Software-defined networking ("SDN") has gained momentum among providers of network services, including data centers, cloud computing, and wide-area networks ("WANs") service providers. SDN networks allow service providers to create and activate new services and to update existing services on-demand and in near real-time. SDN networks provide network-on-demand services that allow network infrastructure to adapt to user demand.
SDN networks implement one or more SDN controllers to control operations of an SDN network, and one such operation is traffic routing. An SDN controller can determine traffic routes and instruct network routers to route data traffic along specific paths. If an SDN network is currently routing traffic on a set of paths and the SDN controller determines that a better route is available via a different set of paths, then the SDN controller also can determine that rerouting the network traffic is preferred. Rerouting the network traffic, however, is not straight-forward and could result in transient deadlocks where the network traffic, when rerouted using a traditional approach, would become overburdened and fail due to lack of available bandwidth.

Deadlock-free traffic rerouting in software-deifned networking networks


An object of the present invention is to provide a glass for chemical strengthening which is capable of improving strength as compared with an ordinary soda lime silicate glass even when the same chemical strengthening treatment as that in a conventional process is applied and has good devitrification characteristics, a chemically strengthened glass using the glass for chemical strengthening, and a method for producing the chemically strengthened glass. The present invention provides a glass for chemical strengthening having a specific glass composition described in the present specification.

Recently, as for information instruments, ones equipped with a touch panel display have become mainstream, as seen in tablet PCs, smartphones, e-book readers, etc. A touch panel display has a structure where a touch sensor glass and a cover glass are layered on a glass substrate for display. There is also known one with an integrated configuration of a touch sensor glass and a cover glass, which is called OGS (one glass solution).
In a touch sensor glass, a cover glass and an OGS glass, any glass is desired to be thin and have a high strength, for which a glass that has been chemically strengthened through ion exchange, that is, a chemically strengthened glass is used.
The strength characteristics of these chemically strengthened glasses are generally expressed as a surface compressive stress (CS, compressive stress) and a depth of compressive stress (DOL, depth of layer). In the case where a mother sheet glass of ordinary soda lime silicate glass is subjected to chemical strengthening treatment, in general, a chemically strengthened glass having CS of 500 to 600 MPa and DOL of 6 to 10 μm can be obtained.
There has been proposed an aluminosilicate glass having an easily ion-exchangeable composition for enhancing the strength, and in the case where a mother sheet glass of an aluminosilicate glass is subjected to the same chemical strengthening treatment, there can be obtained a chemically strengthened glass having CS of 700 to 850 MPa and DOL of 20 to 100 μm.
However, since the aluminosilicate glass exhibits a high ion-exchanging rate but has a high viscosity, it is problematic in that the productivity thereof is poor and the production cost thereof is high.
On the other hand, soda lime silicate glass is inexpensive as compared with aluminosilicate glass. However, regarding the chemically strengthened glass of an already-existing soda lime glass, since the ion-exchanging rate thereof is low, CS thereof could hardly be increased to a level of glass strength that has become required recently. Accordingly, there has been proposed a chemical strengthening treatment method that can increase the glass strength in a chemically strengthened glass using a soda lime silicate glass (for example, PTL 1).
Moreover, in the chemical strengthening treatment, in order to perform ion exchange efficiently, it is effective to make MgO contained. MgO is known to have the largest effect of accelerating alkali ion exchange among the components of alkaline earth metal oxides (RO) (for example, PTL 2). Since MgO has an action to raise the liquidus temperature TL, i.e., the devitrification temperature, PTL 2 discloses a glass composition containing SrO for compensating it.

Glass for chemical strengthening, chemically strengthened glass, and method for manufacturing chemically strengthened glass


A method for preparing an aromatic chloroformate comprising, introducing a mixture of at least one aromatic hydroxyl compound, phosgene, at least one solvent, and at least one organic base into a flow reactor to obtain a unidirectionally flowing reaction mixture. The unidirectionally flowing reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature between about 0° C. and about 60° C. to produce a single product stream comprising an aromatic chloroformate.

This invention relates to a method for preparing an aromatic chloroformate useful in the preparation of polycarbonates and co-polycarbonates. More particularly the method relates to a method for preparing an aromatic chloroformate in a flow reactor.
Aromatic alcohols may be phosgenated in both batch processes and continuous processes to provide aromatic chloroformates. Despite extensive research and development efforts directed towards the more efficient manufacture of aromatic chloroformates, deficiencies remain.
It is of interest therefore, to develop new and more efficient processes for the formation of aromatic chloroformates.

Method for the preparation of aromatic chloroformates


A pressure sensing device is provided for sensing pipeline pressure particularly for pipes transporting corrosive or abrasive fluids and slurries where it is essential to isolate the instrumentation from the fluid in the pipeline. A body member is provided with a central bore with a recessed midportion in the body member extending 360.degree. around the central bore. A replaceable sleeve member is screw-fit within the body member and has a recessed midportion to mate with the recessed midportion in the body member to form a chamber. A thin metal wall in the midportion of the sleeve member forms an end wall of the chamber within the body member. A plurality of outwardly extending pleats or folds are die-formed in the thin metal wall so as to permit the metal sleeve to readily move inwardly and outwardly in response to variations in pressures of fluid passing through the sleeve. A pressure sensing instrument is mounted on the body member and the chamber within the body member and sleeve is filled with fluid. When the device is coupled within a pipeline and fluids are passed therethrough the thin metal wall of the sleeve member senses pressure variations around the entire outer surfaces of the fluid stream.

The present invention relates to a pressure sensing device for use in pipelines transporting slurries, corrosive or abrasive fluids wherein it is essential to isolate the pressure gauge from the fluid being transported. A thin metal wall forming a portion of a removable sleeve serves as a means to transmit pressure signals from the fluid medium being transported within the pipeline to a liquid filled pressure sensing chamber operatively connected to a pressure gauge. The thin metal wall is provided with means to permit the wall to move inwardly and outwardly in response to small pressure changes.
There are numerous pressure gauges in the prior art which are particularly adapted to isolate the pressure media from the sensor. These devices provide for a diaphragm or membrane which forms a barrier between the media passing through the pipeline and a fluid filled chamber on the opposite side of the diaphragm with the fluid filled chamber being operatively connected to a pressure gauge. Thus, the diaphragm or membrane responds to pressure fluctuations within the fluid passing through the pipeline and transmits pressure signals to the fluid within the isolating chamber which in turn actuates the pressure gauge. Examples of such devices are the Classen U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,800, Borsanyi U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,504, Knecht U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,269 and Mayhew U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,068.
The Classen U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,800 discloses a device for determining the internal pressure in a fuel injection pipe system wherein a housing member has a wall portion of reduced thickness so as to act as a membrane and which transmits the pressure signals from the pipe system to a sensor device. The Borsanyi U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,504 discloses a pressure gauge wherein the instrument is separated from the pipeline by a flexible diaphragm. The Knecht U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,269 also provides a deflecting diaphragm member which senses a pressure within a chamber and by deflection of the diaphragm a change of resistance takes place in a strain gauge mounted on the diaphragm. The Mayhew U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,068 provides a pipe pressure sensor in which an elastomeric member is utilized as a flexible diaphragm disposed between a pipeline and a pressure sensing liquid chamber.
There are, however, problems in connection with the use of such prior art devices. Flexible elastomer diaphragms tend to absorb liquids and are damaged by corrosive media and slurry particles passing through the pipeline. Accordingly, the response of such diaphragms vary considerably depending upon the condition of the elastomer. Pressure sensors which utilize relatively thin metal walls as a means for separating the pipeline media from contact with the pressure gauge do not respond well to small pressure changes due to a lack of flexibility and, of course, such elements are subject to deterioration by corrosion and the like. Furthermore, not one of the prior art devices provides means for measuring pipe pressure around the entire circumference of the fluid stream. It can be appreciated that in large pipelines carrying heavy slurries the weight of the slurry itself will have an appreciable effect on pressure measurements and hence it is essential to provide a means for measuring the pressures around the entire fluid stream.
According to the present invention, there is provided a pressure sensing device which includes a readily replaceable sleeve having a thin walled metal member which serves as a pressure sensing diaphragm extending around the entire circumference of the fluid stream. The metal pressure sensing diaphragm is provided with means comprising pressed out accordion-like pleats or folds to permit movement of the diaphragm in response to small pressure changes so as to provide a highly accurate pipe pressure measuring device. Thus, the present invention overcomes the above-noted disadvantages of prior art pipeline pressure gauges by utilizing a thin walled metal diaphragm having accordion-like folds therein extending 360.degree. around the periphery of a fluid stream to permit instantaneous response to small variations in pressure within the pipeline. The sensing diaphragm is mounted on a sleeve which is screw-fit within the body member with the pressure gauge mounted externally of the body member. Thus, the sleeve may be readily replaced in the event the diaphragm becomes damaged.
An object of the present invention is to provide a pipeline pressure sensor which utilizes a metallic diaphragm including accordion-like folds to ensure accuracy of pressure measurements.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pressure sensing device for pipelines in which the pressure sensing diaphragm extends around the entire periphery of the fluid stream.
Other objects and many of the intended advantages will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed specification when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:


Methods of forming a structure for treating a vessel include providing a mandrel and braiding a plurality of filaments around the mandrel. The mandrel may include a strand having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of balls coupled to the strand along the longitudinal axis. Pairs of the plurality of balls may be spaced along the longitudinal axis. Braiding the plurality of filaments around the mandrel may include, during braiding, forming a plurality of bulbs around the plurality of balls and forming necks between pairs of the plurality of balls. The methods may include, after braiding the plurality of filaments, heat treating (e.g., shape setting) the plurality of filaments on the mandrel. Portions of the braided plurality of filaments may be secured to the mandrel, for example using bangles, wire, and/or adhesive.

1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to devices, systems, methods for making, and methods for use in vascular procedures such as thrombectomy and/or flow diversion. Several embodiments relate to thrombectomy systems and methods for providing approaches for the treatment of stroke, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, saphenous vein graft disease, clogged hemodialysis grafts, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and deep venous thrombosis. Several embodiments relate to flow diversion and flow disruption systems and methods for providing approaches for the treatment of brain arterial aneurysms, aortic aneurysms, cardiac wall aneurysms, atrial septal defects and aneurysms including patent foramen ovale, ventricular septal defects and aneurysms, coronary arterial aneurysms, peripheral arterial aneurysms, renal arterial aneurysms, and vascular malformations including arterio-venous malformations and arterio-venous fistulae of the brain, spine, coronary and peripheral vasculature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stroke is the leading cause of long term disability in the United States and the second leading cause of death worldwide with over 4.4 million deaths in a year (1999). There are over 795,000 new strokes every year in the United States. Around 85% of all strokes are acute ischemic strokes caused from a blockage in a blood vessel or a blood clot occluding a blood vessel. In 1996, the FDA approved a thrombolytic drug to dissolve blood clots called recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tpa). Despite practice guidelines from multiple national organizations stating that intravenous r-tpa is the standard of care for patients with acute ischemic stroke within 3 hours from symptom onset, only 3-4% of patients with acute ischemic stroke received this drug in the United States. Unlike intravenous r-tpa, catheter-based therapies for mechanical thrombectomy can be used for up to 8 hours or beyond from acute ischemic stroke symptom onset and could benefit more people. With advances in regional stroke networks, an increasing number of stroke patients are able to obtain access to intra-arterial thrombolysis and therapies.

Methods of using non-cylindrical mandrels