A RAKE receiver for receiving a data signal transmitted from a transmitter in a spread spectrum communication system includes a symbol combiner having an adder for adding Walsh index output values, sequentially generated from a correlator using a fast Walsh transform algorithm according to N Walsh code sequences, to a value generated from a last stage of an N-stage shift register, and having the N-stage shift register for shifting an accumulated value of an output of a RAKE receiver corresponding to each index for a Walsh symbol generated from the adder each time a rake is assigned to each finger. The RAKE receiver also includes a first decision logic unit for determining a maximum value by sequentially sorting an output of the symbol combiner and generating a Walsh index corresponding to the determined maximum value as a code word; and a second decision logic unit for sorting and subtracting the output of the symbol combiner according to a state of each bit of a corresponding index and generating a probability value for the code word.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication technique used in a cellular radio telephone communication system and, more particularly, to a RAKE receiver for correlating a received signal sample with a despreading code sequence to determine a received data sequence.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a spread spectrum system, if a spread spectrum signal passes through a multipath fading channel, a received signal appears in a form resulting from adding components of the signal traveling over multiple paths, each having a different amplitude and phase relative to the other components of the signal. With respect to power efficiency, it is not preferable, in this case, to receive only the one main path signal having the strongest power, since power components of the other multipath signals are lost.
In a RAKE receiver, a plurality of receivers arranged in a parallel fashion are used, as shown in FIG. 1, to unitedly perform demodulation without losing the power of components of the multipath signals. Signals output from the receivers are combined through a combiner 16. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram described in the book "SYNCHRONOUS DIGITAL COMMUNICATION", pp.353-354, Jul. 20, 1995 by KYOHAKSA, Inc. The time interval between multipath receivers is variable, and the multipath power component is demodulated with a delay time .tau..sub.i through a tapped delay line (TDL) 10, despreader 12, and demodulator 14. The delay time .tau..sub.i is dynamically adjusted by a control circuit (not shown). Such a construction maximizes the SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio) of the signal output from the RAKE receiver.
In a RAKE receiver, a rake is a logical unit including, for example, a transformer, combiner, etc. In order to receive the signals having respectively different path delays in the receiver, the rake performs its operation in the despreader process by setting the delay offset of the sample signals input to a correlator (despreader) to different delay values. A rake can be classified as either a finger or a searcher. A finger is a receipt rake for receiving and combining a plurality of multipath fading signals, and a searcher is a receipt rake for searching the signals' positions on the time base for the multipath fading signals.
Although the RAKE receiver is very good at efficiently using the signal power, there is a limit to the number of parallel circuits which can be employed, since many additional hardware circuits are required. The RAKE receiver is based on the principle that if the spectrum width of a signal at a frequency selective fading channel is greater than a delay spread value, it is possible to classify the signal components into independently faded components according to several spectrums. If the number of parallel hardware circuits is greater than the number of actual paths of the signal, the performance of the RAKE receiver is degraded. If the power strength of the signal components traveling on paths between the actual paths are similar to or equal to each other, then the RAKE receiver exhibits maximum performance.
Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,586, issued on Aug. 17, 1993, entitled "RAKE RECEIVER WITH SELECTIVE RAY COMBINING", which is incorporated by reference herein, describes a RAKE receiver including multipliers for multiplying outputs of a fast Walsh transformer by a weight, accumulators for accumulating outputs of the multipliers and a decision device for detecting a received code word based on the outputs of the accumulators. In operation, a descrambler descrambles (or despreads) a received sample. A single correlator calculates result values corresponding to each Walsh index by using a FWT (Fast Walsh Transform). The multipliers multiply the result values by complex weights, and the accumulators accumulate the outputs of the multipliers. The accumulated values are supplied to the decision device. The decision device sequentially sorts the accumulated values and determines the Walsh index having the maximum value as the received code word.
However, since the RAKE receiver disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,586 uses an additional accumulator with respect to each Walsh index, many hardware circuits are needed. Also, since the decision device generates only the Walsh index having the maximum value, the above-described RAKE receiver leaves much to be desired in terms of search performance, where a search is an operation for determining a signal component, that is, a pseudo noise phase component, to be demodulated by demodulator fingers within the RAKE receiver.

Rake receiver for reducing hardware consumption and improving search performance


Apparatuses, systems, and methods for producing non-rotationally symmetric optical aberrations. Such aberrations may be created by a removable attachment that may be attached to another lens, such as a spherical lens. Aberrations that appear to reproduce an anamorphic effect may be produced, yet the underlying camera system may remain a spherical camera system, and the capture mode may remain non-anamorphic.

Camera imaging systems used in the film industry and the like have traditionally captured images in an anamorphic format. The anamorphic format involves compression of the optical image being captured so that a large field of view with a large aspect ratio could be captured at a smaller area. This allows image quality to remain high, but cost and space savings to be realized without using a larger imaging format. The anamorphic images that are captured are later projected through an anamorphic projection lens to un-squeeze the image at a larger aspect ratio for display.
The anamorphic image capture process, however, introduces aberrations in the captured images that have a distinctive cinematographic look. Such aberrations include optical flare, coma, and other aberrations that characterize the appearance of an anamorphic capture.
The advent of digital image capture systems has increased the desire of individuals to use anamorphic format and anamorphic lenses. However, spherical lens capture systems are typically less complex and expensive to construct and maintain than anamorphic systems, thus reducing the availability of anamorphic systems.
The nostalgia present with an anamorphic capture process, however, remains with many directors, cinematographers, and other individuals. Many individuals appreciate the aberrations that are present with an anamorphic image capture process and seek to introduce such aberrations in their image capture. Other non-film industry individuals also seek to introduce such aberrations into their images (e.g., amateur photographers, users of camera phones, etc.).
Digital and post-production processes have been developed to digitally introduce such aberrations into captured images. Such digital aberrations, however, are off-putting to many and do not represent an authentic effort at recreating the aberrations present in an anamorphic capture system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Measurement of the fluorescence of a layer of cells, disposed in a well, with supernatant liquid thereabove, is greatly enhanced in sensitivity by illuminating the cell layer with a beam of light incident thereupon at a first angle and detecting fluorescence emitted by the cells with a detector which views the illuminated cells at a second angle, wherein at least one of the first or second angles is oblique to the cell layer. By so controlling the geometry of the system, the contribution to background fluorescence by the supernatant liquid is greatly minimized. Sensitivity of the technique is further enhanced by restricting the portion of the illuminated cell layer which is viewed by the detector. The technique may be applied to an apparatus for rapidly scanning the fluorescence of a plurality of samples in a multiple well plate.

Fluorescence measurements are employed in a variety of analyses and in such techniques, illumination of a first wavelength absorbed by a sample induces the sample to emit light of a second wavelength. The wavelength and/or intensity of the secondary emission may be correlated with composition, concentration, physical environment and similar parameters. In one particular class of fluorescence analyses, cells of various tissue types are grown in culture and incubated in a growth medium with a fluorescent dye. The cells will absorb the dye at particular rates, and these rates may be correlated with various physiological functions of the cells such as K.sup.+ channel activity. A cell which has absorbed dye will typically fluoresce at an enhanced intensity as compared to the growth medium which incorporates that dye. Fluorescent analyses of this type are of significant importance in the pharmaceutical industry since they may be employed to screen a variety of tissue types for interaction with chemical species of pharmaceutical interest.
In an analysis of this type, cells are cultured in a multiple well plate. These plates typically include 48 or 96 wells, each of which comprises a cylinder of approximately 5 millimeters in diameter, closed at one end by an optically transparent bottom surface and open at the other. The cells are cultured in a layer on the bottom surface of the wells with a supernatant layer of growth medium thereabove. Chemical species being assayed are placed into the supernatant liquid together with a fluorescent dye and the effect of the chemical species on cell metabolism is assayed by measuring the fluorescence of the cell layers. Such techniques are well known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,343,782, 4,835,103 and PCT published application WO 90/15317.
In order to measure the fluorescence of the cells, the cell layers are illuminated with light of a first wavelength and emission at a second wavelength is monitored by a photodetector device. Problems arise in this type of an assay because the cell layer is typically on the order of 10 microns in thickness, while the depth of the supernatant liquid is on the order of many millimeters. While the relative intensity of the emission from the supernatant liquid is generally lower than that from the cells which have absorbed the dye, fluorescence from the supernatant liquid constitutes a significant source of error in these assays because of the large volume of the supernatant.
This problem is illustrated by the drawing of FIG. 1 which depicts a particular prior art methodology for fluorescence measurements. Shown in the figure is a well 10 which is typically a part of a larger plate comprising an array of such wells. Disposed within the well 10 is a volume of cell growth medium 12, and a layer of cultured cells 14 is shown atop the bottom surface 16 of the well 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the layer of cells 14 is flooded with illumination 18 which induces fluorescence in the cells 14 as well as in the supernatant liquid 12. A detector 20, typically operating in connection with a lens 22 views the cell layer 14. Generally, the detector 20 and source of the light beam 18 (not shown) are on a common optical axis and share some optical elements such as the lens 22. It will be appreciated from the figure that fluorescence in the supernatant liquid 12 will significantly interfere with the measurement of cell fluorescence.
In order to overcome problems of background fluorescence, the art has employed a microscope to measure the fluorescence of cell layers disposed in a well with a supernatant liquid. The limited depth of focus of the microscope minimizes background fluorescence contributions. FIG. 2 depicts one such prior art approach. As shown therein, a well 10 includes a supernatant growth medium 12 and a cell layer 14 upon the bottom 16 thereof. A microscope, indicated schematically by lens 24 is positioned to view the cell layer 14. It operates in conjunction with a detector 20 to measure the fluorescence of a very small area 26 of the cell layer 14; and as mentioned previously, the source of illumination is generally incorporated into the microscope/detector unit. The extremely limited depth of focus of the microscope 24 permits the detector to "see" only a limited portion of the supernatant liquid and hence only a small portion of the fluorescence therein, indicated by region 28 in the figure, contributes to background noise.
While the approach of FIG. 2 provides acceptable accuracy, the severely restricted field of view of the microscope greatly limits the speed of this technique. A microscope of 40.times. will give a depth of field of 50 microns, which is adequate to minimize background; but, the field of view of the microscope will be approximately 10 microns. In order to obtain an accurate signal characteristic of K.sup.+ channel activity it is necessary to scan a several hundred square micron portion of each well, typically in a raster pattern, to develop a statistically significant signal. Because of the limited field of view of the microscope, the scan takes several minutes. In many studies, it is desirable to update data every few minutes; therefore, the system is limited to measuring a single well over the course of an experiment which may run several hours. Even if only a single scan is made per well, read times for a 96 well plate will be several hours. In addition to the foregoing, microscope arrangements of this type are quite expensive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,135 discloses the use of a microscope for making fluorescence measurements of this type. U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,652 discloses a microscope based fluorescence analyzer which operates in a scanning mode.
Thus, it will be seen that there is a need for a fluorescence analyzer which is capable of measuring the fluorescence of a thin cell layer disposed in a well of a multiple well plate, with minimal interference from fluorescence in a supernatant medium. It is further desirable that the analyzer be capable of rapidly measuring the fluorescence of a plurality of samples. It is most desirable that the analyzer be capable of making a large number of measurements in parallel. The present invention, as will be apparent, from the drawings, discussion and description which follow, provides for an improved apparatus and methodology for fluorescence measurements. The present invention minimizes background fluorescence and may be operated to measure, in parallel, the fluorescence of cell layers in each of the wells of a multiple well plate. These and other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the drawings, discussion and description which follow.

Method and apparatus for quantitative fluorescence measurements

Environmental Research Institute of Michigan


An apparatus for cleaning waste collection systems of solid materials using normal and injected water flow to suspend the solids in a slurry, A submersible pump moves the slurry from a collection point up to a pressurized container where the water content of the slurry is decanted and reused as injection water while the particulate material settles to the bottom of the pressurized container. When the container is filled with solid material it may be removed for emptying at a waste dump.

1. Field of the Invention
The system and method of the present invention relates generally to cleaning waste collection systems such as but not limited to sewers, sumps, wet wells, collection tanks, digesters, clarifiers, classifiers, etc. and in particular to cleaning and removal of solid and liquid materials therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Waste collection systems such as sewers, sumps, wet wells, digesters, clarifiers, classifier, collection tanks, etc. must be cleaned periodically in order to maintain proper fluid flow and capacity. Cleaning removes sand and other deleterious materials that have infiltrated into, for example, a sewer as well as solid materials that have settled out from the normally slow moving waste slurry that varies in volume and flow rate depending on the collective amount of effluents emptied into the waste collection system over time. In order to properly clean large capacity waste collection systems such as collection tanks or the vast lengths of sewer lines in a typical city, an efficient and cost effective method of cleaning must be employed that can handle the large volume of material that must be removed from a typical waste collection system.
Typically, a commercial waste cleaning operation uses truck-mounted equipment for pumping high pressure wash water through the waste collection system being cleaned and collection of the resulting solid waste material. A truck-mounted cleaning system may comprise a water jet router normally located at the front of the truck and a vacuum system and tank located at the rear of the truck.
The water jet router is made up of a high pressure water pump feeding pressurized wash water through a hose having a cleaning head on its end. This cleaning head has water nozzles on its back face which creates a jet action resulting from the high pressure water flowing out the nozzles. The high pressure water jet action both washes the downstream waste collection system such as sewer pipe and propels the cleaning head upstream for continuous washing action of the entire length of the waste collection system such as sewer pipe being cleaned. The position of the cleaning head and its rate of forward travel is regulated by control of the hose reel integrally mounted on the washing truck.
A second hose may be lowered into a manhole downstream of the cleaning head and is in communication with the resulting water slurry produced from the washing action. This hose is connected to a vacuum system which lifts the water slurry and all contained debris up from the bottom of the manhole into a vacuum holding tank mounted on the rear of the wash truck. Thus, the high pressure wash water brings the solid materials suspended in water to the manhole and the vacuum action picks up the waste material and deposits it into the truck-mounted holding container.
The materials contained within this vacuum container must be removed when the container is full. Typically, this waste is discarded at a dump or landfill. Because the vacuum container normally is mounted on a vacuum wash truck, sewer cleaning operations must be suspended until the container is emptied. Depending on the distance from the dump site to the sewers being washed, several hours may be lost due to dumping collected solids. In addition, a great deal of water remains in the vacuum tank along with the solids because the vacuum system typically picks up only a small fraction of the solids by volume of water. Typically, industry practice tries to keep wash water flow at a minimum when using the vacuum method of sewer cleaning so that the vacuum holding container does not fill up mostly with spent wash water. Whatever fills up the vacuum container must be disposed of. Therefore, the operator must pay expensive landfill prices to dispose of the spent work water and must obtain additional work water.

Apparatus for cleaning waste collection system


Low profile radial tires for trucks and buses reinforced with steel cords which comprise two layers of a core and an outer layer, the number of core filaments being 3 to 4 and the number of outer filaments being equal to or less than the number 5 greater than the number of the core filaments, all filaments being substantially equal in diameter and both the core filaments and the outer filaments being twisted in the same direction with a different pitch, and the aspect ratio of the tire being at most 0.85.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to low profile radial tires for trucks and buses wherein steel cords are used for carcass plies as reinforcing elements for tires and more particularly to an improvement in the construction of the steel cords.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, there have been used the steel cords having the structure of 2+7 as shown in FIG. 3, 3+9 in FIG. 4 or 1.times.12 in FIG. 5.
Steel cords 3 of 2+7 in FIG. 3, however, having a core 6 composed of two filaments 4 twisted together as shown in the figures, the alignment of the filaments becomes vertical at one position in the lengthwise direction of the cords as shown in FIG. 3(B), while the alignment becomes lateral at another position as shown in FIG. 3(A). These alignments appear at every 1/4 pitch. It results in that said cords are composed of different portions having a different flexural rigidity in the lengthwise direction of the cords. When said cords are applied to a tire, the portions in a lateral alignment having a lower flexural rigidity are subjected to a concentrated fatigue breakage. Furthermore, outer filaments 5 which form an outer layer 7 are apt to close to a center over a circumscribed circle of the core 6 as shown in the figures by a solid line compared with a dotted line which illustrates an expected position. Accordingly, the difference of the flexural rigidity between the vertical alignment portions and the lateral alignment portions becomes larger, so there is a serious problem in the fatigue resistance. In addition, all filaments of said cords being covered by rubber, residual air which is caught during tire formation is hardly passed away to the outside through the inside of the cords. Then a tire is manufactured with remaining air in the cords, so that the tire manufactured is subjected to an early failure due to the residual air.
Steel cords 3 of 3+9 as shown in FIG. 4 having a narrow space between adjacent outer filaments 5, the penetration of rubber into the cords is insufficient, so that the outer filaments 5 contact with each other and wear out. It results in the deterioration of fatigue resistance.
Steel cords 3 of 1.times.12 as shown in FIG. 5 are composed of 12 filaments having a same diameter which are twisted in the same direction with the same pitch, so the outer filaments 5 fit in surface depressions of a core strand 6 and thereby the penetration of rubber is hindered. Consequently, core filaments 4 are apt to be drawn out during a tire service.
As mentioned above, prior art steel cords have not been provided with balanced properties between the uniform flexural rigidity and the rubber penetration property.
On the other hands, it has been a recent trend to use low profile tires having a low aspect ratio, namely wider tires with a flatter profile. The low profile tires are apt to cause a great deflection at a shoulder portion when they are travelled with a reduced inner pressure, so that steel carcass cords deteriorate rapidly in fatigue resistance and there is a great probability or danger to cause a tire burst.

Low profile radial tires for trucks and buses reinforced with steel carcass ply cords


According to one embodiment, an ink-jet head includes an insulated substrate, a plurality of piezoelectric elements which are formed on the insulated substrate in the form of a line, a pressure chamber formed between the two adjacent piezoelectric elements to which ink is supplied, an electrode formed on a surface of the piezoelectric element and a surface of the insulated substrate, an organic protection film to cover a face of the electrode contacting the ink, a hydrophilic film which is formed to cover the organic protection film at a temperature of not more than 100° C., a frame which is provided on the electrode on the insulated substrate to surround the line of the piezoelectric elements, and a nozzle plate provided on the frame having nozzles each opening into the pressure chamber.

An ink-jet head of an ink-jet printer is provided with an insulated substrate on which pressure chambers are provided and a nozzle plate in which nozzles are provided. Ink is supplied to the pressure chamber, and the nozzle discharges an ink droplet. The pressure chambers are formed by providing a plurality of grooves on a piezoelectric element member on the insulated substrate, and each has an electrode at a side surface and a bottom surface thereof. When a voltage is applied to the electrode, the piezoelectric element deforms and thereby the volume of the pressure chamber varies. The pressure chamber is reduced to cause the ink inside the pressure chamber to be pressurized, and thereby the ink is discharged from the nozzle as an ink droplet.
In order to prevent that a current flows from the electrode to ink, an organic protection film is usually formed on the surface of the electrode contacting ink. Though having high electrical insulation properties, the organic protection film also has high water-shedding property and is easy to shed water. In order to prevent air bubbles from being involved in the ink, it has been proposed that a hydrophilization treatment such as a UV treatment and a plasma treatment is preformed on the organic protection film to thereby improve the hydrophilic property thereof. When an inorganic film with high hydrophilic property is formed on the organic protection film, the hydrophilic property of the surface contacting ink can be improved, and a sputtering method or a PE-CVD (Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) method is used for forming an inorganic film.
In addition, it has been proposed that at the time of forming a hydrophobic insulating film having water-shedding property opposite of hydrophilic property on an electrode, an atomic layer deposition (Atomic Layer Deposition: ALD) method is used.
The effect of hydrophilization by a plasma treatment which is performed on an organic protection film goes down as time passes, and may dissolve in several weeks. In a manufacturing process of an ink-jet head, heating and ultrasonic cleaning are sometimes performed after a plasma treatment. In this case, the effect by the plasma treatment is reduced to thereby cause the air bubbles to be involved when water-based ink is used.
With a film forming method such as a sputtering method and a PE-CVD method, it is difficult to form an inorganic film with a uniform thickness in a whole fine pressure chamber. The film is formed thick at the upper position in the pressure chamber, but it is difficult to form the film at the lower portion, and thereby the hydrophilic properties become different by location. In addition, at the time of forming an inorganic film with such a method, the temperature within a film forming tank becomes to a high temperature of not less than 150° C. The organic protection film is damaged with such a high temperature, and thereby the effect to protect the electrode from the ink drops.

Ink-jet head and method of manufacturing ink-jet head


A method and system for authenticating a communication device with an application server. The application server includes a gateway registration port, a gateway server port, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to receive, via the gateway registration port, a registration request, including a unique identifier, from a first device over a first communications network that operates in accordance with a first modality and receive, at the gateway server port, an access request including an identifier from an unknown device over a second communications network that operates in accordance with a second modality. The electronic processor is configured to compare the second identifier with the first identifier to determine if the identifiers match, grant the unknown device access when the identifiers match, and deny the unknown device access when the identifiers do not match.

Public safety personnel (for example, police, fire fighters, first responders, investigators, and the like) may be equipped with portable radios (sometimes referred to as subscriber units) to communicate with each other at an incident scene (for example, a building fire, a robbery, a natural disaster, or other public safety event). Communications among public safety personnel often include sensitive information that, in many cases, should not be shared with non-public safety personnel (e.g., civilians).
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Device registration via authentication transference


A self-contained analyzer quantitatively detects a clotting event in a biological fluid. The device includes a base having an open reservoir for receiving the biological fluid. A carrier for a dried activator reagent is located in or adjacent to the open reservoir. The biological fluid reconstitutes the dried reagent and starts the clotting process. During the clotting process the fluid travels through a capillary flow channel lined with a precision woven fabric. When clotting is completed, the woven fabric stops the flow of the fluid. A colored bar formed by the fluid flowing through the capillary channel indicates the length of time required for clotting of the sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clotting time testing, such as prothrombin time (PT) testing and, more specifically, to disposable clotting time testing devices and methods for assaying the clotting time of biological fluids without the aid of an instrument.
2. Description of the Background Art
Keeping blood in a fluid state, termed hemostasis, requires a subtle balance of pro- and anti-coagulants. Procoagulants prevent excessive bleeding by blocking blood flow from a damaged vessel, whereas anticoagulants prevent clots from forming in the circulation which could otherwise block blood vessels and lead to myocardial infarction.
The biochemical sequence leading to a blood clot is termed the coagulation cascade. The mechanism is based on catalytic conversion of fibrinogen, a soluble plasma protein, to insoluble fibrin. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction is thrombin, which does not permanently circulate in the blood in an active form, but exists as prothrombin, the inactive precursor of thrombin. Conversion to thrombin occurs in the presence of calcium ions and tissue thromboplastin. This mechanism is known as the extrinsic pathway. A second, more complex, intrinsic pathway is activated by clotting factors associated with platelets.
There are an estimated two million patients with cardiovascular disease in the United States who are currently on anticoagulation therapy. Thirty percent of these patients are xe2x80x9chigh riskxe2x80x9d for subsequent complications. Complications, when they occur, account for 400,000 hospitalizations and 200,000 deaths annually in the United States. Therefore, it is important to monitor these patients frequently to help prevent hemorrhagic and thromboembolic complications. Monitoring is accomplished by measuring the patient""s blood clotting time, more specifically, prothrombin time, usually weekly. During initial adjustment of anticoagulation medication, testing may occur more frequently than weekly.
Diagnosis of hemorrhagic conditions such as hemophilia, where one or more of the twelve blood clotting factors may be defective, can be made using a coagulation test. In addition, several tests have been developed to monitor the progress of thrombolytic therapy. Other test have been developed to signal a prethrombolytic or hypercoagulable state, or monitor the effect of administering protamine to patients during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.
Currently, all prothrombin time testing is conducted on some form of instrumentation. These instruments range from desktop units used in clinical laboratories to small portable units designed to be used for point of care applications. The convenience of self-testing at home is the most effective means for driving patient compliance. Although portable instruments designed for home use are available, the high initial cost, the complexity of quality control, and the inconvenience of refrigerated storage of the reagent has not created a wide acceptance of these instruments by the patients. Thus, there exists a need for a non-instrumented clotting time test device that is simple to use, light in weight, inexpensive, and accurate.
The prothrombin test was first described by A. J. Quick, Am. J. Med. Sci 190:501 (1935), and involved mixing tissue thromboplastin with blood, under controlled conditions, to initiate coagulation via the extrinsic pathway. The standard laboratory technique for coagulation testing usually uses a turbidimetric method, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,774. In this test, citrated plasma is mixed with tissue thromboplastin at 37xc2x0 C., and measurement is based upon optical density. An alternative method using calorimetric measurement is also described by Beker et al. in Hemostatis 12:73, 1982.
Moyer et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,606, first disclosed a manually operable disposable device which has a uniform bore reaction tube and limiting orifice for prothrombin time testing. A blood sample is applied to the device and mixed with activator reagent. The gravity-assisted flow travels through the reaction tube and halts when the blood clots. The distance traveled by the sample is proportional to the prothrombin time. Unfortunately, this device is difficult to fabricate and the end point generated is unstable because the flow continues slowly even after clotting has occurred.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,961, discloses an apparatus for conducting a variety of assays that are responsive to a change in the viscosity of a fluid sample. A reversible pump is used to move the fluid sample, making this device rather cumbersome.
Point of care whole blood prothrombin time instruments are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,756,884 and 4,963,498. These instruments include cassettes with capillary channels in which the instrument monitors the change of flow of clotting blood. U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,923, describes additional optical and mechanical features of the instrument and cartridge that perform prothrombin time assays.
Other methods for measuring blood clotting include an instrument that measures the change of the field of magnetic particles inside disposable channels (U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,676); an instrument with miniature pumps and disposable cassettes with narrow restriction that plug up upon the clotting of blood (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,403 and 5,731,212); a solid phase membrane with a dry reagent that contains a substrate which produces a detectable signal upon activation by a component of the coagulation pathway (U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,141); an instrument that uses a liquid crystal to measure clotting (U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,786); and piezoelectric means to detect clotting (U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,532).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,556, describes a non-instrumented measuring device which uses a flow channel with a detection film inside. This device, however, is not for use in conducting a clotting test. U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,884, teaches the use of a capillary channel containing reagent for estimating the flow change of blood. Although the surface energy inside the capillary channel, was defined, there is no description of how to control the flow stoppage of the blood upon clotting.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,855, describes a capillary flow channel including capillary-inducing structures, hexagonal and other geometric shapes, in which one end of the flow channel is deeper than the other end. There is no indication that this device can be used for clotting assays. Exner, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,995, discloses a method for estimating coagulation time by measuring the extent and rate of spreading of a blood sample deposited onto a porous sheet. Zweig et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,141, disclose test articles suitable for prothrombin time testing that comprise a solid phase membrane having dry thromboplastic immobilized thereon or within. A blood sample is applied to the application side, and a fluorescent signal is measured on the other side of the membrane.
Oberhardt et al. disclose another format in Y U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,110,727 and 5,350,676, based upon the use of magnetic particles mixed into a dry reagent contained within a flat capillary chamber. An applied oscillating magnetic field causes the particles to oscillate once the reagent is dissolved in blood. When the blood clots, the motion is diminished and the prothrombin time is estimated. Davis et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,961, disclose a method and device that respond to changes in the viscosity of a fluid sample using a reciprocating pump.
Thus, there remains a need for an inexpensive, non-instrumented disposable device for quantitative determination of prothrombin time that is both accurate and simple to use.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforesaid deficiencies in the background art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a self-contained quantitative analytical device that detects the end point of a clotting and agglutinating process.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for quantifying a clotting or agglutinating event.
The present invention relates to an analytical device for detecting a clotting or agglutinating event in a clottable or agglutinatable biological fluid comprising:
a. a capillary flow channel means through which the fluid may flow and in which the clotting or agglutinating event can occur;
b. A reagent to react with the clottable or agglutinatable biological fluid to produce a clot; and
c. A control means for controlling the flow rate of the clottable biological fluid and the usual appearance of the clot.
In a preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention contains a sample accepting area, a dried thromboplastic activator which optionally is impregnated on a reagent pad, a capillary channel that has a hydrophilic inner surface for drawing the sample along the channel and a hydrophilic woven fabric surface that controls the flow, provides wicking action, and allows the clotted or agglutinated mixture to anchor onto the fabric surface and stop flow.
The present invention also provides a method for quantifying the time for a clotting or agglutinating event using the device of the present invention. A sample fluid is received in the sample accepting area, and the sample fluid is mixed with reagent. The mixture is drawn through the capillary channel by capillary and/or wicking action. The flow of the sample mixture through the flow channel stops when the clotting or agglutinating event occurs.
For purposes of the present invention, xe2x80x9cclotting eventxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cagglutinating eventxe2x80x9d mean the endpoints of clot formation or agglutination, and can be used interchangeably.

Method and device for clotting time assay


An analyzing system is provided. The analyzing system includes a fluid container defining a sample chamber where a sample is contained in the sample chamber, and a sensor including a transparent body with a reverse face and an obverse face where the obverse face having a nanostructured surface. The nanostructured surface includes a plurality of elongate nanostructures having a respective longitudinal axis that is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the obverse face. The analyzing system includes an excitation and detection apparatus that includes an excitation source for generating a beam of polarized radiation and a corresponding radiation detector where the sensor is coupled to the fluid container such that the nanostructured surface is exposed to the sample chamber, to the sample located therein.

Rapid detection of clinically relevant biomarkers and pathogens from biological samples is a critical step in the diagnosis of disease. This is true not only in health care diagnostics but in veterinary science, agri-food production and food safety. Traditional methods require several sequential steps from initial sample collection through to detection of the pathogen of interest. These steps can often require complex pre-analysis processing, enrichment or amplification steps in order to ensure adequate sensitivity to make the test fit for purpose followed by complex data interpretation. Multiple sample treatment steps can lead to a loss of sensitivity for the downstream detection method or introduces potential points of contamination thus bringing into question the validity of results. Furthermore, some automated techniques lack the relevant diagnostic sensitivity meaning that traditional microbiology techniques like total viable counts are still employed as the method of choice. This is a time consuming process often taking days to get a definitive result.
Within healthcare setting, three main workflows are used in the diagnostic algorithm. The first is culture based methods; they rely on an enrichment step and are generally used for bacterial pathogens. These tests are limited by how quickly the organisms in the sample grow in the enrichment media and are highly susceptible to contamination. The second method is molecular tests. Molecular biology requires a high level of operational expertise, significant infrastructure to limit cross contamination and expensive system and consumables to run the tests. These tests are much more expensive than culture based methods but offer a much higher level of sensitivity. The typical turnaround time for batch processing PCR is anywhere between 12-24 hrs. The third method is immunoassay based tests. These rely on the principal behind antibody-antigen reactions. Antibody-antigen reactions offer a highly specific mechanism for the detection of pathogens of interest. All immunoassay tests are based around this biological principal. The test relies upon the specificity of an antibody to an antigen on a particular pathogen of interest in a biological sample. This antibody (referred to as the primary antibody) binds to the pathogen via the specific antigen thus capturing the pathogen of interest in the biological sample. A second reaction is then carried out whereby a labelled antibody (referred to as the secondary antibody) binds specifically to the primary antibody. The secondary antibody is labelled with some form of reporter molecule. This molecule gives off a detectable signal. This signal can be light or color change of a substrate that can be measured by a detector system. Due to the multiple steps required to complete an immunoassay test, it can be time consuming or require expensive liquid handling system to screen samples for a range of biomarkers or pathogens furthermore, sensitivity is not comparable with PCR based methods.
More recently there has been a growing trend towards label free detection of biomarkers/pathogens of interest. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is generated by nanoparticles or structures. These are typically gold or silver. LSPR produces a strong resonance absorbance peak in the visible light range of the spectrum. This absorbance peak is highly sensitive to refractive index changes close to the surface of the nanoparticle. One limitation in LSPR biosensors is the ability to detect minute quantities of small molecules. Since the detection relies on a refractive index change at the surface of the nanoparticle, a relatively high concentration of small molecules is required to induce this.
It is a desire of the present invention to overcome the above mentioned limitations with LSPR biosensors.


A method and an apparatus for establishing a coordinate system and a data structure product are provided. The method includes following steps: obtaining at least one layer related to an arrangement of an indoor space to generate a layout pattern in a 2D or 3D model; obtaining locations of positioning devices located within the indoor space and labelling the locations in the layout pattern; dividing the layout pattern into multiple view tiles according to a unit area or a unit volume for displaying the layout pattern; dividing a portion of the layout pattern around the labelled positioning devices into multiple positioning tiles according to the labelled locations of the positioning devices; and selecting at least one representative point of the view tiles and the positioning tiles as a reference point to define a reference frame and establishing the coordinate system based on the reference frame.

Most of current indoor positioning techniques use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the magnetic field of the earth for positioning. When an indoor positioning system is deployed, location fingerprints (which are measured with received signal strength indicators (RSSIs)) are required to be collected and processed at each sampling point for off-line training, a detection device is held and moved within a positioning area for on-line calibration to complete a signal map with the use of a learning algorithm, and then the signal map is compiled into an indoor map so as to synchronize with the indoor map.
However, the above described method not only has complicated prearrangement and data update processes, but also results in difficulty in accurately predicting a coverage of positioning devices due to signal blocking cause by building construction and interior arrangement. Moreover, changes of the positioning devices cannot be perceived, and even though locations of the positioning devices (wireless communication devices) are acquired in advance, it is difficult to establish a coordinate system to standardize reference frames of the indoor map.

Method and apparatus for establishing coordinate system and data structure product

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A fastening element has a head (14), a stem (11) adjoining the head 914) and having a tip at its end remote from the head (14), a first bullet-shaped section (21) extending from the tip (13) in a direction of the head (14), and a thread profile (15) provided on the stem (11) and having, on the second section (22), a constant steep gradient with a lead angle (β2) from 50° to 74° and, on the first section (21), a gradient that increases from the lead angle (β2) of the second section (22) toward the tip (13), with a lead angle (β1) at a half of a length between the tip (13) and the end (24) of the first section (21) remote from the tip (13) amounting to at least 75°.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening element having a stem with a tip at one of its ends and head arranged at an end of the stem opposite the tip, with the stem having a first spherical section extending from the tip in the direction of the head, and a second section adjoining the first section at an end of the first section remote from the tip and extending in the direction of the head, and a thread profile provided on the stem.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fastening elements of the type described above, such as nails, bolts and the like are usually formed of steel and are used, in fastening technology for securing objects to hard materials such as concrete, metal, and stone. The drive-in process of such fastening elements is carried out with high speed, and the fastening elements are driven-in percussively or otherwise, e.g., with combustion-driven tools.
German Publication DE 101 19 800 A1 discloses a fastening element having a head and a stem adjoining the head and provided, at its end remote from the head, with a tip. The stem has a first spherical section that tapers toward the tip, and a second section that adjoins the first section and extends in the direction toward the head. The spherical first section and the following second section are provided, at least partially, with a knurl profile. This profile increases friction and, therefore, abrasion of the material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,785, from which the present invention proceeds, discloses a nail for suspending of supports and that has a stem having a first bullet-shaped or spherical section decreasing toward the tip, and a second cylindrical section. The head, which is provided at the end of the stem remote from the tip, has the same diameter as the second cylindrical section. The stem is provided with a deeply cut-in thread profile that ends in front of the tip and that only partially surrounds the rear stem region. The thread serves for removal of the material produced by the drivable-in nail and increases the friction between the nail and the constructional component.
The drawbacks of such fastening element consists in that with thread grooves having the same depth and with an intermediate gradient, at a very rapid drive-in displacement, which is carried out, e.g., with a combustion-driven setting tool, the thread does not lead to rotation of the nail but rather acts as a grater, causing substantial abrasion. The abrasion reduces the holding forces of a nail in the constructional component.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fastening element in which the foregoing drawbacks are eliminated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fastening element with good holding characteristics in a hard material, e.g., concrete or steel.


System and method are disclosed to mitigate noise in an area monitored by a plurality of telecommunication terminals in communication with a controller, the method including: detecting an excessive noise originating in the area monitored by the plurality of telecommunication terminals, the detection performed by one or more terminals of the plurality of telecommunication terminals; identifying a location of a first terminal of the plurality of telecommunication terminals by use of the detected excessive noise, wherein the first terminal is closest to a source of the excessive noise; and providing a mitigation message to the identified first terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The system and method relates to sensor networks and in particular to acoustic sensor networks for measuring and controlling noise within an area such as a workplace area or office environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, alarm systems and telephone systems have been separate systems. The alarm/security systems usually have separate wiring, monitoring, and control systems. Many existing telephony systems utilize telephones that have the components necessary (e.g., a microphone and speaker (acoustic sensor)) to provide similar functionality as existing alarm/security systems. However, most alarm/security systems fail to utilize the existing telephone infrastructure. In addition, current systems fail to utilize all of the capabilities of acoustic sensors. Existing systems fail to fully integrate and display notification messages to occupants and the occupants' responses in relation to a physical location.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,128 discloses a separate alarm system in which occupants in an area can go to a route indicator. The route indicator provides escape route instructions to building occupants. The escape route is determined based on input from sensors. The problem with this system is that it is separate from existing telecommunications systems, it is not interactive with occupants, it fails to use acoustic sensors, and it fails to use physical maps to display interactive information to aid potential emergency responders.
Other systems, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,366,674, use a hierarchical map for displaying the status of occupants of a building. The system allows occupants to provide location status during emergency conditions. However, this system fails to leverage existing telecommunications system's acoustic sensors and does not provide an integrated solution for displaying status, notifications, and responses on a physical map.
Patent Application Publication 2005/0244014 discloses using an acoustic sensor in a telephone. This system also discloses sending a notification to a user and receiving a response from the user. However, the system does not disclose an integrated solution for displaying status, notification, and responses on a map. Moreover, the system does not disclose utilizing additional capabilities of acoustic sensors to monitor for events in addition to temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,986,231 describes using a plurality of communication devices that are each located at different physical locations as acoustic sensors in order to monitor the physical location of its communication device, and reports acoustic events detected by its acoustic sensor to a manager. The manager displays a map which shows the physical locations, the events detected by the acoustic sensor in each communication device, sent notification messages, and received response messages. However, the system does not take action to control or counteract the noise.
Noise level in a work environment tends to reduce worker productivity. In office environments, a steep productivity drop down to one third relative to the productivity that would be present in a quiet room may be experienced. Techniques are known for noise cancellation and noise masking, but such techniques are useful primarily in limited circumstances, such as a limited physical zone in which cancelling sound waves can be generated and applied in order to approximately cancel or mask an unwanted noise. Sound level meters are known, but the known meters are uncommon devices that are designed to measure primarily extremely loud noises. Such devices are not normally used to measure sound levels typically encountered in an office environment, and their cost is a deterrent for their use in long-term monitoring for sporadic or occasional noise bursts.
Therefore, in order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art identified above, a system and method are needed to measure, and counteract or discourage, the generation of unwanted noise in an office environment.

System and method to use enterprise communication systems to measure and control workplace noise


A single-tub washing and dehydrating machine includes a microcomputer control means which, when the drain hole is blocked with laundries to be dehydrated in a dehydrating process to cause reduction of pressure inside an air trap and thereby a reset water level is detected erroneously, provides an error indication immediately after the detection, or controls the pulsator to effect a predetermined corrective operation for correcting the position of the laundries to be dehydrated inside the washing/dehydrating tub and thereafter provides an error indication if the correction is judged as impossible. Alternatively, the single-tub washing and dehydrating machine further includes a filter case having a plurality of slit holes, and a lint filter having a removable sack-shaped net while the lint filter is fitted detachably to the filter case. Still, in an alternate single-tub washing and dehydrating machine of the present invention, the taper ratios of the peripheral wall formed on the inner side of the washing/dehydrating tub and the grooves provided in the peripheral wall are limited to a range within 1/60 to 1/40, and the taper ratio of the grooves is different from and larger than the ratio of the peripheral wall while the ratio of the total width of grooves to the inner circumference of the washing/dehydrating tub is to be 1/9 or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single-tub washing machine, and more specifically to a fully automatic single-tub washing and dehydrating machine built in with a microcomputer and suitable for eliminating an erroneous operation thereof during dehydration. The invention further relates to a proposal of a new filter unit for use in the fully automatic single-tub washing and dehydrating machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical fully automatic washing and dehydrating machine performs successive steps of water supplying, washing/rinsing (i.e., agitating) and dehydrating to complete a washing operation. In effecting dehydrating operations in the rinsing step and the dehydrating step, initially, the washing water is drained. One of conventional control of the process is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Sho 59 No. 44299. In this disclosure, discharge of water is started in a first phase of a draining step, and then when water level sensor detects a predetermined "reset water level", the discharge of water is continued until a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) passes away, thereafter the dehydrating step is started.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a construction of such a single-tub washing machine. In the figure, a dehydrated water-receiving tub 142 is elastically supported through a supporting rod 143 and a spring 144 in an external tub 141. A washing/dehydrating tub 145, having dehydration holes 145a in the upper portion thereof, is mounted rotatably in the dehydrated water-receiving tub 142, while a pulsator 146, having a washing impeller 146a on a front side thereof and a pumping impeller 146b on a rear side thereof, is provided rotatably in the bottom center of the washing/dehydrating tub 145.
Reference numeral 154 designates a drain valve, which will be opened when water in the washing/dehydrating tub 145 is discharged outside from the machine through a drain hose 155. A water level sensor, designated at 147, detects pressure in an air trap 156 disposed in the course of a draining path 150 (upstream of drain valve 154) by way of a pipe 148, and sends out a detected signal for a control unit 149, which in turn regulates the drain valve 154. A driving motor designated at 151 drives the washing/dehydrating tub 145 and pulsator 146 via a belt 153 and mechanism portion 152.
Next, operations of each component during dehydration will be described. At dehydration, drain valve 154 is opened in response to the signal outputted from control unit 149, and the washing water is discharged through drain hose 155 in the course of drain path 150. Then, washing/dehydrating tub 145 is spun at a high speed to cause centrifugal force to extract the remaining water. The thus extracted water is discharged through dehydration holes 145a provided in the upper part of tub 145 to dehydrated water-receiving tub 142 and discharged outside the machine through drain hose 155.
Meanwhile, many proposals as to fully automatic washing machines have been presented for preventing vibration and scattering of laundries due to imbalance arising during dehydrating process, the prevention of stack of the dehydration holes with the laundries and the protection of lowering of dehydrating efficiency. One of examples of such proposals that employ3 a dehydration tub with a number of dehydration holes is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Hei 2 No. 49116, in which the imbalance of the washing is eliminated by causing the pulsator to make intermittent rotations of not more that one revolution during the drainage in the dehydrating step.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Publication Sho 61 No. 9878 discloses a method using a dehydrating tub without hole, in which water is discharged from dehydrating clearance between the tub and a balancer disposed at the upper side of the dehydrating tub.
A publication of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Sho 54 No. 120958 discloses a method in which water is discharged from dehydration holes disposed in the upper portion of the dehydrating tub.
Of these conventional methods, the above cited Japanese Patent Publication Sho 61 No. 9878, in particular, proposes that the taper angle of the dehydrating tub is effectively set at 30.degree. or less in order to prevent the scattering of the laundries, the stack of water-discharging holes with the washing, the lowering of dehydrating efficiency, etc. In this embodiment, the taper angle is practically set at 2.degree. to 3.degree. in order to improve the dehydrating efficiency. Therefore, an inclination angle of a ridge face of the inner wall in the dehydrating tub is set such that, the following relation is satisfied: EQU the taper angle<the inclination angle.ltoreq.30.degree..
In the above cited Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Sho 54 No. 120958, if the taper angle is 2.degree. or more, a plurality of holes are provided in upper portion of grooves or in the upper boundary portion of the washing/dehydrating tub. In contrast, when the taper angle is less than 2.degree., there is provided at least one dehydration hole inside each groove in a range of from the bottom to the upper portion of the washing/dehydrating tub and one dehydration hole at the above end of each groove.
A typical dehydrating tub provided with many dehydration holes is generally tapered at a ratio of 1/100 or less.
Generally, a typical automatic washing machine is provided with a filtering device in order to remove dust and lint attached to washed clothes from the washing water. Examples of conventional washing machines provided with a filtering device will be described with reference to respective sectional views.
Referring to FIG. 2, the washing machine is provided with a water tub 131 containing washing water. This machine is operated to perform the washing by turning a pulsator 132 while a pumping impeller 132a provided on the rear side is caused to suck the washing water from water tub 131 through a number of holes provided in a flange 133 as shown in FIG. 2. The thus sucked water is ejected into a lifting path 136 that is defined between an inner tub 134 and a filter cover 135 so that lint and dust are collected by a lint filter 137.
On the other hand, in a single-tub washing machine, which holds washing water only in a washing/dehydrating tub, it is necessary to circulate the washing water in the washing/dehydrating tub in order to collect lint and dust. One example of such means is proposed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Sho 55 No. 50638, in which, as shown in FIG. 3, a flow path is defined by a channel 122 provided for a washing/dehydrating tub 121 and a filter 124 extending to the vicinity of the periphery of a pulsator 123. The circulating water is sucked by a pumping impeller 127 via through-holes 125 to collect lint and dust by using a brush-like projection 126 mounted on filter 124 in the flow path.
In the course of the drainage described above, when drain valve 154 is opened to start the dehydration, wet laundry materials, such as clothes to be dehydrated may sometimes be stuck on drain holes 150a that serve as entrances of drain path 150. This causes drain path 150 to be blocked. In such a case, the washing water can not flow through drain path 150 downstream of drain holes 150a and the air remains in drain path 150. At the time, the pressure inside air trap 156 is lowered so that water level sensor 147 erroneously detects the state as a reset water level. With this detection, a microcomputer in the conventional control, directs the operation to advance to the next step. In this case, the operation goes to the dehydrating step in which the dehydrating tub 145 containing the water starts to spin. Since the dehydrating tub 145 can not be rotated at a high speed until the water is completely discharged, the dehydrating efficiency might possibly be lowered to a great extent.
In a case where the wet laundries are offset and in an imbalance condition inside dehydrating tub 145, the tub 145 is caused to vibrates when the dehydration is started (or while dehydrating tub 145 rotates at a low speed) if the water is completely drained out. As a result, an imbalance detecting switch is turned on to execute a corrective process. On the other hand, if the water is not completely discharged, the vibration does not occur due to the water left among the wet laundries when the dehydration is started. However, vibration starts to occur as the water is gradually drained and the rotation of the dehydrating tub is accelerated to an increased speed. As a result, an abnormal vibration may occur. Therefor, in either case, the dehydrating process can not be performed normally.
Moreover, of the above, the prior art single-tub washing machine associated with FIG. 3, in particular, has a drawback that relatively small lint can not be collected due to the construction. In addition, there is another drawback that efficiency of the collection of the lint is decreased when the water level is low (i.e., a small amount of clothes is washed) since through-holes 125 are positioned in relatively higher portions of washing/dehydrating tub 121. Further, the flow path defined by the extension of filter 124 successively extends up to only the vicinity of the outside of pulsator 123. Therefore, water flows of the sucked current and of the ejected current by pulsator 123 collide with one another to decrease a sucking efficiency. Consequently, the efficiency of the collection of the lint is still more worsened.


A support of this type comprising of two generally M-shaped saddle members held together by a connecting member such as a rod or part spot welds. The feet or foot portions of the outboard inclined legs of the generally M-shaped saddle members are to be flat with a hole in two of the off-setting feet so as to hold the said support in place with nails or staple. The saddle support is designed to hold electrical conduit and fittings in place and also it is primarily to be used to protect fittings. The body of the support is made of 5 mm-6 mm diameter iron rod.

1. Field of Invention
The purpose of this invention is to support and protect electrical conduits, PVC plastic pipes, couplings, connectors and adaptors poured in concrete.
2. Background of Invention
The design of this invention is to protect and support PVC fittings being damaged from workers and people stepping or tripping on the PVC electrical conduit, couplings, connector, adaptors and ESL fittings in the concrete pour.
Saddled so that the fitting is firmly in place between support on each end also underneath the conduit.

Abstract: Since certain changes may be made in the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be construed in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.


Methods for treating HIV or AIDS in a human are provided using two drug regimens comprising a bictegravir and rilpivirine, as well as compositions containing such compounds.

Human immunodeficiency virus ("HIV") infection and related diseases are a major public health problem worldwide. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 ("HIV-1") encodes three enzymes that are required for viral replication: reverse transcriptase, protease, and integrase. Although drugs targeting reverse transcriptase and protease are in wide use and have shown effectiveness, particularly when employed in combination, toxicity and development of resistant strains have limited their usefulness (Palella, et al., N. Engl. J. Med. (1998) 338:853-860; Richman, Nature (2001) 410:995-1001).
A goal of antiretroviral therapy is to achieve viral suppression in an HIV-infected human. Treatment guidelines published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services provide that achievement of viral suppression requires the use of combination therapies, i.e., several drugs from at least two or more drug classes. (PANEL ON ANTIRETROVIRAL GUIDELINES FOR ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS: GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL AGENTS IN HIV-1-INFECTED ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/AdultandAdolescentGL.pdf. Section accessed Apr. 19, 2017.)
A number of reviews of clinical data involving large patient populations have established that a viral load decreases following antiretroviral therapy ("ART") initiation and that decrease correlates with a reduced risk of AIDS progression or death. (Murray J S, Elashoff M R, Iacono-Connors L C, Cvetkovich T A, Struble K A. The use of plasma HIV RNA as a study endpoint in efficacy trials of antiretroviral drugs. AIDS. 1999;13(7):797-804; Marschner I C, Collier A C, Coombs R W, et al. Use of changes in plasma levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA to assess the clinical benefit of antiretroviral therapy. J Infect Dis. 1998; 177(1):40-47; and, Thiebaut R, Morlat P, Jacqmin-Gadda H, et al, with the Groupe d'Epidemiologie du SIDA en Aquitaine (GECSA); Clinical progression of HIV-1 infection according to the viral response during the first year of antiretroviral treatment. AIDS. 2000;14(8):971-978.) In light of these findings, viral load testing may be used as a surrogate marker of a positive treatment response. (Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA level and CD4 count as prognostic markers and surrogate end points: a meta-analysis. HIV Surrogate Marker Collaborative Group. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2000; 16(12):1123-1133.) A statistically significant change in viral load is a three-fold change, which equates to a 0.5 log10 copies/mL change. Depending on the study or assay used, viral suppression in general is defined as a viral load below the level of detection, which is an HIV RNA copy number of less than 20 to 75 copies/mL. (Damond F, Roquebert B, Benard A, et al. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plasma load discrepancies between the Roche COBAS AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR Version 1.5 and the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 assays. J Clin Microbiol. 2007; 45(10):3436-3438.)
More than 25 antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in 6 mechanistic classes are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for treatment of HIV infection. These 6 classes include the nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), protease inhibitors (PIs), a fusion inhibitor (FI), a CCR5 antagonist, and integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). In addition, two drugs, ritonavir (RTV or r) and cobicistat (COBI or c) are used solely as pharmacokinetic (PK) enhancers (ie, boosters) to improve the PK profiles of some ARV drugs (e.g., PIs and the INSTI elvitegravir [EVG]).
A standard course of care for a patient infected with HIV is to treat them with a combination of three or more antiviral agents. The initial ARV regimen for a treatment-naive patient generally consists of two different NRTIs, targeting HIV reverse transcriptase (a "backbone") usually abacavir/larnivudine (ABC/3TC), tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine (TAF/FTC), or tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) one or more agents active against one or more different HIV targets, such as an HIV protease inhibitor ("PI") or an HIV integrase inhibitor. For certain patients infected with HIV or diagnosed with AIDS there is an unmet medical need to two treat them with fewer antiviral agents. There are a number of reasons for giving fewer anti-HIV drugs.
For one, long-term use of certain antiretroviral drugs, particularly nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors can lead to treatment-associated toxicities. Further, historical experience with HIV infected patients shows that many of them are now living longer. This population shows many typical age-related comorbidities, including renal disease, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cognitive decline, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and osteoporosis, among others. Drug-sparing approaches would be beneficial for this aging population. (McCutchan J A, Wu J W, Robertson K, Koletar S L, Ellis R J, Cohn S, et al. (2007) HIV suppression by HAART preserves cognitive function in advanced, immune-reconstituted AIDS patients. AIDS 21: 1109-1117; Salter M L, Lau B, Go V F, Mehta S H, Kirk G D (2011) HIV infection, immune suppression, and uncontrolled viremia are associated with increased multimorbidity among aging injection drug users. Clin. Infect. Dis. 53: 1256-1264.) These comorbidities can be exacerbated by drug-related adverse events from long-term antiretroviral use. (Cunningham J, Sprague S M, Cannata-Andia J, Coco M, Cohen-Solal M, Fitzpatrick L, et al. (2004) Osteoporosis in chronic kidney disease. Am J Kidney Dis 43: 566-571; Sabin C A, Worm S W, Weber R, Reiss P, El-Sadr W, Dabis F, et al. (2008) Use of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and risk of myocardial infarction in HIV-infected patients enrolled in the D:A:D study: a multi-cohort collaboration. Lancet 371: 1417-1426).
These varied problems have led to attempts to try dual antiretovital therapies, but studies have revealed a higher risk of treatment failure compared triple therapy regimens. (Havlir D V, Marschner I C, Hirsch M S, Collier A C, Tebas P, Bassett R L, et al. (1998) Maintenance antiretroviral therapies in HIV infected patients with undetectable plasma HIV RNA after triple-drug therapy. AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 343 Team. N Engl J Med 339: 1261-1268; Pialoux G, Raffi F, Brun-Vezinet F, Meiffredy V, Flandre P, Gastaut J A, et al. (1998); A randomized trial of three maintenance regimens given after three months of induction therapy with zidovudine, lamivudine, and indinavir in previously untreated HIV-1-infected patients. Trilege (Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le SIDA 072) Study Team. N Engl J Med 339: 1269-1276; Reijers M H, Weverling G J, Jurriaans S, Wit F W, Weigel H M, Ten Kate R W, et al. (1998); Maintenance therapy after quadruple induction therapy in HIV-1 infected individuals: Amsterdam Duration of Antiretroviral Medication (ADAM) study. Lancet 352: 185-190.).
Although different combinations of antiretroviral drugs have been developed for the treatment of HIV and AIDS, a need still exists for additional treatment regimens tailored to patient needs, such as safe and effective two drug antiretroviral regimens.

Regimens and compositions for treating HIV infections and AIDS


The present invention discloses a system and method for providing an exhibition information service through wireless communication. In the system for providing the exhibition information corresponding to a request signal, when wireless connection devices receive a signal from a wireless terminal for transmitting or receiving data through air, the wireless connection devices output information corresponding to the received data through a network, and transmit information corresponding to the data input through the network to the wireless terminal through air. In addition, an exhibition information server processes the exhibition information service corresponding to the data input through the network. As a result, the user can read the exhibition information for the exhibits at a particular time by using the wireless terminal, even when he/she is moving.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exhibition information service, and, in particular, to a system and method for providing an exhibition information service through wireless communication. The present application is based on Korean Patent Application No. 2001-578, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, art objects are on exhibit in a gallery.
When intending to appreciate the art objects, spectators visit the gallery and obtain exhibition information through an information plate provided.
FIG. 1 shows a general information plate where the exhibition information is recorded.
Referring to FIG. 1, the information on an art object 1 is recorded on the information plate 2.
However, the information plate 2 is small, thus providing restricted information.
In addition, when a number of spectators appreciate a specific art object in the gallery, the spectators who remotely appreciate the art object cannot read the information on the information plate 2.
On the other hand, when intending to appreciate the art objects through the internet, the spectators can read the exhibition information in a specific place where a computer (not shown), an internet communication system (not shown) and an internet service network (not shown) are built. In addition, while appreciating the art objects in the gallery, the spectators are not able to read the exhibition information through the internet.

System and method for providing exhibition information service through wireless communication


Methods, systems, and apparatuses for uplink descriptor channels are described. An uplink descriptor channel may be used by a user equipment (UE) for providing indications that uplink transmissions over allocated uplink data resources are sent in a configuration different from a configuration indicated by an uplink grant. In various examples an uplink transmission may be transmitted by a UE, and received by a base station, and the uplink transmission may include the uplink descriptor channel with uplink data. An uplink descriptor channel may include indications that uplink control information is included in the uplink transmission, and/or that the uplink transmission employs a number of transmission intervals, a number of channels, and/or a different MCS than those indicated by the uplink grant. A base station may receive the uplink descriptor channel and adjust various parameters of decoding an uplink transmission and/or allocating radio frequency spectrum resources.

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communication systems, and more specifically to descriptor channel designs for uplink channels in a shared radio frequency spectrum band.
Description of Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipments (UEs). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
Some modes of communication may allow communication between a base station and a UE over a shared radio frequency spectrum, or over different radio frequency spectrums (e.g., a dedicated radio frequency spectrum and a shared radio frequency spectrum) of a cellular network. With increasing data traffic in cellular networks that use a dedicated (e.g., licensed) radio frequency spectrum, offloading of at least some data traffic to a shared radio frequency spectrum may provide a cellular operator with opportunities for enhanced data transmission capacity. A shared radio frequency spectrum may also provide service in areas where access to a dedicated radio frequency spectrum is unavailable.
In some wireless communications systems a base station may coordinate aspects of the allocation of radio frequency spectrum resources. For example, a base station may identify available radio frequency spectrum resources, and allocate portions of the resources to UEs being served by the base station. In some examples the base station may have downlink data to transmit to a UE, and the base station may transmit the downlink data with a downlink grant in a downlink transmission. The UE may receive the downlink transmission, and based on indications of the downlink grant the UE may receive and decode portions of the downlink transmission containing the downlink data. After receiving the downlink transmission, the UE may respond to the base station by transmitting uplink control information (UCI), such as acknowledgement information indicating whether the downlink data was received properly. Generally, UCI is transmitted over radio frequency spectrum resources allocated for control information via explicit or implicit assignment. If the downlink grant is not received by the UE, the UE may not send UCI to the base station. In some examples, if a base station does not receive UCI, the base station may not be able to determine whether the downlink grant was not received by the UE (and the UE consequently did not send the UCI), or that the downlink grant was received by the UE, and transmitted UCI from the UE was otherwise prevented from being received by the base station.
Some wireless communications systems may employ transmissions over a shared radio frequency spectrum band, such as an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, and transmitting devices may need to contend for access before transmitting over the shared radio frequency spectrum band. In some examples, however, the transmission of some types of information (e.g., control information) may be permitted over a shared wireless frequency spectrum band without contending for access. Such wireless communications systems may be prone to interference, as nearby devices may be concurrently transmitting over the same radio frequency spectrum resources. Therefore, a wireless communications system that allows transmissions of some types of information without contending for access may experience a higher level of communication errors, or may require higher transmission redundancy that reduces utilization efficiency, than a wireless communications system in which devices contend for access prior to transmitting those types of information.
In some examples a base station may receive a request for uplink resources of a shared radio frequency spectrum band from a UE that has uplink data to send to the base station. The base station may respond by allocating uplink data channel resources for the UE and may subsequently transmit an uplink grant. The uplink grant may include indications of the allocated uplink data channel resources, along with other parameters the UE may employ in transmitting the uplink data. The UE may receive the uplink grant, and subsequently transmit the uplink data according to the indications and/or parameters of the uplink grant. In some examples, the allocated uplink data channel resources, or the parameters for utilizing such resources as indicated in an uplink grant, may not match the needs of a UE with respect to transmitting uplink data, which may result in an inefficient allocation of radio frequency spectrum resources. Therefore, improvements in efficiency of utilization of radio frequency spectrum resources may be desired.

Descriptor channel designs for uplink channels in a shared radio frequency spectrum band


A composition for a reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capcitor is disclosed which consists substantially of 100 mol % of a barium composite oxide consisting of BaTiO.sub.3 and BaZrO.sub.3 and having a BaZrO.sub.3 content in the range of 0 to 20 mol %, 0.3 to 3.0 mol % of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, and 0.1 to 8.5 mol % of at least one member selected from the group consisting of TiO.sub.2 and ZrO.sub.2 and further incorporates therein 0.001 to 1.00% by weight of at least one member selected from the group consisting of the oxides of Cr, Fe, Co, Zn, Cu, Al, Si, and Mg. This composition possesses a breakdown voltage of not less than 400 V, an insulation resistance of not less than 10.sup.9 .OMEGA., an electrostatic capacity of not less than 0.65 .mu.F/cm.sup.2 per unit surface area, and a magnitude, tan .delta., of less than 2.5%.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in and concerning a composition for a reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capacitor produced by forming an insulating layer on the outer periphery of a semiconductive ceramic article by reoxidation.
Compact, high quality components for electronic equipment are in strong demand. This is also true of reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capacitors, which have come to require high insulation resistance and breakdown voltage, small size, large capacity and small dielectric loss.
2. Prior Art Statement
Reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capacitors are the subject of numerous patent publications and technical papers. Of such capacitors, those which have been practically applied are such that when the temperature characteristic of electrostatic capacity is fixed in the range of +20 to +30%, the dielectric constants thereof are so low as to fall in the range of 3,000 to 5,000. Japanese Patent Public Disclosure SHO No. 53(1978)-114100 discloses a ceramic material having a Ni compound incorporated in a BaTiO.sub.3 -BaZrO.sub.3 -Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiO.sub.2 type solid solution. The ceramic capacitor composed of this material exhibits such characteristic properties as 0.57 .mu.F/cm.sup.2, tan .delta.4.3%, an insulation resistance of 200 M.OMEGA./cm.sup.2 (15 VDC, after 15 seconds' standing), and a temperature characteristic (%) of electrostatic capacity at -30.degree. to 85.degree. C. within .+-.30%. Japanese Patent Public Disclosure SHO No. 62(1987)-30481 discloses a ceramic material having a Ni compound incorporated in a BaTiO.sub.3 -BaZrO.sub.3 -Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 -TiO.sub.2 type solid solution. The ceramic capacitor composed of this material exhibits such characteristic properties as 0.60 .mu.F/cm.sup.2, tan .delta. 4.5%, an insulation resistance of 210 M.OMEGA./cm.sup.2 (15 VDC after 15 seconds' standing), and a temperature characteristic (%) of electrostatic capacity at -30.degree. to 85.degree. C. within .+-.30%.
Reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capacitors with even better properties are, however, desired. In the industry, therefore, there is a desire to develop a ceramic composition which has, as essential requirements, a breakdown voltage of not less than 400 V and a temperature characteristic within .+-.30% and possessing the characteristics of a large capacity per unit area and a low dielectric loss. Various studies are now under way in search for such a composition. In the reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capacitor, generally the thin dielectric layer in the surface region has a very great influence on the capacity, the temperature characteristic of the capacity, the insulation resistance, the breakdown voltage, and the dielectric loss. The capacity per unit surface area increases and the insulation resistance and the breakdown voltage decrease when the thickness of the dielectric layer decreases. For increasing the insulation resistance and the breakdown voltage, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the dielectric layer and as a result, the capacity per unit surface area decreases. The dielectric loss of the capacitor depends on the magnitude tan .delta., of the dielectric layer. The DC resistance in the boundary between the dielectric layer and the semiconductive ceramic article contributes more to the dielectric loss. For the magnitude of tan .delta. to be decreased, this DC resistance must be decreased. Particularly, since the magnitude tan .delta. constitutes an important characteristic for the capacitor, an increase in this magnitude forms a serious drawback. The largest possible decrease of this magnitude is the most significant task in the improvement of various properties. Success in this task requires the development of a novel ceramic composition whose insulation resistance and breakdown voltage per unit thickness of dielectric layer are high, whose DC resistance is low and whose capacity is high. To be specific, the composition must possess characteristic properties of not less than 400 V of breakdown voltage, not less than 10.sup.9 .OMEGA. of insulation resistance, not less than 0.65 .mu.F/cm.sup.2 of capacity per unit surface area and less than 2.5% of tan .delta..

Composition for reduction-reoxidation type semiconductive ceramic capacitor


An internal structure of a primary exhaust duct of a turbomachine. The internal structure comprises a primary wall comprising a surface of revolution, allowing air to pass through the orifices and forming an internal surface of the primary exhaust duct, an interior skin, comprising a surface of revolution, arranged inside the primary wall and extending between an upstream flank for facing toward the front of the turbomachine and a downstream flank for facing toward the rear of the turbomachine, and a plurality of spacers angularly distributed around a periphery of the interior skin and fixed between the primary wall and the interior skin. The particular way in which the interior wall is fixed makes the internal structure easier to construct and allows attenuation of noise at chosen frequencies.

The present invention relates to an internal structure of a primary exhaust duct of a turbomachine, to a turbomachine comprising such an internal structure, and to an aircraft comprising at least one such turbomachine.
A turbomachine conventionally comprises, from upstream to downstream, an air inlet via which the air enters the turbomachine, a motor which burns the air with fuel, and an exhaust duct via which the burnt gases are discharged.
Such a turbomachine generates noise when it is in operation.
In order to attenuate some of the noise, the turbomachine is surrounded by a nacelle comprising noise attenuating means such as, for example, honeycomb structures.
The low-frequency (between 300 Hz and 1000 Hz) sounds, particularly those associated with combustion, emitted by the turbomachine during take-off or landing form a significant source of noise in the environment and, in order to attenuate this noise, it is known practice to fit low-frequency sound attenuating devices in the structure of the primary exhaust duct (the English term "plug" is used for this).
The primary exhaust duct is situated in the continuation of the engine and in front of the jet pipe cone and its exterior primary wall is in contact with the stream of burnt gas coming from the engine.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 7,784,283 discloses the production of compartments separated by dividing partitions under the perforated primary wall of the primary exhaust duct in order to form Helmholtz resonators.
Such a device is effective although it is necessary to find new modes of embodiment.

Internal structure of a primary exhaust duct


An assembly for the disinfectant of one or more toothbrushes or like objects comprising a housing generally in the form of a canister for the containment of a supply of disinfectant composition preferably in fluid form wherein an applicator chamber is formed within the housing and the toothbrushes are also oriented therein such that the head and bristle portion thereof are disposed within the applicator chamber in fluid communication with disinfectant issuing from the supply. The disinfectant supply may be in the form of a pressurized aerosol container or any other applicable supply container and pump combination.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembly and/or container like housing for the selective disinfecting of toothbrush heads and bristles or similar objects by exposing the head portions to a fluid, liquid, aerosol or like disinfectant composition within the housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Structures exist in the prior art which are specifically designed for the disinfecting of at least the head portions of toothbrushes. Recent studies by the dental profession and/or toothbrush manufacturers have indicated that for proper oral hygiene and the overall health and well being of the toothbrush users, toothbrushes should be discarded after approximately a two week, if not properly disinfected, due to the buildup of bacteria.
From a health standpoint, it is commonly acknowledged that bacteria accumulates on the toothbrush and within the bristles of the brush head. Bacteria is collected directly from the user's mouth and also from exposure during storage between uses in a less than totally hygienic location such as on open racks within a bathroom or like facility.
If the toothbrush or more specifically, the head and bristle portion thereof were properly disinfected, discarding of the toothbrush, approximately every two weeks, would not be necessary. This is a significant factor for the development of an efficient and effective disinfectant structure or assembly since the replacement of a toothbrush approximately twenty-five times a year could be costly especially to the parent or head of a household of a large family.
Prior art attempts to overcome this problem have resulted in the use of ultra-violet light maintained within some type of canister or like chamber which was additionally structured to house one or more toothbrushes in an orientation which would expose the head and bristles of the toothbrushes directly to the ultra-violet light. Studies indicate that in order to effectively disinfectant the head of a toothbrush, the exposure to the ultra-violet light must be over an extremely long period of time. Such prolonged exposure is frequently not possible or may be inconvenient for the repeated use of any one of a plurality of toothbrushes within the disinfecting container. Also, the use of electrical equipment in bathrooms has been proven to be unpopular with most consumers due to the potential hazard of electrical shock. Of course, power consumption is an additional consideration.
In light of the above, there is therefore a recognized need in the industry for a device which will effectively and rapidly disinfect at least the head portion and attached bristles of a plurality of toothbrushes in a manner which will not involve the use of electrical energy. Such a device should be long lasting, free of any major repair or maintenance requirements and easy to operate even for relatively young children.

Assembly for the disinfecting of toothbrush