Monitoring of storage systems, including virtual tape libraries (VTLs), may be performed with automated systems. Automated monitoring may be performed through an SSH connection to a storage manager for the storage system. For example, a method may include initiating, by a monitoring server, an SSH connection to a storage manager; issuing commands, by the monitoring server, through the SSH connection to monitor a storage device coupled to the storage manager; receiving, by the monitoring server, responses to the issued commands through the SSH connection; matching, by the monitoring server, the responses to automation rules; and executing, by the monitoring server, commands based on the matched automation rules.

Databases are used to store a variety of information. For example, databases may track financial transactions, errors occurring in a computer system, and changes to a document file. These databases are often essential to the operation of a company. Thus, the databases must save information, such that the information is quickly accessible on demand. Further, the databases must be fault-tolerant to prevent unnecessary downtime of the company. Virtual tape libraries (VTLs) are one storage device capable of storing these large databases.
Virtual tape library (VTL) solutions are advantageous over physical, sequential-access tape storage technologies. A VTL presents random-access mass storage to large computing systems, as if they were physical tape devices and media. They are generally attached through existing host operating system interfaces. They may be treated as normal tape volumes, and therefore require no operating system-level changes, because these tape volumes and drives are emulated instances of real media/tape devices. VTLs also reduce operator intervention, as no tape volumes need be manually located and mounted before they may be used.
However, despite all these advantages, VTLs do introduce monitoring requirements beyond those presented by physical tape devices and media. That is because the VTL server is a computing system, and is accompanied by the similar complexities and failure points of a computing system. A separate VTL Library Controller is also required in some implementations.
Complex systems, such as a VTL, require system- and network-level monitoring when companies come to rely on them for crucial business functions. A system operator, or often a team of shift workers, constantly monitors VTL operations directly, either by submitting VTL status commands or by watching separate monitoring tools. This is a highly manual and expensive approach to system monitoring, as a paid employee must be constantly deployed to sustain 24-hour vigilance. Further, this manual method does not scale well, as few individuals may monitor more than a handful of VTL systems without suffering productivity degradation. Many businesses may implement not one VTL, but many, as replication and resiliency are required for such a crucial subsystem. This increases the monitoring requirements in an exponential fashion for large, complex organizations with remote Disaster Recovery (DR) sites.

Virtual tape library (VTL) monitoring system


An inflatable plug adapted to be inserted into a pipe and inflated to plug the pipe and create therein a watertight seal. The inflatable plug includes a cylinder surrounded by a sleeve formed by layers of elastomeric material wrapped around the cylinder. The opposite ends of the sleeve are clamped to the cylinder ends. The inflatable plug also includes a fluid passage for supplying pressurized fluid between the cylinder and the elastomeric sleeve for inflating the elastomeric sleeve.

Inflatable plugs are used for plugging pipelines such as sewer lines to permit pipe maintenance, facilitate toxic waste containment, or remove blockages. Such inflatable plugs include inflatable rubber pillows or cylinders which are inserted into the pipeline and inflated with air so that they will fill the pipeline and function as a plug.
One prior art inflatable plug includes an inflatable heavy cylindrical rubber plug having a size only slightly less than the internal diameter of the pipe to be plugged. An example of such a plug is manufactured by Vetter, Zuelpich, West Germany. Such inflatable rubber plugs are inserted into a pipeline or sewer line and then connected to a source of air pressure so that they inflate slightly to fill the pipe. One of the uses of inflatable plugs is in the handling of liquid waste accidents. In the event of a liquid waste spill, an inflatable plug can be inserted into a sewer line to prevent the liquid waste from entering the sewer system. The liquid waste can then be pumped into a proper holding vessel and disposed of.
Another use of inflatable plugs is in repair of broken sewer lines, water lines, or other pipes. The plugs can be inserted into the sewer lines or water lines upstream of the break to thereby block that pipe and permit repair of the break.
Still another use of inflatable plugs is in clearing a blockage in a pipe. An example of such a plug is shown in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,951, showing an inflatable drain cleaner which uses water pressure to remove an obstruction from a clogged drain. This type of plug includes a conduit passing through the plug and allowing fluid to pass therethrough. When the plug is inflated by fluid pressure and lodged in place, pressurized fluid is also discharged from the end of the plug thereby clearing the blockage from the pipe.
Because of the wide variety of sizes of sewer pipes or water pipes, if prior art inflatable plugs are to be used, it is necessary to have on hand a number of plugs of varying sizes.
Another drawback of prior art inflatable plugs is that they are relatively large when compared to the size of the pipes being plugged, and they are also comprised of relatively inflexible material such that they may be difficult to insert into the pipe. For example, in the case of a horizontal pipe, it may be necessary to insert the plug vertically downwardly through a manhole and then turn the plug 90.degree. such that it can be inserted horizontally into a pipe. Due to the large size and relative inflexibility of the prior art inflatable plugs, such manipulation of the plugs may be difficult, particularly in the case of a liquid waste spill where time is essential.
Another drawback of prior art inflatable bags is that they are typically comprised of one or more pieces of elastic material joined at a seam to form an enclosure. This seam can provide a weak point which may fail under pressure, causing a failure of the plug.
Attention is also directed to the pillow-shaped inflatable pipeline plugs manufactured by Circle Gas & Manufacturing Co., Scranton, Pa. and to applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,222, showing an inflatable apparatus for use in plugging a large diameter pipe. Other related devices are shown in the Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,540; the Lasting U.S. Pat. No. 3,075,535; and the Amet U.S. Pat. No. 1,308,469.

Inflatable plug for use in plugging a large diameter pipe


Corrosion inhibitor materials are provided that release active corrosion inhibitor compounds when they are most needed—in response to changes in conditions, including acid or basic pH, that cause corrosion or occur at the early stages of corrosion. The materials comprise particles that can be dispersed in paints and coatings for metals. The particles in some cases include ionic water-soluble anti-corrosion agents complexed to oppositely charged surfactants and entrapped in silica oxide or metal oxide gels.

Organic coatings offer the most common and cost-effective protection for metallic structures against degradation in corrosive environments. However, the metal substrate loses this passive protection when disruption of the coating occurs. Recently, active corrosion protection coatings, commonly referred to as "smart coating, intelligent coating, functional coating, or self-healing coating," have become an attractive research topic. A smart coating is a coating with incorporated "smart" micro/nanostructured containers or carriers. These containers filled with corrosion inhibitors not only preferably preclude the direct contact between the active anticorrosive agent and the adjacent environment (such as paint resins), but, intelligently release the host active agent at a corrosion site over a period of time. Such a coating with dispersed "smart containers" can provide long-term effective corrosion protection for metallic substrates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,790,225 discloses a coating with pH-sensitive microcapsules that contain and release anticorrosive agents. A change of pH induced by the metallic corrosion process can be used as a trigger to break down or disintegrate the shells chemically to release the active compounds on-site.
Many organic and inorganic anticorrosive compounds can be encapsulated in polymeric carriers, but some highly reactive and very water-soluble agents (mostly ionic compounds) are difficult to incorporate in organic matrices. Polymeric microcapsules, prepared by water-in-oil micro-emulsion polymerization, for example U.S. Pat. No. 9,227,221, were designed for encapsulation of water-soluble inorganic corrosion inhibitors. However, some water-soluble corrosion inhibitors cannot be encapsulated by these polymer capsules due to the reactivity of the inhibitors in the presence of the carrier materials.
New controlled-release anticorrosion materials are needed, particularly for controlled-release of water-soluble anticorrosion agents.

Controlled release materials for anti-corrosion agents

United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA


Methods of making an electrical probe diaphragm wherein the diaphragm is integral with the surrounding support structure, which methods are conducive to the fabrication probing circuitry integral therewith. In accordance with the method, a substrate having first and second surfaces is coated on the first surface with an uncured polymer film in the polymer cured. Also, one or more pattern metalization layers are provided, typical over the polymer layer and extending peripherally outward to contact regions near the periphery of the substrate, preferably accessible from the second side of the substrate so contact with the pattern metalization layer or layers forming the probe circuitry may be made from the second side of the substrate. The central region of the substrate thereafter removed, typically by etching from the second side of the substrate so as to remove the support for the polymer layer and metalization layers in that region, leaving the same as a diaphragm substantially integral with the remaining peripheral region of the substrate. Details of the methods and alternates thereto are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to test diaphragms for the electrical probing of integrated circuits and the like.
2. Prior Art
In certain situations it is desired to be able to directly probe an integrated circuit by probing the lead wire pads on the chip itself for test purposes. By way of example, during manufacture of integrated circuits, mechanical probes are used to successively probe each integrated circuit in a predetermined matrix of integrated circuits fabricated from a single silicon wafer. In other situations, such as in the fabrication of hybrid circuits and high density multi-chip interconnect (HDMI) circuits, it is also often desired to be able to probe an integrated circuit for test purposes, either to exercise and test a single integrated circuit, or possibly to temporarily interconnect to one or more other integrated circuits to test the cooperation thereof.
It is particularly desirable to be able to test semiconductors at their operating clock speed. Standard probes are too slow. Because the probes physically act as antennas, the speed of testing is very limited. Therefore the current conventional method of probing a semiconductor does not guarantee its operation at its rated or potential speed. Usually a complex semiconductor is tested at full speed only after the packaging is completed.
In the case of multichip modules, the multiplicity of chips and complexity of the circuits in a package makes it necessary to test the components separately before assembly. This is one of the main advantage over wafer scale integration, i.e. the ability to test the substrate and the chips individually before assembly therefore eliminating the need for redundant circuits in case of failure of one of the components to perform as expected.
In the near future, as production volume of multi-chip modules builds-up, it will be very useful, even crucial, to do the evaluation of the chips before assembling the package in a multichip module. No method, other than the diaphragm, allows the proper testing of chips because of the speed problem, but the ability to build diaphragms to test the substrate circuits may also become important because of the number of points to test in a short a time as possible. The diaphragm allows the construction of very complex structures which will avoid the current necessity of testing with flying probes and the inherent speed limitations of mechanically moving probes. Accordingly, in such instances much lower cost and specialized probing has been achieved in the past using specially fabricated diaphragms having electrical contacts and associated circuitry on one surface thereof, and supported so as to be responsive to air pressure on the opposite side thereof to encourage the contacts against the lead wire pads on an integrated circuit positioned parallel to and immediately adjacent the first surface of the diaphragm. Such test diaphragms have the advantage of potentially being low cost and potentially readily fabricatable in different forms for a variety of probing applications and circuits. In practice however, prior art fabrication techniques for fabricating such diaphragms were less then ideal, resulting in poor yield and lack of repeatability diaphragm to diaphragm.
In particular, in accordance with prior art techniques, such diaphragms are fabricated by putting the probing circuitry down on a film of suitable diaphragm material, such as mylar or the like, using conventional electroplating or sputtering deposition and photolithographic processes. At this stage of fabrication, the probe circuit could readily be made with the desired accuracy. However, the next step, specifically the mounting of the diaphragm onto a typical diaphragm support and the interconnecting of the circuit on the diaphragm to contact points on the support, is fundamentally a hand operation neither readily controlled nor repeatable in results. Accordingly, one of the purposes of the present invention is to maintain the potential advantages of test diaphragms, namely their relatively low cost and convenience, yet make the fabrication thereof an orderly process having accuracies throughout consistent with modern photolithographic processes and substantially free of the manual fabrication steps which give rise to inconsistencies and/or inaccuracies in the completed ready to use test diaphragms.

Method of making electrical probe diaphragms


A method for providing a translating virtual network function by a network element. The method comprises receiving by the network element a first Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) message of a plurality of PFCP messages at a first Internet Protocol (IP) address of a plurality of IP addresses of the network element, the first IP address corresponding to a first Session Management Function (SMF) of one or more SMFs, selecting by the network element a translation method based on the first IP address on which the first PFCP message was received, translating by the network element the first PFCP message using the selected translation method into a function-based model representation of the first PFCP message, and configuring by the network element a network interface controller to implement, based on the representation of the first PFCP message, a protocol data unit (PDU) session.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has developed an evolving Fifth Generation (5G) New Radio (5G NR) standard. In a 5G Core network, network management is software-driven and network functions and resources may be virtualized at the edges of the network. The 5G network is more modular than preceding 2G, 3G, and 4G networks, and many different vendors are building network elements for use in 5G networks. These network elements comprise general-purpose or specialized hardware platforms with software or firmware that implement one or more network functions. This has the benefit to network operators that it creates competition between vendors and allows the operator to choose a best technology solution available from a plurality of vendors. However, the evolving nature of 5G standards may result in network elements within a single network that comply with earlier or later releases of the 5G standard. Furthermore, the complexity of the 5G standard can result in differences between different vendors' implementations of the standard. Such differences may arise from the vendors' interpretations of the 5G specifications or from functional additions to the standard, while still remaining in compliance. Further interoperability problems for a network operator may also result from using network elements and functions provided by different vendors.


A broadcast system has digital receiving apparatuses that imitate deteriorated reproduction that is observed in analog receiving apparatuses when a transmission path failure occurs, thus preventing the audiences, who are accustomed to the analog broadcasting, from sensing discomfort at the digital broadcasting. A transmission apparatus causes encoding units 11 and 12 to generate low- and high-quality streams based on the same contents, and transmits these streams onto a transmission path while delaying the high-quality stream. In the receiving apparatuses, a reproduction unit 25 reproduces the high-quality stream in a normal state, while packets of the low-quality stream received during a time period T until the current time are accumulated in an accumulation unit 22. If a transmission path failure occurs, a reproduction control unit 26 causes the reproduction unit 25 to reproduce, instead of the high-quality stream, the accumulated packets of the low-quality stream.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a broadcast system having a transmission apparatus and receiving apparatuses, specifically to improvements in digital broadcast services.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the infrastructure for the shift from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting has been improved steadily. In this improvement of the infrastructure, it is important to fully recognize the differences between the analog broadcasting and the digital broadcasting. One of such differences is observed when a transmission path failure occurs.
In the analog broadcasting, when a transmission path failure occurs, the failure is recognized by the audiences as deteriorated reproduction quality. Experiencing more than 50 years of operation of analog broadcasting, the audiences are familiar with such deteriorated reproduction quality that is caused by a thunderstorm or the like.
On the other hand, in digital broadcasting, a transmission path failure causes receiving apparatuses to detect a bit error. When they detect a bit error in a received broadcast wave, the receiving apparatuses correct the bit error using Reed-Solomon parity codes or the like before supplying reproduction output. With these operations, the audiences are supplied with reproduction outputs not deteriorated by the bit error. However, the receiving apparatuses stop supplying the reproduction outputs if a thunderstorm or the like causes a large amount of bit error that cannot be corrected by a bit error correction. It should be noted here that in the present document, a "digital broadcast failure" indicates a large failure that cannot be overcome by a bit error correction.
Meanwhile, the common knowledge: "when a transmission path failure occurs, the failure is recognized by the audiences as deteriorated reproduction quality" may become an unexpected obstacle in digital broadcasting. That is to say, for example, if a sudden thunderstorm occurs while a user is supplied with a reproduction output, the user will probably expect deterioration in the reproduction quality due to the above-mentioned common knowledge that has taken root. However, if supply of reproduction output from a receiving apparatus suddenly stops against this expectation due to a transmission path failure, the user may mistake the transmission path failure for a receiving apparatus failure. In such circumstances, there is a possibility that a flood of complaints about a receiving apparatus failure are sent to the maker of the receiving apparatus each time a thunderstorm or the like causes a lot of transmission path failures. In such a case, the maker will be tied up with dealing with the complaints.

Digital broadcast system having transmission apparatus and receiving apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Systems and materials to improve photovoltaic cell efficiency by implementing a self-cleaning function on photovoltaic cells and on albedo surfaces associated with photovoltaic cell assemblies are provided. Materials for protecting albedo surfaces that surround photovoltaic cell assemblies, thereby maximizing energy input into the photovoltaic cell assemblies, are provided. Materials for self-cleaning photovoltaic cell panels, thereby maintaining their efficiency, are provided. Portable albedo collecting devices associated with photovoltaic cell assemblies are provided.

Interest in photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells, has grown rapidly in the past few decades. Photovoltaic cells comprise semiconductor junctions such as p-n junctions. It is known that light with photon energy greater than the band gap of an absorbing semiconductor layer in a semiconductor junction is absorbed by the layer. Such absorption causes optical excitation and the release of free electrons and free holes in the semiconductor. Because of the potential difference that exists at a semiconductor junction (e.g., a p-n junction), these released holes and electrons move across the junction in opposite directions and thereby give rise to flow of an electric current that is capable of delivering power to an external circuit. The flow of carriers into the external circuit constitutes an electrical current density, J amp cm-2, which, under short-circuit conditions, is known as the short-circuit current density, Jsc. At the same time, the separation of the charges (holes and electrons) sets up a potential difference between the two ends of the material, φ, which under open circuit conditions is known as the open-circuit voltage, φoc. It is desirable to maximize both Jsc and φoc. For interaction with the solar spectrum, Jsc and φoc are optimized when the junction semiconductor absorber has a band gap of about 1.4 electron volts (eV).
It is presently common practice to provide an array of photovoltaic cells to generate electrical energy from solar radiation. Many photovoltaic cells are made of silicon. However, cells made of other materials, e.g., cadmium sulfide and gallium arsenide, have also been developed and tested. Crystalline silicon has traditionally been a favored material since it has a band gap of approximately 1.1 eV and thus favorably responds to the electromagnetic energy of the solar spectrum. However, because of the expense in making crystalline silicon-based cells, thin film photovoltaic cells made of materials other than silicon have been explored and used.
Presently, many photovoltaic cells are fabricated as separate physical entities with light gathering surface areas on the order of 4-6 cm2 or larger. For this reason, it is standard practice for power generating applications to mount the cells in a flat array on a supporting substrate or panel so that their light gathering surfaces provide an approximation of a single large light gathering surface. Also, since each cell itself generates only a small amount of power, the required voltage and/or current is realized by interconnecting the cells of the array in a series and/or parallel matrix.

Self-cleaning protective coatings for use with photovoltaic cells


A system, devices and methods are provided for facilitating stabilization of periarticular fractures. The system includes a compression plate and one or more of a cerclage cable for encircling the bone and securing the compression plate to the bone, a crimp lug for securing the cable in tension relative to the bone and/or a plate, and a supplemental plate coupled to the compression plate and adapted to receive bicortical or unicortical bone screws to further secure the compression plate relative to the bone. In addition, the system includes a cable tensioner for temporarily retaining the cable in tension and then applying a tension to the cable until a desired compression is effected between a plate and bone and while a cable retaining structure is secured to the cable to retain the applied tension on the cable. Also provided is a jig for use with plates for minimally invasive fracture stabilization.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgery. More particularly, the present invention relates to plating systems and tools, and specifically plating systems and tools for treatment of periarticular fractures.
2. State of the Art
Fractures around implants pose unique fixation challenges. The original placement of the implant may predispose the bone to later fracture, as the long-term presence of the implant may change the structure of the surrounding bone and increase susceptibility to fracture. In addition, the implant itself may interfere with healing or the placement of other fixation devices.
This is particularly a problem around the femur where a femoral component of a hip replacement prosthesis may be implanted. Further, as the population ages and the indications for joint replacement increase, the number of implants in the femur is increasing. With increased hip joint replacement, the number of fractures associated therewith has also increased. Once a fracture occurs, treatment is complicated by osteoporosis, defects in the bone, and the presence of the implant. In particular, stems, rods, screws, and methylmethacrylate may block the medullary canal, preventing intramedullary fixation of fractures. Stems and rods also block screw fixation through the medullary canal to hold fracture stabilization plates on bone. The techniques for treating periprosthetic fractures are generally more difficult, with limited options.
Nevertheless, essentially all periprosthetic fractures require some treatment. Stable nondisplaced fractures may only require protected weight-bearing or cast/brace immobilization. However, most unstable periprosthetic implant fractures require surgical stabilization and/or implant replacement to restore function.
Surgical stabilization includes plating to secure the adjacent sections of the fractured bone to facilitate healing, which may occur with or without implant replacement.
It must be appreciated that standard plating includes attaching a stabilization plate to the bone with screws. Given the inability to pass a screw bicortically through the bone and the overall poor quality of the bone, alternative means of fixation are used to couple the plate to the bone. Most typically, such fixation includes unicortical screws that are inserted into the bone in a spatial distribution that does not interfere with the implant and cerclage cables that are wrapped under tension around the bone. The ends of the cable are crimped together with a crimp to maintain tension on the cable at a specific force. However, current tools for working with securing the cable make application of the system difficult. In particular, existing cable tensioners require a temporary tension holder as well as a separate cable tensioner, and both instruments must be operated together and used to tension the cable. In addition, after tension is applied and fixed to the cable, even a small amount of movement between the cable, the plate and the anatomy can cause significant reduction in tension on the cable and release of compression between the plate and the bone.

Periprosthetic fracture repair system including discrete stabilized crimp lugs for cerclage cable and tool therefor


A method for producing a site-specifically modified protein based on new carbon-carbon bond formation is disclosed, including the following three steps (marking, activation, and coupling steps): (a) marking of the modification site by incorporating a specific amino acid into a selected position of a target protein; (b) activation of the marked site; and (c) coupling of various post-translational modification (PTM) moieties or other chemical groups onto the activated site to obtain a site-specifically modified protein. The method for producing a site-specifically modified protein can incorporate desired diverse chemical groups including post-translational modification (PTM) moieties into a designated site in a target protein through a new carbon-carbon bond. Furthermore, the modified protein having a site-specific PTM exhibits the same chemical and functional properties as that of a target protein present in cells. Thus, the present invention is useful for studies of cellular proteins, human diseases including cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, and new drug discovery.

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) play vital roles in expanding protein functional diversity and critically affect numerous biological processes (C T Walsh et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. Vol. 44 pp. 7342-72, 2005). The availability of proteins with specific modifications at selected residues is essential for experimental strategies to investigate fundamental biological mechanisms. Methods to generate diverse native protein covalent modifications currently do not exist.
Genetic code expansion approaches are useful in producing recombinant proteins with specific modifications (K. Lang et al., Chem. Rev. Vol. 114, pp. 4764-4806, 2014; C C Liu et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. Vol. 79, pp. 413-44, 2010), but rely on the availability of an orthogonal tRNA/tRNA synthetase pair for acylation of a specific non-canonical amino acid. Despite much technical progress, the creation of many important protein modifications (e.g., trimethyl lysine) is not yet feasible.
Cys-based strategies have been widely applied to generate protein conjugates or mimics of PTMs (E. V. Vinogradova et al., Nature. Vol. 526, pp. 687-691, 2015; M. D. Simon et al., Cell. Vol. 128. pp. 1003-1012, 2007; S, I. van Kasteren et al., Nature. Vol. 446, pp. 1105-09, 2007). However, the final products produced by such methods are PTM analogs whose value for searching out unidentified properties of the natural system may still be questionable (D. P. Nguyen et al, Chem. Biol. Vol. 17, pp. 1072-76, 2010).
Thus, despite such extensive efforts, synthetic approaches for many authentic PTMs are not available, as no C—C bond forming reactions have been successfully applied to protein modifications despite the prevalence of such reactions in organic chemistry.
The present inventors have developed a method of producing a site-specifically phosphorylated protein by use of a SepRS variant and an EF-Tu variant (U.S. Pat. No. 9,322,044, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0053885). Still, this method has a limitation in that it enables only selective phosphorylation among many PTMs present in intracellular proteins.
Meanwhile, phosphoamino acids are known to be labile under alkaline conditions (Y. Oda et al., Nat. Bioechnol. Vol. 19, pp. 379-82, 2001).
Also, reactions that form carbon-carbon bonds using transition metals as catalysts for generation of diverse organic compounds have been reported in recent years (A. Postigo et al., Chem. Rev. Vol. 255. pp. 2991-3030, 2001; B. H. Lipshutz et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. Vol. 134. pp. 19985-88, 2012).
Under this background, the present inventors have made extensive efforts to produce a site-specifically modified protein via new carbon-carbon bond formation for the first time. As a result, the inventors have found that, when a specific site in a target protein is marked with a phosphorylated amino acid, is activated under alkaline conditions, and then is conjugated with an organic halogen compound containing a desired modification moiety or chemical group in the presence of a transition metal under optimized reaction condition, a site-specifically modified protein having the same chemical and functional properties as that of authentic PTMs present in cells can be produced, thereby completing the present invention.
The information disclosed in the Background Art section is only for the enhancement of understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may not contain information that forms a prior art that would already be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Method for preparing site-specifically modified protein based on novel carbon-carbon bond formation

KOREA ADVANCED INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


An uplink or downlink audio processor contains a multi band compressor that receives an input, uplink or downlink, audio signal. The multi-band compressor has a band splitter that splits the input audio signal into a number of different band signals. Each band signal is input to a respective compressor block, which is independently programmable so that its audio frequency response (a) differs from a linear response in at least two non-overlapping windows of its input signal, and (b) differs from the frequency response of another one of the compressor blocks. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Handheld electronic devices and other portable electronic devices are becoming increasingly popular. Examples of handheld devices include handheld computers, cellular telephones, media players, and hybrid devices that include the functionality of multiple devices of this type. Popular portable electronic devices that are somewhat larger than traditional handheld electronic devices include laptop computers and tablet computers.
Handheld wireless communications devices often have several functions that involve digital audio signal processing. For example, consider their use as a mobile telephony device (e.g., a cellular telephone handset). Following a call set up or connection phase, a simultaneous two-way voice conversation between a local user of the device and another (remote) user in a telephone call may be enabled as follows.
A so-called uplink chain in the device is responsible for digitizing the local user's speech that has been detected by a built-in microphone. This may result in a raw digital audio signal or bit stream, e.g. a pulse code modulated, PCM, audio signal or bitstream. The uplink chain then digitally codes the raw signal, to remove its redundant content. For instance, a 64 kbits/sec raw speech bitstream may be encoded as a 14 kbits/sec bitstream, without causing a noticeable drop in sound quality. Next, the uplink chain modulates a RF carrier signal with the coded signal (and other information regarding the call). An antenna of the device is then driven with the modulated RF carrier. The local user's speech is thus transmitted to the cellular telephone network.
To enable the above-mentioned two-way conversation, a downlink chain is provided in the device, so that the local user can hear the remote user's speech. The downlink chain operates in parallel with or simultaneously as the uplink chain, to enable the real-time two-way conversation. The downlink chain may essentially perform the reverse of the uplink chain's operations. Thus, an antenna of the device outputs a downlink RF signal sent by the cellular telephone network. The downlink chain then demodulates the downlink RF signal to yield a so-called baseband signal. The latter contains a coded audio signal, which includes an encoded version of the captured speech of the remote user. The coded audio signal is decoded (e.g., into a PCM bitstream), converted to analog format and then played to the local user, through a receiver or speaker of the device. To render higher quality or better sound when an audio signal is played back, various signal processing operations may be performed on the digital audio signal in both the downlink and uplink chains. These may include noise filtering or noise suppression (sometimes referred to as noise cancellation), gain control, dynamic range compression (or simply compression), energy limiting, and echo cancellation.
Compression results in loud sounds over a certain threshold being reduced in level, while quiet sounds remain untreated. In this way, it reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal. This may be done to improve audibility in noisy environments. For example, a comfortable listening level for quiet sounds in a noisy environment makes the loud sounds too loud. Compression reduces the level of the loud sounds (by reducing the gain for those sounds), but not the quiet sounds, so that volume can be raised to a point where the quiet sounds are more audible without the loud sounds being too loud. A compressor decreases gain (level) of an audio signal if its amplitude exceeds a certain threshold. Typically, an input/output ratio is defined that determine the amount of compression. For example, a 4:1 ratio means that an input signal overshooting a threshold by 4 dB will leave the compressor 1 dB above the threshold. Also, in practice, a compressor exhibits a delay before its output level is actually reduced to the required level—this is referred to as the attack phase.
Somewhat similar to a compressor, a hard limiter also limits loud sounds. However it does so in a much more abrupt manner, in effect exhibiting a much higher ratio and a much shorter attack phase. Hard limiting is typically used as a safety device than as a sound-sculpting tool.

Multi band audio compressor dynamic level adjust in a communications device


[Object] To enable measurement or measurement to be performed in consideration of interference cancellation.

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) has been attracting attention as a radio access technology (RAT) for a fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system following Long Term Evolution (LTE)/LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). In orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) and single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA), which are adopted in LTE, radio resources (e.g., resource blocks) are allocated to users without overlap. These schemes are called orthogonal multiple access. In contrast, in non-orthogonal multiple access, radio resources are allocated to users with overlap. In non-orthogonal multiple access, signals of users interfere with each other, but a signal for each user is taken out by a high-precision decoding process at the reception side. Non-orthogonal multiple access, in theory, achieves higher cell communication capability than orthogonal multiple access.
One of radio access technologies classified into non-orthogonal multiple access is superposition coding (SPC) multiplexing/multiple access. SPC is a scheme in which signals to which different powers are allocated are multiplexed on the same radio resources. At the reception side, reception process, such as interference cancellation and/or iterative detection, is performed for reception/decoding of signals multiplexed on the same radio resource.
For example, PTLs 1 and 2 disclose, as SPC or a technology equivalent to SPC, techniques for setting an amplitude (or power) that allows appropriate demodulation/decoding. Moreover, for example, PTL 3 discloses a technique for enhancing successive interference cancellation (SIC) for reception of multiplexed signals.

Apparatus including an acquirer to acquire a parameter for a user relating to interference cancellation and a controller to perform measurement reporting of a cell in accordance with the parameter

Abstract: [Solution] There is provided a device including: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a parameter for a user relating to interference cancellation; and a control unit configured to perform measurement or measurement reporting with respect to a cell in accordance with the parameter.


A container having a base and a cap is disclosed herein for protecting needles and/or catheters during transport. The base has a cavity for storing the needle and/or catheter and a flange region for securing the needle and/or catheter within the base. The cap can be releasably coupled to the base and provide a seal to protect the needle and/or catheter from contamination. Semi-permeable plugs can be disposed on the ends of the base and cap to enable gas sterilization of the container and the needle and/or catheter contained inside.

1. Field
This disclosure relates generally to the field of containers and specifically to containers that hold and protect medical devices, such as needles and/or catheters, for transport and storage.
2. Description of Related Art
Medical devices often require special care when stored and transported prior to use. In some situations, the devices can cause damage or injury if accidentally brought into contact with a person, such as when a medical needle inadvertently pierces someone's skin. In addition, medical devices are often fragile and can be damaged easily if not protected. Moreover, in many situations, medical devices must be exposed to a sterilization procedure during the manufacturing process and then must be maintained in a sterile environment until used. These factors present challenges to those who manufacture, transport, and use medical devices. These challenges can be especially difficult in fast-paced, urgent-care medical settings, such as in emergency facilities in hospitals, on the battlefield, and in civil first-responder situations.
For example, in military settings, military medics often carry backpack type medical kits made of durable cloth-like materials that contain various essential items for dealing with life threatening wounds. These soft kits are often subject to severe stresses associated with the rigors of warfare, where the individual carrying the soft kit is often running along walls, diving on the ground, and generally engaging in rigorous physical activity that impact the items in the kit. Furthermore, these soft kits are often carried through dirty or contaminated environments by the military medics, such as through rivers, mud, etc.
Among the various items included in these soft medical kits are various needles and catheters, such as those used for administering intravenous fluid. Some kits can include decompression hypodermic needles intended for use in the management of combat casualties who present signs and symptoms of tension pneumothorax.
Often, such needles and catheters come packaged in a flexible paper and plastic wrapper that does little to protect the contents inside from physical impacts and other stresses. In some circumstances, the devices may even poke through the paper packaging and thereby lose sterility or even cause personal injury.

Protective containers for medical devices and methods of use


A method and apparatus for estimating mobile radio channel parameters by dynamically determining the delay offset, carrier frequency offset, and coherent averaging length that yields the optimum despreading gain for current channel conditions. Obtaining the optimal despreading gain increases the fidelity of desired channel parameter estimates, (such as delay, phase, and the complex impulse response), and also expands the range of conditions under which they can be feasibly measured. A plurality of delay offsets, carrier frequency offsets, and coherent averaging lengths are considered for each measurement of channel parameters. An energy metric assigned to each combination of delay offset and coherent averaging length, and this value measures the despreading gain for these conditions.

Radio location techniques are widely used in many mobile transmitter systems. Among these location techniques are a) Time of Arrival (TOA), b) Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), and c) Angle of Arrival (AOA) methods. Each of these techniques requires either the measurement or estimation of one or more parameters of the communication channel utilized by the mobile transmitter.
To estimate the location of a mobile transmitter in a code division multiple access (CDMA) communication system, estimates of channel parameters such as delay, amplitude, and possibly phase must be obtained for multiple signals. In general, these parameter estimates will be obtained by correlating received signals with one or more "perfect" reference signals.
Correlation with a reference waveform can also be interpreted as despreading followed by coherent averaging. Up to a point, the longer the correlation (coherent averaging length), the more despreading gain is obtained. Effects from noise and interference on these channel estimates, which are normally severe, can be made arbitrarily small so long as the despreading gain can be increased. In practice, the maximum despreading gain is limited by the non-stationarity of the communication channel. If the communication channel lacks sufficient stationarity, a longer averaging window will ultimately result in a decrease in despreading gain below the maximum achievable level. Thus, it is desirable to determine the optimal coherent averaging length and the corresponding maximum despreading gain for the radio channel conditions achievable at any given observation.
Higher gain is advantageous particularly in mobile transmitter location applications. This is because it may be necessary for an adjacent sector or remote sector to detect the mobile transmitter to accurately fix its position. In a communication system, such as a CDMA communication system where the mobile transmitter is power controlled, when the mobile transmitter is located near to a serving sector, it may communicate with relatively low power. As a result, detection of the mobile transmitter's signal at adjacent or remote sectors is difficult. Where detection is required, such as when determining the mobile transmitter's location, it has been proposed to have the mobile transmitter "power-up" to a level sufficient to permit detection at the adjacent or remote serving sector. Such a strategy, however, defeats the benefits of providing power control.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for channel parameter estimation having high gain under various communication channel conditions.

Method and apparatus for estimating a channel parameter


The present invention relates to a character input apparatus comprising: a character input unit for inputting of a character and a character display unit for displaying the inputted character on a display. The character input apparatus consists of one or more character input units assembled by a unit of a character input, is divided into a language input unit for inputting an input of a language character and a miscellaneous input unit in terms of a function and divided into a right character input part, a left character input part, an upper character input part, a lower character input part, and a central character input part in terms of a layout allowing a simultaneous inputting of characters of two or more languages, and two or more language input units and one or more miscellaneous input units are at all times arranged in the character input unit and characters of a plurality of languages are at all times displayed in the character input unit to simultaneously input the characters of two or more languages without an operation of language conversion.

When inputting characters of two languages, a related-art character input apparatus performs character input of a native language, executes a language conversion function of a character input unit to input characters of a foreign language, completely converts the character input unit in a foreign language form, and re-executes the language conversion function of the character input unit in order to return to the character input of the native language.
Since the related-art character input apparatus needs to execute the language conversion function of the character input unit when providing a character input of two languages, it is inconvenient for a user to repeatedly input the language conversion function of the character input unit, and there is a problem that a time required for inputting characters is increased.
Further, even though two languages are arranged at the same time, the related-art character input apparatus, performs a function to convert the language input unit into miscellaneous input units of numerals and symbols, in order to input other characters including one or more numerals, symbols, special characters, and emoticons or execute various function keys, setting keys, edition keys, and the like. In order to input the language, it is inconvenient for a user to convert the miscellaneous input unit into the language input unit again.


An internal combustion engine (1) operating in cycles, having:                a plurality of piston-cylinder units (2), wherein each piston-cylinder unit (2) of the plurality of piston-cylinder units (2) is assigned an ignition device (3) which can be controlled regarding activation and selection of an ignition timing by an engine control (4), wherein a piston-cylinder unit (2), when the ignition device (3) is activated, produces a power by combustion of a gas-air mixture, which can be transmitted as a torque to a crankshaft (5) of the internal combustion engine (1)        an intake stroke (6) and an exhaust stroke (7), each coupled to the plurality of piston-cylinder units (2)        a supply device (8) for supplying a gas-air mixture under a boost pressure to the intake stroke (6)        a signal detection device (9) for acquiring at least one signal which represents a power demand on the internal combustion engine (1) or from which a power demand on the internal combustion engine (1) can be calculated        an engine control (4) for actuating actuators of the internal combustion engine (1), wherein the at least one signal can be fed to the engine control (4), and the engine control (4) is configured in a first operating mode to leave as many ignition devices (8) deactivated per cycle of the internal combustion engine in dependence on the currently present power demand, that the power of those piston-cylinder units (2), the ignition devices (8) of which are activated, results in a torque of the crankshaft (5) of the internal combustion engine (1) adapted to the currently present power demandwherein the engine control (4) is configured to, in a second operating mode, for reducing a risk of deflagration due to unburned gas-air mixture present in the exhaust stroke (7)        after a first number (N1) of cycles of the internal combustion engine (1), for a second number (N2) of cycles of the internal combustion engine (1), to have more piston-cylinder units (2) produce power per cycle by activating the assigned ignition devices (8) than would be required for the currently present power demand        after the second number (N2) of cycles of the internal combustion engine (1), for a third number (N3) of cycles of the internal combustion engine (1), in dependence on a currently present power demand per cycle of the internal combustion engine (1), to have so many piston-cylinder units (2) produce power by activation of the assigned ignition devices (8) that this results in a torque of the crankshaft (5) adapted to the currently present power demand.

The present invention concerns an internal combustion engine operating in cycles and a genset having such an internal combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines require the power of the engine to be controlled or regulated by means of an engine control. With stationary internal combustion engines in particular, it is often undesirable to change the power by actuating an actuator in the form of closing a throttle valve, because this can reduce the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. For this reason, control or regulating concepts are implemented wherein individual, several or all ignition devices of the piston-cylinder units of an internal combustion engine are temporarily deactivated, i.e. not ignited. This is known by the term "skip firing". In particular for the stationary operation of an internal combustion engine, shutdown patterns are disclosed in EP 2 952 712 A1 and EP 2 955 355 A1, which are intended to promote a thermally homogeneous state of the internal combustion engine.
Mixture-charged internal combustion engines are understood to be those engines wherein a gas-air mixture is fed into the combustion chambers of the piston-cylinder units (with or without the use of a turbocharger), instead of a separate feed of fuel and air. In the present disclosure, gas is understood to mean a gaseous fuel (also referred to as propellant gas), for instance natural gas.
In the context of the present disclosure, load sheddings refer to events in which a relatively large portion of the power demand on the internal combustion engine disappears for a short period of time.
For instance, load shedding in rotational speed-controlled operation in an isolated grid or during the transition to idle mode corresponds to a reduction of the electrical load on the generator and an accompanying rapid reduction of the load torque on the crankshaft. Due to the drive torque continuing to exist, this leads to an increase in the rotational speed of the crankshaft and all connected rotating parts. In order to keep the rotational speed within the desired permissible limits, it is necessary to react as quickly as possible using all available actuators of the internal combustion engine which can reduce the drive torque. Besides a favorable influence on boost pressure, fuel-air ratio and ignition timing, the skip firing method is an effective measure for quickly reducing the drive torque.
Problems with skip firing can occur in the case of mixture-charged internal combustion engines in the context of so-called load sheddings, as in the case of mixture-charged internal combustion engines the supply of fuel cannot be switched off individually for each combustion chamber. If a large proportion of the power demand is lost during load shedding, a correspondingly large number of piston-cylinder units must remain unignited.
This first of all results in gas-air mixture also reaching the combustion chambers of those piston-cylinder units that are not ignited by the assigned ignition device in the context of skip firing. Subsequently, unburned gas-air mixture enters the exhaust stroke, and uncontrolled combustion of the gas-air mixture can occur either still in the combustion chamber or in parts of the exhaust stroke, which is of course harmful. Another potential negative consequence can be that the gas-air mixture enters a catalyst placed in the exhaust stroke, and damages or displaces the catalyst. These negative consequences are more likely and more frequent in the case of load shedding, so that the risk of damage to the machine due to skip firing is particularly high in the case of load shedding.
Load sheddings can occur, for instance, in internal combustion engines that use their crankshaft to drive an electrical generator to produce electrical energy. Such an arrangement is also referred to as a "genset".
The object of the present invention is to reduce the risk of uncontrolled combustion of gas-air mixture in the combustion chambers and/or exhaust stroke of a generic internal combustion engine and a generic genset when using skip firing to compensate for load sheddings in mixture-charged internal combustion engines.
This object is solved by an internal combustion engine operating in cycles and a genset with such an internal combustion engine.


Herein disclosed is a method for manufacturing a base plate for a recording disc, which comprises steps of: subjecting a base plate containing therein SiO.sub.2 -Li.sub.2 O-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 series crystallized glass to crystallizing treatment; then polishing the surface of said base plate; and thereafter subjecting the base plate to etching treatment with use of etching agents having different rates of etching between the crystallized layer and the amorphous layer, and also a base plate for a recording disc which is produced by the method as described above.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a base plate to be used as a recording disc, on which a recording medium is to be maintained. More particularly, it is concerned with a method for manufacturing a glass base plate for disc to hold thereon a high density recording medium such as magnetic recording medium, etc., and also to such base plate for the recording disc.
(b) Description of Prior Arts
In the field of magnetic recording, a hard magnetic disc having high recording density comprises a base plate with a flat and smooth surface, and a recording medium of highly saturated magnetic density, for example, a magnetic metal thin film such as Co-Cr, Co-Ni, etc., placed on the base plate. This type of recording disc has its own problem such that, since its surface is extremely flat and smooth, there takes place adsorption between the magnetic head and the recording medium due to intervention of moisture in the air to result in crush of the magnetic head. With a view to solving this problem of head crush or "micro-tribology", there have so far been adopted various methods for lowering the frictional coefficient of the disc surface, such as slightly oxidizing the surface of a magnetic thin film of, for example, Co-Cr; or placing a solid lubricating material (e.g., carbon film) or a liquid lubricant on the surface on the base plate; or increasing surface coarseness of the base plate by subjecting it to a texturing treatment (a treatment to increase the surface coarseness of the base plate) through tape lapping or polishing. Such treatments are generally called "mechanical texturing".
The above mentioned mechanical texturing, however, has its disadvantage such that, due to occurrence of burns, etc., or irregular surface conditions, etc., there is a large partial differene in the surface coarseness (Ra) of the base plate with the consequence that it is easily scratched during sliding of a magnetic head on it. On account of such large difference in the surface coarseness, it is not possible to bring the magnetic head sufficiently close to the magnetic recording medium, which not only makes it difficult to realize the low bouyancy of the magnetic head required for effecting the high density recording, but also poses a problem on its CCS-resistant property. As an expedient for solving such problems, it has been admitted that the chemical texturing treatment, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 62-243074 is useful. The base plate for the disc, which has been subjected to this treatment is very small in variations of frictional coefficient due to continuous sliding of the magnetic head.
The present invention proposes an improved texturing technique, by which the surface of crystallized glass used as the base plate for the disc is subjected to an etching treatment to form uniform and regular convexities and concavities on the surface of the glass base plate.

Base plate for recording disc and a method for its manufacture


In particular, systems and methods for facilitating the purchase of health-related items such as durable medical equipment are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: responsive to a selection of a health-related product input by a user, automatically determining if the health-related product is a qualified healthcare expense; calculating an out-of-pocket cost to the user of the healthcare product based on a health insurance plan of the user; and generating a coupon for the health-related product that discounts a retail cost of the health-related product to the out-of-pocket cost responsive to a merchant accepting the coupon. In this way, a healthcare consumer may utilize their healthcare insurance benefits to purchase health-related products such as durable medical equipment from retail merchants.

Healthcare in the United States is the most expensive in the world and is regularly ranked last among similar countries for the quality of healthcare. Over $8,000 per capita on healthcare services in the United States in 2011. Most of the time, consumers do not have any idea how much their healthcare may cost prior to treatment. Consumers are not encouraged to compare costs for treatments and services and they are not encouraged to look for referral options. The cost for treatments and services varies widely from doctor to doctor and from facility to facility. For example, prices for common services, such as Mills, can vary by thousands of dollars across different regions of the country, within the same metro areas, and even across hospitals and clinics that share the same healthcare providers.
The low transparency of the healthcare marketplace also extends to durable medical equipment (DME). Currently, the experience of shopping for DME is fragmented and the healthcare consumer is generally left alone to navigate the process of obtaining DME. Further, there is typically no retail pricing or cost transparency. Consumers must determine what they need, where they can obtain what they need, what is DME and what is in network, what is HSA eligible, what do their benefits cover, and so on. A consumer is prescribed a DME by a doctor. Either the doctor orders the DME or the consumer has to find an in-network DME vendor. In the latter case, the consumer has to call his or her health plan for vendor recommendations and to determine the consumer's cost share. The reimbursement difference is charged to the consumer, mostly days or even weeks after receipt of the item. Contracted DME vendors do not advertise prices or allow for online shopping. Consumers are not clear on their responsibility without significant effort (e.g., calling customer service and multiple vendors).
The processes for reimbursement and billing for DME is currently arduous for the consumer. Consumer price shops, finds the best price for item, and pays the full cost of the DME up front. The consumer may then log into member portal or calls customer service to find a PDF reimbursement form somewhere on the health plan website. The consumer fills out the form, attaches the receipt, and mails or faxes the paperwork to customer service. If the form is correct, the consumer receives reimbursement for their cost share in the mail 4-6 weeks later. If there are any problems in the process, the consumer must start the process again. There are limited electronic submission capabilities and an arduous back-office process of scanning and manually entering information. The consumer has no way to get status transparency or expedite the process unless they call customer service.
The inventors have recognized the above issues and have devised several approaches to address them. In particular, systems and methods for facilitating the purchase of durable medical equipment are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: responsive to a selection of a healthcare product input by a user, automatically determining if the healthcare product is a qualified healthcare expense; calculating an out-of-pocket cost to the user of the healthcare product based on a health insurance plan of the user; and generating a coupon for the healthcare product that discounts a retail cost of the healthcare product to the out-of-pocket cost responsive to a merchant accepting the coupon. In this way, a healthcare consumer may utilize their healthcare insurance benefits to purchase healthcare products such as durable medical equipment from retail merchants.
It should be understood that the brief description above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Methods and systems for facilitating purchase of a health-related product


A sidewall extender for a wheelbarrow for increasing the carrying capacity of the wheelbarrow. The sidewall extender for a wheelbarrow includes a flexible sheet of material having a length such that the sheet of material fastens to the side-walls and encloses about the bin and extends the side-walls to a height of approximately 3 feet with the sheet of material being made of canvas or some other type of vinyl; and further includes a plurality of fastening members securely attached along the first and second end edges and bottom edge of the sheet of material and also along top edges of the side-walls of the wheelbarrow for fastening the sheet of material to the wheelbarrow. The first and second end edges are fastened together when the sheet of material is secured to the wheelbarrow.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wrap around reversible sack for a wheelbarrow and more particularly pertains to a new sidewall extender for a wheelbarrow for increasing the carrying capacity of the wheelbarrow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of wrap around reversible sack for a Wheelbarrow is known in the prior art. More specifically, wrap around reversible sack for a wheelbarrow heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,367; U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,022; U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,095; U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,772; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 311,084; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,805,885.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new sidewall extender for a wheelbarrow. The inventive device includes a wheelbarrow having a bin with side-walls; and also includes a flexible sheet of material having a length such that the sheet of material fastens to the side-walls and encloses about the bin and extends the side-walls to a height of approximately 3 feet with the sheet of material being made of canvas or some other type of vinyl; and further includes a plurality of fastening members securely attached along the first and second end edges and bottom edge of the sheet of material and also along top edges of the side-walls of the wheelbarrow for fastening the sheet of material to the wheelbarrow. The first and second end edges are fastened together when the sheet of material is secured to the wheelbarrow.
In these respects, the sidewall extender for a wheelbarrow according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of increasing the carrying capacity of the wheelbarrow.


In step S1, image data obtained by imaging is input to an image input unit (1). In step S2, the diagnosis result obtained by a doctor using the image data obtained by imaging is input as diagnosis information to a diagnosis information input unit (2). In step S3, a keyword table (7) is searched for a keyword input to the diagnosis information input unit (2) or a diagnosis information analyzing unit (3). In step S4, a parameter determining unit (5) selects an initial value parameter used in an image search unit (4) from an initial value table (8) on the basis of the input keyword. In steps S5 and S6, the image search unit (4) determines the optimization degree of the selected parameter by applying the parameter to the input image on the basis of the area or connectivity of a morbid region, and also extracts a morbid region by using a general computer aided diagnosis technique.

The use of spiral CT and multi-slice CT or the development of high-speed MRI has made it possible to instantaneously generate 300 or more images by one imaging operation.
In diagnosing such images, a doctor (diagnostician) such as a radiologist uses a high-speed computer environment and displays a plurality of cross section images while switching them at high speed.
A key image or schema (sketch indicating the relationship between an organ and a lesion) which is referred to by a doctor in charge (a physician or the like) is attached to a diagnosis report from the diagnostician.
All 300 or more images can be attached as key images to the above diagnosis report. In this case, however, a large load is imposed on a network or computer and so high-speed display cannot be done sometimes.
Although important images may be selected, it is a painstaking job for the doctor in charge to select key images from 300 or more images. As a simple method, therefore, such images are sometimes simply subsampled at predetermined intervals to about ⅓. However, simply subsampling images in this manner may also simply subsample important images. This may interfere with understanding by the doctor in charge.


An apparatus for ironing fabric-containing articles is provided. The apparatus includes a board having a top surface, and a tray movably coupled with the board. The tray comprises a base portion, and a top portion coupled with the base portion. The tray is configured to be movable from an open configuration to a closed configuration. In the open configuration, one end of the tray is extended away from the board. An iron can be placed onto the top portion of the tray. In the closed configuration, the tray is folded onto a portion of the board for storage.

In an ironing or pressing process, a heated tool, such as an iron, is used to remove wrinkles from fabric. The iron may be heated to a temperature of 180-220° C., depending on the fabric. The bonds between the long-chain polymer molecules in the fibers of the fabric are loosened upon heating. While the molecules are warm or hot, the fibers are straightened by the weight of the iron. When the fabric is cooled down to room temperature, the fibers hold their straightened shape. Some fabrics, such as cotton, require the addition of water during the ironing process to loosen the intermolecular bonds.
A pressing apparatus or system includes an iron and an ironing board for pressing or smoothing clothes, sheets or other articles made from fabric material. The iron is heated before and during the use, and is generally placed vertically on the ironing board.

Iron supporting apparatus, method of making and method of using the same


The present invention is directed to methods for oxidizing internal olefins to ketones. In various embodiments, each method comprising contacting an organic substrate, having an initial internal olefin, with a mixture of (a) a biscationic palladium salt; and (b) an oxidizing agent; dissolved or dispersed in a solvent system to form a reaction mixture, said solvent system comprising at least one C2-6 carbon nitrile and optionally at least one secondary alkyl amide, said method conducted under conditions sufficient to convert at least 50 mol % of the initial internal olefin to a ketone, said ketone positioned on a carbon of the initial internal olefin. The transformation occurs at room temperature and shows wide substrate scope. Applications to the oxidation of seed oil derivatives and a bioactive natural product are described.

Ketones are ubiquitous chemical entities across the molecular sciences. They serve as versatile intermediates in target-oriented synthesis, are present in a wide range of natural products and drugs, are valuable industrial products and mediate important biochemical pathways. A simple catalytic oxidation of internal alkenes under ambient conditions would therefore represent a powerful synthetic tool to access valuable ketones, since simple internal olefins are easily accessible from petroleum and renewable resources such as seed oils. Additionally, well-established synthetic routes exist to access more functionalized internal alkenes, such as carbonyl olefination and olefin metathesis. Due the lack of an efficient catalytic transformation to synthesize ketones from internal olefins, the hydroboration/oxidation sequence is still commonly used, particularly in target-oriented synthesis. A major drawback of this procedure is the low functional group ("FG") compatibility of highly reactive borane reagents, as well as the inherent stoichiometric and multistep nature of the process (see, e.g., FIG. 1A). A direct, catalytic methodology to perform this transformation would be highly desirable. A well-studied catalytic transformation to access methyl ketones from terminal olefins is the Tsuji-Wacker reaction, though the success of the transformation is highly substrate-dependent, as shown by the variable reported yields. These aspects considerably limit the scope of the transformation. More recently, Kaneda disclosed an elegant oxygen-coupled, copper-free Wacker oxidation of internal olefins (see, e.g., FIG. 1A). This protocol shows improved substrate scope, but requires the use of high oxygen pressures (initial application of 9 atm pressure followed by 3 atm) and special equipment (autoclave). This limits its application. Therefore, the development of a general and convenient catalyzed oxidation of internal olefins to access ketones is still an unmet challenge in catalysis.
The present invention is directed to solving some of these challenges (FIG. 1B).

Process for the synthesis of ketones from internal alkenes


A magnetic toner is provided that exhibits an excellent electrostatic offset resistance both initially and after long-term use. The magnetic toner contains: magnetic toner particles containing a binder resin and a magnetic body; and inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles, wherein the inorganic fine particles present on the surface of the magnetic toner particles contain a prescribed metal oxide fine particle in a prescribed proportion; the magnetic toner has prescribed numerical value ranges for a coverage ratio A of the magnetic toner particle surface covered by the inorganic fine particles and for a coverage ratio B by the inorganic fine particles that are fixed to the magnetic toner particle surface; the magnetic toner particle contains a crystalline polyester; and measurement of the magnetic toner with a differential scanning calorimeter provides a characteristic differential scanning calorimetric curve.

Image-forming apparatuses that use electrophotographic technology, e.g., copiers and printers, are currently in wide use. The image-forming method here comprises an electrostatic latent image-forming step, in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on a charged electrostatic latent image-bearing member; a development step, in which this electrostatic latent image is electrostatically developed by toner being carried on a toner-carrying member; a transfer step, in which the toner image on the electrostatic latent image-bearing member is transferred to a transfer material; and a fixing step, in which this toner image is fixed on a recording medium, e.g., paper, by the application of, e.g., heat or pressure.
Image-forming apparatuses that use electrophotographic technology, e.g., copiers and printers, have in recent years been experiencing increasing diversification in their intended applications and use environments. In combination with this, there is also strong demand for additional increases in speed and for an even longer service life.
However, when the apparatus is sped up, there may not be enough time for the toner on the toner-carrying member to be adequately charged, and as a consequence uniform charging of the toner may be impaired. This phenomenon becomes more significant during long-term use, during which the toner composition becomes increasingly nonuniform.
Various problems, such as a reduction in the development efficiency and a reduction in the transfer efficiency, are produced when the charge distribution on the toner becomes nonuniform. One of these problems is a type of phenomenon known as electrostatic offset.
Electrostatic offset is a phenomenon in which, prior to the unfixed image being fixed by the fixing apparatus, toner on the unfixed image flies to and attaches to locations on the fixing apparatus that are in contact with the unfixed image, as a consequence of which toner is fixed on the recording medium in a manner unrelated to the locations defined by the electrostatic latent image and image defects are thereby produced. Normally, the toner is electrostatically attached on the unfixed image and is also not electrically drawn to the contact locations of the fixing apparatus. However, toner with a charge opposite from the normal charge is sometimes produced when the charge distribution on the toner becomes nonuniform. An electrostatic force is produced between the oppositely charged toner and the contact locations of the fixing apparatus, and as a result the oppositely charged toner randomly flies over the contact regions and image defects are then ultimately produced. This phenomenon has been more significant in high-temperature, high-humidity environments, where toner charge leakage is induced and the production of charging defects is thereby facilitated.
Maintaining a uniform charge distribution is crucial for inhibiting electrostatic offset; however, even if the process of imparting charge to the toner on the toner-carrying member can somehow be strengthened, the charge is subsequently reduced in the transfer step and on the recording medium and it is thus quite difficult to completely prevent the appearance of nonuniformity. Due to this, there have been limits on the approach of completely suppressing the occurrence of oppositely charged toner.
Another approach that has been contemplated here is the inhibition of flight of the oppositely charged toner by causing a semi-melting of the toner on the unfixed image in the neighborhood of the fixing device in order to bring about toner unification or coalescence.
Specifically, numerous toners exist that contain a crystalline polyester that rapidly melts in response to heating of the toner (Patent Documents 1 to 4); however, none of these have achieved a satisfactory coalescence of the toner on the unfixed image and they have not been a satisfactory countermeasure to electrostatic offset. However, additional increments in the amount of a simple crystalline polyester end up producing various problems with, e.g., the charging performance and environmental stability.
Thus, there has been demand for a toner that can suppress electrostatic offset based on an approach from a novel perspective.


One embodiment of an apparatus for communicating transaction types between hubs in a computer system includes a data path input/output unit to output a packet header. The packet header includes a request/completion field to indicate whether the packet header is a request packet header or a completion packet header. The packet header also includes a read/write field to indicate whether the packet header is for a read packet or for a write packet. The read/write field further indicates whether a length of data is to follow the packet header. The packet header further includes a data length field to indicate the length of data.

Prior computer systems typically rely on standardized busses, such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, to allow computer system chipset components to communicate one with another. For example, a transaction originating at a processor and intended for a disk drive might first be delivered to a first chipset component that serves as an intermediary between the processor bus and a PCI bus. The first chipset component would then deliver the transaction over the PCI bus to a second system chipset component which would then deliver the transaction to the disk drive.
Busses such as the PCI bus also provide for communication with other computer system devices such as graphics controllers and network adapters. Because busses such as the PCI bus must interface with a variety of component types, each with varying requirements, they are not necessarily optimized for allowing communication between chipset components. Further, chipset manufacturers who rely on standardized busses such as the PCI bus must adhere to bus standards in order to ensure compatibility with other components, and are not at liberty to make substantial changes in how the chipset components communicate with each other. Another issue that faces chipset component manufacturers in designing and manufacturing chipset components is the need to conform to standardized supply and signaling voltages when relying on busses such as PCI for communication between chipset components, thereby locking the manufacturers into certain design practices and manufacturing technologies.
Prior computer systems that rely on standardized busses such as PCI for communication between chipset components also typically have no mechanism for communicating that a particular transaction is isochronous and should be handled in a manner that will ensure an adequate level of quality of service. Deterministic quality of service is particularly important for emerging applications that rely on isochronous services in the system to move fixed amount of data on a regular basis. In prior systems, the notion of isochronous transactions is contained within subsystems such as USB host controllers and IEEE 1394 host controllers, and there is no mechanism to extend this notion up to the point where transactions are serviced (the main memory subsystem).

Efficient communication of transaction types using separate and orthogonal attribute fields in packet headers transferred between hubs in a computer system


An elongate water spray nozzle (8) for use with mining equipment, comprises a cylindrical body member (9) having a leading end (10) and a trailing end (11), with a circumferential groove (12) provided in the body member (9) towards the trailing end (11), the groove (12) housing firstly an inner, resiliently deformable xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring (13), and secondly an outer, split spring steel latching ring (14), the xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring (13) being resiliently operable on the steel ring (14) to bias the steel ring (14) concentrically with the longitudinal axis (15) of the nozzle (8). The invention also includes a pick box (6) provided with nozzles (8). The invention also includes a pick box provided with a nozzle (8), and a rotary cutting head provided with a plurality of such pick boxes.

This application claims priority with respect to British Application No. 0029667.3, filed Dec. 6, 2000.
This invention relates to a water spray nozzle, to a pick box provided with such a nozzle, and to a rotary cutting head provided with a plurality of such pick boxes.
Water spray nozzles are conventionally provided on mining equipment for a variety of well known reasons. One known arrangement is a so-called rear entry nozzle whereby a receiving socket is provided in the pick box, and a nozzle is insertable into, and removable from, the rear of the pick box, (having regard to the direction of rotation of the rotary cutting head to which pick boxes are welded), and with a view to avoiding a screw threaded fastening of the nozzle to the pick box, which is difficult to insert and remove in mine conditions, and is subject to rusting, various xe2x80x9cscrewlessxe2x80x9d systems have been developed. One incorporates a circumferential groove intended to house a compressible split ring of spring steel, which after compression (by riding along inclined or chamfered surfaces) expands to latch the nozzle in place. However, due to the need to ensure that the dimensions of the groove are sufficient to accommodate compression of the steel ring, it is not unknown for the free ends of the steel ring to become displaced from the circumferential groove, with resultant loss of concentricity between the steel ring and the nozzle.
A basic object of the invention is the provision of an improved nozzle, pick box, and rotary cutting head.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an elongate water spray nozzle for use with mining equipment, comprising a cylindrical body member having a leading end and a trailing end, with a circumferential groove provided in the body member towards the trailing end, the groove housing firstly an inner, resiliently deformable xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring, and secondly an outer, split spring steel latching ring, the xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring being resiliently operable on the steel ring to bias the steel ring concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the nozzle.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a pick box having a socket in which is housed a water spray nozzle in accordance with the first aspect.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a rotary cutting head provided with a plurality of pick boxes in accordance with the second aspect.
The invention thus provides a nozzle in which the steel ring is always retained in a concentric position with respect to the nozzle as a result of the bias of the xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring, whilst the xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring is itself compressible by the steel ring, during fitting and removal of a nozzle to and from its socket, thereby presenting no obstruction to compression of the steel ring and hence no adverse effect on the ability of an operator to latch the nozzle in its socket or to unlatch the nozzle for removal from its socket.
The leading end of the nozzle is frusto-conical.
The leading end of the nozzle has a water discharge aperture.
The body member has a water delivery bore leading to the discharge aperture.
The body member has at least one radial water inlet bone leading to the delivery bore.
The body member is provided with a necked portion over a water inlet zone.
A cylindrical filter gauze is mounted on the necked portion.
A circumferential groove is provided beyond both the forward end and the rearward end of the necked portion, each groove housing a water sealing ring, to confine water to the water inlet zone, so as to ensure that the nozzle is balanced, so that there is no water pressure on the nozzle tending to eject it from its socket. Consequently, the latching effect of the steel split ring need only be such as to ensure mechanical retention of the nozzle within its socket.
A mechanical safety latch is provided to restrain uncontrolled ejection of the nozzle from its socket under the influence of water pressure, in the event of failure of the water ring in forward groove.
Adjacent the trailing end of the nozzle is an extraction groove, for engagement by a screw driver blade etc to urge the nozzle rearwardly resulting in compression of the steel ring and xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring permitting removal of the nozzle.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, of independent significance, there is provided a pick box having a socket adapted to receive a water spray nozzle of the so-called rear entry type, comprising a cylindrical body member having a leading end and a trailing end, with a circumferential groove provided in the body member towards the trailing end, the groove housing firstly an inner, resiliently deformable xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring, and secondly an outer, split spring steel latching ring, the xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring being resiliently operable on the steel ring to bias the steel ring concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, the socket having a forward end through which, in use, a water spray may be emitted, and a rearward end, wherein the rearward end is counterbored and tapped, into which is screwed a replaceable retainer sleeve incorporating a first inclined surface at an outer mouth of the retainer sleeve for gradual compression of the steel ring and its xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring, until an internal step of the retainer sleeve is reached with an increase in diameter after the step permitting radial expansion of the steel ring, and partial or complete decompression of the xe2x80x98Oxe2x80x99-ring, to latch the nozzle in place, with the step providing second inclined surface along which the steel ring is adapted to ride, during nozzle extraction.
The provision of a retainer sleeve means that not only can a damaged or worn retainer sleeve be replaced without having to unweld the pick box from its rotary cutting head, but existing constructions of pick boxes may be converted to those of the fourth aspect.
The retainer sleeve is of non-ferrous material such as brass, or synthetic plastics material such as nylon, so avoiding rusting of a steel insert screwed into a steel housing.
In one embodiment the retainer sleeve is provided with an external collar adapted to seat on an annular periphery of the box adjacent the nozzle receiving socket, and hence to limit the penetration of the retainer sleeve into the counterbore.
The collar is of hexagon profile so that it may be tightened, or untightened, by a spanner.
In another embodiment, no collar is provided and the insert is a flush fit.
The flush nozzle has a diametrical slot, so that it may be tightened, and untightened, by a screwdriver.


An apparatus for cleaning small automotive parts. The apparatus includes a spray device for distributing a cleaning solution throughout the cabinet of the apparatus. The cleaning solution may be reused and recycled through the apparatus saving money and preventing the dumping of volatile solutions into the environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for cleaning automotive engine parts. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for washing small transmission pieces or parts and includes an agitator and cycle timer.
Often, it is necessary to clean engine or transmission parts before reassembly of the device. This sometimes required the use of a cleaning solution which is volatile and potentially hazardous to the user.
The present invention is designed to make cleaning of these parts easier, safer and more cost efficient.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Heretofore, there have been various means for cleaning a desired object.
The most common previous known method for cleaning automotive engine parts comprised of pouring gasoline or other volatile compounds over the part or piece while holding the part in a hand. It has also been known to use "spray can"-type cleaning solutions. These methods are hazardous to the user and the environment. They are also not cost efficient since the cleaning solution is often lost and cannot be reused.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,836 discloses an apparatus for automatic cleaning of paint spray gun assemblies, particularly those used in the automotive industry. A cleaning fluid is sprayed from a plurality of outlets within the cabinet. This apparatus does include a time control device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,698 discloses an apparatus including a hand directed spray nozzle for cleaning automobile engine parts. The apparatus includes a clear top for viewing the part that is being cleaned.
U.S. Pat No. 4,051,858 discloses an apparatus for cleaning parts removed from an automobile, including transmission parts. The apparatus employs a hand directed nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,378 discloses an apparatus adapted to be placed atop a barrel containing a cleaning solvent. The apparatus is designed to be used to soak or spray automotive parts.
The present invention provides an efficient and environmentally safe method for cleaning small parts with volatile solvents or other cleaning solutions.

Automotive parts washer utilizing a volatile cleaning solution


An electronic device and an operation method thereof according to various example embodiments wirelessly receive detection power for detecting the electronic device, and put a limitation on storing the power.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an electronic device and an operating method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of technology, a wireless charging system for wirelessly charging an electronic device has been suggested. An electronic device in the wireless charging system includes a wireless power transmission device and a wireless power reception device. The wireless power transmission device may wirelessly transmit power and the wireless power reception device may wirelessly receive power.
To wirelessly transmit power to the wireless power reception device, the wireless power transmission device detects the wireless power reception device. The wireless power transmission device may output a detection signal and detect the wireless power reception device by detecting an impedance change.
An electronic device may include an impedance generation device for controlling an input of a detection signal received from a wireless power transmission device, and a dummy load may be configured as the impedance generation device. To form a dummy load means, an element should additionally be provided. However, the element may consume power, causing heat in the electronic device.

Electronic device and operating method thereof


A method for inducing HIV antigen-specific immune responses is disclosed. The method comprises administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a chimeric fusion protein comprising: (a) a first polypeptidyl region comprising a Pseudomonas Exotoxin A (PE) binding domain and a PE translocation domain, located at the N-terminus of the fusion protein; and (b) a second polypeptidyl region with a fusion peptide of HIV gp120-C1-C5-gp41 with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7. A method for inducing neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1 is also disclosed.

The global epidemic of AIDS has created an urgent need for a vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). It is likely that effective AIDS vaccines will need to generate efficient humoral and cellular immune responses. Virus-neutralizing antibodies and anti-HIV cytotoxic (CD8+) T lymphocytes (CTLs) mediated immunity are major requirements for protective immune responses elicited by HIV vaccines.
HIV has several major genes coding for viral proteins. The gag gene codes for p24, the viral capsid; p6 and p7, the nucleocapsid proteins; and p17, a matrix protein. The pol gene codes for reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease which cleaves the proteins derived from gag and pol into functional proteins. The env gene codes for the precursor to gp120 and gp41, envelope proteins embedded in the viral envelope that enable the virus to attach to and fuse with target cells. The tat, rev, nef, vif, vpr, vpu genes each codes for a single protein with the same names, Tat, Rev, Nef, Vif, Vpr, Vpu, respectively.
Neutralizing antibodies have been shown to contribute to protection from virus infection in animal models of HIV-1 infection. The virus-specific targets on HIV-1 accessible to neutralizing antibodies are the envelope glycoproteins (Yang, X. et al. (2005) "Stoichiometry of Antibody Neutralization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1" Journal of Virology 79: 3500-3508). During the normal course of HIV-1 infections, virus-neutralizing antibodies are often generated but the titer of neutralizing is often low. Most neutralizing antibodies bind the gp120 envelope glycoprotein, which is the major exposed protein of the viral envelope glycoprotein trimer. The more conserved receptor-binding surfaces of the HIV-1 gp120 glycoprotein are also the targets for neutralizing antibodies. The CD4-binding site (CD4BS) antibodies recognize a conformational epitope composed of several segments of gp120 region that overlaps the binding site for CD4. CD4-induced (CD4i) antibodies bind a highly conserved gp120 element that is critical for the gp120-chemokine receptor interaction. The ability of CDBS and CD4i antibodies to interfere with receptor binding contributes to their neutralizing capability.
GP 120 contains ten domains: conserved domains 1-5 (C1-C5) and variable domains 1-5 (V1-V5). The C1 and C5 domains are located at N- and C-terminals of gp120, respectively. Antibodies directed against the V3 loop, which determines chemokine receptor choice, can block the binding of gp 120 to the receptors CCR5 and/or CXCR4. Neutralization by anti-V3 antibodies, although potent, is often limited to a small number of HIV-1 strains.
Gp120 is non-covalently associated with gp41. The gp41 subunit is anchored in the membrane and has a non-polar fusion peptide at its N-terminus. The gp120-gp41 complex forms oligomers on the surface of infected cells and on virions. The binding of gp 120 to CD4 is thought to result in activation of the membrane fusion activity of gp41, leading to entry of the viral nucleocapsid into a cella Antibodies to gp41 epitopes in the serum of HIV-infected individuals may play an important role in virus neutralization. Gp120-41 complex sequences of different HIV subtypes show a remarkably conserved N-terminal coiled-coil structures of gp41 as well as the C-terminal residues that interact with the N-terminal core structure of gp120.
Multiple immune effectors participate in prevention, containment and clearance of HIV infection. To prevent infection of host target cells, antibodies are required. After the first target cells have been infected with virus, it is important to have cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) as well as antibodies to reduce cell-to-cell spread and kill infected cells. An effective HIV vaccine should evoke antibodies that can bind to virus and prevent attachment of virus to target cells, as well as CTLs that can eliminate any cells that become infected.
It remains a difficult goal for vaccinologists to construct live-attenuated viruses that are both effective and safe, or to mimic the presentation of viral proteins observed in infection with recombinant antigens or with replicating or non-replicating vectors carrying appropriate genes or antigens. The large number of mutations in the V3 domain of gp120 has limited its usefulness as a target for HIV vaccine. It is still unclear how the trend of hypervariability in the variable domains is developing and how many domains are absolutely invariant in the evolving strains of HIV.
A previously unaddressed need exists in the art to address the deficiencies and inadequacies in HIV vaccine antigen production, especially in connection with the provision of efficacious, antigenic determinant peptides.

Chimeric HIV fusion proteins as vaccines