Torn tissue such as a rotator cuff is positioned on the bone exterior by a tissue grasper. A cannula is inserted through the skin substantially to the torn tissue. A drill guide is inserted into the cannula, a drill bit is inserted into the drill guide, and a hole is drilled through the torn tissue and completely through the bone. The drill bit is removed and an inner cannula is passed through the drill guide until its distal end is engaged on the torn tissue or alternatively passed through the hole until its distal end is at the far end of the drilled hole. A soft tissue anchor having expandable wings at its distal end and sutures secured to an eyelet at its proximal end is releasably connected to the distal end of a tubular deployment tool with the free ends of the sutures extending through the deployment tool. The deployment tool is passed through the inner cannula and drilled hole until the expandable wings clear the far end of the hole a sufficient distance to allow the wings to expand to a diameter larger than the diameter of the drilled hole. The deployment tool, inner cannula, drill guide, and cannula are removed and tension is applied to the suture to engage the expanded wings of the anchor on the exterior surface of the bone surrounding the drilled hole. A button is run down on the sutures through the cannula and secured on the torn tissue by the sutures such that the torn tissue is secured to the bone and the sutures are anchored to the hard exterior surface of the bone by the expanded anchor.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical apparatus and methods for repair of torn tissue, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for arthroscopic repair of a torn rotator cuff.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The rotator cuff is composed of four tendons that blend together to help stabilize and move the shoulder. When a tear occurs in the rotator cuff of the shoulder, it is often necessary to re-attach the torn tendon or tendons to the bone of the humeral head.
In a common prior art rotator cuff reattachment technique, the torn cuff is punctured by a punch, and pre-threaded suture anchor screws (soft tissue fasteners) are drilled into the head of the humerus bone and the sutures threaded through the anchor screws are passed through the cuff in a difficult procedure using suture relay devices to-pass the sutures through the tissue. After the suture strands are passed through the tissue, they are knotted and tied together to secure the reattached rotator cuff to the humerus head. Other types of prior art suture anchors are conically shaped members that are pressed into holes drilled into the bone and engage the cancellous mass surrounding the drilled hole.
A major problem with the above described suture anchoring technique is that the threaded suture anchor screws or conically shaped anchors are threadedly or otherwise secured to the cancellous bone mass beneath the near cortex of the head of the humerus, and depend on this cancellous mass for fixation. It is well known that the cancellous bone mass is susceptible to osteopenic changes (diminished amount of bone tissue).
As a result, the pull-out strength of suture anchors which are depend on the cancellous bone mass beneath the cortex of the bone is subject to becoming diminished with time, and the anchors will tend to loosen, thereby possibly requiring a second operation to remove the loosened suture anchor.
Another problem with the conventional technique is that, in most cases, the sutures are not passed through the tissue when the anchor is set, and thus a difficult procedural step is required using devices such as punches and suture relays to pass and tie the sutures through the torn tissue.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, by an apparatus and method for arthroscopic repair of torn tissue such as a rotator cuff wherein torn tissue such as a rotator cuff is positioned on the bone exterior by a tissue grasper. A cannula is inserted through the skin substantially to the torn tissue. A drill guide is inserted into the cannula, a drill bit is inserted into the drill guide, and a hole is drilled through the torn tissue and completely through the bone. The drill bit is removed and an inner cannula is passed through the drill guide until its distal end is engaged on the torn tissue or alternatively passed through the hole until its distal end is at the far end of the drilled hole. A soft tissue anchor having expandable wings at its distal end and sutures secured to an eyelet at its proximal end is releasably connected to the distal end of a tubular deployment tool with the free ends of the sutures extending through the deployment tool. The deployment tool is passed through the inner cannula and drilled hole until the expandable wings clear the far end of the hole a sufficient distance to allow the wings to expand to a diameter larger than the diameter of the drilled hole. The deployment tool, inner cannula, drill guide, and cannula are removed and tension is applied to the suture to engage the expanded wings of the anchor on the exterior surface of the bone surrounding the drilled hole. A button is run down on the sutures through the cannula and secured on the torn tissue by the sutures such that the torn tissue is secured to the bone and the sutures are anchored to the hard exterior surface of the bone by the expanded anchor.
Unlike conventional soft tissues anchors which are anchored in the cancellous bone mass beneath the near cortex of the bone, the present invention provides a suture anchor which is engaged on the exterior of the far cortex of the bone and completely bypasses the cancellous bone mass. The cortex of the bone is much less susceptible to osteopenia than the cancellous interior of the bone.
With the present invention, the sutures are passed through the tissue when the anchor is set, and thus the difficult procedural step and use of devices such as punches and suture relays to pass and tie the sutures through the torn tissue is eliminated.
Calibrated markings on the deployment system of the present invention allow for precise measurement of the far cortex and precise measurement of the depth of insertion and engagement of the anchor device on the far cortex, such that structures beyond the cortex are not violated, and the button hold-down feature eliminates the traditionally difficult arthroscopic tying techniques.

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair apparatus and method


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a digital predistortion processing apparatus, where the apparatus includes an analog-to-digital conversion unit and n digital predistortion elements. The analog-to-digital conversion unit is connected to the n digital predistortion elements. Each digital predistortion element is configured to receive n input signals, perform digital predistortion processing on the n input signals, and then output n processed signals. The analog-to-digital conversion unit is configured to receive the n processed signals, perform signal extraction based on the n processed signals, and output an extracted signal, where a rate of the extracted signal is the same as a rate of each of the n processed signals. For an ultra-large-bandwidth signal, DPD correction may be performed without increasing a technical level of existing components such as an FPGA and an ADC, thereby greatly reducing implementation costs.

A digital predistorter (DPD) is a current mainstream apparatus for power amplifier predistortion correction, and has been widely used in previous second-generation, third-generation, and fourth-generation communications technologies.
With continuous development of communications technologies, available bandwidths also keep increasing. To adapt to a larger bandwidth, a 2-fold bandwidth sampling manner is used for solving in the prior art. Specifically, a feedback signal with a bandwidth of four to five times larger than a signal bandwidth is sampled by using a high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and transmitted to a field programmable gate array (FPGA)/an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) by using a serializer/deserializer (SerDes). The FPGA/ASIC performs low-pass filtering to remove a specific stray signal, then performs 2-fold bandwidth signal extraction, and feeds back an extracted signal for preprocessing. After being phase-aligned, the signal is sent to a solving unit for solving, so as to meet a larger-bandwidth requirement.
However, in research of the communications technologies, a DPD feedback bandwidth of a future mobile communications technology, such as the fifth-generation mobile communications technology (5G), may reach 3 to 4 gigahertz (GHz). However, energy consumption of a prior-art ADC still cannot satisfy such an ultra-large bandwidth.

Digital predistortion processing apparatus


The present application relates to methods of selecting EGFr binding agents. In certain embodiments, such EGFr binding agents bind to at least a portion of a panitumumab epitope on an EGFr. In certain embodiments, such EGFr binding agents do not bind to a panitumumab epitope on an EGFr.

Certain applications of monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy use the ability of the antibody to specifically deliver to the cancerous tissues cytotoxic effector functions such as immune-enhancing isotypes, toxins or drugs. An alternative approach is to utilize monoclonal antibodies to directly affect the survival of tumor cells by depriving them of essential extracellular proliferation signals, such as those mediated by growth factors through their cell receptors. One of the attractive targets in this approach is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), which binds EGF and transforming growth factor α (TGFα) (see, e.g., Ullrich et al., Cell 61:203-212, 1990; Baselga et al., Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., in Biologic Therapy of Cancer 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995; Fan et al., Curr. Opin. Oncol. 10: 67-73, 1998). Binding of EGF or TGFα to EGFr, a 170 kDa transmembrane cell surface glycoprotein, triggers a cascade of cellular biochemical events, including EGFr autophosphorylation and internalization, which culminates in cell proliferation (see, e.g., Ullrich et al., Cell 61:203-212, 1990).
Several observations implicate EGFr in supporting development and progression of human solid tumors. EGFr has been demonstrated to be overexpressed on many types of human solid tumors (see, e.g., Mendelsohn Cancer Cells 7:359 (1989), Mendelsohn Cancer Biology 1:339-344 (1990), Modjtahedi and Dean Int'l J. Oncology 4:277-296 (1994)). For example, EGF-r overexpression has been observed in certain lung, breast, colon, gastric, brain, bladder, head and neck, ovarian, and prostate carcinomas (see, e.g., Modjtahedi and Dean Int'l J. Oncology 4:277-296 (1994)). The increase in receptor levels has been reported to be associated with a poor clinical prognosis (see, e.g., Baselga et al. Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., Biologic Therapy of Cancer pp. 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995; Modjtahedi et al., Intl. J. of Oncology 4:277-296, 1994; Gullick, Br. Medical Bulletin, 47:87-98, 1991; Salomon et al., Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol. 19: 183-232, 1995). Both epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) have been demonstrated to bind to EGF-r and to lead to cellular proliferation and tumor growth. In many cases, increased surface EGFr expression was accompanied by production of TGFα or EGF by tumor cells, suggesting the involvement of an autocrine growth control in the progression of those tumors (see, e.g., Baselga et al. Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., Biologic Therapy of Cancer pp. 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995; Modjtahedi et al., Intl. J. of Oncology 4:277-296, 1994; Salomon et al., Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol. 19: 183-232, 1995).
Thus, certain groups have proposed that antibodies against EGF, TGF-α, and EGF-r may be useful in the therapy of tumors expressing or overexpressing EGF-r (see, e.g., Mendelsohn Cancer Cells 7:359 (1989), Mendelsohn Cancer Biology 1:339-344 (1990), Modjtahedi and Dean Int'l J. Oncology 4:277-296 (1994), Tosi et al. Int'l J. Cancer 62:643-650 (1995)). Indeed, it has been demonstrated that anti-EGF-r antibodies blocking EGF and TGF-α binding to the receptor appear to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. At the same time, however, anti-EGF-r antibodies have not appeared to inhibit EGF and TGF-α independent cell growth (Modjtahedi and Dean Int'l J. Oncology 4:277-296 (1994)).
Monoclonal antibodies specific to the human EGFr, capable of neutralizing EGF and TGFα binding to tumor cells and of inhibiting ligand-mediated cell proliferation in vitro, have been generated from mice and rats (see, e.g., Baselga et al., Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., in Biologic Therapy of Cancer pp. 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995; Fan et al., Curr. Opin. Oncol. 10: 67-73, 1998; Modjtahedi et al., Intl. J. Oncology 4: 277-296, 1994). Some of those antibodies, such as the mouse 108, 225 (see, e.g., Aboud-Pirak et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 80: 1605-1611, 1988) and 528 (see, e.g., Baselga et al., Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., in Biologic Therapy of Cancer pp. 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995) or the rat ICR16, ICR62 and ICR64 (see, e.g., Modjtajedi et al., Intl. J. Oncology 4: 277-296, 1994; Modjtahedi et al., Br. J. Cancer 67:247-253, 1993; Modjtahedi et al., Br. J. Cancer 67: 254-261, 1993) monoclonal antibodies, were evaluated extensively for their ability to affect tumor growth in xenograft mouse models. Most of the anti-EGFr monoclonal antibodies were efficacious in preventing tumor formation in athymic mice when administered together with the human tumor cells (Baselga et al. Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Modjtahedi et al., Br. J. Cancer 67: 254-261, 1993). When injected into mice bearing established human tumor xenografts, the mouse monoclonal antibodies 225 and 528 caused partial tumor regression and required the co-administration of chemotherapeutic agents, such as doxorubicin or cisplatin, for eradication of the tumors (Baselga et al. Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., in Biologic Therapy of Cancer pp. 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995; Fan et al., Cancer Res. 53: 4637-4642, 1993; Baselga et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 85: 1327-1333, 1993). A chimeric version of the 225 monoclonal antibody (C225), in which the mouse antibody variable regions are linked to human constant regions, exhibited an improved in vivo anti-tumor activity but only at high doses (see, e.g., Goldstein et al., Clinical Cancer Res. 1: 1311-1318, 1995; Prewett et al., J. Immunother. Emphasis Tumor Immunol. 19: 419-427, 1996). The rat ICR16, ICR62, and ICR64 antibodies caused regression of established tumors but not their complete eradication (Modjtahedi et al., Br. J. Cancer 67: 254-261, 1993). These results established EGFr as a promising target for antibody therapy against EGFr-expressing solid tumors and led to human clinical trials with the C225 monoclonal antibody in multiple human solid cancers (see, e.g., Baselga et al. Pharmacol. Ther. 64: 127-154, 1994; Mendelsohn et al., Biologic Therapy of Cancer pp. 607-623, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1995; Modjtahedi et al., Intl. J. of Oncology 4:277-296, 1994).
Certain advances in the biological arts made it possible to produce a fully human anti-EGFr antibody. Using mice transgenic for human immunoglobulin genes (Xenomouse™ technology, Abgenix, Inc.), human antibodies specific for human EGFr were developed (see, e.g., Mendez, Nature Genetics, 15: 146-156, 1997; Jakobovits, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev., 31(1-2): 33-42, 1998; Jakobovits, Expert Opin. Invest. Drugs, 7(4): 607-614, 1998; Yang et al., Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol. 38(1):17-23, 2001; WO98/24893; WO 98/50433). One such antibody, panitumumab, a human IgG2 monoclonal antibody with an affinity of 5×10−11 M for human EGFr, has been shown to block binding of EGF to the EGFr, to block receptor signaling, and to inhibit tumor cell activation and proliferation in vitro (see, e.g., WO98/50433; U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,883). Studies in athymic mice have demonstrated that panitumumab also has in vivo activity, not only preventing the formation of human epidermoid carcinoma A431 xenografts in athymic mice, but also eradicating already-established large A431 tumor xenografts (see, e.g., Yang et al., Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol. 38(1):17-23, 2001; Yang et al., Cancer Res. 59(6):1236-43, 1999). Panitumumab has been considered for the treatment of renal carcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, prostate cancer, and non small cell squamous lung carcinoma, among other cancers (see, e.g., U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0033543) Panitumumab has been approved by the Food & Drug Administration to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods of selecting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) binding agents


Embodiments described herein are directed to methods and systems for performing neural network computations on encrypted data. Encrypted data is received from a user. The encrypted data is encrypted with an encryption scheme that allows for computations on the ciphertext to generate encrypted results data. Neural network computations are performed on the encrypted data, using approximations of neural network functions to generate encrypted neural network results data from encrypted data. The approximations of neural network functions can approximate activation functions, where the activation functions are approximated using polynomial expressions. The encrypted neural network results data are communicated to the user associated with the encrypted data such that the user decrypts the encrypted data based on the encryption scheme. The functionality of the neural network system can be provided using a cloud computing platform that supports restricted access to particular neural networks.

Neural networks generally refer to computation models with the capacity for machine learning and pattern recognition. A neural network can be defined by a set of input neurons which are activated by input data. After the input data is weighted and transformed by a function, the activations of the neurons are passed to other neurons. The process is repeated until an output neuron is activated to generate output results data associated with the input data. Neural network functionality and output results data can be based on various types of fields including speech recognition, handwriting recognition, computer vision, and natural language processing.


An objective lens actuator according to the present invention is provided with a gel holder having a gel holding hole into which suspension wires to hold an objective lens holder are inserted, a gel injection hole connected to the gel holding hole is formed in a round shape on a side surface of the gel holder, an inner diameter of an outer surface side opening of the gel injection hole is made larger than an outer diameter of a needle of a gel dispenser and an inner diameter of an inner surface side opening of the gel injection hole is made smaller than an outer diameter of the needle. By these arrangement the locating of the needle can be performed when the gel material is injected into the gel holding hole by the gel dispenser, it can be prevented that the gel material adheres to around the gel injection hole, and further, it can be prevented that the suspension wires are deformed by an insertion of the needle into the gel holding hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an objective lens actuator that is provided to an optical pickup device for projecting a light beam to an optical recording medium so that record of information or reading of information can be performed. In particular, the present invention relates to a structure of the objective lens actuator in which an objective lens holder is held by a rod-like elastic member. The present invention relates also to an optical pickup device equipped with the above described objective lens actuator.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently optical recording media including a compact disc (hereinafter referred to as a CD) and a digital versatile disc (hereinafter referred to as a DVD) are widely spread. When information is recorded on or reproduced from such an optical recording medium, an optical pickup device is used, which projects a light beam to the optical recording medium so that information can be recorded or read. In such an optical pickup device, it is required that a light beam emitted from a light source is condensed with high accuracy on a recording surface of the optical recording medium through an objective lens. As a structure to realize the above described requirement, the objective lens actuator becomes indispensable.
As for the objective lens actuator, there is a type of the objective lens actuator which is provided with an objective lens holder holding the objective lens, is held by a plurality of metal wires having elasticity in a shakable manner with respect to a base member. Such an objective lens actuator is provided generally with a focus coil and a tracking coil on the objective lens holder, and with a permanent magnet on the base member. A base plate is stood on the base member and one end of each of the above described metal wires is connected to the base plate, and at the same time, other end of each of the metal wires is connected to the focus coil, the tracking coil and the like. Further, each of the metal wires is adhered to the objective lens holder with an adhesive agent, a solder or the like.
In the objective lens actuator as described above, electric current is supplied to the focus coil, the tracking coil and the like through each of the metal wires. By this arrangement, the objective lens holder is driven in its micro motion by an electromagnetic action with the permanent magnet to perform a focus adjustment, a tracking adjustment and the like for the objective lens. Further, in order to improve driving efficiency for the objective lens holder, some objective lens actuator are provided with a ferromagnetic yoke on the base member to draw effectively magnetic fluxes from the permanent magnets so that high density magnetic fluxes are given to the focus coil, the tracking coil and the tilting coil.
At this point, because vibration will occur in each of the metal wires due to driving of the objective lens holder, various artifices are employed to suppress the vibration. As one artifice, as shown in FIG. 12, a resin molded gel holder 102 having through holes 101 is fixed on the base member (not shown). Six metal wires 100 to hold the objective lens holder in a shakable manner with connection to the focus coil, the tracking coil, the tilting coil and the base plate (all not shown), are inserted through the through hole 101. A gel material containing silicon as a main ingredient, is filled in the through hole 101 in the gel holder 102. At this point, the gel material utilized here is hardened to gel by ultraviolet irradiation for a predetermined duration after the gel material is injected into each of the through holes 101 in the gel holder 102. By this arrangement, the vibration which is generated on each of the metal wires 100 can be attenuated and suppressed by the gel material in each of the through holes 101 in the gel holder 102.
However, as shown in FIG. 12, at the gel holder 102 in the conventional technology, the gel material must be injected from an opening of the through hole 101, in other words, from an insertion direction of the metal wires 100. Because the injection of the gel material is performed near the metal wires 100, a needle 103 of a gel dispenser may contact to the metal wires 100 during the injecting process for the metal wires 100 to be deformed especially when a number of the metal wires 100 inserted to the through hole 101 is large. In such a case, the tilting characteristics of the objective lens actuator becomes worse. Further, when viscosity of the gel material which is injected is high and speed of injecting is high, the gel material overflows from the opening of the through hole 101 before the gel material arrives at bottom of the through hole 101 because of the surface tension.
By this reason various technology is proposed to prevent problems which occur during the above described gel material injecting process. For example, JP-A-H11-265516 and JP-A-2005-116062 disclose the optical pickup device in that the through hole made in the gel holder into which the metal wires are inserted, has opening made in a side surface of the gel holder. By this arrangement, because the injecting process of the gel material is performed from the side surface of the gel holder, and contact of the needle of the gel dispenser to the metal wires are made less, efficiency of the gel material injecting process can be improved.
The optical pickup devices disclosed in JP-A-H11-265516 and JP-A-2005-116062, has merit that the gel material is easily filled because the through hole has the opening in the side surface through which the gel material is injected, however, on the other hand, the filled gel material tends to be formed in concave or convex shape at its surface of the opening in the vertical direction, and it is difficult to fill a given amount of the gel material into each of the through holes because the through hole is wide opened in the side surface. When the amount of the filled gel material at each through holes becomes different, control action against vibration for each of the metal wires which is inserted into each of the through holes is not performed evenly. This results in problems of deterioration of moving characteristics of the object lens and read and write characteristics of the optical pickup device.
For this problem, in JP-A-H10-106000, JP-A-2003-233919 and JP-A-2005-251295, an optical pickup device is disclosed in which an injection hole to fill the gel material is arranged on a side surface of the through hole formed in the gel holder. By this arrangement, when the gel material is filled from the injection hole, the gel material is not formed in concave or convex shape at its surface in the vertical direction, and the gel material can be filled equally in amount for each of the through holes.
In the structure of the optical pickup devices disclosed in JP-A-H10-106000, JP-A-2003-233919 and JP-A-2005-251295, the amount of the gel material filled in each of the through holes can become equal by the injection of the gel material through the injection hole arranged in the gel holder, however, it causes a problem that a tip portion of the needle tends to be inserted from the injection hole into inside of the through hole, and the needle may contact to the metal wires which are inserted into the through hole and then, may make the metal wires deformed if inner diameter of the injection hole is made larger than outer diameter of the needle. On the other hand, if the inner diameter of the injection hole is made smaller than the outer diameter of the needle, the tip portion of the needle tends to detach from the injection hole during the gel material injecting process because the tip portion of the needle is not located to fix to the injection hole, it causes a problem that the gel material adheres to surroundings of the gel injection hole. Further, if a shape of cross section of the tip portion of the needle and that of the injection hole are different, a space is formed between the needle and the injection hole when the tip portion of the needle is located at the injection hole, it causes a problem that the gel material spills out from the space during the gel injecting process.

Objective lens actuator and optical pickup device having the same


A display driving method includes: performing a display scan function and a display stop function during a plurality of frame periods; during one frame period, outputting, alternately and sequentially along a scan direction, N scan signals according to K clock signals when performing the display scan function, wherein each of the scan signals has an enable period of a scan line, the clock signals sequentially have a delay, and each of the clock signals is a periodic signal with K delays as one period; providing a driving control signal and disabling the clock signals when performing the display stop function during a display stop period, wherein an initiation time position of the display stop period is changed based on an offset between two neighboring frame periods, and the neighboring frame periods have no overlapping or interlacing interval.

Recently, various LCD products have become popular for use in mobile hand-held devices. In addition, due to widespread use of smart end devices, integration of a touch function into smart end devices has become a mainstream demand for current products.
A frame period of a conventional mobile apparatus includes a display scanning period and a touch sensing period, such that scan signals G(1)-G(N) are outputted during the display scanning period to drive scan lines of a display panel, and then sensing signals S(1)-S(N) are outputted during the touch sensing period to drive sensing lines of a touch panel. The display scanning period may include a plurality of enable periods of scan lines, and a time interval between neighboring enable periods of the scan lines is a display stop period, during which display scanning is suspended to perform touch sensing, and thus no scan signals is outputted to the mobile apparatus. FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a shift register circuit 100 in a single-phase shift register. An nth-stage shift register circuit 100 has a driving unit 110, a pull-up unit 120, a pull-down unit 130, and a pull-down control unit 140, wherein the pull-up unit 120 is conducted according to the previous-stage scan signal (e.g., the scan signal G(n−1)) to raise the voltage at a driving node Q to a high voltage level, and the driving unit 110 is conducted according to clock signals CK1/XCK1 to output the scan signal G(n).
FIG. 2 is a schematic waveform diagram of internal nodes and scan signals of the shift register circuit 100. During one frame period, after the scan signal G(n) is outputted, a display stop period begins. During the display stop period, the signals provided by a timing controller 300, such as the clock signals CK1/XCK1, are disabled to suspend outputting a scan signal G(n+1). Since the clock signals CK1/XCK1 are disabled, the driving units 110 of the nth-stage and the (n+1)th-stage shift register circuits 100 are in a cut-off state. However, the pull-up units 120 of the nth-stage and the (n+1)th-stage shift register circuits 100 has received the previous-stage scan signals, such that the voltages of the driving nodes Q of the nth-stage and the (n+1)th-stage shift register circuits 100 are maintained at a high voltage level, and thus causing transistors of the driving units 110 to be stressed due to bias voltages continuously acting on the driving units 110. Long time stressing reduces the reliability of the driving units 110, such that the scan signal G(n) is not outputted at a desired voltage level, thereby degrading display quality.
Thus, how to prevent the driving transistor of the shift register circuits from being stressed for a long time, resulting in component performance deterioration and thus erroneous output is one of the important development issues today, and also has become an object urgently in need of improvement in related fields today.

Display driving method and mobile apparatus thereof


Extremity control in a video game such as a skateboarding video game is provided through use of a video game controller. In some embodiments multi-axis controls of the video game controller are used to control extremities of a skateboarder character and to move a skateboard used by the skateboarder character responsive to movement of the extremities. For example, the skateboarder character's hands may grab the skateboard to perform a grab trick, or the skateboarder character may shift weight to perform a manual or similar trick.

The present invention relates generally to multi-axis extremity control and inanimate object interaction in a video game, and more particularly to a skateboarding video game including multiple multi-axis extremity control and inanimate object interaction.
Video games are commonly used by many, generally providing a source of entertainment and at times a learning experience for a video game user. Video games often allow users to engage in an interactive visual experience, with the user generally operating controls to perform simulated actions, operate simulated items, and/or otherwise interact with a simulated environment. The simulated environment may be based on reality or entirely fanciful, with users controlling simulated characters taking on roles and performing actions that range from having some correspondence with every day reality to being completely divorced from the present world.
Many video games provide a user with some aspects of control of the movement of a simulated character. For example, performing a sequence of control operations, such as pressing a sequence of buttons on a game controller, may result in a simulated character executing a predefined sequence of maneuvers. Unfortunately, the predefined sequence of maneuvers may relate to various predefined maneuvers that encompass all of the simulated character's body, and thus a granularity of control of the simulated character is not provided to the user.
However, excessive detailed control of the simulated character may be undesirable in the context of a video game. For example, having to control in detail a simulated character's motions may be difficult, and users may be unable to accomplish control sufficient to allow game play. Moreover, requiring a detailed level of control may be wearying, and detract from overall game enjoyment.

Video game extremity control and object interaction


A combination of a pulling grip assembly and a fiber optic cable assembly for installing the fiber optic cable, including:                a flexible grip having an open loop region for pull-force engagement and a closed region engaged with the strength member in a fiber optic cable assembly;        a first heat shrunk member positioned about a portion of the distal end of the fiber optic cable assembly and the distal end of cable; and        a second heat shrunk member positioned about a portion of the closed region of the flexible grip and the proximal end of the fiber optic cable assembly.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The technology of the disclosure relates to methods of preparing pulling members in fiber optic cable furcations, and related components, assemblies, and cables. The pulling members are configured to direct at least part of a pulling load on non-medium components of a fiber optic cable.
2. Technical Background
Pulling grips are used on fiber optic cables during installation to protect the end of the cable, which cabling may include pre-terminated connectors, and to transfer the pulling load to the fiber optic cable. Removal of existing pulling grips may require tools.

Cable pulling grip having toolless removal

Abstract: A method of using the pulling grip assembly and a quick release pulling grip kit for installing fiber optic cable, as defined herein, are also disclosed.


A system and method of evaluating the radio coverage of a geographic area serviced by a digital cellular radiotelephone communication system is described which comprises a plurality of base stations each having a transmitter and a receiver and a plurality of mobile units having co-located transmitters and receivers for transmitting and receiving communication message signals between the base stations and a mobile unit. During operation, the position of at least one of the mobile units operating within the geographic area is located when a call is received by a base station. The base station monitors the signal quality of the call and collects information relevant to the actual performance of the communication system. The mobile unit location and corresponding signal quality data are passed from the base station to a central operation and maintenance unit which collects the data, performs all necessary analytic and arithmetic computations, and provides a user-friendly representation of the characteristics of the radio coverage. With this representation of the radio coverage characteristics, the system operator can quickly and efficiently diagnose coverage deficiencies and take the necessary corrective action. By continuously monitoring subscriber calls and updating the pictographic representations, the system operator can actually observe the effect of the adopted modifications in a pseudo real-time fashion.

One of the most challenging puzzles associated with the management of a cellular radiotelephone communication system is faulty coverage recognition. The next is geographically locating an area within the zone of radio coverage or cell where the problem persists. For example, consider an area within a cellular radiotelephone system that provides poor service due to moderate levels of interference. Typically, this situation is uncovered in one of two ways: customer complaints, or the persistent drive team testing by system operators. Neither of these approaches, however, provides a very timely or comprehensive means of identifying, diagnosing, and curing the problem of faulty coverage.
In the past customer complaints have proven an unreliable means of identifying degraded services. Only a small population of the total subscriber community is in the practice of phoning in complaints. As a results, a considerable number of reportable incidences go unattended. This is an unfortunate phenomenon, for greater subscriber participation in faulty coverage reporting would provide an efficient and comprehensive means of faulty coverage identification due to the increased number of addressable complaints.
The use of drive team testing, while more precise than customer complaints, is a labor intensive process, that is expensive, time consuming, and often incomplete. Drive team testing requires dispatching a mobile unit into the selected zone of coverage to make first hand observation of system conditions. This reactive approach to performance evaluation, however, is extremely short sighted. Considering the average geographic area having radio coverage encompasses several square miles, even regular drive team testing is likely to overlook several problems. Furthermore, if the sought after problem is intermittent, it may totally escape the notice of even the most thorough drive team search. Another major shortcoming is the inability of drive team testing to observe the conditions in multiple zones of radio coverage simultaneously.
In response to these deficiencies, the cellular industry has turned to the aid of electromagnetic coverage prediction tools to assist in the search for holes in the coverage. One such coverage prediction tool is described in an article by D.L. Huff, "AT&T CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY REVIEW," IEEE International Conference on Military Communications, pp 490-494, 1985. According to this article, prediction tools "typically employ a propagation `rule` of signal loss for relative heights of the transmit and receive antennas, the intervening terrain, and other special effects such as urban high-rise buildings, water, foliage, etc." The major drawback to this approach is that the prediction is only as good as the assumptions upon which it is made.
Another approach discussed in the Huff article concerns taking certain "live" power level measurements from active and inactive radio units. This approach, while gathering data on actual system performance, falls severely short of providing a comprehensive means of monitoring and diagnosing the state of a dynamic cellular radiotelephone communication system. Under Huff, signal level measurements are taken at the base site, while channel interference measurements are taken from "radios not in active use on calls." This data is then displayed via histogram representations. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, however, that Huff's approach possesses very limited capabilities. First, he is incapable of monitoring interference at the location of a mobile unit because all signal strength measurements are base site specific. Next, Huff can not monitor disruptive levels of interference on active channels during periods of peak use. Huff relates to an analog cellular system, thus the mobile radio must be inactive, "not in active use," in order to detect interference. During periods of peak use, cells commonly experience saturation, thereby leaving no inactive channels. Since interference during periods of peak use is of the greatest concern to system operators, Huff represents a tool incapable of addressing this interest. In addition, Huff is unprepared to provide user friendly displays depicting real-time change in the system coverage. Therefore, in order to perform an evaluative diagnosis of a cellular radiotelephone or other communication system, it is necessary to develop a complete history on actual system performance from the mobile unit perspective and to present that history to the system operator in a format chosen for ease of comprehension.

Cellular radiotelephone diagnostic system


A fuel injection device includes at least one fuel injector and a receiving bore in a cylinder head as well as a receiving opening of a fuel rail for the fuel injector. The fuel injector is sealed using at least one sealing ring against the walls of the receiving opening and secured in the receiving opening with the aid of a fastening element. A compensating element is provided that acts on the fastening element to prevent bending moments as a result of an asymmetrical suspension of the fuel injector at the fastening element from acting on the fuel injector. The fuel injector device is particularly suitable for directly injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of a mixture-compressing, spark-ignition internal combustion engine.

A conventional fuel injection device in which a fuel injector installed in a receiving bore of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine is provided, is shown in FIG. 1 by way of example. On the inlet side, the fuel injector is inserted into a connecting piece of a fuel rail. The sealing of the fuel injector takes place via a sealing ring that is attached to a connecting piece (for example, as described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2005 020 380 A1).
A fuel injection system for high-pressure injection in internal combustion engines that include a fuel distributor and multiple fuel injectors described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2012 206 887 A1. Each fuel injector is situated at a cup of the fuel distributor. The fuel injectors are attached at the assigned cups with the aid of a fastening element in the shape of a so-called U-clip in each case. The fastening element has an at least essentially straight first leg and an at least essentially straight second leg. The cup has in turn at least one recess that extends as a through bore-hole through a wall of the cup, the first leg and the second leg being guided through the recesses. The connecting sleeve of the fuel injector furthermore has a collar that is supported at the cup at the first leg and at the second leg of the fastening element for the purpose of fastening the fuel injector. This makes it possible to safely and reliably fasten the fuel injector at the cup. However, it cannot be completely excluded that the fuel injector rests slightly asymmetrically on the fastening element, which may result in undesirable bending moments on the fuel injector.


A novel Helicobacter pylori blood group antigen binding (BAB) adhesin protein was isolated and purified, whereby said protein or fractions thereof bind specifically to fucosylated blood group antigens. The protein sequence of said adhesin is disclosed in this application. Simultaneously the DNA sequences for two genes, babA and babB, producing highly similar proteins, are disclosed. Said adhesin and/or DNA is useful for diagnose and therapy and/or prophylaxis directed against H. pylori induced infections, e.g. gastritis and acid peptic disease, i.e. active vaccination.

Helicobacter pylori is a causative agent for acid peptic disease and the presence of this organism is highly correlated to the development of gastric adenocarcinoma. Bacterial adherence to the human gastric epithelial lining was recently shown to be mediated by fucosylated blood group antigens.
Recent research has focused on the role of Helicobacter pylori in the development of ulcers in the gastric mucosa. Recent findings show a strong connection between H. pylori and chronic, active gastritis and gastric ulcers. Furthermore, there appears to be a strong correlation between ventricular cancer and gastric ulcers. Traditional treatment of gastric ulcers has involved gastric resection, the administration of bismuth compositions, the administration of H2-blockers and the administration of pH-buffering agents, to mention a few examples.
More recently, various forms of treatment have been supplemented with the administration of antibiotics. One problem with presently known treatments is the risk for treatment failure. Furthermore, not only do microbes develop antibiotic resistance, the antibiotics administered often upset the natural balance of benign microbes, colonising the intestinal tract. This leads to diarrhoea and other signs of intestinal discomfort, in addition to destabilising the benign flora in the intestines. Other treatments, e. g. H2-blockers often require life-long medication to prevent the recurrence of disease.
The foregoing, together with the fact that H. pylori is very widely spread among humans—according to a conservative estimate approximately 60% of all adult humans in the industrialised countries are infected—makes the diagnosing, prevention and treatment of H. pylori infections an urgent task.
Further, the fact that developing countries frequently lack the resources for conventional treatment of gastric ulcers further underlines the importance of finding new ways of treatment and prevention of H. pylori induced infections. It is obvious, for many reasons, that disease prevention with vaccines is a preferable mode. A vaccine would provide an easily administered and economical prophylactic regimen against H. pylori infections. An effective vaccine against H. pylori is nevertheless presently lacking.

Abstract: A new immunoglobulin composition, which exhibits specific activity to a Lewisb antigen binding Helicobacter pylori adhesin, or preferably, monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibodies to said adhesin offer a new and more efficient method of treatment and/or prevention of gastrointestinal diseases, caused by Helicobacter pylori or other Helicobacter species, i.e. passive vaccination.


A binder composition for a non-aqueous secondary battery electrode contains a water-soluble polymer including a (meth)acrylamide monomer unit and an amine compound. Percentage content M0 of the (meth)acrylamide monomer unit is at least 40 mass % and not more than 100 mass % relative to 100 mass % of all monomer units of the water-soluble polymer. Content M1 of the amine compound is at least 0.01 parts by mass and not more than 0.5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of solid content of the water-soluble polymer.

Non-aqueous secondary batteries (hereinafter, also referred to simply as "secondary batteries") such as lithium ion secondary batteries have characteristics such as compact size, light weight, high energy density, and the ability to be repeatedly charged and discharged, and are used in a wide variety of applications. Consequently, in recent years, studies have been made to improve battery members such as electrodes for the purpose of achieving even higher non-aqueous secondary battery performance.
An electrode for a secondary battery, such as a lithium ion secondary battery, normally includes a current collector and an electrode mixed material layer formed on the current collector. The electrode mixed material layer is formed, for example, by applying, onto the current collector, a slurry composition in which an electrode active material, a binder-containing binder composition, and so forth are dispersed in a dispersion medium, and drying the applied slurry composition.
In order to further improve the performance of secondary batteries, attempts have been made in recent years to further improve binder compositions used in electrode mixed material layer formation.
For example, PTL 1 discloses a technique for producing an aqueous electrode binder by adding N-methyl-benzisothiazolin-3-one as a preservative to a water-soluble polymer used as a binder having a methacrylic acid monomer unit as a main component in a solid content ratio of 100/10 (water-soluble polymer/N-methyl-benzisothiazolin-3-one). In the aqueous electrode binder of PTL 1 and an aqueous electrode composition produced using the aqueous electrode binder, the water-soluble polymer itself displays dispersing ability and viscosity modification functionality, and a produced secondary battery has improved capacity maintenance rate and the like.
On the other hand, a water-soluble polymer including a repeating unit derived from (meth)acrylamide, for example, has been proposed (PTL 2) as a water-soluble polymer for use in production of a secondary battery from a viewpoint of providing a binder composition for a power storage device that enables production of a power storage device having excellent electrode close adherence and charge/discharge characteristics. It has been confirmed with respect to the binder composition for a power storage device of PTL 2 that sedimentation does not occur even after one month of refrigerated storage.

Binder composition for non-aqueous secondary battery electrode, slurry composition for non-aqueous secondary battery electrode, electrode for non-aqueous secondary battery, and non- aqueous secondary battery


According to one embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor device includes a first layer of dielectric material disposed upon an upper surface of a substrate of a semiconductor device and a first non-conductive layer of metal disposed upon an upper surface of the dielectric material. The first layer of dielectric material and the first non-conductive layer of metal act as an optical trap for electromagnetic radiation received by the first non-conductive layer of metal. In particular embodiments, the semiconductor device may further comprise a second layer of dielectric material disposed upon an upper surface of the first non-conductive layer of metal and a second non-conductive layer of metal disposed upon an upper surface of the second layer of dielectric material.

Semiconductor devices may be designed to interact with electromagnetic radiation that is incident upon a particular area of the device. One such semiconductor device is a spatial light modulator, which serves to redirect the path of incoming radiation by action of one or more accepted principles of optics, such as reflection, refraction, or diffraction. Unfortunately, in many of these devices, some incident radiation may not be redirected in the desired manner due to physical gaps, unwanted diffraction, scattering effects, or other phenomena. Such radiation may be deemed "stray radiation." This stray radiation may degrade the performance of the overall system if a mechanism of absorbing the radiation is not present.
An example of a spatial light modulator whose performance may be degraded by stray radiation is a digital micro-mirror device (DMD). DMDs, which may be used in a variety of optical communication and/or projection display systems, involve an array of micro-mirrors that selectively communicate at least a portion of an optical signal or light beam by pivoting between active "on" and "off" states. To permit the micro-mirrors to pivot, each micro-mirror is attached to a hinge coupled to a CMOS substrate that controls the movement of the micro-mirrors. Unfortunately, when the micro-mirrors are in the "off" state, the CMOS substrate, which may be optically reflective, is exposed. As light passes between the micro-mirrors of the DMD, the light may then be reflected by the surface of the substrate, resulting in stray radiation that limits the contrast ratio achievable in display systems based on the DMD.
A variety of methods have been employed in an attempt to reduce the reflectivity of the CMOS substrate that makes up the substructure of DMDs and other spatial light modulators. One such method that has been employed is the application of an antireflective and/or absorptive coating to certain regions of the semiconductor device which are physically located on a different plane than the surface(s) responsible for the redirection effects. These coatings, however, are limited in that they may require complicated materials and may not absorb sufficiently within the frequency range of interest to provide the best possible system performance. Additionally, some of these coatings require patterning over the substrate due to optical or electrical performance issues.

Antireflective coating for semiconductor devices and method for the same


An image-forming apparatus contains a control portion that controls a cooling operation of the fixing portion. The control portion sets an image confirmable position in which an image formed on a long sheet is confirmable. When a print job on the long sheet finishes, the control portion starts the cooling operation of the fixing portion and controls the conveying portion to convey the long sheet until a rear end of a final image fixed by a fixing portion reaches the image confirmable position and finishes the cooling operation of the fixing portion until the rear end of the image fixed by the fixing portion reaches the image confirmable position. The control portion also sets the image confirmable position to be at an outermost circumference of rolled paper reeled by a reeling apparatus.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus that forms an image on a long sheet by transferring and fixing toner images on the long sheet, and an image-forming system using the image-forming apparatus.
Description of Related Art
An image-forming apparatus adopting an electrophotographic system such as a printer, a copier or the like has been known in the past. In such an image-forming apparatus, when forming the image(s) on a long sheet, the long sheet may remain on a paper-conveying route even after the image has been formed.
Such an image-forming apparatus has a fixing device for fixing the toner images transferred on the long sheet by heating under pressure. The fixing device includes a pair of rollers, a belt and rollers and the like. The fixing device nips the long sheet with any pressure being applied to it and heats the rollers and the like by a heater which generates heat by energization.
Since the long sheet is still present on the paper-conveying route in such an image-forming apparatus after the image has been formed, any marks may be leaved on the long sheet by heat or the long sheet may be deformed by heat when the rollers and the like of the fixing device contacts the long sheet after the image has been formed while the rollers and the like have been not sufficiently cooled.
Accordingly, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-233770 has proposed a technology such that the rollers and the like of the fixing device are released from the long sheet after the image has been formed and the rollers and the like of the fixing device and the long sheet are prevented from contacting to each other by inhibiting the long sheet from being bent.

Image-forming apparatus and image-forming system


A solid combustible composition for use in solid fuel air-augmented rocket engines which very substantially increases the temperature efficiency of afterburner fuel combustion with ram air, thereby greatly increasing engine performance. The improvement comprises dispersing in a matrix comprising the solid, fuel-rich organic compositions conventionally utilized in air-augmented rockets, particles containing solid oxidizable element and fluorine oxidizer compound which reacts with the element to produce gaseous subfluoride compound.

State-of-the-art air-augmented rocket engines obtain jet thrust by burning an organic, fuel-rich composition containing oxidizer sufficient to maintain combustion but insufficient for complete oxidation of the fuel components; ejecting the resulting fuel-rich combustion products into an afterburner; and then mixing high pressure, heated ram air with the fuel-rich products of combustion, thereby obtaining secondary combustion in the afterburner. Temperature efficiency, which is the ratio of actual combustion temperature obtained to the theoretically obtainable temperature, is directly proportional to theoretical engine performance and is therefore frequently employed to define performance efficiency. In general, such efficiency has been relatively low, ranging from about 40% to 70%, the latter being obtained under the most favorable conditions. Because of the relatively low combustion temperatures which can drop below ignition temperature of the organic fuel-rich composition, it has been the practice to employ flame stabilizers and flame holders to improve combustion efficiency and increase temperature by providing areas of turbulent mixing. Unfortunately, such expedients also result in a pressure drop which tends to decrease overall system propulsive efficiency.
The present invention increases temperature efficiency to as high as about 90% to 100%, thereby greatly improving air-augmented rocket engine performance. The improvement, furthermore, is accomplished at relatively low cost in terms of fuel-rich composition modification and can accomplish substantial savings in cost and dead weight by very considerably reducing the mixing and combustion chamber volume downstream of the fuel-rich grain presently required in the state-of-the-art air-augmented rocket engine. It is also believed that the high-temperature gaseous subfluorides improve mixing of the ram air, act as ignition aids for the ram air-organic fuel-rich combustion products, and may provide adequate turbulent mixing to make possible elimination of flame holders.
Combustible compositions of particular utility in air-augmented rocket engines comprising (a) an organic fuel-rich matrix containing insufficient oxidizer for complete combustion; and (b) solid fuel-rich particles, dispersed in the matrix, comprising at least one oxidizable solid element having a single stable valence and the ability to produce a gaseous subfluoride; and at least one solid oxidizer compound having combined therein as an oxidizer element, fluorine available to oxidize the oxidizable solid element to subfluoride; the oxidizable element and oxidizer compound being present in the fuel-rich particles in amounts sufficient to react to produce an appreciable amount of the gaseous subfluoride.

Combustible compositions for air-augmented rocket engines


A laminated composite shell structure having quasi-isotropic thermal expansion and contraction characteristics and a method for its fabrication. The laminated composite shell structure includes multiple layers of overlapping strips of composite material conforming to an axisymmetric doubly-curved surface. The fibers in the multiple layers are arranged at different relative angular orientations, with the composite strips being shaped to maintain the fibers at a constant relative angular orientation throughout the shell structure.

This invention relates generally to composite shell structures, such as antenna reflectors, and their methods of fabrication and, more particularly, to laminated composite shell structures that are fabricated from multiple layers of overlapping strips of composite material.
Antenna reflectors deployed on orbiting spacecraft are subjected to wide temperature variations due to the alternate extremes of direct sunlight and total darkness encountered in orbit. An antenna reflector must be able to withstand the thermal stresses induced by these wide temperature variations without undergoing large distortions in shape. Distortions in the high-precision three-dimensional surface contour of an antenna reflector cause a loss in signal strength and possible loss of information, particularly for large reflectors or high frequency signals. An antenna reflector intended for use in space, therefore, should be rigid, strong and lightweight and have good thermoelastic properties.
One type of shell construction that is rigid, strong and lightweight is a laminated composite shell structure fabricated from multiple layers of overlapping strips of composite material, such as unidirectional graphite fiber reinforced epoxy tapes. The mechanical properties of a laminated composite shell structure, such as strength, stiffness and thermoelasticity, are largely determined by the type of composite material and the relative angular orientation of the fibers in the multiple layers. Strength and stiffness are maximized by orienting the fibers in the multiple layers at different angles, such as 0.degree. and 90.degree. , or 0.degree. and .+-.60.degree.. Thermoelasticity is minimized by using a composite material with a low coefficient of thermal expansion and constructing the shell structure such that any thermal expansion or contraction is quasi-isotropic. Quasi-isotropic expansion and contraction is provided by maintaining the relative angular orientation of the fibers in the multiple layers at their selected angles within a small tolerance throughout the shell structure.
If a shell structure conforming to a three-dimensional doubly-curved surface is relatively flat, the angular orientation of the fibers in the multiple layers remains the same within an acceptable tolerance throughout the shell structure. However, if a shell structure conforming to a doubly-curved surface has some curvature, large deviations result in the angular orientation of the fibers in the multiple layers. For example, if two layers of constant width strips are oriented at angles of 0.degree. and 90.degree. at the vertex of a parabolic antenna reflector having an F/D (focal length to diameter ratio) ratio of 0.25, the strips will intersect at angles from 70.degree. to 110.degree. at different locations along the periphery of the reflector. This is an excessive deviation from the desired 90.degree. orientation. Accordingly, there has been a need for a laminated composite shell construction that does not suffer from these large deviations in fiber orientation. The present invention is directed to this end.

Laminated composite shell structure having improved thermoplastic properties and method for its fabrication


A surgical instrument includes a hand piece having a fixed branch and a displaceable branch for actuating a first tool and/or second tool, a guide device in which a force transmission device is arranged to be displaceable longitudinally and/or rotationally, the force transmission device coupled, on the proximal side, to the fixed branch and/or displaceable branch and coupled, on the distal side, to the first tool and/or second tool, and a connection device on which the guide device can be coupled to the hand piece in an insertable and detachable manner by a coupling simultaneously providing a holding force for holding the guide device in the connection device, a bipolar electrical contact on the distal side of the hand piece for parts of the instrument requiring energy, and degrees of freedom for longitudinal and/or rotational movement of the guide device and/or force transmission device.

In the field of bipolar surgical instruments especially of the minimally invasive design, from prior art for example instruments comprising bipolar tubular shank forceps/pincers are known as tubular shank tools which are operable and/or actuatable via a handle including operating elements at the proximal end of a tubular shank. Accordingly, at the distal end of the tubular shank a multi-part arrangement, for instance of the scissors, pincers or forceps type, of elements/branches linked to the tubular shank to be movable relative to each other. Inside the tubular shank a gearing extends in the form of a pull/push rod which couples the elements/branches movably linked to the tubular shank to corresponding operating elements (levers, keys, scissors holes etc.) on the handle. Manipulation of the operating elements on the handle then results in an appropriately converted movement of the movably linked elements/branches at the place of use, for example a cutting, gripping and/or rotating movement at or in the tissue of a patient.
The elements/branches furthermore are equipped with electrodes which are coupled via electric conductors inside the tool shank to control electrics inside the handle so that optionally electric current (HF current) can be applied. In those known arrangements of bipolar tubular shank instruments merely fixed connections and/or contacts between the handle and the tubular shank tool by welding and/or soldering of the respective (current-carrying) components, for example, have been used so far.
From HF surgery furthermore spring elements for monopolar instrument insertion systems are known by means of which a shank of a tubular shank tool is connectable to a handle. Inserting connections for monopolar electrodes are available according to different electrode diameters and shapes. There the monopolar electrodes can be inserted, without any further movable parts, into a spring cage-type holding arrangement within the inserting connection and can also be removed from said spring cage-type arrangement.
From the document U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,394 B1, an electrosurgical instrument is known comprising a universal handle which is designed for attaching and removing different tubular shank tools for carrying out different electrosurgical processes. For attaching and removing, the handle has a multi-part design comprising upper concave sections configured for receiving and holding the tubular shank tools. The tools are provided with similar external housing shapes so that they all fit into the concave sections. The handle parts are held together by snap-type restraining mechanisms and can be detached from each other in the same manner. The handle may receive a plurality of core tools which may comprise parts of a family of tools for both monopolar and bipolar electrosurgical processes.
Furthermore, from the document EP 0 697 199 B1 a surgical bipolar instrument is known comprising a tubular/shank-type housing into which an electrode head provided with two electrodes can be detachably inserted forming an electric connection between the electrodes and two conductors arranged in the housing. For this purpose, one conductor is formed by a conducting tubular shank electrically insulated on the outside and another conductor is formed by a rod supported in the tubular shank and being electrically insulated against the latter. One electrode includes, when the electrode head is completely inserted, inserting elements which are adjacent to the inside of the tubular shank so as to be electrically conducting, which are resiliently movable in the radial direction and which engage with a projection in a recess of the inner wall of the tubular shank or of the rod and fix the electrode in this way against axial displacement within the tubular housing. The tubular shank and the rod are movable relative to each other between a locking position and a release position in the longitudinal instrument direction, wherein the tubular shank and the rod in the locking position enclose the inserting elements between themselves in a radially non-displaceable manner with the projection engaging in the recess, whereas in the release position they enable the projection to radially exit the recess. The rod contacts the other electrode in the locking position in an electrically conducting manner.
While an electric contact of an exchangeable monopolar and/or bipolar electrode is available already, for bipolar surgical instruments, especially operable bipolar tubular shank instruments which require current and/or are designed for rotational movement, there is still demand for an insert system for connecting and/or disconnecting a tubular shank tool provided for single use to and/or from a reusable handle which insert system permits electrical contacting, fixation (mechanical coupling) of the tool to the handle as well as, at the same time, rotatability, pivotability and/or movability of parts of the tool.

Bipolar surgical instrument comprising a reusable handle and a single-use tool


In a distribution matching circuit, output data of a plurality of LUTs forming a hierarchical tree structure sequentially designates a combination of signal point groups in a signal space managed by an LUT in an immediately lower level, and signal point information after distribution matching is output for each LUT in the lowermost level.

In order to implement high throughput in optical communication, for example, it is effective to increase the number of levels of multi-level modulation. In a case where the number of levels of multi-level modulation is increased, normally, quadrature amplitude modulation (hereinafter referred to as QAM) is performed on the transmission side of signal communication, and coherent detection and digital signal processing are performed on the reception side.
Meanwhile, when a bit count carried in a QAM signal is increased, the number of signal points is also increased, and the minimum distance between signal points with respect to the average power of the signal is decreased. Consequently, the signal-to-noise ratio (hereinafter referred to as SNR) required to obtain certain communication quality is increased, thereby limiting applicable transmission conditions.
In optical communication, the error rate tolerance is often very small, and, normally, error correction is performed in high-end devices. In particular, in a case where performance is emphasized, soft decision error correction is used. Studies have been made on a combination of multi-level QAM and soft decision error correction, and further study is made on further combining probabilistic shaping therewith.
Technology for shaping the signal constellation includes geometric shaping that shapes the position of each of a plurality of signal points and probabilistic shaping that shapes the probability that each of the plurality of signal points may take. In either case, it is possible to make the relationship of the transmission capacity to the SNR asymptotic to the Shannon limit. This contributes to, for example, increase of the communication capacity of a client signal under given transmission conditions.
For example, Non-Patent Literature 1 describes a method in which probabilistic shaping and error correction are combined. In this approach, distribution matching (DM), which is processing on the transmission side in probabilistic shaping, is performed upstream of error correction encoding, and with an assumption of systematic error correction processing, distribution dematching (invDM), which is processing on the reception side, is performed downstream of error correction decoding. "Matching" here means matching of a communication signal to a Gaussian channel having a certain SNR. Since it is extremely difficult to match ideally, the processing actually performed is approximately equivalent to extending the minimum distance between signal points with respect to the average power of a transmission signal as much as possible.
In the approach described in Non-Patent Literature 1, constant composition DM described in Non-Patent Literature 2 or an m-out-of-n code described in Non-Patent Literature 3 is used for the distribution matching and the distribution dematching in the probabilistic shaping.

Distribution matching circuit, distribution dematching circuit, distribution matching method, distribution dematching method, and optical transmission system


An instrument for removing ticks from the skin of a person or animal and which includes a handle portion and a pickup device on one end of the handle portion. The pickup device includes a circular base wall having a V-shaped slot, and cylindrical jacket joined to the base wall. The cylindrical jacket includes a radial passage which is aligned with the open end of the slot. In use, the base wall is placed on the skin and the base wall is then slid along the skin to cause the tick to be received in and engaged by the slot, with the body of the tick entering the cylindrical jacket.

The present invention relates to an instrument for removing ticks with a gripping handle portion which is similar to pliers.
Instruments for removing ticks have been known for a long time, and they exist in a large variety of shapes and sizes. Frequently, the instruments are constructed in the form of tweezers. Such instruments are used both in the private and the commercial fields, when ticks are to be removed from the human or animal skin, to which they are attached. Such a removal of ticks from the skin is necessary, since a bite of the ticks may transmit dangerous diseases to the human and domestic animals. Both during the removal by means of fingers and by means of tweezers, it is possible to tear off in most cases only the body of the tick that swells considerably during the sucking of blood, whereas the mouthparts of the tick continue to be attached in the skin. In this state, it is still possible to transmit diseases.
A complete removal of a tick while it sucks blood, can be realized in most cases only with a good feel for gripping or holding and by subsequently twisting out the mouthparts of the tick. In this connection, the twisting motion effects a cautious pulling of the tick. Further, the twisting motion accomplishes a stabilization between the mouthparts and the tick body, so that the known instrument is capable of preventing in nearly all cases a tearing of the mouthparts.
However, the known instruments are problematic, in that despite gripping the tick with a special gripping arrangement, it is not always possible to avoid having the fully bloated body of the tick be squashed and exploded. The risk of squashing and exploding the tick body exists in particular in a strongly bloated state of the tick body. Thereafter, a safe and clean removal of the tick is no longer ensured.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an instrument of the initially described kind for removing ticks, which facilitates an easy removal of ticks from the skin with a simplest handling, even when the body of the tick is strongly bloated.


In a method of operating a gas turbine wherein process by-product gases (e.g., from a blast furnace) are used as fuel in the gas turbine, an improvement which includes the steps of a) removing inert gases from the process gas to thereby form an enriched process gas; b) raising the enriched process gas to a minimum pressure sufficient for combustion in the gas turbine, and c) feeding the enriched process gas to the gas turbine for combustion. The invention also relates to a combined cycle plant including a gas turbine; a process system which supplies by-product gas to be used as fuel in the gas turbine; a gas enrichment station for removing inert gas prior to, or part-way through, compression of the enriched process gas; a gas clean-up station located upstream or downstream of the gas enrichment station; and, optionally, a heat recovery steam generator located between the gas turbine and steam turbine; and means for conducting exhaust gas from the gas turbine to the heat recovery steam generator to generate steam for the steam turbine.

Fuels used in gas turbines are typically hydrocarbons in the form of oil, or natural gas. The fuel to be used in any particular stationary plant is generally determined by economics and fuel availability. Industrial processes often create combustible by-product streams. Examples include sugar mill refuse; petroleum coke from oil refineries; steel mill blast furnace gases; sawmill wastes and so on, which also can be converted into gas turbine fuels. All fuels can be characterized by a heating value in terms of BTU's per pound. The heating value may be defined as the energy available in the products of combustion when being cooled back to a reference temperature, and typically runs about 18,500 BTU's per pound for a light fuel oil.
The form and quality of the by-product fuels available from industrial processes varies and may require further processing to be suitable for use in a gas turbine. For example, petroleum coke or refinery bottoms can be gasified to produce a mixture of CO and H.sub.2 suitable for a gas turbine while allowing environmentally harmful contaminants (e.g., sulfur) to be removed. Even gaseous by-product fuels such as blast furnace gas need to be compressed to meet the needs of a gas turbine.

Removal of inert gases from process gases prior to compression in a gas turbine or combined cycle power plant


A transmission type display includes a thin film transistor for driving a pixel electrode, which transistor is provided on a substrate, and a conductive shield layer provided at a position over the thin film transistor and under the pixel electrode. A first planarization film is formed to bury an irregular contour of the thin film transistor and the shield layer is disposed on the planarized surface of the first planarization film, and a second planarization film is formed to bury steps of the shield layer, and the pixel electrode is disposed on the planarized surface of the second planarization film. Since the transmission type display has the structure in which the conductive shield layer is put between the upper second planarization film and the lower first planarization film each of which is made from an insulating material, the shielding performance and the alignment characteristic of the display can be improved.

The present invention relates to a display and a fabrication method thereof. In particular, the present invention is suitably applied to a liquid crystal display of a type in which a conductive shield film is provided at a position over a thin film transistor for driving a pixel electrode and under the pixel electrode.
Liquid crystal displays have been extensively used as flat displays. As thin film transistors (TFTs) for driving pixel electrodes provided in these liquid crystal displays, amorphous silicon (a-Si) TFTs have been conventionally used; however, recently, polycrystalline Si TFTs have come to be frequently used. The optical sensitivity of a polycrystalline Si TFT is not higher than that of an a-Si TFT; however, since recent liquid crystal-displays, for example, projectors have been increasingly used under a large light quantity, even a polycrystalline Si TFT causes a non-negligible amount of light leakage current. The light leakage current leads to degradation of an image quality, such as reduction in contrast, crosstalk, or flicker.
To suppress the occurrence of a light leakage current from a thin film transistor of a liquid crystal display, there has been adopted a configuration in which the thin film transistor is covered with a shield film made from a metal. In general, the shield film is formed on the thin film transistor via an underlying insulating film, and a pixel electrode is formed on the metal made shield film via another insulating film. However, since the surface of the thin film transistor has irregularities, the shield film is affected by the irregularities of the thin film transistor via the insulating film. In particular, portions of the shield film, positioned at slopes of the irregularities of the thin film transistor, become thinner. The shielding performance of these thinner portions of the shield film becomes poor. Further, steps of the shield film, which are formed by the irregularities of the thin film transistor, also exert adverse effect on the surface of the insulating film on which the pixel electrode is to be formed. The surface of the insulating film on which the pixel electrode is formed is in contact with a liquid crystal, and in general, an alignment film is formed on the insulating film to cover the pixel electrode. As a result, if steps occurs on the surface of the insulating film by the effect of the steps of the shield film, it is difficult to uniformly treat an alignment film, which is formed on-the insulating film to cover the pixel electrode, over the entire surface of the substrate.
An object of the present invention is to provide a display capable of improving both the shielding performance and the alignment characteristic, and a method of fabricating the display.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a display in which a thin film transistor for driving a pixel electrode is provided on a substrate and a conductive shield layer is provided at a position over the thin film transistor and under the pixel electrode, the display including: a first planarization film formed to bury an irregular contour of the thin film transistor, the shield layer being disposed on the planarized surface of the first planarization film; and a second planarization film formed to bury steps of the shield layer, the pixel electrode being disposed on the planarized surface of the second planarization film. The first planarization film may be obtained by forming an insulating film, and planarizing the surface of the insulating film by chemical-mechanical polishing. The first planarization film may be obtained by smoothly applying an insulating material by spin-coating, and baking the insulating material. The second planarization film may be obtained by forming an insulating film, and planarizing the surface of the insulating film by chemical-mechanical polishing. The second planarization film may be obtained by smoothly applying an insulating material by spin-coating, and baking the insulating material. The second planarization film may be obtained by applying an organic resin.
The above-described display, preferably, further includes a terminal region for electrical connection, in which a contact-hole portion opened in the first planarization film and a flat surface portion surrounding the contact-hole portion are provided; wherein a metal conductive layer constituting the shield layer is connected to an underlying interconnection via the contact-hole portion; and a transparent conductive layer constituting the pixel electrode is in contact with the metal conductive layer on the flat surface portion from which the second planarization film is removed. An opening area of the contact-hole portion may be in a range of 100 xcexcm2 or less. The contact-hole portion may be configured as a plurality of contact-hole portions which are formed in the terminal region in such a manner as to be separated from each other by means of the flat surface portion. The second planarization film may be removed from the flat surface portion, and at least part of the second planarization film may remain in the contact-hole portion. The display, preferably, further includes a counter substrate on which a counter electrode is formed; wherein the counter substrate is joined to the substrate on which the pixel electrode has been formed with a specific gap put therebetween; and a liquid crystal is held in the gap.
According to the present invention, since the conductive shield layer is formed on the first planarization film covering the thin film transistor, the step coverage of the shield layer is enhanced and the uniformity of the thickness of the shield layer is improved. As a result, the shield layer exhibits a sufficient shielding performance, to thereby significantly reduce leakage light. This makes it possible to suppress occurrence of light leakage current even under light irradiation of a high brightness. Also, according to the present invention, steps of the shield layer are buried by covering the surface of the shield layer with the second planarization film. The pixel electrode is formed on the planarized surface of the second planarization film, and an alignment layer is formed to cover the pixel electrode and is subjected to a liquid crystal alignment treatment. Since the surface of alignment layer being in contact with the liquid crystal is smoothened, it can be uniformly subjected to the alignment treatment. In this way, by adopting the structure in which the conductive shield layer is put between the upper and lower planarization films each of which is made from an insulating material, it is possible to improve the shielding performance and the alignment characteristic of a transmission type liquid crystal display.


An information transmission apparatus that transmits data whose generation amount per unit time changes is provided. If a data amount that exceeds a predetermined threshold is generated, an excess data portion, which is a portion of a piece of data, the portion being of a data amount by which the piece of data exceeds the threshold, is distributed to at least a piece of preceding data whose data amount does not reach the threshold. The excess data portion is distributed at a ratio determined in accordance with a difference between the data amount of a piece of data to which the excess data portion is to be distributed and the threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information transmission apparatuses that transmit data and information transmission methods for transmitting data, where generation amount per unit time of the data changes, and more particularly, to an information transmission apparatus and an information transmission method that are capable of efficiently transmitting data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data encoding efficiency greatly changes in accordance with a characteristic of data encoded and a characteristic of an encoding method used. It is not desirable to transmit to an apparatus an amount of encoded data that exceeds the capability of the apparatus. Thus, for example, a method for achieving reliable data transmission by controlling the quality of encoding processing to reduce the change of encoded data amount has been proposed.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 2675130 discloses an image data transfer apparatus. When each frame of an image is encoded, an excess data portion, which is a portion of a piece of encoded data, the portion being of a data amount by which the piece of encoded data exceeds a threshold, is multiplexed with encoded data of a temporally preceding frame whose code amount does not reach the threshold, and the obtained multiplexed encoded data is transmitted. The remaining encoded data, whose code amount does not exceed the threshold, is normally transmitted. Thus, a deterioration of image quality of a frame that has a large amount of encoded data can be suppressed, and the amount of data to be transmitted falls under the threshold.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an image data transfer apparatus of the related art.
Analog original image data (moving image) received at an input terminal 4101 is converted into digital moving image data by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 4102, and the digital moving image data is stored in a frame memory 4103. The digital moving image data stored in the frame memory 4103 is read according to need and input to an encoder 4104.
The encoder 4104 encodes the received digital moving image data using a predetermined method. The encoder 4104 also generates a frame number for each encoded frame, and outputs the generated frame numbers to a switch (SW) 4108 and a main frame number generator 4112.
The encoded data is stored, for each frame, in one of memories 4109 to 4111 (memory numbers 1 to N) through the switch 4108. When the frame number of a frame encoded by the encoder 4104 is "X" and the remainder of X/N is "n", the switch 4108 is controlled such that the encoded data corresponding to the frame number X is stored in the memory whose memory number is n+1.
That is, if the frame number of the latest encoded frame to be currently stored in a memory is 33 (that is, X=33) and the total number of memories is 5 (that is, N=5), the value "4" is obtained from the equation n+1=4. Thus, the switch 4108 is controlled such that encoded data corresponding to the frame number 33 is stored in the memory 4.
When a memory that stores certain encoded data is selected in accordance with the above-mentioned rule, at a point in time when the encoded data whose frame number is 33 is stored in the memory 4, encoded data whose frame number is 32 is stored in the memory 3, encoded data whose frame number is 31 is stored in the memory 2, encoded data whose frame number is 30 is stored in the memory 1, and encoded data whose frame number is 29 is stored in the memory 5.
As described above, in accordance with the frame number X generated by the encoder 4104 for each encoded frame and the total number N of memories, the value obtained from n+1 is obtained. In accordance with the value obtained from n+1, the switch 4108 is controlled. Thus, encoded frames are sequentially stored in the memories 1 to N.
The frame number of the encoded frame that is read from one of the memories 1 to N and that is output to a multiplexer 4116 is represented by a main frame number Xnext output from the main frame number generator 4112.
An encoded frame corresponding to the main frame number Xnext corresponds to an encoded frame stored in the m+1th memory.
Here, "m" represents the remainder obtained by dividing the main frame number Xnext by N (the number of memories). In addition, the main frame number Xnext is represented by a difference between the current frame number X and a value obtained from N−1. Thus, when the frame number X is 33 and the number N of memories is 5, the main frame number Xnext is 29.
That is, a main frame is equal to the first stored (or oldest) encoded frame in one of the memories 1 to N.
A scene change frame number generation circuit 4115 compares the code amount of the current encoded frame that is encoded by the encoder 4104 and that is stored in one of the memories 1 to N (in this case, N=5) with a threshold, and detects a frame having a code amount that exceeds the threshold.
When detecting a frame having a code amount that exceeds the threshold, the scene change frame number generation circuit 4115 determines that the detected frame is a scene change frame. The frame number Xc of the detected frame is held in the scene change frame number generation circuit 4115 for a period of time corresponding to N frames (in this case, N=5). The scene change frame number Xc is also output to a selector switch 4114 and the multiplexer 4116.
The selector switch 4114 interprets the contents of a memory whose memory number is k+1 determined from the scene change frame number Xc as an encoded frame corresponding to a scene change frame. Then, the selector switch 4114 reads a desired portion of the contents of the memory whose memory number is k+1 from among the memories 1 to N.
Here, "k" represents the remainder obtained by dividing the scene change frame number Xc by the total number N of memories.
If the scene change frame number Xc is 33, as shown in part (a) of FIG. 5, an encoded frame corresponding to the frame number 33 is determined to be encoded data of a scene change frame. Thus, a portion of the contents of the memory 4 (that is, k+1=4), in which the encoded data is stored, is read in parallel to data of the encoded frame corresponding to the main frame number Xnext (that is, the contents of the memory 5).
The read contents of the memory 4 and the read contents of the memory 5 are multiplexed with each other by the multiplexer 4116, and are stored in a buffer memory 4105. The stored contents are sequentially read and input to a recorder 4106.
The multiplexed data input to the recorder 4106 is recorded on a recording medium 4107 under the control of the recorder 4106.
Segmentation of encoded data of a frame determined to be a scene change frame (scene change frame number Xc=33) and multiplexing of the segmented encoded data with a main frame (main frame number Xnext=29) is performed (N−1) times after the scene change frame number generation circuit 4115 detects the scene change.
Thus, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 5, a portion of the encoded data corresponding to the frame number 33 (a portion of the contents of the memory 4) is also multiplexed with encoded data of other frames subsequent to the encoded data corresponding to the frame number 29 (the contents of the memory 5). More specifically, encoded data corresponding to the frame number 30 (the contents of the memory 1), encoded data corresponding to the frame number 31 (the contents of the memory 2), and encoded data corresponding to the frame number 32 (the contents of the memory 3) are also read at the same time, and are input to the multiplexer 4116.
The way in which a portion of encoded data of a scene change frame that is to be multiplexed with encoded data of another frame is determined is not particularly limited.
When the encoded data corresponding to the frame number 33, which is a scene change frame, is output as a main frame (corresponding to a main frame number Xnext), the remaining encoded data, which is data other than the portion multiplexed with the preceding frames and transmitted, is transmitted as encoded data of the main frame.
Such an image data transfer apparatus of the related art is provided to control the transmission data amount when recording onto a recording medium whose write data rate is fixed and stable is performed. Thus, an environment in which the quality of a transmission channel used for transmission of encoded data read from the buffer memory 4105 to the recorder 4106 dynamically changes is not assumed.
Thus, a threshold for detecting a scene change frame is fixed. This does not cause a big problem when the quality of the transmission channel is excellent. However, when the quality is deteriorated, overflow of the buffer memory 4105 may occur even if the encoded data amount does not reach the threshold.
An excess code amount is equally allocated to a plurality of preceding frames (see part (b) of FIG. 5). Thus, even if the encoded data amount of the preceding frame is small and multiplication of a larger amount of encoded data is possible, only multiplication of a fixed amount of encoded data is performed. Thus, the use efficiency of a transmission band cannot be maintained at a high level. In addition, if the encoded data amount of a frame to be multiplexed is close to the threshold, multiplexing may not be able to be performed.
As described above, it is difficult to apply a transmission control method of the related art to data transmission control of a communication apparatus that performs data transmission using a transmission channel whose transmission quality dynamically changes, such as a wireless communication line.

Information transmission apparatus and information transmission method