The present disclosure relates to a novel Lactobacillus plantarum CJLP475 strain having acid-resistance, bile-resistance and an immune-enhancing activity, and a composition including the same.

In the current livestock industry, livestock are killed due to highly contagious viral diseases, and this often leads to economic damage to farms. In particular, in the swine industry, infectious diseases caused by viruses and germs, such as porcine respiratory disease complex, postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, porcine epidemic diarrhea, which are the four major chronic wasting diseases, have caused huge economic losses.
Among them, porcine epidemic diarrhea is a porcine digestive disease caused by the infection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a member of the corona virus family. The virus proliferates in the villi of the small intestine and large intestine and causes acute enteritis, vomiting, and watery diarrhea in pigs of all ages, especially in piglets. In particular, the damage is severe mainly in winter, from November to April, and it is known that the mortality rate of pre-weaning piglets within 1 week of birth is about 50%, and in severe cases, the mortality rate can reach almost 100% due to extreme dehydration.
The PED virus was first recognized in Europe in 1971, and G1a type PEDV CV777 was further identified and separated in Belgium in 1976. The virus had spread through Europe in 1980s, and the outbreaks have occurred in East Asian countries including China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan in 1990s. Further, G2b type PEDV, which is more virulent than the G1a type, had first emerged in China in 2010. The new type PEDV has spread to North America (the United State and Canada) and further to Southeast Asia and Europe, causing severe damage. In 2013, the damage was estimated to about 2.2 trillion won due to the loss of productivity in the US swine industry. In Korea, it is reported that an outbreak of PEDV annually occurs in 20% to 40% of pig farms, causing 6% of the total pigs to be killed. It is also reported that the infection rate of the vehicles entering and leaving slaughterhouses reaches about 60% (Korea Rural Economic Institute, Korea Swine Veterinary Association).
Until now, the only way to prevent the G2b type PED virus is by thorough sterilization. Many farms use an artificial infection method or the existing G1a type PEDV vaccine to prevent the damage caused by viral diseases, but there is a limitation in preventing the G2b type PEDV infection. In order to overcome such problems, development of agents for prevention and treatment of PED virus (vaccines, etc.) and treatment (IgY, essential oil, organic acid, probiotics, etc.) is actively carried out. In particular, a method of enhancing immunity using a functional material that stimulates the immune system in vivo while having an antiviral effect has been recently studied.
Immunity is generally divided into innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is a system that instantly defends pathogen infection from the first line, acting directly on invaders (antigens) or inducing adaptive immunity. Adaptive immunity is a more complex and precise system that recognizes and removes invaders, or acts as a memory for the corresponding invaders, thereby providing more permanent immune functions compared to the innate immunity. Dendritic cells (DCs), macrophages, and natural killer cells, which are antigen-presenting cells related to innate immunity, directly serve innate immune functions and possess receptors that assist in activation of various types of T-cells, thereby secreting cytokines. Adaptive immunity is a secondary defense system against antigens that have entered the body, and is a specific immune response carried out by B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes. The immune responses controlled by antigen-activated T cells include a cytotoxic T cell response and a helper T cell response. The dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells related to the innate immunity also recognize foreign invasive substances and secrete various kinds of cytokines such as IL-12 and IL-4 to thereby induce a response that appropriately changes the immunity of the host animal, and thus may provide the immune defense mechanism in a suitable direction. Naive CD4 T cells, which act as precursors of T cells, are differentiated by key cytokines. For example, if IL-12 (interleukin-12) is present in a high concentration, CD4 T cells promote the differentiation of Th1 (T helper 1) cells, thereby inducing a CTL (cytotoxic T lymphocyte) response that eradicates intracellular pathogens, whereas, if IL-4 (interleukin-4) is present in a high concentration, they induce a response that specifically eradicates extracellular pathogens (antibody secretion of B cells). In addition, the above-enumerated immune cells respond in an appropriate manner to invaders that have entered the body through an elaborate and complex process, by secreting TGF-beta (Transforming growth factor Beta) and IL-10 to suppress excessive immune responses such as an inflammatory reaction, secreting TGF-beta to inhibit excessive immune response and thereby activates regulatory T cells, stimulating the production of antibodies by transforming B cells into plasma cells in response to the secretion of TGF-beta and IL-6 (interleukin-6), or inducing an immune response (Th17) to eradicate false autoimmunity and extracellular pathogens. However, such immune responses sometimes require an additional and appropriate immune enhancer due to imbalanced or poor immune responses.


A distributed, transactional database uses timestamps, such as logical clock values, for entry versioning and transaction management in the database. To write to the database, a service requests a timestamp to be inserted into the database with a new version of data. During a backup procedure, a cleanup process is paused, issuing new timestamps is paused, and a backup timestamp is generated, which results in an effective backup copy. During a restore of a backup, a snapshot of the database is loaded and any entries older than the backup timestamp are deleted, which ensures that a consistent restore has occurred.

Data can be stored in a database system, such as a distributed database system. A backup of the data in the database system can be generated. In a distributed database system, a single node can be backed up. The database system can be restored based on the backup of the data.

Systems and methods for consistent backup of distributed, transactional databases


According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a recording medium, a first magnetic head, a first wiring member, a flexible printed circuit board, and a wire. The first wiring member is electrically connected to the first magnetic head. The flexible printed circuit board includes a surface, a first fixed part fixed to a first component, and a second fixed part fixed to a second component, and is electrically connected to the first magnetic head through the first wiring member. The wire on the flexible printed circuit board extends along the surface such that the wire extends between the first fixed part and the second fixed part in a direction intersecting at an angle of larger than 45 degrees and not larger than 90 degrees with an extending direction of a virtual shortest line that connects the first fixed part to the second fixed part along the surface.

A disk device, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), includes a magnetic disk and a magnetic head for reading/writing information to/from the magnetic disk. The control circuit for controlling the HDD is electrically connected to the magnetic head through, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB), a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), and a flexure.
The FPC can be fixed to various components, such as a rotary actuator for moving the magnetic head, and electronic components mounted on the FPC. Because of this, the FPC may be subjected to thermal stress due to thermal contraction and/or thermal expansion of its own.

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION


An integrated apparatus comprises a sheet supply maintaining cut sheets of media and a printing device positioned to receive the cut sheets of media from the sheet supply. The sheet supply may comprise a plurality of sheet feeders. The printing device places markings on the cut sheets of media. Further, this apparatus includes an adhesive applicator positioned to apply adhesive to one side of the sheets to produce labels; and a roll apparatus maintaining a continuous supply roll of backing media. The roll apparatus is positioned to receive the labels from the adhesive applicator, and the backing media is positioned within the roll apparatus to contact the adhesive-applied side of the labels.

Embodiments herein generally relate to label printing and more particularly to a structure that produces finished rolls of labels from cut sheets.
Label converting (printing, die-cutting, coating, etc.) is a large and healthy world-wide market. Label printing has traditionally been done by "analog" methods—mainly flexography, but also gravure and offset. However, in recent years, a number of digital label presses have become available. These presses were first based on electro-photography but more recently several ultraviolet (UV) inkjet label presses have been introduced.
Pressure-sensitive (PS) labels are by far the primary focus of digital label presses. A pressure-sensitive label can be a three-layer lamination consisting of label substrate, adhesive, and liner/backing media. The pressure sensitive laminate is typically purchased by the converter, who prints the labels, die cuts, and removes the waste trim from around the label. The fully converted and finished roll stock of labels is then sent to the end user. In the label machine, the labels are peeled off the liner by passing over a peel plate, and applied directly to, for example, a product container. Pressure-sensitive labels are used broadly in all market segments, and are a dominant component of the "prime label" market.
Analog methods such as flexography have relatively low run cost, but the setup costs, including flexography plate preparation, is expensive. Consequently, the analog methods are cost-effective for long runs but very expensive for short runs. The advantage of digital label presses is that they do not require plates and the setup costs are lower, so they are the preferred alternative for short run jobs.
However, the setup costs of current digital label presses are sufficiently high to make very short runs extremely expensive. For very short runs (e.g., 100 labels) of small labels, the setup costs to the end-user are almost 100% of the total cost, even for digital label presses. So there is only a small window of opportunity for the digital label presses, being limited at the short run end by setup costs, and at the long run end by the lower run costs of analog presses such as flexography.
One obstacle to significantly reducing the setup cost of digital label presses is the substrate changeover activity. Digital label presses are mostly roll-to-roll machines, since the finished labels are applied to the containers using roll-fed machines, and even manually applied labeling operations often utilize a dispenser, which requires a roll of labels. A typical label converter offers a large variety (dozens) of label substrates, including many types of coated and uncoated and metalized papers as well as white, clear and metalized films of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), polyester, vinyl, etc. In addition, each of these substrates can be provided with different types of adhesives. Consequently, although job management software facilitates batching jobs to reduce changeovers, substrate changes between jobs are common. And because these substrates are roll-fed, the changeover takes time and labor, in addition to idling the press and thereby reducing productivity.


An image processing method for image alignment, includes sequentially receiving a plurality of images; generating at least one threshold corresponding to each image according to a plurality of intensities of each image of the plurality of images; converting each image according to the thresholds of each image, for generating a plurality of binary images; acquiring a plurality of characteristic pixels of each binary image according to the plurality of binary images; and aligning the plurality of images according to the plurality of characteristic pixels of each binary image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method and image processing device thereof for image alignment, and more particularly, to an image processing method and image processing device thereof capable of aligning images sequentially captured.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mobile devices, such as digital camera, PDA and mobile phone, are commonly used in daily life. The functions of the module devices become more and more diversified. For example, the PDA or the mobile phone is usually equipped with a digital camera for capturing images. Since the intensity range of an image which is captured in single shot is limited, parts of the image may be underexposed or overexposed when the digital camera captures the image with an extensive intensity range.
In the prior art, the high dynamic range (HDR) image technology is utilized to extend limited intensity range. The high dynamic range image technology sequentially captures images with different intensity ranges and combines the captured images according to appropriate coefficients, so as to acquire a high quality image. However, if the image capture device (i.e. digital camera) is not equipped with tripod while sequentially capturing the images with different intensity ranges, there would be slight shifts between the images. In such a condition, the detail of the combined image would become fuzzy and the quality of image would be decreased. Thus, the images need to be aligned before combining the images sequentially captured.
The most common method of correcting the displacements between the images sequentially captured is scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT). Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic diagram of the scale-invariant feature transform. The basic concept of the scale-invariant feature transform is searching characteristic pixels under different Gaussian blur levels. The characteristic pixels are the pixel with the maximum difference of Gaussian within a part of the image. When a first characteristic pixel not only has the maximum difference of Gaussian in the octave thereof but also has the maximum difference of Gaussian in the upper octave and the lower octave, the first characteristic pixel is sufficiently representative. Via comparing the representative characteristic pixels of the images sequentially captured, the images can be correctly aligned. The accuracy of the scale-invariant feature transform is considerably high. However, the steps of building multi-layers of Gaussian blur for searching the characteristic pixels are time-consuming. As can be seen from the above, the prior art is needed to be improved.

Image processing method and image processing device thereof for image alignment


The replication of a group of data sets is coordinated into a single schedule based on the recovery point objective (RPO) of each data set. The resulting generated schedule satisfies each data set's RPO requirements and minimizes bandwidth use. If necessary bandwidth exceeds available bandwidth, the resulting generated schedule attempts to best satisfy each data set's RPO requirements given the available bandwidth.

Storage replication is a data protection strategy in which data objects (e.g., files, physical volumes, logical volumes, file systems, etc.) are replicated to provide some measure of redundancy. Storage replication may be used for many purposes, such as ensuring data availability upon storage failures, site disasters, or planned maintenance. Storage replication also may be used for purposes other than ensuring data availability. For example, workloads may be directed to a replica of a data object rather than to the primary data object.
Often, storage replication methods are designed to support a constraint known as a recovery point objective (RPO) that typically specifies an upper limit on the potential data loss upon a failure or disaster. An RPO can be specified in terms of time, write operations, amount of data changed, and the like. For example, if an RPO for a certain set of data objects is specified as twenty-four hours, then a storage replication method designed to support this RPO would need to replicate such a set of data objects at least every twenty-four hours. This particular method replicates data object contents in such a way that the RPO for each data object is met.
In a typical storage replication scenario, there is one primary copy of the data object and one or more replicas of the data object. According to one storage replication method, contents of data objects are copied from the primary copy to a replica copy over some network interconnect. Certain implementations copy only portions of a data object that have been modified since the last time the data object was copied. The copying of the contents of one or more data objects is called a replication event. Replication events are typically repeated at scheduled points in time, so that the RPO for the corresponding data objects is satisfied. Scheduling replication events for different groups of data objects independently may result in poor utilization of network bandwidth, unpredictable times for the completion of the copy and failure to achieve the required RPO. Thus, it is desirable to schedule replication events in a way that satisfies the RPO requirements for all data objects while minimizing the total network bandwidth used over time. While intelligent scheduling of replication events may improve network bandwidth utilization, it may not be possible to satisfy the RPO for all data objects over time given the available network bandwidth. In those cases, it is desirable to schedule replication events in a manner that minimizes the impact and severity of RPO violations.

System and method for scheduling data storage replication over a network


A suspension system for a rigid beam tractor axle in which the axle is connected to the chassis by two orthogonally oriented pivot points and axle movement is controlled by hydraulic cylinders to improve the ride and handling characteristics of the tractor.

The present invention relates generally to suspension systems for vehicles and more particularly to suspension systems for agricultural tractors and other off-road vehicles.
In the farm machinery sector, agricultural tractors are well-known typically comprising front and rear laterally extending axles having wheels rotatably affixed at the ends with a longitudinally elongated box body, or chassis, connecting the axles. Rear axles are commonly rigidly connected to the chassis; there is no suspension between the rear axle and the tractor frame. Tire deflection alone provides a cushioning between a rough surface and the tractor frame. In many tractors, the front wheels are driven in addition to the rear driven wheels, the tractor having four wheel drive. Economics and simplicity typically dictate that rigid front axle assemblies be used in lieu of an independently articulated front suspension. Front axles are typically hingeably attached to the front of the tractor chassis to rotate, transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the chassis, around a respective hinge axis located proximate to the longitudinal middle of the axle. With this axle structure, when one front wheel is raised to overcome an obstacles, the other front wheel has to come down the same distance.
The productivity of an agricultural tractor can be increased by enabling faster travel speeds in the field and on the road. Limiting factors to the travel speed of an agricultural tractor when traveling over rough surfaces are operator comfort and wheel traction. Faster travel speeds highlight shortcomings in the conventional hingeably-attached rigid front axle, especially when both wheels simultaneously encounter a similar obstacle, such as a ditch. When both wheels must move in the same direction to traverse an obstacle, the entire front end of the vehicle is forced to move in the same vertical direction.
Tractor front axle suspensions solve these problems by enabling the entire axle to move in relation to the tractor frame. By damping such motion, traction and operator comfort may be increased, both of which may contribute to increased productivity. Additionally, front axle suspensions for tractors provide better high-speed handling characteristics during high-speed operation on roads.
It would be a great advantage to provide a suspension system for a rigid beam tractor axle that increases traction, improves the ride and handling characteristics of the tractor, and provides sufficient wheel turning capability to retain accepted vehicle maneuverability, all while retaining a simple, cost-effective rigid front axle member to overcome the above problems and disadvantages.


A composite scope body having a composite mounting system integrally attached to the scope body. The mounting system may have a self-centering clamping mechanism. Further, a sighting system which may be used in the scope body may include at least one transparent display array for display of a digital reticle. The display array configured to selectively emit light from the array surface. The display may further be integrated with an optical component of the sight or integrated with an optical protection component. The sighting system may further include an adjustment system for adjusting the digital reticle or other information to be displayed on the display.

Telescopic sight systems (also interchangeably referred to herein as scope sighting systems or scopes) typically are formed of aluminum, magnesium, or metal alloys that may be machined or cast into a cylindrically shaped scope body; the cylindrical body housing various optical and mechanical components. A telescopic sight is generally mounted to a firearm, or some other mounting point through use of a scope mount. Typical scope mounts include a scope base that may be mounted to a firearm or other object and a plurality of scope rings, which mount to the scope base. The scope rings may have a circular opening corresponding to the outer circumference of the scope body for clamping to the cylindrical scope body.
Scopes generally offer fixed or variable magnification and may include adjustments for windage and elevation. Many scope sighting systems further include a reticle for assisting a user with optical measurement and/or aiming. A reticle commonly consists of a plurality of fine lines, which may be stationary, movable mechanically, or movably projected onto a display field, such as a diffraction grid. Attached U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0113507 A1 discloses one example of a reticle formed by light projected onto a diffraction grid, which is incorporated by reference herein. Alternatively, reticles may be electronically produced on a screen projecting a virtual image; the virtual image being may be formed digitally based on a processed signal received from an imaging sensor.
Reticles are most typically located in a focal plane, at a point between the objective lens or lenses and the ocular lens or lenses. An erector lens assembly may further be located between the objective lens or ocular lens, and the reticle may be located between the objective lens and the erector and/or between the erector and ocular lens, depending on if a magnification of the reticle is desired. Reticles may be formed of a wire, etched in a glass or transparent substrate, or may be projected onto or emitted from a display or display field within the scope. Reticles may be viewed in relation to a real image, which may be magnified or enhanced though optics and placement of the reticle in relation to the optics, or may be viewed in relation to a virtual image formed by a processor using light data received by an image sensor. A virtual image may be displayed using a backlit liquid crystal display (LCD) or transmission-type organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. While the technology of scope sighting systems has improved over the years, a number of shortcomings are still present in the current mounting systems and reticle configurations.
Common problems associated with typical mounting systems include: limitations on scope size and form factor due to a necessity for compatibility with standard ring sizes, corrosion between the scope rings and the scope body or between other mating surfaces in the mount assembly, misalignment of the mounts due to the thermal expansion qualities of different materials, user error in assembling the mounting system, and an increase in complexity and weight of the assembly.
Common reticle systems include many shortcomings, the most common being: failure of the mechanical components required for movement of the reticle, misalignment due to shock or thermal expansion, and an increase in complexity and weight due to mechanical components housed inside the scope body. Further, in projected reticle systems, similar disadvantages exist; along with a further increase in complexity and potential for failure. In reticles that are electronically produced on a screen displaying a virtual image, several of the above disadvantages exist, with the addition of the risk that the failure of the electronic components may result in a black-out and inability to use the scope optics.

Composite telescopic sight, sight mount, and electroluminescent digitally adjustable reticle

KIHO MILITARY ACQUISITION CONSULTING, INC.


A new and distinct cultivar of Wax Myrtle plant named ‘BTC-1’, characterized by its compact, upright and globular plant habit; short internodes and very freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; and dark green-colored foliage.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Wax Myrtle, botanically known as Myrica cerifera, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'BTC-1'.
The new Wax Myrtle originated from an open-pollination in 1996 in Augusta, Ga., of two unnamed selections of Myrica cerifera, not patented. The new Wax Myrtle was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Augusta, Ga. in 1999.
Asexual reproduction of the new Wax Myrtle by cuttings in a controlled environment in Augusta, Ga. since 2000 has shown that the unique features of this new Wax Myrtle are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


The present application discloses a device that is designed to inject into a user medicinal or non-medical substance upon activation. The device is light and compact, suitable for wearing or carrying by a user. The device comprises a needle, a syringe, and two sets of springs. The syringe comprises a plunger and a chamber for storing an injection substance. The needle is configured to be coaxial and in communication with the syringe. Each set of springs may comprise one or more springs. The first set of springs is configured to push the needle and the second set of springs is configured to move the plunger. In one exemplary embodiment, the device is enclosed in a sealed case and the device may be made to resemble a watch.

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening medical condition that affects millions of people across all ages. When an individual with this condition contacts or ingests an allergen they are sensitive to, such as nuts, insect venom, shellfish, etc., the individual's throat begins to swell and breathing becomes difficult. If the individual does not receive an adequate dose of proper medication administered in a prescribed way within a preferred time limit, the condition can be fatal. In the case of anaphylaxis, the procedure recommended by doctors is to administer epinephrine intramuscularly into the thigh within a few minutes of the onset of the medical condition.
Anaphylaxis patients are encouraged to carry an epinephrine auto-injection device, e.g. EpiPen, that contains an effective dose of epinephrine and is ready for use by patients themselves. The auto-injection device can be activated by a stabbing motion at the injection site. After activation, the drug is automatically administered. Patients with other potentially life-threatening conditions, e.g., hyperglycemia, can also benefit from carrying or wearing an auto-injection device for emergency use.
Prior art auto-injection devices are bulky and heavy. They are not convenient to be carried around. Nor can they be worn by users as a wearable device. The present application discloses an auto-injection device that is light and compact, suitable for wearing or carrying by users in their daily activities.


An XY table used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including lower (X table) fixed to an X movable element and an upper table (Y table) fixed to a Y movable element, in which the upper table (Y table) is supported movably in a Y direction and immovably in an X direction on the lower table (X table), the X movable element is immovable in the Y direction with respect to the X motor main body, the Y movable element is movable in the X direction with respect to the Y motor main body. Furthermore, the Y motor main body is provided with a permanent magnet that covers an entire region of movement of a magnetic action component (coils) of the Y movable element in the X direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an XY table for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and more particularly to a structure for such an XY table that is controlled with high precision.
2. Prior Art
In a wire bonding apparatus and other semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, an XY table is employed so as to move the semiconductor device and other object to be processed in two directions (that is, in an X axis direction and a Y axis direction) that are perpendicular to each other on a horizontal plane.
As semiconductor elements have become increasingly integrated in recent years, the operating precision demanded to an XY table has reached the sub-micron level. As a result, various methods have been proposed for suppressing the vibration of the XY table and for positioning the table more precisely.
For instance, Japanese Patent No. 2,981,999 proposed by the present applicant discloses a method for canceling out reaction force in the operation of a reciprocating linear motor (hereinafter called xe2x80x9cmotorxe2x80x9d) that drives an XY table. In this structure, the motor main body is supported so that it can move in the opposite direction from the drive body; as a result, reaction force when a drive body is driven is canceled out.
Unfortunately, when a prototype was built in which this motor was installed in an XY table with a commonly used structure, control became unstable as resolution was increased, and the desired positioning precision could not be obtained.
This problem was further scrutinized, and it was revealed that the cause of the problem was not the vibration of the motor, but the structure of the conventional XY table to which the motor was applied.
More specifically, in the conventional XY table shown in FIG. 5, a lower table 60X directly coupled to an X movable element 58X of an X motor 51X that drives in the X axis direction is supported movably in the X axis direction and immovably in the Y axis direction on a table support block 62. In addition, an upper table 60Y is supported movably in the Y axis direction by a guide rail 61Y over the lower table 60X, and a Y movable element 58Y of a Y motor 51Y that drives in the Y axis direction is connected to this upper table 60Y via a guide 73 that is comprised of a roller 71 and a slider 72 and has freedom in the X axis direction. However, play in this guide 73 reduces the positioning precision.
Furthermore, in a configuration in which the upper table 60Y is offset from the Y movable element 58Y of the Y motor 51Y (that is, a configuration in which the Yxe2x80x94Y line (the center line of the weight distribution of the Y movable element 58Y) does not coincide with the center line TC of the weight distribution of the upper table 60Y), operation of the Y motor 51Y causes a thrust F in the yaw direction to act upon the upper table 60Y. As a result, wear and play in the sliding portion of the guide rail 61Y adversely affects positioning, causing control instability and a decrease in positioning precision.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention that is conceived on the basis of above-described new finding is to provide an XY table that has a higher positioning precision with an improved structure.
The above object is accomplished by a unique structure of the present invention for an XY table for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, in which a first drive unit (X motor) for driving a first drive body (X movable element) in a first direction (X direction) by means of a first motor main body (X motor main body) and a second drive unit (Y motor) for driving a second drive body (Y movable element) in a second direction (Y direction) by means of a second motor main body (Y motor main body) are disposed so that the first and second direction intersect at right angles, wherein the XY table is comprised of:
a lower table (X table) fixed to the first drive body (X movable element), and
an upper table (Y table) fixed to the second drive body (Y movable element); and further
the upper table (Y table) is supported movably in the second direction (Y direction) and immovably in the first direction (X direction) on the lower table (X table),
the first drive body (X movable element) is immovable in the second direction (Y direction) with respect to the first motor main body (X motor main body),
the second drive body (Y movable element) is movable in the first direction (X direction) with respect to the second motor main body (Y motor main body), and
the second motor main body (Y motor main body) is provided with a magnetic field forming means (permanent magnet)) that covers an entire region of movement of a magnetic action component of the second drive body (Y movable element) in the first direction (X direction).
In this structure, the lower table (X table) and upper table (Y table) are fixed to the first drive body (X movable element) and second drive body (Y movable element), respectively. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent precision decrease that is seen in the conventional XY table caused by play in the guide member (the guide 73). Also, the first drive body (X movable element) is provided so as to be immovable in the second direction (Y direction) with respect to the first motor main body (X motor main body). Accordingly, even when the upper table (Y table) or what it carries is very heavy, any misalignment of the lower table (X table) in the second direction (Y direction) that would otherwise be caused by friction between the two tables can be prevented. Furthermore, the magnetic action of the second motor main body (Y motor main body) on the second drive body (Y movable element) remains constant regardless of the position of the second drive body (Y movable element) in the first direction (X direction). Thus, the upper table (Y table) is subjected to no thrust in the yaw direction, and therefore an increase in wear or play of the guide member (guide rail 61Y) for guiding the upper table (Y table) in its movement direction can be suppressed, misalignment and rotational vibration are less likely to occur, and high-precision and stable positioning can be performed.
In the present invention, the above XY table can further include a position sensor that is disposed on an symmetry axis of thrust in a second movable component that is comprised of the second drive body (Y movable element) and the upper table (Y table).
In this structure, the effect that misalignment of the second drive body (Y movable element) in the yaw direction has on the detection value of the position sensor can be minimized, affording greater detection precision.
The above-described position sensor can be disposed on the symmetry axis of thrust in a first movable component that is comprised of the first drive body (X movable element) and the lower table (X table).
Accordingly, the effect that misalignment of the first drive body (X movable element) in the yaw direction has on the detection value of the position sensor can be minimized.
Furthermore, in the XY table of the present invention, a reaction force produced by driving the first drive body (X movable element) and second drive body (Y movable element) is set so as to be canceled out by way of:
providing the first motor main body (X motor main body) to be movable in an opposite direction from the first drive body (X movable element) when the first drive body (X movable element) is driven, and
providing the second motor main body (Y motor main body) so as to be movable in an opposite direction from the second drive body (Y movable element) when the second drive body (Y movable element) is driven.
With this structure, vibrations can be minimized, and an even higher detection precision is obtained.


Provided herein are polyimide dispersants, as well as methods for producing polyimide dispersants. The polyimides can be defined by the formula below

Lubricating motor oils intended for use in internal combustion engines are typically formulated with a variety of additives that are intended to aid in the reduction of corrosion, deposit formation, wear, etc. Ashless dispersants are a type of additive. The role of dispersants in lubricating oils is to regulate viscosity increases and prevent the formation of sludge, varnish, and other deposits, which occur due to the formation and presence of soot and other carbonaceous impurities that originate from the incomplete oxidation of fuel and that enter the base oil from the combustion chamber under normal operation of the engine. Thus, improved dispersants offer the potential to improve the performance of existing lubricating motor oils.
Likewise, it is well known that liquid fuel contains components that can degrade during engine operation and form deposits. These deposits can lead to incomplete combustion of the fuel resulting in higher emission and poorer fuel economy. Fuel additives, such as detergents, can be included in in liquid fuels to help control or minimize deposit formation. As the dynamics and mechanics of an engine continual advance, the requirements of the fuel must evolve to keep up with these engine advancements. For example, modern engines have injector systems that have smaller tolerances and operate at higher pressure to enhance fuel spray to the compression or combustion chamber. Deposit prevention and deposit reduction in these new engines has become critical to optimal operation. Advancements in fuel additive technology, such as improved detergents, are needed to keep pace with these engine advancements. Therefore, there is also need for improved detergents that can provide acceptable performance in liquid fuels and promote optimal operation of today's engines.

Polyimide dispersants and methods of making and using thereof

Abstract: wherein A, individually for each occurrence, represents a cyclic diimide moiety represented by the structure below

Abstract: where B represents a cyclic moiety substituted with a first cyclic imide group and a second cyclic imide group; Y, individually for each occurrence, represents a bivalent linking group; L, individually for each occurrence, is absent or represents a cyclic imide group; R, individually for each occurrence, represents a polymeric tail; and n is an integer from 1 to 20.


Devices and methods are provided for fabricating a metal-insulator-metal capacitor within an interconnect structure (e.g., back-end-of-line interconnect structure) to provide capacitive decoupling between positive and negative power supply voltage lines of a power distribution network. Various via contact configurations including interlevel via contacts and truncated via contacts are utilized to connect the metal-insulator-metal capacitor electrodes to power supply voltage lines of the power distribution network to provide an array of high-density, low resistance via contact connections at various locations across the capacitor electrodes to reduce the resistance of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor and, thus, enhance the transient response time and increase the cutoff frequency of the metal-insulator-metal capacitor. The truncated via contacts allow for higher density via contact connections to the capacitor electrodes in regions which have a dense array of wiring of a single polarity, where interlevel via contacts cannot be utilized to provide contacts to the capacitor electrodes.

In semiconductor device manufacturing, capacitors are passive circuit components that are utilized in integrated circuitry of a semiconductor chip for various purposes. For example, capacitors can be utilized to decouple power supplies, to form memory elements, to form RC delay circuits, or provide various other circuit functions. While many types of capacitor structures can be utilized, MIM capacitors are commonly used for analog, microwave, and radio frequency (RF) applications. In general, planar MIM capacitors are comprised of two metallic plates separated by an insulator layer. As is known in the art, the capacitance of an MIM capacitor is (i) directly proportional to a surface area of the overlapping metallic plates, (ii) directly proportional to a dielectric constant of the dielectric material of the capacitor insulator layer, and (iii) inversely proportional to a thickness of the capacitor insulator layer.
MIM capacitors with high cutoff frequency are desired for decoupling of power supplies with mid and high-frequency noise. In particular, high-performance circuits typically require high-value, low-impedance decoupling capacitors between direct current (DC) power supply lines and ground metal lines to limit noise created by rapid switching of current within an integrated circuit, and to prevent voltage drops that occur when MIM capacitors have low transient response times, e.g., τ=R×C (e.g., low cut-off frequencies) and cannot supply the proper charge in response to the rapid switching of current within the integrated circuit. When the voltage drop is significant, the integrated circuitry will not function properly.

High cutoff frequency metal-insulator-metal capacitors implemented using via contact configurations

International Business Machines Corporation


A method and system for determining interface compatibility between components are provided. In the system for determining interface compatibility in component model-based software design, the system includes a compatibility rule manager managing interface compatibility rules, and an interface compatibility validator verifying interface compatibility between components based on the interface compatibility rules.

1. Field
The following description relates to component based software, and, more particularly, to a method and system for determining interface compatibility between components.
2. Description of Related Art
A software product line operating system can support a quick, systematic development process by constructing system architecture from a combination of software components. An individual software component is a software package or module that encapsulates a set of related functions or data. The individual components communicate with each other through interfaces.
Component-based Software Engineering (CBSE) is an approach to software development that relies on component definition and interface combination of functional modules. In CBSE, a component model is a model that defines software components according to standards, and expresses the composition structure. CBSE uses a system for managing and composing components based on a component model.
Further, in developing software based on a component model, components should be composed so that they meet the functional requirements of the software product. That is, it must be verified that the functions of components match before composition.
In component-based software development (CBSD), the functions of each component may be specified by a set of functions having various configurations rather than a single function. As the number of components within a system increases, the system becomes more complex. Also, there is a significant increase in the amount of time and effort to manually verify whether components can be composed with each other and function correctly.

Method and system for determining interface compatibility based on component model


The present invention provides an isolated protein comprising a pro-domain of a proneurotrophin, methods for producing the protein, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the isolated protein. The invention also provides a nucleic acid molecule which encodes the protein and a vector containing the nucleic acid molecule. The present invention further provides a method for cleaving a proneurotrophin protein to a mature neurotrophin. In addition, the invention relates to methods for inducing apoptosis in a cell of a mammal expressing p75 surface receptors or p75 and trk receptors. The methods include causing the p75 receptor to bind a pharmaceutical composition containing a pro-domain of a proneurotrophin or administering to the mammal an effective amount of a cleavage-resistant proneurotrophin and an inhibitor of trk activation. The invention also relates to a method for inhibiting apoptosis of a cell in a mammal by administering an effective amount of a molecule which inhibits binding of a proneurotrophin to a p75 receptor. Also provided, are kits and methods for screening a human for a condition associated with undesired apoptosis.

The neurotrophins, including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neutrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin 3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin 4/5 (NT-4/5), are among the molecular determinants that regulate the generation of diverse neuronal populations and the maintenance of their functions within the nervous system (Lewin G R, et al. 1996. Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 19:289; Theonen H. 1995. Science 70:593). The binding of mature neurotrophins to their cognate receptor tyrosine kinase, trks, (i.e., NGF to trk A, BDNF and NT-4/5 to trk B, and NT-3 to trk C) triggers a cascade of anti-apoptotic events that ensure neuronal survival. In competition analysis, the mature form of NGF is more potent than the larger pro-forms of NGF in trk A binding (Chen Y E, et al. 1997. Mol. Cell Endocrinol. 127:129) and in promoting cell survival.
In addition to trks, all mature neurotrophins are thought to interact with the p75 receptor. The p75 receptor belongs to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily. The extracellular domain of p75 that is the most critical for neurotrophin binding is reported to be the third and fourth cysteine loops (Choi D W. 1990. J. Neurosci. 10:2493; Yan H, et al. 1991. J. Biol. Chem. 266:12099).
The mechanism of signaling elicited by activated trks is unequivocal. However, the molecular and biological consequences of mature neurotrophin-p75 interaction have been confounding.
For example, structural analysis indicates that multiple regions of the extracellular domain of the p75 receptor contribute to mature NGF binding. Point mutagenesis suggests that the variable loops of mature neurotrophins are most important for interaction with p75 (Ryden M, et al. 1995. Embo J. 14:1979). Despite their importance for binding, these variable loops exhibit the highest degree of variation between the different mature neurotrophins. Nevertheless, all mature neurotrophins bind to p75.
Similarly, kinetic analysis of mature NGF-p75 binding demonstrates that mature NGF binds very rapidly, and dissociates very rapidly (Mahadeo D L, et al. 1994. J. Biol. Chem. 269:6884; Tait J F, et al. 1981. J. Biol. Chem. 256:11086). These results are perplexing, since most ligand-receptor interactions exhibit slow dissociation rates. In contrast, mature NGF binds to trk A slowly and is released very slowly.
When both types of receptors are present in the same cell, p75 is reported to enhance the affinity of trk A towards mature NGF (Mahadeo D L, et al., 1994. J. Biol. Chem. 269:6884; Hempstead, B. L., et al. 1991. Nature 350:678-683). In the absence of trk, however, binding of mature neurotrophin to p75 is reported to induce apoptosis (Chao M V, et al., 2001. Curr. Opin. Neurobiol. 11:281-286.). In addition, apoptosis is believed to be induced in neuronal cells via p75 when mismatching of mature neurotrophin-trk pairing occurs (Majdan M. 1999. Int J. Dev. Neurosci. 17:153).
For example, superior cervical ganglionic neurons express trk A and p75, but not trk B. As mentioned above, it is known that mature BDNF binds to trk B and to p75, but not to trk A. As a result of the mismatching of mature neurotrophin-trk pairing, treatment of superior cervical ganglionic neurons with mature BDNF triggers p75-mediated apoptosis (Bamji S X, et al. 1998. J. Cell. Biol. 140:911). Therefore, apoptosis is believed to be induced in neuronal cells when p75 is expressed alone. In addition, when both p75 and trk are present in the same cells, apoptosis is induced during mismatching of mature neurotrophin-trk pairing or when trk mediated signaling is inhibited.
Accordingly, currently available data have refined the original neurotrophin hypothesis. The original hypothesis stated that the lack of trophic support leads to selective neuronal loss (Korsching S. 1993. J. Neurosci. 13:2739). The refined model states that inappropriate activation of p75 by mature neurotrophins will lead to apoptosis.
If the refined model proves to be correct, the clinical implications are very significant. The p75 receptor is up-regulated in neuronal populations after nervous system stress or injury (Roux P P, et al., 1999. J. Neurosci. 19:6887; Widenfalk J, et al. 2001. J. Neurosci. 21:3457; van Eden C G, et al. 1994. Brain Res. Dev. Brain Res. 82:167) and in glia cells of multiple sclerosis patients (Dowling P, et al. 1999. Neurology 53:1676; Chang A, et al. 2000. J. Neurosci. 20:6404). Therefore, under the refined model, activation of p75 by mature neurotrophins in these cells will lead to apoptosis.
Recent findings have implicated apoptosis as a common endpoint of various nervous system injuries and environmental insults. Dying neurons in selected instances of, for example, hypoxic ischemia (Choi D W. 1990. J. Neurosci. 10:2493), viral infection (Lin K I, et al. 1996. J. Cell Biol. 131:1149), and neurodegenerative disorders (Roy N, et al. 1995. Cell 80:167; Liston P, et al. 1996. Nature 379:349) display a number of hallmark characteristics of apoptotic cells.
There is increasing evidence that mature neurotrophins and their receptors (p75 and trks) can also modulate a variety of cellular events in non-neuronal tissues (Lomen-Hoerth C, et al. 1995. J. Neurochem. 64:1780). In some instances, p75 expression is distinct from that of the trks (Wheeler E F, et al. 1998. J. Comp Neurol. 4:407). The distinct expression supports a trk-independent mechanism for p75 function in non-neuronal cells.
For example, NGF and p75 immunoreactivites have been detected in developing incisors (Mitsiadis T A, et al. 1993. Differentiation 54:161). In human adults, upregulation of p75 in renal biopsies is correlated with various glomerulopathies. The increased expression of p75 detected in renal biopsies apparently recapitulates a normal developing state during kidney development. Both p75 and NGF have been detected in developing muscles. In vitro analysis of the muscle cell line C2C12 suggests that p75-mediated myogenic differentiation is inhibited by NGF. The inhibition of myogenic differention by the NGF-p75 interaction occurs in a trk-independent manner. The expression of p75 is also detected in the atherosclerotic plaques of smooth muscle cells, as well as in many carcinoma cell types.
In addition, the expression of p75 has been observed in hair follicles (Yardley G, et al. 2000. Exp. Dermatol. 9:283; Botchkarev V A, et al. 2000. FASEB J. 14:1931). Both p75 and trks are found in hair follicles in the anagen (active growth) phase of hair growth (Botchkarev V A, et al. 2000. FESEB J. 14:1931). However, during the catagen (regression) phase, there is a disappearance of trk A, trk B, and trk C. The expression of p75 alone is markedly upregulated and detected in cells undergoing apoptosis (Botchkarev V A, et al. 2000. FESEB J. 14:1931). These findings suggest that p75 is involved in both the survival and apoptosis of cells in the hair follicle.
The interaction of p75 and neurotrophins in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells play a very important role in normal tissue development, as well as in many disease states. Currently available data suggest that p75 promotes both cell survival and apoptosis. However, conflicting and perplexing data in the prior art, such as the data described above, would have precluded the consideration of modulating mature neurotrophin-p75 interaction as a practical means for treating particular disorders.
Unwanted cell growth is a problem in various hyperproliferative conditions, such as cancer, acne, shingles, etc. Unwanted cell death is a problem in other conditions, such as injuries due to trauma, hair loss, etc. Thus, there is an immediate need for modulating apoptosis.
In certain instances, it is desirable to promote the p75-mediated apoptosis of deleterious cells. In other instances, it is desirable to inhibit the p75-mediated apoptosis (for example, in dying neurons and in dying hair follicles) without affecting the survival promoting functions of mature neurotrophins.

High affinity ligand for p75 neurotrophin receptor


Disclosed is a guidance content automatic obtaining and displaying equipment, comprising an illustration data guidance content obtaining device, a illustration data displaying device and a guidance content displaying device in such a manner that, by utilizing a processor, the guidance content is automatically obtained from illustration data of a patent document and is displayed.

Reading a patent document, which requires professional technical understanding and sophisticated technical analysis, is well known as consuming considerable manpower and time. However, there is no auxiliary tool for reading a patent document in a prior art. In particular, there is not a really reading guidance device for assisting people in reading a patent document. For a patent document reader, the reading accuracy and reading speed could not be improved.
In consideration of patent searching, searching operations using several different sets of keywords for several times is required. For each set of keyword, there are often tens of thousands of patent documents obtained. A patent reader is of duty to review each one of such a huge amount of patent documents. We could image the difficulty for a patent reader to digest the huge amount of patent documents. It is also very risky for a patent reader to intuitively comprehend the core technical features of the patent document without any reading tool, especially for untrained patent readers, who read patent document in an inefficient way. For example, a patent professional would not suggest people to read patent documents based on the written sequence thereof, which is not helpful for quickly and accurately understanding the relationship among different patent sections. Even for patent reading experts, they still need to spend considerable time for understanding meaning relationship among reference numerals in drawings if a detailed reading is necessary that a patent reader requires to browse a description content, a claim content or other drawings of the patent document back and forth. Even after this considerable effort and time is taken, any mistakes will easily happen during this complicate procedures such as page turning error or reading miss due to mental inconsistency.
Moreover, no matter of the detail reading or brief reading, patent readers should require a computer assisting tool to help them read a patent document more accurately, fastly and more comfortably. If we put a plurality of sets of searching keywords for one searching operation is considered, the computer assisting tool is absolutely necessary. However, there are not such computer assisting tools for patent reading operation in the prior arts.
Therefore, it is an issue regarding how to provide a convenient and accurate guidance assisting tool for reading a patent document.

Guidance content automatic obtaining and displaying equipment


The present invention relates to a communication technology and system converging the fifth generation (5G) communication system for supporting a data rate higher than that of the 4G system with the IoT technology. Further, the present invention is applicable to the intelligent services based on the 5G communication and IoT technologies (e.g., smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, health care, digital education, retail, security, and safety services). In more detail, a broadcast resource congestion control method of a multi-cell/multicast coordination entity (MCE) includes receiving a message including multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) congestion information from a base station, selecting an MBMS service to be controlled based on the MBMS congestion information, and transmitting a scheduling message including first control information related to the selected MBMS service to the base station.

In order to meet the increasing wireless data traffic demand since the commercialization of 4G communication systems, the development focus is on the 5th Generation (5G) or pre-5G communication system. For this reason, the 5G or pre-5G communication system is called beyond 4G network communication system or post long term evolution (LTE) system. In order to accomplish a high data rate, it is considered to implement the 5G communication system on the millimeter Wave (mmWave) band (e.g., 60 GHz band). In order to mitigate propagation loss and increase propagation distance, the 5G communication system is likely to accommodate various techniques such as beamforming, massive multiple input and multiple output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beamforming, and large scale antenna. Also, for throughput enhancement of the 5G communication system, research is conducted on various techniques such as small cell, advanced small cell, cloud radio access network (cloud RAN), ultra-dense network, device to device Communication (D2D), wireless backhaul, moving network, cooperative communication, coordinated multi-points (CoMP), and interference cancellation. Furthermore, the ongoing research includes the use of Hybrid Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation and sliding window superposition coding (SWSC) as advanced coding modulation (ACM) scheme, filter bank multi carrier (FBMC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and sparse code multiple access (SCMA).
The Internet is evolving from a human-centric communication network in which information is generated and consumed by human to the internet of things (IoT) in which distributed things or components exchange and process information. The combination of the cloud server-based big data processing technology and the IoT begets Internet of Everything technology. In order to secure the sensing technology, wired/wireless communication and network infrastructure, service interface technology, and security technology required for implementing the IoT, recent research is focused on the sensor network, machine to machine (M2M), and Machine Type Communication technologies. In the IoT environment, it is possible to provide an intelligent internet technology (IT) which is capable of collecting and analyzing data generated from the connected things to create new values for human life. The IoT can be applied to various fields such as a smart home, a smart building, a smart city, a smart car or a connected car, a smart grid, health care, a smart appliance, and a smart medical service, through legacy information technology (IT) technology and convergence of various industries.
Thus, there are various attempts to apply the IoT to the 5G communication system. For example, the sensor network, M2M, and machine type communication (MTC) technologies are implemented by means of the 5G communication technologies such as beamforming, MIMO, and array antenna. The application of the aforementioned cloud RAN as a big data processing technology is an example of convergence between the 5G and IoT technologies.
As described above, studies are conducted to develop communication techniques in various fields to meet the increasing wireless data traffic demand. The MBMS-based group communication is one of those techniques.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Broadcast resource congestion control method and apparatus for use in wireless communication system


A page buffer is provided for an electrically programmable memory that includes multiple memory cells forming multiple memory pages. The page buffer includes a register for at least temporarily storing data read from or to be written to the memory cells of a selected memory page. The register includes multiple latches and multiple buffer elements. Each of the latches is coupled to at least one signal line for transferring the data bit that is stored in the latch. Each of the buffer elements decouples an output of a corresponding one of the latches from the signal line, with the buffer element driving the signal line according to the data bit stored in the corresponding latch. Also provided is a method of transferring data from a register to signal lines in an electrically programmable memory.

Non-volatile memories are commonly used in several applications in which the data stored in the memory device needs to be preserved even in the absence of a power supply. Within the class of non-volatile memories, electrically programmable (and erasable) memories, such as flash memories, have become very popular in applications in which the data to be stored is not immutable (e.g., in the case of a consolidated code for a microprocessor), but it is instead necessary from time to time to store new data, or to update the data already stored.
Typically, the memory device includes an arrangement of memory cells, disposed for example in rows and columns, so as to form a matrix.
Depending on the way the memory cells in the matrix are interconnected, two classes of flash memories can be identified: those having a NOR architecture (or "NOR flash memories"), and those having a NAND architecture, (referred to as "NAND flash memories"). Roughly speaking, in a NOR architecture the memory cells of the same matrix column are connected in parallel to the same bitline, whereas in a NAND architecture groups of memory cells of the same matrix column are serially interconnected so as to form strings, which strings are then connected in parallel to each other to the same bitline.
Compared to NOR flash memories, NAND flash memories are more compact (a lower number of contacts in the matrix are required), and they are also better suited for applications such as file storage.
In the NAND architecture, the memory space is ideally partitioned into a plurality of memory pages, with each page corresponding to a block of memory cells that, in operation, are read or written simultaneously, i.e., in parallel to each other. The number of memory cells in each block determines the size (i.e., the number of bits) of the memory page. Nowadays, memory pages of 512 bytes are rather typical, but larger memory pages are also encountered, for example of 2 KB.
Clearly, the memory cannot have so high a number of Input/Output ("I/O") terminals as to enable transferring in parallel of so long of data words; usually, eight or sixteen I/O terminals are in fact provided. Thus, some kind of "segmentation" of the memory page is necessary for interfacing the memory with the outside world.
For this purpose, a circuit arrangement called "page buffer" is provided in the memory for managing the operations of reading the information stored in the memory cells of a selected memory page, or writing new information thereto. In very general terms, the page buffer includes a buffer register of size equal to that of the memory page, in which data read (in parallel) from the memory cells of a selected page are temporarily stored, before being serially outputted in chunks of, e.g., eight or sixteen bits, depending on the number of I/O terminals of the memory. Similarly, when data are to be written into the memory, the page buffer is replenished with data received serially in the eight- or sixteen-bit chunks, and, when the buffer has eventually been filled, the data are written in parallel into the memory cells of a given, selected memory page.
The page buffer includes a relatively high number of volatile storage elements, typically bi-stable elements or latches; the number of latches is proportional (in particular, equal) to the size (in number of bits) of the memory page. Thus, the page buffer is a circuit block that needs to be carefully designed (both at the circuit and at the physical layout level), so as to ensure that it does not occupy too large a semiconductor area, and it is efficient, particularly from the power consumption viewpoint.
If the operations to be performed on the memory cells are simply a "PAGE READ" (an operation involving reading data from a selected memory page) and a page write or "PAGE PROGRAM" (writing data into a selected memory page), the page buffer may in principle include a single register, with a number of latches equal to the size (in bits) of the memory pages. However, more complex operations may be desirable and required, and in these cases the structure of the page buffer may need to be upgraded. For example, in some applications it might be necessary that the memory is capable of performing operations such as a "COPY-BACK PROGRAM" and a "CACHE PROGRAM". In a CACHE PROGRAM operation, data to be written into a memory page can be loaded into the page buffer while another memory page is still being written with data previously loaded in the page buffer; in this way, the time necessary for programming different memory pages in sequence is reduced. A COPY-BACK PROGRAM operation is instead exploited for copying the data contained in a given memory page into another memory page, in a way that is managed completely internally to the memory, without the necessity of outputting the data. A page buffer adapted to implement these two additional operations needs to include a pair of buffer registers (and thus two arrays of latches) that can be coupled to two selectable packets of bit lines of the matrix. In this case, the requirements of careful design of the page buffer are even stricter.
There has been identified some problems affecting the known page buffers.
As mentioned above, the latches making up the registers in the page buffer are volatile storage elements, and such elements, in a simple but common practical implementation, are formed by two CMOS inverters connected to each other so as to form a loop, i.e., with the output of one inverter connected to the input of the other. In a generic program operation (either a PAGE PROGRAM or a CACHE PROGRAM or COPYBACK PROGRAM), a generic bit of the data word to be written into a selected memory cell is first loaded into the latch, and then the content of the latch is transferred onto the selected bitline by activating an electrical connection of the latch output to the bitline (normally, selection pass MOSFETs are used to this end). The bitline normally has associated therewith a relatively high stray capacitance, which is typically on the order of some picofarads, and is normally precharged to a program inhibition voltage. When the latch output is connected to the bitline, a charge sharing takes place, whereby the charge stored in the bitline capacitance and in a parasitic capacitance associated with the latch output is redistributed between such two capacitances. The latch output capacitance is however far smaller than the bitline capacitance (in a typical design, the latch output capacitance may be on the order of some femtofarads, i.e., roughly three orders of magnitude lower than the bitline capacitance). The result of the charge sharing is that the bitline capacitance may easily prevail over the driving capability of the latch, and the voltage at the latch output vary depending on the bitline voltage. This may cause the latch to be incapable of driving the bitline in a way that is sufficient to cause the programming into the desired state of the selected memory cell (the latch is not capable of bringing the bitline from the initial, program inhibition voltage to a voltage adapted to cause programming of the selected memory cell) and, in the worst cases, the latch may even be caused to switch, with the consequence that the data bit stored in the latch is modified.
A similar problem is experienced during a read operation (such as a PAGE READ). In this case, the generic latch of the page buffer register, after having been loaded with the data bit read from the selected memory cell, is connected to a data line for transporting the data bit from the page buffer latch to output buffer circuits and then to the I/O terminal of the memory. The data line, similarly to the bitline, usually has associated therewith a relatively high stray capacitance, substantially higher than the latch output capacitance. Thus, the charge sharing between the latch output capacitance and the data line parasitic capacitance may easily cause the latch to be incapable of properly driving the data line, or even to switch and lose the stored data bit.
It is observed that the problems described above are experienced both in the case in which the page buffer includes only one register, and in cases of more complex page buffers, with two (and possibly more) registers.

Page buffer for a programmable memory device


A method of determining an end-to-end, E2E, service level for a communications network (100) by a network management entity (101). The communications network (100) comprises one or more network domain. The method comprises obtaining (201) a first set of service level data for the one or more network domain. The first set of service level data for said one or more network domain comprises a summarized set of data derived from service level data monitored by said one or more network domain. The method further comprises determining (202) the end-to-end service level based on the obtained first set of service level data from the one or more network domain.

Future mobile networks will need to satisfy a wide range of challenging requirements such as very high bandwidth, cheap and wide coverage, low delays etc.) One homogeneous network will not be able to satisfy these requirements. The IETF defines a framework standardizing an interface between SDN controllers and the physical communications network entities; this is called the Abstraction and Control of Transport Networks, ACTN, framework, for example as described in IETF Internet-draft for ACTN framework: Ceccarelli et al, "draft-ceccarelli-teas-actn-framework-02.txt", 14 Apr. 2016.
FIG. 1 depicts the primary network elements of an example network 10, in some examples according to the ACTN framework. The network 10 comprises a plurality of domains 20, the network 10 configured to carry data across one or more of the domains. The separate domains 20 interface to a network management control entity 40, for example termed a Multi-Domain Service Coordinator (MDSC). Each domain interfaces the MDSC via a domain control entity, for example termed a Physical Network Controller, PNC 30. The definition of a 'domain' within the IETF ACTN is everything that is under the control of the same controller, where the controller is the PNC. Thus, a PNC represents the abstraction of its domain. A domain may comprise a single physical technology or multiple technologies. Domains can also be subdivided into multiple sub-domains such as administrative domains, routing domains and can be composed of different layers.
The PNC 30 provides an interface to the MDSC to enable the MDSC to coordinate the various domains through which a certain service can be offered.
Another concept being applied to future networks to manage the challenge of diverse service offering via a multi-domain network is the concept of network slicing. Network slicing has been introduced in the development of Fifth Generation networks, 5G.
Network slicing provides a further level of abstraction to the logical entities and functions provided by the network. In some aspects, a network slice comprises the chaining of network functions needed to provide the services required for the network slice. Examples of use cases for network slicing are Mobile Broadband service or Mission Critical Machine Type Communication.
In networks currently deployed, the Service Level is the performance of the network with respect to certain characteristics or Quality of Service (QoS) metrics. Service level is verified against a Service Level Agreement (SLA), which can be made between the network infrastructure provider/manufacturer and the network operator. Such SLA verification is typically realized only as a single network. In heterogeneous networks (i.e. multi-domain networks), the service level parameters or metrics may be monitored, but there are no holistic approaches to provide an end-to-end solution for SLA verification.

Determining a service level in a communication network


In some embodiments, a method comprises attaching a servicing string to the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member of a compound archery bow. The servicing string retains the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member in a non-brace orientation, for example in a partially drawn orientation. The bowstring is removed from the compound archery bow. A servicing cable is attached to the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member, and the servicing string is detached from at least one of the first rotatable member or the second rotatable member. The servicing cable is let down, unloading the compound archery bow.

This invention relates generally to archery bows and more specifically to compound archery bows.
Compound bows are known in the art. Compound bows often include rotating members, a bowstring and at least one cable segment.
Servicing and maintenance of compound bows often requires a bow press, which tends to be a large machine capable of flexing the limbs of the bow to relieve tension from the bowstring and cable segments. Bow presses are often required in order to change bowstring and cable segments, to change cam track modules on rotatable members, etc.
There remains a need for novel archery bow designs that allow for servicing and maintenance of a compound bow without the need for a bow press.
All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.


A device and method for assisting a user to clear a media jam in a printing device that announces pages, picks media responsively to the announced pages and images the picked media using a media transport path, that: detects a media jam at a given location along the media transport path; halts printing device components upstream from the given location in the media path while continuing to image picked media downstream from the given location in the media transport path; and, prompts the user to clear the detected media jam from the given location after all downstream media has been imaged.

Printable media jams, or jams, occur in printing devices or printers, such as laser printers, color printers, facsimile machines, photocopiers and combination devices having print capabilities. Jams often prove difficult to find and remedy, as jams may occur at various locations along printable media paths of printing devices. The printable media typically takes the form of printable substrates, such as paper or plastic substrates. Approaches to dealing with a jam typically only advise that a jam has occurred. In some cases, the printer will provide a single indication of a general area of the media jam. In other instances, detailed instructions for locating and clearing areas where jams typically occur may be disposed on the inside front door of the printing device, or may be included in a user's guide or on-line manual.
Typically, once a media jam is detected, all media in the media path as stopped. Once the media is stopped, a media jam message is provided. Once the user has finished the steps needed to clear the jam condition, the printing device goes through a path checking process and detects other areas where media needs to be removed to resume printing. The user needs to follow these steps until all the media in the paper path is removed.
Alternative mechanisms for enabling a user to locate and resolve media jams are desired.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Transflective electrowetting display device comprising electrowetting elements, each having at least one reflective area and at least one transmissive area, whereby the surface of the at least one reflective area of the structured reflector is offset in the direction of the viewing side of the display device with respect to the at least one transmissive area of the structured reflector such that a thickness of the second fluid over the at least one transmissive area is greater than the thickness of the second fluid over the at least one reflective area.

A transflective electrowetting display is disclosed in international patent application WO2006/017129. This known display includes electrowetting elements having a partially, uniform transmissive layer arranged on the second support plate. In a first mode the layer reflects ambient light incident from the viewing side and in a second mode it transmits light incident from the rear side.
Each electrowetting element comprises a transmissive fluid and a black or coloured fluid. The position of the latter fluid in the electrowetting element can be controlled to transmit or absorb light.
A disadvantage of this known transflective display is that the partially transmissive layer requires a special step in the manufacturing process and is therefore relatively expensive to make. Furthermore, the optical performance in the various modes depends on the values of the transmission and reflection coefficient of the layer and their spectral dependence, which will be affected strongly by variations in thickness. As a result, this manufacturing step will be a very yield sensitive step.
Currently it is known that a structured reflector can be provided in the electrowetting elements that are as such subdivided in a transmissive and reflective area, wherein the transmissive area allows for the transmission of light through the electrowetting display and the reflective area allows for reflection of light on the viewing side.
A disadvantage of such electrowetting displays is that the obtainable contrast of the transmissive area is poor with respect to the reflective area, since the optical path length of a light beam passing through the dark fluid of the display in the reflective mode is longer than it is in transmissive mode. Thus the light absorption, and therefore contrast ratio, in reflective mode is better than in transmissive mode. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a transflective electrowetting display with enhanced contrast in transmissive mode.

Samsung LCD Netherlands R & D Center B.V.


The invention includes a neck and clothing protector and method of using same that are especially designed for use in the cosmetology industry. Embodiments of the protector may include a rectangular strip of textured, flexible waterproof material of preselected dimensions wherein the protector is integral and does not have any scoring or perforations passing through its rectangular surface.

Most salon styling and coloring procedures begin with a thorough shampooing. When a client's hair is washed by a cosmetologist, the client sits in a chair which reclines toward a specially shaped sink. The sink is shaped to receive the client's head while the client's neck rests on a scoop in the sink that is specially shaped for this purpose. This allows the client's head and hair to extend into the sink basin. A spray nozzle connected to a flexible hose may then be manipulated by the cosmetologist in order to wet the client's hair, shampoo and rinse as desired. In order to fully clean and rinse the hair, the nozzle may be directed up underneath the client's head and toward the client's neck.
Various devices have been used to cover the client in an attempt to prevent water from splashing or dripping onto the client's clothes or the reclining chair. One such device is a towel that may be tucked into the client's collar. While towels are absorbent and can readily be used to dry the client's hair after shampooing, they also tend to become wetted by the shampooing and rinsing procedures. Additionally, the cotton material in towels may wick the moisture and thereby transmit the moisture to the client's clothing underneath the towel. This may be a minor inconvenience for some clients. But, for other clients, especially those wearing dry clean only clothing, it is a serious problem that requires the client or the salon to pay for dry cleaning of the contaminated clothes. Another drawback with using conventional towels is that they must be laundered after each procedure, thus, requiring additional expenditure of time, energy and money on behalf of the salon, which is undesirable.
Another device commonly used in salons is the plastic or vinyl cape which is placed over the client and secured to the client's neck prior to cutting, styling or coloring procedures. These conventional plastic capes typically have a cotton tape edge binding which may be used directly on the client's skin. Alternatively, plastic capes may be used on top of sanitary cotton, tissue or other suitable wicking material, e.g., Sanek® Neck Strips, placed first around the client's neck. The absorbent neck strip combined with the plastic cape might be preferred over the cape alone because of sanitary aspects relating to the reuse of the cape. While this combination of an absorbent neck strip and cape may be suitable for most cutting, styling or coloring procedures, it is generally unsuitable for protecting the client's clothing during shampooing. This is because the capes may be loosely secured about the neck area and, thus, do not provide a water tight seal with or without an absorbent neck strip. Furthermore, the absorbent neck strip can also provide a wicking action similar to the conventional towel and procedure described above. And finally, Sanek® Neck Strips may dissolve or disintegrate when wet, which is undesireable in the shampooing and rinse procedure.
Yet another conventional approach to solving this problem is known as the double drape method which combines the use of a cape with two towels. According to the double drape method, a first towel is placed lengthwise across the client's shoulders, crossing the ends of the towel beneath the client's chin. Then a plastic cape is wrapped over the first towel and fastened at the back of the client's neck. Finally, a second towel is wrapped around the client's neck and the ends of the second towel are again brought together under the client's chin. There are a couple of drawbacks with the double drape method. First, double draping is too bulky for the client and the stylist. The towels become wet and uncomfortable then generally have to be removed for easier access for the service being performed. Second, double draping doubles the amount of towels that must be laundered for each client serviced thus increasing costs, which is undesirable. A conventional single drape method that eliminates the second towel of the double drape method still fails to solve the problem of wetting the client's clothing and also tends to be bulky, though not as much so as the double drape method.
One attempt to solve this problem has been to use thin plastic sheets used to wrap food and the like, which may be placed around the client's shoulders and tucked under the client's collar. This provides a water impervious layer that may have some efficacy in protecting the client's clothing. However, such plastic sheeting materials are generally uncomfortable because they stick to the client's skin. Furthermore, because the plastic wrap readily sticks to itself, the plastic wrap is difficult to dispense and place over the clothing of the client. Generally, such plastic wrap material is not precut to size, thus, increasing the time and energy of the cosmetologist performing the desired procedure.
Other solutions to this ongoing problem have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,420 to Gettinger describes a cape having a separate back splash guard panel that prevents splashing through the open back portion of the cape below the neck line during shampooing. But the Gettinger cape still suffers from the lack of sealing and wicking problems of conventional capes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,568 to Morris-Jones describes disposable bibs made of absorbent material that have a flap which may folded over to provide a neck opening and a second layer of absorbent material. While the Morris-Jones bib could be used in salon procedures, it is not moisture impervious and would leave the problem of protecting a client's clothing during shampooing unsolved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,844 to Kehl et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,552 to Bolick et al. disclose bibs with layers of liquid impervious materials, thus, improving on the Morris-Jones bib. The Kehl et al. and Bolick et al. bibs could conceivably be used in the salon context. However, the Kehl et al. bib is designed for use in a dental office and does not wrap completely around the client's neck. The Bolick et al. bib has a triangular hole for insertion of the client's head, thus, surrounding the neck. However, the Bolick et al. bib head opening also fails to provide a water tight seal around the neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,919 to Baggetto describes a stay dry collar that includes a triangular tuck panel that can be tucked underneath the client's collar with end portions that may be tied around the client's neck to secure the Baggetto device in place. The Baggetto device is flexible and moisture impermeable, thus, avoiding the wicking problem associated with the above-described devices and methods. The Baggetto device provides adequate protection directly behind the neck and for the client's clothing that it surrounds. However, the Baggetto device does not protect the client's clothing all the way around the neck. This is a problem immediately after completion of the rinse procedure and as the client sits up from the reclining chair for drying of the hair. Additionally, the Baggetto device may be uncomfortable when tied around the client's neck and the procedure for placing and tying the Baggetto device is time consuming for the cosmetology professional.
It would be advantageous to have a comfortable, disposable neck and clothing protector that is impervious to liquids and, thus, protects the client's clothing during shampooing procedures. It would also be advantageous if this protector were capable of being wrapped all the way around the client's neck to provide protection to the front side of the client's clothing as well as the back side. Thus, there still exists a need in the art for an improved neck and clothing protector and method of using same.

Neck and clothing protector and method of using same


A camera capable of imprinting data in which data imprinting means is provided in a control circuit for controlling photographing and power consumption is reduced by appropriately changing intervals for driving a central processing unit (CPU) in accordance to data to be imprinted.. A drive signal outputting means 7 is included in the control circuit 1 for controlling photographing and a first drive signal is output from a short time counting means 5 at intervals of one minute and a second drive signal is output from a long time counting means 6 at intervals of 10 minutes, respectively, to a drive signal detecting means 8. When data imprinting mode is set up in a time mode (indicating in unit of minute), the CPU 9 is driven by the first drive signal and time data in a memory 9d is added up at intervals of one minute. When a date mode (indicating in unit of day) is set up, the CPU 9 is driven by the second drive signal and the time data is added up at intervals of 10 minutes. When photographing, the date or time data in the memory 9d is output to data imprinting means 18 to imprint on a film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera capable of imprinting data such as time and date on a film.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, among cameras capable of imprinting data on a film, there exists a camera which allows to select a mode between modes for imprinting date data for indicating year-month-day and a day of the week and for imprinting time data for indicating day-hour-minute.
Further, among such cameras capable of imprinting data on a film, there is one that has a time piece circuit containing an oscillation circuit, divider, year-month-day calculating means independently beside a control circuit for controlling photographing of the camera. In such a case, two microcomputers for structuring the control circuit and the time piece circuit have to be provided within one camera, complicating the structure of the camera and bringing about a higher cost. Then, a camera has been proposed in which drive signal outputting means containing an oscillation circuit and dividing circuit outputs drive signals at certain intervals is contained in a control circuit comprising one microcomputer and a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a "CPU") is driven by the drive signal at the certain intervals to update time data (Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 3-140931 and others).
In such a case when such drive signal generating means is included to drive the CPU at certain intervals to update time data, the time data is always updated at intervals of imprintable minimum unit time. That is, in the prior art structure, the CPU has to be driven at least at intervals of one minute to update the time data, and in the example of the publication mentioned above, the CPU is driven at intervals of one second. However, because indicated data is actually changed once in 24 hours when the camera is set up in the mode for imprinting date data, the data needs not be updated at intervals of one minute and there is practically no problem even if the data is updated at longer intervals. Thus, the prior art camera consumes electric current more than it actually needs because it always drives the CPU at intervals of minimum unit time to update time data regardless of the modes of the data imprinting means and even when the main switch is switched off and the camera is in a state incapable of photographing.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to simplify the structure and lower the cost of the camera capable of imprinting data by including drive signal generating means in the control circuit.
It is another object of the present invention to reduce the power consumption by appropriately changing updating intervals of time data.


An integrated microfabricated vapor cell sensor includes a transparent sensor cell body. The cell body has a cavity for a sensor fluid vapor which is covered by a first plate attached to the cell body. The sensor has a first signal path extending from a first signal emitter, through the cell body, through the cavity, through the cell body again, and to a first signal detector, and a second signal path extending through the cavity. The second signal path intersects the first signal path in the cavity. The second signal path may extend through the cell body, or may extend through the first plate. The signal emitters and signal detectors are located in the integrated microfabricated vapor cell sensor.

Microfabricated vapor cell sensors are used in chip-scale atomic clocks and magnetometers. The most common architecture of the cell body is a silicon body with a cavity for the vapor, such as alkali metal vapor, extending through the silicon body, sandwiched by glass windows, sealing the cavity. Optical signals are transmitted through one of the windows and received through the other window. The glass/silicon/glass structure is amenable to wafer scale production in microelectronic fabrication facilities, which keeps fabrication costs lower than building sensors individually.
Demands for higher performance have generated a need for microfabricated vapor cell sensors that support two perpendicular signal paths, which is difficult to achieve in a small package using the glass/silicon/glass structure. Other designs for microfabricated vapor cell sensors that support perpendicular signal paths have been proposed, but are not readily fabricated on a wafer scale, or in typical microelectronic fabrication facilities.

Integrated microfabricated vapor cell sensor with transparent body having two intersecting signal paths


Provided herein are methods for identifying risk of breast cancer in a subject and/or a subject at risk of breast cancer, reagents and kits for carrying out the methods, methods for identifying candidate therapeutics for treating breast cancer, and therapeutic methods for treating breast cancer in a subject. These embodiments are based upon an analysis of polymorphic variations in nucleotide sequences within the human genome.

Breast cancer is the third most common cancer, and the most common cancer in women, as well as a cause of disability, psychological trauma, and economic loss. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the United States, in particular for women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the leading cause of cancer-related death (Forbes, Seminars in Oncology, vol. 24(1), Suppl 1, 1997: pp.S1-20-S1-35). Indirect effects of the disease also contribute to the mortality from breast cancer including consequences of advanced disease, such as metastases to the bone or brain. Complications arising from bone marrow suppression, radiation fibrosis and neutropenic sepsis, collateral effects from therapeutic interventions, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation-also contribute to the morbidity and mortality from this disease.
While the pathogenesis of breast cancer is unclear, transformation of normal breast epithelium to a malignant phenotype may be the result of genetic factors, especially in women under thirty (Miki, et al., Science, 266: 66-71 (1994)). However, it is likely that other, non-genetic factors also have a significant effect on the etiology of the disease. Regardless of its origin, breast cancer morbidity increases significantly if it is not detected early in its progression. Thus, considerable efforts have focused on the elucidation of early cellular events surrounding transformation in breast tissue. Such efforts have led to the identification of several potential breast cancer markers. For example, alleles of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have been linked to hereditary and early-onset breast cancer (Wooster, et al., Science, 265: 2088-2090 (1994)). However, BRCA1 is limited as a cancer marker because BRCA1 mutations fail to account for the majority of breast cancers (Ford, et al., British J. Cancer, 72: 805-812 (1995)). Similarly, the BRCA2 gene, which has been linked to forms of hereditary breast cancer, accounts for only a small portion of total breast cancer cases.

Methods for identifying risk of breast cancer and treatments thereof