An improved freeze-thaw durability wet cast cementitious composition is provided that uses in-situ production of gas by gas generating additives and optionally polymeric microspheres that are blended directly into the mixture. The gas generating additives and the polymeric microspheres provide void spaces in the material matrix, and such void spaces act to increase freeze-thaw durability of the material.

It is well known that freezing and thawing cycles can be extremely damaging to water-saturated hardened cement compositions such as concrete. The best known technique to prevent or reduce the damage done is the incorporation in the composition of microscopically fine pores or voids. The pores or voids function as internal expansion chambers and can therefore protect the concrete from frost damage by relieving the hydraulic pressure caused by an advancing freezing front in the concrete. The method used in the prior art for artificially producing such voids in concrete has been by means of air-entraining agents, which stabilize tiny bubbles of air that are entrapped in the concrete during mixing.
These air voids are typically stabilized by use of surfactants during the mixing process of wet cast concrete. Unfortunately, this approach of entraining air voids in concrete is plagued by a number of production and placement issues, some of which are the following:
Air Content—Changes in air content of the cementitious mixture can result in concrete with poor resistance to freezing and thawing distress if the air content drops with time or reduce the compressive strength of concrete if the air content increases with time. Examples are pumping concrete (decrease air content by compression), job-site addition of a superplasticizer (often elevates air content or destabilizes the air void system), interaction of specific admixtures with the air-entraining surfactant (could increase or decrease air content).
Air Void Stabilization—The inability to stabilize air bubbles can be due to the presence of materials that adsorb the stabilizing surfactant, i.e., fly ash with high surface area carbon or insufficient water for the surfactant to work properly, i.e, low slump concrete.
Air Void Characteristics—Formation of bubbles that are too large to provide resistance to freezing and thawing, can be the result of poor quality or poorly graded aggregates, use of other admixtures that destabilize the bubbles, etc. Such voids are often unstable and tend to float to the surface of the fresh concrete.
Overfinishing—Removal of air by overfinishing, removes air from the surface of the concrete, typically resulting in distress by scaling of the detrained zone of cement paste adjacent to the overfinished surface.
The generation and stabilization of air at the time of mixing and ensuring it remains at the appropriate amount and air void size until the concrete hardens are the largest day-to-day challenges for the ready mix concrete producer in North America.
Adequately air-entrained concrete remains one of the most difficult types of concrete to make. The air content and the characteristics of the air void system entrained into the concrete cannot be controlled by direct quantitative means, but only indirectly through the amount/type of air-entraining agent added to the mixture. Factors such as the composition and particle shape of the aggregates, the type and quantity of cement in the mix, the consistency of the concrete, the type of mixer used, the mixing time, and the temperature all influence the performance of the air-entraining agent. The void size distribution in ordinary air-entrained concrete can show a very wide range of variation, between 10 and 3,000 micrometers (μm) or more. In such concrete, besides the small voids which are essential to cyclic freeze-thaw resistance, the presence of larger voids—which contribute little to the durability of the concrete and could reduce the strength of the concrete—has to be accepted as an unavoidable feature
The characteristics of an air void system in hardened concrete are determined by means of ASTM C457 Standard Test method for Microscopical Determination of Parameters of the Air-Void System in Hardened concrete. These characteristics are expressed as a series of parameters that are indicative of the average voids size (specific surface area), volumetric abundance (air content) and average distance between the voids (spacing factor). These values have been used in the concrete industry to determine the expected performance and durability of concrete in a water-saturated cyclic freezing environment. ACI guidelines recommend that the specific area be greater than 600 in−1 and the spacing factor equal to or less than 0.008 in to ensure resistance to freezing and thawing cycles.
Those skilled in the art have learned to control for these influences by the application of appropriate rules for making air-entrained concrete. They do, however, require the exercise of particular care in making such concrete and continually, checking the air content, because if the air content is too low, the frost resistance of the concrete will be inadequate, while on the other hand, if the air content is too high it will adversely affect the compressive strength.
The methods for controlling air voids in the prior art often result in inconsistent performance. If air bubbles of acceptable size and spacing are not entrained by the action of mixing, then no amount of bubble stabilizing chemical systems can produce an acceptable air void structure in the hardened concrete.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an admixture which produces a freeze-thaw durable void structure directly in a wet cast cementitious mixture, without requiring the shear conditions for generation of properly sized air bubbles during mixing. The void structures may comprise optimally sized voids to the wet cast mixture that provide the cementitious composition with improved freeze-thaw durability. The admixture should also reduce or eliminate the reduction of compressive strength for products manufactured from wet cast mixtures containing conventional air-entraining chemical admixtures.

Providing freezing and thawing resistance to cementitious compositions


An absorbent article comprising at least one stretchable laminate comprising a first nonwoven, a second nonwoven, and an elastic film therebetween, wherein each of the first and second nonwovens is adhesively bonded to the film by a hot melt adhesive; wherein the film is no thicker than about 60 micrometers; wherein at least one of the nonwovens is spunbonded; wherein the laminate is activated with a minimum of about 290% applied strain and a minimum strain rate of about 850/sec; and wherein the laminate is substantially free from pinholes.

Wearable absorbent articles (e.g., taped diapers, pull-on diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, panty liners, adult incontinence briefs, and bandages) typically offer the benefit of receiving and containing the bodily exudates of a wearer. Disposable varieties of such absorbent articles are commonly known, and can be made with various materials in a number of configurations. Such absorbent articles can include a chassis that defines a waist opening and a pair of leg openings, in addition to or further including side panels, and front or back ear panels.
Absorbent article materials may be made of numerous individual polymeric components that vary not only in terms of their properties, but also in their shape or form. They can be, for example, fibers, strands, fabrics, or films that can possess properties ranging from plastic to elastomeric. In order to produce stretch in materials, elastic materials can be combined while held under large strains with inelastic nonwovens (so called "live stretch"). These have been extensively used in the trade and appreciated for the textured appearance of the gathered nonwovens, but end up using large amounts of nonwoven, and thus may not be the most cost-effective route. An alternative to live stretch constructions are so called "zero-strain" constructions, where mechanical activation is used to apply large strains to a laminate that is comprised of an elastic layer and an inelastic nonwoven layer in order to permanently deform the inelastic layer of the laminate and enable the elastic layer to extend and retract.
In addition, large amounts of glue or adhesives are generally used in assembling the various components into a fully functional chassis. For example, in certain portions, adhesives may be used to attach a thin plastic film used as a fluid barrier to a nonwoven fabric that provides a cloth-like look and feel. Adhesives may be used in stretch elastic back ears or side panels where the adhesively-bonded nonwoven shields against the tacky or blocky nature of the elastic film onto the body side while again providing a soft fabric feel. Or adhesives may be used in the construction of legband or waistband laminates where live stretch strand elastics are sandwiched in between two layers of inelastic nonwovens that gather upon retraction.
One difficulty of working with adhesives is achieving the balance between the right level of adhesive to achieve adequate bond strength with cost while also preventing processing issues such as adhesive burn-through (pinholes) with thin films, adhesive bleed-through with nonwovens, or ruptures that can occur during activation due to the transfer of strain energy between the nonwoven and film. These issues can be difficult as it often requires the use of thicker or more complex nonwoven structures that can impose additional survivability issues during activation. Therefore, there is a continuing need for a way to maximize a laminate's extensibility through activation while still assuring survivability of the laminate.

Absorbent articles with activation-friendly laminates


Disclosed is a light emitting device including: a single or a plurality of laser diode(s) configured to emit a laser beam; a light emitting body configured to emit light upon irradiation with the laser beam(s); and an optical fiber guiding the single or plurality of laser beam(s) emitted from the single or plurality of laser diode(s) to a vicinity of the light emitting body and irradiating the guided single or plurality of laser beam(s) to a predetermined laser beam irradiation plane of the light emitting body, in a dispersed manner. This allows for achieving a high-luminance and a long life.

In recent years, studies have been intensively carried out for a light emitting device that uses, as illumination light, fluorescence emitted from a light emitting section which includes fluorescent material. The light emitting section emits the fluorescence upon irradiation with excitation light, which excitation light is emitted from an excitation light source. A semiconductor light emitting element is used as the excitation light source, such as a light emitting diode (LED), a laser diode (LD), or the like.
Patent Literatures 1 and 2 each disclose a lamp as examples of techniques related to such a light emitting device. In order to achieve a high-luminance light source, the lamps disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 employ a laser diode as the excitation light source. Laser beams emitted from the laser diode are coherent light; these laser beams have strong directivity, and therefore can be converged and used as the excitation light without waste. A light emitting device using such a laser diode as the excitation light source is suitably applicable for vehicle headlamps.
Meanwhile, Non Patent Literature 1 discloses a vehicle headlamp as an example of a technique for achieving a vehicle headlamp that employs an incoherent white LED.

Light emitting device, illuminating device, and vehicle headlamp


A rotor of an electrical rotating machine includes a first rotor core, a second rotor core which overlaps the first rotor core in an axial direction, a non-magnetic substance layer which is interposed between the rotor cores, and a plurality of permanent magnet portions which are embedded in each rotor core. Each of the rotor cores includes a plurality of flux barrier portions and a plurality of effectual magnetic flux portions which are alternately arranged on an outer circumferential surface thereof. The flux barrier portion of the first rotor core overlaps both of a portion of the flux barrier portion of the second rotor core and a portion of the effectual magnetic flux portion of the second rotor core in the axial direction such that, in the adjacent rotor cores, the effectual magnetic flux portions do not overlap each other in the axial direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical rotating machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A permanent magnet embedded type electrical rotating machine having a rotor core provided with an embedded permanent magnet has been known in the related art. In addition, as a method to reduce cogging torque and torque ripple of the electrical rotating machine, a magnetic pole of a rotor or a stator has been arranged with inclination with respect to an axial direction, in the related art. A so-called skew structure is generally known.
A permanent magnet embedded type electrical rotating machine having a skew structure in the related art has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287, for example. In a motor disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287, a plurality of rotor core blocks provided with embedded permanent magnets are integrally formed in an axial direction while being deviated from each other in a rotation direction of a rotor (see claim 1 and Paragraph[0014] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287).
In the motor disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287, an N-pole embedded in an rotor core block on an upper side and an S-pole embedded in an rotor core block on a lower side overlap each other in the rotational-axial direction, in two rotor core blocks adjacent to each other in the axial direction (see FIG. 1 and Paragraph[0015] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287). Therefore, magnetic flux leaving the N-pole on the upper side enters the S-pole on the lower side. The magnetic flux forms a short circuit loop inside the rotor, without being cross-linked with a stator outside the rotor. Therefore, torque is reduced (see Paragraph[0009] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287). That is, effectual magnetic flux of the rotor is reduced. In the motor according to the publication, a non-magnetic substance having a thin plate shape is interposed between the rotor core blocks, in order to suppress magnetic flux flowing from the N-pole on the upper side to the S-pole on the lower side (see Paragraph[0015] of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-308287). However, if the N-pole on the upper side and the S-pole on the lower side overlap each other in the rotational axial direction, as in the motor according to the publication, it is difficult to further suppress the reduction in the effectual magnetic flux.


Provided is a terminal display method, said method comprising: displaying a picture corresponding to left half-frame data of a current data frame, and starting a first timer; when the count time of said first timer ends, closing the screen brightness; rendering a picture corresponding to the right half-frame data of said current data frame starting a second timer; when the count time of said second timer ends, opening the screen brightness, displaying the picture corresponding to the right half-frame data, and simultaneously starting the first timer; and when the count time of the first timer ends, closing the screen brightness. The present disclosure also provides a terminal display apparatus.

The VR technology is a computer simulation technology which can create and experience a virtual world, and which can use a computer to generate a simulation environment such that a system simulation incorporating multi-source information into interactive 3D dynamic view and entity behavior is utilized to immerse users therein.
For VR-related products, if the display frame rate of a terminal is not high enough, the user will feel dizzy when staying in this environment for a long time. Generally, in order to improve the user's visual effect, the display frame rate of the terminal can be increased properly. For example, the terminal employs the display frame rate of 90 Hz or 120 Hz, so that the user's visual experience is not delayed to improve the display effect. However, the way of increasing the display frame rate of the terminal requires the use of a special chip, which increase cost, a long development cycle, and lowered practicability.


In a computer implemented method of determining a boundary of a tumor region or other diseased tissue, hyper- or multispectral image data of a tissue sample including a tumor region or other diseased tissue is taken. The analysis includes a morphological analysis and a spectral analysis of the hyper- or multispectral image data resulting in a morphological tumor boundary and a spectral tumor boundary or a morphological diseased tissue boundary and a spectral diseased tissue boundary. These two boundaries are combined resulting in a combined tumor boundary or combined diseased tissue boundary, wherein an indication of reliability of the combined tumor boundary or combined diseased tissue boundary is given.

For the physician, knowing the diseased tissue boundary is important since the treatment depends heavily on it. Knowing where to cut and what critical tissues can be spared is very important for a good surgical outcome and for low comorbidity.
Surgical removal of breast tumors (e.g. lumpectomy) is one of the most frequently performed surgical resections with significant rate increase, due to the leading incidence and prevalence of the breast neoplasms. The clinical goal of the breast surgery is to remove the tumorous tissue entirely without leaving behind more than focally positive margins. Any trace of tumorous tissue left behind would potentially cause tumor recurrence and subsequent revision surgery. Radiotherapy is another treatment option where small microscopic portions left behind are treated by ionizing radiation.
A typical workflow for breast tumor resection is as follows: the procedure starts with the inspection of the 2D images to make the excision plan. In case of non-palpable tumors or when patients are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy a marker is placed in the tumor for guidance during surgery. During surgery, blue dye is typically injected to locate nearby lymph nodes that are inspected for the presence of tumor cells. The breast tumor is resected and visually inspected whether the resection is complete. The gold standard analysis of whether the resection is complete is typically performed by pathological analysis and may take two days.
Even though various pre-operative data sets are acquired (mammography, CT, MR, US), the surgeon has no reference from the imaging data when performing surgical tumor excision, apart from mental mapping based on the diagnostic scans and the anatomy being exposed to the surgeon's eyes. Once the patient is in the operating room, the possibilities for imaging are limited. Moreover, the pre-operative anatomical imaging data that is available often remains unemployed. During surgery, the surgeon has to rely on visual and tactile feedback, and tumor margins are often poorly defined. The lack of real-time feedback leads to significant percentage of positive margins that require additional surgeries at a later stage.
A way to improve the procedure is to use a camera that can make real-time visualization of the tissue during the surgical procedure. These cameras allow to extract from the images based on morphological features the boundary of the diseased tissue. In the above case this disease tissue would be the tumor.
Another way to enhance the diseased tissue is by making use of a hyper/multi spectral camera that can take images in different wavelength bands in order to increase the contrast for tissue discrimination. By comparing for each pixel the spectral information a decision can be made whether the pixel is linked to diseased tissue or to normal tissue and as a result the boundary is known as well.
Although both methods, one based on morphology and one based on spectral information provides results on the diseased tissue boundary they don't provide a measure for the inaccuracy of the determined boundary.
The problem is thus how to provide the diseased tissue boundary that also indicates the reliability.
Consequently, there exists a need in the surgical field to determine the diseased tissue boundary, and also to indicate its reliability.

Tumor boundary reconstruction using hyperspectral imaging


A process for control melting a mixture of coal ash, electric arc furnace dust, recycled glass and additives to create a feedstock. The feedstock is quenched or air dried in a mold to create useful products, such as fracking compounds, abrasives, construction products, building materials, landscaping materials, and the like.

Hazardous and solid wastes containing heavy metal contaminants are a major environmental issue. Many of these wastes are in landfills that are potentially leaching heavy metals into water supplies. Attempts have been made to protect the environment from contamination, but many of these attempts are expensive or do not adequately prevent the heavy metal contaminants from leaching into the environment.
Coal ash, including coal combustion products (CCPs) and coal combustion residue (CCRs), and electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) present major waste problems in the US and other industrialized nations. Both have been shown to contain heavy metals (lead, mercury, iron, copper, manganese, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, aluminum, silver, and beryllium) and light metals and halides (sodium, lithium, sulfur, chloride, etc.) that are or can be hazardous if not handled properly.
Coal Ash is solid wastes generated during the burning of coal in power plants. Coal Ash includes fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, grit, flue gas desulfurization material and other wastes, such as fluidized bed combustion ash, cenospheres, and scrubber residues. Of the Coal Ash produced from burning coal for power generation, over 80% ends up as fly ash with much of the remainder being bottom ash. Coal Ash contains organic carbon materials (through loss on ignition) and metal contaminants, such as arsenic, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium, zinc and the like.
EAFD is a byproduct of the melting of metals in an electric arc furnace to make carbon steel. EAFD forms as a result of the molten metal being oxidized and cooled. Over 2% of the scrap feed melted to produce carbon steel ends up as EAFD. EAFD contains free and composite oxides. The composite oxides include magnesium, iron, nickel, manganese, zinc, copper, chromium, cadmium, lead and/or chlorides. EAFD is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a K061 hazardous waste because it fails that agency's toxicity characteristic leaching procedure test for lead, cadmium and chromium.
Currently, Coal Ash are not classified as hazardous waste. Most Coal Ash is disposed of in landfills or ash ponds, but some are recycled. Fly ash, for example, is used extensively in concrete and soil stabilization. The chemical makeup of Coal Ash depends on the compounds in the burned coal, but most contain amounts of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and calcium oxide (CaO). Fly ash is classified as Class F or Class C depending upon the amount of calcium, silica, alumina, and iron content in the ash. Class F fly ash requires an activator and is used in Portland cement. Class C fly ash is self-cementing and does not require a chemical reagent or activator.
Disposing of EAFD is more complicated due to the hazardous waste classification. Currently, some EAFD is sent to a landfill, but most is treated by fixing the metal in a solid or processing at high temperatures or another electric or hydrometallurgical process to separate the metals out of the dust. However, current methods of processing EAFD are expensive and may be ineffective or hazardous themselves.
Abrasives are compounds used to shape, smooth and polish other materials. Abrasives are also used to remove a substance (such as paint) from a surface. Common uses for abrasives include grinding, polishing, buffing, honing, cutting, drilling, sharpening, lapping, and sanding. Abrasives are compounds that are harder than the materials they shape, smooth, polish or remove.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,257 to Morano, et al., teaches an abrasive composed of EAFD, glass, and silica sand. U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,911 to Morano, et al., teaches a process for making an abrasive composition by melting a mixture of EAFD, glass, and silica sand. These patents teach adding glass compositions, crushed glass, or cullet. The disclosures of each of these patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
There is a strong need for a safe, economical way to prevent the heavy metal contaminants in Coal Ash and EAFD from leaching into the environment, while at the same time creating useful commercial products. There is a need for abrasives and other glass ceramic products that perform well but are reasonably priced. No products currently on the market derive from a combination of Coal Ash and EAFD. It is an object of this invention to recycle Coal Ash and EAFD to create a feedstock for the manufacture of useful commercial products, such as economical abrasives and other glass ceramic products. It is an object of this invention to create a crude feedstock made from Coal Ash and EAFD which is environmentally safe. It is another object of this invention to produce a effective abrasives and other glass ceramic compositions with controlled hardness and fracture toughness properties that are inexpensive to produce and that outperform other products currently in the market. It is an object of the invention to use Coal Ash that was previously destined for landfills, as a readily available, high volume, cheap source of iron, alumina and silica to produce abrasives and other glass-ceramic products.

Converting coal ash and electric arc furnace dust into glass-ceramic materials


A computer tomography apparatus has an x-ray source with a focus, with the focus being periodically deflected during data acquisition, specifically during mean value formation of the signals obtained by the radiation detector. The mean value formation is not undertaken simultaneously for all detector elements, but instead is undertaken chronologically offset from detector element to detector element. A memory in which the analog measured values available at the end of an interval would be stored is thus not needed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a computer tomography apparatus, and in particular to such an apparatus having a rotating frame surrounding a measuring region, with a radiation source and a row of detector elements being mounted on the frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer tomography devices are known in the art, such as that disclosed in German OS No. 2538517 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,917, which have a rotating frame on which a radiation source and a radiation detector are mounted. The radiation source generates a fan-shaped x-ray beam which penetrates an examination region in the interior of the frame, with radiation attenuated by a patient being incident on the radiation detector. The frame is rotatable around an axis extending through the measuring region, and disposed perpendicularly relative to the plane of the x-ray beam. The examination subject is thus transirradiated from different directions. A computer is provided which uses the data from the radiation detector to generate a cross-sectional image of the examination subject. This known device also has means for undertaking a periodic deflection of the focus of the x-ray source in the plane of the x-ray beam perpendicular to a center normal of the radiation detector
In a computer tomography apparatus of this type, the measured values are described by two parameters. The first parameter, .alpha., identifies the angular position of the focus centroid relative to a fixed axis. The second parameter, .beta., is the angle between the central ray of the x-ray beam and a connecting line between the focus and the detector element under consideration.
If the focus in the rotating frame has a fixed position, i.e., is not deflected, there are as many different .beta. values as detector elements. If the focus is periodically deflected on either side of a point on the center normal of the detector, in a direction perpendicular to the center normal, measured values for a plurality of .beta. values can be acquired with a single, defined detector element. This means the total number of measured values is increased, and thus the image resolution can also be increased.
If S(t) is the function defining the periodic movement of the focus with respect to time t, then S(t+T)=S(t) and S(t+T/2)=-S(t) are valid, where T is the period of the focus deflection. The focus centroid in the interval 0.ltoreq.t.ltoreq.T/2 is different from the focus centroid in the interval T/2.ltoreq.t.ltoreq.T.
Per detector element, a measured value in the first interval, and a further measured value in the second interval, can then be formed using integrators. Given a suitable selection of the amplitude of S(t), dependent on the shape on the function S, it can be achieved that the .beta. values for the second interval lie between the .beta. values of the first interval.
If all measured values in an interval are simultaneously formed, as in conventional devices, a memory must be provided in which the measured values available at the end of an interval are stored until derivation of a digital value proportional to the measured value. For example, a double integrator can be employed for each detector element for this purpose, the double integrator being switched at points in time n . T/2, with n being the number of measured data sets, and n=1, 2 . . .

Computer tomography apparatus with periodic focus deflection


An autoignition two-stroke internal combustion engine utilizes rectangular working chambers and pistons with bar-type seals and rotary sleeve valves which connect the working chambers to exhaust gas turbines for secondary expansion and a supercharger. The supercharger is thermally decoupled from the expansion turbines but the expansion turbines are connected to the supercharger and the crankshaft by a planetary gear transmission which can be cut in or out by a disk-type brake or clutch.

For reference to an autoignition two-stroke internal combustion engine of the type which utilizes working chambers which have a generally rectangular cross section and pistons which also have a generally rectangular outline and operate with seals which lie in respective planes and are of the rib or bar type, reference may be had to my U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,778 issued Sep. 22, 1992.
In the two-stroke internal combustion engine field, it is known to provide rotary slide valves which serve for material exchange in the system, i.e. admitting fresh air to the working chamber as a combustion-sustaining gas and enabling exhaust gas formed in the combustion, ignition or explosion process to be discharged.
These systems alleviate the disadvantage of fresh-air loss in more conventional three-passage internal combustion engines in which the material exchange is effected exclusively by an appropriate travel to the combustion past passages in the wall of the respective working chamber.
It is also known to provide a two-stroke internal combustion engine with a centrifugal or turbocompressor which supplies the fresh air or fresh gas to flush the working chamber and for supercharging purposes.
It is also known to provide a high efficiency internal combustion engine by providing oscillating pistons in partial cylinders enabling a secondary expansion of the working gasses. In this case, diffusion of exhaust gas into fresh gas is intentionally provided to reduce NO.sub.x release which cannot be readily achievable with two-stroke engines operating with valves.
In four-stroke diesel and autoignition engines, turbo super-charging has been increasingly used in recent years. In this case, turbocompressors driven by exhaust gas are used to increase the filling of the working cylinder with the compressed air or the fuel/air mixture and thus bring about an improvement in power output and fuel efficiency. However, with these systems, there is a thermal coupling of the supercharger and the expansion turbine which requires an expensive supercharging air cooling.
It should also be mentioned that an additional exhaust gas turbine to increase power output has been provided heretofore and is coupled with the crankshaft by a transmission. This contributes to an overall efficiency increase of the engine. With diesel engines or trucks, it is possible to increase the overall efficiency in this manner to say 47%.

V-block two-stroke internal combustion engine


Disclosed are lyophilized biologically active proteinaceous compositions containing low diol polyalkylene oxide, such as polyethylene glycol, covalently attached to a biologically active proteinaceous substance and combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to lyophilized aqueous parenteral solutions of physiologically active proteins and polypeptides attached to low diol polyalkylene oxide combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin.
More particularly, this invention relates to a lyophilized aqueous parenteral solution of superoxide dismutase attached to low diol polyethylene glycol combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin, and to a lyophilized aqueous parenteral solution of catalase attached to low diol polyethylene glycol combined with the cryoprotectant cyclodextrin.

Lyophilized polyethylene oxide modified catalase composition, polypeptide complexes with cyclodextrin and treatment of diseases with the catalase compositions


The present invention relates to a Lactuca sativa seed designated 79-82 RZ, which exhibits resistance against downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) strains BL:1- (Bremia lactucae), currant-lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) and lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) as well as blond, thin, deeply-incised, nicely-frilled leaves. The present invention also relates to a Lactuca sativa plant produced by growing the 79-82 RZ seed. The invention further relates to methods for producing the lettuce cultivar, represented by lettuce variety 79-82 RZ.

All cultivated forms of lettuce belong to the highly polymorphic species, Lactuca sativa, which is grown for its edible head and leaves. As a crop, lettuce is grown commercially wherever environmental conditions permit the production of an economically viable yield.
Lactuca sativa is in the Cichoreae tribe of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family. Lettuce is related to chicory, sunflower, aster, scorzonera, dandelion, artichoke and chrysanthemum. Sativa is one of about 300 species in the genus Lactuca.
Lettuce cultivars are susceptible to a number of pests and diseases such as downy mildew (Bremia lactucae). This disease result in millions of dollars of lost lettuce crop throughout the world every year. Downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) is highly destructive for lettuce grown at relatively low temperature and high humidity. Downy mildew is caused by a fungus, Bremia lactucae, of which various strains or races exist.
Downy mildew causes pale, angular, yellow areas bounded by veins on the upper leaf surfaces. Sporulation occurs on the opposite surface of the leaves. The lesions eventually turn brown, and they may enlarge and coalesce. These symptoms typically occur first on the lower leaves of the lettuce, but under ideal conditions may move into the upper leaves of the head. When the fungus progresses to this degree, the head cannot be harvested. Less severe damage requires the removal of more leaves than usual, especially when the lettuce reaches its final destination.
Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) mainly infects lettuce seeds, which is the primary way that the virus is introduced to lettuce in the fields, but also may infect numerous crops and weeds, thereby creating reservoirs of the virus. LMV also may be vectored by aphids, which spread the virus within a lettuce field and introduce it into lettuce fields from infected weeds and crops outside the field.
Symptoms of lettuce mosaic virus vary greatly. Leaves of plants that are infected at a young stage are stunted, deformed, and (in some varieties) show a mosaic or mottling pattern. Such plants rarely grow to full size; head lettuce varieties infected early fail to form heads. Plants that are infected later in the growth cycle show a different set of symptoms. These plants may reach full size, but the older outer leaves turn yellow, twisted, and otherwise are deformed. On head lettuce, the wrapper leaves often will curve back away from the head and developing heads may be deformed. In some cases brown, necrotic flecks occur on the wrapper leaves.
Of the various species of aphids that feed on lettuce, the currant-lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) is the most destructive species because it feeds both on the leaves of the lettuce as well as deep in the heart of the lettuce, making it difficult to control with conventional insecticides. The lettuce aphid feeds by sucking sap from the lettuce leaves. Although direct damage to the lettuce may be limited, its infestation has serious consequences because the presence of aphids makes lettuce unacceptable to consumers.
Although several known lettuce cultivars exhibit resistance against disease, irrespective of lettuce type, many lettuce cultivars affected produce large leaves that, when cut to smaller size pieces generally result in a lot of cut surface resulting in a diminished shelf life with respect to wound-induced discoloration of these cut surfaces. Light green or 'blond' varieties are considered better tasting by consumers, due to their association with leaves from the heart of a lettuce plant, which are milder tasting as well as paler colored than outer leaves.
Although several known lettuce cultivars may be harvested mechanically at young plant, i.e. babyleaf stage, no pest and disease resistant lettuce cultivars exist that may be harvested mechanically at mature stage and still provide leaf pieces that are of small, directly edible size and have an attractive blond color. Mechanical harvesting saves labor cost and improves labor conditions in comparison with commonly applied hand-harvesting methods.
There exists a need, therefore, for an mechanically harvestable lettuce variety which exhibits a combination of resistance against downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) strains BL:1-28 and strain FR10.021, currant-lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) and lettuce mosaic virus (LMV).
Citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.


The present invention is directed to an improved nebulizer attachment for use with a powered nebulizer machine for converting liquid medication into aerosol. It includes a reservoir chamber for liquid medication which is adapted to be oriented substantially vertically, has a gas inlet located thereon for connection to a nebulizer machine and has the capability therein to intermix the incoming gas with the liquid medication to create an aerosol. There is also an aerosol outlet for connection to a face attachment for delivery of the aerosol to a user. The present invention also includes a face attachment indirectly connected to the reservoir chamber. Finally, there is a hollow fitting located between the reservoir chamber and the face attachment. This hollow fitting is formed of a plastic tube having a plurality of circumferential, unconnected corrugations of a semi-flexible nature and has only three rest positions for each such corrugation. One rest position is fully compressed, a second rest position is fully open, and a third rest position is tilted with full compression at one point and fully open at an opposite point to create a single non-180.degree. angle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a nebulizer for converting liquid medication into aerosol, and, more specifically, to an improved nebulizer attachment. The present invention nebulizer attachment enables a user to set a predetermined, preselected angle other than a straight or right angle of orientation between a nebulizer face attachment and a nebulizer reservoir chamber which must be maintained in a substantially vertical position.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Nebulizers have been available for a number of years and typically take the form of either stationary devices, meaning permanently affixed devices which are far too heavy to be deemed portable, or portable devices. In either case, the basic components of a nebulizer unit include a nebulizer machine, sometimes referred to as a compressor or pump, a medication reservoir and a face attachment. Hosing is also included to connect the compressor with the reservoir chamber to deliver air or oxygen so as to intermix with the liquid medication to form an aerosol, mist, or gas. The reservoir chamber is then typically attached to a face attachment such as a mask or mouthpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,733 issued to Noel F. Beasley in 1965 describes a nebulizer unit, referred to as a pressure breathing therapy unit, which includes a compressor, connecting hose, a medication chamber for the liquid medication, and a face piece, with interconnecting flexible hosing. This invention requires a support arm which is rigid and generally affixes the position of the reservoir chamber and hence the location of the device for a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,537, issued to Nat Camp in 1975 describes a steam nebulizer which includes an open housing seated atop a steam generator with a nozzle which penetrates into the housing on one side of a baffle and intercepts the steam issuing from a lateral nozzle orifice. The device is attached to a face mask via a flexible hose.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,093, issued to Nat Camp in 1980 likewise describes a steam-air inhalator which includes connection via flexible hosing to a face mask, or, alternatively, to a mouthpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,468 describes an alternative nebulizer attachment device which includes a liquid medication reservoir chamber, a T-connector, a conduit with a rotor and the ability to attach to a face attachment. Note here that the reservoir and the T-connector which may act as a mouthpiece are at fixed right angles to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,241, issued to Exequiel D. Cruz in 1983 describes a nebulizer bottle which includes a flexible neck with a mouthpiece which is typically oriented in the vertical position and which is rotated downwardly and oriented in the horizontal position for use but, due to the springiness or return of the flexible hose portion, this must be uncharged by means of an arrow clip or other attachment means which is inserted into an open loop for fixed orientation in the horizontal position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,055 issued to John M. Hoppough in 1989 describes a nebulizer device which includes an atmosphere adjusting collar both slidably and rotatably mounted on the housing so as to adjust restriction of atmosphere inlet ports on the housing. This is included in the path from the liquid medication reservoir chamber to a face mask and a flexible hosing is included.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,715, issued to Stephan Brugger on Aug. 21, 1990 describes a transportable inhalation device which is typical of current day nebulizers. This device includes a portable compressor, connecting hose, reservoir chamber and face attachment, which, in this case, is a mouthpiece. Here, the reservoir chamber must be maintained in a substantially vertical orientation to assure proper nebulization, e.g., atomization or aerosol formation, of the medication, yet the mouthpiece is fixedly attached thereto at a right angle without any capability of changing or adjusting the angle between the mouthpiece and the chamber reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,809, issued to Pat Robinson on Jul. 2, 1991 describes attachments for a hand held aerosol generating nebulizer which enables the patient to adjust exhalation holes to control the ranges of passive to active exhalation resistance, thereby adjusting the expiratory pressure and expiratory respiration. Thus, flexible hoses are used which have one or more ports located therein and which may be stretched open or forced closed depending upon the flexed orientation of the hosing by the user.
Notwithstanding the formidable prior art, it should be noted that none of the prior art references teach, suggest or render obvious the concept of the present invention wherein a semi-flexible hose is used between the face attachment and the reservoir chamber so that only a series of predetermined and preset angles can be achieved in a fixed fashion so that a user can reorient the angle between the face attachment and the chamber. In other words, the present invention specifically enables a user to have a position other than a substantially vertical neck and head position and yet to have the face attachment comfortably fitted to the head at such a different angle while still maintaining the nebulizer reservoir chamber at a substantially vertical orientation.


A method of projection spectroscopy for N-dimensional NMR experiments with the following steps. Data recording through; a) selection of N-dimensional NMR experiments out of a group of N-dimensional experiments, selection of the dimensionalities (Di) of the projections and unconstrained selection of j sets of projection angles, with j≧2; b) recording of discrete sets of j projections from the N-dimensional NMR experiments at the selected projection angles; c) peak picking and creating a peak list for each of the j projection spectra is characterized by d) automated identification of peaks in the projection spectra that arise from the same resonance in the N-dimensional spectrum (N≧3) using vector algebra to exploit geometrical properties of projections in the N-dimensional space, and computation of a N-dimensional peak list using vector algebra to exploit geometrical properties of projections in the N-dimensional space. A reliable method of automated projection spectroscopy without restrictions on projection angles and dimensionality is thereby realized.

The invention relates to a method of projection spectroscopy for N-dimensional (N≧3) NMR experiments with the following steps:
Data Recording Comprising                (a) selection of N-dimensional NMR experiments out of a group of N-dimensional experiments, selection of the dimensionalities of the projections and unconstrained selection of j sets of projection angles, with j≧2,        (b) recording of discrete sets of j projections from the N-dimensional NMR experiments at the selected projection angles,        (c) peak picking and creating a peak list for each of the j projection spectra.
A method of this type is known from reference [40] listed below).
In NMR studies of biological macromolecules in solution (see reference [1-4] as listed below), multidimensional NMR data are commonly acquired by sampling the time domain in all dimensions equidistantly at a resolution adjusted to the populated spectral regions (see reference [5] as listed below). With recent advances in sensitivity, due to high field strengths and/or cryogenic detection devices, the time required to explore the time domain in the conventional way typically exceeds by far the time needed for sensitivity considerations, so that the desired resolution in the indirect dimensions determines the duration of the experiment. In this situation of the "sampling limit", which is common in 3- and higher-dimensional experiments with small and medium-size proteins (see reference [6] as listed below), the desired chemical shift information has been collected using "unconventional" experimental schemes, such as non-uniform sampling of the time domain (see reference [7,8] as listed below) or combination of two or more indirect dimensions (see reference [9,10] as listed below).
The concept of combining indirect dimensions has lead to reduced-dimensionality experiments (see reference [9] as listed below) and G-Matrix Fourier transform (GFT) NMR (see reference [11, 12] as listed below). In GFT-NMR, several evolution periods of a multidimensional NMR experiment are combined, the data are processed using a G-matrix, and the resulting set of spectra is analyzed jointly to is identify the peaks that arise from the same spin system and to calculate their resonance frequencies (see reference [11] as listed below). In another approach, projection-reconstruction (PR-) NMR (see reference [13-16] as listed below), the projection—cross-section theorem (see reference [17, 18] as listed below) is combined with reconstruction methods from imaging techniques (see reference [19, 20] as listed below). In particular, a scheme for quadrature detection along tilted planes in the time domain allows the direct recording of orthogonal projections of any multidimensional experiment at arbitrary projection angles (see reference [15] as listed below). In PR-NMR, the full multidimensional spectrum is then reconstructed from the projections of the multidimensional spectral data (see reference [13-16] as listed below).
The analysis of complex NMR spectra typically involves intensive human interaction, and automation of NMR spectroscopy with macromolecules is still in development. Thereby the distinction of real peaks from random noise and spectral artifacts, as well as peak overlap represent major challenges (see reference [21-23, 40] as listed below).
The known methods show disadvantages like limitations on the possible number of projection angles and the requirement of manual interaction during operation. Further current automated methods can only handle the case N=3 and do not allow an easy extension to higher dimensions.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the described disadvantages and to propose a reliable method of automated projection spectroscopy without restrictions on projection angles and dimensionality.

Automated projection spectroscopy (APSY)


The invention herein generally relates to pharmaceutical formulations and methods of treating an overweight or obese subject, and overweight- or obesity-related conditions.

Over 1.1 billion people worldwide are reported to be overweight. Obesity is estimated to affect over 100 million people in the United States alone. Thirty-four percent of the population in the United States over the age of twenty is considered clinically obese. While being overweight or obese presents problems (for example restriction of mobility, discomfort in tight spaces such as theater or airplane seats, social difficulties, etc.), these conditions, in particular clinical obesity, affect other aspects of health, i.e., diseases and other adverse health conditions associated with, exacerbated by, or precipitated by being overweight or obese. The estimated mortality from obesity-related conditions in the United States is over 300,000 annually (O'Brien et al. Amer J Surgery (2002) 184:4S-8S; and Hill et al. (1998) Science, 280:1371).
There is no curative treatment for being overweight or obese. Traditional pharmacotherapies for treating an overweight or obese subject, such as serotonin and noradrenergic re-uptake inhibitor, noradrenergic re-uptake inhibitors, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, intestinal lipase inhibitors, or surgeries such as stomach stapling or gastric banding, have been shown to provide short-term benefits with significant rates of relapse, and have further shown harmful side-effects to patients.
More recently, certain angiogenesis inhibitors, such as TNP-470, have been investigated for use to treat obesity (Rupnick et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,306,819). These angiogenesis inhibitors are analogs or derivatives of fumagillin, which is a known fungal metabolite produced by A. fumigatus. Analogs and derivates of fumagillin have been researched and developed because of adverse side-effects associated with administration of fumagillin to subjects and because of poor bioavailability of fumagillin, i.e., fumagillin exhibits rapid metabolic degradation and erratic levels in blood.
For example, fumagillin has traditionally been administered as an antiparasitic agent. Fumagillin has been administered in a dose range of 10 mg to 20 mg, three times a day (30 mg/day to 60 mg/day) to humans to treat amebiasis (Seneca, Am. J. Digestive Dis. (1956) 1:310-322). Fumagillin has also been administered at 60 mg/day to humans to treat intestinal microsporidiosis due to Enteroctozoon bieneusi (Molina et al. Engl J Med (2002) vol. 346 25:1963-1969). Administering fumagillin at these dosages has resulted in patients developing blood disorders, e.g., thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and neutropenia (Molina et al. Engl J Med (2002) vol. 346 25:1963-1969 and Seneca, Am. J. Digestive Dis. (1956) 1:310-322).
Further, fumagillin has been investigated as an anti-cancer agent. A resulting side-effect of administration of fumagillin to a mouse at a dose of 33 mg/kg/day is severe weight loss, i.e., wasting (Ingbar et al. (Nature (1990) 348:555-557); see also D'Amato et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,949) and BaMaung et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,228)). Wasting is characterized by degradation and loss of adipose tissue and lean body mass (muscle tissue, bones, and organs). Substantial loss of lean body mass along with loss of excess adiposity is not a desirable consequence of any therapy, let alone a therapy for an overweight or obese subject.
There is an unmet need for methods of treating overweight or obese subjects that are safe and effective.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of treating an overweight or obese subject


Embodiments relate to an intranasal drug delivery device, system, and process. The drug delivery device can have a compliant/flexible soft nib. The drug delivery device can have an actuator and shot chamber. The drug delivery device can have a non-air interface mechanically pressurized fluid reservoir. The drug delivery device can have a facial or device recognition application to prevent intentional or unintentional misuse.

There are various devices currently available for delivering drugs to the nasal cavity. Examples of prior art intranasal delivery devices include: US 2016/0367774; US 2017/0072145; US 2016/0310683; US 2013/0331916; US 2015/0165139; US 2015/0080785; US 2016/0310683; U.S. Pat. No. 7,799,337; US 2007/0789976; US 2013/0142868; US 2014/0083424; US 2011/0132354; US 2002/0017294; US 2011/0088690; U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,707,226; 8,001,963; 9,480,644; 9,550,036; 5,331,954; 6,112,743; 6,180,603; 7,296,566; 5,224,471; and 5,307,953.
The inventors have determined a need for improved intranasal delivery devices.

Intranasal drug delivery device, system, and process


A non-ionizing, clog-resistant filter for extracting fine particulate contaminants such as smoke from a gaseous fluid stream such as air uses interaction between Van der Waals forces and a non-ionizing electrostatic field to efficiently capture the contaminant particles in a filter material whose pores are many times larger than the diameter of the particles to be captured. The filter material is physically so configured to further enhance that interaction, and is disposed between at least a pair of electrodes of opposite polarity. The material may be spaced from the electrodes, but preferably touches one of them. The particles are trapped deeply into the thickness of the filter material and leave ample room for continued air flow. The electrostatic voltage is preferably between 3 and 9 kV and is largely independent or electrode spacing. The configuration of the filter material is such that the flow velocity through the material is less than 0.1 m/sec, preferably on the order of 0.03 m/sec.

Many types of electrostatic filters have been proposed for removing small particulate materials such as dust, smoke and the like from gases such as air or the exhaust gases of vehicles or industrial processes. Typically, such filters rely in one way or another on the ionization of the particulate material by friction or by a high-voltage electric field, so that they may be trapped and held by electrostatic forces. A common disadvantage of ionizing electrostatic filters is that they operate at sufficiently high voltages to require expensive insulation and safety precautions as well as substantial power and that they produce ozone which constitutes a health hazard.
Non-ionizing electrostatic filters have also been proposed in the past, but their use tends to be limited to special situations, such as the capture of partially conductive soot particles from diesel exhaust.
Mechanical filters (including high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) and ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filters) not using electric fields are also common, but they are basically unable to capture particles smaller than their pore size, and they are also subject to rather rapid clogging by captured particles. The clogging takes place mostly on the inflow surface of the filter, and the thickness of the filter material for holding particles is not utilized.

Filter for particulate materials in gaseous fluids


Network architecture for establishing telephony connection, including a call management node, a first network node connected to the call management node via a first signaling link, and further connected to at least one first node telephony subscriber, a second network node connected to the call management node via a second signaling link, to the first network node via at least one voice link, and further connected to at least one second node telephony subscriber.

The present invention relates to telephony communication in general, and to methods and systems for establishing and controlling telephone calls, in particular.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a schematic illustration of a system for placing a call between a pre-paid mobile subscriber, and a land subscriber, which is known in the art. The system is includes a mobile switching center (MSC) 4, a central office (CO) 10 and a pre-paid system (PPS) 14. Pre-paid system 14 is also know as adjunct switch or service node. Mobile switching center (MSC) 4 is a gateway for a plurality of mobile subscribers (such as mobile subscriber 2) to a wide area telephony network. Central office (CO) 10 is a gateway for a plurality of land subscribers (such as land subscriber 8) to that wide area telephony network. Pre-paid system (PPS) 14 is operative to authorize and control telephony calls from mobile subscriber 2 to another subscriber such as a land subscriber 8 or other mobile subscribers. Mobile switching center (MSC) 4 is coupled to central office (CO) 10 and to pre-paid system (PPS) 14 via respective signaling links 36 and 34. It is noted that signaling links 34 and 36 are typically routed between the various network nodes by signal transfer point (STP) units (not shown), which serve as routers.
In the terminology of conventional telephony, a voice link between network nodes such as links 16, 22 and 28, represents a time slot in a multiplexed voice trunk. Each of the time slots is identified by a circuit identification code (CIC).
When mobile subscriber 2 initiates a telephone call to land subscriber 8, he first establishes a link 6 to MSC 4. It is noted that the type of link between a terminal and a respective network node, is typically different than a link between two network nodes.
MSC 4 initiates a call to PPS 14 via signaling link 34 and further directs the call thereto, via voice link 16, between ports 18 and 20. PPS 14 authorizes that call according to the account status of the mobile subscriber 2 and initiates a call back to MSC 4 via signaling link 34 and further directs that call thereto via voice link 22, between ports 24 and 26. MSC initiates a call to central office (CO) 10 via signaling link 36 and further directs the call received at port 26 to central office (CO) 10, via link 28, between ports 30 and 32. Central office (CO) 10 further directs the call to land subscriber 8 via a link 12.
PPS 14 constantly monitors the call established between mobile subscriber 2 and land subscriber 8, as it passes there through. It is noted that establishing such a telephone call requires allocating three ports in the MSC 4, two ports in the PPS 14 and one port in the CO 10. Each voice connection port 18, 26 and 30 employs a different circuit identification code and hence, MSC 4 has to assign three CICs for establishing that telephone call.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that for the purpose of establishing a pre-paid call, MSC 4 has to initiate two calls, one from port 18 and another from port 30. The initiation and management of these calls, significantly load the processors of MSC 4. In addition, the capacity of MSC 4 is limited to a predetermined number of calls, which can be managed and switched thereby. Hence, every such pre-paid call, requires switch resources which could have been used for two regular calls. This significantly increases the cost of such a pre-paid call in terms of switching resource allocation.
Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which is a schematic illustration of a system for placing a call between a pre-paid mobile subscriber, and a land subscriber, which is known in the art. MSC 44, CO 50, and PPS 54 are analogous to MSC 4 (FIG. 1), CO 10, and PPS 14, respectively. MSC 44 is coupled to CO 50 and to PPS 54 via respective signaling links 40 and 56.
When mobile subscriber 42 initiates a telephone call to land subscriber 48, he first establishes a link 46 to MSC 44. MSC 44 initiates a call to PPS 54 via signaling link 56. PPS 54 authorizes that call according to the account status of the mobile subscriber 42 and initiates a return call, back to MSC 44 via signaling link 56. In that return call, PPS 54 directs MSC 44, to connect ports 60 and 62 via a voice link 64. The establishing of voice link 64 is known in the art as xe2x80x9cloop-aroundxe2x80x9d.
In turn, MSC 44 initiates a call to CO 50 via signaling link 40. MSC 44, further directs the call, received at port 62, to CO 50, via voice link 58, between ports 66 and 68. CO 50 further directs the call to land subscriber 48.
PPS 54 constantly monitors the call established between mobile subscriber 42 and land subscriber 48, by communicating at a signaling level with MSC 44. It is noted that establishing such a telephone call requires allocating three ports in MSC 44, and a single port in CO 50.
Each voice connection port 60, 62 and 66 employs a different circuit identification code and hence, MSC 44 has to assign three CICs for establishing that telephone call. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that for the purpose of establishing that pre-paid call, MSC 44 has to initiate two calls, one from port 60 and another from port 66, which significantly load the processors thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,702 to De Paul et al. entitled xe2x80x9cDynamic STP routing in response to triggeringxe2x80x9d is directed to a method for submitting queries to a remote database using SCCP/TCAP protocols. The method employs a common channel interoffice signaling (CCIS) network to determine a parameter respective of the called party (e.g., if the called party is busy), prior to construction of a telephone connection. When an originating end office receives a request to connect a caller to a called party, the originating end office sends a message to the terminating end office, via the CCIS network. The terminating end office determines if the called party is busy. If the called party is busy, then the terminating end office informs the originating end office by sending a message via the CCIS network, and the originating end office provides a busy signal to the caller. If the called party is not busy, then the terminating end office informs the originating end office, and a telephone connection is constructed between the caller and the called party.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,562, to Christie et al. entitled xe2x80x9cSystems and methods for providing enhanced services for telecommunication callxe2x80x9d is directed to a method for providing enhanced services for calls over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) system. Such services include voice messaging, facsimile messaging, mail boxes, voice recognition, conference bridging, calling card, menu routing, prepay card, tone detection and call forwarding. The system includes a service platform system, which interacts with a plurality of communication terminals. The service platform system includes a signaling processor, a service platform and an interworking unit.
The signaling processor receives signaling messages in ATM format from a source terminal, processes them and determines which services the call requires and which operations have to be performed. The signaling processor then sends a signal to the service platform, designating the application to use in order to process the call. The interworking unit receives signals from the source terminal and from the signaling processor, and converts the ATM cells, which it has received from the source terminal, to a form, which is compatible with the service platform. The service platform processes the signal received from interworking unit according to the selected application, and sends the processing results to the signaling processor, and the processed call to the interworking unit. The interworking unit sends the processed call either to the source terminal or to another service platform. The signaling processor sends the processed call either to the target terminal, to the source terminal or to another service platform, according to the control messages included in the processing results.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and system for management of telephony nodes, which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. In accordance with the present invention, there is thus provided a network architecture for establishing telephony connection. The network architecture includes a call management node, a first network node and a second network node. The first network node is coupled to the call management node via a first signaling link, and further coupled to at least one first node telephony subscriber. The second network node is coupled to the call management node via a second signaling link, to the first network node via at least one voice link, and further coupled to at least one second node telephony subscriber.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a method for managing a telephony network. The method includes the steps of determining the destination node identification and the destination node communication link parameters of a destination node and establishing signaling communication between the call management node and the destination node.
The destination node identification and the destination node communication link parameters are determined according to origin node identification and origin node communication link parameters of an origin node. Signaling communication between the call management node and the destination node is established by using the destination node communication link parameters. The origin node communication link parameters and the destination node communication link parameters are directed to a unique communication link between the origin node and the destination node.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a method for managing a telephony network. The method includes the steps of extracting the destination node identification and destination node communication link parameters of the destination node and establishing signaling communication between the call management node and the destination node.
The destination node identification and destination node communication link parameters are extracted from at least one field in a signaling message received from the origin node. The signaling communication between the call management node and the destination node is established by using the destination node communication link parameters. The origin node determines the origin node communication link parameters. The origin node communication link parameters and the destination node communication link parameters are directed to a unique communication link between the origin node and the destination node.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is thus provided a call management system. The call management system includes a processor, a storage unit and a signaling interface, wherein the storage unit is coupled to the processor. The storage unit contains a translation table associating the network resources of the first network node with the network resources of second network node. The signaling interface establishes signaling communication to the first network node and to the second network node, wherein the first network node is further coupled to the second network node via a multi-channel connection.

System and method for managing telephony network resources


Disclosed herein are instruments and methods for performing both sample homogenization and sample clarification by centrifugation with a single instrument without transferring the sample to a new sample container and without removing or repositioning the sample container within the instrument. In some embodiments, the instrument may automatically perform centrifugation after homogenization. In other embodiments, the instrument may perform both homogenization and centrifugation simultaneously.

In biological and chemical solid sample preparation, the bottleneck process is often the process of sample disintegration, which starts with sample milling/grinding, homogenization, and lysis. For instance, often biological molecules of interest are contained within cells, which requires cell lysis to free the molecules of interest into a component of a sample so that it may be further processed (e.g., purified). Usually the process continues by sample clarification, wherein after the sample is processed in some form of mill or homogenizer, and following homogenization and lysis, it is transferred to either a centrifuge or vacuum filtration station for clarification/separation. During centrifugation or vacuum filtration, liquid and solid fractions are separated, and usually the liquid fraction is further used for further purification of molecules of interest. Generally, the sample needs to change its container between the homogenization and separation steps. The transfer may result in a reduced yield of the molecules of interest (e.g., due to adhesion to the sample containers) and/or a dilution of the sample if the sample containers are washed to improve yield. Even if the samples are held in the same containers, many times by moving containers from one machine or station to another, the samples can become mispositioned and/or mislabeled/misidentified. Furthermore, transfer ads another time-wasting step to already bottlenecked process.

Instrument for automated sample preparation by combination homogenization and clarification


A structure and its fabrication method of an integrated semiconductor device including circuit elements such as MOSFETs. A well is formed in the semiconductor substrate within windows of a field oxide layer. A lightly-doped semiconductor layer is selectively formed on the exposed surface of the well. A channel region and a pair of source and drain regions of a MOSFET are formed in the lightly-doped semiconductor layer. The highly-doped buried semiconductor layer of the same conductivity type as that of the lightly-doped semiconductor layer is formed under the channel region in the lightly-doped semiconductor layer. The structural features and fabrication method provides a great degree of freedom in designing a MOSFET having a further shorter-channel length without deteriorating its drivability and punch-through breakdown voltage.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated device having insulated gate field effect transistors which are well known in general as MOSICs, and a fabrication method thereof, and in particular, to a short channel MOSIC for high-speed operation and with high reliability.
Description of the Prior Art
In a semiconductor integrated circuit, the lower supply voltage of MOSFETs is a constant technical requirement associated with miniaturizing the transistor size. For instance, the supply voltage decreases successively from 5.0 v to 4.0 v, and from 4.0 v to 3.3 v as the gate length decreases from 1 .mu.m to 0.8 .mu.m, and from 0.8 .mu.m to 0.5 .mu.m, respectively. This may be explained by the fact that scaling-down of the gate length, without decreasing the supply voltage, would lead to an increase of an internal electric field of MOSFETs, which results in degradation of the device characteristics by unfavorable phenomena such as the punch-through breakdown, drain-induced-barrier-lowering (DIBL), and hot-carrier effect.
These phenomena can be indeed avoided by lowering a drain voltage with a decreased supply voltage, but an effective gate voltage (V g - V th) also decreases inevitably, which eventually lowers the saturated drain current to degrade driving ability of MOSFETs, because the threshold voltage (V th) is still kept constant without any lowering under an operating condition of the saturated region.
For the above reason, a technique has been desired that can lower the threshold voltage (V th) by decreasing an impurity concentration in a channel region while keeping a necessary punch-through breakdown voltage under an operating condition of a supply voltage, particularly below 3.3 v. To accomplish this purpose, several efforts have been made, such as a low-impurity channel MOS transistor disclosed by M. AOKI in Tech. Digest Paper of IEEE IEDM, 939-941 (1990), and also a short-channel MOSFET with a buried doped layer disclosed by E. TAKEDA at The Spring meeting of the Japan Society of Applied Physics 28P-T-2, 1991. Although these efforts have achieved only a limited success for either a short-channel effect or punch-through breakdown, both efforts have substantial disadvantages in controlling process conditions which may result in poor reliability in device characteristics.

Integrated semiconductor device having a buried semiconductor layer and fabrication method thereof


A method and apparatus is provided for drilling high-angle, directional and horizontal subterranean wells for hydrocarbon extraction. A drillstring component having at least one helical undercut pumping chamber is described, which drillstring component is designed especially for increased flexibility in directional drilling applications. The undercut pumping chamber of the invention drillstring component is designed to improve volumetric efficiency in removing cuttings from the borehole, and to reduce the incidence of differential sticking or key-seating.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for drilling boreholes in the course of geological exploration for, and exploitation of, hydrocarbons and their by-products. More particularly, the invention relates to directional and horizontal drilling. Conventional geological exploration techniques have involved drilling vertical holes ("straight-holes").
Recent advances in art of drilling include the use of multiple high-angle development wells and directional and horizontal drilling techniques. High-angle well techniques involve drilling a well into a discovered oilsand reservoir with the drillstring inclined at a substantial angle from the vertical. Directional drilling involves drilling a first borehole leg, a transition zone and a second borehole leg inclined at a substantial angle from the first borehole leg, so as to interpenetrate and exploit multiple oil-bearing sands from a single bore. For example, in horizontal drilling, the first leg may be vertical, and the second leg may be substantially horizontal, with a transition zone therebetween. The transition zone at which the two legs of the borehole meet may range from a gradual curve to an abrupt bend. The severity of the transition zone is measured in either bend radius or angle of inclination per horizontal distance. Thus, a transition zone curving at 2-6.degree./100 ft (3000-1000 ft radius) is regarded as a "long radius" borehole, whereas a transition zone of 1.5-3.degree./ft (40-20 ft radius) is regarded as a "short radius" borehole. While these advances in drilling techniques have increased well output over conventional straight-hole drilling methods, they have engendered a host of practical difficulties and imposed increased mechanical duty on drillstring components.
The mechanical duty imposed on drillstring components--the assembly of drill pipes, joints, drill collars and bit--by the advanced drilling techniques includes increased material fatigue due to high-maqnitude stress reversals. A conventional drill collar, heavyweight drill pipe, or drill pipe consists of a high-grade steel tubular cylinder of standard length (10-30 ft depending upon the application), having a circular cross section and a concentric passageway at the center for pumping a slurry/lubricant, referred to in the trade as "drilling mud", to the drill bit.
When used in high angle drilling operations, the inclination of the drillstring creates gravitationally induced bending moments along the drillstring component spans. These bending force amplitudes are further increased by the inability of the drill collars to provide uniform tension on the drillstring when subjected to a gravitational force component which is not in-line with the drill collar longitudinal axis. Consequently, the flexure, or bending moments manifest themselves as stress gradients across the diameter of the drillstring, inducing a compressive stress component in the upper half of the drillstring component and a tensile stress component in the lower half of the drillstring component. Each rotation of the drillstring during drilling subjects the drillstring component material to a flexure reversal of the stress field, leading to substantially increased mechanical fatigue of the drillstring components relative to conventional straight-hole drilling techniques.
Of equal importance to the increased mechanical duty is the reduction in volumetric efficiency encountered in high-angle and horizontal wells, i.e., the efficiency with which cuttings are removed from the borehole. Drilling mud--a rheolitic slurry of fluid and buoyant suspension agent, e.g., bentonite--is pumped through a passageway in the drillstring to the bit, where it is injected at high velocity and pressure against the formation through jets located in the bit. The heavy consistency of the drilling mud captures the cuttings generated by the bit, while its buoyant character causes the cuttings to rise out of the path of the bit. Because the drill bit diameter exceeds that of the other drillstring components, the cutting-laden drilling mud rises to the surface in the annulus surrounding the drillstring. It has been observed that in high-angle wells, there is a tendency for the cuttings to settle toward the lower side of the bore, due to the influence of gravity, thereby reducing the efficiency of the drilling mud in cleaning the hole. The problem with solids settling out of the drilling mud is exacerbated as the well angle increases, becoming most critical for horizontal boreholes.
Reduction in volumetric efficiency attributable to reduced effectiveness of the drilling mud hole-cleaning ability in high-angle and horizontal wells impacts a number of parameters. Because the cuttings are not removed from the path of the drill bit quickly, drilling efficiency (the rate of penetration or ROP) is reduced, leading to increased drilling time and energy requirements to achieve a specified borehole depth. Additionally, energy is lost by grinding the cuttings remaining in the path of the drill bit. The effect increases the difficulty in removing the cuttings and decreases the useful life of the bit--a substantial consideration in costly diamond drilling bit applications. Moreover, frequent removals of the drillstring to replace worn bits is a time consuming and expensive process, increasing the risk of a blowout endangering personnel.
Yet another important problem encountered in drilling oil and gas wells is the phenomena of "differential sticking." Differential sticking occurs when the fluid in the drilling mud located in the drillstring-borehole annulus is absorbed unevenly around the periphery of the drillstring through the porous media of the borehole wall. This fluid loss induces a pressure differential across the drillstring diameter which causes the drillstring to be deflected against the borehole wall on the side experiencing the fluid loss, and can lead to halting engagement of the drillstring against the borehole wall. Once so engaged, the unbalanced fluid pressure acts to keep the drillstring in engagement with the borehole wall. The torque required to free the drillstring may exceed the capacity of the rotary table or the top drive used to drive the drillstring, or may exceed the yield strength of a drillstring component, leading to "twistoff" (torsion induced fracture). Differential sticking may result in the loss of the drill bit and a portion of the drillstring, thereby necessitating time consuming and extremely expensive procedures to recover the detached drillstring portion. In some cases, where the detached portion cannot be retrieved, the drill operator may have to abandon the borehole and begin anew.
A final phenomenon observed with conventional drillstrings is that of "key seating" at "doglegs" (borehole direction changes) and "kick-off points", i.e., locations at which the angle of attack of the drill bit and drillstring is altered as the inclination from the vertical is increased. The phenomena of key-seating arises when there is sufficient bend in the borehole path to cause a portion of the drillstring to come into contact with one side of the borehole wall. This contact, if not substantial enough to cause differential sticking, can result in the drillstring forming a groove approximately the diameter of the drillstring in the borehole wall. If viewed in cross-section perpendicular to the borehole longitudinal axis, the borehole and groove would resemble a keyhole, with a large lower portion and a narrower upper portion. When key-seating occurs, it may no longer be possible to withdraw the drillstring from the borehole, since the larger diameter elements of the drillstring assembly (drill collars, stabilizers, etc.) will be unable to pass through the narrow groove. The phenomena of key-seating is due in large part to the rigidity of conventional drillstring components, which are unable to provide enough flexure to accommodate borehole directional changes and changes in the angle of attack. As with differential sticking, key-seating can lead to twistoff, necessitating time consuming retrieval procedures or abandonment of the borehole.
The aforementioned problems have provided a fertile ground for invention, and a number of prior art drillstring component designs are directed toward resolving one or more of these problems. One solution adopted by a number of prior art drillstring components, including the present invention, is the use of a helical flat or groove around the periphery of the drillstring component. Prior art drillstring components using such a solution may be generally grouped into two categories, each characterized by a disadvantage that the present invention is designed to overcome.
A first category of prior art helical groove drillstring component employs screw-like threads or broad V-shaped notches. Fitch U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,639 discloses a drill collar having screw-like threads on its periphery for drilling straight boreholes, wherein the flights of the screw coact with the borehole as a screw conveyor in removing cuttings from the vicinity of the drill bit. Arnold U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,331 and Massey U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,960 disclose, respectively, drillstring components having a single and multistep V-shaped helical groove on the circumference designed to reduce differential sticking, increase drilling mud flow through the borehole-drillstring annulus, and to act as a broach to reduce key-seating.
In operation, the configuration of the helical groove in all three of these patents is such that the sharp edges of the grooves may strip the drilling mud lining the borehole wall (referred to as wallcake), leading to instability of the borehole wall and concomitant loss of fluid from the borehole. The drillstring component of the present invention is designed to leave intact the desired wallcake thickness, generally 3/32", while still providing superior performance by increasing drilling mud flow up the annulus, plus reducing differential sticking and key-seating.
A second category of helical groove drillstring component employs a spiral groove wherein the groove constitutes essentially a chord intersecting two points on the circumference of the drillstring component. Fox U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,552, Chance et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,202, and Hill et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,800 all disclose spiral groove drillstring components wherein the groove forms a chord on the component, when viewed in transverse section. The purpose of the groove is to reduce differential sticking, improve flow of drilling mud up the borehole-drillstring annulus and to increase the load on the drill bit in directional drilling applications. Hill et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,800 discloses trading-off drillstring component service life in favor of increased drillstring flexibility by employing a relatively deep spiral chord-style groove. The drillstring component of the present invention is designed to provide the benefits attributed to these prior art chord-style spiral groove drillstring components, plus superior service life and flexibility in short radius directional drilling applications.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a drillstring component for drilling high angle and short radius directional and horizontal boreholes which experiences reduced mechanical fatigue duty relative to previously known drillstring components, and which is readily integrable with existing drilling systems, including downhole drilling mud-driven turbine style motors ("mudmotors").
It is a further object of this invention to provide a drillstring component for drilling high angle, directional and horizontal boreholes which improves volumetric and drilling efficiencies, reduces time and energy costs of drilling, and increases drill bit life relative to that achieved with previously known drillstring components.
It is another object of this invention to provide a drillstring component for drilling high angle, directional and horizontal boreholes which substantially reduces the incidence of differential sticking, thereby reducing the major costs associated with retrieval of detached drillstring portions or abandonment of a partially drilled well.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a drillstring component for drilling high angle and horizontal boreholes which has adequate flexibility to reduce the costs and additional effort required by incidents of key-seating and possible twistoff of the lower portion of the drillstring.
It is still another object of this invention to utilize the rotary motion of the drillstring to induce a turbine-style pumping ("turbo-pumping") action of the cutting-laden drilling mud away from the drill bit and subterranean formation interface toward the drilling mud treatment equipment at the borehole entrance.
This invention includes method steps carried out in sequence for obtaining the desired borehole-cleaning capability when drilling high angle, directional and horizontal boreholes.

Methods and apparatus for drilling subterranean wells


An interactive exerciser including an upper and a lower servomotor both of which are vertically assembled to be an interacting mechanism. The upper servomotor is disposed on a support at the top of a turning shaft of the lower servomotor such that the upper servomotor can be actuated by the lower servomotor to produce a rotation in horizontal direction. Besides, the upper servomotor is perpendicular to the lower servomotor. A rocking bar is vertically disposed on a turning shaft. A target portion with sensors is mounted on the top of the rocking bar. A positioning socket is interposed between the support and the rocking bar for restricting the swinging range of the rocking bar. Accordingly, the sensors are employed to detect the position, movement direction and speed of the external objects (or the operators). Thereafter, a control unit is used to give out a command to control the rotating and swinging action of the upper and the lower servomotor. In this way, the target portion can effectively avoid the approach of external objects.

1. Fields of the Invention
The invention relates to an interactive exerciser, and more particularly, to an interactive exerciser in which two vertically coupled servomotors and several sensors are employed. Meanwhile, a control unit includes a built-in program that gives out a predetermined command for achieving a rapid drive of target.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well-known that a fixed type target is provided for users to make boxing games or exercise. The target must be brought in a swing state when subject to the external force. Accordingly, the user can decide the timing and position of the next boxing action depending on the swing speed and position of the target, thereby achieving a certain training effect. In view of the basic defense in the boxing exercise, both parties will make their timely dodging defense reaction according to the fist-striking position and time of the opponent. As a result, to command the attacking time is not so easy as to strike the target.
In brief, the conventional target will become uninteresting for the user in a short time. The reason lies in that the change of displacement is easily controlled by the user, thereby losing the patience of taking further challenges.