An implant for stabilizing two separated bone portions relative to each other an implant includes a peg, a bridge assembly and a securing element. The peg and bridge assembly include at least two peg portions and a bridge portion, wherein the bridge portion is arranged between the peg portions and wherein the peg and bridge portions are rigidly connected. The peg and bridge assembly is positioned relative to the bone portions such that one peg portion extends into the bone tissue of each one of the bone portions and the bridge portion extends across the gap separating the bone portions. The securing element is anchored in the bone tissue of one of the bone portions, its proximal end extending through an opening in an assembly portion extending parallel to a bone surface or across a notch in a proximal edge of an assembly portion.

Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of medical technology and concerns a method and an implant for stabilizing a plurality of separated bone portions relative to each other in a human or animal patient, wherein the bone portions to be stabilized are in particular two bone portions being separated by osteotomy or fracture but may also be two originally articulating bones to be immobilized relative to each other (joint fusion, in particular fusion of small joints such as e.g. facet joints, finger or toe joints).
Description of Related Art
Osteotomy is a surgical procedure in which a bone is cut with the aim of being shortened, lengthened or re-aligned. Osteotomy is performed on human and animal patients mainly for realigning the load bearing surfaces in joints and for realigning bone portions in particular in the facio-maxillar region but also for re-aligning bone portions healed together with an undesired alignment relative to each other after a fracture. The bone portions separated by the osteotomy procedure mostly need to be aligned in a desired position relative to each other and to be stabilized in this position for being able to heal together again. According to the state of the art, osteotomy sites are usually stabilized with the aid of a plate (e.g. metal plate) which is positioned on the bone surface across the osteotomy cut and is fastened on each side thereof with the aid of bone screws which extend through the plate into the bone tissue. According to the state of the art simple bone fractures are stabilized and small joints are immobilized in the same manner.
Well known applications of osteotomy concern e.g. human hip or knee joints and serve for re-aligning the articular surfaces of the joint in order to correct dysplasias and deformities by improvement of the alignment and/or the interaction of the articulating bones, or for relieving arthritic pain by re-aligning partly damaged articular surfaces to shift the bearing of the load from damaged to still healthy regions of the articular surfaces. Further well known osteotomy applications concern mandible or maxilla re-alignment e.g. for correcting discrepancies in tooth positions, or concern the chin bone for correcting or improving a person's profile. In veterinary medicine osteotomy is used e.g. for treating canine stifle joints suffering from cranial cruciate ligament rupture or damage by tibial plateau leveling or tibial tuberosity advancement, both these treatments serving for reducing tibiofemoral shear forces during weight bearing, which shear forces become large enough for damaging the joint, when the cranial cruciate ligament is damaged.
Screw and plate systems are well established for stabilizing bone portions separated by a cut or fracture and for immobilizing joints, although they constitute severe constraints which in many cases prevent optimal solutions. The most important ones of these constraints are the necessarily circular cross section of the screws, the reduction of the ratio of the load bearing capability of the screws vs. their cross section due to the screw thread, and the fact that the plate is necessarily positioned on the bone surface and, for accommodation of the screw heads and for being able to keep plate and screw rigidly at a predetermined angle relative to each other, has in most cases a thickness which is larger than would be necessary for guaranteeing a satisfactory plate stiffness.

Method and implant for stabilizing separated bone portions relative to each other


The present invention is generally directed to novel crystalline forms of the acetate salt of (1S,3S,4R)-4-((3aS,4R,5S,7aS)-4-(aminomethyl)-7a-methyl-1-methyleneoctahydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylcyclohexanol and processes for their preparation.

Dysregulated activation of the PI3K pathway contributes to inflammatory/immune disorders and cancer. Efforts have been made to develop modulators of PI3K as well as downstream kinases (Workman et al., Nat. Biotechnol 24, 794-796, 2006; Simon, Cell 125, 647-649, 2006; Hennessy et al., Nat Rev Drug Discov 4, 988-1004, 2005; Knight et al., Cell 125, 733-747, 2006; Ong et al., Blood (2007), Vol. 110, No. 6, pp 1942-1949). A number of promising new PI3K isoform specific inhibitors with minimal toxicities have recently been developed and used in mouse models of inflammatory disease (Camps et al., Nat Med 11, 936-943, 2005; Barber et al., Nat Med 11, 933-935, 2005) and glioma (Fan et al., Cancer Cell 9, 341-349, 2006). However, because of the dynamic interplay between phosphatases and kinases in regulating biological processes, inositol phosphatase activators represent a complementary, alternative approach to reduce PIP3 levels. Of the phosphoinositol phosphatases that degrade PIP3, SHIP1 is a particularly ideal target for development of therapeutics for treating immune and hemopoietic disorders because of its hematopietic-restricted expression (Hazen et al., Blood 113, 2924-2933, 2009; Rohrschneider et al., Genes Dev. 14, 505-520, 2000).
Small molecule SHIP1 modulators have been disclosed, including sesquiterpene compounds such as pelorol. Pelorol is a natural product isolated from the tropical marine sponge Dactylospongia elegans (Kwak et al., J Nat Prod 63, 1153-1156, 2000; Goclik et al., J Nat Prod 63, 1150-1152, 2000). Other reported SHIP1 modulators include the compounds set forth in PCT Published Patent Applications Nos. WO 2003/033517, WO 2004/035601, WO 2004/092100, WO 2007/147251, WO 2007/147252, WO 2011/069118, WO 2014/143561 and WO 2014/158654 and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,601,874 and 7,999,010.
While significant strides have been made in this field, there remains a need for effective small molecule SHIP1 modulators.
One such molecule is the acetate salt of (1S,3S,4R)-4-((3aS,4R,5S,7aS)-4-(aminomethyl)-7a-methyl-1-methyleneoctahydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylcyclohexanol (referred to herein as Compound 1). Compound 1 is a compound with anti-inflammatory activity and is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,601,874 and 7,999,010, the relevant disclosures of which are incorporated in full by reference in their entirety, particularly with respect to the preparation of Compound 1, pharmaceutical compositions comprising Compound 1 and methods of using Compound 1.
Compound 1 has the molecular formula, C20H36NO2+.C2H3O2−, a molecular weight of 381.5 g/mole and has the following structural formula:

Compound 1 is useful in treating disorders and conditions that benefit from SHIP1 modulation, such as cancers, inflammatory disorders and conditions and immune disorders and conditions. Compound 1 is also useful in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of such disorders and conditions.

Crystalline solid forms of the acetate salt of (1S,3S,4R)-4-((3aS,4R,5S,7aS)-4-(aminomethyl)-7a-methyl-1-methyleneoctahydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-4-methylcyclohexanol


A system and method are used in connection with processing of blood components. The processing of blood components may involve centrifugal separation and/or filtering of the blood components. In some examples, at least some blood components are centrifugally separated in a chamber and then filtered via a filter rotating along with a centrifuge rotor, wherein the filter is located closer than the chamber to an axis of rotation of the rotor. The filter may include a porous filtration medium configured to filter leukocytes, platelets, and/or red blood cells. Some examples include a pressure sensor sensing pressure of pumped blood components. The sensed pressure may be used in connection with controlling the pumping of the blood products and/or in connection with determining the location of an interface associated with the blood products. Other uses of the sensed pressure are also possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, apparatus, and method for processing components of blood. In particular, some aspects of the invention relate to processing blood components through the use of centrifugal separation, filtration, and/or any other form of processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Whole blood consists of various liquid components and particle components. The liquid portion of blood is largely made up of plasma, and the particle components include red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). While these constituents have similar densities, their average density relationship, in order of decreasing density, is as follows: red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. In terms of size, the particle constituents are related, in order of decreasing size, as follows: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Most current separation devices rely on density and size differences or surface chemistry characteristics to separate blood components.
Separation of certain blood components is often required for certain therapeutic treatments involving infusion of particular blood components into a patient. For example, in a number of treatments involving infusion of platelets, there is sometimes a desire to separate out at least some leukocytes and/or red blood cells before infusing a platelet-rich blood component collection into a patient.
For these and other reasons, there is a need to adopt approaches to processing components of blood.

Blood component processing system, apparatus, and method


In order to suppress a peak of an excessive current and suppress a variation in a resonance voltage of a resonator, which are likely to occur immediately after a discharge lamp starts lighting, in a case where a high-frequency current continuously flows asymmetrically with respect to a zero current instead of flowing symmetrically on positive and negative sides immediately after the lighting since electrodes of the discharge lamp are not evenly warmed, the resonance voltage and the high-frequency current are finely adjusted in a resonance voltage and high-frequency current setting method including setting a drive frequency of an inverter circuit and varying output from a down-converter.

High intensity discharge lamps such as metal halide lamps have become increasingly used as various light sources in recent years, and such lamps are required to have long operating life.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional discharge lamp lighting device for lighting a high-pressure discharge lamp. FIG. 2 is an operation waveform chart at a time when the lighting device shown in FIG. 1 starts operating, and shows temporal changes in a drive frequency of a polarity inversion (inverter) circuit, an output voltage of a down-converter, and a resonant voltage applied to the discharge lamp. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a voltage supplied from a direct current power source 1 is controlled with a down-converter 2. A polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 is provided at an output terminal of the down-converter 2. Moreover, there is provided a serial resonance circuit 4 including a capacitor (C2) and an inductor (L3) which are connected to an output of the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3.
For the voltage to be applied to the discharge lamp, a pair of switching elements Q2 and Q5 and a pair of switching elements Q3 and Q4 in the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 are alternately operated in a switching manner at a high frequency for a predetermined period, the high frequency being higher than a lighting frequency at the time of steady lighting.
In the case of starting to light the discharge lamp, the above-described discharge lamp lighting device turns on and off a pair of switching circuits and a pair of switching circuits, alternately, the switching circuits in each pair located diagonally from each other, and thereby generates a high-frequency voltage in a range from several tens of kilohertz to several hundreds of kilohertz between both connection terminals of each of the pairs of switching circuits. The resonance circuit 4 performs resonance boosting by use of this high-frequency voltage thereby to generate a high resonance voltage in the capacitor (C2). Then, the discharge lamp is lit by this high resonance voltage. Upon detection of lighting of the discharge lamp by use of a detection voltage detected by a voltage detection circuit 5, a control circuit turns on and off the pairs of switching circuits, alternately, to generate a low-frequency voltage in a range of several tens of hertz to several hundreds of hertz between both of the connection terminals. Thus, lighting is maintained.
Alternatively, a discharge lamp lighting device disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A 2004-95334) aims to ensure a favorable starting operation even when a starting voltage is stepped up due to product variation or an end stage of a product life of a discharge lamp. To this end, the discharge lamp lighting device performs start control by turning on and off alternately a pair of switching elements Q2 and Q5 and a pair of switching elements Q3 and Q4, located diagonally from each other, while changing a drive frequency so that the drive frequency can sweep a predetermined frequency range to pass through a resonance point of a resonance circuit.
Meanwhile, from a viewpoint of downsizing components constituting the resonance circuit 4 while obtaining substantially the same voltage amplitude as that obtained in the case of performing driving at the above-described frequency, a frequency of an odd-number multiple (2n+1, n is a natural number) of a frequency of abridge portion is sometimes employed as a lighting frequency at the time of the start control. This voltage amplitude is gradually decreased as the multiplying factor becomes higher. When the frequency of the bridge portion is tripled in particular, it is possible to obtain substantially the same voltage amplitude as that obtained in a case of performing driving at a frequency equivalent to a resonance frequency f0 which is determined by an inductor serially connected to the discharge lamp and by a capacitor connected in parallel thereto, and also it is possible to achieve downsizing of the resonance circuit 4. The use of this resonance voltage of a tertiary harmonic wave for starting the discharge lamp has also been disclosed in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Translation Publication No. 2005-507554).
For example, the sweeping frequency is changed stepwise while causing the frequency of the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 to gradually approach the resonance point, because most of general control methods for ballasts are digital control. Even when the frequency is changed stepwise by several percent each time, the resonance voltage is not proportional to the change rate of the frequency. Instead, the resonance voltage increased according to a quadratic function is generated. For this reason, a control circuit having high resolution and capable of performing fine frequency control has been used in order to finely set up the resonance frequency.
Meanwhile, in the case of the conventional circuit, electrodes of a discharge lamp (La) may not be evenly warmed up immediately after lighting of the discharge lamp is started by use of the resonance circuit 4, in some cases. Accordingly, a high-frequency current immediately after the lighting does not flow symmetrically on positive and negative sides, but there continues a state where the current flows asymmetrically with respect to a zero current. Such discharge lamp lighting devices have been disclosed in Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent No. 2878350) and Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent No. 2975032), for example. In the state of asymmetric flow of the current, a high-frequency current flows having a current peak which is nearly 1.5 to 2 times as large as a current peak in a state where the current flows symmetrically. This causes large damage on the electrodes of the lamp. Moreover, the electrodes of the lamp may be severely damaged if the lamp switches to steady lighting (low-frequency lighting) while in the above-described state. In the worst case, the electrodes may break off at the bottoms.
Further, the conventional circuit is provided with a starting mode and a preheating mode, and is switched to steady lighting (low-frequency lighting). In the preheating mode, the high-frequency current is applied for a certain time period such as a fixed time period set based on estimation in advance of a time period required for allowing the high-frequency current to flow symmetrically on the positive and negative sides, or a time period set based on detection of lighting of the discharge lamp (La).
Meanwhile, one of methods of suppressing the high-frequency asymmetric current in the preheating mode takes advantage of the fact that, while the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 is operating at the high frequency due to insulation breakdown of the discharge lamp, the high-frequency current flowing in the discharge lamp is restricted by impedance of inductance of the resonance circuit 4. Here, the impedance is almost ignorable when the current at the low frequency is fed at the time of steady lighting. However, the inductance of this resonance circuit 4 acts as the impedance. Accordingly, when the high-frequency current is fed, the drive frequency of the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 is changed to increase the impedance serially connected to the discharge lamp, which suppresses the peak current of the asymmetric current at the start-up.
For example, assume that the inductance of the resonance circuit 4 is 100 μH, the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 is operated at a high-frequency operation of 40 kHz, and the peak current (Io-p) of the asymmetric current is about 8 A (the peak current (Io-P) is about 4 A when the current is symmetric). In this case, the impedance ω of the inductance of the resonance circuit 4 is about 25Ω. To reduce the peak value of this asymmetric current approximately by half, the drive frequency of the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 is raised to 80 kHz. As a result, the impedance of the inductance of the resonance circuit 4 becomes equal to about 50Ω, and the peak value of the asymmetric current is reduced by half.
In contrast, after the high-frequency current turns into a symmetric state, the high-frequency current is increased to promote preheating of the electrodes of the discharge lamp. Thus, by lowering the drive frequency of the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3, the impedance of the inductance of the resonance circuit 4 is reduced and the current is increased.
As described above, the drive frequency of the polarity inversion (inverter) circuit 3 is controlled to switch between a frequency for allowing the resonance circuit 4 to generate the resonance voltage at the start-up and a frequency for preheating the electrodes of the discharge lamp in the preheating mode. Once the discharge lamp is extinguished, the control has to be switched again from the preheating mode to the starting mode to change the drive frequency to such a drive frequency as to generate and supply the high voltage to the discharge lamp. Therefore, a time lag occurs for switching the control.
Moreover, since most of the general control methods for ballasts are digital control, the voltage to be changed is changed stepwise as similar to the generation of the resonance voltage. Accordingly, the control circuit having high resolution and capable of fine frequency control has been used in order to finely set the resonance frequency. However, there is also a problem that it is difficult to achieve fine adjustment of the high-frequency current by use of the control circuit incapable of performing fine frequency control.


Embodiments provide various components of a chain saw, including saw chain elements, sprockets, and other fixtures, that may facilitate sharpening of cutter links during operation. In various embodiments, the components may increase stability during sharpening, provide nose mounted sharpening fixtures, and/or facilitate the resizing and/or reshaping of a sharpening element.

Chain saws are typically used to fell trees, trim branches, and cut a variety of materials, among other tasks. They generally include an engine enclosed within a housing, a guide bar extending from the housing, and an endless saw chain loop that may include various links such as, but not limited to, cutter links, center links, side links, tie straps, and drive links. Through use, the cutting surfaces of various links may become dulled and worn. As the cutting surfaces experience wear, an increased amount of force is required to produce a desired cut, which is inefficient and consumes energy. Therefore, cutter links of saw chains are periodically sharpened to maintain efficiency in a cutting operation.
One method of sharpening cutter links includes positioning a sharpening element (e.g. an abrasive stone) within the housing of the chain saw. The sharpening element may be positioned so as to contact the various saw chain links as they traverse a drive sprocket, typically at high speeds. These systems, however, have drawbacks. For example, one or more grooves may be worn into the surface of the sharpening element from the repeated contact of the various saw chain links. These grooves may cause the cutting edge to become deformed during the sharpening process or otherwise negatively impact the ability to maintain a proper cutting edge. Any deformation in the cutting edge may ultimately impact the ability of the chain saw to cut various materials.
Additionally, the positioning of the abrasive stone and the high speed at which the cutter links traverse the drive sprocket may result in the unintentional impact of cutter links into the abrasive stone. This tendency may result in an interface that allows undesired movement of the cutter relative to the stone (e.g. tipping or rocking), and/or it may also serve to deform the cutter link, any of which may ultimately result in a decrease in performance.

Chain link sharpening method and apparatus


A method and apparatus are described including transmitting a request-to-send signal, determining if a clear-to-send signal and a reverse direction transmission request signal have been received, transmitting first data, a first block acknowledgement request signal and a reverse direction grant signal responsive to the first determination, determining if a first block acknowledgement signal, second data and a second block acknowledgement request signal have been received, transmitting a second block acknowledgement signal responsive to the second determination, determining if a third block acknowledgement signal has been received and transmitting a fourth block acknowledgement signal responsive to the third determination. Further described are a method and apparatus including listening to channels, estimating channel conditions responsive to the listening, determining if a signal has been received, determining if channel conditions are adequate to act as a relay node multicasting a relay node clear to send signal responsive to the first and second determinations and multicasting a block acknowledgement signal and data responsive to the first and second determinations.

In multicast and broadcast applications, data are transmitted from a server to multiple receivers over wired and/or wireless networks. A multicast system as used herein is a system in which a server transmits the same data to multiple receivers simultaneously, where the receivers form a subset of all the receivers up to and including all of the receivers. A broadcast system is a system in which a server transmits the same data to all of the receivers simultaneously. That is, a multicast system by definition can include a broadcast system.
Consider multicast (downlink) and multi-access (uplink) channels with one access point (AP) and several nodes. In the IEEE 802.11n draft standard, a reverse direction (RD) protocol is introduced for fast scheduling of bidirectional traffic flows within a transmission opportunity (TXOP). The reverse direction protocol permits (allows) the node, which has obtained the TXOP to grant reverse directional transmissions to another node while it is still in control of the TXOP. If the channel conditions between the nodes are inadequate (poor) then transmissions between the two nodes suffers. That suffering may be reduced data rate and/or throughput.
In the IEEE 802.11n draft standard, reverse direction (RD) protocol has been proposed as in FIG. 1. The reverse direction protocol of the IEEE 802.11n draft standard only schedules bidirectional transmission between two nodes. There is no existing scheduling protocol for three-node bidirectional transmissions in IEEE 802.11 WLAN standards.
It would be advantageous to have a third node act as a relay node for the two nodes. The use of such a third (relay) node, however, complicates the communications (transmissions) between the two nodes.

Triple-play protocol—a media access control layer protocol for transmissions in network-coded three node bidirectional cooperation


An improved gear drive sprinkler has a pop-up spray head adapted for adjustable part-circle or full circle operation to deliver irrigation water over a selected terrain area. The sprinkler includes a pop-up riser; a gear drive transmission mounted within the riser includes a water-driven turbine for rotatably driving a speed reduction gear train, which in turn rotatably drives the spray head. A reverse assembly includes an upper trip unit defining an individually adjustable pair of end trip stops, and a lower shift mechanism including a shiftable director plate having first and second sets of angularly oriented jet nozzles for respective alignment with turbine jet ports for respectively driving the water-driven turbine and the gear train in a forward-drive or a reverse-drive direction. The upper trip is coupled to the director plate by an elongated trip rod which shifts the director plate between forward-drive and reverse drive positions. An adjustment cam can be manipulated to disable at least one of the end trip stops to permit spray head rotation through continuous full circle revolutions.

This invention relates generally to irrigation sprinklers of the type having a rotary driven spray head mounted at the upper end of a pop-up riser. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved irrigation sprinkler having a gear drive transmission for rotatably driving the pop-up spray head, and incorporating an improved reverse mechanism for quickly and easily setting the sprinkler for part-circle spray head rotation between a pair of individually adjustable end trip stops, or for continuous full circle rotation. The reverse mechanism further provides improved resistance to vandal-caused damage such as attempted forced rotation of the spray head beyond one of the end trip stops.
Pop-up irrigation sprinklers are well known in the art particularly for use in irrigation systems wherein it is necessary or desirable to embed the sprinkler in the ground so that it does not project appreciably above ground level when not in use. In a typical pop-up sprinkler, a tubular riser is mounted within a generally cylindrical upright sprinkler housing or case having an open upper end, with a spray head carrying one or more spray nozzles mounted at an upper end of the riser. In a normal inoperative position, the spray head and riser are spring-retracted substantially into the sprinkler case so that they do not extend or project a significant distance above the case or the surrounding ground level. However, when water under pressure is supplied to the sprinkler case, the riser is displaced upwardly to shift the spray head to an elevated spraying position spaced above the sprinkler case. The water under pressure flows through a vertically oriented nozzle passage in the riser to the spray head which includes one or more appropriately shaped spray nozzles for projecting a stream or streams of irrigation water generally radially outwardly over a surrounding terrain area and associated vegetation.
In many pop-up sprinklers, a rotary drive mechanism is provided within the sprinkler case for rotatably driving the spray head through continuous full circle revolutions, or alternately back and forth within a predetermined part-circle path, to sweep the projected water stream over a selected target terrain area. In one common form, the rotary drive mechanism comprises a water-driven turbine which is rotatably driven by at least a portion of the water under pressure supplied to the sprinkler case, wherein this turbine rotatably drives a speed reduction gear drive transmission coupled in turn to the rotary mounted spray head. A pair of end trip stops is normally provided to engage and operate a reverse mechanism for reversing the direction of spray head rotation upon movement to the opposite end limits of a predetermined part-circle arcuate path of motion, with at least one of these end trips stops normally being positionally adjustable to variably select the permitted range of spray head motion. In addition, means are normally provided for selectively disabling one of these end trip stops to achieve continuous full circle spray head rotation, if desired. For examples of rotary drive sprinklers of this general type, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,787,558; and 5,383,600. Such sprinklers are commercially available from Rain Bird Sprinkler Mfg. Corp. of Glendora, Calif. under the product designations T-Bird Series, 3500 Series, R-50 Series, Falcon, and Talon.
Rotary gear drive sprinklers of this general type beneficially provide relatively accurate and controlled delivery of irrigation water with a substantially uniform water distribution over a target terrain area. However, such sprinklers have not been totally satisfactory.
In accordance with the invention, an improved gear drive sprinkler is provided with a rotatably driven pop-up spray head for delivering one or more outwardly projected streams of irrigation water to surrounding terrain and vegetation. The sprinkler includes a reverse mechanism for reversing the direction of spray head rotation back-and-forth movement through a part-circle path between a pair of individually adjustable end trip stops. The reverse mechanism is resistant to vandal-caused damage such as an attempt to manually force-rotate of the spray head beyond one of the pre-set end trip stops. In that event, a releasible clutch disengages to permit such over-rotation of the spray head without damage to sprinkler components. Upon release of the spray head, the spray head is rotatably driven back to within the pre-set part-circle path whereupon the releasible clutch re-engages for resumed reversible movement between the pre-set end trip stops.
In a preferred form on the invention, the pop-up spray head is mounted at the upper end of a tubular riser which is in turn mounted within a hollow sprinkler housing or case for pressure responsive pop-up movement from a normal position retracted substantially within the sprinkler housing to an elevated spraying position. A water-driven turbine is rotatably driven by inflow of water under pressure into the sprinkler housing, and this turbine is linked via a speed reduction gear drive transmission to the spray head for rotatably driving the spray head at a selected rotational speed. A flow regulator unit is desirably provided at an upstream side of the turbine for bypassing a portion of the water inflow past the turbine in a manner to maintain a substantially constant rotational turbine speed.
The reverse mechanism comprises a lower shift cartridge including a shiftable deflector plate positioned at the upstream side of the turbine. This deflector plate includes at least one and preferably multiple sets of angularly oppositely oriented jet nozzles for imparting a forward-drive or a reverse-drive circumferential swirl to the water flow directed to the turbine. The deflector plate is movable between a forward-drive position for circumferentially swirling the water flow to drive the turbine in one direction, and a reverse-drive position for circumferentially swirling the water flow to drive the turbine in an opposite direction. At least one and preferably multiple over-center springs are provided to retain the deflector plate in the selected forward-drive or reverse-drive position.
The reverse mechanism further includes an upper trip unit mounted within the spray head. The upper trip unit comprises a trip core linked via an elongated trip rod to the deflector plate for shifting the deflector plate between the forward-drive and reverse-drive positions. The trip core is engaged by a pair of end trip stops which rotate with the spray head. The positions of the two end trips stops are individually adjustable to permit spray head rotation back-and-forth within a part-circle arcuate path in any selected azimuthal direction and pattern width. Upon engagement of an end stop with the trip core, the trip core is rotatably driven through a short stroke sufficient to shift the deflector plate in a manner reversing the direction of spray head movement.
In accordance with a primary aspect of the invention, the upper trip unit of the reverse mechanism includes the reversible clutch adapted to disengage upon attempted forced over-rotation of the spray head. In one preferred form, the reversible clutch comprises a clutch plate mounted at an upper end of the trip rod, in combination with a clutch spring for normally urging the trip core and clutch plate into rotatably engaged relation. In the event that the spray head is manually force-rotated beyond either one of the two end trip stops with a force exceeding the engagement force applied by the clutch spring, the trip core and clutch plate disengage to permit such over-rotation without damage to components such as the end trip stops. Upon resumed operation, the sprinkler spray head will be rotatably driven back to a position within the pre-set arcuate path, whereupon the trip core and clutch plate will re-align and re-engage for resumed spray head movement within the pre-set arcuate pattern.
The improved sprinkler further includes an adjustment cam mounted within the spray head and accessible from the exterior thereof for selectively disabling one or both of the end trip stops, for setting the spray head for continuous full circle revolutions. The adjustment cam includes at least one cam pin engageable with the reverse mechanism. In one preferred form, the adjustment cam is engageable with the trip core for disengaging the trip core from the associated clutch plate to effectively disable both end trip stops. In an alternative preferred form, the adjustment cam is adapted to disengage a trip spring associated with one of the end trip stops. In either case, disablement of one or both of the end trip stops disconnects the upper trip unit from the lower shift cartridge for at least one direction of spray head movement, resulting in spray head rotation through repeated full circle revolutions.
The improved gear drive sprinkler of the present invention may further include an improved plug seal member for closing and sealing an auxiliary inlet to the sprinkler housing. The plug seal member comprises a plug core threadably fitted into an adapter sleeve fixed into the auxiliary inlet to the housing. The adapter sleeve includes a pliant seal lip disposed generally at an inboard end of the plug core, wherein this pliant seal lip is designed for pressure-caused deformation upon supply of water under pressure to the housing interior. The pressure-deformed seal lip is forced against the inboard end of the plug core, into sealing relation therewith, to prevent undesired water leakage from the sprinkler housing through the auxiliary inlet.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the improved sprinkler may include means for temporarily supporting the pop-up riser in a partially elevated position to facilitate service and maintenance, such as replacement of one or more spray nozzles mounted on the spray head. In this regard, the pop-up riser includes a lower peripheral flange having at least one gap formed therein for registry with a vertically elongated internal guide rib formed within the sprinkler housing to prevent riser rotation relative to the sprinkler housing. However, the guide rib additionally includes a gap formed therein at a generally mid-height location. The riser can thus be manually elevated to align the flange thereon with the rib gap, whereupon the riser can be rotated through a short part-circle stroke to position a portion of the flange within the rib gap. In this position, the rib will support the riser in a mid-height position for facilitated access to and service of sprinkler components.
The water-driven turbine may also include a brake means for limiting turbine rotational speed, particularly wherein compressed air is used to flush components of the sprinkler system. The brake means comprises at least one and preferably a pair of balanced centrifugal brake arms adapted to displace radially outwardly against a turbine housing or shroud in response to turbine rotation above a predetermined threshold level. The frictional engagement of the brake arms with the turbine housing or shroud effectively restricts turbine rotational speed to prevent excess wear or component damage attributable to compressed air flush-out or the like.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.


A dental implant installation procedure is provided in which a distal end of a dental implant is projected into a paranasal sinus cavity or a nasal cavity to thereby displace the respective sinus membrane or nasal cavity membrane from the respective cavity floor, while minimizing risk of damaging the respective membrane. Bone graft material is introduced into the space thereby created between the respective membrane and the respective cavity floor via a distal portion of the dental implant to thereby form a desired sinus augmentation.

Conventional dental implant procedures for the upper jaw or maxilla sometimes requires a sinus augmentation procedure to be first implemented, so as to provide sufficient bone to anchor the implant. A commonly used sinus augmentation procedure is performed from inside the intraoral cavity. In what is known as the lateral approach, a lateral incision is made into the gum and gum tissue is pulled back, and an opening is cut in the exposed lateral boney wall of the sinus. The sinus is covered by a thin membrane, which is lifted away to create a space into which allogenic, autogenous, or synthetic bone graft material is inserted via the opening. However, cutting through the honey wall and lifting the membrane can lead to tearing or puncturing of the membrane if not done carefully, and this requires the membrane to be immediately repaired, postponing the sinus augmentation procedure until healing of the membrane is complete. Once the bone graft material has been is integrated in the maxilla, which can normally take between 6 and 12 months, the dental implant can be installed, followed by the dental prosthesis.
Another method sometime used when there is a minimum of 5 mm involves inserting the bone graft material from the crest of the bone during implant placement, and is known as the crestal approach. The normal implant hole is drilled until about 1 mm before the sinus, and then another tool is used for taping the remaining shell of bone towards the sinus. The tapped shell displaces the membrane into the sinus, making room for the graft material which is then inserted via the implant hole. The implant is then installed into the prepared bone, allowing the graft material to become integrated while anchoring the implant.
By way of general background, US 2009/208907 is directed to a group of dental implants used for two-stage implantation into the alveolar bone.
US 2003/124486 discloses systems and methods for a dental implant system suitable for an endosteal implant into a jawbone. The systems and methods make use of a tapered, expandable polymer sheath insertable into a jawbone, a tapered implant insertable into the sheath and causing expansion of the sheath upon insertion, and an abutment adapted to be coupled to the implant and permitting the attachment of a dental prosthesis.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,510,397 discloses a method and apparatus for providing implants in the upper jaws of a person. A sleeve is inserted through the alveolar ridge to the maxillary sinus. The sleeve is used to initiate separation of the subantral membrane and this is followed by hydrodissection using fluid pressure to form a cavity, with the sleeve remaining in place. A filler, such as a bone growth stimulant is injected through the sleeve into the cavity.
US 2002/177102 discloses a dental implant for anchoring in a bone structure comprising a head intended to support a dental prosthesis and a threaded root of cylindrical substance, in which the threaded root has an internal cavity and a lateral orifice through which this internal cavity opens out on the external lateral face of the root. The axial position of this orifice is such that when the implant is in position, this orifice opens out on a medullary zone of the bone structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,380 discloses an expandable dental implant which can immediately receive functional loading to support a dental prosthesis upon insertion into the patient's mouth. The expandable implant is constructed as an inflatable balloon.
DE 4321785 discloses a dental implant having a balloon which can be inserted, in particular, in tooth sockets, jaw cavities or artificially created bone cavities, can be filled via a closable filling opening with gas, liquid and/or solid filler materials, can be attached to the jaw or tooth in the region of its filling opening and is provided with an outer layer which can grow on in the bone cavity to be filled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,768 discloses an implant comprising an anchoring part having one or more fixing means as well as a prosthesis part adapted to fix a dental prosthesis, which implant is provided with a cavity extending from the prosthesis part into the anchoring part, the wall of the anchoring part is perforated at one or more spots and the prosthesis part is provided with a removable closing means for the cavity; when the implant is implanted the cavity of the implant may contain a medicine for protecting the implant against pathogenic bacteria etc.
Further by way of general background, WO 2009/024107 discloses a modular endoscope system in which a plurality of connecting pieces, tools and cannulas are assigned to a single lens and are each selected according to the use thereof. The connecting pieces and the cannulas are said to be designed preferably for single use so that only the lens must be decontaminated.

Dental implants, devices and methods associated with dental implantation procedures


Described herein are peptides that can be used to treat pain or increase pain sensitivity in subject in need of treatment. Additionally, peptides of the present disclosure can be administered with an analgesic agent and/or anesthetic agent. Peptides of the present disclosure are suitable for use when a subject in need of treatment has an injury, a chronic disease, a chronic inflammation, Morton's neuroma, operative/post-operative pain, or a combination thereof.

Nociceptive neurons are endowed with a specific subset of voltage-dependent sodium channels (Nav) allowing neurons to uniquely respond to noxious and inflammatory stimuli. Therefore, a current strategy for new analgesic development relies on targeting nociceptor-specific sodium channels. For example, the Nav1.8 channel (SCN10A) has distinctive biophysical properties permitting nociceptive neurons to repetitively fire action potentials (AP) under compromised conditions associated with tissue damage. This has led to the clinical testing of Nav1.8 channel specific blockers for pain relief. Because channels also traffic to the membrane during inflammatory signaling, an alternative approach to affect Nav1.8 channel functioning would be to perturb their trafficking. However, the precise molecular mechanisms controlling Nav1.8 channel trafficking are not completely understood and therefore, specific agents targeting Nav1.8 still remain elusive.
There is a continuing need for development of agents that act on Nav1.8 channels to increase or decrease a subject's pain sensitivity.

Peptides and other agents for treating pain and increasing pain sensitivity

THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK


An aerial vehicle is configured to process an image captured by an imaging device, and to identify a portion of the image that is likely to appear in images subsequently captured by the imaging device based on the motion of the aerial vehicle. A control unit aboard the aerial vehicle generates instructions for controlling such motion and provides the instructions to the imaging device. Based on such instructions, the imaging device processes the image to identify a portion of the image that will appear within a field of view of the imaging device following the motion, and selects a shutter speed, an aperture, a level of gain, or another attribute of the imaging device based on the portion of the image, in order to optimize the quality of an image subsequently captured by the imaging device.

The use of imaging devices or other sensors during in-flight operations of aerial vehicles is increasingly common. In particular, unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are frequently equipped with one or more imaging devices such as digital cameras, range cameras, depth sensors, infrared sensors or other systems that may detect, capture and/or process visible or invisible light. Where an aerial vehicle is equipped with one or more imaging devices, such devices may be utilized in any number of operations or applications of the aerial vehicle, and for any purpose. For example, an imaging device may be used to capture imaging data such as still or moving images and any associated audio signals or metadata to aid in the safe operation of an aerial vehicle, e.g., for maneuvering or control. An imaging device carried aboard an aerial vehicle may be used in monitoring applications, such as when the aerial vehicle is utilized to photograph large or diverse areas, or areas from angles that cannot readily be accessed by grounded photographers or ground-based photographic equipment.
Many imaging devices are operated using automatic exposure algorithms, in which one or more attributes of the cameras are controlled to optimize the exposure of an image based on one or more attributes of a previously captured image. An image may be processed to generate a histogram of pixel brightness or intensities, e.g., a graphical representation of numbers of pixels having specific brightness or intensity levels. To the extent that the histogram indicates that the image is overexposed, or underexposed, an exposure time, a gain, an aperture, or one or more other attributes of the imaging device or variables associated with its operation may be adjusted to optimize a level of quality of a next image captured by the imaging device based on the histogram.
Where an imaging device is provided aboard an operating aerial vehicle or another structure, which may be stationary or in motion, contents of images captured by the imaging device vary from image to image as contents of a field of view of the imaging device change, due to motion or changes in orientation of the aerial vehicle or structure.

Configuring imaging devices based on control signals


The present invention relates to a purine compound useful as a kinase inhibitor. The compound has the structure:

The search for kinase inhibitors has proven to be a fruitful area for the development of useful pharmaceutically active substances. Kinases, which are alternatively known as phosphotransferases, are enzymes that transfer phosphate groups from high energy donor molecules (for example ATP) to specific target molecules (typically called substrates) in a process termed phosphorylation. One of the largest groups of kinases are the protein kinases which act on and modify the activity of specific proteins.
As a result of the potential of kinase inhibitors to act as pharmaceutically active compounds a significant amount of research has been carried out to discover compounds that display appropriate activity against these targets. In the cancer area two kinases that have attracted attention as potential targets for therapeutic compounds include mTOR and PI3. An example of research in this area is that disclosed in PCT/SG2008/000379 which discloses a number of compounds having kinase activity against both mTOR and PI3.
Compounds that inhibit both mTOR and PI3 kinases simultaneously may be expected to provide powerful anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic and antitumor activity since these compounds act at multiple points in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. A number of inhibitors of this type are now being investigated in a clinical setting for the first time (e.g. BEZ235, XL765, GDC0941, PX866, SF1126).
In the search for suitable drug candidates a number of factors are taken into consideration in the final determination of whether a compound is a suitable drug candidate or not. Accordingly in making an assessment of a potential compound for further development a number of factors are taken into consideration in addition to the primary inhibitory activity of the compound per se. In making this assessment the skilled medicinal chemist looks at the "drug like properties" of the molecule and includes an assessment of factors such as its activity against the target of interest, the solubility of the compounds of interest (if they are not soluble they typically make poor drug candidates), the metabolic stability of the compound in vitro and in vivo, and the potential side effects that could be caused by the compound on the body amongst others. The present applicants have identified a compound with significantly improved drug like properties in comparison with other compounds in the area.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Pyrimidine substituted purine compounds as kinase (S) inhibitors

Abstract: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.


A multi-channel trigger dejitter technique uses actual digitized samples from a repetitive waveform signal to correct for jitter in a hardware trigger signal. Interpolated samples are calculated between a set of the digitized samples about the hardware trigger signal, and a hardware trigger level is determined from the closest sample in time to the hardware trigger signal. The hardware trigger level is averaged with that determined from prior acquisitions to produce an average trigger level. The closest sample in time to the average trigger level becomes an averaged trigger signal, and the times for all the digitized samples for that acquisition, as well as all simultaneous acquisitions from other input channels, are adjusted according the difference in time between the hardware and averaged trigger signals. Over several acquisition iterations of the repetitive waveform the amount of jitter between acquisitions is decreased.

The present invention relates to waveform digitizing systems, and more particularly to a multi-channel trigger dejitter technique for digital sampling oscilloscopes and the like that improves the accuracy of the trigger time information for repetitive signals.
A waveform digitizing system, such as a digital sampling oscilloscope, takes discrete periodic samples of multiple analog input signals and either displays them or otherwise stores or transmits them to a remote device, such as a personal computer. If a signal is repetitive and being displayed, it is important that each iteration of the signal be displayed in the same place so that parts of the waveform that are not different do not move around and differences between subsequent iterations are readily apparent. The trigger hardware of a digital sampling device ensures that signals are always digitized in the vicinity of a particular event, such as a voltage crossing. Trigger time information is typically provided to much higher resolution than the digitizing sample interval. For example, a digital sampling oscilloscope with a digitizing sample interval of 500 picoseconds might provide trigger time resolution of ten picoseconds. This allows the display to be horizontally expanded, i.e., "zoomed", either using software interpolation, such as linear or sin(x)/x algorithms, or using equivalent time sampling where the display is filled out over multiple acquisitions. If high resolution trigger time information is not provided accurately, an interpolated display jitters back and forth and an equivalent time sampling display shows vertical noise on edges because of errors in sample time placement with respect to the trigger point.
Therefore what is desired is a multi-channel trigger dejitter technique for digitizing sampling devices that uses information contained in the digitized waveform to improve the accuracy of the trigger time information for repetitive signals.


A pneumatic tire provided with run-flat reinforcing layers 10 in left and right sidewall portions 2 that enable run-flat traveling. A tread reinforcing layer 12 formed from a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition including a blend of a thermoplastic resin component and an elastomer component is provided on an inner side of a tread portion 1.

Pneumatic tires with reinforcing layers having falcated cross-sections formed from a rubber having a high hardness provided on left and right side walls are known. These reinforcing layers support a load and make continued traveling possible when the pneumatic tire is in a run-flat condition due to a puncture or the like.
Pneumatic tires provided with run-flat functionality through these kinds of reinforcing layers are prone to buckling in a tread portion during run-flat traveling. Particularly, when this kind of buckling occurs on icy or snowy road surfaces, there is a problem in that a contact area with the icy or snowy road surface tire is decreased, which results in the tire slipping and traveling becoming impossible.

Pneumatic tire and method of manufacturing the same


The separation of oil from filter cake, such as a transformer filter cake, is achieved by contact mixing filter cake with protein additives in water for a sufficient time for substantially all the oil to be displaced from the filter cake, flushing displaced oil and filter medium with water in a separating device and collecting the oil and the filter medium separately. The separation occurs with little or no remediation of the oil taking place so that both the oil and the filter medium can be reused.

Oil in power transformers is regularly filtered every twelve to eighteen months to remove impurities which build up during operation. The impurities can include carbon as well as other substances that cause an insulating property breakdown of the oil. The filter medium generally used is classified as a montmorillonite clay. This type of clay has an expanding structure with high adsorptive powers. The material is crystalline and non-plastic similar to fuller's earth which is a natural fine grained material. Throughout the text the oil soaked filter medium is referred to as "filter cake".
After the transformer oil has been filtered, the oil remaining in the filter cake can be higher than 30% of the total weight. In the past this filter cake has been disposed of in landfills with consequent leaching out of the oil to the subsoil, water table and surface streams. Today many landfills are not accepting this highly toxic material so that utility companies store the spent filter cake awaiting a treatment solution. It is known for example that in Ontario, Canada, some 2,000 tons of filter cake are generated annually. It is believed that the amount of stored filter cake in both the United States and Canada is considerable.
Remediation methods for toxic materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,851 issued May 11, 1993 to Hume and Downie. The process disclosed herein relates to treating toxic waste materials with protein nutrients to remediate the contaminated material and efficiently reduce the toxic conditions to innocuous levels. A method of treating waste water utilizing an aerating process is disclosed in Canadian Patent 1,182,227 issued Feb. 5, 1985 to Hume. In this process effluent is treated such that substantially no sludge is formed. Toxic effluent is first skimmed to remove floating oil and other solids. The effluent is then vigorously mixed and aerated so the oily material present in the effluent is maintained in suspension such that minimum flocculation occurs. The mixing and aeration continues for a sufficient period of time to permit remediation of the carbon impregnated oily waste water.

Separation of oil from transformer filter cake


An exercising ball holder for fixing an exercising ball and locking elastic cords includes a base seat, multiple extension arms and at least one elastic cord. The base seat is formed with a rest depression. A lower end of the exercising ball is rested and located in the depression without easily rolling out. The multiple extension arms respectively outward horizontally extend from the base seat. Each extension arm has a fixing loop section. The elastic cord has a hook section and has a handle. It can ensure safety in use of the exercising ball. The position of the elastic cords can be quickly changed to achieve various exercising effects. And, it has simple structure.

The present invention is related to an exercising ball holder for fixing an exercising ball and locking elastic cords. It can ensure safety in use of the exercising ball. The position of the elastic cords can be quickly changed so as to achieve various exercising effects. Moreover, the exercising ball holder has simple structure and is manufactured at low cost.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conventional exercising ball 40 (usually called xe2x80x9cSwiss ballxe2x80x9d that is a big elastic plastic ball). The outer diameter of the exercising ball 40 is generally between 45 and 120 cm. A typical exercising ball 40 has an outer diameter between 50 and 80 cm. With respect to an exercising ball that has a 60-cm outer diameter, a user can sit thereon. Alternatively, the user can lie thereon. Even this user can face down, face up, or face laterally. However, the exercising ball 40 tends to roll away easily. So, the user is very likely to accidentally slip down or fall down and then gets hurt.
Furthermore, if the exercising ball 40 is used with an elastic cord (not shown), not only it is hard to fix the exercising ball 40 at a desire location, but also there is no place for locking the elastic cord. As a result, a user must carefully keep balanced and hold two ends of the elastic cord by both hands to exercise. It significantly limits the variety of the exercise patterns for the exercising ball 40 and the cooperative elastic cord.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an exercising ball holder for preventing the exercising ball from randomly rolling. The exercising ball holder also is able to lock elastic cords so that the safety in use of the exercising ball can be ensured.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above exercising ball holder in which the position of the elastic cords can be quickly changed so as to achieve various exercising effects.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above exercising ball holder that has simple structure and is manufactured at low cost.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:


A mold for producing a product with internal flutes is provided. The mold includes a mold body that defines a cavity and a shaft in proximity to the cavity. A pin assembly is receivably engaged in the shaft of the mold body. The pin assembly includes a pin with a grooved portion that has at least one helically shaped groove, a sleeve surroundingly disposed about a portion of the pin, and means to allow rotation of the pin. A gap is defined in between a portion of the walls of the shaft of the mold body and the grooved portion of the pin and the gap is partially terminated by a portion of the sleeve. A method of molding is also provided.

The molding of fasteners that are made from polymers often involves complex tooling. For example, the intricate shape of many fasteners requires that the molds often include complex cavities with multiple movable sections to allow a fastener to be molded and then removed without damage. This use of multiple sections increases the cost of the molds and the complexity of the molding operation.
In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/279,434, filed on Oct. 24, 2002, a fastener assembly including molded internal flutes is disclosed. Molding such a fastener using an apparatus of the prior art involves significant expense, as a complex mold (as mentioned above) must be utilized. This same problem applies to other plastic products and fasteners that incorporate internal flutes.
As a result, there is a need for a molding apparatus that may overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by allowing a polymer component with internal flutes to be molded and extracted without the use of a complex and costly mold.

Apparatus for producing fastener assembly with molded internal helical flutes


The invention relates to a brake system for a motor vehicle comprising a master brake cylinder in which a primary piston for generating a brake pressure in a hydraulic brake circuit can be displaced according to actuation of a brake pedal, it being possible to displace the primary piston under the effect of a hydraulic servo pressure circuit in the master brake cylinder and the hydraulic servo pressure circuit comprising a pressure source for generating the servo pressure and a pressure accumulator for maintaining a minimum servo pressure in the servo pressure circuit. It is provided in this brake system that the pressure accumulator of the servo pressure circuit can be supplied with hydraulic fluid as a function of the servo pressure prevailing in the servo pressure circuit.

The invention relates to a brake system for a motor vehicle comprising a master brake cylinder in which a primary piston for generating a brake pressure in a hydraulic brake circuit can be displaced according to actuation of a brake pedal, it being possible to displace the primary piston under the effect of a hydraulic servo pressure circuit in the master brake cylinder and the hydraulic servo pressure circuit comprising a pressure source for generating the servo pressure and a pressure accumulator for maintaining a minimum servo pressure.
Brake systems of this type are known from the prior art. Thus DE 195 42 656 A1, and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,307 B1, both of which are incorporated by reference herein, for example discloses a brake system for a motor vehicle in which actuation of a brake pedal is detected by sensors. A servo pressure circuit is controlled by a control unit with the aid of the detected pedal actuation. A pressure source is provided in this servo pressure circuit and generates a servo pressure in the hydraulic servo pressure circuit. The pressurised hydraulic fluid is supplied by means of a manifold valve to the master brake cylinder. More precisely, the primary piston that can be displaced inside the master brake cylinder by means of the servo pressure for generating a brake pressure is also pressurised with a servo force, resulting from the servo pressure, in addition to the pedal actuation force. As a result, the primary piston can be effectively displaced inside the master brake cylinder without the entire force required for generating the brake force having to be applied by the brake pedal.
In order to be able to provide a sufficiently high servo pressure at any instant during operation, the servo pressure circuit of DE 195 42 656 A1 provides a pressure accumulator connected downstream of the pressure source. This pressure accumulator is directly coupled to the servo pressure circuit. Whenever the pressure source of the servo pressure circuit is active hydraulic fluid is conveyed from the servo pressure circuit into the pressure accumulator and stored therein. However, this has the effect that in a state in which there is a relatively low hydraulic pressure in the servo pressure circuit and in which the full power of the pressure source would be inherently required for generating a brake pressure inside the master brake cylinder for displacing the primary piston, a certain portion of the hydraulic fluid conveyed by the pressure source will also always be conveyed into the pressure accumulator owing to the fluidic connection of the pressure accumulator and pressure source. The efficiency and the response characteristic of the brake system suffers as a consequence, in particular as not all of the hydraulic fluid required for actuating the primary piston is conveyed from the servo pressure circuit into the master brake cylinder.


An integrated circuit array, in particular for two dimensional sensor arrays such as ultrasound imaging systems is disclosed. The integrated circuit array (10) comprises a plurality of integrated circuit elements (12) each formed in a substrate (14), wherein the substrates are separated from each other. The array comprises a flexible and/or stretchable connection layer (22) connected to the integrated circuit elements for flexibly connecting the integrated circuit elements to each other. The array further comprises a plurality of electrical interconnects (18) for electrically connecting the integrated circuit elements to each other, wherein the electrical interconnects are formed as metal lines in one piece with integrated interconnects of the integrated circuit elements.

In the field of two dimensional sensor arrays it is generally known to connect circuits and sensors by means of bendable and/or stretchable electrical interconnects in order to provide flexible and/or stretchable sensor arrays. Such stretchable and/or bendable circuits and sensors are of growing importance in the field of bio-medical systems since they can be formed or shaped in such a way that they match with the human body such as cylindrical intravascular ultrasound transducer or implant sensor arrays such as retinal implant optical sensors.
In the field of minimal-invasive medical instruments, flexible and stretchable circuits are important to form high performance sensor systems like imaging systems which can be attached to cylindrical or spherical instruments. For stretchable capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer (CMUT) arrays, the rigid chips are thinned and bent around the instruments, which causes mechanical stress within the transducer arrays. For manufacturing a stretchable CMUT array, the individual transducer elements are usually fabricated on a silicon wafer and attached to a flexible layer or foil and separated from each other by an etching process. The individual sensor devices are usually electrically connected to each other by means of electrical interconnects connected to each of the sensor devices in a separate process step. A corresponding capacitive micromachined ultrasound transducer array for a catheter is e.g. known from WO 2012/066477 A1.
The disadvantage of the known circuit arrays and sensor arrays is that the connection of the electrical interconnects during a post-processing step is complicated so that a technical effort for manufacturing the circuit arrays and/or sensor arrays is increased.
From WO 9832595 a flexible skin is known incorporating microelectromechanical devices, wherein the flexible skin comprises silicon islands encapsulated in a polyimide film, wherein the silicon islands are formed by etching silicon wafers to a desirable thickness by wet etching and pattering from the back side by reactive ion etching.
From US 2006/0255433 A1 a semiconductor-containing flexible skin is known which is suitable for use in intelligent textile applications including a metal layer, an insulating layer and one or more semiconductor islands sandwiched between a first flexible polymer layer and a second flexible polymer layer.
From J. Chen: "Topical Review; Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer arrays for minimally invasive medical ultrasound" in Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, Vol. 20, No. 2, 1 Feb. 2010, page 23001 an assembly of a planar monolithic CMUT-array is known, wherein imager plates are connected to each other by flexible dielectric membranes fabricated monolithically with the transducer. From EP 1 883 107 A2 a packaged microelectronic device is known comprising at least one electrode comprising a chip embedded in a package, wherein the chips are connected to each other by flexible electrical interconnects.

Integrated circuit array and method for manufacturing an array of integrated circuits


Thermal solar energy collector, in which a solar radiation absorption panel, inside which the heat-conducting fluid flows, is situated inside a parallelepipedal box, with an opening having a transparent cover at the front, which may be doubled so as to leave an atmospheric space in the middle. The rear wall of the box has a system of seals and reservoirs which are inset in the wall so that they accommodate the expansion and contraction of vertical tubes of the panel and horizontal connections by means of gentle changes in curvature of the tube bends and slight rotations of the reservoirs, with the addition of a system for filling the box with an inert gas, the pressure of which may be chosen from a range of between a thousandth of an atmosphere and one atmosphere, there being provided for this purpose an external gas circuit, with low- and high-pressure tanks, an intermediate compressor.

Nowadays, it is known the use of a field of steerable mirrors, or heliostats, that concentrate the solar radiation in a receptacle which occupies the upper part of a tower, erected to the south of said field. There exist precedents for this type of configuration, both at the experimental constructive level and at the patent level, among which we can mention, due to its antiquity, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,682, which presents a sector-divided field of heliostats, having a tower with a central receptor in each sector of the field.
Alternatively, there may be tower arrangements, but using the whole building facade, not only an upper receptacle, as it can be seen in DE 10248064 A1. Prior to this patent, we can mention U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,674 in which the external surface of the central tower where the radiation reflected by the mirrors is received, is constituted by a bundle of tubes covering it completely. Similarly, we can mention the European Patent Application EP 0106688 A2, intended to improve the performance of tube collectors when they are designed to produce steam, so that it is sought an appropriate distribution of the thermal load between the tubes designed for the boiler, where a phase change is produced, and for the superheater, where there is a temperature increase of the dry steam already separated from the liquid phase, which is recirculated.
In these two patents, two especially serious problems of this panel or collector arrangement or configuration are evident: as these tubes are bare, the natural convection of the circulating air extracts a lot of heat from the irradiated surface, thus decreasing the effectively collected heat, that is, transferred to the heat-conducting fluid, with which the performance of the collector is low or very low; and besides, the oxygen of the air may quickly oxidize the external surface of the hot tube, which will have to be painted with a substance having a high solar absorptivity and a low emissivity, properties which are degraded when the oxygen chemically reacts with said especial paint layer.
The standard answer to these problems is enclosing the radiation collecting surface in a receptacle or a box where a considerable vacuum has been made, and its closing, at the part where the radiation strikes, will be a transparent cover, generally made of glass, in order to let the radiation go through to the interior of the box. This arrangement is even followed in low- and medium-temperature collectors, functioning with direct radiation (not reflected with concentration), though in this case the temperatures reached are much lower. In any case, this arrangement enables to minimize the level of convective heat losses, since there are no convection currents inside the vacuum collector receptacle, and the chemical aggression of oxygen against the external layer of the radiation absorbent surface is also avoided.
This solution, however, has a problem, namely, that the glass of the transparent cover has to work with pressure differences between its walls of approximately one atmosphere, that is, about 100,000 pascals. This pressure difference is very high for a material having a very low elastic limit, such as glass (and it would be even worse for some transparent plastics, because they would also have to withstand temperatures much higher than room temperature, though not as high as the ones of the radiation absorbent surface). This means that the dimensions of the glass cover (or the cover in general), will be very limited by the internal mechanical stresses induced by the aforementioned pressure difference. As in the case of a uniformly loaded beam (that in our case corresponds to a uniform pressure difference) the maximum bending moment depends on the square of the length of the beam, this length will be considerably limited by the effect of the difference between the external pressure (the local atmospheric pressure) and the internal, practically non-existent, one, though in the constructive reality a vacuum of one thousandth of an atmosphere is considered to be sufficient. The glass cover could be very thick, to increase the transverse moment of inertia, thus decreasing the internal stress needed for balancing the induced bending moment, but this possibility presents, in turn, another inconvenience, since there is not any absolutely transparent glass, and the thicker the glass is, the greater the amount of absorbed radiation within itself there would be, which generates higher internal temperatures, and a greater gradient for it, because it is only refrigerated through the external wall, which generates the appearance of mechanical stress induced by thermal differences, that may also be larger than the ones produced by the external and internal pressure difference.
Along with the problems highlighted, another equally important problem should be noted, namely, that the expansions produced when the collector elements go from room temperature to the operation one, which may imply an increase of 500° C. or equal Kelvin in the SI system. In view of the fact that the coefficient of linear expansion of conventional steel is of about 10 millionths per ° C. the increases in length are of about 0.5%, which is quite considerable and has to be taken into account in the design of the radiation absorbent surface, and in the matrix or body on which it is supported, inside which the heat-conducting fluid will flow, to extract the heat and carry it to the main thermodynamic focus. When discussing expansions, it should also be noted that these are smaller on the glass cover than on the absorbent surface and its supporting body. In fact, even the other walls of the collector receptacle, different from the transparent cover, will also be at temperatures much lower than the radiation absorbent parts, otherwise a large part of the energy would escape through these walls, by conduction and convection.
The case described above forms the entire group of problems to be solved by an invention using the natural physical mechanisms, along with the artificial ones that are required, in order to be able to absorb an important fraction of the solar radiation thermal energy, when it is concentrated by means of convergence, on a collector, of the radiation reflected by an array of mirrors whose total reflection surface is much higher than the radiation absorbent surface, contained inside the collector receptacle. A system that could achieve the absorption of thermal solar energy by a heat-conducting fluid avoiding the existing inconveniences of prior art systems was therefore desirable.


A method and system for providing recording device privileges through biometric assessment are disclosed herein. An embodiment of the method includes monitoring information associated with a recording device. The information includes a recording device location, dynamic biometric data, knowledge data, and recording device identification data. From the monitored information, an identity of a then-current user of the recording device is determined. An authorization level for the then-current user is determined, and recording device access privileges are dynamically adjusted based on the determined authorization level.

The present disclosure relates generally to a method and system for providing recording device privileges through biometric assessment.
Access to secure information may be provided when a user demonstrates proof of knowledge. Often, proof of knowledge is demonstrated by personal identification numbers, passwords, static biometric data, or other like unique identifiers. Some knowledge data may be readily stolen, thereby leaving secure information susceptible to theft.

Method and system for providing recording device privileges through biometric assessment

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present disclosure relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasound signal to a diagnosis target and receives the reflected ultrasound signal from the diagnosis target to generate an ultrasound image. The ultrasound image to be displayed on a screen is divided into plural division regions, and filtering is performed for the respective division regions based on blood-flow information at plural division positions on the diagnosis target corresponding to the respective division regions to provide the filtered result as the ultrasound image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and, more particularly, to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that provides an ultrasound image having improved image quality through efficient filtering and image synthesis.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has non-invasive and non-destructive characteristics, and is thus widely used in a medical field to obtain information about the interior of a diagnosis target. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can provide a real-time high-definition image of internal tissue of a human body to a doctor without surgical operation entailing direct incision and observation of the human body, and is thus very important in the field of medicine.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus electrically stimulates conversion elements to generate an ultrasound signal and transmits the generated ultrasound signal to a human body. The ultrasound signal is reflected as an ultrasound echo-signal at a boundary between discontinuous human tissues, and the ultrasound echo-signal transmitted to the conversion elements from the boundary between the human tissues is converted into an electrical signal. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus amplifies and signal-processes the converted electrical signal to generate ultrasound image data about the human tissue.
Generally, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus performs filtering of ultrasound image data using a filtering mask to remove various noise and obtain a clear image when forming the ultrasound image of each part of the body.
Meanwhile, conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses have a specific kind of filtering mask defined for use with each part of the body, for example, the liver, kidney, pancreas, heart, and the like. Accordingly, in the case of the kidney, the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus performs filtering upon ultrasound image data of the kidney using a single pre-designated filtering mask so as to obtain an overall ultrasound image of the kidney, as shown in a right side of FIG. 1. For reference, FIG. 1 comparatively shows a schematic diagram (left side) of an actual kidney and an ultrasound image (right side) of the kidney generated by the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
Conventionally, since filtering is performed corresponding to a blood vessel having a size of a specific range, as shown in the right side of FIG. 1, it is possible to obtain a relatively clear image of the blood vessel having a size or thickness greater than a certain value in the generated ultrasound image, but the filtering is not appropriately achieved for a blood vessel having a size or thickness smaller than the certain value, causing several small blood vessels adjacent to each other to be displayed in a superimposed state, so that the small blood vessels are not clearly displayed individually.
That is, the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provides a mixed image of a clearly displayed portion and an unclearly displayed portion depending on the size or position of each of the body parts, particularly, the blood vessel, and the like. In order to make the unclearly displayed portion clear, there is an inconvenience to reset the filtering mask so as to match with the size of the blood vessel, and the like. Furthermore, in such a case, there is a problem that the existing clearly displayed portion is not appropriately filtered and becomes unclear.

Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus with image filtering based on blood flow information


Apparatus and method for punching registration holes in exposed films having cooperating image areas, in which the films to be registered and punched are supported on a platform, punch means is mounted on the platform for punching registration holes in each film outside its image area, and electronic means is provided for producing an image, preferably, magnified, of at least one selected part of a film supported on the platform.

This invention relates to film punches, e.g. for providing multiple films such as colour separations with punch register after exposure, and particularly for registering multi-colour half-tone separations produced on an electronic film scanner or process camera.
One type of film punch manufactured by the applicants, has an illuminated platform capable of accepting a maximum film size of 60.times.50 cm and punching heads which are inverted for operation from below upwards. A key film, usually that representing the blue separation or that with the most detail, is selected and placed on the platform over the punching heads, which are operated to perforate the film. The punching heads are brought to a position in which the punches project into, and are retained within the thickness of the key film to provide a positive location. Then the next separation is placed over the key film, slid over the punching heads, registered visually to the key film and the punching heads are operated to perforate the second film. The second separation is removed and the same procedure is repeated for the remaining colour separations, after which the key film is released by depressing the punching heads to their original position.
Early electronic scanners were mostly single-channel and produced colour separations one colour at a time, so that colour sets could be produced in register much the same as on a camera, by fitting the film drum with register pins. This enabled four separate pieces of film to be punched and placed in turn on the pins on the drum.
However, in the multi-channel scanners now in operation such as a four-channel scanner, the original film transparency is fitted to one drum and the fourcolour separations are produced on a single piece of film. One multi-channel scanner can produce register markings on the film that are in register with each separation. Furthermore, if register markings are included with the original transparency, for example by adhering register crosses thereto, then after the scanning operation they will appear against each separation.
The assignee has, for some years now, been manufacturing an apparatus for punching a plurality of exposed films having co-operating image areas to obtain punch registration, which is disclosed in the specification of its U.K. Pat. No. 2059627B and which comprises a stationary support having a platform for supporting the films to be registered and punched, a plurality of punches mounted to said support so as to be capable of punching each film outside its useable image area, two projection units supported by said support and having portions which extend over the platform, the projection units each comprising a projection screen, an optical means for magnifying an image of a respective area of film when such film is supported on the platform and a projection means for projecting the respective magnified image onto the respective projection screen, and means such as a cushion of air for enabling each of said projection units to be moved independently of the other projection unit with respect to said platform and said punches.
In use of the apparatus with exposed films having co-operating image areas, a first one of the exposed films is located in a position in which it can be punched outside its useable image area, and is punched in its located position, the two projection units are moved independently with respect to the located film and into positions in which two magnified images of portions of the image area, or of register markings on film are projected onto the two screens respectively, a second one of the exposed films is placed on the first film, the second film is moved with respect to the first film until two magnified images of co-operating portions of the image area or of the register markings of the second film are aligned on the screens with the two magnified images or register markings respectively of the first film, to obtain registration of the co-operating image areas of the first and second films, and the second film is punched outside its useable image area, and then removed and the method repeated for any remaining films.
By so projecting the film areas, parallax is eliminated, the operator can see two datum positions at once, operator fatigue is reduced, greater accuracy is achieved due to greater enlargement and speed is increased since one area of the film can be held whilst the second area of film is aligned.
Whilst the optical film punch registration in U.K. Pat. No. 2059627 is suitable for many applications, the optical projection unit assembly is bulky, needs high power illumination in view of the long optical paths and an air pump which is noisy to produce the cushions of air. Moreover, optimum registration of the optical images can still take time and be difficult to achieve, in particular in an industry working with negative film separations as opposed to positive film separations, and because there is a momentary time interval between image registration and punching.
To produce positive film separations from the negatives could be an answer but the expense would be prohibitive and would be against the established modus operandi.


An absorbent article having an outer cover with an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface, an absorbent core positioned adjacent the interior surface of the outer cover, and a wetness indicator graphic located on the outer cover. The wetness indicator graphic has a permanent graphic defining at least one non-printed area and a changing graphic located within the at least one non-printed area of the permanent graphic such that the permanent graphic and the changing graphic together give the appearance of a uniform graphic.

Absorbent articles, for example, diapers or training pants, are commonly used to contain the incontinence of young Children. While diapers are traditionally drawn up between the legs and fastened about the waist, training pants are designed to give the appearance of underwear or apparel. Such training pants are often used to promote effective toilet training of children.
The toilet training of a young child typically includes a wide variety of training techniques and training aids that may be used by parents and caregivers. One technique of toilet training is to have the young child or caregiver recognize that the training pants are wet and in need of changing. This is best done by providing some form of graphical feedback to the child or caregiver to indicate that the training pants are wet. Accordingly, training pants are typically provided with readily visually perceptible wetness indicator graphics for specifically this purpose.
One of the problems with training pants and their associated wetness indicator graphics, however, is that they have the appearance of a diaper. Because of this, older children that are going through the toilet training process are often not amenable to or are uncomfortable wearing training pants reasoning that they are too old to wear diapers.
Such a reaction by a child can retard the toilet training process because the child may refuse to wear training pants altogether, and thus end up having "accidents" in their clothing.

Absorbent article having a wetness indicator


A communication apparatus includes memory that stores registration information that indicates a registered mobile terminal registered in a base station; and a processor configured to perform connection processing of connecting a non-registered mobile terminal to the base station, based on a connection request signal from the non-registered mobile terminal not stored in the memory; measure utilization of the base station by the non-registered mobile terminal for which the connection processing has been performed; and transmit obtained measurement results to another communication apparatus via a communication interface.

Recently, in the field of radio communication networks, the introduction of femtocell base stations (femtocell base transceiver stations (BTS)) as a small-type radio base station (BTS) is under study. A femtocell base station is installed, for example, to augment communication areas or services in residential homes, commercial stores, or enterprises. There is a technology of receiving user authentication data, terminal information, and encrypted information, making a location registration request to the femtocell base station based on the received information, and controlling the communication between a mobile terminal and the femtocell base station (see, e.g., Published Japanese-Translation of PCT Application, Publication No. 2005/096656).
The conventional technology described above, however, has a problem in that the spread of femtocell base station use is difficult. Namely, in the introduction of a femtocell base station, the expenses involved (equipment and installation) as well as broadband line usage fees, and electricity expenses are expected to borne not by communication service providers but by the owner of the femtocell base station. Thus, introduction expenses and operation costs of the femtocell base station are thought to put fetters on the widespread use of the femtocell base station.

Communication apparatus, base station, and communication method


A detection system on detecting a light source or an object irradiated by the light source serving as an object to be photographed with high accuracy and capturing a vivid image of the object to be photographed and a signal processing method and a smoke sensor. A detection system includes an image pickup unit, a light source, a first computing unit, a second computing unit, a third computing unit, a detecting unit, and a correction instructing unit. The correction instructing unit outputs a correction instructing signal when the absolute value of a computation result A or that of a computation result B exceeds a permissible decrement. The third computing unit corrects the computation result of which absolute value is reduced between the computation results such that the decrement is less than or equal to the permissible decrement when receiving the correction instructing signal, and performs computation.

When capturing an image of an object illuminated by an incandescent light bulb, fluorescent lamp, or other light source by using an imaging apparatus which has a CCD (charge coupled device) or other imaging element mounted therein, sometimes a striped pattern of light and shade is formed in the captured image and it is difficult to discriminate what the object is.
This is because, in contrast to an interlace type imaging apparatus wherein a field frequency is generally about 60 Hz, a modulation frequency of a light source is about 100 Hz or 120 Hz, so there is a deviation in the image capturing timing depending on the commercially available power supply frequency (50 Hz or 60 Hz).
In order to solve such a problem, for example, an imaging apparatus shown in PLT 1 is disclosed. In the art described in this PLT 1, the imaging apparatus captures an image of the object with a higher frame rate than the modulation frequency of the light source.
In this regard, in general imaging apparatuses being circulated on the market, the majority apparatuses are compatible with the NTSC (National Television System Committee) system or PAL (Phase Alternating Line Standard) system. For example, in the NTSC system, by interlace scanning, the field frequency is set to about 60 Hz and the frame rate (frame frequency) is set to 30 Hz.
Accordingly, it is difficult to raise the frame rate as in the imaging apparatus disclosed in PLT 1.
In a detection system described in PLT 2, the luminance of the light source is changed by a predetermined multiple of the scan period of the imaging apparatus, and the imaging apparatus captures the image of the object illuminated by this light source.
Due to this, not only can the object be vividly captured, but it is also not necessary to raise the frame rate itself of the imaging apparatus, therefore use can be made of a general imaging apparatus being circulated on the market.

Detection system, signal processing method of detection system, and smoke sensor


A method of cutting a piece of meat which is initially generally in the shape of a parallelepiped to produce at least one steak portion includes cutting the meat along four generally curved first cut lines extending generally parallel to the grain of the meat to remove four corners of the meat and create a meat portion which is cylindrically shaped. The cylindrically shaped meat portion is cut along each of a plurality of parallel second cut lines each generally perpendicular to the grain of the meat and spaced from each other by a first predetermined distance to create a plurality of disk-like generally cylindrical meat portions each having a thickness corresponding to the first predetermined distance and each having a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the cylindrically shaped meat portion. At least one of the disk-like meat portions is cut along each of a plurality of third cut lines, each of the third cut lines extending radially inwardly from an outer circumferential edge of the disk-like meat portion toward but not entirely through the axial center of the disk-like meat portion to create an uncut center portion, the third cut lines being circumferentially spaced apart by a second predetermined distance to produce a steak portion having a plurality of generally truncated pie wedge shaped portions held together by the center portion.

The present invention relates generally to a method for cutting a piece of meat in a manner which results in steak cuts and the steak cuts resulting from employing the disclosed method.
The present invention, while described below in terms of a particular cut of beef, has equal applicability to other forms of meat including pork, lamb, veal and also birds such as chicken, turkey, duck, etc., particularly the breast cut. The present invention is adapted to add significant value to meat by taking what would ordinarily be a relatively tough, lower value cut of meat and turning it into a higher value cut of meat which is tenderer and is particularly well suited to grilling, pan frying or the like. A cut of meat prepared in accordance with the method of the present invention is generally disk-like, cylindrical and has a thickness which may vary depending upon the desires of the consumer. In the presently preferred embodiment, the cut of meat comprises a cylinder having a diameter preferably in the range of 3 to 6 inches and having a thickness preferably in the range of about ⅛ inch to about 2½ inches. The cylindrical cut of meat includes generally radially extending cuts made through at least a portion thereof to establish a steak cut including a plurality of generally truncated pie-wedge shaped portions held together at the center which can be conveniently separated after cooking for consumption or for further cutting, if desired.

Method of cutting meat to form steak cuts and meat products formed by the method