Novel dielectrically improved liquid compositions include at least one electrical insulating oil (A), e.g., benzyltoluene or oligomers thereof, and at least one aldehyde (B) containing at least six carbon atoms, or a functionally substituted such aldehyde, e.g., 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel compositions of matter and to their use as dielectric liquid electrical insulators. This invention more especially relates to insulating oils/compositions which are well suited for inclusion in electrical transformers and capacitors. THe oils, per se, are described, for example, in European Patent EP 8,251 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,044.

Dielectric liquid compositions containing hydroxybenzaldehyde


The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a group-III nitride semiconductor layer having high crystallinity. An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a group-III nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate 11 using a sputtering method. The apparatus includes: a chamber 41; a target 47 that is arranged in the chamber 41 and includes a group-III element; a first plasma generating means 51 that generates a first plasma for sputtering the target 47 to supply raw material particles to the substrate 11; a second plasma generating means 52 that generates a second plasma including a nitrogen element; and a control means that controls the first plasma generating means 51 and the second plasma generating means 52 to alternately generate the first plasma and the second plasma in the chamber 41.

Apparatuses and methods of manufacturing a group-III nitride semiconductor layer made of, for example, a nitride compound semiconductor crystal using a reactive sputtering method have been proposed.
The reactive sputtering method according to the related art sputters a target including a group-III element, such as Ga or Al, generates the plasma of reactive gas including a nitrogen element, such as nitrogen, in a chamber of a sputtering apparatus, and reacts the group-III element with the reactive gas to form a group-III nitride semiconductor layer.
Specifically, for example, a method has been proposed which forms GaN layers on the (100) plane of Si and the (0001) plane of sapphire (Al2O3) by an RF magnetron sputtering method using N2 gas (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).
[Non-Patent Document 1] Y. USHIKU, et al., "Proceedings of the 21st Century Combined Symposium", Vol. 2, p 295 (2003)

Apparatus for manufacturing group-III nitride semiconductor layer, method of manufacturing group-III nitride semiconductor layer, group-III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, method of manufacturing group-III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, and lamp


This invention is directed to compositions and methods for treating a condition of the heart. In an embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of treating a subject in need thereof, wherein the method comprises ablating at least one nerve of the renal artery of the subject; and administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of cells.

Following acute myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac structure undergoes adverse remodeling leading to a progressive decline in cardiac function. However, while timely coronary revascularization therapy is effective for acute MI, maximizing reperfusion is not associated with a maximized cardioprotective effect. Not only does unrelieved ischemia cause permanent damage to the cardiac tissue, reperfusion of the tissue leads to significant injury of the myocardium. Once the myocardium has been damaged by the initial ischemic insult and further by reperfusion injury, there is a progressive decline in cardiac function and heart failure (HF) ensues. The development of compositions and methods for treating cardiac injury can improve the ability of healthcare professionals to treat subjects suffering from cardiac injury, and can ultimately improve the prognosis of subjects suffering from cardiac injury.

Compositions and methods for treating cardiac injury

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE


A method for the non-invasive imagin of an anatomic tissue structure in isolation from surrounding tissues, including:. receiving from an input device magnetic imaging data from a patient of the anatomic tissue structure and surrounding tissues; PA1 segmenting the imaging data to isolate the anatomic tissue structure imaging data from the imaging data for the surrounding tissues; PA1 separating the anatomic tissue structure imaging data into data populations corresponding to tissue microstructures; PA1 constructing an image from the imaging data for at least one of the tissue microstructures; and PA1 storing or displaying the image.. An apparatus embodying the disclosed method is also described, as well as a method for the quantitative measurement of a nerve tissue suspected of demyelination, including the measurement of the median nerve for demyelination within a carpal tunnel.

The present invention relates to the non-invasive magnetic imaging of anatomic tissue structures in isolation from surrounding tissues, and, in particular, to the non-invasive magnetic imaging of nerve tissues. The present invention more specifically relates to the non-invasive quantitative measurement of damage to nerve tissue, such as the damage that occurs upon compression.
Clinically it is possible to estimate which neural pathway is involved in trauma by determining the end result--loss of motor function and either abberant sensory function or complete loss of it. It is very difficult to determine where the lesion is and to what extent it has caused deterioration of the nerves involved.
Peripheral nerves are compound structures. Each nerve trunk consists of a very large number of nerve "fibers" (neurites) that are protoplasmic extensions of neuronal cell bodies located in the dorsal root ganglia (sensory neurons) and ventral horn of the spinal cord (motor neurons). All nerve fibers (except fine pain fibers) are surrounded by a fatty sheath of myelin which serves to enhance nerve impulse conduction (neural flow). The nerve fibers are grouped into fasciculi, bundles of fibers bound together by a fine connective tissue membrane (epineureum). The bundles of fasciculi comprising the nerve trunk are bound by a thicker membrane, the perineureum. The nerve trunk may be surrounded by other layers of protective connective tissue or fat.
Neuropathy in peripheral nerves may occur through the agency of traumatic distortion, including compression, stretch and breakage, and/or associated ischemia. The trauma may be acute, especially when the surrounding tissues are injured, or it may be chronic, and due to pathologic mechanical relations between the nerve and surrounding tissues: regional compression is considered to be the principal etiology in entrapment syndromes. There is rapid recovery from transient compression, but prolonged compression extends the recovery period because the nerve fibers are damaged. Remyelination and re-establishment of conduction must take place. Chronic and repetitive compression prevents recovery and results in severe neurologic impairment.
In chronic and repetitive compressions, which are more common than acute compressions, the damage is more extensive. Nerve trunks become thinned at the site of the compression, but may swell proximally. Characteristically conduction is slowed and conduction blocks, occur as long segments of myelin are damaged. Depending on the severity of the chronic compression, the nerve trunk proximally will contain a full complement of myelinated fibers within its fasciculi; but at the level of compression and distally the number of myelinated fibers may be reduced significantly. The relative density of the myelinated fibers between proximal and distal portions of the nerve is a measure of loss of neurophysiologic function in its distal distribution.
Although nerve damage can occur anywhere within the body, some nerves are predisposed to chronic damage because of their structural relationships with other tissues. Classic sites for chronic nerve compression include the brachial plexus--especially where the cords of the plexus pass between the rib cage and clavicle, the elbow--where the ulna nerve winds around the olecranon process of the ulna bone, the carpal tunnel--where the median nerve lies between deep flexor tendons and the flexor retinaculum, the sacro-iliac region--where the lumbo-sacral trunk and sacral plexus lie on the bony surfaces of the pelvis, the gluteal region--where the sciatic nerve passes between the powerful gluteal musculature, the neck of the fibula--where the common peroneal nerve winds about the external surface of the bone, and the tarsal canal--where the tibial nerve winds beneath the tarsal bones to enter the sole of the foot.
Some nerves are vulnerable to acute trauma as a result of their intimate relationship to bones subject to fracture. These include that portion of the brachial plexus lying beneath the clavicle, the radial nerve--which winds about the shaft of the humerus, and the common peroneal nerve, which winds about the neck of the fibula.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is defined as a pathologic condition in which the tunnel size is reduced, causing pressure on the median nerve with resultant pain and slight sensory impairment in the digits supplied by the nerve, and sometimes accompanied by slight wasting of the thenar muscles. The carpal groove is a deep concavity on the palmar surface of the carpus formed by lateral and medial projections of the carpal bones. The medial projection is formed by the pisi-form bone and the hamulus--a hook-like projection of the hamate bone. The lateral projection is formed by the tubercles of the scaphoid and trapezium bones. The carpal groove is converted into an osteofibrous carpal tunnel by a strong fibrous retinaculum attached to the lateral and medial margins of the carpal groove. The carpal tunnel transmits the tendons of the deep and superficial digital flexor muscles which in this region form a firm bundle.
The median nerve lies within the tunnel between the flexor retinaculum and the flexor tendon bundle. It emerges from behind the flexor digitorum superficialis distally in the forearm about 5 cm proximal to the flexor retinaculum of the carpus. It lies superficial to the deep digital flexor tendons and between the tendons of the superficial flexor muscle and the flexor carpi radialis. The nerve then passes deep to the flexor retinaculum of the wrist where normally it lies superficial to the stout bundle of flexor tendons.
Overt morphology associated with CTS includes carpal dislocations, carpal arthritis and tenosynovitis of the long flexor tendons. These conditions clearly restrict the space within the tunnel. There is often no apparent morphologic cause for the syndrome, but as complete division of the flex- or retinaculum results in relief from symptoms in most cases it is assumed that mechanical compression that is not obvious from the gross morphology of the tunnel or its contents causes ischemia or directly compresses the median nerve.
Clinical symptoms includes weakening of the thenar muscles, parasthesias of the lateral palm, thumb and first two fingers. Other symptoms may include stiffness of the wrist and some pain.
Clinical examination consists of identifying those symptoms known to be associated with nerve damage. The anatomic distribution of the branches of peripheral nerves is constant and well known. The distribution of abnormal sensation or inability to utilize one or more muscles is a sure indicator of which nerve is involved.
Electromyography is used as a supplement to clinical examination. The technique uses needle electrodes inserted into suspect muscle. The intensity of the potentials measured is an indirect measure of the level of muscle activity. Neural flow stimulation also involves the use of needle electrodes. The technique compares input and output values of electric potentials.
None of these diagnostic techniques definitively identifies the focus of the neuropathy. In most cases, if the examination and electromyographic results are typical of those associated with a particular syndrome, the focus of the neuropathy can be estimated with some certainty based on experience; but false positive diagnoses are relatively common and may lead to unnecessary surgery or incomplete relief of the symptoms. In addition, electromyography is a relatively complex technique requiring some expertise to obtain a satisfactory diagnosis. Furthermore, the use of needle electrodes is invasive, and may prove painful. This can lead to false readings or patient rejection of the study.
A further problem is experienced with clinical examinations. Numerous patients attempt to simulate symptomatology in order to qualify for insurance compensation. Identifying these patients using an essentially subjective examination is difficult and time consuming for the diagnostician.
Despite conflicting reports in the literature, there is no convincing evidence that nerve morphology viewed in unassisted two-dimensional magnetic images is a clinically practical means of obtaining information about histological degeneration and impaired neural flow. At present, CTS patients are not referred for magnetic imaging scans as a diagnostic procedure.

Method and apparatus for the non-invasive imaging of anatomic tissue structures


Embodiments of the invention include a subtitling format encompassing elements of enhanced syntax and semantic to provide improved animation capabilities. The disclosed elements improve subtitle performance without stressing the available subtitle bitrate. This will become essential for authoring content of high-end HDTV subtitles in pre-recorded format, which can be broadcast or stored on high capacity optical media, e.g. the Blue-ray Disc. Embodiments of the invention include abilities for improved authoring possibilities for the content production to animate subtitles. For subtitles that are separate from AV material, a method includes using one or more superimposed subtitle layers, and displaying only a selected part of the transferred subtitles at a time. Further, colors of a selected part of the displayed subtitles may be modified, e.g. highlighted.

The technique of subtitling for Audio-Visual (AV) material has been used beginning with the first celluloid cinema movies and further until the recent digital media appeared. The main target of subtitling has been the support of handicapped people or small ethnographic language groups. Therefore subtitling often aims at the presentation of text information even when having been encoded as graphic data like pixel maps. Therefore pre-produced AV material for broadcasting (Closed Caption, Teletext, DVB-Subtitle etc.) and movie discs (DVD Sub-Picture etc.) primarily are optimized for subtitles representing simple static textual information. However, progress in PC software development for presentation and animation of textual information induces a corresponding demand for possibilities and features within the digital subtitling technique used for pre-recording and broadcasting. Using straightforward approaches without any special precautions, these increased requirements for subtitling would consume a too big portion of the limited overall bandwidth. The conflicting requirements for a 'full feature' subtitle encompassing karaoke all through genuine animations are on one hand the coding efficiency and on the other hand the full control for any subtitle author.
For today's state of the art of digitally subtitling AV material with separate subtitling information two main approaches exist: Subtitling can be based on either pixel data or on character data. In both cases, subtitling schemes comprise a general framework, which for instance deals with the synchronization of subtitling elements along the AV time axis.
Character Data Based Subtitling:
In the character-based subtitling approach, e.g. in the teletext system ETS 300 706 of European analog or digital TV, strings are described by sequences of letter codes, e.g. ASCII or UNICODE, which intrinsically allows for a very efficient encoding. But from character strings alone, subtitling cannot be converted into a graphical representation to be overlaid over video. For this, the intended character set, font and some font parameters, most notably the font size, must either be coded explicitly within the subtitling bitstream or an implicit assumption must be made about them within a suitably defined subtitling context. Also, any subtitling in this approach is confined to what can be expressed with the letters and symbols of the specific font(s) in use. The DVB Subtitling specification ETS 300 743, in its mode of "character objects", constitutes another state-of-the-art example of character-based subtitling.
Pixel Data Based Subtitling:
In the pixel-based subtitling approach, subtitling frames are conveyed directly in the form of graphical representations by describing them as (typically rectangular) regions of pixel values on the AV screen. Whenever anything is meant to be visible in the subtitling plane superimposed onto video, its pixel values must be encoded and provided in the subtitling bitstream, together with appropriate synchronization info, and hence for the full feature animation of subtitles all pixel changed must be transported. Obviously, when removing any limitations inherent with full feature animations of teletext, the pixel-based approach carries the penalty of a considerably increased bandwidth for the subtitling data. Examples of pixel-based subtitling schemes can be found in DVD's sub-picture concept "DVD Specification for Read-Only disc", Part 3: Video, as well as in the "pixel object" concept of DVB Subtitling, specified in ETS 300 743.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for composition of subtitles


A filter element (100) that is to be mounted in a housing (102) has at least one substantially hollow cylindrical pleated filter (10, 20) designed to separate liquid from aerosol, and two cover elements (30, 40) designed to cover axial end regions (12, 14, 22, 24) of the pleated filter (10, 20). The axial end portions (12, 14, 22, 24) of the at least one pleated filter (10, 20) are pressed against the cover element (30, 40) by an axial compressing force. The at least one pleated filter (10, 20) is secured in the axial direction, and one respective sealing zone (16, 18, 26, 28) is formed between each pleated filter (10, 20) and each cover element (30, 40).

A filter is known from WO 2013 024105 A1 for the de-oiling of air originating from an air compressor or a vacuum pump. In this filter, a sealing connection between the pleated filters and a U-shaped groove of a cover element of the filter is produced through the use of an adhesive or a sealant. However, the use of adhesives for fixing the pleated filters is expensive and additionally problematic due to the partial uncertainty of the chemical and thermal stability.
Another filter insert is known from WO 96 28238 A1. In this filter element, a pleated filter wound on a support tube is connected by means of a flange connection or flanging with a mounting flange of the filter housing. A flange is understood here as a connection which is produced through right-angle bending of an edge of a round or oval metal sheet. The flange connection known from WO 96 28238 A1 enables the omission of an adhesion of the pleated filter on the end faces of the filter element. In order to produce this flange connection, a flange ring is arranged in the end region of the air de-oiling element. This flange ring is a separate element which is not integrated in the end face cover element of the filter element. The flange ring itself is not flanged, but rather serves as a counter support for a bead introduced in the mounting flange and the support tube.

Filter element and method for manufacturing a filter element


A filtration system is disclosed which operates with a single supply pump to achieve backwashing in an expeditious manner. The system includes a fluid supply source for a feed fluid to be filtered, a feed pump in fluid communication with the source and a membrane filter module for separating the fluid into filtrate and retentate streams. A collection reservoir is also provided which has at least two isolated fluid compartments movably separated from one another, one compartment for accumulating filtrate, the other being in fluid communication with the supply pump. In a preferred embodiment the collection reservoir is in the form of a diaphragm unit. At appropriate times, valves are activated to divert the flow of feed material from the supply source to the other chamber of the diaphragm unit. At the same time, flow in the effluent conduit is restricted by suitable means such as a valve, restrictor, pumps or the like, thereby forcing the fluid in the filtrate chamber back through the filtrate conduit to the "underside" of the membrane filter. The resultant pressure creates a back pulse which backwashes the filtration surface of the membrane to remove particular matter thereon.

This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for improving filtration efficiency. More specifically, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for back pulsing membrane filters to remove the concentration of particulate matter on the filtration surface of such filters.
The need for cleaning the surface of a membrane filter upon which has been accumulated particular matter of various types contained within the fluid to be filtered has been long recognized in the filtration art. This technique is known as "backwashing". For example, in filtration applications that involve backwashing with the filtrate at given intervals, it has been proposed to use two supply means (e.g. pumps) as shown in the representation of FIG. 1. With two-way valves V1 and V2 kept open and a two-way valve V3 closed, a feed material to be filtered is supplied by a supply means such as pump P1 for filtration. The filtration membrane divides the feed into two treated streams, which are conducted via a concentrated solution outlet line "a" and a recovered filtrate line "b".
The filtrate is diverted back at given intervals to the filtration membrane for cleaning or "backwashing". The backwashing is accomplished when necessary for a given time period in the manner known to those of skill in the art, e.g., by closing the two-way valves V1 and V2 and opening the valve V3 and then forcing the filtrate by a second supply means P2 through a backflow supply line "c" and the two-way valve V3. In this connection, Japanese Patent Application Public Disclosure No. 256425/1992 reveals an example of filtration where the supply means P2 uses a compressed gas.
It has been determined that in the filtration process frequent backwashing with a small fluid supply is more effective than less frequent backwashing with a larger supply. One method of performing such frequent flow reversing is to use a centrifugal pump and to open and close valves at short intervals. However, presently there is no centrifugal pump commercially available which is suitable for small-scale operations. If manufactured specifically for such an operation, the pump would not be acceptable because it usually involves difficulties in flow rate control.
On the other hand, while use of a positive displacement pump is desirable in that it permits control of flow rate with ease and is commercially available for small-scale applications, frequent, intermittent running of such a pump is not advisable from the viewpoint of maintenance. Therefore, two pumps are usually combined with bypass lines, and solenoid-operated valves are intermittently opened and closed in response to signals from a timer, thereby performing intermittent flow reversing. However, continuous operation of two pumps is undesirable because both pumps can be simultaneously degraded in performance from wear or other reasons.
One way of overcoming the foregoing difficulties of the prior art is to adopt pneumatic equipment which drives the liquid. The tank for receiving the liquid for flow reversing is required to be pressure-resistant, and valves are indispensable for pressure application and evacuation. An air compressor is also necessary. These components make the noise reduction of the equipment difficult. In addition, frequent fixed-volume flow reversing can hardly be attained because the gas has greater compressibility than the liquid.
Thus the afore-described filtration systems of the prior art require two pumps, or a pressure vessel and pneumatic equipment or the like and their systematic interconnection to realize the flow reversing necessary for backwashing. For these reasons the overall volume or floor space the whole equipment occupies is significant, and this configuration is not efficient and compact in design or construction. The discovery of a more desirable method and the concomitant development of equipment that will simplify the filtration system to accommodate backwashing would be highly desirable.

Filtration system with improved backwashing capability


A subassembly for use in fiber optic communications systems where multiple optical fibers are used in either transmitting or receiving optical signals. The subassembly is adapted for being mechanically and optically connected with a ferrule supporting a set of optical communications fibers. The subassembly uses a carrier assembly to support an optoelectronic device having a corresponding set of photoactive components which are operative for either converting photonic signals to electrical signals (in a receiver) or converting electrical signals to photonic signals (in a transmitter). The subassembly includes a lens and alignment frame having a set of guide pins and an array of lenses for interfacing the fibers of the ferrule with the photoactive components of the optoelectronic device on the carrier assembly. The carrier assembly may also include signal processing devices and a circuit board having an edge connector for removably connecting the subassembly with a computer or communications system.

The present invention relates generally to optoelectronic devices, and more specifically to parallel optics assemblies for use in fiber optic communications.
The majority of computer and communication networks today rely on copper wiring to transmit data between nodes in the network. However, copper wiring has relatively limited bandwidth for carrying electrical signals which greatly constrains the amounts of data that it can be used to transmit.
Many computer and communication networks, including large parts of the Internet, are now being built using fiber optic cabling which has superior bandwidth capabilities and can be used to transmit much greater amounts of data. With fiber optic cabling, data is transmitted using optical or light signals (also called photonic signals), rather than with electrical signals. However, since computers use electrical signals as opposed to optical signals the light signals used to transmit data over fiber optic links must be translated to electrical signals and vice-versa during the optical communication process. Building such fiber optic networks therefore requires optoelectronic modules which mechanically and optically interface optical transmission mediums such as fiber optic cables to electronic computing and communications devices and transform optical signals to electronic signals and electronic signals to photonic signals. Further, in order to provide the required bandwidth for high-speed communications multiple fiber optic elements must be used in systems often referred to as xe2x80x9cparallel opticsxe2x80x9d systems for concurrently transmitting multiple signals over a single cable. The optoelectronic modules must therefore also be adapted for accommodating cables having multiple fibers which are presented for connection purposes in closely spaced arrays of fiber optic elements supported in special ferrules attached to the ends of the cables.
Signal conversion from electrical to optical and optical to electrical may be provided for through the use of arrays of semiconductor elements (photoactive components) which are deployed on semiconductor or integrated circuit chips (optoelectronic devices). These photoactive components may be devices such as photodiodes which act as photo-receivers or laser diodes which act as photo-transmitters. While modules using such devices can provide satisfactory signal conversion performance, the building of effective parallel optics subassemblies is a challenge. The optical alignment of the photoactive devices with the ends of the thread-like fiber optic elements must be precise for an effective transfer of optical power. Since the fiber optic ends in parallel optics modules are closely spaced the complexity of this alignment task is further increased. Further, the module must be designed to efficiently handle the processing of the electrical signals and to efficiently interface with outside computer and communication systems.
One past alignment technique for use in constructing parallel optics modules was to etch alignment grooves along the surface of a silicon substrate using photolithography techniques. These grooves were then used in precisely positioning the fibers and fiber optic ends in aligned relationships to edge-emitting laser diodes. Although this technique can accurately align the optical components, the arrays must be manually assembled. Consequently, the process is labor intensive and results in low yields due to assembly errors and quality assurance problems.
More recently some parallel optics modules have come to use metal lead frames for mounting the photoactive devices. The lead frames then have alignment holes that cooperate with guide pins for alignment purposes. The guide pins extend from the holes in the lead frame to corresponding holes in a ferrule supporting the optic fibers in order to provide for the alignment of the ferrule with the lead frame and the fibers with the photoactive devices. However, for this design to be effective the optoelectronic device must be very accurately mounted onto the metal lead frame at the same time the alignment holes extending through the lead frame must be very accurately positioned. This alignment is hard to achieve and should the optoelectronic device or alignment holes be inaccurately positioned serious optical misalignment may occur even though the optical fibers may seem to be correctly aligned.
The present invention relates to parallel optics modules for use in fiber optic communications and more particularly to subassemblies for use in transmitting and receiving photonic (light) signals. Parallel optics modules provide for communications between computer and communication systems over fiber optic cables containing multiple fibers for carrying multiple concurrent signals. The subassembly of the present invention is adapted for interfacing between computer or communication systems and the ferrules on the ends of the fiber optic cables which are used to support and present the ends of the fiber optic elements.
The subassembly includes a receptacle, a lens and alignment frame, a carrier assembly and a casing structure for mounting and supporting these components. The carrier assembly includes a carrier frame section which is attached to the lens and alignment frame. An optoelectronic device comprising either an array of photoactive components such as either VCSELS for converting electrical signals to optical signals or PIN diodes for converting optical signals to electrical signals is mounted on the frame section. The lens and alignment frame includes a tower structure having a set of guide pins and an array of lenses precisely positioned with respect to the guide pins. The tower and guide pins are operative for providing accurate mechanical alignment between the lens and alignment frame and the ferrule as the guide pins mate with alignment holes in the ferrules and as the tower is fixed into a window in the inner end of the receptacle which helps position receptacle holding the ferrule with respect to the lens and alignment frame. The lenses are operative for accurately directing photonic signals through the lens and alignment frame between the fiber ends presented by the ferrule and the photoactive components of the optoelectronic device mounted on the carrier frame section. The lens and alignment frame functions to interface the fibers of the ferrule with the photoactive components of the optoelectronic device. The carrier assembly also includes one or more semiconductor chips for use in signal processing, a flex circuit section for a facilitating communications among its components and a small circuit board with an edge connector formed on one of its ends. The edge connecter is used to removably connect the subassembly to a jack which may be mounted on a circuit board in a computer or communications system. The carrier assembly also provides for the processing of the electrical signals and for the connection of the subassembly to a computer or communications system.

Parallel optics subassembly having at least twelve lenses


A lockable pill container includes a main body defining a plurality of compartments, and a plurality of lid members that are moveable relative to the compartments between a closed position at least partially covering an opening into the compartments and an open position. Each lid member includes a first engagement member that extends into the main body when the lid member is in the closed position. The container also includes an elongate second engagement member configured to move between a first position engaging the first engagement members and a second position disengaged from the first engagement members. A biasing member is positioned between a first end of the second engagement member and the main body to provide a biasing force that biases the second engagement member into the first position. The second engagement member also includes a contact surface at a second end thereof for engagement by a user to move the second locking member against the biasing force.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to storage containers and is specifically directed to a pill container with a lockable feature and related methods.
2. Related Art
For persons who need to take medicine regularly, the need for a pill container that can be easily carried is highly important. A pill container that is easy to use, has sufficient capacity for the patient's needs, and which can be conveniently carried by the user increases the likelihood that the user will take the correct medicine at the correct time.
Some pill containers are provided with child restraints in the form of locking mechanisms. It is important that a child restraint locking mechanism is durable and that it provide a reliable restraint against children inadvertently opening the pill container. On the other hand, the child restraint should not present increased difficulties for people with, for example, limited ability to use the pill container. That is, pill containers that include minute controls for child restraint and/or lids that must be gripped with fingertips to open often present increased handling difficulties for people suffering from, for example, rheumatism or arthritis. Many patients who responsibly keep their pill container away from children may prefer that the child restraint be removed, enabling the device to be accessed more easily.
In many pill containers, the user opens a lid, cover or equivalent structure to access a compartment that contains the medicine that is about to be taken. Because the opening of the compartment is typically so small that the patient cannot conveniently take out the medicine tablets with one or two fingers, or at least cannot do so without destroying one or more of the medicine tablets, the patient may cup his or her hand over the opening of the compartment and turn the medicine storage device upside down, hoping to catch the medicine tablets in the cupped hand.
Known pill containers also frequently include multiple storage compartments with each compartment corresponding to a different day of the week. It is also common to put symbols or numbers written in Braille on the medicine storage device to aid a visually impaired patient in taking his or her medicine on the right day.


Apparatus for providing transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy to a user, said apparatus comprising: a housing; an application unit for providing mechanical coupling between the housing and the user's body; a stimulation unit for electrically stimulating at least one nerve of the user; a sensing unit for (i) sensing the user's body movement and body orientation to determine whether the user is in an “out-of-bed” state or a “rest-in-bed” state, and (ii) analyzing the sleep characteristics of the user during the “rest-in-bed” state; and a feedback unit for at least one of (i) providing the user with feedback in response to the analysis of the sleep characteristics of the user, and (ii) modifying the electrical stimulation provided to the user by the stimulation unit in response to the analysis of the sleep characteristics of the user; wherein the sleep characteristics comprise a likelihood measure of the user's sleep quality.

Chronic pain due to diabetic neuropathy and other causes can interfere with sleep, which carries a host of secondary complications. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) devices provide pain relief by stimulating sensory nerves, which leads to an increase in endogenous opioids and down-regulation of pain signal transmission to the brain.
The most common form of TENS is commonly referred to as "conventional TENS". With a conventional TENS device, an electrical circuit generates stimulation current pulses with specified characteristics. The pulse waveform characteristics include intensity (mA), duration (μsec) and shape (typically monophasic or biphasic). The pulse pattern characteristics include the frequency (Hz) of the stimulation pulses and the length of each continuous stimulation session (minutes). These parameters are correlated to the therapeutic dose. For example, higher amplitude and longer pulses (i.e., larger pulse charge) increase the dose, whereas shorter stimulation sessions decrease the dose. Clinical studies suggest that pulse charge and stimulation session duration have the greatest impact on therapeutic dose.
Electrical stimulation is typically delivered to the user through electrodes, with the electrical stimulation being in the form of low intensity (typically less than 100 mA), short duration (typically 50-400 μsec) pulses at frequencies typically between about 10 and 200 Hz. The electrodes are placed on the skin of the user. The electrodes typically utilize hydrogels to create a stable low-impedance electrode-skin interface to facilitate the delivery of electrical current to the user so as to stimulate peripheral sensory nerves, whereby to suppress pain.
Poor sleep quality is one of the major causes of morbidity in patients suffering from chronic pain [Fishbain D A, Hall J, Meyers A L, Gonzales J, Mallinckrodt C. Does pain mediate the pain interference with sleep problem in chronic pain? Findings from studies for management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain with duloxetine. J Pain Symptom Manage. December 2008; 36(6):639-647]. It is, therefore, desirable for chronic pain sufferers to have the option of receiving TENS therapy during sleep. In fact, several studies have shown that TENS therapy can improve sleep quality (see, for example, Barbarisi M, Pace M C, Passavanti M B, et al. Pregabalin and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for postherpetic neuralgia treatment. Clin J Pain. September 2010; 26(7):567-572).
A TENS device which could be used during sleep would offer unique opportunities to provide pain relief during bedtime with the goal of improving sleep. However, most TENS devices are designed to operate exclusively during the day (i.e., wake state) without any nighttime (i.e., sleep state) operation. This limitation is evident in the design of conventional TENS devices, in which the electric current is delivered by a stimulator through wires (called leads) that are connected to electrode pads on the skin. Such a design is not practical or safe for use during sleep because the leads are cumbersome and may get tangled or pulled, and because the electrode pads can potentially peel off the skin (which will terminate TENS therapy) or, perhaps worse, can potentially partially peel off the skin, leading to increased current density and negative consequences for the user (e.g., discomfort or, in extreme cases, burns).
In prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/230,648, filed Mar. 31, 2014 by NeuroMetrix, Inc. and Shai Gozani et al. for DETECTING CUTANEOUS ELECTRODE PEELING USING ELECTRODE-SKIN IMPEDANCE, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,474,898 on Oct. 25, 2016, which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a novel TENS device which allows TENS therapy to be applied during nighttime (i.e., during sleep state) as well as during the day (i.e., wake state). The key design elements that make this novel TENS device suitable for use during sleep are (1) the leads are eliminated because the electrode pads are attached directly to the housing containing the TENS stimulation circuitry, (2) the TENS housing and electrode pads are held reliably and comfortably against the skin by an adjustable strap or band, (3) the TENS device continuously measures skin-electrode contact impedance (and related electrical parameters) so as to detect if the electrode pads peel (completely or partially) off the skin and the TENS device stops delivering current if peeling is detected, (4) therapeutic stimulation may be scheduled in one-hour on-off blocks so as to provide pain relief throughout the night, and (5) the TENS device detects when the user is asleep and reduces the therapeutic stimulation level automatically so as not to disturb sleep.
The novel TENS device disclosed in prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/230,648, filed Mar. 31, 2014 by NeuroMetrix, Inc. and Shai Gozani et al. for DETECTING CUTANEOUS ELECTRODE PEELING USING ELECTRODE-SKIN IMPEDANCE, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,474,898 on Oct. 25, 2016, which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference, is designed to be located on the upper calf of the user. This is for three reasons. First, the TENS device needs to stimulate sensory nerve fibers in order to provide widespread pain relief through the systemic effect of an increase in endogenous opioids and down-regulation of pain signal transmission. The upper calf area has a cluster of sensory nerve fibers that can be activated easily with a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator because of their proximity to the surface of the skin. Second, some forms of chronic pain (such as that due to diabetic neuropathy) are experienced most acutely in the feet, and in addition to the mechanism of pain suppression through endogenous opioids described above (which is systemic), there is also evidence for additional mechanisms of pain suppression that are more local, thus making it advantageous to place the TENS device on the upper calf of the user. Third, chronic pain can be persistent throughout the day, often worsening at night, and wearing the TENS device on the upper calf makes it discreet and unobtrusive, which encourages more regular use.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/253,628, filed Apr. 15, 2014 by NeuroMetrix, Inc. and Shai Gozani et al. for TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATOR WITH AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF USER SLEEP-WAKE STATE, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2014/0309709 on Oct. 16, 2014, which patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference, there is disclosed a TENS device which is designed for use during sleep. This TENS device detects when the user is asleep and adjusts the therapeutic stimulation level to optimize therapy according to user preferences and simultaneously to avoid disturbing sleep.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/980,041, filed Dec. 28, 2015 by NeuroMetrix, Inc. and Thomas Ferree et al. for TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATOR WITH AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF LEG ORIENTATION AND LEG MOTION FOR ENHANCED SLEEP ANALYSIS, INCLUDING ENHANCED TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION (TENS) USING THE SAME, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2016/0144174 on May 26, 2016, which patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference, a novel TENS device is disclosed which may be used to improve sleep quality and to also quantify sleep quality and sleep disorders, since users will be more likely to use the TENS device if they are aware of, and convinced of, its benefit to their sleep.
The gold standard in determining the sleep-wake state of a subject is polysomnography which comprises at least three distinct types of data, i.e., electroencephalogram (EEG), electrooculography (EOG) and electromyography (EMG). Because of the difficulty in recording and analyzing these types of data, actigraphy has been developed and refined over the last 30 years as a practical alternative to study sleep/awake patterns. Actigraphy is a continuous recording of body movement by means of a body-worn device, typically equipped with accelerometers [Ancoli-Israel S, Cole R, Alessi C, Chambers M, Moorcroft W, Pollak C P. The role of actigraphy in the study of sleep and circadian rhythms. Sleep. May 1, 2003; 26(3):342-392].
Wearable electronic devices for health and fitness have become widespread, and most have accelerometers and, from acceleration data, compute various metrics of activity to track daytime activities and/or to quantify sleep patterns. Most of these actigraphy-based devices are worn on the wrist however, and in certain ways that limits their ability to detect and quantify sleep.
Significantly, it has now been recognized that the placement of a novel, accelerometer-equipped TENS device on the upper calf of a user, with tight mechanical coupling to the upper calf of the user, may be used to support novel approaches for detecting when the user is asleep, and novel metrics for analyzing the sleep of the user, and novel means to quantify body and leg motions associated with poor sleep quality and/or disorders such as restless leg syndrome, and novel methods for providing enhanced TENS therapy using the same. Among these novel metrics are "leg movements", "body roll events" associated with rolling over in bed, and "time-on-back" data which is relevant to users suffering not only from chronic pain, but also from problematic sleep positions which can cause snoring or sleep apnea. In addition to tracking and reporting such sleep indicators, real-time feedback to the user, based on indicator trends, can also help the user to improve sleep quality. By way of example but not limitation, the novel device may be configured to provide an alert (e.g., via mechanical or electrical means on TENS device 100 or via a smartphone or another connected device) to the user when the time-on-back duration exceeds a threshold. By way of further example but not limitation, the novel device may be configured to modify TENS stimulation parameters when leg movement patterns associated with discomfort caused by nighttime pain are detected in order to enhance the analgesic effect of TENS therapy.

Dynamic control of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy using continuous sleep detection


A contact sensor apparatus with improved sensitivity is provided. A frame defining a surface upon which contact detection is desired has two electrically conductive sheets held in spaced parallel relationship by a plurality of electrically non-conductive insulating spacers attached to the face thereof. A contact force distributor is sandwiched between the outside electrically conductive sheet and a graphics layer. Contact forces on the graphics layer, that are in alignment with the spacers, are redistributed to areas between adjacent spacers by the contact distributor.

The present invention relates to contact detection in medical diagnostic equipment. It finds particular application in conjunction with nuclear or gamma camera systems and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it should be appreciated that the invention will also find application in conjunction with other equipment where contact detection is desirable. Nuclear or gamma cameras include one or more detector heads which each receive radiation emanating from a patient. Each head includes a flat scintillation crystal which converts incident radiation to flashes of light. Internal electronics convert each flash of light into an indication of the location and energy of the received incident radiation event. Collimators are commonly mounted to the face of each scintillation crystal. Collimators are designed with lead vanes to limit the radiation received by the scintillation crystal to only that radiation which is coming essentially perpendicular to the face of the crystal. The height of the vanes and their spacing control the angle at which received radiation may differ from perpendicular. Different collimators are designed for different types of medical procedures. Collimators and associated scintillation crystals are secured to a mounting structure which in turn is secured to a means which provides for horizontal, vertical and rotational movement of the detector head assembly. The remainder of the head assembly is constructed to support the lead vane collimators thus the entire head assembly tends to be massive. In a typical clinical application it is desirable to position the detector head assemblies in close proximity to the portion of the patient to examined. To facilitate this positioning, head assemblies are mounted to a gantry system with the face of each detector disposed adjacent to an area of patient interest under examination. Gantry systems are generally perpendicular to the floor surface and typically provide a means for rotating detectors about an isocenter that is parallel to the floor. In multiple head assembly systems, detectors are typically positioned on the gantry at uniform angular intervals. In application, a patient under examination will lie on an examination table parallel to the floor. The patient is positioned within the gantry such that the patient to be imaged is near the gantry isocenter and each detector face is exposed to the portion of the patient to be imaged.
To optimize the imaging capability of a camera system a means is typically provided which allows the operator to position each head assembly radially toward the gantry isocenter. Additional movement capability is provided to pivot or cant each detector head assembly independent of radial movement. The radial movement means is typically a motor and gear arrangement which is controlled by the camera operator. In multi-head camera systems each head may be operatively connected to other heads in the system such that movement of all the heads occurs simultaneously. Alternatively, heads may also be selectively positioned using independent motor and gear arrangements for each detector head.
Because detector head assemblies are massive it is necessary that the gantry, the head assembly supporting means and the motor and gear means be ruggedly designed and powerful enough to safely position the head assemblies in close proximity to the patient. Because of the gantry size, the power associated with the motor and gear arrangement and the mass of the head assemblies, there is concern over patient or patient couch contact from the head assemblies during head positioning. Contact of this type is generally unintended and may result in patient injury, patient table damage or head assembly damage. To interrupt head movement in the event of unintended contact by the head assemblies, a contact sensor means is operatively positioned on the head assembly face to detect when the assembly has made contact with an object, such as a patient or the patient couch.
Known contact sensor means consist of two electrically conductive sheets in close proximity spaced parallel relationship. The conductive sheets are separated by a plurality of firm electrically non-conductive spacers fixedly positioned between the conductive sheets such that sheets are in opposition but not in electrical contact. The quantity and placement of spacers between the conductive sheets and the spacers individual sizes are selected to (1) maximize the exposed surface area between the conductive sheets, (2) facilitate a close proximity spaced parallel relationship between the opposing surfaces of the conductive sheets and (3) maintain electrical isolation between the conductive sheets while no contact force is applied to the outer surface of the contact sensor. The conductive sheets are constructed from materials which allow displacement of the sheets in a direction normal to the surface of said sheets in response to contact forces applied to the outer surface of the contact sensor in areas between adjacent spacers. In this fashion a means is provided for the conductive surfaces to make electrical contact in the areas between the spacers. After the contact forces are removed the sheets will return to their original non-electrically contacting, close proximity spaced parallel relationship. The conductive sheets are electrically connected to a control means which senses when the sheets have made electrical contact and interrupts the advance of head assembly in response. This spacer and sheet arrangement is secured to a mounting frame. The entire assembly is secured by suitable fastening means across the face of the detector head assembly exposed to the patient. The conductive sheet mounted adjacent the detector face is alternatively described as the inner conductive sheet whereas the conductive sheet intended to initially receive contact forces is alternatively described as the outer conductive sheet. The fastening means, electrically conductive sheets, spacers and mounting frame are constructed from various materials which allow radiation events emanating from the patient to pass through to the collimator and scintillation crystals. In theory, if the known sensor means contacts an object while the detector head assemblies are in motion, the outer conductive sheet will deform towards the inner conductive sheet and make electrical contact. This electrical contact is sensed by the control means which stops the advance of the head assembly. Typically, a graphics layer is laminated to the outer conductive layer for aesthetics.
The contact sensor means described above is adequate in many situations. However, if the contact sensor means contacts a hard protrusion, such as a patient's knee or elbow, at a point on the conductive sheets where a rigid spacer is situated or if the surface which the head assembly contacts is a relatively broad and firm area parallel to the face of the sensor means, such as a male patient's chest, the two conductive sheets will not make contact until there is sufficient force applied in areas between the spacers to deform the sheets thereby initiating contact between the sheets. In some instances no contact is made at all. During the time it takes for sufficient force to be applied to deform the sheets about the spacers and initiate electrical contact between the sheets, the detector heads will continue to advance possibly injuring a patient, damaging the detector head and/or patient couch. To minimize this problem it has been proposed to reduce the thickness of the non-conductive spacers. While this approach increases sensitivity it also results in reduced reliability due to the conductive layers contacting as a result of momentive forces acting upon the conductive sheets during initial movements of detector head assembly without actual contact to an object. Another alternative is to increase the distance between adjacent spacers however this approach suffers from the reliability problem previously described. Neither of these solutions fully overcomes the contact sensitivity problem described above.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved contact sensor means which overcomes the above-referenced problem and others.

Contact sensor with improved sensitivity


A method for increasing the specificity of hybridization between a nucleic acid probe and a nucleic acid sequence to be detected, by addition of blocker molecules, which are complementary to the probe, raise of temperature in order to melt non-perfectly matched hybrids of probe and detected nucleic acid sequences, and lowering of the temperature again.

Detection of the presence of a specific DNA or RNA sequence in a sample is required for a variety of experimental, diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, e.g. detection of a specific mutation in a sample of amniotic fluid, parenterage testing, testing for incorporation of a viral DNA into a cell's genomic DNA, etc. The task of direct detection of a specific DNA or RNA sequence, which is routinely performed by the use of an appropriately labelled probe, is often hindered by the fact that the specific DNA or RNA is present in a sample only in minute amounts.
Examples of methods which enable the amplification of DNA sequences present in a sample in only minute quantities are: LCR (ligase chain reaction), 3SR (self-sustained sequence replication) or PCR (polymerase chain-reaction). In PCR a sample is contacted with a primer DNA complimentary to a 3' end sequence of the specific DNA, a DNA polymerase and with single DNA nucleotides. Following a number of replication cycles, the sample is enriched with the specific assayed DNA. A typical cycle of PCR comprises three distinct stages: a first stage in which the double-stranded DNA is melted to two single strands; a second stage of annealing of the primer to the single-stranded DNA; and a third stage of polymerization where the annealed primers are extended by the DNA polymerase, to produce a double-stranded DNA. The cycle of melting, annealing and DNA synthesis is repeated many times, the products of one cycle serving as templates for the next ad thus, each successive cycle enriches the sample with the specific DNA.
PCR suffers from several shortcomings, the most serious of which being its lack of specificity. The effective hybridization temperature, i.e. the temperature in which the two strands of DNA hybridize, determines the specificity of the reaction. A low effective hybridization temperature results in a higher percentage of non-specific binding. In PCR this temperature, which is defined by the temperature of the annealing stage, is relatively low and this brings about non-specific binding of the probe to the target sequences resulting in amplification of undesired sequences which brings about a relatively high background reading.
This non-specificity also requires an additional and time-consuming detection procedure such as electrophoretic separation of the amplification products on an agarose gel, in order to separate between the various amplification products, and does not enable detection of the presence of the assayed DNA by a mere detection of amplification.
PCR also suffers from a severe problem of contamination which is due to amplification of sequences that did not originate from the test sample being sequences unintentionally introduced to the sample.
Another disadvantage of PCR is that it is a complex procedure. Typically, each of the stages of melting, annealing and polymerization is carried out at a different temperature, e.g. melting at 94.degree. C., annealing at 50.degree. C. and polymerization at 72.degree. C. Since the samples have to be constantly cycled through several temperatures a special apparatus is required rendering the procedure laborious and time consuming.
Another shortcoming of PCR is in the time required therefor. A typical cycle lasts several minutes, and usually 25-30 cycles are required to produce sufficient copies of amplified DNA. Thus, a typical PCR even in a completely automated system lasts at least 2 to 3 hours.
Finally, PCR is basically suited for the detection of DNA sequences. Where detection of RNA sequences is desired, RNA has to be converted first to DNA (by reverse transcription). This conversion to DNA requires additional time, effort and enzymes, and also introduces many errors due to the inherent inaccuracy of reverse transcription.
It should be noted that although PCR is advantageous in obtaining large amounts of a specific DNA, such as for producing large quantities of probes for genetic assays, it is often an "over-kill" where merely the presence of a specific DNA sequence in a sample is to be assayed.
Other such methods such as 3SR (WO PCT 89/05631) and Target Nucleic Acid Amplification/Detection (WO PCT 89/05533) are relatively rapid isothermal processes for DNA detection. However, these methods also suffer from relatively effective low hybridization temperatures which are even lower than those of PCR, typically in the range of 37-41.degree. C. These low temperatures drastically reduce the specificity of the procedure due to non-specific probe-target binding, and in cases of clinical diagnostics, this may result in an intolerable level of misdiagnosis.
Additionally, amplification strategies such as Target Nucleic Acid Amplification/Detection that are based on the amplification properties of a replicase-type enzyme are unreliable due to the possibility of spontaneous RNA amplification in the absence of target (Chetverin-AB, et al., J. Mol. Biol., 222(1), 3-9 (1991)).
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for the detection of a nucleic acid sequence which is:
(i) reliable and sequence specific due to the minimalization of incorrect target-probe hybridization;
(ii) relatively rapid;
(iii) essentially isothermic eliminating the need for specialized and expensive apparatus;
(iv) relatively simple, not requiring the addition of a large number of different enzymes or nucleotide pools; and
(v) amenable to automation by enabling the amplification process itself to be indicative of the presence or absence of the nucleic acid sequence to be assayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,047 teaches a method for ensuring that only hybrids which are perfectly matched between a probe sequence (termed "target probe") and a nucleic acid sequence present in a sample (termed "target nucleotide sequence") are formed, while imperfect matches between the probe and other sequences present in the assayed sample (termed "non-target nucleotides") are not formed. The method involves adding to the reaction mixture blocker molecules which are complementary to the non-target nucleotides which are present in the assayed sample. These blocker molecules, hybridize with the non-target nucleotide in the assayed sample, avoiding their hybridization with the target probe, and thus eliminate production of false-positive results. Each blocker molecule, of U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,047, is specific only to one type of non-target nucleotide, and is emphatically not universal in all assay kits. For example, where it is desired to assay a sample for the presence of a specific nucleic acid sequence ("target nucleotide") which is indicative of a specific bacteria species, a battery of different blocker molecules, each complementary to a nucleic acid sequence of other species of bacteria ("non-target nucleotides") have to be constructed. If, for some reason, not all possible non-target nucleotide combinations were predicted, and consequently not all types of complementary blocker molecules were constructed, the blocker molecule would not avoid imperfect matches with the labeled probe, thus providing a false-positive result.
It would have been desirable to construct a universal single blocker molecule, which would be suitable for elimination of all imperfect hybridizations between a probe and nucleic acid sequences present in a sample, and thus eliminate all positive results, even in the presence of many types of non-target nucleotide sequences.
Further objects of the invention will become clear from the following description.
Glossary
Below are the meanings of some of the terms which will be used in the following description and claims. For ease of reference, the reader is also referred to the accompanying drawings (the numbers in brackets in the Glossary below refer to the item numbers in the drawings):
Assayed nucleic acid sequence (102,202,302,402,502,602,1402)--The DNA or RNA sequence which presence in the sample is to be detected. PA0 First DNA molecule (220,320,420,520,620,1420)--a DNA molecule having a double-stranded, i.e. functional promoter and a 5' end sequence which is complementary to the 5' end portion of the assayed nucleic acid sequence (102, . . . etc.). PA0 Second DNA molecule (222,322,432,522,622,1422)--a DNA molecule comprising a single-stranded 3' end sequence being complementary to the 3' end portion of the assayed nucleic acid sequence (102, . . . etc.) and further comprising a sequence which can be transcribed to the triggering RNA sequence (see below). The 3' end sequence of the second DNA molecule and the 5' end sequence of the first DNA molecule may be complementary to the entire assayed nucleic acid sequence or to only a part thereof, leaving an intermediary portion in the assayed nucleic acid sequence having no complementary counterparts in either the first or second DNA molecules. PA0 Third DNA molecule (623)--a single-stranded DNA molecule complementary to the intermediary portion of the assayed nucleic acid sequence. PA0 Detection ensemble (104,204)--an ensemble of molecules comprising the first DNA molecule (220, . . . etc.), the second DNA molecule (222, . . . etc.), and where the 5' end sequence and the 3' end sequence of the first and second DNA molecule, respectively, are complementary together to only a portion of the assayed nucleic acid sequence also comprising the third DNA molecule (623). The detection ensemble optionally comprises also a ligase. In the presence of the assayed DNA (102, . . . etc.) and the transcription reagents (see below) the detection ensemble is activated and an RNA transcript (110,210,310,410,510,610,710,810,910,1010,1110,1210,1310,1410,1510, 1610) comprising the triggering RNA sequence (see below) is produced. PA0 Triggering RNA sequence--a sequence in the RNA transcript (110, . . . etc.) transcribed from the second DNA molecule (222, . . . et.), which is only produced after activation of the detection ensemble. This RNA sequence is then capable of triggering transcription in the RNA amplification ensemble (see below) of a signal RNA molecule (see below) comprising the signal RNA sequence (see below). PA0 Triggering RNA molecule (110,210,310,410,510,610,710,810,910,1010, 1110,1210,1310,1410,1510,1610)--the RNA molecule comprising the triggering RNA sequence. PA0 Signal RNA sequence--a sequence in the transcription product of the RNA amplification ensemble (see below). The production of the signal RNA sequence, above a baseline level, indicates the presence of the assayed nucleic acid sequence in the sample. PA0 Signal RNA molecule (116,716,816,916,1016,1116,1216)--the RNA molecule comprising the signal RNA sequence. PA0 Signal DNA sequence--a DNA sequence serving as a template from which the signal RNA sequence is transcribed. PA0 Transcription reagents (113,213,413,513,713,813,913,1013,1113,1213, 1313,1413,1513,1613)--RNA polymerase with single RNA nucleotides and buffers required for RNA transcription. PA0 Transcription system--a DNA homoduplex or a DNA/RNA heteroduplex comprising a functional promoter and a downstream DNA or RNA sequence which can be transcribed upon activation of the promoter into an RNA transcript. PA0 RNA amplification ensemble (FIGS. 7-13, 15,16)--an ensemble comprising essentially the triggering RNA molecule (110, . . . etc.) and the transcription reagents (213, . . . etc.) in the first embodiment of the invention; or the triggering RNA molecule (116, . . . etc.), the transcription reagents (213, . . . etc.) and fourth DNA molecule (see below) in the second embodiment; or the triggering RNA, the transcription reagents and a fifth and sixth DNA molecules (see below), in the third embodiment of the invention; or the triggering RNA, the transcription reagents, and a seventh and eighth DNA molecule in the fourth embodiment of the invention. The RNA amplification ensemble optionally comprises a ligase. In one embodiment of the first embodiment, the presence of the triggering RNA together with the transcription system is sufficient for the transcription of the signal RNA sequence. In the second embodiment, the triggering RNA hybridizes with the fourth DNA molecule. In the third embodiment, the triggering RNA hybridizes with the fifth and sixth DNA molecules bringing them together. In the fourth embodiment the triggering RNA hybridizes with the seventh or eighth DNA molecules. The RNA/DNA hybrid produced in accordance with the second, third and fourth embodiments, serves as a template for the production of the signal RNA sequence. PA0 Fourth DNA molecule--a DNA molecule (1148) which is part of the RNA amplification ensemble in accordance with the second embodiment. This molecule comprises a promoter which is single-stranded in at least an essential part thereof and is thus inactive. It further comprises the signal DNA sequence. When the triggering RNA sequence, which in this embodiment is complementary to the single-stranded part of the promoter, hybridizes with the single-stranded part of the promoter of the fourth DNA molecule, a functional promoter is produced and thus the signal RNA molecule can be transcribed. PA0 Fifth DNA molecule--a molecule (1252) which is part of the amplification ensemble in accordance with the third embodiment. It comprises a functional promoter, and at its 5' end, a single-stranded sequence which is complementary to the 5' end portion of the triggering RNA sequence. PA0 Sixth DNA molecule--a molecule (1259) which is part of the amplification ensemble in accordance with the third embodiment. It comprises at its 3' end a single-stranded sequence which is complementary to the remaining 3' end portion of the triggering RNA sequence and in addition, comprises the signal DNA sequence. PA0 Seventh DNA molecule--a molecule (1580) which is part of the amplification ensemble in accordance with the fourth embodiment. It has a functional, double-stranded promoter, either a priori prepared or assembled from two single stranded sequences, linked to an antisense sequence complementary to the 3' end sequence of the triggering RNA. One or a few end nucleotides in the 5' end of the template strand of this molecule could be RNA nucleotides. The 3' end sequence of the triggering RNA hybridizes to said antisense sequence and after ligation the promoter can induce RNA transcription, the triggering RNA serving as a template. PA0 Eighth DNA molecule--a molecule (1529') which is part of the amplification ensemble in accordance with the fourth embodiment. It is similar to the seventh DNA molecule, the difference being in the antisense sequence which in the eighth DNA molecule is identical to the 5' end sequence of the triggering RNA molecule. The transcription product of the seventh DNA molecule/triggering RNA hybrid can thus hybridize to the eighth molecule and the so formed hybrid serves there as a template for transcription of RNA molecule having the sequence of the triggering RNA sequence, which in turn can activate again the seventh DNA molecule in a "ping-pong" manner. PA0 Promoter molecule--a DNA molecule (1429) which is part of the detection ensemble according to the fourth embodiment of the invention and is essentially identical to the eighth DNA molecule. PA0 Adapter molecule--a DNA molecule (1431) comprising a sequence complementary to the non-template sequence immediately adjacent the promoter sequence in the promoter molecule possibly having one or a few RNA nucleotides at its 3' end. PA0 Joiner molecule--a DNA molecule (1433) comprising at its 5' end a sequence which is complementary to a 5' end portion of the adapter molecule and a sequence in the remaining 3' portion of the molecule which is complementary to 3 end portion of the first molecule in accordance with the fourth embodiment. The joiner molecule serves for joining the first and the adapter molecule in the fourth embodiment. PA0 DNA iniation sequence (DIS)--a DNA sequence present downstream of the promoter of the seventh or eighth DNA molecules which enhances transcription of the sequence present downstream therefrom, by the RNA polymerase. PA0 Probe nucleic acid sequence--a nucleic acid sequence which is complementary to a pre-defined nucleic acid sequence whose presence is to be detected in the assayed sample. PA0 Blocker nucleic acid sequence--a nucleic acid sequence which is complementary to the probe nucleic acid sequence. PA0 Perfectly matched--two nucleic acid sequences which are fully complementary to one another. PA0 Non-perfectly matched--two nucleic acid sequences which are not fully complementary to one another. PA0 (a) reacting the sample with a detection ensemble comprising: PA0 (b) incubating under conditions to allow hybridization of said first DNA molecule and said second DNA molecule and were present also said third DNA molecule with said assayed nucleic acid sequence, and optionally adding a ligase to allow ligation of adjacent ends of said first, second and third DNA molecules; PA0 (c) adding transcription reagents comprising an RNA polymerase and RNA nucleotides and incubating under conditions to allow the formation of RNA transcripts having said triggering RNA sequence; PA0 (d) contacting the RNA transcripts with an RNA amplification ensemble in which the triggering RNA sequence induces formation of RNA molecules containing the signal RNA sequence; and PA0 (e) detecting the presence of said signal RNA sequence, positive results indicating the presence of said assayed nucleic acid sequence in said sample. PA0 (a) incubating the sample and the probe nucleic acid sequence under conditions allowing hybridization of matched nucleic acid sequences; PA0 (b) increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture to such which is below the melting point of perfectly matched hybridized nucleic acid sequences but above that which leads to melting of non-perfectly matched hybridized nucleic acid sequences; PA0 (c) adding an amount of a blocker nucleic acid sequence, having a sequence which perfectly matches the sequence of said probe nucleic acid sequence or matches an essential part of said probe, the blocking sequence being sufficiently long to block hybridization of the nucleic acid sequence contained in the sample to probe nucleic acid sequence upon lowering of temperature; PA0 (1) hybrids between probes and sequences in the assayed sample which are perfectly matched; PA0 (2) hybrids between probes and sequences in the assayed sample which are non-perfectly matched.


An inflator includes: an inflator case configured from a bottomed cylindrical upper case and lower case, with the inflator case having an upper combustion chamber and a lower combustion chamber in which gas generants are accommodated, the upper combustion chamber and the lower combustion chamber being partitioned by a partition wall, and with the inflator case having a peripheral wall in which upper gas discharge holes and lower gas discharge holes are formed; a first inner cylinder member in which a transfer charge for combusting the gas generant inside the lower combustion chamber is accommodated; a second inner cylinder member whose upper end portion penetrates the partition wall and is positioned in a lower portion of the upper combustion chamber, with a transfer charge for combusting the gas generant inside the upper combustion chamber being accommodated inside the second inner cylinder member; a first igniter and a second igniter.

As a disc-type, multistage airbag-use gas generator, a structure has been disclosed where the inside of a cylindrical housing having gas outlets is partitioned by a partition wall into plural combustion chambers disposed side-by-side in the axial direction of the cylindrical housing. Inside the cylindrical housing, inner cylinder members having peripheral walls in which plural flash holes are disposed and inside spaces in which igniting means are accommodated are disposed penetrating the partition wall and are welded to a bottom wall of a diffuser shell and to a closure shell (see patent document 1).


A print color predicting apparatus, a print color predicting method, and a recording medium having a program recorded therein acquire a spectral reflectance of a print, estimate a plurality of sets of optical property values of a protective film that covers the print, depending on the spectral reflectance of the print, and predict a spectral reflectance of a protective-film-covered print, using the spectral reflectance of the print and the sets of optical property values of the protective film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print color predicting apparatus, a print color predicting method, and a recording medium having a program recorded therein for predicting color reproduction of a protective-film-covered print, i.e., a print that is covered with a protective film.
2. Description of the Related Art
With significant advances in inkjet technology in recent years, it is becoming possible for inkjet printers to produce large color prints of high quality at high speeds. Inkjet printers are not only popular for private or home use, but also are widely used in commercial applications nowadays. Inkjet printers make it possible to print on POP (Point Of Purchase) posters, wall posters, large-size mediums such as outdoor advertisements and billboards, roll mediums, and thick hard mediums.
There are a wide variety of print mediums (hereinafter also referred to as "mediums") available for use in prints to meet various commercial demands. For example, such print mediums include paper mediums such as synthetic paper, thick paper, aluminum-evaporated paper, etc., resin mediums such as vinyl chloride, PET, etc., and tarpaulin paper made of a woven fiber cloth with synthetic resin films applied to both surfaces thereof.
Since advertisement prints are expected to be effective to arouse consumers' motivation to buy advertised products through visual sensation, the finish of colors of the prints is of particular importance. Heretofore, there have been disclosed various color matching technologies such as a method of generating an ICC (International Color Consortium) profile, a method of adjusting a designated color, etc., as print color managing means.
Advertisement prints are displayed in a variety of places including outdoor areas, indoor areas, and spotlighted exhibition sites. Generally, the spectral characteristics (spectral energy distribution) of environmental light as an observational light source for prints vary depending on the different places where the prints are displayed.
If different observational light sources are used with prints, then since the spectral light characteristics that are emitted from the different observational light sources and ultimately reach the retina of a human observer are different, the appearance (color impression) of the print, which is visually perceived by the observer, tends to vary depending on the observational light sources, although this tendency may differ from observer to observer. As a consequence, if the observational environment in which a print is produced, i.e., the location where the printer is installed, and the observational environment in which the print is displayed are significantly different from each other, then the print may possibly fail to exhibit desired colors.
As one solution to the above problem, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-081586 discloses a method of and an apparatus for storing spectral data of prints and a plurality of light source spectral data independently of each other, and for generating a profile appropriate for an observational light source each time that the observational light source is established. It is stated in the publication that the disclosed method and apparatus make it possible to generate a profile corresponding to each observational light source with a reduced number of colorimetric steps, and to manage colors of prints depending on observational light sources.
Prints produced by inkjet printers are likely to fail to withstand use in vigorous environments because the images on the prints are not durable enough, and in particular, they lack abrasion resistance and toughness.
For example, color images on inkjet prints tend to be discolored gradually at display sites that are constantly exposed to highly intensive radiant light, since the pigments contained in the inks are gradually decomposed by chemical reactions. In a display mode on indoor floors, color images on inkjet prints are liable to become damaged, because the surfaces of the prints come into contact with and are rubbed by people walking on the floors.
It has been customary to make color images on inkjet prints more durable by covering image-formed surfaces of the prints with a protective film such as a laminating film, which includes an ultraviolet absorbent added thereto, or which is mechanically processed by embossing or the like.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 06-246881 discloses a protective-film-covered print, i.e., a print with a protective film applied to an image-formed surface thereof. It is stated in the publication that the protective film makes the print less permeable and resistant to scratching and alcohol, thereby increasing the quality of the print surface.

Print color predicting apparatus, print color predicting method, and recording medium


An oil feeding system of an engine equipped with a transmission configured to change a rotational speed of rotation of a crankshaft and to output the rotation, including an oil pump configured to be driven in cooperation with the rotation of the crankshaft, an oil passage through which the oil outflowing from the oil pump flows, in which the oil passage includes a transmission oil passage through which the oil outflowing from the oil pump is guided to the transmission, and an engine body oil passage through which the oil outflowing from the oil pump is guided to portions other than the transmission, and an oil control portion configured to change a ratio between a pressure of the oil flowing through the transmission oil passage and a pressure of the oil flowing through the engine body oil passage.

Some engines mounted in vehicles such as motorcycles or all terrain vehicles (ATVs) are integral with transmissions. In such engines, an oil pump is driven in synchronization with an engine speed of the engine to suction up oil from an interior of an oil pan mounted at a bottom portion of the engine or from an oil tank externally mounted to the engine, thus delivering the oil to the transmission and engine components.
To be specific, the oil outflows from the oil pump and is delivered, through an oil passage formed in an interior of the engine, to the transmission to lubricate and cool the transmission, and to a crankshaft and a camshaft to lubricate and cool these shafts. In recent years, some engines have been equipped with a hydraulically-powered variable valve timing system configured to change a rotational phase of a camshaft or a hydraulically-powered tensioner lifter. In such engines, the oil is fed to the hydraulically-powered system or component to drive them (see, e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 7-127661).
The engine typically runs in a wide speed range from a low engine speed to a high engine speed. In particular, the engine mounted in the motorcycle runs in a very wide speed range. Since the oil pump is driven in synchronization with the engine speed of the engine, oil pressure tends to become high when the engine is running at a high engine speed, and tends to become low when the engine is running at a low engine speed.
A relatively high oil pressure is sometimes required to drive some systems even when the engine is running at a low engine speed. However, it may sometimes be difficult to obtain such a high oil pressure with the engine running at a low engine speed. In order to solve this, a volume of the oil pump may be increased, which undesirably causes a substantial weight increase and a large friction loss in the engine.


There is provided an information processing apparatus which the communication unit receives a usage request of a resource described in a first format from a program providing apparatus, the conversion unit identifies a resource providing apparatus having the resource as indicated and converts the usage request described in the first format into the usage request described in a second format that can be interpreted by the resource providing apparatus identified, the communication unit transmits the usage request described in the second format to the resource providing apparatus and receives a processing result of the usage request described in the second format from the resource providing apparatus, the conversion unit converts the processing result described in the second format into the processing result described in the first format, and the program execution unit performs an operation according to the processing result described in the first format.

W3C Device API is a technique for accessing an internal resource (function or information) of a terminal, such as PC and smartphone, via a Web page on a site operated by a service provider. A typical example is Geolocation API that accesses GPS information in a smartphone to make it possible to provide services based on locational information. As an example of the Device API technique (here, indicates a technique that uses an internal function of a terminal, which basically cannot be used from a Web page), a technique is known in which UPnP function that realizes Plug and Play of a rooter and an AV device on a home network is used from a Web page. When this technique is used, it is possible to realize mash-up (cooperation) of a Web page provided by a service provider and a home appliance resource on a home network.
A Web browser acquires components included in Web contents from a site on a network and displays the Web contents. In this case, an optimization method is known in which only the data to be displayed is acquired from a server and layout information and templates of static image data are previously cached.
However, when the technique described above is used, the service provider directly accesses devices on a home network (via a Web page), so that there are some problems.
First, the service has to know the presence of a device to be accessed (a resource providing apparatus). In other words, a device including Web browser, such as a PC and a smartphone, has to disclose device information on the home network to the service.
Second, the service has to use access methods that may be different for each device on the home network.
The above problems will be described with reference to a specific example. For example, a case is considered in which a service provider operates an electronic program guide service on the Internet. It is assumed that a "recording reservation button" is set in each program field in the displayed electronic program guide on a Web page of the electronic program guide service and when a user displays the electronic program guide service on a Web browser in a home PC and presses the "recording reservation button", the user can make a recording reservation of the program on a digital TV in home.
At this time, when realizing this use case by the technique described above, a program (JavaScript script code) embedded in the Web page of the electronic program guide service directly uses a function of DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) from the Web page. Therefore, the presence of the digital TV on the home network on which the PC is installed is detected by DLNA Discovery, detailed information of the detected digital TV is directly acquired from the digital TV by DLNA Description, and a DLNA Action command for the recoding reservation is transmitted, so that the recording reservation from the Web page is realized.
However, in the series of sequences, the program provided by the service provider can easily acquire a list of devices located on user's home network and detailed information of the devices. In other words, if a logic that the program uploads acquired information to a server of the service provider is embedded, personal information (what devices the user has, and the like) is leaked to the service provider.
Further, if devices that use other protocols such as ECHONET in addition to DLNA are to be operated, the above-described program has to include codes compatible with a plurality of protocols. In particular, the types of devices present on home networks are unknown, so that the service provider has to handle all transmission protocols and further all authentication/permission methods that may be supported by the devices. Thus, the service provider has to spend high development costs.
As described above, in the conventional art, there is a problem that the service provider has to know the presence of the devices to be accessed.

Information processing apparatus, resource providing apparatus, and information processing system


Software executes on a processor of a device, such as an automate teller machine, at start-up to perform validation of expected peripheral devices for a predetermined number of start-ups. Once the predetermined number of start-ups has been reached with the same peripheral devices being present and operational the validation operation is curtailed and start-up of the device is sped up.

Upon start up of a self-service terminal, for example an automated teller machine (ATM), each peripheral device that is expected to be present in the ATM, for example a card reader or cash dispenser, undergoes a check routine in order to determine if it is present and if it is functioning correctly. This check routine slows the start up of the ATM down as the start up period of an ATM is a process heavy period with hard disc operations and virus checking etc., being carried out. For example, an ATM with ten peripheral devices start up can take a matter of minutes.
The extended start up period leads to increased downtime of the ATM following, for example routine maintenance, such as cash replenishment, or following a system reboot due to a software glitch, either locally at the ATM or at the operating financial institutions "back office" system. Increased downtime of any self-service terminal, but in particular of ATMs, leads to lost transaction opportunities for the terminal operator, it also leads to customer dissatisfaction for the terminal operator.
Another problem associated with this approach is that if a peripheral device has a fault condition, like a firmware hang, a system reboot and subsequent detection of the device will show it as not present, when it actually is present but in a fault condition. This can result in fault conditions not being detected and the consequent reduction in functionality not being remedied.


The invention relates to a vibration isolation module (101) for a lithographic apparatus or an inspection apparatus. The module comprises a support frame (102), an intermediate body (103) and a support body (104) for accommodating the lithographic apparatus. The intermediate body is connected to the support frame by means of at least one spring element such that the intermediate body is a hanging body. The support body is connected to the intermediate body by means of at least one pendulum rod (108) such that the support body is a hanging body. The invention further relates to a substrate processing system comprising such vibration isolation module.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a substrate processing system comprising a vibration isolation module for a lithographic apparatus or inspection apparatus. The invention further relates to a vibration isolation module for a lithographic apparatus or an inspection apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the semiconductor industry, an ever increasing desire exists to manufacture smaller structures with high accuracy and reliability. In lithography systems this desire results in extremely high demands with respect to positioning and orientation. External vibrations caused by other machines in a fab environment and/or electrical circuitry may have a negative influence on the positioning accuracy within the lithographic apparatus. Similarly, vibrations within a lithographic apparatus, for example caused by stage movement, may have a negative influence on such accuracy.

Vibration isolation module and substrate processing system


The invention relates to a medical product having a carrier layer, wherein one of the two sides of the carrier layer forming the surface forms an outer side of the medical product, wherein a code is permanently applied to the side forming the outer side wherein the code is a two-dimensional matrix code indicating a uniform source indicator of an internet site comprising application-specific and/or technical data about the medical product. The invention further relates to a set comprising at least one medical product, particularly present in a package, and a decoding device for decoding the identification code and for producing the connection to the internet site, and to the use of the code.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In this context, medical product shall comprise, among other things, diapers, incontinence pads, and disposable sheets, but also wound dressings, compresses, and band-aids, as well as dressings and bandages, in particular compression and fixation bandages. In addition, medical product shall also comprise draping for patients or devices during a surgery, as well as clothing articles for the surgeon, such as surgical gowns, gloves, and scrub caps. Finally, medical products shall also include pharmaceutical products. All these products have in common that when needed, they are removed from packaging which may contain technical or usage-related information in the form of a package insert, or is provided as a short version on the packaging itself, in order then to be worn in particular on the body, or to be taken into the body, as is the case, for example, with a diaper, or a wound dressing, or a band-aid, or a surgical gown, or to be used in an operating room without additional solid contact with the insert or the packaging. The same essentially applies to pharmaceutical products, frequently removed from the outer packaging, in particular to tablets, removed from packaging in so-called blister packs for carrying or storing without further contact with the packaging and the insert. Frequently, for better storage, the insert initial is removed from the outer packaging, and then no longer is available for further consultations.
This presents a problem inasmuch as technical information or user-related information related to the usage of the product cannot be attached to these types of medical products due to dimensional or spatial reasons, or due to other reasons.
Nevertheless, it may be relevant or necessary later, in particular during or after the use, to obtain information, in particular concerning the instructions for use, or the side effects.
In addition, in many regards, for example, as relevant to the distribution companies, the pharmaceutical products approval authorities, or the consumers, it may be desirable or necessary to provide a clear identification of the medical products. Thus, definitive identification of the product will be possible even if packaging inserts or other accompanying information is not available. This cannot always be guaranteed by shape, size, or appearance of the product alone.
Therefore, it is already common technological practice to provide product information in the form of product codes, for example, a series of numbers or such on the products, for example diapers, with respective information found in EP 1 292 258 B1. However, in that case the consumer is unable to obtain information directly from the encoding. In addition, only simple information can be included in this type of encoding. In particular, it is subsequently not possible to provide the information included in the insert or even to provide additional information.
Coding of a medical product is already established in EP 0 828 523 B1, which describes how to apply a permanent identifying encoding to a transdermal therapeutic system in such manner that the encoding on the back layer consists of a locally differing surface quality, surface thickness, or surface roughness of this back layer.
In addition, a method for providing counterfeit-proof marking of products is known from WO 03/098543 A1, which provides for individual marking and non-coded marking, with the encoded marking corresponding to the non-coded marking when decoded with the public key. Marking is creating with a secret segment of the key, so that with conformance of the two markings after the decoding of the encoded part, it is guaranteed that the encoded part was created with the secret part of the key, and that the manufacturer of the original created the encoded part, thus confirming the product as an original.