A polymer electroluminescent device is provided. The device includes an anode, a light-emitting layer, a cation-containing water-soluble polymer layer and a cathode formed in this order on a substrate wherein the cation-containing water-soluble polymer layer is formed by wet coating. The cation-containing water-soluble polymer layer as a secondary thin film layer is not dissolved in a solvent for the formation of the underlying light-emitting layer to prevent intermixing between the two layers, thereby enabling the formation of a multilayer structure by wet coating. In addition, the cation-containing water-soluble polymer layer attracts electrons injection from the cathode by an attractive Coulomb force to effectively increase the mobility of the electrons while blocking high-mobility holes from the anode at an interface between the light-emitting layer and the water-soluble layer. Further provided is a method for fabricating the electroluminescent device.

Organic electroluminescent (EL) devices (or organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)) are active emissive display devices based on the phenomenon that electrons combine with holes to emit light in a fluorescent or phosphorescent organic compound thin film when a current is applied to the organic film. Organic EL devices can be reduced in weight. Further, organic EL devices can be fabricated using a smaller number of components and parts in a simple manner. Further, organic EL devices have the advantages of high image quality and wide viewing angle. Other advantages of organic EL devices are fast response time that is suitable for dynamic images with high color purity, low power consumption, and low driving voltage. That is, organic EL devices have electrical properties suitable for use in portable electronic devices.
Novel phosphorescent materials and multilayer structures have been developed and introduced to increase the internal quantum efficiency of organic EL devices to 100%. Extensive research and development on new multilayer structures of organic EL devices has been focused on balancing holes and electrons in an emitting zone to improve the stability and characteristics of the organic EL devices.
Organic EL devices can be largely classified into organic EL devices (OLEDs) using low molecular weight materials and polymer EL devices (PLEDs) using high molecular weight materials according to the characteristics of the materials and the formation processes of organic films using the materials. For example, low-molecular-weight OLEDs are clearly distinguished from PLEDs in that organic films of low-molecular-weight OLEDs are mainly formed by vacuum evaporation whereas those of PLEDs are formed by spin-coating or printing.
Research has been conducted on new multilayer structures of PLEDs and proposals have been made that the structures are advantageous in terms of stability and efficiency of the devices. Unlike low-molecular-weight OLEDs, there are difficulties in fabricating PLEDs with a multilayer structure. The reason for the difficulties is that polymer films of PLEDs are formed by wet processing. For example, when a light-emitting layer as a primary thin film layer is formed on a substrate and a solution of a material for a secondary thin film layer (e.g., an electron injection layer) is applied thereto, the primary thin film layer is dissolved and slightly swollen by a solvent of the solution containing the secondary material. Therefore, it is important to choose appropriate solvents for the primary and the secondary materials for a multilayer structure in PLEDs. These problems arising from the use of solvents are substantially inevitable so long as a constituent material of a buffer layer between thin film layers is soluble in the solvents and has no cross-linkage, resulting in damage to the fundamental stability of PLEDs.
Therefore, the intermixing between primary and secondary thin film layers due to dissolution of the primary thin film layer by a solvent for the formation of the secondary thin film layer should be completely prevented with introduction of novel multilayer structures and this will be meaningful in improving the stability, luminescence efficiency and luminance of devices.

Multilayer polymer electroluminescent device comprising water-soluble polymer layer containing cations and method for fabricating the same

Kyungsung University Industry Cooperation Foundation


A suspension system for use in a laundry washing machine to suspend a tub assembly from a base portion of a cabinet. The suspension system includes a support frame interconnected to an outer tub of the tub assembly and an isolation damper assembly for resiliently coupling the support frame to the base portion of the cabinet. The isolation damper assembly functions to allow limited lateral movement of the tub assembly relative to the cabinet while also providing a “return to center” feature. The isolation damper assembly is further operable to prevent rotation of the outer tub relative to the cabinet. Finally, the isolation damper assembly functions to absorb the vibration transmitted through the tub assembly to the support frame so as to minimize transmission of such vibration to the cabinet.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to laundry washing machines and, more particularly, to a top-loading washing machine having an integrated suspension system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Laundry washing machines of the top-loading variety typically include a cabinet having a base, a four-sided housing secured to the base, and a top enclosure secured to the top of the housing which has a lid to provide access to a spin basket. The spin basket is rotatably mounted within an outer tub and is perforated to allow the wash water to be transferred into the outer tub during the centrifugal extraction or "spin" cycle. Such washing machines also include a drive assembly for controlling high-speed rotation of the spin basket as well as low-speed oscillatory movement of an agitator which is centrally located within the spin basket. Typically, the drive assembly includes an electric motor and a transmission that are mounted to a support structure. In turn, the support structure is mounted between the outer tub and the base of the cabinet by a suspension system that is adapted to absorb excessive vibration from unbalanced loads that may occur, for example, during the high speed spin cycle.
One example of a conventional suspension system for top-loading washing machines uses a dome-type pivot assembly between the support structure and the cabinet base that is anchored by a plurality of centering springs. The dome-type assembly typically includes a raised male dome segment centrally formed in the base and a corresponding female dome segment associated with the support structure. A low friction member, such as a plastic snubber ring, is disposed between the aligned dome segments. The centering springs provide several functions including connecting the support structure and outer tub to the base, preventing rotation of the outer tub during the spin cycle, and allowing limited lateral movement of the outer tub while providing a means for automatically returning the outer tub to a centered position relative to the cabinet.
One particular concern with top-loading washing machines is the need to prevent excessive lateral movement of the outer tub caused by unbalanced loads of clothes in the spin basket during the spin cycle. Depending upon the amount and location of the load, it is possible to generate resonant frequencies that are capable of causing the outer tub to strike the sidewalls of the cabinet. In addition, the suspension system must also be able to accommodate rotation of the spin basket without transmitting the resultant vibration to the floor so as to prevent "walking" of the washing machine. In an attempt to address these concerns, many top-loading washing machines having the conventional spring-type suspension system are also equipped with a counterweighted ring at the top of the spin basket and/or an unbalance sensor that is operable for automatically de-energizing the drive assembly upon occurrence of an excessive out-of-balance condition.
In view of the above, there is a recognized need in the field of laundry washing machines to design and develop improved suspension systems that address the shortcomings of conventional spring-type systems which can be commercially produced at an economical cost.


A quick-fastening nut for location on an associated bolt comprises a plurality of internally-threaded, arcuate segments each including a part frusto-conical portion, and guide means reacting between the segments whereby the segments can be moved radially towards and away from one another between inoperative positions displaced outwardly of concentricity and operative positions substantially concentric with one another and whereby a frusto-conical surface is presented by the portions. The nut further comprises releasable means for retaining the segments in their operative positions, the arrangement being such that, in use, the frusto-conical surface defined by the portions engages a correspondingly-shaped mating surface of a component, such as the piston of a hydraulic bolt tensioner or a washer, bounding the bolt, relative axial movement between the nut and the component urging the segments radially inwardly into positive threaded engagement with the bolt.

This invention relates to quick-fastening nuts and has particular, though not exclusive, application to reaction nuts associated with hydraulic bolt tensioning tools.
A bolt tensioning tool is essentially a hydraulic jack positioned over a nut and bolt assembly with the bolt extending centrally through the tool. In order to apply a load t the bolt, the tensioning tool must react against a nut screwed onto the bolt above the tool.
The length of the portion of the bolt protruding above the tool can be significant and, particularly in restricted and/or hazardous environments, such as underwater or in the nuclear industry, screwing of the reaction nut onto or from the bolt can be a time consuming and exhausting procedure, especially on larger diameter bolts with fine threads.
There are numerous other situations where two components are joined together by one or more nut and bolt assemblies and in which the free end extent of the bolt protrudes some distance beyond the associated component whereby it is necessary to screw the nut over a considerable distance before the joint is effected. Again, this can prove a time consuming exercise.
In order to overcome this problem, it has been proposed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4083288, to provide a split nut comprising two half nuts which can be located on a bolt at any axial position therealong, the split nut being provided with a conical surface thereon for cooperation with a complementary recess in a washer or other workpiece. On tightening, the components of the split nut are held together and in threaded engagement with the bolt by co-operation between the conical surface thereon and the recess in the workpiece.
This concept has been applied to hydraulic bolt tensioners, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4438901 and UK patent specification no. 2143608 in which the puller of the tensioner incorporates a collet consisting of a plurality of segments.
A hydraulic bolt tensioner incoporating a simplified puller in the form of a split nut provided with a cam surface thereon for engagement by a complementary recess in the piston of the hydraulic piston-cylinder assembly is disclosed in UK patent specification no. 2193549.
These known split nuts all suffer from the major disadvantage that they initially require the application thereto of an external radially-inwardly directed force to maintain threaded engagement with the associated bolt -- i.e. in the absence of such a force, the components of the split nut, being separate from one another, become disengaged from the bolt.
Thus it will be appreciated that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to use such split nuts in upside down or even horizontal situations, while, in the application of these known split nuts to hydraulic bolt tensioners in such inverted or horizontal situations, it is necessary to hold onto both the tensioner and the nut until positive cooperation between the piston and the nut has been effected.
A split nut comprises at least two segments and it is essential that the segments actually associated with one another are combined to comprise a given split nut -- using other than the correct segments in combination with one another can lead to problems in matching the threads of the segments.
With the known arrangements, particularly in mass production of the split nuts in question and because of the entirely separate nature of the segments, it is easy to mismatch the segments and to end up with a nut comprising incompatible segments.


A duty cycle correction circuit may include an error corrector adapted to correct duty cycles of first differential analog clock signals input to a pair of input terminals based on duty cycle correction signals input to a pair of control terminals and to output second differential analog clock signals having corrected duty cycles through a pair of output terminals, an analog to digital buffer adapted to convert the second differential analog clock signals to differential digital clock signals, a duty error detector adapted to detect duty cycles of the differential digital clock signals and to output a N bit digital signal, and a duty error correction signal generator adapted to output differential control current signals having current gains controlled based on the second differential analog clock signals and the N bit digital signal to the pair of control terminals as the duty cycle correction signals.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a duty cycle correction circuit, and more particularly, to a duty cycle correction circuit adjusting current characteristic using a digital duty error detector and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
For systems that use a multi-phase clock signal, e.g., Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (DDR SDRAM), an analog to digital converter (ADC), etc., an analog duty cycle correction circuit may be used to maintain a constant, e.g., 50%, duty cycle (or duty rate).
Since the analog duty cycle correction circuit stores information on duty error, e.g., deviation from a desired duty cycle, in a capacitor, information on the duty error may be damaged by a leakage current of the capacitor when the analog duty cycle correction circuit is powered off in a power down mode to reduce power consumption. When the analog duty cycle correction circuit is driven into an active mode from a power down mode, settling time of the analog duty cycle correction circuit may be increased.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional duty cycle correction circuit. FIG. 2 illustrates a detailed circuit diagram of a duty cycle correction circuit illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a duty cycle correction circuit 10 may include a corrector 12 correcting a duty error and a detector 14 detecting a duty error. An analog offset voltage generated in the detector 14 may be stored in each capacitor 16 and 18, and an offset voltage stored in each capacitor 16 and 18 may correct duty errors of clock signals Ci and Cib by generating a current difference of a transistor for a correction.
Current gain of the detector 14 for each capacitor 16 and 18 in the duty cycle correction circuit 10 is an important design factor. Current gain may be increased to lessen settling time, but this increase may provoke an error for duty cycle correction after settling time. Thus, there is a trade-off relation between settling time and accuracy of duty error correction.
Because accuracy and power consumption for duty cycle are very important design specifications in high speed devices, i.e., device that use a multi-phase clock signal, when an analog duty cycle correction circuit is turned off in a power down mode, information is stored in a capacitor having a much bigger capacity than current gain. Accordingly, when restored to active mode, a conventional analog duty cycle correction circuit has long settling time before a duty cycle may be corrected to the desired, e.g., 50%, duty cycle.

Duty cycle correction circuit and duty cycle correction method


A semiconductor device includes a wiring embedded in an insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the insulating layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate electrode provided to overlap with the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate insulating layer provided between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode. The insulating layer is formed so that part of a top surface of the wiring is exposed. The part of the top surface of the wiring is positioned higher than part of a surface of the insulating layer. The wiring in a region exposed from the insulating layer is electrically connected to the source electrode or the drain electrode. The root-mean-square roughness of a region which is part of the surface of the insulating layer and in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer is 1 nm or less.

There are a wide variety of metal oxides and such metal oxides are used for various applications. Indium oxide is a well-known material and has been used as a material of transparent electrodes needed in liquid crystal display devices or the like.
Some metal oxides have semiconductor characteristics. Examples of such metal oxides having semiconductor characteristics are tungsten oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, zinc oxide, and the like. A thin film transistor in which a channel formation region is formed using such a metal oxide is already known (e.g., see Patent Documents 1 to 4, Non-Patent Document 1, and the like).
As metal oxides, not only single-component oxides but also multi-component oxides are known. For example, InGaO3(ZnO)m (m: natural number) having a homologous series is known as a multi-component oxide semiconductor including In, Ga, and Zn (e.g., see Non-Patent Documents 2 to 4 and the like).
Furthermore, it is confirmed that an oxide semiconductor including such an In—Ga—Zn—O-based oxide is applicable to a channel formation region of a thin film transistor (e.g., see Patent Document 5, Non-Patent Documents 5 and 6, and the like).
In order to achieve high-speed operation or the like of a transistor, the transistor needs to be miniaturized. For example, Patent Document 6 discloses a thin film transistor in which the thickness of a channel layer including an oxide semiconductor is approximately less than 10 nm, and Non-Patent Document 7 discloses a thin film transistor in which the length of a channel including an oxide semiconductor is 2 μm to 100 μm.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A footwear sole includes shock absorbing elements that extend from upper and lower plates. In one embodiment, the shock absorbing elements include a bridge defining a plurality of receptacles extending from the lower plate and a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper plate. Each protrusion is associated with one receptacle, and a portion of each protrusion extends into the receptacle.

The present invention relates to footwear constructions, and more particularly to a footwear construction with a shock absorbing sole.
There is a continuing effort in the footwear industry to provide evermore comfortable and durable articles of footwear. In most applications, the comfort—often the combination of shock absorption and support—of the footwear construction is provided in the sole, and particularly the midsole.
A wide variety of sole constructions are known for providing the article of footwear with a desired amount of shock absorption and support. For instance, many articles of footwear include a layer or multiple layers of resilient cushioning material, such as a polyurethane or EVA foam. Some of these articles of footwear also incorporate hard plates into portions of the midsole to provide a level of rigidity for added support in those portions. More recently, footwear constructions have included alternative elements in the sole to achieve the desired amount of shock absorption and support. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,523 discloses a midsole construction with a plurality of columnar resilient elements. The stiffness of these resilient elements can be controlled to meet the desired shock absorption characteristics for a variety of applications.
As the shock absorption and support capabilities of footwear continue to evolve, manufacturers are searching for footwear constructions that provide increased levels of control and comfort that are while also being durable, aesthetically pleasing, and cost effective to manufacture.


An apparatus (10) is provided for controlling an actuatable restraint (14, 16) in a vehicle (12). An sensor (24) is mounted in the vehicle (12) and outputs an electrical signal having a characteristic indicative of a vehicle event. A discrimination circuit (42) is coupled to the sensor (24) and determines if a predetermined event occurred. A safing circuit (50) is copied to the sensor (24) signal and sequestered from the discrimination circuit (42) for determining if the predetermined event occurred. An actuation device is actuates the restraint when both the discrimination circuit (42) and the safing circuit (50) determine the predetermined event occurred.

Actuatable, occupant restraint systems, such as air bags, for vehicles are known in the art. Such restraint systems include one or more collision sensing devices for sensing vehicle crash acceleration (vehicle deceleration). Air bag restraint systems further include an electrically actuatable igniter, referred to as a squib. The collision sensing device may be an accelerometer that outputs an electrical signal having an electrical characteristic indicative of the crash event. A monitoring circuit analyzes the electrical output signals from the accelerometer and makes a determination if a deployment crash event is occurring. If a deployment crash event is determined to be occurring, an electrical current is passed through the squib to ignite the squib. When ignited, the squib initiates the flow of inflation fluid into an air bag from a source of inflation fluid, as is known in the art.
The monitoring circuit connected to the accelerometer is often a controller, such as a microcomputer, which performs a crash algorithm on the acceleration signal for the purpose of discriminating between a deployment event and a non-deployment crash event. When a deployment crash event is determined to be occurring, the restraint is actuated, e.g., an air bag is deployed.
Many types of crash algorithms for discriminating between deployment and non-deployment crash events are known in the art. Algorithms typically are adapted to detect particular types of crash events for particular vehicle platforms. One example of such an algorithm is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,906 to McIver et al. and assigned to TRW Inc.
Air bag restraint systems may require more than one sensor for detection of a deployment crash event. For example, plural sensors may be arranged in a voting scheme in which all the sensors must "agree" that a deployment crash event is occurring before restraint actuation is initiated. In such an arrangement, the second sensor is referred to as a "safing sensor." Air bag actuation occurs only if the first sensor and the safing sensor indicate a deployment crash event is occurring.
If a single sensor is used, a "safing function" can be achieved by a single controller performing two algorithms on the crash acceleration signal, one being designated us the discrimination algorithm and one being designated as the safing algorithm. If both algorithm determinations agree that a deployment crash event is occurring, the restraint is actuated. As an alternative, the single controller could perform two algorithms on acceleration signals from two separate accelerometer outputs.

Method and apparatus for providing a safing function in a restraining system


The present disclosure provides a single dose form composition to optimize the relationship between the ‘Folate-Cobalamin’ and ‘Choline-Betaine’ pathways. Single dose form compositions disclosed herein ensure an adequate intake of the rate limiting compounds that have been demonstrated to reduce the efficiency of this vital metabolic axis, and methods of use thereof.

Choline is an essential nutrient and the liver is a central organ responsible for choline metabolism. Choline is a constituent of cell and mitochondrial membranes and of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Choline also influences diverse processes such as lipid metabolism, signaling through lipid second messengers, methylation-dependent biosynthesis of molecules (including epigenetic regulation of gene expression), activation of nuclear receptors, enterohepatic circulation of bile and cholesterol, plasma membrane fluidity, and mitochondrial bioenergetics. See, for example, Corbin et al, Curr Opin Gastorenterol. 2012, 28(2):159-165.
The two major fates for choline are (1) phosphorylation and use in phospholipids, and (2) oxidation and use as a donor of methyl-groups. As discussed further below, choline deficiency is associated with liver dysfunction and other diseases and conditions. Choline deficiency, however, can result not just from inadequate intake of choline. Importantly, the fate of choline is highly dependent upon the availability of vitamin B12.
An especially important choline metabolite in liver is phosphatidylcholine, which is necessary for the packaging and export of triglycerides in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and for the solubilization of bile salts for secretion. Aberrant VLDL-mediated secretion of triglycerides is a central mechanism in hepatic steatosis. The role of bile homeostasis in liver physiology is also quite evident, and mostly relates to the causes of gallstones, fibrosis, and hepatocarcinomas. However, new functions attributed to bile salts, including regulation of energy and glucose metabolism, makes it likely that phosphatidylcholine plays a role in modulating these functions as well.
Choline, folate and methionine metabolism are interrelated as all influence the production of S-adenosylmethionine, the universal donor of methyl-groups in biological reactions. Deficiency in one nutrient is associated with an increase in flux of the other nutrients towards methyl donation. Methyl donation, in other words, is the pathway that seems to take priority over other functions of both choline and its derivatives (e.g. betaine) and folate, and when one is deficient, the other pathway dominates in the production of methyl groups for single carbon metabolism.
Several mouse models with deletion of choline-related genes have given insight into the mechanisms of NAFLD. In several mouse models, deletion of genes needed to use choline as a methyl donor (Bhmt, Chdh), deletion of genes needed to form the choline moiety endogenously (PEMT) or deletion of genes needed to make S-adenosylmethionine (Mat1) result in fatty liver. In humans, polymorphisms in PEMT are associated with NAFLD. These observations suggest that the methyl-donation function of choline is important in the mechanism of NAFLD. Also phosphatidylcholine that is derived from the PEMT methylation pathway is required for normal VLDL secretion from liver.
Choline is also an important part of the mitochondrial membrane and mitochondrial dysfunction is a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Low choline may be important in NAFLD pathophysiology because it perturbs mitochondrial bioenergetics and fatty acid beta oxidation. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is a condition whereby excess unfolded proteins lead to a cascade of stress responses. If stress is chronic, cell death can occur. ER stress is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. In mice fed methionine-choline deficient diets for up to 21 days, hepatic steatosis was associated with inducing specific ER stress cascades upstream of the unfolded protein response. The integrated ER stress response was unable to cause liver injury in the absence of steatosis, suggesting a coordinated mechanism is necessary for liver disease progression.
Stress within the cell is also contributed to by the presence of excess iron, which, by its very nature of inducing oxidative and other metabolic phenomena of stress. Iron accumulation is a frequent finding in subjects with hepatocellular carcinogenesis, colonic neoplasia, colorectal carcinogenesis, fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, insulin resistance, type I and type II diabetes, atherosclerosis, and dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome. This may be in part another consequence of choline deficiency as choline has been shown to reduce the number of ferroportin transporters in the membrane wall of the liver cell and with ferroportin being the only identified iron exporter from the liver cell, this may contribute to the entrapment of iron within the hepatocytes.
Folate is an essential B vitamin required for many one-carbon reactions involved in phospholipid, DNA, protein, and neurotransmitter syntheses. Either 5-methyltetrahydrofolate or betaine, an oxidized form of choline, can supply methyl groups to methylate homocysteine to methionine. Methionine is then converted to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the methyl donor for many biological methylation reactions. This cycle is necessary to maintain availability of the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine; interruption reduces the wide range of methylated products. One such important methylation is that of myelin basic protein. Reductions in the level of S-adenosylmethionine due to vitamin B12 deficiency produce demyelination of the peripheral nerves and the spinal column, called sub-acute combined degeneration. The other principal presenting condition is a megaloblastic anemia morphologically identical to that seen in folate deficiency. Disruption of the methylation cycle should cause a lack of DNA biosynthesis and anemia.
The key enzyme that methylates homocysteine to form methionine is methionine synthase, which can only accept a methyl group from cobalamin (vitamin B12) and not from folate, and hence, cobalamin is an essential co-factor in this critical methylation step. The criticality of this co-factor is highlighted by what has become known as the Methyl Folate Trap. Whereas choline is a methyl-rich compound, and is therefore a methyl donor, folate and cobalamin are only methyl intermediaries that accept a methyl group from the intracellular environment (i.e. betaine derived methyl groups) and transfer it in the case of folate to cobalamin and in the case of cobalamin to homocysteine to synthesize methionine.
The methyl folate trap hypothesis is based on the fact that once the cofactor 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate is reduced by its reductase to form 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, the reverse reaction cannot occur. This suggests that the only way for the methyltetrahydrofolate to be recycled to tetrahydrofolate, and thus to participate in DNA biosynthesis and cell division, is through the vitamin B12-dependent enzyme methionine synthase. When the activity of this synthase is compromised the cellular folate will become progressively trapped as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. This will result in a cellular pseudo folate deficiency where despite adequate amounts of folate an anemia will develop that is identical to that seen in true folate deficiency. Clinical symptoms of cobalamin deficiency, therefore, include neuropathy, anemia, or both. Treatment with vitamin B12, if given intramuscularly, will reactivate methionine synthase, allowing myelination to restart. The trapped folate will be released and DNA synthesis and generation of red cells will cure the anemia. Treatment with high concentrations of folic acid will treat the anemia but not the neuropathy.
Most microorganisms, including bacteria and algae, synthesize vitamin B12, and they constitute the only source of the vitamin. The vitamin B12 synthesized in microorganisms enters the human food chain through incorporation into food of animal origin. In many animals gastrointestinal fermentation supports the growth of these vitamin B12-synthesising microorganisms, and subsequently the vitamin is absorbed and incorporated into the animal tissues. This is particularly true for the liver, where vitamin B12 is stored in large concentrations. Products from these herbivorous animals, such as milk, meat, and eggs, constitute important dietary sources of the vitamin unless the animal is subsisting in one of the many regions known to be geochemically deficient in cobalt. Milk from cows and humans contains binders with very high affinity for vitamin B12, whether they hinder or promote intestinal absorption is not entirely clear. Omnivores and carnivores, including humans, derive dietary vitamin B12 from animal tissues or products (i.e., milk, butter, cheese, eggs, meat, poultry, etc.).
The absorption of vitamin B12 in humans is complex. Vitamin B12 in food is bound to proteins and is released from the proteins by the action of a high concentration of hydrochloric acid present in the stomach. This process results in the free form of the vitamin, which is immediately bound to a mixture of glycoproteins secreted by the stomach and salivary glands. These glycoproteins, called R-binders (or haptocorrins), protect vitamin B12 from chemical denaturation in the stomach. The stomach's parietal cells, which secrete hydrochloric acid, also secrete a glycoprotein called intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor binds vitamin B12 and ultimately enables its active absorption. Although the formation of the vitamin B12-intrinsic factor complex was initially thought to happen in the stomach, it is now clear that this is not the case. At an acidic pH the affinity of the intrinsic factor for vitamin B12 is low whereas its affinity for the R-binders is high. When the contents of the stomach enter the duodenum, the R-binders become partly digested by the pancreatic proteases, which cause them to release their vitamin B12. Because the pH in the duodenum is more neutral than that in the stomach, the intrinsic factor has a high binding affinity to vitamin B12, and it quickly binds the vitamin as it is released from the R-binders. The vitamin B12-intrinsic factor complex then proceeds to the lower end of the small intestine, where it is absorbed by phagocytosis by a specific distal ileal receptor, cubilin.
Epidemiological studies show a prevalence of B12 deficiency of around 20% (between 5% and 60%, depending on the definition of B12 deficiency used in the study) in the general population of industrialized countries. In the Framingham Offspring study, 39% of the US population was found to have subclinical B12 deficiency. The prevalence of B12 deficiency is as high as 75% in the Indian population because of the vegan diet or near vegan diet followed by most of the adherents of Hindi. Other groups who are at a higher risk of cobalamin deficiency are the elderly who have a high frequency of diminished gastric acid, needed to cleave cobalamin from the food source protein (Food Cobalamin Malabsorption), individuals using antacids, Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs), Histamine 2 (H2) blockers as well as diabetic patients who are treated with metformin. Also, people who undergo resection of the greater curve of their stomachs in Bariatric surgery are rendered B12 deficient by virtue of the removal of the synthetic site of Intrinsic Factor (IF).
Hence, the recognition that cobalamin deficiency is much more common than previously appreciated and that the role it occupies at the crossroads of the methionine cycle. A cobalamin deficiency will not only reduce the methylation of homocysteine to methionine and perpetuate the adequacy of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the methyl donor for many biological methylation reactions, it will also trap methylated folate and deny it a role in a multitude of metabolic and protein synthetic reactions. Furthermore, it will shift the onus of methylation of methionine to betaine and thereby diminish the amount of choline needed to synthesize phosphatidylcholine via the dominant CDP-choline synthetic cycle. This creates a choline deficiency, the implications of which are dire, particularly on the liver, where choline deficiency can lead to NAFLD and the sequelae associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia. Because of the folate fortification programs in many developed countries (like the US) and the high intake of vegetables in the diet, the prevalence of folate deficiency is not nearly as much of a problem as either cobalamin or choline, both of which are from animal source foods.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for improved methods to ensure full and adequate availability of these two key animal source essential food ingredients to negate the unintended consequence of B12 deficiency causing either an absolute or relative choline deficiency (in the liver) by forcing a disproportionate amount of choline to be channeled to one carbon methylation metabolism. Similarly, a choline deficiency that cannot meet its methylation obligations in the methionine cycle will more B12 to be dedicated to methylation of homocysteine and thereby reducing its availability for B12-dependent enzyme methylmalonyl coenzyme A (CoA) mutase functions in the metabolism of propionate and certain of the amino acids, into succinyl CoA, for energy production in the cell.
Furthermore, subjects diagnosed with these diseases or conditions, or at risk for these diseases and conditions, still have the same dietary requirements for iron as healthy subjects and therefore, ensuring the adequacy of choline will reduce intracellular iron accumulation by increasing ferroportin expression and/or reduce the negative effects associated with intracellular iron accumulation.
The RDA for cobalamin is 2.4 ug/day, which is about how much the B12-IF receptor can absorb over about a 5 or 6 hour time period. With the significant number of conditions that contribute to the deficiency or absence of IF, it is no wonder that when faced with a severe B12 deficiency caused by the presence of autoantibodies to IF or the parietal cells in the stomach that make them, doctors are advised to only use injections of cobalamin, because oral absorption is not reliable if one cannot guarantee the adequate presence of IF. That notwithstanding, in recent years, oral vitamin B12 products have come on the market with doses of 500 ug-5000 ug, which are vastly more than the body can absorb or utilize. It has been demonstrated that 1 or less of these mega doses are being absorbed and it has been thought that the 99% of the administered dose remaining in the GI tract is benign and even the excess B12 absorbed into the circulation is benign.
Neither of these two assumptions is true as it has been demonstrated that excess B12 within the GI are utilized by the colonic bacteria, many of which have an ability to cleave off bits of the large B12 molecule and generate large amounts of B12 fragments, called analogues. These analogues contribute to the virulence of the microbial flora of the bowel and may lead to overgrowth syndromes like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and at the very least, an alteration in the gut microbiome, which can have implications on a variety of medical conditions. The gut microbiome integrates many important pathways, including those related to enterohepatic circulation of bile, cholesterol and phospholipids. The gut flora modulates host immunity, glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism, and choline availability, all of which play a role in NAFLD.
Furthermore, these microbial generated B12 analogues get absorbed and some of them have been shown to actually interfere with the co-factor role of B12 intracellularly, thereby creating a functional B12 deficiency for one carbon metabolism. In addition, an excess B12 absorption by diffusion from these massive oral B12 doses can raise the blood levels above 600 pmol/L, a level above which has been associated with a significant increase in malignancies—particularly hematological, smoking and alcohol related cancers. Therefore, there are significant reasons to ensure that very large doses of B12 are not administered to offset the confirmed or suspected absence or deficiency of Intrinsic Factor, as this practice has several very significant unintended negative consequences. The only way to ensure adequate oral intake of B12 is to administer a dose of B12 along with Intrinsic Factor to ensure an appropriate receptor mediated (and modulated) absorption without bathing the gut microflora in a growth promoting excess of B12. Normal absorption of B12-IF assumes no pathology to the distal ileum, where the B12-IF receptors reside, like Crohns disease or similar conditions.
Accordingly, there remains in the art a composition capable of delivering Intrinsic Factor to be able to bind to the appropriate amount of B12 contained in the diet or appropriate supplemental physiologic doses and deliver said B12 to the B12-IF receptors in the distal ileum for absorption of physiologic amounts of B12 to ensure tissue and cellular adequacy to complement and optimize the simultaneous administration of choline to optimize the efficacy of these two key and essential methyl donors.


Provided is a communication device and a control method, according to which in a configuration in which a plurality of processing units having a master-subordinate relationship therebetween, processing for controlling an abnormality and the like that has occurred in the subordinate processing unit can be performed by the master processing unit. A communication device includes a master processing unit and a subordinate processing unit, and the subordinate processing unit performs processing regarding communication, the master processing unit controls activation of the subordinate processing unit, the subordinate processing unit periodically transmits a signal to the master processing unit, and the master processing unit controls an operation of the subordinate processing unit in accordance with the signal that is periodically transmitted by the subordinate processing unit.

Conventionally, devices such as a plurality of ECUs (Electronic Control Units) mounted in vehicles perform communication in compliance with communication standards such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or Ethernet (registered trademark). The plurality of ECUs exchange information through communication and perform control of the vehicle and the like in tandem. Also, in recent years, the number of ECUs mounted in a vehicle has increased, and a configuration has been adopted in which a plurality of network groups are provided in the vehicle and communications between the groups are relayed by a device such as a gateway.
JP 5030063B discloses a navigation device that determines a communication parameter in accordance with a communication condition or a communication state. This navigation device transmits a message to a server device, and receives a response message to this message from the server device. Based on a time from when the message is transmitted to when the response message is received, the navigation device measures a response value that indicates a communication state regarding a communication time. The navigation device determines an optimal communication parameter based on the measured response value, and sets the optimal communication parameter to a communication parameter regarding a communication disconnection condition.
It is conceivable that communication devices such as an ECU or a gateway include a plurality of processing units such as microcomputers that execute programs and perform processing. If a plurality of processing units being provided, for example, it can be expected that processing loads will be distributed. However, if there is an abnormality such as a malfunction in one processing unit, there is the problem that such an abnormality may adversely affect operations of other processing units.
The present disclosure has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a communication device and a control method, according to which, in particular in a configuration in which a plurality of processing units having a master-subordinate relationship therebetween, processing for controlling an abnormality and the like that has occurred in the subordinate processing unit can be performed by the master processing unit.


Provided is an infrared-reflecting black isoindolinone pigment having a novel skeleton, the black isoindolinone pigment having a high blackness (coloring power) and excellent durability such as heat resistance. The black isoindolinone pigment is represented by the following formula (1), wherein each X independently represents a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, or an alkyl group, and 8≥n+m≥0.

Up to now, carbon black-based pigments and iron oxide-based pigments have been general as black pigments that are used as coloring agents for paints, printing inks, and plastics. These black pigments exhibit a black color by absorbing all the rays of light including visible light region of sunlight.
The black pigments (carbon black-based pigments in particular) absorb light in a visible light region (about 380 to about 780 nm) to exhibit a black color, but in fact, also absorb light that is in a near-infrared region including a wavelength region of 800 to 1,400 nm and that greatly contributes to heat. Therefore, there has been a problem that the temperature of articles colored by the black pigments as described above rises easily by being irradiated with sunlight. In addition, as articles colored by a black pigment, sophisticated products such as a black matrix for a color filter have appeared in recent years.
Electric insulation is demanded of a black pigment to be used for constituting a black matrix for a color filter in order to prevent malfunction of a thin film transistor. Carbon black is a pigment having a low electric resistance. Therefore, it cannot be said that carbon black is not appropriate as a coloring material to be used in products such as a black matrix, and it is desirable to use a light-shielding material having a more excellent electric insulation. As related conventional techniques, various electrically insulating black organic pigments whose temperature is unlikely to rise even if they are irradiated with sunlight have been studied (Patent Literature 1). It is to be noted that isoindolinone compounds each having a particular structure, the isoindolinone compounds each being useful as a pigment for coloring a polymer organic material and the like, are proposed (Patent Literatures 2 and 3).
Examples of other uses of a black organic pigment which has attracted attention in recent years include a coloring agent to be used for forming a plastic product for use in laser resin welding. The laser resin welding is a method of welding plastic products without using an adhesive by combining a laser-transmissible resin layer and a laser-absorptive resin layer and performing irradiation with laser of wavelength in a near infrared region (for example, 800 to 1100 nm). Various black organic pigments which are useful as a coloring agent for forming a plastic product for use in laser resin welding have so far been studied.

Black isoindolinone pigment and coloring agent

DAINICHISEIKA COLOR & CHEMICALS MFG. CO., LTD.


This invention relates generally to methods for localization and visualization of implanted electrodes and penetrating probes in the brain in 3D space with consideration of functional brain anatomy. Particularly, this invention relates to precise and sophisticated methods of localizing and visualizing implanted electrodes to the cortical surface and/or topological volumes of a patient's brain using 3D modeling, and more particularly to methods of accurately mapping implanted electrodes to the cortical topology and/or associated topological volumes of a patient's brain, such as, for example, by utilizing recursive grid partitioning on a manipulable virtual replicate of a patient's brain. This invention further relates to methods of surgical intervention utilizing accurate cortical surface modeling and/or topological volume modeling of a patient's brain for targeted placement of electrodes and/or utilization thereof for surgical intervention in the placement of catheters or other probes into it.

Currently, medically intractable epilepsy afflicts about 1 million Americans. Unfortunately, most of the cases do not have a well definable focus, where the surgical removal of which could possibly eliminate the seizures. Implantation of subdural electrodes (SDEs) or depth electrodes (DEs) in patients with pharmaco-resistant epilepsy is a common strategy in epilepsy surgery and therapy that is employed when there is no discrete electro-physiologically abnormal lesion.
A central issue that occurs after implantation of the SDEs is the non-linear deformation of the brain surface by mass effect of the SDE array and due to the blood and fluid accumulation underneath the craniotomy flap used for the SDE implantation, as is seen on post-operative computed tomography (CT) scans, such as due to the blood and fluid accumulation underneath the craniotomy flap used for the SDE implantation. The deformation affects the localization of all electrodes, especially those under the bone flap, and causes them to appear to be depressed beneath the surface of the brain when visualized in a model created using co-registration of the post-implantation MRI scan with the a pre-implantation anatomical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). As a result, some of the implanted electrodes may appear incorrectly in the model as being "buried" inside the brain rather than on the brain surface. Because the electrodes lying beyond the craniotomy flap are much less affected by this distortion problem, the unequal shift (displacement of the SDEs) renders inaccurate the localization based on mutual cost information algorithms that co-register the post-implant CT with the pre-implant MRI.
Attempts have been made to correct the displacement of the SDEs using semi-automated techniques to project "displaced" SDEs onto a high resolution MRI scan of the same patient. However, a significant error still exists with the current techniques for electrode localization. This error can be up to an 8 mm maximum error for a given electrode and a 4 mm mean error for all SDEs in a given individual. Given that the inter-electrode distance is usually 10 mm, an error of even 4 mm is substantial, and could possibly cause the electrode to be localized on an incorrect gyrus, or even worse, an incorrect lobe.
The placement of DEs for localization of epilepsy was principally focused in years past only on limbic structures (hippocampus, amygdala and entorhinal cortex). Over the past few years the practice of stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG)—which involves the practice of placement of multiple (typically 8-16) DEs into myriad cortical and limbic targets in the brain has gained broader adoption. In its classical implementation this approach (designed in France in the 1960s) is performed using strictly orthogonal (lateral-to-medial) trajectories based on an arteriogram and using a stereotactic head frame. The limitation of this is that only certain trajectories can be accomplished and it is time consuming. The availability of three-dimensional frameless and frame based stereotactic navigation systems allow for the placement of these electrodes along azimuth-based trajectories. Such multi-directional trajectories allow for the placement of electrodes into any cortical structure. However, at the current time there are no good strategies to optimize the placement of these electrodes into "MRI-normal" or apparently non-lesional tissues that can generate seizures but are not abnormal on imaging. A "best-guess" approach is used by surgeons who place these electrodes, and who use approximations rather than patient specific anatomico-physiological boundaries.

Methods for localization and visualization of electrodes and probes in the brain using anatomical mesh models

THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM


An access plug flange and sealing plug are provided for inspection ports on chemical processing vessels. The plug flanges are easily installed, while remaining firmly and securely in place; the sealing plug is also easily removable from the flange for inspection purposes.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to access plug flanges for inspection ports in processing equipment insulation.
2. Description of Prior Art
In chemical processing, container and pipe walls are typically covered with foam coatings or other insulation materials inside jackets or covers for thermal insulation. For various reasons including safety and environmental concern, periodic inspections of the vessel and pipe walls must be performed. Access through the insulation to the vessel or pipe wall has been provided through pre-cut or drilled inspection holes or ports formed in the jacket and insulation coating. It has been the practice for protection against moisture and weather conditions to have the inspection ports normally sealed with plugs. For this reason, it has been customary to mount access flanges in the inspection holes to receive sealing plugs.
An example of this type equipment is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,842. The access flanges were closed by the sealing plugs during normal service conditions. The plugs were intended to be removable when wall inspections or tests were required. However, there were problems.
If the plugs were easily removable, they often did not effectively seal the inspection port against weather and moisture. If the plug were lost, water contact with certain types of insulation materials produced a chlorine effect which with some grades of stainless steel vessels resulted in premature failure due to embrittlement. If the plugs sealed too tightly, they often could not be removed without damaging the flange connection with the insulation and jacket. It was not unusual for the plug to be so tightly fitted in the flange that when the plug was pulled, the entire flange assembly pulled free along with portions of the insulative cover. Other problems with prior art access plugs and flanges have included the requirement for expensive, special purpose installation tools and procedures and the possibility of plug loss or separation of the plug from the flange. A vessel surface exposed to moisture due to a lost or misplaced plug was unacceptable because of leakage or hazardous emissions.


An application executing apparatus includes a connecting unit configured to receive connection of an external storage medium that stores therein an application and first medium identification information unique to the external storage medium. A storage unit stores therein permission information associated with the application and the first medium identification information. The permission information indicates whether execution of corresponding application is to be permitted. A determining unit determines whether to execute the application stored on the external storage medium based on the first medium identification information and the application stored on the external storage medium and the permission information stored in the storage unit. An application activating unit that activates the application when the determining unit determines to execute the application.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an application executing apparatus and an application execution method for controlling execution of computer programs stored in an external media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been remarkable improvements in multifunctionality of image forming apparatuses and enhancement of their functions. Accordingly, image forming apparatuses can perform processing by using not only applications prestored in the apparatus body but also applications stored in a computer on a network or a storage medium.
Under such circumstances, there can be cases that an image forming apparatus is used for an application that is not originally assumed by an administrator. However, the administrator needs to prevent illegal uses of the apparatus; even when the apparatus is used by an application not prestored therein.
Under these circumstances, some techniques for preventing illegal uses of an image forming apparatus have been proposed. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306170, initialization can be performed only when a hardware key is attached.
As another example of the techniques, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-110779 discloses a technique for referring to selection information indicating a place where an application is stored, thereby selectively executing a computer program stored in an image forming apparatus or an external storage medium. Accordingly, a necessary computer program can be selected and executed.
However, the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-306170 and 2004-110779 do not assume a case that a plurality of image forming apparatuses is installed, or that a storage medium storing a computer program is used by a plurality of image forming apparatuses.
Specifically, when the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306170 is applied to a plurality of image forming apparatuses, it is conceivable to use a different hardware key for each image forming apparatus, or use a common hardware key for respective image forming apparatuses. Because such circumstances are not assumed in the patent application, there is a problem that, for example, it is difficult to execute a different application for each image forming apparatus by one storage medium.
Further, in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-110779, when the same computer program is stored in different storage media, with which only setting being different, appropriate restrictions cannot be set for each of the same computer program in one image forming apparatus.

Application executing apparatus and application execution method


A device for holding magnets in place and concentrating the fields of the magnets to the center of a conduit that is aligned laterally between the magnets.

The invention herein resides in the art of fluid treatment devices and, more particularly, to such devices that treat flowing fluids magnetically. Specifically, the invention relates to holders for magnets in such fluid treatment devices to assure the proper placement and retention of the magnets with respect to the fluid conduit, and to aid in the manufacturing and assembly of such fluid treatment devices.
It is well known in the art of magnetics that the strength of the magnetic flux decreases as the inverse square of the distance from the face of the magnetic poles. Additionally, the thickness of a magnet will determine how far the magnetic fields will extend beyond the surface of the magnet. To illustrate the above statement, a magnet 1xe2x80x3 thick by 3xe2x80x3 long that is magnetized through the 3xe2x80x3 dimension with the north magnetic pole at the top and the south magnetic pole at the bottom, with a gauss reading of 1000 g at the surface will be used. At a distance of xc2xdxe2x80x3 above the surface, the reading is 400 g. Compare this with the magnetic field of the earth being approximately xc2xd of 1 gauss. The earth being approximately 8000 miles in diameter has a magnetic field that extends thousands of miles into space. Thus both the size of a magnet, mass and thickness, and the strength, determine how far the fields will reach. For these reasons in magnetic fluid treatment devices, the thickness of the magnets must be at least as great as the radius of the conduit carrying fluid through the device.
To build an effective fluid treatment device, it is important to maintain strong magnetic fields at the center of the conduit that carries the fluids to be treated. Other methods can be used to further increase the useful strength of magnets. To further increase the strength of a magnet, a ferrous steel plate that completely covers one pole of the magnet will cause an increase of gauss at the other pole. Using the above described magnet (1000 gauss) as another example, when one pole is covered the other pole reads 1200 g at the surface, and the reading at xc2xdxe2x80x3 above the surface is 480 g Further, by arranging two magnets on a ferrous steel backing plate where they are in close proximity to each other, and at an angle to each other of approximately 35 degrees, while the gauss reading at the surface of the magnets will be reduced approximately 10% to 900 g, the reading at a distance equal to the thickness of the magnet, which corresponds to the center of a conduit that would be used to carry fluids through the device, will conversely be approximately 10% (500 g) higher than a reading at the same distance of a single magnet on a ferrous backing plate.
To further enhance magnetic flux effectiveness, one may construct a device comprising an identical configuration of magnets with a backing plate placed diametrically opposite to the first configuration and with the opposite magnetic pole facing the first magnet. This will again increase the gauss readings of both magnets by an additional 10%. In this configuration, the backing plates must contact each other along the edges so that a complete circuit of magnetic flux can be maintained between the first set of magnets with one pole against the backing plate and the other set of magnets where the opposite pole is against the backing plate. This configuration creates a continuous circuit of magnetic flux that travels from the north pole face of the first magnet, through the space into the south pole of an opposite second magnet, through the second magnet, around the ferrous steel backing plates, and ultimately back into the south pole of the first magnet. The circuit, now being complete, increases the flux density of the magnetic field and has a stronger influence on the material passing between the poles of the magnets of this device.
The next consideration is the placement of additional sets of magnets with opposing polarities facing each other. The set of magnets following the first set is placed downstream in relation to the direction of flow of the fluid, and at a separation distance that is greater than ⅓ the length of the magnets but no more than 12 the length of the magnets. Additionally, the second set is preferably separated from the first set by a distance that is greater than the distance through the conduit and between the magnets At a lateral separation distance of less than the distance through the conduit, the magnetic flux will travel laterally between magnets mounted on the same backing plate rather than through the conduit, and therefore not affect the fluid. This distance through the conduit is given precedence over the concept of the distance between the magnets on the same backing plate being separated by a distance of at least ⅓ the length of the magnets. Following sets of magnets conform to this restriction so that the fluid encounters at least four reversing polarities as it travels through the conduit. The width of the magnets must be equal to or greater than the diameter of the conduit carrying the fluid.
It is clear that a system is needed to facilitate the assembly of magnetic fluid treatment devices where multiple magnets are assembled into a shell. The device should hold magnets in proper alignment for ease of assembly and further maintain the positions of the magnets while in use. The configuration of the components should also concentrate the fields of the magnets to the center of a fluid conduit.
In light of the foregoing, it is a first aspect of the invention to provide a fluid conduit with retained magnets that maximizes the magnetic flux introduced into an associated fluid stream.
Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a fluid conduit with retained magnetics that provides for ease of assembly and assurance of maintenance of spatial relationships between and among the elements thereof.
Still a further aspect of the invention is the provision of embodiments of a fluid conduit with retained magnets that is durable and reliable in use and easily constructed from state-of-the-art materials, while achieving the foregoing benefits. The foregoing and other aspects of the invention that will become apparent as the detailed description proceeds are achieved by a fluid treatment conduit assembly, comprising: an elongated housing of cross sectional octagonal configuration, said housing having eight elongated axially aligned inner directed faces; a conduit maintained within and axially aligned with said housing; a plurality of magnets interposed between said conduit and said inner directed faces; and a plurality of said spacers being interposed between axially adjacent ones of said magnets.
Other aspects that will become apparent herein are attained by a fluid treatment conduit assembly, comprising: an elongated tubular shell; a conduit maintained within and coaxial with said shell; a plurality of magnets interposed between said conduit and said shell; and a plurality of spacers received within said shell, said spacers receiving and maintaining said magnets in fixed spaced apart relationship to each other, said magnets being maintained in radially aligned pairs, and said pairs being axially spaced and aligned.


The disclosure is directed to a method for reducing the chemical activity and photo activity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles comprising adding an amorphous alumina-stabilizing agent, specifically an anion, such as citric acid, to an aqueous slurry of the titanium dioxide nanoparticles; treating the aqueous slurry with a source of alumina, such as a solution of sodium aluminate, to form alumina-treated titanium dioxide nanoparticles; recovering the alumina-treated inorganic nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles have a particle size of about 50 to about 300 nm; and milling the nanoparticles to form nanoparticles having a particle size about 15% smaller than silica-treated inorganic nanoparticles milled under similar conditions. The titanium dioxide nanoparticles described herein are useful in cosmetic, coating and thermoplastic compositions.

The scientific and technological advantages of nanostructured particles and materials have been attracting considerable attention. The small size of nanoparticles (generally used to indicate particles less than 100 nm in diameter), which can be responsible for different useful properties (electronic, optical, electrical, magnetic, chemical, and mechanical), makes them suitable for a wide variety of industrial applications.
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles are substantially transparent to visible light but can absorb and scatter ultraviolet light. Titanium dioxide has low toxicity and is non-irritating to the skin. TiO2 nanoparticles are especially advantageous when added to products in which transparency to visible light is important but exposure to the degrading and harmful effects of ultraviolet light is a problem. Such applications include, without limit, cosmetics, sunscreens, protective coatings, such as clear coatings for exterior wood and automobiles, and plastics.
Manufacture of nanoparticulate TiO2 has been reported throughout the literature. Sulfate-route or liquid phase precipitation routes typically involve nanoparticulate TiO2 particle growth steps, followed by aggregation, from calcinination or other high temperature treatment, with subsequent milling to reduce and/or control finished product particle size at the optimum required for performance. A high temperature plasma oxidation of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) process in which nanoparticulate TiO2 is manufactured directly under suitable reactor design and operating conditions has been described. As these processes require high energy costs, alternative means of manufacture would be desirable.
Titanium dioxide itself is known to be photoactive. Free radicals form on the surface of the titanium dioxide particle under the action of ultraviolet rays. While the photoactivity of titanium dioxide is beneficial for use of titanium dioxide in photo catalyzed reactions, in other uses the free radicals can lead to degradation reactions and yellowing which can be disadvantageous. Such other uses include, without limit, cosmetics, sunscreens and plastics, wood and automotive coatings, etc. Thus, there is a desire for techniques that can photo-passivate the titanium dioxide; that is, render the titanium dioxide more photostable.
Untreated titanium dioxide pigments and nanoparticles are known to be chemically reactive. Untreated titanium dioxide will form highly colored complexes with certain antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid 6-palmitate. These colored complexes limit the use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in applications where white creams and lotions are desired, such as cosmetics and sunscreens. Effective methods for passivation of the chemical reactivity of titanium dioxide pigments and nanoparticles are therefore desired.
Treatments to passivate TiO2 will typically cause agglomeration of primary particles. Although steps can be taken to reduce this agglomeration, there is, typically, required a downstream grinding or milling step to reduce particle agglomeration to the range necessary for optimum performance. Treatment techniques that increase agglomeration can necessitate more intensive grinding or milling steps that add significantly to the energy costs of nanoparticulate TiO2 manufacture. Thus, there is a need for techniques that can make titanium dioxide nanoparticles nonreactive to such antioxidants and that have the required particle size without the need for long milling times that would add to the cost of manufacturing these nanoparticles.

Lower-energy process for preparing passivated inorganic nanoparticles


A method for rendering a raster output level determines an image position of a pixel of interest (POI) within an image. An intended raster output level, which corresponds to the POI, is received into a processing device. A final raster input level is determined as a function of the image position and the intended raster output level. The final input level and the image position are transmitted to an output device. An actual raster output level is rendered, via the output device, at a position on an output medium corresponding to the image position. The actual raster output level substantially matches the intended raster output level.

The present invention relates to the art of digital imaging. It finds particular application in macro uniformity corrections for x-y separable non-uniformities in a raster output scanning (ROS) printing system and will be described with particular reference thereto. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is also amenable to other like applications.
Macro non-uniformity levels have existed in raster scan image output terminals (IOTs) (e.g., xerographic printers) for some time and are a concern for most marking processes. Even small non-uniformity level errors in raster scan IOTs give rise to visually objectionable banding in halftone outputs (e.g., image macro non-uniformity streak artifacts). Such errors typically arise in raster scan image output terminals (IOTs) due to variations in ROS spot size across the field (which is constant in time (print to print)), donor-roll once-around, HSD wire hysteresis, laser diode variations, LED bar power variation, ROS scan line non-uniformity, photoreceptor belt sensitivity variations, and/or ROS velocity non-uniformity. Significantly, many variations occur only in the fast scan (e.g., X) or slow scan (e.g., Y) directions, and they do not interact to first order. Therefore, a correction made in one direction has a negligible effect on artifacts in the other direction. Other printing technologies (e.g. thermal inkjet and acoustical ink printing) also have artifacts that occur in a regular, predictable manner in one or both directions and fall within the scope of this discussion.
Although techniques have been proposed to eliminate such non-uniformity errors by making physical systems more uniform, it is too expensive to control or limit the error to an acceptable level, below which the error will not be detected by the unaided eye. Fixes have been attempted in the marking process, but not enough latitude exists to fully solve the problem. For problem sources such as LED non-uniformity, the correction is sometimes addressed with current control or pulse width control. However, none of the solutions discussed above implements a technique based in digital electronics. With the cost of computing rapidly decreasing, such digital electronics based solutions are becoming more attractive.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method which overcomes the above-referenced problems and others.
A method for rendering a raster output level determines an image position of a pixel of interest (POI) within an image. An intended raster output level, which corresponds to the POI, is received into a processing device. A final raster input level is determined as a function of the image position and the intended raster output level. The final raster input level and the image position are transmitted to an output device. An actual raster output level is rendered, via the output device, at a position on an output medium corresponding to the image position. The actual raster output level substantially matches the intended raster output level.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of correction curves is computed for respective raster output levels. One of the correction curves is identified as a master correction curve. A scaling function is determined in accordance with relationships between the master correction curve and the other correction curves. The scaling function is used for producing the final raster input level.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, averages of actual output levels, which are produced by the output device for the raster output level of the master correction curve, are determined over a non-correctable direction at respective positions along a correctable direction of the output device. The correctable and non-correctable directions are substantially perpendicular. The relationships between the master correction curve and the other correction curves are determined as a function of the averages of the actual output levels.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, a plurality of tone reproduction curves is calibrated for one of the correction curves.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, the calibrating step includes, for each of the positions along the correctable direction, storing an identifier of the respective tone reproduction curve, which most closely achieves the final output level as a function of the respective position, in a lookup table.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the actual raster output level is printed.
In accordance with a more limited aspect of the invention, the actual raster output level is printed on a xerographic color printing device.
One advantage of the present invention is that it may reduce the number of tone reproduction curves necessary for correcting macro non-uniformities (as compared to a case where different tone reproduction curves are applied for each row or column of pixels or a case if one tone reproduction curve is stored uniquely for each pixel).
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

Macro uniformity correction for x-y separable non-uniformity


Disclosed are a rotation angle detection device including: a stator provided with a one-phase excitation winding and two-phase output windings; and a rotor having salient poles, and a dynamo-electric machine using the same. The two-phase output windings are wound around a plurality of teeth of the stator, and respective numbers of turns of the two-phase output windings are obtained by using m-phase windings (m is an integer of 3 or more) imaginarily defined to convert the numbers of turns of the m-phase windings into those of two-phase windings. Thus, since the number of phases decreases compared with the case in which the windings are structured with m phases, a structure is simplified, and a manufacturing process is facilitated.

There has been conventionally devised a rotation angle detection device, which utilizes a change in permeance of a gap between a rotor and a stator, as a device which is simple in its structure and inexpensive, and at the same time, can withstand even a high temperature environment as opposed to an optical encoder which is limited in its operating temperature environment and is complicated in its structure and expensive. For example, an example of a rotation angle detection device having excitation windings of two phases and a one-phase output winding is described in JP 62-58445 B. In addition, an example of a rotation angle detection device having an excitation winding of one phase and output windings of two phases is described in JP 49-124508 A. In both the examples, since a rotor is formed to have salient poles, a phase or an amplitude of a voltage induced in an output winding changes depending on an angle of the rotor, and a position of the rotor can be found by reading the change. In addition, a rotation angle detection device having excitation windings of three phases is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2624747. Moreover, an example in which a winding is concentrically wound around teeth of a stator and the number of turns is changed in a sine wave shape is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3103487 and Japanese Patent No. 3182493.
Examples of the conventional rotation angle detection device are shown in FIGS. 73 and 74. FIG. 73 shows, as a conventional example, an example of the rotation angel detection device in which a shaft multiple angle is 1 and the number of teeth of a stator is four, which is the same as the rotation angle detection device disclosed in JP 49-124508 A. On the other hand, FIG. 74 shows an example of the rotation angle detection device in which a shaft multiple angle is 4 and the number of teeth of a stator is sixteen. In those figures, reference numeral 100 denotes a stator; 101, a rotor; 102, four teeth provided in the stator 100; and 103, a winding wound around the teeth 102. In a system of FIG. 73, as the shaft multiple angle increases, the number of teeth also increases in proportion thereto. For example, in the case in which the shaft multiple angle is changed to 4, the structure changes to the one as shown in FIG. 74, the number of teeth increases to as many as sixteen, and winding workability deteriorates. Thus, it can be said that this is a structure not suitable for mass production.
The above-mentioned conventional examples have the following problems. If the winding structures as disclosed in JP 62-58445 B and JP 49-124508 A are adopted, there is a problem in that, in the case in which the shaft multiple angle increases, the number of teeth of the stator also increases in proportion thereto as described above, and a winding property and a machining property deteriorate.
In both of JP 62-58445 Band JP 49-124508 A, the shaft multiple angle island the number of teeth of the stator is four. For example, in the case in which the shaft multiple angle is changed to 2, the number of teeth increases to eight, in the case in which the shaft multiple angle is changed to 4, the number of teeth increases to sixteen, and in the case in which the shaft multiple angle is change to 8, the number of teeth increases to as many as thirty-two. Although a rotation angle detection device with a large shaft multiple angle may be required in a multipolar motor, if the shaft multiple angle is large in such conventional examples, the rotation angle detection device has a structure which is unrealistic in terms of mass productivity.
In the structure as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2624747, windings are one phase for output and three phases for excitation. That is, the number of phase is large. Thus, there is a problem of productivity in that winding takes time and a problem in that a power supply for the excitation windings becomes expensive.
In the examples of Japanese Patent No. 3103487 and Japanese Patent No. 3182493, since a winding is wound concentrically around the teeth of the stator, automatic winding by a machine is enabled. However, since the number of turns is changed in a sine wave shape, there are teeth to which only a small number of turns are applied. A nozzle of a winding machine for automatic winding has to be moved to the teeth to which only a small number of turns are applied. Thus, since time is taken for positioning of the nozzle, there is a problem in that efficiency of winding work is low.
The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems, and therefore it is an object of the present invention to obtain a rotation angle detection device with a simple manufacturing process and a dynamo-electric machine using the same.

Rotation angle detection device that converts m-phase windings into two-phase windings and dynamo-electric machine using the same


An embodiment of the present invention is a technique for thermal sensing. A sensing structure generates a response according to a local temperature at a first location on a die. A sensor core coupled to the sensing structure via routing lines to provide a measurement of the local temperature from the response. The sensor core is located at a second location remote to the first location and is powered by an analog supply voltage source located in a vicinity of the second location.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of semiconductor, and more specifically, to thermal sensing.
2. Description of Related Art
Thermal design in semiconductor devices has many challenging problems. It is desirable to sense hot areas in a semiconductor die so that appropriate actions may be taken to prevent damages or performance degradation to the die or the system.
Existing techniques for thermal sensing have a number of drawbacks. A common technique is to place a thermal sensor as close as possible to the most active unit or area in the semiconductor die. This technique requires real estate on the die to accommodate the thermal sensing circuit and the availability of a low-noise analog power supply. If the sensor is not located close enough to the actual hot spot, inaccurate thermal sensing may result. In addition, if an analog supply is not available in the vicinity of the sensing circuit, a digital supply has to be used. Using a digital supply may lead to further sensing errors because the digital supply tends to be noisy and may not be accurate due to temperature and process variations. Existing techniques therefore may not adequately provide thermal sensing at multiple locations because of the above problems. Furthermore, the problem of self-heating error introduced during a high volume manufacturing (HVM) trimming has not been adequately addressed.

Accurate on-die temperature measurement using remote sensing


An apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels includes a steering column having a pinion connected with a vehicle steering wheel such that rotation of the steering wheel results in rotation of the pinion. An electrically powered steering unit includes an electric motor having a first output shaft rotatable about an axis. A first planetary gear stage has a first gear reduction ratio and is driven by the first output shaft. A second planetary gear stage is driven by the first planetary gear stage and the pinion and has a second gear reduction ratio different from the first gear reduction ratio. A second output shaft is driven by the second planetary gear stage and coupled to the steerable wheels such that rotation of the second output shaft affects steering of the vehicle wheels.

A known vehicle steering apparatus includes a steering member which is linearly movable to effect turning movement of steerable vehicle wheels. A pinion is disposed in meshing engagement with a rack portion of the steering member. A steering column interconnects the pinion and a vehicle steering wheel.
In addition, this known steering apparatus includes a ball nut assembly which is connected with an externally threaded portion of the steering member. A motor is connected with the ball nut assembly. The motor is operable to effect rotation of the ball nut assembly relative to the steering member in order to provide steering assist. A steering apparatus having this general construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,646.

Apparatus for use in turning steerable vehicle wheels


In a method for cold-rolling sheets and strips, measured values which characterize the surface evenness, especially the tensile stress distribution, are formed on the delivery side of a rolling mill and, in dependence thereon, adjusting members of the rolling mill are actuated which form part of at least one regulating circuit for the surface evenness of the rolled sheets and strips. Incorrect adjustments and disruptions in the rolling process on the basis of the different time responses of the individual adjusting members are avoided by adjusting the adjusting members at speeds so matched to one another that during at least a portion of the adjusting time, the ratio of the adjustments of the participating adjusting members remains constant, and all adjusting members reach their desired values simultaneously.

The invention relates to a method for cold-rolling sheets and strips.
The surface evenness of cold-rolled sheets and strips can be distorted in different manners. Thus there may be, for example, strip curvature, long strip center short strip edges, long strip sides, edge waves, localized wave paths and short strip fibers and also the combined appearance of different faults in surface evenness, such as are shown in overview in FIG. 1 of the publication by E. Neuschutz in the book "Walzen von Flachprodukten" (Rolling of flat products), Informationsgesellschaft-Verlag, 1987, pages 7 to 26. The causes of such faults in surface evenness are unsuitable adjustment of the rollers, an unsuitable ground surface of the rollers, wear of the rollers, temperature differences over the barrel width of the rollers, differences in hardness in the strip and the embedding behavior of the strip at the strip edges.
By specific action on appropriate adjusting members of the rolling mill, the faults in surface evenness can be counteracted, it being possible to establish regulating circuits (control loops) with the surface evenness as a standard variable. For example, DE-OS 32 40 602.9 provides that, for regulating the tensile stress distribution during cold-rolling of strips on the basis of measurements of the tensile stress distribution, the adjusting members for the roller gap are positioned in such a manner that the differences between the tensile stress at the feed and the delivery sides of the rolling mill are maintained as constant as possible over the roller width and below a maximum value above which folding occurs during rolling. In that case, however, numerous faults in surface evenness still remain unconsidered which could be overcome by action on further adjusting members.
In total, in a modern six-roller mill, there are up to eight possible positions in order to ensure the surface evenness of the layer of the strip. For example, there may be included among the possible positions the pivoting of the rollers, the bending of the rollers by force at the roller barrel, an axial displacement of the rollers, for example, of the so-called intermediate rollers or by working rollers having different contours, the crossing of the rollers and influencing the roller cambering by cooling or heating on the one hand or by internal pressure of hollow rollers on the other hand. These adjusting members have a different time response as a result of which they are able to achieve their preset values in different times. For example, the deflection of the rollers can be carried out virtually without inertia so that there is no speed dependence, whereas an axial displacement of working rollers or of back-up rollers is speed-dependent because it cannot be carried out on stationary rollers. Thus, deviations which are no longer adjustable may occur with corresponding distortions.

Method for cold-rolling sheets and strips


A seal system for mounting a centrifuge within an opening between an area which is sterile and a contiguous area wherein the rotating basket of the centrifuge and its enclosure are accessible within the sterile area and are hermetically sealed with respect to the contiguous area.

It is known that, in order to improve the conditions of accessibility to the rotating basket and to the accessories associated therewith, to facilitate cleaning and to allow an easy visual monitoring of the operations of filtration without dismantling parts thereof, centrifuges have been proposed in which the vessel surrounding the basket is arranged in the manner of a door articulated on the front of a fixed frame, so as to surround the basket.
The present invention is based on the observation that such a centrifuge with articulated vessel, by a relatively simple adaptation, is able to lend itself particularly well to operations of centrifugal filtration in a sterile atmosphere, for example in chemical or pharmaceutical laboratories, since the rear part of the machine containing the supply and drive devices, of which decontamination is always difficult, is capable of being disposed in an area different from that in which the front part comprising the articulated vessel and the basket on the wall of which the solid particles obtained are deposited by centrifugation.
It is such adaptation which forms the subject matter of the present invention.


The technical solution of the present application is applicable to the technical field of geophysical exploration, and provides a surface wave prospecting method and an acquisition equipment. This method comprises: obtaining vibration data by a vibration collecting device; calculating a dispersion graph by applying a vector wavenumber transform method to the vibration data, extracting dispersion curves from the dispersion graph, wherein the dispersion curves include fundamental mode and higher modes of dispersion curves of surface wave; establishing an initial stratigraphic model according to the dispersion graph; and performing a dispersion curves inversion based on the initial stratigraphic model and an inversion algorithm. The present technical solution can extract dispersion information of higher modes of surface wave from vibration data for reducing the non-uniqueness of inversion; computation time of the inversion algorithm can be reduced by establishing the initial stratigraphic model, and the instability of the inversion algorithm can be reduced, too. In this way, vibration collecting devices can be arranged arbitrarily, the requirement for the site layout is reduced, and the adaptability of surface wave prospecting is improved.

Since 1950s, scientists found that a phase velocity of Rayleigh wave in a layered medium is changed with frequency, and shows an obvious frequency dispersion property. Rayleigh wave in horizontally layered medium is generated by mutually interfering and overlapping P wave and shear wave at various interfaces in a seismic source region. The Rayleigh wave carries information of medium in various layers including P wave velocity, shear wave velocity, and density, and etc., and the velocities depend on a distribution of shear wave in the layered medium mainly. Variation of energy and velocity of Rayleigh wave induced by underground structure, frequency dispersion generated, which reflects some inherent characteristics of the layered medium. From this, deep underground structure can be solved by studying natural seismic wave's low dispersion curves of Rayleigh wave. Shallow underground structure such as engineering exploration, site evaluation and foundation treatment, obstacles and cavity detection, etc. can be solved by studying on higher dispersion curves by man-made seismic source.
Surface wave prospecting is the most popularly geophysical exploration method in engineering geophysical exploration, and can be divided into two types according to different seismic sources, that is, an active source method and a passive source method. Wherein, the active surface wave is generated by activating seismic source artificially. The passive source, as the name implies, is called with respect to the active source surface wave, that is, there is no need to generate seismic sources artificially and proactively, however, various vibrations generated by natural phenomenon such as tide, wind, volcano activity, etc., and by various human activities such as vehicle movement, mechanical movement in the factory, human movements, etc., are taken as the seismic sources instead.
In city engineering geophysical exploration, the active source surface wave geophysical exploration needs artificial seismic sources, and thus may have certain influence on the environment, and also have some requirements on site condition. Observation array needs to be linearly arranged, geophysical exploration can't be implemented frequently in complex regions of the city. Moreover, energy of surface wave activated by artificial seismic source is limited. The depth of exploration always fails to meet the need of engineering exploration. Thus, there are many limitations in the active source surface wave method in engineering exploration. For this reason, a passive source surface wave prospecting method is introduced into the field of engineering geophysical exploration.
One of the core problems of passive source surface wave geophysical exploration is about how to extract dispersion curves from collected seismic wave data. At the present stage, methods for extracting dispersion curves of passive surface waves mainly include: F-K (Frequency-Wavenumber) method and SPAC (Space Autocorrelation Method) based on Fourier transform. The both methods have own advantages and disadvantages respectively, wherein although the F-K method can identify higher modes of surface waves, it has a low resolution and data needs to be collected simultaneously with a great number of receiving points; since the SPAC method requires less receivers, it has now become the most popular passive source surface wave method. However, the SPAC method can't extract higher modes surface wave dispersion curves, but can only extract the fundamental mode dispersion curve, and the observation array still need to be arranged in certain rules and shapes.

Surface wave prospecting method and acquisition equipment

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A central location of a face detecting device comprises an image input means for inputting a captured face image, a horizontal edge detecting means for detecting a horizontal edge having a predetermined vertical length based on the face image inputted by the image input means; and a central location of a face detecting means for calculating an average value of a horizontal location data of the horizontal edge detected by the horizontal edge detecting means, and determining the average value as a central location of the face.

In order to identify individuals based on his/her face image or read his/her expression, it is important to detect a face direction, in other words, a central location of the face.
A known image processor capable of detecting a face direction from an inputted face picture of an unspecified individual without previously acquiring the face image data of the object has been disclosed in, for example JP2001-291108A. In this known image processor, an average front face picture data is generated based on plural sample front face picture data, and then average face model data is generated by mapping the average front face picture data onto standard face shape model data.
Based on the degree of correlation between the inputted picture and an average face picture data by angles at a time when the average face model data is seen from a predetermined angle, a face direction in the input picture can be detected.
In addition, a known face orientation estimating device disclosed in JP2004-94491A detects an angle of the face in a captured image. Specifically, the face orientation estimating device rotates an assumed 3D face model, which corresponds to a face line and positions of the eyes prepared in advance, in various angles so as to match to an input image and determine an angle of the model at which fie image matches to the face line and the positions of the eyes.
However, according to the image processor disclosed in JP2001-291108A, templates depending on various sizes of face and various face directions need to be prepared and, because the input picture needs to be matching calculated with each of templates, it has imposed an enormous load on the image processor.
On the other hand, the face orientation estimating device disclosed in JP2004-94491A uses a flat template, however, because human faces, especially hair styles significantly differ among individuals, a lines of his/her face and positions of eyes does not agree with the flat template many times.
In this condition, considering such differences, if the individuals are matched with such flat templates, a great number of face models need to be prepared in advance, as a result, the amount of the processes is increased.
A need exist to provide a central location of a face detecting device, method and program by which calculation load is reduced without face model data.

Central location of a face detecting device, method and program