The present invention discloses an intestinal tract pushing apparatus for ultrasonic therapy. The intestinal tract pushing apparatus includes a pushing member and an acoustically transparent member. One end of said acoustically transparent member is connected to a buckling strip, and the other end of the acoustically transparent member is connected to an adhesive strip. The acoustically transparent member is bound to the human abdomen by virtue of the adhesive fastening of the buckling strip and the adhesive strip. The pushing member employs a hydraulic system.

In the clinical application of ultrasound to treating hysteromyoma, when the uterus is monitored by an imaging apparatus (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), the solid substance in intestinal tract which is located in front of the uterus may interfere the imaging effect; when hysteromyoma is treated with high intensity focused ultrasound, the ultrasonic waves penetrate through the lower abdomen of the human body and are focused in the target region in uterus. However, the intestinal tract contains air. When the ultrasonic waves pass through the intestinal tract, they are reflected between the air and intestinal wall, resulting in energy deposition that may cause injuries to the intestinal wall which is close to the uterus; meanwhile, the ultrasonic energy to uterus is reduced so that the energy intensity can not satisfy the therapeutic requirement. This problem causes great interference to the security and effectiveness of treating hysteromyoma with ultrasonic waves.
Therefore, the influence caused by the solid substance and gas in the intestinal tract located in front of the uterus should be reduced in the therapy. Usually, consideration can be given to push the intestinal tract in vitro, offset the intestinal tract in front of the uterus and disperse it upwards and to both sides by use of a pushing force, so that the monitoring by the magnetic resonance imaging will not be affected by the solid substance in the intestinal tract; meanwhile, the ultrasonic waves can penetrate through the lower abdomen without any interference by the intestinal tract and the air therein and are focused in the uterus.
A Chinese patent (publication date: Sep. 1, 1999; publication number: CN 2335573Y) disclosed an intestinal tract pushing apparatus for treating hysteromyoma. Said apparatus is a water bag used in B-mode ultrasonic imaging monitoring, the water bag is sealed by a metal seal ring, and the intestinal tract is pushed by the water bag. In order to make the water bag keep contact with the human body, two hooks are employed to clamp and fix the seal ring with two side lugs, the human body and a bottom board, but it is inconvenient to connect or adjust them; moreover, the seal ring enlarges the volume of the apparatus, thereby it is inconvenient to carry the apparatus, and the shape of the water bag is fairly restricted.

Intestinal tract pushing apparatus for ultrasonic therapy

Chongqing Ronghai Medical Ultrasound Industry Ltd.


Methods, computer-readable media, systems, and/or apparatuses are provided for providing offer and insight generation functions. User input requesting an offer or insight may be received and an image of a photographic identification of a user may be requested. The image of the photographic identification may be captured and stored. A self-captured image of the user may be captured (e.g., via an image capture device of the computing device) and compared to an image of a user from the photographic identification. Responsive to determining that the images match, displaying an instruction to capture a vehicle identification number. The vehicle identification number may be captured. Data, including location data, may be extracted and an archive including the extracted data may be generated and the data may be transmitted to an entity computing system for processing. The entity computing system may evaluate the data and generate one or more insights and/or outputs.

Nearly everyone today uses some sort of personal mobile device on a regular basis. For instance, people use smartphones, cell phones, wearable devices such as smart watches and fitness monitors, tablets, laptops, and the like. These personal mobile devices are regularly carried by users throughout the day and can capture a variety of information regarding the user's usage of their personal mobile device, locations visited, and the like.
In addition, user data is collected and stored by a variety of different sources. For instance, user data that is collected by a mobile device, wearable device, or other similar device of a user may be stored via one or more third party systems (e.g., cloud-based environments) or entity systems with the permission of the user (e.g., upon downloading an application, executing an application, or the like). This data may be transmitted to an entity for evaluation and may be useful in evaluating user behaviors and identifying insights that may be helpful to users. In some examples, this data may be useful to other entities to evaluate users and generate offers. However, it is difficult for users to view and/or retrieve this data from the third party or entity. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to retrieve data from the third party and analyze the data to generate and provide outputs to a user.
Further, some conventional processes require human interaction, evaluation, and the like. Given the volume of data captured by the mobile device, stored by one or more entities, and the like, it would be advantageous to perform these processes based on sensor data collected rather than requiring human evaluation.

Data processing system with machine learning engine to provide output generation functions


A methodology for minimizing the error in on-line Kalman filter-based aircraft engine performance estimation applications is presented. This technique specifically addresses the underdetermined estimation problem, where there are more unknown parameters than available sensor measurements. A systematic approach is applied to produce a model tuning parameter vector of appropriate dimension to enable estimation by a Kalman filter, while minimizing the estimation error in the parameters of interest. Tuning parameter selection is performed using a multi-variable iterative search routine which seeks to minimize the theoretical mean-squared estimation error. Theoretical Kalman filter estimation error bias and variance values are derived at steady-state operating conditions, and the tuner selection routine is applied to minimize these values. The new methodology yields an improvement in on-line engine performance estimation accuracy.

An emerging approach in the field of aircraft engine controls and health management is the inclusion of real-time on-board models for the in-flight estimation of engine performance variations. This technology, typically based on Kalman filter concepts, enables the estimation of unmeasured engine performance parameters that can be directly utilized by controls, prognostics and health management applications. A challenge which complicates this practice is the fact that an aircraft engine's performance is affected by its level of degradation, generally described in terms of unmeasurable health parameters such as efficiencies and flow capacities related to each major engine module. Through Kalman filter-based estimation techniques, the level of engine performance degradation can be estimated, given that there are at least as many sensors as parameters to be estimated. However, in an aircraft engine the number of sensors available is typically less than the number of health parameters presenting an under-determined estimation problem. A common approach to address this shortcoming is to estimate a sub-set of the health parameters, referred to as model tuning parameters. While this approach enables on-line Kalman filter-based estimation, it can result in "smearing" the effects of unestimated health parameters onto those which are estimated, and in turn introduce error in the accuracy of overall model-based performance estimation applications.
Recently, a new method has been presented based on singular value decomposition that selects a model tuning parameter vector of low-enough dimension to be estimated by a Kalman filter. The model tuning parameter vector, defined as q, was constructed as a linear combination of all health parameters, h, given by the equationq=V*h,   (1)where the transformation matrix, V*, is selected applying singular value decomposition to capture the overall effect of the larger set of health parameters on the engine variables as closely as possible in the least squares sense.

Optimized tuner selection for engine performance estimation

The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration


Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for diagnosing fungal dysbiosis in the gut of a subject with cirrhosis that involves assaying a sample from the subject for bacterial taxa. These compositions and methods are based on the discovery that there is significant correlation between fungal and bacterial diversity in gut microbiota of cirrhotic patients. Therefore, disclosed herein is a method for treating a subject with liver cirrhosis that involves assaying a gut sample from the subject for bacterial taxa to generate a bacterial profile, comparing the bacterial profile to control profiles to predict fungal dysbiosis; and treating the subject for fungal dysbiosis.

Liver cirrhosis is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. One of the major reasons for this mortality is related to infections that often stem from the gut. Gut bacterial dysbiosis in cirrhosis has been associated with these infections, which can lead to organ failure and death. With the rampant overuse of antibiotics in cirrhosis, culture-negative and fungal infections are being increasingly recognized. However, the effect of antibiotic use and culture-negative infections on the gut fungal mycobiome is unclear. Cirrhotic patients have a high likelihood of developing infections because of altered immune response, multiple hospitalizations and instrumentations and the overuse of antibiotics for treatment and prophylaxis of infections. While most infections are presumed to be bacterial, recent studies have noted a significant increase in documented fungal infections or infections in which there is no growth i.e. culture-negative infections. However, it is experimentally difficult to detect the fungal component in fecal and oral samples because of low absolute abundance with respect to the bacterial mass and the difficulty in obtaining efficient DNA extraction for fungal cells.

Bacterial profile to detect fungal taxa abundance in the gut


A ring oscillator circuit includes a ring of cascade-coupled delay stages and is controlled by a plurality of multiplexers. A feedback circuit has an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the ring oscillator circuit. The ring oscillator circuit receives a control word and provides a clock signal on the output terminal. The ring oscillator circuit includes a control architecture including a plurality of control blocks receiving respective bits of the control word and coupled to the delay stages of the ring. Each control block has at least a bistable element capable of receiving, storing and sending a bit of the control word to a multiplexer coupled to a respective delay stage in stable operating conditions of the ring.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ring oscillator circuit. More specifically, the invention relates to a ring oscillator circuit including a ring of cascade-connected delay stages, controlled by a plurality of multiplexers and fed back by a feedback logic gate having an input terminal connected to an output terminal of said ring oscillator circuit, said ring oscillator circuit receiving a control word and emitting on said output terminal a clock signal. The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to a ring oscillator circuit for phase locking systems and the following description is made with reference to this field of application for convenience of illustration only.
2. State of the Art
As it is well known, oscillator circuits are usually realized by rings of delay stages connected and driven by multiplexers. A possible application of these ring oscillator circuits is in phase locking systems used in low-voltage power supplies. In particular, these advanced phase locking systems require stable oscillators that can be varied in frequency by a control signal. It is also possible to use ring oscillator circuits in FM demodulators, clock generators for microcontrollers and for serial transmissions.
FIG. 1 shows a ring oscillator circuit realized according to the prior art, globally and schematically indicated with 1. The ring oscillator circuit 1 comprises a plurality of cascade-connected elementary delay stages 3, controlled by a plurality of multiplexers 2 and fed back in a ring 4 by means of a logic gate 5 and a feedback delay stage 6.
For convenience of illustration, FIG. 1 shows a ring oscillator circuit 1 comprising three elementary delay stages 3, indicated with 3-1, 3-2 and 3-3, connected by means of three multiplexers 2, indicated with 2-1, 2-2 and 2-3. A first delay stage 3-1 has an input terminal directly connected to the feedback delay stage 6 and an output terminal connected to a first input terminal of a first multiplexer 2-1, having a second input terminal directly connected to the feedback delay stage 6 by means of a first fast line 7-1.
The first multiplexer 2-1 has also a control terminal receiving a first bit C0 of a control word and an output terminal connected to a second delay stage 3-2. Similarly to the first delay stage 3-1, this second delay stage 3-2 has an output terminal connected to a first input terminal of a second multiplexer 2-2.
The second multiplexer 2-2 has a second input terminal connected by means of a second fast line 7-2 to the output terminal of the first multiplexer 2-1, as well as a control terminal receiving a second bit C1 of the control word and an output terminal connected to a third delay stage 3-3. This third delay stage 3-3 has an output terminal connected to a first input terminal of a third multiplexer 2-3, having in turn a second input terminal connected by means of a third fast line 7-3 to the output terminal of the second multiplexer 2-2, as well as a control terminal receiving a third bit C2 of the control word. The third multiplexer 3-3 has also an output terminal connected to a first input terminal of the logic gate 5, having in turn a second input terminal receiving an external reset signal RESET and an output terminal connected to the feedback delay stage 6.
A clock signal CK is generated on the output terminal of the third multiplexer 2-3, corresponding to an output terminal OUT of the ring oscillator circuit 1. Moreover, the delay stages 3-1, 3-2 and 3-3 comprise an increasing number of elementary delay cells 8, realized by single logic gates (NAND, NOR etc.), or in a 'standard cell', not being dedicated to any particular application.
The ring oscillator circuit 1 realized according to the prior art is programmable by changing the control word C0-C2 sent to multiplexers 2. Reference is made to a digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO, or "Digital Controlled Oscillator"), which can be integrated in a completely digital technology and used in applications which cannot use analog circuits, such as completely digital phase locking rings.
The frequency of the ring oscillator circuit 1 is varied by dividing by a programmable number a starting frequency value. In this case, a very high starting frequency value must be provided to obtain good resolution.
The design and realization of a digital divider for a value N is not simple for the frequency values that would be required.
It is also possible to realize the ring oscillator circuit 1 by using tristate elements. In this case it is, however, difficult to obtain high frequency values together with wide frequency variation ranges. Moreover, changing the control word during the normal operation of the ring oscillator circuit 1 leads to the generation of spurious pulses in the ring 4, invalidating the correct operation of the ring oscillator circuit 1.
To avoid the generation of these spurious pulses, the operation of the ring oscillator circuit 1 must be stopped by using the signal RESET to change the control word in stable conditions.
This is a major limitation of the ring oscillator circuit 1 realized according to the prior art, because the circuit shutdown and thus the interruption of the clock signal CK generation is unacceptable in many applications.
The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a ring oscillator circuit, having such structural and functional features to overcome the limits still affecting the circuits realized according to the prior art.


A release film 10 having a base film 12 and a polymer layer 14 formed on one side of the base film 12, wherein the polymer layer 14 includes a layer containing a cured (meth)acrylate component and a film containing a silicone polymer component covering part of the surface on the side of the layer opposite the base film side, and wherein the silicone polymer component is a modified silicone oil polymer that has been modified with a (meth)acryloyl and/or vinyl group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a release film, a ceramic part sheet and a process for their production, and to a process for production of a ceramic part.
2. Related Background Art
The known production processes for laminated ceramic capacitors include processes in which ceramic green sheets formed on release films are laminated (for example, Japanese Patent No. 3870785). The recent downsizing of laminated ceramic capacitors has led to further decreasing thicknesses of dielectric layers. At the same time, the release films used to form dielectric layers must have surfaces with satisfactorily reduced irregularities, and also satisfactory release properties.
Release films have been proposed that have laminated structures comprising flattening layers and silicone resin-formed release layers successively laminated on a filler-containing base film. Such a laminated structure maintains sufficient mechanical strength while also exhibiting both satisfactory smoothness and release properties due to low surface irregularities.

Release film, ceramic part sheet and process for their production, and process for production of ceramic part


An integrated network communication device includes a data processing device, an image output device and a communication device. The data processing device is adapted to integrate various digital data and can be connected to an information network. The image output device is adapted to display image data on an image display screen. The communication device is adapted to exchange audio data with the information network, and further comprises an input unit, an audio output module, an audio input module, a traffic indication module and a bar-code identification module.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a network communication device, and more particularly, to a network communication device that integrates a data processing device, an image output device, a communication device and a bar-code identification module together.
2. Description of Related Art
With the constant development of computer and network technologies, almost all kinds of industries have now evolved into the digital era. Particularly in the medical industry, processing data of medical records through a digital network may deliver very high efficiency, and many medical instruments require use of computers to make diagnostic analysis. Therefore, computers and networks have become indispensable to the medical industry.
Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B together, a block diagram of a conventional integrated computer framework and a front view of the conventional integrated computer framework are shown therein, respectively. For the purposes of small volume and easy operation, the conventional computer A for medical use has a mainboard A1 and a central processing unit (CPU) A2 integrated into a screen A3 and has a plurality of extended serial ports A4 disposed on the outside of the screen A3 so that all basic functions of a computer can be obtained on a single machine. Additionally, as telephone devices are typically necessary in daily operation of clinics, a telephone device A5 may also be integrated into the aforesaid computer.
As there is a limit on the volume of the aforesaid integrated computer, only basic computer components can be integrated therein and, accordingly, both functionality and extensibility of the integrated computer are limited. With the development of science and technology, more and more precision medical instruments have been developed and found wide application in medical diagnosis. However, these precision medical instruments must be used in conjunction with high-performance computers in order to make analysis. Moreover, as both the complexity and amount of data of medical records become increasingly large, the aforesaid conventional integrated computer has become inadequate for use. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an integrated computer with better functionality and extensibility so as to improve the operation efficiency and reduce the cost to use.
Additionally, although the conventional integrated computer has the telephone device integrated therein, the telephone device is connected in a wired way, which is inconvenient to use for medical personnel who have to change their positions frequently. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an improved integrated computer which allows a telephone device to be used in a wireless way to increase the freedom in use.


A method and associated computer system. A composed message portion, of an electronic message, that includes a hyperlink is sent to a set of content rendering emulators. Each emulator is configured to emulate a rendering of content accessible through the hyperlink on a respective particular platform. An emulation result is received from the set of content rendering emulators. The emulation result is indicative of the emulated rendering of the content accessible through the hyperlink on the respective particular platforms emulated by the content rendering emulators. It is determined whether the emulation result indicates that the content accessible through the hyperlink can be rendered in accordance with defined rendering criteria on at least one of the respective platforms prior to transmission of a message including the message portion, and if so then a validation message is generated, and if not then a warning message is generated.

Electronic communication forms an integral part of modern society. For example, electronic communication is commonly used to share information. Such information may include one or more hyperlinks in an electronic message (referred to hereinafter as "message") to provide the one or more recipients of the message access to content via the one or more hyperlinks without having to provide this content in the actual message.
A recipient of the message can properly access the content via the one or more hyperlinks. Increasingly, users access such messages using heterogeneous message viewing tools, both in terms of hardware and software.
For example, an increasing number of different types of devices are being used to view the message and access the content hyperlinked in such a message; e.g., desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, mobile phones, wearable smart devices such as smart watches, and so on.
In addition, an increasing number of operating systems may be used to view the message and access the content hyperlinked in such a message. Different security rules or different security rule settings may be applied by different users using different devices, different operating systems and/or different content viewers such as rules that accept or reject cookies, etc.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to magnetic nanoparticles, their production, and their use.

The invention relates to magnetic nanoparticles, their production, and their use.
The most frequent causes of death include cancers. In particular, more and more people die from lung, breast and prostate cancers. Presently, the primary objectives of medicine therefore include the control of cancers.
In addition to operative removal of affected organs, conventional methods of treatment for controlling metastasizing tumors include chemotherapy with its well-known pattern of side effects, because these medications also do damage to healthy cells as a result of their non-specific effects, namely, in susceptible regions throughout the body.
Inter alia, new approaches of therapy utilize immune reactions in such a way that, on the one hand, endogenous resistance is activated by messenger substances or cytokines and, on the other hand, protein molecules and/or monoclonal antibodies destroy the tumor cells.
New developments in the field of tumor cell separation already use particles including a magnetic core, which particles are modified with biologically active envelope substances. So-called xe2x80x9cdrug targetingxe2x80x9d using substances such as doxorubicin or other cytostatic agents coupled to magnetic microspheres is in development. xe2x80x9cMicrobeadsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdynabeadsxe2x80x9d, also well-known, are already being used in diagnostic methods wherein magnetic micro-spheres are adsorbed on the cell membrane of malignant cells by biological interaction and subsequently subjected to magnetic separation. In general, the surface structure of cell membranes is non-specific and therefore, however, the separation rates are less than 80%. As a consequence, there is a risk in that many cancer cells will not undergo separation, maintaining their ability of forming metastases.
Separation for diagnostic purposes is invariably performed on the extracorporeal route, i.e., the fluid including the cells to be separated is treated in a suitable vessel outside the human body. Following separation, the purified liquid can be re-supplied into the human body.
Due to incomplete separation of malignant cells, it must be expected that this procedure has to be repeated after some time. This procedure does severe stress to persons who are sick anyway, so that repeated treatment is possible to only a limited extent.
DE 41 16 093 A1 describes a method of obtaining magnetic carriers by controlled modification of the surface of magnetic particles. According to this method, magnetic particles are described which can also form magnetic fluids, and which are characterized in that they carry heteropolyanions and saturated or unsaturated surface-active agents. Such surface modification is intended to permit binding of biologically active molecules such as antibodies, among others, to the surface of the particles. The biologically active molecules are bound to polythiols via thio bridges. Inter alia, dicar-boxylic acids and hydroxycarboxylic acids, as well as dimer-captosuccinic acid are used as linker substances. Owing to an iron-chelating group, these compounds are capable of binding to the magnetic particle.
Having insufficient biocompatibility, these magnetic particles including biologically active molecules on their surface were found unsuitable for the purpose of permeating into intracellular compartments to couple with biomacromolecules therein.
DE 196 24 426 A1 describes magnetic fluids used to transport diagnostically or therapeutically active substances. The magnetic core particles are enveloped with polymers having reactive groups capable of covalent binding or ion exchange. On this envelope, which indeed is biocompatible and may consist of dextran, among other things, new or additional functional groups can be attached or activated, e.g. succinic anhydride or chloroacetic acid, to which diagnostically or therapeutically active substances then can be fixed either via a heteropolar or a covalent bond. The pharmaceutical agent bound to the magnet particle in the way as described should be administrable on the intravenous route and is to be fixed by means of a high-gradient magnetic field within the region of a target area such as a tumor or an inflammatory tissue region to develop its diagnostic and therapeutic effects therein. To enable such transport in a magnetic field, high intravascular availability of the magnet particles is required, the particle size of which being specified as 200-500 nm. In this case as well, the particles are incapable of permeating into intracellular compartments due to the mere size of the particles. Moreover, specific binding to intracellular biomacromolecules is not feasible with these particles.
The object of the invention is to provide nanoparticles capable of specifically forming bonds to intracellular biomacromolecules even in the intracellular region of cells, so that separation is possible by exposure to an exterior magnetic field.
According to the invention, said object is accomplished with the characterizing sections of claims 1, 9, 13, 17, 18, 19, 21, and 23 to 25.
Advantageously, the magnetic nanoparticles of the invention are capable of permeating through cell membranes and into intracellular compartments to interact with intracellular biomacromolecules therein.
The magnetic nanoparticles consist of a ferri- or ferromagnetic material and have biologically active and/or therapeutically effective envelope layers. On the one hand, they are able to permeate the cell membrane of cells and, on the other hand, to attach with high specificity to targets present in the intracellular region of malignant cells.
As a rule, the size of the nanoparticles according to the invention is from 2 to 100 nm. The nanoparticles have out-standing properties with respect to their capability of permeating cell membranes and their improved physical compatibility. Although having a relatively low magnetic moment as a result of their small volume, intracellular particle agglomeration caused by binding to intracellular target biomacromolecules results in an augmented concentration with increased magnetic moment of the malignant cells to be removed, thereby promoting magnetic separation.
Typical core materials of the nanoparticles according to the invention are ferrites of general composition MeOxFe2O3 wherein Me is a bivalent metal such as Co, Mn or Fe. Other suitable materials are xcex3-Fe2O3, the pure metals Co, Fe, Ni, and metal compounds such as carbides and nitrides.
The magnetic moment of cobalt and iron is up to four times higher than that of ferrites and therefore, given same particle size and same magnet field, these materials are removed more effectively. However, it must be considered that the biological compatibility of these materials is lower. This could be an advantage if additional damage is done to e.g. malignant cells in this way. On the other hand, the time of exposure to and concentration of these substances in healthy cells must be limited.
The interplay of biochemical, medical and physical properties requires producing tailored magnetic core materials and envelope layers.
According to the invention, the magnetic nanoparticles according to claim 1 enable permeation of the cell membranes and interaction of the magnetic nanoparticles with intracellular target biomacromolecules. To this end, homogeneous dispersion of the magnetic nanoparticles in body fluids is necessary, because aggregated nanoparticles are incapable of permeating the cell membrane. Inter alia, this requires an envelope layer of sufficient thickness which must be at least in the range of the core radius, and good biocompatibility of the envelope layer components. Charge carriers in the envelope material, i.e., an increased zeta potential, may have an additional beneficial effect on the dispersibility in a body fluid.
A particularly beneficial administration form of the magnetic nanoparticles is a dispersion in accordance with claim 9.
Homogeneous distribution of the magnetic nanoparticles according to the invention can be promoted by adjusting a low concentration in the nanoparticle dispersions. However, higher concentrations are generated in the interior of the cell when the nanoparticles are concentrated by specific adsorption on target biomacromolecules in the intracellular region of cells. Such particle agglomeration is advantageous in the interior of a cell. As a result of the higher concentration of magnetic nanoparticles, the magnetic moment in the cells to be separated is increased.
The magnetic core particles are formed either in aqueous or in organic phase via nucleation/crystal growth processes. Preparation in the aqueous phase using chemical precipitation methods involves several advantages. Non-modified magnetic particles are formed in a first step, and these particles may acquire both positive and negative signs of charge by adjusting the pH. Only then, the envelope molecules are adsorbed in a second step. The adsorption effectiveness depends on the sign of charge on the surface of the magnetic core particles. As a rule, envelope molecules having negatively charged molecule portions preferably adsorb to core surfaces having a positive sign of charge. In most of these cases, an ionic chemical reaction is effected, including e.g. carboxyl compounds and amino compounds. Such a reaction is advantageous in that, on the one hand, the adsorbed envelope molecules completely cover the core surface and, on the other hand, are anchored firmly thereon.
Frequently, coordinative binding of the biocompatible substrate S is insufficient for firm anchoring, as is known with polysaccharides.
The preparation of ferromagnetic metal core particles is predominantly effected using thermolysis of the corresponding metal carbonyls in organic phase. To this end, surfactants or polymers soluble in the organic phase are added for stabilization. In a first reaction step, core particles are formed which are homogeneously dispersed in the organic phase. In a second reaction step, the core particles are transferred into an aqueous carrier fluid. If the envelope layer includes modified amino acids, said transfer of core particles is performed after extensive removal of the organic solvent by adding alkaline aqueous carrier fluid. The envelope layer is converted to a water-soluble salt of the amino acid which causes dispersion of the magnetic core particles. Subsequently, the magnetic nanoparticles can be produced via further reactions.
According to the invention, the magnetic nanoparticles include a compound of general formula M-S-L-Z (I), the linkage sites between S and L and L and Z having covalently bound functional groups, wherein
M represents the magnetic core particle;
S represents a biocompatible substrate fixed to M;
L represents a linker group, and
Z represents a group comprised of nucleic acids, peptides or proteins or derivatives thereof, which group has at least one structure capable of specifically binding to a binding domain of an intracellular biomacromolecule.
The magnetic core particles consist of magnetite, maghemite, ferrites of general formula MeOxFe2O3 wherein Me is a bivalent metal such as cobalt, manganese, iron, or of cobalt, iron, nickel, iron carbide, or iron nitride. In a further development of the invention, the size of the core particles is from 2 to 100 nm.
In one embodiment of the invention, the substrate S is formed by compounds such as poly- or oligosaccharides or derivatives thereof, such as dextran, carboxymethyldextran, starch, dial-dehyde starch, chitin, alginate, cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, proteins or derivatives thereof, such as albumins, peptides, synthetic polymers, such as polyethyleneglycols, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneimine, polymethacrylates, bifunctional carboxylic acids and derivatives thereof, such as mercaptosuccinic acid or hydroxycarboxylic acids.
In another embodiment of the invention, the linker group L is formed by reaction of a compound such as poly- and dicarboxylic acids, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids, diamines, amino acids, peptides, proteins, lipids, lipoproteins, glycoproteins, lectins, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, oligonucleotides and alkylated derivatives thereof, and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, PNA) and alkylated derivatives thereof, present either in single-stranded or double-stranded form, which compound includes at least two identical or different functional groups.
In another exemplary variant of the invention, functional groups are provided as examples which, according to the invention, can be used as linkage groups for the substrate S, for the linker group L, and for group Z. It is crucial that compound (I) is characterized by covalent bonds.
The biochemically active compound of general formula S-L-Z (II) is excellently suited for producing the magnetic nanoparticles according to the invention.
The production of the magnetic nanoparticles is performed in steps. The magnetic core particles are produced in a per se known manner and, in a preferred variant, reacted directly with the biochemically active compound (II).
In another embodiment of the invention, the magnetic core particles are produced according to the following method:
a. producing the magnetic core particles in a per se known manner;
b. reacting the magnetic core particles with the biocompatible substrate S; and
c. reacting the compound M-S having formed with a compound L-Z;
wherein
in order to produce L-Z, a compound such as poly- and dicarboxylic acids, polyhydroxycarboxylic acids, diamines, amino acids, peptides, proteins, lipids, lipoproteins, glycoproteins, lectins, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, oligonucleotides and alkylated derivatives thereof, and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, PNA) and alkylated derivatives thereof, present either in single-stranded or double-stranded form, which compound includes at least two identical or different functional groups, is reacted with nucleic acids, peptides and/or proteins or derivatives thereof having at least one functional group and including at least one structure capable of specifically binding to a binding domain of an intracellular biomacromolecule.
The procedure for producing the biochemically active compound (II) is such that compound L-Z is produced first, and L-Z subsequently is reacted with the substrate S.
The nanoparticles according to the invention can be used in the separation of cells, in the separation of malignant cells, and in the separation of intracellular biomacromolecules. In particular, the fusion regions of chromosomes as molecular markers are intended to serve as points of attack for interaction with intracellular biomacromolecules. For example, these can be molecular markers typical for a particular disease. Furthermore, these fusion regions may lead to fusion genes producing fusion messenger ribonucleic acids (fusion mRNA) and fused proteins. The chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) may be mentioned as an example. In CML, a chromosomal rearrangement t(9;22) (q34;q11) occurs, the so-called Philadelphia chromosome which leads to the BCR/ABL gene product. That is, in cells with such a chromosomal aberration, a gene is present which occurs in no other body cell. This gene is transcribed to messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), resulting in the synthesis of the BCR/ABL protein. BCR/ABL mRNA and BCR/ABL protein exclusively occur in tumor cells. BCR/ABL mRNA is possible as binding domain for the magnetic nanoparticles. The Z group of the magnetic nanoparticles according to the invention is to interact with the complementary sequence on the mRNA via nucleic acid/nucleic acid interaction, said sequence being required to include the BCR/ABL fusion site. The individually specific sequence around the fusion site is determined previously using laboratory methods. The interaction is to take place in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. Once the magnetic nanoparticles have attached via the Z group to the complementary sequence on the BCR/ABL mRNA, the tumor cell is labelled.
Other exemplary cancers are mentioned below:
For these diseases, which merely represent a choice of possible diseases to be treated by therapy, the above procedure is used in analogy. For each disease, there is one typical base sequence which is unequivocally described by the following chromosomal sites. In these diseases as well, the Z group of the magnetic nanoparticles is to interact accordingly with the complementary sequence (binding domain) on the mRNA via nucleic acid/nucleic acid interaction. The number of all the precise base sequences for any possible disease is infinite; and for CML alone, more than 10 breakage regions have been described to date, and new ones are constantly being described.
The invention has various advantages. Firstly, the magnetic nanoparticles of the invention were found to have high biocompatibility in corresponding cell culture investigations. This enables safe application, and also, a purely extracorporeal application of the particles is possible within the scope of uses according to the invention. In contrast to existing separation methods using flow cytometry (FACS) and magnetic separation (MACS), the magnetic nanoparticles of the invention offer crucial advantages. By their use, it is possible to reach the interior of cells, the so-called cytoplasm, and effect specific binding of biomacromolecules with corresponding structures such as binding domains of nucleic acids. Likewise, proteins being formed upon appropriate translation are contemplated as target biomacromolecules for specific binding to the Z group of general formula (I). According to current knowledge, all of these malignant diseases are based on an aberrant genome in the cell. In a number of diseases, this molecular basis has already been defined. The fusion of existing genes to form so-called fusion genes results in an individually specific change in the base sequence which is specific both with respect to the basic disease and the respective patient. According to the invention and within the scope of this procedure, the altered genomic structure (binding domain) as specific binding counterpart of the Z group in (I) is defined at first, using molecular diagnostics. Thereafter, the Z group as specific binding counterpart of the binding domain is synthesized and subsequently put to clinical use. Furthermore, it should be noted that healthy cells as well have well-defined base sequences which are of interest as binding domains. Embryonic cells may serve as an example, which cells are present in any healthy organism and, being a prototype of cell type-specific gene expression, have a base sequence different from that of adult cells. These cellsxe2x80x94as well as malignant cellsxe2x80x94can be used as target objects in magnetic separation of intracellular biomacromolecules by specific binding of the Z group to intracellular nucleic acids. Thus, it is clear that separation of malignant cells is only one example among many others. In addition to removal from blood, the use on any other body fluid such as cerebrospinal fluid, lymph, urine, saliva, sperm, as well as dissociated tissues is possible.
The inventive use of magnetic nanoparticles will be illustrated in more detail once again, using the example of chronic myeloid leukemia.
For quite a long time, chronic myeloid leukemia is known to be based on a specific translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22, referred to as Philadelphia chromosome as a general term. However, molecular analyses in recent years have shown that even in one particular disease, a multiplicity of possible breakage sites, i.e., different fusion genes, are present which must be defined individually in each patient. Consequently, there is no way of offering a universal strategy for any patient suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia, but rather, the precise location of the breakage sites (binding domain) has to be defined first in the way as described above. Advantageously following appropriate characterization, the breakage sites are to be addressed specifically with the magnetic nanoparticles according to the invention. Now, the cells of the malignant clone can be labelled, followed by separation in the desired manner. In principle, this procedure is possible with all the other diseases. Solid tumors such as breast carcinoma or colon carcinoma are also increasingly understood in their molecular fundamentals. Hereditary forms of breast and intestinal cancers can be discerned from sporadic forms which still represent by far the largest number of cases. Again, using expression of particular gene patterns, malignant cells can be labelled and isolated in the desired form. In principle, extraction both from fluids and tissues is possible. At this point, it should be noted once again that no other magnetic nanoparticle allows performing such a specific procedure which represents a completely new way of utilizing binding of magnetic particles to biomacromolecules.

Magnetic nanoparticles having biochemical activity, method for the production thereof and their use

Abstract: This is accomplished by means of magnetic nanoparticles having biochemical activity, consisting of a magnetic core particle and an envelope layer fixed to the core particle, and including a compound of general formula M-S-L-Z (I), the linkage sites between S and L and L and Z having covalently bound functional groups, wherein

Abstract: M represents said magnetic core particle;

Abstract: L represents a linker group; and


A control unit coupled to a thermal therapy device, a compression therapy device and DVT therapy devices is provided. The thermal therapy device includes a fluid bladder for delivering hot and/or cold therapy to a patient. The compression therapy device includes an gas bladder for providing compression to a patient. The DVT therapy devices provide pulsed compression in coordination with the compression therapy device.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to medical therapy systems in general, including therapeutic cooling, heating, and compression systems used in association therewith, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a programmable, thermal therapy and external pneumatic compression for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Considerable medical attention has been given to the serious medical issue of Deep Vein Thrombosis ("DVT"). One approach to the prevention of DVT has been External Pneumatic Compressions ("EPC"). EPC has been shown to be helpful as a prophylaxis for DVT, although refinements over existing systems are still in need. For example, multiple articles have been written addressing this issue, including a compilation of recommendations for preventing DVT (Heit J A: Current Recommendations for Prevention of Deep Venous Thrombosis. In: Handbook of Venous Disorders. Gloviczki P, Yao J S, eds. Cambridge, The University Press, 1996). Engineering studies are presented which also address EPC as a preventative for DVT (Kamm R D: Bioengineering Studies of Periodic External Compression as Prophylaxis Against Deep Vein Thrombosis—Part 1: Numerical Studies. J Biomech Engineering 104(1): 87-95, 1982). Such efforts are meritorious for patient health due to possible Pulmonary Embolism ("PE") resulting from DVT (National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement: Prevention of Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism. JAMA 6(2) 744-749, 1986). Additionally, studies have been performed relative to DVT and orthopedic surgery ("OS") (Westrich G H, Sculco T P: Prophylaxis Against Deep Vein Thrombosis After Total Knee Arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg 78-A(6): 826-834, 1996).
Relative to OS, physicians have long recognized the need to provide warmth and cooling directly to patients as part of OS therapy. Better recoveries have been reported, for example, using cold therapy for orthopedic patients. The benefits of warming patients undergoing surgery has also been demonstrated. It may also be desirable to cool portions of a patient's anatomy in certain circumstances. Yet another advantageous therapy is the application of heat then cold to certain injured areas. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,285 (the '285 Patent) assigned to Thermotek, Inc. and incorporated herein by reference.
Several devices have been developed that deliver temperature-controlled fluids through pads or convective thermal blankets to achieve the above thermal purpose. Typically these devices have a heating or a cooling element, a source for the fluid, a pump for forcing the fluid through the pad or blanket, and a thermal interface between the patient and the temperature-controlled fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,304 to Elkins is directed to a mattress-cover device that contains liquid flow channels that provide the selective heating or cooling by conduction.
Devices have also been developed for providing heat to a person in bed. Electric blankets containing electric heating elements have been used for years to warm a person in bed. Cooling blankets, such as the blanket disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,388 to Greene, have also been proposed. Greene discloses a cooling cover having an inflatable pad with plenum chambers at opposite ends thereof. Cool gas is generated in a separate unit and directed to the pad and out a number of apertures on the underside of the pad and against the body of the person using the cover.
A disposable heating or cooling blanket that has three layers of flexible sheeting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,238 to Ragan, et al. Two of the layers form an gas chamber and the third includes a comfortable layer for contact with the patient. Conditioned gas is directed toward the covered person through a multiplicity of orifices in the bottom layers of the blanket.
The temperature-controlled blanket and bedding assembly disclosed in the '285 Patent includes a temperature-controlled blanket and temperature-controlled bedding system that provide both recirculating temperature-controlled fluid and temperature-controlled gas to enhance performance for convectively heating or cooling a patient. Counter-flow or co-flow heat-exchanging principles between the temperature-controlled liquid and the temperature-controlled gas achieve temperature uniformity across different sections of the blanket and the bedding system. Drapes and the temperature-controlled bedding system provide a temperature-controlled envelope around a person using the bedding system. In one embodiment of the bedding system, an gas portion of the bedding system is provided that supplies a fluid portion of the overall bedding system. In another embodiment of the bedding system, the fluid portion of the bedding system is provided for use with a patient bed that supplies the gas portion of the overall bedding system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,829 to Quisenberry describes an improved temperature-controlled fluid-circulating system for automatically cooling a temperature-controlled fluid in a thermal blanket with a thermoelectric-cooling device having a cold side and a hot side when powered by electricity. The temperature-controlled fluid is cooled by a cold side of the cooling device and is pumped through, to, and from the blanket through first and second conduits.

Method and system for thermal and compression therapy relative to the prevention of deep vein thrombosis


Methods for reducing and eliminating carbon dioxide from the emissions of solid fuel fired power plants, particularly coal fired power plants, and to sequester the carbon dioxide, typically by using existing equipment. In some embodiments, the methods involve pyrolyzing the solid fuel to remove volatile matter and using the volatile matter to produce hydrogen. Additionally, the methods may involve burning the solid fuel or pyrolized solid fuel at very fuel rich stoichiometric conditions. Sequestration may include the production of a carbon dioxide-containing solution and the pumping of the solution into the ground, particularly in areas high in limestone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for producing hydrogen and for removing and sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) from coal-fired furnaces and boilers.
2. Description of Related Art
Carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the so-called greenhouse gases, is produced during the combustion of fossil fuels, especially coal, in furnaces and power plants. Recent scientific studies have shown that emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, which include methane (CH4), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx), can have a significant effect on climate change. The prospect of climate change caused, at least in part, by emission of CO2 and other greenhouse gases has led to international concern and to international treaties, such as the Kyoto Protocol. At the time of writing, the Kyoto Protocol has been approved but has not gone into effect because of some international resistance.
The Kyoto Protocol specifies that the industrialized nations of the world are to reduce CO2 emissions to 7% below 1990 levels. In addition to that requirement, the Kyoto Protocol allows "emission trading," under which countries with higher emission levels of greenhouse gases can buy "emission credits" from countries that are not emitting their allotted levels of greenhouse gases. Various "emission trading" schemes have also been in use within the United States for some time.
Because of the national and international concern, power producers have been attempting to reduce the levels of CO2 produced by power plants, particularly coal-fired power plants. Many newer power plants are combined cycle plants fired by natural gas, which produce significantly less CO2. However, because of the relative abundance of coal in the United States and the fact that there have been significant construction delays in building new gas fired power plants, methods to reduce the emission of coal-fired plants are needed.
Some methods have been proposed for sequestering the CO2 produced by coal fired and other power plants. One method for CO2 sequestration involves reacting the CO2 with large quantities of metal oxides, particularly calcium oxide and magnesium oxide, then burying the resulting carbonates. This method requires a large and continuous supply of minerals in order to sequester CO2. Another proposed method involves removing the CO2 from the combustion gas at the power plant, compressing it, shipping it by pipeline to a peridotite or serpentinite mine for conversion to a carbonate, and then burying it at the mine site. However, shipment of compressed CO2 may be a materials handling problem, because CO2, which is heavier than air, will stay close to the ground if it is accidentally released during transit, and can thus pose a danger to life. Additionally, availability of mines may be a problem. Other methods involve compression of CO2 and injection into the sea.
In general, these methods for sequestering CO2 do not take into account the overall efficiency of the power plant, which may be reduced by up to 30% if they are implemented, nor do they take into account certain economic considerations. In order for a method for reducing CO2 emissions to be desirable, it should be lower in cost, and it should not damage the interests of current power stakeholders, or it may be blocked from implementation.
Some work has been done on new power cycles for coal power plants. For example, a zero emissions coal fired power plant can incorporate the above-described mineral sequestration method for CO2 with a different power cycle. It consists of a coal gasification step that produces CH4, H2, and CO2, followed by a carbonation step that uses CH4 and H2 and uses CaO to capture the CO2. The hydrogen "fires" a fuel cell. The CO2 is sequestered either by the mineral process or by injection in other geologic sites, such as depleted oil wells or coalmines or saline aquifers or the ocean. The CaO is calcined from mined mineral. However, one of the key technical development issues with this proposed method is a fuel cell that is tolerant of sulfur compounds released by the coal gasification, and, as such, the fuel cell may be more difficult to develop than fuel cells fired with methane, i.e., natural gas (although natural gas also contains minute quantities of sulfur). Another issue is the possibility of inefficient heat transfer between many steps in this complex system, which may sharply reduce the feasibility of this cycle. Additionally, since no large central station power plants with methane fuel cells are in existence, the probability of developing even a full scale prototype plant for this much more complicated coal fired system in the near future is very small, and the possibility of building enough power plants of this type to meaningfully reduce CO2 emissions is even smaller.

Production of hydrogen and removal and sequestration of carbon dioxide from coal-fired furnaces and boilers


The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions containing omega-3 oil and a non-hydrophilic co-solvent that have an increased absorption rate. The pharmaceutical compositions may further contain one or more pharmaceutical organic molecules. The invention further provides kits containing these pharmaceutical compositions, methods for formulating pharmaceutical compositions containing omega-3 oil, and methods for decreasing the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, decreasing triglyceride or LDL cholesterol levels, decreasing pain or inflammation, treating diabetes, chronic pulmonary diseases, or irritable bowel syndrome, decreasing symptoms of an autoimmune disease or allergic conditions.

Omega-3 oil is widely regarded as having certain therapeutic benefits primarily associated with cardiovascular disease. As the scientific community has become more comfortable with the safety and efficacy of omega-3 oils, the recommended daily dose has risen from less than a gram per day to over 8 grams per day. Omega-3 oils are essentially non-toxic and doses exceeding 20 grams per day have been taken over prolonged dosing periods without side effects. As high doses and high concentrations of omega-3 oils are required for therapeutic benefit, processes to enhance the absorption of omega-3 oil, to decrease the absorption time, and to increase the maximum peak concentration achieved in human blood are desired.
Desirable omega-3 oil compositions must contain high concentrations of the established active therapeutic fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 oil compositions should also be rapidly absorbed so that EPA and DHA can compete effectively with other fatty acids (e.g., omega-6 fatty acids) for integration and storage in cell membranes and in tissue triglyceride storage forms, which later are broken down to provide free EPA and DHA. Current practice suggests the use of liquid formulations containing, minimally 3.5 grams of active oil (combined EPA and DHA) in a reasonable volume for ingestion (e.g., 10 mL). For patients to comply with a once-a-day regime, the oil must have an acceptable taste and induce little or no nausea, intestinal discomfort, or regurgitation.
Based on current literature, the optimal dose of EPA and DHA is approximately 4 grams per day given at a single dosing. It is difficult to ingest enough gel capsules to achieve this dosage. Compliance and swallowing difficulties limit the ability of many patients from consistently taking an amount of omega-3 oil sufficient to elicit a therapeutic effect. High grade liquid oils are available that allow patients to take these quantities of oils, but the dose volume, taste, and costs are negative factors. Costs become prohibitive when chemically-altered or refined omega-3 oils from the natural state are used. The weakness in the available oil products is that these compositions have not been optimized for absorption.
High grade omega-3 oils, such as Maine Natural Health's OmegaMaine product lines, Nordic Naturals liquid formulations, and Carlsson liquid omega-3 product, are presently available. Of these products, Maine Natural Health's product is the only product that can deliver 3.5 grams of active combined EPA and DHA in a volume as little as 10 mL. Reducing the volume of the unit dose required for therapeutic benefit will increase patient compliance (especially in patients having dysphagia). The optimal unit dosage may be dispensed in an easy to administer volume, e.g., 2 teaspoons or 10 mL. Despite the high quality of omega-3 oil contained within these products, the absorption efficiencies (time to maximum plasma concentration, t1/2 for absorption) of the products are not optimal. It is desirable to achieve high initial plasma concentrations to optimize the incorporation of the active omega-3 oils into cell membrane lipid bilayers and triglyceride stores.
The other marketed omega-3 products are also not optimized for absorption. Omacor or Lovaza is the only FDA-approved ethyl ester derivative of EPA. It is prescribed for patients with very high triglycerides and is administered in four large gel caps on a daily basis. When taken by oral ingestion, these large gel caps are dissolved (dissolution rate dependent step), de-esterified to fatty acids, and then absorbed. The conditions for dissolution and absorption are not optimal for these products, and thus, the efficiency of integration into cell membranes and triglyceride storage forms is not optimal.
Dietary supplements containing omega-3 oils, formulated as both gel caps and liquid formulations, are also available. The gel caps are inferior to Lovaza/Omacor (described above) and also suffer from a reduced efficiency of absorption. Thus, compositions containing omega-3 oils with improved efficiency of absorption are needed.

Compositions containing omega-3 oil and uses thereof


A method and computer program product for an automated source code scanner that focuses on a custom-written code and business processes. A core scanning module receives source code as a plaintext from a pre-determined port and compares the source code against a pre-created pattern database. The results of the comparison are exported for further use and analysis in a form that indicates a location of the found match and a short description of the pattern that matched the source code. The source code scanner can work with multiple programming languages. The source code scanner can be easily adjusted for any additional languages. The scanner core also contains a tool for pattern database maintenance that allows the user to remove or edit current patterns as needed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to code scanning and, more specifically, to a method and computer program product for scanning the source code for pre-defined patterns.
2. Background Art
A typical enterprise in a public sector, as well as enterprises in the banking sector, often uses several programs that are custom-written internally by in-house developers or outside contractors. Most of these programs have no external connection, and, as a result, are rarely audited in their entirety. These programs generally deal with business processes, and, as such, are rarely manually audited, since such an audit is expensive and would stop all internal processes for weeks. Yet, a developer can insert a backdoor access code, hardcoded passwords and other login and authentication data in a form of a malicious code injection into the source code. Thus, the developer can gain access to some resources and bank accounts using the custom code he had written. Therefore, the code needs to be checked. However, manual analysis of hundreds of thousands of lines of code would take a long time. During this time the business processes would have to be interrupted. Note that code audit has to be performed by a third party and not by the developing team that produced the code.
Code parsers are computer programs that can perform syntax analysis of the code. However, the conventional code parsers do not detect most of the vulnerabilities created by dishonest developers. Furthermore, the conventional parsers do not parse the executable code on-the-fly. Conventional scanners scan for potential vulnerabilities that are introduced by careless developers, rather than malicious ones. As such, better-hidden vulnerabilities are ignored by conventional scanners by design.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an automated scanning solution that provides the enterprises with an ability to scan the code of their business process software without freezing the business processes for a long period of time.

Automated source code scanner for backdoors and other pre-defined patterns


A structure for locking a display case door including a door handle, a pair of support members supporting the end portions of the handle, a lower support member of which has a through hole, and a locking piece extendably and retractably below the lower support member and having a through hole capable of facing the through hole of the lower support member so that an arm of a lock can be inserted through the both through holes. Since the locking piece can be positioned below and within the lower support member, it does not become any obstruction to the customers. A structure for treating dew drops dropped from a door of a display case including a tray for catching the dropped dew drops, a dew drops scattering inhibitor plate on the front portion of the tray, and a guide path on the rear portion of the tray and sloped down toward a machine room. The dropped dew drops are prevented from being scattered by the inhibitor plate and the collected water quickly and efficiently guided into the machine room by the sloped guide path. A structure for easily attaching without screws a packing support plate to a display case frame at a door position wherein the display case frame has grooves at least on its both inner side surfaces and the packing support plate has flange portions to be inserted into the grooves.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates among other things to structures for a door portion and its vicinity of a display case such as a structure for locking a door of the display case, structures for suppressing the bedewing on the door portion, structures for treating dew drops dropped from the door and the water collected from the dropped dew drops and structures for attaching a packing support plate on the door portion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional display case, for example, a display case for displaying refrigerated or frozen foods, has various problems with door structure and adjacent portion.
Firstly, the conventional display case has a structure for locking a door of the display case, for example, as shown in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12, a display case 101 has a goods removal opening 102 and a door 103 to open and close the opening. A locking piece 104 having a through hole 104a is attached to the lower surface of a frame 105 of door 103 via a screw 106. Another locking piece 107 having a through hole 107a is attached to an appropriate fixed portion of display case 101 below locking piece 104. Door 103 when closed is locked by inserting an arm 108a of a lock 108, such as a padlock. In such a structure for locking door 103, however, since both locking pieces 104 and 107 project out from display case 101, the customer's clothes often catch on the locking pieces or the tips of the locking pieces jab the customer.
There is another problem with the conventional structure shown in FIG. 12. Door frame 105 is usually constructed from a ferrous material. Since ferrous material has a high thermal conductivity, door frame 105 is cooled as is the inside of display case 101 when the display case is built in a refrigerator-freezer display case unit. As a result, abt dew forms on the front surface of door frame 105. Moreover, since a handle 109 usually attached to door frame 105 is also cooled by the door frame having a high thermal conductivity, it is uncomfortable for the customer to touch the handle to open or shut door 103.
There is another problem that the dew drops forming on door 103 drop down from the lower surface of the door onto and collect on the floor. To remedy this problem, a catch tray has been provided below the display case door as is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication SHO 62-143175. However, particularly when the distance between the lower surface of the door and the tray is great, the dew drops dropping onto the tray are likely to splash in front of the display case. Further, it is desirable for the conventional tray to quickly and efficiently direct the dew drop water on the tray into a machine room which is usually provided below the display case, especially when a large amount of the water collects, as when it is humid.
Furthermore, there is a problem with the structure which attaches the packing support plate on the door portion. The packing support plate supports a packing provided for sealing the inside of a showcase at a portion of a door, and the packing support plate is usually screwed to a display case frame defining a goods removal opening of the display case. In such a conventional attachment structure of the packing support plate, however, since a tool such as a screwdriver is required for attaching the plate, much time is needed to attach or exchange the plate.


A system for measuring fatigue of a component of an aircraft subject to mechanical stresses includes: a plurality of stress sensors mounted on the component, each sensor being configured to detect a predetermined mechanical stress threshold and to deliver a data signal representative of exceeding of the threshold; and a mechanism for recording the data and the sensors configured to detect different stress thresholds so as to make it possible to calculate, on the basis of the data recorded by the system, an estimation of fatigue of the component due to the mechanical stresses. It is thus possible to optimize overhaul of the components.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system and a method for measuring fatigue for mechanical components of an aircraft, for example an airplane, and a method for maintaining the aircraft.
Safety rules require airlines to monitor the fatigue of the components of the aircraft that they operate, these components being subjected to a large number of mechanical stresses (or loads). The components are therefore the subject of an overhaul (or maintenance) in a regular and recurrent manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, the components for suspending the turbojets from the airplanes are subjected to strict inspections. Each overhaul of a suspension makes it necessary to stop the operation of the airplane and to remove the suspension in order to carry out the tests. The frequency of the overhauls is determined in advance and an overhaul is carried out systematically on expiration of each preset time period (for example every 2600 flight cycles (takeoff-flight-landing)), irrespective of the real state of fatigue of the component. So as not to take the risk of carrying out an overhaul too long after the appearance of a state of fatigue requiring an intervention such as a repair or a replacement, this time period must be chosen (by computation or empirically) as being the minimum period beyond which there is a risk that the component will break, even if this risk remains statistically marginal. This minimum period therefore corresponds to the situations of the components subjected to accidental stresses; accordingly, many overhauls are carried out on components that could have been used without danger for longer since they have not been subjected to accidental stresses. Finally, in the absence of analysis of the real stresses to which a component has been subjected, the worst case scenario is always taken with respect to the possible damaging of the latter, which leads to overhauls that are often premature.
Moreover, and for safety reasons, the components are used for a shorter period than they could actually be, so that they do not achieve periods of use during which the risk of breakage exceeds a certain threshold. Again, in the absence of analysis of real conditions of use of the components, criteria are chosen that correspond to the worst case scenarios and it is for this reason that conventionally in the aeronautics field a component is replaced halfway through its theoretical service life, irrespective of its real state of fatigue. The final effective profitability of the components (the ratio of the effective usage period of the component over its theoretical capacity) is therefore of the order of 50%, which it would be desirable to improve.
Moreover, because of the frequent overhauls (making it necessary to remove the suspension from an airplane and then to reinstall it on an airplane that is a priori different) and different service lives of the various components of an airplane, the monitoring of the service life of a suspension is complex. In particular, it may happen that the serial number etched on a metal suspension wears off over time; in this case, not being able to refer to its history and in order to take no risk, the estimate of its period of use must be made with the most pessimistic assumptions, for example considering that this suspension was installed in the first airplane fitted with this type of suspension and has flown continuously since then; in practice, the use of the component has been less than this pessimistic notional assumption such that the suspension will be replaced too soon.
Moreover, although there currently exist indirect indicators of the fatigue of suspensions, they can only be approximate and provide uncertain information. Thus, in order to estimate the state of fatigue of a suspension, data are sometimes used that are measured by the inertial unit of the airplane which determines whether the airplane has been subjected to exceptional stresses such as a hard landing; accordingly, a computation of load transfers from the inertial unit to the component is carried out. Nevertheless, although a hard landing may indeed impose exceptional loads on a suspension, it is not systematically the case and one may be induced to overhaul a suspension when the landing has not actually stressed the suspension, for example because the forces have been absorbed and have not been transmitted to the suspension.
The prior art has not truly dealt with the question of measuring the fatigue in order to anticipate the overhauls; it has rather concentrated on detecting the breakage of components, such as for example in patent application FR 2,923,540 in the name of the Applicant.

System and method for measuring fatigue for mechanical components of an aircraft and aircraft maintenance method


A female terminal includes an electric contact portion that has a cylindrical box portion and an elastic contact spring disposed in the inner part of the box portion. An abutment portion of the metal plate is disposed on the upper wall portion of the box portion, and an indent is formed, from the outside of the box portion, at the upper wall portion having the abutment portion disposed thereon. A projection portion is provided at the inside of the box portion, and an apex of the projection portion is made to be a contact portion with respect to the male terminal.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a female terminal which is preferable for being used in a waterproof connector with a mat seal (also referred to as a waterproof rubber stopper).
2. Background Art
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of a waterproof connector with a mat seal described in JP-A-2000-208200.
The waterproof connector is configured such that a mat seal 120 made of a thick plate shaped elastic body (a rubber plate) is attached to a rear end of a connector housing 110, a mat seal cover 130 which is made of a hard resin and is adapted to press the mat seal 120, is attached to a rear side of the mat seal 120, and female terminals 140 are inserted into respective terminal containing chambers of the connector housing 110 through terminal insertion holes 122 of the mat seal 120 and through-holes 132 of the mat seal cover 130. After the terminals are inserted thereinto, an inner periphery lip of the terminal insertion holes 122 of the mat seal 120 are brought into intimate contact with outer peripheries of electric wires extending from the terminals, and thereby gaps between the electric wires and the connector housing 110 are sealed.
In those kinds of waterproof connectors, in general, a rectangular shaped female terminal of which, at a front portion, the box portion for receiving male terminals is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape is usually used. However, in a case where the rectangular shaped female terminal is inserted into the circular terminal insertion hole 122 of the mat seal 120, the mat seal 120 is possibly scratched by a corner existing on the box portion.
With this, it is discussed that a circular female terminal of which the box portion is formed in a circular cylindrical shape is used. However, a problem may arise that the circular female terminal hardly ensures contact stability with a male terminal.
In passing, as a related example of a circular female terminal, one as shown in FIG. 6 is known. The female terminal 200 is described in JP-A-9-185970, and is formed of a terminal body 210 and a circular cylindrical sleeve 220 which is adapted to cover a front portion of the terminal body 210. A double forked spring piece 211 for receiving and clipping an inserted male terminal is provided at the front portion of the terminal body 210. An introduction portion 212 having a shape opened to the outside so as to readily receive the male terminal is formed on a tip portion of the double forked spring piece 211.
In the related female terminal 200 shown in FIG. 6, the double forked spring piece 211 is formed on the terminal body 210 so as to hold a male terminal of a mating connector therebetween, and it is necessary to fit, from the rear side, the sleeve 220 separately formed with the terminal body 210. Accordingly, while the contact stability with the male terminal can be improved, problems may arise that the structure is complicated (composed of two components) and the cost is increased.


A novel solution to generate an optimal spatial placement map of Radio Frequency (RF) beacons, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons, which can be used for indoor localization. A described embodiment solves for both generating optimal number of beacons required in a given environment and optimizing their location. The solution also incorporates behavior of RF signal due to various environmental factors such as signal reflection and absorption due to static and dynamic obstacles. In one embodiment, the framework is built upon Genetic Algorithm (GA) for optimization of beacon placement. The experimental results achieved using one implementation of the described method reduced the number of beacons by 50% as compared to beacons placed using expert knowledge. Furthermore, the overall localization error increased by ˜0.4 m when the results using the RF/BLE map generated by the described system were compared with the RF/BLE map generated using expert knowledge.

Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments relate in general to localization and tracking systems and methods and, more specifically, to system and method for optimizing placement and number of Radio Frequency (RF) beacons, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons, to achieve better indoor localization.
Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication technologies being widespread and ubiquitous have been studied extensively as a solution to indoor positioning systems described in Y. Gu, A. Lo, and I. Niemegeers, "A survey of indoor positioning systems for wireless personal networks," IEEE Commun. Surv. Tutor., vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 13-32, First 2009. Various solutions using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) including M. G. Jadidi, M. Patel, and J. V. Miro, "Gaussian processes online observation classification for RSSI-based low-cost indoor positioning systems," in Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2017 IEEE International Conference on, 2017, pp. 6269-6275 and R. Faragher and R. Harle, "Location Fingerprinting With Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons," IEEE J. Sel. Areas Commun., vol. 33, no. 11, pp. 2418-2428, November 2015, have been proposed which uses Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) available from BLE beacons installed in a given environment. In indoor environments, the radio signals are severely impacted due to shadowing and multi-pathing effects, which make the data noisier. In order to receive better RSSI signal from BLEs, they are placed in locations where RSSI signals are available through Line-Of-Sight (LOS) thereby going through minimal multi-pathing. Scaling BLE based indoor positioning becomes a challenging problem as it involves placing beacons at the optimal location to get a high level of localization accuracy. In most of the indoor positioning systems described above, beacons are manually placed using expert knowledge who understands signal behavior due to various environmental conditions. Hence placing BLE beacons optimally has been explored by research experts in sensors networks and robotics community. The optimal BLE map is a function of different parameters such as the number of beacons, the signal broadcast frequency, transmission power, indoor environment, and the required localization accuracy.
Therefore, in view of the aforesaid limitations of the conventional technology, new and improved systems and methods are needed for optimizing placement and number of RF/BLE beacons to achieve better indoor localization.

System and method for optimizing placement and number of radio-frequency beacons to achieve better indoor localization


In one aspect, a device may include at least one processor and storage accessible to the at least one processor. The storage may include instructions executable by the at least one processor to categorize a first image into one of a work category and a non-work category. Based on the first image being categorized into the work category, the instructions may be executable to present the first image on a display while the device is disposed at a first location associated with the work category. Based on the first image being categorized into the non-work category, the instructions may be executable to present the first image on the display while the device is disposed at a second location associated with the non-work category.

As recognized herein, users might accidentally share digital photographs taken with their smart phones that are personal in nature while they at work, and that are professional in nature while they are not at work. This is in part due to the fact that many devices electronically store photographs indiscriminately in mere sequential order based on date. As also recognized herein, not only is this frustrating and inconvenient, but it can lead to personal photographs being shown while at work that are unsuitable or inappropriate to be shown to co-workers, such as photographs of the user's family or a weekend adventure that the user took. As further recognized herein, sensitive work data reflected in photographs might also be exposed when work photographs are unintentionally shown to people that are not co-workers of the user. There are currently no adequate solutions to the foregoing computer-related, technological problem related to electronic storage and presentation of photographs.


A variable value calculating process includes: measuring a propagation time of the propagation of an ultrasound wave through a measurement sector inside a housing; obtaining a temperature calculated value on the basis of the measured value of the propagation time and a reference distance for the measurement sector; obtaining a temperature measured value by measuring the temperature inside the housing; and obtaining a temperature replacement fluctuation value indicating a difference between the temperature calculated value and the temperature measured value. The variable value calculating process is executed for each of a plurality of temperature conditions under which the temperature of a reference gas inside the housing differs. A temperature compensation table in which the temperature of a gas to be measured is associated with a temperature compensation value relating to the temperature is obtained on the basis of the temperature replacement fluctuation values obtained under each temperature condition.

Research and development have been broadly conducted on fuel cell vehicles operated with electric power supplied from a fuel cell. The fuel cell generates electric power through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Typically, hydrogen is supplied as a fuel to the fuel cell, and oxygen is extracted from ambient air into the fuel cell. The fuel cell vehicles are equipped with a hydrogen tank, and hydrogen is supplied from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell. When the amount of hydrogen within the hydrogen tank becomes smaller, hydrogen is supplied from a hydrogen supply device installed in a service station to the hydrogen tank in the fuel cell vehicle.
Because hydrogen is a flammable gas, it is necessary for the fuel cell vehicles and the hydrogen supply devices to be monitored to detect leakage of hydrogen. For this purpose, hydrogen concentration measuring apparatuses have been broadly utilized along with the fuel cell vehicles and the hydrogen supply devices. The hydrogen concentration measuring apparatuses have functions of measuring a concentration of hydrogen contained in air and outputting an alarm when the concentration of hydrogen exceeds a predetermined value.
The below-listed Patent Documents 1 and 2 describe apparatuses for measuring a concentration of a specified gas. The apparatuses described in the patent literature measure the concentration of the specified gas based on propagation characteristics of an ultrasonic wave, such as a propagation velocity of the ultrasonic wave traveling through air to be measured, and may be used for measuring the concentration of hydrogen.

Gas concentration measuring device and method of calibrating same


A mobile communication system includes a first base station which defines a first cell and a second base station which defines a second cell. In this mobile communication system, when communication conditions of a first mobile station currently radio-linked to the first or second base station have degraded, then the first base station stores identification information of a second mobile station currently radio-linked to the first base station and causes the second mobile station to hand over to the second cell, and thereafter changes a first radio frequency currently used in the first cell to a second radio frequency and sends the second base station a message that carries identification information of the second mobile station and information indicating the second radio frequency. When the message is received, the second base station causes the second mobile station to hand over to the first cell.

In recent years, a base station having a small communication coverage area of up to several tens of meters in radius has been developed, and is referred to as a femto base station. A base station having a wide communication coverage area (for example, ranging from several hundred meters to a dozen or so kilometers in radius) is referred to as a macro base station.
By installing such a femto base station in a place where radiowaves from the macro base station are difficult to reach, the communication coverage area of a mobile station such as a mobile phone can be expanded. Further, when a large number of femto base stations are installed, the number of mobile stations connected to one particular base station can be reduced. Since this serves to increase the amount of radio resources to be allocated to each mobile station, the communication speed increases, and as a result, better communication service can be provided to the user of the mobile station.
Further, by installing a femto base station at a user's premises and allocating a private channel to a specific user, it is possible to provide a communication service that allows the specific user to monopolize that channel.
When installing a femto base station, the radio frequency that the femto base station uses is chosen to be as different as possible from the radio frequency used by any macro base station located in the neighborhood of the femto base station, in order to prevent the occurrence of radiowave interference in the area where the femto base station is installed. However, in a place such as an apartment complex where many femto base stations are installed within a limited area, it may be difficult to set the radio frequency of each femto base station so as to avoid possible radiowave interference. Furthermore, depending on the congestion in a macro cell defined by the macro base station to cover the area of the femto base station, radiowave interference may easily occur. Further, if the radio frequency of any given femto base station is chosen so as not to cause radiowave interference, there are still cases where radiowave interference occurs during the operation of the femto base station. For example, when the mobile station currently radio-linked to the macro base station moves around or moves toward the femto base station, the radiowave conditions may change. In such cases, radiowave interference occurs at the mobile station or at one or the other of the base stations.
If such radiowave interference occurs, the quality of the radiowave received at the mobile station or at the base station degrades, and the mobile station or the base station may not be able to reproduce the received radiowave signal. This may result in a disconnection of the radio link between the mobile station and the base station, or may reduce communication throughput or cause a degradation in the quality of the voice received by the mobile station.
In view of the above, technologies for reducing such radiowave interference have been proposed in the prior art (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H09-247079). In one such prior art example, when radiowave interference occurs at a mobile station connected to a micro cell base station due to a radiowave being emitted from another mobile station connected to a macro cell base station, the mobile station experiencing the interference is handed off to a frequency band different from the currently used frequency band. Alternatively, the mobile station is handed off between the macro cell defined by the macro base station and the micro cell defined by the micro base station.

Mobile communication system, radio apparatus, and radio frequency change method


A steering wheel in which a load exerted on an elastic member constituting a dynamic damper can be reduced, the life of the dynamic damper can be extended, and the assembly operation is readily performed. The steering wheel has a first horn plate (11), a second horn plate (21), guide pins (12), stoppers (13), bushes (14), elastic members (15), and coil springs (16); the bushes (14) are divided into first bushes (141) which have first flanges (14a), openings (14b), columnar parts (14c); and recessed parts (14d), and second bushes (142) which have second flanges (14e), openings (140, and casings (14h); and the columnar parts (14c) are configured so as to be in contact with the second flanges (14e).

One known example of a steering wheel for steering a vehicle such as automobile has a main body assembled on a steering shaft for converting a rotating action to a steering action and a pad disposed approximately in the center of the main body, wherein the pad is assembled on the main body in a manner that allows the pad to move in the axial direction of the steering shaft, and a horn switch is configured between the main body and the pad (see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 4-262965 and 2009-202859, for example).
The assembly structure of this steering wheel comprises, for example, a first horn plate fixed in place on the main body, guide pins placed upright on the first horn plate, a stoppers disposed on the distal end of the guide pin, a second horn plate fixed in place on the pad and disposed in a manner that allows the second horn plate to slide along the guide pin, a coil spring which is disposed along the guide pin and which biases the second horn plate in a direction which brings the second horn plate in contact with the stopper, and an elastic member disposed between the coil spring and the second horn plate.
A dynamic damper is configured by placing the elastic member between the coil spring and the horn plate as described above. The dynamic damper regulates the characteristic frequency of the pad as an element of mass to negate and damp the vibration transmitted from the main body by the resonance of the pad.