An air handling system (1) for a land transport vehicle, in particular a railway vehicle (M) is disclosed. The system includes: one or more air handling units (2) distributed within the vehicle (M); a cooling machine (4) that supplies frigories to the air handling units; and a frigories storage unit (8) that is capable of being loaded by the cooling machine and of supplying frigories to the air handling units when the vehicle is travelling in an enclosed or partially enclosed space. When the vehicle (M) is travelling in the open air, the cooling machine (4) supplies frigories to the air handling units (2) and loads the frigories storage unit (8) if a surplus of frigories is produced, by discharging into the exterior of the vehicle (M) the heat extracted from an interior volume of the vehicle.

In railway vehicles, it is a known practice to install air handling systems, in particular air conditioning, including air handling units in each passenger compartment and a cooling machine for producing frigories, that is to say, negative heat energy which is capable of cooling an environment by extracting the heat from the interior of the vehicle, and discharging it into the exterior of the vehicle.
During the passage of vehicles through enclosed areas, such as tunnels, the discharging of heat into the exterior of the vehicle causes a heating of the air in the tunnels, which brings about a steady increase in the temperature in the tunnels.
In order to solve this problem, it is a known practice, in particular from the documents WO-2005/014365 and WO-2005/025959, to equip railway vehicles with storage units for storing frigories, for example in the form of ice or liquid maintained at a predetermined temperature in order to supply the cold source necessary for the air conditioning of the vehicle during its passing through a tunnel without operationally implementing the cooling machine and thus discharging the heat into the tunnel.
In the document WO-A-2005/014365, the frigories storage unit needs to be refilled regularly in particular with ice, while in the document WO-A-2005/025 959, the material that is used for storing frigories is ice produced during the time the vehicle is travelling in the open air with the help of a specific production unit by using in particular chemical products such as glycol.
Such technical solutions have the disadvantage of involving cumbersome frigories storage units that are not practical, and require regular refilling with specific products, that are used to produce the cold for cooling when passing through tunnels.

Air handling system for a land transport vehicle, vehicle comprising such a system and air handling method


A powered device includes a powerhead unit and an attachment unit selectively attachable to and powered by the powerhead unit. The powerhead unit includes a motor, a first shaft segment having a first driveshaft segment coupled to the motor, and a first connecting portion attached to the first shaft segment. The attachment unit includes an operational unit configured to be driven by the motor, a second shaft segment having a second driveshaft segment coupled to the operational unit, and a second connecting portion attached to the second shaft segment for coupling to the first connecting portion. One of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion defines an axial opening having a keyway and includes a button having a hook portion. The other of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion defines a slot and includes a key.

Powered devices, such as outdoor tools (e.g., a trimmer, an edger, a pole saw, etc.), power tools, etc., may include an elongated shaft assembly extending between a powerhead unit and a powered attachment unit. The shaft assembly may include a number of separate shaft segments, which can be coupled and decoupled, for example, for shipping, storage, exchange of attachment units, etc.


A power control method and apparatus for a wind power generator. The power control method comprises: predicting, according to historical wind resource data, wind resource data within a predetermined future time period (S10); estimating, according to the remaining design lifetime of a wind power generator, the maximum design lifetime allowed to be consumed within the predetermined future time period (S20); determining, according to the predicted wind resource data and the estimated maximum design lifetime, optimal output powers of the wind power generator in respective wind velocity ranges within the predetermined future time period (S30); and controlling operation of the wind power generator according to the determined optimal output powers of the wind power generator in the respective wind velocity ranges within the predetermined future time period (S40).

As global energy crisis becomes more apparent, developing renewable energy becomes a major action in energy development strategies of countries around the world. Wind power generation is a widely studied renewable energy source because wind energy has characteristics of huge reserves, renewable, widely distributed and pollution-free in the world.
A wind turbine usually follows the principle of optimizing its power generation capacity under standard wind parameters when determining a power curve during a design phase. During time operation of the wind turbine, power control is generally performed based on the power curve determined at the design phase. However, wind parameters in an actual wind farm are significantly different from the standard wind parameters. Therefore, the existing power control method cannot consider both the safety and economics for wind turbine operation.

Power control method and apparatus for wind power generator

BEIJING GOLDWIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.


A cryptographic system creates a key table from a single key such that the relationship between the keys in the key table cannot be determined even if the system implementation is known. The system uses variable functions in which the determinants are changed by the variable function chosen by the determinant. Thus, the functions used in creating the key table do not have to be one-to-one functions. From the key table, four blocks of bytes of additional key based determinants are formed which are called masks. The original key does not exist in either the key table or the mask table. The system preferably uses the key table in a multiple round encryption process. The keys chosen from the table for a key addition operation are a function of the plaintext, the current state of the ciphertext, and the mask values. Therefore, the order in which the keys are chosen is not predetermined or patterned. The system also selects the other encryption functions, including permutations and substitutions, by the plaintext, current state of the ciphertext and the mask values. The cryptographic system also can include a function referred to as the enclave function. This function operates on lookup tables and creates complete inter-symbol dependency on the block of bytes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cryptography and, more particularly, to a system for protecting stored and transmitted data from cryptanalytic attack.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of various cryptographic systems for converting secret or sensitive information from an intelligible form to an unintelligible form is well established. The intelligible form of the information or data is called "plaintext" and the unintelligible form is called "ciphertext". The process of converting from plaintext to ciphertext is called "encryption" or "encipherment" and the reverse process is called "decryption" or "decipherment". Most cryptographic systems make use of a secret value called the key. Encryption and decryption are easy when the algorithm and the key are known, but decryption should be virtually impossible without the use of the correct key. The process of attempting to find a shortcut method, not envisioned by the designer of the algorithm, for decrypting the ciphertext when the key is unknown is called "cryptanalysis".
Cryptography has a long history, tracing its roots back to at least the time of Julius Caesar who employed a substitution cipher in which each letter in the plaintext was replaced by the third later letter in the alphabet. Thus, Julius Caesar employed a linear substitution cipher which used the number three as the secret key. Non-linear substitutions, in which the alphabet is scrambled or mixed are also well-known. However, simple substitutions, whether linear or nonlinear, are relatively easy to attack when only a few sentences of the ciphertext are known. Indeed, William Legrand in Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Gold-Bug" was able to locate a fortune in buried gold and jewels by a cryptanalytic attack on Captain Kidd's message.
Today's businesses require a much more sophisticated and secure encryption system to protect private message transmissions from computers, facsimile machines, banking machines, and the like. The most secure key based system in the history of cryptography is the one time tape or one time pad. In this system, the key is as long as the message to be encrypted and is simply added (modular arithmetic) to the message. The key is used only once and is randomly derived. Although this method is secure, it is inefficient to create new keys for every block of information transmitted and then secretly distribute these keys. Therefore, the one time tape is seldom if ever used in most applications.
The goal of modern cryptography is to create an encryption system which may not be compromised through current cryptanalytic techniques, or the benefit of breaking the system is not worth the effort required to penetrate the system. In other words, the goal is to design a system which is very difficult to break with current cryptanalytic methods. This is in contrast to the one time pad technique which is impenetrable in both theory and in practice. The one time tape should remain cryptographically unbreakable despite advances in the art of cryptanalysis. However, other prior art systems can and will be broken in time.
Modern encryption systems generally use a short key, such as a key which is eight characters in length. A good example of a modern system is the Data Encryption Standard ("DES") which was developed by IBM in the early 1970's and which was adopted by the United States Bureau of Standards as the standard encryption system for directed to the DES include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,958,081 and 3,962,539. The Data Encryption Standard is a block type of cipher in which a portion or block of the data to be encrypted is permutated with a prearranged permutation table, modified with a key, and then substituted with a predetermined substitution table. This process is repeated numerous times in what are referred to as rounds. Permutation is also referred to as "transposition" and is a common cryptographic function in which the positions of letters in a message are scrambled in accordance with a predetermined set of directions.
Other modern encryption systems have attempted to simulate the key generation process of a one time pad by using pseudo-random generators which creates a long series of keys having the statistical property of randomness. Patents on such systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,700,806 and 4,369,332. The receiver on the other end of the transmission would have a pseudo-random generator generating keys and using them to decrypt the transmitted ciphertext. Thus the system can change keys as often as desired, even changing the key for every block to be encrypted. The use of pseudo-random generators has greatly enhanced the strength of many systems, but it does not perfectly create a one time pad.
In the cryptanalysis of non-military encryption systems, the following assumptions are generally made: (1) The cryptanalyst knows the encryption system and tables used. If a pseudo-random generator is used, it is also assumed to be known. (2) The cryptanalyst does not know the key. Items 1 and 2 together are generally referred to as Kerckhoff's assumption. (3) The cryptanalyst has a large quantity of previously transmitted plaintext. (4) The cryptanalyst has a large quantity of previously recovered ciphertext corresponding to the plaintext.
A cryptographic system must demonstrate adequate strength under the above conditions. A pseudo-random generator system does not meet all of the criteria for a one time tape. If a pseudo-random generator is used, the relationship between the keys generated would then be given. Although the cryptanalyst may not know the string of keys output (if the generator were key based), he or she would still know the relationship of the key series as it is stated in the pseudo-random generator algorithm. In addition, pseudo-random generators must also be provided with a "seed" value. This, in essence, is another key which has to be generated and distributed for the system. The Data Encryption Standard, with its predetermined permutation and substitution tables and predetermined ordering of the use of these tables, is also subject to cryptanalytic attack. Although the Data Encryption Standard algorithm is a strong encryption system because it is quite complex, it is not impervious to attack by mathematical analysis.
Another technique employing some of the features of a one time pad uses a key table. In this technique, a table including numerous, predetermined keys is included in the encryption system. The keys are then each changed by the secret key. One example of this method can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,011. This technique does not perfectly simulate the one time pad for the same reasons the pseudo-random generators do not. The original key table gives the relationship of the keys. Also, in such systems, the order in which the keys are chosen is stated by the system's algorithm, the key combinations selected may be repeated, and without an initializing vector, the same key table will always be used until a new secret key is provided. The invention disclosed herein uses a key table in a unique methodology to overcome these obstacles.
Another method for creating a strong theoretical and practical encryption system is to use a one time function. In this method, every data block encrypted is enciphered by a different cryptographic function combination. In other words, the tables used in the encryption process are variable and a different combination will be chosen by each data block.
Variable functions have also been done in prior art. One example is in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,733 which includes the use of variable substitution. This patent has many limitations: the patent provides encryption specifically for binary words; the substitution tables must be set up and operate in close relationship to the binary arrangement of the secret key; control codes, which form a key complement or auxiliary key, are needed to direct the substitution process; the method is specifically a substitution-permutation enciphering device; the method does not provide for a variable permutation or other functions; and the method does not provide for an initializing vector which is necessary for one time tape simulation.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to overcome the weaknesses found in other systems and produce a system which simulates the one time pad process yet requires only a single key. It is another object of the present invention to provide an encryption system which cannot be compromised in theory or in practice, and which allows for a perfect simulation of a one time pad system. It is also an object to create a cryptographic system which provides a one time method approach in that every unique block of data is functionally transformed uniquely. Such has not been accomplished by the prior art and, as a result, the system would offer stronger cryptographic measures against attack. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a secure encryption system which is flexible enough for a variety of applications, such as file storage, data transmission, telecommunication coding and the like. It is also an object to provide an encryption system which permits the use of the block cipher format and provides complete inter-symbol dependency therein.

Method of cryptographically transforming electronic digital data from one form to another


A building element that is an elongated extrusion of plastics material. The element can be used to form straight or curved walls. A number of elements are secured together by transverse relative movement and snap engagement of flanges in a recess. In one embodiment the element has a longitudinally extending seal projection that aids in sealingly connecting engaged elements.

The present invention relates to the building element described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,703,248.
Where walls are exposed to moisture, such as walls of water storage tanks and building walls below ground level, typically waterproofing is applied to the walls that are exposed to the moisture. In the construction of conventional concrete and reinforced masonry walls, the walls need to be protected from moisture as exposure to moisture over time will cause degradation of the concrete and corrosion of the steel. A still further problem is mould, mildew and fungus and bacterial development on the walls. To address this issue typically a waterproof membrane is applied to inhibit water reaching the concrete or reinforced masonry wall. It is not unusual to provide a gap between an earth surface and the wall to enable a water proofing membrane to be applied. Typically the gap can be 40 inches. This gap can be considered a safety issue for workers.
The above construction of walls that are to exist in a damp environment has a number of disadvantages in that if the waterproofing fails then the wall will degrade. A further disadvantage is the loss of floor area should a gap be required between the wall and an earth surface.

Building element for a structural building panel


A method and apparatus for the fabrication and/or repair of an integrally bladed rotor, specifically of an integrally bladed gas turbine rotor, is disclosed. At least one rotor blade is joined to a main rotor body for fabrication and/or repair. The joining is carried out by diffusion welding.

This application claims the priority of International Application No. PCT/DE2006/000174, filed Feb. 4, 2006, and German Patent Document No. 10 2005 006 047.1, filed Feb. 10, 2005, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the fabrication and/or repair of an integrally bladed rotor, specifically of an integrally bladed gas turbine rotor.
Gas turbine rotors are increasingly being designed as integrally bladed rotors. Integrally bladed rotors are also designated as a blisk (bladed disk) or a bling (bladed ring), depending on whether a disk-shaped main rotor body or an annular main rotor body is used.
In the fabrication of integrally bladed rotors linear friction welding is used in the prior art to join the rotor blades to a main rotor body. In linear friction welding an upset pressure of a magnitude between 50 N/mm2 and 75 N/mm2 is exerted on the joint surfaces. Because of these high upset forces, the blades have to be chucked in a special clamping collar. This is complicated and expensive. Furthermore, extensive reworking of the joint surfaces is frequently necessary after linear friction welding. Thus, a plurality of disadvantages is associated with linear friction welding in the fabrication of integrally bladed rotors.
The blades of an integrally bladed rotor can be damaged during operation so that repair of an integrally bladed rotor becomes necessary after some time by exchanging a damaged rotor blade for a replacement rotor blade. When repairing integrally bladed rotors, inductive high-frequency pressure welding is used in the prior art when an upset pressure on the order of 25 N/mm2 to 50 N/mm2 is exerted on the joint surfaces in inductive high-frequency pressure welding. As with linear friction welding, the disadvantage also exists with inductive high-frequency pressure welding that special clamping of the blades is required because of the high upset forces. Furthermore, extensive reworking on the joint surfaces is usually necessary as well after joining with inductive high-frequency pressure welding.
A further disadvantage of inductive high-frequency pressure welding is that with inductive high-frequency pressure welding joining processes between the parts to be joined are performed in the solid phase as well as the molten phase of the materials of the parts be joined, which can compromise the structure in the joint area. Consequently, inductive high frequency welding is also associated with numerous disadvantages.
With this as the point of departure, the problem underlying the present invention is to create a new method and apparatus for the manufacturing and/or repair of an integrally bladed rotor.
In accordance with the invention, joining is carried out by diffusion welding.
Within the meaning of the present invention, it is provided to carry out the fabrication and repair of integrally bladed rotors with the aid of diffusion welding. The integrally bladed rotors can be shaped, for example, as a blisk or a bling. In diffusion welding, a clearly lower upset pressure on the order of 1 N/mm2 acts on the joint surfaces, so that clamping collars required according to the prior art in linear friction welding and inductive high-frequency pressure welding can be dispensed with and consequently it is possible to fix the rotor blades directly at the blade profile of the blades. Furthermore, because of the low upset pressure, the danger of mechanically uncontrolled distortion is reduced so that less rework has to be performed on the joint surfaces after joining. In addition, diffusion welding is carried out exclusively in the solid phase of the materials of the parts to be joined so that the structure in the joint area is not negatively affected. The danger of localized bonding or joining failures is minimized.
In accordance with an advantageous further development of the invention, the method and apparatus in accordance with the invention is used for the repair of an integrally bladed rotor, where at least one rotor blade to be replaced is separated from the integrally bladed rotor forming a humped blade stub, and where a replacement blade is joined to the specific blade stub by inductive diffusion welding.
Under an alternative advantageous further development of the invention, the method and apparatus in accordance with the invention is used for the fabrication of an integrally bladed rotor, where rotor blades are joined by inductive diffusion welding to the main rotor body, specifically to humped protrusions on the rotor body.
Under another alternative advantageous further development of the invention, to fabricate an integrally bladed rotor all blades are attached simultaneously to the main rotor body by diffusion welding in a vacuum oven, specifically to the humped protrusions on the rotor body.
Preferred further developments of the invention emerge from the following description. Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail using the drawings, without being restricted thereto.

Method and apparatus for producing and/or repairing an integrally bladed rotor by inductive diffusion welding


A step-down nozzle for the even distribution of fluids at the interface between phases in a column or cell accommodating a plug flow operation is structured with an internal flow channel of recursive configuration.

1. Field
This invention relates to uniform fluid transfer devices. It is particularly directed to industrial scale fluid transfer systems. It is used in columns or cells constituting a portion of chromatographic, ion-exchange, absorption, separation or distillation process systems.
2. State of the Art
Performance design criteria have evolved in connection with large scale process systems incorporating fluid transfer systems (those with columns or cells having diameters of two feet or larger) as follows:
(1) An ideal uniform distribution of fluid across the distributor or collector device should be approximated as closely as possible. The term "ideal uniform distribution" is intended to designate that a cross section of a flowing fluid of arbitrarily small thickness is taken normal to the flow direction through a column or cell and is mapped to a second similar cross section such that any point on the second cross section maintains the same relative position and relative velocity with respect to all other surface points observed before the mapping. Further, "ideal uniform distribution" is intended to designate that the cross section does not mix with any adjacent surfaces during the mapping.
2) In some process systems using uniform fluid transfer devices, a transition from turbulent to laminar flow occurs. For example, a fluid passing through a small diameter pipe at high velocity experiences turbulent flow. When such a fluid enters a large diameter cell, its velocity decreases, resulting in laminar flow. In a chromatography process, a laminar flow within a resin-filled cell is desired. The transition from turbulent to laminar flow conditions has often subjected a fluid to mixing conditions immediately upon exiting of the fluid from high flow velocity distributor orifices. Such mixing is considered to be undesirable, but it can be avoided through ideal uniform distribution
(3) Distributor layouts are generally difficult to configure so as to obtain an ideal uniform distribution on a circular surface. However, because industrial scale processes typically involve cylindrical vessels, i.e. have a cylindrical wall and circular inlet and outlet ends, a distributor layout must be useful in such vessels for practical application.
(4) The distribution and collection systems should both be conducive to plug flow of fluid through solid phase media, such as is common to chromatographic or ion-exchange applications.
(5) The composition of fluids flowing in some processes alternates between two or more liquid phases. For example, a feed stock and eluate may be present, and often a raffinate or other phase is also present. The distribution and collection systems should maintain a well-defined interface between the various liquid phases flowing through the system. Discrete phases should be kept separate by maintaining plug flow characteristics. "Plug flow" implies that respective liquid interfaces of a phase plug reach, respectively and approximately simultaneously, the inlet of the distributor closest to the source and an outlet remote from that source. The same principle applies to the collection system.
(6) For systems containing a solid phase, e.g., chromatography or ion exchange systems, it is desirable to minimize the void between a distributor (or collector) and the surface of the solid phase, thereby reducing the opportunity for back mixing. Any orifice or nozzle system functioning as a distributor and/or collector should be in contact with, or at least in near proximity to, the surface of the solid medium at all times. Structure associated with these elements should desirably provide a barrier against which the solid medium can be packed.
(7) For purposes of practical industrial application, the design of the distributor used should be easy to scale to any desired size.
Various separator systems using distributor/collector systems are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,985,599; 4,001,133; 4,182,633; 4,412,866 and 4,999,102, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference for their teachings concerning the operation and control of separator systems generally and for their illustrations of various structures and mechanisms relied upon in the separation art for distributing liquids to an interface or collecting liquids from an interface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,866 is generally instructive, and FIG. 2 of that patent discloses representative distributor and collector devices. U.S. Patent No. 4,999,102 also discloses distributor and collector systems suitable for use with other apparatus of separator systems for various processes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,537,217 and 4,636,315 disclose small scale fluid distributors formed from solid bodies, such as tiles, with entry openings on one surface and a plurality of distribution openings on the opposite surface corresponding to each entry opening. The entry openings are connected to the distribution openings by internal channels and bores.
As used herein and in the appended claims: The term "fluid system" is intended to designate the apparatus of any unit operation, including those specially identified by this disclosure, in which liquid is either introduced to or withdrawn from a cell at a zone approximately transverse the direction of flow through the cell. The term "cell" is intended to include the terms "vessel" and "column", as well as any other structure utilized by practitioners of the separation arts, to effect a separation and/or extraction of components from an admixture by bringing the admixture into contact with solid or liquid exchange media. "Cross-sectional zone" (or region) refers to a region within a cell bounded by cross sections of the cell oriented transverse (typically approximately normal) the longitudinal direction of flow through the cell. "Longitudinal direction of flow" refers to the direction of flow from an inlet towards an outlet within a cell. "Longitudinal" is used consistently to designate the dominant flow path of fluid through a cell without regard to direction. "Hydraulically identical", as applied to conduits, plenums and the like, means that the elements compared react to pressure differentials in a fluid circuit as though they were structurally identical. "Distributor" (or "distribution system") refers to structure through which fluids are introduced to a cell and "collection" or (collection system") refers to structure used to withdraw fluids from a cell, in each instance from a cross-sectional zone. The term "plenum" is defined in this application as a fluid flow device which receives fluid from a single inlet conduit and discharges the fluid into a plurality of outlet conduits, or receives fluid from a plurality of inlet conduits and discharges it into a single outlet conduit.

Fluid transfer system with uniform fluid distributor


Methods for affecting body composition include the use of amylin agonists, such as pramlintide or davalintide. Total body weight may be reduced, maintained or even increased; however, the body fat is reduced or body fat gain is prevented, while lean body mass is maintained or increased.

It is estimated that about 64% of Americans are overweight or obese (roughly about 97 million adults), and it is generally believed that these numbers are increasing. Obese or being overweight may substantially increase the risk of morbidity from hypertension; dyslipidemia; type 2 diabetes; coronary heart disease; stroke; gallbladder disease; osteoarthritis; sleep apnea and respiratory problems; and endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. Generally, higher body weights are also associated with increases in all-cause mortality. Furthermore, obesity or being overweight may cause a person to have a negative self-image.
In humans, patients who are overweight or obese are considered those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of equal or greater than 25. BMI is a common measure expressing the relationship (or ratio) of weight-to-height. It is a mathematical formula in which a person's body weight (kilograms) is divided by the square of the person's height (meters) (i.e., wt/(ht)2). Individuals with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, while individuals with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese.
According to the NIH Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, all adults (aged 18 years or older) who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability as a consequence of overweight and obesity. These health risks increase even more as the severity of an individual's obesity increases.
For these reasons, there is an enormous interest in treating obesity. Existing therapies include standard diets and exercise, very low calorie diets, behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy involving appetite suppressants, thermogenic drugs, food absorption inhibitors, mechanical devices such as jaw wiring, waist cords and balloons, and surgery, such as gastric bypass. Jung and Chong, Clinical Endocrinology, 35:11-20 (1991); Bray, Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 55:538 S-544S (1992).
In general, however, while loss of fat is desired, loss of lean body mass (protein) is not desired. Lean body mass is highly active metabolically and physiologically, and the size thereof is generally genetically defined and maintained. Lean body mass contains all the body protein. There is no real protein store as every protein molecule has a role in maintaining homeostasis. It is believed that loss of body protein is deleterious to the health of an individual. The majority of the protein in the lean body mass is in the skeletal muscle mass. Lean body mass is 50-60% muscle mass by weight, and the remainder is bone and tendon. Protein makes up the critical cell structure in muscle, viscera, red cells and connective tissue. Enzymes, which direct metabolism, and antibodies, which maintain immune function, are also proteins. Thus, it is desirable to prevent or minimize loss of lean body mass even while reducing body fat.
[Caloric restriction, regardless of its form, can cause catabolism of body protein and produce negative nitrogen balance. Protein-supplemented diets, therefore, have gained popularity as a means of lessening nitrogen loss during caloric restriction. Protein-sparing modified fasting has been reported to be effective in weight reduction in adolescents. Lee et al. Clin. Pediatr., 31:234-236 (1992). However, these diets may produce only modest nitrogen sparing.
Amylin has been reported to regulate gastric emptying and suppress glucagon secretion and food intake, thus regulating the rate of glucose appearance in the circulation. It appears to complement the actions of insulin, which regulates the rate of glucose disappearance from the circulation and its uptake by peripheral tissues. These actions are supported by experimental findings in rodents and humans, which indicate that amylin complements the effects of insulin in postprandial glucose control by at least three independent mechanisms, all of which affect the rate of glucose appearance. First, amylin suppresses postprandial glucagon secretion. Compared to healthy adults, patients with type 1 diabetes have no circulating amylin and patients with type 2 diabetes have diminished postprandial amylin concentrations. Furthermore, infusion of an amylin specific monoclonal antibody, which bound circulating amylin, again resulted in greatly elevated glucagon concentrations relative to controls. Both of these results point to a physiological role of endogenous amylin in the regulation of postprandial glucagon secretion. Second, amylin slows gastrointestinal motility and gastric emptying. Finally, intrahypothalamic injections of rat amylin were shown to reduce feeding in rats and alter neurotransmitter metabolism in the hypothalamus. In certain studies, food intake was significantly reduced for up to eight hours following the intrahypothalamic injection of rat amylin and rat CGRP. In human trials, an amylin analog, pramlintide, has been shown to reduce weight or weight gain. Amylin may be beneficial in treating metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Amylin may also be used to treat pain, bone disorders, gastritis, to modulate lipids, in particular triglycerides, or to affect body composition such as the preferential loss of fat and sparing of lean tissue.
The hormone calcitonin (CT) was named for its secretion in response to induced hypercalcemia and its rapid hypocalcemic effect. It is produced in and secreted from neuroendocrine cells in the thyroid that have since been termed C cells. The best-studied action of CT(1-32) is its effect on the osteoclast. In vitro effects of CT include the rapid loss of ruffled borders and decreased release of lysosomal enzymes. Ultimately, the inhibition of osteoclast functions by CT results in a decrease in bone resorption. However, neither a chronic reduction of serum CT in the case of thyroidectomy nor the increased serum CT found in medullary thyroid cancer appears to be associated with changes in serum calcium or bone mass. It is thus most likely that a major function of CT(1-32) is to combat acute hypercalcemia in emergency situations and/or protect the skeleton during periods of "calcium stress" such as growth, pregnancy, and lactation (reviewed in Becker, JCEM, 2004, 89(4): 1512-1525 and Sexton, Current Medicinal Chemistry, 1999, 6: 1067-1093). Consistent with this is recent data from the calcitonin gene knockout mouse, which removes both the calcitonin and the CGRP-I peptides, that revealed that the mouse had normal levels of basal calcium-related values, but an increased calcemic response (Kurihara H, et al, Hypertens Res. 2003 February; 26 Suppl:S105-8).
CT has an effect on plasma calcium levels and inhibits osteoclast function and is widely used for the treatment of osteoporosis. Therapeutically, salmon CT (sCT) appears to increase bone density and decrease fracture rates with minimal adverse effects. CT has also been successfully used over the past 25 years as a therapy for Paget's disease of bone, which is a chronic skeletal disorder that may result in enlarged or deformed bones in one or more regions of the skeleton. CT is also widely used for its analgesic effect on bone pain experienced during osteoporosis, although the mechanism for this effect is not clearly understood.
Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide whose receptors are widely distributed in the body, including the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. This peptide seems to modulate sensory neurotransmission and is one of the most potent endogenous vasodilatory peptide discovered to date. Reported biological effects for CGRP include: modulation of substance P in inflammation, nicotinic receptor activity at the neuromuscular junction, stimulation of pancreatic enzyme secretion, a reduction of gastric acid secretion, peripheral vasodilation, cardiac acceleration, neuro-modulation, regulation of calcium metabolism, osteogenic stimulation, insulin secretion, an increase in body temperature and a decrease in food intake. (Wimalawansa, Amylin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, calcitonin and ADM: a peptide superfamily. Crit. Rev Neurobiol. 1997; 11(2-3): 167-239). An important role of CGRP is to control blood flow to various organs by its potent vasodilatory actions, as evidenced by a decrease of mean arterial pressure following intravenous administration of CGRP. The vasodilatory actions are also supported by recent analysis of homozygous knockout CGRP mice, which demonstrated elevated peripheral vascular resistance and high blood pressure caused by increased peripheral sympathetic activity (Kurihara H, et al, Targeted disruption of ADM and alphaCGRP genes reveals their distinct biological roles. Hypertens Res. 2003 February; 26 Suppl S 105-8). Thus, CGRP appears to elicit vasodilatory effects, hypotensive effects and an increase in heart rate among other actions.
Prolonged infusion of CGRP into patients with congestive cardiac failure has shown a sustained beneficial effect on hemodynamic functions without adverse effects, suggesting a use in heart failure. Other indications of CGRP use include renal failure, acute and chronic coronary artery ischemia, treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, other peripheral vascular disease such as Raynaud's phenomenon, subarachnoid hemorrhage, hypertension, and pulmonary hypertension. Preeclamptic toxemia of pregnancy and preterm labor is also potentially treatable. Recent therapeutic uses include the use of CGRP antagonists for the treatment of migraine headaches.
Amylin and calcitonin, as herein defined, includes all native and species variations. Examples of amylin and calcitonin include, but are not limited to:
human amylin (hAmylin)(SEQ ID NO: 1)KCNTATCATQRLANFLVHSSNNFGAILSSTNVGSNTY rat amylin (rAmylin)(SEQ ID NO: 2)KCNTATCATQRLANFLVRSSNNLGPVLPPTNVGSNTY salmon calcitonin (sCT)(SEQ ID NO: 3)CSNLSTCVLGKLSQELHKLQTYPRTNTGSGTP human calcitonin (hCT)(SEQ ID NO: 4)CGNLSTCMLGTYTQDFNKFHTFPQTAIGVGAP.
There are many beneficial properties of each of the peptides described herein that can be used alone or in combination to treat or prevent a variety of conditions. We have previously created new and useful peptides having multiple actions that impart improved characteristics not possessed by the existing peptides. For example, in food intake assays, amylin has been shown to have a quick onset, within 30 minutes, but its effect tapers off after 60 minutes. In contrast, salmon calcitonin has been shown to have a delayed effect, with peak levels still maintained at 240 minutes. Novel compounds that can mimic the effects of amylin and/or calcitonin and have quick onset of activity like amylin with the sustained activity of calcitonin were identified that increased the potency and efficacy of either compound alone. Moreover, the combination of certain physicochemical characteristics of amylin, calcitonin, and/or CGRP into a single modality may facilitate intervention at different points in a dysfunctional metabolic circuit. These novel compounds combine desirable activities or properties for a superior therapeutic, which resulted in compounds having at least one desirable characteristic such as higher efficacy, greater potency, greater bioavailability, fewer side effects, ease in manufacture, stability, and/or solubility.
What are described herein are novel methods for modifying body composition using such compounds and their formulations for achieving the same All documents referred to herein are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein and for all purposes.

Methods for affecting body composition using amylin agonists


An access disconnection system includes: an arterial line; a venous line; a transmitter configured to transmit a sound wave in one of the arterial and venous lines when connected to a patient; a receiver configured to receive the sound wave from the other of the arterial and venous lines when connected to the patient; and electronic circuitry coupled to at least one of the transmitter and receiver, the circuitry configured to send a disconnection output indicative of a change in the sound waves received by the receiver from the transmitter sufficient to expect that an access disconnection of one of the arterial line and venous lines has occurred.

The present disclosure relates generally to patient access disconnection systems and methods for medical treatments. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the detection of a patient access disconnection, such as the detection of needle or catheter dislodgment during dialysis therapy.
FIG. 1 illustrates a known access disconnection configuration. Blood is drawn from an arm 12 of a patient through an arterial line 14 connected the patient via an arterial needle 16. Blood is returned to the patient, after it has been treated, via a venous line 18 and venous needle 20. Needles 16 and 20 actually connect to a shunt 22, which is placed in fluid communication with one of the patient's arteries and veins. Accidental disconnection of the arterial line 14 during treatment is not as serious an issue as this simply eliminates the source of blood to the blood pump. Access disconnection of venous line 18 during treatment is a serious concern because arterial line 14 keeps feeding blood to the blood pump, while venous line 18 returns blood to a location outside of the patient.
A variety of different medical treatments relate to the delivery of fluid to, through and/or from a patient, such as the delivery of blood between a patient and an extracorporeal system connected to the patient via a needle or needles inserted within the patient. For example, plasmapherisis, hemodialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration are all treatments that remove waste, toxins and excess water directly from the patient's blood. During these treatments, the patient is connected to an extracorporeal circuit and machine, and the patient's blood is pumped through the circuit and machine. Waste, toxins and excess water are removed from the patient's blood, and the blood is infused back into the patient.
In these treatments, needles or similar access devices are inserted into the patient's vascular system so that the patient's blood can be transported to and from the extracorporeal machine. Traditional hemodialysis, hemofiltration and hemodiafiltration treatments can last several hours and are generally performed in a treatment center about three to four times per week. In in-center treatments, patients undergoing hemodialysis, for example, are monitored visually to detect needle dislodgment. However, the needle may not be in plain view of the patient or medical staff (e.g., it may be covered by a blanket) such that it could delay detection and timely response.
Moreover, in view of the increased quality of life, observed reductions in both morbidity and mortality and lower costs with respect to in-center treatments, a renewed interest has arisen for self-care and home therapies, such as home hemodialysis. Such home therapies (whether hemodialysis, hemofiltration or hemodiafiltration) can be done during the day, evening or nocturnally. If unsupervised or asleep, dislodgment risks increase because a caregiver is not present and perhaps even the patient is not aware of a dislodgment.
Various systems exist for detecting needle dislodgement in hemodialysis. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,098 ("the '098 patent") and U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,480 ("the '480 patent"), both entitled Access Disconnection Systems And Methods, and assigned to the eventual assignee of the present application, disclose access disconnection systems that measure an electrical impedance of the extracorporeal dialysis circuit connected to the vascular access needles. An external voltage or current source is used to inject a small current (e.g., less that 2.5 μ-Amp) into the blood flow. While this external current is small compared to other systems, the source still requires that measures be taken to ensure that the current does not exceed 10 μ-Amp, which is considered in the art to be a safety limit for intercardiac devices. Further, sensitivity of the impedance system can be decreased when the patient is connected to earth ground (e.g., through grounding devices found in clinics and homes).
Another problem with systems that inject current into the extracorporeal circuits occurs if the dislodged needle reestablishes contact with the other needle through leaked blood. Here, the electrical parameter being sensed, e.g., impedance, may not change or not change enough to signal an access disconnection even though one has occurred.
A further obstacle involves the addition of contacts to the disposable portion of the blood treatment system. Metal or otherwise conductive members placed in the disposable add a certain amount of manufacturing difficulty and cost.
A need accordingly exists for improved blood access disconnection systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Acoustic access disconnection systems and methods


Virtual reality-based apparatus that includes a memory device, a depth sensor and a modeling circuitry, captures a plurality of depth values of a first human subject from a single viewpoint using the depth sensor. The memory device stores a reference three dimensional (3D) human body model that comprises a mean body shape and a set of body shape variations. The modeling circuitry determines a first shape of the first human subject based on the plurality of depth values and generates a first deformed 3D human body model by deformation of the mean body shape. The modeling circuitry determines a first plurality of pose parameters for a first pose based on a plurality of rigid transformation matrices. The modeling circuitry generates a second deformed 3D human body model by deformation of a plurality of vertices and controls display of the second deformed 3D human body model as a reconstructed 3D model.

Advancements in the field of three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics and 3D modeling, have provided the ability to create 3D models and visualize objects in a 3D computer graphics environment. Typically, a 3D stereo capture system may be utilized to generate a full 3D model of a human body. The 3D stereo capture system includes multiple stereo cameras that capture the human body from a plurality of viewpoints. However, such 3D stereo capture systems are expensive and may be undesirable for daily applications. Currently, certain attempts have been made to use depth data from a single viewpoint to prepare a full 3D model of the human body. However, in such cases, the computation cost of the full 3D model of the human body is high and the shape of the generated full 3D model of the human body may be inaccurate, which may be undesirable.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of described systems with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawings.

System for reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) human body model using depth data from single viewpoint


A system and method for monitoring dropped packets are provided. A method for communications device operations includes receiving a sequence of packets from a transmitting station, where each packet in the sequence of packets includes a protocol layer packet for each protocol layer of multi-layered network. The method also includes determining if a packet in the sequence of packets has been dropped by the transmitting station, where the determining is based on at least two sets of sequence numbers associated with different protocol layers of packets in the sequence of packets. The method further includes updating a packet discard counter based on the determining.

A relay node (RN), or relay station (RS), or simply relay, is considered as a tool to improve, e.g., the coverage of a base station, group mobility, temporary network deployment, the cell-edge throughput and/or to provide coverage in new areas. The RN is wirelessly connected to a wireless communications network via a donor cell (also referred to as a donor enhanced Node B (donor eNB or DeNB)) through network resources donated (i.e., allocated) by the DeNB. The DeNB serves the RN as if the RN is a UE.
A wireless connection between an RN and its DeNB may be referred to as a backhaul link or a Un link. To User Equipment (UE) that is being served by the RN, the RN may appear to be an eNB, scheduling uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) transmissions for the UE over an access link between the RN and the UE. The access link between an eNB and a UE, or between an RN and a UE may also be referred to as a Uu link.
In a communications system, when a network node experiences congestion, data packets may be dropped by the congested network node in an attempt to reduce congestion. Furthermore, an end-to-end congestion control mechanism in a transport layer protocol, such as the Tahoe or Reno algorithm in Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), may cause a sender to reduce a source data rate (often significantly) in response to an indication of a lost packet from a recipient to further alleviate congestion.
In a radio access network (RAN), an eNB (also commonly referred to as a base station, Node B, access network, access point, controller, communications controller, and so forth) may drop data packets in the DL when congestion occurs on the DL at the eNB.
However, due to an inherent uncertainty in wireless communications, it may be hard to determine if a packet has been dropped intentionally or lost in transmissions due to poor operating conditions. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for monitoring dropped packets in wireless communications.

System and method for monitoring dropped packets


According to the present invention, a display strip with which the process of attaching product-enclosed bags can easily be automated and from which the product-enclosed bags can easily be detached without having their appearance degraded and a display strip and product assembly can be provided. The display strip according to the present invention is utilized to hold and align a plurality of product-enclosed bags vertically for the display. It comprises at least a substrate layer and a sealant layer with the sealant layer containing an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and an adhesive promoting tackifier.

In general, commodities such as snack cookies and the like are packaged in bags using a pillow packaging method (vertical pillows and lateral pillows), and sold. In most cases, the commodities-containing bags are aligned on showcase shelves in stores, and sold. However, in this method, these bags need to be manually placed on showcase shelves bag by bag, and the disadvantage of this method is that the bags are only displayed on predetermined showcase shelves, and consequently have a limitation in places to be displayed.
A displaying and sales method that requires no display shelves, referred to as a strip bag display, has been known. The strip bag display has a display state in which, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of commodities are attached to a tape member that has a predetermined width and referred to as a display strip, and hanged down from this. This display state makes it possible to display and sell these commodities in various places such as sides of a register at a shop and sides of a front counter at a hotel, without the necessity of display shelves.
With respect to the conventional display strip, for example, an arrangement was used in which punching processes are applied to predetermined positions of a tape made of a paper or a resin, and an adhesion tape is attached to the rear face thereof so that product-enclosed bags are bonded to the adhesion tape by the punch holes. In addition to this arrangement, for example, another arrangement was used in which resin-made hooks are preliminarily attached to predetermined positions of a tape made of a paper or a resin, and punch holes are opened on the commodities-containing bags so that the commodities are hooked at the corresponding position, and attached thereto.
However, the problem with these display strips is that it is difficult to automatically carry out the attaching process of the product-enclosed bags to the display strip by using a machine. Consequently, at present, the strip bag displaying method has not been widely used.
Here, a display strip has been proposed in which a heat seal layer is formed on one side face so that product-enclosed bags can be directly heat sealed, and bonded thereto. The application of this display strip makes it possible to easily automate the sequence of processes for attaching the commodities-containing bags to a display strip and for packaging the commodities into the bags continuously.
Upon attaching the commodities-containing bags to this display strip, it is necessary to bond these with a sufficient sealing strength so that the bags should not drop naturally by gravity upon attaching the commodities-containing bags to the display strip at a shop or the bags should not come off during the transportation. However, in the case when the sealing strength is increased, upon removing the commodities-containing bags from the display strip, the surface layer of the bag might be damaged, impairing the printed face thereof to cause degradation in the product appearance, and in the worst state, the peeling tends to reach a place other than the sealed portion, resulting in a problem in which the bags used for maintaining the product quality are subjected to scratches and pores.

Display strip and display strip and product assembly


Methods of pre-heating a test vessel prior to transfer of the test vessel to an incubator may shorten an incubation cycle, ensure proper temperature of a test specimen in the test vessel, and/or improve testing accuracy and/or throughput in a bio-liquid specimen testing apparatus. The methods include providing a test vessel pre-heating apparatus having a receptacle sized to receive a test vessel therein and having at least one heating unit configured to heat by direct conduction at least one side of the test vessel. The methods also include heating at least one side of the test vessel via direct contact using the at least one heating unit. Specimen testing apparatus and test vessel pre-heating apparatus configured to carry out the method are described, as are other aspects.

A wide variety of automated diagnostic instruments (e.g., chemical analyzers or immunoassay instruments) are used to analyze patient specimens. These diagnostic instruments may conduct assays or testing using one or more reagents or other additions to identify one or more analytes in, or characteristics of, a biological liquid such as urine, blood serum or plasma, cerebrospinal liquids, and the like (hereinafter "bio-liquid").
For certain tests, the bio-liquid may be a serum or plasma portion obtained from whole blood by centrifugation. After centrifuging and subsequent de-capping, the open sample container (e.g., sample tube) may be transported to, or otherwise reside in, a support article, such as a sample rack. The sample rack may be accessible by a pipette of an aspirating system that may extract the bio-liquid and dispense the bio-liquid into a test vessel (e.g., a cuvette or other container) that may reside in a carrier (e.g., a cuvette-carrying ring). The bio-liquid may be combined in the test vessel with one or more reagents and possibly other components such as magnetic particles and/or a diluent to make up a test specimen. Upon combination, the test specimen is incubated and reacted. During incubation, the test specimen in the test vessel is exposed to a controlled heated environment contained around the cuvette ring. After a suitable incubation time has elapsed and possibly other processes have taken place (e.g., a washing and/or elution buffer addition), analytical measurements may then be performed using, e.g., photometric or fluorometric readings or the like. The measurements allow determination of end rate values from which an amount of analyte or other substance in the test specimen may be determined using well-known techniques.
However, existing systems may include certain anomalies and/or difficulties that may be related to the heating of the test specimen during incubation. Furthermore, conventional systems lack sample temperature compensation functionality. This function is typically handled manually, as needed, by running calibrators at room and refrigerated temperatures, respectively. Since a sample can be at room temperature or at refrigerated temperature subsequently for each re-run, the different sample temperatures can offset the reaction kinetics and result in a different reading even for the same assay kit on the same instrument. Thus, there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for incubating test specimens.

Methods and apparatus for rapid heating of biological specimens


A system for transporting a load of plural flange assemblies using a railcar that has open top over a load-area. The system includes a structural frame configured for positioning at least partially about the load area of the railcar. The structural frame includes a first and second incline that are opposingly oriented to define a load trough, which is accessible for insertion of at least a portion of the load thereinto from above the open top of the railcar. A railcar engagement member is disposed to fixedly couple the structural frame to the railcar. Incline dunnage is positioned on the first and second incline so as to engage and support the load, and so as to prevent direct contact between the load and the railcar. A first movable stop is coupled to the structural frame, and has an adjustment for selectively positioning it to engage and maintain the load against tipping forces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transporting components for large towers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for railroad transportation of large flanges and flange assemblies used in the construction and erecting of large towers, such as towers used to support commercial wind turbines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large-scale wind turbines are used to generate electrical power. Such wind turbines consist of a tall tower with a generator nacelle rotatably coupled about the top of tower's vertical axis. A rotor hub extends out a horizontal axis of the nacelle. Two or more turbine blades are connected to the rotor hub at right angles to the horizontal axis. During operation, prevailing winds cause the turbine blades to rotate about the rotor hub's horizontal axis. The rotational forces are coupled to a generator within the nacelle, which produces electricity. The nacelle rotates about the vertical axis of the tower to maintain the wind turbine blades in proper orientation to the direction of the prevailing winds.
The various components of a large-scale wind turbine may be manufactured at different geographic locations, which may be anywhere in the world. These components are then transported to the ultimate power generation site, assembled, erected, and placed into operation. Since the manufacturing operations may be spread across the world, transportation of the components to the generation site may utilize all modes of transportation, including ships, barges, trains and trucks. The assignee and inventors of the present invention have filed several patent applications and have been issued patents directed to various systems and methods for transporting these components. This invention address issues related to flanges and flanges assemblies for wind turbine blades, generator nacelles, tall tower sections, including transportation and erection matters.
The ever-increasing scale of wind generation systems has now evolved to the point where certain component parts have grown in size beyond allowable freight cargo dimensions and profiles. In particular, flanges and flange assemblies are presently exceeding fifteen feet in diameter, and are expected to become larger in future systems. Suppliers and manufacturers regularly ship flange assemblies separately from tower sections for various reasons, including economics, cost, and supplier source considerations. Thus it can be appreciated that there is a need in the art for a system and method for shipping large flange assemblies via railroad and other intermodal carries in a compact, reliable, safe, and cost effective manner.

Flange assembly railroad transportation system and method

Transportation Technology Services, Inc.


A lower multi-layer mirror is disposed on a substrate made of a first semiconductor having a first lattice constant. The lower multi-layer mirror has a lamination structure that a first layer made of an oxide of a second semiconductor and a second layer made of a third semiconductor are alternately stacked. A strain-relaxation layer is disposed on the lower multi-layer mirror, the strain-relaxation layer being made of a fourth semiconductor having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant. An active layer is disposed on the strain-relaxation layer. The active layer including a luminescence region is made of a fifth semiconductor having a third lattice constant different from the first and second lattice constants. An upper multi-layer mirror is disposed on the active layer. A surface-emitting semiconductor laser is provided which has a high efficiency and a low heat resistance.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application 2001-009003, filed on Jan. 17, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface emitting semiconductor laser device and its manufacture method, and more particularly to a surface emitting semiconductor laser device suitable for laser oscillation at a wavelength longer than 1 xcexcm and its manufacture method.
B) Description of the Related Art
A high gain strained quantum well layer having an oscillation wavelength of 1 xcexcm or longer and a high reflectivity semiconductor DBR mirror can be formed by using an InGaAs substrate. A surface emitting semiconductor laser device of a 1 xcexcm band has been proposed which has a strained quantum well layer of GaInNAs or GaAsSb formed on a GaAs substrate.
If InGaAs is used as a substrate material, the material of a semiconductor DBR mirror and a laser structure to be formed on the InGaAs substrate is usually ternary or quarternary compound semiconductor. If compound semiconductor made of three or more atoms, there is some fear of a high heat resistance of a laser device.
If GaAs is used as a substrate material, a highly efficient DBR mirror can be manufactured by alternately laminating a GaAs layer and an AlAs layer. However, it is difficult to improve the quality of a strained quantum well layer made of GaInNAs, GaAsSb or the like and a surface emitting semiconductor laser device having a low threshold value is not realized as yet.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface emitting semiconductor laser device having a high efficiency and a low thermal resistance and being suitable for laser oscillation at a wavelength of 1 xcexcm or longer and its manufacture method.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a surface emitting semiconductor laser device, comprising: a substrate made of a first semiconductor having a first lattice constant; a lower multi-layer mirror disposed on a surface of the substrate, the lower multi-layer mirror having a first layer made of a second semiconductor oxidized and a second layer made of a third semiconductor alternately stacked; a strain relaxation layer disposed on the lower multi-layer mirror and made of a fourth semiconductor having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant; an active layer including a luminescence region disposed on the strain relaxation layer and made of a fifth semiconductor having a third lattice constant different from the first lattice constant; and an upper multi-layer mirror disposed on the active layer.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a surface emitting semiconductor laser, comprising the steps of: forming a first lamination structure on a surface of a substrate made of a first semiconductor having a first lattice constant, the first lamination structure being made of a first layer made of a second semiconductor and a second layer made of a third semiconductor alternately stacked; growing a strain relaxation layer on the first lamination structure, the strain relaxation layer being made of a fourth semiconductor having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant; patterning the first lamination structure and the strain relaxation layer to expose side faces of each layer; oxidizing the first layers from side faces thereof under a condition that the first layers are oxidized and the second layers and the strain relaxation layer are not oxidized; forming an active layer on the strain relaxation layer, the active layer including a luminescence region and being made of a fifth semiconductor having a third lattice constant different from the first lattice constant; and forming an upper multi-layer on the active layer.
As the first layer is oxidized, strains in the upper strain relaxation layer are relaxed more than the strains immediately after the growth of the strain relaxation layer. By growing the active layer on the strain relaxation layer whose strains were relaxed, the quality of the active layer can be improved. By inserting the strain relaxation layer between the substrate and active layer, the selection degree of freedom of substrate materials becomes high. It is therefore possible to use binary compound semiconductor having a small heat resistance as the material of a substrate.

Surface emitting semiconductor laser device capable of improving heat radiation efficiency and its manufacture method


Various methods of using Raman-active or SERS-active probe constructs to detect analytes in biological samples, such as the nucleic acid and/or protein-containing analytes in a body fluid are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and devices useful to identify the presence of an analyte in a sample.
2. Background Information
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a sensitive spectroscopic method for detection of an analyte. Raman Spectroscopy probes vibrationally excitable levels of an analyte. Once a vibrational level is excited by a photon, the energy of the photon shifts by an amount equal to that of the level (Raman scattering). A Raman spectrum, similar to an infrared spectrum, consists of a wavelength distribution of bands corresponding to molecular vibrations specific to the sample being analyzed (the analyte). In the practice of Raman spectroscopy, the beam from a radiation source is focused upon the sample to thereby generate inelastically scattered radiation, which is optically collected and directed into a wavelength-dispersive spectrometer in which a detector converts the energy of impinging photons to electrical signal intensity. In SERS, analyte molecules are adsorbed on noble metal nanoparticles. These nanoparticles, once excited by light, set up plasmon modes, which, in turn, create near fields around each particle. These fields can couple to analyte molecules in the near field regions. As a result, concentration of the incident light occurs at close vicinity of the nanoparticles enhancing the Raman scattering from the analyte molecules. This method can enhance the detection of biological systems by as much as a factor of 1014.
Multiplexing is a demanding approach for high throughput assays in various areas such as biological research, clinical diagnosis and drug screening because of its great potentials in increasing efficiencies of chemical and biochemical analyses. In a multiplex assay, multiple probes are used that have specificities to corresponding analytes in a sample mixture. One of the critical challenges in establishing a multiplex platform is to develop a probe identification system that has distinguishable components for each individual probe in a large probe set.
Previous methods have utilized SERS in combination with multiplex analysis. Such methods utilize target-coated gold particles and DNA probes co-modified with both a Raman dye and thiol group (Cao et al, Science 297: 1536). However, such reagents are generally expensive to manufacture and labor intensive to use. In addition, coupling the Raman dye and thiol group to the analyte does not provide flexibility in application and/or removal of the dye or SERS substrate. Thus, there exists a need for compositions and methods that provide lower costs and increased flexibility in labeling analytes and capture reagents during multiplex analysis.
The following detailed description contains numerous specific details in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, devices, methods, procedures, and individual components that are well known in the art have not been described in detail herein.

Detection of enhanced multiplex signals by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy


A laser beam scanning apparatus deflects laser beams of different wavelengths to scan an object or medium in at least one direction using an acousto-optic deflector. The angle of scanning deflection is dependent on the frequency of the drive signal applied to the acousto-optic deflector and the wavelength of each laser beam, the deflection resulting in color dispersion of the laser beam. A pair of photosensors which are sensitive to the corresponding wavelengths of the laser beams produce start and stop signals during a scanning time period. In response to these signals, writing or reading clock signals are generated and their durations are adjusted to be substantially the same for each laser beam during the scanning time period.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a laser beam scanning apparatus, and more particularly to a laser beam scanning apparatus for scanning an object by using a plurality of laser beams each having a different wavelength from the others, photodetection and photoelectrical conversion of the reflected or transmitted laser beams being then employed to produce image data of the object, and to a laser beam scanning apparatus for scanning an object by using a plurality of laser beams, each having a different wavelength, intensity-modulating the laser beams by a corresponding video signal and scanning the medium to produce a color image thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The flying spot scanning-type video input system by means of which an object is scanned by a laser beam spot and the light reflected or transmitted therefrom is picked up by a photosensor to obtain video signals and image output systems whereby a spot of laser light that is intensity-modulated by video signals is used to scan a medium, such as a screen or film to display or record an image thereon feature a number of advantages, such as the brightness, convergence and coherence of the laser beam. These systems are widely used in industrial and medical fields. Using the laser beam to scan two-dimensionally, horizontally and vertically, and having the scanning rate correspond to the raster scan of an ordinary TV system enables a real-time video image to be obtained which is free of residual images and, as such, has a broader range of use and markedly improved operability. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,678 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 62(1987)-117524.
In such a system, means for deflecting the laser beam to scan horizontally or vertically include mechanically driven methods that employ a swinging mirror or a polygonal mirror or other such rotating, multi-faceted mirrors, and non-mechanical methods such as acousto-optical deflectors and the like. With an acousto-optical method, tracking is simplified since it can be carried out at the horizontal scanning frequency of 15.75 KHz in the NTSC system. Also, the deflector is small, and stable contains few parts that wear out due to mechanical of operation. Such a system is highly reliable and long-lasting.
However, because acousto-optical deflectors employ diffraction, they give rise to color dispersion from first-order diffraction when using a plurality of laser beams each having a different wavelength.
FIG. 3 shows the operation of an acousto-optical deflector 60 that is driven by a signal source 61. If the ultrasonic driving frequency is f, the wavelength of the incident laser beam is .lambda. and the ultrasonic velocity is v, the angle of diffraction .theta. of the first-order diffraction obtained by the operation of the acousto-optical deflector is: EQU .theta..apprxeq..lambda.f/v
However, with such a deflection system, unlike a mechanically driven mirror-type method, because the angle of diffraction is dependent on the wavelength of the incident beam, color dispersion occurs. For example, when the three-color R (red), G (green), and B (blue) laser beam shown in FIG. 4 impinges on the acousto-optical deflector 60, the longer wavelengths produce larger angles of diffraction, so first-order diffraction color dispersion is produced. Therefore, when a laser source which produces a plurality of laser beams is used to obtain chromatic information about an object, the drawback is that the coloring of the images has been difficult.
The present applicants previously developed a technique for compensating for the effects of color dispersion caused by the deflector. This technique consisted of the provision of electronic processing means to process the signal using a different time-base for each wavelength corresponding to the color dispersion produced by the deflection means (c.f. Japanese Patent Applications Nos. 61(1986)-80236 and 61(1986)-80237 corresponding to U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 35,091 and 35,090 filed on Apr. 6, 1987).
The above technique is illustrated by FIG. 5. The effect of deflector-induced color dispersion is removed electronically by varying the timing during each scanning period of the storage in, and retrieval from memory of predetermined signals corresponding to the R, G and B wavelengths. (For further details please refer to the specifications of the above applications.) This technique offered a low-cost way of removing chromatic shifts arising from color dispersion that is an inherent drawback of the acousto-optical deflector. It also enables the realization of high scanning frequencies. Also, the deflector can be made compact and stable, for a long, durable working life and high reliability.
However, when using wavelengths of the three primary colors, R, G and B, this electronic signal processing means has to determine six constants in all, consisting of the clock frequency and the start-timing of the memory write-in or read-out for each wavelength. The adjustment is thus time-consuming. Moreover, the temperature of the circuitry has to be controlled, especially that of the oscillators, to prevent external temperature fluctuations from producing variations in clock frequencies. Otherwise, even after adjustment to exclude the effects of color dispersion, in some cases chromatic shift was produced. Namely, in the said applications the signals used to control the timing of the memory write-in or read-out operations are produced as synchronized signals, mainly based on horizontal synchronization signals, so it has been time-consuming to perfectly adjust the delay time from the synchronization signals, the frequency of the oscillator and the like. Even after these adjustments there was still a possibility that, unless strict control of the temperature was exercised, fluctuations might still arise after the adjustment process.


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for a sound enhancement system coupled to a mobile device. In one aspect, the present disclosure includes the system having first bidirectional communication link configured to receive an audio signal, transmit an audio signal, and receive configuration parameters. The system also includes a memory configured to store the configuration parameters. Additionally, the system has an audio input configured to receive ambient audio. Yet further, the is configured to operate in one of two operation modes. In the first mode, the system is configured to receive an audio signal from the bidirectional communication link and output an audio signal based on the received audio signal by way of the audio output pathway, and in the second mode, the system is configured to process the ambient audio signal by the audio processor based on stored configuration parameters and create an output audio signal.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Computing devices such as personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, cellular phones, and countless types of devices are increasingly prevalent in numerous aspects of modern life. These devices have become popular media consumption devices in recent years. People use portable audio players, mobile phones, and other electronic devices for listening to music and watching video content. In some cases, a user may connect headphones to his or her device to listen to audio.
In many instances, manufacturers of mobile devices are omitting the headphone plug on mobile devices. Thus, it may be desirable for a user to have an adapter that provides a headphone plug interface to the mobile device. Additionally, in other instances, a user may desire higher quality audio than the mobile devices may naturally provide. In these instances, a user may connect an audio amplifier and/or a digital audio converter (DAC) to a device to create higher audio quality.
Additionally, people with hearing impairments may benefit from having a device that assists their ability to hear. Commonly, people with hearing loss may wear hearing aids. However, in some instances, it may be uncomfortable to wear a hearing aid while using headphones. Moreover, in some situations, such as those with significant ambient noise, a person without a hearing impairment may also have trouble hearing and may benefit from assisted listening.


The invention relates to sweat activity measurement, e.g. for determining a physiological state of a subject, embodied by a method as well as a kit with an immittance measuring circuit and electrodes with contact electrolyte. Sweat activity is considered a transport phenomenon and can be defined as a flux, e.g. gram water per skin area per second. Prior art methods determining water absorbed per gram dry stratum corneum measures skin moisture and do not truly reflect sweat activity. A periodic signal with frequency of 60 Hz or lower is applied to reduce contribution from complex admittance of the skin, and skin conductance is measured as a degree of sweat activity. The contact electrolyte allows filling of sweat ducts with sweat from sweat glands, this may be characterized in that it does not substantially fill the sweat ducts when being positioned on the skin and/or in that it has a re-absorption time constant from the sweat ducts into the Epidermis of less than 15 min.

Sweating in a human is to a large extent controlled from the hypothalamus through autonomic pathways and the sympathetic nervous system to the skin everywhere in the body. It is thus a very central regulation, and large synchrony between different skin sites is to be expected. The main purposes of sweating are for the a) thermal balance of the body, b) obtaining best frictional properties of hands and feet, c) psychosomatic functions related to e.g. nervousness ("cold" sweating), gustatory sweating during eating or sweating correlated to face flushing.
Some persons have problems with too little or too strong sweating, locally or affecting larger parts of the body. The situation of too much sweating may be so serious that it is classified as a disease: hyperhidrosis. Four classes of therapy are used: treatment with aluminium salts, dc current through the affected skin area, sympatectomi and injection of botulintoxin. As the last two methods are invasive, and as many patients are not satisfied with their therapy, there is an ongoing search for reliable diagnostic methods and tools. Up to now simple and robust ambulatory measurements of sweat activity on several skin sites simultaneously have not been possible.
In the prior art several solutions for measuring skin moisture (i.e. hydration, water content, dryness) by utilizing skin impedance measurements are known.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,107 describes the measurement of skin moisture by an electrical susceptance method and the use of at least two sensors (electrodes).
European patent application EP 0 315 854 A1 describes the measurement of skin moisture in the keratinous layer (=stratum corneum) by measuring impedance. The measurements are switched so that both the surface and the depth of the keratinous layer can be measured.
International Patent Publication WO 92/06634 describes depth selective, localized measurements of electric impedance in organic and biological materials. The depth selectivity is obtained by inserting an actively driven third electrode between two measuring electrodes.
Japanese Patent Abstract JP 2005052227 A relates to an instrument measuring the water content in the stratum corneum,
Another Japanese Patent Abstract JP 07303618 A relates to an apparatus for the measurement of skin impedance.
In the article "An instrument for the evaluation of skin hydration by electrical admittance measurement", by Ø. G. Martinsen & al, in Innov. Tech Biol. Med., Vol. 14, No. 5, 1993, p. 589-596 and in the article "Continuous estimation of parameters in skin electrical admittance from simultaneous measurements at two frequencies", by L. Mørkrid and Z.-G. Qiao, in Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, November 1988, pp. 633-640, there are described electrical impedance measurement at frequencies ranging from 60 Hz to 1 kHz, and in the range 1-1000 kHz, respectively.
The publication "Continuous monitoring of sweating by electrical conductivity measurement" by A. K. M. Shamsuddin and T. Togawa, in Physiol. Meas., Vol 19, 1998, pp 375-382, describes a method of measuring changes in the conductivity of perfusing water using a chamber attached to the skin surface. This device requires a source of an ion-free solution and an arrangement of channels for guiding the solution past the skin surface, a solution which is not very attractive for ambulatory use.

Method and kit for sweat activity measurement


A positioning method includes: obtaining a cell identity of a to-be-positioned terminal; determining at least one neighboring terminal of the to-be-positioned terminal according to the cell identity of the to-be-positioned terminal, where a cell identity of each neighboring terminal of the at least one neighboring terminal is the same as the cell identity of the to-be-positioned terminal; obtaining geomagnetic information of a location of each neighboring terminal of the at least one neighboring terminal and geomagnetic information of a location of the to-be-positioned terminal, to generate a geomagnetic information group of the to-be-positioned terminal; and obtaining, geographic location information of the to-be-positioned terminal.

Positioning services have developed into an important public service in people's daily life, and a core technology of the positioning services is a positioning technology.
Current mainstream positioning technologies include: a Global Positioning System (GPS) technology using a positioning satellite for positioning, a cell identity (ID) positioning technology determining a location of a to-be-positioned terminal by obtaining a cell ID of the location of the to-be-positioned terminal, and a positioning technology using an active signal device for positioning, such as WiFi or Bluetooth.
In addition, there is also a geomagnetic positioning technology, and a theoretical basis of the geomagnetic positioning technology is that: geomagnetic filed strength of any place on the Earth is different, and the geomagnetic filed strength corresponds to a latitude and a longitude in a one-to-one manner, so that as long as geomagnetic field strength of a location of a to-be-positioned terminal is measured, positioning can be implemented.
However, the GPS technology and the positioning technology using the active signal device depend heavily on a signal source. When a signal is not good or not stable, interruption occurs, and as a result, a continuous and stable positioning service cannot be provided. Although the cell ID positioning technology is stable, positioning precision is low, and only the positioning precision in a cell range can be provided. In addition, because surface configuration interferes with geomagnetic information, a case that multiple places have close or same geomagnetic information may occur. As a result, positioning accuracy of the geomagnetic positioning technology is relatively low.
That is, there is a technical problem in an existing positioning technology that positioning stability, positioning precision, and positioning accuracy cannot be achieved simultaneously.

Positioning method and electronic device


Liquid mixtures of alkyl phenols composed of from 1 to 8 wt % 2-tert-butylphenol; from 4 to 12 wt % of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol; from 4 to 12 wt % of 2-tri-tert-butylphenol; and from 65 to 80 wt % of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol have a balance of properties rendering them ideally suited for use as stabilizers for middle distillate fuels. Such mixtures can be readily produced by an aldehyde-catalyzed alkylation procedure using n-butanol, an appropriate mixture of tertiary butylated phenols, and a strong base (e.g., NaOH, KOH, etc.).

Fuels such as gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, jet fuel, and kerosene tend to undergo oxidative deterioration during storage whereby solid deposits, gums, or sludge may form in the fuel. Obviously the formation of such materials is detrimental.
Similarly, lubricants and functional fluids such as crankcase lubricating oil, gear oil, electrical insulating oil, spindle oil, automatic transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, and the like usually require protection against oxidative degradation. In such substrates, premature oxidative deterioration manifests itself in a change in viscosity (usually an increase in viscosity) or an increase in acid number. Such effects are likewise detrimental.

Alkyl phenol stabilizer compositions for fuels and lubricants


A utility vehicle has a frame that is separable at a location passing through an operator compartment of the vehicle into front and rear sections with the seat base and seat assembly of the operator compartment remaining with the rear section and the rest of the operator compartment remaining with the front section. A seat extension kit is provided having a frame extension, a seat module, and a floorboard module that may be inserted between the split front and rear sections with the frame extension being fastened to such sections using pre-existing fastener holes in the vehicle frame and the frame extension. When so inserted, the seat module forms a new front row of seating with the floorboard module extending between the seat module and the original seat base and seat assembly, which now form a rear row of seating. This expands the vehicle seating capacity from two people to four people.

Grounds maintenance utility vehicles, such as the Toro® Workman®, are well known. These small vehicles have an operator compartment that carries a driver and a passenger in a side-by-side seating arrangement. A bed is provided on the vehicle behind the operator compartment for carrying various equipment, supplies, tools, and the like, which are useful in establishing, maintaining, renovating and grooming landscapes and ground or turf surfaces. Various ground grooming or working tools or implements, such as sprayers, spreaders, topdressers, aerators, and the like, may be coupled to or carried on the vehicle according to the operation the user wishes to perform.
Traditionally, utility vehicles have been provided with side-by-side seating for two people only. There is a market that is smaller and less predictable for utility vehicles having two rows of seating for carrying four people. In order to serve this market, some manufacturers of utility vehicles have manufactured and stocked two separate vehicles, one having a two seat configuration and the other having a four seat configuration. However, due to the less predictable and harder to forecast four seat market, the manufacturer is presented with an unpleasant choice. The manufacturer can build a large number of four seat utility vehicles and risk overbuilding with the attendant financial costs that are imposed if excess inventory results due to weaker than expected demand. Or, alternatively, the manufacturer can be conservative in the number of four seat utility vehicles that are built and risk not being able to satisfy unexpected customer demand. This invention is directed to removing the need to make this choice while satisfying whatever customer demand for four seat utility vehicles might appear in the market.
In addition, the standard bed provided on the vehicle is fairly short, typically four feet in length from front to back. This limits the load carrying capacity of the bed. A longer bed could theoretically be used to replace the standard bed, but the extra length would simply be cantilevered off the rear end of the vehicle. Such a cantilevered portion of the longer bed would not be properly supported and may cause the bed to fracture if large loads are placed atop the cantilevered portion. Moreover, such a cantilevered portion would increase the risk of hitting something during tight turns of the vehicle. Accordingly, it would also be advantageous to be able to use a longer than standard bed on a utility vehicle without facing the above-noted problems.

Method and kits for converting a two seat utility vehicle to a four seat configuration and for providing an extended bed thereon