A speed regulation jack comprises at least one input cylinder and one output cylinder, and parallel hydraulic lines between the input and output cylinders. A differential oil circuit is connected between the inlet cavity and the return cavity of the output cylinder, and a control valve is connected in series between the return cavity of the output cylinder and the oil tank, and this control valve controls the return oil of the return cavity. This speed regulation jack takes the magnitude of the load as its signal and transfers automatically between different lifting speeds, thus enhancing the lifting efficiency of the jack.

A jack is one of the commonly used tools in our daily life. It is used to reduce the force required to lift a load over a preset lift distance. Its operational principle is to force the input piston, having a smaller sectional area, to move with a smaller force. The movement of the smaller piston pushes the hydraulic oil into the output cylinder, thus driving the output piston, which has a larger sectional area to lift the load. In accordance with the Law of Conservation of Energy, the input piston travels a much larger distance than the output piston does. Thus, it is typically necessary to push the input piston repeatedly to lift the load to a certain distance. In this process, each pumping cycle against the input piston results in the same lift distance of the output piston. This is independent of the magnitude of the load. As a result, in any case of an idle load (i.e., no load), a light load, or a heavy load, it necessary to pump the jack repeatedly, with the load going up very slowly. This wastes both time and effort.
To solve this problem, hydraulic jacks have been proposed in which a blind hole is formed in the middle of the piston of the output cylinder. An oil pipe is inserted into this blind jack hole. In the case of an idle load, when the piston of the input cylinder is pumped or pressed, the hydraulic oil flows into the blind hole via the oil pipe, and pushes against the end face of the blind hole. This moves the piston up at a fast speed. In the case of a heavier load, part of the hydraulic oil goes up and opens a sequential valve leading into the output cylinder. The oil thus applies forces against the larger ring-type thrust surface of the piston, and lifts the load slowly together with the hydraulic oil that flows into the blind hole and applies forces against the end face of the blind hole. Since the blind hole has a smaller area to receive force, the lifting speed of the jack is very fast in the case of an idle load. Generally, the piston of the output cylinder reaches the weight after being pumped one or two times. On the other hand, in the case of a heavy load, since the whole sectional area of the piston of the output cylinder is taken as the thrust surface, the purpose of saving effort is also achieved, enabling the heavy load to be lifted with a low force.
However, it is found from practical application this type of hydraulic jack cannot meet the requirements as expected above. The reason is that when the hydraulic oil is pressed into the output cylinder via the oil pipe, the piston of the output cylinder goes up rapidly; the pressure in the ring-type cavity of the output cylinder goes down swiftly to suck hydraulic oil from the oil tank. However, since the piston moves relatively fast and the area of the ring-type cavity changes very quickly, the sucked hydraulic oil cannot fully fill up the ring type cavity, resulting in a phenomenon of inefficient oil suction. Since there exists some air in the ring-type cavity of the output cylinder, when the output cylinder starts to lift load, the load applies forces to the piston and makes the piston fall back a certain distance, thus reducing the speed of the load lift. Moreover, after many, repeated pumping cycles, the air held in the ring type cavity of the output cylinder flows into the input cylinder via the oil circuit, bringing about the same phenomenon of inefficient oil suction for the input cylinder. This reduces the lift distance of each pump press, and additionally, the lifting efficiency. In addition, this type of jack has also another disadvantage. Since the lifting force comes from the hydraulic oil flowing into the blind hole via the oil pipe and into the ring type cavity of the output cylinder via the one-way valve, the area of the blind hole and that of the ring type cavity changes with each pump. It is necessary to ensure a balance between the pressures from the hydraulic oil flowing into the ring type cavity and that flowing into the blind hole to achieve a steady movement of the output piston. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to accomplish such a result in a practical mass production process. As a result, when the controlled hydraulic oil enters the ring-type cavity and is locked, crack of the thin-wall oil pipe happens often due to excessively high pressure in the blind hole. This results in low yield of finished products for this type of jack and thus increases its production cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a speed regulation jack, which takes the size of the load as signal and automatically transfers between different lift speed levels, so that the lifting efficiency of the jack is increased.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a speed regulation jack in which a limit unloading mechanism is set to prevent the piston rod from striking the cylinder top cover and possibly cracking it, so that the lifting efficiency of the jack is enhanced.
The invention concerns a speed regulation jack, which comprises at least one input cylinder and one output cylinder, and hydraulic lines connected in parallel between the input and output cylinders. A differential oil circuit is connected between the inlet cavity and the return cavity of the output cylinder, and a control valve is connected in series between the return cavity of the output cylinder and the oil tank. This control valve controls the return oil of the return cavity.
A one-way valve is set in the differential oil circuit, and the return cavity of the output cylinder is unidirectionally connected to inlet cavity via this one-way valve.
A limiting or unloading mechanism is set at the front-end of the return cavity of the output cylinder.
A return groove can be set on the mating surface between the front-end of the return cavity and the piston of the output cylinder. The return cavity is unidirectionally connected to the oil tank via a one-way valve. The core of the one-way valve is fixed to a pressure pin out of the bush of the one-way valve. One end of the pressure pin is seated in the return cavity to control the opening and closure of the one-way valve, to thereby create a limit unloading mechanism. In the case of idle operation, when the piston reaches its maximum distance, it reaches the pressure pin and opens the limit unloading mechanismxe2x80x94the hydraulic oil in the inlet cavity of the output cylinder returns into the oil tank via the return groove and sequential valve. This can be used to meet the requirements of inspection and test standard in the case of from idle operation to maximum oil return.
The one-way valve with a pressure pin of the limit unloading mechanism can share the same valve core with the control valve to form a composite control valve.
The control valve can be a sequential valve.
The hydraulic line can be a hydraulic speed regulation line.
Speed regulation cylinders can be set in the hydraulic speed regulation lines.
The hydraulic speed regulation lines comprise at least two hydraulic sub-lines connected in parallel. These hydraulic speed regulation lines take the load pressure of the output cylinder as its control signal to control the opening and closure of its hydraulic sub-lines or their combination at different speed levels.
Control valves are set in the hydraulic sub-lines that take the load pressure as their control signal to control the opening and closure of the hydraulic sub-lines.
The opening pressure of the control valves in the hydraulic sub-lines is set in sequence and opens in sequence with the increase of load.
Speed regulation cylinders can be set in the hydraulic sub-lines and the difference between the piston areas of the input and output cavities in the hydraulic sub-lines are set in sequence.
The hydraulic sub-line at the lowest speed level in the hydraulic speed regulation line can be directly connected to the input and output cylinders via a control valve.
A flexible restoring mechanism is set in the speed regulation cylinder, and the output cavity of the speed regulation cylinder is connected to the oil tank via a one-way valve.
The speed regulation cylinder can comprise oil cylinders of two different levels, the sectional area of the first-level cylinder is less than that of the second-level cylinder, and the first-level piston and the second-level one are interconnected via a piston rod. Additionally, the speed regulation cylinder can also be made up of a single-level oil cylinder and its piston rod extends out of the input cavity.
The input cylinder, output cylinder and hydraulic speed regulation line can be set in one valve bush combination, and the output cylinder jacket is set in the oil tank.
The following illustrates the speed regulation operating method of the present invention in a mode where the hydraulic speed regulation line is made up of two hydraulic sub-lines. In the case of an idle load, when the piston of the input cylinder is pressed, the hydraulic oil is pumped to the input cavity of the speed regulation cylinder in the hydraulic sub-lines at a high speed level to push its piston to press the hydraulic oil in the output cylinder, and with the opening of the control valve, the hydraulic oil flows into the output cylinder and then pushes the piston of the output cylinder to move forward. Since in such a case the pressure in the return cavity of the output cylinder is not high enough to open the sequential valve connected to the oil tank, the sequential valve remains in its closed state. Thus, the hydraulic oil in the return cavity of the output cylinder flows into the inlet cavity of the output cylinder via the one-way valve to form a differential oil circuit that increases the lifting speed once again. In this case, the piston rod of the output cylinder lifts load at the first speed V1. When the piston in this input cylinder is raised, the piston in the speed regulation cylinder returns to its original position under the forces from the flexible restoring mechanism, and meanwhile, the output cavity connected to the oil tank sucks oil and fills up the output cavity. When the piston in the input cylinder is pressed once again, the above process repeats. In this process, since the sectional area of the piston in the input cavity of the speed regulation cylinder is smaller than that of the piston in the output cylinder, the lift distance to lift the load each time is increased via the differential oil circuit of the output cylinder, the lifting speed is enhanced. The lifting speed V1 is the fastest one.
With the gradual increase of load of the hydraulic jack, the pressure of the output cylinder is gradually increased. The pressure of the input cylinder is still not high enough to open the sequential valve in the low-speed hydraulic speed regulation sub-line. However, the pressure of the return cavity of the output cylinder becomes higher, opening the control valve connected to the oil tank. The hydraulic oil in the return cavity directly flows back into the return tank via this control valve. In such a case, the pressure of the inlet cavity of the output cylinder is higher than that of the return cavity and the one-way valve in the differential oil circuit is closed. With the differential oil circuit blocked, the piston rod of the output cylinder lifts load at the speed V2. Since in this case, there is no further speed regulation via the differential oil circuit, the speed V2 is less than the speed V1 (V2 less than V1). However, the capacity to lift load in this case is enhanced, being capable enough to lift the load.
With the further increase in the load of the hydraulic jack, the pressure of the output cylinder also increases further. The jack enters a heavy load state. In such a heavy load state, the pressure of the hydraulic oil produced from the output cylinder is higher than the set pressure of the sequential valve in the low-speed hydraulic sub-line, and thus the sequential valve opens. Part of the hydraulic oil in the input cylinder flows into the inlet cavity of the output cylinder via this sequential valve, and as a result, the piston rod of the output cylinder moves at the speed V3 to lift the load. Since there is no speed regulation cylinder set in the low-speed regulation sub-line, the speed V3 is less than the speed V2 (V3 less than V2). However, in accordance with the Law of Conservation of Energy, the capacity to lift the load increases under the same pressure, being capable enough to lift the load.
In the above operating process, the transfer between various lifting speeds is automatically done with the change of the load, and does not require any additional operation or control. The present invention not only enhances the lifting efficiency, but also features simple and easy operation, achieving the purpose of both time and effort savings. Besides, in the speed regulation process, except that the input cylinder absorbs oil as does a conventional jack when the low-speed hydraulic sub-line between the input cylinder and output cylinder of hydraulic sub-line opens, there is no oil added into the input cylinder at all the other speed levels. It only takes the hydraulic oil as a medium of pressure transfer to transfer the pressure applied against the piston of the input cylinder. As a result, it does not involve the problem of inadequate absorption of oil in the input cylinder, as is the case with the existing technology. Furthermore, the absorption process of oil after the input cylinder directly pumps hydraulic oil into the output cylinder via the low-speed hydraulic sub-line does not involve the problem of inadequate absorption of oil. All of the above works to avoid the phenomenon of falling back during lifting and thus ensures the work efficiency of lifting load.
Besides, in the present utility model, since there is a limit unloading mechanism set at the front-end of the oil return cavity, when the piston of the output cylinder reaches its maximum distance, the limit unloading mechanism opens and starts to relieve load, thus avoiding the phenomenon that the piston strikes the end cover of the cylinder when the jack reaches its maximum lifting position. Furthermore, since the limit unloading mechanism is formed by the return groove on the mating surface between the front-end of the return cavity in the output cylinder and the piston and the one-way valve with a pressure pin, when the piston in the output cylinder reaches the front-end of the return cavity, the inlet cavity of the output cylinder is connected to the return cavity via the return groove. Meanwhile, the piston holds against the pressure pin fixed to the valve core and opens the one-way valve. The hydraulic oil in the inlet cavity flows into the return cavity via the return groove, and then into the return tank via the one-way valve. In such a case, no matter how the operator applies force to press the piston rod of the input cylinder, the piston of the output cylinder remains static without any lifting operations since the pressure of the inlet cavity and that of the return cavity are balanced. As a result, this avoids the phenomenon that the piston strikes and possibly cracks the end cover of the cylinder. Additionally, since the hydraulic oil of the inlet cavity of the output cylinder can flow back into the return tank via the return groove in the first place and then via the one-way valve connected to the oil tank, then the inlet cavity does not involve the phenomenon of overload relief. As a result, the load, which has been lifted to a position, will be kept there without falling down as a result of the unloading.
In the jack in the present invention, three or more hydraulic speed regulation sub-lines can be connected in parallel. With one hydraulic sub-line added, two speed levels are accordingly added. This makes the jack""s speed adjustable between multi-levels during its operation. In terms of its design, different specifications of the jack can be worked out according the magnitude of the load so that in application, different jacks of different specifications can be selected depending on the specific requirements. When it is used to lift relatively smaller load, a jack with relatively fewer speed levels can be selected. On the other hand, when it is used to lift a relatively larger load, a jack with relatively more speed levels can be selected. Since the jack of the present invention exhibits different lifting capacities when it is working at different speed levels, it is, in fact, equivalent to a conventional jack with a corresponding lifting capacity. The effect when it is working at different speed levels in parallel is equivalent to several jacks of different specifications working at different load ranges with the increase of the load when it is used to lift load. As a result, the present invention incorporates functions of several conventional jacks of different specifications into one jack, and automatically regulates its speed in correspondence with the load changes. It is simple and convenient in lifting operations with enhanced lifting efficiency and equipment utilization rate.
The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, and other advantages, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular method and device embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Speed regulation jack and method of operation

No. 15, Qiaolian Lane, Nongfengliqun Road


The invention relates to the use of collagenase 3 for detecting destructive diseases of the joints, especially for prognosing the progression of the disease and the genetic predisposition for rheumatoid arthritis.

The invention relates to the use of collagenase 3 for detecting destructive joint diseases, especially as a prognostic marker for the clinical course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its genetic predisposition.
RA is a chronically inflammatory disease, predominantly of the joints. The aetiology of the disease as well as relevant pathogenetic mechanisms have remained unknown up to the present. With it being a chronic disease, patients are affected by it for years or decades. The clinical course of the disease is very heterogeneous, changing over the course of the years and decades, and cannot be forecast as yet. An early, adequate forecasting of the progression of the disease to be expected and recognition of the start of a serious progression of the disease in good time arc of great importance for the patient and the doctor treating the patient, in order to treat the chronic disease, which has been incurable up to now, efficiently at least in the early stages and thus to decelerate or stop a progression as early as possible. This particularly relates to the stoppage of the process of the progredient cartilage and bone destruction.
Medicinal therapies available at present are effective, albeit frequently connected with serious side-effects. This is connected both with the effective mechanism of the medications themselves, simultaneous combined administration and the necessity of a life-long therapy for years and decades. Currently, combination therapies of
(a) steroid preparations
(b) immune suppressiva and cytostatics, so-called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARD, so-called basic therapeutics) and
(c) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are in use.
RA is a chronically inflammatory disease characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity, which affects the pattern of the disease, the capability of reacting to therapeutic measures (internal and surgical) and the prognosis of the disease. The clinical heterogeneity is associated with a variety of histo-pathological alterations in the synovial membrane of the joints affected. This clinical and histo-pathological heterogeneity of the disease, combined with insufficient knowledge about aetiology and relevant pathogenetic mechanisms, have led to very insufficient treatment results of RA patients up to now. Within the first two years after the on-set of the disease, about one-third of the RA patients have to give up their professional activity. In internal medicine/rheumatological departments, the share of RA patients is above 50%, in institutions of orthopaedic rheumatology even about 75%. The expenditure for long-term medicinal therapies and stationary therapeutic measures are above-average. The prevalence of the disease amounts to about 1% in the overall population. The pathogenetic measures in the joints affected include a chronic inflammation, an abnormal immune response and a hyperplasia of the synovial membrane. The chronically inflammatory and hyperplastic synovial membrane invades into neighbouring cartilage and bone structures, thus leading to a progredient joint destruction. The clinical end point of the disease is decisively determined by the cartilage and bone destruction, which lead to a loss of function of the joints and to invalidity. However, the anti-inflammatory therapy currently in the foreground of medical therapies only has a low influence on the progression of the cartilage and bone destruction. There are indications for the fact that chronic inflammation and progredient cartilage and bone destruction are rather to be regarded as two separate pathophysiologic entities in a common pathogenetic process.
Prognostic markers available or known up to now for the progression of RA
(1) The currently safest markers used in routing in clinical practice for the progression of RA are systemic inflammation parameters such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, above all the C-reactive protein (CRP) and, with limitations, other acute-phase proteins. These parameters correlate best with the current acute inflammatory activity in the organism and are the decisive parameters for an anti-inflammatory therapy. As the systemic chronic inflammation and the progredient joint destruction are only conditionally connected with one another pathogenetically, the meaningfulness of these parameters for the prognosis and the progression of the disease is very limited overall, in particular for the progredient cartilage and bone destruction.
(2) The existence of a positive rheumatoid factor is valued as an indicator for a disturbed immune response. However, it is not specific for RA and the meaningfulness for the progression of the disease is limited.
(3) It is further known that certain patterns of antigens which can be detected on the cell surface of lymphocytes and other tissue cells (so-called HLA antigens) are associated with more severe course of RA. Due to the large variety of the HLA antigens and their various epidemiological distribution, comments on the forecast of the RA are only possible in a very limited way. Correlations to the progredient joint destruction were not found.
Reliable prognostic markers of the disease are thus decisive for an early adequate medical treatment and the justification of such a therapy with regard to the side-effects also to be considered.
Therefore, the invention was based on the task of finding corresponding reliable parameters and providing corresponding markers which are particularly suited for RA.
The invention is based on the knowledge that collagenase 3 is involved in the process of progredient cartilage and bone destruction. For the progredient cartilage and bone destruction in RA, various proteases, but above all the matrix metalloprotcinases (MMPs) are responsible, these being able to cleave various components of the extra-cellular matrix. Collagenase 3 as a representative of the MMP family is of particular interest for the cartilage and bone destruction in destructive joint diseases, such as RA. On the one hand, collagenase 3 possesses a high catalytic activity towards collagen type II, the main collagen component of hyaline cartilage, compared with other human collagenases and other MMP""s, and cleaves a broad range of other components of the extra-cellular matrix with high efficiency. On the other hand, it has been shown that collagenase 3 can only be detected in adult human tissues under pathological conditions, for example in the growth of malignant tumours, in chronic wounds, as well as in arthritic cartilage and in the synovial membrane in RA. It can therefore be presupposed that this MMP plays a decisive role in the progredient cartilage and bone destruction, in particular also in RA, due to the substrate specificity and the expression pattern of collagenase 3.
An increased concentration of various MMPs was detected in the synovial fluid of RA patients. However, a correlation to systemic inflammation parameters such as BSG and CRP was only shown for stromelysin 1. In addition, no correlation was detected between the collagenolytic activity in the synovial fluid and the degree of cartilage and bone destruction.
In the invention, collagenase 3 is used as a prognostic marker in destructive diseases of the joints, preferably for the detection of a progression of RA.

Collagenase 3 as a prognostic marker for rheumatoid arthritis

Max-Delbrxc3xcck-Centrum fxc3xcr Molekulare Medizin


In one aspect, there is provided a method. The method may include accessing a multi-version concurrency control block providing row state for a block of rows in a table of a database, the multi-version concurrency control block including a header portion and a data portion, the header portion including a type indicator indicating whether all of the rows of the block are visible to a plurality of threads at a database management system or invisible to the plurality of threads at the database management system. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

Data frequently changes in the rows of tables of a database management system. Concurrency control (CC) protocols are designed to maintain consistency during these data changes and improve the throughput of a database management system. A way to maintain concurrency control is to maintain a lock on data in a database table when data is being manipulated by one or more threads in the database management system. The lock prevents conflicting operations, such as a read and a write on the same row of a table. Another way to maintain CC is to maintain a snapshot (at a given instant of time) of a table in the database management system. The one or more threads may then manipulate data from the same snapshot of the table.
A multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) is a concurrency control mechanism that uses the snapshot mechanism. In the MVCC when a read thread reads a row from a table, the write thread may write to the row in the table without being blocked by the read thread. For example, when a read thread reads the data from a row in a table at the same time as the write thread updates or deletes the data from the row, the read thread will use the old copy of the data in the row. And, when the first write thread deletes or updates the data in the row, there is a second write thread that is already using the data in the row, and the first write thread will wait until the second write thread completes before modifying the row. Alternatively, the changes made by the first write thread may be removed or rolled back. Since table data can be constantly changing, a database management system keeps track of multiple versions without affecting memory space.


A control system for preventing electrical power supply disruptions in an electrical power system includes an electronic control unit structured to receive a power signal indicative of reactive power in an electrical generator that is produced in response to a change in an electrical load of an electrical power bus. The electronic control unit is further structured to determine voltage commands based on the power signal and vary output voltage of the electrical generator non-linearly such that occurrence of a reactive power shutdown condition is inhibited.

Electrical power systems employing generator sets powered by combustion engines, steam, or other means are well known installations used throughout the world. Such systems can include one or more generator sets whose purpose is to provide electrical power to a local power grid such as for a municipality or a factory, or much larger installations for powering entire cities. It is common for the generators to be coupled in parallel to an electrical power bus, which can often be connected to both a local power grid and a regional power grid. Regardless of scale, it is generally desirable to operate the electrical power system without interruptions in power and with as little disturbance as practicable.
When generators are connected for parallel operation it is common for one or more of the generators to operate in so-called droop mode such that load changes on an electrical power bus cause a speed and/or an output voltage of the generator to vary to a degree that can typically be selected by the operator, such as 5% droop, 10% droop, and so on. It is also typical for another generator in the same system to be operated in isochronous mode, such that frequency serves as the basis for control in response to load changes.
Engineers have experimented for decades as to how to best control speed, voltage, frequency, and other variables in the operation of paralleling generators. When load demands are relatively stable and consistent, generator speeds and power outputs will vary relatively little. Many electrical power systems are dynamic, however, as electrical loads are connected and disconnected. In installations where multiple substantially identical generator sets are used, controlling multiple generators during transient load changes or "transients" can be relatively straightforward as the response and behavior of the similarly situated machines is relatively predictable. Many systems nevertheless have a diversity of machines with, for example, multiple gas turbine engine powered generators from different manufacturers or having different designs and/or ratings, gas turbine powered generators in parallel with reciprocating engine powered generators, gas turbines with steam turbines, or still other combinations. In these less uniform systems additional complexity as to the control characteristics and responses of the different machines can be introduced. JP2014029736(A) to Kawabata Yasahara et al. is directed to an example reverse power flow controller that apparently limits instability of supply in certain electrical power systems.

Gas turbine electrical power system and control strategy for limiting reverse power shutdown


An apparatus estimates a quantity of recirculated exhaust gas. The apparatus includes a first unit computing a total quantity of gas, a second unit computing a quantity of exhaust gas passing through an EGR vale by means of an EGR valve model, a third unit computing a temporal quantity of the exhaust gas by means of an EGR diffusion model which simulates a behavior of the exhaust gas, a fourth unit obtaining an intake air quantity by subtracting the temporal exhaust gas quantity from the total gas quantity, a fifth unit correcting the computed intake air quantity by means of intake air quantity measured by the airflow meter, a sixth unit computing an intake air pressure based on the corrected quantity of the intake air, and a seventh unit computing a quantity of the recirculated exhaust gas based on at least the intake air pressure.

JP-2008-101626A shows an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system in which quantity of recirculation gas is controlled by an exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGR valve). In this EGR system, the quantity of exhaust gas passing through the EGR valve is computed by means of an EGR valve model which simulates a behavior of the recirculated exhaust gas passing through the EGR valve. When the engine is stably running, it is deemed that the quantity of the exhaust gas passing through the EGR valve is equal to the quantity of the exhaust gas flowing into a cylinder. When the engine is in a transitional running condition, the quantity of the exhaust gas flowing into the cylinder is computed based on the quantity of the exhaust gas passing through the EGR valve by means of a EGR diffusion model (time delay+first order lag) which simulates a behavior of the exhaust gas flowing in an intake pipe toward an intake port of the engine.
In order to improve fuel economy of the engine equipped with an EGR system, it is necessary to control the quantity of the recirculated exhaust gas flowing into a cylinder so that gas including exhaust gas is efficiently combusted in a cylinder. Thus, it is necessary to estimate the quantity recirculated exhaust gas flowing into the cylinder with high accuracy. However, in the above EGR system, an estimating accuracy of the quantity of the recirculated exhaust gas does no satisfy a required accuracy to improve a fuel economy. Especially, when the engine is in a transitional running condition, an estimation error exceeds an allowable error range.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus for estimating exhaust gas recirculation quantity


The invention is related to fast acting insulin analogues which can form soluble mix-tures (pre-mixed or self-mixed) with long acting insulin analogues. The fast action is achieved through monomerizing substitutions/deletions in the C-terminus of the B-chain of human insulin and the mixability with long acting insulin analogues is achieved through a substitution of the Zn-binding His in position B10 of human insulin with a Gln amino acid residue. In one embodiment the invention is related to fast acting insulin analogues in which at least one of the natural amino acid residues in position B22-B30 in the human B-chain has been substituted with another amino acid residue having the effect of promoting formation of the monomeric form of insulin, the His amino acid residue in position 10 in the B-chain is substituted with a Gln and wherein further one or more of the amino acid residues in position B22-B30 optionally have been deleted.

Insulin is a polypeptide hormone secreted by β-cells of the pancreas and consists of two polypeptide chains, A and B, which are linked by two inter-chain disulphide bridges. Furthermore, the A-chain features one intra-chain disulphide bridge.
The hormone is synthesized as a single-chain precursor of proinsulin (preproinsulin) consisting of a prepeptide of 24 amino acid followed by proinsulin containing 86 amino acids in the configuration: prepeptide B-Arg Arg-C-Lys Arg-A, in which C is a connecting peptide of 31 amino acids. Arg-Arg and Lys-Arg are cleavage sites for cleavage of the connecting peptide from the A and B chains to form the two-chain insulin molecule. Insulin is essential in maintaining normal metabolic regulation.
The hormone is secreted as defined hexamers which dissociate by dilution firstly into dimers and secondly into monomers. The active hormone is the insulin monomer. Destabilization of the insulin hexamer and/or the insulin dimer results in fast acting insulins like B28 Asp human insulin which is disclosed in EP 214826.
Currently, the treatment of diabetes, both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, relies to an increasing extent on the so-called intensive insulin treatment. According to this regimen, the patients are treated with multiple daily insulin injections comprising one or two daily injections of a long acting insulin to cover the basal insulin requirement supplemented by bolus injections of a fast acting insulin to cover the insulin requirement related to meals.
Because diabetic patients are treated with multiple daily injections including protracted insulin supplied with multiple injections of a fast acting insulin, a combination of fast and long acting insulin in one injection will potentially save many injections. WO 2003/094951 discloses mixtures of a fast acting insulin analogue insulin aspart (B28Asp human insulin) and insulin detemir (LysB29 (Nε-tetradecanoyl) desB30 human insulin). However, mixtures of fast acting and long acting insulin analogues may suffer of a limited mixability resulting in that the fast acting insulin becomes less fast acting and the long acting insulin becomes less long acting.
It is the object of the present invention to provide improved fast acting insulins which have improved properties over the known fast acting insulins with respect to mixability with soluble, long acting insulin analogues.


Implementations of the present disclosure relate to a method, apparatus and computer program product for processing a computing task. The method comprises: obtaining status information of multiple computing resources; in response to receiving a neural network model-based computing task, determining configuration information of multiple layers associated with the neural network model; obtaining parameter data associated with at least one part of the multiple layers on the basis of the configuration information; and based on the status information and the parameter data, selecting from the multiple computing resources a group of computing resources for processing the computing task. According to the example implementations of the present disclosure, multiple computing resources may be utilized sufficiently, and it may be guaranteed that a load balance may be stricken between the multiple computing resources.

Applications on the client can be designed to complete various processing or analyzing tasks using computing resources, such as processing and storage resources. As the requirement and complexity of the tasks such as machine learning, deep learning, and data mining continuously grow, it requires a large amount of and/or variable computing resources to satisfy operations of the corresponding application. This can be fulfilled by a machine or system having multiple dedicated processing resources, where the application can be scheduled to operate on one or more dedicated processing resources of the machine or system. For example, a cloud-based computing system has already been developed, and this computing system comprises a machine having one or more dedicated processing resources. Different clients can rent computing resources (for example, dedicated processing resources) of the system as required to operate their own applications.
With the development of computer technologies, there is an increasing variety of computing resources, which are no longer limited to traditional ones like central processing units. For example, currently the computing capacity of the graphic processing units (GPUs) gets growingly strong. GPUs are particularly suitable to execute computing tasks in deep learning, high performance computing, machine learning and so on by virtue of their distinctive properties. However, for ordinary client devices and conventional cloud computing devices, their graphic processing units are rather limited in performance and lack a high performance processing capacity. At this point, how to process a computing task using (e.g., remotely) the computing capacity of a graphic processing unit of other device becomes a focus of research.
However, some existing technical solutions fail to make sufficient and effective use of the processing capacity of remote computing resources (e.g., computing resources in a computing resource pool), but idleness or workload unbalance might arise in the resource pool. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a technical solution for easily and effectively processing a computing task using multiple computing resources in the resource pool.

Method, apparatus, and computer program product for processing computing task


Provided is a smoking article that allows easy inhaling of a powder at a smoker's own timing, and can suppress powder spill at an unintentional timing such as during production or shipment. The smoking article includes: a tobacco rod containing tobacco; and a filter connected to an end part of the tobacco rod through a tipping paper. The filter includes a powder-containing substance that is a lump of a crude powder containing at least one of a gustatory component and a flavor component, and turns into powder when external force is applied thereon, a cavity in which the powder-containing substance is placed, and a flow path that connects the cavity and a mouthpiece end, allows passage of the powder, and has a smaller inner diameter than an outer diameter of the powder-containing substance.

In known cigarettes, a powder inside a filter is inhaled to enjoy taste and/or aroma. For example, Patent document 1 discloses that particulate matter is contained in a chamber inside a filter, and the particulate matter is delivered to an output end through a flow path. Patent document 2 discloses, as a technique related to cigarette products, that a flavor is encapsulated in a solid particulate famed of natural polysaccharides or their derivatives. Patent document 3 discloses a filter cigarette that has a capsule including a powder.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-192581
[Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-27461
[Patent document 3] International Publication No. WO 2014/155378

Smoking article with filter and filter of smoking article


A hybrid air charge calculation system for an internal combustion engine in which the air charge is obtained by using either the mass airflow sensor readings or the engine speed and throttle angle information. A decision logic selects either means based on the engine speed, throttle angle, and the mass airflow rate.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air charge measuring system for fuel injection engines.
2. Prior Art
In an electronic fuel control system for a fuel injection engine, the amount of fuel to be injected is calculated based upon the intake airflow. It is thus desirable to have an accurate method for obtaining the intake airflow in order to have a better control over the air fuel ratio. Both airflow metering systems and airflow calculation systems are known. The former measures the airflow directly by using an airflow sensor such as a vane meter or a hot wire-type mass airflow meter. The latter measures the airflow indirectly by calculating it based on engine operating conditions. One known airflow calculation system is the so-called speed density system in which the airflow is calculated based upon the intake manifold pressure and the engine speed. Another known airflow calculation system is the throttle angle-pressure method in which the airflow is calculated based upon the angle of the throttle in the throttle bore and the ratio of the intake manifold absolute pressure of the engine to the atmospheric pressure.
It is also known that each method mentioned above has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, a number of systems which incorporate two different methods have been proposed. In these known hybrid systems, the more accurate method to measure the airflow is selected based upon the engine operation conditions. This results in better air fuel ration control, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced undesirable exhaust gases.
The intake airflow per intake stroke, which is the intake air charge, has to be obtained to calculate the amount of fuel to be injected. Therefore, instead of obtaining the intake airflow, one can measure the intake air charge to calculate the fuel pulse width. The intake air charge can be obtained by using the throttle angle information and the engine speed information. This is the so called speed-throttle method. One method of obtaining the air charge in a speed-throttle system is to use an air charge look up table which is obtained experimentally as a function of the engine speed and the throttle angle. The air charge can also be obtained by integrating the instantaneous airflow measured by an airflow meter such as the mass airflow meter over one engine intake stroke period. The instantaneous mass airflow is directly measured and obtained by sampling the sensor at a fixed-time interval, e.g., 1 ms. This is a mass airflow system.
As in the case of the airflow measuring systems, both air charge measuring systems have their own merits and disadvantages. In the mass air system the airflow and thus the air charge obtained are more accurate because they are directly measured. However, the accuracy is limited by the characteristics of the sensor. To be more specific, it is accurate only when the airflow is not too high. The speed-throttle system costs less, because there is no need for a mass airflow sensor, and has a broader operating range. On the other hand, the air charge obtained is less accurate since it is obtained indirectly from the engine speed and the throttle angle. In some applications where a large range of RPM operating capabilities is required, the mass airflow readings obtained at high RPM's may be much lower than the actual mass airflow because of the sensor's characteristics. In this case, the air charge obtained using the engine speed and the throttle position information is more accurate.
It would be desirable to have a hybrid system which combines the mass air system and the speed-throttle system so that the most appropriate method can be selected under all engine operating conditions to obtain the most accurate air charge. These are some of the problems this invention overcomes.
Hybrid systems are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,474 issued to Apposchanski et al teaches selecting between the more accurate of two airflow determinations. One determination measures a parameter characterizing airflow into the engine that has an adaptive correction. Another calculates airflow into the engine as a function of engine speed and air density and has an adaptive correction. The patent teaches determining both airflows before deciding which airflow to use. This clearly necessitates at least one redundant airflow determination.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,375 issued to Okino et al teaches fuel injection control based on an intake airflow rate sensing system and fuel injection control based on a speed density system depending upon the amount of intake air.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,090 issued to Kabasin teaches a system for measuring the airflow into the engine using a pair of airflow measuring concepts selectively enabled dependent upon engine operation so as to accurately achieve a measurement of airflow over the full range of engine operation. The patent teaches measuring airflow utilizing speed density and a throttle angle pressure methods by selectively employing each of the methods in engine operating regions at which it is best suited for air measurement.


An apparatus for detecting the presence of pathogens in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the central nervous system (CNS) includes a digital computer, a speaker unit and a microphone unit. The digital computer is programmed with generally available software which is capable of generating a spectrum of sound and receiving microphone data. The software is able to receive microphone signals and represent resulting data in graphical form showing sound intensity in dB as a function of frequency in kHz. An operator places the speaker and the microphone on the subject's body so that sound travels through at least a portion of the CNS, runs the software, and collects the resulting sound propagation data. If the propagation of sound through the CNS is indicative of altered CSF or CNS, then a disease state is suspected.

A number of disease states result in some degree of contamination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The skilled reader will recall that the brain and the spinal chord reside within the cranium and the spinal column respectively. Both the brain and the spinal column of the human central nervous system (CNS) are exquisitely delicate and therefore are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in both the cranium and the spinal column. Further, the brain itself includes passages and sinuses which are also filled with CSF. The CSF of a normal, healthy patient is typically very pure and typically free of blood cells, foreign particles, pathogens, bacteria or any other form of contaminant. Several disease states may disrupt or compromise the purity of CSF. Two examples include meningitis and hemorrhagic stroke.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and the spinal cord which are collectively known as the meninges. Frequently, such an inflammation is caused by a bacterial infection. Accordingly, in common parlance, the term "meningitis" is often used as a general term to refer to such an infection. As such, meningitis can be indicative of an extremely dangerous and potentially fatal infection. For this reason, a meningitis infection is considered to be an emergency condition. The early detection and treatment of meningitis is of the utmost importance if there is to be a positive outcome for a patient. The present standard of care in the diagnosis of meningitis includes the insertion of a needle into the spinal column between two vertebrae and the extraction of CSF. The act of inserting a needle for extracting CSF is also referred to as a "lumbar puncture". Once CSF is extracted, it is tested using agar plate testing to identify an infecting agent. This process can take up to 72 hours and the test will yield a negative result unless there is a significant presence of an infecting organism. Once a diagnosis is made, rapid and aggressive treatment is vital for improving the patient's outcome. Any delay in the inception of treatment increases the risk of neurological complications including: impaired mental status, increased intra-cranial pressure, cerebral edema, seizures, cerebrovascular abnormalities, hearing loss, intellectual impairment, and death. A method that offers an immediate diagnosis of meningitis would improve patient outcomes and would also provide a contraindication in performing a risky lumbar puncture for the extraction of CSF. The complications that can occur as a result of lumbar punctures are not trivial. They include post-lumbar puncture headache which occurs in up to 40% of patients, short or long term back discomfort or pain, bleeding into epidural space, brainstem herniation, paraplegia, infection, and even though very rare, death.
At an early stage, meningitis resembles influenza, making initial diagnosis difficult without the classical symptom of nuchal rigidity (a stiff neck). An early missed diagnosis results in the loss of the early critical treatment period. What is needed is a non-invasive, reliable test for determining if a patient has meningitis.
A hemorrhagic stroke is a condition wherein an artery associated with supplying blood to the brain ruptures. A hemorrhagic stroke can occur when an artery supplying blood to the brain harbors an aneurysm. Such ruptures very often result in blood being released into the CSF. This in turn causes the CSF to be contaminated with blood cells and other blood constituents. A significant concern in the early diagnosis of a stroke is to distinguish a hemorrhagic stroke from an ischemic stroke. Recall that ischemic strokes result from a blood clot in the brain. Ischemic strokes are generally not accompanied by the release of blood into the CSF. The importance of distinguishing between hemorrhagic strokes and ischemic strokes is related to the initial therapy often administered to ischemic stroke patients. Such initial therapy often includes the administration of drugs which are directed toward breaking up blood clots. The administration of such drugs in the case of a hemorrhagic stroke would most likely aggravate the intra-cranial bleeding and harm the patient. Accordingly, what is needed is a means for quickly distinguishing between an ischemic and a hemorrhagic stroke.

Apparatus and method for measuring the sound transmission characteristics of the central nervous system volume of humans


A method for printing images using light black ink. The method sets a first and second threshold determined by an intensity value of the light black ink relative to standard black ink. The method then determines a gray component density value for a pixel, calculates a black generation value based upon the first and second thresholds and then generates values for other colors dependent upon the black generation value.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to color printing, more particularly to producing high quality printed images using light black ink.
2. Background of the Invention
Color printing typically uses cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) inks or toners to produce full-color printed images. The term ink is defined to include toners, inks and any other color delivering solution in a printer system. Printed images are formed from dots of these colors in a combination determined by the desired color to be printed. However, at lower resolution such as 600 dots per inch (dpi), the black dots become very noticeable. The resulting images appear grainy, especially when the black ink used inkjet pigment black ink. This particular ink is a different material than the dye-based CMY inks used.
Several different solutions to this problem have been proposed. Two common approaches are to print using CMY with no K or to modulate the black generation such that when there is high luminance there is less black. In the first of these approaches, the necessary amounts of black are achieved by layering the CMY dots. These methods have been in use for a long time.
There are several examples of lesser-used procedures. However, they encompass two main ideas. The first is to control the density of the dots of ink in a given region of the printed image. The second controls the color of the ink or inks used.
Examples of the first approach can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,746 (""746); 4,930,018 (""018); 5,386,305 (""305); and 5,648,801 (""801). In the ""746 patent, for example, the picture elements or pixels are restricted to be under 70% of the total area of the picture. This reduces the roughness of the image. A similar technique is used in the ""305 patent by classifying areas as intermediate and high density and controlling the amount of black in that area.
Other approaches, such as that found in the ""018 patent, the gray scale ink drop count and associated dye loading of the ink are tightly controlled to maximize the uniform distribution of the ink on the printed media.
Yet another approach, found in the ""801 patent, scans the incoming image several times. This produces several bit maps that are then handled as if they were part of a multicolor image. The image is then printed with a print head for each optical density bitmap, thereby controlling the densities of the print dots.
The second type of approach controls the ink concentration or density itself. Examples can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,860,026 (""026); 5,767,876 (""876); 5,142,374 (""374); 5,795,082 (""082); 5,734,800 (""800); and 5,805,178 (""178). For example, the ""026 patent uses two different concentrations of ink. Each pixel of the printed image is made up of several dots. The dots could be from the high concentration ink, the low concentration ink, or a combination of both. A similar technique is used in the ""876 patent.
In another approach found in the ""374 patent the generated data for dark ink is converted into a binary signal and used to reproduce the resolution. The generated data for the light ink is converted into a separate signal, used to reproduce gradient. These two signals and the control of the discharge of both inks is used to record the image. A similar method is used with regards to a dark ink looked up from a table in the ""082 patent.
Some techniques use what is referred to as six-color printing. The technique of the ""800 patent uses two inks of cyan, two of magenta, yellow and one black, often referred to in short-hand version as CCxe2x80x2MMxe2x80x2YK. One technique uses six-color printing with at least of the three inks having a fluorescent response. The use of the fluorescent response of the inks the image is smoothed out to avoid graininess.
In the ""178 patent, the range of pixel intensities are divided into three bands. Cyan and magenta are halftoned, with four levels per pixel. In the darkest band, the darker ink is always present and the lighter is halftoned. In the intermediate band is halftoned between the light ink and the darker ink. The light bank uses only halftoned light ink. However, it must be noted that only light inks are used for the colors of CMY. There are no examples in the art of using light ink for black.
Both types of solutions have problems. The methods that modulate the generation of black dots in the image regions use dark ink and cannot remove the noticeable black dots. The methods using two ink concentrations do not use light black. The methods that avoid the use of black, using a combination of C M and Y to generate black, but degrades the color gamut.
No solution exists that suggests the use of only one black ink, where that black ink is light ink.
One aspect of the invention is using light black ink to render color images in a printing system. The use of light black ink requires a different method to produce black generation values. The method uses two thresholds, where the value of the thresholds depends upon the density of the light black ink used. The first threshold is approximately where the cyan, magenta and yellow inks will begin to combine with black ink to produce black in the printed image. The second threshold is the point on a gray component density curve where the absolute value of black ink becomes a constant. The method determines a black generation value using these thresholds. Once the black generation value is determined, the other color values are adjusted to account for the black generation value.

Photo quality color printing by using light black ink


A silver catalyst for ethylene oxidation to ethylene oxide is provided containing a promoter combination consisting of critical amounts of an alkali metal component and a sulfur component, the catalyst being essentially free of rhenium and transition metal components; optionally the catalyst contains a fluorine component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a catalyst for the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide consisting of a critical combination of silver, alkali metal such as cesium, and sulfur deposited on a support such as alpha alumina and to the production of ethylene oxide using the catalyst; a fluorine or chloride component optionally can be included. The catalyst is essentially free of rhenium or transition metal components.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Processes for the production of ethylene oxide involve the vapor phase oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen using a solid catalyst comprised of silver on a support such as alumina. There have been great efforts by many workers to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the silver catalyst for producing ethylene oxide. U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,395 provides a comprehensive analysis of these efforts of prior workers.
Among the many prior teachings in this area is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,135 (see also UK 1,491,447) which teaches variously silver catalysts for the production of ethylene and propylene oxides comprised of a promoting amount of copper, gold, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, strontium, calcium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, vanadium, and/or preferably barium, in excess of any present in immobile form in the preformed support as impurities or cements (column 2, lines 1-15), silver catalysts for the production of propylene oxide comprising a promoting amount of at least one promoter selected from lithium, potassium, sodium, rubidium, cesium, copper, gold, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, strontium, calcium, niobium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, vanadium and barium, in excess of any present in immobile form in the preformed support as impurities or cements (column 2, lines 16-34), as well as silver catalysts for producing ethylene oxide or propylene oxide comprising (a) a promoting amount of sodium, cesium, rubidium, and/or potassium, and (b) magnesium, strontium, calcium and/or preferably barium in a promoting amount (column 3, lines 5-8).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,481, and related U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,343 are concerned with silver ethylene oxide catalysts comprised of cesium and an oxyanion of a group 3b to 7b element.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,889 describes catalysts suitable for the oxidation of propylene to propylene oxide comprised of elemental silver modified by a compound of an element from Group 5b and 6b. Although the use of supports is mentioned, there are no examples. The use of cesium is not mentioned.
European Publication 0 266 015 deals with supported silver catalysts promoted with rhenium and a long list of possible copromoters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,848 deals with catalysts suitable for the production of ethylene oxide comprising a silver impregnated support also having thereon at least one cation promoter such as cesium, and a promoter comprising (i) sulfate anion, (ii) fluoride anion, and (iii) oxyanion of an element of Group 3b to 6b inclusive of the Periodic Table. Possibly for purposes of comparison since it is outside the scope of catalyst claimed, the patent shows at columns 21 and 22 a catalyst No. 6 comprised of Ag/Cs/S/F on a support, the Cs amount being 1096 ppm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,628 describes a silver catalyst promoted with alkali metal, rhenium and a rare earth or lanthanide component.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,807 is concerned with an ethylene oxide catalyst comprised of silver, alkali metal, a transition metal, and sulfur on alumina support. Presented for comparative purposes are catalysts comprised of silver, alkali metal and sulfur on alumina support which provide results inferior to the transition metal containing catalysts.
In the context of the bewildering and vast number of references, many of them contradictory, applicant has discovered a novel and improved catalyst for the production of ethylene oxide.
The present invention relates to an improved supported silver ethylene oxide catalyst containing a promoter combination consisting of a critical amount of both an alkali metal component, preferably cesium, together with a sulfur component, and to the catalyst preparation and use; the catalyst is essentially free of rhenium and transition metal components and optionally can contain a fluorine or chloride component.
Preferred catalysts prepared in accordance with this invention contain up to about 30% by weight of silver, expressed as metal, deposited upon the surface and throughout the pores of a porous refractory support. Silver contents higher than 20% by weight of total catalyst are effective, but result in catalysts which are unnecessarily expensive. Silver contents, expressed as metal, of about 5-20% based on weight of total catalyst are preferred, while silver contents of 8-15% are especially preferred.
In addition to silver, the catalyst of the invention also contains a promoter combination consisting of critical amounts of alkali metal and sulfur. The critical amount of alkali metal promoter component is at least 1000 ppm expressed as alkali metal based on the catalyst weight; preferably the catalyst contains 1200-6000 ppm, alkali metal based on the catalyst weight. Preferably the alkali metal is cesium although lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and mixtures can also be used. Impregnation procedures such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,136 are advantageously employed for addition of the cesium component to the catalyst.
Necessary also for practice of the invention is the provision of sulfur as a promoting catalyst component in a critical amount relative to the alkali metal. The sulfur component can be added to the catalyst support impregnating solution as sulfate, eg. cesium sulfate, ammonium sulfate, p-toluene sulfonic acid, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,105 describes the use of sulfur promoting agents, for example at column 10, lines 53-60, and this disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. The amount of sulfur (expressed as the element) based on the weight of catalyst in accordance with the invention is critical and must be 40-150% of the equivalent amount necessary to form the alkali metal sulfate, eg. Cs2 SO4, preferably 40-100% of this amount.
It has been found that the use of relatively high amounts of alkali metal, as above indicated, which normally would produce an inactive catalyst, when used in combination with the designated amounts of sulfur produces a catalyst having outstanding activity and selectivity.
The catalyst also optionally may contain a fluorine or chlorine promoter in amount expressed as the element of 10-300 ppm, preferably 30-100 ppm by weight based on the catalyst as an optional component. Ammonium fluoride or chloride, alkali metal fluoride or chloride, and the like can be used.
The catalysts are made with supports comprising alumina, silica, silica-alumina or combinations thereof. Preferred supports are those containing principally alpha-alumina, particularly those containing up to about 15 wt % silica.
Especially preferred supports have a porosity of about 0.1-1.0 cc/g and preferably about 0.2-0.7 cc/g. Preferred supports also have a relatively low surface area, i.e. about 0.2-2.0 m2/g, preferably 0.4-1.6 m2/g and most preferably 0.5-1.3 m2/g as determined by the BET method. See J. Am. Chem. Soc. 60, 3098-16 (1938). Porosities are determined by the mercury porosimeter method; see Drake and Ritter, xe2x80x9cInd. Eng. Chem. anal. Ed.,xe2x80x9d 17, 787 (1945). Pore and pore diameter distributions are determined from the surface area and apparent porosity measurements.
For use in commercial ethylene oxide production applications, the supports are desirably formed into regularly shaped pellets, spheres, rings, etc. Desirably, the support particles may have xe2x80x9cequivalent diametersxe2x80x9d in the range from 3-10 mm and preferably in the range of 4-8 mm, which are usually compatible with the internal diameter of the tubes in which the catalyst is placed. xe2x80x9cEquivalent diameterxe2x80x9d is the diameter of a sphere having the same external surface (i.e. neglecting surface within the pores of the particle) to volume ratio as the support particles being employed.
Preferably, the silver is added to the support by immersion of the support into a silver/amine impregnating solution or by the incipient wetness technique. The silver containing liquid penetrates by absorption, capillary action and/or vacuum into the pores of the support. A single impregnation or a series of impregnations, with or without intermediate drying, may be used, depending in part upon the concentration of the silver salt in the solution. To obtain catalyst having silver contents within the preferred range, suitable impregnating solutions will generally contain from 5-50 wt % silver, expressed as metal. The exact concentrations employed, of course, will depend upon, among other factors, the desired silver content, the nature of the support, the viscosity of the liquid, and solubility of the silver compound.
The impregnating solution, as already indicated, is characterized as a silver/amine solution, preferably such as is fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,259 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The impregnation procedures described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,136 are advantageously employed for the cesium component.
Known prior procedures of predeposition, co-deposition and postdeposition of the various promoters can be employed.
After impregnation, any excess impregnating solution is separated and the support impregnated with silver and the promoter or promoters is calcined or activated. In the most preferred practice of the invention, calcination is carried out as described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,052 granted Apr. 2, 1996 and copending application Ser. No. 08/587,281 filed Jan. 16, 1996, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The calcination is accomplished by heating the impregnated support, preferably at a gradual rate, to a temperature in the range 120-500xc2x0 C. for a time sufficient to convert the contained silver to silver metal and to decompose the organic materials and remove the same as volatiles.
The impregnated support is maintained under an inert atmosphere while it is above 300xc2x0 C. during the entire procedure. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that at temperatures of 300xc2x0 C. and higher oxygen is absorbed in substantial quantities into the bulk of the silver where it has an adverse effect on the catalyst characteristics. Inert atmospheres as employed in the invention are those which are essentially free of oxygen.
An alternative method of calcination is to heat the catalyst in a stream of air at a temperature not exceeding 300xc2x0 C., preferably not exceeding 280xc2x0 C.
Catalysts prepared in accordance with the invention have improved performance, especially stability, for the production of ethylene oxide by the vapor phase oxidation of ethylene with molecular oxygen. These usually involve reaction temperatures of about 150xc2x0 C. to 400xc2x0 C., usually about 200xc2x0 C. to 300xc2x0 C., and reaction pressures in the range of from 0.5 to 35 bar. Reactant feed mixtures contain 0.5 to 30% ethylene and 3 to 15% oxygen, with the balance comprising comparatively inert materials including such substances as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, ethane, argon and the like. Only a portion of the ethylene usually is reacted per pass over the catalyst and after separation of the desired ethylene oxide product and the removal of appropriate purge streams and carbon dioxide to prevent uncontrolled build up of inerts and/or by-products, unreacted materials are returned to the oxidation reactor.
A disadvantage of the prior art rhenium promoted catalysts has been the instability associated with such catalysts. In accordance with the present invention, the rhenium free catalysts have advantageously high selectivity and high stability.


Calibration of a non-contact current sensor provides improved accuracy for measuring current conducted through a conductor such as an AC branch circuit wire. In a calibration mode, a predetermined DC current is injected through a conductor integrated in the non-contact current sensor. The magnitude of the magnetic field is measured using a sensing element of the non-contact current sensor. Then, when operating in measurement mode, a current conducted in a wire passing through the non-contact current sensor is determined by correcting the output of the non-contact current sensor using the result of the measurement made in the calibration mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to power measurement systems, and more specifically to calibration of a non-contact sensor that includes a magnetic field sensor for detecting the current in a wire of a power distribution system.
2. Description of Related Art
A need to measure power consumption in AC line powered systems is increasing due to a focus on energy efficiency for both commercial and residential locations. In order to provide accurate measurements, the characteristics of the load must be taken into account along with the current drawn by the load.
In order to determine current delivered to loads in an AC power distribution system, and in particular in installations already in place, current sensors are needed that provide for easy coupling to the high voltage wiring used to supply the loads, and proper isolation is needed between the power distribution circuits/loads and the measurement circuitry.
Non-contact current sensors provide for easy installation, circuit isolation and other advantages in power measurement systems. However, such sensors may vary in fabrication, installation and application and the relationship between the measured current and the output of the sensor may not be well established.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide techniques for calibrating non-contact current sensors and systems including such calibration.

Calibration of non-contact current sensors

International Business Machines Corporation


An illuminated sign comprises a housing containing a light source and having a sign face defining a side of the sign. The housing has upright end members and cross members extending between the end members, each member defining an inwardly directed locating channel and an undercut locating channel. The edge portions of the sign face are received in the locating channels. Right angle corner brackets are provided for location in the connecting channels to join the frame members.

It is known to provide illuminated signs comprising a rectangular housing containing a light source typically in the form of one or more fluorescent tube units and provided with one or two sign faces which are illuminated by the lights in the sign. The sign faces may be in the form of a single, translucent sheet, painted or marked as desired, or the sign face may be divided into a number of horizontal rows to receive interchangeable panels bearing alphanumeric characters or other symbols. The panels are formed of blocks or panels of transparent material and the characters may be defined by providing, on the face of the panel, a transparent portion defined by an opaque coating. Thus, with the light from the interior of the housing, behind the panel, the transparent portion is highly visible.
One of the problems associated with the use of such reverse type letter panels is of light transmission from between adjacent panels. One method of overcoming this problem is disclosed in Canadian Patent No 1,252,293 issued on Apr. 11, 1989 to Wagner Zipchange Inc. in which an opaque strip or partition is coupled to a lateral edge of a letter panel to abut and overlap an immediately adjacent panel.
Signs of this form are also often adapted to permit the rearranging of the letter panels such that, for example, a store may modify the sign to advertise different items or to change displayed prices. On the other hand, it is desirable that the signs are tamperproof and not readily modified or rearranged by unauthorized persons.
Signs of this form are generally of fairly large dimensions and thus are expensive to store and transport. Certain transport difficulties may be overcome by mounting the sign on a trailer, but this adds significantly to the cost of the sign and may facilitate theft of an unattended sign.


A CDMA system according to an embodiment of the invention employs a technique for power optimized user loading that obtains a desired allocation of different radio configuration calls. The technique takes advantage of the relatively low power requirements of RC3 calls for low load conditions, while increasing the number of RC4 calls for high load conditions. As the load increases, the percentage of RC4 calls increases while the percentage of RC3 calls decreases. The technique strives to minimize overall power consumption in the system for all call load conditions, by maximizing the number of RC3 calls at any given time while keeping Walsh code resources available for both new calls and hand-in traffic.

The prior art is replete with CDMA communication systems, including cellular telephone systems that can handle voice and/or data traffic. Briefly, a CDMA system utilizes binary orthogonal codes to enable multiple users to occupy the same time and frequency allocations within the system. The codes enable a CDMA system to establish multiple communication channels using a shared frequency spectrum. A system configured in accordance with CDMA 1× technology utilizes two primary radio configuration modes to carry information, namely, RC3 and RC4. The RC3 mode utilizes 64 Walsh codes, each of which is 64 bits long. Three of the RC3 Walsh codes are reserved for overhead use, namely, one pilot channel, one paging channel, and one sync channel per base station transceiver subsystem ("BTS"). Consequently, in a practical system, 61 RC3 Walsh codes are available to support user calls.
The RC4 mode utilizes 128 Walsh codes, each of which is 128 bits long. Two related RC4 Walsh codes can be derived from a single RC3 Walsh code. Accordingly, although only 61 RC3 Walsh codes are available to support user calls, 122 RC4 Walsh codes are available to support user calls. The RC4 mode, however, requires more power (on average) per forward link than the RC3 mode. Specifically, RC4 calls require approximately 10% more operating power than RC3 calls. Consequently, older generation CDMA systems having strict power consumption requirements do not support RC4 calls. Furthermore, until recent improvements in practical CDMA system power consumption, a CDMA system that exclusively handled RC3 calls would typically consume all of its available operating power (from the BTS perspective) before exhausting the supply of RC3 Walsh codes. Current systems, however, may assign all of the available RC3 Walsh codes while having excess operating power to spare.
Some existing systems exclusively handle RC4 calls. A practical system that utilizes the RC4 mode for all calls would likely run out of power before exhausting all of the available RC4 Walsh codes. A CDMA system that supports both RC3 and RC4 modes can therefore take advantage of the practical tradeoff between limited system resources for operating power and Walsh code availability. In general, a power limited system that uses a mix of RC3 and RC4 calls can realize a higher capacity than a system that uses only one or the other. In practice, the total number of users, the number of RC3 users, the number of RC4 users, the average power consumption per RC3 user, and the average power consumption per RC4 user will dynamically vary as each BTS in the system establishes new calls, accepts hand-in calls, terminates existing calls, and hands off calls.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a methodology and system for providing a practical balance of RC3 and RC4 calls within a CDMA system. In addition, it is desirable to have a methodology and system that seeks to minimize or optimize the CDMA system power consumption at all load levels. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

System and method for power-optimized user loading of a CDMA communication system


The invention relates to an installation and to a process for the production of foam in a continuous foaming process with the following steps,

The quality of foam is dependent on a plurality of environmental and installation parameters. This applies in particular to the production of polyurethane foam.
Various computer-aided processes for quality assurance in the production of polyurethane foam have become known, such as for example from "Software to Manage a Continuous Production of Flexible Polyurethane Foams by Slabstock Technology", Salvatore Consoli, Journal of Cellular Plastics, volume 33, March 1997, page 102, "Foam Roadmap On-Line Answemostics", James D. Shoup, Polyurethane 1995, Sep. 26-29, 1995, pages 489, 490 and "Mathematical Property Prediction Models for Flexible Polyurethane Foams", Reinhart Schiffauer, Adv. Urethane Sci. Techn., 14 (1998), pages 1 to 44.
Expert systems for processing process parameters in RIM processing have also been disclosed by "Experten mit System, Prozesssteuerung des PUR-RRIM-Verfahrens zur Herstellung von Karosserieauβenteilen" [Experts with system; process control of the PU-RRIM process for the production of exterior bodywork parts], F. Schnabel, Sulzbach, K.-H. Dörner, Kunststoffe, volume 88, October 1998 and "PUR-Teile kostengünstig fertigen, Stand der Polyurethan-RRIM-Technologie" [Low-cost production of PU parts, status of polyurethane RRIM technology], Karl-Heinz Dörner, Hans Joachim Meiners, Hans-Joachim Ludwig, Kunststoffe, volume 91, April/2001. These expert systems are apparently able to make predictions with regard to product properties, process monitoring, quality assurance and preventive maintenance.
DE 28 19 709 B1 furthermore describes a process for the continuous production of foam sheets provided with facing layers, in which foam thickness is measured with ultrasound transversely to the conveying direction. The production installation is then controlled via conveyor belt speed and/or the applied quantity of foam.
DE 102 37 005 A1 describes a process for a continuous slabstock foam process, in which the actual rise heights are continuously measured along the conveying apparatus. A control variable for controlling the slabstock foam process is determined as a function of possible deviations between the actual rise heights and predetermined nominal rise heights.
Temperature measurement methods, in particular contactless temperature measurement, have long been known in the art. Pyrometers are used to evaluate the infrared radiation emitted from the measured object. In this manner, the surface temperature of for example continuous belt installations, plastics extruders, conveyor belts or calenders may be monitored contactlessly.
Different types of installation for the production of slabstock foam and other foams are also known in the art. Examples are the Planiblock, UBT, QFM, Draka-Petzetakis, Maxfoam, Vertifoam Edge Control and VPF processes. In these types of installations, flexible polyurethane foam is produced in a continuous rectangular process. Rigid foam composite sheets with flexible or rigid facing layers are produced on continuously operated double conveyor installations.
DE 691 19 244 T2, DE 692 17 671 T2 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,664 A furthermore disclose various apparatuses for the continuous production of polyurethane foam blocks. DE 696 10 885 T2 discloses another apparatus for the production of polyurethane foam. DE 38 19 940 A1, DE 196 49 829 A1, DE 43 15 874 A1 and DE 195 06 671 C2 disclose various processes for the production of polyurethane foams on such installations.

Process and installation for the production of foam in a continuous foaming process

Abstract: measuring actual surface temperatures of the foam or the facing layers along a conveying direction and

Abstract: determining a control variable for the foaming process as a function of a deviation of the actual surface temperatures from the nominal surface temperatures.


A fluid heater constructed of rectangular tubing through which fluid to be heated is circulated in a circuitous path. The floor and walls of a combustion chamber of the heater are constructed of the rectangular tubing. A tubular coil stack is positioned over the combustion chamber and surrounded by coil stack chamber walls constructed of the rectangular tubing. Consequently, all surfaces of the fluid heater exposed directly to flame are constantly cooled by the fluid to be heated. A combustion unit of the fluid heater is removable to facilitate maintenance.

Boilers for heating water and other fluids for use in heating systems, industrial processes and the like are well known in the art. In general, such boilers employ a ceramic-lined or enamel-lined firebox where a fossil fuel is combusted to provide an energy source for heating the fluid to a desired temperature. The fluid is normally heated by circulating flue gases through a "water wall" formed of a plurality of pipes or channels through which the fluid is circulated.
For certain applications, fluid heaters for rapidly heating large volumes of water or other fluids are required. Such applications include the heating of hydrocarbon well fracturing fluids, which are generally but not exclusively aqueous fluids that are typically heated to about 15° C.-50° C. before they are injected into a hydrocarbon well. Portable heaters for this application must be lightweight, rugged, efficient and capable of high heat output. While fluid heaters of this type are known, they are expensive to construct and maintain, and are not necessarily capable of the heat generation required to rapidly heat large volumes of well fracturing fluids in the field.
There therefore exists a need for an efficient, low maintenance fluid heater.

Low maintenance fluid heater and method of firing same


A fuel injection system for internal combustion engines having a plurality of fuel injectors, in which the fuel injectors each have one high-pressure connection and one low-pressure connection, and the low-pressure connections discharge into at least one manifold line. The system has a means, located between the manifold line and a pressureless fuel return, for maintaining the fuel pressure; at least one throttle is located between the low-pressure connection of each fuel injector and the means for maintaining the fuel pressure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved fuel injector system for internal combustion engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In storage-type injection, or "common rail injection of fuel into an internal combustion engine ", pressure generation and injection are conventionally decoupled from one another. The injection pressure is generated independently of the engine rpm and of the injection quantity and is available in the "rail"—that is, the fuel reservoir—for injection. The instant of injection and the injection quantity are calculated in the electronic control unit and are converted by an injector at each engine cylinder. The injector has the task of adjusting the injection onset and the injection quantity.
Besides triggering the injector via a piezoelectric element, triggering the injector via a magnet valve is also known. While in magnet valves sufficiently long valve strokes can be generated for using the magnet valve as a control valve, in control of an injector with a piezoelectric element additional provisions must be made. The reason is that with a piezoelectric element, only a very short stroke, which is in the range of only some thousandths of the length of the piezoelectric element, can be generated. For the actuation of the adjusting valve, this short stroke must be transformed during continuous operation of the injector. For this purpose, a hydraulic booster is for instance used.
In the prior art, control and leakage quantities from the injector or injectors are carried away via a pressureless fuel return and fed into the fuel tank. In some injectors for diesel engines, the leak fuel in the injector must have a defined pressure, however. These injectors include piezoelectrically controlled common rail injectors. In these injectors, a hydraulic coupler is located between the piezoelectric actuator and the control valve and lengthens the adjustment path of the piezoelectric actuator. To that end, there is a coupling chamber, whose filling requires a defined leak fuel pressure that is above the ambient pressure.
From German Patent Disclosure DE-A 199 52 513, a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines is known, having at least one injector which communicates with a pressureless fuel return. Between the injector or injectors and the fuel return, there are means for maintaining a leak fuel pressure in the injector or injectors. In particular, the means for maintaining a leak fuel pressure are located in the injector or injectors of one or more pressure holding valves.
German Patent Disclosure DE-A 101 04 634 relates to a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines having a plurality of injectors, in which the injectors each have one high-pressure connection and one low-pressure connection, and the low-pressure connections discharge into a manifold line, with a pressure holding valve located between the manifold line and a pressureless fuel return; the manifold line is embodied as a pressure reservoir.
In these fuel injection systems of the prior art, the pressure load on the pressure holding valve for maintaining the pressure on the low-pressure side of the injectors, at up to 20 bar, is very high. Both the manifold line (return rail) and the actuator and a bellows that may be present are exposed to severe stresses from this pressure as well.

Fuel injection system for internal combustion engines


New set-accelerating admixtures for hydraulic cement compositions are disclosed. These admixtures incorporate known set accelerators and certain low molecular weight glycols, e.g., glycerol and ethylene glycol, are found to be surprisingly effective in decreasing the initial set time of hydraulic cements, mortars, and concretes, and are advantageous as reduced-temperature set-accelerators. Preferred embodiments of the invention may also comprise a component selected from the group consisting of certain alkanolamines and mixtures thereof.

Set accelerators are used when it is necessary to work with hydraulic cement compositions at freezing or near-freezing temperatures. The rate of hydration of Portland cement, for example, is very dependent on temperature, such that, at lower temperatures, Portland cement compositions will often harden at a rate slower than desired unless the hardening process is accelerated. In addition to accelerating the set, it is desirable to also attain an increase in the rate of early strength development at normal or low temperatures. This reduces curing and protection periods necessary to achieve specified strengths in concrete. Some techniques for accelerating the set are: increasing the proportion of cement in the mix, heating the mix, and using chemical admixtures that act on the components of the mix to increase the rate at which the cement paste sets.
Several chemical set accelerators are well-known. They include alkali hydroxides, silicates, fluorosilicates, calcium formate, sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and calcium nitrate and calcium nitrite.
Calcium chloride is widely used because it is easy and inexpensive to produce and its effects on hydraulic cement are predictable and well-documented. However, like sodium chloride, it has the disadvantage of corroding steel. Thus, it can cause the corrosion of steel reinforcing bars in concrete. Other drawbacks of calcium chloride use include reduced compressive strength at later ages, reduced response to air entrainment, and blotching of hardened concrete surfaces (Concrete Admixtures, Dodson: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1990).
It is thus an object of this invention to provide new set-accelerating admixtures which reduce the set time of hydraulic cement compositions at lower temperatures, without inducing or promoting corrosion of steel reinforcement. Further objects of the invention are to provide methods for preparing such cement compositions and to provide methods for reducing the set time of hydraulic cement compositions.

Hydraulic cement set-accelerating admixtures incorporating glycols


A method for dyeing/bleaching hair, includes the steps of applying to the hair at least one strip of adhesive material in a direction which is longitudinal to the hair, in such a way to form and retain by means of adhesion a random lock of hair; lifting the lock of hair to be dyed/bleached so as to isolate it from the rest of the hair; turning over the strip with the lock of hair adhering to it; dyeing/bleaching the lock of hair; protecting the dyed/bleached lock of hair; waiting for the color to develop; and removing the strip.

Operative methods are known for dyeing hair, which provide the use of aluminium foil strips, end wraps in various materials, and/or also plastic caps, etc., onto which the hair is laid during dyeing/bleaching, as auxiliary accessories for the hairdresser.
For example, in the case of using aluminium foils, bleaching is obtained by a method which provides a succession of steps substantially consisting of sectioning the hair to be dyed/bleached by means of a tail comb; forming the lock; arranging the lock on the aluminium foil strip; depositing a dyeing fluid or gel onto the lock; protecting the dyed/bleached lock by, for example, superposition of a protective sheet, or by folding the lock on itself, with the lock contained within the fold; waiting for the penetration of the dye into the hair structure; and, finally, washing the hair with removal of the strips and final drying of the dyed/bleached hair.
A completely similar technique provides, as a replacement for the aluminium foil, the use of a transparent plastic material sheet. However, notwithstanding the different nature of the material constituting the strip, the dyeing/bleaching operations proceed in a substantially similar manner to those of the preceding case.

Method for dyeing/bleaching hair and relative applicator tool


In accordance with various embodiments, provided is a scalp management service provision server for providing a hair loss prevention service and scalp care service for a user, including: a DB management unit interlocked with the scalp management service provision server and configured to obtain a scalp image of the user from a scalp care device including a camera; a scalp condition diagnosis unit configured to determine a scalp condition of the user based on the obtained scalp image; a hair condition diagnosis unit configured to determine a hair condition of the user based on the obtained scalp image; a hair loss diagnosis unit configured to provide a current hair loss progress degree of the user and a hair loss prediction simulation of the user based on the scalp condition and the hair condition; a scalp care solution provision unit configured to provide information about a scalp analysis result and hair analysis result of the user through a user terminal of the user and to determine a scalp care product for the user from among a number of scalp care products included in a scalp care product DB; and a remote care device control unit configured to remotely control the scalp care device with a control value determined according to the scalp analysis result and hair analysis result of the user.

Hair loss is a disease with a high prevalence, occurring at a rate of 1 in 4 adults. Hair loss is not a disease that threatens a person's life or restricts the behavior of the human body, but it is a disease that significantly lowers an individual's social function due to a psychological problem induced thereby. Individual stress due to hair loss is quite large, negative factors such as lack of confidence due to hair loss and interpersonal phobia are considerable, and the loss of social opportunity cost is also considerable. Hair loss is recognized as a very serious problem by the standards of modern people who value appearance, and the hair loss-related market has been growing steadily since the 1990s.
In general, hair loss can be divided into male pattern hair loss and female pattern hair loss, which are progressive diseases that gradually progress due to genetic predisposition, and can be divided into alopecia areata and telogen hair loss that suddenly progresses due to specific factors. Male pattern hair loss and female pattern hair loss due to genetic predisposition are processes in which thick hair gradually becomes thinner and eventually becomes invisible hair. This type of hair loss appears to progress over a long period of time.
On the other hand, alopecia areata is a disease in which immune cells attack one's own hair follicles due to an abnormality in the autoimmune system so that hair suddenly falls out. In addition, telogen hair loss is a disease in which hair loss occurs suddenly due to abnormalities in the endocrine system, drug side effects, chronic nutritional imbalance, severe external stimuli, and the like. Such alopecia areata and telogen hair loss are occurring in a relatively short time compared to hair loss caused by genetic predisposition.
As such, hair loss can be caused by various factors, so it is important to provide customized diagnosis and treatment for each hair loss patient. In particular, in the case of alopecia areata or telogen hair loss, not hair loss due to a genetic predisposition, diagnosis and treatment through accurate diagnosis of the time of hair loss and area of hair loss are essentially required.
However, it is difficult to provide an accurate diagnosis and treatment of hair loss to a patient because a doctor visually diagnoses a hair loss area based on a patient's scalp image and calculates the hair loss area.

Method and device for hair loss prediction and personalized scalp care