A method for transforming iota-carrageenan into alpha-carrageenan by a new class of 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatase. The invention also relates to carrageenans obtained by the conversion method. The invention can be especially applied to the agro-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for transforming iota-carrageenan to alpha-carrageenan by means of a novel class of 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatase. The present invention also relates to carrageenans obtained by said conversion method.
The present invention finds application especially in the agro-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
In the description below, the references in square brackets ([ ]) refer to the list of references presented at the end of the text.
2. State of the Art
Carrageenans are sulfated galactans extracted from the wall of marine red algae. Carrageenans are composed of a succession of D-galactosides alternately linked by alpha(1-3) and beta(1-4) bonds. These anionic polysaccharides are mainly distinguishable by the presence or otherwise of a 3,6 anhydro bridge on the galactose residue linked at the alpha(1-3) position, and by their degree of sulfation. For example, the three disaccharide repeating units—called carrabiose motif—found in the most industrially exploited carrageenans are characterized by the presence of one (kappa-carrabiose), two (iota-carrabiose) or three sulfates (lambda-carrabiose) (FIG. 1). Carrageenans may be mainly composed of a carrabiose motif, for example kappa-carrageenan from the alga Kappaphycus alvarezzi is composed of about 90% kappa-carrabiose motif and 10% iota-carrabiose. The iota-carrageenan extracted from Eucheuma denticulatum is composed of 85% iota-carrabiose units and 15% kappa-carrabiose units.
The compositions with respect to carrabiose unit may be highly variable and depend mainly on the botanic origin of the alga. The term kappa-carrageenan is used when the polysaccharide is rich in kappa-carrabiose motif and when these physicochemical properties are similar to those of kappa-carrageenan from K. alvarezzi which is often used as reference (Bixler et al., Food Hydrocolloids, 15: 619-630, 2001) [1].
A whole range of intermediate structures of hybrid kappa/iota-carrageenans has been described according to the botanic origin of the polysaccharides (FIG. 2; Bixler et al., 2001, cited above) [1]. The type of carrageenan present in the wall of algae may also be correlated with the stage of life of the algae. Indeed, in the case of Chondrus crispus, the gametophytes are rich in kappa/iota-carrageenans while the sporophytes contain mainly lambda-carrageenan. The seasons and all the environmental factors which may affect the growth of algae (illumination, temperature, salts and the like) will also have an effect on the carrageenan structure and composition. Consequently, depending on the origin and/or the procedures for extraction, a wide range of structures of the kappa-, iota- and lambda-carrageenan type may be observed.
These polysaccharides have unique rheological properties and are used as texturing agents in the agro-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. These polysaccharides have a wide range of functional properties which can be explained by their high structural diversity. The kappa- and iota-carrageenans have the property of forming ion- and thermo-dependent gels. Kappa-carrageenan will form rigid gels in the presence of potassium while iota-carrageenan forms flexible and elastic gels in the presence of calcium. The high diversity of chemical structure of carrageenans and their natural hybridity confer characteristic functional properties on each alga extract.
About 50 000 tons of carrageenans are sold yearly (Bixler and Porse, J. Appl. Phycol., 2010, online) [2]. However, the tonnage of carrageenans exploited is limited by the quantity of red alga available. Currently, two species of red alga are widely cultivated: Kappaphycus alvarezzi and Eucheuma denticulatum from which kappa- and iota-carrageenan are extracted, respectively. Numerous wild algae (not cultivated) are also collected in a large quantity because their carrageenans, of a kappa/iota-hybrid nature, exhibit highly advantageous functional properties. However, a ton of these algae is twice or even ten times more expensive than that of cultivated algae.
In addition, each industrial application corresponds to extracts of carrageenans obtained from one species or from several species of red algae. The solutions for satisfying the industrial needs in any field reside mainly in the formulation (mixture) of carrageenans (Bixler and Porse, 2010, cited above) [2].
Consequently, a biotechnological process which would make it possible to obtain hybrid carrageenans from cultivated algae would be economically highly profitable. It would have the advantage of being less dependent on the source of algae, and would open novel perspectives for the exploitation and upgrading of the biomass of red algae.
In order to control the chemical structure and, by extension, the physicochemical properties of carrageenans, the inventors therefore undertook the purification and the production of enzymes capable of modifying and correcting the structures of carrageenans. The desired modifications consist of the desulfation of carrageenans by enzymes called sulfatases which lead to the conversion of iota- to kappa- or alpha-carrageenan, or to hybrid structures of the kappa/iota- or iota/alpha-carrageenan type (FIG. 3). They thus demonstrated the existence of carrageenan sulfatases which can act directly on the polymer without preliminary action of carragenases. They succeeded in purifying, from a bacterial population Pseudoalteromonas carrageenovora, a first 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatase belonging to the family of amidohydrolases and which converts iota- to alpha-carrageenan by specific desulfation (removal of an SO3− group) at the 4 position of iota-carrageenan (French patent application FR 09/52642) [3]. Using the same strategy as for the first 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatase, the inventors succeeded in purifying, from Pseudoalteromonas atlantica, a second 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatase belonging to the family of formylglycin-dependent sulfatases. They first of all succeeded in determining three peptides of said protein: NGQFDNTVIVFTSDNGGK (SEQ ID NO:1), FDQTFQVGDNTR (SEQ ID NO:2), and ETEYITDGLSR (SEQ ID NO:3), which, once compared with the TrEMBL library, demonstrated a correspondence with the Q15XH3 protein of P. atlantica T6c whose gene (Patl—0889) was labeled a sulfatase (ProteinJD ABG39415.1; Copeland et al., 2006) [4].
The 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatases could therefore make it possible to calibrate the "hybridity" of carrageenans. Thus, any sulfatase acting on iota-carrageenan could represent a major innovation because it would make it possible to manufacture alpha- and iota/alpha-carrageenans which are very scarce in nature, and which are different in terms of peptide sequence but also in terms of biochemical properties. However, it appeared that it was possible for sulfatases acting on carrageenans not to exhibit homology with the other sulfatases known—the most widely studied sulfatases being the enzymes acting on heparine, a polysaccharide of animal origin.
A real need therefore exists for purifying enzymes for modifying the motifs of sulfation of carrageenans in order to overcome the deficiencies, disadvantages and obstacles of the prior art, in particular for a method which makes it possible to control the "hybridity" of carrageenans using said enzymes, to reduce the costs and to control the supply and the functional properties of the carrageenans thus obtained.

Method for transforming iota-carrageenan into alpha-carrageenan by means of a new class of 4S-iota-carrageenan sulfatase

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-CNRS


Provided is a method for manufacturing an electric field emission device. The method for manufacturing the electric field emission device includes winding a carbon nanotube yarn around outer circumferential surfaces of a metal plate in a first direction, pressing both side surfaces of the metal plate through a pair of metal structures, wherein a top surface of the metal plate is exposed from the metal structures, and an area of the top surface of the metal plate is less than that of each of both the side surfaces of the metal plate, and cutting the carbon nanotube yarn at an edge portion of the top surface of the metal plate in the first direction to form a plurality of emitters.

The present disclosure herein relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic field emission device.
Nanomaterials used as emitters may emit electrons to the outside of nanomaterials through a quantum tunneling effect caused by external electric fields. For the effective occurrence of the electron emission process, a tip of the emitter has to have a sharp shape. Therefore, nanomaterials, each of which has a thin and long shape, are widely used for an emitter of the electric field emission device. For example, nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) may be used for the emitter of the electric field emission device. In the case in which the tip of the emitter has the sharp shape, electric fields may be concentrated into the tip of the emitter to improve electron emission efficiency. Recently, as electric field emission devices such as X-ray tubes, which require high-current emitter characteristics, are widely used throughout the industry, studies on an emitter, which has an advantageous structure for electric field emission, is easy to be manufactured, and has excellent durability, and an electric field emission device including the same are being actively conducted.

Method for manufacturing electric field emission device

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A broadcast display apparatus and an image processing and outputting method thereof. An image processing and outputting method includes determining whether there is noise on an edge of an original image, and performing image processing for the noise. Accordingly, undesired signals inserted on an edge of an image can be effectively removed.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an image processing, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for processing an edge of an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Display apparatuses, especially, televisions have been conventionally using overscanning in order to output an image on a screen. Overscanning is cropping an area of a certain ratio (i.e., the "overscan" or the "overscan area") from an edge of an active area of an original signal image (an original image) and magnifying or stretching the remaining image on a display apparatus. The overscanning has been generally used from when performing analog broadcasting so as to solve the problem that when a broadcasting station or a broadcasting manufacturer produces video, undesired signals are inserted into the edge.
However, overscanning has several problems, such as losing certain data of the input original image. That is, because a certain part of the original image, i.e., the overscan or the overscan area, is cropped, an image which can be viewed by users may become comparatively narrow. Recently, as digital broadcasting has been widespread and a demand for clearer image quality has been increasing, a scanning method not using overscanning ("just scan") has been tried.
In fact, a technology for producing a broadcast signal has been much more enhanced than in the past, but in actuality, producing a perfect signal is still difficult. In particular, since undesired signal may be inserted on an edge of a signal, a solution for this case is required when applying just scan.


A filament (20) for use as a data link is wound on the tapered aft fairing (22) of a missile (10) in a manner so as to form a tapered wound pack (24) conforming generally to the aft fairing. An outer length of the filament is enclosed within a protective covering forming a leader (26). When the missile is launched from a moving mother vehicle (36), a further length of the filament is wound onto a dispenser aboard the mother vehicle (36) and a drogue (30) connected to the leader (26) is released with the leader and filament during dispensing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a filament data link of a missile or other high speed vehicle and, more particularly, to an improved way of providing a filament pack on such a missile or other high speed vehicle so as to aid aerodynamic streamlining and not expose the filament to undesirable torsion, kinking or tension that could cause reduction in data transmission efficiency or filament breakage.
2. Description of Related Art
Many present day missiles on being launched are interconnected with the launch site by a length of filament via which navigational information is provided throughout a portion of or the entire path of travel. Such filaments, consisting typically of an optical fiber, must be dispensed from a wound pack carried on the missile or vehicle in such manner as not to subject the filament to torsions or excessive tensile forces that would reduce the efficiency of optical signal transmission or, in extreme cases, sever the link completely.
It is generally desirable to make the outer diameter of a wound filament dispenser as large as possible in order to accommodate the required length of filament with as few turns or windings as possible and thereby reduce the possibility of harming the filament. The aerodynamic designer, on the other hand, desires to reduce drag by having a streamlined fairing at the aft end of the craft fuselage. Also, it is important that the outer diameter of a conventionally wound filament bobbin be smaller than the exit passage through which the filament is to be dispensed, otherwise the filament can contact the exit walls which undesirably increases the tensile load on the fiber and would limit filament payout speed. Therefore, even with a full bodied diameter exit, this necessity for clearance within the dispenser shroud reduces the overall permissible winding diameter.


A lamp socket with a pull string switch includes a socket body, a screw base, and a pull string switch combined in the socket body. The improved feature is two power lead protectors formed on an upper end surface of the socket body for separating two power leads so that the power lead protectors may hamper accidental force of pulline the power leads from directly transmitted to connect points of the power leads. Thus the connect points may not disconnected from the terminals or become badly connected with the terminals, keeping good quality of the power leads in transmitting electricity and safety of using electricity.

This invention relates to a lamp socket with a pull string switch, particularly to one preventing power leads from loosening off, or becoming badly connected with terminals, so as to keep good quality of the power leads in transmitting power and safety of using electricity.
A known traditional lamp socket with a pull string switch is shown in FIG. 1, includes a socket body 1 and a screw base 2 as main components.
The socket body 1 is made of an insulating material, having two terminals 11, 12 at two sides for connecting two power leads of a single phase, and a Pull string switch 13 is combined in the socket body 1 for turning on and off a lamp screwed in the socket body 1.
The screw base 2 is made of a conductive material, and having screw grooves for a lamp to screw with.
Though the known traditional lamp socket with a pull string switch has a function to turn on and off a a lamp, the power leads fixed with the terminals 11 and 12 may fall off the terminals 11 and 12 in case of the screws loosened or the power leads accidentally pulled excessively by an improper force. Even if the power leads do not fall off the terminals 11 and 12 but only contact not well with the terminals, there might arise uneven load current, which might cause large load current to start a fire.


Disclosed is the preparation of composite fluid separation membranes based on poly (aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) polymers with the separation layer formed by a layer-by-layer reticular synthesis. The porous PAEK substrate is semicrystalline, exhibits a mesoporous surface structure, and is surface functionalized. The separation layer formed by the hierarchical layer-by-layer process is in the form of a covalent organic network integrally linked via covalent bonds to the functional groups of the substrate. The composite separation layer may be synthesized in situ in a preformed separation device on the surface of the PAEK substrate. Device configurations include flat sheet, spiral wound, monolith, and hollow fiber configurations with the hollow fiber configuration being preferred. Hollow fibers are formed from PAEK polymers with poly (ether ether ketone) and poly (ether ketone) particularly preferred. Composite PAEK membranes of the present invention are useful for a broad range of fluid separation applications.

Porous polymeric membranes are well known in the art and are used widely for filtration and purification processes, such as filtration of wastewater, desalination, preparation of ultra-pure water, and in medical, pharmaceutical or, food applications, including removal of microorganisms, dialysis and protein filtration. A membrane is generally defined as a selective barrier that permits the passage of one or more components through the membrane while retaining one or more components. Porous polymeric membranes are used to separate components of liquid mixtures by filtration, membrane distillation and as contactors to facilitate dissolution of gases in liquids or to remove gases from liquids, as membrane bioreactors, and in numerous other applications where they serve as a generic phase separator, for example, as a battery separator. The application spectrum of membrane processes stretches from filtration of solids up to separations in a molecular range. Pressure driven membrane processes, such as microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO), are established large scale industrial processes for water purification and recovery of high value substances. Initially applied to water-based systems, membrane separations are increasingly applied to non-water solvent-based systems as well.
Composite polymeric membranes that consist of a selective separation layer superimposed on a porous support constitute an advanced class of fluid separation membranes. Composite membranes are used in water purification and desalination and in gas separation applications, such as natural gas treatment, gas dehydration, and hydrogen recovery from petrochemical and refinery streams. The most commonly used RO membranes are composite. The composite RO membrane consists of three layers: a polyester web, a microporous polysulfone interlayer support and an ultra-thin polyamide barrier layer on the top surface formed by an interfacial polymerization process. Composite membranes are further utilized for vapor permeation, removal of dissolved gases from liquids, and dehydration of liquids. While these membranes have found broad utility for a variety of purposes, they suffer from several disadvantages: a broad and non-uniform pore size distribution, and a limited chemical, solvent and thermal resistance. This limits membrane utility in applications that require molecular level separations, such as the separation of active pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs. The synthesis of APIs is frequently carried out in aggressive solvent systems. Membranes capable of operation in aggressive chemical solvent systems at high temperatures while performing molecular level separations are thus needed.
Today's thin-film composite RO and NF membranes are made from polyamides assembled on porous supports by interfacial polymerization. However, these membranes suffer from low chemical stability, as the polyamides are not stable in the presence of hypochlorite, which is commonly used for disinfection and membrane cleaning. Furthermore, these membranes are mostly produced in a flat sheet geometry and packed into spiral-wound modules. Such modules cannot be cleaned by backwashing, which is the desired strategy for membrane cleaning. The packing density of spiral wound modules is low as compared to hollow fiber membrane modules. Tangential flow filtration processes are in need of a composite membrane preparation methodology applicable to hollow fiber module configurations.
The permeability of membranes is inversely proportional to their thickness. To maximize fluxes, the thickness of membranes should be as thin as possible. As thin layers (<200 nm) do not have enough mechanical strength to prevent them from rupturing, they can only function atop mechanically strong and porous support as a hierarchical (asymmetric) structure. The support layer does not contribute to the rejection and it is the active layer wherein the separation occurs. This structural advantage gives rise to a higher permeability and selectivity compared to symmetric membranes. Constructing composite membranes with a tailor-made thin selective layer is a practical and effective strategy to improve the performance of asymmetric membranes. By accurately manipulating the structure and the physicochemical properties of the selective layer, desired membranes can be fabricated to fulfill the demand for precise and rapid separation of molecules.
A number of approaches are known to form membranes with a controllable selective layer for precise and rapid separation of molecules. One of approach that is used extensively is based on advanced interfacial polymerization (IP). The method is simple, reproducible, easy to control and is used extensively to manufacture thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. TFC membranes are comprised of a highly crosslinked selective layer of a minimal thickness to maximize fluid permeability and minimize energy input. The advent of such TFC membranes has revolutionized water purification globally. The IP methodology has also been expanded to the fabrication of membranes for organic solvent-resistant nanofiltration (OSN), forward osmosis (FO), and even energy-efficient gas separations.
In the IP process, two monomers separately dissolved in immiscible solvents (e.g., water and non-polar organic solvent, such as hexane) react at the interface to form a polymer film that eventually self-terminates growth. The seemingly straightforward IP process turns out to be extremely complex when it concerns the relations among the preparation conditions, the film thickness, nanostructure, and permselectivity. A lack of efficient nanoscale control can lead to a film with poorly defined thickness, an irregular structure at all spatial scales, and defects. Diffusion control is a key factor to tune the membrane structure and performance during the IP process. The support layer that directly contacts the aqueous phase solution impacts the IP process and the performance of the TFC membrane. Even subtle changes derived from the support layer structure have a significant impact on the separation characteristics of the active layer, in part due to the changes in the separation layer surface roughness. The permeation separation performance can be also affected by the structure of the support. Recently a layer-by-layer (LbL) synthetic method of forming the separation layer has enabled some limitations of the traditional composite membrane preparation by the IP process to be overcome.
Over the past few decades, layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of thin films has been developed to enable nanometer control over film thickness and an extensive choice of usable materials for coating planar and particulate substrates (Ref. Joseph J. Richardson et al., "Technology-driven layer-by-layer assembly of nanofilms", Science, (2015), V. 348, issue 6233, p. 411). The choice of materials allows for responsive and functional thin films to be engineered for various applications, including membranes. The LbL method was applied primarily to the preparation of polyelectrolyte composite membranes. These membranes are formed by the layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolytes onto a preformed porous support. Preparation of LbL membranes by this methodology is described in the following references: Nithya Joseph et al., "Layer-by-Layer Preparation of Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Membranes for Separation", Polymer Chemistry, (2014), V. 5(6), p. 1817-1831; Joris de Grooth et al., "Charged Micropollutant Removal with Hollow Fiber Nanofiltration Membranes Based on Polycation/Polyzwitterion/Polyanion Multilayers", SCS Applied Materials & Interfaces, (2014), V6, Issue 19, p. 17009-17017; and Xiaoyun Liu et al., "Size-Selective Transport of Uncharged Solutes through Multilayer Polyelectrolyte Membranes", Chemical Materials, (2004), V. 16, p. 351-357.
By controlling the number of layers, their macromolecular nature, and their charge, polyelectrolyte (PE) multilayer membranes can be tailored to have designed properties. These membranes exhibit pore sizes and charges most applicable to nanofiltration applications and were initially directed toward water-softening. This manufacturing technique enables a better tuning of the membrane performance regarding the desired selectivity towards one or more components. The polyelectrolyte type membranes are tunable toward ion separation properties and are less selective towards separation of neutral substances.
In almost all cases, the LbL assemblies were prepared by adsorbing polyelectrolytes onto a porous substrate in a hierarchical sequential process. These layers are not covalently bound to the substrate. In some cases, the layers are deposited by a convective method, wherein polyelectrolyte bi-layers are adsorbed on the lumen surface of a porous hollow fiber support. The method is versatile, to be applied not only on a single membrane specimen but also on membranes being packaged into a module housing. This makes the convective methodology scalable towards industry scales. Polyelectrolyte composite LbL membrane assemblies comprise cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes (PE) adsorbed in a sequential manner into ultra-thin films (Ref. Yan Liu et al., "Preparation of Layer-by-Layer Nanofiltration Membranes by Dynamic Deposition and Crosslinking", Membranes, (2019), V. 9, p. 20); Chang Liu et al., "Enhanced hollow fiber membrane performance via semi-dynamic layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte inner surface deposition for nanofiltration and forward osmosis applications", Reactive & Functional Polymers, (2015), V. 86, p. 154-160). The adsorbed single layers are in the range of a few nanometers. The thickness, the structure, and thus the properties of the LbL films, are controlled by various parameters: the polyelectrolyte type, its molecular weight and concentration, the ionic strength and pH of the coating solution, adsorption time, coating method and number of layers.
The layer-by-layer approach has been also utilized to form ultra-thin polymeric layers and membranes via interfacial polymerization. Interfacial polymerization layers were formed by the LbL methodology on a gold surface (Ref. Zvi Steiner et al., "Development of an oligoamide coating as a surface mimetic for aromatic polyamide films used in reverse osmosis membranes", Chemical Communications, (2011), V. 47, p. 2384-2386)). P. Manna et al. describe preparation of composite membrane by LbL interfacial polymerization process (Ref. P. Manna et al., "Stepwise synthesis of oligoamide coating on a porous support: Fabrication of a membrane with controllable transport properties", Separation and Purification Technology, (2019), V. 213, pages 11-18). A tunable membrane was thus formed on a polyacrylonitrile support and the membrane separation characteristics correlated with the number of LbL deposition cycles.
Although LbL methods of forming composite membranes by interfacial polymerization or by polyelectrolyte multilayer deposition have advanced tunability of network structure towards the target separation, the methodology is mostly applicable to forming membranes directed to the separation of ionic species. The molecular level separation of neutral substances is still limited. The reason is that the starting entities used to synthesize LbL layers maintain their structure to a limited extent during the reaction, leading to a limited correlation between reactants and product's structure. This general lack of control over the structure of the separation layer produced is inherent to traditional synthetic methods in general and is directly related to the fact that the starting entities do not maintain their structure during the reaction, leading to a poor correlation between reactants and the product structure. A new class of organic porous materials based on covalent organic frameworks (COF) with a stable tunable pore size has been developed recently that overcomes this limitation (Ref. Christian S. Diercks and Omar M. Yaghi, "The atom, the molecule, and the covalent organic framework", Science, (2017), V. 355, issue 6328, p. 923).
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a class of porous organic polymers with a permanent porosity and highly ordered structures (Ref. Shuai Cao et al., "Design and synthesis of covalent organic frameworks towards energy and environment fields", Chemical Engineering Journal, (2019), V. 355, p. 602-623; Rakesh Kumar Sharma et a., "Recent Development of Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs): Synthesis and Catalytic (Organic-Electro-Photo) Applications", Materials-Horizons, (2020), V.7, issue 2, p. 411-454). Unlike other polymers, a significant feature of COFs is that their structure is predesigned, synthetically controlled, and functionally managed. The reason is that the starting entities to synthesize COFs maintain their structure during the reaction, leading to a good correlation between reactants and the product structure. The design of an extended network that will maintain its structural integrity throughout the construction process can be realized by starting with well-defined and rigid molecular building blocks. The function of a COF arises from its porosity and molecular skeletons. As porous materials with a pre-designed structure, COFs have emerged as a new media for gas adsorption and storage. However, current COFs are crystalline porous powders and thus are not adaptable to a membrane configuration. There is thus a need to advance composite membrane preparation methodologies that lead to the formation of COF like separation layers with well-defined pore structure and improved molecular level separation capabilities.
A critical enabling need in the composite membrane preparation by any method, including the LbL process, is the availability of polymeric porous support materials that are chemically and solvent resistant and can withstand exposure to high temperatures and high differential pressures. Furthermore, the polymeric substrate must exhibit a high surface porosity and uniform pore size distribution with an average pore size in the 10 to 100 nm range. This surface morphology is critical to form ultra-thin separation layers that can withstand high differential pressures while simultaneously providing minimal resistance to the fluid flow. To enable the covalent attachment of the composite layer to the substrate's surface, the surface of the porous polymeric support must be further amenable to a chemical modification with functional groups that serve as seeding points for the initiation of the LbL process. The chemical functionalization must be both robust and versatile to form a high concentration of functional groups without affecting surface pore morphology.
LbL deposition methodologies to form composite membranes have been limited to the application of LbL methodology to known and available polymeric substrates, which are almost universally formed by solution-based casting methods. The polymer-based substrates used to date have inherent limitations that preclude development of robust and tailored membranes via construction of covalent organic porous framework separation layers on top of a porous support due to the limited solvent resistance of the substrate. It is desirable to develop porous substrate media that exhibits prerequisite attributes required for the preparation of covalent organic framework separation layers. It is further desired to have a diverse media configuration to enable fabrication of membrane devices, such as flat sheet, hollow fiber or monolith configurations, and to manufacture the shaped media from thermoplastic polymers by standard commercial melt processing methodologies. Thus, there is still a need in the art to overcome the shortcomings of prior art methods and to develop a new methodology for the preparation of composite membranes by forming covalent organic frameworks by the LbL process on solvent resistant porous supports and to develop a new porous support media tailored towards the LbL process.
Poly (aryl ether ketone)s (PAEKs) represent a class of semi-crystalline engineering thermoplastics with outstanding thermal properties and chemical resistance. One of the representative polymers in this class is poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK), which has a reported continuous service temperature of approximately 250° C. PAEK polymers are virtually insoluble in all common solvents at room temperature. These properties make PAEK attractive materials for porous membrane preparation. However, the intractability of PAEK makes preparation of membranes with controlled porosity exceedingly difficult. Current membrane substrate media is prepared by solution-based processes. Semi-crystalline PAEK materials are insoluble in common solvents. PAEK polymers can be chemically modified to impart solubility, for example, by sulfonation. However, articles formed from such functionalized PAEK polymers lose many of the desired properties. Bulk modification leads to a disruption in the ability of the polymer chain to crystallize and articles subsequently formed from such functionalized polymers lose solvent resistance and much of their thermo-mechanical properties.
Preparation of porous materials from poly (aryl ether ketones) has been largely limited to the family member poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK). Furthermore, development of porous PEEK materials was limited to membrane applications almost exclusively. A number of methods to prepare porous PEEK membranes have been disclosed in the art. It is known to prepare porous PEEK membranes from solutions of strong acids, such as concentrated sulfuric acid. However, PEEK can undergo sulfonation in the concentrated sulfuric acid media and thus can lose some of its desirable sought-after properties. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,455 discloses preparation of non-sulfonated porous PEEK membranes from concentrated sulfuric acid solvents sufficiently diluted by water to prevent sulfonation. The membranes are formed by casting PEEK solution to form a film followed by coagulation in a concentrated sulfuric acid. This membrane preparation process is complicated and produces large amounts of waste acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,741 discloses preparation of porous PEEK membranes by forming a solution of PEEK polymer in a concentrated sulfuric acid at the temperature of 15° C. or lower to prevent sulfonation. The solution is processed and cast at a sub ambient temperature, followed by coagulation in water or in a concentrated sulfuric acid. Only dilute PEEK solutions can be formed in the concentrated sulfuric acid, which adversely affects film forming characteristics, the mechanical characteristics, and the pore morphology of the thus formed porous PEEK membranes.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,992,485 and 5,089,192 disclose preparation of porous PEEK membranes from non-sulfonating acid solvents, which include methane sulfonic acid and trifluoromethane sulfonic acid. European Patent Specification EP 0737506 discloses preparation of improved polymeric membranes based on PEEK admixtures with polyethylene terephthalate. The membranes are formed by the solution casting process from a methane sulfuric acid/sulfuric acid solvent mixture.
The acid based solvent systems for manufacture of porous PEEK membranes disclosed in the art are highly corrosive, frequently toxic and generate substantial environmental and disposal problems. For these and other reasons, the acid-based casting processes have found limited commercial use.
An alternative to the acid based solvent system for PEEK membrane preparation involves the use of high boiling point solvents and plasticizers that dissolve PEEK polymer at elevated temperatures. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,957,817 and 5,064,580, both issued to Dow Chemical Co., disclose preparation of porous PEEK articles from its admixture with organic polar solvents having a boiling point in the range of 191° C. to 380° C., such as benzophenone and 1-chloronaphthalene, and organic plasticizers capable of dissolving at least 10 weight percent of PEEK, respectively. The final porous article is formed by removing the organic polar solvents and/or plasticizers by dissolution into a low boiling temperature solvent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,078 discloses preparation of microporous PEEK membranes from its mixtures with plasticizers wherein the membrane undergoes a drawing step prior to or after the plasticizer is removed by leaching. U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,101 issued to Dow Chemical Co. discloses preparation of microporous membranes from poly(aryl ether ketone) type polymer by forming a mixture of PEEK type polymer, a low melting point crystallizable polymer, and a plasticizer, heating the resulting mixture, extruding or casting the mixture into a membrane, quenching or coagulating the membrane and leaching the pore forming components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,968, issued to Dow Chemical Co., discloses preparation of microporous membranes from a blend containing a poly (aryl ether ketone) type polymer, an amorphous polymer and a solvent.
M. F. Sonnenschein in the article entitled "Hollow fiber microfiltration membranes from poly (ether ether ketone)", published in the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Volume 72, pages 175-181, 1999, describes preparation of PEEK hollow fiber membranes by a thermal phase inversion process. The use of a leachable additive polymer, such as polysulfone, is proposed to enhance membrane performance. Preparation of porous PEEK membranes by coextrusion of PEEK with polysulfone polymers followed by the dissolution of the polysulfone polymer from the interpenetrating network is disclosed in European Patent Application Publication EP 409416 A2.
It is also known in the art to prepare porous PEEK membranes from its blends with a compatible poly (ether imide) polymer (PEI). Preparation of such membranes is described by R. S. Dubrow and M. F. Froix in U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,732 and by R. H. Mehta et al. in an article entitled "Microporous membranes based on poly(ether ether ketone) via thermally induced phase separation", published in the Journal of Membrane Science, Volume 107, pages 93-106, 1995. The porous structure of these PEEK membranes is formed by leaching the poly (ether imide) component with an appropriate strong solvent, such as dimethylformamide. However, as described by Mehta et al., the quantitative removal of PEI component by leaching is essentially impossible which in turn can lead to an inferior porous structure.
Japan Kokai Tokkyo Koho 91273038 assigned to Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., discloses preparation of porous PEEK membranes by an ion track etching method.
M. L. Bailey et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,931, describe a sintering process for the preparation of biocompatible filters, including PEEK filters. The filters are formed from a PEEK powder of a pre-selected average particle size by first pressing the powder into a "cake" followed by sintering in an oven or furnace. The process is limited to preparation of filters with a relatively large pore size and a broad pore size distribution and does not provide economic means of forming large membrane area fluid separation devices.
A process for preparation of porous PAEK articles that preserves the desirable thermal and chemical characteristics of PAEK polymers has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,408. The porous articles are prepared from PAEK blends with compatible polyimides. An article of targeted shape is formed from the PAEK/polyimide blend by melt processing followed by removal of the polyimide phase by reaction with a primary amine. The method enables preparation of shaped porous PEEK articles, including hollow fibers membranes. Preparation of such hollow fiber membranes is described by Yong Ding and Ben Bikson in article entitled "Preparation and characterization of semi-crystalline poly (ether ether ketone) hollow fiber membranes", published in the Journal of Membrane Science, volume 357 (2010), p. 192-198. Preparation of hollow fiber membranes by this methodology is further described by Gong Chen, Yuan Chen, et al., in the article entitled "Pore Structure and Properties of PEEK Hollow Fiber Membranes: Influence of the Phase Structure Evolution of PEEK/PEI Composite", Polymers, Volume 11 (2019), p. 1398.
D. Morrisette and P. Croteu, in PCT application, International Publication Number WO 2007/051309, disclose porous PEEK material suitable for medical implant devices. The porous material is formed by mixing dissolvable material with PEEK in a molten form and subsequently removing the dissolvable material. The disclosed dissolvable material is a salt. The method capable of forming PEEK materials with very large pore size and irregular pore structure.
M. C. Iliuta et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 9,908,985, disclose the preparation of microporous hydrophobic polymeric hollow fibers. The hollow fibers are prepared by melt processing from a mixture of polymer with micron-size NaCl particles followed by salt dissolution. The hollow fiber is reported to be non-wetting and useful for gas transfer contacting applications.
Poly (aryl ether ketone)s are high-performance engineering polymers that exhibit exceptional thermal and chemical characteristics and are thus highly sought after as porous membranes and membrane substrates for separation applications that require solvent and thermal resistance. However, the properties that make PAEK polymers desirable also make the preparation of porous media difficult. The chemical resistance of PAEK polymers enables chemical modification of preformed polymer article's surfaces without alteration of the underlying shape of the article.
PEEK and PAEK polymers in general are insoluble in all common organic solvents and this insolubility prohibits the direct application of many ordinary organic synthetic methods, such as chloromethylation. The modification of PAEK polymers is thus difficult. For example, bulk modification of PEEK polymer was mainly limited to the sulfonation of PEEK due to the insolubility of PEEK in ordinary organic solvents. The sulfonation of poly (aryl ether ketone polymers) PEEK and PEK is well known in the literature. It can be carried out using sulfuric acid, a mixture of sulfuric acid with methane sulphonic acid, a mixture of sulfuric acid and oleum, sulfur trioxide-triethyl phosphate complex, and chlorosulfonic acid. The bulk PEEK sulfonation is described by Ulrich H. H. et al., "Sulfonated poly(aryl ether ketone)s," Die Angewandte Makromolekulare Chemie 1998, 263(1), 71-78.
A number of techniques have been used in art to chemically modify the surface of dense PEEK materials to affect surface characteristics, such as friction, wettability, adsorption and adhesion, including cell adhesion. PEEK films surface-functionalized with hydroxyl, amino, fluorine, and carboxyl groups are reported as substrates for the cultivation of mammalian cells by Olivier Noiset, et al., in "Surface modification of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) (PEEK) film by covalent coupling of amines and amino acids through a spacer arm," Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry 1997, 35(17), 3779-3790. The PEEK polymer is reported as a biocompatible, non-toxic, and biologically inert material in the field of medical engineering by Morrison, C. et al. in "In vitro biocompatibility testing of polymers for orthopedic implants using cultured fibroblasts and osteoblasts," Biomaterials 1995, 16(13), 987-992.
Surfaces of dense PEEK polymer in the film form are modified via carbonyl groups by using the surface wet chemistry (organic reactions carried out at the solid-liquid interface). Surface hydroxylated PEEK (PEEK-OH) films with up to 75-85% degree of surface functionalization have been synthesized by selective carbonyl reduction using a stirred solution of NaBH4 in DMSO solvent at 120° C. References: Noiset, O. et al., "Surface reduction of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) film: UV spectrophotometric, 3H radiochemical, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic assays of the hydroxyl functions," Macromolecules 1997, 30(3), 540-548; and Diez-Pascual, A. et al., "Synthesis and characterization of poly(ether ether ketone) derivatives obtained by carbonyl reduction," Macromolecules 2009, 42(18), 6885-6892. The reduced hydroxylated PEEK serves as a key intermediate in the synthesis of fluorinated, carboxylated, amine-functionalized, and several other surface modifications of PEEK films. References: Marchand-Brynaert J. et al., "Surface fluorination of PEEK film by selective wet-chemistry," Polymer 1997, 38(6), 1387-1394: Henneuse, C. et al., "Surface carboxylation of PEEK film by selective wet-chemistry," Polymer 1998, 39(4), 835-844.126; and Henneuse-Boxus C. et al. "Surface amination of PEEK film by selective wet-chemistry," Polymer 1998, 39(22), 5359-5369.
O. Noiset, et al. have modified the PEEK film surface using a wet-chemistry technique by selectively reducing ketone groups to form hydroxyl groups (Macromolecules, volume 30, p. 540-548, 1997) and then covalently fixing hexamethylene diisocyanate by addition onto the hydroxyl function (Journal of Polymer Science, Part A, Vol. 35, pages 3779-3790, 1997). The hexamethylene diisocyanate modified PEEK film was subsequently modified to attach amines and amino acids, thus modifying film surfaces to be used for cell growth.
C. Henneuse-Boxus, et al. have modified PEEK film surfaces using photochemical routes (European polymer Journal, Vol. 37, pages 9-18, 2001) and attached fluorescent probes to PEEK film surfaces (Polymer, Vol 41, pages 2339-2348, 2000). P. Laurens, et al., have modified PEEK surfaces with excimer laser radiation (Applied Surface Science, Vol. 138-139, pages 93-96, 1999). N. Frauchina and T. McCarthy have modified semi-crystalline PEEK films with carbonyl-selective reagents to induce surface functionality (Macromolecules, Vol. 24, pages 3045-3049, surface-modified films were robust and unaffected by a variety of solvents. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,415, I. David disclosed a process for the crosslinking of polymer containing diaryl ketone groups by heating the polymer with alcohol and/or alkoxide to enhance chemical resistance.
Preparation of composite perfluoro-hydrocarbon membranes by surface modification and surface coating of porous PEEK is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,610,547 and 10,376,846. The super-hydrophobic properties of disclosed membranes enable a range of gas and vapor separations. Preparation of surface-functionalized porous PEEK materials is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,176,273. Tailored functionalization imparted hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties to these materials. The use of these functionalized PEEK materials for membrane gas separation and nanofiltration has been further disclosed.
The preparation of porous PAEK materials for membrane applications has been disclosed in the art. The use of functionalized poly (aryl ether ketone) materials as substrates for the preparation of composite membranes by LbL synthesis method is unknown. It was found surprisingly that functionalized porous semi-crystalline poly (aryl ether ketones) substrates enable the preparation of high-performance composite membranes by the LbL methodology.

Composite covalent organic framework membranes


A recording medium which includes a first substance and a second substance, wherein an external energy is applied to at least one of the first and second substances to react them in order to change the optical characteristics of the substances for recording information, the recording medium including: a first layer composed of a first substance including at least one of S and Se, a second layer composed of a second substance including a metal, and a barrier layer being disposed between the first and second layers, which allows the reaction between the first and second layers when laser beam for recording is irradiated as an external energy, and suppresses the reaction between the first and second layers when laser beam for recording is not irradiated. Alternatively, the recording medium can be free from the barrier layer, and the second substance can be arranged to have two or more compositionally different portions or two or more phases with a different crystalline state. Thus, when the external energy is not applied, the reaction between the first substance and the second substance is suppressed. Hence, the recording characteristics of the recording medium is inhibited from degrading.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium which comprises a first substance and a second substance at least, and whose optical characteristics are varied to record information by applying an external energy for reaction to at least one of the first and second substances.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional optical recording medium, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 62-226,442 discloses an optical recording medium in which a mixture film (a single-layered film) is used as a recording film. The mixture film is composed of a low-melting point metal (e.g., In or Zn) and sulfide (e.g., GeS.sub.x). Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2-152,029 discloses another optical recording medium in which a layered film is used as a recording film. The layered film is composed of a metallic layer (i.e., a first layer), which includes Al, Cu or Ag, and the other layer (i.e., a second layer), which includes S, Se or mixtures thereof.
These recording films are formed by a vapor deposition method or a sputtering method. Since the recording films exhibit reactivity, the recording films are modified chemically and/or physically by irradiating with a recording laser beam (or by applying an external energy). Accordingly, the optical characteristics of the recording films, such as the reflectance, are varied, thereby recording information.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 62-226,442 discloses to form the mixture film of the low-melting point metal (e.g., In, etc.) and the sulfide (e.g., GeS) by a co-vapor deposition method, or the like, in the preferred embodiments. However, according to the investigations carried out by the inventors of the present invention, the reaction proceeds considerably between the metal and the sulfide during the formation of the mixture film. As a result, there is a possibility that the entire reflectance of the optical recording medium decreases significantly, and this causes problems in applying the optical recording medium to practical uses.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 2-152,029 discloses the laminated construction in which the metal of high reactivity (e.g., Ag, etc.) are laminated on S. However, according to the investigations carried out by the inventors of the present invention, it can be readily judged that such a system suffers from severe chronological degradations, for instance, the layers react with each other even when information is not being recorded. Hence, it is believed that, the optical recording medium suffers from problems in practical uses. Moreover, in the preferred embodiments, the values of C/N (Carrier to Noise ratio, i.e., output level ratio of carrier to noise) are listed, but do not imply the favorable characteristics.
Thus, in the conventional optical recording media, unnecessary reactions, such as the reactions in the formation of the films and the chronological degradations, are allowed, because they use reactive recording films. Hence, the conventional optical recording media have problems in that the recording characteristics, such as the reflectance, degrade in the formation of the films and during the ordinary service.


Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for a system and method are provided for assessing the value of predictive models monitoring medical conditions. Trends in an individual's medical condition are determined based on monitoring values, and the trends are associated with the actions performed in response to the monitoring values and in accordance with the predictive models. The trends may indicate that an individual's condition is improving, worsening, or remaining stable in response to the action taken. Models used for multiple conditions for an individual or for a population of individuals may be assessed in this manner to generate knowledge regarding the performance of the models based on the actions taken. This knowledge may be used to assess the value of the models in terms of the models' performance and may provide insight on way to improve the models.

Many medical systems utilize predictive models to monitor medical conditions and other aspects of the patient care process. These models have sets of suggestions, such as recommended medications or procedures, that are outputted for a particular patient based on received information relating to the patient with the goal of helping clinical decision making and improving the care process. Traditionally, the performance of these models is evaluated only at a macro level. For instance, with a model used to make patient admission faster, the number of admissions before the model and the number of admissions when using of the model may be considered to determine whether the model is generating output that is effectively improving the admission process. This traditional method for assessing a predictive model does not, however, provide insight on each of the output options with respect to performance or knowledge on how to improve the model, nor does it take into account whether and when the model's recommended course of action was actually taken. Accordingly, assessing the value of a predictive model has been limited.


A size-adjustable, breastfeeding band that helps to lessen the likelihood of infant suffocation during breastfeeding, comprising a primary band, comprised of elastic (or stretchable material) that securely and comfortably extends around the entire middle portion of the breast and fastens via button, snap, drawstring, Velcro, or any other related material or adhesive that can securely hold band in place; and an adjustable strap attachment co-operable with the primary band by attaching into it and preventing slippage.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to a process and apparatus for safe breastfeeding. More specifically, exemplary embodiments relate to an elastic (or any other stretchable material) primary band, designed to compress the non-areola/non-nipple portion of the breast, and an adjustable strap attachment designed to hold the primary band in place; thus, making breastfeeding safer for the baby by lessening the likelihood of suffocation due to the risk of excess breast tissue smothering and/or compressing against the infant's nose while nursing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Breastfeeding has multiple benefits for both the child and the mother. Breast milk contains the essential nutrients and antibodies that build the foundation of a child's lifetime of health. Medical research has shown that breast milk can offer lifelong protection against a variety of potentially life threatening diseases and chronic disorders. Not only does breastfeeding assist in the development of a strong and healthy immune system for the child, but in the era of a harsh economic climate, breastfeeding is a free and cost efficient, natural resource option for feeding a baby. With breastfeeding, food is replenished according to nature's time clock to meet the baby's ongoing and unpredictable feeding demands and patterns. Breastfeeding can also positively impact a woman's health following childbirth by aiding in the mother's weight loss by contracting the stomach muscles as a direct result of the baby's suckling motions. Weight loss is key in restoring a woman's body and health by reducing fat and burning calories.
Breastfeeding is not without its challenges, particularly in the early stages following delivery when the flow of milk is not fully maximized. For example, pain can occur when the breasts become engorged. Another challenge is the feeding position. Whether cradling the baby in one arm, or lying down beside the baby during a feeding, breastfeeding mothers almost always have to use one hand to hold the baby, and the other to hold the breast in proper place throughout a feeding, so that it does not press against a child's petite and fragile nose. This is especially a major issue for women with large breasts who want all of the above mentioned benefits of breastfeeding, but fear the possible life threatening repercussions that can result if the breast tissue covers the child's nose, particularly if the mother is unaware. For instance, it is not uncommon due to the lactation induced hormonal changes for a mother to become extremely drowsy while nursing. There have been instances in history where mothers have unintentionally fallen asleep while feeding their child, and the end result has been infant mortality due to accidental smothering.
Lessening the likelihood of suffocation is one of several aspects which render the instant inventive concept different from other products. A number of attempts to ease the breastfeeding process have been made. The Boppy Company, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,134 (1993), is one of the most popular breastfeeding apparatuses on the consumer market. This pillow rests on any solid foundation and helps support the weight of the child during breastfeeding. It also supports the child's head elevation to a degree; however, while this pillow can work well at home, the large and bulky size of this product makes it inconvenient to transport around so it can only be used in a limited area and cannot travel easily outside of the home. Additionally, while using the Boppy, the woman is not able to nurse hands free and may still need to manually hold her breast throughout a feeding. There are multiple devices that are specifically designed to offer a hands-free breastfeeding experience. U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,935 to Jamshidi (2006), U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,262 to Piscopo (2003), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,599 to Maulding (2001). Also U.S. patent Ser. No. 09/824,914 by Aranas (2002), Ser. No. 09/824,600 by Schmitter et al. (2001) and Ser. No. 09/873,161 (2007) offer products that are more convenient for travel and compact in size, but the issue with these items is that the designs may not offer sufficient breast support or full consistent coverage as they only cover certain sections of the breast tissue (i.e. top, bottom, or sides). The bulkiness of many of these products, particularly those that are in pillow form, can be a suffocation risk if not properly utilized. These products are more about making the mother's experience easier and more comfortable, as opposed to providing that luxury in addition to preventing the breast from covering a child's nose.
Furthermore, in the aforementioned patents, usage of items such as a pillow or any related invention dealt with making the user experience more comfortable and hands-free, but they lack in terms of offering a form of safety by lessening the likelihood of infant suffocation and/or smothering while nursing by a mother's own breast tissue.
Exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concept seek to overcome some of the above-mentioned deficiencies.

Stretchable band and adjustable strap attachment for breastfeeding


A method and system for magnetic measurement of elongation of a fastener includes a means for providing a magnetic field gradient along an axis of the fastener, such as one or more permanent magnets. A magnetic sensor is mounted in the fastener in the magnetic field gradient. Magnetic field measurements taken by the magnetic sensor are dependent on a length of the fastener and are sufficiently sensitive to monitor loading during a service life of the fastener. The fastener may be equipped with a signal reader and a data interface for offloading measurement values.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to magnetic measurement and, more particularly, to magnetic measurement in fasteners.
2. Description of the Related Art
The safety and reliability of fasteners, including threaded fasteners, is an important concern in many industrial areas, such as mining, chemical storage, pipelines, aerospace, and power generation, among others. One issue that affects service life of threaded fasteners and hence, the equipment they are installed in, is accurately determining loading and/or tightness at installation and during the service life. Vibrations and harsh environmental conditions during operation of the equipment in which they are installed can alter the effectiveness of installed fasteners. Even when a correct torque is applied to a large threaded fastener at installation, a desired service loading may not be attained and/or maintained during the service life of the fastener.


A controller (MSC) for generating a basic control signal to permit a CPU to access to a resource in a processor system is arranged in each of local control blocks. The MSC is operated not by a basic clock supplied to the CPU but by a clock which is generated prior to the clock supplied to the CPU and which passes through the MSC and is precisely controlled for delay. Thus, the delay of a control signal to be supplied to the CPU relative to the reference clock is minimized and a high speed operation of the system is attained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer system, and more particularly to a control system for a peripheral circuit suitable for reducing the machine cycle or bus cycle of the operation.
2. Related Background Art
In a prior art computer system, a peripheral circuit of a CPU is controlled, by sending a control signal necessary to the peripheral system by way of a peripheral control circuit or bus controller, which operates in synchronism with the CPU in response to a basic clock supplied to the CPU, for carrying out necessary operations (for example, generation of an access signal to a memory or I/O) by the peripheral system by making use of the control signal to attain exchange of data between the CPU and the memory or the I/O. Several bus controllers of different functions may be used, but usually one bus controller controls many units in the system.
As an example of such systems, a system is shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 of Intel Microprocessor and Peripheral Handbook, 3-34 and 3-35, Vol. 1-Microprocessor, Document No. ISBNI-55512-062-8. FIG. 31 thereof shows a basic system comprising one bus controller and one CPU and having a local bus. A clock (CLK) which provides a reference for system operation is generated by a clock generator and it is directly supplied to both the bus controller and the CPU. FIG. 32 thereof shows a system configuration for a special case where a multi-bus, which is a system bus, is to be controlled. It has basically the same configuration as that of FIG. 31 except for the addition of a bus arbiter which generates a signal required by the multi-bus. The CLK signal from the clock generator is also directly supplied to the bus arbiter. The bus arbiter generates a signal to control the bus controller (for example, AEN signal) and it is serially supplied to the bus controller. In any basic system, a sub-control system in the system and sub-systems on the bus are controlled by using the control signal of the control system.
As an alternative system configuration, FIGS. 31 and 32 of the above reference are combined to include both local bus and system bus a and distributed bus control systems are provided to control the local bus and the system bus, respectively. In this case, the control of the respective buses is carried out through the respective bus control systems.
In the prior art system, a synchronization signal to the peripheral control circuit and the bus controller is usually the same as (or equivalent to) the clock supplied to the CPU and it is not of advanced phase (signal transition occurs at an earlier time). Accordingly, the control signal outputs from the peripheral control circuit and the bus controller are delayed by the time required to pass through the peripheral circuit and the bus controller, relative to the reference clock supplied to the CPU. Therefore, in the peripheral system which uses such control signal, a further delay time (gate delay or delay due to the machine cycle) is included in the course of generating the access signal to the memory. As a result, a high speed machine cycle or bus cycle cannot be attained. Further, in a system in which one peripheral control circuit or bus controller controls the peripheral system, a signal load is so heavy that the signals are delayed, or signal lines are so long that the system is not electrically stable.

Distributed machine state controlled processor system with a CPU clocked with a reference signal delayed from a system clock


A capsule pressure control assembly for regulating or controlling the internal pressure of filled capsules, whereby instances of capsule elongation are reduced or eliminated, thus resulting in an increased yield rate of acceptable filled capsules.

Capsules are typically used as a dosage form to deliver a variety of pharmaceutical compounds, dietary supplements and the like to a subject. The capsules generally include a body and a cap, with a fill material charged to the body portion. The cap fits over the body to enclose the fill material within the capsule. The cap and body engage one another by virtue of a locking mechanism. Several types of locking mechanisms are available such as a ridge mechanism, friction mechanism and pin mechanism. Elements of these locking mechanisms often include a pre-lock ridge, ventilation and a final lock ring.
The fill material can have any of a number of forms such as a liquid with solids in suspension therein, a powder, a hot melt, or pellets. In some instances, the fill material can be charged to the capsule body at room temperature, while in other cases the fill material is heated prior to being received by the capsule body where the cap and body can become unlocked. During the fill process, the capsule can become elongated, particularly when the fill material is heated above room temperature. Thus there is a need within the pharmaceutical, dietary and food industries to regulate or control the internal pressure of filled capsules whereby instances of capsule elongation are reduced or eliminated, thus resulting in an increased yield rate of acceptable filled capsules.

Apparatus and methods for reducing capsule elongation


A filter holder used for smoking has a tubular body (12), which includes a socket portion (14) for receiving a cigarette (C) at one end thereof, a dilution chamber (18) located adjacently to the socket portion (14) in the inside, a chamber (22) for containing a charcoal filter (26), a chamber (24) for containing a flavor generation element (32), an annular groove (42) formed in the outer circumferential surface of the body (12), and a plurality of vent holes (44) formed in the bottom of the annular groove (42) and introduces outside air into the dilution chamber (18).

A smoking pipe attachable to one end of a cigarette as a rod-shaped smoking article is disclosed, for example, in Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-65988 (Document 1). The smoking pipe of Document 1 includes a socket portion formed in one end of the pipe and is capable of receiving one end of a cigarette, a mouthpiece formed in the other end, and a filter contained in the filter holder. The filter is positioned in between the socket portion and the mouthpiece.
Before the cigarette is smoked, the smoking pipe is attached to one end of a cigarette. A smoker then lights the other end of the cigarette and puts the mouthpiece of the smoking pipe in his/her mouth. By so doing, the smoker can smoke the cigarette. At this point, the mainstream smoke of the cigarette passes through the filter in the smoking pipe and is sent from the mouthpiece into the smoker's mouth. Therefore, a part of particle-phase components, such as tar and nicotine in the mainstream smoke is trapped by the filter. Therefore, the smoker can enjoy a mild smoking feeling.
However, the filter of the smoking pipe of Document 1 is not capable of reducing vapor-phase components (acetaldehyde, acetone, benzene, etc.) and gas-phase components (CO, NO, etc.) which are contained in the mainstream smoke. As a result, the vapor-phase components and the gas-phase components are not removed with the filter and sent into the smoker's mouth.
In this respect, a filter cigarette disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-346748 (Document 2) has a perforation line formed in a tip paper of the cigarette. A smoking pipe disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-15683 (Document 3) includes a perforation line formed in an outer circumferential wall of the pipe. During smoking, the perforation line allows the outside air to flow into the filter, and the introduced air dilutes mainstream smoke. This dilution of the mainstream smoke reduces not only the particle-phase components such as tar and nicotine, which are actually sent into the smoker's mouth, but also the vapor-phase and gas-phase components.
In the case of the dilution-type filter cigarette and smoking pipe, when a dilution rate of the mainstream smoke is excessively high, a tar amount in the mainstream smoke which is sent into the smoker's mouth, that is, a nicotine amount in the tar, is undesirably reduced. As a result, the smoker cannot enjoy the original flavor and taste of the cigarette. In this point, Document 2 discloses that a reduction rate of the tar (T) is suppressed, as compared to a reduction rate of CO, by locating the perforation line upstream from the filter as viewed in the flowing direction of the mainstream smoke. It can be considered that, according to the filter cigarette of Document 2, a value of C/T (=CO/T) is reduced, so that a desired tar amount to be sent into the smoker's mouth can be secured. In this respect, in the case of the smoking pipe of Document 3, too, the perforations are positioned upstream from the filter. Therefore, the smoking pipe of Document 3 may have the same advantages as the filter cigarette of Document 2.
In the case of the filter cigarette of Document 2, in order to position the perforation line upstream from the filter, the perforation line has to be located in the end portion of the tip paper on the cigarette side. The end portion of the tip paper, however, is an important element for joining the filter and the cigarette together, so that the end portion of the tip paper needs to be firmly bonded to the cigarette. That is to say, it is required that glue be applied to the entire inner surface of the end portion of the tip paper. When the perforation line is located in the end portion of the tip paper regardless of this requirement, glue is applied onto the inner surface of the end portion except for the perforation line, and it is impossible to secure an adequate glue-applied area. As a result, bond strength between the filter and the cigarette is low, and it is then practically difficult to form the perforation line in the end portion of the tip paper.
In this respect, according to Document 3, the perforation line is formed in the smoking pipe itself. Therefore, the smoking pipe of the Document 3 does not have the above problem seen in the filter cigarette of Document 2. However, according to Documents 2 and 3, there is the possibility that the perforation line would be partially blocked by smoker's fingers during smoking. When the perforation line is blocked even partially, air intake into the filter becomes insufficient, and mainstream smoke is not diluted as desired.
It is preferable that the above-mentioned smoking pipe be capable not only of performing a conventional basic treatment for removing tar from the mainstream smoke and diluting the vapor-phase and gas-phase components but also of carrying out an adding treatment for adding flavor such as menthol to the mainstream smoke during smoking.

Filter holder used for smoking, a smoking pipe, and a smoking pipe unit


A diffuser plate includes a plurality of fine structures having two or more types of lens functions arranged on a main surface. Intensity of diffused light within a desired diffusion angle range is substantially uniform, and the diffuser plate satisfies a relation of P×P×Sk≤400 [μm2], where P is an average pitch of the plurality of fine structures, Sk is a standard deviation of relative luminance of the plurality of fine structures in their front directions, P≤200 [μm], and Sk≥0.005. Thus, it is possible to provide a diffuser plate having a simple structure capable of achieving optical properties with little luminance and color unevenness and excellent appearance quality when an image is projected.

A diffuser plate using a microlens array is used as a screen for head-up displays and laser projectors. An advantage of using the microlens array is that speckle noise in a laser beam can be reduced more than when a diffuser plate such as a translucent plate or ground glass is used.
Patent Literature 1 discloses an image forming apparatus including a diffuser plate. The diffuser plate uses a laser beam as a light source and includes a laser projector that projects an image formed by an arrangement of a plurality of pixels and a microlens array in which a plurality of microlenses are arranged. When a microlens array is used, incident light can be appropriately diffused, and a necessary diffusion angle can be freely designed.
Patent Literature 2 and 3 and Non Patent Literature 1 disclose a screen using two microlens arrays. When only one microlens array is used, unevenness in luminance and color is likely to occur. Patent Literature 2 and 3 and Non Patent Literature 1 disclose that by using two microlens arrays, such unevenness in luminance can be prevented from occurring.
Patent Literature 3 discloses that one microlens array including microlenses having properties different from each other can prevent unevenness in luminance caused by diffracted light and interference light generated by a periodic structure from occurring.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a method for reducing uneven luminance and uneven color generated by diffraction spots caused by periodicity of fine structures by providing pistons (raised parts) each having a vertical lateral surface in a microlens or by randomly distributing at least one parameter defining a shape or a position of the fine structure in accordance with a predetermined probability density function.


A method for soil analysis for determining optimal conditions for a soil area and reporting the same. The soil analysis of the present invention combines sound agronomic principles with a unique interpretation of the results to offer a thorough analysis of a property's soil based on the soil sample(s) taken from a particular property. The calculation formulas and variables are consistent for all analyses, with the formulas adjusted based on some specific qualities of the soil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for soil analysis. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for soil analysis for determining optimal conditions for a soil area and reporting the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art discloses various soil analysis methods and means for communicating the analysis to an individual such as a land owner.
The industry standard for soil testing involves similar ways of taking soil samples for most of the time. This requires random samples to be taken from an area using a standard soil sampling tool, submitting those samples to the lab and then having them analyzed. Once analyzed, the results are given in data format showing many variables with numbers where the user is left to interpret much of the report. Some labs will offer a weighted value for certain variables with limited interpretation of the results.


A technique for sequencing nucleic acids in an automated or semi-automated manner is disclosed. Sample arrays of a multitude of nucleic acid sites are processed in multiple cycles to add nucleotides to the material to be sequenced, detect the nucleotides added to sites, and to de-block the added nucleotides of blocking agents and tags used to identify the last added nucleotide. Multiple parameters of the system are monitored to enable diagnosis and correction of problems as they occur during sequencing of the samples. Quality control routines are run during sequencing to determine quality of samples, and quality of the data collected.

Genetic sequencing has become an increasingly important area of genetic research, promising future uses in diagnostic and other applications. In general, genetic sequencing consists of determining the order of nucleotides for a nucleic acid such as a fragment of RNA or DNA. Relatively short sequences are typically analyzed, and the resulting sequence information may be used in various bioinformatics methods to align fragments against a reference sequence or to logically fit fragments together so as to reliably determine the sequence of much more extensive lengths of genetic material from which the fragments were derived. Automated, computer-based examination of characteristic fragments have been developed, and have been used more recently in genome mapping, analysis of genetic variation between individuals, identification of genes and their function, and so forth. However, existing techniques are highly time-intensive, and resulting genomic information is accordingly extremely costly.
A number of alternative sequencing techniques are presently under investigation and development. These include the use of microarrays of genetic material that can be manipulated so as to permit parallel detection of the ordering of nucleotides in a multitude of fragments of genetic material. The arrays typically include many sites formed or disposed on a substrate. Additional materials, typically single nucleotides or strands of nucleotides (oligonucleotides) are introduced and permitted or encouraged to bind to the template of genetic material to be sequenced, thereby selectively marking the template in a sequence dependent manner. Sequence information may then be gathered by imaging the sites. In certain current techniques, for example, each nucleotide type is tagged with a fluorescent tag or dye that permits analysis of the nucleotide attached at a particular site to be determined by analysis of image data.
Although such techniques show promise for significantly improving throughput and reducing the cost of sequencing, further progress in the speed and reliability of the analytical steps involved in sequencing is desirable.

Independently removable nucleic acid sequencing system and method


An electrical connector for receiving a central conductor of a coaxial cable adapter includes first and second body portions, a first electrical contact, and a coupling element. The first body portion is configured to define a first bore extending in a first axial direction, and the second body portion is configured to define a second bore extending in a second axial direction, the second axial direction being angled relative to the first axial direction. The electrical contact is configured to be disposed in the first body portion, and the conductive coupling element in contact with the electrical contact. The second body portion is configured to receive a coaxial cable adapter, and the conductive coupling element is configured to receive a central conductor of the adapter, and the coupling element includes a wall having a first portion with a first inner diameter and a second portion with a second inner diameter, the second inner diameter being smaller that the first inner diameter. The conductive coupling element includes a plurality of spring fingers that, in a rest position, extend radially inward from the first portion of the coupling element to define an opening having a diameter that is smaller than the second inner diameter such that the coupling element is configured to receive the central conductor having a diameter equal to or less than the second diameter and provide an electrical connection between the electrical contact and the central conductor.

Coaxial cable assemblies are commonly used for transmitting electrical signals over a length of coaxial cable. Coaxial cable typically includes a center conductor and an outer conductor that are electrically isolated from one another by a dielectric. The outer conductor is grounded so that it operates as an electrical shield around the center conductor to prevent a degradation of the signal carried by the central conductor. A coaxial cable assembly includes a pair of coaxial connectors each having an outer conductive shell that is coupled electrically, typically by crimping a ferrule, with one end of the outer conductor of the coaxial cable. The center conductor at each end of the coaxial cable is connected to a central pin or contact of the corresponding one of the coaxial connectors. The central contact is electrically isolated from the outer housing by a dielectric.
Under certain circumstances in which a straight-line or linear connection is impractical or impossible, a right angle coaxial connector is used for making an angled connection. Usually, the central conductor of the coaxial cable is connected perpendicularly with the central contact of the right angle coaxial connector within an interior chamber provided proximate to the right-angle bend in the coaxial connector. The connection is established by soldering the center conductor and the center contact together after the coaxial cable is inserted through a cable opening in the connector housing so that the central conductor is positioned in the interior chamber. Access to the interior chamber from the exterior of the connector is afforded through an access opening, which is sealed by a removable closure. With the closure removed, a tip of a soldering iron is inserted through the access opening to create the solder joint. Subsequently, the removable closure is replaced over the access opening to seal the interior chamber against signal leakage and to prevent inward penetration of contaminants from the environment surrounding the right angle coaxial connector.
Conventional right angle coaxial connectors suffer from several deficiencies and shortcomings. For example, some conventional right angle coaxial connectors are difficult to assemble due to the soldering operation and the concomitant need to provide an interior chamber accessible through an access opening covered by a removable closure.
Other conventional right angle coaxial connectors can only receive coaxial cable adapters having central conductive pins of a particular outside diameter. In order to accommodate the needs of various users, an installer would need to maintain an inventory of numerous different conventional connectors that can receive the different-sized central conductive pins.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome, or otherwise lessen the effects of, the disadvantages and shortcomings described above. Hence, a need exists for an improved angled connector that can accommodate coaxial cable adapters having central conductive pins of varying outside diameters.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Angled coaxial connectors for receiving electrical conductor pins having different sizes


An FSO transceiver (4) comprising a body (6), at least one lens (9) fixed to the body in a first position (C) and means for attaching a connector (11) for an optical fiber (3) at a second position (B) at a predefined distance (Zbc) to the lens, the lens being adapted to converge rays (8) of light sent to the FSO transceiver via free space into the optical fiber. The means for attaching the connector is a temperature compensation device (10) having an expansion coefficient being higher than an expansion coefficient of the body and that the temperature compensation device is fixed to the body in a third position (A) and has a free end which allows the temperature compensation device to expand or contract according to temperature changes, and that the second position is positioned between the third position and the first position.

FSO, FSOL or FSOC systems offer several advantages, such as large bandwidth, when compared to state-of-the-art free space radio frequency systems. FSO communications systems constitute an excellent choice in many new projects of high-transmission short links, among other things due to the free electromagnetic spectrum for utilization and the complete immunity to radio frequency interference as compared to radio systems. On the other hand, FSO systems are much more sensitive to atmospheric conditions such as mist, fog and refractive turbulence. These conditions cause higher intensity fading in the received optical signals than in radio waves.
Misalignment between two communicating FSO transceivers caused by e.g. building sway, seismic activity, hail and birds landing on the FSO transceivers, is another problem with FSO systems. This problem is addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,120,363-B2, wherein a method for automatic alignment of two FSO transceivers is disclosed. The FSO transceivers comprise optical elements, for example, optical signal generators, optical signal detectors and lenses for sending and receiving signals from optical fibers connected and comprised in the FSO transceivers. The optical elements are secured in a gimbal or optical cage, through which adjustment of both the azimuth and elevation of the optical elements is possible with the help of linear motors and a control device.
However there are further problems with FSO systems, one of them being caused by temperature fluctuations in the environment of FSO devices such as FSO transceivers. The manufacture of a completely optical communications device based on the utilization of a lens and an optical fiber, such as an FSO transceiver is rather complicated, considering that in an optical fiber the core diameter typically is a few micrometers and should receive all the concentrated energy that a relatively large area lens has captured. The distance between the lens and the optical fiber is very critical and should ideally be kept constant in any condition of a link in order to assure sufficient power levels. This is difficult to achieve in practice since the FSO transceivers are heated or cooled as a result of the weather conditions prevailing where they are positioned, since the parts in the FSO transceiver are expanded and contracted so that said critical distance is altered.


A method for encoding and decoding an image block, an encoder, and a decoder are provided. The method for encoding an image block comprises: determining a local dynamic range of the block; adaptively precision-extending pixel values of the block based on the local dynamic range of the block; and encoding the block with an adaptively extended precision. The method for decoding an image block comprises: determining a minimum pixel value of the block and an indicating value for indicating a precision extension factor according to precision extension information; decoding the block according to the indicating value; and de-extending precision of the decoded block based on the minimum pixel value of the block and the precision extension factor. The precision of the intermediate calculations may be improved without increasing an original intermediate bit depth used in intermediate calculations.

Traditional tools for compression of image sequences are designed to encode integer data with limited dynamic range. The MPEG-4 (Moving Picture Expert Group) AVC (Advanced Video Coding)/H.264 norm (described in ISO/IEC 14496-10) and the HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) norm (described in B. Bross etc. JCTVC-K1003, "High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) text specification draft 9" October 2012) define examples of such tools.
Generally, under the AVC and HEVC norms, pixel data of a single pixel in an image comprises three components: one luminance component Y and two chrominance components U and V. Compression standards such as AVC and HEVC are used to compress images and videos whose pixel's each component is initially encoded with 8 bit depth. In extended versions of these standards, greater bit depths can be taken as input. For example, in the Range Extension version of HEVC, up to 16 bit input data is supported. The bit depth normally refers to number of bits used to indicate each component of a single pixel in an image.
Those standards are based on the discrete cosine transform (DCT). Theoretically, the coefficients obtained by performing a DCT transform on a block of an image are not necessarily integers, even though the input pixel data is an integer. In practice, however, the DCT is used for lossy compression, which means that a quantization is performed on the DCT coefficients. In this type of lossy coding scheme, it is generally preferred to use integers directly in the calculation of the DCT transform in order to reduce computation costs both at the encoder and at the decoder.
In this case, it is necessary to extend the DCT coefficients to keep sufficient precision in the calculation of DCT transform. For example, in HEVC, while input images are defined on integers with 8 or 10 bit depth, the calculation of DCT transform is performed on 32 bit depth. In the Range Extension version, up-to-16 bit depth of the input data can be supported, and the calculation of DCT transform is performed on greater bit depths, for example, 64 bit depth.

Method for encoding and decoding image block, encoder and decoder


According to one embodiment, a ceramic substrate for mounting a device is provided. The ceramic substrate includes a through-hole and a recessed portion provided on at least one edge surface thereof.

LED lamps using LEDs (light emitting diodes) are used in various fields such as interior lights, and backlights for liquid crystal display devices and the like. Because an LED lamp can reduce power consumption more outstandingly than an electric discharge lamp, cold cathode tube and the like, attempts are being made to apply the LED lamp to various fields. One of typical examples includes automobile lamps. Examples of these automobile lamps include a headlight, side lamp, and back lamp (brake lamp).
For example, a headlight serves to illuminate a wide area with light from an LED by using a reflection plate, diffusion plate, scattering plate and the like. In order to illuminate a wide area with LED light, it is effective to improve reflection efficiency and diffusion efficiency by registering the positions of a reflecting plate, diffusion plate and the like with the position of an LED. Further, a method of raising luminous intensity by mounting a plurality of LEDs is effective (for example, Patent Literature 1). In the meantime, an LED chip is a very small luminous element having a size of about 1 mm×1 mm square. For this, if the positions cannot be exactly registered, satisfactory reflection efficiency and diffusion efficiency cannot be obtained.
Further, LEDs generate heat when they emit light and therefore, there is a demand for a substrate having high heat radiating ability. Moreover, vehicles are, of course, vigorously vibrated and it is therefore desired to take anti-vibration measures to protect a head lamp to be mounted thereon. For example, a resin substrate has low strength and therefore needs a reinforcing member.
Further, Patent Literature 2 discloses anti-vibration measures using a heat pipe having a first bending section and a second bending section. Vibration can be absorbed by using such a heat pipe. However, a heat pipe having such a complex form with the first and second bending sections is required, which is a cause of cost-up.
Further, position registration is also important for semiconductor devices and solar cell devices besides LED chips. A deviation of the mounting position of a device on a substrate is a cause of defects of electronic parts.

Ceramic substrate for mounting a device, ceramic substrate for mounting an LED, LED lamp, headlight and electronic parts


An improved hydraulic system is provided for a reciprocating mold plate, patty-forming apparatus wherein food product is delivered under pressure from a pump cylinder to mold plate cavities. The plunger is driven during a first phase by force from a hydraulic cylinder from a retracted position distant from the pump cylinder to a ready position initially compressing food product loaded into said pump cylinder. Thereafter, the plunger is driven during a second phase by the hydraulic cylinder to load food product under pressure into the mold plate cavities. The hydraulic cylinder is supplied with hydraulic fluid during the first phase by a low pressure hydraulic fluid pump and during the second phase by a high pressure hydraulic fluid pump. According to the invention, the low pressure hydraulic fluid pump and the high pressure hydraulic fluid pump are positioned within a reservoir, at least partially submerged in hydraulic fluid held within the reservoir, during operation. The low pressure hydraulic fluid pump and the high pressure hydraulic fluid pump are connected in series to the drive shaft of an electric motor located outside the reservoir.

Use of pre-processed foods, both in homes and in restaurants, has created a demand for high-capacity automated food processing equipment. That demand is particularly evident with respect to hamburgers, molded steaks, fish cakes, and other molded food patties.
Food processors utilize high-speed molding machines, such as FORMAX F-6, F-12, F-19, F-26 or F-400 reciprocating mold plate forming machines, available from FORMAX, Inc. of Mokena, Ill., U.S.A., for supplying patties to the fast food industry. Prior known high-speed molding machines are also described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,887,964; 4,372,008; 4,356,595; 4,821,376; and 4,996,743 herein incorporated by reference.
Although heretofore known FORMAX patty-molding machines have achieved commercial success and wide industry acceptance, the present inventors have recognized that needs exist for a forming machine having an even greater durability and an even greater duration of maintenance free operation. The present inventors have recognized that needs for a smoother and quieter patty-forming machine operation.

Hydraulic pump system for a patty-forming apparatus