Disclosed is a constant-current and constant-voltage connection method for LED lamps and a dimmable low-loss LED lamp. A plurality of LED lamps are connected in parallel at both ends of an external constant-current switching power supply, and a total distance of a connection circuit of each LED lamp from a positive electrode of the external constant-current switching power supply to a positive electrode of the LED lamp to a negative electrode and then back to a negative electrode of the external constant-current switching power supply is the same. In each LED lamp, a plurality of LED bead units are connected in parallel, and each LED bead unit is composed of a plurality of LED beads connected in series. Each LED lamp, each LED bead unit and each LED bead have the same voltage. The dimming of the LED lamp can be controlled by regulating the output current.

Because of characteristics such as good illumination effect, fast response, low energy consumption, low light attenuation, no ultraviolet ray and no infrared radiation, LED lamps have been widely used in landscape gardens, schools, hospitals, hotels, conference rooms, exhibition halls, display cabinets, factories, offices, supermarkets and other places. The LED lamp has great advantages whether in substituting the existing traditional fluorescent lamps or adding new LED lamps.
The traditional LED lamp is generally driven by constant current so as to prolong the service life and improve the light attenuation of the LED. For example, for garden landscape lighting lamps, exterior door lighting lamps, bridge LED guardrail fluorescent tubes and LED wall washer that are commonly used at present, a conventional solution is as follows: as shown in FIG. 1, the LED wall washer uses a 24 W LED tube with four LED bead units connected in parallel inside, and each LED bead unit is formed by serially connecting a built-in constant-current power supply chip M and six LED beads. The exterior power supply is supplied by a 24V constant-voltage switching power supply. A working voltage of each LED bead is 3V. The constant-current power supply chip M such as a common LM317 has a voltage drop of 6V and current of 250 mA, such that the constant-current power supply chip M has power consumption of 1.5 W. The total power consumption of the constant-current power supply chips M of the four LED bead units is 6 W, accounting for 25% of the total power consumption of the 24 W tube.
At present, in a lot of application fields of the LED lamp, a plurality of LED lamps are powered by one constant-voltage switching current, and a plurality of LED lamps are distributed as required. For example, twelve 24 W LED tubes are used to form a lighting strip, and an installation method is as shown in FIG. 2. A positive wire and a negative wire are drawn out respectively from a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a 24V constant-voltage switching power supply, and positive ends and negative ends of the twelve 24 W LED tubes are correspondingly connected respectively with the positive wire and the negative wire. When in practical application, it is not difficult to find out that a total distance of a circuit from the positive electrode of the 24V constant-voltage switching power supply to the positive end of the LED tube to the negative end and then back to the negative electrode of the 24V constant-voltage switching power supply is not all the same. Because of different circuit loss, the twelfth LED tube on the furthest end only has the voltage of 22V. If there is no built-in constant-current power supply chip M, each LED tube is different in voltage and different in brightness. Therefore, in order to guarantee the brightness uniformity, the constant-current power supply chip M must be embedded. Due to the presence of the constant-current power supply chip M, the voltage of each LED bead unit is basically the same. In order to guarantee the same current of the LED bead units, the cost is to increase the lamp loss.

Constant-current and constant-voltage connection method for LED lamps and dimmable low-loss LED lamp


A multi-purpose portable work bench cart has four wheels and two stacked shelves. The upper shelf is a table, which folds back to allow tall objects to be placed on the lower shelf. The cart frame is made of tubular stock. Parallel larger diameter sides extend forward and upward to a handle. Large inverted front and rear U's support a fold-away table hinged at one side. Front and rear V-shaped trusses and a rear axle support the lower shelf. V-shaped trusses connect the rear axle housing to the sides. Front wheels are pivoted on vertical members extended downward from the sides. A locking mechanism on the frame of the cart is lowered and engaged to act as a brake for the cart.

The invention relates to carts and portable workbenches.
A need exists for a portable workbench which is easily movable between locations and which converts to a convenient carrier. Heretofore known carts have either high centers of gravity which create troublesome tipping of loads and provide unstable or too low surfaces on which to conveniently work.
In one example of use of utility carts, horticulturists require transportation of heavy products to many locations and terrains. High center of gravity carts require high lifting of the heavy products, and low center of gravity carts do not provide comfortable work space when arriving at locations. Moreover, utility carts are not thought of as workbenches, and one tends to carry products from place to place and then either kneel or sit on the ground when working with plants, or sit on a low stool or crate and lean forward to the working space, all with attendant discomfort and strain.
A need exists for a work table which may be conveniently transported to locations, and a need exists for a low center of gravity cart made of lightweight materials which can easily carry products to remote locations without tipping or spilling the products and with ease of access to the products, and with unlimited height restrictions on products which may be carried, such as large plants or trees.


A process for calculating an indice of arterial stiffness, including the step of extracting pulse wave analysis data from a recorded pressure of an artery, the recorded pressure is recorded as a function of time, the indice being calculated as a function of the extracted data, and the extracted pulse wave analysis data including at least one time interval.

The present invention relates to a process for calculating a new indice of arterial stiffness and/or a stroke volume, and to a device implementing this process.
Typically, a process or device according to the invention can be used for monitoring the stroke volume. In this case, the process or device according to the invention can be used in a medical or surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and in an anesthesia unit, wherein such monitoring can be very useful.
Key Words: arterial stiffness, pulse pressure, hypertension, left ventricle, afterload, heart rate, cardiovascular risk factors, stroke volume
A growing number of clinical and epidemiological studies use aortic pulse contour analysis to document the role of increased pulsatile load and arterial stiffness throughout aging in subjects exposed to cardiovascular risk factors and in patients with various cardiovascular diseases [1-6]. Aortic pulse wave may be obtained from invasive catheterization or estimated from noninvasive techniques (eg, applanation tonometry).
Total arterial stiffness plays a contributory role throughout aging and in numerous cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. Aortic stiffening is responsible for an increased characteristic impedance (ie, the impedance to the left ventricular pulsatile flow), thus increasing the forward pressure-wave amplitude that contributes to pulse pressure elevation. Aortic stiffening also increases pulse wave velocity, and this results in anticipated and enhanced wave reflections, further augmenting central pulse pressure. Unfortunately, there is no simple estimate of characteristic impedance. Furthermore, recent guidelines have reviewed the limitations of diastolic pulse contour analysis to estimate arterial stiffness.
The goal of the invention is to present a process and device for providing new and simple indices quantifying pulsatile load and/or arterial stiffness in humans, and/or for providing new and simple calculation of a stroke volume.

Device and process for calculating new indices of arterial stiffness, and/or for stroke volume monitoring

Ecole Normale Superieure de Technoiques Avancees


An active matrix type liquid crystal display device may include a black signal insertion device to apply a voltage corresponding to a black display as a voltage for data signal lines only during a black signal insertion period that is a part of one frame period, a black insertion ratio change device to change the insertion period, and an unchanged-storage-capacitor-phase-keeping device to control the insertion period after the change. The control makes a time difference the same, before and after the change, between (i) a timing, among timings at which signal voltages of the first or second storage capacitor line rise, at which a storage capacitor voltage rises that is both prior to a start timing of the insertion period and a closest timing to the start timing of the insertion period, and (ii) the start timing of the insertion period.

In an impulse type display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), as for individual pixels, each individual pixel repeats alternately a lightening period in which an image is displayed and a non-lighting period in which an image is not displayed. For example, in a case where a moving image is displayed, an afterimage of a moving object does not occur to human eyes because the non-lighting period is inserted at the time when an image of one screen is rewritten.
On the other hand, in a hold type display device that employs TFTs (Thin Film Transistors), a luminance of each individual pixel depends on a voltage that is held by each corresponding pixel capacitor. The voltage that is held by the pixel capacitor is kept for one frame period, once rewritten. In the hold type display device, a blurring phenomenon (moving image blur) occurs when a moving image is displayed. This moving image blur is caused by pursuit of a displayed moving body with eyes (eye pursuit).
Accordingly, in a hold type display device such as an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, a moving image blur occurs at the time of a moving image display. On this account, a technique for improving this moving image blur is proposed.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses, as a method of improving a trailing afterimage mentioned above, a method of converting a display of the liquid crystal display device into a (pseudo-)impulse display by insertion of a period in which a black display is performed (hereinafter, referred to as "black insertion") in one frame period.
According to Patent Document 1, as illustrated in FIG. 11, for example, in the case of a liquid crystal display panel that includes 480 scanning lines (gate lines), the gate lines Y1 through Y480 are sequentially activated, according to respective timings that are slightly shifted one another, for writing image signals into respective pixel cells during one frame period. The one frame period is completed, when all of the 480 gate lines are activated and an image signal is written into each pixel cell. In this operation, after approximately ½ frame period from the activation for writing the image signal, the gate lines Y1 through Y480 are activated again so that an electric potential for displaying black is supplied to each pixel cell via a data line X. This causes the each pixel cell to be in a black display state.
That is, each gate Y becomes high level twice in different times of one frame period. In response to first selection of the gate line Y, the each pixel cell displays image data for a predetermined period. In response to subsequent second selection of the gate line Y, the each pixel cell is forced to perform a black display. In this way, an image display period and a black display period are provided in one frame period. This allows a hold type drive display state to approach a pseudo impulse type drive display as in a CRT. This makes it possible to improve image quality deterioration caused by motion blur that occurs at the time of a moving image display.
Although contrast is excellent in a vertical alignment mode (VA mode), a gamma curve at the front does not agree with a gamma curve at an oblique viewing angle. Accordingly, a whole screen looks white (excessively bright) when viewed at an oblique viewing angle, compared with a case where the screen is viewed at the front. As a technique for reducing the excess brightness at the oblique viewing angle, for example, Patent Document 3 splits one picture element into a plurality of sub-picture elements (multi-picture element structure) and sets respective luminances of the sub-picture elements so that the luminances differ from each other (this technique is called a multi-picture element technique or an area coverage modulation technique).
[Patent Document 1]
    Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 109921/1999 (Tokukaihei 11-109921 (published on Apr. 23, 1999))[Patent Document 2]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 345973/2005 (Tokukai 2005-345973 (published on Dec. 15, 2005))[Patent Document 3]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62146/2004 (Tokukai 2004-62146 (published on Feb. 26, 2004))

Active matrix type liquid crystal display device and drive method thereof


A nonvolatile random access memory (60) includes a ferroelectric memory array (62). The memory array (62) includes memory cells (86-89 and 91-96) arranged in intersecting rows and columns, where the memory cells (86-89 and 91-96) are coupled to bit lines and word lines. Drive lines are disposed parallel to the bit lines and drive line segments are disposed parallel to the word lines. A drive line segment is coupled to a predetermined number of the memory cells of a row. Coupling transistors (80, 82, 84, and 90) couple a drive line segment to a drive line in response to the word line being selected. The ferroelectric memory array (60) provides the advantage of eliminating a change in the polarization state of non-accessed memory cells connected to a selected drive line, and also provides the advantage of reduced energy consumption.

A ferroelectric nonvolatile random access memory uses a ferroelectric capacitor as a storage element of each memory cell. Each memory cell stores a logic state based on the electrical polarization of the ferroelectric capacitor. The ferroelectric capacitor has a dielectric between its electrodes that comprises a ferroelectric material such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT). When a voltage is applied to the plates of the capacitor, the ferroelectric material is polarized in the direction of the electric field. The switching threshold for changing the polarization state of the ferroelectric capacitor is defined as the coercive voltage. The ferroelectric capacitor exhibits hysteresis, and the flow of current to the capacitor depends on its polarization state. If the voltage applied to the capacitor is greater than its coercive voltage, then the capacitor may change polarization states depending on the polarity of the applied voltage. The polarization state is retained after power is removed, thus providing nonvolatility. A ferroelectric capacitor can be switched between polarization states in about one nanosecond, which is faster than the programming time of most other nonvolatile memories such as EPROMs (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories), EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories), or flash EEPROMs. However, like other nonvolatile memories, a ferroelectric memory cell can only endure a limited number of read/write cycles before losing the ability to store data.
FIG. 1 illustrates in schematic diagram form ferroelectric memory cell array 20 in accordance with the prior art. Ferroelectric memory cell array 20 includes a plurality of bit lines labeled "BL", a plurality of word lines labeled "WL", and a plurality of drive lines labeled "DL". Each memory cell includes an access transistor and a ferroelectric capacitor. For example, memory cell 22 includes access transistor 24 and ferroelectric capacitor 26. A gate of access transistor 24 is coupled to word line 23, a first current electrode is coupled to bit line 27, and a second current electrode is coupled to a first plate electrode of ferroelectric capacitor 26. A second plate electrode of ferroelectric capacitor 26 is coupled to drive line 25. The memory cells of array 20 are arranged in rows and columns. A row of memory cells comprises a word line and all of the memory cells that are coupled to the word line. A column of memory cells comprises a bit line and all of the memory cells that are coupled to the bit line. For example, word line 23 and memory cells 22, 28, 30, and 32 comprise a row, and bit line 27 and memory cells 22, 34, and 36 comprise a column. The word lines are used to access a memory cell, while the bit lines are used to read or write data to the accessed memory cell. Note that in FIG. 1, the drive lines are disposed substantially parallel to the word lines, and the memory cells of a row are coupled to the same drive line.
During a write cycle of a memory having array 20, a logic high signal is applied to a selected word line. The logic high signal causes the access transistors coupled to the selected word line to be conductive, thus coupling the ferroelectric capacitors to their respective bit lines. To write a logic one into a memory cell, the bit line coupled to a selected memory cell is pulled to a logic low voltage, usually ground potential, while the drive line coupled to the memory cell is pulled to a voltage approximately equal to the power supply voltage provided to array 20. This causes a voltage potential across the ferroelectric capacitor having a magnitude greater than the coercive voltage, thus semi-permanently polarizing the dielectric material of the capacitor in the direction of the electric field. To write a logic zero into a selected memory cell, the bit line that is coupled to the selected memory cell is pulled to a voltage equal to approximately the power supply voltage, while the voltage on the drive line is reduced to approximately ground potential. In this case, the voltage potential across the capacitor has a magnitude greater than the coercive voltage, but with the polarity in the opposite direction. During a write operation, the voltage on the drive line is pulled to a voltage equal to approximately the power supply voltage and then reduced to ground potential. Thus, the logic state to be written into a cell is controlled by the state of the bit line. This allows different logic states to be written into the cells along a selected row.
To read a selected memory cell, the voltage on the bit line coupled to the selected cell is reduced, or "precharged" to ground potential and then allowed to float. The drive line coupled to the selected memory cell provides a drive line signal having a logic high voltage equal to about the power supply voltage (for example, 5.0 volts). While the drive line signal is high, the word line coupled to the memory cell is pulled to a logic high voltage. This causes the access transistor of the cell to be conductive. The amount of current flow sensed on the bit line is used to determine the logic state stored in the ferroelectric capacitor of the memory cell. A sense amplifier (not shown) is used to drive the voltage on the bit line to ground if the sensed voltage corresponds to a logic one, or to the power supply voltage if the sensed voltage corresponds to a logic zero.
A read cycle of array 20 is a destructive read, since the logic state of all of the cells being read is changed to the same polarization state. Therefore, at the end of each read cycle, the data is restored by using the sensed logic state on the bit lines to rewrite the previously existing polarization state into each cell. This is accomplished by switching the drive line signal between a high voltage and ground potential while the word line is high and the bit line is still at the read logic state.
A problem with array 20 is that during a read cycle, all of the ferroelectric capacitors of a row are exposed to additional fatigue cycles which reduces their useful life. In addition, during both read and write cycles, a drive line voltage is provided to an entire row of memory cells, resulting in increased power consumption as the size of the array is increased.
FIG. 2 illustrates in schematic diagram form prior art ferroelectric memory cell array 40. Ferroelectric memory cell array 40 includes a plurality of bit lines labeled "BL", a plurality of word lines labeled "WL", and a plurality of drive lines labeled "DL". Like prior art memory array 20 of FIG. 1, each memory cell includes an access transistor and a ferroelectric capacitor. For example, memory cell 42, includes access transistor 44 and ferroelectric capacitor 46. A gate of access transistor 44 is coupled to word line 43, a first current electrode is coupled to bit line 47, and a second current electrode is coupled to a first plate electrode of ferroelectric capacitor 46. A second plate electrode of ferroelectric capacitor 46 is coupled to drive line 45. The memory cells of array 40 are also arranged in rows and columns. A row of memory cells comprises a word line and the memory cells that are coupled to the word line. A column of memory cells comprises a bit line and all of the memory cells that are coupled to the bit line. For example, word line 43 and memory cells 42, 48, 50, and 52 comprise a row, bit line 47 and memory cells 42, 54, and 56 comprise a column. In array 40, the drives lines are disposed substantially parallel to the bit lines, and the memory cells of a column are coupled to the same drive line. Memory array 40 is accessed for read and write cycles the same way as memory array 20. However, since the drive line is coupled to all of the cells of a column, during a read operation the unselected memory cells also receive a drive line voltage. If some of the cells of the column are storing a logic zero, the voltage potential on the drive line may change or, "disturb", the polarization of the ferroelectric capacitors coupled to the drive line. If such a polarization change of the ferroelectric capacitor of a cell is large enough, or if a series of read operations cause additional disturbing of the polarization state, a change in the logic state of the memory cells may result. In addition to the disturb problem of memory array 40, there may also be a space penalty for disposing the drive lines parallel to the bit lines.

Ferroelectric nonvolatile random access memory having drive line segments


A game cartridge is provided for use with a portable game machine having a processing system to execute a video game program and player controls operable by a player to generate video game control signals. The game cartridge includes a housing, a game memory for storing a video game program executable by the processing system, and electrical contacts that, in use, electrically connect the game cartridge to the processing system. The game cartridge also includes a vibration source for vibrating the housing and a driving circuit responsive to instructions from the processing system for controlling the vibration source.

This invention generally relates to a portable game machine and, more particularly, to a portable game machine that is configured to accept a cartridge having a selectively driven vibration source.
Over the years, portable (or hand-held) game machines have been (and continue to be) very popular. Typically, these portable game machines include a hand-held game machine housing a processing unit and associated hardware for running a game program, and include a display for displaying images of the game. The game program itself is typically contained in a game program memory such as, for example, a semiconductor memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, etc.) that is part of a removable cartridge. By storing the game program in a removable cartridge, the user can conveniently and easily change the game being played by simply exchanging one cartridge with another, different cartridge containing a different game. An example of a portable game machine is the xe2x80x9cGame Boy(copyright)xe2x80x9d product available from Nintendo of America, Inc.
Various improvements have been and continue to be made to portable game machines. One such improvement provides for the color display of video game images. A portable game machine providing such a color display is described in application Ser. No. 09/321,201 filed on May 27, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. However, in addition to improvements to the audio and visual aspects of portable game machines described in the ""201 application and elsewhere, it nonetheless remains desirable to provide new features that enhance a player""s game playing experience.
This application describes an arrangement for enhancing a player""s gaming experience by providing physical sensations during game play. This physical sensation is preferably provided by vibrating the entire housing of the portable game machine. Since the player holds the housing of the portable game machine during game play, the vibrations of the housing create physical sensations that are felt by the player. The timing and strength of the vibrations are preferably coordinated/synchronized with the action of the video game being played. Thus, for example, in a pinball-type video game, vibrations may be generated when the video pinball contacts a bumper or flipper, thereby simulating the sensation that one would experience when playing an actual pinball game. In a race car video game, vibrations may be generated that simulate the sensation of holding the steering wheel of a race car during a race. The strength of these vibrations may be varied based on the car""s speed, whether the car is turning, how much the car is turning, etc. Different vibrations may be generated when a car skids or crashes.
The vibrations are preferably provided by a vibration source that is arranged in a cartridge that is removably attachable to the portable game machine. When the cartridge is attached to the game machine, the vibration source is responsive to commands from the processing system of the game machine to generate vibrations that vibrate the housing of the cartridge. Since the cartridge is attached to the game machine, these vibrations are transferred to the housing of the game machine and therefore to the hands of a player holding the game machine.
Thus, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a game cartridge is provided for use with a portable game machine having a processing system to execute a video game program and player controls operable by a user to generate video game control signals. The game cartridge includes a housing, a game memory for storing a video game program executable by the processing system, and electrical contacts that, in use, electrically connect the game cartridge to the processing system. The game cartridge also includes a vibration source for vibrating the housing and a driving circuit responsive to instructions from the processing system for controlling the vibration source.
The instructions from the processing system include instructions for starting and stopping operation of the vibration source and instructions for changing the strength of vibrations generated by the vibration source. The vibration source may be a motor having an eccentric member attached to a rotating shaft or a motor having an eccentrically mounted armature coil. Other types of vibration sources include, but are not limited to, solenoids.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a portable game machine includes a processing system to execute a video game program and player controls operable by a player to generate video game control signals. A connector of the portable game machine is connected, in use, to a game cartridge including a vibration source. The processing system is configured to generate at least one instruction for controlling the vibration source during execution of a video game program.
Thus, the vibration generating circuitry is controllable in accordance with instructions from the processing system during execution of a video game program. The vibrations generated by the vibration source are transferred to the hands of a player holding the game machine. By coordinating the starting and stopping of the vibration source and the strength of the vibrations with the game activity, a player can experience the game not only by sight and sound, but also by touch.


Isolated polynucleotides encoding a BREX system are provided. Accordingly there is provided an isolated polynucleotide encoding a BREX system comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the BREX system comprising brxC/pglY, pglZ and at least one of pglX, pglXI, brxP, brxHI, brxHII, brxL, brxD, brxA, brxB, brxF, and brxE, with the proviso that said BREX system does not comprise pglW, and wherein said BREX system confers phage resistance to a bacteria recombinantly expressing same; Also provided is an isolated polynucleotide encoding a BREX system comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the BREX system comprising brxC/pglY, pglZ, pglX, pglW and at least one of brxD and brxHI, and wherein said BREX system confers phage resistance to a bacteria recombinantly expressing same. Also provided are compositions and methods for conferring phage resistance to bacteria or for conferring bacterial susceptibility to phages.

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to polynucleotides encoding BREX system polypeptides and methods of using same.
The ongoing arms race between bacteria and bacteriophages (phages) has led to the rapid evolution of efficient resistance systems to protect bacteria from phage infection (Stern and Sorek, 2011). These systems include restriction-modification systems enzymes that recognize and cleave foreign DNA (King and Murray, 1994), abortive infection (Abi) mechanisms that lead to the suicide of the infected host, thus protecting the colony against phage spread (Chopin et al., 2005), and the CRISPR/Cas adaptive defense system, which uses small RNAs to target and destroy invading phage DNA (Deveau et al., 2010). On the counter arm, as part of this continuous bacteria and phages arms race, successful phages had also developed numerous counter-resistance mechanisms to overcome bacterial defense (Stern and Sorek, 2011). Due to the rapid evolution and elaborated biological novelty associated with the bacteria-phage arms race, it is estimated that many additional, yet uncharacterized anti-phage defense systems are encoded by bacteria and archaea genomes (Stern and Sorek, 2011).
A broad array of food products, commodity chemicals, and biotechnology products are manufactured industrially by large-scale bacterial fermentation of various substrates. Enormous amounts of bacteria are being cultivated each day in large fermentation vats, thus phage contamination can rapidly bring fermentations to a halt and cause economic setbacks, and is therefore considered a serious threat in these industries. The dairy fermentation industry has openly acknowledged the problem of phage and has been working with academia and starter culture companies to develop defense strategies and systems to curtail the propagation and evolution of phages for decades.
Anti-microbial phage therapy dates back to the early 1900s, after their co-discovery by Frederick Twort and Felix d'Hérelle (Twort F W 1915; and D'Hérelle 1917). Over the last decade a marked increase in interest in the therapeutic use of phages has been observed, which has resulted due to a substantial rise in the prevalence of antibiotic resistance of bacteria, coupled with an inadequate number of new antibiotics (Miedzybrodzki R et al., 2012). Properly formulated and applied phages have sufficient potential to cure bacterial infections. The key advantage of phages as anti-microbial therapeutic agents is their potential to negatively impact only their specific bacterial targets. Other advantages include, for example, an increase in phage number over the course of treatment, tendency to only minimally disrupt normal flora, capability of disrupting bacterial biofilms, low inherent toxicities, and most importantly effectiveness against both antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In 1982, Chinenova and colleagues reported a unique phage defense phenotype in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), which was denoted Phage Growth Limitation (PGL) (Chinenova T. A. et al, 1982). In their work Chinenova et al. demonstrated that upon the first cycle of infection by the ΦC31 phage, Streptomyces coelicolor A3 was phage-sensitive and supported phage burst. However, phages emerging from this first cycle of infection could not successfully re-infect the Streptomyces coelicolor A3 host. Intriguingly, these phages were able to successfully infect strains of Streptomyces that do not carry the PGL system (Chinenova T. A. et al, 1982).
Further studies mapped the phenotype to a cluster of four genes, denoted pglW, pglX, pglY and pglZ, which were shown to reconstitute the above described PGL phenotype upon transfer to a PGL host (Sumby. P. & Smith, M. C. 2002). Of note, introduction of pglY and pglZ− was not sufficient to confer a PGL+ phenotype in all mutants tested (Laity et al., 1993; Sumby et al. 2002). The domains encoded within these four genes do not resemble any classical combination of genes currently known to be involved in phage defense: pglZ is a member of the alkaline phosphatase superfamily; pglW has a serine/threonine kinase domain; pglX is an adenine-specific DNA methyltransferase; and pglY contains a p-loop ATPase domain (Sumby, P. & Smith, M. C. 2002). The PGL system described to date was not active against any other phage except for ΦC31 and its homoimmune relatives (Sumby. P. & Smith, M. C. 2002; Laity, C. et al. 1993).
A major characteristic of the PGL system described to date is the initial release of phage from the first infectious cycle followed by the attenuation of phage growth in the second. Various combinations of genes belonging to the PGL system, and predominantly pglZ, were found to be enriched within 'defense islands' (typical clustering of genes encoding defense system components in microbial genomes), providing additional support to the general involvement of these genes in a complex anti-phage defense system in multiple species (Makarova, K. S. et al. 2011; Makarova, K. S. et al. 2013). The discovery of the PGL system as an additional line of defense in bacteria may shed more light on the complex bacteria and phage arms race. However, a molecular mechanism that explains the activity of the PGL system has not yet been solved. Profound understanding of the molecular mechanism of this system might prove to be a powerful and economically important tool in molecular engineering applications (as was previously demonstrated with other complex phage resistance systems such as CRISPR-Cas).

Polynucleotides encoding BREX system polypeptides and methods of using same


The invention is a radiation hardened bistable logic circuit employing two pairs of parallelly connected transistors, cross coupled through diode "OR" circuits, with back-to-back diodes between the gates or bases of the two FETs or bipolar transistors comprising each pair.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention hardens latch or bistable logic circuits against single event upset.
2. Prior Art
The problem of high energy ionizing particle induced upset, or as it is commonly called, single event upset (SEU), encompasses a large, and constantly growing body of knowledge covering the origins and properties of high energy ionizing particles and their effects upon device physics. Interest in this subject has been motivated by numerous space and defense applications. For example, SEU's are a common occurrence in small geometry devices exposed to the heavy ions and protons in the Van Allen belts, and to solar flares and galactic cosmic rays outside the earth's atmosphere.
High energy ionizing particles passing through the volume of a logic cell produces a transient charge along the ion track. The diameter of this transient charge region can be from less than 1 micron to as large as 5 or 6 microns, depending on high energy particle type and substrate doping. The free electrons produced along the ion track either recombine with the holes in the substrate, or, if the track passes through a p-n junction they will collect to produce a transient current spike. The high density of these charge carriers can significantly influence charge carrier distribution in the junction for the duration of this spike. Depending on ionizing particle type and substrate doping, these current spikes can reach magnitudes up to 1000 microamps and durations of up to 1 or 2 nanoseconds. Clearly, they can cause the critical charge of a back-biased logic junction to be exceeded, which in turn can change the state of a bistable logic element. Such errors have been observed in space vehicle applications of RAMs, microprocessors, PROMs and logic devices. While some permanent failures have been reported, possibly due to latch-up in certain devices, the majority of faults are "soft," i.e., a logic state change occurs without permanent damage.
The SEU problem is becoming increasingly important as chip designs approach submicron feature sizes. For example, bipolar logic circuits in this region operate with collector currents on the order of 1 microamp, and clock rates on the order of 50 to 100 megahertz. Since the current spikes generated by heavy high energy particles can reach levels up to 1000 microamps and pulse widths of up to 1 or 2 nanoseconds, they are directly within the response range of these bipolar logic circuits which may be clocked in normal operation by pulse width of less than 5 nanoseconds.
CMOS/SOS technology is inherently less sensitive to the currents generated by high energy ionizing particles. However, computer simulations with postulated parameters at submicron feature sizes also indicate logic state changes when critical junctions are subjected to 1000 microampere pulses of 1 nanosecond duration. In fact, as feature size decreases the CMOS/SOS and bipolar technologies tend to display comparable sensitivities.
Achievement of hardened circuits, therefore, appears virtually impossible at first glance. However, a novel circuit configuration has been devised, which provides the necessary hardness by virtue of its functional arrangement (local redundancy) and isolation protection and is independent of device technology.

Radiation hardened bistable logic circuit


The present invention provides a compound of formula I:

The search for new therapeutic agents has been greatly aided in recent years by better understanding of the structure of enzymes and other biomolecules associated with target diseases. One important class of enzymes that has been the subject of extensive study is the protein kinases.
Protein kinases mediate intracellular signal transduction. They do this by affecting a phosphoryl transfer from a nucleoside triphosphate to a protein acceptor that is involved in a signaling pathway. There are a number of kinases and pathways through which extracellular and other stimuli cause a variety of cellular responses to occur inside the cell. Examples of such stimuli include environmental and chemical stress signals (e.g. osmotic shock, heat shock, ultraviolet radiation, bacterial endotoxin, H2O2), cytokines (e.g. interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and growth factors (e.g. granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and fibroblast growth factor (FGF). An extracellular stimulus may effect one or more cellular responses related to cell growth, migration, differentiation, secretion of hormones, activation of transcription factors, muscle contraction, glucose metabolism, control of protein synthesis and regulation of cell cycle.
Many diseases and conditions are associated with abnormal cellular responses triggered by protein kinase-mediated events. These diseases include autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, allergies and asthma, Alzheimer's disease or hormone-related diseases. Accordingly, there has been a substantial effort in medicinal chemistry to find protein kinase inhibitors that are effective as therapeutic agents.
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine protein kinase comprised of α and β isoforms that are each encoded by distinct genes [Coghlan et al., Chemistry & Biology, 7, 793-803 (2000); Kim and Kimmel, Curr. Opinion Genetics Dev., 10, 508-514 (2000)]. GSK-3 has been implicated in various diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, CNS disorders such as manic depressive disorder and neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiomyocete hypertrophy [WO 99/65897; WO 00/38675; and Haq et al., J. Cell Biol. (2000) 151, 117]. These diseases may be caused by, or result in, the abnormal operation of certain cell signaling pathways in which GSK-3 plays a role. GSK-3 has been found to phosphorylate and modulate the activity of a number of regulatory proteins. These include glycogen synthase which is the rate limiting enzyme necessary for glycogen synthesis, the microtubule associated protein Tau, the gene transcription factor β-catenin, the translation initiation factor e1F2B, as well as ATP citrate lyase, axin, heat shock factor-1, c-Jun, c-Myc, c-Myb, CREB, and CEPBu. These diverse targets implicate GSK-3 in many aspects of cellular metabolism, proliferation, differentiation and development.
In a GSK-3 mediated pathway that is relevant for the treatment of type II diabetes, insulin-induced signaling leads to cellular glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis. Along this pathway, GSK-3 is a negative regulator of the insulin-induced signal. Normally, the presence of insulin causes inhibition of GSK-3 mediated phosphorylation and deactivation of glycogen synthase. The inhibition of GSK-3 leads to increased glycogen synthesis and glucose uptake [Klein et al., PNAS, 93, 8455-9 (1996); Cross et al., Biochem. J., 303, 21-26 (1994); Cohen, Biochem. Soc. Trans., 21, 555-567 (1993); Massillon et al., Biochem J. 299, 123-128 (1994)]. However, in a diabetic patient where the insulin response is impaired, glycogen synthesis and glucose uptake fail to increase despite the presence of relatively high blood levels of insulin. This leads to abnormally high blood levels of glucose with acute and long term effects that may ultimately result in cardiovascular disease, renal failure and blindness. In such patients, the normal insulin-induced inhibition of GSK-3 fails to occur. It has also been reported that in patients with type II diabetes, GSK-3 is overexpressed [WO 00/38675]. Therapeutic inhibitors of GSK-3 are therefore potentially useful for treating diabetic patients suffering from an impaired response to insulin.
GSK-3 activity has also been associated with Alzheimer's disease. This disease is characterized by the well-known β-amyloid peptide and the formation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. The neurofibrillary tangles contain hyperphosphorylated Tau protein where Tau is phosphorylated on abnormal sites. GSK-3 has been shown to phosphorylate these abnormal sites in cell and animal models. Furthermore, inhibition of GSK-3 has been shown to prevent hyperphosphorylation of Tau in cells [Lovestone et al., Current Biology 4, 1077-86 (1994); Brownlees et al., Neuroreport 8, 3251-55 (1997)]. Therefore, it is believed that GSK-3 activity may promote generation of the neurofibrillary tangles and the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Another substrate of GSK-3 is β-catenin which is degradated after phosphorylation by GSK-3. Reduced levels of β-catenin have been reported in schizophrenic patients and have also been associated with other diseases related to increase in neuronal cell death [Zhong et al., Nature, 395, 698-702 (1998); Takashima et al., PNAS, 90, 7789-93 (1993); Pei et al., J. Neuropathol. Exp, 56, 70-78 (1997)].
Aurora-2 is a serine/threonine protein kinase that has been implicated in human cancer, such as colon, breast and other solid tumors. This kinase is involved in protein phosphorylation events that regulate the cell cycle. Specifically, Aurora-2 plays a role in controlling the accurate segregation of chromosomes during mitosis. Misregulation of the cell cycle can lead to cellular proliferation and other abnormalities. In human colon cancer tissue, the aurora-2 protein has been found to be overexpressed [Bischoff et al., EMBO J., 17, 3052-3065 (1998); Schumacher et al., J. Cell Biol., 143, 1635-1646 (1998); Kimura et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272, 13766-13771 (1997)].
Syk is a tyrosine kinase that plays a critical role in FcεRI mediated mast cell degranulation and eosiniphil activation. Accordingly, Syk kinase is implicated in various allergic disorders, in particular asthma.
It has been shown that Syk binds to the phosphorylated gamma chain of the FcεRI receptor via N-terminal SH2 domains and is essential for downstream signaling [Taylor et al, Mol Cell Biol 1995; 15:4149].
Inhibition of eosinophil apoptosis has been proposed as key mechanisms for the development of blood and tissue eosinophilia in asthma. IL-5 and GM-CSF are upregulated in asthma and are proposed to cause blood and tissue eosinophilia by inhibition of eosinophil apoptosis. Inhibition of eosinophil apoptosis has been proposed as a key mechanism for the development of blood and tissue eosinophilia in asthma. It has been reported that Syk kinase is required for the prevention of eosinophil apoptosis by cytokines (using antisense)[Yousefi et al, J Exp Med 1996;183:1407].
The role of Syk in FcγR dependent and independent response in bone marrow derived macrophages has been determined by using irradiated mouse chimeras reconstituted with fetal liver cells from Syk −/− embryos. Syk deficient macrophages were defective in phagocytosis induced by FcγR but showed normal phagocytosis in response to complement [Kiefer et al, Mol Cell Biol 1998; 18:4209]. It has also been reported that aerosolized Syk antisense suppresses Syk expression and mediator release from macrophages [Stenton et al, J Immunology 2000; 164: 3790].
Considering the lack of currently available treatment options for the majority of the conditions associated with protein kinases, especially GSK-3, Aurora-2, and Syk, there is still a great need for new therapeutic agents that inhibit these protein targets.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Thiazole compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase

Abstract: or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof. These compounds are inhibitors of protein kinases, particularly inhibitors of GSK3, Aurora2, and Syk mammalian protein kinases. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of utilizing those compounds and compositions in the treatment of various protein kinase mediated disorders.


According to an illustrative embodiment an information processing device is provided. The device includes a processor for controlling acquisition of first information which indicates a service not registered in an integrated circuit of the device and a service registered in the integrated circuit of the device, the first information being acquired from within the device, controlling acquisition of second information which indicates a service registered in the integrated circuit of the device, and controlling display based on the first information and second information.

In recent years, information processing devices such as mobile telephones including IC (Integrated Circuit) chips having tamper resistance have been distributed. Such an information processing device including an IC chip (hereinafter, referred to as an IC chip-mounted information processing device) can perform data communication only by, for example, being inserted into a reader-and-writer by a user. Thus, in application of the information processing device to an e-money system, a user can complete an on-the-spot payment in a shop, or the like, only by inserting the information processing device such as a mobile telephone, or the like, into a reader-and-writer.
In addition, when the above-described e-money system is used, the user can ascertain a use history, the remaining amount, and the like, thereof on the display screen by activating an application installed in the information processing device.
As such, there are various developed techniques pertaining to the IC chip-mounted information processing device, and for example, there is a proposed technique for restoring area consistency in an IC chip having two interrelated areas after data migration between IC chips (refer to PTL 1, for example).
However, since services can be freely registered and deleted in an IC chip of an IC chip-mounted information processing device, it is necessary for the device to perform the display of services registered in a memory area of the IC chip and to enable a user to view what service is being currently used in the information processing device.
For example, in order to be in a state in which services are registered in a memory area of an IC chip and used, an IC chip-mounted information processing device such as a mobile telephone, or the like, on which a platform unique to a communication carrier is installed is configured to be necessarily installed with an application required for using the services, and thus, a catalog of service information is displayed based on the information of the application. In addition, as a starting point for the user to introduce a service not registered in the IC chip, information of a link for downloading the application is displayed on a service catalog as a so-called bookmark.
On the other hand, in IC chip-mounted information processing devices of recent years on which an open platform is installed, a catalog of service information is displayed by specifying what an installed application is or what service can be currently used from each of the memory areas of the IC chip depending on the type of the service, without necessarily installing an application for using services registered in the memory areas of the IC chip.

Information processing device, method, and medium for controlling a display based on a service registered in an integrated circuit


A treatment composition for making acquisition fluff pulp in sheet form, having a cross-linking agent and an anti-hydrogen-bonding agent. The cross-linking agent may be a polycarboxylic acid, aldehyde, urea-based derivatives or a mixture thereof. The anti-hydrogen-bonding agent may be a silicon polymer terminated with at least one quaternary amine functional group. A method of making acquisition fluff pulp using the treatment composition involves treating a cellulosic base fiber with a treatment composition solution to impregnate the fiber with the treatment composition, and then drying and curing the impregnated fiber. The resultant acquisition fluff pulp may be utilized in an acquisition layer and/or an absorbent core of an absorbent article intended for body waste management.

1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to a treatment composition containing a mixture of a cross-linking agent and an anti-hydrogen-bonding agent for making acquisition fluff pulp with low centrifuge retention capacity in sheet form. Embodiments of the present invention also relate to a process for making the acquisition fluff pulp in sheet form. The fluff pulp can be characterized as having improved resiliency, bulk, and acquisition rate, which makes it suitable for use in an acquisition layer of absorbent articles intended for body fluid management.
2. Description of Related Art
Absorbent articles intended for personal care, such as adult incontinent pads, feminine care products, and infant diapers typically are comprised of at least a top sheet, a back sheet, an absorbent core positioned between the top sheet and back sheet, and an optional acquisition/distribution layer positioned between the top sheet and the absorbent core. An acquisition/distribution layer usually is incorporated in the absorbent articles to provide better distribution of liquid, increased rate of liquid absorption, reduced gel blocking, and improved surface dryness. The acquisition/distribution layer may be comprised of, for example, synthetic fibers, a composite of cellulosic fibers and synthetic fibers, or cross-linked cellulosic fibers. Cross-linked cellulosic fiber is preferred because it is abundant, it is biodegradable, and it is relatively inexpensive.
Cross-linked cellulosic fibers and processes for making them have been described in the literature for many years (see, for example, G. C. Tesoro, Cross-Linking of Cellulosics, in Vol. II of Handbook of Fiber Science and Technology, pp. 1–46 (M. Lewin and S. B. Sello eds., Mercel Dekker, New York, 1983)). The cross-linked cellulosic fibers typically are prepared by reacting cellulose with polyfunctional agents that are capable of covalently bonding to at least two hydroxyl groups of the anhydroglucose repeat unit of cellulose in neighboring chains simultaneously.
Cellulosic fibers typically are cross-linked in fluff form. Processes for making cross-linked fiber in fluff form comprise dipping swollen or non-swollen fiber in an aqueous solution of cross-linking agent and a catalyst. The fiber so treated, then is usually cross-linked by heating it at elevated temperature in the swollen state, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,241,553, or in the collapsed state after defiberizing it, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,926, and European Patent No. 0,427,361 B1, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Cross-linking of fibers is believed to improve the physical and the chemical properties of fibers in many ways, such as improving the fibers' wet and dry resiliency, increasing fluid absorbency, reducing wrinkling, and improving shrinkage resistance. However, cross-linked cellulosic fibers have not been widely adopted in absorbent products, seemingly because of the difficulty of making cross-linked cellulosic fibers in sheet form. More specifically, it has been found that cross-linked fiber in the sheet form tends to create substantial problems when defiberized. These problems include severe fiber breakage and increased amounts of knots and nits (hard fiber clumps). Furthermore, such cross-linked fibers demonstrate an unpleasant odor and low fiber brightness. These problems render the cross-linked fiber unsuitable for applications in absorbent articles intended for body waste managements.
The difficulties associated with defiberizing fibers cross-linked in sheet form were attributed to the considerable amount of lignin and hemicellulose that remains in the fiber after the pulping and bleaching processes. Large portions of these residuals are distributed on the surfaces of the fibers. These residuals under the heating conditions of the cross-linking reaction combine with the cross-linking agents to form thermosetting adhesives. As a result, strong bonding forms between adjacent fibers so that it is very difficult to separate them under any conditions without considerable fiber breakage. Because the cross-linked fibers tend to be brittle, the fibers themselves will often break, generating fibers with high contents of knots, nits and fines.
Efforts to make cross-linked fibers in sheet form have met with limited success. Some attempts have involved minimizing the contact between fibers in the sheet then cross-link the fibers. For example, Graef et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,240, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a method of making a sheet of fibers containing a de-bonding agent, followed by treating the sheet while in the wet state with a mixture of a cross-linking agent and a catalyst. The de-bonder used is composed of a fatty chain and quaternary ammonium group. The fatty chain tends to interfere with the hydrogen bonding between fibers during sheet formation. This reduction in hydrogen bonding leads to a softer and partially bonded sheet of fluff pulp. While in sheet form, the fiber is then cured at elevated temperatures to produce cross-linked fibers with a relatively low content of knots and nits. Unfortunately, the long hydrophobic alkane chain tends to adversely affect the absorbency and wettability of the fiber, rendering it unsuitable for applications such as in absorbent articles, where a high rate of absorbency and fast acquisition are essential.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,918, Bernardin et al. discloses a method of treating fibers in sheet form with a cross-linking agent and a catalyst. The treated sheet then is wet-aged to render the cross-linking agent non-extractable. The wet-aged fibers are re-dispersed before curing, mixed with untreated fibers, sheeted, and then cured. The mixture of cross-linked fibers and untreated fibers are potentially useful for making products such as filter media, tissues, and toweling where high bulk and good water absorbency are desired without excessive stiffness in the product. Unfortunately, the presence of untreated fibers make the produced fibers have low performance as an acquisition/distribution layer in hygiene products such as diapers.
Other documents describing methods of treating fiber in sheet form include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,204,054; 3,844,880; and 3,700,549 (the disclosures of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety). However, the above-described approaches complicate the process of cross-linking fiber in sheet form, and render the process time consuming, and costly. In addition to that, these processes result in cross-linked fibers with a substantial decrease in fiber performance, and a substantial increase in cost.
In order to avoid such problems, Chatterjee, et al., showed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,209 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) that mercerized fiber having low contents of hemicellulose and lignin can be cross-linked in sheet form without substantial formation of knots and nits. Unfortunately, the use of mercerized fiber to produce cross-linked fiber in sheet form is relatively expensive.
In previous work, (e.g., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/683,164 entitled "Materials Useful In Making Cellulosic Acquisition Fibers In Sheet Form" filed Oct. 10, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) it was shown that conventional fibers can be successfully cross-linked in sheet form using modified cross-linking agents. The modified cross-linking agent acts as a cross-linking agent and as a wedge that lowers the inter-fiber bonding and increase fiber bulkiness. This way, the formation of knots and nits as well as fines during fiber cross-linking were minimized. The produced cross-linked fibers showed similar or better performance characteristics than conventional individualized cross-linked cellulose fibers.
The description herein of certain advantages and disadvantages of known cellulosic fibers, treatment compositions, and methods of their preparation, is not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments. Indeed, the embodiments may include some or all of the methods, fibers and compositions described above without suffering from the same disadvantages.

Treatment composition for making acquisition fluff pulp in sheet form


A method of deploying a cable into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation that includes providing a cable. The cable includes an insulated conductor; an armor wire layer surrounding the insulated conductor; and a polymeric material disposed in interstitial spaces formed between armor wires forming the armor wire layer, and in interstitial spaces formed between the at least one armor wire layer and the at least one insulated conductor. The method also includes introducing the cable into a wellbore and performing at least one operation in the wellbore utilizing the cable.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. Embodiments of the present invention relates generally to wellbore cables.
Embodiments of the invention relate to wellbore electric cables, and methods of using such cables. In one aspect, the invention relates to a durable and sealed torque balanced enhanced electric cable used with wellbore devices to analyze geologic formations adjacent a wellbore, methods of manufacturing same, as well as uses of such cables.
Generally, geologic formations within the earth that contain oil and/or petroleum gas have properties that may be linked with the ability of the formations to contain such products. For example, formations that contain oil or petroleum gas have higher electrical resistivity than those that contain water. Formations generally comprising sandstone or limestone may contain oil or petroleum gas. Formations generally comprising shale, which may also encapsulate oil-bearing formations, may have porosities much greater than that of sandstone or limestone, but, because the grain size of shale is very small, it may be very difficult to remove the oil or gas trapped therein. Accordingly, it may be desirable to measure various characteristics of the geologic formations adjacent to a well before completion to help in determining the location of an oil- and/or petroleum gas-bearing formation as well as the amount of oil and/or petroleum gas trapped within the formation.
Logging tools, which are generally long, pipe-shaped devices, may be lowered into the well to measure such characteristics at different depths along the well. These logging tools may include gamma-ray emitters/receivers, caliper devices, resistivity-measuring devices, neutron emitters/receivers, and the like, which are used to sense characteristics of the formations adjacent the well. A wireline cable connects the logging tool with one or more electrical power sources and data analysis equipment at the earth's surface, as well as providing structural support to the logging tools as they are lowered and raised through the well. Generally, the wireline cable is spooled out of a truck, over a pulley, and down into the well.
Wireline cables are typically formed from a combination of metallic conductors, insulative material, filler materials, jackets, and metallic armor wires. Commonly, the useful life of a wellbore electric cable is typically limited to only about 6 to 24 months, as the cable may be compromised by exposure to extremely corrosive elements, or little or no maintenance of cable strength members, such as armor wires. A primary factor limiting wireline cable life is armor wire failure, where fluids present in the downhole wellbore environment lead to corrosion and failure of the armor wires.
Armor wires are typically constructed of cold-drawn pearlitic steel coated with zinc for corrosion protection. While zinc protects the steel at moderate temperatures, it is known that corrosion is readily possible at elevated temperatures and certain environmental conditions. Although the cable core may still be functional, it is generally not economically feasible to replace the armor wire, and the entire cable must be discarded. Once corrosive fluids infiltrate into the annular gaps, it is difficult or impossible to completely remove them. Even after the cable is cleaned, the corrosive fluids remain in interstitial spaces damaging the cable. As a result, cable corrosion is essentially a continuous process which may begin with the wireline cable's first trip into the well. Once the armor wire begins to corrode, strength is quickly lost, and the entire cable must be replaced. Armor wires in wellbore electric cables are also associated with several operational problems including torque imbalance between armor wire layers, difficult-to-seal uneven outer profiles, and loose or broken armor wires.
In wells with surface pressures, the electric cable is run through one or several lengths of piping packed with grease, also known as flow tubes, to seal the gas pressure in the well while allowing the wireline to travel in and out of the well. Because the armor wire layers have unfilled annular gaps or interstitial spaces, dangerous gases from the well can migrate into and travel through these gaps upward toward lower pressure. This gas tends to be held in place as the wireline travels through the grease-packed piping. As the wireline goes over the upper sheave at the top of the piping, the armor wires may spread apart, or separate, slightly and the pressurized gas is released, where it becomes a fire or explosion hazard. Further, while the cables with two layers of armor wires are under tension, the inner and outer armor wires, generally cabled at opposite lay angles, rotate slightly in opposite directions, causing torque imbalance problems. To create a torque-balanced cable, inner armor wires would have to be somewhat larger than outer armor wires, but the smaller outer wires would quickly fail due to abrasion and exposure to corrosive fluids. Therefore, larger armor wires are placed at the outside of the wireline cable, which results in torque imbalance.
Armored wellbore cables may also wear due to point-to-point contact between armor wires. Point-to-point contact wear may occur between the inner and outer armor wire layers, or oven side-to-side contact between armor wires in the same layer. While under tension and when cables go over sheaves, radial loading causes point loading between outer and inner armor wires. Point loading between armor wire layers removes the zinc coating and cuts groves in the inner and outer armor wires at the contact points. This causes strength reduction, leads to premature corrosion and may accelerate cable fatigue failure. Also, due to annular gaps or interstitial spaces between the inner armor wires and the cable core, as the wireline cable is under tension the cable core materials tend to creep thus reducing cable diameter and causing linear stretching of the cable as well as premature electrical shorts.
It is commonplace that as wellbore electrical cables are lowered into an unobstructed well, the tool string rotates to relieve torque in the cable. When the tool string becomes stuck in the well (for example, at an obstruction, or at a bend in a deviated well) the cable tension is typically cycled until the cable can continue up or down the hole. This bouncing motion creates rapidly changing tension and torque, which can cause several problems. The sudden changes in tension can cause tension differentials along the cables length, causing the armor wires to "birdcage." Slack cable can also loop around itself and form a knot in the wireline cable. Also, for wellbore cables, it is a common solution to protect armor wire by "caging." In caging designs, a polymer jacket is applied over the outer armor wire. A jacket applied directly over a standard outer layer of armor wires, which is essentially a sleeve. This type of design has several problems, such as, when the jacket is damaged, harmful well fluids enter and are trapped between the jacket and the armor wire, causing corrosion, and since damage occurs beneath the jacket, it may go unnoticed until a catastrophic failure.
Also, during wellbore operations, such as logging, in deviated wells, wellbore cables make significant contact with the wellbore surface. The spiraled ridges formed by the cables' armor wire commonly erode a groove in the side of the wellbore, and as pressure inside the well tends to be higher than pressure outside the well, the cable is prone to stick into the formed groove. Further, the action of the cable contacting and moving against the wellbore wall may remove the protective zinc coating from the armor wires, causing corrosion at an increased rate, thereby reducing the cable life.
Thus, a need exists for wellbore electric cables that prevent wellbore gas migration and escape, are torque-resistant with a durable jacket that resist stripping, bulging, cut-through, corrosion, abrasion, avoids the problems of birdcaging, armor wire milking due to high armor, looping and knotting, and are stretch-resistant, crush-resistant as well as being resistant to material creep and differential sticking. An electrical cable that can overcome one or more of the problems detailed above while conducting larger amounts of power with significant data signal transmission capability would be highly desirable, and the need is met at least in part by the following invention.

Methods of using enhanced wellbore electrical cables


A motor control device includes a current acquisition unit that acquires a limit current allowed to flow from a battery to a brushless motor, a voltage acquisition unit that acquires a power supply voltage applied from the battery to the brushless motor, and a command current determination unit that determines a d-axis command current and a q-axis command current. The command current determination unit determines the d-axis command current and the q-axis command current based on a power limit circle which is a current characteristic on a d-axis and a q-axis based on an inner product of a voltage vector and a current vector and a voltage limit circle which is a current characteristic on the d-axis and the q-axis based on the power supply voltage and an angular velocity of the brushless motor.

In general, a motor control device that drives a brushless motor by vector control is known. In the vector control, the d-axis command current, which is a current command value in a d-axis direction of rotating coordinates, and a q-axis command current, which is a current command value in a q-axis direction, are calculated. Then, the brushless motor is driven through control of an inverter based on the d-axis command current and the q-axis command current.
For example, in PTL 1, the d-axis command current is calculated so as not to exceed a power limit circle determined from a current characteristic on a d-axis and a q-axis based on input power to the brushless motor and a current flowing through the brushless motor.


A tensioning device could be used in many different applications such as but not limited to a combination safety harness and tensioning device. The tensioning device could be a positioning device and a strap tensioner for the safety harness. The combination safety harness and tensioning device could be used with any suitable tensioning device.

Fall protection equipment is commonly used to reduce a likelihood of a fall and/or injuries associated with a fall, particularly by users who perform tasks at heights or are at risk of falling. Generally, lifelines or lanyards typically interconnect anchorage structures and safety harnesses donned by users. The lifelines or lanyards allow the users to move and perform tasks while being connected to the anchorage structures. Should a user fall, the lifeline or lanyard limits the distance the user falls.
It is important for the safety harness to be properly adjusted and fitted about the user. A safety harness that is improperly adjusted may transfer the load from the lifeline or lanyard to an unsafe location on the user and lead to injury or even death. A safety harness that is too loose may allow the user to slip free from the harness during a fall. The ease of safety harness adjustment is a leading factor in the user's willingness to take the time to correctly adjust their harness. A difficult or unintuitive harness webbing adjuster may discourage the user from properly adjusting the harness to fit for each donning. Furthermore, some harness adjustment mechanisms allow excess webbing to dangle freely from the end of the adjuster, which may create additional snag or entanglement hazards in the workplace.
A user often connects a lifeline or a lanyard to a dorsal D-ring positioned on the back of the user's safety harness. To connect and disconnect the lifeline or lanyard, it may be difficult if the D-ring is in an awkward position relative to the user. During use, there are other positions relative to the safety harness where a positionable D-ring would be useful.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a tensioning device and for a tensioning device that could be used with a safety harness.


A method of extracting automatic identification system (AIS) message segments from AIS signals received by a satellite. The method includes: (a) receiving AIS signals from satellite antennas; (b) generating multiple versions of the AIS signals; (c) extracting message segments contained within each of the AIS signals using one or more AIS receivers; (d) sorting the message segments by time; and (e) deleting any duplicate message segments. Multiple versions of the AIS signals may be generated by one or more of the following methods: (i) processing the AIS signals multiple times, each time with different AIS receiver parameter settings; (ii) splitting each signal into multiple signals and filtering each of the multiple signals separately; (iii) receiving multiple AIS signals and combining them with different phases and amplitudes to produce a plurality of combined AIS signals; and (iv) removing extracted message segments from the received AIS signals and reprocessing the modified AIS signals.

The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a maritime communications system designed for short-range (typically 20-30 nautical miles) ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications. The AIS system uses narrowband (i.e. 25 kHz Bandwidth) Very High Frequency (VHF) channels centered at 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz, with a possible additional channel at 157.375 MHz, and a communication method called Self-Organizing Time Division Multiple Access (SOTDMA).
The AIS system supports a number of different types of signal. The principal AIS signal sent by a ship is a position report that provides information pertaining to the ship's identification, location, course, speed, and other details. A position report signal typically includes a ramp-up field, a training sequence, a start flag, a message segment field, a Frame Check Sequence (FCS), an end flag field, and a buffer field. It is the message segment field that contains information pertaining to the ship from which the AIS signal was sent, such as the ship MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) and the longitude and latitude of the ship's location. The message segment field may also include other information related to the ship including the navigation status, rate of turn, true heading, etc., as well as other information such as a time stamp indicating when the information was obtained.
The AIS system also includes the use of a receiver, enabling a ship to receive AIS signals emitted by ships around it and extract the message segments contained therein. Each minute, each VHF channel is divided into 2,250 time slots, each of which can accommodate one 26.67 ms AIS transmission (i.e. AIS signal). The time slots are accurately synchronized to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) typically using Global Positioning System (GPS), and each AIS unit reserves time slots for future AIS transmissions from the ship. Other AIS units within range can therefore maintain a map of reserved slots and avoid transmitting during these intervals. This self-organizing feature avoids signal collisions over the short ranges involved in surface transmissions.
The use of AIS is now mandatory on all ships over 300 tons engaged on international voyages, and it is also being extended to other vessels. It was originally conceived as an aid to navigation and safety, and also has potential security applications for monitoring maritime traffic. AIS signal detection could be achieved using coastal/ground stations, but the limited range of the VHF signals would require such coastal/ground stations to be situated at many locations along the coast, and even then they could only monitor the immediate coastal region.

Systems and methods for decoding automatic identification system signals


A random number generation device includes: a pseudo-random number generation circuit configured to generate a plurality of first pseudo-random numbers; and an orthogonal transformation circuit configured to generate a plurality of normal random numbers by performing orthogonal transformation on the plurality of first pseudo-random numbers, or by performing orthogonal transformation on the plurality of first pseudo-random numbers and a second pseudo-random number.

When information processing is carried out by using a computer, an algorithm corresponding to the processing to be carried out is executed to obtain a target result. Among such cases, in a case where there is a highly efficient deterministic algorithm, the calculation process is often carried out in a relatively short time. Therefore, it is very important to find an efficient deterministic algorithm. However, such an efficient algorithm is present only for some relatively simple problems.
Related art is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-38229, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-293429 and Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 62-017771.

Random number generation device and random number generation method


An array substrate includes a base substrate, a thin film transistor on the base substrate, including a gate electrode connected to a gate line, an active layer, a gate insulating layer insulating the gate electrode from the active layer, a first electrode connected to a data line, and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and a micro light emitting diode on the base substrate, including a first electrode, a first buffer layer, a light emitting layer, and a second electrode, which are stacked on top of each other. The first buffer layer is in a same layer as the active layer. The second electrode of the thin film transistor is connected to one of the first electrode of the micro light emitting diode or the second electrode of the micro light emitting diode.

A micro light emitting diode (micro LED) is a light emitting device using an inorganic material, such as gallium nitride, as a luminescent material, and has a typical size in the range of, for example, 10 μm to 15 μm. A display device using micro LEDs as light emitting devices has advantages such as high brightness, fast response speed, and high stability.
In the manufacture of the micro LED display device, thin film transistors arranged in an array are generally formed on a glass substrate, and a plurality of micro LEDs are formed on the monocrystalline silicon substrate. The monocrystalline silicon substrate is then diced to obtain a plurality of individual micro LEDs. Finally, the individual micro LEDs are transferred to corresponding areas on an array substrate.

Array substrate, method of manufacturing the same, and display device