A golf club putter and method of putting which complies with the rules of golf provides the player with an improved view of the ball and head of the putter when putting putts of a short distance. The method provides a putting stroke which aids the golfer in carrying out a putting stroke, maintains the putting face of the putter in a perpendicular orientation which respect to the line-of-putt thereby compensating for the golfer""s tendency to deviate the putter face from the perpendicular orientation with respect to the line-of-putt. The steps of the method include addressing standing on an opposing side of a golf hole from the golf ball resting a surface of the green, straddling an extending line of the putt extending from the golf ball through the golf hole, extending a golf putter from the opposing side of the golf hole and positioning the putter head of the golf putter behind the golf ball with respect to the golf hole, resting the putter head of the golf putter on the surface of the green behind the ball and drawing the putter head of the golf putter toward the golf hole thereby striking the golf ball on a side of the golf ball opposing the golf hole such that the golf ball travels towards the hole.

The present invention relates to a golf putter and a method of putting. More particularly, the putter according to the present invention is specifically designed for use with a modified putting style wherein the golfer reaches across the hole and uses the putter in a pulling motion in directing the ball towards the hole. The putting method according to the present invention complies with current rules of golf as promulgated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Association as well as the United States Golf Association
In an effort to improve the putting performance of golfers, prior golf club putters have been provided with a variety of head and shaft constructions and arrangements. In that the putt is perhaps the single most difficult yet important shot in golf, the selection of these components which match the golfer both physically and mentally is important. Approximately one half of the allotted strokes on any given golf course in order to achieve an even par round are putts.
Before a player can even stroke the ball on a putting surface of a green, the player must visually examine the contour of the putting surface and judge its effect on the path of the ball rolling toward the hole from the current position of the ball. Other characteristics of the putting surface or other factors can also have a significant effect on the path of a put already stroked and rolling towards the hole. In this regard, given the various putting strokes utilized by individuals, it is necessary to design a putter construction which can not only be utilized by various players having various putting strokes, but also by a single player who may have a varying putting stroke depending upon the length of the putt.
As noted above, golf courses are designed and standards for scoring are set based on the assumption that a player will be able to hit the ball onto the putting surface in two strokes less than par for each hole. Once the ball is on the putting surface, the player is allowed two putts to stroke the ball into the hole in order to play the hole at even par. Thus, an 18-hole course is designed to allow 36 putts in a round of golf played at even par. Accordingly, a premium is placed on making a second putt when a first putt of a longer distance not falling in the hole, settles relatively close to the hole and within a distance of less than two feet. Many a golf tournaments are won and lost by the players ability to make short and what may appear to be relatively simple putts. However, as one of the most recent major golf tournaments will attest, making putts of this distance is not a guarantee.
As noted hereinabove, in an effort to improve the putting performance of golfers, prior golf club putters have been provided with a variety of head and shaft constructions and arrangements. One such putter has an elongated cylindrical head with a conventional straight shaft attached to the head and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the head. Further, putters such as those similar to that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,342 include an elongated head and a shaft having a shank and an offset portion adjacent its lower end which is connected to the elongated head at a point immediately adjacent the center of the head between the proposed ends thereof. In accordance with that disclosed in such patent, the point at which the offset portion of the shaft is connected to the head is also offset transversely from the longitudinal axis of the head so that it lies between this axis and the back of the head. This is presumed to provide the player with a better view of the ball and putter head when putting. However, it is not possible to utilize this putter in carrying out the putting stroke in accordance with the present invention as will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.
Numerous putter designs similar to that discussed hereinabove have been developed over the years. Many of these putters having various materials from which the putter head is made. These materials may add to or take away from the overall weight of the putter in order to provide a better feel to the user. Various materials are illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,310, where the head includes a rounded striking surface wherein the heal and toe portions are of a greater weight than the central portion. Additionally, putter heads may take on a variety of configurations which reduce the frictional component of the putter or improve the balance and feel of the putter with respect to the user.
A noted contemporary instructor on putting, Dave Pells, has studied the effects of misalignment relative to a target line due to the putters swing path, the putter face and the optimum hitting location on the putter surface each of which effect the ultimate putting success. As noted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,832, Mr. Pell""s has found that all three types of misalignment caused significant error in the putting stroke and thus decrease the chance of the ball going into the hole. However, it is clear that misalignment of the putter face with respect to a line-of-putt causes the largest deviation from the players intended path of any particular putt. In order to reduce the possibility of misalignment of the putter face, path and hitting location, Mr. Pells"" recommends that the players"" putting stroke start with the optimum hitting location on the putting face immediately adjacent the ball and that the stroke travel along a path aligned with the target line with the face remaining perpendicular to the target line for the entire stroke. However, when a player swings the putter around the spine only, such a stroke often times does not result. In effect, the putter path corresponds to the target line at only one point at its arc and the face is perpendicular to the target line at only one point in its arc and those two points do not necessarily coincide. Thus, to execute a stroke in a path along a target line and with a square putter face while using a traditional putting stance and stroke requires a complex combination of multi-access rotational movements. Executing such a multi-access stroke in a manner that accomplishes the primary and complex task of causing the ball to roll smoothly along a precise path at a precise speed renders the most difficult and important stroke even more difficult.
Some of the most common practice aids and drills in golf are designed purely to enable players to engrain this complex, cumbersome multi-axis putting stroke into their muscle memory. Other players simply concentrate on swinging the putter around only their spine and training themselves to hit the ball at the precise moment in time when the putter path, face and hitting location are correctly aligned with the target line. Thus, both wildly adopted approaches to executing the traditional putter stroke suffer from disadvantages that interfere with the ultimate goal, putting the ball into the hole.
As will become clear from the following detailed description, the present invention is directed to a putter and a method of putting very short putts, i.e., within one to two feet of the hole. During such short puts, the alignment of the putter face perpendicular to the putting line is critical in that a very small degree of deviation from this perpendicular will result on the putt either falling to the left or right of the hole rather than being directly on line. With putts of ten feet or more, such alignment while critical is not the sole essence of the putt in that speed and the surface of the green will aid in directing the ball towards the hole. Moreover, a golfer who performs a putting stroke on a twenty or more foot putt with the ball coming to rest within a few inches of the hole would be quite satisfied with the putt; however, a golfer having a one to two foot putt which passes the hole only xc2xcxe2x80x3 outside the rim of the hole clearly would not be satisfied. Accordingly, it is imperative on such putts that the putting face remain perpendicularly oriented with respect to the line of the putt in that speed and the terrain of the putting surface is less important at such distances. Accordingly, if a golfer is less apt to miss what can be determined as a short putt, the golfer""s ability to finish the hole within the requisite number of putts will be greatly enhanced.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are to provide a golf club putter and method of putting which complies with the rules of golf as promulgated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Association as well as the United States Golf Association and which provides the player with an improved view of the ball and head of the putter when putting putts of a short distance and an improved balance and feel of the club during such putts. Additionally, the method of putting in accordance with the present invention provides a putting stroke which aids the golfer in carrying out a putting stroke which maintains the putting face of the putter in a perpendicular orientation which respect to the line-of-putt. That is, the method set forth in accordance with the present invention compensates for an inaccurate swing so that when the putter head strikes the ball it is at a right angle with respect to the desired path of travel of the ball thereby compensating for the golfer""s tendency to deviate the putter face from the perpendicular orientation with respect to the line-of-putt.
In accordance with the present invention, a method of putting a golf ball in a green of a golf course by a golfer is set forth and includes the steps of standing on an opposing side of a golf hole from the golf ball resting a surface of the green, addressing an extending line of the putt extending from the golf ball through the golf hole, extending a golf putter from the opposing side of the golf hole and positioning the putter head of the golf putter behind the golf ball with respect to the golf hole, resting the putter head of the golf putter on the surface of the green behind the ball and drawing the putter head of the golf putter toward the golf hole thereby striking the golf ball on a side of the golf ball opposing the golf hole such that the golf ball travels towards the hole. When addressing the extended line-of-putt, the golfer positions their feet on opposing sides of the extended line of the putt and preferably the feet of the golfer are spaced in equal distance from the extended line of the putt. The method may also be carried out with on foot on the extended line of the putt or both feet on the same side of the extended line of the putt; however, greater accuracy is achieved when straddling the extended line of the putt.
When resting the putter head on the surface of the green behind the ball, the golfer positions the length of the putter head substantially perpendicular to the extended line-of-putt such that the drawing of the putter head toward the golf ball includes sliding the putter head on the surface of the green which removes one of the components of maintaining the putter head perpendicular to the line-of-putt less variable. Additionally, when extending the golf putter from the opposing side of the golf hole, the golfer can align at least a portion a shaft of the golf putter along the extended line-of-putt thereby enhancing the alignment of the putter head.
Such a method can be carried out utilizing a putter including a putter head where a length of the putter head is greater than the width of the putter head, a flange secured to and extending along a length of the putter head, a shaft extending from the flange and having a first end secured to the flange and a grip secured to a second end of the shaft. Such that at least a portion of the shaft extends substantially transversely to the flange and is aligned with a central portion of the putter head. The putter head is preferably substantially cylindrical having a length which is greater than its diameter with the flange being of a thickness less than a diameter of the putter head. Further, the flange is preferably of a length substantially equal to that of the putter head and may take on a triangular configuration. With such triangular configuration, the shaft would preferably extend from an apex of the triangle and consequently be centered with respect to a putting surface of the putter head.
These as well as additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent of the following detailed description of the present invention when read in light of the several figures.


A submersible acoustic generator for projection of sound waves into a body f water comprises a tubular resonator, open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, and having a multiple-plate thermoacoustic stack located near the upper end between a pair of heat exchangers which set up a temperature gradient in the stack. The upper heat exchanger is heated by a chemical fuel, and the lower heat exchanger is cooled by the surrounding water. The resonator is gas-filled, and the wavelength of the oscillations produced is approximately twice the length of the resonator. A portion of the resonator tube can be surrounded by a coaxial tube which serves as an impedance matching stub. The stack plates can be made anisotropic by means of embedded copper wires. In alternative versions of the apparatus, the resonator can have two stacks, one near the open end and the other near the closed end, and the temperature gradient in the stack can be established cryogenically.

This invention relates to sound generation, and more particularly to a high power thermoacoustic sound generator having the unique capability of efficiently projecting sound into a body of water. The invention has utility in various applications such as geophysical exploration, anti-submarine warfare, environmental monitoring by acoustic tomography.
Conventional high power sound generators for underwater use utilize piezoceramic or magnetostrictive materials driven electrically by power derived from batteries. While these conventional generators are capable of delivering high power, they are subject to several drawbacks.
One drawback is the large space occupied by the conventional sound source, which includes not only the piezoceramic or magnetostrictive element, but also its associated parts. These associated parts may include one or more batteries, an oscillator, and amplifier, and a mechanical displacement multiplier.
Even highly efficient batteries, such as lithium batteries have limited energy and power densities. For example, the energy density for a LiSOCl.sub.2 battery is in the vicinity of 0.7 kilojoules per cubic centimeter (kJ/cm.sup.3), and its maximum power density is in the vicinity of 3 watts per cubic centimeter (W/cm.sup.3). While the oscillator does not ordinarily take up a significant amount of space, a power amplifier does. A power amplifier capable of producing an output of several kilowatts, even if designed for maximum power and minimum volume, may only produce about 2 W/cm.sup.3. Thus, from a power density standpoint, the amplifier may take up even more volume than the battery.
Another drawback, in the case of piezoceramic transducers, is the fact that they are inherently high impedance devices, requiring high voltage for their operation. Since battery voltage is limited by the number of cells, a power transformer is generally required. Furthermore, since the piezoceramic element is primarily capacitive, an impedance matching inductor is also generally necessary. The total power density for the transformer and inductor is in the vicinity of 3 W/cm.sup.3 /Khz. While a magnetostrictive transducer may not require a power transformer, since it is a high current device, an impedance-matching capacitor is usually required. The reactive elements needed to operate piezoceramic and magnetostrictive transducers, therefore, take up space in addition to that occupied by the batteries and power amplifiers.
Still another drawback is the fact that both piezoceramic and magnetostrictive transducers are limited in the amount of strain which they can produce. Displacement multiplying techniques, e.g. the so-called "flextensional" configuration described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,826, dated Dec. 13, 1983, are used to produce increased displacement. However, for such displacement multiplying techniques to be effective, the transducer must be backed by a medium more compliant than the water in which the transducer is immersed. Air is normally used to fill the inner volume of the transducer for this purpose. Unfortunately, the requirement for a compliant medium limits the depth of operation of the transducer since, at greater depths, the increased stiffness of the air reduces the displacement multiplication. Furthermore, for deep water operation, the transducer structure must be made strong enough to withstand the wide range of hydrostatic pressures encountered, or a pressure compensation system must be provided to keep the internal gas pressure close to the external hydrostatic pressure.
With conventional piezoceramic and magnetostrictive transducers, so long as the dimensions of the radiating surface of the transducer are smaller than the acoustic wavelength, the power output at a specific frequency is proportional to the square of the radiating surface area multiplied by the square of the displacement of the radiating surface. Therefore, if the transducer volume is constrained, it is necessary to produce large displacements to obtain high power output. But, to obtain large displacements, it is necessary to provide more or larger batteries, larger electronic components, and, in some cases, displacement multipliers. All of these elements take up substantial amounts of space. Therefore, it has not been possible to make small-sized, high power transducers for generating sound in water, using conventional piezoceramic and magnetostrictive transducers.
Another way to generate sound is by thermoacoustics. Thermoacoustic sound generation is accomplished by establishing a thermodynamic cycle in which an acoustic vibration itself provides the mass transport, and a stationary medium controls the heat transport. The process exploits the particular phase relationship between local pressure oscillations and local oscillations in the elemental volume in an acoustic wave. By appropriately positioning the second stationary medium in the acoustic flow and imposing a large temperature gradient on the second medium, heat can be transferred to and from the cycle with the phase required to generate high-amplitude oscillations. Although thermoacoustic sound generation is known, no practical way has heretofore been found to produce high power acoustic vibrations in bodies of water using thermoacoustic principles.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


The present application discloses a touchscreen-based control method performed at a mobile terminal. The method includes: detecting a touch operation on a touch button on a touchscreen of the mobile terminal; determining a to-be-performed operation corresponding to the touch button on a touchscreen of the mobile terminal in response to the touch operation on the touch button; determining a current touch location and a current touch strength of the touch operation; and canceling the to-be-performed operation in a case that a current touch location of the touch operation is inside a control cancellation area displayed on the touchscreen and current touch strength of the touch operation is greater than or equal to a preset threshold. Compared with the related art, a current touch location and current touch strength of a touch operation are combined to determine whether to cancel a to-be-performed operation corresponding to a touch button.

In multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, a user needs to control a game character to cast a spell. In a mobile MOBA game, a spell is cast mainly by tapping a specified spell cast button or holding and dragging a spell cast button to a specified position.
The need to cancel spell casting is inevitable during a game. However, in common methods for canceling spell casting, normal spell casting is prone to accidental cancellation, resulting in a high misoperation rate.

Control method and device based on touch screen, mobile terminal and readable storage medium

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


A safety device for control of a roller rotary printing machine includes a plurality of sensors positioned either before or behind a web advancing device for recognizing tears or other damages in a region of the edges of the advancing web, an evaluation device having an input connected to the sensors and an output at which an impulse-like control signal is issued, and a switching device connected to the output of the evaluation device and arranged in a path of the web of the printing machine. The switching device is adapted for an abrupt lowering of a web tension upon receiving the signal from the evaluation device.

The present invention relates to a safety device for the control of a web-fed rotary printing machine.
It has been known that tears or cracks in the paper web in the rotary printing machine, unless detected by fast acting devices for preventing damage to the machine, may become considerably expensive. Stopping and restarting of the machine due to the occurrence of such tears or cracks are also costly.
A device for avoiding web cracks, by controlling web tension in the roller rotary printing machines, has been disclosed in DE-PS 22 11 598. In this conventional device it has been recognized that the web tearing in the majority of cases is signalled by a change of the web tension whose frequency increases with the amplitude increase. The scanning of this web tension change, its indication and utilization for the control of the machine speed or web tension can prevent damage to the machine. This structure has the effect on the dynamic behavior of the paper web which tends to swing.
The disadvantage of this known device resides in that the web tears or cracks are not prevented when such tears or cracks occur in the regions of the edges of the web or in the regions of the glue connected web portions, specifically if the web is under relatively high quasistatic loading. A further disadvantage of the known device is that tears caused by the one-side pulling loads are not prevented either.
A device for preventing tears or cracks or similar damages to the advancing web has been disclosed in DE-PS 26 06 037. In this known device a mechanical scanning device has been provided, which includes a resilient key finger and means which alternate the key finger by penetrating into the crack or hole in the web and are connected to a known control means so that upon the occurrence of a tear or crack a control of the machine is possible.
The disadvantage of the above described device resides in that for contemporary roller rotary printing machines higher web speeds cause increasing inertia of the mechanically operated scanner which is susceptible to trouble and is very expensive for specific technical solutions.

Safety device for the control of web-fed rotary printing machines

Veb Kombinat Polygraph "Werner Lamberz" Leipzig


Various methods and systems are provided for an engine with an exhaust gas treatment system. In one example, under a first condition, a first fuel is delivered for combustion in the engine. Under a second condition, a second fuel is delivered for combustion in the engine, the second fuel different than the first fuel. Under a third condition, the first fuel is delivered as a reductant for the exhaust gas treatment system.

Compression ignition engines (e.g., diesel engines) are a type of internal combustion engine which use heat of compression to initiate ignition and burn fuel. Compression ignition engines may have a higher thermal efficiency than other internal combustion engines, such as spark ignition engines, for example. However, compression ignition engines may have increased emissions (e.g., nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulates, or the like), as compared to other internal combustion engines. The increased amount of NOx is attributed to diffusion flame combustion. In the diffusion flame, fuel is oxidized in a stoichiometric fashion which produces relatively high local temperatures. The high local temperatures produce increased levels of NOx. Further, the increased particulate emissions are based upon the heterogeneous combustion event in which local equivalence ratios are high and a tendency for particulate formation increases. As such, an exhaust gas treatment system may be coupled to an exhaust passage of the engine in order to reduce emissions.
In some examples, emissions may be reduced by operating the compression ignition engine as a dual fuel engine which operates using two different fuels, for example, a low reactivity fuel (e.g., natural gas) and a high reactivity fuel (e.g., diesel). In such an example, the engine may have two fuel systems for each of the fuels. Further, the exhaust gas treatment system may include a reductant system so that a reductant can be delivered to an exhaust gas treatment device for reduction of NOx, for example. As such, an amount of space occupied by the engine and exhaust gas treatment system may be increased.

Methods and systems for emissions control in a dual fuel engine


The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thermal conductive insulating sheet which has achieved a good balance between insulating properties and thermal conductivity higher than ever before. A thermal conductive insulating sheet according to the present invention contains a thermal conductive spherical filler (excluding boron nitride), a boron nitride filler and a binder resin, and has a plurality of layers (A) that mainly contain the thermal conductive spherical filler (excluding boron nitride) and one or more layers (B) that mainly contain the boron nitride filler, with the layers (A) and the layers (B) being alternately laminated so that layers (A) form the outermost layers.

In thermal conductive sheets that release heat of electronic components, both high thermal conductivity and insulating properties are required. Boron nitride is a highly thermal conductive substance having insulating properties. One form of boron nitride is a scaly particle. In a scaly boron nitride particle, thermal conductivity in a direction parallel to a scaly surface (that is, a surface direction of a thermal conductive sheets) tends to be high, but thermal conductivity in a direction orthogonal to a scaly surface (that is, a thickness direction of a thermal conductive sheets) tends to be low.
Thus, in order to improve thermal conductivity of a thermal conductive sheets in a film thickness direction, it is preferable that boron nitride "stand" in the sheet.
As a technique for causing boron nitride to "stand," there is a technique using granules obtained by granulating boron nitride primary particles. However, when a pressure is applied to thermal conductive sheets interposed between a heat source and a heat dissipation member, granules may collapse, boron nitride primary particles may fall down, and the thermal conductivity may be lowered.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique in which hard boron nitride granules having low porosity are used so that the collapse of boron nitride granules due to a pressure is prevented and a reduction in thermal conductivity is limited.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique in which soft and easily deformable boron nitride granules are used, deformation is performed to an extent that the granules do not completely collapse, a pressure is thus relieved, and a reduction in thermal conductivity is limited.
Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique in which a smooth adhesive layer is bonded to a layer containing a thermal conductive filler such as boron nitride to fill irregularities on the surface of the layer containing the thermal conductive filler, and thus the adhesive strength is improved.
Patent Literature 4 discloses a multi-layer resin sheet including a resin layer that contains 3 types of thermal conductive fillers with different sizes, and an adhesive layer that is disposed on at least one surface of the resin layer. In addition, this literature discloses that the adhesive layer may also contain a filler such as aluminum oxide.

Thermal conductive insulating sheet, method for producing same, and intermediate laminate


A piezoelectric transformer-accommodating case (1) is an insulated flat and rectangular box having two input terminals (3) and two output terminals (4) for connection with input electrodes and output electrodes of the transformer (45). The input terminals are respectively at transverse opposite end walls of the case (1), and a lead (21) connecting the input terminals to each other is held in a groove (11) that is longitudinally formed in the case and along its lateral wall so as not to contact any wall of the groove. Support lugs (12) are formed integral with a rim surrounding the opening of the case and shaped such as to bear against a circuit board (46) in a manner that the case set in place is lifted out of the board. An engagement protrusion (13) and a guide protrusion (14) are formed integral with the transverse end wall and fitted in a base connector (30) that thus mates with the case and connects wires to the case. A socket connector (50) is fitted on the base connector so as to connect two wires (47,48) to terminals of a back-light. The case of this structure matches the recent smaller-sized and thinned back-light inverter circuit employing said transformer for the liquid crystal display, and also improves high-voltage resisting property by virtue of increased linear and spatial distances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates on one hand to a piezoelectric transformer-accommodating case for use to hold therein the transformer as one of devices constituting a power supply inverter circuit, wherein this circuit will activate the back-light device for a liquid crystal plate-shaped display, and on the other hand relates also to a base connector mating with the piezoelectric transformer-accommodating case and a socket connector for bringing wires into electric communication with the case.
2 Prior Art
Piezoelectric transformers are considerably narrow in width as compared with the conventional coil type transformers. Such piezoelectric transformers are advantageous to reduce size and thickness of the power supply circuits in which they may be incorporated to build the back-light devices for liquid crystal panels. Notebook type personal computers have recently been required not only to be highly efficient but also thinner and more compact in configuration. Therefore, those piezoelectric transformers are nowadays employed sometimes in their back-light inverter devices for liquid crystal panels. The Japanese Patent Laying-Open Gazette No. 9-260737, for instance, discloses a protective case for piezoelectric transformer, wherein the case is of such a design that the area width for surface mount of the transformer will be decreased.

Piezoelectric transformer-accommodating case, a base connector and a socket connector for connecting wires to the case


A ring splint that includes a first loop, a second loop, a third at least partial loop, and an elongated support, the first loop and the second loop being attached to the support, the elongated support exhibiting a rigid property and a flexible property such that the elongated support maintains a finger in at least partial extension when the ring is on a finger and the elongated support is in contact with the palmar surface of the finger and flexes when the user bends the finger.

The invention relates to applying an extension force to a boutonniere deformity.
Boutonniere deformities occur in fingers and consist of a proximal interphalangeal joint that is flexed and a distal interphalangeal joint that is hyperextended. This deformity makes it difficult or impossible to extend the proximal interphalangeal joint. It is commonly caused by injury or by an inflammatory condition like rheumatoid arthritis.
A pseudoboutonniere deformity is a condition marked by proximal interphalangeal joint flexion contracture and restricted flexion of the distal interphalangeal joint. The characteristic hyperextension of the distal interphalangeal in boutonniere deformities is not present in pseudoboutonniere deformities.
Ring splints have been developed to straighten or realign interphalangeal joints of fingers and thumbs. One such ring splint includes two elliptical rings joined by an elliptical spacer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,396. The ring splint disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,396 is described as being worn with the spacer over the joint on a boutonniere finger or mallet finger. In such a position, the ring splint is described as being capable of holding the finger in extension.


In the ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to the present invention, ultrasonic transducers provided in a probe for corresponding channels are driven and caused to propagate ultrasonic waves by a standard signal generating circuit, transmission delay circuits and pulsers. Then, receiving signals obtained from the ultrasonic transducers are delayed in an analog manner by analog delay circuits. The resulting delayed signals are A/D converted by analog/digital converters. The outputs of the A/D converters are delayed in a digital manner by digital delay circuits composed of semiconductor memory elements. The resulting delayed outputs are summed by a summing circuit. The output of the summing circuit is detected. Predetermined imaging data is produced based on the detected output and displayed. In order to enhance delay precision of the analog/digital converters and digital delay circuits, the delay amount of the analog delay circuits can be continuously varied in small steps.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging apparatus such as an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus for medical treatment or an ultrasonic flaw detector for nondestructive testing, wherein an ultrasonic wave is propagated through a living body or a subject to obtain display image data items for ultrasonic diagnosis, such as an M-mode image (motion image), a B-mode image (tomographic image), a bloodstream velocity image, a CFM image (color flow mapping image), etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of ultrasonic imaging apparatus has some problems to be solved.
One of the problems is that the receiving delay quantization precision is low. In other words, a receiving echo signal produced by each ultrasonic transducer element includes components of various frequencies and has a wide dynamic range. Thus, in the receiving delay processing for beam deflection or beam focusing in a receiving system, each receiving echo signal supplied from each element needs to be subjected to a receiving delay in steps of about 10 nsec.
It is possible to perform this receiving delay processing in a digital manner, by connecting an A/D converter to each of simultaneous receiving elements, directly A/D converting a receiving echo obtained from each element, using a shift-register or the like as a digital delay circuit formed of a semiconductor memory element, and controlling the data readout time in steps of 10 nsec.
However, the quantization precision of delay is determined by the conversion rate of the A/D converter. Thus, in order to achieve the quantization precision of delay of 10 nsec, it is necessary to provide the same number of A/D converters functioning by conversion clocks of 1/10 nsec=100 MHz as the number of simultaneous receiving elements. The provision of such A/D converters involves high costs, and power consumption is high. Thus, it is very difficult to manufacture an ultrasonic imaging apparatus by using such A/D converters. On the other hand, if inexpensive A/D converters having a low conversion rate (e.g., 50 nsec) are used, the resolution of the apparatus would be degraded, and artifacts increase. The use of these inexpensive A/D converters is also unpractical.
Under these circumstances, an analog delay circuit (analog delay line) comprising a coil inductance L and a capacitance C is generally used for receiving delay processing, and a precision of delay time of about 10 nsec is maintained.
The analog receiving delay processing using the above analog delay circuit has the following drawbacks: undesirable frequency characteristic, artifact due to crosstalk, disturbance of signal waveform due to reflection, variation in delay time, etc.
Owing to these drawbacks, imaging data for B-mode images or the like is deteriorated.
Another desirable goal is to obtain a fine ultrasonic image by increasing the number of scanning lines, and to improve the real time characteristic by increasing the number of frames without changing the number of scanning lines.
As a technique solving this problem, a multidirection simultaneous receiving system has been proposed, which comprises a plurality of receiving delay circuits, and a plurality of summing circuits and receivers corresponding to the receiving delay circuits. Ultrasonic beams having a plurality of receiving directivities are received by a single probe.
In this system, if the analog delay circuits are used for the above-stated reason, it becomes impossible to simultaneously set a plurality of receiving directivities. Under these circumstances, it is necessary to provide the same number of receiving delay systems as the number of simultaneous receiving directivities, resulting in increase in circuit scale of the apparatus.


A picture frame molding according to one embodiment includes an elongated body that has an exterior wall, a first channel formed therein for receiving a first member, and a second channel formed therein for receiving a second member. The first and second channels are at least substantially parallel to one another. The elongated body also includes an interior angled wall that is joined to the exterior wall and is formed at an angle thereto. The interior angled wall includes a track that receives an object, such as matboard. The track faces away from the exterior wall and is formed between and at an angle to the first and second channels.

A picture frame is a housing or structure for a picture, such as a painting or photograph, intended to enhance it, make it easier to display, and/or protect it. Varieties of picture frame structures are in use today or have been suggested for use. Picture frames can come in any number of different shapes and can be formed from any number of different materials. The most common shape of a frame is a rectangle; however, frames can come in other shapes, such as square or oval, etc.
For pieces to be framed under glass, except for the most disposable and inexpensive posters or temporary displays, the glass must be raised off the surface of the paper. This is done by means of matting, a lining of plastic "spacers", shadowboxing, stacking two mouldings with the glass in between, and various other methods. If the paper (or other media) were to touch the glass directly, any condensation inside the glass would absorb directly into the art, having no room to evaporate. This is harmful to almost any medium. It causes art sticking to the glass, mildew, and other ill effects. Raising the glass is also necessary when a piece is done in a loose media such as charcoal or pastel, to prevent smudging. Care should be taken with these works, however, if Plexiglas is used as a static charge can build up which will attract the pigment particles off the paper. Using real glass helps to prevent this. Certain kinds of pieces do not usually need glass when framed, including paintings done in acrylic or oil paint (the former is usually waterproof; the latter actually needs to "breathe" due to the decades-long drying process), tiles, etc.
One other type of art structure or frame construction is a shadowbox which is a framed box, usually square or rectangular in shape, with a glass front that it is used for displaying and protecting valued items. Often, a shadowbox looks similar to a framed picture or painting, but rather than simply displaying a picture behind glass, a shadowbox is a shallow box full of treasured or important items. Typically, the shadowbox is defined by a square-shaped frame formed of upstanding walls that extend outwardly from a rear wall (floor). A shadowbox can display two or three dimensional objects.
There is a need to provide a frame or moulding construction that provides a shadowbox like appearance while not in fact having a traditional shadowbox construction.

Picture frame moulding with matboard track


Disclosed are methods of preventing or treating neuronal damage associated with oxidative stress and/or neuronal injury. The method comprises administering to a patient a pharmaceutical composition comprising a purinergic P2Y receptor ligand, in an amount effective to increase the extracellular concentration of said agonist in the brain of the subject such that at least a portion of cell surface P2Y receptors expressed by astrocytes are activated to mount a neuroprotective response. The pharmaceutical composition may be administered orally or parenterally. The pharmaceutical composition with typically be administered to an individual within at least one hour of the event that caused oxidative stress in the subject. The pharmaceutical composition includes a P2Y purinergic receptor agonist, which can include uridine 5′-di- and triphosphate (UDP, UTP) and their analogs, adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) and its analogs, cytidine 5′-di- and triphosphate (CDP, CTP) and their analogs, and dinucleoside polyphosphate compounds.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of therapeutics. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for neuroprotection in the brain.
2. Description of the Related Art
The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly vulnerable to insults that result in cell death or damage in part because cells of the CNS have a limited capacity for repair. As a result, disorders of the CNS often result in debilitating and largely irreversible degradation of a patient's cognitive and sensorimotor functions. Conditions that result in nerve cell death and damage range from degenerative disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease), ischemic episodes (e.g., stroke), or trauma.
Injury to the central nervous system (CNS) is an important cause of death and disability worldwide. For example, stroke is the third leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., with an estimated incidence of 700,000 cases annually. Two-thirds of stroke patients survive the first year following stroke, for an average of seven years, leading to more than 4.8 million stroke survivors currently in the U.S. Stroke costs the U.S. economy in excess of $30 billion per year in terms of medical costs and lost wages.
After several hours, little can be done to prevent the direct damage to the CNS caused by CNS disorders. For example, stroke treatments must typically be administered within six hours of onset. Depending on where the injury occurs in the brain, patients may be paralyzed on one side, may lose the ability to speak or see, and may have difficulty walking, among other symptoms. Gradual recovery of these functions is common, although recovery may be incomplete, and depends on the size and location of injury, among other factors.
Since damaged brain tissue does not regenerate, recovery must come from the remaining intact brain, which reorganizes itself, or rewires, in order to compensate for some of the function lost by the damage. Indeed, studies in animals and humans provide ample evidence of such reorganization of brain function following stroke. In particular, remaining neurons in both the damaged hemisphere and in the opposite intact hemisphere grow new processes (both axons and dendrites) and form new connections (synapses), which most likely contribute to recovery.
Stroke treatment has focused on limiting the extent of damage within the first few hours. Stroke is generally caused by a blockage of an artery leading to the brain, resulting in the death of brain cells supplied blood by that blocked artery. Current treatments for stroke have centered on treatments to prevent arterial blockages (control of blood pressure, lipids, heart disease, etc.), and treatments to prevent brain damage once the blockage has occurred. These latter treatments include "thrombolytic agents" ("clot busters" such as tPA) to break up arterial clots, and "neuroprotective agents," designed to protect brain tissue at risk for stroke. Such thrombolytic and neuroprotective agents must be administered within hours after the onset of stroke in order to be effective. Methods currently available for promoting recovery from CNS damage allow only partial recovery of neurological functions. In patients suffering from debilitating neurological deficits, incremental improvements in function may have a significant effect on quality of life. Given the large number of affected patients and the limitations of current methods, there is an urgent need for additional and improved methods to promote recovery from damage to the nervous system.
The classical role of astrocytes is to protect and support neurons. Astrocytes are present in significantly higher numbers than neurons in the adult brain and play an important role in brain homeostasis. Additionally, astrocytes are likely participants in information processing. Following synaptic activity, astrocytes buffer perisynaptic K+ and remove extracellular glutamate by means of ATP-dependent membrane transporters. During oxidative stress, neuronal glutathione levels (GSH) are rapidly depleted and its re-synthesis is dependent on GSH production in and efflux from astrocytes. These physiological functions require that astrocytes be capable of rapidly responding to changes in neuronal activity and requirements with increased metabolic activity.
Astrocytes express receptors for a variety of neurotransmitters that are released from either neurons or glial cells. ATP/ADP appears to be the predominant extracellular signaling molecule in astrocytes. Both metabotropic (P2Y) and ionotropic purinoreceptors (P2X) are expressed in astrocytes and activation of either receptor subfamily results in increased intracellular Ca2+. The metabotropic inositol triphosphate (IP3) signaling pathway provides a mechanism whereby local extracellular signals can be rapidly transduced into increased intracellular ATP. G-protein linked receptors increase the production of IP3, triggering release of Ca2+ from thapsigargin sensitive stores in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). IP3-mediated Ca2+ release can, in turn, increase mitochondrial Ca2+ and consequently, increase respiration and ATP production. The production of intracellular ATP via Ca2+-induced activation of matrix dehydrogenases is very rapid, occurring at levels ten-fold faster than stimulation by feedback from ATP/ADP pools. Although mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake can increase ATP production, IP3-mediated Ca2+ release has also been shown to sensitize cells to apoptotic stimuli. Reports by Bernadi and co-workers suggest that this increased sensitivity, in part, can be attributed to Ca2+ sensitive sites on the adenine nucleotide translocator, which under some circumstances plays a role in the mitochondrial permeability transition. Thus, an ATP-mediated increase in intracellular Ca2+ release can signal either cell survival or cell death for an astrocyte.

GPCR enhanced neuroprotection to treat brain injury

Board of Regents of the University of Texas System


A maintenance liquid for inkjet recording, including: a compound represented by the following Formula (I) and having an HLB value of from 10.5 to 13.8, a water-soluble organic solvent represented by the following Formula (II), a moisturizing agent, and water is disclosed. In the formulae, R1 represents a straight chain or branched alkyl group having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a straight chain or branched alkenyl group having from 6 to 20 carbon atoms, or an aryl group; m represents an integer from 3 to 14, each of R3 and R5 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, provided that R3 and R5 never represent a hydrogen atom at the same time; R4 represents an ethylene group or a propylene group; and x represents an integer from 1 to 4.R1—O—(CH2CH2O)m—H  Formula (I)R3OR4xOR5  Formula (II)

Recording methods utilizing inkjet methods allow recording of high-quality images on various recording media by, for example, ejecting droplets of inks from a number of nozzle holes arranged on an inkjet head. Therefore, recording methods utilizing inkjet methods are widely used.
For example, pigments are widely used as a colorant that is one of the components of an ink. The pigment is dispersed in a medium such as water, and used.
Pigment inks containing a pigment readily become viscous and gradually solidify due to evaporation of solvent components in the inks. When a pigment ink has solidified, it is hard to dissolve the inks again afterwards. Therefore, when thickening and solidification of ink proceeds, the ink is gradually accumulated on a nozzle tip portion of an inkjet head and the like, and as a result, the nozzle holes may become narrower or clogging may be caused, which leads to problems such as deviation in the ejection direction of ink or non-ejection. As such adhesion and accumulation of ink proceed, it becomes difficult to maintain the performance by using a nozzle cap, a wiping unit, or the like, and as a result, the image forming property over time is deteriorated.
Further, in a composition including a polymer component such as a polymer or wax in the ink for the purpose of, for example, improvement in rub resistance of the formed image or prevention of peeling, solidification and accumulation of ink as described above occur more easily.
In connection with the above circumstances, various investigations have been conducted concerning cleaning liquids (so-called maintenance liquids) for washing off inks. As a specific example of such cleaning liquids, a cleaning liquid for an inkjet recording apparatus, which includes a polyoxyalkylene monoalkyl ether having a substituent that includes a polyoxyalkylene moiety as a branched chain in the alkyl chain, has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2005-146224). Further, a cleaning liquid for an inkjet recording apparatus, which includes a polyoxyalkylene monoalkyl ether that includes more ethylene oxide chains than propylene oxide chains, has been disclosed (see, for example, JP-A No. 2011-140556).
In these documents, it is described that, by not washing the recording head but rather washing the flow channel where the ink of the inkjet recording apparatus flows with the cleaning liquid, and by the inclusion of a specific polyoxyalkylene monoalkyl ether, there is no problem with the ink refilling property after washing.
Moreover, an ink set that has an ink including polymer particles and a maintenance liquid including an aromatic ring-containing organic solvent has been disclosed, and a compound in which a phenyl group is bonded to an ethyleneoxy group or propyleneoxy group is described (see, for example, JP-A No. 2010-155905).

Maintenance liquid for inkjet recording, ink set for inkjet recording, image forming method, and maintenance method


An image processing apparatus executes color conversion so that when printing is performed based on image data compressed and decompressed with a lossy compression method, the image data reproduces expected colors of the image data before compression. More specifically, a range of a signal value of a black image affected by compression of image data, such as black character to be printed with black ink, is obtained, and a color separation table is generated such that color ink is not used but black ink is used within this range. This allows the image data to reproduce expected colors of the image data before compression when printing is performed based on the image data compressed and decompressed with a lossy compression method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and more particularly to color conversion for reproducing colors represented by combinations of RGB signals or the like with combinations of signals of color materials such as ink.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an example of this type of color conversion, Japanese Patent No. 4003046 shows a color conversion table that defines combinations of inks used to reproduce colors on a gray axis (FIG. 7 of Japanese Patent No. 4003046). More specifically, the color conversion is performed such that a black pixel (R=G=B=0) having a gray level (gradation value) of 0% is printed with only black (K) ink and color pixels having gray levels higher than the gray level of 0% are printed with black ink and color inks such as cyan (C) and magenta (M). Such color conversion allows not only printing with improved image quality such as gray balance but also achieving desired print conditions by reducing banding, for example.
However, in a case where the above-described color conversion is performed on image data that is compressed and decompressed with a lossy compression method, as a result of printing based on a combination of color material signals obtained by the color conversion, colors different from the expected colors of the image data before compression may be reproduced.
For example, when image data representing black (R, G, B)=(0, 0, 0) such as black character is compressed and decompressed with a lossy compression method, the resulting image data may have a signal value different from (R, G, B)=(0, 0, 0). Meanwhile, in the color conversion as described above, there is a case where black of a signal value of (R, G, B)=(0, 0, 0) is printed only with black ink, while a color of a signal value other than (R, G, B)=(0, 0, 0) is printed with black ink and color inks. In this case, after being compressed and decompressed, the original black of image data will be printed not only with black ink but also with color inks. As a result, density of the black image such as black character, for example, falls below a desired density, thereby decreasing print quality.

Image processing apparatus and method setting color separation parameter based on image data change resulting from lossy compression and expansion


A multi-layered speech recognition apparatus and method, the apparatus includes a client checking whether the client recognizes the speech using a characteristic of speech to be recognized and recognizing the speech or transmitting the characteristic of the speech according to a checked result; and first through N-th servers, wherein the first server checks whether the first server recognizes the speech using the characteristic of the speech transmitted from the client, and recognizes the speech or transmits the characteristic according to a checked result, and wherein an n-th (2≦n≦N) server checks whether the n-th server recognizes the speech using the characteristic of the speech transmitted from an (n−1)-th server, and recognizes the speech or transmits the characteristic according to a checked result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to speech recognition, and more particularly, to a speech recognition apparatus and method using a terminal and at least one server.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional speech recognition method by which speech recognition is performed only at a terminal is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,630. In the disclosed conventional method, all procedures of speech recognition are performed only at a terminal. Thus, in the conventional method, due to limitation of resources of the terminal, speech cannot be recognized with high quality.
A conventional speech recognition method by which speech is recognized using only a server when a terminal and the server are connected to each other, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,220. In the disclosed conventional method, the terminal simply receives the speech and transmits the received speech to the server, and the server recognizes the speech transmitted from the terminal. In the conventional method, since all speech input is directed to the server, the load on the server gets very high, and since the speech should be transmitted to the server so that the server can recognize the speech, the speed of speech recognition is reduced.
A conventional speech recognition method, by which speech recognition is performed by both a terminal and a server, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,487,534. In the disclosed conventional method, since an Internet search domain is targeted, an applied range thereof is narrow, and the speech recognition method cannot be embodied.

Multi-layered speech recognition apparatus and method