A wall either wholly or partially made from a shear-resisting assembly that has a shear transfer device, or plate, disposed between the bottom strut and the underlying foundation. The shear transfer device joins the two anchor bolts, eliminating intermediate foundation bolts by transferring lateral shear loads to the anchor bolts in combination with the bottom strut.

The present invention relates to an improved connection between a wall for resisting lateral forces imposed on a building and the foundation of that building. Specifically, the present invention relates to a shear transfer plate that enhances the transfer of lateral shear forces acting on a wall in a light frame building from the wall into anchor bolts embedded in the concrete foundation. The shear transfer plate is preferably part of a preassembled or prefabricated unitary shearwall subcomponent of the wall, but it can be part of a shearwall that is built on site. The shearwall can be a subcomponent of the wall or it can be the entire wall, commonly created simply by sheathing the wall framing members with plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) or the like. The framing members are typically wood, but light metal framing is now fairly common in some parts of the United States. Whether a subcomponent of a wall, or the entire wall, a shearwall is designed to resist lateral forces imposed on the building such as those caused by an earthquake or by wind loading. A typical example of a preassembled or prefabricated unitary shearwall is the Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Wall Shearwall.
The present invention improves on preceding wall designs in light frame construction by providing a new and improved method of enhancing the transfer of lateral shear forces to the anchor bolts so that intermediate foundation bolts can be eliminated. Conventionally, a sub-component wall unit has been anchored to the foundation by connecting paired anchor bolts to holdown connectors and by augmenting those anchor bolts with intermediate foundation bolts. The anchor bolts conventionally resist uplift forces and the intermediate foundation bolts conventionally resist lateral shear forces. The present invention makes it possible to use the excess strength of the anchor bolts to resist lateral shear forces as well as uplift forces.
Holdown connectors are conventionally fastened to wall studs. Wall studs that resist uplift in shearwalls are herein generally referred to as posts to differentiate them from wall studs that are not designed to resist uplift. The chords of the shear-resisting assembly are posts, rather than studs, according to this definition. These wall studs can be intermediate between the shearwall posts and they are the primary bearing members for gravity loads in exterior bearing walls of light frame buildings. The anchor bolts are embedded in the concrete with threaded ends extending up through the mudsill. The threaded ends are attached to the holdown connectors with nuts. The anchor bolts are designed to resist uplift. Between the paired anchor bolts, the shorter foundation bolts are similarly anchored in the concrete with threaded ends that extend up through the mudsill where they are attached with nuts and washers. The foundation bolts are designed to resist lateral shear forces. The present invention eliminates the need for foundation bolts by transferring lateral shear forces into the anchor bolts, thereby saving the time and expense of installing intermediate foundation bolts and also reducing the possibility of costly mistakes resulting from mis-installed foundation bolts.
Both posts and studs are typically connected to the bottom sill plate (also called the bottom strut or mudsill) via nails through the sill plate and into the end grain of the post or stud. When uplift forces act on a post or stud, these end grain nail connections offer no meaningful resistance to this uplift. Even if toe nails are used to secure the posts or stud to the bottom sill plate, these are so ineffective at resisting uplift that they are not considered as load paths for uplift forces. Uplift in posts is effectively resisted only if there is a positive mechanical restraint resisting uplift; this mechanical restraint is typically a combination of a holdown connector attached to the post and an anchor restrained by the underlying structure. Unanchored wall studs do not resist uplift unless there is some other mechanical stud-to-plate connector such as a bracket, commonly used in high wind regions. Uplift is introduced into the sill plate primarily because the sheathing is nailed to it in nailed wood structural panel shear walls. As the wall distorts horizontally, the sheathing rotation tends to cause the perimeter nails at the bottom of the sheathing to lift up on the sill plate at various locations depending on the motion of the sheathing rotation. This uplift in the sill is then usually resisted by the shear bolts along the sill. Because the uplift at the sheathing comes in at the side of the sill, and the foundation bolts are in the center of the sill, cross-grain bending of the sill is created, which stresses the wood perpendicular to the grain, and failure of the sill often occurs because wood is so weak when loaded this way. To alleviate this problem, building codes have long required heavy plate washers at foundation bolts. In essence, these plate washers effectively move the uplift resistance afforded by the foundation bolts closer to the edge of the sill plate thus reducing the buildup of cross-grain stresses. In its most preferred embodiments, the present invention does not resist the uplift on the bottom strut, thereby obviating cross grain stresses in the wood. The relatively small amount of bottom strut uplift that is created is reduced by the post-holdown combination to a level that does not cause significant separation of the shear transfer plate from the sill
The prior art includes prefabricated shearwalls that eliminate intermediate foundation bolts, but the present invention improves on these designs by providing a shear transfer plate that connects the bottom of the shearwall to the studs only in shear, and by substantially isolating tension and compression forces along the length of the bottom strut into two components, the shear transfer plate and the bottom strut, which act substantially separately, the former in tension and the latter in compression, while remaining mutually connected. Prior art templates superficially similar to the shear transfer plate of the present invention are known, but they are different in both form and function.
For instance, one prior art template is simply a bolt placement template that, like the shear transfer plate of the present invention, lies between the bottom strut of the shearwall and the foundation. It differs from the present invention in that it is not connected to the bottom surface of the bottom strut and, especially, in that it does not eliminate intermediate foundation bolts. On the contrary, its purpose is to position the anchor and foundation bolts, which pass through the template. The template is connected to the bottom strut by the intermediate foundation bolts that pass through both. This does little to enhance the shear connection between the anchor bolts and the bottom strut, and because the bottom strut is connected to the studs, it is subject to significant uplift forces. The bottom strut when lifted is clamped by the foundation bolt connections and is susceptible to breaking against them.
Another prior art template is a complex cut and bent steel member that passes under the studs, extending laterally beyond them to position anchor bolts that are fastened to the outer surfaces of the studs. This template does not pass under the bottom strut, but is instead bent up on either side of the bottom strut, being fastened to the sides of the bottom strut and extending tabs into the underlying concrete foundation along the edge of the shearwall. This template does away with intermediate foundation bolts, but instead of transferring all of the shear loads to the anchor bolts, it supplements the anchor bolts with tabs that can present relatively little shear resistance since they are oriented parallel to the shear forces they are supposed to resist. Furthermore, this template does not isolate the transfer of uplift forces between the studs and the bottom strut, since it passes under the studs and then clamps the bottom strut between its sides.
Another method of eliminating intermediate foundation bolts exists in a shearwall that connects specially formed holdown connectors to the studs above them and directly to the bottom strut by means of an integral flange that is inserted in the bottom strut and fastened to it. This method again fails to isolate the transfer of uplift forces, as it directly ties the bottom strut to the holdown connectors that terminate the lower ends of the studs.


Embodiments of the invention comprise a gaming machine and a gaming system. The gaming machine offers one or more primary wagering games via a master gaming controller of the machine as presented by one or more primary display devices, and allows a player to access online wagering games or events via a secondary gaming unit. The secondary gaming unit may comprise a processor and a secondary display device. A player may fund wagers, including for online game play, via a player account or wallet of a payment system to which online game servers and the gaming machine communicate.

Wagering gaming is very popular. This gaming is offered in various formats. First, a player may engage in wagering gaming by playing games at a wagering gaming machine which is located at a casino. The player might also play wagering games online, e.g. by utilizing a computer or handheld communications device to access a computing network such as the Internet to communicate with a source of online games.
A new gaming machine and system is desired which offers players the ability to play casino games which are offered by a casino gaming machine and which allow the player to access and play online wagering games.


A computing environment security agent is provided for automatically determining whether to grant access to an asset, deny access to the asset, or grant access to a transformed asset responsive to an asset request by a user of the computing environment. The security agent includes logic for authenticating a user for computing environment access, for receiving a request from the authenticated user to access an asset, and for determining whether the authenticated user is authorized to access the asset, and if so, for determining whether to transform the asset responsive to the request to access the asset by the authenticated user. The security agent can further include logic for transparently transforming the requested asset or for defining at least one transformation rule for the requested asset and saving the at least one transformation rule in a transformation list accessible by the authenticated user.

In a computing environment, such as a network environment, users identify themselves to a security agent of the computing system using a number of different techniques including, but not limited to, user ids, passwords, and digital certificates. This identifying information is then employed during authentication and authorization processing of the user to determine whether to grant or deny access to a system asset, such as a system resource or data object. This determination is a binary action based on the credentials presented. That is, access to computer system assets is conventionally prohibited when the requesting user is not authorized to access the asset. For example, an NFS server and an HTTP server each typically provide binary access control of data, i.e., deterministic access. In certain computing environments, this deterministic approach unnecessarily restricts work and information flow.
Therefore, enhanced data access authorization processing providing an indeterministic response to a request for authorization made by an authenticated user in a computing environment is believed advantageous.

Method for performing data access transformation with request authorization processing

International Business Machines Corporation


An adjustable motion limiter for a minimally invasive surgical device is disclosed. The adjustable motion limiter includes a cam surface and a positioning interface. Another adjustable motion limiter for a minimally invasive surgical device is disclosed. The adjustable motion limiter has a positioning interface comprising a grooved protrusion. The adjustable motion limiter also has a cam surface comprising an arcuate surface and facing a direction which is substantially perpendicular to a direction the positioning interface faces. The adjustable motion limiter further has an adjustment key and one or more locking teeth. A minimally invasive surgical device having an adjustable motion limiter is also disclosed.

FIG. 1. illustrates one embodiment of a minimally invasive surgical device 20. This particular device 20 is a suturing device having an end effector 22 that includes a needle 24. The needle 24 is coupled to an actuator 26, in this example, a handle which pivots on a pivot point 28 in the housing 30. When the actuator 26 is squeezed in the direction of arrow 31 a handle 32 which is part of the housing 30, a needle tip 34 of the needle 24 will move in a distal direction 36. A tolerance stack 38 is schematically illustrated to account for the fact that there are many different tolerances which can cause the amount of distance which the needle tip 34 moves to vary. The suturing device 20 is equipped with a ferrule 40 which lies at the end of a suture 42. Ideally, the actuator 26 moves the needle tip 34 across the tissue bite area 44 and into contact with the ferrule 40, such that the ferrule 40 is engaged by interference contact with the needle tip 34 without undesired deformation of the ferrule 40. The actuator 26 can then be returned to its starting position by spring 46, causing the needle 24 to draw the ferrule 40 and its suture 42 back through the tissue bite area 44.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged views of the distal end of the device 20 from FIG. 1 illustrating what can happen if the needle tip 34 is advanced too far. In this case, as demonstrated in FIG. 2A, the interference of the needle tip 34 and the ferrule 40 causes the ferrule to flare out as the larger portion of the needle 24 is driven into contact with the ferrule 40. When the needle 24 tries to move back in a proximal direction 48, as shown in FIG. 2B, the flared ferrule 40 contacts a release spring 50 when it is not supposed to. Depending on how tightly the needle 24 is wedged into the ferrule 40, this can jam the device or cause the ferrule 40 to release from the needle 24 when such release is not desired. In either case, the device does not work properly. The tolerance stack can vary from unit to unit, so it would be advantageous to have a device and method to compensate for the effects of the tolerance stack, thereby ensuring reliable device operation.

Adjustable motion limiter for a minimally invasive surgical device


An improvement is achieved in the performance of a semiconductor device. Over a first insulating film formed over a main surface of a semiconductor substrate located in a memory formation region and having an internal charge storage portion and over a second insulating film formed over the main surface of the semiconductor substrate located in a main circuit formation region, a conductive film is formed. Then, in the memory formation region, the conductive film and the first insulating film are patterned to form a first gate electrode and a first gate insulating film while, in the main circuit formation region, the conductive film and the second insulating film are left. Then, in the main circuit formation region, the conductive film and the second insulating film are patterned to form a second gate electrode and a second gate insulating film.

The present invention relates to a manufacturing technique for a semiconductor device and to, e.g., a technique which is effective when applied to a manufacturing technique for a semiconductor device in which a nonvolatile memory is embedded as an add-on circuit which is added to a main circuit including a field effect transistor.
In a semiconductor device formed with a main circuit including a MISFET (Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) as a field effect transistor, an additional circuit (add-on circuit) which is added to the main circuit may be formed separately from the main circuit which provides the main function of the semiconductor device. Examples of the additional circuit include an electronic fuse used for the trimming or relief of the main circuit and a memory which stores trimming information.
In recent years, there has been a growing need for an MTP (Multi Time Programmable) electronic fuse which uses a rewritable nonvolatile memory and can be adjusted many times. At present, as a memory which stores trimming information, a nonvolatile memory (NV memory) having a floating gate structure, which is appropriate for being embedded together with the field effect transistor included in a main circuit, is used. However, this increases the size of a memory cell and therefore a change to a nonvolatile memory which allows a reduction in the size of a memory cell is under consideration. In view of such a situation, in recent years, it has been considered to use a nonvolatile memory having a MONOS (Metal Oxide Nitride Oxide Semiconductor) structure as an additional circuit.
Each of US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0102754 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-324860 (Patent Document 2) discloses a technique which forms a nonvolatile memory element in a cell array region and forms a MISFET in a peripheral circuit region.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0296664 (Patent Document 3) discloses a technique which forms a nonvolatile charge-trapping memory element in a first region and forms a logic element in a second region. US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0150002 (Patent Document 4) discloses a technique which forms a SONOS (Silicon Oxide Nitride Oxide Semiconductor) transistor and a MISFET. International Publication No. WO 2013/149669 (Patent Document 5) discloses a technique which produces a tunnel oxide layer for a semiconductor storage device.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device with separately formed insulating films in main circuit and memory regions


Oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x) emissions from an FCC regenerator are reduced by operating the regenerator in partial CO burn mode and adding substoichiometric, or just stoichiometric air to the flue gas. Much CO and most NO.sub.x and NO.sub.x precursors are thermally converted at 2000.degree.-2900.degree. F., then the gas is cooled below about 1800.degree. F. and burning of CO completed.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to regeneration of spent catalyst from an FCC unit.
2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART NO.sub.x, or oxides of nitrogen, in flue gas streams from FCC regenerators is a pervasive problem. FCC units process heavy feeds containing nitrogen compounds, and much of this material is eventually converted into NO.sub.x emissions, either in the FCC regenerator (if operated in full CO burn mode) or in a downstream CO boiler (if operated in partial CO burn mode). Thus all FCC units processing nitrogen containing feeds can have a NO.sub.x emissions problem due to catalyst regeneration, but the type of regeneration employed (full or partial CO burn mode) will determine whether NO.sub.x emissions appear sooner (regenerator flue gas) or later (CO boiler).
Although there may be some nitrogen fixation, or conversion of nitrogen in regenerator air to NO.sub.x, most of the NO.sub.x emissions are believed to come from oxidation of nitrogen compounds in the feed.
Several ways have been developed to deal with the problem.
1. Feed hydrotreating, to keep NO.sub.x precursors from the FCC unit.
2. Segregated cracking of fresh feed.
3. Process approaches reducing NO.sub.x formation in complete CO burn mode via regenerator modifications. PA1 5. Stack gas cleanup isolated from the FCC process.
4. Catalytic approaches, using a catalyst or additive which is compatible with the FCC reactor, which suppress NO.sub.x formation or catalyze its reduction in a regenerator in complete CO burn mode.
The FCC process will be briefly reviewed, followed by a review of the state of the art in reducing NO.sub.x emissions. In addition, some of the factors forcing FCC operators to process worse feeds (with more nitrogen compounds) in hotter regenerators (which tends to increase NO.sub.x) in an ever more restrictive legislative environment will be discussed.

FCC regeneration process with low NO.sub.x CO boiler


The present invention relates to semiconductor devices that each comprises at least one field effect transistor (FET) containing an intrinsically stressed phase change material layer. The intrinsically stressed phase change material layer is arranged and constructed for creating stress in the channel region of the FET. Preferably, the intrinsically stressed phase change material layer is deposited over the channel region of the FET. For an n-channel FET, the intrinsically stressed phase change material layer preferably contains intrinsic compressive stress that is created by phase change, for example, from a polycrystalline phase to an amorphous phase. Alternatively, for a p-channel FET, the intrinsically stressed phase change material layer preferably contains intrinsic tensile stress that is created by phase change, for example, from an amorphous phase to a polycrystalline phase.

Mechanical stresses within a semiconductor device substrate can be used to modulate device performance. For example, in silicon, hole mobility is enhanced when the silicon film is under compressive stress, while the electron mobility is enhanced when the silicon film is under tensile stress. Therefore, compressive and/or tensile stresses can be advantageously created in the channel regions of p-channel MOSFETs and/or n-channel MOSFETs, in order to enhance the performance of such p-channel and/or n-channel MOSFETs.
One conventional approach for creating a stressed silicon channel region is to form such a channel region upon a stress-inducing buffer layer. For example, a tensilely stressed silicon channel layer can be formed by epitaxially growing silicon over a thick, relaxed SiGe buffer layer. The lattice constant of germanium is about 4.2% greater than that of silicon, and the lattice constant of a silicon-germanium (SiGe) alloy is linear with respect to its germanium concentration. As a result, the lattice constant of a SiGe alloy with twenty atomic percent of germanium is about 0.8% greater than the lattice constant of silicon. Epitaxial growth of silicon on such a SiGe buffer layer will yield a silicon channel layer under tensile stress, with the underlying SiGe buffer layer is essentially unstrained, or "relaxed."
Another conventional approach for creating compressive and/or tensile stresses in the channel regions of the p-MOSFET and/or n-MOSFET devices is to cover the devices with compressively and/or tensilely stressed silicon nitride films.
However, the aforementioned approaches can only provide tensile or compressive stresses ranging from about 200 MPa to about 500 MPa, which significantly limit the performance of the resulting MOSFET devices.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for structures and methods that can provide higher stresses to MOSFETs, so as to improve the performance of such MOSFETs.

High performance MOSFET comprising stressed phase change material


A plurality of CT imaging conditions are created beforehand as presets, each preset is created beforehand as an icon, and each preset is associated with an icon and registered. Each icon is disposed in a CT imaging condition setting screen according to a spatial resolution and density resolution that serve as two-dimensional indexes relating to image quality. The selection of a given icon by a user results in the selection of the CT imaging conditions corresponding to the selected icon. The indexes relate to image quality and are two-dimensional, and this facilitates operation and makes it possible to intuitively select optimal CT imaging conditions with a small number of steps.

Typically, a display device (graphical user interface) having a CT software function is employed in an industrial X-ray CT device. Note that an X-ray radioscopic imaging device performs X-ray photography by obtaining a single piece of projection data, or by irradiating X-rays, sequentially obtaining a plurality of pieces of projection data, and displaying each of the projection data in real time (video display). Thus, by performing X-ray radioscopy, it is possible to check whether or not the projection data presents an optimum image by monitoring the image in the middle of the X-ray radioscopy. Therefore, even when an imaging condition is not suitable, the imaging condition can be changed in the middle of the X-ray radioscopy on the basis of the monitoring result.
In this regard, the X-ray CT device obtains a reconstructed image (CT image) by performing a reconstruction process using a plurality of pieces of projection data (for example, approximately 600 to 2,400 pieces of data). Therefore, unlike the X-ray radioscopic imaging device, when CT imaging is performed by the X-ray CT device, it is not possible to check whether or not the reconstructed image is optimum until the CT imaging and the reconstruction process are terminated. Therefore, when the CT imaging condition is not suitable, it is necessary to restart the CT imaging and the reconstruction process from the beginning. Even when the CT imaging is restarted, a user is not allowed to know whether or not the reset (changed) CT imaging condition is optimum before checking the reconstructed image obtained from the restarted imaging. In some cases, it is necessary to repeat the CT imaging over and over until an optimum reconstructed image is obtained.
In this regard, it is necessary to set an optimum CT imaging condition in advance before CT imaging. In the field of the X-ray CT device of the related art, a technique of setting an optimum CT imaging condition has been proposed (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Typically, when a user determines that the set CT imaging condition is optimum, the user performs an input operation for confirming the CT imaging condition by clicking an imaging condition input confirmation button displayed on a display screen of the graphical user interface (GUI). Then, the CT imaging is performed on the basis of the confirmed CT imaging condition.
In the field of the industrial X-ray CT device, the CT imaging is performed for various materials and structures with various image resolution requirements (such as a spatial resolution or a density resolution) and various imaging times. Therefore, since a wide variety of imaging conditions are set freely, the imaging conditions are to be set for each target object (work) as described below.                X-ray Condition: the X-ray condition includes a tube current or a tube voltage of an X-ray tube that generates X-rays.        Exposure Time: the exposure time is a net X-ray irradiation time.        Number of Views        Average Number: the number of views and the average number described above have the following relationship. Specifically, the "number of views" refers to an average number of scanned images for the same projection angle or for each projection angle including the vicinity of a target projection angle (that is, projection angles in the vicinity of the imaging time at the target projection angle), so that the number of scanned images required in the CT imaging becomes "number of views×average number". For example, when the number of views is set to "600" and the average number is set to "3", the number of scanned images necessary in the CT imaging becomes "1,800 (=600×3)". Note that, when the projection data are averaged at each projection angle including the vicinity of the target projection angle, the projection data at each projection angle are approximated to the projection data at the same angle as that of the target projection angle.        Slice Thickness        BH Correction Data Selection: the BH correction refers to "beam hardening correction". Note that the beam hardening correction herein refers to correction using image processing software (image processing algorithm).        Scaling Factor: the scaling factor herein refers to a response characteristic used in grayscale correction (also called "gamma correction").
In addition, the imaging condition includes a distance from a focal position to an X-ray detector (source-to-detector distance: SDD) in a vertical direction when the vertical line is drawn from the focal position of the X-ray tube to the X-ray detector, a distance from the focal position of the X-ray tube to a rotation center of the target object (source-to-rotation-center distance: SRD), a CT imaging mode (such as cone beam CT (CBCT)), a scan count, a total scan time, and the like.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2009-112627
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2011-080971


An actuator assembly is provided for a computer disc drive. The actuator assembly includes an actuator body that supports a shell head support arm and/or a shell coil yoke. The coil yoke supports the coil of the VCM. The actuator body pivots about a pivot axis and is attached to the cartridge bearing assembly disposed within an inner hollow of the actuator body. The head support arm is a shell having a core, a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the head support arm is concave and the second surface of the head support arm is convex. The head support arm is connected to the actuator body at a proximal end. At a distal end of the head support arm, there is a flat portion with a swage hole for connection of the flexure assembly.

This application relates generally to the field of disc drive storage devices, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a disc drive actuator assembly with improved inertial and vibration characteristics.
Computers commonly use hard disc drives to store large amounts of data in a form that can be readily accessed by a user. A disc drive generally includes a stack of vertically spaced magnetic discs that are rotated at a constant high speed by a spindle motor. The surface of each disc is divided into a series of concentric, radially spaced data tracks in which data are stored in the form of magnetic flux transitions. Typically, each data track is divided into a number of data sectors that store data blocks of a fixed size.
Data are stored and accessed on the discs by an array of read/write transducers (heads) mounted to a rotary actuator. Typically, the actuator includes one or more head support arms which project outwardly from a portion of the actuator that pivots about a shaft secured to a base deck of the disc drive. The stacked discs and head support arms are configured so that the surfaces of the stacked discs are accessible to the heads mounted on the complementary stack of head support arms. Head conductors included on the actuator assembly conduct electrical signals from the heads to a flex circuit, which in turn conducts the electrical signals to a printed circuit board (PCB).
The actuator assembly is mounted disc drive at a position closely adjacent the outer diameter of the discs. The actuator assembly includes a coil which, as part of a voice coil motor (VCM), causes the head support arms and the heads to be pivotally moved about a shaft. Thus, the head support arms move in a plane parallel to the surfaces of the discs to position a head over a selected data track.
The VCM includes a coil mounted radially outward from the cartridge assembly, the coil being immersed in a magnetic field of a magnetic circuit of the VCM. The magnetic circuit includes one or more permanent magnets and magnetically permeable pole pieces. When current is passed through the coil, an electromagnetic field is established which interacts with the magnetic field of the magnetic circuit so that the coil moves in accordance with well-known Lorentz relationship. As the coil moves, the actuator assembly pivots about the shaft and the heads move across the disc surfaces.
Each of the heads is mounted to a head support arm by a flexure that attaches to an end of the head support arm. Each head includes an interactive element such as a magnetic transducer. The transducer either (1) senses the magnetic transitions on a selected data track to read the data stored on the track, or (2) transmits an electrical signal that induces the magnetic transitions on the selected data track to write data to the data track. Air currents are caused by the high-speed rotation of the discs. A slider assembly included on each head has an air bearing surface that interacts with the air currents to cause the head to fly at a short distance above the data tracks on the disc surface.
In order to improve data access performance of a disc drive, it is generally desirable to maximize the stiffness and to minimize the inertia of the actuator assembly. A stiffer system has a faster response time, because an increase in stiffness reduces the xe2x80x9csettlexe2x80x9d time at the desired read or write location. A stiffer system also minimizes vibrations that cause errors in reading and writing information from the heads to the discs. A lower inertia allows an actuator assembly to be moved quickly from one location to another without excessive power requirements.
Several mechanical properties affect the stiffness and the inertia of a mechanical system, including: (1) material density for the various components of the actuator assembly; (2) flexural rigidity; and (3) specific modulus. For a given specification of physical dimensions, minimizing the material density minimizes the mass of the actuator assembly, which in turn minimizes the inertia. The flexural rigidity, or bending modulus, of a head support arm is the elastic modulus (E) of the material multiplied by the moment of inertia (I) of the head support arm. The specific modulus is the elastic modulus of the material divided by the density of the material. The specific modulus may be thought of as a measure of the stiffness per unit mass of a beam. For the same design, an actuator built with a higher modulus material will have higher critical natural resonances.
In the case of an actuator assembly for a disc drive, there are two types of vibration that one is concerned with: (1) angular vibration caused by rapid pivoting and stopping of pivoting of the actuator assembly; and (2) a transverse vibration normal to the plane of pivoting of the actuator assembly. In the case of transverse vibration, the neutral axis is defined by a horizontal plane at some fixed height along the pivot axis.
The actuator assembly has as its first major vibrational mode in the cross-track direction a mode called the xe2x80x9cbutterfly mode.xe2x80x9d The butterfly mode of vibration refers to an angular vibration that occurs when the coil yoke and the head support arm, in pivoting about the shaft, move toward one another. Ultimately, one is primarily concerned with the vibration of the head support arm, because it supports the read/write heads. However, it is also desirable to minimize the vibration of the coil yoke, because it is mechanically coupled to the head support arm.
For a beam, assuming other properties are constant, the stiffness of the beam increases as I increases, where I is the moment of inertia of a cross-section of the beam about a neutral axis. It has been a well-known principle in the construction industry that an I-beam deflects less than a solid beam of an equivalent mass and an equivalent modulus of elasticity. This is true because an I-beam has a larger moment of inertia than a solid beam. The I-beam has a larger moment of inertia than a solid beam because much of its mass is xe2x80x9cspacedxe2x80x9d away from the neutral axis of the beam. Because the moment of inertia is larger, the I-beam is generally stiffer than the solid beam of an equivalent mass. For any arbitrary beam, according to the beam flexure formula:
"sgr"=My/I, where
"sgr"=a stress at some point in the beam
M=an applied bending moment;
y=a distance from a neutral axis of the beam; and
I=a moment of inertia about the neutral axis.
For a point on the surface of the beam, this formula becomes:
"sgr"max=Mymax/I.=M/c
where
c=I/Ymax=elastic section modulus.
Because of these properties, it is desirable to apply the same principles of I-beam stiffness to configure a head support arm and a coil yoke with a maximum stiffness and a minimum mass.
Thus, there is a need for a geometric configuration for a head support arm and a coil yoke with a relatively large moment of inertia and a relatively low mass.
The present invention is for an actuator assembly having an actuator body, from which project shell extensions. The shell extensions may be head support arms or a coil yoke. Shell structures, or shells, typically have a higher moment of inertia than flat solid structures. A shell is a three-dimensional curved structure with one of its dimensions, a thickness, much smaller than its other two dimensions. Shells are best visualized by first picturing a flat plate of a uniform thickness, and then picturing deforming the plate so that one of its surfaces is concave, one of its surfaces is convex, and the two surfaces are still separated by the thickness of the plate.
An actuator assembly is provided for a computer disc drive. The actuator assembly includes an actuator body that supports a head support arm and a coil yoke. The coil yoke supports the coil of the VCM. The actuator body pivots about a pivot axis and is attached to the cartridge bearing assembly disposed within an inner hollow of the actuator body.
The head support arm is a shell having a core, a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is concave and the second surface is convex. The head support arm is connected to the actuator body at a proximal end of the head support arm. At a distal end of the head support arm, there is a flat portion with a swage hole for connection of the flexure assembly. The coil yoke has a first surface, a second surface, and a coil yoke core separating the two surfaces.

Actuator assembly for a disc drive having shell extensions


The invention concerns the detection of pathogenic mycobacterium comprising Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) and genomic variants in a bulk milk sample, and more particularly a method for herd management that stratifies the risk of bulk tank milk lots derived from diagnostic-tested subgroups potentially containing DNA from pathogenic mycobacterium including Map. The method involves creating defined risk groups (categories) of milk-producing animals, such as dairy cows, for the presence of Map or related genomic variants in their milk. Another aspect of the invention concerns a method to strengthen the ability of milk-producing animals to resist environmental challenges by Map based on identifying those animals that have and maintain a low antibody level to Map using their female progeny as replacement animals.

Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map), a facultative intracellular, acid-fast bacillus, and affects ruminants worldwide. In the United States, the disease causes the industry economic losses estimated at $200 and 250 million. The control of the disease is hampered by ineffective diagnostic methods, particularly in detection of sub-clinically infected animals.
A segment of infected animals in a given herd can be presumptively diagnosed based on clinical signs of diarrhea, emaciation, and/or serology. The animals can be reliably diagnosed with conventional and/or radiometric fecal culture. Detection of sub-clinically infected animals by serological and culture testing frequently leads to false negative results. Producers depend on "test-and-cull" programs to control the disease.
Several methods for screening for the presence of Map in tissue samples from affected animals are known. Commonly used immunological methods for detecting Map in a sample include agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) tests and ELISA assays. More rapid DNA-based tests have been developed that utilize PCR in conjunction with pairs of primers that specifically detect species-specific insertion sequences present in Map strains, but not in other strains of Mycobacterium avium complex. A commercial DNA-based assay is available for detecting a 413 bp PCR product amplified from the Map insertion sequence defined as IS900 (Vary, P. H. et al., J Clin Microbiol 1990; 28:933-937, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). When applied to the testing of milk for the detection of DNA of Map, the IS900-based PCR primers in commercial use do not identify the DNA of related pathogenic mycobacterium. To more completely prevent pathogenic mycobacteria from entering the human food supply through milk and milk-base products, the PCR primers used to evaluate milk for pathogenic mycobacteria would need to be more inclusive.
The current "gold standard" method for diagnosis of sub-clinical Map infection has been based upon fecal recovery of live Map using artificial culture media. Beckton-Dickinson Biosciences has recently developed an automated system (BACTEC MGIT 960 system) that can be used as a fully automated diagnostic tool for Johne's disease. Although this technique is highly specific, it is still suboptimal in terms of sensitivity. Additionally, culture from a fecal sample is only deemed negative after 49 days. This, however, is an imperfect diagnosis because cultures may become positive as long as six months after inoculation. In very rare instances, cultures have been reputed to become positive between six months and one year. Due to the amount of time a sample must be cultured, the expense of the specialized culture reagents and the BACTEC MGIT 960 system, this test is expensive. The cost to process a single sample ranges from $16.00 to $45.00 (depending upon the degree to which a given state subsidizes testing costs).
Map is not killed by pasteurization (1, 2). Viable Map and genomic variants enter the human food chain through milk and milk products. Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis can be cultured from milk and selected cheeses (3-5) and constitutes the primary means by which Map and other pathogenic enteric mycobacterium enter into the human food supply.
Current testing using IS900 Map ELISA tests fail to identify up to one-third of cows shedding Map into their milk; Pinedo et al. found that 23.5% of cows with Map identified in their milk were deemed serologically negative for Map infection by IS900 ELISA Map tests. Another 11.8% had but a suspicious antibody titer (6). Wisziewska-Laszcych et al confirmed this initial report (7). The National Animal Health Monitoring System Study of 515 dairy farms demonstrated the presence of Map DNA in the bulk tank samples from 31.2% if the participating dairy farms.
In June 2001, the United Kingdom Food Standard Agency issued its report for food standards. The conclusion statement states "There is undoubtedly sufficient cause for concern (relative to Map as being the cause of Crohn's disease) for further action to be taken urgently to determine what the available data means . . . . This question can be divided into two areas: What action should be taken to reduce exposure to Map even though the causal link is not established; and what action can be taken to increase the knowledge base so that future decisions may be based upon more information (8)."
In 2008, the American Academy of Microbiologists published its report on Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis: Infrequent human pathogen or public health threat (9). The executive summary states, "the association of MAP and CD is no longer in question. The critical issue today is not whether MAP is associated with CD, but whether MAP causes CD or is only incidentally present."
By 2008, the majority of Koch's postulates for causation that can be ethically addressed had been effectively met (10-16). In 2009, three independent diagnostic laboratories (Michael T. Collins, Saleh A. Naser, and that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recovered Map from the blood of individuals with Crohn's disease (17). These three laboratories reaffirm the validity of Naser's previous recovery of Map from the blood of Crohn's patients as well as from the breast milk of two postpartum CD females without corresponding recovery from non-Crohn's diseased individuals.
From a medical infectious disease point of view, the validation of Naser's original findings cuts short the argument as to causality. If an individual has certain retroviruses in his or her white blood cells, he or she has HIV infection. If the individual has hepatitis B or C virus in his or her white blood cells, he or she has hepatitis infection. If an individual has Map in his or her white blood cells, he or she has infection with Map.
The natural history of Map infection/disease presumes a progressive three stage development. Classically, the pathogenesis of Johne's disease has been viewed as the progressive culmination of three stages of microbial involvement of the host animal Initial infection has been postulated to be acquired early and remain latent with or without intermittent evidence of fecal shedding until such time as serological evidence of infection can be detected (subclinical disease). Thereafter, the animals experience a progressive, chronic granulomatous infection that culminates in Johne's disease (17-18). What has been delineated in the literature is the progressive development of disease. The pathogenesis of Map induced disease is not the natural history of Map infection.
In developing the pathogenesis of Johne's disease in herbivores, three basic assumptions were made:                1. that Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) is the cause, and not a cause, of Johne's disease;        2. that the IS900 insertion sequence is unique to Map isolates; and        3. that Mycobacterium avium complex (Mac) that includes Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium and M. hominissuis are environment and not pathogenic mycobacterium.
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) is theorized to have evolved from Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium (Ma) (17-20). Map and Ma, by genetic criteria, are classified as subsets of the same species (20, 21). The literature on Johne's disease (chronic granulomatous enteritis in cattle) tends to deny the existence of pathogenic Map phenotypic variants more closely related to MA than to Map and that some mycobacterium are more Ma-like than Map-like (24-26). Genomic polymorphism is to be anticipated within species evolution. Such isolates are not identified by IS900 PCR primers. Darcel and Logen-Handsame have postulated that the failure of commercial Map ELISA tests to identify all clinically ill animals has been due to a lack of representation of the entire range of immunodominant test antigens (26).
IS1311 is present in Ma/Mac as well as Map. Primers based upon the IS1311 insertion sequence that identify Ma variants and Map are encompassed in the direct and nested fecal FecaMap® patented primers. The IS1311 insertion sequence is present in the vast majority of pathogenic mycobacterium. A long evolutionary time span is suggested by the presence of mutations in some of the IS1311 elements (17). None of the commercial Map ELISA tests including FUID#1 Map ELISA test have an antigen spectrum that identifies all potential pathogenic mycobacterium.
A large Danish study demonstrated that declines in milk production attributable to Map occur over a long period of time and may not be realized without more advanced management tools (27).

Fuidi herd management and risk stratification methods


A big wheel motive power source is provided. The big wheel motive power source comprises a large mass wheel capable of rotation and having a mass comprising at least one-third the weight of a vehicle in which it is located, or at least twice the weight of a conventional engine for that vehicle. A small horsepower, continuously running engine is operably connected to the large mass wheel and generates the rotation of large mass wheel. The large mass wheel may be further connected to at least one driven wheel, whereby the rotation of the large mass wheel provides a primary motive power source for a vehicle. A ratchet-type worm engaged drive, a control system, and a exhaust removal system are also disclosed for use with the present inventive device.

Conventional thought with respect to power systems for vehicles has been to design a lightweight vehicle for fuel efficiency. It is generally believed that a vehicle that is of lighter weight will require less power to motivate, and therefore will require less fuel input to accomplish the same power output as a heavier vehicle. Consistent with same, traditional vehicle design has been directed toward the use and/or development of light and/or small components that ultimately reduce the weight of the vehicle in which they are placed.
In connection with, and in addition to lightweight vehicles and components, various alternative power sources have been experimented with, including, for example, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, natural gas vehicles, neighborhood electric vehicles, electric bikes, and others. Alternative fuel sources are becoming increasingly important as government regulations and environmental consciousness become more predominant.
To this end, power sources and systems have been developed containing a flywheel which is used in combination with a motor. The flywheel is often used to generate kinetic energy for powering the vehicle.
Current flywheel automotive systems typically employ a high velocity, moderate to small mass flywheel, capable of storing and rapidly dissipating supplies of kinetic energy. Such flywheels are often coupled with a transmission adapted to permit the release of stored kinetic energy from the flywheel to the vehicle wheels. Many of these systems include a means of recharging the flywheel as it slows. The recharge is typically provided by a conventional vehicle engine.
Unfortunately, current flywheel systems incorporate a flywheel which is too light in relation to the vehicle to which it is applied. For instance, in many such systems a 2,000 lb. vehicle is provided with a flywheel of approximately 215 lbs, or roughly 1/10 the weight of the vehicle. As a result, the power generated by the flywheel will either be rapidly used, requiring almost continuous recharging, or supply very low motive power to the vehicle, resulting in minimal speed. In addition, these flywheels are commonly driven through a range of speeds from approximately 7,500 to 15,000 rpm. At such speeds, the light weight flywheel, again, will generate very little motive power. To compensate for low power, some systems have been provided with flywheels which rotate at a very high rate of speed, including in some instances up to 300,000 rpm. However, such high speed causes tremendous wear on parts and materials and, in fact, requires extremely high strength material to construct and maintain within the power source. Likewise, conventional drives have been known to fly apart at speeds approaching only 35,000 rpm. Moreover, the high speed flywheel may require a large expense of energy to bring the rotational velocity up to speed.
As indicated above, many current systems include a flywheel "recharging" engine, typically a conventional vehicle engine. In operation, if the flywheel velocity drops below a lower limit, such as below the 7,500 rpm speed noted above, the recharging engine powers on and supplies motive power to the flywheel until the flywheel reaches a designated or upper speed limit. In other words, a primary engine runs intermittently, shutting off and turning on, to control the rotation of the flywheel, allowing the flywheel to fluctuate between 7,500 rpm and 15,000 rpm. However, such devices also typically contemplate that the vehicle can be started and driven directly from the primary engine, which is a standard/conventional vehicle engine, without the assistance of the flywheel. An internal combustion engine or gas turbine is often provided as a means of recharging the flywheel system and driving the vehicle.
In addition to supplying power, kinetic energy storage systems utilizing the flywheel to store energy are also known. In such systems, the vehicle may be powered from the flywheel. Alternatively, the flywheel may be used as a generator.
As discussed, conventional sized engines are typically used to supply power to the flywheel when the flywheel falls below a minimum speed. As indicated above, it is also common for the flywheel to be bypassed to attain a direct drive between the engine and the vehicle wheels. Common in many such systems, a spinning wheel is provided in conjunction with a conventional sized engine. These systems contemplate driving a vehicle by the engine. Further, while providing a spinning wheel, the spinning wheel is typically not geared up to a level of speed to be an effective form of energy output.
Flywheels may also be used as a power supplement to enhance the overall efficiency of an engine. In such cases, the flywheel is not used as the main driving force. For example, a flywheel, which is connected to an electric motor, may be provided as a power storage means for storing mechanical rotational energy. In addition, a selectively operable clutch may be used to connect the flywheel to the driveshaft for delivering stored power to an engine. The flywheel is selectively engaged with the engine at predetermined times to provide stored mechanical energy to the engine.
In addition, it is known to provide a flywheel as an energy enhancer, such as a hybrid power system. For instance, a vehicle may be provided with a prime mover or engine, an energy storage device or flywheel, a clutch between the engine and flywheel, and a continuously variable transmission unit. Similar to other devices, the prime mover is decoupled from the flywheel and shut off to terminate fuel consumption when the flywheel reaches a predetermined level of speed. The internal combustion engine is generally the prime mover for the vehicle, while the flywheel is placed in driving connection with the transmission and the engine when the vehicle is to be driven under a heavy load. In other words, the hybrid power system is provided for assisting the prime mover and powering the vehicle. Similarly, electrically powered motor vehicles having a flywheel and a motor generator are also known. In these systems, the flywheel is used as an energy buffer to provide surge power for accelerating the vehicle and for hill climbing, as a compliment to the relatively low, steady power provided by the fuel burning power source. An electric motor can also be provided to convert the power generated from the flywheel or the power source to mechanical motive power.
In addition to single flywheel systems, other variations on flywheel systems have been experimented with. For instance, devices containing multiple, small, lightweight flywheels have been attempted. These systems often rotate the flywheels in opposite directions to cancel out the gyroscopic force generated by the rotating wheels. Likewise, a number of flywheels may be rotated while others are isolated and/or run idle in a single system. The theory in many such systems is that the use of a number of small flywheels enables the power unit to be made smaller and lighter than if a single wheel were used. Vehicle propulsion and regenerative braking arrangements, including an energy storage flywheel coupled to an automatic transmission have also been attempted. Similarly, various flywheel forms are known, such as flywheels having a mass concentrated towards the outside of the shape of same, as well as flywheels of conical, radial, spheroid, toroid, and elliptical shape, constructed from metal, epoxies, ceramics, wood or plastic.
In general, disadvantages inherent in many such designs are, among other things, without a transmission between the primary engine and the flywheel, the systems are not durable enough to last very long. Namely, if a flywheel is provided of sufficient weight to generate enough power to motivate a vehicle, it would need a transmission between the primary motor and the flywheel or it would place too much strain on either the engine or the clutch. However, if the flywheel provided is lightweight, so as to avoid the need for a transmission, it would be ineffective in generating sufficient motive power. Further, often times the flywheel is positioned to rotate about a vertical axis. In such cases, the flywheel is prone to wobble, and causes significant wear on the lower component holding or supporting same in place. Moreover, many such systems incorporate a flywheel that is not heavy enough to generate effective, efficient motive power. In fact, current flywheel systems are coupled to a conventional sized engine. The conventional engine adds significant weight and is contemplated to provide the primary motive power to the vehicle. As a result, the flywheel is provided as a power supplement of minimal weight. Moreover, the flywheel is generally not appropriately geared to the vehicle wheels at a ratio effective to convey sufficient motive power from the flywheel alone. To date, an effective, efficient system has not been available in which a large mass rotating wheel generates the primary motive power for a vehicle, machine, or device.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved motive power source for a vehicle in which a large mass wheel may be used in combination with a small motor to generate efficient and strong power for a vehicle, machine, and/or device, resulting in reduced emissions and improved fuel economy. A further need exists for such features in a vehicle. Moreover, a need exists for providing a large mass wheel approximately geared between the engine and vehicle wheels for providing optimum output from the large mass wheel, which provides the primary source of motive power to the vehicle.


A motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus includes a motorcycle support with a first guide extending along the support. A pivot member is pivotally secured to a mounting member for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis between a downwardly angled position and an upright position. A second guide is secured to the second end of the pivot member and engages the first guide on the support. Movement of the support from a loading position resting upon a groundsurface to a transport position resting upon a bed of the truck is accommodated by an initial pivoting of the pivot member from the downwardly angled position to the upright position. This is followed by a sliding of the support along the pivot member until the support is in the transport position.

The present invention relates to an apparatus specifically designed for use in loading a motorcycle onto a bed of a truck and, subsequently, unloading the motorcycle.
A number of loading and unloading apparatus have been developed which are dedicated for use with motorcycles. Examples of such motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus are U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,829 (Miller); U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,577 (Jones); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,047 (Rickki).
The Miller reference discloses a motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus having a rectangular insert which is inserted into the hitch receptacle of a truck.
The present invention provides an alternative motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus.
According to the present invention there is provided a motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus which includes a motorcycle support with a first guide extending along the support. A mounting member is provided which is adapted for mounting adjacent to and substantially perpendicular to a rear bumper of a truck. A pivot member is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end of the pivot member is pivotally secured to the mounting member for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis extending transverse to the mounting member between a downwardly angled position and an upright position. A second guide is secured to the second end of the pivot member and engages the first guide on the support. Means is provided for exerting a force upon the support to move the support from a loading position resting upon a groundsurface behind the truck to a transport position resting upon a bed of the truck. Movement of the support from the loading position to the transport position is accommodated by an initial pivoting of the pivot member from the downwardly angled position to the upright position. This is followed by a sliding of the support along the pivot member until the support is in the transport position.
The motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus, as described above, provides a suitable alternative that does not need be secured to the bed of the truck.
The guides used can take a number of forms. Beneficial results have been obtained when the support has opposed sides and one of a pair of first guides extends along each of the opposed sides.
Although the mounting member for the motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus, as described above, can be mounted directly to the rear of the truck, it is preferred that the apparatus be readily removable. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the mounting member has a first end and a second end. The first end is in the form of a hitch adaptor adapted for insertion into a hitch receptacle of the truck. This enables the mounting member to be rapidly inserted or removed from the hitch receptacle.
With the motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus, as described above, the preferred means for exerting a force upon the support to move the support from the loading position to the transport position is a winch and cable.
The support has a first end and a second end. The described movement of the support results in the support being dragged for a distance along the ground. Even more beneficial may, therefore, be obtained when underlying roller wheels are rotatably mounted at the second end of the support.

Motorcycle loading and unloading apparatus


A method to support distributed beacon transmission in a directional communication network is provided. The method may comprise receiving, by a second apparatus, a first reference signal from a first apparatus, wherein the first reference signal comprises network shared information associated with a first network and specific information associated with the first apparatus, generating a second reference signal by updating the network shared information in the first reference signal to include specific information associated with second apparatus, and transmitting the second reference signal at a defined time, wherein the defined time is selected to minimize any interference associated with a subsequent transmission of the first reference signal by the first apparatus.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to communication systems, and more particularly, to support distributed beacon transmission in a directional communication network.
2. Introduction
In order to address the issue of increasing bandwidth requirements that are demanded for wireless communications systems, different schemes are being developed to allow multiple user terminals to communicate by sharing the channel resources while achieving high data throughputs. Multiple Input or Multiple Output (MIMO) technology represents one such approach that has recently emerged as a popular technique for the next generation communication systems. MIMO technology has been adopted in several emerging wireless communications standards such as the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. IEEE 802.11 denotes a set of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) air interface standards developed by the IEEE 802.11 committee for short-range communications (e.g., tens of meters to a few hundred meters). For example, 802.11 ad/ac/a/b/g/n.
Generally, wireless communications systems specified by the IEEE 802.11 standard have a central entity, such as an access point (AP)/point coordination function (PCF) that manages communications between different devices, also called stations (STAs). Having a central entity may simplify design of communication protocols. Further, although any device capable of transmitting a beacon signal may serve as an AP, for an AP to be effective it may have to have a good link quality to all STAs in a network. At high frequencies, where signal attenuation may be relatively severe, communications may be directional in nature and may use beamforming (e.g. beam training) to increase gains. As such, an AP may stratify the following responsibilities to be effective. The AP may have a large sector bound (e.g. a wide steering capability). The AP may have a large beamforming gain (e.g. multiple antennas). The AP may be mounted so that a line of sight path exists to most areas in a network, such as on a ceiling. The AP may use a steady power supply for periodic beacon transmissions and other management functions.
Mobile wireless communications devices (WCD) (e.g. laptops, smartphones, etc.) may have comparatively reduced capabilities to that of a traditional AP due to factors such as cost, power, form factor, etc. For example, antenna steering capability may be limited to a small sector bound, available power may be limited, location may be variable, etc. Even with these limitations, WCDs may be asked to perform as APs to form peer-to-peer networks for various purposes, such as side-loading, file sharing, etc. For example, WCDs may be asked to form peer-to-peer networks where no device may efficiently transmit to and receive from all other devices. Additionally, for example, WCDs may be asked to specify a distributed device discovery protocol that may allow a device to be associated with a peer-to-peer network of interest.

Methods and apparatus for enabling distributed beacon transmissions


The purpose of the present invention is to provide an organism having an ergothioneine productivity that is capable of easily producing ergothioneine within a short period of time at a high yield, as compared with a conventional technology, and, therefore, enables ergothioneine production on an industrial scale. This purpose can be achieved by a transformed fungus into which a gene encoding enzyme (1) or genes encoding enzymes (1) and (2) have been inserted and in which the inserted gene(s) are overexpressed. (1) an enzyme catalyzing a reaction of synthesizing hercynyl cysteine sulfoxide from histidine and cysteine in the presence of S-adenosyl methionine, iron (II) and oxygen. (2) An enzyme catalyzing a reaction of synthesizing ergothioneine from hercynyl cysteine sulfoxide using pyridoxal 5′-phosphate as a coenzyme.

Ergothioneine is a sulfur-containing amino acid represented by the following formula (II):

It is a biological compound known to exist in the liver and other organs as well as in the blood of animals, including humans.
Ergothioneine is known to have antioxidative activity. For example, it is said to have an ability to scavenge hydroxyl radicals, an ability to suppress the iron- or copper-dependent generation of hydroxyl radicals from hydrogen peroxide, an ability to suppress copper-dependent oxidation of oxyhemoglobin, and an ability to suppress oxidation of arachidonic acid by myoglobin and hydrogen peroxide. Ergothioneine is also said to show inhibition of elastase activity, inhibition of tyrosinase activity, anti-inflammatory activity, enhancement of cell energy, anti-stress activity, anti-aging activity, anti-wrinkle activity, and suppression of lipid peroxide generation.
Due to its characteristics as a functional biological compound having various physiological activities and as a heat-resistant, water-soluble material, ergothioneine is expected to find applications in functional food products, supplements, cosmetic products, pharmaceutical products, quasi-pharmaceutical products, animal feed, and the like.
Known production methods of ergothioneine include, in addition to extraction from the organs or blood of animals, extraction from mycelium of mushrooms capable of producing ergothioneine (See, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below, the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference). Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 below (the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference) state that most bacteria lack the ability to produce ergothioneine. These documents also state that certain fungi such as Aspergillus niger and Neurospora crassa are capable of producing ergothioneine whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae has little ability to produce ergothioneine.
Ergothioneine biosynthesis system have been reported in some fungi capable of producing ergothioneine. For example, Non-Patent Documents 3 and 4 below (the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference) describe the biosynthesis system of ergothioneine in Neurospora crassa, while Non-Patent Document 5 below (the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) describes the biosynthesis system of ergothioneine in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a "fission yeast".

Transformed fungus having enhanced ergothioneine productivity and method for producing ergothioneine


The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry variety designated as ‘LILI’ (a.k.a., ‘101983’).

The present invention relates to a new and distinct early day-neutral strawberry variety designated as 'LILI' (a.k.a. '101983', or 'LILY'). This new variety is the result of a controlled-cross between two proprietary cultivars made by the Inventor and was first fruited in Watsonville, Calif. growing fields. The identities of the two parental cultivars were inadvertently lost during the breeding process, but 'LILI' was identified and selected as a new and distinctive variety from a cultivated area where the off-spring derived from the cross were planted. No other sibling from the cross between these two parental proprietary cultivars was collected.
Following selection and during testing, the plant was originally designated '101983' and subsequently named 'LILI'. The new variety of 'LILI' was asexually reproduced via runners (stolons) by the inventor at Watsonville, Calif. Asexual propagules from the original source have been tested in the Watsonville growing fields and, to a limited extent, growing fields in low and high elevation. The properties of this variety were found to be transmissible by such asexual reproduction. The cultivar is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A detergent dispenser system is disclosed in which a dispensing valve is provided for fluidly connecting to a detergent supply container. A receptacle is connected to the dispensing valve for receiving a predetermined quantity of detergent from the detergent supply container. A motor is provided for displacing the receptacle between a fill position, connected to the dispensing valve, and a dispensing position, where the detergent is dispensed from the receptacle.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to detergent dispensers and, more particularly, to detergent dispensers of the type for dispensing detergent into washer system appliances such as dishwashers and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
In a typical dishwasher appliance, detergent is measured out manually and placed into the washer each time the washer is operated. The manual dispensing of detergent is not a precise or measured process. It may happen that not enough detergent is added, in which case the dishware may not be adequately cleaned. Alternatively, too much detergent may be added, in which case a residue may cling to the dishware after the wash cycle. Furthermore, the use of excessive amounts of detergent results in waste and added cost.
It has been known to use a side-mounted detergent dispenser (typically installed in the door of the dishwasher) to enable appliance users to measure proper amounts of detergent for each wash cycle. However, these dispensers are simply fixed containers or cavities that must be manually filled by the appliance user prior to each wash cycle. One of the problems with this type of detergent dispenser is that if the detergent is not completely washed out of the dispenser cavity during the wash cycle, the remaining detergent will dry and form an accumulating residue. This residue results in faulty detergent measurements and requires frequent cleaning of the dispenser. In this way, such dispensers of this type are actually a burden on the users, and do not improve efficiency.


Various non-limiting embodiments of the present invention relate to photochromic materials having a metallocenyl group. More particularly, various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide photochromic materials including an indeno-fused naphthopyran, such as an indeno[2′,3′:3,4]naphtho[1,2-b]pyran, and a metallocenyl group bonded to at least one available position on the indeno-fused naphthopyran. Other non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide photochromic composition and photochromic articles, such as but not limited to ophthalmic lens, which include the disclosed photochromic materials and method of making the same.

The present invention generally relates to photochromic materials, and more particularly relates to photochromic materials comprising an indeno-fused naphthopyran and a metallocenyl group bonded to the indeno-fused naphthopyran. The present invention further relates to photochromic compositions and articles that comprise such photochromic materials.
Photochromic materials undergo a transformation from one form (or state) to another in response to certain wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, with each form having a characteristic absorption spectrum for visible radiation. For example, thermally reversible photochromic materials are capable of transforming from a ground-state form to an activated-state form in response to actinic radiation, and reverting back to the ground-state form in response to thermal energy and in the absence of the actinic radiation. As used herein, the term "actinic radiation" refers to electromagnetic radiation that is capable of causing a photochromic material to transform from one form or state to another.
Photochromic materials adapted for use in ophthalmic applications appear to be essentially colorless or "optically clear" when not exposed to actinic radiation (i.e., in the ground-state form) and exhibit a visible color that is characteristic of the absorption spectrum of the activated-state form of the photochromic material upon exposure to actinic radiation. Photochromic compositions and articles that contain one or more photochromic materials, for example photochromic lenses for eyewear applications, may display clear and colored states that generally correspond to the optically clear and colored states of the photochromic material(s) that they contain.
More particularly, for single band absorbing photochromic materials, as specific wavelengths within the visible region of electromagnetic radiation are absorbed by a photochromic material in the activated-state form, the wavelengths within the visible region that are transmitted (i.e., not absorbed) correspond to the color of the photochromic material in the activated-state form. Absorption of light having wavelengths above 500 nm to around 520 nm in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum results in a photochromic material that exhibits a "red" or "reddish" color, i.e., it absorbs visible radiation from the short wavelength or "blue end" of the visible spectrum and transmits radiation from the longer wavelength or red end of the visible spectrum. Conversely, absorption of light having wavelengths around 580 nm to around 610 nm in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum results in a photochromic material that exhibits a "blue" or "bluish" color, i.e., it absorbs visible radiation from the longer wavelength or "red end" of the visible spectrum and transmits radiation from the shorter wavelength or blue end of the visible spectrum. Photochromics having broad-band absorption, that is displaying more than one absorption maximum in the visible region, will tend to exhibit a blended color.
Many current photochromic compounds exhibit red (or reddish) or blue (or bluish) colors. However, for certain applications it may be desirable to have a photochromic material that has a characteristic color other than red or blue. For example, for some ophthalmic applications, it may be desirable to have a photochromic material that has a characteristic green color.
Further, for many applications, it may be desirable that the photochromic material be able to make the transition from the colored activated-state form to the optically clear ground-state form as quickly as possible. For example, in photochromic eyewear applications, ophthalmic lenses comprising photochromic materials may transform from an optically clear state to a colored state as the wearer moves from a region of low actinic radiation, such as indoors, to a region of high actinic radiation, such as into direct sunlight. As the lenses become colored, less electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths within the visible and/or ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum is transmitted through the lens to the wearer's eyes. In other words, more electromagnetic radiation is absorbed by the lenses in the colored state than in the optically clear state. When the wearer subsequently moves from the region of high actinic radiation back to a region of low actinic radiation, the photochromic material in the eyewear reverts from the colored, activated-state form to the optically clear, ground-state form in response to thermal energy and the absence of actinic radiation. If, once removed from actinic radiation, the transition from the colored state to the clear state takes several minutes or more, the wearer's vision may be less than optimal during this time due to the combined effects of the lower ambient light and the reduced transmission of visible light through the colored lenses. Accordingly, for certain application, it may be advantageous to develop photochromic materials that may more quickly transition from the optically clear ground state-form to the colored activated-state form and/or transition from the colored activated-state form to the optically clear ground state-form as compared to conventional photochromic materials.

Photochromic materials comprising metallocenyl groups


The present invention provides a computer implemented method, apparatus, and data processing system for associating a private part of a keystore of a user with a user authentication process in an encrypting file system. A secure shell daemon server establishes the user authentication process with a secure shell client such that the user authentication process is associated with a user and the user is authenticated. The secure shell daemon server obtains an acknowledgment from the secure shell client. The secure shell daemon server accesses a user public key of the user from the keystore of the user, responsive to receiving the acknowledgment. The secure shell daemon obtains a public secure shell cookie associated with the user from the keystore of the user. The public secure shell cookie is an access key in encrypted form. The access key is based on the user's public key to form the public secure shell cookie. The secure shell daemon server obtains the access key from the secure shell client. The private part of the keystore is associated with the user authentication process, wherein the private part is accessed based on the access key.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for remotely authenticating a user. More specifically, the present invention relates to enhancing secure shell or other remote authentication access to users over insecure network infrastructure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern uses of networked computers involve a user operating a data processing system that attaches to a network of other data processing systems. Often, the network can include the Internet. As such, the network may have several nodes that are between a data processing system that the user most directly uses, and a node that the user wants to access.
A user who logs into a node remote from his location may use a remote shell protocol to login to the remote node. However, without additional protocols, information sent to that remote node may be visible to unknown parties that control intermediate nodes through which the user's data packets travel. Consequently, such a user lacks any assurance of privacy with respect to such nodes.
Accordingly, developers created a secure shell protocol to enable some protections for data that crossed networks in this manner. A secure shell protocol is a security protocol that is typically used for the transfer control protocol (TCP) and the internet protocol. The secure shell may be used above any protocol that provides reliable data streams. A reliable data stream is a stream that normally is controlled by a protocol to deliver data packets to a receiver in the same order that the data packets appeared when the packets were sent from the source data processing node. The secure shell protocol assures that packets sent via this channel are encrypted. In addition, the secure shell protocol provides authentication of the sender and receiver of packets.
In order to establish the encrypted channel, a secure shell client initiates an authentication handshake with a secure shell server. A secure shell client is the data processing system that begins the exchange with the server, and generally supports a user entering login identifiers, passwords, and text entry to a command line prompt. The handshake can include, for example, the secure shell client or SSH client transmitting login credential encrypted with a user public key. Accordingly, upon properly authenticating, the secure shell client may provide a man-machine interface from the user to the secure shell server or host. Moreover, the exchanges between this client and the server are protected by encryption placed on the packets communicated to each device.
Multiuser data processing systems likewise, face challenges in that data owned by one user is intended for the private use of that user alone, or for that user and designated colleagues. Accordingly, in such systems, a need arose to compartmentalize access to files to individuals or to groups, based on each user proving his or her identity to the system. One such system stores files using an encrypting file system. An encrypting file system or EFS is a file system that encrypts files using keys stored in a cryptographically protected key store or keystore. Consequently, such files are stored to disk or other media in an encrypted form. The data processing system responds to users that provide inputs through a process of the system called a login process. The login process or shell is the user session by which the user interacts with the data processing system. Keyboard, mouse, and other inputs are entered during a period or session. The session occurs between an authenticated login and the login process termination. Such inputs during this time are treated as inputs from the specific user associated with the login and password given at the beginning of the session.
Although data processing systems have provided ways for a user to authenticate by locally logging into a system and thus accessing the user's keystore, such data processing systems have not provided an equally secure way to authenticate SSH (secure shell) clients, such that access keys for EFS are provided to the client. Moreover, for SSH clients that are enabled for accessing a keystore for EFS, SSH servers are unable to properly allow or disallow such SSH clients from accessing even rudimentary SSH services when the SSH client produces credentials for accessing EFS keystores.

Secure shell used to open a user's encrypted file system keystore


Provided is an aluminum nitride sintered body with high optical transmissivity and which has a smooth surface in the unpolished condition after firing. The aluminum nitride sintered body has an oxygen concentration of 450 ppm or less, a concentration of impurity elements excluding oxygen, nitrogen, and aluminum of 350 ppm or less, and an average crystal grain diameter of between 2 μm and 20 μm, and also has an arithmetic mean surface height Ra of 1 μm or less and a maximum height Rz of 10 μm or less in the unpolished condition after firing.

Conventionally, the material of an arc tube of a high-pressure discharge lamp uses translucent alumina in place of quartz because the transluent alumina has a high thermal resistance of 1100° C. or higher and the arc tube can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.
However, a high-pressure discharge lamp that uses an arc tube made of alumina has a short life of approximately 9000 hours. This is primarily caused by the low thermal shock resistance of alumina. Furthermore, when alumina is used in a metal halide lamp, the life of the lamp is even shorter because of the low corrosion resistance of alumina with regards to metal halide gases.
Therefore, an arc tube that uses aluminum nitride with high translucency has been proposed (Patent Documents 1, 2, etc.) Aluminum nitride has thermal shock resistance and corrosion resistance that are superior to those of alumina, thus helping to extend the life of the lamp.
The aforementioned ceramic arc tube is obtained by mixing alumina or aluminum nitride powder with a binder resin, and forming the mixture into a prescribed shape, which is then sintered. For use as a material for an arc tube, excellent optical transmissivity is particularly required, in addition to thermal shock resistance and corrosion resistance.
In order to increase the optical transmissivity of an aluminum nitride sintered body, Patent Document 1 discloses that an AlN sintered body with a transmissivity of 75% in the wavelength band between 0.2 μm and 30 μm can be obtained by firing raw material with a specific raw material powder particle diameter, metal impurity content, and oxygen content, in an inert atmosphere at a temperature between 1700 and 2100° C.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an arc tube that includes a translucent cover (hollow tube) made of an aluminum nitride sintered body manufactured using raw material aluminum nitride powder with a particle size distribution where no less than 70% of the particles have a diameter between 0.3 D and 1.8 D (D: average particle diameter). Furthermore, an embodiment of this publication discloses an aluminum nitride sintered body with a whole light transmissivity of 84%.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses an aluminum nitride sintered body where the oxygen concentration is controlled to 400 ppm or less, the metal impurity concentration is controlled to 150 ppm or less, the carbon concentration is controlled to 200 ppm or less, and the average crystal grain diameter is between 2 μm and 20 μm. This sintered body has an optical spectrum curve with a slope of 1.0 (%/nm) or greater in the wavelength band between 260 and 300 nm, an optical transmissivity of 86% or higher in the wavelength band between 400 and 800 nm, and an optical spectrum that reaches an optical transmissivity of 60% at a wavelength of 400 nm or less.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H2-26871    [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S60-193254    [Patent Document 3] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-119953


In the analysis of hemoglobins in blood samples by chromatography, an increase in the pressure in a flow passage line is suppressed, a separation column is made durable against prolonged use by supplying phosphate-based buffer solutions as eluting solutions to a separation column to a separation column and a solution containing not more than 100 mM of S-(carboxyalkyl)-L-cysteine and phosphate-based buffer agent thereto in the course of a series of analyzing steps.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for analyzing hemoglobins, and a solution for suppressing deterioration of a separation column for use therein, and particularly to techniques suitable for analyzing hemoglobins in blood samples by liquid chromatography.
2. Related Background Art
It is the conventional practice to analyze glycohemoglobins in blood samples by liquid chromatography for diagnosis of diabetes, etc.
Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-open) No. 63-75558 discloses such conventional practice, where glycohemoglobins in blood samples are analyzed by supplying a potassium phosphate buffer solution as an eluting solution to a separation column provided with carboxyl groups as ion exchange groups.
Chromatographic separation of blood samples by a phosphate-based buffer solution in a separation column provided with carboxyl groups, etc. as ion exchange groups, as in the above-mentioned conventional practice, has the following problem. When operations to separate glycohemoglobins, etc. are repeated in the same liquid chromatographic analyzing apparatus so as to conduct analyzing treatments of a large number of blood samples, the pressure in the flow passage line of the analyzing apparatus is gradually increased to lower the separability of sample components. Such an increase in the pressure and decrease in the separability are due to deterioration of the separation column.
Thus, when the liquid chromatographic analyzing apparatus for analyzing glycohemoglobins, etc. is used for a prolonged time, the deteriorated separation column must be exchanged with a fresh one. Heretofore, exchange frequency of such deteriorated separation columns is so high that the operator suffers from many troublesome works for the exchange with increasing consumption of the separating columns.


Embodiments of the invention include implants, instruments, and methods for attaching or reattaching soft tissue (200, 2200) to a bone (100), that enable independent tensioning of multiple connectors such as sutures (60, 160, 2060, 2160) and enable redundant fixation between bone (100) and soft tissue (200, 2200). Some embodiments provide for improved accuracy of the placement of substantially parallel tunnels through which soft tissue (200, 2200) to bone (100) connectors such as sutures (60, 160, 2060, 2160) are passed.

Anatomically correct attachment of soft tissue to bone is essential to the healthy and effective operation of many musculoskeletal joints and systems. By way of illustrative example, medial meniscus posterior root attachment is essential in providing evenly distributed hoop stresses in meniscal cartilage and thereby enabling healthy load-sharing across a knee. As such, a detachment of a medial meniscus at its posterior root or a radial tear in the meniscus may damage circumferential integrity of a meniscus and lead to rapid progression of arthritis. A medial posterior root repair radial tear repair, therefore, may be useful to improve medial compartment load distribution and help restore joint mechanics. Medial meniscus repair that includes routing of repair devices such as sutures through a trans-tibial channel is known in the prior art. However, prior art disclosures do not provide for sufficiently effective methods and devices to reattach a meniscus or other soft tissue in a controlled and reproducible manner. Many prior art repair methods, for example, only provide for attaching a meniscus with a single suture, for attaching a meniscus from a single orientation, or for attaching a meniscus with multiple sutures that are dependent on one another such that failure of one suture would lead to the failure or ineffectiveness of another suture.
It would be advantageous to provide methods and devices of repair that use multiple repair devices such as sutures to independently apply tension to the meniscus at multiple locations. Some improved methods and devices may control the meniscus relative to the tibia to which the meniscus is to be reattached by separately tensioning repair devices such as sutures attached to the meniscus at multiple locations. Where multiple attachment locations are oriented to provide for opposing or partially opposing orientations of attachment, independent tensioning of repair devices such as sutures of improved systems may provide for selectable positioning of the reattached meniscus relative to a tibia. Improved methods and devices may also provide for attachments of repair devices with repair devices that are independent of one another such that a failure of one repair device would not contribute to the failure of another repair device. Some improved methods and devices may provide for creation of multiple channels through which one or more dependent or independent repair devices may be passed when attached to a meniscus to be repaired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and devices for attaching or reattaching soft tissue to bone