A hard disk drive includes a magnetic disk used as a magnetic recording medium, and a magnetic head for applying magnetic fields to the disk to record data and for detecting magnetic fields from the disk to reproduce data. During recording and reproducing, the head is moved relative to the disk so as to define a track, which is a series of a number of recording bits, on the disk. At this time, the head is brought into contact with the disk, with a head contact width in the track width direction. The disk has a surface texture which presents a single peak amplitude value falling in a range of being equal to or more than 0.5 nm, and equal to or less than the recording bit length, when the surface texture is factorized into frequency compositions by means of Fourier transform. A wave length for providing the peak amplitude value falls in a range of being ten times the recording bit length or more, and equal to or less than the head contact width.

The present invention relates to a hard disk drive in which a magnetic head is brought into contact with a magnetic disk.
In hard disk drives (HDDs), data are magnetically recorded on a recording medium, i.e., a magnetic disk, which will be referred to as a disk, and are magnetically reproduced from the disk, by a magnetic head which will be referred to as a head. The head generates recording magnetic fields on the basis of information to be written when data are recorded, while the head detects recorded magnetic fields from the disk to be transduced into reproduced signals when data are reproduced.
In relation to the HDDs, various kinds of technics have been developed so as to increase their recording density. In particular, elemental technics relating to the head and the disk are indispensable to increase the recording density. More precisely, technics of minimizing the distance between the head and disk are receiving attention, in addition to technics relating to the head itself, such as a technic employing an MR (magnetoresistive) head as a reproducing head.
A conventional HDD generally adopts the CSS (contact start and stop) type in which a head floats above the data recording surface of a disk during recording and reproducing of data. In the CSS type, as shown in FIG. 18A, a head 20 is in contact with a disk 10 when the disk stops rotating On the other hand, when the disk starts rotating at a high speed, the magnetic head 20 floats by means of an aerodynamic force, so that recording or reproducing is performed by the head 20 floating above the data recording surface of the disk 10 as shown in FIG. 18B. At this time, the output signal level of the head 20 is increased with a decrease in a floating height FH, i.e., the distance between the head 20 and the disk 10.
In contrast to the CSS type, there has been developed a HDD in which a head and a disk are brought into contact with each other to minimize the distance between them. In this contact type, since the distance between the head and a magnetic recording region formed on the surface of the disk is zero, it is possible to relatively increase the output signal level. In other words, this contact type presents a small spacing loss, so that recording and reproducing can be performed at a considerably high density in principle. Generally, where the surface recording density of the disk is increased, the space distribution of a leaked magnetic field is decreased. As a result, the output signal level is decreased with an increase in the distance between the head and a disk.
In the contact type, however, since the head is in contact with the surface of the disk rotating at a high speed and slides thereon, the head is caused to stick to the disk where the flatness of the surface of the disk is high It is known that this sticking phenomenon is also caused even in the CSS type when its head and disk are in contact with each other. When the sticking phenomenon is caused, a problem arises in that the head cannot smoothly slide on the disk.
In order to solve such a problem, an up-and-down wavy pattern called "texture" is formed on the surface of a disk in the CSS type, so as to give a change to the surface shape or so as to increase the surface roughness. In this case, the wavy pattern of the surface texture is formed to have a short frequency relative to the track pitch, thereby suppressing fluctuation in the levels of the head output among track portions.
Therefore, even in the contact type, it may be effective to form such a surface texture on a disk for preventing the sticking phenomenon between its head and disk. Since the wavy pattern of a surface texture reduces the contact area between the head and disk, the sticking force is decreased.
However, in a case where the recording density is as high as a track pitch of less than 3 .mu.m, abrasion between the head and disk becomes prominent due to a surface texture having a short frequency described above. As a result, the head and disk are apt to suffer damages from fine powders generated by the abrasion.
Further, there is another problem in that a magnetic film and a protection film arranged on a disk are separated or damaged by a stress given by a head. It is thought that, in the contact type, this phenomenon is due to an extraordinarily long period of time in which the disk rotating at a high speed and the head are in contact with each other. Furthermore, medium noises due to a surface texture having a wavy patter of a short frequency are generated in the recording frequency domain of the disk, and thus can increase the error rate during data reproducing.


In optical image processing methods for determining the occupation of a vehicle seat, it is advantageous to know the position of the vehicle seat (14), even in the case when said seat is occupied. The above is achieved, whereby the side surface of the backrest (11), facing the camera (30) is part of a boundary plane. A section (T, B), between a separating plane, cutting vertically through the vehicle seat and the boundary plane (B) is at least partly not covered by a seat occupant in the direction of the camera. By means of an image processing method the position of the seat may be determined.

A method for determining the position of an object in a vehicle is known from EP 104 90 46. With that method, in particular the position of the head is determined by generating a differential image from two images taken successively by a camera, in which image only the contour of moving objects appears. The contours of the differential images are used to calculate the position of the head.
A method of determining the volume of objects located on the vehicle seat, such as a child car seat or an occupant, is also known. With an image recognition method of this type it is important to know the position and surface shape of the relevant vehicle seat in order, for example, to prevent confusing the head with the headrest or the upper body area with the backrest.

Method and device for detecting an object in a vehicle in particular for occupant protection systems


The disclosure provides a NAND flash memory and a reading method thereof, which may read a negative threshold value of a memory cell without using a negative-voltage-generating circuit. The disclosed NAND flash memory includes a sense amplifier, a bit line selecting circuit and an array having a plurality of NAND string units. The disclosed NAND flash memory includes a ΔV supplying portion element that applies a positive voltage to a source line, a P well formed with a selected memory cell, and a non-selected bit line which is adjacent to a selected bit line, within a predetermined time period, after the selected bit line is pre-charged and during a reading process.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure generally relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory device and a reading method thereof, and more particularly, to a NAND flash memory and a reading method of a negative threshold voltage of a memory cell of the NAND flash memory.
2. Description of Related Art
A page reading method of a NAND flash memory is performed by alternatively reading pages including even-numbered bit lines or alternatively reading pages including odd-numbered bit lines. When the even-numbered pages are selected, the even-numbered pages are to be connected to a sense amplifier so as to perform the reading of the even-numbered pages; during this period, the non-selected odd-numbered pages will be separated from the sense amplifier, and a shielding potential such as ground level will be supplied to the odd-numbered bit lines so as to lower noises caused by capacitive couplings between adjacent bit lines. A patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 11-176177) shows a conventional non-volatile semiconductor storage.

NAND flash memory and reading method thereof


A ceramic substrate composition is provided which can be co-fired with a low-melting metal and exhibits excellent dielectric characteristics at high frequencies, particularly tens of gigahertz. The ceramic substrate composition mainly contains a glass represented by aB2O3-bRe2O3-cZnO, wherein the molar ratios (a, b, and c) fall within a region defined in a ternary composition diagram by Point A (0.4, 0.595, 0.005), Point B (0.4, 0.25, 0.35), Point C (0.52, 0.01, 0.47), Point D (0.9, 0.005, 0.095), and Point E (0.9, 0.09, 0.01).

In recent years, information processors, typified by computers and mobile communication systems, have dramatically achieved higher information processing speeds, size reductions, and a larger number of functions. Such improvements in the performance of information processors have been realized mainly with increasing packing densities, speeds, and performance of semiconductor devices.
Semiconductor devices are conventionally mounted on alumina insulating substrates, which are fired at 1,500° C. to 1,600° C. Accordingly, high-melting metals such as Mo, Mo—Ni, and W must be used as the material for patterned conductors to co-fire the insulating substrates with the patterned conductors. Such high-melting metals, however, have high resistivity and thus pose difficulty in sufficiently exploiting the performance of semiconductor devices for higher information processing speeds and higher processing signal frequencies.
A variety of ceramic substrate compositions have been developed which can be co-fired with low-melting metals having low resistivity, such as Ag and Cu. An example is a ceramic substrate composition prepared by adding Al2O3 to a CaO—SiO2—Al2O3—B2O3-based glass (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 3-53269

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composition for ceramic substrate, ceramic substrate, method for producing ceramic substrate


A QRS complex detection method is provided. The method includes collecting an ECG signal and filtering the ECG signal by using at least one preset filter. The filtered ECG signal is processed using a dual-slope method. Once R wave peak is detected from the processed ECG signal, a position of a QRS complex is outputted based on the R wave peak.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is an electrical activity process that reflects the excitement of a heart. ECG signal has important reference value for a study of a basic function and pathology of the heart. Generally, atypical ECG signal includes a P wave, a QRS complex, and a T wave, and a U wave may also be included. Because R wave is generally more prominent, in an analysis of the ECG signal, detection of the QRS complex is often used as a key node, which is usually a cornerstone of subsequent physiological analysis.
Since power frequency noise, EMG signals, and chip noise are basically full-band interference signals, traditional filtering methods such as low-pass, high-pass, and band-pass filters are difficult to completely filter out the full-band interference signals. In addition, an amplitude of T wave in the ECG signal is large, and may even be higher than the R wave in some populations, which is likely to cause false detection. Some research methods such as neural network algorithm, template matching algorithm, TROIKA algorithm, hidden Markov model and Hilbert-Huang transform, etc., suggest that it may not be suitable for real-time analysis because the entire ECG signals need to be processed at the same time, and the calculation-load of the ECG signals is huge.

Method for detecting QRS complex, electrocardiogram detection device and readable storage medium

Jiangyu Kangjian Innovation Medical Technology(Chengdu) Co., Ltd


A method for purging a fuel tank includes providing a three-way valve connected to the fuel tank via a first purging line, connected to a second purging line opening into a suction duct and connected to a third purging line opening into an adsorption container. A first path can be released in the three-way valve, based on the pressure inside the fuel tank exceeding a first predetermined opening pressure inside the fuel tank and the engine being in operation, such that the fuel vapors are caused to be purge out of the fuel tank into the suction duct. A second path can also be released in the three-way valve, based on the pressure inside the fuel tank exceeding a second predetermined opening pressure inside the fuel tank and the engine being not in operation, such that the fuel vapors are caused to be purged out of the fuel tank into the adsorption container.

In a fuel tank, fuel vapours form in the volume of the tank which is not filled up by liquid fuel. These fuel vapours represent potential emissions, which pursuant to various legal regulations must not be released into the environment, and thus must not leave the closed fuel system in an uncontrolled manner. The formation of the fuel vapours is influenced by temperature fluctuations, which are brought about both by fluctuating ambient temperatures and by heated fuel which is fed back by the fuel supply system. As the temperature increases, the formation of fuel vapours increases, partly because the saturated vapour pressure of the fuel vapour increases, and leads to a pressure increase in the fuel tank above the ambient pressure. Since fuel tanks become more complex and thus more expensive with increasing pressure resistance, the pressure is to be limited by ventilating the fuel tank to an acceptable level. Conventional tank ventilations pass the fuel vapour/air mixture through a container, in which the volatile fuel components are applied to an adsorbent, generally activated carbon, and emit purified air to the environment. Aside from the pressure increase in the tank as a result of the rise in the temperature of the fuel, a large amount of fuel vapour/air mixture is displaced by inflowing fuel when the tank is refilled with fuel. This mixture is either passed through the same or a further activated carbon container (ACC) or sucked out through a suction system in the nozzle of the tank system. The activated carbon containers have a limited intake capacity, which depends on the adsorbency and the size of the container. Beyond this intake capacity, fuel vapours are passed through the ACC without being adsorbed, and are thus released into the environment. To prevent this, ACCs of this type have to be regenerated regularly, or independently of the used capacity thereof.
Published application DE 101 38 280 A1 discloses a device for controlling fuel vapour purging in a vehicle, a valve arrangement merely passing the fuel vapours in a first direction from the fuel tank to a device for buffering the fuel vapours, and merely passing the fuel vapours in a second direction counter to the first direction into a combustion engine from the device for buffering fuel vapours.
Patent specification EP 0 444 517 B1 discloses a self-diagnosis device in a system which prevents the spread of fuel evaporation gas, comprising a canister, connected to a fuel container, for adsorbing the fuel vapour, the canister being connected to the suction duct of an internal combustion engine via an outlet duct. An opening and closing means is arranged in the outlet duct. The device further comprises an air/fuel ratio sensing means for detecting an air/fuel mixture passed to the internal combustion engine and an abnormality assessment means. This controls the opening and closing means and detects changes in the air/fuel mixture when the outlet duct is open and closed. On this basis, an assessment is made as to whether a particular abnormality is present. The self-diagnosis device further comprises an evaporation gas production state detection means for detecting the existence of fuel vapour and a three-way valve having a first terminal connected to the fuel container, a second terminal connected to the canister, and a third terminal connected to the suction duct. In a first position of the three-way valve, the fuel container is connected to the canister, and in a second position, the fuel container is connected to the suction duct. The abnormality assessment means switches the three-way valve from the first to the second position, detects a change in the state of the fuel evaporation gas, and assesses whether the evaporation gas production state detection means is abnormal.
Published application DE 10 2004 021 387 A1 discloses an internal combustion engine comprising a suction line, a mechanical supercharger, and a throttle body close to the motor, a further throttle body being arranged upstream from a supercharger in the suction line and at least one underpressure line branching off in a region between the further throttle body and the supercharger.
Patent specification DE 102 01 889 D4 discloses a control/regulation system for automatically stopping and starting an engine of a vehicle, comprising a fuel tank, a canister for absorbing fuel vapour generated in the fuel tank and purging the absorbed fuel vapour into an air suction system of the engine, a pressure control/regulation portion for controlling/regulating the internal pressure of the fuel tank, an engine stop/start determination portion, the internal pressure being kept at a predetermined level lower than atmospheric pressure, and the engine stop/start determination portion preventing the engine from stopping when the internal pressure is higher than the predetermined level.
A drawback of the fuel vapour purging devices used in the art is that the fuel tank is purged constantly via the activated carbon container, meaning that said container has to be replenished regularly, worsening the durability of the ACC and increasing the chance of a breakout, in other words emission of fuel vapour to the environment.

Method and device for purging a fuel tank


This front-end assembly (4) comprises a front-end module (16), at least one railplate (18A, 18B) adapted to be attached to a rail (14A, 14B) of a motor vehicle chassis, and means for fastening the railplate (18A, 18B) to the front-end module (16), the railplate (18A, 18B) comprising at least one hole for receiving a pin.

A front-end assembly of the type described above forms for example a motor vehicle "technical front-end assembly" and enables various vehicle components to be attached under the hood of the vehicle, such as optics, a group of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), engine cooling air management, vehicle drag air management or a hood closing lock and others. Due to its structure and the materials used to produce it, such an assembly has the function of providing end customer firm feel and/or high quality characteristics along with absorption of a part of the energy released during an impact against the front of the vehicle and of limiting the intrusion of outside elements in the motor vehicle during this impact.
A front-end assembly of the aforementioned type is known. The front-end module of such a front-end assembly is intended to be attached to a bumper beam of the vehicle. Before this, the front-end module is mounted on at least one rail of the motor vehicle chassis. During this operation, the fascia of the bumper beam is removed because the operator must have an access to tighten the mounting bolts that are located onto the rail. Such an assembly process is time consuming for a manufacturer since both steps of tightening the bolts and then attaching the bumper beam to the front-end module are relatively slow.
Solutions to this problem have been found. One solution is to mount jointly the front-end module with the bumper beam previously installed, onto the rail, and to drill the fascia of the bumper beam. Thanks to this drilling, an operator is then able to reach the mounting bolts from the front of the vehicle, and to fasten the front-end module to the rail with a longitudinal socket drive tool.
However, the operator then has to place unaesthetic cap plugs in the fascia holes so as to cover them up. Furthermore, the operator performs such an operation blindly, i.e. without seeing the holes receiving the mounting bolts in the rail, which complicates the operation significantly and slows the assembly process.

Motor vehicle front-end assembly comprising means for locking a front-end module onto a railplate

Abstract: The fastening means comprise, for the railplate (18A, 18B), at least one locking pin and at least one fastening element, said locking pin being attached to the front-end module (16) and being adapted to be received by said hole, said fastening element including a fastening part which is mechanically linked to said railplate (18A, 18B) and which is movable relative to the railplate (18A, 18B), said fastening part having at least one aperture for receiving said locking pin, and means for locking the front-end module (16) onto said railplate (18A, 18B), said locking means comprising at least one guiding slide, said guiding slide being contiguous with said aperture and being adapted to lock the locking pin, the locking being performed by a rectilinear movement of the fastening part from a first position in which the aperture is aligned with the hole, to a second position in which the guiding slide is aligned with the hole.


A failure diagnosis device for determining engine abnormalities by comparing the air-fuel ratio or the exhaust pressure of an engine with a predetermined value or by determining that the air fuel ratio or the exhaust pressure of the engine is different from the average air-fuel ratio or the average exhaust pressure by a predetermined amount. This comparison is made only when the engine is in a predetermined running condition in which either the air-fuel ratio or the exhaust pressure is stabilized for a predetermined period of time. When the air-fuel ratio or exhaust pressure is different from the average air-fuel ratio or from the average exhaust pressure by a predetermined value, engine abnormality can be detected for each cylinder or for each cylinder group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a failure diagnosis device for an engine capable of determining an abnormality of the engine such as a failure in an ignition system, a failure in a fuel system and so on.
2. Discussion of Background
The conventional failure diagnosis device for an engine determines the abnormality of the engine from the result of a comparison between a signal corresponding with a catalyst temperature output from a temperature sensor of the catalyst which is installed in an exhaust passage of the engine and purifies the exhaust gas of the engine, and a set value corresponding with a predetermined temperature.
For instance, when the engine misfires, unburnt fuel flows to the catalyst which causes a chemical reaction such as oxidation or deoxidation. As the result, a reaction heat is generated at the catalyst and the catalyst temperature is increased compared with that in the normal run of the engine. The catalyst temperature on this occasion is detected by the above temperature sensor and a failure of the engine is determined by the method as mentioned above. When the abnormality of the engine is determined, the failure diagnosis device for the engine enlightens a display lamp and informs the abnormality to a driver.
Since the conventional failure diagnosis device for an engine is composed as above, for instance, in the high load region of the engine, the air-fuel ratio of the engine is enriched, and unburnt fuel is contained in the exhaust gas as discharged to the air. The unburnt fuel touches the catalyst which causes a chemical reaction and elevates catalyst temperature. As the result, this type of failure is difficult to be differentiated from a failure in an ignition system. Therefore the accuracy of the failure diagnosis is deteriorated.
When the reference temperature is set to a high value to enhance the accuracy of the failure diagnosis, and the above temperature sensor detects a catalyst temperature which is higher than the predetermined reference temperature, the catalyst has already reacted with the unburnt fuel enough to be deteriorated by the heat, and cannot be used.
Furthermore in the conventional method, the detection of the catalyst temperature is not specific to each cylinder or to each group of cylinders. Therefore it is impossible to judge the abnormality of the engine with respect to each cylinder or each group of cylinders.

Failure diagnosis device for an engine which compares airfuel ratio and exhaust pressure with a predetermined value


A discrimination object deflecting apparatus can discriminate and sort medals quickly in an amusement facility or the like. The apparatus is composed of a discrimination section for continuously discriminating continuously moving medals, a passage for continuously moving the discriminated medals according to a discriminating speed of the discrimination section, a deflection passage connected to one side of the passage, a deflection drive section which is provided on the other side of the passage to be countered to the deflection passage and is actuated according to a discriminating signal of the discrimination section and flips the medal moving along the passage towards the deflection passage, and a control section for controlling to drive the deflection drive section according to the discriminating signal of the discrimination section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a discrimination object deflecting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A medal is a coin-like metal object which is used in a slot machine or the like in an amusement facility is normally rented to a player according to a price rate predetermined in a game parlor where a game is played. Moreover, the player is severely forbidden to take the medals out of the parlor. However, there are a lot of cases that some players rent medals from another parlor or take rented medals out of the parlor and use these medals in another parlor. As a result, there is a fear that another parlor""s medals are mixed in a medal game machine or a medal rental machine in the parlor.
At present, it is considered that the most effective means for discriminating proper medals of a specific parlor is to read the design of the medals which is unique to the parlor and extract its characteristic. The image processing apparatus using a solid state image sensing device which is now practical (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-177893 (1999)) can be applied to this medal discrimination. However, since this adopts frame reading for successively reading an area sensor section where pixels are arranged into two-dimensional matrix pattern per line and the image process is executed, there is a fear that the processing time becomes longer and the apparatus itself becomes large and expensive.
On the contrary, the applicants of this invention have already applied for a patent on a solid state image sensing device and on a form discrimination apparatus using the solid state image sensing device with fast processing speed which can be manufactured at lower price (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-351108 (1999)).
Meanwhile, it is necessary to sort medals or the like which are discriminated by the apparatus into the parlor""s medals and another parlor""s medals, and such a sorting apparatus is shown in FIG. 1 or in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-293154 (1997), for example.
As shown in FIG. 1, this apparatus has a passage 203 for continuously transferring medals 201 to be discriminated after the medals 201 are discriminated. An ejection passage 205 and a reject passage 207 are provided below the passage 203. A partition plate 209 is provided rotatively between the ejection passage 205 and the reject passage 207. When the discriminated medal 201 is the parlor""s medal, the partition plate 209 falls to the side of the reject passage 207 so as to block the reject passage 207, the medal 201 is taken out of the ejection passage 205. Moreover, when the medal 201 is judged as another parlor""s medal, the partition plate 209 is driven by a motor or the like so as to fall to the side of the ejection passage 205, and the medal 201 is taken out of the reject passage 207.
However, in the case where the medals 201 are discriminated by the discriminating apparatus that processing speed is extremely fast, since the medals 201 continuously move along the passage 203, the pivoting movement of the partition plate 209 between the ejection passage 205 and the reject passage 207 cannot follow the movement of the medals 201, the medal 201 bumps against the partition plate 209 during the pivoting movement so as to be jammed, and defective sorting possibly occurs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a discrimination object deflecting apparatus which is capable of fast sorting for fast discrimination and of discriminating objects to be discriminated extremely quickly.
A first aspect of the present invention provides: a discrimination object deflecting apparatus, comprising; a discrimination section for continuously discriminating a moving object to be discriminated and generating a discriminating signal when the moving object is to be discriminated; a passage through which the object to be discriminated moves according to a discriminating speed of the discrimination section; a deflection passage connected to one side of the passage; a deflection drive section having an opening provided on an opposite side of the passage from the deflection passage and a deflection plate arranged in the opening of the deflection drive section; and a control section for controlling the deflection drive section according to the discriminating signal of the discrimination section. The deflection drive section is arranged to protrude the deflection plate into the passage and retract the deflection plate from the passage at high speed in response to the discriminating signal such that the object moving in the passage and to be discriminated is flipped by the deflection plate into the deflection passage upon protruding of the deflection plate into the passage.
A second aspect of the invention provides the discrimination object deflecting apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the deflection drive section has a deflection plate which can appear on the passage, and a solenoid which appears and drives the deflection plate.
A third aspect of the present invention provides the discrimination object deflecting apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the discrimination section has an area sensor section where pixels for photoelectric conversion are arranged two-dimensionally; the pixels have a photoelectric conversion section for imaging an optical image, a signal comparison section for comparing a signal electrified in the photoelectric conversion section with a reference signal and outputting the result and a signal holding section for holding an output signal of the signal comparison section, and the pixels use a solid state image sensing device, to which address lines are connected respectively for the pixels, and which specifies necessary address lines from the plural address lines and takes out signals into a data line only from the signal holding sections of the pixels specified based on the address signals from the specified address lines; the specified address lines correspond to concentric circles on a disc-shared object to be discriminated; the object to be discriminated being discriminated based on data on the concentric circles taken out by the address signals of the specified address lines. The pixels are arranged in a two-dimensional matrix along the passage for moving disc-shaped objects to be discriminated at a constant speed. The position of the center of a disc-shaped object to be discriminated moving along the passage at the constant speed is determined on the area sensor section according to the position of a pixel that first forms an image of the disc-shaped object to be discriminated among the pixels of the area sensor section.
According to the first aspect of the invention, the deflection drive section is driven by the control of the control section according to the discriminating signal of the discrimination section so that the object to be discriminated can be selectively flipped towards the deflection passage. Therefore, the object to be discriminated is taken out of the deflection passage connected to the one side of the passage so as to be capable of being sorted quickly according to the fast discrimination, and as a result high-speed discrimination can be executed.
According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, since the deflection plate which appears and is driven by the solenoid flips the object to be discriminated, the object to be discriminated can be sorted more accurately and quickly.
According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the effects of the invention of the first and second aspects, an optical image of the object to be discriminated is imaged by the photoelectric conversion sections of the pixels, and the signal which becomes in the photoelectric conversion section is compared with the reference signal by the signal comparison section, and the output signal of the signal comparison section is held in the signal holding section. Necessary address lines are specified from the address lines connected respectively to the pixels, and the signals held in the signal holding sections are taken out into the data line based on the address signals from the specified address lines. Therefore, a signal is not taken out from all the pixels of the area sensor section but a signal can be taken out from the specified pixel. For this reason, discrimination or the like of a form of the object to be detected is enabled by the signals of the specified pixels without providing an image processing circuit or the like, and thus a processing speed can be heightened. Further, the address lines on the concentric circles of the disc shaped object to be detected are specified, and the object to be detected can be discriminated based on data on the concentric circles taken out by the address signals of the specified address lines so that the discrimination can be made accurately at high processing speed without executing an image process. Therefore, the discrimination section which is capable of making the accurate discrimination at the high processing speed and the deflection drive section are combined so that the discrimination at the high processing speed is overall enabled.

Discrimination object deflecting apparatus


The memory of a healthy mammal and the memory of a mammal with age impaired memory can be improved by administering an effective amount of xcex945-Androstene-3xcex2-ol-7,17-dione and 3xcex2 esters thereof.

The invention relates to the use of pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements to improve memory.
Mankind has sought ways to improve memory for years, including efforts ranging from the consumption of specific foods to meditation. While certain of these techniques have demonstrated limited success in improving memory, the search continues for alternative means for improving memory.
We have discovered that the memory of both a healthy mammal and a mammal with age impaired memory can be improved by administering an effective amount of xcex945-Androstene-3xcex2-ol-7,17-dione and 3xcex2 esters thereof.

Memory by the administration of xcex945-androstene-3xcex2-ol-7,17-dione and 3xcex2 esters


A container capable of dispensing a quantity of contents less than or equal to a set value. The container includes a main body portion, a pressurizing portion and an outflow channel, wherein the main body portion includes a space for holding the contents and a space for gas, the pressurizing portion increases the gas pressure in the space for gas, and the outflow channel communicates with the space for holding the contents to allow the outflow of the contents; it also includes a moving component in the outflow channel movable with the contents to be taken out, and a gas channel outlet moving with said moving component; on the movement track of the gas channel outlet there is an opening communicating with ambient air and in communication with the gas channel outlet; the other end of the gas channel opens in the space for gas in the main body portion.

As living standards improve, scientific awareness of residents is gradually enhanced. Advice provided by scientists on details of daily life such as the amount of oil and soy sauce to be used for the three meals of each day, and the amount of toothpaste used each time receives wide response. However, none of containers commonly used in the life of the residents, such as containers for holding oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and toothpaste, has a function of a limited quantity of removal or a function of a fixed quantity of removal. For each use, the removed quantity is achieved empirically and randomly. Additional removal can deal with insufficient removal, but excess removal only results in excess use. If the actual quantity used is excessive, the advice provided by the scientists fails to be implemented. The quantity of removal is different in each time, so that a result of practical experience, such as a menu, cannot be reproduced.
Two methods are available for removal of a fixed quantity of an oral liquid medicine. One method uses a scale on a container. The other method uses another container having a scale. The first method only achieves the removal of an approximate volume, and extra removal incurs troubles: return may incur pollution to the entire bottle of medicine, and if not returned, the excess quantity cannot be handled. The second method that uses another container having a scale also has the problem of the possible excess quantity, which incurs pollution or waste.
Residents need a simple and practical container capable of limiting the quantity of removal, so that the volume of each removal does not exceed the set quantity.

Container capable of limiting quantity of contents removed therefrom and method for removing same


Efficient data storage and retrieval (e.g., in terms of time and space requirements) is facilitated by implementing an indexing structure comprising an indexing array. That is, a functional relationship between elements of a source set and elements of a query result set can be stored in the indexing structure. This allows, for example, a query regarding whether an element is a member of a set (e.g., whether a particular website or Uniform Resource Locator (URL)) has been visited before) as well as a relationship between the member set and the query (e.g., the number of hyperlinks in the website the last time it was visited) to be resolved efficiently.

In computing environments, data storage and retrieval take many forms and utilize varied methods. Utility, space-efficiency, and speed are common goals for those creating and using data structures. Data storage can involve vast computer warehouses storing large volumes of varied information, banks storing account information, or business databases collecting information related to operating their business. While these types of systems are common, there are many situations that require quick responses to specific questions using a small amount of storage resources.


An integrated circuit is provided having at least one terminal for coupling and/or decoupling of electric signals, particularly of digital signals, and having integrated reference potential means, assigned to the terminal, for providing an electric reference potential to the terminal. It is provided according to an embodiment of the invention that the reference potential means is switchable, particularly by an override process.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit having at least one terminal for coupling and/or decoupling of electric signals, particularly of digital signals, and having integrated reference potential means, assigned to the terminal, for providing an electric reference potential to the terminal.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventional integrated circuits are realized as a semiconductor component and have a plurality of internal and external terminals. The internal terminals are formed as nodal points of electric conductors between individual circuit components, realized in the circuit, such as resistors, capacitors, or transistors. The external terminals are realized as electromechanical interfaces, which typically enable an electrical connection of the integrated circuit with a printed circuit or other electrical components via bond wire connections or solder ball connections. To assure the proper functioning of the integrated circuit, it is desirable that each terminal at each point in time has a defined electric potential. As a result, interference by electric signals, which, for example, are applied at neighboring terminals and can be transmitted via inductive or capacitive couplings, can be avoided.
The prior-art integrated circuit for this purpose has reference potential means at terminals that are not assigned any permanent and clear electric potential or a corresponding useful signal. The reference potential means apply a defined electric potential at the terminal in absence of the useful signal. Known reference potential means are realized as pull-up circuits or as pull-down circuits. In this case, a terminal is connected to a higher or lower voltage potential via a high-impedance resistor, so that in the absence of a useful signal the terminal has the corresponding voltage potential. As soon as a useful signal is applied to the terminal, the electric potential at the terminal is defined by the useful signal due to the high-impedance coupling of the pull-up circuit or the pull-down circuit. Because of the high-impedance resistor, reference potential means made in this manner require a certain area on the integrated circuit and are not suitable for all types of terminals.


The present invention provides methods of introducing a polynucleotide into a target cell, wherein the method employs a light generating protein coding sequence acting as a reporter. An important advantage of the methods described herein is that drug resistant target cells or target cells having no useful auxotrophic markers can be effectively transformed. The present invention also includes transformed cells produced by the methods described herein. Also described are light generating protein coding sequence modifications, a variety of vectors, and methods of using the transformed cells of the present invention.

Assays that rapidly and efficiently identify cells that have been successfully transformed with exogenous DNA are useful in a wide variety of applications including, for example, identifying cell lines and/or transgenic organisms and conducting high-throughput drug screening. Indeed, it is only once the insertion of the exogenous DNA is confirmed that cell lines or transgenic organisms can be used as animal models for drug discovery, elucidation of biochemical pathways, toxicity studies and the like.
The most commonly used method for detecting whether exogenous nucleic acid has been introduced into a target cell is by selection, either by a nutritional deficiency that is complemented by the introduced DNA, or by drug resistance. For complementation of auxotrophic mutants, the recipient cells have to be deficient in that gene function. For drug resistance, the cells have to be sensitive to that drug. Unfortunately, many cells (e.g., pathogens) are resistant to drug selection techniques. Candida albicans, for example, displays resistance to hygromycin, benomyl, cycloheximide, mitomycin C and tunicamycin. Similarly, other pathogenic organisms (e.g., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and some variants of M. tuberculosis) have developed resistance to many of these routinely used antibiotics. Thus, it has proven very difficult to transform these cells and to detect successful integration events.
Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are the most common nosocomial pathogens worldwide. MRSA are responsible for greater than 40% of hospital-born staphylococcal infections in large, U.S., teaching hospitals. They have become prevalent in smaller hospitals (20% incidence in hospitals with 200 to 500 beds), as well as in nursing homes (Wenzel et al., 1992, Am. J. Med. 91(Supp 3B):221–227). An unusual property of MRSA strains is their ability to pick up additional resistance factors resulting in little or no susceptibility of these strains to chemotherapeutically useful antibiotics. Such multi-resistant strains of bacteria are now prevalent world-wide and the worst of these pathogens carry resistance mechanisms to all but one (i.e., vancomycin) of the usable antibacterial agents (Blumberg et al., 1991, J. Inf. Disease (63:1279–1285).
Another nosocomial pathogen, Enterococcus faecium, is known for its ability to transfer from one cell to another plasmid-born resistance factors, such as, vancomycin resistance. Such a mechanism for the transfer of resistance factors will lead to more and more bacterial resistant to known antibiotics. High-level vancomycin-resistance strains of E. faecium were first isolated in England in 1986. In 1990s, Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) were documented as having been spread all over the world. The identification of multidrug-resistant strains, which are resistant to high concentrations of ampicillin or gentamicin, or to vancomycin, introduces serious therapeutic dilemmas. Further, the absence of sensitivity to antibiotics greatly interferes with the ability to manipulate these organisms, particularly in view of the fact that most bacterial transformation vectors rely on antibiotic resistant selection. A more complete explanation of the basis for antibiotic resistance and the emergence of resistant strains can be found in the literature (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,587 Tomasz, et al. Oct. 24, 2000; Ohno, A., et al., Nippon Rinsho (2001) 59(4):673–680).
The lack of efficient screening systems in certain organisms can seriously impair efforts to screen candidate drugs. In part due to the increasing numbers of immunocompromised patients, infections with drug-resistant organisms and systemic fungal infections with normally benign organisms are on the rise, for example, many such infections are due to the normal human flora Candida albicans. Candida species are now the fourth most common cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections (Edmond et al. (1999) Clin Infect Dis. 29(2):239–44). Commensurate with the increase in the number of people contracting serious Candida infections, is an increase in the incidence of strains resistant to antifungal compounds (White, Marr, et al., (1998) Clin Microbiol Rev 11(2):382–402). To counteract this, new classes of antifungal compounds and their possible targets must be investigated.
The study in Candida albicans of new targets amenable to antifungal attack, using genetic approaches, has been hampered by several factors. First, the plasmids used with Candida albicans are usually present in cells as tandem copies and are quickly lost without selective pressure (Cannon et al. (1992) Mol Gen Genet. 235(2–3):453–457; Kurtz et al. (1987) Mol Cell Biol. 7(1):209–17; Pla et al. (1995) Gene 165(1):115–20). Further, unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae, no centromeric sequence or autonomously replicating sequence has been cloned which would allow episomal plasmids to be maintained without any selection.
Another factor that has hampered the study of C. albicans and the generation of effective treatments that this organism was thought to be diploid throughout its life cycle. Only recently has it been shown that Candida can be forced to mate (Magee (2000) Science 289(5477):310–313; Hull et al. (2000) Science 289(5477):307–310possibly going through a tetraploid state. The presence of genetic elements akin to the mating alleles of S. cerevisiae suggests that meiotic division may lead to haploid cells, however such haploid isolates have not been observed. Accordingly, to study a new antifungal target, both chromosomal copies of the candidate gene must be inactivated see its effect on the cell. To knock out both copies, a construct called a "ura blaster" was developed (Alani (1987) Genetics 117(1):5–12; Fonzi et al. (1993) Genetics 134(3):717–28). Cells must be made auxotrophic for URA3, and creating an auxotrophic strain from a clinical isolate usually reduces virulence significantly or totally abolishes it (Lay et al. (1998) Infect Immun. 66(11):5301–6; Kirsch et al. (1991) Infect Immun. 59(9):3297–300; Polak (1992) Mycoses 35(1–2):9–16; (1995) FEMS Microbiol Lett. 126(2):177–80). A study has shown that even in virulent strains, recovery of URA3 function may not necessarily restore virulence to wild type levels (Lay et al. (1998), supra).
A third issue is that very few heterologous genes have been expressed in C. albicans due to its abnormal codon usage (CTG coding for serine instead of leucine) (Leuker (1994) Mol Gen Genet. 245(2):212–7). In order for a heterologous gene to be functionally expressed in Candida albicans, every CTG codon in the gene must be mutated to other leucine codons (Morschhauser et al. (1998) Mol Gen Genet. 257(4):412–20). Thus, these and other difficulties have limited the study of Candida genes to strains in which URA3 or another nutritional marker has been knocked out. Many reporter genes are not used due to the effort needed to mutagenize them for expression.
Methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,135, make possible the detection of bioluminescent bacteria in a living animal without dissecting or otherwise opening the animal up ("in vivo monitoring")—the light is detected through muscle, skin, fur & other traditionally "opaque" tissues using a highly sensitive camera. Although green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been expressed in C. albicans (Cormack, Bertram, et al., (1997) Microbiology 143(Pt 2):303–11; Morschhauser, Michel, et al., (1998) Mol Gen Genet 257(4):412–20), GFP producing C. albicans cells have not yet been imaged inside a living animal. Srikantha, et al., ((1996) J Bacteriol. 178(1):121–9) reported expression of the luciferase of the sea pansy Renilla reniformis in C. albicans, but the cost of the substrate, coelentrazine, makes it impractical for use in living animals.
In addition to C. albicans many other pathogenic organisms have become resistant to most or all antibiotics, thus making transformation of these organisms difficult, if not impossible by classical methods of introducing DNA comprising a drug resistance gene and selecting for drug resistance conferred by the DNA used for transformation.
Thus, there remains a need for methods of detecting transformation of target cells, particularly methods that do not involve selectable markers. The present invention provides, inter alia, such methods, expression cassettes, transposon cassettes and other tools useful for generating light-producing organisms, for example, pathogenic organisms (such as, MRSA, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and Candida albicans) which are suitable for studies relating to infection and/or pathogenesis in vitro and in whole animals.

Methods of screening for introduction of DNA into a target cell


A low-altitude flight guidance system for an aircraft including a warning generator that generates a warning based upon a predicted position. The system further including a first sensor system having a terrain database and a calculation module that determines a current position of the aircraft with respect to terrain stored in the terrain database and that determines a reference altitude hDB of the terrain at the current position. The system further includes a second sensor system and a module that determines a predetermined flight altitude difference ΔhF at the predicted position and terrain data in a region U of the predicted position. Moreover, the system includes an altitude prediction module that predicts an altitude and forwards the predicted altitude to the warning generator. The warning is based upon the aircraft reaching, approaching, or exceeding a warning altitude limit, and the altitude prediction module determination for the predicted position is based upon a prediction set point. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a low-altitude flight guidance system, a warning system for low-altitude flight guidance, a warning generator for low-altitude flight guidance and a method for low-altitude flight guidance.
2. Discussion of Background Information
From the general prior art low-altitude flight guidance systems it is known to generate warning signals on a basis of a current distance from the ground. At very low flight altitudes and also with aircraft having only a relatively low vertical acceleration capability, the crew of the aircraft cannot be supported with the necessary reliability with the known warning systems. Either frequent false alarms occur, or the warning does not come or comes too late.

Low-altitude flight guidance system, warning system for low-altitude flight guidance, warning generator for low-altitude flight guidance and method for low-altitude flight guidance


For the purpose of X-ray CT imaging a heart of a subject with high image quality while reducing stress on the subject, once an optimal cardiac phase has been set by an optimal cardiac phase setting section 30b and a target position in a subject to be scanned when the cardiac phase of the subject is at an optimal cardiac phase is defined at a target position defining section 30c, a transport-starting-cardiac-phase calculating section 30b calculates a transport-starting cardiac phase such that the target position is scanned at the optimal cardiac phase, using the optimal cardiac cycle, target position, scan start position, transport speed of an imaging table, and approach-run time for the imaging table. A scan control section starts transport at the imaging table 4 when the cardiac phase of the subject coincides with the transport-starting cardiac phase, and performs a helical scan with a helical pitch of one or more, for example.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus for imaging a subject by helical scanning.
Conventionally, X-ray CT imaging on a heart, especially, coronary arteries or the like, of a subject to be imaged involves so-called electrocardiographic gating imaging in which imaging is performed in synchronization with heartbeats.
The electrocardiographic gating imaging includes a prospective imaging method and a retrospective imaging method. The prospective imaging method comprises observing a cardiac cycle averaged based on a plurality of latest heartbeats, and collecting projection data for image reconstruction in synchronization with a cardiac phase at which motion of the heart is considered to be slowest, for example, at a 75% phase of the averaged cardiac cycle (see Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2006-006531, for example). The retrospective imaging method comprises imaging a subject by a helical scan with a relatively small helical pitch, for example, with a pitch of the order of 0.2, while monitoring electrocardiographic signals from the subject, to collect the electrocardiographic signals for the subject and projection data for the subject simultaneously, and later extracting only projection data corresponding to an arbitrary cardiac phase for image reconstruction (see Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2003-164446, for example).
Another method for reconstructing a tomographic image of coronary arteries or the like in a heart is known as a so-called multi-segment image reconstruction method. The method comprises collecting projection data in a plurality of segments at the same cardiac phase over several heartbeats, or extracting such projection data from those continuously collected in a helical scan, combining the projection data over view angles required in reconstruction of an image for one slice, and reconstructing a tomographic image. In general, reconstruction of an image for one slice requires projection data over a view angle of at least an X-ray beam fan angle plus 180°, and in a case that projection data collected during one rotation of a gantry cannot cover the view angle, a tomographic image for one slice can be reconstructed using the multi-segment image reconstruction method by combining segmented projection data collected in a period of time corresponding to a plurality of consecutive heartbeats.
Such electrocardiographic gating imaging or multi-segment image reconstruction enables image reconstruction processing to be achieved using projection data corresponding to a given cardiac phase zone in which motion of the heart is slow, so that a tomographic image of a heart in which blurring of a subject due to cardiac motion is suppressed can be obtained.

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A gene expressed specifically in mesangial cells. A DNA expressed specifically in mesangial cells; a protein encoded by this DNA; an antibody binding to this protein, etc. These substances are indigenous to mesangial cells and, therefore, useful in, for example, identifying mesangial cells and detecting abnormalities in mesangial cells. Moreover, the above protein would be helpful for clarification of the functions of masangial cells and, in its turn, for clarification of the causes of diseases relating to masangial cells. This protein is expectedly applicable to the treatment and diagnosis of diseases relating to masangial cells.

Sixty trillion various cells in vivo essentially comprise identical genomic DNA. For the normal physiological functions, the expression of these genes is strictly controlled by signals received by cell lines and cells. Therefore, elucidation of genes expressed specifically in each cell type is very important.
A mesangial cell plays a pivotal role in maintaining the structure and function of a glomerulus and is a target of disorders for each type of nephritis. For example, proliferation of mesangial cells and accumulation of extracellular mesangial matrix are thought to be the first step developing glomerulosclerosis in a patient suffering from various glomerular diseases such as chronic nephritis and diabetic nephritis. Therefore, identification of genes expressed specifically in mesangial cells and elucidation of its function are helpful for understanding biological characteristics of mesangial cells and the causes of diseases relating to mesangial cells, and in turn, treating or diagnosing diseases relating to mesangial cells.
Thy1 antigen is known as a marker for mesangial cells in rats. However, this gene is not specific to mesangial cells and is not expressed in human mesangial cells (Miyata T. et al., Immunology, 1989, 67: 531-533; and Miyata T. et al., Immunology, 1990, 69: 391-395). Mesangial cells are known to express α smooth muscle actin when activated, but this gene is also not specific to mesangial cells. Any genes expressed specifically in mesangial cells have not been reported.


A dry land snowboard training device is presented for simulating the balance and movement of a conventional snowboard on dry land, and in particular the balance and movement of a conventional snowboard on a wooden half pipe. The device comprises a unitary retrofit apparatus which can be mounted to a footboard or removably mounted to a conventional snowboard. The retrofit apparatus includes a frame, a support brace, and a series of housing assemblies which each contain a plurality of ball bearings. The device also incorporates a pair of inventive bindings which each comprise a hard plastic sole, with straps, and a support piece, with a strap, which is attached to the hard plastic sole with flexible cords.

The present invention relates generally to a dry land snowboard training device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device which simulates snowboarding on dry land by providing a retrofit device for a conventional snowboard, or a manufactured snowboard containing the retrofit device, which is designed for use on a half pipe made of plywood or other non-snow surfaces.
Although snowboarding is most closely associated with skiing, snowboard riders come to the sport from a number of other sports including skateboarding, surfing, and sailboarding. Snowboarding had its earliest recorded start in the mid-1960's. Since then, steady progress was made in improving snowboard materials, design, and construction until the early 1980's, when the technological advances in the ski industry were adapted to snowboarding.
Entering the 1990's, there is an estimated 2,000,000 snowboarders in the United States alone. In 1992, that number is expected to double. The number of snowboards manufactured and sold has also increased. In 1991-92, Burton, the leading manufacturer in snowboards, made and sold approximately 90,000 new snowboards while Morrow, another manufacturer, made and sold approximately 29,000 new snowboards.
At first, ski resorts were reluctant to allow snowboarding. However, after insurance companies for the ski resorts determined that there was no significant difference in the danger of injuries to downhill skiers and to snowboard skiers, the number of resorts allowing snowboarding increased drastically. In 1990, approximately 95% of all resorts allowed snowboarding while only 40% allowed snowboarding just three years prior to that.
Snowboarding has been named the largest growing professional sport in both the United States and the world. Along with the increase in the number of participants in the sport, there has also been an increase in the number of competitions available to snowboarders. Therefore, there is a definite need for a dry land snowboard which is capable of moving in multiple directions and simulating edging on snow, in order to provide a means for practicing snowboarding without the snow.


A key and lock device comprises a key having a first electronic circuit and a lock having a second electronic circuit. The key and the lock store secret information, some of which is unique for each device. The key and the lock exchange a random number through connectors and perform a calculation in the respective circuitry based on the random number and secret information. An electrical blocking mechanism is moved to a non-blocking position if a comparison of the calculations in the circuits gives the correct result.

It is previously known a variety of lock devices that use electronic devices for increasing the security of the lock and for providing effective administration, management, and control of keys and personnel. However, the demand for lock systems with a high level of security and at the same time being easy to administer is constantly increasing.
The UK patent application GB 2 309 046 discloses a lock that sends a random number to a key, which applies a crypto algorithm to the random number and sends a code word back to the lock. In the lock, the code word is compared with a desired code word, which is generated by applying the same crypto algorithm to the random number. An authentication signal is then generated so long as the code word and the desired code word are substantially but not necessarily completely in agreement. The described key and lock system has several limitations and drawbacks. The communication between lock and key is wireless, introducing noise in the transmitted information. Therefore, the level of security is decreased as a certain degree of mismatch between the results calculated in the lock and the key must be allowed. This might be allowed in a car lock application, as is the case here, but not in normal lock applications. Furthermore, the key is limited to the use with one single lock, thus making the system unusable in a master key system.
The European patent application EP 0 816 600 discloses a single key system comprising a lock, keys and a codifier. The lock includes an electronic circuit which stores an access code and identification codes for the keys with specific restrictions. The keys include electronic circuits that store the access codes for one or several keys. However, one drawback with the described single key system is that it is possible to read out or intercept data, lowering the level of security.


A method and system of synchronizing multiple tracking devices in a geo-location receiver system comprising: receiving a first plurality of geo-location signals with a first tracking device; and receiving a second plurality of geo-location signals with a second tracking device. The method also includes: enabling the first tracking device as either a master tracking device or a master-with-mark tracking device; enabling the second tracking device to operate as a slave tracking device; the master tracking device generates and transmits a timing signal to the slave tracking device; and the master-with-mark tracking device is configured to receive an external input for synchronization and generates and transmits a timing signal to the slave tracking device. The method also includes acquiring the first plurality of geo-location signals and the second plurality of geo-location signals at a substantially simultaneous instant of time.

This invention relates generally to Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) direct sequence spread spectrum receivers. Examples of GNSS receivers include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, Galileo receivers (the European equivalent of GPS), GLONASS receivers (the Russian equivalent of GPS), and Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS) receivers. As an example, the GPS (which predates Galileo, GLONASS, and SBAS) operates by broadcasting direct sequence spread spectrum timing signals on L1 (1575.42 MHz) and L2 (1227.6 MHz) carrier frequencies from a constellation of greater than 24 satellites in a half geo-synchronous orbit. These signals, when properly processed by a GNSS receiver, permit determination of position and velocity.
With existing receivers, the measurements of satellite information are usually taken at periodic time epochs, each epoch denoted as a TIC. TIC is an internally generated signal produced by each multi-channel correlator within the receiver. The correlator is the portion of the receiver that performs the high-speed digital processing necessary to track geo-location satellites. However, as each receiver operates independently, each receiver acquires its data asynchronously. Asynchronous acquisition of data leads to timing discrepancies between correlators. Therefore, it is desired to have a method and an apparatus for synchronizing the precise timing of measurements across multiple correlators and receivers. Furthermore, it is desired that a receiver and correlator be user configurable as desired to facilitate the synchronization.

Method and system for synchronizing multiple tracking devices for a geo-location system


A safety vial-handler tool has a plurality of different sizes of vial orifices (4) in a vial plate (1) superimposed rotatably on a shield plate (2). The shield plate (2) has a shield orifice (6) sized to receive the largest-diameter vial that is positional in the vial plate (1). A handle (3) is attached perpendicularly to a bottom edge of the shield plate (2). The vial plate (1) is dialed rotatably to align a particular vial-plate orifice with the shield orifice (6) for a vial (7) being handled. A vial that fits a particular vial-plate orifice is then inserted into the vial-plate orifice where it is suspended from a vial flange (8). The vial (7) is extended through the shield plate (2) in parallel relationship to the handle (3). The suspending vial is held with a thumb (9) and forefinger (10) while the handle (3) is grasped with at least one of the remaining three fingers (12) and palm (13 ) of a hand (11) of a user. The user's other hand is thus free to operate a syringe for transferring a fluid into or out of the vial being so held. A deflector ridge (15, 17) around either the vial plate (1) or the shield plate (2) further restrains syringe needles from sticking the handler. The handle can have an indentation (19, 22) for one or more of the three handle-holding fingers and can be foldable for fitting this vile-handler tool into a pocket of a user's uniform or into a phlebotomist's kit.

This invention relates to hand-held vial and test-tube holders. In particular, it is a vial-handler tool with a shield for protection against accidentally sticking oneself by a syringe needle when transferring blood or other fluid into or out of a vial of a size for which the tool is dialed for selection from a plurality of vial sizes. A use method is described.
Various vial holders with shields have been devised for protection against contraction of primarily lethal AIDS and also against other infections when transferring contaminated blood or other fluid into or out of a vial with a syringe in the health-care field. None, however, has been foldable for phlebotomy-kit or uniform-pocket carriage; nor have they combined convenient smallness with adaptation to different sizes of vials or test tubes as provided by this invention.
One example of a different device for holding a vial in relation to use with a syringe is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,618 that was issued to Ray D. Marvel on Jun. 20, 1989. The Marvel patent described a hollow handle into which a "test container," such as a vial, was fittable snugly. A protective shield extended over a user's hand radially from the upper end of the handle. It was limited to one size of test container for which a particular unit was sized and shaped precisely. It was not adaptable to different sizes of vials or test containers. Nor was it foldable to fit into a pocket of a uniform or other clothing of a user.
Another holder with a safety shield was taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,850 issued to Donald B. Mears on Jan. 8, 1991. Mears taught a plurality of tubular test-tube holders arranged in a row between a top shield and a bottom base. A frontal slot in each holder allowed application of thumb pressure against test tubes to hold them steadily against movement of a syringe-needle when transferring fluid into or out from one of the test tubes. This device also was not a pocket tool. Instead, it was a container of a plurality of test tubes or vials.
Other known vial holders are further yet different from this invention and do not have the convenience and safety features provided by this invention.


A transfer device increments a value of a phase ID at predetermined time intervals, and registers a packet ID of a transmitted data packet and a phase ID on a determination table in an associated manner. When having received a response packet from a receiving-side transfer device, the transfer device determines an unarrived packet on the basis of received packet IDs contained in the received response packet and packet IDs of transmitted data packets. Then, the transfer device determines whether a data packet corresponding to the unarrived packet is lost or on-the-fly from a relationship between a phase ID of the unarrived packet and the maximum phase contained in the received response packet, and retransmits the corresponding data packet only if it is lost.

In recent years, the network bandwidth has been increasingly expanded with the spread of optical communications and the like. However, as explained below, the network bandwidth is not effectively used due to the influence of network delay.
A conventional transfer device executes packet transmission by a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol). In the TCP, a receive window size is set, and after transmission of packets equivalent to the receive window size, whether each of the packets has arrived at a destination is determined by receipt of an ACK (Acknowledge) from the destination. After having confirmed the arrival of the packet, the transfer device transmits the next packet.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the conventional technology. As illustrated in FIG. 12, a transmitting-side transfer device transmits packets 1a equivalent to a receive window size to a receiving-side transfer device, and receives an ACK 1b from the receiving side. By the receipt of the ACK 1b, the transmitting-side transfer device confirms that the packet 1a has arrived at a destination, and transmits the next packet 1c to the receiving-side transfer device. A time between the transmission of the packets 1a and the receipt of the ACK 1b is called an RTT (Round Trip Time).
A standard data amount of the receive window size used in the TCP is 64 KB. When an RTT is X (ms), data in the amount of 64 KB×(1000/X) only can be transmitted per second. For example, when an RTT is 200 (ms), an amount of data that can be transmitted per second is 2.56 (Mbps). That is, when the receive window size is 64 KB, and the RTT is 200 (ms), a transmittable data amount is 2.56 (Mbps) no matter how wide the network bandwidth is.
To resolve the above-described problem, there are various conventional technologies. A conventional technology 1 is designed to enlarge a receive window size by TCP scale option, thereby increasing an amount of data to be transmitted at one time. Then, in the conventional technology 1, after transmission of a packet, if no ACK is received within a response delay time set on the basis of regular measurement, the packet is considered to be lost, and the packet is retransmitted.
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the conventional technology 1. As illustrated in FIG. 13, a transfer device according to the conventional technology 1 transmits a packet 2a to the receiving side, and, when having received an ACK 2b of the packet 2a within a response delay time 3a, determines that the packet 2a has arrived at the receiving side. On the other hand, the transfer device transmits a packet 2c to the receiving side, and, when having received no ACK of the packet 2c within a response delay time 3b, considers the packet 2c to be lost and retransmits a packet 2d corresponding to the packet 2c.
In a conventional technology 2, a packet-transmitting-side transfer device transmits packets in ascending order of packet ID. Then, a packet-receiving-side transfer device monitors the order of packet IDs of received packets, and, if any packet ID is missing, requests for retransmission of a corresponding packet.
FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the conventional technology 2. As illustrated in FIG. 14, in the conventional technology 2, the transmitting-side transfer device transmits packets 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, and 4e in this order to the receiving-side transfer device. Packet IDs of the packets 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, and 4e are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The receiving-side transfer device receives the packets 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4e. The receiving-side transfer device monitors packet IDs of the packets 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4e, and detects that packet ID "4" is missing. In this case, the receiving-side transfer device transmits a retransmission request packet 5a to the transmitting-side transfer device. The retransmission request packet 5a contains a packet ID of a packet to be retransmitted. The transmitting-side transfer device transmits the packet 4d requested to be retransmitted to the receiving-side transfer device. These related-art examples are described, for example in [Patent document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-141633.
However, the above-described conventional technologies have a problem that to perform data transfer in the utmost limit of the network bandwidth, the receive window size has to be increased, and it is not possible to prevent wasteful retransmission.
For example, in the above-described conventional technology 1, if no ACK is received within the response delay time, a packet is considered to be lost, and the packet is retransmitted. However, an increase in the load on a network may delay the arrival of a packet, and an ACK does not arrive at the transmitting-side transfer device within the response delay time. In such a case, retransmission performed by the transmitting side is wasteful retransmission. A packet which has been transmitted from the transmitting-side transfer device but has not arrived at the receiving-side transfer device is called a packet on-the-fly.
In the above-described conventional technology 2, the receiving-side transfer device monitors the order of packet IDs, detects a missing packet, and requests for retransmission of the packet. However, in this conventional technology 2, to detect loss of a retransmitted packet, a response delay time has to be set in the same manner as the conventional technology 1. FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining the problem in the conventional technology 2. As illustrated in FIG. 15, in the first transmission of packets, loss of the packet 4d can be detected as explained in FIG. 14; however, in retransmission of the packet 4d, it could be that the packet 4d is lost again. In this case, loss of the packet 4d isn't detected by the order of packet IDs of packets 4f and later. Namely, to detect loss of the retransmitted packet 4d, the transmitting-side transfer device has to set a response delay time and determine whether or not to transmit the retransmitted packet again.
One aspect of the present invention is intended to provide a transfer device, transfer method, and transfer program capable of preventing wasteful retransmission even when there are a lot of packets on-the-fly.


A liquid crystal (LC) panel includes a plurality of data lines and a plurality of leads connected to the data lines, the driving circuit of the LC panel includes a monitor module and a data-driving module, the data-driving module includes a data latch unit coupled to the lead of the LC panel. The monitor module outputs a time sequence signal to control the data latch unit to output a display signal to the data line. The driving circuit of the LC panel includes a delay unit corresponding to the data line, and the time sequence signal is sent to the data latch unit through the delay unit. When the delay unit reaches a preset delay time, the time sequence signal controls the data latch unit to the display signal to a corresponding data line, and a delay time of a delay unit coupled to a long lead of the LC panel is shorter than a delay time of a delay unit coupled to a short lead of the LC panel.

In a liquid crystal (LC) panel, a data signal output by a data chip reaches a data line through a lead. As a number of an output channel of the data chip increases, length difference between length of leads of two ends of the LC panel and length of leads of a middle of the LC panel increases, thus difference in impedance increases, and the difference in impedance affects distortion of the data signal. Generally, to make the impedances of all leads be basically same when the data signal reaches each of pixels of the LC panel, an S-shaped lead is used. As shown in FIG. 1, a lead of a glass of the LC panel is compressed by a golden finger of a data-driving module packaged by a chip on film (COF), and the lead is connected to the coiling lead the pixel of the LC panel through coiling lead. Currently, a development direction of the LC panel is to reduce a width of a frame of the LC panel, thus reducing space of the coiling lead. With the number of the output channels of the data chip of the data-driving module increasing, using the S-shaped lead cannot reduce an impedance difference caused by a distance difference, thus time that a display signal output by the output channel of two ends of the data chip reaches the data line of the LC panel is more than the amount of time it takes for a display signal output by the output channel of the middle of the data chip to reach the data line of the LC panel. Thus, it is important to find another method to solve the above-described problem.

Driving circuit of liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal panel, and a driving method


The present invention relates to the selective inhibition of protein expression of CAG repeat-related disease proteins such as Huntingtin Disease Protein and Ataxin-3 using double-stranded RNAs and nucleic acid analogs. Chemically-modified RNAs having at least one mismatch as compared to the target CAG repeat sequence are specifically contemplated.

A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fields of biology and medicine. More particularly, the invention provides compositions and methods for the selective inhibition of expanded CAG-repeat containing disease proteins such as Huntingtin Disease (HTT) protein and Ataxin-3.
B. Related Art
Huntington's Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder with an incidence of 5-10 per 100,000 individuals in Europe and North America (Borrell-Pages et al., 2004; Walker, 2007). HD is caused by the expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats within the first exon of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, leading to disruption of protein function, and neurodegeneration (Gusella and MacDonald, 2006). Antisense oligonucleotides or siRNAs that reduce HTT expression have been proposed as a therapeutic strategy (Hasholt et al., 2003; Boado et al., 2002; Harper et al., 2005; Denovan-Wright and Davidson, 2006; DiFiglia et al., 2007) but most oligomers inhibit the mutant and wild-type protein expression indiscriminately. HTT is known to play an essential role in embryogenesis (Nasir et al., 1995), neurogenesis (White et al., 1997), and normal adult function in heterozygotes (Nasir et al., 1995), suggesting that agents inhibiting both mutant and wild-type HTT will induce significant side-effects. See Scholefield & Wood (2009) for a review.
One strategy for distinguishing mutant from wild-type alleles for HD and other neurological diseases uses siRNAs that target single nucleotide differences or deletions (Schwarz et al., 2006; Rodriguez-Lebron and Paulson, 2006; van Bilsen et al., 2008; Alves et al., 2008; Rodriguez-Lebron et al., 2009). These polymorphisms will often differ from patient to patient, complicating application of allele-specific RNAi in the clinic. Thus, there remains a need to identify agents that selectively inhibit mutant HTT production.
The inventors have previously demonstrated that single-stranded LNA or PNA oligomers that are fully-complementary to CAG repeat can inhibit expression of HTT or ataxin-3 in an allele-selective manner (Hu et al., 2009a; 2009b; 2009c). They also examined inhibition by fully-complementary duplex RNA, but observed little selectivity for inhibition of mutant versus wild-type HTT (Hu et al., 2009a).

Selective inhibition of polyglutamine protein expression

THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM


Provided is an error correction encoder that performs coding on both a transmission area and a redundancy area of the transmission frame by using a product code, and when excess or deficiency is arisen with respect to allocation of an information sequence area and/or a parity sequence area in a product code frame generated by the coding using the product code, non-uniformly allocate the information sequence area to the parity sequence area, and/or non-uniformly allocate the parity sequence area to the information sequence area, where each of the non-uniform allocations is performed in accordance with the arisen excess or deficiency.

A conventional product code is composed of one type of code in a longitudinal direction and another type of code in a lateral direction (for example, refer to Non-Patent Literature 1 presented in below and FIG. 14 of the present application). This frame configuration is defined as a product code frame. With regard to the product code, although any of coding in the longitudinal direction and the coding in the lateral direction may be performed first, an element code in the lateral direction and the element code in the longitudinal direction are conveniently defined as an outer code C1 (coded first) and an inner code C2 (subsequently coded), respectively. An arrow 901 depicted in FIG. 14 indicates a coding direction of the outer code C1 (from left to right on the paper). In the arrow 901, a section 901a indicates an allocation of an information sequence, and a section 901b indicates an allocation of a parity sequence. A coding to separate an information sequence area 911 and a parity sequence area 912 from each other after the coding is referred to as a systematic coding.
Similarly, an arrow 902 indicates a coding direction of the inner code C2 (from top to bottom on the paper) in which the information sequence and the parity sequence are allocated to a section 902a and a section 902b, respectively. Also in this case, a systematic coding in which the information sequence area 911 and a parity sequence area 913 are separated from each other is employed. Meanwhile, in a case of the product code, a Check-on-Check area 914 to be allocated to the parity sequences 901b and 902b of both of the outer code C1 and the inner code C2 may be provided.

Error correction coding device, error correction decoding device and method therefor


A mounting table is provided. The mounting table includes an electrostatic chuck configured to mount thereon a target object and attract and hold the target object using an electrostatic force, and a gas supply line configured to supply a gas to a gap between the target object mounted on the electrostatic chuck and the electrostatic chuck via the electrostatic chuck. The mounting table further includes at least one irradiation unit configured to irradiate light having a predetermined wavelength to the gas flowing through the gas supply line or to the gas supplied to the gap between the target object and the electrostatic chuck to ionize the gas.

In an apparatus for processing a target object such as a semiconductor wafer or the like, the target object is mounted and processed on a mounting table disposed in a processing chamber. The mounting table is provided with an electrostatic chuck for attracting and holding the target object using an electrostatic force to prevent the target object from moving during the processing. When the processing is completed, application of a DC voltage to the electrostatic chuck is stopped and the electrostatic force of the electrostatic chuck is released. Then, the processed target object is lifted from the mounting base by support pins and transferred by a transfer unit.
However, depending on processing conditions and residues in the processing chamber, the electrostatic force may remain between the electrostatic chuck and the target object even when the application of the DC voltage to the electrostatic chuck is stopped. Especially, in vacuum processing such as plasma etching, charges of the target object are hardly released through a gas. When the electrostatic force remains between the target object and the electrostatic chuck, the target object may jump up due to the pressing force of the support pins, which may result in positional displacement. Further, the target object may be damaged depending on a magnitude of the remaining electrostatic force.
As a technique capable of avoiding the above-described drawbacks, there is known a technique for ionizing a gas outside a processing chamber and supplying the ionized gas to a semiconductor wafer via a mounting table (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-199239). Accordingly, negative charges on the backside surface of the semiconductor wafer are neutralized by positive ions in the ionized gas.
The present disclosure provides a mounting table and a charge neutralization method for a target object which can quickly neutralize charges of a processed target object.

Mounting table and charge neutralization method for target object


An analyzer 10 for identifying or verifying or otherwise characterizing a liquid based drug sample 16 comprising: an electromagnetic radiation source 11 for emitting electromagnetic radiation 14a in at least one beam at a sample 16, the electromagnetic radiation comprising at least two different wavelengths, a sample detector 17 that detects affected electromagnetic radiation resulting from the emitted electromagnetic radiation affected by the sample, and a processor 18 for identifying or verifying the sample from the detected affected electromagnetic radiation, wherein each wavelength or at least two of the wavelengths is between substantially 1300 nm and 2000 nm, and each wavelength or at least two of the wavelengths is in the vicinity of the wavelength(s) of (or within a region spanning) a spectral characteristic in the liquid spectrum between substantially 1300 nm and 2000 nm.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spectroscopic analyser, such as a spectrophotometer, for verifying and/or identifying or otherwise analysing drugs, blood or other substances.
Description of the Related Art
Spectroscopy, for example through the use of a spectroscopic analyser such as a spectrophotometer, can be used to analyse substances. For example, by directing incident radiation towards a sample, and analysing the spectral nature of the affected radiation, it can be possible to gain an indication of the nature of the sample.
However, such analysers often provide inaccurate analysis. Accurately discriminating between different substances can be difficult.


A machine for removing the tips of tablet punches includes a housing that contains a turret that is rotated about a substantially vertical axis and a cutting wheel. The turret supports a plurality of tablet punches in a substantially vertical position with the tips of the punches being exposed below the turret. A cutting wheel is positioned below the turret and is located in a position so as to be in the path of the tips as the turret rotates. A motor rotates the cutting wheel so that the tips are removed from the punches as they are rotated into the path of the wheel. A nozzle is directed to the position where the cutting wheel engages the tips of the punches and sprays a cooling fluid in order to cool the cutting wheel and tips to prevent overheating thereof.

The present invention is directed toward an apparatus for destroying a tablet punch and more particularly, toward a machine with a cutting wheel that removes the tip of a tablet punch.
Tablets for use as drugs and for other pharmaceutical purposes are typically made by depositing a quantity of the medicinal powder into a die and compressing the powder. This is accomplished by lowering and raising a pair of punches onto the powdered material in the die. The punches are located on turrets that rotate about their respective vertical axis. Some punches have a recessed end portion so that the tablet will have a domed or beveled surface. The recessed portion of one or both of the punches frequently has some type of marking such as a letters, numbers, logos or other indicia thereon which information is transferred onto each tablet. The indicia may provide information concerning the type or dose of the medication or the manufacturer thereof.
The punches discussed above eventually do wear out and must be replaced. Furthermore, they are frequently replaced before they are worn when a particular medication is no longer being produced or when it is desired to change the indicia on the tablets. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States requires that the end portion or tip of each punch be ground or cut off before disposing of the same in order to ensure that the punches will not be improperly reused by others. Undoubtedly, regulatory agencies in other countries have similar requirements.
At present, a grinding wheel is used to grind the ends of each of the punches before they are disposed of. This is done manually by a worker holding the punch and forcing the tip thereof onto the surface of the grinding wheel. However, there are many problems, disadvantages, and safety issues involved in this procedure. Primarily, it is a time-consuming and tedious process as only one punch may be worked on at a time. There is also the possibility that the indicia may not be totally removed and that the punch is then reused. Even further, there is always the danger of injury to the worker who is manually grinding the tips with the grinding wheel.
Therefore, a safe and efficient process for grinding the ends of tablet punches before their disposal is needed.

Apparatus for removing the tips of tablet punches

Stevens Pharmaceutical Equipment Industries, LLC