A support bracket is affixed to a medical gas outlet. The support bracket supports one or more elements of a gas circuit coupled to the medical gas outlet and prevents deformation of a lock spring of the medical gas outlet. The medical gas outlet can be a wall mounted vacuum or oxygen outlet.

In medical facilities, such as hospital rooms, medical gas outlets are disposed in walls or columns of the rooms. The most typical medical gas outlets are oxygen and vacuum outlets. Each outlet is coupled to a source of the medical gas, such as to a pipe that runs within the walls or columns of the healthcare facility to the medical gas source. In the case of an oxygen outlet, the oxygen outlet is coupled to a source of oxygen. In the case of a vacuum outlet, the vacuum outlet is coupled to a source of vacuum. (Although in the case of vacuum, the outlet is actually an inlet, it is still typically referred to as a vacuum outlet.)
A typical wall mount medical gas outlet has a port, such as a cylinder, into which a quick connect of a gas circuit is plugged. An example of a typical wall mount is a Diamond III Recess Wall Mount available from BeaconMedaes of 13325-A Carowinds Blvd Charlotte, N.C. 28273. The quick connect, which has a hollow passage, connects the gas circuit to the source of medical gas when the quick connect is plugged into the outlet. A gas circuit has various elements depending on the application. For example, if a patient is on oxygen, the oxygen gas circuit may include a patient face mask that is placed over the nose and mouth of the patient. The mask is connected by tubing to the oxygen flow meter that is plugged into an oxygen outlet. The gas circuit may also include valves that appropriately direct the flow of the oxygen and air exhaled by the patient as the patient inhales and exhales, as well as filter(s), regulator(s), etc.
The quick connect of the gas circuit typically includes a grooved end. The gas outlet includes a lock spring, such as in the form of a U-shaped clip spring that clips around the grooved end of the quick connect when the quick connect of the gas regulator or flow meter, etc. is plugged into the outlet. The lock spring locks the quick connect in the outlet and prevents it from being removed from the outlet unless the lock spring is "unlocked." That is, when the lock spring is a U-shaped clip spring, the legs of the lock spring must be urged apart so that the quick connect can be removed from the outlet. This is typically accomplished by rotating a keying disc of a keying disc assembly that holds the lock spring. The keying disc has one or more cam surfaces or ears that urge the legs of the lock spring apart when the keying disc is rotated, allowing the plug of the gas circuit to be removed from the gas outlet.
Since the typical medical gas outlet is relatively small, the lock spring is also relatively small. For example, the port of a typical medical gas outlet has an inside diameter of 17 mm. If force is applied to the quick connect of the gas circuit transverse to the axis of the quick connect, this force will cause a "lever" action of the quick connect against the lock spring. If the force is high enough, the "lever" action of the quick connect of the gas circuit against the lock spring will deform the lock spring. This will make it more difficult if not impossible to unlock the lock spring. That is, the lock spring may be sufficiently deformed that the keying disc cannot be rotated to unlock it. When this occurs, the gas outlet must be disassembled to both to remove the quick connect of the gas circuit from the gas outlet and to repair the gas outlet.
In many cases, heavier elements of the gas circuit are disposed in close proximity to the quick connect, or may even include the quick connect. Such elements may include an oxygen flow meter, suction regulator, air flow meter or Y connector. (used for dual elements to be connected to one gas outlet). In these cases, the weight of the elements of the gas circuit apply some amount of transverse force to the quick connect of the gas circuit. This may itself eventually deform the lock spring, or make it more likely that the lock spring will be deformed if the gas circuit is inadvertently bumped or force otherwise applied to it.


The invention relates to iRNA, e.g., double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA), compositions targeting the complement component C5 gene, and methods of using such iRNA, e.g., dsRNA, compositions to inhibit expression of C5 and to treat subjects having a complement component C5-associated disease, e.g., paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Complement was first discovered in the 1890s when it was found to aid or "complement" the killing of bacteria by heat-stable antibodies present in normal serum (Walport, M. J. (2001) N Engl J Med. 344:1058). The complement system consists of more than 30 proteins that are either present as soluble proteins in the blood or are present as membrane-associated proteins. Activation of complement leads to a sequential cascade of enzymatic reactions, known as complement activation pathways, resulting in the formation of the potent anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a that elicit a plethora of physiological responses that range from chemoattraction to apoptosis. Initially, complement was thought to play a major role in innate immunity where a robust and rapid response is mounted against invading pathogens. However, recently it is becoming increasingly evident that complement also plays an important role in adaptive immunity involving T and B cells that help in elimination of pathogens (Dunkelberger J R and Song W C. (2010) Cell Res. 20:34; Molina H, et al. (1996) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 93:3357), in maintaining immunologic memory preventing pathogenic re-invasion, and is involved in numerous human pathological states (Qu, H, et al. (2009) Mol Immunol. 47:185; Wagner, E. and Frank M M. (2010) Nat Rev Drug Discov. 9:43).
Complement activation is known to occur through three different pathways: alternate, classical, and lectin (FIG. 1), involving proteins that mostly exist as inactive zymogens that are then sequentially cleaved and activated. All pathways of complement activation lead to cleavage of the C5 molecule generating the anaphylatoxin C5a and, C5b that subsequently forms the terminal complement complex (C5b-9). C5a exerts a predominant pro-inflammatory activity through interactions with the classical G-protein coupled receptor C5aR (CD88) as well as with the non-G protein coupled receptor C5L2 (GPR77), expressed on various immune and non-immune cells. C5b-9 causes cytolysis through the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC), and sub-lytic MAC and soluble C5b-9 also possess a multitude of non-cytolytic immune functions. These two complement effectors, C5a and C5b-9, generated from C5 cleavage, are key components of the complement system responsible for propagating and/or initiating pathology in different diseases, including paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, rheumatoid arthritis, ischemia-reperfusion injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.
To date, only one therapeutic that targets the C5-C5a axis is available for the treatment of complement component C5-associated diseases, the anti-C5 antibody, eculizumab (Soliris®). Although eculizumab has been shown to be effective for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and is currently being evaluated in clinical trials for additional complement component C5-associated diseases, eculizumab therapy requires weekly high dose infusions followed by biweekly maintenance infusions at a yearly cost of about $400,000. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for alternative therapies and combination therapies for subjects having a complement component C5-associated disease.

Complement component C5 iRNA compositions and methods of use thereof


A vector network analyzer (VNA) has a first harmonic generator multiplying an RF signal by an odd number M1 to produce incident and reflected test signals received at inputs of mixers providing IF signals. A second harmonic generator multiplies an LO signal by an odd number M2 offset by 2 from M1 to provide signals to additional inputs of the mixers providing IF signals. With the harmonic generators providing odd harmonics separated by 2, a single filter removes remaining harmonics from IF signals provided from each mixer. Each harmonic generator includes two step recovery diodes (SRDs) with opposing ends connecting the signal path to ground, the SRDs functioning to cancel even harmonics. A first coupler provides the output of the first harmonic generator to the mixers, the first coupler having a minimal size enabling its output power to increase with frequency. With the first harmonic generator having power decreasing with frequency and the first coupler having power increasing with frequency, the VNA test signal will have a substantially flat power vs. frequency response. Additional couplers having a minimal size provide the incident and reflected test signals to the mixers. With the second harmonic generator providing a LO signal with power decreasing with frequency to the mixers, and the additional couplers providing power increasing with frequency, the IF signals from the mixers will also have a flat power vs. frequency response.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a VNA with circuitry to provide a high frequency test signal by providing an RF signal through a harmonic generator. More particularly, the present invention relates to such circuitry configured for use in a handheld VNA.
2. Description of the Related Art
VNAs transmit a microwave signal to a test device and receive a return signal to enable characterization of the test device. With a VNA, a user can easily identify a fault in a test device, such as a transmission line, and measure the distance from the VNA to the fault or discontinuity. Test measurements are first typically made using a VNA operating in the frequency domain to determine whether a fault exists as indicated by an undesirable standing wave ratio (SWR). If a fault is discovered, an analysis of the results derived from the frequency domain measurement is made in the time domain to locate the position of the fault.
A VNA also enables calibration to extend a VNA test port connection to the end of a cable connected to the test port. By using a VNA to extend the test port to the end of a cable, errors in the cable will not be taken into account when measuring a device through the cable. Scalar devices which measure only amplitude and not phase do not enable extension of the test port to the end of a cable as does a VNA.
A remote transmitter may transmit signals which are received by a device being tested by a VNA. With a tuned receiver, a VNA provides the ability to distinguish such extraneous signals. Scalar devices which receive a broadband of frequencies without discrimination, such as with a tuned receiver, cannot distinguish the extraneous signals.
Most VNAs are large and not easily transportable. Typical VNAs have a housing greater than two feet on a side, and with a power supply may weigh 50 pounds or more. The SiteMaster manufactured by Wiltron Company of Morgan Hill, Calif., in contrast, has dimensions equal to or less than 8 inches by 6 inches by 21/2 inches and a weight of less than three pounds, including batteries, when operating over a 25 MHz to 3.3 GHz frequency range. With such weight and size, the SiteMaster can be easily transported by one person. Components used in the SiteMaster are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,039, entitled "Handheld Vector Network Analyzer", and incorporated herein by reference.

Handheld vecor network analyzer (VNA) operating at a high frequency by mixing LO and RF signals having offset odd harmonics


A reclaimer cylinder for use in reclaiming cotton seeds containing spinnable lint from partially ginned cotton seeds utilizes channel saws mounted axially on a cylindrical body with axially closely spaced teeth that virtually eliminate the variation in likelihood the teeth will fail to grasp the fibers present on such cotton seeds. Triangular grid bars facilitate removal of fully ginned seeds that are not entrained in fibers of other seeds.

The present invention relates to the field of raw cotton fiber and cotton seed processing. In the cotton processing industry, a saw is not a device for cutting into a material, but rather it is a device that has sharply pointed teeth for grasping the cotton fibers. The early "saw" gins used discs with sharp teeth around their peripheries that resembled circular saws, which probably is how the name, "saw" originated. Later, as seed cotton (cotton before ginning) was brought to the gins containing more and more extraneous matter, including the cotton hulls, machines were developed to extract this foreign matter, and these machines became known as "extractors".
A common element in such extractor machines is a "channel saw." Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the channel saw 11 is a thin metal strip formed into a right angle channel shape with sharp teeth 12 formed in rows 13 on the edges of the two equal legs of the channel shape. These outwardly opening channels are formed into arcs defined by the circumference of the cylinder 14 onto which the channel saws are to be peripherally mounted as shown in FIG. 2. Thus the channel runs perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. These channel saws are about ½″ wide between the legs and are mounted about ½″ apart axially on the surface of the extractor machine cylinder. This spacing has proven to be efficient in extracting the large foreign matter from the seed cotton locks before ginning removing the fibers from the seeds.
Recently there have been developments in roller ginning that have increased the roller gin's ginning rate to near the rate of the saw gin. The roller ginning process has been proven to break fewer fibers than saw ginning, thus to make the fiber more valuable to the textile mills. Roller ginning has largely been confined to the relatively small extra long staple cotton varieties such as Pima because of the slow, more expensive roller ginning process. With the recent ginning rate increase of roller ginning, the better quality of roller ginned cotton should open the much larger upland cotton market to roller ginning. However, while the saw ginning process can adequately control the uniformity of the fiber remaining on the seeds, the roller ginning process must depend on "seed reclaimers" to retrieve the seeds with valuable fiber left on them from the seeds that are properly ginned and send the seed with valuable fiber back for further ginning. That is to say, the reclaimer removes un-ginned and partially-ginned seeds from a seed flow and directs them to a further lint removal process.
The increase in roller ginning rate, of course, must be accompanied by an increase in the rate of seed reclaimers to be successful. While the saw extractor technology of the prior art as described above shows promise for use in seed reclaimers, the efficiency of the current standard circumferentially extending extractor saws is not adequate. The seeds leaving the reclaimers that are to be sent to the properly ginned seed bin contain too many seeds with good fiber on them and the seeds that are to be returned for further ginning have too many already well ginned seeds. It should be understood that the output of a cotton gin stand has three components: the spinnable cotton fiber (lint), which is the most valuable component; the cotton seeds from which the fiber has been removed by the ginning process, which is salable at a lower rate than the fiber; and, the trash which was entrained with the seed cotton and has been extracted. When cotton seeds with ginnable fiber still on them are discharged with the well ginned seed component, the unginned fiber is sold at the rate of the seed, or worse, the fiber lowers the seed value for the sale to the dairy industry, thereby creating an inefficiency. Likewise, when the ginned seeds are discharged with the trash, the value of the seed is lost, yielding further inefficiency. It should be understood that cotton gin plants have many seed cotton cleaners (before the ginning process) that use spiked cleaning cylinders that convey seed cotton over spaced apart grid bars or coarse screens that are sized to allow optimum trash removal without allowing full seed locks to pass through the grids or screens. When partially or fully ginned seed pass over these grids or screens, there are often too few fibers on the seeds to prevent the seeds from falling out with the trash.
It is an object of the present invention to increase the processing rate of roller ginning of upland and pima cotton. It is a further object of the invention to more efficiently return cotton seeds having recoverable fiber attached thereto to the gin stand for further ginning. It is a concomitant object to eject well ginned seeds such that they do not return to the gin nor to the trash.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.


A method for segmenting an anatomical structure having portions occluded in a digital image wherein the digital image is produced by a projection-based medical imaging modality. The method includes the steps of: outlining an unoccluded portion of the anatomical structure in a training image; augmenting the occluded portion of the anatomical structure according to a pre-determined atlas of the anatomical structure; generating an augmented training example using the outlined and augmented portions; repeating the steps of outlining, augmenting, and generating for a plurality of training images to train a statistical model of the structure; accessing the digital image; and segmenting the anatomical structure in the accessed digital image according to the statistical model.

Cardiac size is useful diagnostic information obtained from chest radiographs. Abnormal enlargement of the heart is often detected initially in reviews of these images. A conventional method of assessing cardiac enlargement is by measurement of the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) (see to Sutton, "A Textbook of Radiology and Imaging," 4th Edition, Vol. 1, pp. 554-556 Churchill Livington, 1987; and Burgener et al., "Differential Diagnosis in Conventional Radiology," pp. 259-292 (George Thieme Verlag, Thieme-Stratton, 1985) which is a ratio of the transverse diameter of the cardiac shadow to the transverse diameter of the thorax at the highest level of the diaphragm (refer to Danzer, "The Cardiothoracic Ratio An Index of Cardiac Enlargement," Am. J. Med. Sci. 157:513-524, 1919).
The concept of automated computer analysis of radiographic images dates back to the 1960's. An early attempt at automated determination of the CTR was that of Meyers et al. (Radiology 83:1029-1033 1964) wherein the spatial signature from digitized chest images was used and the edges of the heart and lung was determined from the first derivative of the signature. (See also Becker et al., IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME-11:67-72, 1964.) Hall et al. (Radiology 101:497-509, 1971) and Kruger et al. (IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME-19:174-186, 1972) developed an algorithm for automated diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease, wherein the CTR and other cardiac parameters were computed. The approach included determining a cardiac rectangle from analysis of the signatures and their derivatives, and then estimating the cardiac shadow by thresholding the image on the basis of analysis of the histogram.
Sezaki et al. (IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME-20:248-253, 1973) developed an algorithm with which the CTR was computed for about 1 sec to provide radiologists with a practical instrument with which patients with abnormal hearts could be detected automatically by analysis of mass-screening chest radiographs.
Paul et al. (IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME-21:441-451, 1974) computed the total lung volume by analyzing AP and lateral chest images, in which they determined the cardiac boundary by using the Gaussian-weighted derivative edge detection technique.
US Patent Application No. 2004/0153128 (Suresh el al) is directed to method and system for image processing and contour assessment. One embodiment relates to a computerized method of facilitating cardiac intervention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,384 (Doi et al.) relates to a method and system for automated computerized analysis of sizes of hearts and lungs in digital chest radiographs, comprising: (1) detecting plural right and left cardiac boundary points in the cardiac contour; (2) fitting a predetermined model function to the detected cardiac boundary points to derive a completed cardiac contour based on the fitted model function; (3) using a shift-variant sinusoidal function as said predetermined model function; and (4) producing a representation of the completed cardiac contour. Specifically, after extracting edge points based on edge gradients, Doi performs the following operations: (1) selecting plural of those possible cardiac boundary points, which are adjacent said diaphragm edge points as cardiac boundary points; (2) fitting said selected cardiac boundary points to a predetermined model function in the form of a circle using a least squares method to derive a first circle fitted to said selected boundary points; (3) selecting second and third circles concentric with said first circle and respectively having diameters larger and smaller by a predetermined amount than the diameter of said first circle; (4) detecting which of the possible cardiac boundary points are located in a region between said second and third circles; and (4) selecting those possible cardiac boundary points detected as being located in the region between said second and third circles as cardiac boundary points. Doi measures the size of the cardiac contour fitted to the cardiac boundary points. DOI also describes the use of a shift-variant sinusoidal function as the model function fitted to the right and left cardiac boundary points determined from the digital chest radiograph.
However, while the human heart has a somewhat constant shape, Doi's parametric models (e.g., circle, or cosine functions) are over-simplified and over-constrained so that they are frequently inadequate to handle the amount of shape variations between different individuals, between different periods of the heartbeat cycle, and between different amounts of occlusion.
Recently, a statistical model referred to as an active shape model (ASM) has been applied to segmentation of lung fields in digital radiographs. ASM is described in Ginneken et al. (B. V. Ginneken, A. F. Frangi, J. J. Staal, B. M. H. Romeny, and M. A. Viergever, "Active shape model segmentation with optimal features," IEEE Trans. on Medical Imaging, vol. 21, no. 8, August 2002.).
A difference between lung fields and the heart is that the lung fields are completely un-occluded in a chest radiograph, while the heart is severely occluded. It is estimated that, on average, 20-40% of the heart boundary is visible because of the mediastinum, which is in front of the heart in PA exams (posterior-anterior) or behind the heart in AP (anterior-posterior) exams. Because x-ray imaging is a projection-based imaging modality (compared to cross section-based imaging modalities such as CT and MRI), the heart appears as an occluded object in a radiograph regardless of whether it is a PA or AP exam. Consequently, ASM is not directly applicable for a severely occluded object such as the heart.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method for segmenting occluded anatomic structures in a medical image produced by a projection-based medical imaging modality.
Further, there exists a need for a statistical model for such structures in order to handle large statistical variations in the shape of the target structure due to various factors.

Segmenting occluded anatomical structures in medical images


A planarizing method for forming a patterned planarized aperture fill layer within an aperture employs a planarizing stop layer formed of a reductant based material, such as but not limited to a hydrogenated silicon nitride material. The reductant based material provides the planarizing stop layer with enhanced planarizing stop properties. The method is particularly useful within the context of CMP planarizing methods.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for fabricating microelectronic products. More particularly, the present invention relates to planarizing methods for fabricating microelectronic products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common in the art of microelectronic product fabrication is the use of planarizing methods such as chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing methods. Planarizing methods provide advantages when fabricating microelectronic products insofar as planarizing methods often allow for fabrication of devices and structures which are not otherwise readily fabricated.
While planarizing methods are thus desirable and often essential when fabricating microelectronic products, planarizing methods are nonetheless not entirely without problems. In that regard, it is often difficult to provide planarizing methods with enhanced planarizing stop properties.
It is thus towards the goal of providing planarizing methods with enhanced planarizing stop properties that the present invention is directed.
Various methods have been disclosed for fabricating microelectronic products with desirable properties.
Included but not limiting among the methods are methods disclosed within: (1) Gonsiorawski et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,191 (a method for fabricating a solar cell product by providing a patterned hydrogenated silicon nitride layer as a mask layer when forming a grid electrode therein); and (2) Cathey et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,218 (a plasma etch method for fabricating a microelectronic product by employing a hydrogenated silicon nitride plasma etch stop layer when plasma etching a silicon oxide layer).
Desirable in the microelectronic fabrication arts are planarizing methods with enhanced planarizing stop properties for fabricating microelectronic products.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.

Planarizing method employing hydrogenated silicon nitride planarizing stop layer

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


The present invention relates, in general, to antibodies to p40 (both polyclonal and monoclonal). Additionally, the present invention relates to hybridomas which produce monoclonal antibodies to p40 and diagnostic kits comprising antibodies to p40.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to antibodies. In particular, the present invention relates to antibodies to p40.
2. Background Information
LINE-1 is a mammalian retrotransposon (Fanning, T. G. & Singer, M. F. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 910:203-212; Hutchison, C. A. et al. (1989) Mobile DNA, Berg, D. E. & Howe, M. M. (eds.) Am. Soc. Microbiol., Washington DC. pp. 593-617; Singer, M. F. et al. (1988) Banbury Report 30: Eukaryotic Transposable Elements as Mutagenic Agents. Cold Spring Harbor Press, New York. pp. 71-78). The human element has an internal RNA polymerase promoter (Swergold G. D. (1990) Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:6718-6729) and two open reading frames, the first of which encodes a protein (p40) of ca. 40 kd with no known function (Skowronski, J. et al. (1988) Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:1385-1397). Human LINE-1 sequences (L1Hs) make up about 5% of the human genome and most are defective, primarily due to truncation and internal rearrangements (Grimaldi, G. et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:1753-1759). Most full length, unrearranged elements are also defective since they contain open reading frames interrupted by stop codons (Skowronski, J. et al. (1988) Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:1385-1397). Nevertheless, functional (transposable) elements must exist since de novo integrations have been observed in three individuals: in two cases there were integrations into factor VIII genes (Kazazian, H. H. et al. (1988) Nature 332:164-166) and in one case into a c-myc allele (Morse, B. et al. (1988) Nature 333:87-90).
Previous studies have suggested that L1Hs are not active in most cells since specific transcripts were not detected by Northern blotting and/or primer extension (Skowronski, J. & Singer, M. F. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82:6050-6054; Skowronski, J. & Singer, M. F. (1986) Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 51:457-464). Exceptions were cell lines derived from cancers of epithelial origin; in several cell lines derived from human testicular germ cell tumors (teratocarcinomas) L1Hs-specific RNA and proteins were detected and transcription appeared to be regulated since it was observed only in undifferentiated cells (Skowronski, J. & Singer, M. F. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82:6050-6054; Skowronski, J. & Singer, M.F. (1986) Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 51:457-464; Skowronski, J. et al. (1988) Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:1385-1397). The exact meaning of these observations is not clear, however, since cell lines may represent minor species present within the tumor mass (Brawn, P. N. (1987) Cancer 59:2042-2046; Loehrer, P. L. et al. (1987) Semin. Oncol. 12:304-316). In addition, cell lines have often been so "massaged" by the experimenter that it may be idealistic to expect that they faithfully reflect the characteristics of their progenitors in the tumor of origin (Andrews, P. W. et al. (1987) Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells. Robertson, E. J. (ed.). IRL Press, Oxford. pp. 207-248). Therefore, the present invention provides antibodies to p40 for examining tumors for L1Hs expression.


Disclosed are immunotherapeutic compositions and the concurrent use of combinations of such compositions for the improved induction of therapeutic immune responses and/or for the prevention, amelioration and/or treatment of disease, including, but not limited to, cancer and infectious disease.

Immunotherapeutic compositions, including vaccines, are one of the most cost-effective measures available to the health care industry for the prevention and treatment of disease. There remains, however, an urgent need to develop safe and effective immunotherapy strategies and adjuvants for a variety of diseases, including those caused by or associated with infection by pathogenic agents, cancers, genetic defects and other disorders of the immune system. For the treatment of cancer and many infectious diseases, including viral diseases and diseases caused by intracellular pathogens, it is desirable to provide immunotherapy that elicits a cell-mediated (cellular) immune response, although many vaccines are directed primarily or entirely to elicitation of humoral immunity. Indeed, a disadvantage of many subunit vaccines, as well as many killed or attenuated pathogen vaccines, is that while they appear to stimulate a strong humoral immune response, they fail to elicit protective cell-mediated immunity.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the development of effective therapies for cancer continues to be one of the most active areas of research. Although a variety of innovative approaches to treat and prevent cancers have been proposed, many cancers continue to have a high rate of mortality and may be difficult to treat or relatively unresponsive to conventional therapies. Novel discoveries in cancer biology have provided the opportunity to design target-specific anti-cancer agents and have fostered advances in drug and immunotherapy development. These discoveries make it possible to design molecules and therapeutic compositions with high selectivity against specific targets in cancer cells.
Numerous immunotherapy studies have been reported comparing vaccine platforms that target the same antigen, in terms of their ability to induce immune cell activity and antitumor effects (e.g., see Weide et al., Immunol Lett 2008 Jan. 15; 115(1):33-42; Riezebos-Brilman et al., Gene Ther 2007 December; 14(24):1695-704; Naslund et al., J Immunol 2007 Jun. 1; 178(11):6761-9; Mylin et al., J Virol 2000 August; 74(15):6922-34; Millar et al., Cell Immunol 2007 November-December; 250(1-2):55-67; Hodge et al., Cancer Res 2003 Nov. 15; 63(22):7942-9; Chan et al., Gene Ther 2006 October; 13(19):1391-402; Casimiro et al., J Virol 2003 June; 77(11):6305-13; and Bos et al., J Immunol 2007 Nov. 1; 179(9):6115-22). Millar et al. showed that the functionality of T-cell populations induced by two different vectors (rV and recombinant adenovirus) targeting the same antigen did not differ (Millar et al., Cell Immunol 2007 November-December; 250(1-2):55-67).
The antitumor efficacy of the diversified prime and boost vaccine regimen of recombinant vaccinia (rV) and recombinant fowlpox (rF) viruses containing murine B7-1, ICAM-1, and LFA-3 genes as well as the human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) gene (rV/F-CEA/TRICOM) has previously been reported in preclinical models (Hodge et al., Cancer Res 2003 Nov. 15; 63(22):7942-9; Hodge et al., Cancer Res 1999 Nov. 15; 59(22):5800-7; Hodge et al., Clin Cancer Res 2003 May; 9(5):1837-49; Grosenbach et al., Cancer Res 2001 Jun. 1; 61(11):4497-505; Greiner et al., Cancer Res 2002 Dec. 1; 62(23):6944-51; Arlen et al., Crit Rev Immunol 2007; 27(5):451-62). Recently, the antitumor effects of a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast-CEA) vaccine were also documented in preclinical models (Bernstein et al., Vaccine 2008 Jan. 24; 26(4):509-21; Wansley et al., Clin Cancer Res 2008 Jul. 1; 14(13):4316-25). The induction of immune response after vaccination with either rV/FCEA/TRICOM or yeast-CEA has been documented, and the antitumor effects elicited by either vaccine are mainly attributed to the induction of CEA-specific T-cell populations.
Several studies have documented that the induction of a more diverse T-cell population is advantageous in mounting an immune response in various models of disease, including cancer (Dudley et al., Cancer J 2000 March-April; 6(2):69-77; Dutoit et al., Cancer Res 2001 Aug. 1; 61(15):5850-6; Echchakir et al., Int Immunol 2000 April; 12(4):537-46; Ferradini et al., Cancer Res 1992 Sep. 1; 52(17):4649-54; Messaoudi et al., Science 2002 Nov. 29; 298(5599):1797-800; Nikolich-Zugich et al., Nat Rev Immunol 2004 February; 4(2):123-32; Sportes et al., J Exp Med 2008 Jul. 7; 205(7):1701-14; Zhou et al., Cancer Res 2005 Feb. 1; 65(3):1079-88). However, there are no reports of concurrent use of vaccines that target the same antigen. Following studies targeting the same antigen, such as those described above, investigators historically either choose the most efficacious vaccine for further study, or employ a diversified prime and boost strategy to amplify the T-cell response. For example, a diversified prime-boost vaccination strategy with recombinant vaccinia and fowlpox vectors targeting CEA (Hodge et al., Vaccine 1997 April-May; 15(6-7):759-68; Marshall et al., J Clin Oncol 2000 Dec. 1; 18(23):3964-73), was employed because the immune response to the first vaccine has been shown to reduce the effects of subsequent vaccinations with the same vector (Naslund et al., 2007, supra; Grosenbach et al., 2001, supra, Hodge et al., 1997, supra, and Wu et al., J Virol 2005 July; 79(13):8024-31.). Similar results demonstrating the clear advantages of a diversified prime-boost strategy have been described in a variety of cancer and other disease models, including HIV and malaria (Wu et al, 2005, supra; Pancholi et al., J Infect Dis 2000 July; 182(1):18-27; Barnett et al., AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1998 October; 14 Suppl 3:S299-309; Dunachie et al., J Exp Biol 2003 November; 206(Pt 21):3771-9; McMichael, Annu Rev Immunol 2006; 24:227-55; Moore et al., Immunol Rev 2004 June; 199:126-43). The enhanced responses observed in these studies have been attributed to amplification of the relevant population of antigen-specific T-cells, but again, a diversified prime-boost approach was used to achieve these results.
Accordingly, despite advances in cancer therapy and infectious disease immunotherapy/vaccine technology, there remains an urgent need to improve safe and effective immunotherapy approaches to the treatment such diseases.

Combination immunotherapy compositions against cancer and methods

The USA, as represented by the Secretary, Dept, of Health and Human Services


A method and apparatus for controlling the fluid flow through a waste fluid inlet channel, such as for a sewage treatment plant, includes a weir that may be inserted into the channel. The weir may be one or more plates that serve to reduce the effective cross section of the channel. The plates may be shaped so that the channel is more restricted at greater depths, or may be combined to form such other shape, in order to provide desirable flow patterns. Plates may be added, removed, or exchanged with different sized plates, to accommodate a range of fluid volume at a desired flow rate. The plates may combine with a bar rack, and will not interfere with the cleaning thereof. The plates may be positioned to allow grit to flow through without impediment.

Efficient operation of a waste fluid plant, such as for sewage treatment, requires control over the fluid flow rate over a wide range of flow volumes. The flow volumes typically vary by about 3:1 between peak and minimum flows. Further, the overall flow through a plant may expand considerably over the operating life of a plant, because of, for example, growth in the areas served by the plant. Good design requires that a plant be able to accommodate fluid levels of perhaps two to three times initial anticipated peak and minimum flows.
Fluid control is particularly important in relation to screening equipment, such as a bar rack composed of a plurality of spaced bars that acts as an initial screening device to trap and remove relatively large debris from the waste fluid inlet channel. If the flow rate is too high (greater than about 3.28 feet per second), the debris that desirably is trapped by the rack aligns with the fluid stream and is forced through the rack, thereby fouling subsequent treating apparatus and causing environmental and other problems.
Conversely, the fluid flow should not be too low (less than about 1.25 feet per second). This is because the fluid often contains smaller waste, generally termed "grit," composed of material such as sand, gravel, small rocks, degraded concrete and tile sewer pipe. This grit is too small to be intercepted by the rack, and is intended to pass therethrough for subsequent removal. If the fluid velocity becomes too low, the grit will settle within the channel, smell badly, interfere with the operation of the bar screen and, over time, reduce the volumetric capacity of the channel to such an extent that some form of cleaning is required.
For the above reasons, it is desirable to control the velocity of fluid through a waste water treatment plant, and particularly at the location of screen apparatus. The initial design choice of channel width and depth is not easily changeable, once the channel has been constructed. Downstream regulating devices, such as, for example Parshall flumes, Sutro weirs, and Camp flow regulators, may be used to control the depth of water flow and thus its velocity. Other devices are known that in some way control water flow. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,805 of Walker describes a gate inlet system with a tangential gate that imparts a rotational flow to water of a waste treatment plant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,358 of Besha describes an inflatable bladder that may be selectively deployed to block an open culvert. U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,858 of Zintz et al. describes a variable dam including a plurality of plates that may be rotated into or out of a stream path. U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,376 of Zenner describes a sludge collector that has an adjustable weir to match the rate of flow into the collector and rate of flow out of the collector.
None of the known prior art devices and methods provide a simple method to vary flow rates over both short and long term fluctuations, with a minimum of moving parts. Further, none of the known prior art devices are specifically adapted for use with a bar rack; the prior art devices may thus interfere with the cleaning operation used in conjunction with bar racks.
The present invention is in some ways similar to the invention described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/735,525, issue fee paid Apr. 29, 1998, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. The present invention describes alternative and additional structural arrangements to accomplish broadly the objectives of the Ser. No. 08/735,535 application.
It should be understood that nothing herein is admitted to be prior art, but is only mentioned to help place the present invention in context.

Adjustable inlet for waste water treatment apparatus


Embodiments provide input/output devices having programmable logic that is programmable to operate input/output devices in one of two drive modes. In various embodiments, to operate an input/output device in a first drive mode, logic circuitry is programmable to couple a reference voltage to a gate of a transistor element of an output driver. In various embodiments, to operate an input/output device in a second drive mode, the logic circuitry is programmable to couple a bias voltage to the gate of the transistor element of the output driver. In various embodiments, the logic circuitry may also be programmable to couple one of a plurality of data inputs to the output driver to operate an input/output device in either a single-ended mode or a differential mode.

Conventional reprogrammable input/output (I/O) drivers can be programmed in single-ended voltage-drive mode, differential current mode, or differential voltage-drive mode. This is typically accomplished by providing two drivers, one for the differential mode, and another for the single-ended mode. One or the other is activated to produce the desired mode, while the other structure is disabled.


A hydraulic shock absorber having a plurality of tubes (outer and inner tubes), which constitute a multiple-walled cylinder to be inserted inside a damper tube, held and secured between a rod guide and a support piece under a compressive load applied to all of the tubes. In the hydraulic shock absorber (10), a contact surface (P), where an end surface of the inner tube (13B), of the tubes (13A, 13B) of the cylinder (13), is in contact with a seating surface (201) of a rod guide (21) in the axial direction, is formed intermittently at a plurality of circumferential positions on the end surface of the inner tube 13B in the state where the tubes (13A, 13B) of the cylinder (13) are held and secured.

A hydraulic shock absorber, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-12738 (Patent Document 1), includes a damper tube, a rod guide disposed in one open end portion of the damper tube, a support piece disposed in the other end portion thereof, a cylinder inserted inside the damper tube held and secured between the rod guide and the support piece in the axial direction, the cylinder being double-walled with an outer tube and an inner tube fitted together, and a piston rod penetrating the rod guide and slidably inserted inside the inner tube.


An interactive video delivery system (IVDS) is used in conjunction with sware for training purposes. The IVDS emulates a tactical display system sonar console by using software to provide its input information. The tactical display system sonar console uses actual sonar signals detected by sonar array systems. The IVDS training aid comprises an emulated AN/UYQ-21 console having a computer and an interactive videodisc system. The computer provides the necessary graphics processing for emulation of the tactical displays.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to training aids. More particularly the system provides a cost effective means to learn the operational skills of a militarized tactical display system in a "hands-on" environment without incurring the cost of the militarized tactical display system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At the present time students are taught operational skills including theory, knobology, and procedures in a classroom environment. Then each student, individually or in pairs, is taken into a lab and shares time on a militarized tactical display system. Meanwhile, other students in the class either read or most likely simply wait until their turn on the tactical system. The time waiting is considered unstructured time and is often a large portion of a course. When a student is called into the lab for his limited time on the tactical system he has had no previous opportunity to practice the skills taught in the classroom. Therefore, much of the laboratory time is spent reviewing classroom material rather than introducing new material.
An alternate to the use of tactical systems is the use of commercial grade emulators. The widespread use of emulators is restricted by the fact that commercial display emulators must be connected to commercial processing emulators, which in turn must be supported by special purpose software emulators of the sensors. The total system is quite expensive although often less expensive than tactical systems.

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


An enhanced JTAG interface provides an additional clock output at any desired I/O port of a logic device during normal operation. The interface includes a boundary scan data cell associated with each I/O port that enables either input data to the I/O port in a normal mode or routes the boundary scan input data during a JTAG operation. A control cell is associated with each data cell for selectively enabling either a normal mode or a JTAG mode of the boundary scan cell. A set of JTAG instructions enable/disable JTAG operation and select JTAG functions. The boundary scan data cell is modified to incorporate a multiplexing arrangement to selectively route the JTAG clock to the I/O port when required. The control cell is modified to selectively enable/disable the routing of the JTAG clock in the boundary scan data cell.

Boundary scan testing is well known, and uses a plurality of shift registers that are built into each integrated circuit. A boundary scan controller circuit is incorporated into each integrated circuit to control the transfer of data serially from one register to another. An important advantage of boundary scan testing is that it allows testing of internal logic circuitry to be conducted from external terminals. This does away with the need for probes and other instrumentation.
By way of example, a primary use of boundary scan cell designs is for circuit continuity testing. Circuit continuity testing involves loading a value into a register, and then applying a certain voltage condition to the associated pad to determine if an open or short circuit exists.
An industry standard has been implemented for boundary scan test circuits so that integrated circuits from different manufacturers may be connected in a serial chain within an electronic system. This standard is described in an industry specification, known as the IEEE JTAG 1149.1 standard. The standard provides a protocol by which various test functions may be accomplished. For example, in a JTAG scan, test circuitry and five additional JTAG test pins are added to each chip.
The standard outlines the details of the serial path of linked test registers (i.e., a boundary scan register chain) through each integrated circuit. The standard also defines the properties of a boundary scan controller circuit for each integrated circuit. The boundary scan controller circuit controls the transfer of data through the various stages of shift registers formed by the boundary scan cells within the integrated circuit.
FIG. 1 depicts a prior-art IEEE 1149.1 compliant device architecture referred to as boundary-scan architecture 310. The boundary-scan architecture 310 includes a Test Access Port (TAP) 300, a TAP Controller 200, an instruction register 260, an instruction decode logic 250, a data register bank 240, and an output stage comprising a multiplexer 270, a flip-flop 280 and a tristate buffer 290. Although the instruction decode logic 250 is shown as being separate from the instruction register 260, the instruction decode logic 250 may also be considered to be part of the instruction register 260.
A data register bank 240 includes the boundary-scan register 220 as described above, and a bypass register 210. The bypass register 210 is a single bit shift register not associated with the IC core logic (memory latches) or I/O pins. Its purpose is to provide an alternate serial path between the TDI and TDO pins of a JTAG-compliant device. As will be described below, only one of the registers in the data bank 240 forms the serial path between TDI and TDO at any given time.
The TAP 300 is the interface between the boundary-scan architecture 310 and the five IC device pins required by IEEE 1149.1. The five IC device pins are as follows: a test data in (TDI) pin and a test data out (TDO) pin, a test clock (TCK) pin, a test mode select (TMS) pin and an optional test reset (TRST) pin. During operation, a series of commands are issued through the test pins to read back data and to verify whether interconnects have been established properly.
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a typical, conventional IEEE JTAG implementation. The logic circuit includes a multiplexer 11 that selects data to be coupled to a JTAG output capture register 12 from either the core logic circuitry of the IC or from the previous scan stage. The selection is controlled by a shift/capture signal from a JTAG control logic coupled to the multiplexer 11. The capture register 12 may either be loaded externally from one of the five JTAG pins, or may comprise capture data from one of the previous test clock cycles.
The shift/capture signal enables either capture of data directly from the core logic that is normally provided to an output buffer 15, or if switched to another mode, allows the previous scan stage to be input to the capture register 12. This latter operation typically involves shifting all of the register stages of the boundary scan cell in a daisy chain fashion. The JTAG data input pin is connected to the input of the first element in the daisy chain, and the output of last element in the chain is connected to the JTAG output pin.
When the JTAG circuitry is connected in this manner, and all the registers are filled with some value, all the values may be shifted from one stage to the next until the circuitry is in a desired position. Once the shifting operation has been completed and the circuit is in a desired state, an update register 13 coupled to the capture register 12 may be used to properly align and present the data to an output buffer 15.
The output of the update register 13 is coupled to one of the inputs of a multiplexer 14. The other input of the multiplexer 14 is coupled to receive data directly from the core logic of the integrated circuit. A JTAG mode signal, which is provided from the JTAG controller, is used to select either the captured data stored in the update register 13, or the core data directly as the input to the output buffer 15. The output buffer 15 is an ordinary buffer circuit (inverter) used to drive a data signal to a pad 20. An output enable signal line 16 enables the output buffer 15.
An input buffer 25 is utilized to drive the voltage signal present at the pad 20 to either the core logic of the IC via a multiplexer 21, or to an input capture register 23 via a multiplexer 24. The multiplexer 24 selects between the output of the input buffer 25, or the previous scan stage data captured in the capture register 12. The selection is controlled by the shift/capture signal. The output of the multiplexer 24 provides the input signal to the JTAG input capture register 23. The output of the capture register 23 is provided to the update register 22, which in turn presents the captured input data back to the core logic via the multiplexer 21. As in the case with the multiplexer 14, the multiplexer 21 is controlled by the JTAG mode signal.
Signal 16 is the output of the multiplexer 34, which selects between captured data from the control update register 33. The input of the control update register 33 comes from a control capture register 32. The control capture register 32 selects between a tristate signal from the core, or data from a previous scan stage through a multiplexer 31. The multiplexer 31 is controlled by a shift/capture signal, as in the case with the multiplexers 11 and 24.
A major drawback of the existing circuitry, which is used for testing purposes, is that it is unused most of the time when a device operates in a normal mode.


An amount of oxides in an apparatus having a chamber containing an amount of contamination material and an amount of the oxides, the oxides being oxides of the contamination material, is reduced. In the method, a hydrogen containing gas is provided in at least part of the chamber. A predetermined minimum partial hydrogen gas pressure and a predetermined maximum partial oxidants pressure is established in the chamber. In the chamber, a temperature is maintained which is at least higher than a temperature at which, in thermodynamic equilibrium given the predetermined maximum partial oxidants and minimum partial hydrogen gas pressures as established, the amount of contamination material is at least 10 times higher than the amount of oxides.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the "scanning" direction) while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In a lithographic apparatus the size of features that can be imaged onto the substrate is limited by the wavelength of the radiation beam. To produce integrated circuits with a higher density of devices, and hence higher operating speeds, it is desirable to be able to image smaller features. While most current lithographic projection apparatus employ ultraviolet light generated by mercury lamps or excimer laser, it has been proposed to use shorter wavelength radiation, e.g. of around 13 nm. Such radiation is termed extreme ultraviolet (EUV) or soft x-ray, and possible sources include, for example, laser-produced plasma sources, discharge plasma source or synchrotron radiation from electron storage rings.
In the near future, EUV sources may use tin or another metal vapor to produce EUV radiation. This tin may leak into other parts of the lithographic apparatus and will be deposited on optical elements, for example mirrors, either as tin or after oxidation as a tin oxide.

Method for chemical reduction of an oxidized contamination material, or reducing oxidation of a contamination material and a conditioning system for doing the same


Source code is generated that includes one or more iterator-based expressions such as declarative queries. The source code is translated into an intermediate language that classifies operators making up the iterator-based expressions into classes based on whether the operators are aggregating, element-wise, or sink operators. The intermediate language, including the identified classes, is processed using an automaton to replace the iterator-based expressions with one or more equivalent non-iterator-based expressions. Where an iterator-based expression is nested, the nested expression is processed using an equivalent number of nested automatons. The resulting optimized source code may be compiled and executed using fewer virtual function calls than the equivalent non-optimized source code.

Iterators have become popular features in programming languages. Iterators provide an abstraction between a particular data structure and the functions that use them. Thus, a function may use values contained or exposed by an iterator without knowing how they are stored, maintained, or calculated by an underlying data structure.
The language integrated query ("LINQ") programming language extensions provide a further abstraction where developers may specify computations over data sets using declarative queries. These declarative queries are typically implemented using one or more iterators and may similarly be used without knowing how the underlying queries are implemented.
While such declarative queries and iterators are popular because they greatly simplify the code generated by a programmer, their usage may lead to excessive performance penalties. Many programming languages use virtual function calls to implement iterators and/or declarative queries which are computationally expensive. Moreover, declarative queries are often nested, resulting in even greater performance penalties.


A plumbing connector system having a recessed, in-wall water service box, at least one valve connected to the water service box, and connector fittings particularly adapted for use in connecting in-wall potable water supply lines made of Cross linked polyethylene (PEX) to appliances and fixtures such as washing machines, ice makers, sinks, and the like. A valve inlet extension having a barbed end is disclosed for use in releasably securing the valve to the water service box and for connecting the valve to the Cross linked polyethylene water supply line.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to plumbing apparatus, and more particularly, to a plumbing connector system that is useful for connecting in-wall potable water supply lines to plumbing fixtures and appliances.
2. Description of Related Art
Cross linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing and various connector fittings have previously been used by the building industry as an alternate way to heat homes and to keep driveways and steps clear of snow and ice. More recently, builders have begun to use PEX tubing for the potable water systems in homes, replacing the use of copper tubing. The valves presently available for use with PEX potable water tubing are typically angle stops that are stubbed in through the wall.
A connection device said to be useful for outlet fittings in an installation for conveying water for industrial or domestic use is disclosed in EP 0 085 329 B1. This publication discloses flexible pipe lines laid in dummy pipes in a building, having a connection piece secured under the wall surface in a connection box. The flexible pipe lines are said to be made of plastics, preferably PEX, and means are disclosed for joining the pipe lines to the connection piece. Plumbing connector systems utilizing various connector fittings for attaching water service boxes to chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) water supply lines have also been disclosed. Such systems are believed to have been marketed by Oatey and IPS.

Water service box and connectors for PEX pipe


A stand alone add on system and apparatus for storing and retrieving duplicate facsimile information capable of working in conjunction with a simple facsimile machine. The duplicate facsimile information can be stored in memory, displayed on a screen or be reproduced in multiple fashion.

Facsimile transmission systems are useful in conveying visual information from one location to another. A facsimile system is an electronic system which uses communications to transmit graphic material. Normal facsimile operation involves an exchange of handshaking signals between the distant and local facsimile machines and specific acknowledgements relating to the receipt of specific transmission information.
The first facsimile machines were relatively simple devices which received data signals and converted them into pictorial copy format. More recently, advanced facsimile machines incorporate a multitude of computer defined functions. These newer machines are able to incorporate such features as multiple copies derived from a single data transmission and storage of such data for an indefinite period of time. Such features increase the versatility of facsimile machines. Because many facsimile machines were sold before these features were available, there exists a heretofore unfulfilled need for a device which is capable of adding these features on to a basically featureless facsimile machine.

System for storing and retrieving duplicate fascimile information


The present invention presents a ring assembly 1 disposed radially outwardly of an array of circumferentially arranged blades 38 of a gas turbine engine rotor R. The ring assembly 1 includes ring segments 2 disposed circumferentially one adjacent to another and having a first circumferential end 2a and a second circumferential end 2b circumferentially spaced apart from each other. The first end 2a of a ring segment 2 and the second end 2b of an adjacent ring segment 2 of the plurality of ring segments 2 are arranged facing each other. An integrally formed projecting seal part 92 is formed at the first end 2a. An integrally formed receiving seal part 94 is formed at the second end 2b facing the first end 2a. The receiving seal part 94 receives the projecting seal part 92 to form a mating connection between the ring segment 2 and the adjacent ring segment 2. A gas turbine engine including the ring assembly 1 is also provided. Furthermore, a method of manufacturing the ring segment 2 of the ring assembly 1 is also provided.

Gas turbine engines include multiple stages of blades and vanes alternatingly arranged along an axial direction of the gas turbine engine. Conventionally, a ring assembly, also referred to as shroud or shroud ring or annular shroud or flow path ring, is disposed circumferentially about a rotational axis of gas turbine engine and radially outwardly of the rotating turbine blades, which means spaced apart and facing the blade tips of the turbine blades.
The ring assembly includes a plurality of stationary ring segments that when arranged circumferentially next to each other form the complete ring assembly. The ring assembly formed by the plurality of the ring segments defines an outer boundary of hot gas path along which the hot gas flows.
FIG. 4B schematically illustrates parts of two adjacent conventional ring segments 2′ circumferentially arranged with respect to the rotational axis 20, also referred to as central axis 20, of the gas turbine engine. FIG. 5A schematically depicts structure of the conventional ring segments 2′. The ring segment 2′ has a radially inner surface 2x′, also referred to as gas path surface 2x′, facing radially inwardly and defining the hot gas path 5 a radially outer surface 2e′, a first and a second axial surfaces 2m′, 2n′ wherein 2m′ and 2n′ being axially spaced apart from each other, and a first end 2a′ (also referred to as first circumferential end 2a′) and a second end 2b′ (also referred to as second circumferential end 2b′) circumferentially spaced apart from each other, with respect to the rotational axis 20 of the gas turbine engine.
As shown in FIG. 4B, when the ring segments 2′ are assembled to form the ring assembly, junctions or gaps G between adjacent ring segments 2′ are required to be sealed to avoid leakage of hot gas from the hot gas path 5 to radially outwardly across the ring assembly—because such leakage of the hot gas would be detrimental to engine efficiency and may also cause undesired effects by heating up sections of the casing or other components disposed radially outward of the ring assembly.
Furthermore, since at least the gas path surface 2x′ of the ring segment 2′ defines the hot gas path 5 or is disposed around the hot gas path 5, the ring segments 2 are often cooled, by supplying cooling air from a radially outward position of the ring assembly towards the ring segments 2′. Therefore, sealing of the junction or gap G between the ring segments 2′ may also be required to avoid unintended leakage of cooling air from a radially outward position of the ring assembly into the hot gas flow path 5.
Conventionally, to seal the junction or gap G between the ring segments 2′, a groove GR, as shown in FIG. 5A, is formed at each of the circumferential ends 2a′, 2b′, and a sealing element S′, as shown in FIG. 4B, is inserted into both grooves GR of the facing circumferential ends 2a′, 2b′ of adjacent ring segments 2′. The sealing element S′ is generally formed as a sealing plate S′—one end of which is inserted into the groove GR of one ring segment 2′ and an opposite end of which is inserted into the groove GR of the adjacent ring segment 2′. The high pressure in the hot gas flow path 5 during operation of the gas turbine presses the sealing element S′ against the walls defining the grooves GR thereby achieving sealing of the gap or junction G.
However, the above-described conventional sealing technique suffers from one or more disadvantages. For example, because conventional sealing elements are additional elements that need to be separately fabricated and assembled, cost, time and effort required for manufacturing and assembly of the gas turbine are increased. Also, the conventional sealing elements may be wrongly inserted into one or both of the facing grooves during assembly, or may become loose or fall out from one or both of the facing grooves during operation—thereby compromising the sealing. Also, since the conventional sealing elements are manufactured separately than the ring segments, a slight mismatch in dimensions may lead to unsatisfactory sealing. The slight mismatch may result from use of separate manufacturing processes for the sealing elements and the ring segments.

Gas turbine ring assembly comprising ring segments having integrated interconnecting seal


An ophthalmic assembly for implantation in an anterior chamber of an eye of a patient to provide accommodation of the vision to said patient comprises a variable-focus lens and an actuator for modifying the focal length of the variable-focus lens. The ophthalmic assembly comprises an autofocus system configured to determine a distance parameter of an object that the patient's eye is looking at; a signal processing unit arranged to convert said distance parameter into a focal length value of the variable-focus lens; and an actuator control unit configured to control the actuator as a function of the focal length value received from said signal processing unit. A method for accommodating the vision of a patient using an opthamalic assembly is also disclosed.

Currently, a large number of people undergo operations for cataracts. During this operation, the crystalline, opacified through disease, is removed and replaced by an artificial lens.
A side effect inherent to any cataract surgery is the loss of accommodation of the patient's eye. The crystalline is replaced, generally by a posterior chamber intraocular lens, which leads consequently to remove at the same time the accommodation function, essential for good vision at varying distances. This has the consequence that the cataract operated patient has to wear glasses to have a good vision at any distance.
In phakic eyes, i.e. in eyes in which the natural lens is not removed, problems due to loss of accommodation appears also with age-related presbyopia, which is a decrease of the accommodation capacity of the natural lens. The patient is therefore also dependent on glasses and possibly progressive glasses.
Several intraocular lenses have been developed to re-create accommodation or pseudo-accommodation and to get rid of eyeglasses dependence. Such lenses are for example multifocal lenses, lenses with extended depth-of-focus or accommodative lenses. Each of these optical or mechanical methods have their own interest and characteristics, but they can suffer from some drawbacks. In particular, any methods based on optical elements on the lens surfaces will use at the end a finite amount of light intensity. This light intensity is distributed for each vision distance with more or less loss of energy, and more or less adverse effects such as halos, glares or ghost images.
Accommodative lenses have been developed to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. Currently, most of these accommodative lenses are based on a mechanical motion. These accommodative lenses to be placed in the capsular bag of a patient's eye are designed to be driven by the ciliary muscle to move a multi-lens optical system or to change the radius of curvature of optical elements. The key issue with this method is that the ciliary muscle loses its capability with age due to the previous conditions (cataract, presbyopia, etc.). This ciliary muscle contraction reduction and effects related to capsular fibrosis often does not allow providing enough motion to compensate the expected level of accommodation.
Some other accommodative lenses are not based on mechanical motion but on a displacement of liquids. Such lenses are formed of a cylindrical fluid chamber containing two non-miscible fluids in contact with each other over a meniscus and having different indices of refraction. One of the fluids is in contact with two electrodes. The variation of a voltage between both electrodes modifies the shape of the meniscus and thus, the focal length of this lens.
This lens has several drawbacks. In particular, it is used to treat a vision disorder in a patient. This means that, depending on the extent of the disorder, the width of the lens must be quite important to cover a great range of disorders. In cases where the extent of the disorder is important, it can happen that the disorder cannot be corrected by such a lens.
Due to the shape and size of the lens, it has to be placed in the posterior chamber of the patient's eye. This means that the lens periphery receives little light, depending on the size of the iris. This is a severe drawback if the lens periphery is used to host peripheral devices. Moreover, this technology requires a great amount of energy, which is not compatible with the constraints linked to the small available size.

Ophthalmic assembly for implantation in an anterior chamber of an eye of a patient and method for accommodating the vision of the patient


Wafer rack consisting of a carrier frame provided with accommodations for at least two wafers. To provide uniform distribution of gas over said wafers a gas distribution device is fitted at least above each wafer, which gas distribution device is connected to the gas supply for the reactor in which the wafer rack is placed. Connection to such a gas supply can be via coupling of the wafer rack to a part of said reactor.

Wafers are subjected to various treatments, including chemical treatments in a wide variety of types of reactor. One treatment comprises etching wafers using HF vapour. Because of a wide variety of circumstances, it can be desirable to etch wafers between different deposition treatments. The problem then arises that such an etching substance also has to penetrate into relatively deep wells present in the wafer in order to be able to etch native silicon dioxide. In particular, problems have been detected if a layer of doped oxides deposited using CVD, such as borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), has to be etched. The methods known in the prior art for etching batches of wafers do not give a uniform result.
This problem increases on increasing the diameter of the wafers. Recently there has been a discernible trend in the market to switch from 200 to 300 mm. If such wafers are etched using conventional techniques, this results in a difference between minimum and maximum etching depth in a range between, for example, 50 .ANG. and 5000 .ANG.. Moreover, it will hardly be possible to remove the native oxides in the mid section of such wafers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,165, drawn up in the name of ASM International N.V. in Bilthoven, it is proposed, for a reactor in which a single wafer is treated, to supply the gas via a distributor plate arranged above the wafer so that uniform distribution of gas over the wafer is produced. Such a process is satisfactory.

Wafer rack provided with a gas distribution device


A pedestal optical substrate that simultaneously provides high substrate dynamic stiffness, provides low surface figure sensitivity to mechanical mounting hardware inputs, and constrains surface figure changes caused by optical coatings to be primarily spherical in nature. The pedestal optical substrate includes a disk-like optic or substrate section having a top surface that is coated, a disk-like base section that provides location at which the substrate can be mounted, and a connecting cylindrical section between the base and optics or substrate sections. The connecting cylindrical section may be attached via three spaced legs or members. However, the pedestal optical substrate can be manufactured from a solid piece of material to form a monolith, thus avoiding joints between the sections, or the disk-like base can be formed separately and connected to the connecting section. By way of example, the pedestal optical substrate may be utilized in the fabrication of optics for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography imaging system, or in any optical system requiring coated optics and substrates with reduced sensitivity to mechanical mounts.

The present invention relates to optical substrates, particularly to optical substrates that contain coated reflective optics, and more particularly to a pedestal type optical substrate that maintains acceptable figure before or after coating, is not sensitive to mount disturbance loads, and demonstrates high dynamic stiffness.
Optics for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography imaging systems, for example, require coated reflective optics that are precisely figured at the angstrom level. In such reflective optics, the optical substrates are first figured, then coated with a film of material that is reflective in the ultraviolet wavelengths. Unfortunately, the coated film has a residual stress that causes the substrate to deform from its desired figure. It has been shown that for a disk-like optical substrate, the nonspherical component of the figure distortion decreases as the aspect ratio (width divided by height) of the substrate increases. Thus, while thinner substrates deform more due to the coating, the deformation is primarily spherical. In many cases an imaging system is relatively insensitive to spherical changes in an individual optic. Thus, a thinner substrate reduces the negative effect of coating residual stress.
The coated optics must be assembled into the imaging system using some form of mechanical attachment. The mechanical attachment, referred to as the optical mount, must physically attach to the substrate. This attachment provides a mechanism through which undesired figure distorting forces and moment can be applied to the substrate. There are many sources of these disturbance inputs, including system temperature changes, distortion of their imaging system structure, and residual stress due to the mounting process. The sensitivity of the optics surface figure is directly related to the mechanical stiffness of the substrate. An infinitely stiff substrate would not deform due to these inputs. A realistic, disk-like substrate will always demonstrate a level of sensitivity to these mount induced disturbance loads. The lower the aspect ratio of a disk-like substrate, the lower the optic's sensitivity to disturbance loads. Thus, a thicker substrate reduces the sensitivity of a substrate to disturbance loads.
Frequently, there is a requirement that an optical substrate demonstrates a high degree of dynamic stiffness. A low aspect ratio substrate generally provides for more favorable (higher) dynamic stiffness.
The problem is that while a thinner substrate reduces negative coating effects, it may not provide the necessary stiffness and insensitivity to mount disturbances. The present invention, which involves a pedestal substrate, addressees the need to have an optical substrate that maintains acceptable figure before or after coating, is not sensitive to mount disturbance loads, and demonstrates high dynamic stiffness. The pedestal substrate of the present invention comprises the basic components: 1) a disk-like optic or substrate section, the top surface of which is to be coated with reflective material, 2) a disk-like base section, and 3) a connecting section between the base and optic or substrate sections. These three sections may be formed as a monolith from a solid piece of material, the optic or substrate section and the connecting section may be formed from a solid piece, or the three sections and being formed individually and secured together. The pedestal substrate approach of the present invention permits the optic component designer to independently control the effects of residue coating film stress, mount disturbance loads, and substrate dynamic stiffness.

The Regents of the University of California


A resistance welding quality determination method comprises: a step of detecting a voltage value applied to a welding electrode of a resistance welding machine; a step of detecting a current value supplied to the welding electrode; a step of calculating a welding resistance value based on the voltage value and the current value; a step of correcting the welding resistance value based on a change amount of a contact resistance value between the work and the welding electrode during welding of a work; and a step of determining welding quality of the work based on a corrected welding resistance value obtained by correcting the welding resistance value.

In recent years, for a welding process for resistance welding a work (an object to be welded) by using a resistance welding machine, various methods and apparatuses have been proposed to determine the welding quality of the work (i.e., evaluate the quality of a welded portion of the work) (for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2).
Patent Literature 1 discloses the following method. During a current change period in which an instantaneous value of welding current changes, the welding current and an instantaneous value of inter-tip voltage are first detected. Then, an instantaneous value of apparent inter-tip dynamic resistance is calculated based on both the detected values. A change rate of a dynamic resistance instantaneous value of the inter-tip dynamic resistance at an arbitrary time during the current change period is calculated. Thus, the welding quality of a resistance welded portion is evaluated by use of change characteristics of the dynamic resistance instantaneous value change rate calculated in correspondence with the number of generations during the current change period.
Patent Literature 2 discloses the following method. A moving average value of voltage applied to a welding electrode of an alternating resistance welding machine at predetermined time intervals is first calculated as a moving average voltage value. Then, a moving average value of current flowing in the welding electrode of the alternating resistance welding machine at predetermined time intervals is calculated as a moving average current value. A moving average resistance value is subsequently calculated based on the moving average voltage value and the moving average current value. Thus, the calculated moving average resistance value is compared with a previously set threshold to determine whether or not splash occurs in a joined portion by the resistance welding.
In Patent Literatures 1 and 2, as mentioned above, the welding quality is determined based on the resistance value between welding electrodes (tips). However, during welding of the work, there is a case where contact resistance between the work and the welding electrode varies. For instance, in the case where the work is pressed by a movable gun arm provided at its distal end with a welding electrode to resistance-weld the work, the gun arm may vibrate in a pressing direction during resistance welding. This vibration of the gun arm may cause variation in contact resistance between the work and the welding electrode. In this case, the variation in contact resistance is reflected in a resistance value between the welding electrodes (tips).
However, the variation in contact resistance between the work and the welding electrode is completely unrelated to the change of a welding state (welding quality) of a welded portion (a joined portion). Accordingly, the conventional technique of determining whether the welding quality is good or bad based on the resistance value between the welding electrodes (tips) in which the contact resistance variation is reflected could not appropriately determine the welding quality of the work.

Resistance welding quality determination method and resistance welding quality determination apparatus


An in-line sliding line release is disclosed for holding a sinker weight to a fishing line. The release apparatus is attachable to and moveable along a fishing line with the capability of being manually fixed to the line so as to provide any desirable spacing between the lure or bait and the sinker weight. The release apparatus includes a compression arm which locks into place under a variable release tension setting. When a pull or strike from the lure line overcomes the adjustable tension set on the release housing body, the compression arm rotates upward by ninety degrees releasing the hold on the line sliding down to the lure or preset in-line stop. In the circumstance that there is no pull from the lure line, the tension screw means may be overcome by pulling the cam line guide manually to release the compression arm which will allow the device to slide down the line as desired. It has been observed and experienced that the length of leader distance between the lure or bait and the weight influences presentation and fishing success. Though long leaders often increase catch rates for various reasons, the ability to land a fish is severely compromised when using in-line weight systems. This device embodiment offers a solution for a variety of needs including an adaptation for ease of use with downrigger systems.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to in-line fishing devices of the type used in maintaining a depth of a lure or bait attached to a fishing line during a trolling or stationary position in running water currents.
2. Prior Art
One embodiment of the invention relates to a unique in-line release without the necessity of any external apparatus such as a downrigger, outrigger, or planer. This advantage allows for an effective, economical, and convenient solution when long leaders, body of water bottom proximity, or presentations to stratified fish are desired without the need to use or invest in cumbersome and expensive gear. While other systems have been developed for maintaining the depth of the lure or bait attached to a fishing line during trolling or anchoring operations, they have some salient disadvantages which have been overcome.
The downrigger weight may be lowered to the desired depth thereby carrying the fishing line downward while the lure or bait trails the downrigger line in a horizontal fashion. These types of systems require additional and potentially heavy gear and may be timely to install. A downrigger line may become entangled with the main fishing line or interfere with the playing of the fish, resulting in an unsatisfying experience for the fisher. Similar to downrigger fishing, outriggers can be cumbersome to use often requiring a fishing partner to secure them to avoid interferences as the fisher plays and lands the fish.
A downrigger device may require much time to setup, is expensive, and may have undesirable electrical charges that repel fish. Furthermore, a downrigger line may become entangled with the main fishing line resulting in extra effort to disentangle the lines as well as become cumbersome and interfere with landing a fish. One of the advantages of this embodiment is the adaptability in the use of rod/reel types, lure/bait options under variable conditions related to saltwater, freshwater, fast-moving or slow current, trolling speed, drifting, or fishing on or proximity to the body of water bottom. This device also gives the fisher the capability to target suspended fish, with ease of use, more dependable tracking, and reduced chances of line entanglement. This embodiment further allows a fisherman to use any leader length without the difficulties encountered landing fish with long leaders.


Provided is a bearing monitoring device of a railcar, the railcar being constituted by coupling a plurality of cars including carbodies and bogies, the bearing monitoring device including: bearing temperature sensors provided at the respective bogies and configured to directly or indirectly detect temperatures of bearings of the bogies; at least one state sensor provided at at least one of the carbodies of the plurality of cars and configured to be used for calculating loads or rotating speeds of the bearings; and a storage unit provided at at least one of the carbodies of the plurality of cars and configured to store data pieces of signals detected by the bearing temperature sensors and the state sensor.

Known is a device configured to detect an abnormality of a bearing accommodated in an axle box of a bogie of a railcar, the abnormality being detected by: attaching a thermocouple gauge, a strain gauge, and a magnetic sensor to the bearing; and detecting a temperature, load, and rotating speed of the bearing (see PTL 1, for example).


A convertible car seat/stroller is disclosed. An illustrative embodiment of the convertible car seat/stroller includes a car seat having a seat portion and a backrest portion. A pair of front wheel wells is provided in the seat portion and a pair of rear wheel wells is provided in the backrest portion. A pair of front wheel supports and a pair of rear wheel supports can be selectively deployed between an extended configuration and a folded configuration in which the pair of front wheels is deployed in the pair of front wheel wells, respectively, and the pair of rear wheels is deployed in the pair of rear wheel wells, respectively.

Strollers are used to transport infants and small children as a caregiver pushes the stroller on a flat surface. Car seats are used to secure infants and small children in a vehicle during operation of the vehicle. When it is necessary to transport a child in a stroller after travel in a vehicle, the infant or child is removed from the car seat and placed in a separate stroller for transport in the stroller. Therefore, the stroller must be carried in the vehicle in addition to the car seat. A convertible car seat/stroller is needed which can be interchangeably used as a car seat or a stroller.


A portable electronic device includes a built-in speaker, an interface configured to connect to an external audio device to output sound, a switch, and a main microchip. The main microchip detects whether the external audio device is connected to the portable electronic device. When the external audio device is connected to the portable electronic device, the main microchip selects the audio device to output sound. When the audio device is not connected to the portable electronic device, the main microchip selects the built-in speaker to output the audio signals.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to audio devices, and particularly to an audio device used by a portable electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
A portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, commonly includes a built-in speaker to output audio. However, sound volume and quality of the built-in speaker usually is usually insufficient so that an external audio device such as a loudspeaker may be connected to the portable electronic device and output the sound with an increased sound volume and higher sound quality. The external audio device generally has a complex structure which may include a speaker, an amplifier circuit and a power source. Thus, the external audio device is commonly heavy and bulky and inconvenient for the user to carry.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Audio device and portable electronic device


The invention relates to an automated directory assistance system that utilizes a heuristics model for predicting the most likely requested number. Each orthography link in the speech recognition dictionary pointing toward an entry in the white pages is associated with a data structure that provides a probability value of that link pointing toward the telephone number intended by the user on the basis of locality information specified by the user of the automated directory assistance system.

In addition to providing printed telephone directories, telephone companies provide telephone directory assistance services. Users of these services call predetermined telephone numbers and are connected to directory assistance operators. The operators access directory databases to locate the directory listings requested by the users, and release the telephone numbers of those listings to the users.
Because telephone companies handle a very large number of directory assistance calls per year, the associated labor costs are very significant. Consequently, telephone companies and telephone equipment manufacturers have devoted considerable effort to the development of systems which reduce the labor costs associated with providing directory assistance services.
In a typical directory assistance system the caller is first prompted to provide listing information, in other words to specify in what area resides the business or individual whose telephone number he seeks. If valid speech is detected, the speech recognition layer is invoked in an attempt to recognize the unknown utterance. On a first pass search, a fast match algorithm is used so select the top N orthography groups from a speech recognition dictionary. In a second pass the individual orthographies from the selected groups are re-scored using a more precise likelihood. The top orthography in each of she top two groups are then processed by a rejection algorithm which evaluates if they are sufficiently distinctive from one another so the top choice candidate can be considered to be a valid recognition.
Once the ton choice orthography has been validated by the rejection layer the link established between the orthography and the corresponding entry in the white pages listing of the telephone company is looked at to derive the telephone number of the entity to which the link points to. This situation is very simple and once the correct orthography in the speech recognition dictionary has been identified deriving the corresponding telephone number is easy. In other instances, however, one orthography may point to several entries in the white pages listing. This is typical for complex organizational structures that normally include a root from which originate several leaves. For example, the stores chain "My store" may have several outlets in a metropolitan area. Thus, if the user formulates his request by saying "My store" the speech recognition layer will identify the orthography "My store" as being the most likely match for the spoken utterance. There is, however, no way of knowing which outlet at that particular chain the user is actually seeking. Since any one of the outlets presents a distinct possibility of being the intended entity the orthography "My store" is linked to all entries in the white pages corresponding to the various outlets of the chain.
One possibility of resolution is to use a navigation scheme where the system audibly plays back to the caller a list of possibilities and requests an indication about which one he seeks. This approach to link resolution is not necessarily the best since it requires complex navigational schemes and may annoy the user particularly when the number of links is important. Indeed, the user may be forced to listen for a comparatively long time to a multiple choice question before the requested telephone number can be released.
Thus, there exists a need in the industry to develop an automated directory assistance system that can predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy what link should be selected when an orthography points toward several entries in the white pages listing.

Automated directory assistance system utilizing a heuristics model for predicting the most likely requested number