A cleaning method for an exhaust gas containing ammonia, silanes, and organometallic compounds exhausted from a nitride film production step, etc., for producing compound semiconductors.. After removing the silanes and the organometallic compounds from the exhaust gas by contacting the exhaust gas with a cleaning agent comprising soda lime having provided thereon a copper(II) salt, the exhaust gas is contacted with an ammonia decomposition catalyst to decompose ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen, and undecomposed ammonia in the remaining exhaust gas is then removed by a cleaning agent comprising an inorganic carrier having provided thereon a copper(II) salt, or an active carbon having provided thereon copper sulfate.

Recently, with the developments of a semiconductor production industry, an optoelectronics production industry, a precision instrument production industry, a hard metal material production industry, an ornaments production industry, etc., various gases have been used.
Of those gases, harmful gases such as monosilane, disilane, trimethylsilane, triethylsilane, trimethyl gallium, triethyl gallium, trimethyl indium, triethyl indium, etc., in addition to ammonia are used in a nitride film production step for the production of compound semiconductors. These gases are indispensable materials in the production steps of compound semiconductors, but these gases each has a high toxicity and when unreacted gases are released in the air after use, they give bad influences on the human bodies and the environment.
The allowable concentrations of these gases are, for example, that the concentration of ammonia is 25 ppm, and the concentration of monosilane is 5 ppm. Therefore, the gases containing these harmful gases must be cleaned prior to releasing in the air after use in a semiconductor production step, etc.
Of these harmful gases, in particular, an ammonia gas is sometimes used as a mixture with a hydrogen gas or a nitrogen gas at a relatively high concentration of the ammonia gas of from 1 to 30 vol %. In addition, monosilane, disilane, trimethylsilane, triethylsilane, and the like are further added thereto at a concentration of from 1 to 1,000 ppm, and trimethyl gallium, triethyl gallium, trimethyl indium, triethyl indium, and the like are further added thereto at a concentration of from about 0.01 to 1 vol %.
The gas mixture containing these harmful gases is used in a compound semiconductor production step, and the unreacted gas is then made harmless by removing the harmful gases prior to release in the air. However, a method of efficiently cleaning the gas mixture at a low cost has not yet been developed and thus the development of such a method has been strongly desired.
Conventional cleaning methods for an exhaust gas containing ammonia in a relatively high concentration and also containing a silane such as monosilane, disilane, or trimethylsilane, and an organometallic compound such as trimethyl indium, or trimethyl gallium are (1) a method of contacting the exhaust gas with an aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, etc., to absorb the exhaust gas into the aqueous solution, thereby catching ammonia as ammonium sulfate and other harmful components as the oxides or sulfates in the aqueous solution; (2) a method of introducing the exhaust gas into a combustion furnace and removing ammonia as water and nitrogen, and other harmful components as water, a carbonic acid gas, and oxides; (3) a method of contacting the exhaust gas with each dry-type cleaning agent corresponding to each harmful component contained in the exhaust gas; and the like.
However, the above methods have the following disadvantages.
That is, in the method (1) of contacting the exhaust gas with the aqueous solution of sulfuric acid, etc., and absorbing the harmful components in the solution, the harmful gases such as ammonia, monosilane, trimethyl gallium, trimethyl indium, etc., can be removed, but there are inconveniences that the removal ratio thereof is low, whereby the concentrations of the harmful gases cannot be lowered to the environmental standard allowable concentrations, and also that a large amount of ammonium sulfate is by-produced in the cleaning treatment, and solid matters such as silicon oxides, indium oxides or gallium oxides are contained in the treating solution. In the method (2) of making the exhaust gas harmless by introducing the exhaust gas into a combustion furnace and burning the harmful components in the furnace, not only there is an inconvenience that since the exhaust gas is not released under a stationary state, the method involves a danger of an incomplete combustion, an abnormal combustion, or an explosion but also there is a fault that nitrogen oxides which are harmful materials are newly by-produced by the combustion treatment. In the case of the method (3) of making the exhaust gas harmless by contacting the exhaust gas with a dry-type cleaning agent, by using the combination of each cleaning agent according to the kind of a harmful gas, all the harmful components can be removed but there are faults that a large amount of a cleaning agent is required for cleaning an ammonia gas contained in the exhaust gas in a relatively high concentration and a very large treatment apparatus is required for the method.
As described above, the development of an exhaust gas cleaning method, wherein the cleaning apparatus is small-sized, the cleaning efficiency is high, and the treatment after cleaning can be easily carried out, has been strongly desired.

Cleaning method for exhaust gas containing ammonia and silane


The present invention relates to performing chromatic dispersion estimation in a receiver of an optical communication system. Here, the signal received by the receiver includes frames, each comprising a training portion and a data portion. The training portion comprises a plurality of identical pattern sequences. Different settings are applied to an equalizer to generate a plurality of equalized signals from at least one of the received frames. Then, at least one correlation value is calculated between a first pattern sequence and a second pattern sequence of the equalized signals and a final correlation value is derived from the respective correlation values. The setting of the equalizer corresponding to the equalized signal providing the highest final correlation value is selected to provide the chromatic dispersion estimation.

Current state-of-the-art transceivers in fiber optical communication systems can produce data streams with a bit rate up to 200 Gb/s. Such high bit rate signals can for example be generated using a classic serial on-off keying transmission, but this has two main disadvantages. First, such an approach requires large-bandwidth electronics. Second, the spectral efficiency of the resulting optical signal is very low, which generally leads to an unacceptable spectral occupancy.
In view of these disadvantages, advanced modulation formats such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) and 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (16 QAM) have been adopted for higher bit rates. Here, the symbol rate is lower than the bit rate, leading to a higher spectral efficiency than provided by serial on-off keying transmission, and the spectral efficiency can be additionally doubled by performing polarization-division multiplexing (PDM).
Such advanced modulation formats combined with PDM require coherent detection, as all dimensions of the optical field must be analyzed for proper signal demodulation. Besides enabling the demodulation of advanced modulation formats, coherent detection has two additional benefits: increased receiver sensitivity and possibility of digital impairment compensation. Digital compensation of transmission impairments such as chromatic dispersion (CD) and polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) has been extensively investigated and has been applied in commercially available transponders. An effective compensation of the respective impairments requires precise impairment estimation, commonly referred to as channel estimation.
Different algorithms for channel estimation in coherent optical transceivers have been proposed and implemented using for example digital signal processing (DSP) architectures. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a corresponding digital signal processing (DSP) architecture of a channel estimator 10. In this architecture, a digitalized optical signal 20 is processed by a bulk chromatic dispersion (CD) equalizer 30. Commonly, this type of equalizer is implemented in the frequency domain and is then referred to as Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30. The Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30 coarsely compensates the chromatic dispersion (CD), leaving the resulting signal 40 with a residual chromatic dispersion (CD). The resulting signal 40 should have sufficiently low residual chromatic dispersion (CD) in order to enable the subsequent steps of frame detection 60, frequency offset correction 70, and finally MIMO equalization 80 to be performed in a robust manner.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a chromatic dispersion estimator 50 receives information from the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30, and based on this information, the chromatic dispersion estimator 50 configures the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30. In other words, the amount of residual chromatic dispersion CD left by the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30 largely depends on the performance of the chromatic dispersion estimator 50. Moreover, since the performance of the subsequent stages of frame detection 60, frequency offset correction 70, and finally MIMO equalization 80 located after the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30 depends on the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30, the chromatic dispersion estimator 50 is conventionally located immediately before or after the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30 for improved performance
A conventional chromatic dispersion estimator 50 is based on the constant-modulus algorithm (CMA), as for example described in Kuschnerov, Maxim, et al. "Adaptive chromatic dispersion equalization for non-dispersion managed coherent systems." Optical Fiber Communication Conference. Optical Society of America, 2009. The constant-modulus algorithm (CMA) assumes that all constellation symbols of the received signal 20 have identical amplitudes, such as for example QPSK modulation symbols, since all symbols of the QPSK constellation have identical amplitudes. In other words, the constant-modulus algorithm (CMA) considers the amplitude (modulus) of such a signal to be constant as long as it is not subject to any impairment. However, if chromatic dispersion distorts the signal, the original constellation shape no longer holds, meaning that the signal no longer has constant amplitude over time. In this case, the constant-modulus algorithm based chromatic dispersion (CMA-based CD) estimator 50 applies different chromatic dispersion test values to the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30, and analyses the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) output signal 40. For a given chromatic dispersion test value, the amplitude of the output signal is constant. In ideal conditions, this corresponds exactly to the opposite value of the chromatic dispersion imposed by the link and thus provides an optical equalization of the signal.
However, the accuracy of the CMA-based CD estimator is affected by different factors. First, as discussed above, the CMA-based algorithm is not agnostic to the modulation format, as it assumes that all constellation symbols have identical amplitudes. This assumption does not apply for many modulation schemes, such as for example Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) symbols having different amplitudes and phases. Second, since the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) does not compensate polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization-dependent loss (PDL), these impairments may incorrectly bias the chromatic dispersion estimation. Third, this algorithm does not account for polarization-division multiplexing (PDM).
It should be noted that even though the MIMO equalizer 80 illustrated in FIG. 1 typically has the potential of providing very precise chromatic dispersion estimation, such post-processing estimation requires that the first CMA-based CDE delivers a reasonably small error. However, until the first CMA-based CDE delivers such a small error, a significant amount of time can lapse and frames may be lost.
In summary, a problem related to the CMA-based chromatic dispersion estimator is that the modulation format must define constellation symbols with identical amplitudes. Furthermore, the CMA-based chromatic dispersion estimator lacks robustness against polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization-dependent loss (PDL) and does not provide for polarization-division multiplexing (PDM), which can only be compensated with high implementation complexity.
The above referenced article by Kuschnerov, Maxim, et al. discloses a CMA algorithm, in which different chromatic dispersion values are tested, and the value which minimizes a defined CMA cost function is, in ideal conditions, the opposite value of the chromatic dispersion of the link. The suggested algorithm has the advantage that the estimation path uses a compensation path, wherein the signal analyzed by the estimator is the Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) output signal. However, the algorithm is not modulation format transparent and does not take into account PDM, PMD and PDL. US2012/0213512A1 describes a similar chromatic dispersion equalization.
Hauske, Fabian N., et al. "Frequency domain chromatic dispersion estimation." Optical Fiber Communication Conference. Optical Society of America, 2010 discloses an estimator which works in the frequency domain and applies correlation of the input signal spectrum with a circularly-shifted version of itself. Consequently, the respective correlation power is maximized for the correct chromatic dispersion estimation. Although this estimator is transparent to the modulation format, it does not use any signal from the compensation path, leading to an increased implementation complexity. A related version of chromatic dispersion estimation is discussed in Hauske, Fabian N., et al. "Precise, robust and least complexity CD estimation." National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference. Optical Society of America, 2011 wherein rather than analyzing the entire spectrum of the input signal, only a clock-tone is analyzed. Consequently, the implementation complexity is reduced, but the clock tone-power can be undesirably affected by polarization-related effects such as PMD and PDL. As a matter of fact, the clock tone-power can even completely vanish in certain scenarios, rendering this estimator useless for PMD impaired input signals. A similar clock-tone based approach for detecting and compensating chromatic dispersion is disclosed in US 2012/0281981A1. Here, a binary signal is modulated in pseudo-RZ modulation, which generates a clock tone in the spectrum.
The receiver monitors the power of such clock tone, which depends on the chromatic dispersion. Hence, this approach represents another clock-tone based technique having the disadvantages discussed above.
Wymeersch, Henk, and Pontus Johannisson. "Maximum-likelihood-based blind dispersion estimation for coherent optical communication." Lightwave Technology, Journal of 30.18 (2012): 2976-2982 discloses a maximum-likelihood chromatic dispersion estimator which works in the frequency domain. This estimator is independent of the modulation format, timing offset, differential group delay (DGD) and input polarization state, and its performance is mathematically proved to be optimal. However, its implementation is very complex as it requires matrix multiplication of an oversampled input signal (more than 2 samples/symbol), and one multiplication is required per each test polarization matrix.
Sui, Qi, Alan Pak Tao Lau, and Chao Lu. "Fast and Robust Blind Chromatic Dispersion Estimation Using Auto-Correlation of Signal Power Waveform for Digital Coherent Systems." Journal of Lightwave Technology 31.2 (2013): 306-312 discloses an estimator based on the auto-correlation of signal power waveform, but which does not search for an optimum CD value. In fact, the optimum CD value is directly the result of the estimation. However, in this scheme, the estimation path does not use any signal from the compensation path and the implementation of the estimation path is complex, as it needs a FFT/IFFT pair to calculate the correlation of the signal power waveform in the frequency domain. Furthermore, results presented in the document illustrate that the algorithm is very sensitive to narrowband electrical or optical filtering.
Hauske, Fabian N, et al. "Optical performance monitoring in digital coherent receivers." Lightwave Technology, Journal of 27.16 (2009): 3623-3631 discloses a data-aided algorithm, which estimates the chromatic dispersion from the taps of the MIMO equalizer 80 illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, the signals analyzed by the estimator are not the output signals of the first
Frequency Domain Equalizer (FDE) 30 in FIG. 1, but represent signals processed in a number of steps prior to being analyzed by the estimator. It follows that a useful chromatic dispersion estimation range requires very long training sequences and a very long equalizer impulse response, which can only be solved by highly complex implementations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,500 relates to a method for estimation of chromatic dispersion in a multichannel optical network. Here, the disclosed estimator is based on eye-diagram analysis, wherein the chromatic dispersion distorts the eye diagram of an on-off-keying signal from its original shape. Thus, the method is limited to on-off-keying signals and can only cope with minor chromatic dispersions.
US2013/0045004 relates to a histogram-based chromatic dispersion estimator and is based on the effect that the power waveform of an optical signal subject to chromatic dispersion has a Gaussian-shaped statistical distribution. Thus, the histogram of the amplitude of the optical field is determined, and if the histogram is Gaussian, then it is concluded that the chromatic dispersion has not been properly compensated. In other words, the chromatic dispersion compensator is tuned until the histogram is no longer Gaussian. However, this estimator is applicable only to minor chromatic dispersions.
US20120128376 refers to a method of chromatic dispersion estimation for coherent receivers which is insensitive to polarization-mode dispersion (PMD). The disclosed estimator obtains two frequency parts of the signal at frequencies ±f from the center frequency. The chromatic dispersion is estimated by comparing the phase shift between the frequency parts, which should be zero if no chromatic dispersion is present in the signal. However, as polarization-related effects can additionally influence the spectral phase, this estimator is implicitly sensitive to PMD and PDL, although such influences may be reduced by averaging.
It follows that the above conventional chromatic dispersion estimators are based on time-domain signals (e.g., CMA) or frequency-domain signals (e.g., spectral analysis, clock-tone analysis) and may or may not use signals from the compensation path. However, the above conventional chromatic dispersion estimators are unsuitable or require significant complexity for coping with a modulation format with constellation symbols having unequal amplitudes, especially when the estimator is to additionally provide robustness against polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) and polarization-dependent loss (PDL) and to also account for polarization-division multiplexing (PDM).

Data-aided chromatic dispersion estimation


In a digital reproduction system incorporating a single pass scanner, accurate image processing results from processing a subset of grayscale image data. More specifically, scanlines that correspond to the leading edge of a document are stored and processed to detect skew and to obtain an appropriate correction. The lead edge correction is then applied to the entire grayscale image. Accordingly, the present systems and methods eliminate skew from grayscale images in real-time. The corrected image is rendered to binary and stored in electronic pre-collation memory and cropping, masking and other image editing operations can be performed on the binary image data before the image is printed.

Digital scanners are commonly used to capture images from a hardcopy medium. In a typical scanning operation, light from the scanner illuminates the surface of an original document and an image sensor moving past the document detects the intensity of light reflected from each location in the image and stores it as a proportionate electrical charge at a corresponding pixel location. The analog charges are passed to an image processor where they are quantized to grayscale levels, each of which is represented by a multi-bit digital value. The number of bits that are assigned to each grayscale level determines the number of intensity levels that can be generated by the scanner. For example, in a scanner that represents grayscale levels using 8 bit words will be able to capture 256 (28) different intensity levels. The value for the grayscale level that provides the closest match to the intensity of reflected light is assigned to the pixel corresponding to each location in the image. Thus, scanning captures analog input images by generating a stream of multi-bit values, with each location in the image being represented by a multi-bit digital word.
One or more scanners, printers, video displays and/or computer storage devices are often connected via a communications network, thereby providing a digital reproduction system. For example, a digital copier may incorporate a scanner and a digital printer. While scanners capture hundreds of light intensity levels, digital output devices usually generate relatively few levels of output. For example, most digital printers generate binary output, wherein a single bit is assigned to each pixel and marking material is either withheld from or applied to the pixel depending upon the assigned value. The grayscale data is rendered to binary format and stored in memory, where it can be retrieved by the printer for output. While it is possible to print data as it is rendered, storing it first provides several advantages. For one, when the data is stored, it is possible to print multiple copies of the same page without having to repeatedly re-scan the original document. It is also easier to transfer stored data between devices, as it can be compressed and decompressed.
Grayscale image data is often processed for improved image quality. Image processing is preferably applied before the image is rendered, to avoid data loss. Well known image processing techniques are performed to improve image contrast, sharpness, color and also to eliminate scanning artifacts, hole punches and other undesirable data. For example, skew correction is a well known imaging process that may be applied to remove skew from image data that is captured from an original document that became rotated relative to the image sensor before it was captured. Skewed images are unappealing to the viewer and they are also difficult to process in optical character recognition processes. The contents of an image are viewed in relation to the edges of the page on which it is printed. Thus, skew can be eliminated by aligning the image with the edge of the document. More specifically, skew can be eliminated by detecting the magnitude and direction of the document rotation and applying a corresponding counter rotation to the image data.
Cropping, another well known imaging process, is performed to remove image data that represents the document transport, scanner platen or other hardware that is present in the scanning when the document is scanned. To remove this extraneous data, the entire scan is processed to determine the size of the original document and to pinpoint its location inside the scan. The data that lies outside of the identified region can then be deleted before the image is printed.
An accurate and robust digital image processing technique analyzes the entire scan to select the data that is most relevant for processing. However, to process an entire scan, all of the grayscale data must be available when each scanline is processed. One-pass scanners process image data "on-the-fly," i.e., the grayscale data is generated, processed and rendered in real-time. It would be very expensive to process and store the entire volume of grayscale image data for an entire scan (i.e., multi-bit grayscale values for every pixel in the image) quickly enough to keep pace with the scanning rate. Instead, one-pass scanners almost always select the data on which processing is based by analyzing only a subset of the data in the scan. Unfortunately, it is difficult to isolate the subset of grayscale data that will best represent the entire scan for each specific process and thus, image processing that is based upon partial analyses often produce unreliable results.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for processing a digital image based upon an analysis of the grayscale image data that is generated for an entire scan. More specifically, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for processing grayscale image data for an entire scan to locate the corners of the document without having to store the entire grayscale image in memory. It is also desirable to process grayscale data to measure the skew in a scanned image and to eliminate the skew before the image is rendered for output.

Real-time processing of grayscale image data


A method of parking a vehicle includes calibrating a wheel speed count of the vehicle based on a measured length that is external to the vehicle, and parking the vehicle based on the calibrated wheel speed count.

Park assist for automatically parking vehicles often relies on wheel speed counts to accurately derive a slot length and define and control the trajectory to accurately fit into the slot. However, due to uneven tire wear, aftermarket tires, tire pressure (due to elevated temperature), use of a mini spare, or full size replacement of a tire without wear, the system may be affected enough to noticeably prevent an accurate, automatic parallel park, when based on wheel speed counts.

Enhanced park assist wheel speed compensation technique


The invention generally provides a method for the sample preparation for a subsequent preparation, processing or analysis method of a sample containing an at least one species of nucleic acid and/or one species of protein, whereby the method comprises the following steps: A) providing a sample which contains at least one species of a nucleic acid and/or of a protein, B) contacting the sample with a fluid or solid composition to produce a fluid sample preparation, whereby the composition contains at least a nitrogenous compound, which is selected from the group consisting of a) polyamines, b) amino acids, and oligo- and polypeptides, c) nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds, including homo- oder heteropolymers, which comprise these nitrogenous compounds, d) amines of the type R1R2NR3, whereby R1, R2 and R3 are chosen independently from one another from the group consisting of H, C1-C5-alkyl groups and aryl groups, whereby R1, R2 and R3 are not H simultaneously, e) carboxylic acid amides, f) inorganic ammonium salts, g) ammonium groups containing inner salt compounds, h) antibiotica binding nucleic acid, i) compounds which bind in the small cavity of the DNA, and mixtures of two or more of these compounds. The invention provides in particular a method for the lysis of a biological sample, and methods for the stabilization of biomolecules, a method for the decrease of inhibiting effects in a sample containing biomolecules and a differential masking method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of a sample containing biomolecules. The invention further relates to a method for the lysis of a biological sample, a method for the stabilisation of nucleic acids and/or proteins, a method for the reduction of inhibiting effects in a sample containing nucleic acids and/or proteins, a method for the differential masking of nucleic acids and analysis methods which build on the previous methods or incorporate them.
2. Description of Related Art
It has been known for a long time that the genetic origin and the functional activity of a cell can be determined and examined by studies of biomolecules as e.g. its nucleic acids or proteins. The analyses of these molecules enable the direct access to the origin of the activities of cells. They are thereby potentially superior to indirect conventional methods as e.g. the detection of metabolites. This has led to a wide distribution of nucleic acid and protein analyses in previous years. The biomolecular analyses are thus already used in many areas, e.g. in medical and clinical diagnostics, in pharmaceutics in the development and evaluation of drugs, in food analysis and during the supervision of food production, in agriculture during the breeding of agricultural crop and farm animals and in the environment analysis and in many research areas.
The activities of genes can for example be determined directly by the analysis of the RNA, in particular the mRNA in cells. The quantitative analysis of transcript samples (mRNA samples) in cells by modern molecular-biological methods as e.g. real-time reverse transcriptase PCR ("Real-Time RT-PCR") or gene expression chip analyses enables e.g. the recognition of wrongly expressed genes whereby e.g. metabolic disorders, infections or the formation of cancer can be recognised. The analysis of the DNA, e.g. from cells, by molecular biological methods as e.g. PCR, RFLP, AFLP or sequencing enables e.g. the proof of genetic defects or the determination of the HLA-type and other genetic markers.
The analysis of genomic DNA and RNA is also used for the direct detection of infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria etc.
It is the condition for all analysis methods of biomolecules from biological samples that these biomolecules as e.g. DNA, RNA or proteins are made accessible for the corresponding analysis method. Contents of cells or organisms can usually only be analysed when the contents are present in the analysis medium, that is, are e.g. transferred from the cell or the organism into the analysis medium. The cells/organisms are disintegrated for this purpose, so that the contents are not present within but outside of the organism or the cells and the contents of the organism or the cell are freely accessible for the analysis. The disintegration of organisms or parts of organisms (e.g. cells) is also called lysis, the disintegrated organisms are also called lysates.
The disintegration of samples, e.g. organisms, should take place as completely as possible on two counts: (1) All areas of the sample, e.g. of the organism should be disintegrated, so that the contents of possibly all parts of an organism are released in the sample. (2) The disintegration of the sample, e.g. of the organisms, is only completed when the contents were made accessible for the analysis. While the organisms were disintegrated, but the contents still covered, e.g. by cell compartments, an analysis of the contents cannot be carried out in a quantitative manner.
Presently, several lysis methods are known. A cleaning of the contents to be analysed is followed in the most lysis methods, so as to free the contents from all materials which counteract an analysis. Some examples are to be described in the following:
Lysis with detergents: Detergents are amphipatic molecules which dissolve the hydrophobic membrane of cells so that the contents of the cells outpour into the environment. E.g., non-ionic and ionic detergents belong to these. The detergents triton-X100, Nonidet-P40, sodiumdodecyl sulfate (sodiumdodecyl sulfate, SDS), or also cationic detergents as e.g. N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) amongst others have further use for the disintegration of organisms. Many methods with cationic detergents were described and patented for the lysis of organisms and for the isolation of nucleic acids (NA). Nucleic acids can e.g. be complexed by cationic detergents for their protection and cleaning. The methods described in the following US patents and US patent applications are part of these methods: U.S. Pat. No. 6,602,718, U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,170, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,183, U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,572, U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,635, U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,822, and US 2002/0146677 A1, US 2004/0048384 A1, US 2004/0115689 A1, US 2004/0014703 A1. The lysis method with ammonium salts as e.g. N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) use amphipatic ammonium salts which contain a longer hydrocarbon chain of at least 6 C atoms.
B) Lysis with water: During the lysis with water, the properties of semipermeable membranes of cells are used which envelope these. These membranes are water-permeable, but not for salts or larger molecules. If a cell with its contents of salt and other larger molecules is transferred into a fluid, which contains a lower salt concentration than the cell interior, the cell will absorb water until the salt concentration within and outside the cell is balanced. If the concentration difference between the cell interior and the outer fluid is sufficiently large, the cell will absorb water until it bursts.
C) Lysis with organic solvents: the hydrophobic membranes of cells can be destroyed by organic solvent. The lipids of the membranes and the lipophilic protein components of the membranes are hereby absorbed in the organic phase. The cell contents remain mostly in the hydrophilic phase or at the boundary layer between the lipophilic and the hydrophilic phase. Phenol is often used with this type of lysis.
D) Lysis with chaotropic salts: chaotropic salts destroy the structure of water based on the formation of hydrogen bridge bonds, so that the double layer structure of membranes cannot be maintained anymore. These membranes are thereby dissolved and the lysis takes place, whereby the cell contents pour into the chaotropic environment. This method is used with a number of methods for isolating nucleic acids and proteins, e.g. in the commercially available RNeasy®-, QIAamp®-methods or the denaturating disintegration of cells for protein cleaning.
It is desirable for the following cleaning steps or detection reactions which are carried out with the obtained lysate that the relevant contents of the cell are transferred as completely as possible into the lysate, as the amount which is necessary for the detection or for the isolation of a given amount of a biomolecule such as DNA or RNA, can be reduced further.
With the quantitative and the qualitative analysis of biomolecules as e.g. nucleic acids and proteins, the preservation of their integrity is of great importance. In particular nucleic acid such as DNA and, to a higher extent, RNA are subject to different influences after the removal of the biological samples from their natural environment, which can lead to a change or degradation of the DNA or RNA. For example, the enzymatic degradation of these nucleic acids or the degradation of DNA under the influence of shear forces occurring in the sample during the lysis are mentioned.
It is known that the preservation of the integrity of nucleic acids and proteins can be achieved by (A) cleaning of the NA or proteins, (B) dehydration, (C) protection against degrading enzymes or (D) complexing. This is described shortly in the following:
Cleaning of the nucleic acids or proteins: during the cleaning, nucleic acids or proteins are freed from all substances or molecules which are contained in the biological sample and which can damage the integrity of the nucleic acids or the proteins permanently. These cleaning methods are e.g. affinity chromatography, protein salting out methods, cleaning of nucleic acids or proteins at solid phases. The solid phase can e.g. be an ion exchanger as is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,990,301, and 6,020,186 for example. Alternatively, the use of porous matrices is described, e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,778 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,562.
(B) Dehydration: a dehydration of the nucleic acid or proteins causes that damaging processes, which can take place when the sample with the nucleic acids or proteins are dissolved in water, are blocked or prevented. These damaging processes are e.g. the enzymatic degradation by proteases or nucleases. Thus, the isolated nucleic acid can be dehydrated e.g. by precipitation (precipitation) by means of salt and alcohol (Current protocols in molecular biology, e.g. p. 1.6.1. Alkaline Lysis Miniprep). Nucleic acids can also be protected from degradation in biological samples as e.g. in tissue parts or microscopic sections by dehydration. This is described in the description U.S. Pat. No. 6,528,641 for example. The reagents are infiltrated into the intact sample in the method described there, whereby not only a dehydration, but also a precipitation of proteins as e.g. nucleases is effected, which are then present in the dehydrated sample in an inactive manner. The use of ammonium sulfate as dehydrating agent is particularly described there. A precipitation of DNA is also effected in the cleaning of DNA described in the patent application US 2002/0197637, whereby polyamines are used for cleaning and the polyamines lead to a condensation of the DNA, whereby a damage of the DNA by shearing shall be avoided with mechanical disintegration.
(C) Protection from degrading enzymes: it has been known for a long time that proteases and nucleases (enzymes disintegrating nucleic acid) can be specifically inhibited. Thus, the DNase I can be inhibited by e.g. Mg2+- or Ca2+-complexing agents. RNases can be inhibited e.g. by specific RNase inhibitors or by reducing agents. These inhibitors are described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,552,302 and 6,777,210.
(D) Complexing: Another variant of the cleaning provides a complexation with quaternay ammonium salts forming micelles for the protection of the nucleic acids. The complexing of the nucleic acids thus leads to the protection from nucleases. Quaternary ammonium salts are used thereby, which function as cationic detergents and form micelles. For this it is necessary that the quaternary ammonium salt has at least one long-chain carbon chain as substituent. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,602,718, 6,617,170, 5,010,183, 5,985,572, 5,300,635, 5,728,822 and the US patent applications US 2002/0146677A1, US 2004/0048384A1, US 2004/0115689, and US 2004/0014703A1 are counted amongst these or similar methods.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,821,752 describes a cleaning and extraction of proteins in the presence of amphipatic amines, that is, of compounds acting as detergents in a similar manner.
The compounds provided for the separation or complexation of the nucleic acids or proteins is restricted in that they should behave as inert as possible with regard to the isolation method or analysis method carried out subsequently, that is, should not influence the subsequent isolation or analysis in a disadvantageous manner. Otherwise, they have to be decomplexed in a further reconditioning step.
The above state of the art shows that sufficient stabilisation of nucleic acids and proteins from biological samples usually requires additional reconditioning steps by which the sample is split. Methods for the stabilisation which make these additional reconditioning steps unnecessary and which use stabilising reagents which can be used as versatile as possible, are therefore advantageous.
A further problem which can occur with the analysis of biomolecules such as nucleic acids or samples containing proteins, is the fact that biomolecules of a first type can be impaired by biomolecules of a second type in such a sample. Sometimes, biomolecules of the second types shall also be analysed, whereby biomolecules of the first or another type will then act in a disrupting manner during the analysis. An example amongst many is mentioned here to clarify this: A sample contains cells of a certain organism. A detection of a nucleic acid of these cells by an oligonucleotide in the presence of proteins binding nucleic acid can for example be influenced in a disadvantageous manner. Assuming that a certain species of DNA is to be detected in the present example, the proteins binding the DNA represent an inhibiting substance. In another example, e.g. the analysis of proteins binding DNA, a DNA which can bind to the proteins binding DNA can have a disadvantageous influence on the result of the analysis, as the nucleic acid acts as inhibiting substance in this case and leads to a falsification of the results of the analysis.
Usual methods for excluding these disadvantageous interactions between different biomolecules provide to separate the biomolecules which are influencing each other to avoid disturbances. These methods thus often provide a cleaning step, in which certain species of biomolecules are removed from a sample. The concentration of the biomolecules amongst themselves is thereby changed by the separation method, so that the desired biomolecules are enriched, but the other ones are reduced in their concentrations.
Known methods for the separation of biomolecules include the following methods:
Separation of biomolecules by salting out methods: Salting out methods are used to separate parts of the biological sample which can be precipitated by a certain amount of salts from the sample. These methods can be used on the one hand to precipitate the part to be cleaned with salt. The ammonium sulfate precipitation of proteins represents such a known method. On the other hand, this method can also be used in the reverse direction, an that the material to be cleaned is freed from a plurality of contaminating molecules, but is not precipitated itself. An example for this is the protein precipitation by potassium acetate during the isolation of DNA.
Separation of biomolecules by chromatography: Biomolecules can, due to their properties, be cleaned and separated by several chromatography methods. These properties can concern their size, their charge, their hydrophobity or their affinity to certain surfaces or haptenes, to mention only a few possibilities. Chromatography is to be explained here with the example of the ion exchange chromatography: There are two possibilities for a series of chemical biomolecules to be cleaned by ion exchange chromatography. The biomolecule to be isolated can on the one hand be bound to the ion exchange chromatography material, whereas the contaminating substances are not bound and can be separated from the biomolecule to be isolated in this manner (e.g. anion exchange chromatography for the cleaning of negatively charged nucleic acids). On the other hand, contaminating substances can also be bound to the chromatography material, and the biomolecule to be isolated can then be caught in the break-through or in the washing buffer (e.g. cation exchange chromatography for the cleaning of the negatively charged nucleic acids). Examples of such a method are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,301 and WO0248164.
(C) Separation of biomolecules at solid surfaces: A number of surfaces have the property to be able to bind certain biomolecules in a defined binding environment. Theses binding properties can be used for the cleaning of biomolecules. This will be explained here with the example of the cleaning of nucleic acid at silica surfaces. Silica surfaces, be it microparticles or membranes, can bind nucleic acids in the presence of chaotropic salts having a high concentration. But other molecules as e.g. proteins do not bind to these surfaces and are thus separated. The nucleic acid can be obtained in a pure form after the washing of the silica surface. Examples for this are described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,990,301, 6,020,186 and 6,180,778.
(D) Separation of biomolecules by selective complexing: Some separation methods complex biomolecules selectively, so that these can be separated from the other contents of the sample by a centrifugation step or by a filtration step. Examples for this are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,728,822 and 5,985,572.
The use of ammonium sulfate for the neutralisation of inhibiting effects at samples containing RNA is described in the US patent application US 2002/0115851. These samples contain purified amounts of RNA. However, it is described in the literature that inorganic ammonium salts as e.g. ammonium sulfate have the disadvantage that certain partial activities of polymerases (e.g. 3′-5′ exonuclease activity) can be changed and the presence of ammonium sulfate can thereby have a disadvantageous effect on the polymerase reactions carried out for the subsequent analysis (Tsurumi et al. "Functional Expression and Characterization of the Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Polymerase Catalytic Subunit", Journal of Virology, Vol 67, No. 8, 1993, p. 4651-4658)
The described methods require a preceding separation of the biomolecules affecting the detection reaction in a disadvantageous manner from the sample or presume these. Consequently, a need exists for a simplified method with which the inhibiting effect of certain biomolecules in samples can be removed in such a measure that a reliable detection reaction can be carried out with the sample.
A further problem which often occurs during the separation of nucleic acids, is founded in the fact that ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) represent biomolecules which are very similar in their chemical properties. Thus, there is often the difficulty to separate these from each other. For a plurality of applications, it is nevertheless of utmost importance to produce DNA-free RNA or RNA-free DNA: contaminating genomic DNA in RNA preparations can for example lead to quantitatively wrong results in RT-PCR experiments.
At present, a number of methods exist which make it possible to enrich RNA or DNA differentially. Different methods can be distinguished in principal:
On the one hand, enzymes can be used which specifically degrade DNA or RNA. These enzymes are called nucleases. The RNA-degrading enzymes belong to these nucleases, the RNases, and the DNA-degrading enzymes, the DNases. If e.g. DNA is to be cleaned, a RNase can be used during the cleaning method, which decomposes the RNA molecules into small fractions. These methods are generally used for e.g. plasmid isolation or cleaning of genomic DNA. DNA contaminations in RNA preparations are alternatively hydrolysed with DNase I. This method is also generally known.
On the other hand, chemical methods can be used which utilise the differences in the chemical properties of RNA or DNA. A number of solid phase cleaning methods are counted amongst these. The solid phase can e.g. be an ion exchanger, as for example described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,990,301 and 6,020,186, or it can be a porous matrix, as is described in e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,180,778 and 5,496,562.
Other cleaning methods concern the different solubility behaviours of RNA or DNA. The cleaning of RNA in the presence of aqueous solution of a chaotropic salt and acidic phenol is counted amongst these, whereby genomic DNA enriches in the inter phase and RNA remains in aqueous solution (Chomczynski P. & Sacchi N., 1987, Anal Biochem. 1987 April; 162(1):156-9, "Single-step method of RNA isolation by acid guanidinium thiocyanate-phenol-chloroform extraction").
Other methods are based on the selective precipitation of RNA or DNA. Examples for this have already been described above in connection with the decomplexing of inhibiting biomolecules or the stabilisation of biomolecules.
These methods also include a separate method step, with which the relative composition of the different biomolecules, in particular different nucleic acids or proteins is changed considerably to achieve the desired effect. The practicability of the method can depend if the reagant used for the separation has a negative effect on the desired detection reaction, whereby the number of reagents available for a certain sample preparation as e.g. for an analysis method is restricted. Every method step for the separation of a sample also has a contamination risk in addition to the additional costs, which makes an extremely clean and controlled operation necessary.
With regard to different aspects, there is thus a need for a further improvement of the sample preparation of samples containing biomolecules and improved processing, preparation, and analysis methods of biomolecules.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for the treatment of a sample containing biomolecules


The invention relates to a conductive connection assembly (5), a method for manufacturing the same and a kit for a body (23) comprising carbon fibre-reinforced material, e.g. for a vehicle comprising a carbon fibre-reinforced body (23), with an electrical structural network for conducting electric discharges. The conductive connection assembly (5) includes a conductive interconnection element (1) with a conductive braid material (B). Furthermore, a kit is provided, the kit including at least two conductive connection assemblies (5) that are provided with differently shaped interconnection elements (1). Finally, a method that comprises the step of reshaping longitudinal ends (3, 4) of a braid material (B) is provided according to the invention.

The present invention relates to a conductive connection assembly for connecting conductor segments of an electrical structural network of a body to other conductive elements of the body, the conductive connection assembly being adapted to conduct electric discharges and comprising a conductive interconnection element with a conductive section. Further, the present invention relates to a kit. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a conductive connection assembly for connecting conductor segments of an electrical structural network of a body to other conductive elements of the body, the conductive connection assembly being capable of conducting electrical discharges.

Conductive connection assembly, method for manufacturing the same and kit for a body comprising carbon fibre-reinforced material


This invention relates to lubricant base oil having high viscosity indexes and low pour points, and particularly to lubricant base oil consisting essentially of a normal paraffin and an isoparaffin, wherein (a) an average carbon number Nc in one molecule is not less than 28 but not more than 40, and (b) an average branch number Nb in one molecule calculated from a ratio of CH3 carbon to total carbon determined by 13C-NMR analysis and the average carbon number Nc in one molecule is not more than (0.2Nc−3.1) but not less than 1.5.

Heretofore, the lubricant base oil was produced by using crude oil as a raw material. Recently, it is demanded to improve performances of motor oil (lubricant oil for automobile) and hence the lubricant base oil is required to have a high viscosity index and a low pour point. Also, it is required to reduce an influence of the lubricant oil on an environment. For this end, it is necessary to reduce sulfur content, nitrogen content, aromatic content and so on in the lubricant base oil. However, in case of using the crude oil as a raw material, it is difficult to reduce these contents. Nowadays, there is got a lot of attention on lubricant oil produced by a hydroisomerization of a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic wax being mainly composed of an isoparaffin and having substantially no aromatic content, naphthenic content, olefinic content, sulfur content, nitrogen content and so on as a raw material.
When the lubricant base oil is produced by using a normal paraffin such as Fischer-Tropsch synthetic wax or the like as a raw material, a step of removing the normal paraffin from oil produced by the hydroisomerization, i.e. a dewaxing step is usually conducted in order to sufficiently assure a low-temperature fluidity of the lubricant base oil (JP-B-6-62960). Therefore, as the isomerization sufficiently proceeds and the content of isoparaffin becomes large, the yield of the base oil at the dewaxing step increases.

Lubricant base oil and method of producing the same


A system may be configured to provide secure access to a physical resource through the use of a partitionable virtual input/output server in a virtualized environment. A server may receive a request to access the physical resources from a cloud tenant administrator. The cloud tenant may be assigned to a particular working load partition (WPAR), and the physical resources may be assigned to the particular WPAR. A remote Kerberos server may be accessed in response to the request. The Kerberos server may be hosted in a private domain, and it may be used to authenticate access to the physical resource. The server may receive a valid ticket from the Kerberos server. The administrator may be granted access to the physical resources via access to the WPAR, based on the valid ticket and for the lifetime of the ticket.

The present disclosure relates to data access, and more specifically, to secure data access in a virtualized environment.
Cloud computing may refer to a type of Internet-based computing that provides shared processing resources and data to computers and other devices on demand. It can enable on-demand access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources, such as networks, servers, storage, applications, and services. In cloud computing, virtual machines may be provisioned based on virtual resources, rather than physical resources.
A virtualized I/O server (VIOS) is a virtualization technology by International Business Machines (IBM) which may allow for the sharing of physical resources between virtual I/O clients. The term VIOS may be equivalent to any other machine that shares resources with its clients on a different hardware or platform.

International Business Machines Corporation


An approach is provided for allowing a network computing (e.g., cloud computing) infrastructure to modify its resource allocation plan (e.g., an instance count) by using a Kth derivative vector plot, which may be generated using historical logs. Among other things, this approach enables an infrastructure to project an allocation forecast for a specified duration and adapt to changes in network traffic.

The networked computing environment (e.g., cloud computing environment) is an enhancement to the predecessor grid environment, whereby multiple grids and other computation resources may be further enhanced by one or more additional abstraction layers (e.g., a cloud layer), thus making disparate devices appear to an end-consumer as a single pool of seamless resources. These resources may include such things as physical or logical computing engines, servers and devices, device memory, and storage devices, among others.
Cloud services may be rendered through dynamic infrastructure provisioning. For example, within a relatively static hardware pool, operating systems and applications may be deployed and reconfigured to meet dynamic customer computational demands. Within a cloud environment's boundaries, images may be installed and overwritten, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses may be modified, and real and virtual processors may be allocated to meet changing business needs. Challenges may exist, however, in providing an infrastructure that is capable of modifying its resource allocation plan/protocol in response to changing demands.

Resource provisioning using predictive modeling in a networked computing environment


A pair of measuring elements are installed on guide means traveling between facing rolls of a continuous casting machine, the outer end faces of said measuring elements are each formed into a circular are whose diameter is the preset value for a gap between the facing rolls. Upon entering between the facing rolls, the measuring elements are brought into contact with the rolls due to a biasing force rendered thereto, whereby the displacements of the measuring elements are measured by a transducer, thereby enabling to measure the gap between the facing rolls. In particular, since the outer end faces of the measuring elements are each formed into a circular are, the necessary gap between the facing rolls can be accurately detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roll gap measuring device for a continuous casting machine for measuring a gap between rolls within a bloom guide zone in a continuous casting foundry at an iron works.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a continuous casting machine, a supply of molten steel is passed through a mold to be a bloom having a rectangular cross-section. While being successively passed through a bloom guide zone constituted by a plurality of rolls disposed at the predetermined gap, this red-heated bloom is cooled by the spray of water thereto, and thereafter, adapted to be drawn out of the rolls by means of pinch rolls.
In the continuous casting machine as described above, the accuracies in the arrangement of groups of rolls and the like exert a considerable influence to the quality of the bloom, and in particular, recently, there has been seen a tendency of increase in the casting speed, and hence, it has become an important problem to accurately measure the arrangement of the groups of rolls.
On the other hand, however, under the existing circumstances, in order to measure the arrangement of the rolls, the worker enters the high-temperature and highly-humid bloom guide zone to measure by means of jigs and other instruments such as a micrometer exclusively used for the purpose, and heretofore, there have been adopted measuring means highly problematical from the viewpoints of the accuracy in measurement, the length of time required and the safety factor.

Roll gap measuring device for continuous casting machine


A buoyant vessel in the shape of a rigid closed cylinder is disclosed to replace conventional lifeboats on a ship. The cylinder has a hermetically sealable door in its sidewall as well as portholes. It also has a rigid outer skin made of aluminum, an inner skin contiguous with the outer skin made of asbestos and a relatively thick layer of foam material contiguous with the inner skin to provide insulation and buoyancy. The interior of the vessel has two vertically spaced-apart circular rows of seats adjacent the side wall of the cylinder. The lower row adjacent the floor of the cylinder is upside up and the upper row is upside down so that, if the cylinder is overturned in heavy seas, the upper row will assume right side up position and vice-versa. To this end, the cylinder is symmetrical about its middle horizontal plane. Ventilation apertures are provided in the upper and lower surface of the cylinder respectively and a skeletal structure of hollow metal tubing is also provided. A support structure secured to the ship deck is also provided.

It is well known that conventional lifeboats can be woefully inadequate. Such open longboats are difficult to launch when the ship is listing to one side and may pound against the ship on a stormy sea. The danger is still present when such a boat is successfully launched with a full complement of escaping sailors or passengers: skill is required to keep the boat from capsizing in high waves and wind or smashing against other longboats. Moreover, the passengers are exposed to the elements and may suffer from exposure or die before they can be rescued. The same remarks apply to inflatable rafts.


Examples are directed to selective editing of digital images using editing tools having persistent tool settings. A source image is opened as a target image in an image editing application. Once opened in the image editing application, the target image includes a plurality of image layers. Visual elements of the target image file are then edited using tools in the image editing application. For each tool used, a tool identifier and the relevant tool settings are saved and associated with the corresponding layer in a target image file. Upon closing and later re-opening the target image file, the saved tool identifier and tool settings are presented for display for further image editing in subsequent user sessions.

Conventional image editing applications generally enable users to edit images and save the edited pixel data. The number of possible edits to an image is vast. As the sophistication of image editing applications has increased, the number of tools, corresponding tool settings, and the diversity in visual effects applied by the tools has also increased. Furthermore, some image editing applications can support as many as 50 to 100 distinct layers (or more) within a single image, each of which can be used to apply a visual effect to the image. However, the identities of the tools and corresponding tool settings used to edit the images are not saved. This inability to save and restore the tool identities and corresponding tool settings used to edit an image is inconvenient because of the very high number of permutations of tools, tool settings, and layers in a single image. This makes it difficult to recreate a visual effect applied to the image in a previous user session.
The figures depict various embodiments of the present disclosure for purposes of illustration only. Numerous variations, configurations, and other embodiments will be apparent from the following detailed discussion.

Selective editing of images using editing tools with persistent tool settings


The present invention generally relates to anti-stick coatings for cooking utensils, which exhibit improved properties of hydrophobicity and resistance to high temperature. The present invention also relates to a culinary article comprising a support coated in said coating, and a process for applying on the support such a coating according to the invention.

In this field, enamel-based coatings are already known, but these do not guarantee proper anti-adherence, and need high vitrification temperatures (above 540° C.). Sol-gel coatings, especially those obtained by polymerisation of silanes, are also known. But they do not deposit significant thickness and generally become faience for thicknesses of the order of 10 microns. Also, their cohesion is achieved only if high enough temperatures are applied over long periods, for example temperatures above 400° C., for at least thirty minutes. On the contrary, this type of coating allows a range of use in temperatures greater than those of PTFE-based coatings, up to 600° C., as opposed to 300° C. maximum for PTFE-based coatings. But this happens to the detriment of anti-adherence.
The disadvantage of such coatings is that they lose their hydrophobic properties after aggression likely to degrade the surface of the coating, and especially chemical aggression such as that caused by dishwasher detergents, or aggression of mechanical type such as that caused by excessive rubbing of the coating by means of an abrasive buffer, or even exposure of the order of a few minutes at extreme temperature.
To rectify these problems, the applicant has developed an anti-stick coating obtained via sol-gel polymerisation of a composition based on at least one metallic alcoxide and a colloidal metallic oxide. The applicant has discovered surprisingly that when a very small quantity of silicon oil is added to such a composition, the coating formed by sol-gel from this composition not only resists high temperature, but is also capable of supporting contact of a few minutes with the flame of a Bünsen burner (the temperature of which is above 600° C.), and then rapidly regaining its hydrophobic character.
It is known to the person skilled in the art to use silicon oil for making sol-gel coatings from a composition based on alcoxysilane and colloidal silica.
US patent application US 2006/0147829 describes a process for making superhydrophobic coatings for self-cleaning surfaces, having a contact angle with water greater than 130°. This process comprises a preparation step of nanoparticles (especially silica nanoparticles) preferably of a size varying from 1 nm to 100 nm, and a processing step of these particles with a hydrophobic agent and an additive, the hydrophobic agent preferably being based on silicon, and the additive being selected from mineral and organic bases. These nanoparticles can be prepared by a humid synthesis process, and in particular by sol-gel method, from precursors comprising water, solvent, especially an alcohol, and a metallic alcoxide such as for example tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) or tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). After forming of the nanoparticles, they are mixed directly with the hydrophobic agent and the additive, and left to react at a temperature of between 0 and 100° C. The resulting material is applied to a substrate (especially glass, plastic, metal, ceramic, or polymer or composite) according to any technique for producing a coating from a liquid (by centrifuge, soaking, or by coating by brush or roller). Then, after being applied to the substrate the coating is dried at a temperature between ambient temperature and 200° C. The resulting coating has a hydrophobic surface forming a contact angle with water of over 130°, or even over 150°.
However, there is no mention in US 2006/0147829 of the antiadhesive character of the resulting coating, nor of its capacity to resist high temperatures and its aptitude for revealing a hydrophobic character after aggression of the surface of the coating. Also, US 2006/0147829 does not indicate that the sol-gel coating is in the form of a continuous film having a thickness of at least 10 μm.

Non-stick coating with improved hydrophobic properties


Generating a data path macro cell based upon a text format template comprising variables. The system provides for creating a text format template by generating a text format representation of a data path macro cell based upon data representing a graphical layout of the data path macro cell. Variables are substituted for constants. Variables are changed to values associated with a macro cell having desired characteristics to create a text format file representative of a desired macro cell. Graphical data representing the layout of a macro cell is generated based upon the text format file.

In integrated circuit (IC) design, a design technique known as "data path" is used, in which a bus passes through one macro cell after another, with each macro cell performing particular operations on the bus signals. A macro cell generally is a rectangular, tiled arrangement of leaf cells which performs a function, such as 'register', 'and' or 'add' logical functions on the bus signals. The data path design technique reduces routing complexity of the buses because each bus line enters one side of a cell of the macro cell and exits the opposite side of the cell of the macro cell. For example, assuming the IC comprises two 64-bit buses, a macro cell may comprise 64 cells, each of which comprises an AND gate. Two lines from each of the 64-bit buses pass through each respective cell and the corresponding signals on the two lines are ANDed together. The lines of the buses then exit the opposite side of the cell with signals on them that depend on the operation(s) performed by the cell. Other examples of macro cells include a macro cell having 64 flip flops, 64 exclusive NOR gate (XNOR), etc.
When an IC is designed in this manner with macro cells, the design is normally tiled because the macro cells are designed with respect to the width of the bus, or buses, such that the bus lines enter the top of a cell and exit the bottom of a cell and continue on to, for example, the next macro cell. Therefore, the IC will typically comprise a large number of these macro cells arranged symmetrically. Generally, before the IC is ever designed, a library of data path macro cells is created so that the IC designer will have a full set of macro cells that provide for various types of functionality to work with when designing the IC. The IC designer then builds the data path block, which generally is a stack of the macro cells with appropriate connections made to all of the macro cells and the cells of the macro cells.
Data path macro cells (macro cells) are typically created using a macro cell generator program. This macro-cell generator program is written by the IC designer by hand using a programming language, such as, for example, C, C++ or PERL. The macro cell generator program is used to generate data representing a graphical representation of the layout of the macro cell. Using the macro cell generator program, an IC designer individually places each element of a macro cell in the layout, along with data indicating each signal name and a documentation layer. Loops are typically included in the macro cell generator program to allow the IC designer to provide for various widths (data bus widths) of the macro cell. This process requires a great deal of time and effort to define the macro cell by determining the position/function of each element of the macro cell and then translating that information so that it can be incorporated into the macro cell generation program. Additionally, once the macro cell generation program is written, making changes to the macro cell layout is very difficult, as the macro cell generation program cannot be easily changed and thus requires the IC designer to re-write substantial portions of the program to generate a macro cell having the changed/desired characteristics. Thus, it is typical that a new macro cell generation program must be written in order to provide for a macro cell having different characteristics.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system to automate generation of a data path macro cell.

System for automated generation of data path macro cells


Method of generating presentation starts by receiving user input indicating activation of presentation generator and generating and transmitting content selection display to the electronic device that includes search button, first table including list of selected cocktails, and second table including spirit type and number count. When the user input indicates selection of search button, processor generates and transmits cocktail lookup page display that includes pop-up window that includes drop-down lists or search fields including cocktail criterions and third table that includes entries matching selected cocktail criterion selected. When user input indicates activation of selection box included in the third table and subsequent user input indicates no other entries are desired, processor generates and transmits content selection display that includes updated first table that comprises the entry associated with the activated selection box. Processor then generates and transmits the presentation in a first format to the electronic device. Other embodiments are also described.

Many large companies struggle to centralize and keep up to date information on their products and their employees. When generating presentations or statistics on products and/or employees, there is a need to easily and quickly obtain information from different individuals in the company. With large companies having employees across the country, data collection becomes increasingly difficult.

System and method for generating and displaying a cocktail recipe presentation


A mechanical safety switch for closing electrical contacts in a well tool. The mechanical switch has several safety requirements which must be satisfied before the electrical contacts will close including upward pull on a wireline and a preselected value of fluid pressure exterior to the switch. The safety switch can be incorporated into a well perforating gun to provide safe, reliable operation of an electrically powered perforating gun by a conventional wireline. Preferably, the electrical circuits of the well perforating gun should include a motion sensor and a timer for increased safety.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a switch for closing electrical contacts in a well tool such as an oil well perforating gun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various safety devices or safety switches have been developed to allow for controlled detonation of explosive charges downhole in a well bore. Frequently, the explosive charge is designed to penetrate a well flow conductor, such as tubing and/or casing, disposed within the well bore to allow fluids surrounding the well bore to communicate with the interior of the well flow conductor. Tools which perform this function are frequently referred to as well perforating guns. The controlled detonation of explosive charges downhole may also be used for other purposes such as anchoring well tools within a well flow conductor or jarring loose well tools that are stuck within the well bore.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,183,972 to John V. Fredd discloses a perforator hanger for anchoring a well perforating gun at a desired location within a well flow conductor. The perforating gun is electrically detonated after a conventional, non-conductive wireline has anchored the perforating gun within the well flow conductor and completed the electrical circuits within the perforating gun.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,287 to John C. Kinley; U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,179 to John C. Kinley, Myron M. Kinley, and Clifford E. Anderson; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,597 to Myron M. Kinley and Clifford E. Anderson disclose mechanical safety devices and mechanical detonators for controlling the detonation of explosive charges downhole in a well flow conductor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,421 to John A. Regalbuto discloses a well perforating gun which is mechanically armed at the well surface and detonated downhole by an electrically conductive wireline. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,183,972 and 4,172,421 are adopted by reference for all purposes within the application.


A process for fabricating coils using a Damascene process uses a curved substrate having a surface extending along and about an axis made of a first material. A groove is formed in the curved surface along and around said axis, and the groove is filled with a second material that is different from the first material to form a coil of second material in said first material. Excess second material is then removed from the surface of the first material, leaving the coil of second material in the groove.

Many techniques are known and used for manufacture of coils for mechanical, electrical, and electromagnetic applications. For example, an elongated flexible structure such as a thread or wire may be helically wrapped around a cylindrical surface to define the coil. Alternatively, an electrical conductor may be deposited in a helical path around a surface. However, when the desired coil is is for a microsystem and has many turns having a diameter on the order of a few millimeters, and a conductor diameter on the order of tens of micrometers, conventional fabrication techniques are not sufficient.
Alternative techniques are therefore being explored to meet the manufacturing requirements of microsystems. While a large variety of microcomponents and microelectromechanical devices have been demonstrated in recent years, most fabrication has involved inherently planar techniques, such as x-ray or optical lithography. Features are defined in polished substrates or thin film layers by exposure of a resist (using a mask) and etching. However, there is a desire to fabricate more complex shaped features in a variety of ceramics, metals and polymers. For example, nonprismatic features and nonplanar workpieces are needed for a variety of devices such as micro-fluidic sensors, microinductors, and microactuators.
Recently, several groups have demonstrated techniques that fabricate curvilinear features. This includes micro-contact printing which applies a xe2x80x98two dimensionalxe2x80x99 lithographic master to a substrate such as a cylinder (see R. J. Jackman et al, xe2x80x9cDesign and Fabrication of Topologically Complex, Three-dimensional Microstructures,xe2x80x9d Science, 1998, 280, 2089-2091), and laser chemical vapor deposition which involves direct writing of materials via pyrolysis or photodecomposition of precursor gases. (See J. Maxwell et al., xe2x80x9cRapid Prototyping of Functional Three-Dimensional Microsolenoids and Electromagnets by High-Pressure Laser Chemical Vapor Deposition,xe2x80x9d Proc. Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, 1998; 529-536.) Other inherently planar techniques such as LIGA are also being adapted to produce overhangs and curved features, as reported by T. R. Christenson, xe2x80x9cAdvances in LIGA-based post-mold fabrication,xe2x80x9d Proc. of SPIE Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology IV, 1998; 3511, 192-203 and others. Nevertheless, additional capabilities are required, since many of the aforementioned techniques are limited in dimensionality, material complexity or microstructure control.
Focused ion beam (FIB) sputtering is attractive for fabricating micron-size tools or instruments that can precisely define curved features (See M. Vasile et al., xe2x80x9cMicrofabrication techniques using focused ion beams and emergent applicationsxe2x80x9d, Micron 30 (June 1999) 235-244). Commercial focused ion beam systems are quite powerful, providing 10 nA currents, 10 nm spot sizes, and 10 nm pixel spacings. Most importantly, focused ion beam sputtering can be used to create and align a number of nonplanar features, such as facets required on micro-shaping tools. Several studies demonstrate FIB-sputtered microgears, microwrenches, microscalpels, and nanoindenters. The intent of current work is to fabricate micron size features over centimeter length scales in reasonable time. Further, it is expected that tools having xcx9c25 xcexcm diameters are mechanically robust and reproducibly define microscopic features. Recent work shows that ground metal micro-end mill tools having cutting diameters of xcx9c50-100 xcexcm successfully machine small grooves in stainless steel workpieces, as reported by T. Schaller et al., xe2x80x9cMicrostructure grooves with a width of less that 50 xcexcm cut with ground hard metal micro end millsxe2x80x9d, J. Prec. Eng. 1999; 23, 229-235.
Additional studies demonstrate that xcx9c25 xcexcm diameter, FIB-fabricated micro-end mills machine trenches in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and metal workpieces. Material has been mechanically removed from metal alloy workpieces at a rate of 2xc3x97104 xcexcm3/sec for over an hour. In comparison, typical ion beam sputter removal rates are xcx9c0.1-20 xcexcm3/sec using commercial FIB systems. In the present work, focused ion beam sputtering is combined with ultra-precision machining in order to create complex features in a variety of materials. This includes micromachining approximately 15-100 xcexcm wide, curvilinear features in planar and cylindrical workpieces.
A method for filling small grooves is the Damascene process, where a groove is made in a substrate, the substrate and groove are coated with a material, and the material is removed from the substrate but remains in the groove. See P. Andricacos et al., xe2x80x9cDamascene copper electroplating for chip interconnectionsxe2x80x9d, IBM Journal of Research and Development, Vol. 42, No. 5, 1998. While the Damascene process has been utilized for industrial purposes on planar substrates by the semiconductor industry, it has not been employed on curved surfaces other than to provide artistic decoration to objects.
It is an object of this invention to create very small patterns in non-planar surfaces by machining the features in the surface, filling the machined features with a second material, and treating the surface to remove any excess second material.
It is a further object of this invention to create very small coils on round substrates by machining a helical groove in the substrate, filling the groove with a conductive material, and removing any conductive material that overflows the groove.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention may comprise a process for fabricating coils including providing a curved substrate made of a first material and having a surface extending along and about an axis; forming a helical groove in the curved surface along and around the axis, said groove extending at least one turn around the axis; and filling the groove with a second material different from the first material to form a coil of second material in said first material.
Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Damascene fabrication of nonplanar microcoils


A swimming aid device in the form of a monofi is contemplated. The swimming aid device may include first and second fins formed of a resilient material, each fin including an elongated internal space within a fin body, an opening leading to the elongated internal space, a fin blade coupled to and extending away from the elongated internal space, a first and second side heel connectors on opposing sides of the opening leading to the elongated internal space and sized and shaped to mate with each other, a fin blade connector and a fin blade connector receiver on the fin blade and sized and shaped to mate with each other, the combination of the first and second fins forming a monofin.

1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to swimming aids, and more particularly to swim fins.
2. Background Art
The purpose of ordinary swim fins is to provide a device for increasing speed and mobility to a swimmer with the consumption of less energy. These devices are aimed at a swimming style, which involves independent use of the legs. One style of swimming referred to as the butterfly, involves concerted use of the legs, commonly described as the dolphin kick. To maximize the efficiency, speed and power of the dolphin kick, both feet must be kept as close together as possible.


A brewing apparatus is adapted for brewing articles contained in a capsule, and includes a capsule seat, a control device, and at least one drive mechanism. The capsule seat is adapted to receive the capsule therein. The control device has a slide slot. The at least one drive mechanism engages slidably the slide slot and is connected to the capsule seat. The control device is pivotable to drive slide movement of the at least one drive mechanism, thereby moving the capsule seat and converting the brewing apparatus between a brewing state and a standby state.

A conventional brewing machine for brewing articles contained in a capsule typically includes a brewing apparatus that has a capsule-receiving seat for receiving the capsule therein, and a drive mechanism operable to drive movement of the capsule-receiving seat. The articles may be, for example, ground coffee or tea leaves. A continuing effort has been dedicated to improve the design of the brewing apparatus.

TSANN KUEN (ZHANGZHOU) ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.


Methods for removing halogen-containing residues from a substrate are provided. By combining the heat-up and plasma abatement steps, the manufacturing throughput can be improved. Further, by appropriately controlling the pressure in the abatement chamber, the removal efficiency can be improved as well.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for removing halogen-containing residues from a substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ultra-large-scale integrated (ULSI) circuits may include more than one million electronic devices that are formed on a semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon substrate, and cooperate to perform various functions within the devices. Typically, the transistors used in the ULSI circuits are complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistors. A CMOS transistor has a gate structure including a polysilicon gate electrode and gate dielectric, and is disposed between a source region and drain regions that are formed in the substrate. Such formation of integrated circuits involves sequentially forming or depositing multiple electrically conductive and insulative layers in or on the substrate. Etching processes may be used to form geometric patterns in the layers or vias for electrical contact between the layers. General etching processes include wet etching, in which one or more chemical reagents are brought into direct contact with the substrate, and dry etching, such as plasma etching.
Plasma etching is commonly used in the fabrication of transistors and other electronic devices. During plasma etching processes used to form transistor structures, one or more layers of a film stack (e.g., layers of silicon, polysilicon, hafnium dioxide (HfO2), silicon dioxide (SiO2), metal materials, and the like) are typically exposed to etchants including at least one halogen-containing gas, such as hydrogen bromide (HBr), chlorine (Cl2), carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), and the like. Such processes induce halogen-containing residues to build up on the surfaces of the etched features, etch masks, and elsewhere on the substrate.
When exposed to a non-vacuumed environment (e.g., within factory interfaces or substrate storage cassettes) and/or during consecutive processing, gaseous halogens and halogen-based reactants (e.g., bromine (Br2), chlorine (Cl2), hydrogen chloride (HCl), and the like) may be released from the halogen-containing residues deposited during etching. The released halogens and halogen-based reactants create particle contamination and cause corrosion of the interior of the processing systems and factory interfaces, as well as corrosion of exposed portions of metallic layers on the substrate. Cleaning of the processing systems and factory interfaces and replacement of the corroded parts is a time consuming and expensive procedure. In addition to corroding the factory interface over time, the volatile chemicals outgassing from untreated wafers will damage the photoresist on unetched wafers in the FOUP. Corrosion to the factory interface is a long term problem, however, the damage to unetched wafers is immediate
Therefore, methods for removing the halogen-containing residues after the etching process are needed. Moreover, the efficiency of the removal process is also important so as not to reduce the manufacturing throughput.

Method for removing halogen-containing residues from substrate