An apparatus (1) for producing cores (33) of a fat-containing confectionery mass includes a molding apparatus (20) and a separate cooling apparatus (5). The molding apparatus (20) is cooled and serves to mold the cores (33). The molding apparatus (20) includes two molding rollers (23, 24) including a multitude of impressions (25). The molding rollers (23, 24) are driven in opposite directions. The impressions (25) hold the liquid confectionery mass flowing into the impressions (25) to form the cores (33). The cooling apparatus (5) includes a cooling roller (6) and is arranged upstream of the molding apparatus (20).

An apparatus and a method for producing cores of a fat-containing confectionery mass are known from German patent No. DE 696 19 478 T2 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,621. The apparatus includes an extruder into which semi-solidified non-flowable chocolate buttons are introduced. The chocolate strip produced thereby is fed into a molding apparatus including two oppositely driven molding rollers including a plurality of impressions. The non-flowable chocolate mass is then deformed to attain cores of chocolate in the molding apparatus. The chocolate mass is not treated with respect to its temperature in the extrusion apparatus or in the molding apparatus.
An apparatus and a method for producing bar-shaped confectioneries are known from German patent application No. DE 28 27 404 A1 corresponding to UK patent application No. GB 2 023 483 A. The confectionery mass in its liquid form is applied onto a cooling roller being rotatingly driven. In this way, a film of confectionery mass is formed on the surface area of the cooling roller. This film is then removed from the cooling roller, it is dropped onto a conveyor belt, and it is transported away as a strip. In the following, the strip can be fed to a further processing unit, for example to be cut into smaller strips or other product pieces.
Another apparatus for producing chocolate cores is generally known in the art. The known apparatus includes a cooled molding apparatus for forming the cores. The molding apparatus includes two molding rollers including a multitude of impressions into which the liquid chocolate mass flows to form the cores. The molding rollers are rotatingly driven in opposite directions. The liquid chocolate mass is tempered by a tempering machine being located upstream, and it is poured into the gap between the molding rollers being located next to one another in a horizontal direction. The molding rollers being driven in a synchronous way and in opposite directions then hold the liquid confectionery mass in the impressions.
The known molding rollers are strongly cooled such that the surface temperature of the molding rollers is substantially below the crystallization temperature of the chocolate mass. Thus, the viscosity of the chocolate mass is quickly increased and the chocolate mass solidifies during continued rotation of the molding rollers. The result is an endless strip having a thin layer and cores corresponding to the impressions in the molding rollers. This strip is then transported away by a conveyor belt.
There often is the problem with this known method that the strip sticks to the molding rollers and is thus not correctly dropped on the conveyor belt. Another problem is that the temperature decrease of the chocolate mass is not sufficiently attained by the molding rollers to attain the required level of solidification of the chocolate mass. Correspondingly, the cores are not yet stable enough when being dropped on the conveyor belt such that undesired deformation of the cores results. To reduce this problem, the rotational velocity of the molding rollers has to be reduced. However, this results in a decrease of the output of the apparatus.

Apparatus and method for producing chocolate cores


A novel method and device for transporting and/or monitoring a fluid in a multi-port device 400, 800, 1000 used in a microfluidic system is provided. The multi-port device includes a substrate having a novel channel configuration. A first channel region 413 having a first port and a second port for transporting fluid therebetween is defined in the substrate. A second channel region 421 having a first port and a second port for applying electric current for heating fluid or for monitoring a fluid parameter therebetween is also defined in the substrate. In some embodiments, the first channel intersects 407 with the second channel. The heating or monitoring aspect of the invention can be used with a variety of biological reactions such as PCR, LCR, and others.

The present invention generally relates to microfluidic systems. More particularly, the present invention provides a technique, including methods and devices, for providing and controlling heat to fluid in a channel of a microfluidic system in an efficient manner. Merely by way of example, the invention is applied to a polymerase chain reaction process, commonly termed PCR, but it will be recognized that the invention has a much wider range of applicability. The invention also provides techniques for monitoring and controlling a variety of process parameters using resistivity and/or conductivity measurements.
There has been a growing interest in the manufacture and use of microfluidic systems for the acquisition of chemical and biochemical information. Techniques commonly associated with the semiconductor electronics industry, such as photolithography, wet chemical etching, etc., are being used in the fabrication of these microfluidic systems. The term, "microfluidic", refers to a system or device or "chip" having channels and chambers which are generally fabricated at the micron or submicron scale, e.g., having at least one cross-sectional dimension in the range of from about 0.1 .mu.m to about 500 .mu.m. Early discussions of the use of planar chip technology for the fabrication of microfluidic systems are provided in Manz et al., Trends in Anal. Chem. (1990) 10(5):144-149 and Manz et al., Adv. in Chromatog. (1993) 33:1-66, which describe the fabrication of such fluidic devices and particularly microcapillary devices, in silicon and glass substrates.
Applications of microfluidic systems are myriad. For example, International Patent Appln. WO 96/04547, published Feb. 15, 1996, describes the use of microfluidic systems for capillary electrophoresis, liquid chromatography, flow injection analysis, and chemical reaction and synthesis. U.S. Appln. No. 08/671,987, entitled "HIGH THROUGHPUT SCREENING ASSAY SYSTEMS IN MICROSCALE FLUIDIC DEVICES", filed on Jun. 28, 1996 by J. Wallace Parce et al., and assigned to the present assignee, discloses wide ranging applications microfluidic systems in rapidly assaying large number of compounds for their effects on chemical, and preferably, biochemical systems. The phrase, "biochemical system", generally refers to a chemical interaction which involves molecules of the type generally found within living organisms. Such interactions include the full range of catabolic and anabolic reactions which occur in living systems including enzymatic, binding, signaling and other reactions. Biochemical systems of particular interest include, e.g., receptor-ligand interactions, enzyme-substrate interactions, cellular signaling pathways, transport reactions involving model barrier systems (e.g., cells or membrane fractions) for bio-availability screening, and a variety of other general systems.
Many chemical or biological systems also desire control over processing parameters such as temperature, concentration of reagents, buffers, salts and other materials, and the like. In particular, some chemical or biological systems require processes to be carried out at controlled or varied temperature. In providing such a controlled temperature in miniaturized fluidic systems, external heating elements have generally been used. Such heating elements typically include external resistive heating coils or material, which provide heat to the fluidic system in a conductive manner. This heating unit attaches itself directly to an external portion of the chip to globally heat the chip and to provide a uniform temperature distribution to be present on the chip. This heating unit, however, is cumbersome. It also complicates chip manufacturing and often affects quality and reliability of the chip. Additionally, the resistive heating element often fails, which can damage the chip, equipment, and the environment. Furthermore, the resistive heating element generally cannot effectively control heat supplied to the chip, which often causes large undesirable temperature gradients and fluctuations in the chip. Accordingly, the resistive heating element applied directly to the chip is extremely limited (e.g., cannot heat locally) and unreliable in controlling process temperature in the chip.
Larger scale temperature controllers have also been used to control reaction temperatures within a reaction vessel, including, e.g., hot-plates, water baths, and the like. These larger temperature control elements have been commonly employed in biological and chemical laboratory environments to heat fluid in beakers, test tubes, and the like. Unfortunately, such controllers are not well suited to providing accurate control of temperature within a microfluidic system. In fact, such global heating systems heat the entire material region of the microfluidic device and cannot be used to selectively apply heat to specific regions of the microfluidic device, e.g., specific channels or chambers. Additionally, these large temperature controllers, e.g., hot plates, often require large resistive heating elements, which transfer heat via conduction. These resistive heating elements possess a large characteristic response time, which often relates to a long time to heat or cool material within a reaction vessel in contact therewith in some applications. Accordingly, hot plates can be extremely limited for use in heating fluid in microfluidic applications.
Other process parameters in the microfluidic system such as fluid concentration, pH, and the like typically cannot be controlled by way of conventional techniques. A user of the microfluidic system often verifies fluid concentration or pH at the fluid source (e.g., bottle), but the user generally cannot monitor such fluid parameters while the fluid in being used in the microfluidic system using conventional techniques. In fact, there is simply no easy or efficient way to check these parameters once the fluid enters into channels or processing chambers of the microfluidic system. Accordingly, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to verify the integrity of a process by monitoring these process parameters.
From the above, it is seen that a technique for selectively controlling a variety of process parameters in a microfluidic system that is easy, efficient, and safe is highly desirable.

Electrical current for controlling fluid parameters in microchannels


A collapsible misting tent is configured to cool an animal. The collapsible misting tent includes a structure sufficiently large to accommodate the animal, and having a first vertical support arm expendably attached to a cap. A second vertical support arm expendably attached to the cap and the first vertical support arm. A third vertical support arm expendably attached to the cap and the second vertical support arm. A fourth vertical support arm expendably attached to the cap, the first vertical support arm and the third vertical support arm. A water distribution system is attached to the structure has a hose attached to a tube mechanically further attached to the cap and configured to transport the water to the cap. A nozzle is attached to the cap and configured to dispense the water from the tube such that the animal enters the structure and is cooled by the water.

The embodiments herein relate generally to structures that assist a user in cooling animals.
Prior to the disclosed invention animals had difficulty self-regulating body temperature in hot dry environments. This led to a large amount of work on the part of the animal owner to either cool the animal or to erect a permanent cooling station. Embodiments of the present invention solves this problem

Collapsible misting tent for cooling animals


A support for the head and neck of a person seated at a desk. The support is adjustable in three dimensions and includes a base, a joint removably attached to the base in a slidable engagement, a vertical arm configured with an offset vertical axis, a ball joint, a chin mount adapted to rotate on the ball joint, a hand-turnable bolt configured to prevent rotation of the chin mount on the spherical ball.

Devices supporting a person's head and neck are known. For example, such devices have been used to enhance the reading experience, for supporting the head of a person while resting in a reclining or substantially prone position, and for beauty shop patrons while sitting under a fixed hair dryer and for supporting a person in a forward leaning seated position. None, however, are light-weight, low profile, easily adjustable, and easily disassembled device suitable for use in a business environment by a person seated at a table or desk (hereinafter "desk"), and continuing to perform clerical tasks.

Head and neck support for a seated person


A device for coupling in the radiation from short-pulse lasers into a beam path of a microscope provides that the coupling in is effected by at least one light conducting fiber following the laser. In particular, the device is directed to the coupling in of short-pulse lasers with pulse durations in picoseconds to femtoseconds in a laser scanning microscope by light conducting fibers.

a) Field of the Invention
The invention describes a compact unit for changing the chirp state (temporal sequence of spectral components) of short laser pulses.
b) Description of the Related Art
The use of short-pulse lasers in two-photon laser microscopy is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,613. The coupling of light from a laser light source into a confocal scanning beam path via light-conducting fibers is known, per se, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,053.
Generally, short pulses undergo a change in (including a lengthening of) their pulse duration when passing through dispersive media due to the phenomenon of group velocity dispersion (GVD). In addition, nonlinear optical phenomena (e.g., self-pulse modulation, Brillouin scattering, Raman scattering, etc.) which affect the spectral composition of short pulses can attain practical relevance in the dispersive medium due to the high pulse peak outputs and pulse intensities which go along with short pulses.
It is suggested in "Handbook of biological confocal microscopy", pages 447, 448, to compensate for the GVD in optical glass by means of prism arrangements or grating arrangements. However, it is questionable whether this brings about any improvement in view of the complex adjustment problems and wasted energy.

Device for coupling the radiation of short-pulse lasers in an optical beam path of a microscope


Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose an equalization circuit for a CATV plug-in fixed attenuator which comprises an equalizer, an equalization compensation circuit and a MCU module. The equalizer comprises a CATV plug-in fixed attenuator identification module and an equalizing module. The CATV plug-in fixed attenuator identification module is connected to the equalizing module and the MCU module. The equalization compensation circuit is connected to an output terminal of the equalizer and the MCU module. The embodiments enable identification of a changing attenuation value and compensation of the frequency response.

CATV signals may suffer from losses during transmission in cable or fiber in cable television networks. The attenuation of cables and fibers could worsen with increasing frequencies. Also, the attenuation of signals could be of a problem as signals travel over increased distance. Therefore, different attenuation slopes would correspond to signal transmission over different distances on the cable or fiber. Equalizers of different slope values are thus required to equalize the attenuation of the signals and balance the in-band curve, so as to maintain robustness and quality of the transmitted signals.
A CATV plug-in fixed attenuator with an equalization circuit is widely used in CATV products. The corresponding circuit is deployed on a main board and is capable of compensating the transmitted signals with different attenuation values including but not limited to 0 dB, 1 dB, 2 dB, or 20 dB.
Disadvantages of conventional arts by replacing the plug-in attenuators for compensating the slopes of the signals will change line impedance as well and affect the frequency response characteristics of the circuit. That is, the flatness of the signal waveforms for different slopes will experience significant changes, which in turn affect the characteristics of the signal transmission (with a flatness of about ±1.5 dB). The slope refers to the difference between the maximum gain and the minimum gain over a certain frequency range. The flatness refers to comparison between a linear relation and how close the relation between the gain and the frequency in a certain frequency range.

Equalization circuit for cable television plug-in fixed attenuator


Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device and method for providing an emergency call, and a server for providing the same. To this end, the electronic device according to the various embodiments of the present invention comprises: a short-range wireless communication circuit; a memory for storing at least one piece of content; and at least one processor electrically connected with the short-range wireless communication circuit and the memory, wherein the processor transmits, to a server, a request for registering to a first communication network, receives, from the server, a message for indicating whether an emergency call for a first communication network of another provider can be supported, and can display the received message. Other embodiments are also possible.

In recent years, various services and additional functions provided by an electronic device have been gradually increasing. In order to increase the availability of the electronic devices and satisfy various demands of users, communication service providers or the electronic device manufacturers have provided more various functions and are competitively developing electronic devices for differentiation from other businesses.
Such electronic devices may inform the users when there is a method for providing a network for an emergency call or an emergency call. When the users encounter an emergency situation, the electronic devices need to alert the users such that the users may recognize that an emergency call can be used.

Electronic device and method for providing emergency call, and server therefor


The present invention relates to the ability of SAP to suppress fibrocytes. It also relates to the ability of IL-12, laminin-1, cross-linked IgG and IgG aggregates to suppress fibrocytes. Methods and compositions for suppressing fibrocytes using these proteins are provided. These methods are useful in a variety of applications including treatment and prevention of fibrosing diseases such as scleroderma, pulmonary fibrosis and asthma. Finally, the invention includes assays for detecting the ability of various agents to modulate differentiation into fibrocytes. Such assays may also be used to diagnose scleroderma, pulmonary fibrosis, or other fibrosing diseases.

Fibrocytes
Inflammation is the coordinated response to tissue injury or infection. The initiating events are mediated by local release of chemotactic factors, platelet activation, and initiations of the coagulation and complement pathways. These events stimulate the local endothelium, promoting the extravasation of neutrophils and monocytes. The second phase of inflammation is characterized by the influx into the tissue of cells of the adaptive immune system, including lymphocytes. The subsequent resolution phase, when apoptosis of the excess leukocytes and engulfment by tissue macrophages takes place, is also characterized by repair of tissue damage by stromal cells, such as fibroblasts.
In chronic inflammation, the resolution of inflammatory lesions is disordered, with the maintenance of inflammatory cells, fibroblast hyperplasia, and eventual tissue destruction. The mechanisms that lead to these events are complex, but include enhanced recruitment, survival and retention of cells and impaired emigration.
The source of fibroblasts responsible for repair of wound lesions or in other fibrotic responses is controversial. The conventional hypothesis suggests that local quiescent fibroblasts migrate into the affected area, produce extracellular matrix proteins, and promote wound contraction or fibrosis. An alternative hypothesis is that circulating fibroblast precursors (called fibrocytes) present within the blood migrate to the sites of injury or fibrosis, where they differentiate and mediate tissue repair and other fibrotic responses.
Fibrocytes are known to differentiate from a CD14+ peripheral blood monocyte precursor population. Fibrocytes express markers of both hematopoietic cells (CD45, MHC class II, CD34) and stromal cells (collagen types I and III and fibronectin). Mature fibrocytes rapidly enter sites of tissue injury where they secrete inflammatory cytokines. Fibrocytes are also capable of secreting extracellular matrix proteins, other cytokines and pro-angiogenic molecules, which may result in fibrosis.
Control of fibrocyte differentiation is likely to be important in the control of many diseases and processes. Fibrocytes are associated with a variety of processes and diseases including scleroderma, keloid scarring, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. They play a role in the formation of fibrotic lesions after Schistosoma japonicum infection in mice and are also implicated in fibrosis associated with autoimmune diseases. Fibrocytes have also been implicated in pathogenic fibrosis, fibrosis associated with radiation damage, Lyme disease and pulmonary fibrosis. CD34+ fibrocytes have also been associated with stromal remodeling in pancreatitis and stromal fibrosis, whereas lack of such fibrocytes is associated with pancreatic tumors and adenocarcinomas. Fibrosis additionally occurs in asthma patients and possibly other pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease when fibrocytes undergo further differentiation into myofibroblasts.
Fibrocytes may also play a role in a variety of conditions, likely even some in which fibrocyte formation is not currently known. Some additional conditions may include congestive heart failure, other post-ischemic conditions, post-surgical scarring including abdominal adhesions, corneal refraction surgery, and wide angle glaucoma trabeculectomy. Fibrocytes are also implicated in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. See Tatiana Kisseleva et al, Bone Marrow-Derived Fibrocytes Participate in Pathogenesis of Liver Fibrosis, 45 Journal of Hepatology 429-438 (September 2006); see also F. P. Russo et al, The Bone Marrow Functionality Contributes to Liver Fibrosis, 130(6) Gastroenterology 1807-21 (May 2006). Fibrocytes are important in the formation of tumors, particularly stromal tissue in tumors. Recent evidence also suggests that fibrocytes may further differentiate into adipocytes and thus play a role in obesity.
Serum Amyloid P
SAP, a member of the pentraxin family of proteins that include C-reactive protein (CRP), is secreted by the liver and circulates in the blood as stable pentamers. The exact role of SAP is still unclear, although it appears to play a role in both the initiation and resolution phases of the immune response. SAP binds to sugar residues on the surface of bacteria leading to their opsonisation and engulfment. SAP also binds to free DNA and chromatin generated by apoptotic cells at the resolution of an immune response, thus preventing a secondary inflammatory response. Molecules bound by SAP are removed from extracellular areas due to the ability of SAP to bind to all three classical Fcγ receptors (FcγR), with a preference for FcγRI (CD64) and FcγRII (CD32). After receptor binding, SAP and any attached molecule are likely engulfed by the cell.
FcγR are necessary for the binding of IgG to a wide variety of hematopoietic cells. Peripheral blood monocytes express both CD64 and CD32 (a subpopulation of monocytes express CD16), whereas tissue macrophages express all three classical FcγR. Clustering of FcγR on monocytes by IgG, either bound to pathogens or as part of an immune complex, initiates a wide variety of biochemical events. The initial events following receptor aggregation include the activation of a series of src kinase proteins. In monocytes, these include lyn, hck and fgr, which phosphorylate tyrosine residues on the ITAM motif of the FcR-γ chain associated with FcγRI and FcγRIII, the ITAM motif within the cytoplasmic domain of FcγRIIa or the ITAM motif with the cytoplasmic domain of FcγRIIb. Phosphorylated ITAMs lead to the binding of a second set of src kinases, including syk. Syk has been shown to be vital for phagocytosis of IgG-coated particles. However, the wide distribution of syk in non-hematopoietic cells and the evidence that syk is involved in both integrin and G-protein coupled receptor signaling, indicates that this molecule has many functions.
Both SAP and CRP augment phagocytosis and bind to Fcγ receptors on a variety of cells. CRP binds with a high affinity to FcγRII (CD32), a lower affinity to FcγRI (CD64), but does not bind FcγRIII (CD16). SAP binds to all three classical Fcγ receptors, with a preference for FcγRI and FcγRII, particularly FCγRI. Although there are conflicting observations on the binding of CRP to FcγR, both SAP and CRP have been shown to bind to Fc receptors and initiate intracellular signaling events consistent with FcγR ligation.
In human blood serum, males normally have approximately 32 μg/ml+/−7 μg/ml of SAP, with a range of 12-50 μg/ml being normal. Human females generally have approximately 24 μg/ml+/−8 μg/ml of SAP in blood serum, with a range of 8-55 μg/ml being normal. In human cerebral spinal fluid there is normally approximately 12.8 ng/ml SAP in human males and approximately 8.5 ng/ml in females. Combining male and female data, the normal SAP level in human serum is 26 μg/ml+/−8 μg/ml with a range of 12-55 μg/ml being normal. (The above serum levels are expressed as mean+/−standard deviation.)
IL-12
IL-12 has been previously implicated in fibrosis and fibrosing diseases, but most studies have focused on the role of IL-12 in promoting the Th1 immune response or by triggering the production of interferon-γ. The direct effects of IL-12 on fibrocyte formation do not appear to have been previously recognized.
Laminin-1
Laminins are extracellular matrix proteins involved in movement of monocytes from the circulation into tissues. In order for leukocytes to enter tissues, they must cross through endothelial cells and the surrounding basement membrane of blood vessel wall. This process involves the tethering, rolling and stopping of the leukocytes on the endothelial cells. Following adhesion to the endothelial cells, leukocytes then cross between the endothelial cells, through the blood vessel wall and into the tissues. The process of extravasation of cells through blood vessel walls alters their phenotype and function.
These events are controlled by a series of cell surface adhesion receptors, including integrins. Integrins bind to a wide variety of ligands, including extracellular matrix proteins (ECM), such as fibronectin, vitronectin, collagen and laminin. Matrix proteins are present within the basement of the blood vessel wall, including laminins. Laminin are a large family of glycoproteins, with a heterotrimeric structure of α, β and γ chains. The use of different α, β and γ chains leads to the expression of at least 12 different laminin isoforms. Different laminins are expressed at different stages of development and at different sites within the body.
Scleroderma
Scleroderma is a non-inherited, noninfectious disease that has a range of symptoms. It involves the formation of scar tissue containing fibroblasts in the skin and internal organs. The origin of the fibroblasts is unknown. In mild or early cases of scleroderma, there is a hardening of the skin, fatigue, aches and sensitivity to cold. In more severe and later stages, there is high blood pressure, skin ulcers, difficulty moving joints, and death from lung scarring or kidney failure. Approximately 300,000 people in the U.S. have scleroderma. The disease has similarities to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. There is no cure or significant treatment for scleroderma and even diagnosis is difficult because there is no clinical test.
Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy
Nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD) is a newly recognized scleroderma-like fibrosing skin condition. It develops in patients with renal insufficiency. Yellow scleral plaques and circulating antiphospholipid antibodies have been proposed as markers of NFD. Dual immunohistochemical staining for CD34 and pro-collagen in the spindle cells of NFD suggest that the dermal cells of NFD may represent circulating fibrocytes recruited to the dermis. Therefore, inhibition of fibrocyte formation may alleviate symptoms of this disease.
Asthma
Asthma affects more than 100 million people worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing. Asthma appears to be caused by chronic airway inflammation. One of the most destructive aspects of asthma is remodeling of the airways in response to chronic inflammation. This remodeling involves thickening of the lamina reticularis (the subepithelial reticular basement membrane surrounding airways) due to fibrosis. The airway passages then become constricted due to the thickened airway walls.
The thickened lamina reticularis in asthma patients contains abnormally high levels of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen I, collagen III, collagen V, fibronectin and tenascin. The source of these proteins appears to be a specialized type of fibroblast called myofibroblasts.
In asthma patients, CD34+/collagen I+ fibrocytes accumulate near the basement membrane of the bronchial mucosa within 4 hours of allergen exposure. 24 hours after allergen exposure, labeled monocytes/fibrocytes have been observed to express α-smooth muscle actin, a marker for myofibroblasts. These observations suggest that in asthma patients allergen exposure causes fibrocytes from the blood to enter the bronchial mucosa, differentiate into myofibroblasts, and then cause airway wall thickening and obstruct the airways. Further, there is a correlation between having a mutation in the regulatory regions of the genes encoding monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 or TGFβ-1 and the severity of asthma. This also suggests that recruitment of monocytes and appearance of myofibroblasts lead to complications of asthma.
Thickening of the lamina reticularis distinguishes asthma from chronic bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is found even when asthma is controlled with conventional medications. An increased extent of airway wall thickening is associated with severe asthma. No medications or treatments have been found to reduce thickening of the lamina reticularis. However, it appears likely that reducing the number of myofibroblasts found in the airway walls may reduce thickening or help prevent further thickening.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a unique type of chronic fibrosing lung disease of unknown etiology. The sequence of the pathogenic mechanisms is unknown, but the disease is characterized by epithelial injury and activation, the formation of distinctive subepithelial fibroblast/myofibroblast foci, and excessive extracellular matrix accumulation. These pathological processes usually lead to progressive and irreversible changes in the lung architecture, resulting in progressive respiratory insufficiency and an almost universally terminal outcome in a relatively short period of time. While research has largely focused on inflammatory mechanisms for initiating the fibrotic response, recent evidence strongly suggests that disruption of the alveolar epithelium is an underlying pathogenic event. Given the role played by fibrocytes in wound healing and their known role in airway wall thickening in asthma, it appears likely that overproduction of fibrocytes may be implicated in IPF.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Treatment methods for fibrosis related disorders


An image input unit inputs a plurality of images in a time series. Each input image includes a boundary line extending toward a vanishing point on a plane. A reverse projection image generation unit generates a reverse projection image of each input image by projecting information related to each input image onto the plane. A boundary line detection unit detects the boundary line from the reverse projection image by identifying a boundary line candidate on each reverse projection image.

In the prior art, as a method for detecting a boundary line (white line) on a plane (road plane) from time series images input from a camera loaded on a vehicle, various kinds of image processing techniques are known.
As one method of a preprocessing method, the gradient of intensity values between the white line and the road plane is aimed. In this method, the edge intensity is binalized on a camera image (input image), and a white line candidate is restricted. For example, as for the binalized camera image, a plurality of templates of white lines are prepared, and the white line is detected by template matching. Alternatively, a plurality of white line candidates are prepared, and an assumed candidate for a white line on which most edge points exist is detected as the white line. In these methods, a threshold for binalization processing of edge intensity is set for preprocessing. However, it is difficult to set the threshold to the most suitable value irrespective of weather condition or illumination condition.
In the case of detecting a white line in front of the vehicle on the road, in general, the camera is set so that the optical axis of the camera is parallel to and lower than advancing direction of the vehicle. If the camera is set at this position, as shown in FIG. 1, a white line of the left side on the road plane is input as a curved line extended from the center neighborhood to the left lower side on the camera image. On the other hand, a white line of the right side on the road plane is input as a curved line extended from the center neighborhood to the right lower side on the camera image. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, the slope of the white line changes on the camera image in accordance with the vehicle's location on the road plane.
In the white line detection using a prior art template matching, a search area is set on the camera image in order to reduce the amount of calculations. However, it is necessary that the search area is adaptively changed because the slope of the white line on the camera image is changed by the vehicle's location. Accordingly, processing to set the search area is often complicated in the prior art.
In the same way, in the method for detecting the white line candidate in which most edge points exist as the white line, it is often necessary to set a direction of the white line candidate. However, processing to set the direction of the white line candidate is often complicated because the slope of the white line on the camera image is changed by the vehicle's location.
Furthermore, in the white line detection using the template matching, a width of the white line closer to the camera is different from that of a remote part on the camera image. In addition to this, in order to cope with a curved white line, many templates must be prepared. Additionally, the processing is complicated by selection of the suitable templates.
As mentioned-above, in the prior art, the following three problems exist.
(1) In a method for detecting a boundary line using a threshold processing such as binalization for edge detection, it is difficult to suitably set the threshold under a condition of bad weather, such as rainy weather. Accordingly, robust detection of the boundary line is difficult.
(2) In a method for detecting a boundary line on a time series images input from the camera, the slope of the white line on the camera image is changed by the vehicle's location on the road plane. Accordingly, processing to set the search area or the search direction is complicated, and the calculation load greatly increases.
(3) In a method for detecting a white line using template matching, the line width and the slope of the boundary line near the camera is different from that of a remote part on the camera image. Accordingly, a large number of templates must be prepared. Furthermore, decision processing to change the template is necessary. As a result, the calculation load greatly increases.


A computer system is provided with a processor and a system board. The processor includes a processor core, at least one other non-processor core electronic component and a first non-volatile memory device. Stored inside the first non-volatile memory includes first programming instructions that provide initialization support for the at least one other non-processor core electronic component of the processor. The system board includes at least one non-processor electronic component and a second non-volatile memory device. Stored inside the second non-volatile memory device includes second programming instructions that provide initialization support for the at least one non-processor electronic component of the system board. Both the first and the second programming instructions further support a cooperative initialization protocol under which the first and second programming instructions cooperate with each other to initialize the computer system at power-on/reset.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a distributed approach to providing initialization support for a computer system.
2. Background Information
Most computer systems are provided with a set of instructions to initialize the computer systems at power-on/reset. The initialization tasks typically include a power-on self-test (POST) that tests certain basic hardware to ensure these basic hardware are present and functioning properly, detection and configuration of the system memory including the memory controller, detection and configuration of the video controller, and so forth. These instructions are typically provided as an integral part of the computer system""s basic input/output system (BIOS).
Since at power-on/reset, the system memory is not configured, thus the BIOS including the initialization instructions, is typically disposed in a read-only-memory (ROM) device, such as flash memory, of the system board, and executed in place at power-on/reset. To make this in place execution possible at power-on/reset, the ROM is associated with a predetermined address range, and enabled at power on/reset. All xe2x80x9caddress handling controllersxe2x80x9d, such as a bus bridge, that are in the access path of the ROM are designed to understand and recognize this association. Furthermore, the processor is designed to start execution at power-on/reset at a predetermined address that is within this address range.
This prior art approach to providing the initialization instructions in a ROM of the system board suffers from at least one disadvantage. That is, the different processors and associated memory controllers that can be used with the system board must be predetermined, so that the logic for their support can be properly included in the initialization instructions. Otherwise, these initialization instructions must be updated in order for the system board to be able to support a new family of processors and associated memory controllers that become available after the system board. As those skilled in the art will appreciate that the process of updating BIOS is user unfriendly and error prone.
Thus, an improved approach to providing initialization support for a computer system is desired.
A computer system is provided with a processor and a system board. The processor includes a processor core, at least one other non-processor core electronic component and a first non-volatile memory device. Stored inside the first non-volatile memory includes first programming instructions that provide initialization support for the at least one other non-processor core electronic component of the processor. The system board includes at least one non-processor electronic component and a second non-volatile memory device. Stored inside the second non-volatile memory device includes second programming instructions that provide initialization support for the at least one non-processor electronic component of the system board. Both the first and the second programming instructions further support a cooperative initialization protocol under which the first and second programming instructions cooperate with each other to initialize the computer system at power-on/reset.

Computer system formed with a processor and a system board provided with complementary initialization support


A method and apparatus for unique and secure identification of a computing service node. The service node is coupled to an administrative node and to a certificate authority node via a computer network. The administrative and certificate authority nodes have respective public and private keys. A shared key is established between the certificate authority node and the administrative node, and while booting the service node, the service node generates its public key and private key. The administrative node double encrypts a selected value, first using the shared key and second using the public key of the service node, whereby a double encrypted value is generated. The double encrypted value is decrypted at the service node, whereby a single encrypted value is generated. Whether the certificate authority node is able to successfully decrypt the single encrypted value using the shared key determines whether the administrative node is authentic.

Networked computing arrangements use various addressing schemes for uniquely identifying the computing nodes on the network. For example, an internet protocol (IP) network uses IP-specific addresses. The unique addresses allow the attached nodes to selectively transmit data to other nodes on the network.
Although IP addresses provide unique identification of nodes on a network, IP addresses can be taken and used for false identification, and are therefore insufficient for securing the identity of a node. The assumption of one node's identification by another node is one way in which confidential information is obtained. With the continued growth of computing arrangements devoted to running a business, for example, selling, developing, and managing, the risks associated with the misappropriation of confidential information are too great to ignore.
One way in which the identity of nodes is protected is by way of certificates and management by a certificate authority (CA). Communicating nodes pass certificates and verify authenticity with the CA. Establishing certificates is generally initiated by manual intervention. For example, when a new node is deployed in a computing environment in which the various nodes are managed by way of an administration node, the new node must be configured with the appropriate certificate in order to communicate with the administration node. Thus, identifying and securing the identity of a node on a network can initially cause delays in deploying the node.
A system and method that address the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, are therefore desirable.

Unique and secure identification of a networked computing node

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A chip-size package includes a semiconductor chip having a plurality of input/output pads on an active surface and a passivation layer covering the active surface such that the pads are exposed. Attached to the chip is a substrate having a plurality of electrically conductive traces and corresponding terminal pads therein. A bottom portion of each of the traces is exposed at the bottom surface of the substrate so that the traces are mechanically and electrically bonded to one of the input/output pads. The terminal pads are formed on a top portion of each of the traces and are exposed to a top surface of the substrate. Accordingly, the terminal pads are not limited to being located over the center or the periphery of the chip where the input/output pads are located, but rather can be arranged over the entire area of the chip to produce a chip-size package capable of mass production.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor chip packages, and more particularly, to methods for manufacturing chip-size packages at a wafer-level and the resulting chip-size package structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
The major trend in the electronics industry today is to make products lighter, smaller, faster, more multi-functional, more powerful, more reliable, and less expensive. One of the key technologies to make these product design goals possible is electronic packaging and assembly technology.
One particular packaging technology, chip-size or chip-scale packaging (CSP), has many advantages compared to conventional packaging such as quad flat packaging (QFP), ball grid array (BGA), and the like. The most obvious advantage is the size of the package, that is, the package is the same size as the chip or slightly larger. Another advantage of CSP is that the package facilitates test and burn-in before assembly as an alternative to known good die (KGD) testing. In addition, CSP can combine many of the benefits of surface mount technology (SMT), such as standardization, encapsulation, surface mount, and reworkability, with the benefits of flip chip technology, such as low inductance, high I/O count, and direct thermal path. Further background information is available in "Chip-Size Packaging Developments", August 1995, TechSearch International, Inc.
However, CSP has at least one disadvantage compared to conventional SMT and flip chip technology, namely, high cost per unit. However, this problem could be eliminated if chip-sized packages could be mass produced more easily.
In many cases, the connections between circuit boards and CSP devices are accomplished using metallic bumps. One of the limitations of many CSP production methods is the need for flexibility in the number, arrangement, and size of metallic bumps that can be disposed on a CSP device.
A need exists therefore, for a CSP device that allows for flexible arrangement of metallic bumps and that can be mass produced at the wafer level.

Chip-size packages assembled using mass production techniques at the wafer-level


A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine 1 and a rotating electric machine 5 as drive power sources and drives a wheel using a driving force of the internal combustion engine 1 and/or the rotating electric machine 5. A diagnostic control unit 700 diagnoses the vehicle while controlling the same. The diagnostic control unit 700 shifts an operating point of the internal combustion engine 1 to a plurality of diagnostic operating points to diagnose a catalyst or an oxygen sensor. Meantime, the diagnostic control unit 700 compensates for an excess or a deficiency in the driving force of the internal combustion engine 1 accompanied by the shift of the operating point by letting the rotating electric machine 5 perform a power running or regeneration operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to vehicle diagnostic control apparatus and, more particularly, to a vehicle diagnostic control apparatus suitable for use in a hybrid vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
One known technique for diagnosing exhaust system-related faults uses outputs from an oxygen sensor upstream of, and another oxygen sensor downstream of, a catalyst. The technique then uses a correlation function to quantify similarities in waveforms between the upstream and downstream oxygen sensors, thereby determining deterioration of the catalyst (see, for example, JP-A-6-241026).
In later years, hybrid vehicles using engines and motors to drive the vehicles are becoming popular. Some known technique uses a motor and a reverse ratio of an upstream oxygen sensor and a downstream oxygen sensor to determine the deterioration of the catalyst (see, for example, JP-A-2000-110650).


A replacement grille for a vehicle which replaces an original grille of the vehicle comprises a frame component comprising an outer frame defining a space, at least one design component received within the space of the frame, and a connector for connecting the design component to the frame component.

This invention relates to an interchangeable design component grille, typically used for vehicles. In one aspect, the invention relates to a grille for cars and/or trucks, and more particularly to a grille assembly comprising a number of interchangeable, decorative design components, all or some of which can be used in various combinations and matches so as to create a reasonably customized grille for the vehicle.
Most vehicles will typically comprise a conventional grille which is designed as a complete, single unit, and integrated into the overall design of the vehicle as determined by the design team at the facility or other place of the manufacturer of the vehicle. The purchase of a particular vehicle or truck automatically includes the specifically designed grille for use thereon, and a purchaser has little or no option during the purchasing process of changing the appearance or any aspect of the grille design.
However, certain companies have from time to time, and especially for very popular vehicle models, designed alternative grilles that are different from those of the original manufacturer's design, and which can be incorporated onto the vehicle by substituting or replacing the grille which came with the original vehicle. However, these opportunities are in practice very limited, and will typically comprise replacing one grille in its entirety with another substitute grille in its entirety.
As such, it will be appreciated that the variety of design and decoration options for a grille on a vehicle are limited, or even non-existent, and when any substitute is available, it is usually a complete part, requiring the total removal of the standard grille and the installation of a different grille design in its place.

Replacement interchangeable grille for vehicles


A used secondary battery module management system server manages a manufacture of a battery assembly. The server stores, in a memory, a correspondence relationship of each of secondary battery modules among identification information, ranks, and status information. The server extracts an available rank from the ranks in response to a rebuilding request for the battery assembly. The available rank is a rank in which the number of the secondary battery modules having the status information indicating that the secondary battery modules are available is equal to or larger than the number of the secondary battery modules required to constitute the battery assembly. The server receives, from an external terminal, the identification information on each of selection secondary battery modules having an identical rank.

A battery assembly formed by combining a plurality of secondary battery modules has been widely used. The secondary battery modules deteriorate with the use of the battery assembly, but their degrees of deterioration vary from one secondary battery module to another. Therefore, even when the degrees of deterioration of some of the secondary battery modules in the battery assembly exceed a criterion, the battery assembly cannot be used as a whole. In such a case, usable secondary battery modules whose degrees of deterioration are low are taken out from the battery assembly to be reused. When a battery assembly is reconstituted, that is, rebuilt using used secondary battery modules, it is necessary to combine the secondary battery modules in consideration of the degree of deterioration of each secondary battery module. It is conceivable from the viewpoint of extending the life to combine secondary battery modules whose degrees of deterioration are equivalent to each other.

Used secondary battery module management system server, used secondary battery module management system external terminal, and used secondary battery module management system


The invention relates to an angiographic x-ray diagnostic device for rotation angiography with an x-ray emitter which can be moved on a circular path about a patient located on a patient support table, with an image detector unit which can moved on the circular path facing the x-ray emitter, with a digital image system for recording a plurality of projection images by means of rotation angiography, with a device for image processing, by means of which the projection images are reconstructed into a 3D volume image, and with a device for correcting physical effects and/or inadequacies in the recording system such as truncation correction, scatter correction, ring artifact correction, correction of the beam hardening and/or of the low frequency drop for the soft tissue display of projection images and the 3D volume images resulting therefrom.

One the most common diseases in the world is vascular disease, such as strokes, aneurysms or the abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). A rapid and safe diagnosis and the immediate introduction of treatment are of particular importance for the recovery process of diseases of this type.
The diagnosis of such diseases is supported by imaging methods. In this case, a CT examination is preliminarily carried out in order to precisely determine the extent of the hemorrhaging or of the part of the brain which is no longer supplied with blood. The dimension and form of the vascular deformation is determined in the case of an aneurysm or the AAA. The computer tomograph provides good diagnostic images of the soft tissue in question but CT devices are not able to provide any treatment due to poor patient accessibility. This therapy is generally always carried out with the support of an angiography C-arm x-ray system. The angiographic x-ray systems known to date do not offer an optimum soft tissue resolution and therefore do not allow cerebral hemorrhaging to be viewed for instance.
This results in the patient having to be transferred alley the CT examination into a room in which the angiographic x-ray examination can be carried out. This causes valuable patient treatment time to be lost Concepts in which the computer tomograph and the angiographic x-ray device are accommodated in one shared room offer an improvement. This solution is disadvantageous in that the patient still always has to be relocated and that two relatively expensive devices can be used for just one treatment.
Initial methods and devices for angiographic 3D images using a C-arm x-ray device are known. By way of example, 3D images of a skull and the vessels can be provided using an x-ray diagnostic device with a workstation. DE 102 41 184 A1 discloses a method of this type for generating a volume data set. Further examples for C-arm x-ray devices supplying 3D images are described in Electromedica 1/02 "Initial Clinical Experiences with the SIREMOBIL Iso-C.sup.3D" by Euler et al. on pages 48 to 51 in DE 100 47 364 A1, DE 199 50 793 B4 and DE 103 06 068 A1. As a rule, mobile devices do not radiate sufficient x-ray power and are thus only suited to a limited number of applications. DE 195 09 007 C2 discloses a C-arm x-ray diagnostic device for providing layer images. However, all known C-arm solutions are lacking an optimum display of capillary soft tissue.

Angiographic x-ray diagnostic device for rotation angiography


An eye diagram construction display apparatus includes an amplifier, a first equalizer, an addition unit, a second equalizer, a bit error rate check unit, a clock recovery unit, a clock synthesizer, a processing unit and a display unit. The first equalizer is electrically connected to the amplifier. The addition unit is electrically connected to the first equalizer. The second equalizer is electrically connected to the addition unit. The bit error rate check unit is electrically connected to the addition unit. The clock recovery unit is electrically connected to the addition unit and the bit error rate check unit. The clock synthesizer is electrically connected to the clock recovery unit. The processing unit is electrically connected to the addition unit, the bit error rate check unit and the clock recovery unit. The display unit is electrically connected to the processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and especially relates to an eye diagram construction display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A chip (for example, an integrated circuit) is one of the most import hardware of modern electronic devices. For different chips to interchange information (including data, messages and commands, etc.), a chip includes a transmitter circuit and a receiver circuit. The transmitter circuit of one chip transmits information to the receiver circuit of another chip.
As the receiver circuit receives the signal, the receiver circuit retrieves the information from the received signal. For examples, Ethernet network, optical fiber network, XAUI (10 Gigabit Media Independent Interface), PCI-E (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) and SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) are commonly interface standards of modern high-speed chips.
To ensure that receiver circuit can correctly retrieve information from the received signal, monitoring the eye diagram of the signal received by the receiver circuit is very useful. Therefore, correctly monitoring the eye diagram of the signal received by the receiver circuit has become a key point of modern chip design. However, currently the related art eye diagram construction display apparatus has the disadvantages of complicated design and very high cost.

Eye diagram construction display apparatus


An apparatus and method for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials including a first pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems for detachably engaging a membrane test material along opposing sides in the X direction. A second pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems is provided for detachably engaging a membrane test material along opposing sides extending in the Y direction. Each of the first pair and each of the second pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems are interconnected by a pantograph so as to be slidably extendable and slidably contractible with respect to each other and proportional to strain in the membrane test material in the X and Y directions, respectively. The first and second pair of segmented clamping systems are interconnected by a linkage system such that the second pair of segmented clamping systems will slidably extend in the Y direction proportional to strain imparted to a membrane test material in the Y direction when the first pair of segmented clamping systems is caused to move apart in the Y direction, and the first pair of segmented clamping systems will slidably extend in the X direction proportional to strain imparted to a test membrane in the X direction when the second pair of clamping systems is caused to move apart in the X direction.

The present invention relates to tensile testing of membrane materials, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for biaxial tensile testing of membrane materials.
Traditionally, the tensile properties of fabrics are evaluated in uniaxial testing in which force-deformation response of a fabric is measured along one of the major axes (machine or cross). Results of uniaxial tests produce indices of relative tensile behavior but are inadequate for many applications. However, in actual use, the textile fabrics rarely experience true uniaxial forces. In most instances, the forces are imposed simultaneously in more than one direction resulting in responses that are quite different from that under uniaxial force. Since most fabrics or orthotropic membranes possess two principal directions and the forces or deformations in most cases can be resolved into two orthogonal components, it is important to understand their behavior under two dimensional force or deformation. Application of forces or extensions simultaneously along two orthogonal axes is referred to as xe2x80x9cbiaxialxe2x80x9d.
Often, the objective of tensile testing of fabrics is to characterize their nature of failure in terms of breaking elongation and strength. However, for many applications it may be more important to find out the relationships between applied stresses (or strains) and resultant strains (or stresses), e.g.,
"sgr"x=f1(xcex5x,xcex3y,xcex3xy),"sgr"y=f2(xcex5x,xcex5y,xcex3xy),"sgr"xy=f3(xcex5x,xcex5y,xcex3xy)
where "sgr"x and "sgr"y are stresses in machine and cross directions, respectively, and "sgr"xy is the shear stress. Similarly, xcex5x and xcex5y are strains in machine and cross directions, and xcex3xy is the shear strain. These constitutive relationships between stress-strain parameters are well known for linear orthotropic materials. However, the stress-strain relationships of textile fabrics are far more complex and non-linear.
The need to measure the constitutive laws of fabric behavior, in addition to studying their nature of failure, has received considerable attention in the literature. A number of studies have been reported in the area of theoretical modeling of fabric deformation under uniaxial as well as biaxial tensile forces. Other researchers have reported various experimental methods of evaluating fabric behavior under biaxial tensile forces.
Multi-directional test devices have been described by Ariano (xe2x80x9cRubber Stretched by Forces in Two Directions Perpendicular to one Anotherxe2x80x9d, Rubber Chemistry and Technology, 13, 92-102 (1942)) as early as 1942. He developed a static two-dimensional tester for rubber films. Anderson (xe2x80x9cA Method for Obtaining Stress-Strain Relations in Non-Isotropic Flexible Sheet Material Under Two-Dimensional Stressxe2x80x9d, Journal of Scientific Instruments, 24, 25 (1947)) and Boonstra (xe2x80x9cStress-Strain Properties of Natural Rubber under Biaxial Strainxe2x80x9d, Journal of Applied Physics, 21, 1098-1104 (1950)) used a pressure cylinder apparatus suitable for impermeable sheet materials. Treloar (xe2x80x9cThe Swelling of Cross-Linked Amorphous Polymer under Strainxe2x80x9d, Transactions of Faraday Society, 46, 783-789 (1950)) developed an apparatus for imposing four-directional planar strains in rubber, but without any provision for measuring forces. The two-dimensional force-extension tester reported by Reichard, Woo, and Montgomery (xe2x80x9cA Two Dimensional Load-Extension Tester for Woven Fabricsxe2x80x9d, Textile Research Journal, 23, 424-4248 (1953)) and later used by Woo, Dillon, and Dusenbury (xe2x80x9cThe Reaction of Formaldehyde with Cellulosic Fibers, Part II: Mechanical Behaviorxe2x80x9d, Textile Research Journal, 26, 761-783 (1956)) is a modified uniaxial tensile tester that was designed to extend a fabric along two perpendicular directions. However, the instrument could measure the force developed in one direction only under moderate levels of strain. Checkland. Bull, and Bakker (xe2x80x9cA Two-Dimensional Load-Extension Tester for Fabrics and Filmxe2x80x9d, Textile Research Journal, 28, 399-403 (1958)) reported a two-dimensional force extension tester in which a four-jaw, self-centering lathe chuck was used as the straining device. The sample size was quite small, as was the strain level.
All these devices were equipped with solid clamps that did not allow any deformation along the clamps, a critical requirement, for large or finite deformation. Additionally, none of the above investigators either defined or examined the role of control variables in interpreting their experimental results. Of the multi-directional testers already reviewed, only two were specifically designed for and readily applicable to the laboratory testing of fabrics. In both cases, the clamps were moved at constant rates to apply strains in the sample. However, as Klein (xe2x80x9cStress-Strain Response of Fabrics underTwo-Dimensional Loading, Part I: The FRL Biaxial Testerxe2x80x9d, Textile Research Joumal, 29, 816-821 (1959)) pointed out, in both cases neither the forces nor the extensions are controlled in the central region of the test specimen. Thus, while general trends in biaxial behavior can be determined from these machines, considerable generality is lost and quantitative comparison of different materials is rather impossible.
Klein described a biaxial tester with solid clamps and proposed a set of design criteria for a biaxial tester based on sound theoretical analysis. He pointed out that in a biaxial testing system, either both forces or both extensions must be specified or controlled while the other should be measured. Klein chose forces as independent variables because of his particular requirements. He then concluded that a biaxial test could be considered completely controlled and reproducible by the control of a single factor, i.e., the ratio of forces or extension in the two directions. Klein designed his instrument to measure force-extension behavior of a cruciform sample (2 in.xc3x972 in.) under different levels of force-ratio.
Freeston et al. (xe2x80x9cMechanics of Elastic Performance of Textile Materials, Part 18. Stress-Strain Response of Fabrics under Two Dimensional Loadingxe2x80x9d, Textile Research Journal, 37, 948-975 (1967)) in 1967 reported a biaxial tester developed by the Air Force Materials Laboratory. The load-frame of the test system described by Freeston et al. was similar to Klein. However, the clamping system of this instrument was designed to rotate freely about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the test specimen to permit shear deformations.
An important factor to be considered in biaxial testing of fabrics or other similar membranes is the distribution of stress and strain in the test specimen. Perfect homogeneity of strain in a test device is almost always unattainable. However, test instruments must be designed to minimize the variations of stress and strain. None of the prior art instruments described thus far allow for homogeneous distribution of stress and strain. In testing a flat specimen of a membrane/fabric, it is necessary to allow the specimen to undergo tensile strain in the direction along each clamp. In the vicinity of the solid clamps, these strains are not allowed to develop. Consequently, these xe2x80x9cboundary effectsxe2x80x9d become particularly severe in cases of small samples.
A number of testers reported in the literature have provided for deformation along each clamp. Two of these, Rivlin et al. (xe2x80x9cLarge Elastic Deformations of Isotropic Materials, VII: Experiments on the Deformation of Rubberxe2x80x9d, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 243, 251-288 (1951)) and McRory et al. (xe2x80x9cExperimental Investigation of the Biaxial Load-Extension Properties of Plain, Weft-Knitted Fabricsxe2x80x9d, Textile Research Journal, 47, 233-239 (1977)) applied stresses with what was essentially point contact, while Sakaguchi et al. (Journal of the Society of Materials Science, Japan, 17, 365 (1968)) and Kawabata et al. (xe2x80x9cThe Finite-Deformation Theory of Plain-Weave Fabrics, Part 1: The Biaxial-Deformation Theoryxe2x80x9d, Joumal of The Textile Institute, 64, 21-46 (1973) and xe2x80x9cNonlinear Theory of the Biaxial Deformation of a Triaxial-Weave Fabricxe2x80x9d, Joumal of The Textile Institute) used segmented clamps of finite area. Several testers used specimens with tabs protruding from the edges in order to help induce a homogeneous stress distribution in the center of the specimen. However, the tester of McRory et al. used a specimen with straight edges, and relied upon closer spacing of the grip points (0.25 cm) to distribute the stresses. While the segmented clamping system improved the homogeneity of the strain distribution, edge effects were still present in the stress and strain measurement system. The edge effects can be reduced to some extent by measuring the stress and strain only over the central part of the specimen. However, selective measurement of stress is difficult. Kawabata et al. used the instrument mentioned earlier, but with a modification such that stress was measured only over the center sections of the sides of the specimen. This was achieved by attaching the corner clamp-grips to members other than the xe2x80x9cload-detection-barsxe2x80x9d, to which central clamps and force transducers were attached. Riviin used another approach of individual adjustment of clamps to address this problem. It is worth observing that Sakaguchi et al. and Kawabata et al. used ratio of strain in the two directions as the control parameter of their testing as opposed to force-ratio.
While these segmented clamping systems improved the homogeneity of the strain distribution, frictional forces within the clamp segments and edge effects were still present in the system. In segmented clamps, an extension in the X-direction is accommodated by tabs in the Y-direction by pulling on the Y-direction clamp-segments laterally at an angle other than zero. In other words, the force necessary to move the Y-direction clamp-segments is provided by the X-direction clamps and transmitted through the tabs in Y-direction. Even a small frictional resistance to this movement will cause inhomogeneity in the strain field of the test sample. More importantly, it develops stress concentrations at the joining point of the adjacent Y-direction tabs, which promote tear into the test area. The same can be said about an extensional displacement of the Y-direction clamps and corresponding adjustment by the X-direction clamp-segments.
Thus, the search continues in biaxial testing for a suitable clamp system that will allow for unhindered strain to occur in a test sample, in particular, near the edges while extending the capacity of load-frames to useful levels.
In accordance with the present invention, applicant provides an apparatus for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials that provides for unhindered strain to occur in the sample near the edges so as to obviate significant xe2x80x9cboundary effectsxe2x80x9d during deformation testing. The apparatus comprises a first pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems for detachably engaging a membrane test material along opposing sides extending in a first (X) direction wherein the clamping systems each comprise a plurality of clamps interconnected by a pantograph so as to be slidably extendable and slidably contractible with respect to each other. A second pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems is provided for detachably engaging a membrane test material along opposing sides extending in a second (Y) direction orthogonal to the first direction wherein the clamping systems each comprise a plurality of clamps interconnected by a pantograph so as to be slidably extendable and slidably contractible with respect to each other. A first drive system is used for moving the first pair of segmented clamping systems apart from each other so as to impart a predetermined strain in the second (Y) direction, and a second drive system is provided for moving the second pair of segmented clamping systems apart each from the other so as to impart a predetermined strain in the first (X) direction. A first linkage system operatively interconnecting the first and second pair of segmented clamping systems is provided so as to slidably extend the second pair of segmented clamping systems in the second (Y) direction proportional to strain imparted to a membrane test material in the second (Y) direction when the first pair of segmented clamping systems is caused to move apart in the second (Y) direction by the first drive system. Further, a second linkage system operatively interconnecting the first and second pair of segmented clamping systems is provided so as to slidably extend the first pair of segmented clamping systems in the first (X) direction proportional to strain imparted to a test membrane in the first (X) direction when the second pair of clamping systems is caused to move apart in the first (X) direction by the second drive system.
Also in accordance with the present invention, applicant provides a method for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials so as to provide for unhindered strain to occur in the sample near the edges during deformation. The method includes providing a first pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems for detachably engaging a membrane test material along opposing sides extending in a first (X) direction wherein the clamping systems each comprise a plurality of clamps pantographically interconnected so as to be slidably extendable and slidably contractible with respect to each other. The method further includes providing a second pair of spaced-apart segmented clamping systems for detachably engaging a membrane test material along opposing sides extending in a second (Y) direction orthogonal to the first direction wherein the clamping systems each comprises a plurality of clamps pantographically interconnected so as to be slidably extendable and slidably contractible with respect to each other. The method further comprises driving the first pair of segmented clamping systems apart from each other to impart a predetermined stress and/or strain in the second (Y) direction and thereby causing the operatively connected second pair of segmented clamping systems to slidably extend in the second (Y) direction proportional to the strain imparted to a membrane test material in the second (Y) direction. Finally, the method provides for driving the second pair of segmented clamping systems apart from each other to impart a predetermined stress and/or strain in the first (X) direction and thereby causing the operatively connected first pair of segmented clamping systems to slidably extend in the first (X) direction proportional to the strain imparted to a membrane test material in the first (X) direction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials that allows for unhindered strain to occur near the test sample edges so as to obviate boundary effects during testing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials that utilizes segmented and self-adjusting clamping systems to engage the four edges of a test sample so as to allow for finite biaxial deformation without suffering any significant undesirable boundary effects during testing.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials which serves to minimize the stress concentrations and strain inhomogeneities during biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for biaxial load deformation testing of textile and other membrane materials that uses an improved segmented clamping system for gripping deformable membrane materials during biaxial testing thereof.
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will become evident as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings described hereinbelow.

Apparatus and method for biaxial tensile testing of membrane materials


A printing apparatus, when a sheet is fed from a sheet feeding unit in a state where size information indicating the size of sheets stacked in the sheet feeding unit is not stored in a storage unit, detects and stores the size of the sheet during conveyance. The printing apparatus controls the execution of the print processing, without using size information in a case where a print instruction is received in a state where the size information is not stored, and using the size information in a case where the print instruction is received in a state where the size information is stored. Furthermore, the printing apparatus clears the size information stored in the storage unit when a particular key is operated in a state where the size information is stored while print processing is not being executed.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a method of controlling the same and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
In an image forming apparatus having a sheet feeding unit in which a plurality of differing sizes of sheets are stackable, setting of sizes of sheets stacked in the sheet feeding unit can be performed by various methods. For example, a method is known in which the image forming apparatus, in a case where it is provided, in the sheet feeding unit, with a sensor by which stacked sheet sizes are detectable, sets (stores) the sheet size detected using this kind of sensor as the sheet size corresponding to that sheet feeding unit.
On the other hand, there exist image forming apparatuses that are not provided with this kind of a sensor in order to reduce manufacturing costs. In these kinds of image forming apparatuses, for example, there is a method that is known in which a sensor, by which the size of sheets being conveyed is measurable, is provided and the size measured by this kind of sensor is set for the sheet feeding unit in accordance with the completion of conveyance of the sheets (printing completion) (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-301079). Also, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-267851, a method is disclosed in which, upon power activation, or after opening and closing of the sheet feeding unit, because there is the possibility that the sheets stacked in the sheet feeding unit were replaced with the sheets of a differing size (the sheet size changed), size information that was set (stored) is updated.
In this kind of image forming apparatus, when print processing is performed based on a print instruction, in a case where the sheet size designated by the print instruction does not match a stored sheet size, a warning message is displayed which indicates that effect, and the user is prompted to replace the sheets with those of an appropriate size.
In image forming apparatuses (printing apparatuses), there are many cases where even if opening and closing of the sheet feeding unit is performed, sheets of the same size as before are supplied to the sheet feeding unit. For this reason, cases in which the sheet size information stored in the printing apparatus is updated only upon power activation without updating the sheet size information upon opening and closing of the sheet feeding unit are possible.
This kind of printing apparatus, when the sheets stacked in the sheet feeding unit are replaced by the user with sheets of a differing size in a state where sheet size information is stored, cannot change the sheet size information appropriately unless it enters an powered off state. As a consequence, when print processing is executed after replacement of the sheets, a print operation is suspended due to a mismatch between the stored sheet size and the sheet size designated by the print instruction, and a warning message prompting replacement of the sheets will be displayed. Because of this, convenience for the user is reduced.

Printing apparatus, method of controlling the same and storage medium


Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for indicating (e.g., by a donor base station) resources available for physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions from a base station is provided. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for determining (e.g., by a relay node or UE) resources available for physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions from a base station.

1. Field
Certain aspects of the disclosure relate generally to wireless communications systems and, more particularly, to techniques for allocating resources for a relay in a telecommunications network.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, data, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., bandwidth and transmit power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
Generally, a wireless multiple-access communication system can simultaneously support communication for multiple wireless terminals. Each terminal communicates with one or more base stations via transmissions on the forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from the base stations to the terminals, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from the terminals to the base stations. This communication link may be established via a single-in-single-out (SISO), multiple-in-single-out (MISO) or a multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) system.
To supplement conventional mobile phone network base stations, additional base stations may be deployed to provide more robust wireless coverage to mobile units. For example, wireless relay stations and small-coverage base stations (e.g., commonly referred to as access point base stations, Home Node Bs, femto access points, or femto cells) may be deployed for incremental capacity growth, richer user experience, and in-building coverage. Typically, such small-coverage base stations are connected to the Internet and the mobile operator's network via DSL router or cable modem. As these other types of base stations may be added to the conventional mobile phone network (e.g., the backhaul) in a different manner than conventional base stations (e.g., macro base stations), there is a need for effective techniques for managing these other types of base stations and their associated user equipment.

Resource availability for PDSCH in relay backhaul transmissions


For determination of the forces arising at a feeding means in an injection molding machine for plastic materials, a first static sensor is provided for determining at least the forces arising during the material preparation stage. A further force sensor detects in essence the forces arising during injection and, as soon as the first measured value reaches a limit value F1, the first static sensor passes on the further detection of the forces to the further sensor, wherein the limit value F1 at the same time serves as calibration value for the further sensor.

Prior Art 1.
Processes and devices like that are for example known from DE-A 44 46 857. In these usually one material pressure sensor is provided in the nozzle and one in the mould cavity, the results of which certainly are input in the control, as for the rest, however, do not correlate with each other. As soon as the measured value of the internal mould pressure, for example after sealing the moulding, is not available anymore, this also is not available as input parameter anymore.
In order to determine the closing force more precisely, in DE-A 39 39 728 two pressure measuring systems are provided, one of which is assigned to the mould cavity and one to the mould parting plane. For the closing force determination there is, however, only one sensor available.
Another possibility for determining the force in a hydraulic injection molding machine according to EP-A 644 030 consists in detecting the forces on both sides of the injection piston and to subtract them one from the other. Such a force measurement, however, does not consider the losses which might occur between the feeding means and the injection piston.
For determination of the internal mould pressure, according to EP-A 130 769, several sensors can be provided in both mould parts, which however are not designed for measuring different force ranges.
Mostly static sensors are provided for determination of the injection forces arising during the injection cycle in the bedding area of the feeding means, as for example, a feed screw, in EP-B 331 735 for example. The measured values gained from that usually are input in a force- or pressure-dependant injection control, provided that measured values of the internal mold pressure can be detected sufficiently or due to the material used can be detected reliably from a determined time during the injection cycle.
From EP-B 436 732 it is furthermore known to arrange a pressure sensor for the same purpose in the area of the feed screw itself.
The known devices, however, have the problem, that the injection force in an injection molding machine during the real injection ranges in a very high area of mostly several tons. On the other hand during the dosing process, on the material preparation stage, the resolution should range only in the kilogram area. Static force transducers, however, now can measure continuously starting from a zero point up to the high forces without loosing their zero point, but they do not dispose, just in the lower area, of the desired resolution or, if they do so, they are not suited to measure high forces.
In order to solve this problem, nowadays expensive so-called dynamic force transducers are used as sensors. However, they have the disadvantage, that their reliable application requires, that a reset must be possible sometime during the course of the cycle. Without this reset the sensor drifts away and leaves its zero position. Since at no time during the injection process in an injection molding machine for plastics is a defined force zero condition reached, this reset cannot be achieved without the danger of building-up.

Process for determining the forces arising in an injection molding machine and a device for carrying out the process


A method and apparatus of encrypting optical images and storing these images in memory using random phase encoding is presented. The encryption technique uses random phase encoding in both the input plane and the Fourier plane. Each image is encrypted and can be read out by a unique code or a universal code. The image to be encrypted is first multiplied by a random phase function. The Fourier transform of the product of the image and the random phase function is then multiplied by another random phase function in the Fourier domain. Taking the inverse Fourier transform, an encrypted image in the output plane is obtained. Each encrypted image can be stored in optical memory. The encryption process of the present invention can be done optically or electronically with one or two dimensional functions for encryption. Further, the image can be phase encoded (optically or digitally) prior to the encryption process, with a phase reading technique employed to obtain the original decrypted image. Also, a joint transform correlator may be used for the encryption and/or decryption of the present invention. It will be appreciated that a variety of well known methods can be used to store or display the encrypted images.

The present invention relates to encryption. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel method and apparatus of encryption using random encoding.
Image data security has recently become an important issue. An image is generally a two-dimensional data. In accordance with which, a picture of an image can be considered as a two-dimensional memory, which may comprise one or more images, and may need encryption in many applications for security reasons. Furthermore, optical encryption methods using random phase encoding have been proposed recently, see generally "Optical pattern recognition for validation and security verification," by B. Javidi and J. L. Horner, Opt. Eng. 33, 1752-1756 (1994).


The disclosure describes plastic formed products comprising:. one selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin and a thermosetting resin; and. 0.1 to 10 wt % of at least one selected from the group consisting of ferric oxide hydroxide particles, hematite particles, magnetite particles and maghemite particles;. wherein (1) the average major axial diameter or the plate diameter of said ferric oxide hydroxide particles is 0.02 or 2.0 .mu.m and the average aspect ratio or the plate ratio thereof is 2 to 20, (2) the average particle size of said hematite particles, magnetite particles and maghemite particles is 0.01 to 1.0, the BET specific surface area thereof is 1 to 120 m.sup.2 /g and the water content on the surfaces thereof is not less than 0.02 wt %/m.sup.2 /g.

The present invention relates to plastic formed products, and more particularly, to plastic formed products which are capable of reducing the amount of residual ash after the plastic formed products are incinerated even under the conditions of a low temperature and a low oxygen concentration due to the incineration-accelerating operation thereof.
Since plastics are capable of being freely molded and have excellent properties of all kinds, a large amount of the plastic formed products are used in industries of all sorts. After accomplishing the intended purposes, these plastic formed products are discarded. It is difficult to decompose physically, chemically or biologically plastic formed products in circulation and since materials of all kinds are used, a significant cost is associated with recovery and recycling plastic products. Due to this cost plastic products are often reclaimed or incinerated. It is well known that major refuse problems are associated with disposal of plastic products.
The plastic formed products are divided broadly into two categories such as (1) industrial materials and durable consumer goods used for a relatively long period (e.g. from several years to several tens of years), and (2) goods used for a short period (e.g. from several days to one year) utilizing serviceability of the product for the required period of time. However, recent changes in life style have resulted in large amounts of single use formed plastic products requiring disposal and as a result the amount of refuse discharged from homes has increased.
In European countries, suppliers should recover the plastic wastes discharged from consumers. It is considered that the plastic wastes are reused as energy resource by generating electricity by utilizing the combustion heat. However, at this time, the plastic wastes in many countries are disposed by the incineration and reclamation.
The present invention will be explained in the following with plastic bags cited as an example.
In supermarkets, large specialty stores and retail shops, plastic bags which are printed or colored for the respective stores are generally supplied to the customers at the sales counters. After these shopping bags are used to carry goods, they are reused in homes as sorting bags, refuse bags or the like.
In conventional disposal of combustible refuse the discarded material is placed in blue or black colored plastic bags. These bags are made of thermoplastic resin, typically polyethylene resin which also contains a pigment. The filled bags are incinerated in an incinerator and after incineration the residual ash together with unburned refuse is used for reclamation.
However, a conventional method of incinerating the combustible refuse has various problems such as air contamination due to NOx generated during incineration, shortage of sites for reclamation into which a large amount of residual ash after incineration and unburned refuse are buried, leakage of a harmful ingredient of residual ash in the reclaimed land, and generation of harmful dioxins. In addition, when a large amount of plastic waste and plastic bag which have a high calorific value is contained in combustible refuse, the temperature in the incinerator is raised so much that the incinerator is broken.
As a method of solving these problems, various methods are proposed. They are, for example, a method of suppressing the generation of NOx by incinerating combustible refuse under the condition of a low oxygen concentration, a method of preventing the breakage of an incinerator due to a rise in temperature by so controlling the incinerator as to be not higher than a predetermined temperature by spraying water during incineration, and a method of insolubilizing the residual ash containing harmful ingredients and cementing it before burying it. In some municipal corporations, it is a duty of the inhabitants to use a translucent plastic refuse bag which contains a large amount of calcium carbonate in place of a conventional refuse bag in order to reduce the amount of refuse and lower the calorific value. It is reported that many municipal corporations appeal to supermarkets and the like for adoption of translucent shopping bags containing calcium carbonate like a refuse bag, because the shopping bags are often reused as refuse bags in homes.
Plastic bags containing iron oxide are also proposed. For example, a method of dispersing a fine ferromagnetic powder in a thermoplastic resin so as to separate plastic wastes by the magnetic action (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 52-68247/1977), and a method of producing a plastic bag from polyethylene or polypropylene containing titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, nickel oxide and iron oxide such as ferrous oxide and ferric oxide so as to prevent the generation of an offensive odor from the refuse in the bag (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 3-212353/1991) are proposed.
As described above, since the original use of shopping bags is to accommodate goods therein for carrying and they have a function of advertising the supermarket or the retail store which supplies them to the customers, the shopping bags are required to have an excellent color tone and a high mechanical strength, to use no harmful ingredient, and further to be produced at a low cost. It is very difficult to produce a shopping bag which meets all these demands while taking the problem of refuse disposal into consideration.
The suppression of the NOx content generated during incinerating refuse, the prevention of the breakage of an incinerator and a reduction of unburned refuse and residual ash are now in the strongest demand. If the refuse is incinerated under the conditions of a low temperature and a low oxygen concentration, although it is effective for the suppression of the NOx content generated during incinerating refuse and the prevention of the breakage of an incinerator, since the combustion efficiency is lowered, the residual ash and the unburned refuse disadvantageously increase.
If a thermoplastic resin for shopping bags contains a large amount of calcium carbonate, not only is the external appearance bad, but also the mechanical strength is lowered and the calcium carbonate adhered to the film surface is apt to adhere to clothes and commercial goods. In addition, although such bags are effective for the prevention of the breakage of an incinerator due to a high temperature, the amount of residual ash and unburned refuse disadvantageously increases by the amount equivalent to the amount of calcium carbonate added.
The method of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 52-68247/1977 is aimed at providing plastics with magnetism by mixing and dispersing a fine ferromagnetic powder such as magnetite with and in the plastics so as to collect the plastics, and a method of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 3-212353/1991 is aimed at preventing an offensive odor in the garbage in a plastic bag by adding a gas decomposing material containing at least titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, nickel oxide and iron oxide to polyethylene or polypropylene which constitutes the bag. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 3-212353/1991 is silent on the disclosure or suggestion of the technical problem that the combustion efficiency should be maintained and the unburned refuse, residual ash and an harmful ingredient should be reduced as much as possible even under the conditions of a low temperature and a low oxygen concentration.
At the time of incineration of plastic formed products, the plastics are molten and become blocks and combustible volatile compounds vaporize from the plastics in which the solid form thereof is maintained, the necessary amount of oxygen for incinerating the plastic formed products is in short supply, so that harmful unburned refuse sometimes remains or the incineration takes a long time.
Accordingly, provision of plastic formed products which are capable of a high combustion efficiency even if they are incinerated together with combustible refuse, and which are capable of reducing the amount of unburned refuse and residual ash is strongly demanded.
Especially, provision of plastic formed products which are capable of providing an excellent color tone, a high mechanical strength and safety, and which are also capable of maintaining a high combustion efficiency for a long time even if they are incinerated together with combustible refuse, and reducing the amount of unburned refuse and residual ash is strongly demanded.
As a result of studies undertaken by the present inventors so as to meet the demand, it has been found that by mixing and kneading 0.1 to 10.0 wt % of ferric oxide hydroxide particles and/or iron oxide particles with a thermoplastic resin or a thermosetting resin and forming the resultant mixture, the combustion efficiency of the obtained plastic formed products does not lower even if the plastic formed products are incinerated together with combustible refuse under the condition of a low temperature and a low oxygen concentration, and generates only a small amount of unburned refuse and residual ash. The present invention has been achieved on the basis of this finding.

Method of incinerating plastic products containing ferric oxide hydroxide particles