A depression force of an accelerator pedal 2 is increased than a base depression force by a predetermined amount when an accelerator opening degree becomes a predetermined accelerator opening degree threshold value at which an engine speed necessary at a start of a vehicle can be obtained by a depression of the accelerator pedal 2 in a state where a clutch 102 is disengaged at the start of the vehicle. With this, at the start of the vehicle, a driver becomes easy to hold the accelerator pedal 2 in a constant accelerator opening degree at which the engine speed necessary at the start can be obtained. It is possible to smoothly engage the clutch 102, and then to attain the smooth start of the vehicle.

For example, a patent document 1 discloses an art to vary an engine speed to a target engine speed higher than an idling rotational speed in accordance with a clutch position when a throttle opening degree is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value at a start of a vehicle provided with a manual transmission. In this patent document 1, an increase rate of the target engine speed with respect to the idling rotational speed is set to be smaller with respect to a state at an initial stage of the engagement of the clutch as the engagement of the clutch proceeds.
However, in this patent document 1, it is necessary to return the increased engine speed to the original speed after the start of the vehicle. With this, the deceleration feeling may be provided to the driver. Moreover, the vehicle can run without the depression of the accelerator pedal by the driver. Accordingly, the unnatural feeling may be provided to the driver.
That is, in this patent document 1, the vehicle is likely to be not smoothly started without providing the unnatural feeling to the driver.


Each semiconductor memory module is divided into a plurality of access control units, and a service adapter copies the contents of the memory of the semiconductor memory module in which a memory error has occurred, to a spare semiconductor memory module one access control unit at a time. It is thus possible to evacuate the contents of the memory of the semiconductor memory module in which the memory error has occurred without stopping the semiconductor disk apparatus simply by adding the spare semiconductor disk apparatus. Since the copying operation is executed one access control unit at a time, a resource manager can conduct exclusive control also one access control unit at a time. A host apparatus therefore can access an access control unit portion which is not the object of copying even in the process of copying. In other words, the copying operation exerts no deleterious influence on the access of the host apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor disk apparatus and, more particularly, to a magnetic disk apparatus (DASD: Direct Access Storage Device) which enables high-speed access from a host apparatus without any mechanical operation by writing all the user data that are to be stored in the magnetic disc apparatus, in a semiconductor memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
A semiconductor disk apparatus is a disk apparatus which uses a semiconductor memory as a recording medium in place of a magnetic disk apparatus while maintaining the behavior (command code, data transfer method, etc.) of the magnetic disk apparatus. Therefore, the interface between the host apparatus (CPU) and the semiconductor disk control device is completely the same as the interface between the CPU and the magnetic disk control device. The semiconductor disk apparatus is advantageous in that it can be accessed instantaneously because it is not necessary to move the head unlike in the magnetic disk apparatus, and in that it is possible to utilize the software resources between the CPU and the magnetic disk control device as they are.
FIG. 57 shows the structure of such a semiconductor disk apparatus. The reference numeral la represents a CPU, 2 a semiconductor disk apparatus as a shared storage device (SSD), 3 a semiconductor disk control device, and 4 a semiconductor disk which is provided with a plurality of semiconductor memory modules (MS: Main Storage) 4a, 4b, 4c, . . . and an extended storage adapter (ESA) 4s as a memory interface adapter for controlling the writing of data into and reading of data from the semiconductor memory modules. The reference numeral 5 denotes a maintenance panel or a personal computer.
In the semiconductor disk control unit 3, the reference numeral 3a represents a channel adapter CA having a single or a plurality of interfaces (host interfaces) between the channel adapter and the host apparatus CPU 1a. Although only one channel adapter 3a is shown in FIG. 57, a plurality of adapters are actually provided. The reference numeral 3b represents a resource manager RM provided with an exclusive control table (not shown) for executing exclusive control so as to allow another host interface to use a predetermines semiconductor memory module when no host interface is using the semiconductor memory module, while inhibiting any other host interface from using the semiconductor memory module when it is used by one host interface. Actually, the semiconductor memory module is divided into a plurality of logical drives, and the resource manager RM executes exclusive control for each drive. The reference numeral 3c denotes a service adapter SA for conducting initial microprogram loading processing (IML), state monitoring processing, and recovery processing at the time of a trouble for each unit, and 3d, 3e and 3f control storage portions for storing various control tables and programs.
First problem
In the semiconductor disk apparatus, a trouble in a semiconductor memory module is fatal. If a trouble generates in a semiconductor memory module in a conventional semiconductor disk apparatus, after data are evacuated, the power switch is turned off and the semiconductor memory module having the trouble is replaced by another semiconductor memory module. After replacing the semiconductor memory module, the power switch is turned on so as to activate the semiconductor disk apparatus and the data are restored. In this method, however, a device specially for evacuating data is necessary. In addition, since it is impossible to use the semiconductor disk apparatus while the power is off and when data are in the process of evacuation/restoration, the semiconductor disk apparatus cannot meet the demand for a non-stop apparatus. Although a method of replacing a semiconductor memory module having a trouble without stopping the semiconductor disk apparatus is proposed (Method of Maintaining Semiconductor Disk without Stopping the Semiconductor Disk Apparatus, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 268020/1991), it is disadvantageous in that a large-scale maintenance device for enabling maintenance of a semiconductor disk without stopping the semiconductor disk apparatus is required separately from the semiconductor disk apparatus.
Second problem
When the power of a semiconductor disk apparatus is turned off, the contents of the memories are lost. To prevent this, some semiconductor disk apparatuses have backup disk devices connected thereto. Each of the semiconductor memory modules which constitute a semiconductor disk apparatus is divided into a plurality of logical drives, and the host apparatus designates a logical drive by issuing a Start I/O command. If the designated logical drive is usable, the host apparatus accesses a predetermined position of the logical drive. The structure of the logical drive of such a semiconductor disk and the logical drive of a backup disk device have a one-to-one correspondence. However, if the size or the position of the logical drive of the semiconductor disk is changed, the structure of the logical drive of the semiconductor disk and the logical drive of the backup disk device does not correspond to one to one. For this reason, even if data are evacuated into the backup disk device before the structure of the semiconductor disk is changed, it is impossible to restore the data which is evacuated into the backup disk after the change in the structure of the logical drive of the semiconductor disk, so that the data before the change become invalid and cannot be used.
Third problem
Since a semiconductor disk apparatus emulates a magnetic disk apparatus, it has not only a user data portion provided in the actual device but also a control information portion called directory provided in each track. The semiconductor disk apparatus manages the address relative to the memory of the currently emulated record (user data) in the track field and each sector information, etc. by the directory.
When a channel adapter accesses the user data area of the designated track field, the channel adapter obtains the control information of the designated track field by taking the directory of the designated track into the channel adapter and accesses the user data in accordance with the control information. The directory is composed of (1) the record number of the last record that is written in the traffic field, (2) the sector directory and (3) the record directory. The sector directory is a table in which the ordinal number of the record which is read out first in set sector processing is written, and the record directory is a table in which the relative address (offset address) from the head of track to each record is written. The record directory is used in order to access a record field directly by the record number. By using such information, it is possible to directly move an orient (virtual head position) at the time of set sector processing and search ID processing, which enables high-speed access.
When the target directory portion cannot be read due to a 2-bit error of a memory or the like, all the user data of the track field which is controlled by the corresponding directory become inaccessible, so that the valid user data are actually lost. To prevent this, a data loss preventing mechanism is required which makes the user data accessible even when the directory cannot be read.
In a conventional semiconductor disk apparatus, when the track field designated by the firmware of a channel adapter is to be accessed, the directory in which the control information on the track field is written is generally first read before processing is started. Consequently, if it is impossible to read the directory, access to the track field is impossible because there is no recovery means for the collapsed directory. It is therefore necessary to initialize the collapsed directory by initializing the smallest unit (e.g, 1 cylinder) and make the directory valid in order to make the track, which cannot be read, reusable. Initialization, however, erases the user data in the initialized region, so that it is necessary to evacuate, in advance, the data in the region being initialized. The data in the track field which becomes inaccessible due to the collapse of the directory can only be read in accordance with a memory damp command which is prepared as one of the channel commands. For this reason, it is impossible to extract and reproduce the necessary part as the user data of the track field except by the user who knows the track format within the semiconductor disk apparatus. In other words, it is almost impossible to completely restore the original data.
Fourth problem
In a semiconductor disk apparatus, the data storage medium is a semiconductor memory chip. Therefore, the memory cost per bit in a semiconductor disk apparatus is higher than that in a magnetic disk apparatus. In addition, the storage capacity per semiconductor disk apparatus is smaller than that of a magnetic disk apparatus. In order to solve the problem of the storage capacity, a method of compressing data before writing and restoring the original data before reading is proposed. Such a data compression method, however, suffers from the problem that the size of compressed data is sometimes different from the original data size when the user data is reloaded. When the data size after the compression is smaller than the original data size, it is necessary to release the surplus region for the effective use of the memory. On the other hand, when the data size after the compression is larger, it is necessary to secure a new region before reloading. Such memory control is complicated, and it is conventionally impossible to control the release/allocation of the memory region for the purpose of effective utilization by a simple method.

Semiconductor disk apparatus having a semiconductor memory for a recording medium


A locking apparatus for connecting a catheter to a stem. The locking apparatus comprises a collet sleeve, which includes an annular wall defining a center channel and a plurality of resilient prongs protruding inwardly into a portion of the center channel. The locking apparatus also comprises a lockable insert, which includes an annular wall defining a center channel. The center channel of the lockable insert is coaxial with the center channel of the collet sleeve. The lockable insert is configured to be placed at a first locking position in which the annular wall of the lockable insert asserts no or minimal radial compression against the plurality of the resilient prongs of the collet sleeve, and the lockable insert is further configured to be moved to a second locking position in which the annular wall of the lockable insert radially compresses the plurality of the resilient prongs of the collet sleeve.

Implantable vascular access ports are used extensively in the medical field to facilitate the performance of recurrent therapeutic tasks. A typical access port comprises a needle-impenetrable housing having a fluid reservoir that is sealed by a needle penetrable septum. The access port also includes an outlet stem which projects from the housing and provides a fluid passageway that communicates with the fluid reservoir. The outlet stem is used to couple the housing to a catheter. Specifically, the vascular access port is attached to the proximal end of the catheter. The distal end of the catheter is placed into a vessel. The access port is generally implanted subcutaneously at a location that is easily accessible.
Once the vascular access system is implanted, a non-coring needle, e.g., a Huber needle, attached to a feed line may be used to access the implanted vascular access port, by penetrating the septum, to deliver a desired medication. Alternatively, bodily fluids can be withdrawn from the location where the distal end of the catheter is placed.
During the implantation procedure for a typical implantable access port having a single reservoir, a subcutaneous pocket is first created to receive and house the access port. This is done by making an incision in the skin of the patient at the intended implantation site for the access port. The access port is then inserted beneath the skin through the incision. The outlet stem of the access port is usually received within the pocket last, after the proximal end of the access port is placed in the subcutaneous pocket. A catheter is first placed at a desired location within the patient and then coupled to the outlet stem of the access port. The coupling of the catheter to the outlet stem of the access port generally uses a locking apparatus.


A novel display apparatus and method that enables the operator to shift gears smoothly on motor vehicles is described. The display shows engine revolutions per minute (RPM) at various traveling speeds for any gears all in one dial. The display may also show shifting paths for different driving styles. The static version of the display may be overlaid on top of existing tachometer. The dynamic version of display runs on portable devices with Global Positioning System (GPS) will show optimal RPM and shift indicator continuously. Further, the dynamic display is wireless networked to provide real-time driving instructions.

This invention relates generally to improved instrumentation and driving instructions for shifting gears smoothly on motor vehicles with manual transmission. The display apparatus may also be used when shifting from Neutral to Drive in vehicle with automatic transmission. The improved display is applied to motor vehicles, but it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
Internal combustion engine as used in modern motor vehicle produces high revolution with low torque. Transmission is used to scale down revolution while scaling up torque. For example, to start the car from stop, the driver would use the first gear which has the highest gear ratio and torque; to cruise at highway speed, the driver would use the highest gear which has the lowest ratio and torque. To change gear with a manual transmission, the driver would release the throttle and simultaneously depress the clutch, then select the desired gear, and release the clutch while depressing the throttle. If the driver releases the clutch too fast or too slow, the motor vehicle might either lurch forward or backward. A smooth shift occurs when the current engine RPM drops or increases to match the future engine RPM after the car is in the desired gears.
A typical tachometer as found in today's motor vehicle displays only the engine RPM at the current gear. The driver has to learn when to shift by feeling and repeated practicing. Since different motor vehicle may carry transmission with different gear ratios, the driver may have to reestablish the feel for smooth shifting when driving a different motor vehicle.
A systematically approach which enables the driver to look up the engine RPM of the future gear is desired.


A crimping tool for producing a polyaxial bone anchoring device (1, 1′) is provided. The crimping tool includes at least one tip holder having a crimping tip and an inclined passage and an actuating member having at least an inclined leg, wherein the inclination of the inclined passage corresponds to the inclination of the inclined leg.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,356 describes a polyaxial bone screw including a screw element and a receiving part which is pivotably connected to the screw element and a pressure element to exert pressure onto the head of the screw element to lock the angle between the screw element and the receiving part. The receiving part has a U-shaped channel for receiving a stabilization rod. The pressure element comprises a cylindrical recess, which is to be aligned with the U-shaped channel to receive the rod therein. In order to hold the pressure element in a position aligned with the U-shaped channel, the position of the pressure element is fixed by crimping through bores provided in the receiving part.
When the head of the bone anchoring element is freely pivotable with respect to the receiving part before locking the head in a final angular position, the alignment of the receiving part and the insertion of the rod may be difficult in more complex clinical applications, for example, when a multitude of bone anchors have to be connected to the rod.


Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for dynamically integrating ML functionality into computing systems, such as a content services platform (CSP), for instance. Many embodiments include ML integrated into a CSP and using production content as corpora (e.g., training and/or evaluation data). Some embodiments are particularly directed to generating and updating data for training and evaluating machine learning (ML) models, then making identified ML models available in various target environments. For example, embodiments may provide automatic, or semi-automatic, updating and deploying of ML models for making inferences, such as inferring labels for data in a content repository of a CSP.

Machine learning is the study of computer algorithms that improve automatically through experience. Typically, machine learning algorithms build a model based on sample data, referred to as training data, in order to make predictions or decisions without explicitly being programmed to do so. Machine learning may utilize specialized software and/or hardware components that require integration to operate in conjunction with nonmachine learning software and/or hardware. For example, data must be sourced and prepared to generate training data. In another example, after a machine learning model is produced based on training data, the model needs to be deployed and hosted before use for making predictions or decisions.

Techniques for dynamic machine learning integration


A return spring is constituted of a torsion spring, a spring part is held at a position different from that of a shaft part of a flyweight, and a free end portion of the return spring is hooked to a slide unit of the flyweight. The position of transmission of an urging force to be transmitted from the return spring to the flyweight is different between an angle-closing side and an extending and opening side. By tuning the shape of the slide unit, the position of protrusion of a spring fixing pivot, or the like, the distance from the shaft part to a contact point of the free end portion when the flyweight is located at the angle-closing position is set to be larger than the distance from the shaft part to the contact point of the free end portion when the flyweight is located at the extending and opening position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a decompression device for an engine to reduce the compression pressure by opening at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve during the compression stroke at a low engine speed when the engine is started.
2. Description of the Related Art
A decompression device to reduce loads when starting the engine by opening at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to maintain a combustion chamber in a half-compression state (a decompression state) to reduce the load when starting the engine has been known. A technology to release the decompression state by extending and opening a flyweight utilizing centrifugal force by rotation of a camshaft of the engine has been widely employed in decompression devices, and in these kinds of decompression devices, the flyweight must be urged to an angle-closing side by a predetermined urging force.
A return spring has been extensively employed to urge the flyweight to the angle-closing side, and in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-79017, a technology is disclosed in which the return spring constituted of a torsion spring is concentrically supported with a shaft part (a decompression cam) of the flyweight, thereby urging the flyweight to the angle-closing side by the urging force of the torsion spring. Furthermore, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-58110, a technology is disclosed in which the return spring constituted of a coil spring is disposed in a gear part of the camshaft, and the flyweight is urged to the angle-closing side by the urging force of the coil spring.
In the decompression device, it is required that the flyweight is reliably turned to the extending and opening position at a predetermined engine speed forming the decompression release revolution speed, and the flyweight is reliably maintained at the angle-closing position when such as the engine is stopped. In this case, the moment provided to the flyweight by the urging force of the return spring is changed in a substantially linear manner as the engine speed is increased (in other words, the flyweight is extended and opened), and in order to simultaneously satisfy these requirements by the above technology, the spring constant of the return spring must be set to be small, and the tension provided to the return spring at the angle-closing position of the flyweight must be set high (refer to a two-dot-chain line in FIG. 3).
However, if the tension provided to the return spring at the angle-closing position of the flyweight is set to be high, the turning angle from the angle-closing position to the extending and opening position of the flyweight can be limited due to the characteristic of the return spring, and it is not preferable to continuously provide high tension to the return spring.


The present invention provides novel gel forming methacrylic blocking copolymers that exhibit cationic pH-sensitive behavior as well as good water solubility. The copolymers are constructed by polymerization of a tertiary amine methacrylate with either a (poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) polymer, such as the commercially available Pluronic® polymers, or a poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether polymer. The polymers may be used for drug and gene delivery, protein separation, as structural supplements, and more.

The present invention relates generally to copolymers useful in applications such as drug delivery, protein separation, and gene delivery vectors. The copolymers are water soluble, pH-sensitive and capable of thermoreversible gelation.
One beneficial characteristic that polymeric materials have added to the field of drug delivery is their ability to respond to their environment. By modifying the chemical composition of either the backbone or pendant groups, polymers can respond to a wide range of stimuli. One stimulus more often exploited for drug delivery purposes is pH dependence. This dependence can be expressed by polymers having either anionic or cationic characteristics. Polymers with cationic functionality will tend to swell in low pH aqueous solutions whereas polymers with anionic functionality tend to swell in high pH solutions.
Cross linked cationic polymer membranes of diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEM) and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEM) have been previously synthesized for drug delivery applications. (See G. Albin et al., J. Controlled Rel., 2:153 (1985); J. Kost et al., J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 19:1117 (1985); K. Ishihara et al., Polymer J., 16(8):625 (1984); D. Hariharan and N. A. Peppas, Polymer., 37(1):149 (1996); and L. M. Schwarte and N. A. Peppas, Polymer., 39(24)L6057 (1998).) In these cases, the polymers have been rendered glucose sensitive by the attachment of glucose oxidase, thus providing a possible vehicle for insulin release. One main disadvantage of these materials, however, is that they are not water-soluble and, if implanted, remain in the body long after the useful life of the delivery device.
Other research efforts have focused on graft and block copolymers comprised of domains with anionic functionality and separate water-soluble portions, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). (See A. S. Hoffman et al., Polym. Prepr., 38(1):524 (1997); L. Bromberg, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 37:4267 (1998); and L. Bromberg, J. Phys. Chem., 102:1956 (1998).) These polymers have been primarily used for the release of drugs in the intestines, where a rise in pH would indicate that the device had passed through the stomach and is no longer in the harsh acidic conditions. Once in the intestines, where the pH is higher, the delivery polymer then becomes water-soluble and the polymer-bound drug may be released.
Nagasaki et al. also reported the production of various methacrylic block polymers with possible use in drug delivery applications. (Nagasaki et al., Macromol. Rapid. Commun., 18:827 (1997).) These block polymers are prepared by polymerizing a methacrylic ester monomer, having an electron-donating substituent group bonded to a specific site of its ester residue, using a potassium alcoholate. Under this polymerization system, if a cyclic ether (e.g., ethylene oxide) or a cyclic ester (e.g., a lactide or lactone) is reacted with the methacrylic ester monomer, a living polymer chain could be produced with the methacrylic ester extending through the medium of the living polymer chain. If the cyclic ether or cyclic ester is allowed to coexist in the reaction system, the monomer may also readily undergo co-polymerization to yield a block copolymer of a methacrylic ester possessing both a functional group at the ester sides and a lactide or lactone.
Other polymers, such as polyethyleneimine, have been used as vehicles to induce flocculation of proteins and other biomacromolecules. (See Mortimer, D. A., Polymer Inter., 25:29 (1991); and Chen et al., Chem. Eng. Sci., 47:1039 (1992).) In these polymers, the electrostatic interaction between the biomolecule and the selected polyelectrolyte provides the means to selectively precipitate charged molecules out of an aqueous solution, such as a fermentation broth.
The newest use for cationic polymers is the delivery of genetic material to mammalian cells for gene therapy applications. Recently van de Wetering et al. outlined the use of tertiary amine methacrylate homopolymers for gene delivery and the effect that the type of methacrylate has on the transfection efficiency. (See van de Wettering et al., J. Controlled Release, 64:193 (2000).) It was found in this study that a homopolymer of 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEAEM) might be a useful delivery material for plasmid DNA. However, it was also found that DEAEM could not form polymer/DNA complexes like many other cationic methacrylates, presumably because of the low water solubility of the polymer.
Rungsardthong et al., also recently reported the use of copolymers for gene delivery applications. (Rungsardthong et al., J. Controlled Release, 73:359–380 (2001).) In this study copolymers of DMAEMA with poly(ethylene)glycol (PEG) were investigated for their ability to serve as vectors in gene therapy. In vitro transfection experiments in this study showed that the DMAEMA homopolymer gave the highest level of transfection as compared to the control poly-L-lysine (PLL) system. The PEG:DMAEMA copolymer gave reduced levels of transfection, believed to be due to the steric stabilization effect of the PEG corona.
One area which has not yet been fully exploited is the use of pH-dependent functionalities in non-crosslinked injectable systems. Such systems would have advantages over crosslinked systems as they can be simply injected into the body to form a solid non-crosslinked gel that will eventually dissolve and be excreted.
Crosslinked hydrogels incorporating characteristics of pH and/or temperature sensitivity for stimuli-sensitive release of pharmaceutical drugs have only recently been developed. (See Lowman et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 88:933 (1999); and Brazel, C. S., and Peppas, N. A., Macromolecules, 28:8016 (1995).) For example, the triblock copolymer Pluronic® (poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)) has distinct amphiphilic properties and the ability to form non-crosslinked gels. Under the appropriate concentration and thermal conditions, aqueous solutions having this polymer will form micellar systems consisting of dehydrated poly(propylene oxide) cores surrounded by solvated poly(ethylene oxide) coronas. The segregated lipophilic nanophase of this compound can also increase the total aqueous solution solubility of small organic molecules like naphthalene and ibuprofen, molecules that are relatively insoluble in non-micellar aqueous solutions. At sufficient polymer concentrations, the Pluronic polymer will also undergo a sol-gel transition at temperatures slightly higher than its critical micellization temperature (CMT). When water penetrates the gel, lowering the total concentration of the polymer at the gel interface below a concentration sufficient to maintain the gel state at that temperature, the gel will dissolve to cause a controlled release of the associated pharmaceutical drug.
However, the Pluronic® polymers are not sensitive to pH and typical in vitro dissolution times have been on the order of 5–6 hours. (See Chi, S. C., and Jun, H. W. J. Pharm. Sci., 80:280 (1991); and Anderson et al., Journal of Controlled Release, 70:157 (2001).) Although in vivo release times are slightly longer, on the order of 10–20 hours, the Pluronic polymers on their own may not be extremely useful for controlled drug or bioactive molecule delivery. In particular, to compete with the commercially available orally administered controlled released tablets, injectable devices must release their dosage over a time period much longer than that available with the present Pluronic® system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

pH-sensitive methacrylic copolymer gels and the production thereof

Iowa State University Research Foundation


Provided herein are combination therapies comprising an ATP competitive AKT inhibitor, fulvestrant, and CDK4/6 inhibitor for use in treating hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative locally advanced unresectable or metastatic breast cancer.

Globally, breast cancer is the second most common invasive malignancy and the most common cause of cancer-related mortality in women, with a 5-year survival rate following metastatic diagnosis of approximately 15% (Jemal et al. 2011; Ferlay et al. 2015).
Accordingly, there is a pressing need for clinically active agents for treatment of Hormone Receptor Positive and HER2 Negative (HR+/HER2-) Locally Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Treatment of breast cancer using combination therapies comprising an ATP competitive AKT inhibitor, a CDK4/6 inhibitor, and fulvestrant


A method of identifying a merchant computer terminal warranting a chargeback includes identifying a merchant computer terminal associated with a fraudulent financial transaction, and receiving information associated with the merchant computer terminal. The information may include an actual configuration, parameters, and/or specifications associated with the merchant computer terminal. The method also includes receiving up-to-date dispute rules associated with chargebacks, and analyzing the dispute rules to determine merchant computer terminal requirements. The method further includes comparing the terminal requirements with the information associated with the merchant computer terminal to identify whether the merchant computer terminal is compliant with the dispute rules. Based upon the comparison, an electronic notification may be generated that indicates whether a chargeback is warranted due to the merchant computing terminal being non-compliant with the dispute rule, and the electronic notification may be transmitted to a merchant computing device to facilitate resolving financial transaction disputes.

Financial fraud, in its many forms, is a problem of enormous magnitude and scope, causing billions of dollars in economic losses and impacting many millions of people. Types of financial fraud include use of a lost or stolen card, account takeover, skimming, chargeback ("friendly") fraud, counterfeiting, forgeries and application (e.g., loan application) fraud, to name just a few. The problem only continues to grow as various technological advances, intended to improve convenience and efficiency in the marketplace, provide new opportunities for bad actors. For example, an ever-increasing amount of fraud may be linked to online transactions made via the Internet.
Various software applications have been developed to detect potentially fraudulent transactions. For example, dollar amounts and geographic locations have generally been used to flag particular credit or debit card transactions, with cardholders then being contacted by employees of the card issuer to determine whether the transactions were indeed fraudulent. To ensure that most instances of fraud are captured, however, such techniques generally have a low threshold for triggering a fraud alert. As a result, numerous fraud alerts are false positives. The prevalence of false positives leads to a large cost in terms of the drain on human resources (e.g., calling customers to discuss each suspect transaction, and/or other manual investigation techniques), and considerable distraction or annoyance for cardholders. To provide a solution to these shortcomings in the field of automated fraud detection, innovative processing techniques capable of reducing false positives are needed.
Other conventional processes relating to financial fraud are likewise resource-intensive. For example, card issuers today perform manual reviews of fraudulent transactions to determine whether, under the lengthy and complex rules of a particular card network, chargebacks are appropriate (i.e., payments from the merchant or acquiring/merchant bank back to the card issuer). These manual reviews are another significant drain on human resources, and may be subject to human error. Moreover, failure to properly identify chargeback scenarios may cost the card issuer money.
As another example, application fraud (e.g., obtaining a loan in the name of another person) may sometimes not be discovered until the loan has been made. By that point in time, any losses might not be fully recoverable.

Identifying chargeback scenarios based upon non-compliant merchant computer terminals

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company


A system and method for identifying unauthorized uploaded content that has been uploaded before a validated live reference stream has been ingested is disclosed herein. The live reference stream is compared against the indexed uploaded content repeatedly as the live reference stream is received. The matching process is done once per a time period until a match meeting a minimum match duration threshold is identified. The match is then determined to be unauthorized, and a claim is issued against the unauthorized uploaded content. The time period can be based on a utility based analysis that factors the computational costs of repeated matching versus the diminishing value of the live reference stream as time progresses.

Current copyright protection schemes compare uploaded media content to an index of validated and protected content. If a match is made, a copyright claim is generated against the uploaded media content. Live video and audio streams can also be protected from matching content that is uploaded after the live video stream is received, as an index of validated content can be generated as the live media is received and processed. Any subsequently uploaded user video captured can be compared against the validated content to identify if the uploaded user video is unauthorized.
However, when a stream of media is created in real-time or near real-time, processing in the transcoding pipeline can sometimes take a long time and interruptions between when the public broadcast occurs and when the reference is uploaded can cause delays such that the user uploaded content is uploaded before the live stream is indexed. If user uploaded content is uploaded first or at a time when the matching system is offline, it will not match against the live reference since the reference has not yet been indexed. When the live reference is activated in the match system, it will claim newly uploaded user content but will not claim the previously uploaded user content.

Matching delayed live reference streams with user uploaded streams


Wiper apparatuses are provided herein. In one example, a wiper apparatus includes a wiper that has a wiper arm and a wiper blade. The wiper blade is mounted to the wiper arm for contact with a window of a motor vehicle. A wiper drive motor pivots the wiper arm between an out-wipe position and an in-wipe position. A controller controls operation of the wiper drive motor to cause the wiper drive motor to selectively stop the wiper blade in a standard park position when in a standard park mode and in a high park position when in a high park mode. The wiper blade in the high park position is located further up from a bottom edge of the window than in the standard park position. A wiper control switch causes the controller to toggle between the standard park mode and the high park mode when moved according to a predetermined switching sequence.

Conventional windshield wiper apparatuses moved the windshield wipers back and forth between an out-wipe position (e.g., furthest position out on the windshield) and an in-wipe position (e.g., lowest position on the windshield) to remove water and debris from the windshield of a motor vehicle. The in-wipe and out-wipe positions are spaced apart to generally maximize the coverage of the windshield wiper blades on the windshield. When the windshield wipers are turned off, the windshield wipers stop in a park position, which is proximate to the in-wipe position, e.g., typically at the in-wipe position or slightly below in a depressed park position. Thus, to minimize wind noise and improve driver visibility, the windshield wiper in-wipe position is placed as low as practicable, which is typically along the base of the windshield.
During winter months, ice and/or snow can build-up near the base of the windshield where it is in direct contact with the windshield wipers when they are in the park position. The ice and/or packed snow can cause the windshield wipers to freeze directly to the windshield and/or reduce the wipe quality of the windshield wipers against the windshield, thereby reducing visibility of the motor vehicle occupants.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide wiper apparatuses for windows of motor vehicles that reduce the potential for ice and snow build-up on the wipers, motor vehicles having such wiper apparatuses, and methods for operating such wiper apparatuses. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Wiper apparatuses, motor vehicles having wiper apparatuses, and methods for operating wiper apparatuses


A hands-free apparatus includes a hands-free apparatus main body having a holding recess part and integrated and separable port parts, and an earphone that is electrically connected with the integrated port part with being inserted into the holding recess part in a first state and is configured to be able to adjust a length of wiring relative to the hands-free apparatus main body in electrical connection with the separable port part in a second state.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hands-free apparatus, and more particularly, to a hands-free apparatus that is connected with an electronic instrument such as a mobile phone or an MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III (MP3) player by wire and/or wireless so as to enable communication or listening to music without directly operating the electronic instrument by hand.
Description of the Related Art
Hands-free apparatuses are apparatuses that allow functions of electronic instruments such as mobile phones or MP3 players to be controlled by wire or wireless, and have been developed and used to improve convenience by reducing use of the hand during using the electronic instruments. It was formerly common to connect the hands-free apparatus to the electronic instruments such as mobile phones by wire. Recently, with the development of short-distance wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth that connect the electronic instruments such as mobile phones, computers, printers, facsimile, televisions (TVs), and refrigerators, many wireless hands-free apparatuses have been developed and used. In detail, hands-free apparatuses for short-distance wireless communications such as Bluetooth ear-set/headset providing the convenience of wireless because the short-distance wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth are mounted in the electronic instruments such as mobile phones have been made popular. In addition to Bluetooth, various technologies such as Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Ultra WideBand (UWB), binary code-division multiple access (CDMA), Wibree, etc. have been successively developed, and thus the hands-free apparatuses have been further diversified.
The hands-free apparatuses can be divided into a stereo type in which two earphones are inserted into both ears for the purpose of mainly listening audio such as music or a foreign language, and a mono type in which one earphone is inserted into one ear alone for the purpose of mainly talking on the telephone. Further, the hands-free apparatuses can be divided into a separable type in which an earphone(s) can be separated from the hands-free apparatus, and an integrated type in which an earphone is mounted in the hands-free apparatus.
The separable type hands-free apparatuses are mostly configured to wear or attach a hands-free apparatus main body around the neck or to clothes to connect the earphone(s) to the hands-free apparatus main body by wire when used. The separable type hands-free apparatuses using the short-distance wireless communication actually provide convenience only to large appliances such as TV. In view of the fact that the basic object of the separable type hands-free apparatuses is to apply wireless technology to provide the convenience of wear and use, the separable type hands-free apparatuses provide the convenience of wear and use in that they are worn around the neck when in use thanks to slightly lighter weight than the compact portable instruments such as mobile phones or MP players. However, the separable type hands-free apparatuses do not particularly provide the convenience of wireless, because a cord should be used to be worn around the neck, and because wiring should be provided to connect the hands-free apparatus main body and the earphone(s).
In addition to this, among the hands-free apparatuses for the wireless communication technologies such as Bluetooth, the integrated type in which a hands-free apparatus main body and an earphone(s) are integrated and the earphone portion is directly inserted and used has been much used of late. The apparatuses of this type can be reliably fixed to the ear, and are worn around the neck using a cord or are separately stored when not in use. However, since the integrated type is used in such a manner that the hands-free apparatus itself is directly inserted into the ear, the integrated type is inconvenient when worn for a long time, and is difficult to fix to the ear in the case of violent activities.
In this way, the existing hands-free apparatuses are configured to be able to use only one of the integrated type that is inserted into the ear when in use and the separable type that is worn around the neck and is connected with the earphone by wiring. Thus, these hands-free apparatuses are restricted by the fact that one hands-free apparatus cannot selectively use several types so as to be suitable for circumstances.


A tray table assembly for a chair is disclosed which is adapted for use in a health care environment. The tray table assembly enables a seated occupant or care giver to quickly and conveniently pivot the tray table in various incremental positions throughout a generally horizontal 360.degree. circular path. The tray table assembly includes a main tray assembly pivotally coupled to a mounting arm assembly to facilitate the lateral adjustments of the tray table. Furthermore, the tray table assembly includes a locking mechanism for quickly and conveniently mounting and demounting the tray table assembly from the health care chair. Still further, the tray table assembly includes positioning means for retaining the tray table in the desired position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tray table and, more particularly, to a tray table assembly operably mounted to a chair for use in a health care environment, wherein the tray table assembly is capable of being pivoted into multiple lateral positions conducive to various health care needs.
2. Background of the Invention
Health care chairs have been used in a variety of residential and commercial health care environments and are adapted to provide various comfort and therapeutic features to aid in the care of elderly and physically challenged individuals. Some of these health care chairs are capable of placing the seated occupant in an infinite number of seated positions, while others provide the seated occupant with improved mobility in and around the health care facility. While these health care chairs greatly enhance the comfort and mobility of such elderly and physically challenged individuals, health care chairs have the disadvantage that they may not generally be brought in close proximity to tables or desks. This makes writing, eating, resting, and standard medical procedures such as injecting intravenous medications, removing blood samples, and testing blood pressure, which require a rigid surface in close proximity to the individual, more difficult.
Attempts have been made in the art to provide tray table assemblies capable of being used similar to a conventional table, which are adapted to be mounted to various chair types. However, few of these mountable table assemblies have been developed that are capable of being positioned in numerous lateral orientations. Moreover, fewer of these table assemblies are adapted to enable a seated occupant or care giver to quickly and conveniently mount the table assembly on or demount the table assembly from the chair.
A first known design merely enables a chair-mounted table to be placed in one or two orientations. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,466, issued to Morton et al., discloses a chair-mounted table adapted to be positioned in front of the seated occupant or vertically stored along side the occupant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,114, issued to Miller, merely teaches a table adapted to be positioned in front of the seated occupant or horizontally pivoted to the side of the occupant.
Furthermore, known designs fail to provide a chair-mounted table assembly adapted to be conveniently mounted or demounted from the chair. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,911, issued to Sorenson, teaches a positioning system for a chair-mounted table having a plurality of adjusting features, yet fails to allow a seated occupant to conveniently mount or demount the table assembly from the chair.
Another problem encountered with these known designs is that the conventional forms of chair-mounted tables fail to adequately support an occupant's arm during standard medical procedures, such as those described above. In particular, chair-mounted tables used in the health care industry may be used as a means for supporting the seat occupant's forearm while blood samples are taken. Typically during these procedures, the patient's arm is extended outright or to the side, thereby exposing the patient's forearm. Unfortunately, when using the chair-mounted tables known in the art, the lack of adjustability of the table assembly tends to impede their use.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a simply constructed and easily operated chair-mounted table assembly that is capable of being pivoted into multiple positions conducive to various health care needs. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a chair-mounted table assembly that is capable of being quickly and conveniently mounted and demounted from the health care chair by the seated occupant or care giver.


A low-profile, clip-on heat sink for computer chip packages that releasably engages the side of the package and method for cooling computer chips is disclosed. The sink comprises a contact pad attached to a set of beams. Flanges extend down from the outer edges of the beams. The sink is engaged to the package by the flanges which attach to the sides of the package. When the sink is engaged to the package, the contact pad contacts the computer chip. When the chip is operating, heat flows from the chip to the contact pad. Heat then flows from the contact pad to the beams where it dissipates into the ambient surroundings. The sink may be released from engagement by deforming the flanges.

Computer chip packages comprise microchips embedded in ceramic pin grid arrays ("PGA"). Pins extend out of the PGA which carry signals to and from the microchip. The pins are inserted into a chip socket in order to operate the microchip. Microchips generate substantial amounts of heat which can lead to malfunction from cycling problems. In order to reduce the heat in microchips, heat sinks have been devised to carry heat away from the microchip and from the chip package. Typically, these devices are sets of fins or lances attached by an epoxy adhesive to the back of the microchip package. The epoxy adhesive must be carefully chosen such that chip breakage does not result due to a mismatch in thermal expansion rates of the package and the epoxy. Once the heat sink is thus affixed to the chip, it is not easily removed, particularly since the package is a delicate device subject to destruction if stressed. Since the identifying marks of the chip are located on the back of the package, once the sink is attached by the epoxy, the chip becomes virtually unidentifiable. This makes servicing the overall system more difficult as a separate record of the chip identities must be maintained. Furthermore, resale of used chips becomes impracticable.
In an attempt to overcome these problems, heat sinks have been developed that mechanically engage the chip package or the chip socket. The Thermalloy PGA E-Z Mount.TM. device comprises a rectangular frame in which the PGA sits. In this device, the pins of the PGA run through holes in the frame, keeping the frame in place. Alternatively, two shoes can be attached to opposite sides of the PGA by slipping the pins into holes in the shoes. A spring is attached to a heat sink. The spring then attaches to the frame, holding the heat sink in place against the chip package. There are several drawbacks to these designs. First of all, these devices comprise several parts. In addition, the frame or shoes must be attached before the chip package is mounted onto the chip socket. Finally, the heat sinks for use with this device comprise fins protruding out from the top of the sink, requiring more space.
The Thermalloy 2311 Series Integrated Circuit Heat Sink is a screw-on heat sink. The chip package is mounted on the chip socket. A latch cover is attached to the socket, covering the package. The sink screws into a socket in the latch cover such that the sink is disposed above the chip package.
The present invention relates to a low-profile heat sink (or "sink") for a computer chip package that can be easily mounted and easily removed without harming the microchip or the pin grid array. The sink of this invention permits the package to be mounted on and dismounted from the chip socket while the sink is attached. In addition, the sink can be mounted and dismounted from the package whether or not the package is mounted in the socket.

Clip-on heat sink and method of cooling a computer chip package


A bowling aid adapted to be mounted on either the bowler's index or little finger. The aid is a sheath into which the bowler's finger is inserted. Appropriate padding is provided in the sheath for gripping and protecting the finger. The padding can include a full-finger insert having removable serrated longitudinal sections. On the outer end of the sheath there is provided a plate which extends outwardly from the sheath under the head metacarpal joint of the bowler's index finger and part of the palm of the bowler's hand and is provided with a concave surface with a frictional coating thereon for assisting the bowler in gripping the bowling ball. The concave surface and friction coating extend along the length and width of the sheath. The bowler presses the plate and the length and width of the sheath against the surface of the ball to generate enhanced control during ball release. The sheath can define a gap along its length with a fastening system attached to the sheath to accommodate varying finger sizes.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bowling aid. More particularly, this invention relates to a bowling aid for use on a bowler's hand for controlling the bowling ball.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bowling is a popular sport at both the leisure and competitive levels. In order to bowl at an intermediate or advanced level, the bowler must be able to swing and release the bowling ball with adequate lift, turn, axis rotation and axis tilt to produce the desired movement and rotation of the bowling ball as the ball travels down the bowling lane prior to striking the pins. The lift, turn, rotation, and tilt all combine to result in a specific path and movement so that the ball strikes the pins at the optimum position to produce the maximum pin count.
Lift is related to the time between when the bowler's thumb disengages from the bowling ball and when the bowler's fingers disengage from the bowling ball. Lift generates the revolution of the bowling ball, with high revolutions being desired. Stronger lift is developed by moving the hand behind and under the bowling ball during the release. This requires considerable strength in the fingers and the rest of the hand, especially the ring finger, which is substantially responsible for the lift generated in a bowling ball during release.
The track of the bowling ball is that portion of its surface contacting the lane as it is moving towards the pins. For present lane surface conditions, the ideal track is called a "semi-roller." This track is on the index finger side of bowling ball when the thumb and middle fingers are inserted into the grip holes. The track is adjacent to the thumb hole and middle finger gripping hole. The typical track has a length of about 10-12 inches around the bowling ball. Tracks of less than 10 inches are known as "spinner" tracks. They are typically indicative of a weak release, usually derived from minimal lift, early hand turn, or a late exiting thumb. These release variables can act alone or in combination to produce the spinner track. Spinner tracks have low revolution and a difficult time gripping the lane surface, and thus have very little energy when they strike the pins. The track has two axis points. In bowling jargon, the axis point on the small finger side of the hand with the bowler's thumb and two middle fingers inserted into the three gripping holes is termed the positive axis. The opposite axis is termed the negative axis.
During release, the positive axis is rotated by a right handed bowler in a counter clockwise direction. Proper axis rotation will result in the positive axis point centered and facing the bowler just after release. This process of axis rotation is effected through the "turn" which occurs during the release of the ball. The middle finger inserted into the bowling ball is substantially responsible for the "turn" generated during release. Turn is the second key ingredient of a proper release, the first being lift.
Both lift and turn occur after the thumb has exited the bowling ball during delivery. Adequate revolutions and axis rotation are not obtained without the proper amount of lift and turn. Inadequate lift and/or turn will reduce the strike power of the bowling ball. The index finger is particularly important in the stabilization of the bowling ball during release and leads the hand in the turning motion. Thus, bowlers with long fingers and strong hands have more potential to lift and turn the bowling ball properly during the release.
As the bowling ball moves down the lane, the positive axis begins to rotate towards the strike pocket. This movement of the axis is called axis tilt. If the bowling ball has been properly turned during the release to establish optimum axis rotation, the energy of the release will be retained long enough to allow the axis tilt to occur as the ball begins to grip the last one-third of lane surface in front of the bowling pins. The axis tilt continues as the ball strikes the pins. Inadequate axis rotation will result in inadequate axis tilt, and thus premature energy release. This produces a weak-hitting bowling ball since the energy of the bowling ball was released prior to striking the pins. In bowling jargon this is called a "roll out."
Bowling balls conventionally have three holes formed therein for receiving the bowler's thumb and middle fingers with the palm of the hand resting on the surface of the ball, and the index and little finger extending along the surface of the bowling ball. The insertion of the fingers into the holes allows the bowler to grip the ball adequately and hold the ball during the back swing and release thereof. The inserted fingers assist in generating the lift, turn, axis rotation, and axis tilt, as described above, necessary for controlling the movement of the bowling ball. The palm, index finger and little finger also contribute to the lift, axis rotation and axis tilt.
A person of normal strength often has a difficult time maximizing the lift, turn, axis rotation, and axis tilt of the bowling ball during release given the relatively small surface area of the index finger, little finger, and palm in contact with the outer surface of the bowling ball. As a result, the bowler's ability to develop into an advanced bowler is limited.
Various devices have been developed in an attempt to address the inherent limitation of the bowler's ability to generate the necessary lift, turn, axis rotation, and axis tilt. Some devices have emphasized improving the control of the bowling ball by the bowler's fingers by providing a flexible rubber finger cot which is placed on the finger. This device still only has a surface area in contact with the bowling ball similar in size to the surface area of a natural finger.
Other devices have attempted to improve the bowler's delivery of the bowling ball by spacing certain portions of the bowler's hand and fingers off of the bowling ball. These devices can lift the index finger and pull it off the ball, thereby decreasing the user's control of the ball and lessening the effectiveness of the finger to which it is applied. Still other devices have attempted to improve the bowler's performance by restricting the movement of the bowler's wrists. Locked wrist devices can inhibit the user's ability to generate optimum lift and turn during the release. The locked wrist devices can either produce an excess amount of lift with inadequate turn, or inadequate lift with excessive, early hand turn. In addition, they do not allow free wrist motion through the release.
A flexible sheath for the index finger, with a tacky surface for engagement with the surface of a bowling ball, is disclosed in "Bowling," June/July, 1984, at page 39. A glove with sheaths for the bowler's index and little fingers and a flexible strap tying the sheaths together, and non-slip surface for engagement with a bowling ball is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,595,575 and 3,224,012. A finger sheath formed of a flexible, resilient material for frictionally engaging a bowling ball is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,455.
Flexible covers for a bowler's index and little fingers are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,112. The covers have ribbed surfaces for frictionally engaging the bowling ball. A wraparound sleeve and integral stiff tongue brace is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,736.


A method for assessing male reproductive health is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method comprises screening a sperm sample for sperm DNA accelerated decondensation (SDAD), for sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and/or for delayed sperm DNA decondensation (SDD). The method is useful in the screening and clinical management of reproductively challenged human couples and for assessing reproductive health of potential sperm donors. A method is also provided for selecting an assisted reproductive technology (ART) best suited for a particular donor sperm sample. An automated method for assessing SDAD and SDD test scores is also disclosed, as well as an automated sperm processing protocol for preparing sperm for analysis of SDAD and SDD.

Many studies show a decreasing semen quality due to environmental and genetic causes. For example, it has been demonstrated that sperm counts are on the decline, and that other qualitative markers show high sensitivity to these effects, including DNA integrity. Due at least in part to incomplete maturation, cells generate free radicals (reactive oxygen species, ROS). ROS has been reported to cause DNA fragmentation and a loss of sperm function associated with oxidative damage to the sperm plasma membrane and the genetic material, in a sequence that depends on the source of such chemicals. Researchers are now learning that the quality of human sperm is steadily eroding, and might be causing not only infertility in men, but also childhood cancers in the offspring of those who can reproduce (Stewart Irvine, et al, 1996; Irvine D S, 2000; Irvine D S et al, 2000). For the men who can reproduce today, their sub clinically damaged sperm might lead to infertility in their male progeny (Hoyes K P et al, 1994). Continuous exposure to environmental toxins (pesticides, heavy metals, traffic pollutants, organic solvents and vapors, etc.) or electromagnetic radiation may impair sperm quality, affect the genetic integrity of the sperm DNA, or may alter the physiological structure of the sperm severely enough to interfere with the fertilization process (Moline J M et al, 2000; Massaad C et al, 2002). Cigarette smoking is also associated with an increased risk of infertility (Wong W Y et al, 2000; Kunzle R et al 2003). Sperm damage may also be caused by exposure of sperm to heat, such as soaking in hot tubs or hot baths (Karaca A G et al, 2002) or fever. Sperm genetic quality/nuclear integrity has been emphasized for several years as playing a role in early embryogenesis. T thus the rate of success of any assisted reproductive technique (ART) will be benefited where sperm are confirmed to have good DNA integrity.
Since the quality of sperm DNA is an important factor in fertilization and in the selection of spermatozoon for fertilizing an egg (as in intracytoplasmic sperm injection, [ICSI] during in vitro fertilization [IVF]), it is important to sperm quality more objectively, to focus on the assessment on genetic and DNA quality, and to assess late functions of the sperm cell. These factors remain relevant to ICSI procedures. Several methods and techniques have been developed to assess perm function and quality beyond the standard routine tests. The Sperm DNA Decondensation (SDD) Test is one part of a multi-event screening test named the Human Sperm Activation Assay (HSAA). The HSAA is used to examine sperm activation events (DNA decondensation, pronuclear formation, DNA synthesis, and DNA recondensation). The SDD Test is used to assess the process of sperm chromatin/DNA decondensation (Brown D et al, 1992, 1995). Sperm chromatin/DNA decondensation is the first sperm activation event that occurs after a spermatozoon penetrates an ovum (Brown D et al, 1992, Samocha-Bone D. et al, 1998), and is a factor to assess success rate in IVF-ET, ICSI, and other modes of ART. This event is a step in fertilization during which protamine disulphide bonds are reduced to SH, and in which the polycationic protamines combine with the polyanionic egg protein, nucleoplasmin, thus being stripped from DNA, which then combines with histones, allowing the formation of a pronucleus. As the DNA decondenses, the DNA is reformatted such that upon combining with the female's DNA during syngamy, and after the subsequent first cleavage that results in a 2-cell stage embryo, the developmental program is set in motion. A partially reformatted sperm nucleus will have the capacity to initially fertilize the egg, and even under go a number of cell divisions when used in IVF, ICSI, or other ART modes. However, the resulting embryo will not have the capacity to develop to term. Thus, it is important to have pre-ART tests performed to detect males producing sperm with compromised genomic integrity. Without such pre-testing, especially in the cases of IVF and ICSI attempts at pregnancy, the embryologist will often be providing the treating physician with embryos that will not likely develop to term after transfer.
Protamine defects in sperm (genetic or induced) are also correlated with male infertility. It is therefore suggested that the SDD Test provides a probe for the functional integrity of these specific steps in fertilization, and a better predictor of outcome of IVF, especially in the case of ICSI, as well as IUI's or natural inseminations. The test has been applied successfully on both human and rat sperm to detect damage by environmental toxicants, specifically, alkylating agents (Sawyer and Brown, 1995; Sawyer et al, 1998; Sawyer and Brown, 2000). Exposure of the sperm to alkylating agents results in a diminished decondensation. Recently, it has been shown that exposure of the sperm to oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species; ROS) can accelerate the decondensation process (Tirado et al, 2003; Tirado et al, 2004). Hence, both the presence or absence of decondensation must be examined, but likewise, the kinetics/dynamics of the morphological changes are informative.
The process of fertilization involves a series of events including: a) sperm binding to, and then penetration of the oocyte zona pellucida via the acrosome reaction, b) sperm fusion with the oocyte plasma membrane, c) oocyte activation (release of the cortical granules to prevent multiple sperm from fertilizing the egg), d) sperm activation and pronuclear formation (Abou-Haila A. et al. 2000: Furlong, L. et al. 2005).
Sperm activation initiates post-fertilization upon entry into the ooplasm where the compacted sperm DNA undergoes many alterations as it develops into a male pronuclear. During the first phase of sperm activation or decondensation, the chromatin condensation acquired during spermiogenesis is reversed. Protamines are exchanged with histones reformatting the sperm chromatin allowing for pronucleus formation (Ballhorn et al., Wasserman et al.). Once the sperm decondensation is complete, the DNA synthesis phase occurs, that is followed by recondensation of the sperm chromatin in preparation for the cell division that will result in the 2-cell stage embryo (Longo et. al., (1991)).
A need exists in the medical arts for a clinical male screening panel that includes assessment of early sperm activation events, preferably as part of a panel of tests that can be correlated and used in assessing male reproductive health. A need also continues to exist for a more comprehensive male reproductive health panel that may be used to prescribe an assisted reproductive technology (ART) tailored to the particular male patient or animal and/or reproductively challenged couple.

Male reproductive health panel and uses thereof


A tailpipe for use with a vehicle moveable in a forward direction upon a support surface and adapted to be oriented substantially perpendicular to the support surface. The tailpipe includes a windward surface facing in the forward direction and a leeward surface facing opposite the forward direction. The tailpipe also includes a tubular body defining a main exhaust gas flow passageway adapted to direct an exhaust gas flow from a proximal end to a distal end of the tubular body and a plurality of exhaust ports. The exhaust ports are disposed between the proximal end and the distal end of the tubular body and pass through the leeward surface for permitting at least a portion of the exhaust gas flow, when present in the tubular body, to exit the tubular body through the plurality of exhaust ports.

Motor vehicles, and in particular trucks, are a critical component of the system for transporting materials, goods, and people from place to place. The amount of energy required to move such vehicles depends on many factors. For instance, a substantial amount of energy is expended to overcome the resistance (drag) encountered in moving the vehicle through air. The amount of energy expended depends in large part on the aerodynamic drag force exerted on the vehicle by the air. By decreasing the aerodynamic drag force exerted on the vehicle, the operating cost of the vehicle can be significantly reduced. Thus, there exists a need for ways of reducing the aerodynamic drag force exerted upon the vehicle as the vehicle moves through an airstream. It has been discovered that the portions of an exhaust system which are disposed in the airstream result in a significant increase in the drag force exerted upon the vehicle. Thus, there exists a need for an exhaust system that is more aerodynamic over previously developed exhaust systems.


The invention is directed to a method of producing a chemically pretensioned glass body. In the method, a glass body is provided having a composition in percent by weight on oxide basis: SiO.sub.2 70-85; B.sub.2 O.sub.3 8-15; Na.sub.2 O 1-5; K.sub.2 O 1-<5; Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 1-5; MgO 0-3; SrO+BaO 0-2; CaO 0-3; ZnO 0-3; with CaO+ZnO 2-6; and, ZrO.sub.2 0-3.5. The glass body is placed in an ion exchange salt bath containing at least 90% by weight of potassium salts. The salt bath is maintained at a temperature below the transformation point Tg of the glass defined by the glass composition for a duration of at least 2.0 hr causing potassium ions from the salt bath to migrate into the surface region of the glass body to thereby produce the chemically pretensioned glass body.

The strength of glass articles can be improved in that the tensile stresses in the surface are reduced. These tensile stresses become a problem with respect to the glass. This reduction is achieved in that the glass surface is subjected to compressive stresses. This operation is often characterized as tempering. A fracture occurs only when the load has reached at least the magnitude of the compressive stresses.
In addition to thermal tempering (that is, quenching of glass articles) different methods of chemical tempering are known. They are based on ion exchange processes. Methods are known which are carried out above the transformation point Tg of the particular glass as well as methods which provide for working below the transformation point Tg. The first-mentioned methods have the disadvantage that a deformation of the glass article can occur above the transformation point Tg.
Compressive stresses can be generated below the transformation point Tg in practically rigid glass networks utilizing an ion exchange. To achieve this, existing ions having a small diameter must be replaced at the surface with ions having a larger diameter.
Alkali ions are suitable for this exchange because of their good mobility. For example, and for a soda-lime glass in a potassium salt bath, Na.sup.+ ions migrate out of the glass into the salt bath and K.sup.+ ions migrate from the bath into the glass. This is then a diffusion process. A diffusing ion overcomes a potential barrier proportional to the charge. For this reason, and as set forth in the article of Schroder et al entitled "Festigkeitserhohung von Glasern durch Oberflachenbehandlung", Naturwissenschaften, 57, pages 533 to 541 (1970), it is not to be expected that ions having a dipositive charge and a radius, which is small relative to the alkalis, are capable of migration at the moderately high temperatures (which are adequate for the diffusion of alkali ions and which temperatures are required for chemical tempering based on the described significance of the transformation point Tg for these methods). Therefore, the technical and patent literature focusses on methods for exchanging alkali ions (Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+) from the glass out or alkali ions (Na.sup.+, K.sup.+) or other univalent ions (Ag.sup.+, Au.sup.+) into the glass.
A glass suitable for chemical pretensioning requires a sufficient content of ions capable of exchange in accordance with accepted teaching, that is, a sufficient content of alkali ions.
The temperature difference stability of glass articles, which is required for many applications, is now improved, contrary to accepted teaching, by the reduction of the alkali content in the glass. The temperature difference stability characterizes the capability of, for example, a glass plate to withstand the temperature difference between the hot center and the cold edge of the plate. A well known example is the group of borosilicate glasses which exhibit an excellent temperature change stability and temperature difference strength because of their low thermal coefficient of expansion .alpha..
Accordingly, borosilicate glasses have been viewed for decades as not being chemically temperable and this view has been strengthened by unsuccessful experiments of chemical pretensioning of one of the best known examples of borosilicate glasses, namely, borosilicate glass 3.3 (composition in percent by weight on oxide basis of: SiO.sub.2 80.9; B.sub.2 O.sub.3 12.8; Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 2.4; Na.sub.2 O 3.3; K.sub.2 O 0.6). In this connection, reference can again be made to the above-mentioned article of Schroder et al.
In PCT patent publication WO 96/01792, a method is described directed to multiple thermal or chemical pretensioning. This method is supposedly also suitable for borosilicate glasses; however, there is no suggestion in the entire publication as to how borosilicate glasses should be chemically pretensioned, that is, specifically which composition such borosilicate glasses should have and under what method conditions and with what results. It is only simply asserted that all glasses having a thermal coefficient of expansion .alpha. between 3.0.times.10.sup.-6 K.sup.-1 and 9.5.times.10.sup.31 6 K.sup.-1 and a modulus of elasticity E of between 6.0.times.10.sup.4 N/mm.sup.2 and 9.0.times.10.sup.4 N/mm.sup.2 are suitable (without a solution of this aspect and without a teaching as to how to proceed experimentally). All embodiments relate to the thermal pretensioning of soda-lime glass plates.
The invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,753 has the object, inter alia, to provide a borosilicate glass which can be chemically tempered. It is presented that glasses, which have no lithium ion content, are therefore not suitable for chemical tempering below the transformation point Tg.
Li.sub.2 O is presented as an optional component of the borosilicate glasses weak in boric acid; however, it is a necessary constituent in the preferred embodiments and, from the disclosure, it can be seen that Li.sub.2 O is regarded as decisive for a glass which can be hardened below the transformation temperature Tg.
Lithium oxide has, as all other alkali oxides, the disadvantage in glass that it increases the thermal expansion and reduces the chemical resistance. Furthermore, Li.sub.2 O reduces the viscosity thereby increasing the separation tendency and the nucleation tendency of the glass whereby turbidity can occur.
Japanese patent publication 4-70262 discloses that borosilicate glasses, which have a very high component for these glasses of alkali oxides (10 to 32 percent by weight R.sub.2 O), can be chemically pretensioned. However, these glasses exhibit a high thermal expansion because of this high alkali content.

Method for producing a chemically pretensioned glass body


This invention provides a technique for safely and readily managing a network device. To achieve this object, an authentication server (105) performs an authentication process by using a set of a login ID and password transmitted from a manager server apparatus (103), and transmits the authentication result to a multi-functional peripheral (102). The authentication server (105) also specifies a VLAN name corresponding to this set, and transmits the VLAN name to a DHCP server (106). The DHCP server (106) determines connection setting information corresponding to the VLAN name, and transmits the determined connection setting information to the multi-functional peripheral (102). The multi-functional peripheral (102) connects to VLAN 2 by using the obtained connection setting information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing technique in a virtual network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a VLAN (Virtual LAN) technique for setting a virtual group of network devices independently of a physical connection form is beginning to be established in a network (LAN) (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-204247).
The VLAN technique can set a group to which a network device belongs on the basis of the MAC address or IP address of the network device or information of the user using the network device. As a consequence, even when the network device is physically moved, the settings need not be changed. This saves the network manager the trouble of building a network, and makes the VLAN technique highly convenient for the network manager.
On the other hand, even when a network device is connected to a network using the VLAN technique, this does not necessarily reduce the load on a management operation performed by a network device manager who manages the network device itself.
Generally, it is important for a network device manager to safely manage the resources (firmware, data, and system data) of each individual network device. Therefore, a network device manager manages the resources by directly operating a network device by disconnecting it from a network. Especially when performing a management operation such as firmware update which requires high safety, a network device manager observes the operation procedure strictly. Even when a network device is connected to a network using the VLAN technique, therefore, if the network device is used in a remote place, management is still difficult to perform.
On the other hand, a method of managing a network device from a remote place by using software for managing the network device is proposed (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-283322). This method allows a network device manager to easily manage a network device in a remote place.
When this method is used, however, even while a network device manager is performing a management operation on a network device in a remote place, another user can access the network device. That is, this method facilitates the management operation but cannot well ensure the safety.
As described above, a demand has arisen for allowing a network device manager to safely and readily manage a network device connected to a network using the VLAN technique.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and system


A flow control manifold assembly, constructed of a number of manifold valve assemblies. Each manifold valve assembly is formed of first and second valve bodies, each body having at least one inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports. The two valve bodies are connected together in fluid communication with each other. Associated with each valve body is an actuator assembly, which includes a valve actuator and an actuator rod attached to and projecting outward from the actuator, and actuatable by the actuator. In at least one of the valve bodies, a bonnet is affixed to the actuator, and projects into the respective one of the valve bodies. A valve stem, carrying at least one valve plug, is attached to the projecting end of the actuator rod, positioning the valve plug on the opposite side of the bonnet from the actuator. The bonnet includes a valve seat for engagement with the valve plug when the valve plug is actuated to a predetermined position by the actuator. One embodiment provides a third valve body, also in fluid communication with the first valve body, so that flow from one source to two destinations can be controlled by a single valve assembly. Thus the invention replaces a single, expensive, multiple-actuator valve with a pair of inexpensive single-actuator valves which together are less expensive than the single valve they replace, while still preventing the mixing of different types of fluids.

This invention relates to valves for controlling the flow of fluids, and particularly to block-and-bleed valves assembled together to form manifolds for controlling the flow of fluids from multiple sources to multiple delivery destinations. Certain concerns unique to the sanitary industry are discussed.
It is common in the food packaging industry to have a need to connect a number of sources of a fluid, such as different types of milk, to a number of different filler machines to fill containers, such as gallons, half-gallons, quarts and so on. To date these connections have been accomplished in the form of a manifold, including a number of lines from the source tanks crossing a number of lines leading to the filler machines, with the valves being provided to permit or prevent flow of fluid from any selected one or more of the source tanks to any chosen one or more of the filler machines. This arrangement creates a need for an extremely large number of valves, however. For instance, a single manifold connecting ten source tanks to ten filler machines, would use over a hundred valves to accomplish the control which is necessary and desired.
In the past, it has been conventional to use specially designed valves to control these manifolds, called block-and-bleed valves, sometimes called leak detector valves, with one such valve installed at each manifold intersection. Block-and-bleed valves are particularly applicable to the sanitary industry, because they permit control of flow of different types of fluids through the same valve with double protection against intermixing of those fluids. That is, it may be desirable to have chocolate milk flowing through one part of the valve and white milk through another part, or pasteurized milk through one part and raw milk through another part, or clean-in-place solution through one part and milk or another food fluid through another part. Clearly it is critical that these fluids not be permitted to mix, and regulations require that even failure of a single seat or valve plug not permit that mixing.
The type of valve used in the past functioned generally satisfactorily in most instances. Being a single valve, however, it was required to be extremely complex and expensive, including multiple, coaxial, independently operable actuators and valve plugs. Under certain circumstances these valves were subject to substantial leakage and product waste, and when they did fail in this manner, while preventing mix of different fluids, their maintenance was difficult and expensive.
This invention relates to improvements to the apparatus described above, and to solutions to some of the problems raised or not solved thereby.

Manifold valve assembly with removable valve seat


A fuser system and method for a xerographic device having improved self-stripping capabilities for a wide latitude of substrate media. The fuser system includes a fuser member and a pressure member in which the pressure member is made to exert a predetermined pressure upon the fuser member. In applying this pressure load, a nip is formed having a nip width between the fuser member and the pressure member. A predetermined creep exists during normal fusing of a substrate. A load adjustment device is provided to momentarily increase the exerted pressure as a leading edge or other portion of the substrate passes through, and/or in the vicinity of, the nip, thereby increasing the creep magnitude momentarily and improving self-stripping capabilities.

1. Field of Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a fuser system for a xerographic device that includes a fusing member and a pressure member. More particularly, the disclosure relates to improved self-stripping of a substrate from the fusing member as the substrate leaves a nip formed between the fusing member and pressure member.
2. Description of Related Art
In the art of xerography or other similar image reproducing arts, a latent electrostatic image is formed on a charge-retentive surface, i.e., a photoconductor or photoreceptor. To form an image on the charge-retentive surface, the surface is first provided with a uniform charge, after which it is exposed to a light or other appropriate image of an original document to be reproduced. The latent electrostatic image thus formed is subsequently rendered visible by applying any one of numerous toners specifically designed for this purpose.
It should be understood that, for the purposes of the present disclosure, the latent electrostatic image may be formed by means other than by the exposure of an electrostatically charged photosensitive member to a light image of an original document. For example, the latent electrostatic image may be generated from information electronically stored or generated, and this information in digital form may be converted to alphanumeric images by image generation electronics and optics. The particular method by which the image is formed is not critical to the present disclosure, and any such suitable method may be used.
In a typical xerographic device, the toner image formed is transferred to an image receiving substrate such as paper. After transfer to the image receiving substrate, the image is made to adhere to the substrate using a fuser apparatus. To date, the use of simultaneous heat and contact pressure for fusing toner images has been the most widely accepted commercially, the most common being systems that utilize a pair of pressure-engaged rolls.
The use of pressure-engaged rolls for fixing toner images is well known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,618,890, 6,289,587, 5,998,761, 4,042,804 and 3,934,113.
At the time of initial set-up of a xerographic device, the fuser system is set to be within certain specifications for, e.g., nip width, paper velocity and creep. Nip width is one of the more significant drivers of image fix and quality. Paper velocity is an important factor in paper handling. Creep, which is the release surface's extension in the nip, is important with respect to enabling the release of the paper and image from the fusing member. These specifications are set by, for example, setting a roll rotation speed for the paper velocity and setting the nip width for the dwell time and creep.
The creep is a function of the load between the fusing member and pressure member and other parameters, including the elasticity or softness of the two members. It is known that higher magnitudes of creep are effective in improving the self-stripping capabilities of the fuser system over a wide latitude of substrate media. Unfortunately, higher magnitudes of creep also mean higher levels of strain energy in the fuser roll materials when in the nip vicinity, thereby shortening the longevity of the fuser roll.
What is required is an improved method of improving the self-stripping capabilities of a fuser system for a wider latitude of substrate media without significantly increasing the strain energy within the fusing member materials.

Within page creep variation for improved stripping


A method is disclosed for obtaining a 4D image data record of an object under examination using measured data from a computed tomography system in which projection data are accepted which were acquired by way of the computed tomography system at different imaging time points by way of an helical scan method following the administration of contrast medium to the object under examination). On the basis of the projection data, image data of the object under examination are then reconstructed and linked with the imaging time points to a space/time data record. Then, a parameterized 4D image data model is individualized with adaptation to the space/time data record by varying model parameters. An image processing device and a computed tomography system with an image processing device of this kind are also described.

With the aid of computed tomography (CT), suitable measuring and evaluation methods can be used to provide information on the essential relevant diagnostic parameters of an examined organ, in particular a heart. In particular in the case of examinations in the region of the heart, it is important that as many clinically relevant parameters as possible are acquired with high precision and little stress on the patient, i.e. the lowest possible X-ray dose and quantity of contrast medium.
During heart examinations, computed tomography is currently mainly used to perform the following main evaluations, which generally require a plurality of very different measurements to be performed:
1. Detection and evaluation of calcification in coronary vessels, on cardiac valves and the aorta. Here, usually a simple measurement of the cardiac region is sufficient, i.e. a single scan covering the cardiac region without any contrast medium.
2. Analysis of the coronary vessels for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease. According the current state of the art, for this the heart is recorded by way of plurality of measurements at different time points of the heartbeat (i.e. in different cardiac phases). The dose required for this currently lies in the region of 5 to 10 mSv. The data are then usually analyzed slice by slice in that the inner and outer contours of the cardiac muscle of the left and/or right ventricle are determined automatically or interactively.3. Functional analyses of the heart, such as, for example, spatial and temporal analysis of the left and right ventricles to determine the shape and volume change of the myocardium and myocardial mass and ejection fraction. Nowadays, this is usually done by taking a so-called multiphase scan, wherein for a kinetic analysis of the heart, generally virtually the entire cardiac cycle is determined as a four-dimensional volume. This means a 4D image data record is generated containing three-dimensional spatial image data at different time points or movement phases, which ultimately corresponds to a sort of film of the motion of the heart.4. Perfusion measurements to investigate the blood supply to the cardiac muscle and for determining diagnostic parameters relating to the blood volume and blood flow. For this, different contrast medium images are produced, optionally also at different time points of the passage of the contrast medium. With many methods, time-resolved measurements of the heart volume are also performed, i.e. once again a type of 4D image data record is recorded.
More modern high-end computed tomography systems use helical scan methods with a particularly high pitch, which enable the acquisition of images of the heart in a so-called "flash mode". Acquisition in "flash mode" is frequently performed using a dual-source-computed tomography system with a movable patient's bench moving at speeds of, for example 40 cm/s, during the recording. This enables a heart (measuring about 15 cm in direction of movement of the patient's bench) to be scanned in about 200 to 250 ms. This enables a complete 3D image to be taken in a single movement phase of the heart, which can result in a significant reduction in the dose compared to earlier methods. However, this "flash mode" only provides a snapshot in a type of "still image" of the heart and therefore does not permit a functional analysis of the heart. For this, as before, it is necessary to produce a whole series of sequential images or EKG-triggered whole images of the heart. However, this results in a correspondingly higher exposure to radiation.

Method, image processing device and computed tomography system for obtaining a 4D image data record of an object under examination and computer program product with program code sections for carrying out a method of this kind


Energy dissipative tubes are provided, along with methods of fabricating and installing the energy dissipating tubes. An energy dissipative tube can include a length of tubing, a first resin layer surrounding the outside of the tubing, an expanded metal foil adjacent to the outside of the first resin layer, and a second resin layer surrounding the expanded metal foil and the first resin layer. Another energy dissipative tube can include a length of tubing, a conductive layer adjacent to the outside of the tubing, and an insulative layer adjacent to the conductive layer. A further energy dissipative tube can include a length of tubing, a metal layer adjacent to the outside of the tubing, and a resin layer adjacent to the metal layer.

Gas and liquid piping systems utilizing corrugated stainless steel tubing ("CSST") and fittings are known. Such piping systems can be designed for use in combination with elevated pressures of up to about 25 psi or more and provide advantages over traditional rigid black iron piping systems in terms of ease and speed of installation, elimination of onsite measuring, and reduction in the need for certain fittings such as elbows, tees, and couplings.
Oftentimes, electrical currents will occur inside a structure. These electrical currents, which can vary in duration and magnitude, can be the result of power fault currents or induced currents resulting from lightning interactions with a house or structure. The term "fault current" is typically used to describe an overload in an electrical system, but is used broadly herein to include any electrical current that is not normal in a specific system. These currents can be the result of any number of situations or events such as a lightning event. Electrical currents from lightning can reach a structure directly or indirectly. Direct currents result from lightning that attaches to the actual structure or a system contained within the structure. When current from a nearby lightning stroke moves through the ground or other conductors into a structure, it is referred to as indirect current. While both direct and indirect currents may enter a structure through a particular system, voltage can be induced in other systems in the structure, especially those in close proximity to piping systems. This can often result in an electrical flashover or arc between the adjacent systems. A flashover occurs when a large voltage differential exists between two electrical conductors and the air ionizes and the material between the conductive bodies are punctured by the high voltage and form a spark.

Energy dissipative tubes and methods of fabricating and installing the same