The present invention utilizes a relay station operable to receive, from a base station, a first signal to control transmitting operation of a mobile station and operable to receive a second signal transmitted from said mobile station in accordance with the first signal. The relay station comprises a control unit to generate a control signal affecting said first signal and control transmission of said control signal to said base station, and a reception processing part to receive a radio signal transmitted from said mobile station which transmits said radio signal in accordance with said first signal which is affected by said control signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a relay station, a base station, and a communication system utilizing radio communication. The present invention is particularly suitable for a relay station, a base station, and radio communication system when the relay station is introduced to a radio communication system specified, for example, by IEEE802.16.
2. Description of the Related Art
A radio communication system to realize communication via a radio communication link is now spreading on a world-wide scale as a representative system of the WCDMA and CDMA 2000. In this radio communication system, a plurality of base stations are provided in a service area respectively and a mobile station makes communication with the other communication devices (communication terminals) via any of the base stations. Moreover, in such a system, a service area formed by a base station is overlapped with another service area formed by an adjacent base station. Therefore the communication can be maintained by a handover process even though radio environment of the communication gets worse.
Moreover, as a radio communication system, the technologies, for example, code division multiplex, time division multiplex, frequency multiplex and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (ODFM or OFDMA) are generally employed and thereby a plurality of mobile stations can be connected to a base station simultaneously.
However, when a mobile station is close to the boundary of a service area formed by a base station, even though within the service area, high-speed communication becomes difficult for the mobile station because the radio communication environment is deteriorated.
Therefore, a communication system has been proposed, in which a relay station is provided within the service area of a base station to realize radio communications between a mobile station and the base station via the relay station.
Particularly, introduction of such a relay station (RS) is now discussed by the task group of 802.16j.
Matters regarding IEEE802.16 are disclosed, for example, in the IEEE Std802.16TM-2004 and the IEEE Std802.16eTM-2005.

Relay station, base station and communication system


The invention relates to a device for axially positioning a clutch device, especially a dual-clutch device, on a rotary drive, wherein the clutch device is mounted so as to rotate about a rotational axis of said rotary drive. A retaining nut is coaxially screwed with the rotary drive, and the clutch device is indirectly or directly supported on said nut in an axial direction.

Clutch devices are known in the prior art in a multiplicity of variations. In order to rule out axial interference of the clutch device with adjacent parts, its position must be axially defined.
DE 19,921,687 A1, from which the invention starts out, discloses a dual clutch in radially nested design with a clutch hub bearing two outer disk carriers, which is seated on a stationary rotary drive capable of rotation about an axis of rotation. The clutch hub is supported toward the gear against the stationary rotary drive. In the direction of the motor side the clutch hub itself is not supported on the rotary drive. The dual clutch is axially positioned in that a hub of the inner disk carrier of the radially outer clutch is supported toward the motor by means of a spring ring on a gear input shaft. Embodiments without a stationary rotary drive and with axial positioning of the respective clutch arrangement by support on a gear input shaft are also disclosed in EP 1,226,992 A1.
Although such axial positioning basically has proved satisfactory, in the variant embodiments indicated above the problem arises that variations in length of the gear shafts due to tolerances, thermal expansion in operation, etc., because of the resulting great axial tolerances, have a negative effect on the operation of the clutch. In particular—as already disclosed in EP 1,226,992 A1—in some cases considerable stresses may be produced on the supporting and/or supported parts.
The object of the invention now consists in designing and developing a clutch device in such a way that axial tolerances of the gear input shafts can no longer negatively affect the operating behavior of the clutch device to such an extent.
This object is accomplished by a device for axially positioning a clutch device, in particular a dual-clutch device, on a rotary drive.

Device for axially positioning a clutch device


A keyboard matrix of a keyboard has drive lines including a set of lines to be selectively activated for detection of depressed keys and scan lines including a set of lines to be selectively monitored for detection of depressed keys. The keyboard matrix includes circuitry for connecting one of the drive lines with one of the scan lines for providing an identification of the keyboard.

The invention relates to keyboard identification.
Keyboards of computer systems typically include a keyboard matrix which has scan and drive lines for detecting depressed keys. The drive and scan lines form a cross point switch matrix with the depression of each key closing a unique cross point switch and activating a unique pair of drive and scan lines. The computer system successively and individually activates the drive lines, and the scan lines are then monitored by the computer system to determine which scan line has been activated. In this manner, the coordinates of the depressed key can be determined, and the computer system then generates the appropriate scan code for the depressed key. The keyboard may be one of several types, such as Domestic or Japanese. Each type of keyboard has a unique set of key labels, and driver software of the computer system translates the scan code in view of the set of key labels associated with the keyboard.


An integrated circuit includes a serpentine conductor track extending through a plurality of conductor layers and having ends coupled to first and second circuit elements, the ends being in opposing outermost ones of the conductor layers. The serpentine conductor track can selectively be made to be (i) continuous and electrically couple the first and second circuit elements together or (ii) discontinuous so that the first and second conductor elements are not electrically coupled. In the latter case, the discontinuity can be formed in any one of the conductor layers and a bridging conductor track is further formed in that one conductor layer which is coupled to the serpentine conductor track and which bypasses either of the first and second circuit elements. This structure has the advantage that circuit changes can be made in any conductor layer. It has particular utility in the implementation of module ID circuits, where it is desirable to change the output of a module ID circuit to reflect a circuit revision in the integrated circuit. The change in the module ID circuit to alter its output can be made in the same conductor layer as that used to make the circuit revision, so that no additional mask changes are needed other than in the mask used for implementing the circuit change.

The invention relates generally to conductor routing among circuit elements in an integrated circuit. More particularly, the invention relates to structure and a method which facilitate changing circuit operation in any one of the conductor layers in an integrated circuit.
Integrated circuits (xe2x80x9cICsxe2x80x9d) typically have a substrate, an active region on the substrate containing a large plurality of circuit elements such a transistors, resistors, capacitors etc., and a region adjacent the active region which has a plurality of conductor layers and insulating layers interspersed between the conductor layers. The conductor layers each include a large number of conductor tracks which are used to provide power to the circuit elements, as well as for signal routing between the elements.
During design and testing of an integrated circuit, or even after an IC had been in production, it is often necessary or desirable to revise the circuit operation to remove faults or to otherwise improve circuit operation. At the most severe end of the spectrum of revisions, the changes may require modifications to the masks which define the content and arrangement of circuit elements on the substrate. More frequently, however, the designer has anticipated potential problems and has included sufficient circuit elements on the integrated circuit to fix the problem. For example, the designers may include a selection of buffer circuit elements to remove timing problems in the signal routing. It is then a matter of modifying the conductor routing so as to decouple and/or couple certain of the circuit elements so as to implement the fix.
Additionally, many chip designs incorporate an identification (xe2x80x9cIDxe2x80x9d) module which is readable by software. The purpose of the module ID is to allow software to identify the hardware and, based on the ID, configure the chip and the corresponding software. As the industry moves to systems on a chip design, where proven circuit modules are xe2x80x9cplugged intoxe2x80x9d the IC, it will be desirable for each module to have a corresponding ID module.
When making a circuit fix/enhancement to a particular module, it will typically be desirable to change the output of the module ID circuit, so that software will read a different ID code reflecting the change.
Traditional implementations of ID modules is done by Register Transfer Level (xe2x80x9cRTLxe2x80x9d) implementation of a module ID register. In other implementations, the ID module is not a register at all, but simply constants which can be read by the software. In the case of a constant, the ID can not be changed by altering routing in one or more of the conductor layers, and a full new mask set may be required to implement the change in the ID. This is expensive in terms of cost of the mask set as well as in the schedule slippage required by the time to create new masks.
Other implementations allow the value of the module ID to be revised through changes in routing in the metal layers. However, in these known techniques, the required changes in the routing are typically in layers which are different than the layers used to implement the circuit fix which necessitated the revision of the module ID. Thus, additional mask changes are required.
Generally speaking, according to one aspect of the invention, an integrated circuit includes a plurality of circuit elements and a plurality of conductor tracks connected to the circuit elements, the plurality of conductor tracks being arranged in a stack of a plurality of conductor layers, the stack being bounded by first and second opposing outermost conductor layers. A cell includes a serpentine conductor track having a first end in the first outermost conductor layer and a second, opposing end in the second, opposing outermost conductor layer. The serpentine track extends successively from the first end to the second end through any conductor layers between the outermost conductor layers. The serpentine track further includes couplings which couple track portions of the serpentine conductor track, the couplings being alternately laterally offset from each other along the extent of the serpentine track through the conductor layers. The first end of the serpentine conductor track is coupled to a first of the circuit elements and the second end is coupled to a second of the circuit elements. Furthermore, the integrated circuit has one of (i) the serpentine conductor path forming a continuous electrical path between the first circuit element and the second circuit element, and (ii) the serpentine conductor path having a discontinuity in one of the conductor layers such that the first and second circuit elements are not coupled to each other and the integrated circuit further including a bridging conductor track in the same conductor layer as said discontinuity, which bridging track couples said serpentine conductor track to bypass one of said first and second circuit elements.
The serpentine conductor track situated between two circuit elements allows great flexibility in how these two circuit elements are decoupled from each other. In particular, since the track extends through all conductor layers, the two elements can later be decoupled from each other by creating a discontinuity in any of the conductor layers that the serpentine track passes through. Furthermore, one of the two circuit elements can be bypassed with a bridging conductor track which is situated in the same conductor layer. This means that the functionality of the two elements can be altered with a change in only one conductor layer, and which may be achieved in any of the metal layers. Alternatively, the two circuit elements may be originally decoupled, and in a later revision coupled to each other.
In another aspect of the invention, an ID module in an IC is comprised by the above described cell with first and second circuit elements and the serpentine track. The circuit elements may be logic gates, such as inverters. The ID module may include a plurality of the cells in parallel, each having an input which receives a common logic signal. Where the cells are configured identically, the output of each cell will be identical. However, the output of the group of cells can be selected by controlling the configuration of the cells, which can be done in any conductor layer. Additionally, where a circuit revision is accomplished in another part of the integrated circuit by changing the routing in a certain conductor layer, the output of the cell(s) of the ID module can be revised in the same conductor layer. Thus, the circuit change and the ID module change can be implemented with changes to only one mask. This ultimately reduces the cost attributed to the IC, by simplifying changes to the ID module and reducing mask costs.
The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing an IC with the above-described structure.

Integrated circuit approach, with a serpentine conductor track for circuit configuration selection


An apparatus for in situ testing of a soil sample includes an elongate body having a hollow core and an open end, an upper barrier or means for forming an upper barrier within soil across the hollow core, and means for forming a lower barrier within soil across the hollow core such that a sample zone is defined with the hollow core between the upper and lower barriers. A fluid supply means delivers a fluid to the sample zone; and a fluid exit means removes the fluid from the sample zone.

This invention relates to an apparatus and related method for testing soil for the presence of contaminants.
Industrial activity has lead to the deposition of many different chemical species in soil, some of which may be toxic to the local environment. Before large areas of soil are distributed, for example on a construction site, it is important to analyse the soil in order to ascertain the pollutants present. This is to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to dangerous chemicals and/or to know how decontamination may be carried out.
Several methods of testing soil for pollutants are known. However, even within a relatively small area, pollutant levels may vary widely at different locations or different soils depths. Consequently, soil samples from a number of locations must be analysed, if a good assessment is to be made.
Known methods involve removal of a sample of soil which is then analysed at a laboratory. Analysis may be by a standard chemical method, in which the chemical pollutants are extracted and their structure and concentrations determined. Alternatively or additionally, the soil may be assessed by examining the bacteria present in a sample. A favoured method is to carry out a biological assay in which beetles, worms and the like are dissected and the level of chemicals absorbed in their tissues determined.
Such methods are involved and time-consuming, and in some cases may lead to inaccurate results. Collection of a soil sample disturbs the environment around which the sample is located. This in itself may lead to the sample being contaminated. For example, it may be difficult to obtain a sample from, for example, a meter below the surface without removing the soil above and thus changing the environment of the sample.
Once the sample is removed from its environment, the composition may change. Volatile components may evaporate: air sensitive moieties present may be oxidised or decomposition may occur during the interval between collection and analysis of a sample.
If a particular sample is found to be high in pollutants, it is often desirable to collect further samples from the surrounding area and at different depths so as to fully assess the extent of the pollution. This can often necessitate several trips to a site, which is expensive and inefficient.

Apparatus for in situ testing of a soil sample


An apparatus for harvesting and cleaning brine shrimp eggs on the open water is disclosed in one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention as comprising a buoyant support frame having a collection assembly operably disposed in relation thereto. A concentration member provides a means for collecting a naturally occurring mixture of brine shrimp eggs and debris floating at or near the surface of a body of water. The concentration member provides means for concentrating the mixture of brine shrimp eggs and debris into a concentrated egg/debris mud mixture having a general thickness of about 7.5 cm to 45 cm (3 inches to 18 inches). Engageably disposed in relation to the collection assembly, an extraction apparatus provides a means for transporting the concentrated egg/debris mud mixture introduced into the collection assembly to a filtering/cleaning apparatus. The filtering/cleaning apparatus operatively separates the brine shrimp eggs from the concentrated egg/debris mud mixture by means of a moving filter screen, thus producing "clean" brine shrimp eggs. The separated brine shrimp eggs are preferably passed through a dewatering system and delivered to one or more porous container bags by means of a delivery system disposed between the filtering/cleaning apparatus and at least one porous container bag.

1. Related Applications
This application is a continuation-in-part of the co-provisional applications Ser. No. 60/008,323, filed on Dec. 7, 1995 for an APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR HARVESTING AND CLEANING SHRIMP EGGS and Ser. No. 60/008,330, filed on Dec. 7, 1995 for a CONTAINMENT BOOM APPARATUS; the priority of both these co-provisional applications is claimed under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119 (e).
2. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to collecting substances and/or materials from a body of water and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for harvesting and cleaning brine shrimp eggs on the open water.
3. The Background Art
As classified, brine shrimp are branchiopod crustaceans of the genus Artemia which commonly inhabit strongly saline environments, such as salty lakes and brine pools which exist throughout the world. The Great Salt Lake located in the state of Utah is an example of such a concentrated saline body of water which provides a rich environment where brine shrimp may flourish. One of the predominant species of brine shrimp commonly found in vast numbers on the Great Salt Lake is the species Artemia salina.
Measuring on the average of approximately one centimeter in length, brine shrimp primarily feed on free floating algae and other microscopic organisms found in hypersaline lakes and ponds. Typically during natural growth, brine shrimp acquire a shell which develops over a portion of their body and which is generally shed periodically throughout the life cycle of the brine shrimp to allow for additional growth. The shell casings discarded from brine shrimp are then deposited in the surrounding waters and become a part of a conglomeration of floating debris generally contiguous the brine shrimp.
Normally reaching sexual maturity within approximately three weeks after hatching, brine shrimp generally reproduce about every fourth day, which may sometimes last for as long as an eight month period. Brine shrimp eggs (or cysts) are, accordingly, deposited in surrounding waters and become a part of the conglomeration of floating debris generally contiguous the brine shrimp.
In some hypersaline bodies of water, such as the Great Salt Lake, brine shrimp eggs do not hatch during a period of several months of the year, primarily as a result of a period of physiologically enforced dormancy or diapause. In this regard, naturally occurring brine shrimp eggs are usually found with debris floating at or near the surface of a body of water in a mixture which is typically blown by the wind and carried by the water currents to the surrounding shoreline beaches.
Floating in a natural state at or near the surface of the water, brine shrimp eggs are routinely discovered in a mixture consisting, in a large part, of live and dead brine shrimp, discarded brine shrimp shell casings, brine fly casings, wood pieces, tumbleweed, twigs, trash, dead waterfowl, and/or other types of floating debris. After separating the deposited brine shrimp eggs from this mixture of floating debris, the brine shrimp eggs, under examination, typically resemble fine granules of sand as a result of their inherently diminutive size. For example, an ounce of salt water extracted from the Great Salt Lake may contain up to several million brine shrimp eggs.
Historically, the eggs of brine shrimp are collected, cleaned, dried, and packaged for storage so as to provide a general source of commercial fish food. After brine shrimp eggs have been processed, dried, and packaged, even after several years in storage, the eggs may be immersed in salt water for a period of about twenty-four hours and free-swimming larvae will usually emerge due to the tremendous resilience of brine shrimp eggs. Similarly, brine shrimp eggs may be hatched and used as an excellent food source for feeding fish and/or other small aquatic animals in saltwater and/or freshwater aquariums. Because brine shrimp eggs have the capability of being stored for several years as a packaged commodity, brine shrimp eggs have become a valuable resource of commercial fish food which is very much in demand throughout the world.
Consistent with the foregoing, those skilled in the art developed techniques and methods to assist in harvesting brine shrimp eggs from the shoreline of a hypersaline body of water. Traditionally, shovels and various netting apparatus were utilized along the shorelines to collect the free-floating mixture of brine shrimp eggs and debris. Shoreline harvesting methods and apparatus of the prior art, however, incorporate many disadvantages. For example, one of the most significant disadvantages associated with prior art shoreline harvesting techniques and methods is the conditions of the harvest being ultimately influenced by the weather in relation to its inherent control as to where, when, and if the brine shrimp eggs are deposited along the shoreline.
Another meaningful disadvantage with regards to shoreline harvesting methods and apparatus of the prior art includes the considerable amount of manual labor typically required to collect a sufficient quantity of brine shrimp eggs from the shoreline utilizing shoveling apparatus and prior art netting devices. Furthermore, a substantial amount of debris is traditionally harvested with the collection of the brine shrimp eggs, thus requiring the addition of numerous filtering and cleaning stages or steps before the brine shrimp eggs are properly processed and prepared for drying, packaging, and storage.
In an attempt to improve the collection output of harvesting brine shrimp eggs using prior art shoreline harvesting methods and devices, several attempts were made by those skilled in the art to develop a way of concentrating the brine shrimp eggs into a smaller, designated area along the shoreline by means of utilizing extensive fencing structures extending substantially outward from the shoreline. These prior art fencing structures were found to be generally expensive and, in addition, the harvesting of the brine shrimp eggs usually required ready access to a substantial amount of shoreline in order to properly position the prior art fencing structures. Even with extensive fencing structures operatively disposed along the shorelines of a body of water, the productivity of prior art shoreline harvesting apparatus and methods for collecting brine shrimp eggs inevitably remained at the uncontrollable mercy of the wind, the weather, and the water currents.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages of prior art shoreline harvesting techniques and methods, those skilled in the art began to integrate the teachings and disclosures of prior art oil-skimming devices and techniques. Consequently, oil-skimming devices of the prior art provided an immediate resource of technology in relation to the techniques and methods developed for removing oil from a body of water by means of incorporating an apparatus for skimming the surface of the water. Prior art oil-skimming apparatus and methods were found to be intimately analogous to the needs realized by those skilled in the art for harvesting brine shrimp eggs from a relative body of water.
For example, prior art oil-skimming devices may comprise one or more of the following structural and/or functional elements: (1) a means for funneling or directing an accumulation of oil floating at or near the surface of the water into a concentrating assembly; (2) a concentrating assembly comprising a substantially level, horizontal leading edge for skimming the surface of the water, whereby the leading edge may be connected to a mechanism for adjusting the positioning of the leading edge in relation to the surface of the water; (3) an inlet port disposed in operative relation to the concentrating assembly; and (4) a suction pump for pumping the oil and materials collected at the inlet port into a distillation tank or container providing a means for settling the oil from the water as a result of the specific gravity of the oil in relation to the water. Inherently similar in structural design and function, those skilled in the art developed apparatus and methods for use in harvesting brine shrimp eggs which customarily incorporate one or more of the elements of prior art oil-skimming devices, as outlined above.
As a result of the physical characteristics and nature of brine shrimp eggs in relation to oil, those skilled in the art modified the oil-skimming technology of the prior art by replacing its distillation tanks with porous container bags. In particular, the replacement of the distillation tanks with one or more porous container bags was generally meant to provide a means for allowing water to filter through the mesh material comprising the porous bags, thereby leaving the collection of live and dead brine shrimp, brine shrimp eggs, discarded brine shrimp shell casings, brine fly casings, wood pieces, trash, tumbleweeds, twigs, dead waterfowl, and/or other types of floating debris within the porous storage bags for transport to an off-water site for processing, cleaning, drying, packaging, and storage.
Although the assimilation of prior art oil-skimming technology for harvesting brine shrimp eggs from a body of water overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art shoreline harvesting methods, such brine shrimp egg skimming devices of the prior art still embody several inherent disadvantages and limitations. For example, utilizing a collection assembly supportably disposed in relation to a buoyant frame or watercraft including a structural leading edge for skimming the surface of the water at a general depth of less than 5 cm (2 inches), and more particularly, at a depth of 0.625 cm to 2.5 cm (1/4 inch to 1 inch) below the surface or the water, normally requires the buoyant frame to move through the various streams of naturally occurring brine shrimp egg colonies and other floating debris in order to adequately skim the mixture from the surface of the water and deposit the mixture into one or more prior art porous container bags. A meaningful drawback to navigating through these naturally occurring colonies of brine shrimp eggs and floating debris which may cover a significant area of the surface of the body of water generally involves serious inconveniences and an inefficient use of time in relation to overall productivity. In this regard, it typically takes a significant amount of time to sufficiently skim off all the brine shrimp eggs found in a naturally occurring egg streak.
Besides prior art skimming devices for harvesting brine shrimp eggs, other apparatus and methods were developed by those skilled in the art. For example, prior art egg harvesters were developed consisting of a scooping mechanism utilized for removing the free-floating mixture from the water and introducing the collected mixture of live and dead brine shrimp, brine shrimp eggs, discarded shell casings, brine fly casings, pieces of wood, trash, tumbleweeds, twigs, dead waterfowl, and/or other types of floating debris into one or more porous container bags. Traditionally, prior art scooping devices may employ a series of collection members or baskets that are generally capable of being immersed below the surface of the water by means of a rotational conveyor system in order to scoop the mixture from the water.
Prior art scooping devices for harvesting brine shrimp eggs, however, have been found to incorporate several disadvantages. For example, depending on the rotational direction of a supporting conveyor system, the movement of prior art scooping devices through the water typically generate a stirring motion in the water which may encourage the brine shrimp eggs deeper under the surface of the water, thereby making the potential harvest much less efficient and productive. In addition, by means of utilizing a water-permeable collection basket, the water generally drains through the mesh screen comprising the basket and, unfortunately, the brine shrimp eggs have been found to aggregate and adhere to the mesh walls of the collection basket thereby making it difficult to adequately remove all the brine shrimp eggs before the collection basket re-enters the water by way of the rotating conveyor system. Prior art scooping devices for harvesting brine shrimp eggs also customarily incorporate multiple working parts which may facilitate a complicated system of operation and/or method of use. As appreciated in this particular art, economic considerations carry significant weight when dealing with the highly competitive brine shrimping industry, since relatively complicated apparatus and methods are frequently found to be expensive and, likewise, commercially impractical.
In operation, brine shrimp egg harvesting apparatus and methods of the prior art customarily remove a naturally occurring mixture of brine shrimp eggs and debris floating at or near the surface of a body of water and deliver this collected mixture into a storage assembly or one or more container bags preferably formed having a porous construction. Similarly, porous container bags of the prior art may provide a means for water to disperse from the mixture, thereby leaving the collected brine shrimp eggs and debris contained within one or more of the porous bags. A significant amount of unwanted debris remains within the porous container bags intimately intermixed with the brine shrimp eggs. As noted above, the floating debris may include, but is not intended to be limited to, dead and live brine shrimp, discarded brine shrimp shell casings, brine fly casings, pieces of wood, trash, tumbleweeds, twigs, dead waterfowl, and/or other types of floating material. The collected debris, together with the brine shrimp eggs, generally comprise the mixture floating on or at the surface of the water. Historically, prior art porous container bags are filled with this mixture and preferably transported to shore where the collected brine shrimp eggs may be separated from the unwanted debris at a processing plant utilizing a means of removing the unwanted debris and retaining the "clean" brine shrimp eggs for purposes of drying, packaging, and storage.
An inherent disadvantage with collection methods of prior art harvesting apparatus is that one or more sites are required to process and clean the brine shrimp eggs from the unwanted debris for purposes of drying, packaging, and storage before the quality of the egg begins to degrade and spoil. Another serious disadvantage with prior art collection apparatus and methods is that the greater the quantity of the debris collected and retained within the porous container bags, the less the overall quantity of brine shrimp eggs retained contiguously with the unwanted debris within the container bags as a result of the limited internal holding capacity of each bag.
Similarly, the buoyant support frame or watercraft which supports prior art harvesting apparatus may have to unload often due to the inclusion of unwanted debris. Consequently, a substantial amount of time and labor may be required to take one or more boats to shore in order to unload the container bags filled with this mixture of brine shrimp eggs and other floating debris. Multiple trips to shore for off-loading may therefore have a major effect on the overall productivity and economic output of the harvesting operation. Accordingly, the time allocated for actual harvesting of brine shrimp eggs may be adversely affected, if a considerable amount of time is spent traveling to and from the shore for unloading. If prior art brine shrimp egg harvesting equipment is tied up by way of unloading, competitors will, more often than not, have the opportunity to stake valuable claims to the remaining colonies of brine shrimp eggs available on the open water for harvesting.
Efforts have continuously been made in an attempt to more efficiently harvest brine shrimp eggs and remedy many of the above-identified disadvantages. The prior art brine shrimp egg harvesting apparatus and methods discussed herein leave much to be desired from the standpoint of manufacturing costs, simplicity of construction, and effectiveness of operation. Considering all these factors, prior art apparatus and methods for harvesting brine shrimp eggs have also proven to require a significant investment of time and labor in relation to the overall goal of producing a supply of "clean" brine shrimp eggs for subsequent processing, storage, and sale. Whereas, none of the prior art disclosures suggest or teach the present inventive system or combination of elements for an apparatus and method for harvesting and cleaning brine shrimp eggs on the open water, as herein described and claimed.

Apparatus and methods for harvesting and cleaning brine shrimp eggs


A receiving apparatus includes a channel estimating unit that performs channel estimation by using a reception signal and obtains a channel estimation value, a demodulation processing unit that performs demodulation processing by using the channel estimation value and the reception signal, a weight calculating unit that calculates weight for decoding for each of channels by using the channel estimation value, and a decoding unit that performs decoding processing by using the weight and a result of the demodulation processing.

In a digital communication system, frequency selectivity and time fluctuation of a transmission line occur because of multipath fading caused by reflection of a transmission signal on a building or the like and Doppler fluctuation caused by movement of a terminal. In such a multipath environment, a reception signal is a signal in which a transmission symbol and a symbol reaching after a delay time interfere with each other.
A single carrier block transmission system for obtaining a best reception characteristic in such a transmission line having the frequency selectivity attracts attention in recent years (see, for example, Non Patent Literature 1 described below). In the single carrier (SC) block transmission system, peak power can be set low compared with an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) transmission system (see, for example, Non Patent Literature 2 described below), which is a multiple carrier (MC) block transmission.
In a transmitter that performs SC block transmission, for example, a measure against the multipath fading is taken by performing transmission explained below. First, a PSK (Phase Shift Keying) signal and QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) signal, which are digital modulation signals, are generated in a "Modulator". Then, the digital modulation signals are converted into time domain signals by a pre-coder and an IDFT (Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform) processing unit. The PSK and QAM signals are generated by bit sequences generated using an interleaver that arranges the bit sequences in discontinuous forms of error correction codes and bits in times, frequencies, and the like. As the error correction codes, there are a convolutional code, a turbo code, an LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) code, and the like, which are generally used. Thereafter, as a measure against the multipath fading, a CP is inserted in a CP (Cyclic Prefix) inserting unit. The CP inserting unit copies a predetermined number of samples after the time domain signals and adds the samples to the beginning of a transmission signal. Besides, as a measure against the multipath fading, ZP (zero padding) for inserting zero in a portion of the beginning or the end of data is performed.
To suppress transmission peak power, in the transmitter that performs the SC transmission, in general, OFT (Discrete Fourier Transform) processing is performed by the pre-coder. Besides, there is also an example in which a pre-coder or the like employing a unitary matrix is used (see, for example, Non Patent Literature 3 described below).

Receiving apparatus and receiving method


A flexible J-channel for masking marginal portions of siding on buildings. The J-channel has a relatively rigid base wall and relatively flexible rear and retainer walls which allow flexing when the J-channel is bent in an arc. The uncut flexible rear wall provides excellent resistance to moisture penetration.

Conventional J-channels are formed by extrusion of filled polymer compounds having uniform composition and a single durometer (hardness) rating. These J-channels perform well around structures having substantially straight sides. However, usage of the prior art J-channels around curved openings or curved structures (e.g., round or half round windows or round louvers) is difficult. Fitting of conventional J-channels around such structures requires cutting of the rear legs or both the front and rear legs followed by patching with caulking compound or other similar material to avoid gaps.
Garries et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,709 discloses a J-channel member for accommodating junctures between siding and radiused openings. The patented member includes a bottom wall, a front leg, and a back leg. The back leg is made of a relatively rigid plastic material and has vertically extending through slits to permit bending of the bottom wall around a radiused opening.
It is a principal objective of the present invention to provide a flexible J-channel that is readily bent around curved openings and curved building structures.
A related objective of the invention is to provide a J-channel that is coextruded as a one-piece structure with a base wall of relatively rigid polymer composition and front and rear walls of relatively flexible polymer composition.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a J-channel having a rear wall that is uninterrupted by through slits which might detract from strength and weather resistance.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following specification and claims.


The present invention provides novel methods for identifying gene expression patterns in mRNA populations. The methods are useful for determining differential gene expression among various cells or tissues, including cells or tissues of a target organism. The invention also provides methods of determining the frequency of gene expression in mRNA populations, thus providing a method of comparing gene expression frequency among various cells or tissues. The present invention also provides methods for isolating genes corresponding to tag sequences identified according to the methods of the present invention. Furthermore, sequences that are identified according to the present invention may be used to diagnose the presence of disease.

The human genome contains approximately 100,000 genes, however, in any given cell, only a fraction of these genes are expressed. Thus, in each cell type, only a fraction of human genes are expressed at any one time. Each gene is expressed at a precise time and at a precise level.
Automated DNA sequencers have made it easier to determine the sequence of the genome of an organism; the genomic sequences of Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Caenorhabditis elegans have been published leading to the possibility that the genomic sequence of other higher organisms, such as humans, may be obtained (Fleischmann, R. D. et al., Science, 269:496, (1995); Fraser, C. M., et al., Science, 270:397 (1995); Hodgkin, J., et al., Science, 270:410, 1995)). However, the information derived from this technology still does not answer the question of which of these genes are expressed at any one time in any given cell. This information is crucial to determine how cells are differentiated from each other, how cells age, and the causes and effects of many diseases.
A typical mammalian cell of a given lineage expresses approximately 20,000-30,000 of the 100,000 odd germ line genes carried in its genome. Almost all cells constitutively express many of the same genes, which are called "housekeeping" genes. Examples of housekeeping genes include genes encoding enzymes involved in glycolysis or proteins involved in cell structure. However, it is the non-constitutively expressed genes that differentiate cells from each other. As cells mature into differentiated cells, certain non-constitutively expressed genes are turned on and off at different stages. Thus, the differences in gene expression patterns between cells make, for example, a nerve cell different from a blood cell.
Furthermore, the intracellular concentration of a non-constitutively expressed gene product can be modulated by the induction or repression of gene expression in response to environmental signals. Thus, the relative concentration of gene products within a given cell type can be indicative of the state of the cell.
Even within a single cell, the level of expression can vary a great deal from one gene to the next. In a typical cell, there are perhaps 200,000 mRNA molecules which represent 20,000-30,000 different transcribed sequences, present in the cytoplasm. A few of these transcript sequences may be present in high abundance, with thousands of copies or more present per cell. For example, up to 70% of the total mRNA in an antibody secreting plasma cell is represented by immunoglobulin mRNA. Other genes, typically housekeeping genes such as actin or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, are present at medium abundance with approximately 100-1,000 copies per cell. However, more than 90% of gene transcripts, are present in low abundance at a level of less than 10-15 copies per cell.
Under abnormal cellular conditions such as those in individuals with diseases or disorders, the pattern of gene expression within individual cells may be changed compared to the expression pattern seen under normal non-disease conditions. A change in gene expression may be an effect or the cause of a disease or other abnormality, such as in, for example, a tumor cell. Whereas some diseases may be understood as caused by mutations in particular genes and thus could potentially be detected by examining the genomic sequence, many diseases and disorders involve a malfunction in the level of expression of genes which cannot be detected by sequencing the genome but can only be detected by identifying the gene expression patterns of the cells. Therefore, in order to understand the function of specific cell types in an organism or to understand the progression of disease, it is necessary to understand the expression status of individual genes within these specific cell types at different stages of the organism's development.
One way researchers have attempted to answer these questions is to isolate proteins from various cells and to compare the abundance of each of these proteins. In one approach, proteins are purified from the cells and their abundance is compared. However, this approach is limited by difficulties in devising equally efficient methods of purifying different proteins. This approach is also limited to known proteins. In another approach, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis is used to compare protein expression, but this may lead to difficulties in resolving all of the proteins in the cell and in detecting proteins that are produced at a very low level (See Kahn, P. Science, 270:369 (1995)).
Other methods of determining peptide expression in an mRNA population involve the use of antibodies to probe populations of peptides produced from mRNA pools. Thus, "libraries" of synthetic polypeptides corresponding to the polypeptides coded for by mRNA molecules are produced and then probed by individual antibodies. This method does not provide for a detection of all of the polypeptides produced by the mRNA at one time as it may not detect low levels of expression. Moreover, the method is limited to available antibodies. This method is described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,798, issued Sep. 7, 1993, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,811, issued Feb. 13, 1990.
Furthermore, in all of these protein detection methods, once a particular protein difference has been determined, the protein must still be partially sequenced and cloned in order to determine the gene that is responsible for expression of the protein. Alternatively, the protein must be sequenced and compared to a "proteome" database (Kahn, P. Science, 270:369, (1995)). Moreover, determining gene expression patterns by looking at purified proteins from the cell is a method of looking at secondary and tertiary effects of gene expression--translation of mRNA into protein, and post-translational modification--and not the primary effect--transcription of DNA sequences into mRNA. Detecting protein expression levels, furthermore, does not take into account the possibility that proteins may be degraded after translation and that the difference in protein expression is not actually due to a difference in gene expression.
Researchers have also focused on detecting changes in expression of individual mRNAs. One method involves subtractive hybridization, but this method does not have sufficient resolution to detect RNAs that are expressed at very low levels. Lee, S. W. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:2825 (1991). Another method involves a microarray hybridization assay where cDNA is prepared from two mRNA populations, labeled with two different colors, and used to hybridize to microscope slides to which a cDNA library has been fixed; differential hybridization is then identified by determining whether the sample fluoresces (See, Nowak, R., Science, 270:368, (1995); Schena et al., Science 270:467 (1995)). Because much of each mRNA sequence may not be particular to that mRNA sequence, but may also be common among many of the mRNA sequences in a particular cell, researchers have focused on short specific sequences of each mRNA called "tags" which are specific for a particular mRNA in the cell and are sufficient to identify the expression of a particular mRNA. In one such method, randomly chosen cDNA clones are made from mRNAs of a particular tissue. This bulk method of producing cDNAs results in a database of "expressed sequence tags" (Adams, M. D., et al., Science, 255:1651, 1991; Adams, M. D. Nature 355:632-634, 1992). This method of compiling a database of expressed sequence tags fails to provide any information about differential gene expression nor does it determine the frequency of expression of a gene within a cell.
Other methods have focused on using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to define tags and to attempt to detect differentially expressed genes. Many groups have used the PCR method to establish databases of mRNA sequence tags which could conceivably be used to compare gene expression among different tissues (Williams, J. G. K., Nucl. Acids Res. 18:6531, 1990; Welsh, J., et al. Nucl. Acids Res., 18:7213, 1990; Woodward, S. R., Mamm. Genome, 3:73, 1992; Nadeau, J. H., Mamm. Genome 3:55, 1992). This method has also been adapted to compare mRNA populations in a process called mRNA differential display. In this method, the results of PCR synthesis are subjected to gel electrophoresis, and the bands produced by two or more mRNA populations are compared. Bands present on an autoradiograph of one gel from one mRNA population, and not present on another, correspond to the presence of a particular mRNA in one population and not in the other, and thus indicate a gene that is likely to be differentially expressed. Messenger RNA derived from two different types of cells is compared by using arbitrary oligonucleotide sequences of ten nucleotides (random 10-mers) as a 5' primer and one of a set of 12 oligonucleotides complimentary to the poly A tail as a 3' "anchor primer." These primers are then used to amplify partial sequences of mRNAs with the addition of radioactive deoxyribonucleotides. These amplified sequences are then resolved on a sequencing gel such that each sequencing gel has a sequence of 50-100 mRNAs. The sequencing gels are then compared to each other to determine which amplified segments are expressed differentially (Liang, P. et al. Science 257:967, 1992; See also Welsh, J. et al., Nucl. Acid Res. 20:4965, 1992; Liang, P., et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 3269 1993).
Another method based on using PCR to detect the expression of mRNAs relies on the use of 12 anchor primers which hybridize to the poly A tract and two restriction endonucleases, one that cleaves at a 4 nucleotide sequence within the cDNA sequence that corresponds to the mRNA, and another restriction endonuclease which recognizes a single site within each anchor primer. The cDNA derived from the mRNA in each of the 12 pools is then inserted into a vector, downstream from a promoter, and used to transform host cells in order to amplify the vector containing the cDNA insert. "cRNA" antisense transcripts are then made, driven by the promoter, which are then amplified using PCR. The PCR reaction is carried out with 16 or more different primers, in 16 different subpools. Thus, with 12 different anchor primers, 192 subpools are required per mRNA sample. The results of the PCR are then resolved on a sequencing gel (WO 95/13369, Published May 18, 1995).
Yet another method to analyze gene expression in cells also relies on PCR. In this method, called SAGE, a cDNA copy of mRNA is made using a poly dT primer which is then biotinylated. The cDNA copy is then made double-stranded and then cut with an "anchoring enzyme" which recognizes a four base pair sequence present in each cDNA. The biotinylated cDNA is then bound to streptavidin beads to remove the rest of the sequence. This results in a cDNA copy of a portion of the 3' end of the messenger RNA linked to a streptavidin bead. The population of cDNAs linked to streptavidin beads is divided in half. Each half is then ligated to one of two oligonucleotide linkers containing a Type IIs restriction endonuclease recognition site. Type IIs restriction endonucleases cleave DNA at a site different than the recognition site. The sequences are cut with the Type IIs restriction endonuclease (the "tagging enzyme"), resulting in cleavage at a site within the cDNA copy of the mRNA sequence. The end of the DNA sequences are made blunt ended and ligated together in pairs, where the tag sequences are linked with one oligonucleotide linker at the 5' end, and the other at the 3' end. These "di-tags" are then amplified with PCR using primers specific to the linkers. The PCR- amplified regions are cleaved with the anchoring enzyme and concatenated together into a series of di-tags punctuated by the sequence of the anchoring enzyme recognition site. This series of di-tags linked together are then cloned into a sequencing vector and sequenced (Velculescu, V. E. et al., Science 270:484 (1995)).
The use of PCR results in problems of reproducibility and requires the use of other complicated steps, including the preparation and annealing of PCR primers, to a method of detecting gene expression patterns. Moreover, these PCR-based methods do not necessarily detect differences in the frequency of gene expression.
The abundance of a PCR product after amplification is influenced by many factors in addition to starting template abundance. Sequence specific differences in "amplification efficiency" are well known to give rise to artifactual differences quantity of PCR product in the absence of real differences in starting template. Moreover, even repetitive amplification of the same template preparation has been reported to produce product yields that can vary by as much as 6-fold (Gilliand et al. in: PCR Protocols. Academic Press, pp 60-69 (1990)). Hence, any PCR-based method that attempts to infer starting template abundance from the quantity of product produced by amplification requires stringent co-amplification controls. In the above cited "SAGE" technique, all cDNA "tags" that happen to have a highly amplifiable sequence will be over represented while those that have "difficult" sequences will be under-represented after the PCR step. The use of "ditags" fails to rectify all of the reliability problems involved in using SAGE to determine starting template abundance. Excluding any ditag that is repetitively isolated fails to eliminate all of the over-represented tag sequences. Artificially enhanced "amplifiability" may be the result of just one of the tags--in which case any ditag containing the individual member would be over-represented. Moreover, this exclusion does nothing about sequences which are artificially under-represented.
Thus, there is a need for a simple and reproducible method for detecting gene expression, identifying genes, and gene expression patterns in individual cells or tissues as well as a method for determining the frequency of gene expression in these cells or tissues.

Method for analyzing quantitative expression of genes


An antioxidant composition having enhanced oxidative stability, emulsion stability, and health benefits. The composition may include individual ingredients or a synergistic blend of non-reducing sugars, sugar polyols, medium-chain triglycerides, polysaccharides, polyphenols, phospholipids, chitosan, and alpha-casein, beta-casein, kappa-casein or protein fragments, glycopeptides, phosphopeptides. The composition may optionally be further utilized for the prevention of hypercholesterolemia or bone mineral loss.

It is known that whatever their kind and origin, fats and oils have limited stability. During storage they undergo various deteriorative reactions that reduce their nutritive value and also produce volatile compounds, giving off unpleasant smells and tastes. In general, the term rancidity has been used to describe the mechanisms by which lipids alter in nature, mechanisms that may have a biological or chemical origin. Alterations of a biological nature include those produced by microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi and yeasts) that may be inhibited by the addition of preservatives, and those produced by enzymes, mainly hydrolytic rancidity or lipolysis. The latter may be inhibited by thermal treatment, by conservation at low temperature, or by reducing the percentage of water.
Alterations of a chemical nature are due to the action of oxygen. Lipid oxidation reactions, known as autooxidation, commonly occur in lipids with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids and constitute the most common deterioration of fats and oils. However, unsaturated fatty acids are not the only constituents in foods that undergo oxidation. Compounds that impart color and taste to foods, like some vitamins, are also susceptible to oxidation.
It has been shown that the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids takes place through a chain reaction that essentially consists of an initiation or induction stage, which implies the formation of fat free radicals; a propagation stage in which fat free radicals remove a hydrogen atom from a lipid to form a relatively stable hydroperoxide and a new unstable fat free radical. These hydroperoxides may interact with proteins, pigments, and other food constituents to generate substances whose chemical nature may be harmful to human health. As a final step in autooxidation, the hydroperoxides split into smaller short chain organic compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, and acids which cause the off-odors and off-flavors characteristic of rancid fats and oils.
In plants, the most widespread polyunsaturated fatty acids are linoleic acid (Omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3). Many vegetable oils contain Omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid). However, unlike many other vegetable oils, flaxseed oil also contains significant amounts (generally about 55 to about 65 percent) of Omega-3 fatty acid (alpha-linolenic acid). Their presence in food is of great importance since they cannot be synthesized by human and animal tissues and should thereby be provided with the diet. In tissues these essential fatty acids are converted to longer and more unsaturated fatty acids of the Omega-6 and Omega-3 families, such as arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), and docosahexaenoic (DHA), which are present in fish oil in relatively high amounts. The health benefits of linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, AA, EPA and DHA are well documented in the literature. These benefits include hypolipidemic, anti-thrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. They are also essential fats for growth, brain function, and visual acuity, especially for infants. The degree of unsaturation of highly unsaturated fatty acids makes them extremely sensitive to oxidation, resulting in lipid peroxide and subsequent development of off flavors, odors, and dark color, which decrease the nutritive value of polyunsaturated oils and related food. The rate at which the oxidation reaction proceeds depends on several factors such as temperature, degree of unsaturation of the lipids, oxygen level, ultraviolet light exposure, presence of trace amounts of pro-oxidant metals (i.e., iron, copper, nickel), lipoxidase enzymes, and so forth. Flaxseed oil and fish oil can become rancid in few weeks or less, even if refrigerated.
The presence of certain chemical compounds may inhibit the process of lipid oxidation. The term "antioxidants" in foods is usually applied to those compounds that interrupt the chain reaction involved in autooxidation. Primary antioxidants are those mainly phenolic antioxidants, that interrupt the chain of free radicals and among which are found natural and synthetic antioxidants such as tocopherols, butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA), butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), tertiary butylated hydroquinone (TBQH), and propyl gallate. All of them act as donors of electrons.
It has been long recognized that various acids, and some of their derivatives, provide apparent antioxidant effect when added to vegetable oils. These are commonly referred to as acid-type antioxidants. However, these acids, if added alone to oils containing no primary antioxidant, will exhibit virtually no effect on the oxidative stabilities of the oil. It is believed that the acids are not truly antioxidants but more likely function by enhancing, in some manner, the activity of primary antioxidants naturally present (such as tocopherol) in the oils, or those synthetic antioxidants that are added. Common acid-type antioxidants include ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, and erithorbic acid. Unlike the primary antioxidants that function as electron donors, ascorbic acid and ascorbyl palmitate function by the entirely different mechanism of oxygen scavenging. Pro-oxidation occurs in lipid-based systems containing certain metal ions and reducing agents. Casein has been shown to act as a non-reducing agent by oxidizing iron from its ferrous to the ferric form (Emery T. in Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 182, 1047–1052 (1992)). Polyphenol-rich extracts from a variety of plant sources e.g., tea, coffee, cocoa, wine, aloe vera, and oak leaves and bark are known to extend the shelf life of products by inhibiting oxidative rancidity.
Polyphenols inhibit free radical formation and the propagation of free radical reactions through the chelation of transition-metal ions, particularly those of iron and copper (Brown et al. in Biochem. J 330, 1173–1178 (1998)). Citric acid, amino acids, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid also form chelates with metallic ions such as copper and iron, thus avoiding their catalytic action on the oxidation of lipids. Most of these chelating agents exhibit little or no antioxidant activity when used alone, and therefore they are considered as synergistic agents of other antioxidants. Thus, they increase, to a great extent, the action of primary antioxidants.
Numerous extracts from plants and spices such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, cloves, ginger, mace and nutmeg, exhibit antioxidant activity. However, these natural antioxidants are not very effective and suffer from the disadvantage of having intensive characteristic herb and spice flavors, which may limit their use in some applications. Many different natural antioxidant compositions have been developed over the years. Natural antioxidant compositions are typically blends of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherol (vitamin E), citric acid, rosemary extract, and phospholipids (i.e., soybean lecithin, egg yolk lecithin). Ascorbyl palmitate is also used in these natural antioxidant compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,069 discloses a complex of tocopherol, ascorbic acid, citric acid and phospholipids that are useful in preventing oxidation of oils. U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,659 discloses a complex of ascorbyl palmitate, a mixed tocopherol concentrate, and rosemary extract useful for prolonging the shelf life of vitamin/dietary supplements which are highly susceptible to rancidity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,916 discloses an ascorbic acid complex for stabilizing polyunsaturated oil. U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,179 discloses the use of coenzyme Q in combination with ascorbic acid and phospholipid to provide protection from oxidation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,814 describes the use of a mixture of tocopherol, lecithin, and ascorbic acid to protect lipids against oxidation.
These natural antioxidant compositions also suffer from problems that limit their usefulness. Thus, the combination of ascorbic acid and lecithin (an ionic phospholipid) is known to produce an undesirable red color in the oil. A high amount of lecithin may also impart an undesirable odor and flavor to the product. Ascorbic acid is ineffective as an antioxidant in hydrophobic substrates. Esters of ascorbic acid with saturated fatty acids particularly ascorbyl palmitate and ascorbyl stearate are used instead. However, these fat-soluble ester derivatives are exceptionally costly and do not fall within the narrow definition of natural. It is also costly to remove objectionable solvents used to dissolve oil-insoluble compounds present in these natural antioxidant compositions.
Many products susceptible to oxidation are emulsions or may be made into emulsions. An emulsion is a colloidal dispersion of two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, in the form of droplets. If oil droplets are finely dispersed in water, then this is an oil-in-water or "O/W" emulsion. When water droplets are finely dispersed in oil, then this is a water-in-oil or "W/O" emulsion. O/W and W/O emulsions play a prominent role in the preparation of a wide range of products including foods, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. It would be thus desirable to provide antioxidant compositions formed from natural ingredients and methods to effectively reduce oxidation reactions within highly polyunsaturated oils in O/W and W/O emulsions.

Antioxidant compositions and methods of use thereof


The present disclosure integrates electromagnetic shielding into a wafer level fan-out packaging process. First, a mold wafer having multiple modules is provided. Each module includes a die with an I/O port and is surrounded by an inter-module area. A redistribution structure that includes a shield connected element coupled to the I/O port of each module is formed over a bottom surface of the mold wafer. The shield connected element extends laterally from the I/O port into the inter-module area for each module. Next, the mold wafer is sub-diced at each inter-module area to create a cavity. A portion of the shield connected element is then exposed through the bottom of each cavity. A shielding structure is formed over a top surface of the mold wafer and exposed faces of each cavity. The shielding structure is in contact with the shield connected element.

Electronic components have become ubiquitous in modern society. The electronics industry proudly, but routinely, announces accelerated clocking and transmission speeds and smaller integrated circuit modules. While the benefits of these devices are myriad, smaller and faster electronic devices create problems. In particular, high operating frequencies inherently require fast transitions between signal levels. Fast transitions between signal levels create electromagnetic emissions throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Such emissions are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other regulatory agencies. The electromagnetic emissions radiate from a source and may impinge upon other electronic components. If the signal strength of the emissions at the impinged upon electronic component is high enough, the emissions may interfere with the operation of the impinged upon electronic component. This phenomenon is sometimes called electromagnetic interference (EMI) or crosstalk.
One way to reduce EMI is to shield the integrated circuit modules that cause EMI or that are sensitive to EMI. Typically the shield is formed of a grounded conductive material that covers a circuit module or a portion thereof. The shield may be formed during a packaging process. When electromagnetic emissions from electronic components within the shield strike the interior surface of the shield, the electromagnetic emissions are electrically shorted through the grounded conductive material, thereby reducing emissions. Likewise, when emissions from outside the shield strike the exterior surface of the shield, a similar electrical short occurs, and the electronic components do not experience the emissions.
Wafer level fan-out (WLFO) packaging technology currently attracts substantial attention in the 3D packaging area. WLFO technology is designed to provide high density input/output ports (I/O) without increasing the size of a semiconductor package. This capability allows for densely packaged small integrated circuit modules within a single wafer. As the size of the integrated circuit module is reduced, the need for isolation between various types of functional integrated circuit modules in close proximity to one another increases. Unfortunately, as the integrated circuit modules continue to become smaller from miniaturization, creating effective shields that do not materially add to the size of the integrated circuit module adds complexity and cost to the fabrication process.
As such, there is a need for an electromagnetic shield that is inexpensive to manufacture on a large scale, does not substantially change the size of the integrated circuit module, and effectively deals with interference caused by unwanted electromagnetic emissions.

Wafer level fan-out with electromagnetic shielding


An underbody structure (10) supporting an end of a railway car body (B, B') cradled in a cradle pad (12, 12'). A center sill assembly (16) has first and second spaced apart side plates (18, 20) spaced to either side of the longitudinal centerline of the car body. A top plate (28) extends along the center sill assembly, the width of the top plate corresponding to the width between the side plates. The top plate is attached to the side plates to form part of the center sill assembly. A weld support (50) is installed on both sides of the assembly. Part of the respective side plates and top plate are cut-away at the junction formed between to form a pocket (56) in which welding material pools. Weld support members (52, 54) are attached to the top plate adjacent the pockets. The weld supports provide a substantial contact surface between the center sill assembly and the cradle pad. Each weld support helps dam the pooled welding material so it is available to effect a strong and durable weld between the cradle pad and center sill assembly. This allows the tank car to carry heavier loads than could previously be carried.

This invention relates to the fabrication of tank cars for railway use and, more particularly, to an underbody or underframe construction for such a tank car and a method of underframe construction.
During fabrication of the underframe assembly for a railway tank car, a critical step involves the attachment of the sill assembly portion of the underframe to the tank. A railway tank car underbody and a method of its construction are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,882, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application. As shown in the center sill assembly 102 of FIG. 11 in the '882 patent, respective metal bars 128, 130 are welded to the respective upper, inner faces of side plates 118, 120. A top plate 132 is welded to the bars and extends longitudinally of the side plates. The cradle pad 108 for tank car body 106 is the welded to the center sill assembly.
The initial outboard weld; i.e., the weld between the cradle pad and the center sill assembly, is critical. In this regard, the construction shown in the '882 patent includes a weld attachment for assembly of the cradle pad 108 to the center sill assembly. This arrangement includes a bevel and a fillet weld. While this assembly method effectively attaches the cradle pad and center sill assembly together, the weld effectiveness is only as strong as the sill web. It will be appreciated that the length of the weld, and the amount of weld material which can be used to complete the weld is limited by the space limitations imposed by the design and fabrication of the center sill assembly. The problem with this current arrangement is that as haulers are looking for tank cars with higher load capabilities, the strength limitation imposed by this construction could inhibit the manufacture of tank cars with the desired increased capabilities.
Different approaches have been considered to provide a stronger weld between the cradle pad and center sill. One approach, for example, would be for the top cover plate to have a contoured upper surface. The contour would correspond to that of the botton portion of the cover pad attached to the center sill by welding along the top plate. While feasible, this approach is also expensive since the top plate would not be a standard piece of steel. In addition, the top plate would probably be heavier, thus adding weight to the railcar.

Increased strength railway tank for underframe construction and method with center sill pocket and weld support for pooling welding material


A positron emission topography camera is provided having an array of scintillation crystals placed adjacent other arrays to form an arcuate detection surface surrounding a patient area. Alternatively, the arrays may be placed in a planar configuration on opposing sides of the patient area. Either a three-dimensional image or a two-dimensional image can be formed from a patient's body placed within the patient area. Moreover, the edges between the arrays of crystals are offset in relation to the edges between the light detectors. Each light detector is suitably positioned adjacent four adjacent quadrants of four respective arrays to simultaneously detect radiation emitted from the four quadrants of each array. Moreover, each crystal within the array is selectively polished and selectively bonded to adjacent crystals to present a cross-coupled interface which can tunably distribute light to adjacent light detectors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gamma or positron emission tomography (PET) cameras.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
A PET camera consists of a polygonal or circular ring of radiation detection sensors 10 placed around a patient area 11, as shown in FIG. 1. Radiation detection begins by injecting isotopes with short half-lives into a patient's body placeable within patient area 11. The isotopes are absorbed by target areas within the body causing the isotope to emit positrons that are detected when they generate gamma rays. When in the human body, the positrons collide with electrons and the two annihilate each other, releasing gamma rays. The emitted rays move in opposite directions, leave the body and strike the ring of radiation detectors 10.
The ring of detectors 10 includes an inner ring of scintillator crystals 12 and an outer ring of light detectors or photomultiplier tubes 14. The scintillator crystals respond to the incidence of gamma rays by emitting a flash of photon energy (scintillation) that is then converted into electronic signals by a corresponding adjacent photomultiplier tube 14. A computer records the location of each energy flash and then plots the source of radiation within the patient's body by comparing flashes and looking for pairs of flashes that arise from the same positron-electron annihilation point. It then translates that data into a PET scan image. The PET monitor displays the concentration of isotopes in various colors indicating level of activity. The resulting PET scan image indicates a transaxial view of neoplasms or tumors existing in the patient's body.
Early PET scanners required a single photomultiplier tube to be coupled to a single scintillator crystal. A crystal can be made very narrow (e.g., 1 mm), but the smallest available photomultiplier tube (PMT) is somewhat large (e.g., 10 mm). Hence, a practical advance in PET scanners allows a single PMT to service several crystals. As disclosed in my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,733,083 and 4,883,966 a single PMT can service several crystals. A single PMT may alone cost $250, and by using a minimum number of PMTs, the cost of the PET camera can be drastically reduced. Moreover, since PMTs are fairly large in size, it is important that several crystals be associated with that PMT so as to increase the resolution of the PET camera. Crystals can be cut very narrow; the thinner the crystal, the greater the resolution of the PET camera but, only if the crystal location can be accurately decoded.
As shown in FIG. 3, two PMTs 14a and 14b can service a row of eight scintillation crystals 12. The eight crystals are formed from a unitary crystal block 16. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,764, each crystal 12 is formed by placing slots or cuts 18 at varying depths into block 16. The depth of each cut determines the amount of photon energy being directed to a respective PMT 14a or 14b. For example, crystal 12a is formed having a cut 18 placed the entire depth of block 16 and separating crystal 12a from crystal 12b. Photon energy generated within crystal 12a is directed entirely into the right-side PMT 14a. Typically, cut 18 is filled with light reflecting materials or the sides of the cut are polished so as to effectively prevent photon energy from passing across cuts. Shortening the depth of cut 18 will allow photon energy to be directed along the shortened cut distance and then disperse past the cut edge. For example, photon energy within crystal 12b will disperse toward the center of the block to both PMT 14a and 14b. Photon energy will predominantly strike PMT 14a; however, some energy will strike PMT 14b due to the absence of cut 18 extending the entire depth of the left hand side of crystal 12b.
The layout of scintillator crystals 12 is in three dimensions. FIG. 3 illustrates the x and z axes of eight crystals within a single block 16. However, FIG. 4 illustrates the x and y axes of four blocks 16, each block adjacent four PMTs 14. Typically an array of crystals are formed between cuts within a block. The blocks are then joined side-by-side to preferably form a ring surrounding the patient area. In two dimensions (x and y), a single PMT 14 can, for example, service sixteen crystals 12 (i.e., a 4.times.4 array of crystals 12) as shown in FIG. 4. Likewise, four PMTs can service a block or 8.times.8 array of crystals.
Shown in FIGS. 2-4 are various conventional crystal/PMT arrangements which typically involve placement of the outer edge of a PMT adjacent to and aligned with the outer edge of an array of crystals 12 (or edge of a block 16). For purposes of isolating the specific crystal being scintillated, it is important the photon energy sent to the respective PMT identify where, within the array of crystals serviced by the PMT, that the scintillation occurred. Scintillation occurring within one crystal is often directed to one of many PMTs associated with the entire block of crystals. If, for example, crystal H is scintillated, then all photon energy will be directed to PMT 14b due to cut 18 being the entire depth of the crystal block as shown in FIG. 3. If crystal N is scintillated, then photon energy will be primarily directed to PMT 14b; however, PMT 14a, 14e and 14f will also receive photon energy. If the location of scintillation is nearer the center of the array (e.g., Crystal C' is scintillated), then PMT 14b will read only slightly more photon energy than PMTs 14 a, 14e and 14f. By determining the relative amounts of photon energy received by four PMTs associated with a single array or block, the relative X and Y location of scintillation can be determined within that array or block, the resolution of the X and Y location being directly proportional to the width of each crystal 12. Of course, it is implicit that the system must be capable of decoding the crystal locations.
Unfortunately, with the outer edge of the array being aligned with and adjacent to the outer edge of the PMT's (i.e., two sides of each PMT), there is an upper limit on the size of the PMT in relation to the size of the array. If, for example, two (as opposed to four) PMTs service a single array, then predominate photon energy in one PMT indicates that scintillation occurred at the left (or upper) half of the array as opposed to the right (or lower) half. Thus, only single axis (e.g., X axis) detection is possible. Unfortunately, single axis detection is not sufficient to identify with precision the exact location of scintillation within the block or array. There must be a double axis detection scheme whereby both the X and Y location of each scintillation is detectable. If, for example, a single PMT services a single array, no indicia whatsoever of the location scintillation with the array can be determined. The PMT cannot differentiate where, within the serviced array, the scintillation occurred. Thus, as long as conventional detection schemes utilize "non-offset" PMT/array edges, the number of PMTs per array cannot be effectively decreased.

Positron emission tomography camera with quadrant-sharing photomultipliers and cross-coupled scintillating crystals

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


Described herein are compositions and methods for diagnosing late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), treating LOAD and assessing efficacy of therapeutic agents used to treat LOAD.

All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration with deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in brain. Our ability to prevent or treat diseases such as AD is dependent on knowing their cause(s). Familial AD (FAD) gene mutations guarantee early-onset disease in perhaps up to 1% of patients, but AD etiology is otherwise thought to be heterogeneous and multi-factorial, with age as the strongest risk factor for late-onset disease. Mouse models harboring FAD mutations alone have had significant utility, including clarifying an important role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of AD and as a paradigm for treatment development. They have, however, fallen short in predicting successful translation of treatments to the clinic, perhaps because they do not successfully mimic some of the features of AD. As such, they may not reflect the initial causal factors of late-onset or sporadic AD (LOAD), the predominant form of AD, for which the initiating events are still unclear.
Although moderate to advanced aging is the only known factor necessary for all forms of human AD, key features are absent in FAD-based mouse models at all ages. These missing features include neuronal loss and neurofibrillary deposition (1), and suggest that current mouse models are intrinsically deficient in at least one age-related factor required for their generation. Several age-related factors have been tested and found to contribute to AD-like pathology in mice, including inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and insulin resistance (2-5). Nevertheless, none of these reconstitutes all features of human AD in mice, either alone or together with FAD-based gene mutations. The contribution of age-related physiological processes that are themselves deficient in mice, however, has not been examined.
CD8 T cell homeostatic expansion is a process that commonly results in the accumulation of functionally aberrant self-reactive T cell clones in aging humans, but not in mice (6-8). This process expands memory-phenotype CD8 T cells exclusively, which have recently been shown to increase in AD patients but not in FAD-based mouse models as well (9-12). Moreover, we have demonstrated that CD8 T cells critically impact age-dependent brain tumor outcomes (13, 14), and others have shown their critical contribution to tissue inflammation (15-17). Thus, CD8 T cell function may be generally relevant to brain and/or inflammatory disorders, and their homeostatic expansion in aging could be specifically involved in AD pathology.
CD8 T cells can be induced to undergo homeostatic expansion by introduction into young T cell-deficient hosts. It remains unclear how well this induced homeostatic expansion in otherwise T cell-deficient hosts corresponds to their age-related clonal expansion, let alone whether it impacts neurodegeneration and AD neuropathology specifically. Herein, we show that CD8 T cell homeostatic expansion in T cell-deficient (B6.Foxn1) hosts results in similar surface phenotype, antigen reactivity, clonality, and presence in brain as CD8 T cells in extensively aged wild-type mice. We denoted these homeostatically-induced CD8 cells "hiT" cells, and evaluated AD-like pathophysiology in hiT-bearing B6.Foxn1 mice, as well as their ability to synergistically promote AD-like neuropathology in wild-type mice together with brain injury. Levels of hiT cell-associated metrics were also quantified in human AD patients.
We found that nude mice harboring hiT cells developed cognitive impairment and brain atrophy ahead of overt deposition of Aβ plaques and silver-staining neurofibrillary structures. Distinct aspects of this pathology were dependent on T cell IFNγ and Perforin production. Transfer of hiT cells into wild-type mice also resulted in rapid neuronal marker loss and moderate pTau elevation, but decreased Aβ. Nevertheless, hiT cells synergized with brain injury in these mice to greatly increase Aβ, pTau, and fibrillary tau accumulation. Finally, gene expression, effector protein, and immune receptor specificity associated with hiT cells were specifically up-regulated in human AD brain.

Blood cell biomarker for late onset Alzheimer's disease


An implantable prosthetic valve that is radially collapsible to a collapsed configuration and radially expandable to an expanded configuration includes an annular frame having an inflow end, an outflow end, and a longitudinal axis. A leaflet structure is positioned within the frame and secured thereto, and a sealing element is secured to the frame. The sealing element includes a first woven portion extending circumferentially around the frame. The first woven portion includes a plurality of interwoven filaments. The sealing element further includes a second woven portion extending circumferentially around the frame and spaced apart from the first woven portion along the longitudinal axis of the frame. At least a portion of the filaments exit the weave of the first woven portion and form loops extending radially outwardly from the frame.

The heart can suffer from various valvular diseases or malformations that result in significant malfunctioning of the heart, and ultimately require replacement of the native heart valve with an artificial valve. Procedures in which radially collapsible transcatheter heart valves are percutaneously introduced in a compressed state on a catheter and expanded at the treatment location are gaining popularity, especially among patient populations for whom traditional surgical procedures pose a high risk of morbidity or mortality.
It can be important to reduce or prevent blood leakage past the prosthetic valve after implantation. Thus, transcatheter heart valves often include a sealing element such as a paravalvular leakage skirt to reduce the amount of leakage past the prosthetic valve. However, differences between the diameter of the prosthetic valve and the native annulus into which the valve is implanted, along with features of a particular patient's anatomy such as calcification, tissue prominences, recesses, folds, and the like, can make it difficult to achieve a seal between the prosthetic valve and the native annulus. Accordingly, there is a need for improved paravalvular sealing elements for prosthetic heart valves.

Sealing element for prosthetic heart valve