Disclosed is a transition-metal chalcogenide crystal having a topological configuration/structure. A micro-droplet of a chalcogen element, such as S, Se or Te, is condensed and circulated in suspended form in an atmosphere containing a Group IVb, Vb or VI transition metal element, such as Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf or W, together with the chalcogen element. Then, micro-whiskers of a transition metal chalcogenide formed in the atmosphere are attached onto a surface of the chalcogen-element micro-droplet by the action of a surface tension of the micro-droplet, and grown as a loop-shaped crystal wound around the surface of the micro-droplet to obtain a loop-shaped crystal having a twist of 0, π or 2π. The crystal has a ribbon-like open or closed loop configuration. The transition-metal chalcogenide crystal with the topological loop-shaped microstructure can exhibit original properties peculiar to each transition-metal chalcogenide, and has applicability, for example, to a quantum device, such as SQUID.

A transition-metal chalcogenide material MX3, which is a compound of a Group Ivb or Vb transition metal element, such as Zr, Nb or Ta, and a chalcogen element, such as S, Se or Te, has a crystal structure which comprises a fundamental unit consisting of a triangle pole formed of six chalcogen atoms and a metal atom located at the center thereof, wherein chains of respective triangle poles are built up parallel to each other. This structure provides various materials exhibiting peculiar properties rarely seen in other conventional materials. Typically, such materials include TaSe3 exhibiting superconductivity with a strong anisotropy, TaS3 exhibiting a Peierls transition, and NbSe3 exhibiting a CDW (Charge Density Wave) transition. Therefore, vigorous researches are being promoted to explore the properties and develop applications thereof
Further, great interest is shown in properties of a transition-metal dichalcogenide based on its low-dimensional structure, and applications thereof.
In connection with these researches, the inventors previously succeeded in forming ring-shaped crystalline microstructures of a transition-metal dichalcogenide MX2 and a transition-metal trichalcogenide MX3.
[Prior Art Document]                Patent Publication: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-255699
These crystalline microstructures or microcrystals can maintain a crystal structure unique to each chalcogenide in the ring-shaped microstructure thereof to exhibit original properties unique to each chalcogenide based on its low-dimensional structure. Thus, these microcrystals are expected as a material applicable to a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) by taking advantage of superconductivity and configuration/structure thereof. Further, this technology can realize a ring-shaped microstructure having a diameter of 0.1 to 10 μm and a line width of about 10 nm which could not be achieved by photolithography as a conventional microfabrication technique, and allows properties of each chalcogenide to be achieved in a topological macrostructure necessary for various devices. Therefore, various applied researches are being made to utilize such properties and structures for various potential purposes, such as biomagnetism measurement.
As above, researches on the peculiar properties of chalcogenides are made in various sectors. Such applications of the properties are based on the premise of verification of the properties and development of handling technologies, such as forming technologies, for achieving various configurations/structures. In particular, it is desirable that the microstructure is created during the course of physically forming the crystal, and formed as a topological structure maintaining its original properties in a self-aligning manner, as in the ring-shaped microcrystal previously proposed by the inventors. This process allows an obtained microcrystal to maintain original properties unique to each chalcogenide.
The transition-metal chalcogenide material, such as transition-metal trichalcogenide or transition-metal dichalcogenide, is characterized by having low dimensionality, and thereby exhibits significant anisotropy in various properties thereof. Thus, what is required for utilizing these characteristics is to research the properties and develop a forming technique capable of coping with such anisotropy, specifically a topological shaping/forming method capable of maintaining topological properties of each transition-metal chalcogenide material in a macro configuration/structure necessary in actual use.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method capable of forming a transition-metal chalcogenide material having a topological micro configuration/structure while maintaining the crystal structure of a transition-metal trichalcogenide or dichalcogenide exhibiting the aforementioned peculiar properties to preserve the properties, and to provide a useful transition-metal chalcogenide crystal with a topological configuration/structure, having the original properties of the transition-metal trichalcogenide or dichalcogenide.

Topological crystal of transition metal chalcogenide and method of forming the same


An armrest unit for a passenger seat includes an armrest base body forming an armrest surface, and a suspension unit which is disposed underneath the armrest surface and which has at least one spacing means.

The invention is based on an armrest unit for a passenger seat comprising an armrest base body which forms an armrest surface.
A passenger seat comprising an armrest is already known. Said armrest comprises an armrest base body which forms an armrest surface for supporting an arm of a seated passenger. The armrest base body consists of a material which has a hardness adapted to wear protection.
The object of the invention is to provide a generic armrest unit for a passenger seat, which provides a high degree of comfort for a passenger and yet offers advantageous wear protection.
The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1, whilst advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention may be derived from the sub-claims.


An interruption processing system enables a basic CPU resource using process to be executed asynchronously, enabling an interruption handler to be easily created. Interruption handling of the basic CPU resource using process interruption handler to be executed asynchronously enables corresponding interruption handler process is terminated for a CPU resource using process dependent interruption factor. The interruption processing system comprises a queuing unit for determining whether an instruction stored in an instruction buffer designates a synchronous process or an asynchronous process and for queuing the instruction when it is an asynchronous process. When more than one asynchronous process which has been queued is terminated unprocessed or with exceptions in the case where an interruption is generated in a synchronous processing unit or an asynchronous processing unit or an interruption from the outside of a CPU is detected, contents and termination methods of all asynchronous processes terminated unprocessed or with exceptions at the time of the generation of the interruption are displayed in order to resume the program prior to the generation of the interruption.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of terminating asynchronous CPU processes at the time of occurrence of an interruption and to a method of reporting CPU-resource-using process-dependent factors generated in the asynchronous CPU processes for use in a CPU which executes some CPU resource using processes with long processing times, asynchronously with instructions while guaranteeing data-dependent relationships of the processes. (Although a process is initiated by an instruction, the process is terminated after the instruction is terminated. After executing the instruction that initiated the process, the CPU initiates execution of a next instruction before termination of the initiated process.) The present invention is especially effective in executing basic processes used in an OS interruption handler asynchronously with instruction execution.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a CPU which executes a CPU-resource-using processes with a long processing time asynchronously with execution of an initiating instruction, partial prior execution of an instruction succeeding a preceding instruction which is long in processing time can be performed by partial prior execution of the succeeding instruction and canceling the effect of the preceding instruction when a program interruption is generated in the initiated by the preceding instruction process. In this case, however, the instruction pipeline of the CPU becomes complicated and the extent of prior execution of the succeeding instruction is limited.
An effective method of improving the CPU's performance without stopping the execution of a simultaneously executable succeeding CPU instruction (bearing no data-dependent relationship with the previous process) when the previous process requires a long processing time time in a CPU-resource, is to execute the CPU-resource-using process with a long processing time asynchronously with the execution of the succeeding instruction. Using this method, a plurality of, CPU-resource-using processes containing more than one asynchronous CPU-resource-using process will be executed at the same time.
In conventional computers, the following methods are used to terminate a CPU-resource-using process when an interruption occurs. There are two types of interruptions: CPU-resource-using process-dependent interruptions; and CPU-resource-using process-independent interruptions.
(1) All CPU-resource-using processes are executed synchronously with instructions. When a CPU-resource-using process-dependent interruption factor is detected as a result of an execution of an instruction, a corresponding CPU-resource-using process-dependent interruption is generated prior to the execution of the next instruction after the termination of the execution of the instruction. Only when no CPU-resource-using process-dependent interruption is detected at the execution of the last instruction and a CPU-resource-using process-independent factor is present, a corresponding CPU-resource using-process-independent interruption is generated.
In the situation where all the CPU-resource-using processes initiated prior to an interruption have been terminated at the time of the occurrence of the interruption, an interruption handler is easy to construct. In the case of an interruption for a necessary CPU-resource-using process-dependent factor, an original program can be resumed after proper processing by the interruption handler.
In the case of the previously described situation in a process (instruction) executing system, however, the execution of a succeeding CPU-resource-using process cannot be terminated during the execution of a CPU-resource using process with a long execution time, thus degrading the performance of the CPU.
(2) A unit (for example, a floating-point arithmetic unit) performs input/output operations on some of the CPU resources and asynchronously executes processes (asynchronous CPU-resource-using processes) which are initiated by instructions and executed asynchronously with the execution of the instructions. Where a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent factor is detected in these asynchronous CPU-resource using processes, when a process using a CPU resource accessed by the unit or an instruction initiating a process that the unit executes is executed, a CPU resource-using process-dependent interruption held by the asynchronous operation unit is generated synchronously with the instruction without executing a process specified by the instruction.
When an interruption corresponding to an interruption factor other than a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor is detected by the asynchronous operation unit, termination of the operation of the asynchronous operation unit does not wait. The CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor held by the asynchronous operation unit at this point is not reported simultaneously.
When the asynchronous operation unit holds a CPU-resource-using-process-independent interruption factor and a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor at the same time, the latter takes no precedence over the former and the CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor remains held, so that a CPU-resource-using-process-independent interruption is generated.
Where an asynchronous CPU-resource using process and its output resource are not used in an environment save area of the interruption handler, the method constitutes an effective interruption system. However, the interruption system will have the following problems in the case of non-synchronization of basic CPU-resource-using-processes used in the interruption handler.
After the occurrence of an interruption (first interruption), an interruption (second interruption) for a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor is generated which is detected in a process initiated by a program executed prior to the occurrence of the first interruption during the operation of the interruption handler which processes the first interruption. In the process for the second interruption, it becomes difficult or impossible to determine which of programs initiated the process that generated the interruption factor. In this case, therefore, the processing of the CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption detected by a CPU-resource using process used by the interruption handler becomes impossible or the interruption processing by the interruption handler becomes very complicated.
(3) An asynchronously operating unit executes an asynchronous CPU-resource-using process initiated by an instruction and executed asynchronously with the instruction. To use the output of the asynchronous unit in a succeeding process, there are two cases: the case in which a specified procedure is required; and the case in which the initiation of execution of an instruction for initiating the succeeding process is delayed.
When some interruption factor is detected, the CPU performs the following interruption operations.
1 It does not initiate the execution of a new instruction.
2 It waits until all processes (asynchronous CPU-resource using processes) being executed by the asynchronously operating unit are terminated. The asynchronously operating unit executes all of the processes whose execution have been initiated regardless of whether or not a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor has been detected in a preceding process. A CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor is detected and an output whose value differs from an expected value is also used as it is in a succeeding process. In this case, the result of execution of the succeeding process will become different from an expected one and a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor may be detected even in the succeeding process because an input does not have an expected value.
When detecting more than one CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor as a result of operation 2, the asynchronous operation unit holds the interruption factor detected first or all the interruption factors detected.
In the case where all the detected interruption factors are held, when a certain CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor triggers off the generation of a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor in a succeeding process, it becomes difficult to specify the triggering interruption factor.
3 When, in operation 2, none of the CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factors are detected, the CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption that initiates the interruption operation is generated.
When a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor is detected, a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption is generated without depending on the type of the interruption factor that initiated the interruption operation.
With this interruption handling system, since a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor is detected and the execution of a process using its output which has become an expected value as an input is not stopped, non-synchronization of a process results (such as for storage into main memory, an unpredictable area is destroyed when, an address used as an input is abnormal) that cannot specify a resource which is destroyed when an input is abnormal and makes debugging the program very difficult.
In addition, with this interruption system, when a CPU-resource-using-process-dependent interruption factor is detected in the non-synchronized process, the original program cannot be resumed.


A documents control apparatus includes an attribute sharing unit that shares an attribute of a document with another documents control apparatus, an edit processing unit that edits the attribute, and a switching unit that determines whether the attribute is shared with the other documents control apparatus. The switching unit switches the edit of the attribute based on the determination. If the attribute sharing unit does not share the attribute, the switching unit allows the edit processing unit to edit the attribute as requested. If the attribute sharing unit shares the attribute, the switching unit controls the operation of the edit processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a documents control apparatus that controls electronic documents (documents), and more particularly, to a documents control apparatus that can share the attributes of documents with another documents control apparatus so as to search, classify, and control the documents based on their attributes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, documents control apparatuses that control electronic documents (documents) are known.
In such a documents control apparatus, a method of supporting the analysis of documents by searching, classifying, and controlling the documents based on their bibliographic information such as the title, the drafting date, and the updating date of the documents is known. A method of supporting the analysis of documents by attaching keywords and/or a portion of the documents to the documents as the bibliographic information is also known. A method of automatically extracting the keywords and/or the portion of the documents, which makes the registration of the documents to the system easy, is also known.
There are documents control apparatuses that allow a user to define information to be associated with the documents in addition to information already prepared in advance.
As is described above, in the case of the documents control apparatus according to related art, the user can define attributes including an attribute item and its type. When or after registering a document, the user can input the attribute of the document or can cause the documents control apparatus to automatically input the attribute of the document.
A method of defining an attribute by combining a plurality of items of the bibliographic information and the other associated information described above is known. In this method, the name of the new attribute is defined, and a plurality of items and their data types are designated. According to the above method, it is possible to increase or decrease the items, and edit the items and their data types, if necessary. When registering and updating the documents, the user can select the item and input a value that fits the data type of the item.
A method of searching a document using the bibliographic information and attribute of the document is conventionally known. Using this method, the user can designate a search condition and extract documents that satisfy the search condition. Further, a method of classifying, and analyzing, documents based on the bibliographic information and attribute of the documents is also known.
A system in which two or more documents control apparatuses share the attributes of documents is also known.
Also known is a system that, when a document is copied or moved, for example, between documents control apparatuses, if the receiving documents control apparatus already has the same attribute as that of the document, the same attribute is assigned to the document; if the receiving documents control apparatus does not have the same attribute, an existing attribute or a newly generated attribute is assigned to the document (see Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2002-123506).
Furthermore, a method of copying the attribute of the document, in the case that the receiving documents control apparatus does not have the same attribute as that of the document to be copied or moved is known.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 8-16553 discloses an invention in which a plurality of document processing apparatuses share and edit a document file. When the document processing apparatus edits and modifies a document file, the document processing apparatus requests a control apparatus that retains the document file to lock the modified document data page and corresponding page control table. The control apparatus, in response to the request, locks the modified document data page and the corresponding page control table, and prohibits another document processing apparatus from accessing them. The control apparatus updates them and unlocks them. The control apparatus informs the other document filing apparatuses opening the document file of the information of the update.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 7-85007 describes an invention in which when a plurality of document processing apparatuses access a document stored in a control apparatus, the document processing apparatus determines whether the document is accessible. When a document processing apparatus that is authorized to access the document accesses the document, the control apparatus protects the document from undesired modification by controlling the history of access executed by each document processing apparatus.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Application No. 2002-140344 discloses an invention in which a control apparatus receives from a document processing apparatus the information of editing a document and corresponding comments, and updates the document based on the information of the edit. At the same time, the control apparatus extracts the information of updating by comparing the document before and after the update, and stores the information of updating and corresponding comments as the history of the update. A plurality of document processing apparatuses connected with each other via a network can efficiently edit and update the document, and control the history of updates by, in response to a request from a user, displaying the information of updating and corresponding comments.
In the case of such a conventional system, if the attribute of documents commonly shared by a plurality of documents control apparatuses is changed by a documents control apparatus, the other documents control apparatuses can no longer share the attribute of the documents since the documents control apparatus no longer has the same attribute. In addition, the user cannot know which attribute is shared. Accordingly, the user does not know whether, if the user edits the attribute of a specific document, the edit affects the sharing of the attribute of the specific document, and how the attribute of the specific document is to be edited so as not to affect the sharing.

Documents control apparatus that can share document attributes


A liquid-in-stem thermometer comprising a stem and/or an envelope having a capillary bore extending along the length of the stem/envelopes, a bulb disposed at one end of the stem/envelope and in fluid communication with the said bore, a junction region between the capillary and the bulb adapted for maximum registration action, a thermometric liquid provided in the bulb, the said thermometric liquid being an aqueous solution of one or more solutes and substantially free of dissolved gases, at least the inner surface of the capillary bore of said stem/envelope having low surface energy characteristics, wherein the surface tension of the thermometric liquid is greater than the surface energy of the said low surface energy material by a factor of at least two.

The liquid-in-stem thermometer in its simplest form comprises of a transparent tubular stem with a capillary bore at one end, a bulb fused to the stem at the other end, and a thermometric liquid in the bulb. Typically, a graduated scale is engraved in or attached to a portion of the stem. Sometimes, the stem is encased in an Envelope of transparent material and the graduations are marked on a scale which is located inside the envelope. As is well known, the expansion or contraction of the liquid in the bulb caused by changes in the temperature of the liquid forces the liquid to traverse the capillary of the stem to or from the bulb. Provided that the thermometer has been properly calibrated, the position of the meniscus of the liquid column in the capillary on the graduated scale indicates the temperature being measured.
When thermometers are designed for use in clinical applications the capillary in the stem has a constriction near the bulb. When the bulb is brought into thermal contact with a warm body, a column of the thermometric liquid freely rises in the capillary of the stem and when the bulb is moved away from the source of heat, the thermometric liquid in the bulb contracts but the liquid column in the capillary above the constriction is not withdrawn into the bulb, thus providing the maximum registration action. Such thermometers are reset by centrifugation or manual shake down.
There are also other ways of constructing clinical thermometers with maximum registration action, such as through the use of electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical and tympanic thermometers. However, liquid-in-stem clinical thermometers are very popular because they are inexpensive, accurate, fairly trouble-free and give reproducible results.
Mercury is the most commonly used thermometric liquid and glass is a commonly used material of construction of the maximum registration thermometer. However, such thermometers have several drawbacks. Being made of glass, potential breakage is a problem. Secondly, breakage results in spilled mercury and mercury is known to be toxic. Several methods in the prior art have been directed towards i) preventing spillage and ii) replacing mercury with a non-toxic, environment-friendly thermometric liquid. Several thermometric liquids have been proposed as alternatives to mercury. These include metallic alloys, alcohol and glycerol. However these thermometric liquids still have one or more drawbacks in terms of toxicity, poor accuracy, split in the liquid column, loss of maximum registration, etc.


Methods for synthesizing progressively-variant textures based on texton masks are provided. A first method creates a synthesized texture image guided by a sample texture, first texton mask corresponding to the sample texture and a second texton mask modified based on the first texton mask. A second method also creates a synthesized texture image guided by a first and second sample textures and corresponding first and second texton masks. A method for rendering a synthesized texture on an image of a three-dimensional object includes creating a synthesized texture on the object guided by a two-dimensional progressively-variant sample texture, a texton mask for the sample texture and a mesh of a plurality of vertices representing the object.

The present invention relates to computer generated graphics. In particular, the present invention relates to the modeling and rendering of realistic graphics on a computer.
Computer graphics are used in many different applications including computer games, movies and web pages. With the capability of more powerful computers, realistic graphics are becoming more desired in order to provide a more realistic experience to the computer user.
One particular area of focus has been in area of synthesized textures on two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. A texture is the visual surface features of the object and can include scale, orientation, shape and/or color of geometric elements of a pattern or pseudo-pattern on the surface of the object. Much of the previous work on surface texture synthesis concentrated on homogeneous textures. These textures are stationary in that they are characterized by stationary stochastic models. Homogeneous textures, however, only account for a limited class of real world textures. Many textures, including the fur patterns of various animals such as the tiger or the leopard, cannot be described by stationary models. These patterns exhibit complex variations resulting from a biological growth process. Another example includes stonework on a building or other structure.
One way to create textures with local variations is through simulation of chemical or biological processes. These techniques have used reaction diffusion differential equations to model texture surfaces that vary, for instance, by changing the diffusion rates on the target surfaces. Using such modeling techniques may limit the textures to which the process can be applied. In addition, the parameters, and the changing of the parameters, may not be intuitive to many users.
Accordingly, a systematic method for modeling and/or rendering of variant textures would be would be very beneficial.

Synthesis of progressively-variant textures and application to arbitrary surfaces


A thermal management system includes a first thermoelectric module, a second thermoelectric module, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a pipe having a first section, a second section and an intermediate section arranged between the first section and the second section. The intermediate section maintains the first section and the second section in spaced apart planes and the first thermoelectric module is thermally attached to the first section and the second thermoelectric module is thermally attached to the second section. The first thermoelectric module is spaced apart from the second thermoelectric module to enable fluid to flow between the first thermoelectric module and the second thermoelectric module.

As electronic chip devices become ever denser to achieve faster and faster processing speeds, there has been a corresponding increase in the amount of heat loads generated by the electronic chip devices. The electronic chip devices are often equipped with individual cooling devices, such as fans and heat sinks, designed to increase dissipation of the heat loads into ambient airflow. In addition, heat is typically removed from the ambient airflow through use of one or more room level air conditioning units.
Oftentimes, the level of heat load generation varies for different locations of a space containing the electronic chip devices. By way of example in which a plurality of electronic chip devices are arranged in multiple electronics racks, the electronic chip devices arranged in one of the electronics racks may generate a greater amount of heat load as compared with the electronic chip devices arranged in another one of the electronics racks. In this example, the one or more room level air conditioning units supplies both of sets of electronic chip devices with airflow that is at substantially the same temperature and at substantially the same flow rate. Thus, one set of electronic chip devices is likely to receive deficient amounts of cooling, while another set of electronic chip device is likely to receive an overabundance of cooling.
Those electronic chip devices that receive deficient amounts of cooling are likely have shorter useful lifespans. In addition, supplying unnecessarily high levels of cooling provisioning to the electronic chip devices results in inefficiencies and wasted energy consumption.
It would thus be desirable to enable temperature control without suffering from the drawbacks and disadvantages associated with conventional temperature control arrangements.

Thermal management system having thermoelectric modules

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method for estimating battery degradation is provided. In this method, a remaining capacity is obtained by looking up a device characteristic table according to a steady open circuit voltage of a battery. Besides, a constant current is provided to charge the battery, and when a terminal voltage of the battery reaches to a charging preset voltage, a constant voltage is provided to charge the battery. The transition point information at the transition from a constant current mode to a constant voltage mode, which includes a transition point estimated open circuit voltage, a transition point voltage, a transition point current and a transition point battery temperature, is analyzed based on voltage, current, temperature and capacity information measured during the charging process. A battery degradation index is calculated from the transition point information.

Batteries gradually deteriorate due to various factors such as the change of using environment and the increase of number of charging/discharging cycles. During the deteriorating process, various measuring tools are used to measure degradation parameters of the battery to determine whether the battery is still suitable for use.
Some techniques have been proposed for measuring the battery degradation parameters, for example, in US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/133744, U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,171, U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,513 and JP Patent Application Publication No. 2007-178333. US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/133744 utilizes an interference source to detect an internal resistance of a battery and thereby determine degradation degrees of the battery. However, in this method, an additional device is required to generate the interference source, which increases the system hardware cost.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,171 detects a remaining available capacity and capacity degradation information of a battery by recording an impedance curve of the battery. Besides, U.S. Pat. No. 6,433,513 determines the degradation degrees of a battery and predicts its service life based on a charged amount corresponding to a voltage period of the battery during charging. However, both above methods require a huge table to be established for recording or calculating the degradation degrees and a continuous update of the recorded data, thereby increasing the system complexity.
In JP Patent Application Publication No. 2007-178333, when the battery is switched from a constant current charging to a constant voltage charging, the battery is first rested for a period of time and a voltage change rate of the battery is measured to thereby detect the degradation degrees of the battery. However, in this method, the charging operation of the battery is required to be interrupted to measure the battery degradation.

Method for estimating battery degradation

Industrial Technology Research Institute


A laboratory method used for isolating and identifying fruit oligosaccharides from ripe banana fruit is provided. The method includes the step of obtaining a predetermined amount of a plant, such as banana fruit and combining it with ethanol. The method also includes the step of isolating an oligosaccharide from the plant without adding heat to the ethanol. The method can be used to isolate and identify neokestose-1,6-diphosphate.

This invention relates to a method of testing for a fruit oligosaccharide. More specifically, this invention relates to a method of isolating and identifying fruit oligosaccharides in banana fruit.
Kestoses are fructosyl sucrose derivatives that are found in many plants, including bananas. In Biochem J. 48(1) 114-126 (1951), Bacon and Eldeman found bananas contain neokestose and 6-kestose, which are trisaccharides, and bifrucose, which is a tetraose. The isolation and identification of these oligosaccharides are important as they hold a potential key to the treatment of various diseases.
Fruit oligosaccharides have been found to inhibit glycolysis, which is used by various life-threatening diseases. For instance, cancer cells have a high glycolytic rate when compared to healthy tissue. By inhibiting glycolysis, fruit oligosaccharides can be used to treat cancer patients.
Fruit oligosaccharides can also act as an inhibitor in the treatment of other diseases. The inhibition of glycolytic aldolase A and C has been shown to assist in preventing neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotropic lateral schlerosis (ALS) and Alzheimers Disease. Aldolase inhibition may also be a key to treatment of tuberculosis by stifling the metabolism of Mycobacterium tuberculosi.
Various methods of isolation and identification have been used in the past. Using an acetate conversion, fruit oligosaccharides have been analyzed using carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (CNMR) to determine the isomeric kestoses in plants by Forythe et al. in Plant Physiol. 92(4) 1014-1020 (1990) and Forsythe and Feather in Carbohydr. Res. 185 315-319 (1989). 2D-NMR has also been used by Lieu et al. in Carbohydr. Res. 18; 217 43-49 (1991) to make chemical shift assignment to 6-kestose and neokestose. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization coupled with time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) have been used by Sukzuki et al. in Plant Physiol. 170(8) 715-722 (2013) to confirm the presence of fructans in plant tissue, such as asparagus tissue. Other methods, such as zone electrophoresis used by Fuller et al. Biochem. J. 64(4) 657-663 (1956), paper chromatography, celite column chromatography, silica gel chromatography, and thin layer chromatography (TLC), have been used to separate and identify molecules.
Despite these advances in plant oligosaccharide isolation and identification, problems remain. Specifically, none of these methods have allowed for the isolation and structural characterization of phosphorylated or di-phosphorylated kestoses in plants. For instance, Agopia et al. n J. Agric. And Food Chem. 57(22) 10765-10771 (2009), claimed to confirm the presence of nekestose, 6-kestose, and bifurcose in banana 'prata,' but was unable to report any phosphorylated or di-phosphorylated kestoses.
Additionally, researchers, such as Shiomi in J. of the Faculty of Agriculture-Hokkaido University 54(4) 548-556 (1978), have used ethanol in a boiling water bath to complete extraction. Others, like Bacon and Edelman in Biochem J. 48(1) 114-126 (1951), have heated the mixtures to 80° C. for a period of 10 to 15 minutes to allow extraction. The heating of ethanol is time consuming, dangerous, destructive, and inefficient.
Thus, it is a primary objective of the invention to provide a method for isolating a fruit oligosaccharide in order to determine the oligosaccharide's disease-treatment capabilities.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a method for identifying a fruit oligosaccharide in order to determine the oligosaccharide's disease-treatment capabilities.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a method for characterizing phosphorylated and di-phosphorylated kestoses.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a hydride addition reaction for discernment of phosphate/sulfate ester substitution.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a method of extraction that does not use heat.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a method of extraction that has increased efficiency.
Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a method of extraction that is not unnecessarily degenerative.
These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.

Method of isolating and identifying fruit oligosaccharides from ripe banana fruit


The present invention discloses a novel pH sensitive copolymer synthesized from lactide macromers and basic monomers. This composition comprises an acrylate or methacrylate ester of low molecular weight oligomeric lactide copolymerized with basic monomer. These copolymers show pH sensitive dissolution behavior which can be exploited for pharmaceutical applications.

pH-responsive conformation with solubility changes is common behavior in biopolymers. The pH-responsive polymers consist of ionizable groups that can accept and donate protons in response to the environmental pH. As the environmental pH changes, the degree of ionization in a polymer bearing weakly ionizable groups is dramatically altered at a specific pH. (Eun Seok Gil, Samuel M. Hudson. Prog. Polym. Sci. 29, (2004) pp. 1173-1222). This rapid change in net charge of pendant groups causes an alteration in the hydrodynamic volume of the polymer chains. The transition from collapsed state to expanded state is due to the osmotic pressure exerted by mobile counter ions neutralizing the network charges (S. R. Tonge, B. J. Tighe, Adv Drug Deliv Rev 53 (2001), pp. 109-122).
The polymers containing ionizable groups in their backbone form polyelectrolytes in the aqueous system. There are two types of pH-responsive polyelectrolytes; weak polyacids and weak polybases. Weak polyacids such as poly(acrylic acid) get ionized at neutral and high pH (O. E. Philippova, D. Hourdet, R. Audebert and A. R. Khokhlov, Macromolecules 30 (1997), pp. 8278-8285). On the other hand, polybases like poly (4-vinylpyridine) get ionized at low pH. (V. T. Pinkrah, M. J. Snowden, J. C. Mitchell, J. Seidel, B. Z. Chowdhry and G. R. Fern, Langmuir 19 (2003), pp. 585-590). These vinyl pyridine polymers undergo a phase transition below pH 5 owing to protonation of pyridine groups (J. Gohy, B. G. G. Lohmeijer, S. K. Varshney, B. Decamps, E. Leroy, S. Boileau and U.S. Schubert, Macromolecules 35 (2002), pp. 9748-9755).
Most pH-responsive polymer systems are designed by combining functional domains to control the pH-responsive properties. Hydrophobically modified pH-responsive polymers have a sensitive balance between charge repulsion and hydrophobic interactions. Weak polybase based hydrogels have been investigated as drug delivery matrices for the release in stomach where the pH is acidic. These hydrogels release drugs at acidic pH in the stomach, because they are swollen.
A pH-sensitive chitosan-poly(Vinyl Pyridine) (PVP), semi-IPN was reported as a controlled release system for antibiotic delivery (M. V. Risbud, A. A. Hardikar, S. V. Bhat and R. R. Bhonde, J Control Release 68 (2000), pp. 23-30.).Antibacterial activities of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) and poly(styrene-random-4-vinyl pyridine)copolymers were investigated (Park, Eun Soo; Kim, Hun Sik; Kim, Mal Nam; Yoon, Jin San European Polymer Journal, 40(2004), pp. 2819-2822).
Copolymers of poly (4-vinylpyridine) with methyl acrylate were used as tablet coatings. These coatings required 2-4 hours for disintegration in water and 5-15 minutes for disintegration in artificial gastric juice. (Polymer tablet coatings. Tanabe Seiyaku Co. Ltd. (1959), GB 888131 19590725).
Homopolymers of 2-vinyl-, 4-vinyl-, 2-methyl-5-vinyl-, and 2-vinyl-5-ethylpyridine, were prepared by using either Benzoyl peroxide or potassium persulphate as catalyst. Copolymers of each of these compounds with styrene, vinyl acetate, Methyl acrylate, and acrylonitrile were synthesized. These polymers were excellent carriers for the release in gastric juice. (Utsumi, Isamu; Ida, Tadao; Takahashi, Shoji; Sugimoto, Norio. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 50 (1961), pp. 592-7).
A diblock copolymer of 4-vinyl pyridine (4-VP) and tert-Bu acrylate was polymerized via RAFT. These polymers can serve as protected precursors of block polyampholytes. Upon cleavage of the protecting groups, a block copolymer that was responsive to pH and electrolyte concentration was formed. (Lokitz, Brad S.; Ayres, Neil; Convertine, Anthony J.; McCormick, Charles L. Abstracts of Papers, 228th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, Pa., United States, Aug. 22-26, 2004).
The copolymerization of butyl acrylate was carried out with 2- and 4-vinylpyridine. Copolymer compositions were determined spectrophotometrically by monitoring vinyl pyridine absorption at 263 mμ. (Funt, B. L.; Ogryzlo, E. A. J. Polymer. Sci. 25, (1957), pp. 279-84.)
Biodegradable polyesters derived from aliphatic hydroxy carboxylic acids have been developed for medical applications such as surgical sutures, drugh delivery devices, tissue supports, and implants for internal bone fixation [S. W. Shalaby and A. Johnson In: S. W. Shalaby, Editor, Biomedical polymers: Designed-to-degrade systems, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich (1994), pp. 1-34., R. L. Dunn In: J. O. Hollinger, Editor, Biomedical applications of synthetic biodegradable polymers, CRC Press, Boca Raton (1995), pp. 17-31., V. Maquet and R. Jerome Mater. Sci. Forum 250 (1997), pp. 15-42).
Most of these materials are made from high-molecular-weight linear polyesters like polylactides, polyglycolides and their copolymers (D. E. Perrin and J. P. English In: A. J. Domb, J. Kost and D. M. Wiseman, Editors, Handbook of biodegradable polymers, Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam (1997), pp. 3-27).
Less attention has been paid to oligomeric esters, because these oligomers normally do not have the mechanical and thermal properties required for sutures or implants. Recent work on the synthesis of liquid or low melt oligolactones offers an interesting approach to a new class of biodegradable materials usable for example to produce injectable drug delivery systems, implant coatings or soft tissue augmentations (G. Coullerez, C. Lowe, P. Pechy, H. H. Kausch and J. Hilborn J. Mater. Sci: Mater. Med. 11 (2000), pp. 505-510). In addition, biodegradable polymer networks and composites can be prepared from these oligoesters terminated with unsaturated functional groups (D. K. Han and J. A. Hubbell Macromolecules 30 (1997), pp. 6077-6083).
A series of novel linear and star-shaped oligolactide macromers were prepared and used for the fabrication of highly porous polymer network scaffolds of controlled shape. In vitro studies on the cultivation of osteoblasts on these materials demonstrated that the prepared polymer networks possess excellent biocompatibility and that they are well suited as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. (Matthias Schnabelrauch, Sebastian Vogta, Yves Larcherb and Ingo Wilkeb Biomolecular Engineering, 19 (2-6), (2002), pp. 295-298).
Cyclic tin alkoxides were used to initiate controlled ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-Lactide, yielding a series of lactide macromonomers. Double bond of the initiator was successfully incorporated into the synthesized macromonomers which is well-suited for postpolymerization into a brush like polymer. (Ryner, M.; Finne, A.; Albertsson, A. C.; Kricheldorf, H. R. Macromolecules 34, (2001), pp. 7281-7287.) This unsaturated macromonomer provided a variety of opportunities for further modifications. The incorporated C═C double bond was oxidized into epoxides. (Finne, Anna; Albertsson, Ann-Christine. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 42(3), (2004), pp. 444-452)
Poly (D, L) lactide diacrylate macromer was used to develop a new family of biodegradable hydrogels with photo-crosslinked dextran derivative of allyl isocyanate. The changes in thermal and mechanical properties of these hydrogels as function of dextran and lactide macromer composition were investigated. (Zhang, Yeli; Chu, Chih-Chang. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine 13(8), (2002), pp. 773-781).
A series of temperature and pH-sensitive hydrogels based on poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) and three-arm poly (D, L-lactide) macromer were synthesized via photo-copolymerization. Lactide macromer was synthesized by first reacting lactide with Glycerol and then reacting the three arm poly-lactide with methacryloyl chloride and triethylamine. (Wang, Chau-Hui; Hsiue, Ging-Ho. Journal of Polymer Science, Part A: Polymer Chemistry 40(8), (2002), pp. 1112-1121). Novel difunctional oligolactone macromers have been synthesized by ring-opening oligomerization of various lactones (L-lactide, glycolide, p-dioxanone) in the presence of suitable diols (propane-1, 2-diol, dianhydro-D-glucitol) and subsequent end capping of the formed oligolactones with methacrylate moieties. Highly porous scaffolds were fabricated from these macromers. The oligolactide based polymer networks possess excellent biocompatibility and are promising candidates as scaffolds in bone tissue engineering. (Haris, Parvez I.; Vogt, S.; Berger, S.; Wilke, I.; Larcher, Y.; Weisser, J.; Schnabelrauch, M. Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering 15(1, 2), (2005), pp. 73-85)
To date much work has been done on copolymerization of acrylate monomers with polyacids or polybases to get pH sensitive polymers. Such copolymers are high molecular weights and they are being used in variety of applications described above. Methacrylate oligomers and unsaturated lactide oligomers were synthesized to obtain low molecular weight macromers of lactide and were used as biodegradable drug delivery systems after proper modification. Mainly they were cross linked with suitable monomers to get hydrogels and their biodegradability and swelling behavior was studied. Scaffolds were also designed and were investigated for their biocompatibility. But no effort was made to copolymerize lactide macromer with polybases or polyacids to get pH sensitive polymers of low molecular weight.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

pH sensitive macromer based copolymer and a process for the preparation thereof

Council of Scientific & Industrial Research


A synchronous semiconductor memory circuit permits faster capture of data and faster transfer of internal data. The output of a master latch circuit (11) of an input register (5A) serves as an output signal (A1) of the register, and an output (RA) of a slave latch circuit (12) is fed back to the input. A multiplexer (4A) for switching between the output and an input signal (A) is disposed before an input register (5A) to control a switching signal (burst operation) depending on whether there is an external input signal to be captured. At the same time, an internal pulse (CP2) is generated by a clock edge and applied to a decoder circuit (7A) and used as a pulse forming signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synchronous semiconductor memory circuit and, more particularly, to a synchronous semiconductor memory circuit having an input register which captures input data at the voltage edge of each clock control signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A synchronous memory has a clock input CLK which is a control signal for capturing or holding an input signal; a register or latch circuit provided for each input is controlled according to the foregoing control signal so as to eliminate the variations in respective input signals before introducing them inside. Once the input signals are taken in, changes in the input signals cause no problem because the input data can be held internally. To be more specific, storing operation is not affected by a shifted or reduced timing width of input information received from outside, thus making the synchronous memory suited for accomplishing higher operating frequencies. This concept is basically involved in designing a computer system; such a clock control register IC or the like has been installed in an input signal generating section of an synchronous memory. In recent years, there has been an increasing trend toward incorporating such a clock control register IC in the memory in order to achieve higher speed and also to reduce the number of ICs on a system board.
Referring to FIG. 6, a burst SRAM having an input register will be described as a conventional example of a synchronous memory circuit. The burst is a function for holding address data received from outside as it is, while generating a part of address data internally; this function is required for SRAM employed as a cache memory. A burst switching logic is added to a clock control path. An input address Add passes through an input buffer 1 and it is supplied as an internal signal A to a register circuit 5A.
A control signal CLK turns into an internal clock signal C via a buffer 3; likewise, a burst switching signal Burst turns into an internal signal B via a buffer 2. These signals B and C undergo the logical operation performed by a multiplexer 4B; the signals B and C turn into a register control clock CB via a buffer 10 before it is applied to a plurality of registers 5A. In an example of the circuit of the multiplexer 4B shown in FIG. 7, one of two input signals C1 and C2 is selected based on the control signal B. Pairs of a p-channel MOS transistor (pMOS) and an n-channel MOS transistor (nMOS) compose transfer switches 21 and 22, respectively. The selected transfer switch 21 or 22 based on the control signal B is turned ON so as to take out the selected input signal as an output CB. The input register 5A accepts the output A of the buffer 1 as input data; it is composed of a latch circuit 11, i.e. a master latch circuit, which uses the register control clock CB as a latch clock and another latch circuit 12, i.e. a slave latch circuit, which receives the output of the latch circuit 11 as input data thereof and uses the inverted signal of the register control clock CB, which has been issued by an inverter 13, as a latch clock. FIG. 8 shows an example of the latch circuits 11 and 12, wherein pMOS and nMOS serving as a transfer switch 31 are connected to an input IN, and the output thereof passes through an inverter 33 to provide an output OUT. At the same time, the signal of the output OUT is inverted by an inverter 34, then the inverted signal passes through the pMOS and nMOS of a transfer switch 32 to be fed back to the input end of the inverter 33. When the output CB is at low level, the transfer switch 31 turns ON and the transfer switch 32 turns OFF, thus setting a through mode. Conversely, when the output CB is at high level, the transfer switch 31 turns OFF and the transfer switch 32 turns ON, thus setting a latch mode by the flip-flop formed by the two inverters 33 and 34. An output A1 of the input register 5A provides an input signal of a decoder circuit 7A which passes through three AND gates 14, 15, and 16 to select a word line WL in this circuit example. It is necessary to add a signal CD for forming WL into a pulse signal to the signal applied to the last AND gate 16. For this purpose, a circuit method known as "pulse word" is used because, in the case of a synchronous system, the timing at which internal circuitry is actuated by the control signal CLK can be controlled, so that a memory cell is selected only for a required time. This method makes it possible to limit the time during which the circuit is in an activated state, permitting power saving or a longer time allowed for precharging of a digit line, contributing to higher speed. The pulse signal CD is generated as a one-shot pulse based on the internal clock C by a pulse generating circuit 6 and it is made via a delaying circuit 8B for adjusting timing. As shown by a circuit example in FIG. 9, the pulse generating circuit 6 is constituted by an input C and an AND gate 42 which accepts the output of an inverting logic circuit 41 serving also as a delay circuit.
The operation of the conventional circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 10 which shows a timing chart. The internal signal C of the control signal CLK is controlled by the internal signal B in the multiplexer 4B. Then the internal signal B is at the low level, data is accepted from outside, and the internal clock C is transferred to the output CB so that the signal is distributed to each register circuit 5A in a chip. When the internal signal B is at the high level, the burst mode is engaged; the output CB is fixed at the low level and therefore no data can be taken in from outside. The relationship of timing between the output CB and an address input A coming into the input register 5A is represented by setup ts and hold tH in the chart. Ideally, the timing margin is maintained so that ts and t.sub.H are equal. The output CB has a large delay because it actuates all the input registers 5A, while the internal signal A has a small delay because it actuates only one input buffer. Hence, the signal CB is designed to be the quickest and the internal signal A is delayed to make adjustment according to the signal CB. In the input register 5A, at the rising edge of the output CB, the master latch circuit 11 in a first stage changes from the through mode to the latch mode to hold data; at the same time, the slave latch circuit 12 in the following stage unlatches the retained data of the preceding cycle, and new data of the master latch circuit 11 in the first stage is transferred internally in the through mode. This operation captures the input address Add at the edge of the control signal CLK; the time elapsed from the signal CB to the signal A1 is the delay time at the input register 5A. The time elapsed from the internal signal A1 to an internal signal A3 is the delay time at the decoding circuit 7A; the pulse signal CD must be later than the signal A3. More specifically, without timing margin tm, a selected pulse would undesirably be issued after the pulse of preceding data is issued, resulting in multiple selection or variations in pulse width. To secure the time margin tm, a pulse signal CP produced by the pulse generating circuit 6 need to be provided with delay by the delay circuit 8B. In this way, the WL pulse always starts and ends at the timing determined by the CD pulse, ensuring stable pulse operation independent of a cycle time.
In the conventional synchronous memory circuit described above, the delay of the critical path from the input of the control signal CLK to the WL selection involved in the section from the input register 5A to the decoder circuit 7A for the pulse word selection may be represented by the total of the delay elements shown below:
1. From the input of the control signal CLK to the generation of the internal clock C: CLK.fwdarw.C PA0 2. Distribution to the multiplexer 4B and all the input registers 5A: C.fwdarw.CB PA0 3. Output delay of the registers 5A: CB.fwdarw.A1 PA0 4. Delay of decoder: A1.fwdarw.A3 PA0 5. Timing margin relative to pulse signal A3: tm PA0 6. Delay of the word driver in the last stage: CD.fwdarw.WL
The circuitry must be designed to minimize the total of the above delay elements to achieve higher speed; however, merely minimizing the total delay is not enough for accomplishing markedly higher speed. Achieving higher speed of the critical path is becoming indispensable for realizing a synchronous memory which operates at a higher operating frequency.

Synchronous semiconductor memory circuit


A circuit for improving amplification and noise characteristics of a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET), and a frequency mixer, an amplifier and an oscillator using the circuit are provided. A gate terminal of the MOSFET is connected to a body terminal of the MOSFET through a capacitor and the gate and body terminals of the MOSFET are connected to a current source to simultaneously provide a signal to both the gate terminal and the body terminal, in order to improve amplification and noise characteristics of the MOSFET. As a result, a higher level of amplification and a lower level of noise than the conventional art can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit for improving amplification and noise characteristics of a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET), and a frequency mixer, an amplifier and an oscillator using the circuit. More particularly, the present invention relates to a circuit for improving amplification and noise characteristics of a MOSFET which enables a MOSFET receiving and amplifying a signal to obtain a greater degree of amplification and a lower level of noise than when using a conventional circuit, and a frequency mixer, an amplifier and an oscillator using the circuit,
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, wireless communication technology is developing at an accelerating pace, and communication standards are established according to the intended purpose of the technology. A current goal in the development of wireless communication technology is the incorporation of various communication standards into a single mobile communication device.
To provide simultaneous compatibility with various different standards, a Direct-Conversion method is widely used. However, to reduce signal distortion, a frequency mixer having excellent 1/f noise characteristics is required. The noise characteristics of the frequency mixer are very important because they have a considerable effect on overall 1/f noise in a transceiver, and 1/f noise causes serious signal distortion in a standard having a narrow frequency bandwidth.
Accordingly, additional inductors or capacitors are used to make filter circuits filter out noise-band signals and thereby improve noise characteristics. Also, a passive device, which has better noise characteristics than an active device, is used to reduce signal distortion. However, a frequency mixer formed of passive devices does not amplify a signal but rather attenuates it.

Circuit for improving amplification and noise characteristics for MOSFET, and frequency mixer, amplifier and oscillator using the circuit

Research and Industrial Cooperation Group


The present invention relates to a method for the control of a filling machine (A) for the filling of containers (C) with liquid filling material, wherein the filling machine comprises at least two controllable filling elements (1, 2, 30, 31) each having at least one filling sensor, and wherein by way of the filling sensors the termination of filling of the respective filling element is controlled. According to the invention a first filling element (1) will, in case of failure of its filling sensor, be controlled synchronously to a following second filling element (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the control of a filling machine for the filling of containers with liquid filling material, preferably for the control of a rotary filler for the filling of beverage containers with beverages.
2. Description of Related Art
Filling machines and especially rotary fillers for the filling of liquid filling material into containers are well known in the prior art. Known filling machines typically comprise filling elements through which the liquid filling material is passed to reach the respective containers to be filled. Usually the respective filling process is started at a specified machine position, i.e. at the start of the filling angle, and is terminated upon reaching a specified final condition. The final condition for the filling process may for example be a filling quantity, a filling weight or a filling level to be reached in the respective container. By means of an appropriate filling sensor this final condition is monitored. If the final condition will not be reached before the end of the filling angle the filling method is necessarily terminated upon reaching the end of the filling angle.
During the actual filling process the filling element may provide different flow rates which are controlled according to a specified routine. For example, to avoid excessive foaming, a lower flow may be provided at the beginning of the filling process. During an intermediate period maximal flow may then be provided to accomplish rapid filling of the container. Upon reaching the end of the filling process reduced flow rate may in turn be provided to facilitate exact filling of the container and reaching the final condition without any problems.
The filling sensor for the detection of the presence of the final condition is for example given in form of a flow sensor for the determination of the flow rate of the liquid filling material through the filling element, a weight sensor or a weighing cell for the determination of the filling weight of the liquid filling material in the container, a back pressure sensor in a Pitot tube or a short circuit sensor on a probe for the determination of a specified filling level in a container, or a volume sensor for the determination of the filling volume introduced into the container. Upon reaching the specified volume, the specified quantity, the specified weight and/or the specified filling level the filling element will be closed and the filling process for this container is terminated.
If such a filling sensor for the determination of filling termination of a filling element in a filling machine fails, filling termination may no longer be exactly determined. Overfilling of the container will result since the filling element will not terminate before the end of the filling angle, i.e. at a point in time which is specified by the machine position—independent of the proper filling state of the container. The resulting overfilled bottle is identified as a defective filling and must be eliminated from the system. Basically, in a rotary filler in each filling cycle such an overfilled container is generated so that the performance will significantly be compromised. Simultaneously, increased contamination of the filling machine by the overflow of the respective overfilled containers may occur.
In the known filling methods the problem of a defective filling sensor is solved by way of completely shutting down the affected filling element. In this way generation of overfilled containers is avoided. From shutting down the affected filling element, however, a loss of filling performance will result since with each filling element which is shut down filling performance will get lost. Furthermore, upon shutting down the affected filling element in each filling cycle an empty container is produced for each shut down filling element which as well has to be eliminated in the following quality control process.
From DE 10 2006 029 490 B4 it is known to measure the filling time required by an intact filling sensor and to control a filling element having a defective filling sensor on the basis of said identified filling time. In this way by using the filling time which was measured for an intact filling element the filling element with the defective filling sensor may still be operated. For this, the valve opening signal for the defective filling element must be delayed to accomplish opening and closing of the defective filling element in correspondence to the desired machine angle or the desired position within the filling machine, respectively.
The known method suffers from the fact that for obtaining measurement of the filling time of the intact filling element at least one revolution of the filling machine must be passed. Accordingly, upon occurrence of failure of a filling sensor at least two defectively filled containers are generated, i.e. a first defectively filled, overfilled container, allowing to assume failure of the filling sensor in the first place, and a second defectively filled container which either is also overfilled or which, having a shut down filling element, is underfilled accordingly, while the filling time of a filling element having an intact filling sensor is being determined.

Method for the control of a filling machine


To provide a thermoplastic resin composition for cleaning a molding processing machine, which has good cleaning performance and workability in cleaning an inner side of a molding processing machine of thermoplastic resin, such as an extruder and an injection molding machine. A thermoplastic resin composition for cleaning a molding processing machine, which includes (A) a thermoplastic resin containing a styrene-based resin, (B) an alkaline metal salt of a fatty acid, (C) a nonionic surfactant, and (D) a metal salt of an acidic phosphoric ester.

As a cleaning agent for cleaning a molding processing machine of a thermoplastic resin composition, there is known one obtained by combining a base resin and other components.
In JP-A 2010-95624, JP-A 2010-95625, JP-A 2011-46808, JP-A 10-279816, and JP-A 2007-21765, there are disclosed cleaning compositions in which a base resin and an anionic surfactant are combined.

Thermoplastic resin composition for cleaning molding processing machine


A hybrid flexible wire shaft having an inner portion with the characteristics of a push/pull shaft having at least one layer of wire groups helically wound on a core wire at a relatively high pitch angle, and an outer portion with the characteristics of a torsional transmission flexible shaft having two or more layers of wire groups wound on the central portion at a relatively low pitch angle. Each layer of the outer group is wound in a direction opposite to the wind direction of each adjacent layer of that group. In an alternate construction, the high and low pitch portions are reversed and an additional outer layer is provided which is wound in a direction opposite to the outermost layer of the high pitch portion.

The present invention relates to a flexible wire cable or shaft for transmitting torque, compression (pushing) and tension (pulling) forces, or all three-types of forces.
Some prior art push/pull wire wound cables, and some prior art torque transmission wire wound flexible shafts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 571,869; 1,811,697; 1,905,197; 1,952,301; 2,000,997; 2,401,100; 3,043,120; 3,192,795; 3,242,691; 3,274,846; 3,705,489; 3,791,898; 3,979,896; 4,112,708; 4,629,707; 4,655,610; and 5,288,270.
Prior art push/pull wire cables which are designed to transmit compression and tension forces usually consist of a central core wire and one or two layers of a group of equal diameter wires helically wound about the core in the same direction with a high pitch angle, typically in the 70° range. Such cables are not suitable for use in transmitting torque because:                a. Since the wire layers are wound in the same direction, they tend to unwind if an attempt is made to transmit torque in a direction opposite to the wind direction.        b. Since the pitch angle is high, most of an applied longitudinal compression Qr tension force is transmitted efficiently through the wires but only a relatively small part of an applied torsional force is transmitted efficiently through the wires. As a result, a relatively large diameter cable of the push/pull construction type is required to transmit a given torsional force, as compared with a flexible wire wound shaft designed to transmit torsional force.        c. Push/pull wire cables of the aforementioned construction are relatively stiff in bending as compared with flexible shafts designed for transmitting torque, such stiffness being an undesirable characteristic.
On the other hand, flexible wire shafts designed to transmit torque generally consist of a central core upon which multiple layers of wire groups are wound, with adjacent layers being wound in opposite pitch directions, with a substantially lower pitch angle (typically 55° or less, a range of 30° to 55° being preferred) than that of the layers of a push/pull wire cable. This construction results in significantly greater flexibility and higher torque transmission capability for a given diameter, as compared with push/pull cables. However, these shafts have a considerably greater tendency than push/pull wire cables to unwind when subjected to compression forces.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flexible wire cable which exhibits favorable characteristics of both push/pull cables and torsion-transmitting flexible shafts.


One example method includes performing, in an edge device that includes a power source, operations including monitoring a running process and obtaining, based on the monitoring, power consumption information associated with the running process, adjusting, based on the power consumption information, a priority of the running process, and providing, to an entity, the power consumption information and/or information concerning the priority of the running process.

Serverless and microservice architectures and processes may provide significant scale opportunities, but these advances may also be characterized by a larger overall power consumption and complexity footprints as compared with traditional monolithic architectures. Consequently, there may be more processes/tasks sitting in idle states and utilizing power resources without providing immediate value to customers.
Power consumption concerns extend to other areas as well. For example, edge deployed devices, such as mobile phones for example, have limited battery life and mesh or edge-based compute processes may consume a significant portion of this limited battery life from the users of the edge device where the compute processes run. Rather than cope with short battery life that results from such power consumption, edge device users may simply uninstall applications in an attempt to achieve some preservation of battery life.
However, end users do not typically have visibility into which applications or tasks are consuming the most power. As a result, the users cannot easily make usage decisions that prioritize energy efficiency and make effective use of available battery power. Also, when aggregated to the broader application footprint, the environmental impact of inefficient energy usage due, for example, to multiple inefficient applications being run on multiple devices, can be significant.

Telemetry enabled power minimization in mesh and edge computing


The present invention provides a touch panel substrate that allows for greater design freedom when designing conductive wire patterns for reducing occurrence of the moiré effect. The touch panel substrate includes: a first electrode layer that includes first conductive wires and second conductive wires; and a second electrode layer that includes third conductive wires and fourth conductive wires. When viewed in a plan view, the first conductive wires and the third conductive wires form first quadrilaterals, and the second conductive wires and the fourth conductive wire form second quadrilaterals. The first quadrilaterals and the second quadrilaterals are not identical to one another.

In recent years, integration of the input unit and the display unit in electronic devices has become more common in pursuit of more intuitive operation and miniaturization of the devices. Particularly in mobile electronic devices such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and notebook computers, a touch panel than can detect the position at which the screen of the device is contacted by an object for detection (such as a finger or a stylus) is often integrated into the display surface of the display device.
There are a variety of types of well known conventional touch panels such as the so-called resistive touch panels and capacitive touch panels. Among these, capacitive touch panels are used especially widely.
Capacitive touch panels detect the position at which the screen of the device is contacted by a finger or stylus by detecting the associated change in electrostatic capacitance that occurs.
In many cases, the so-called sensor electrodes that detect the position at which an object contacts the screen of the device are formed using indium tin oxide (ITO) or the like. However, in large-screen touch panel-equipped devices, the resistance of the ITO sensor electrodes increases to a point at which the detection ability of the device decreases.
Therefore, the sensor electrodes are sometimes formed using metal wires arranged in a mesh pattern (lattice pattern) in order to decrease the resistance of the sensor electrodes.
When using mesh-shaped sensor electrodes, visual interference sometimes occurs between the pixel array pattern of the display device and the mesh pattern of the sensor electrodes when the touch panel substrate and the display device are fixed together. This interference is known as the moiré effect. The moiré effect also sometimes occurs due to the positional relationship between sensor electrodes that run vertically and sensor electrodes that run horizontally. Occurrence of the moiré effect is not preferable because it can decrease the clarity of the images displayed on the display surface of the display device.
Patent Document 1 discloses a touch panel device in which occurrence of the moiré effect is reduced by overlaying a first electrode and a second electrode.
FIG. 20 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of the touch panel device disclosed in Patent Document 1, in which the first electrode and the second electrode are overlaid. The touch panel device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of mutually parallel first electrodes 203 and a plurality of mutually parallel second electrodes 205 that intersect with the first electrodes 203. The first electrodes 203 and the second electrodes 205 each have a diamond lattice pattern, and when the first electrodes 203 and the second electrodes 205 are overlaid, a square-shaped interference pattern occurs in directions that are rotated at angles θ and 90°−θ relative to a first direction parallel to the direction in which the terminals of each first electrode 203 are arranged or relative to a second direction parallel to the direction in which the terminals of each second electrode 205 are arranged.
This reduces occurrence of the moiré effect when the first electrodes 203 and the second electrodes 205 are overlaid in the touch panel device disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Touch panel substrate, electronic device, and production method for electronic device


Four cockroach allergens are purified, described, characterized and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence responsible for expression of the allergen, and the amino acid sequence thereof, are set forth. These allergens induce IgE antibody binding, which may generate an allergic or asthmatic response in sensitive individuals. The allergens are expressed by one of the dominant cockroach strains in the United States, B. germanica. Sequence analysis allows classification of the allergens in major protein classifications.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the isolation, purification and characterization of four separate cockroach allergens identified as binding to IgE antibodies in humans, and thereby inducing, in sensitive individuals, an allergic or asthmatic response. Specifically, four cockroach allergens, designated according to the WHO allergens nomenclature as Bla g 2, Bla g 4, Bla g 5, and Bla g 6 are identified, Bla 4, 5 and 6 having never before been purified. Additionally, the nucleotide sequences for the genes responsible for expression of these allergens are given, and the amino acids sequences therefore. Recombinant expression of the allergens is achieved, leading to modification of the same.
2. Background of the Prior Art.
It has been known since at least 1964 that cockroaches (CR) produce potent allergens that can cause asthma and allergic respiratory disease. Numerous attempts over the past twenty years have been made to identify the important CR allergens that cause allergic (IgE) antibody responses in CR sensitive patients. CR extracts used for allergy testing comprise aqueous extracts of ground CR bodies. These extracts contain many other CR proteins in addition to the relevant allergens. The approach adopted by many research groups has been to use biochemical separation and purification techniques to isolate the allergens and to assess their allergenic importance by reactivity, in vitro and in vivo, with IgE antibody. Using this approach, some allergens have been characterized according to their molecule size and charge, and reactivity with IgE. Two of these were sufficiently well characterized to be included in the WHO allergens nomenclature, Bla g 1 and Bla g 2.
Notwithstanding these advances, the actual protein structures of the allergens were not known. Further, only the two allergens had been purified. It was not, therefore, possible to define the chemical structures of these allergens. This precludes developing information to determine antigenic sites in the molecules (IgE binding epitopes), or other information involved in the immune response. Additionally, isolation of the nucleotide sequence is a pre-requisite to its recombinant expression, and modification, through fusion technology, site-specific and site-directed mutation, and the like, so as to develop methods of treating and diagnosing CR allergies. The same has been successfully done in analagous areas, such as in connection with the house dust mite allergen Der P 2.
Isolation, characterization, and recombinant expression of the CR allergens can be used to improve methods of diagnosing CR allergy, which are currently confined to generic extract scratch testing, which precludes identifying the specific allergen responsible; developing new treatments for CR allergies and developing methods for controlling CR infestation.
Accordingly, it remains an object of those of ordinary skill in the art to purify, characterize, sequence and recombinantly express CR allergens.

Molecular cloning of cockroach allergens, amino acid and nucleotide sequences therefore and recombinant expression thereof

The University of Virginia Patent Foundation


A balance filter includes two acoustic wave filters connected between a single unbalanced terminal and two balanced terminals, and a ground terminal connected to the two acoustic wave filters via a first interconnection portion and a second interconnection portion. The first interconnection portion is connected to the two acoustic wave filters, and the second interconnection portion is connected to the first interconnection portion in a region that is located between the two acoustic wave filters and extends in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the two acoustic wave filters are aligned.

Recently, compact and light surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters have been used as filters in mobile communication devices in terms of downsizing, weight saving and frequency raising. It is now required to reduce the number of parts to achieve further improvements in downsizing and weight saving of the mobile communication devices and to realize a SAW filter having a new function. For example, a balance filter having an unbalance-balance conversion function (balun function) has been proposed. Balanced signals use a pair of signal lines and define data by the potential difference between the signal lines. The signals on the signal lines have an identical amplitude and a 180-degree phase difference. An unbalanced signal defines data by the potential of a single signal line to the ground potential.
Balance filters having the unbalance-balance conversion function are described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2003-528523 (Document 1) and 2003-124777 (Document 2). The balance filter described in Document 1 has a plurality of ground terminals. The balance filter described in Document 2 has six electrode pads on a package. Thus, there is a difficulty in further downsizing of the balance filters. If only one ground terminal is used, the degree of balance will be degraded and the bandpass characteristic will be deteriorated.

Balance filter comprising two acoustic wave filters connected to a single ground terminal


A single generally rectangular blank which can be formed into a paperboard package. The four corners of the blank are trihedral. The blank is center folded. The width of a first portion of the blank, measured parallel to the centerfold, is greater than a second portion of the blank. The blank is sealed on the two sides adjacent the centerfold to form an open package, which is then filled. The side opposite the centerfold is then sealed to close the package, forming a parallelepiped container. The seals are fin seals. The fin seal opposite the centerfold of the blank overlaps the two seals adjacent the centerfold. The three fin seals are folded flat against the sides of the package. The package may be provided with an opening through the blank. A tab may be provided to completely cover and seal around the opening in the package. The tab includes a grip portion which, when pulled upwardly, lifts the tab away from around the opening in the package. As the tab is pulled upwardly, an outer laminate layer tears away from an inner paper core of the package in the region of the seal between the tab and the package, uncovering the opening in the package. The tab will remain hingedly connected to the package along a rear tongue portion.

This invention relates in general to a rectangular package which is formed from a blank and, in particular, to a blank of paperboard material which is capable of being formed into a package which is capable of holding a liquid, semi-solid, or solid product and may be provided with a separate opening tab for enabling the top portion of the package to be completely opened. The invention also concerns a particular method of making the package.
Paperboard materials are becoming increasingly popular as a packaging material, especially in the food industry. A sheet of paperboard material used to form a package typically includes a main structural layer of paper to provide strength and rigidity to the associated package. In some instances, a layer of aluminum foil can be adhered to one surface of the paperboard to serve as a barrier layer against the passage of contaminants into the package.
Generally, both surfaces of the paperboard are then coated with a heat sealable thermoplastic material. While a number of specific constructions are known, it is generally accepted practice to fold a precut and pre-scored blank of paperboard material into a predetermined configuration, and to apply pressure and heat to certain contacting surfaces of the folded blank to form a package.
Many types of paperboard packages capable of holding a liquid and provided with some type of opening have been proposed. Examples of such packages are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,347,444; 4,317,518; 4,520,929, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,546,884, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,018, which is assigned to the assignee of this application, which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. While the packages disclosed in these patents have been found to be satisfactory for certain packaging applications, there continues to be a need in the industry for a variety of rectangular paperboard packages which are capable of being hermetically sealed and which can be produced economically.


A stand for a table saw including a table assembly and a base assembly secured under the table assembly is provided. The stand includes a leg and handle unit including two parallel leg elements, two handles at one ends of the leg elements respectively, two side rails each having one end connected to both the handle and the leg element, and a U-shaped support element at the other ends of the leg elements, vertical metal tubes each provided at an end of the side rail joining both the handle and the leg element, top of each metal tube is secured to a bottom of the table assembly; a U-shaped, tubular upper support pivotably secured to the side rail, the upper support including two opposite lateral projections; and a leg unit including two parallel leg members, and two wheels rotatably mounted at one ends of the leg members respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to table saws and more particularly to a collapsible, wheeled stand for a table saw.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior art teaches a variety of stands for supporting bench-top power tools. The prior art stands include various features for enhancing portability and mobility. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,856 to Kahle, entitled "Collapsible portable saw stand", comprises a lateral support structure, such as a platform for holding a tool; a secondary support frame having a first end pivotally attached to a first end the lateral support structure; and a main support frame pivotally attached to the secondary support frame, wherein the main support frame comprises a handle at a first end for transporting the stand in its collapsed position, and wherein the handle comprises an out feed support for the table saw when the stand is in its set up position.
A drawback of the stand of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,856 is that sturdiness is limited by the size of the legs of the stand in order to facilitate compactness of the stand.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.


A bone plate system is provided for joining together bone parts of a surgical patient. The system includes an elongated bone plate defining a longitudinal axis and having a first portion containing a first slot; a second portion containing a second slot; and a third portion containing a threaded hole. First and second compressing screws are provided for passage through the first and second slots and engagement into first and second respective bone parts. The compressing screws are configured to forcefully interact with the slots, and to urge the bone parts towards one another. A locking screw is provided for passage through the threaded hole and engagement into a third bone part.

Orthopedic surgeons are increasingly aware of the importance of properly treating midfoot fractures and dislocations, due partly to the more widespread use of CT and MRI scans. Even apparently simple avulsion fractures may be associated with significant joint damage that may lead to late pain. Since there is relatively little motion in the midfoot, successful fusion of the midfoot joints after fracture does not result in major disability. Therefore, a common surgical option for treating midfoot fractures and dislocations is fixation of adjacent bones using bone plates and/or screws.
Improvements to currently available bone plates for fusing the bones of the midfoot, as well as other bones of the foot, are needed for numerous reasons. For example, currently surgeons must first tightly draw together the bones of the midfoot before fixation with a bone plate. In some situations, it may be difficult for the surgeon to maintain the compression of bones until fixation, thereby resulting in undesirable gaps at the multi-directional, intersecting joint lines between the bones.
The following discloses novel implants, instruments, and methods for orthopedic surgery, which may be used in the bones of the foot or in other anatomies.


An equipment support includes an equipment supporting portion to support patient care equipment, a downwardly extending coupler coupled to the equipment supporting portion, an upper lock and a lower lock. The coupler has upper and lower portions configured for receipt in upper and lower sockets, respectively. The upper lock moves to a locking position to lock the upper portion to the upper socket as the lower lock moves to an unlocking position to unlock the lower portion from the lower socket. The upper lock moves to an unlocking position to unlock the upper portion from the upper socket as the lower lock moves to a locking position to lock the lower portion to the lower socket.

Hospitalized patients often require patient care equipment to be in close proximity during hospital care. Such patient care equipment is typically supported on a patient care equipment support. Illustratively, patient care equipment includes any one or more of the following: heart monitoring equipment, medical gas delivery equipment, infusion management equipment, intra-venous bags, equipment monitors, patient monitors, defibrillators, IV poles, and the like, many of which directly connect to the patient via lines or tubes.
It is desirable that patient care equipment is transferable between a patient support, such as a hospital bed, a stretcher, an ambulatory care chair, and the like, and a support structure, such as a service column, a wall-mounted equipment support arm, a stand, a cart, a headwall, a wall of a hospital room, and the like.


There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic part to be embedded in a board, including: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and having first and second main surfaces facing each other, first and second side surfaces facing each other, and first and second end surfaces facing each other; first and second internal electrodes; and first and second external electrodes formed on both end portions of the ceramic body, wherein the first external electrode includes a first base electrode and a first terminal electrode formed on a portion of the first base electrode formed on at least one of the first and second main surfaces of the ceramic body, the second external electrode includes a second base electrode and a second terminal electrode formed on a portion of the second base electrode formed on at least one of the first and second main surfaces of the ceramic body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer ceramic electronic part to be embedded in a board and a printed circuit board having a multilayer ceramic electronic part embedded therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
As electronic circuits are highly dense and integrated, a mounting space for passive devices mounted on a printed circuit board may be insufficient. To solve this problem, an attempt to embed parts in the board, that is, to provide embedded devices, has been conducted. In particular, various methods of embedding a multilayer ceramic electronic part used as a capacitive part in a board have been proposed.
As methods of providing a multilayer ceramic electronic part within a board, there is provided a method of using a board material itself as a dielectric material for a multilayer ceramic electronic part and using copper wiring, or the like as an electrode for a multilayer ceramic electronic part. Further, as other methods of implementing an embedded multilayer ceramic electronic part, there are provided a method of forming an embedded multilayer ceramic electronic part by forming a high-K polymer sheet or a dielectric thin film in a board, a method of embedding a multilayer ceramic electronic part in a board, and the like.
Generally, a multilayer ceramic electronic part includes a plurality of dielectric layers formed of a ceramic material and internal electrodes inserted between the plurality of dielectric layers. Such a multilayer ceramic electronic part in the board is disposed within a board, thereby obtaining an embedded multilayer ceramic electronic part having high capacitance.
To manufacture a printed circuit board for a multilayer ceramic electronic part to be embedded therein, via holes need to be formed in an upper plate and a lower plate by using a laser, so as to connect board wirings to external electrodes of the multilayer ceramic electronic part after inserting the multilayer ceramic electronic part into a core board. Such laser processing is a factor in considerably increasing manufacturing costs of the printed circuit board.
Meanwhile, since the multilayer ceramic electronic part needs to be embedded in the core portion of the board, a nickel/tin (Ni/Sn) plating layer does not need to be formed on the external electrode, unlike in the case of a general multilayer ceramic electronic part mounted on a surface of a board.
That is, since the external electrode of the embedded multilayer ceramic electronic part is electrically connected to a circuit in the board through a via formed of copper (Cu), instead of through a nickel/tin (Si/Sn) layer, a copper (Cu) layer needs to be formed on the external electrode.
Generally, since even the external electrode is formed of copper (Cu) as a main component but also includes glass, the glass component absorbs the laser during laser processing for forming the via in the board, and thus, it may be difficult to adjust a depth of the via.
For this reason, such a copper (Cu) plating layer has been separately formed on the external electrode of the embedded multilayer ceramic electronic part.
However, due to the separately formed copper (Cu) plating layer, manufacturing costs may be increased, and due to the permeation of a plating solution, a problem in terms of reliability may still occur. Therefore, the above problems still need to be solved.

Multilayer ceramic electronic part to be embedded in board and printed circuit board having multilayer ceramic electronic part embedded therein