Denial-of-service attacks are prevented or mitigated in a cloud compute environment, such as a multi-tenant, collaborative SaaS system. This is achieved by providing a mechanism by which characterization of “legitimate” behavior is defined for accessor classes, preferably along with actions to be taken in the event an accessor exceeds those limits. A set of accessor “usage profiles” are generated. Typically, a profile comprises information, such as one or more “constraints,” and one or more “actions.” At least one constraint is generated by applying one or more parameters of a transaction weighting function such that the resulting constraint represents an actual or estimated cost of executing the transaction. An action defines how the system will respond if a particular constraint is triggered. By applying the constraints to accessor requests, the approach prevents over-utilization of compute resources.

Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to securing information in a cloud computing or other shared deployment environment wherein disparate parties share Information Technology (IT) resources.
Background of the Related Art
An emerging information technology (IT) delivery model is cloud computing, by which shared resources, software and information are provided over the Internet to computers and other devices on-demand. Cloud computing can significantly reduce IT costs and complexities while improving workload optimization and service delivery. Cloud compute resources are typically housed in large server farms that run networked applications, typically using a virtualized architecture wherein applications run inside virtual servers, or so-called "virtual machines" (VMs), that are mapped onto physical servers in a data center facility. The virtual machines typically run on top of a hypervisor, which is a control program that allocates physical resources to the virtual machines. The different components may run on different subdomains in different physical cages in different data centers in different parts of the world, all running on different hardware with different proxy/gateway/session management capabilities and different back-end technologies.
Multiple entities (or "tenants") share the infrastructure. With this approach, a tenant's application instance is hosted and made available "as-a-service" from Internet-based resources that are accessible, e.g., through a conventional Web browser over HTTP. A cloud compute environment, such as IBM SmartCloud® for Social Business (formerly known as LotusLive®), presents to the user as a single unified experience; in operation, the end user logs-in once against a centralized authentication component, and then transparently signs-on (e.g., via SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)-based authentication and authorization techniques) into different components of the service.
Multi-tenant, collaborative SaaS (Software-As-A-Service) systems such as IBM SmartCloud® for Social Business often provide a number of different interfaces for customers. These might include: proprietary protocol-based installed end-user applications, browser-based end-user applications, mobile device servers (e.g., IBM Lotus Traveler Server) within the SaaS environment, mobile device servers outside the SaaS environment and typically used for individual customers, commercial third party products used by customers to access the SaaS system and hosted by customers, and customer applications accessing the SaaS system. This large variety of "accessors" to the cloud infrastructure complicates the service provider's ability to track usage within its shared infrastructure. Indeed, even within the "known" applications provider by the SaaS provider, there may be many sub-modes of usage. For example, routine end-user access patterns might differ substantially from actions taken by those applications to synchronize or replicate data to enable off-line usage of the application. Also, bugs occurring (e.g., especially in server-based accessors) may result in unintentional denial-of-service attacks on cloud resources, thereby inhibiting or undermining legitimate utilization of cloud resources.

Preventing application-level denial-of-service in a multi-tenant system using parametric-sensitive transaction weighting

International Business Machines Corporation


This invention relates to a liquid membrane type ion-selective electrode that can restrain an electric potential fluctuation of an inner electrode due to ultraviolet rays and that can conduct an analysis with high accuracy. The liquid membrane type ion-selective electrode comprises a liquid membrane type ion-sensitive membrane wherein a predetermined ionophore is supported by a base material, an inner electrode that has electrical conductivity and that is arranged at a position on the ion-sensitive membrane through which light transmitted is incident, an internal solution that contains an electrolyte and that makes contact with the ion-sensitive membrane and the inner electrode, wherein the ion-sensitive membrane contains an ultraviolet absorber or an ultraviolet reflecting agent having an insulative property.

A variety of ionophores (ion-selective ligands) that can selectively capture a specific ion are conventionally known. Furthermore, a liquid membrane type ion-selective electrode comprising a liquid membrane type ion-sensitive membrane wherein an ionophore is supported has been developed by making use of the ionophores (patent document 1). It is possible for this liquid membrane type ion-selective electrode to detect a variety of analyte ions by changing the ionophore according to the target ion.

Liquid membrane type ion-selective electrode


Generally, this disclosure provides methods and systems for video indexing systems with viewer reaction estimation based on visual cue detection. The method may include detecting visual cues generated by a user, the visual cues generated in response to the user viewing the video; mapping the visual cues to an emotion space associated with the user; estimating emotion events of the user based on the mapping; and indexing the video with metadata, the metadata comprising the estimated emotion events and timing data associated with the estimated emotion events. The method may further include summarization, partitioning and searching of videos based on the video index.

Existing systems for the management of video libraries, including categorization, search and retrieval, typically rely on video analysis algorithms that analyze the video stream to produce a single generalized result describing the content of the video. Different viewers, however, may have varying or personalized responses to a video that may not be captured by the single generalized result provided by an analysis algorithm.
Some systems may attempt to account for the viewers personalized experience by asking for user feedback. Such systems are often prone to error, however, due to user mistakes and/or misunderstanding of rating systems. The feedback is also typically limited to a single rating that encompasses the entire video due to the impracticality of requesting a continuous sampling of user responses throughout the video stream presentation. Additionally, these systems require that a special effort be made by the user which may detract from the quality of the user experience and is therefore generally undesirable.
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Video indexing with viewer reaction estimation and visual cue detection


A method for forming printed conductors on a flexible substrate is disclosed. Initially, an inorganic matrix precursor is printed onto a flexible substrate. The inorganic precursor is then cured with a light pulse to form a porous inorganic matrix thin film. A polymer is subsequently infused into the porous inorganic matrix thin film to form a polymer infused inorganic matrix thin film.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to thermal processing in general, and, in particular, to a method for forming printed conductors on a flexible substrate.
2. Description of Related Art
Printed electronics is the convergence of the semiconductor industry and the printing industry. The notion of printing electronic circuits instead of printing reading materials is seductive to printers as they can see the potential for performing higher value print jobs without making major changes to their equipment. By the same token, electronic circuit manufacturers also view the notion of printing electronic circuits as equally seductive because it allows them to fabricate electronic circuits in large volumes at a relatively low cost.
One of the goals of printed electronics is the fabrication of electronic components, such as transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc., on low-temperature substrates, such as paper and plastic, via printing technology. One technique of fabricating electronic components is to print a dispersion of a particulate precursor directly onto a substrate. After printing, the material is then thermally cured to sinter the precursor particles into the final structure.
For example, silver nanoparticles can be printed onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film or paper sheet via a screen, flexographic, gravure or inkjet printer. Afterwards, the nanoparticles are sintered using an oven operating at a relatively low temperature to form a highly conductive metal trace that is mesoporous or foamed. Printed silver is very reliable primarily due to the fact that it does not appreciably oxidize. Printed silver not only retains its bulk electrical conductivity, but its contact resistance remains low over time. Mechanically, printed silver is very stable, which makes it compatible with flexible substrates.
In order to reduce costs, copper is preferred over silver. Unfortunately, the comparatively inexpensive printed copper will oxidize over time. The copper oxidization causes multiple problems. When copper oxidizes, it expands and the expansion can cause delamination from the substrate and stress-corrosion-cracking in the inorganic film. In addition, since copper oxide is not conductive, both the bulk resistance and the contact resistance are increased. Finally, copper oxide is brittle, which makes it incompatible with a flexible substrate. This problem is exasperated when the flexible substrate is repeatedly flexed.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide a method for forming an inexpensive printed conductor, such as copper, on a flexible substrate.

Method for forming and stabilizing printed conductors on a flexible substrate


A method for cooling a turbine shroud assembly includes providing a turbine shroud assembly including a shroud segment having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a midsection defined therebetween. A shroud support circumferentially spans and supports the shroud segment. The shroud support includes a forward hanger coupled to the leading edge, a midsection hanger coupled to the midsection and an aft hanger coupled to the trailing edge. An annular shroud ring structure includes a midsection position control ring coupled to the midsection hanger and an aft position control ring coupled to the aft hanger. Cooling air is extracted from a compressor positioned upstream of the turbine shroud assembly. Cooling air is metered through the shroud support directly into only at least one active convection cooling zone defined between the shroud segment and the shroud support while substantially preventing cooling air from entering an inactive convection cooling zone positioned radially outwardly from the at least one active convection cooling zone and defined between the shroud support and the shroud ring structure and between the midsection position control ring and the aft position control ring.

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to methods and systems for cooling integral turbine shroud assemblies.
One known approach to increase the efficiency of gas turbine engines requires raising the turbine operating temperature. However, as operating temperatures are increased, the thermal limits of certain engine components may be exceeded, resulting in reduced service life and/or material failure. Moreover, the increased thermal expansion and contraction of components may adversely affect component clearances and/or component interfitting relationships. Consequently, cooling systems have been incorporated into gas turbine engines to facilitate cooling such components to avoid potentially damaging consequences when exposed to elevated operating temperatures.
It is known to extract, from the main airstream, air from the compressor for cooling purposes. To facilitate maintaining engine operating efficiency, the volume of cooling air extracted is typically limited to only a small percentage of the total main airstream. However, this requires that the cooling air be utilized with the utmost efficiency in order to maintain the temperatures of components within safe limits.
For example, one component that is subjected to high temperatures is the shroud assembly located immediately downstream of the high pressure turbine nozzle extending from the combustor. The shroud assembly extends circumferentially about the rotor of the high pressure turbine and thus defines the outer boundary (flow path) of the main gas stream flowing through the high pressure turbine. Gas turbine engine efficiency is negatively affected by a fluctuation in turbine blade clearance measured between a radially outer surface of the turbine blade and a radially inner surface of the shroud assembly. During transient engine operation, the turbine blade clearance is a function of the relative radial displacements of the turbine rotor blade and the shroud assembly. The turbine rotor blade typically has a larger mass than the stationary shroud system and, thus, during turbine operation, the turbine rotor blade typically has a slower thermal response than the shroud assembly. When the difference in the turbine rotor radial displacement and the shroud assembly radial displacement is too great, the blade clearance is increased, which results in a reduction in engine efficiency.

Methods and system for cooling integral turbine shround assemblies


A data reception apparatus receiving a transmission signal that has been modulated by a predetermined modulation method such as a trellis coding, inserted with a predetermined reference data in a predetermined period, and transmitted through a transmission path, and that decodes the received signal. The data reception apparatus includes: a demodulating unit for demodulating the received signal and providing a demodulated signal; a reference data extracting unit for extracting the inserted reference data from the demodulated signal; an estimating unit for estimating the transmission characteristic of the transmission path with reference to the extracted reference data for providing an estimated data; and a decoding unit for decoding the demodulated signal with reference to the estimated data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data reception apparatus, a data transmission apparatus, and a method thereof, for receiving a transmission signal obtained by inserting a predetermined reference data at a predetermined cycle, performing orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), and transmitting the result via a predetermined transmission line, compensating for the transmission characteristic of the transmission line by using the reference data, and demodulating the result.
2. Description of the Related Art
When transmitting digital data, generally a phase shift modulation method (PSK) wherein the phase of one carrier signal is brought into correspondence with the value of the transmission data to be transmitted or a quadrature amplitude modulation method (QAM) bringing the phase and amplitude into correspondence with the value of the transmission data, has been used. These methods are sometimes referred to as a single carrier method since a single carrier signal is used.
In addition to this single carrier method, a multi-carrier method such as an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) method performing the transmission of the digital data using carrier signals of a plurality of frequencies is now being used.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the configuration of a data reception apparatus 8 for demodulating transmission data SOUT from a reception signal SIN of the OFDM method.
As shown in FIG. 1, the data reception apparatus 8 is constituted by a demodulator 80 including a fast Fourier-Transformation circuit (FFT), a differential decoder 82, and a decoder 84. The data reception apparatus 8 demodulates an input transmission signal SIN (transmission signal of the OFDM method) transmitted via a transmission line (not shown) such as a cable communication channel, wireless communication channel, or broadcast channel, obtained by processing the transmission data and outputs the resulted as a decoded signal SOUT.
The transmission signal of the OFDM method is received from the transmission line by a reception circuit (not illustrated) positioned in front of the demodulator 80, is converted to a digital format, and applied as a received signal SIN to the demodulator 80.
The demodulator 80 applies fast Fourier transformation (FFT) to the received signal SIN to demodulate it and outputs the result as a demodulated signal S80 to the differential decoder 82. Note that, in the OFDM method, the transmission data is subjected to, for example, trellis coding modulation and further subjected to orthogonal frequency division multiplexing by inverse fast fourier transformation (IFFT) to make the transmission signal. Accordingly, by performing FFT on the transmission signal (received signal SIN), the transmission data before the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing can be demodulated.
The differential decoder 82 performs the differential decoding on the demodulated signal input from the demodulator apparatus 80 and outputs the result as the decoded signal S82 to the decoder 84.
The decoder 84 generates the branch metric of the differential decoder 82 and performs maximum likelihood decoding of the original transmission data based on this branch metric.
However, the demodulator 80, the differential decoder 82, and the decoder 84 of the data reception apparatus 8 shown in FIG. 1 perform individually independent processing, so the transmission characteristic of the transmission line with respect to the received signal SIN is not considered in the decoder 84. The decoder 84 compares the signal point on the signal plane of the decoded signal S82 and the assumed signal points to perform the maximum likelihood decision, so where the effect of the transmission characteristic is not considered, its capabilities cannot be completely exploited.

Data reception apparatus, data transmission apparatus and method thereof


A system for automatically indexing printed documents comprising a database for maintaining indexing data indicative of the identity and location of the documents, a processor interfacing with the database, the processor producing a document file containing both a printable content and an RFID taggable content, a printing device for printing the documents including a controller, an RFID tag writer and an RFID tag dispenser, wherein the controller directs the printable content to the printing device and the taggable content to the RFID writer, a plurality of file folders for retaining the tagged documents, an RFID tag attached to each of the file folders and a storage unit for storing the plurality of tagged file folders.

In a typical office environment, printed documents of various sorts are filed and stored in file cabinets, desks, shelves, drawers and other office furniture. Paper or plastic labels are affixed to the drawers or doors to describe the contents in a broad way. Labeled file folders or containers are used to group related papers in a drawer or on a shelf. In some sophisticated operations, indexes are manually created and maintained to record the documents that are supposed to be in each area, for example, card catalogs. If a document is erroneously filed, it may be lost for all practical purposes.
The retrieval of misplaced or lost files is time consuming and costly. In offices, warehouses and other facilities having large volumes of files, significant time and energy are frequently expended searching for missing or lost files.
In the past, a variety of systems have been implemented to track and control different sorts of objects, including files and printed documents. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,665 issued to J. D. Stanfield et al. on May 12, 1998, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, there is disclosed a tracking system including a processor which interfaces with a database, a plurality of file folder retainers and a plurality of file folders. The database includes file information, file location and a unique file address for the plurality of files in the system. The system actively maintains and updates the database by providing interactive communication between the processor, the folder retainers and the file folders. Communication is achieved by an electrical bus system to which the components are connected. Bus systems of this type are complicated, expensive to install and difficult to maintain in a typical office environment.
Radio frequency (RF) identification systems utilizing RFID tags are known in the art and are often used to identify an object and its location. In such a system, an RF signal is directed onto a tag attached to the object enabling the tag to emit a response. The system can determine from the response not only the identity of the object but also its location. RFID systems typically include an RFID reader or coupler, sometimes referred to as an "exciter", and an RFID tag which is attached to the object. Since the typical RFID reader or exciter communicates with the tagged object by RF energy, the reader does not require a direct line-of-sight between the reader and the tagged object. The object may be located inside a closed box, cabinet or drawer and may still be identified by the RFID reader.
In recent years, RFID systems have been used for identifying many different kinds of objects such as vehicles, animals, parcels, laundry, railroad cars and warehouse inventories, for example. However, such systems have enjoyed only limited success in tracking files and documents in an office environment. A reason for this limitation may be the enormity of the task of attaching RFID tags to literally thousands, if not millions, of printed documents and files that are generated in a typical office. In addition to printing the documents, each tag must be individually "written to" or embedded with a unique code identifying the document as well as other data and information indicative of its location, category, etc., in a storage system. The tag must then be attached to the documents in a separate operation either by hand or by use of some mechanical device.
Another problem has been that office documents are typically stored in metal cabinets which impede RF transmission and make difficult reading RFID tags placed inside the cabinets. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,928 issued to M. Issacman et al. on Oct. 3, 2000, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, this problem is addressed by employing a host transceiver which transmits a coded RF signal, at a first frequency, to a local RFID reader inside the metal cabinet. The local reader then retransmits the coded signal at a second frequency via an antenna. A passive RFID tag containing the same code and attached to a document inside the cabinet, when in the vicinity of the antenna, is energized by the RF field and modulates the second frequency signal from the local reader. The second frequency signal modulated by the energized tag is then directly received by the host transceiver. Although these patentees have provided a means for identifying documents held in metal cabinets, there still remains a need for changing or modifying the ID codes and/or other data in RFID tags attached to documents held in many different types of storage units
U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,665 issued to W. C. Maloney on Jun. 18, 2002, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a document tracking system for locating file folders in a file cabinet having a plurality of drawers. The file folders are provided with inductive RFID tags and each drawer has an inductive loop antenna attached to the back of the drawer. The loop antenna is connected through flexible cabling to a controller. The other drawers of the cabinet are similarly provided with an antenna which are all coupled to the same controller by means of an electrical buss. A user can request the controller to poll all of the file folders in each drawer to determine if any folders are missing. However, there is still a need to change or modify the data stored in each RFID tag held in the file cabinet.


An expansion joint connects structural elements of a building structure to fill a space between the structural elements themselves. The expansion joint has a plate body and a deformable body flanked or adjacent to the plate body along the longitudinal direction. The deformable body includes two superimposed and structurally independent portions connected to each other in a removable way, or configured for a removable connection with one another.

In many structures, joints are used to accommodate the relative movements of the individual structural elements of the structure without sacrificing the indispensable structural continuity of a roadway. More specifically, the expansion joints allow the free expansion or contraction of parts of a structure following seasonal or daily thermal excursion phenomena.
A typical example of such joints are the expansion joints used in building structures, for example in buildings such as roads, bridges or viaducts or in the railway field. In the case of roads, for example, a space is generally left between two road decks, so that they are free to expand or contract depending on the ambient temperature. These spaces are filled by expansion joints that ensure the continuity of the road pavement while allowing relative movement of the road decks.
There are different types of expansion joints on the market, classified according to their structure and to the materials of which they are made.
Among the different types of expansion joints, we can distinguish reinforced rubber joints, generally characterized by relatively low costs and by the fact that they allow large excursions as well as easy placement.
Historically, such joints are mainly used in the road field in order to connect two road decks in the longitudinal direction and comprise a more or less numerous series of openings, generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the joint itself, necessary for the development of the required elastic deformations. Such joints are in fact traditionally constituted by an elastic structure in which, by means of a vulcanization process or other technological process, metal profiles are inserted which are adapted to modify, at certain points, the rigidity or load-bearing capacity of the elastic structure itself.
More specifically, the rubber expansion joints generally comprise a plate element arranged between the structural elements among which the joint is placed, for example, in the case of a road or a bridge, between two road decks. These joints also comprise at least one deformable body able to absorb the deformations of at least one of the elements of the structure itself.
In addition, in general, in order to ensure the continuity of the pavement and to protect the substructure from the rainwater, the entire joint is covered with elastic material.
The presence of this elastic covering material is however a drawback of the joints of the prior art, firstly because, mainly by cause of the passage of the vehicles in the case of road joints, and in general due to the wear caused, for example, by the agents atmospheric, the elastic material tends to wear down. In particular, the wear of the elastic material can compromise the structure and the functionality of the joint.
Secondly, any damage to the elastic material compromises the impermeability of the joint. In fact, cracks or discontinuities in the rubber of which the joint is made could lead to the infiltration of rainwater.
Consequently, in case of wear or damage, maintenance or replacement of expansion joints is often necessary. Such maintenance interventions, especially due to the conformation of known joints, are very complex and expensive and often require the replacement of the entire joint.


Compounds are provided containing purine nucleotides that bear moieties X at the 2′ position thereof wherein X is R1—(R2)n; R1 is C3-C20 alkyl, C4-C20 alkenyl or C2-C20 alkynyl; R2 is halogen, hydroxyl, thiol, keto, carboxyl, nitro, nitroso, nitrile, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, O-alkyl, S-alkyl, NH-alkyl, N-dialkyl, O-aryl, S-aryl, NH-aryl, O-aralkyl, S-aralkyl, NH-aralkyl, amino, N-phthalimido, imidazole, azido, hydrazino, hydroxylamino, isocyanato, sulfoxide, sulfone, sulfide, disulfide, silyl, aryl, heterocycle, carbocycle, intercalator, reporter molecule, conjugate, polyamine, polyamide, polyalkylene glycol, polyether, a group that enhances the pharmacodynamic properties of oligonucleotides, or a group that enhances the pharmacokinetic properties of oligonucleotides; and n is an integer from 0 to about 6. Such compounds are useful for modulating the synthesis of proteins.

This invention is directed to novel 2′-O-alkyl guanosine and guanosine analogs and methods of use thereof.
A limited number of oligonucleotide analogs have been made. One class of oligonucleotides that have been synthesized are the 2′-O-substituted oligonucleotides. Such oligonucleotides have certain useful properties. In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 814,961, filed Dec. 24, 1991, entitled Gapped 2′ Modified Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides, assigned to the same assignee as this application, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference, 2′ substituted nucleotides are introduced within an oligonucleotide to induce increased binding of the oligonucleotide to a complementary target strand while allowing expression of RNase H activity to destroy the targeted strand. In a recent article, Sproat, B. S., Beijer, B. and Iribarren, A., Nucleic Acids Research, 1990, 18, 41 the authors noted further use of 2′-O-methyl substituted oligonucleotides as "valuable antisense probes for studying pre-mRNA splicing and the structure of spliceosomes". 2′-O-methyl and ethyl nucleotides have been reported by a number of authors. Robins, et al., J. Org. Chem., 1974, 39, 1891; Cotten, et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1991, 19, 2629; Singer, et al., Biochemistry 1976, 15, 5052; Robins, Can. J. Chem. 1981, 59, 3360; Inoue, et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1987, 15, 6131; and Wagner, et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1991, 19, 5965.
A number of groups have taught the preparation of other 2′-O-alkyl guanosine. Gladkaya, et al., Khim. Prir. Soedin., 1989, 4, 568 discloses N1-methyl-2′-O-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl) and 2′-O-methyl guanosine and Hansske, et al., Tetrahedron, 1984, 40, 125 discloses a 2′-O-methylthiomethylguanosine. It was produced as a minor by-product of an oxidization step during the conversion of guanosine to 9-β-D-arabinofuranosylguanine, i.e. the arabino analogue of guanosine. The addition of the 2′-O-methylthiomethyl moiety is an artifact from the DMSO solvent utilized during the oxidization procedure. The 2′-O-methylthiomethyl derivative of 2,6-diaminopurine riboside was also reported in the Hansske et al. publication. It was also obtained as an artifact from the DMSO solvent.
Sproat, et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1991, 19, 733 teaches the preparation of 2′-O-allyl-guanosine. Allylation of guanosine required a further synthetic pathway. Iribarren, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 1990, 87, 7747 also studied 2′-O-allyl oligoribonucleotides. Iribarren, et al. incorporated 2′-O-methyl-, 2′-O-allyl-, and 2′-O-dimethylallyl-substituted nucleotides into oligoribonucleotides to study the effect of these RNA analogues on antisense analysis. Iribarren found that 2′-O-allyl containing oligoribonucleotides are resistant to digestion by either RNA or DNA specific nucleases and slightly more resistant to nucleases with dual RNA/DNA specificity, than 2′-O-methyl oligoribonucleotides. However, Iribarren found that 2′-O-dimethylallyl containing oligoribonucleotides exhibited reduced hybridization to complementary RNA sequences as compared to 2′-O-methyl oligoribonucleotides. Thus, Iribarren suggested that further attempts to prepare alkylated RNA probes, especially those superior to 2′-allyl cytidine containing oligoribonucleotides should be limited to 2′-O-alkyl groups containing less than five carbon atoms.
In some cases it is desireable to provide 2′-O-alkyl groups having long chain alkyl groups (i.e. four or more carbon atoms). For example, long chain alkyl groups may accomodate functional groups in appropriate orientation with the opposing strand upon strand hybridization. Thus, 2′-O-long chain alkyl nucleotides such as 2′-O-long chain alkyl guanosine nucleotides are highly desireable in some cases. Novel 2-O-alkylated guanosine compounds are greatly desired. The present invention provides such compounds.

Oligonucleotides containing 2′-O-modified purines


A method and system for checking modified parameters of components of a radio network. Operational parameters that have been modified are checked on obeying business rules comprising requirements that have been deduced from operational use of the radio network, preferably before they are implemented in the network. The method and system allow application of compressed row techniques in databases comprising the parameters.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a contemporary cellular network 1. The architecture of these cellular networks comprises a network subsystem 2, a base station subsystem 3 and a mobile station 4. Examples of these cellular networks are GSM and DCS and extensions of these networks such as GPRS, UMTS etc. The network subsystems main component involves the mobile switching centre 20 (MSC) providing the interface of the cellular network and wire-bound networks 5 (PSTN, ISDN, ADSL etc.) as well as roaming and call-routing facilities (Home Location Register 21, Visitor Location Register 22, Equipment Identity Register 23 and Authentication Centre 24).
The base station subsystem 3 consists of a number of base stations. The base station subsystem 3 constitutes the connection between a mobile station 4 and the MSC 20. The base station subsystem 3 may be distinguished into two parts, the Base Transceiver Station 31 (BTS) and the Base Station Controller 30 (BSC). The BTS 31 houses radio transceivers that define a cell and handles the radio-link protocols with the mobile station 4. In a large urban area, there will potentially be a large number of BTSs deployed. The BSC 30 manages the radio resources for one or more BTSs 31. It handles radio-channel set-up, frequency hopping, and handovers.
The mobile station 4 is the mobile equipment that enables a user to communicate with others through the cellular network. A mobile station 4 usually comprises mobile equipment 41 and a Subscriber Identity Module 42 (SIM).
As the complexity of cellular networks increases, flexible operation of these networks becomes more difficult. Configuration and reconfiguration of a cellular network is complex since the parameter settings of the different components of the cellular radio network affect each other. U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,798 of Ericsson describes a reconfiguration method and apparatus in which the cell parameters of particular mobile switching centres in a network are copied to a database, and the copied parameters are stored. A set of proposed changes to the stored parameters is prepared and the consistency of the prepared set of proposed changes is verified. Alterations to the set of proposed changes responsive to the verification are made and the verified set of proposed changes is copied to the concerned mobile switching centres. The verified set of proposed changes is then introduced into the network. An up-to-date image of the cell parameters in the mobile switching centres in the network is maintained in a system parameter database.
Problem Definition and Aims of the Invention
Typically, a cellular radio network comprises several MSCs and a larger number of base stations. Operation of such cellular radio networks requires a high degree of flexibility in the sense that configuration and reconfiguration of the cellular network has to be possible within a limited period of time and with a high degree of accuracy. Such a reconfiguration of a radio network can be permanent or temporary. Reasons for such a reconfiguration are numerous, e.g. a temporary cell split needed to deal with an expected increase in traffic due to an event or the permanent integration of new elements both affecting the settings of already existing elements in the radio network. Therefore, sophisticated methods and systems are required that administer the parameter settings of the various components, e.g. the BTS or BSC, of the cellular radio network and change the parameter settings of those components. Examples of parameters that can be changed include cell type, cell designation, cell direction, signal strength, signal to noise ratio, etc. Moreover, means have to be provided in order to check the consistency of the proposed parameter changes before the changes are implemented in the cellular network.
The reconfiguration method and system as revealed by the '798 patent can be improved with regard to, inter alia, the performed routine to check the consistency of proposed parameter changes.
More particularly, an improvement relates to the hierarchical levels that can be checked. The method of the '798 patent checks the consistency of the proposed parameters only with regard to cells and handovers. Thus, only a very limited part of the network hierarchy is checked, resulting in a less reliable and efficient control of the radio network.
Another problem of the method described in the '798 patent relates to the type of rules used in performing the consistency check. The rules used in performing this check originate solely from technical requirements derived from cellular network technology. There is no possibility to apply rules derived from operational practice as well. Moreover, it is not possible to deviate from the technically sufficient parameter setting requirements if operational practice experience reveals a different more preferable technical parameter setting.
Still another problem of the method described in the '798 patent is that, in performing the consistency check, only pre-programmed rules are used. This limitation decreases the flexibility of the system for the operator that exploits a cellular radio network. It may be that such an operator is not satisfied with the requirements for the various parameters defined by the supplier of the network. The operator may want to define the requirements, including the technical requirements, himself.
The present invention aims to provide a method and system to check the consistency of the proposed changes of parameters.

System and method for checking parameter settings of radio networks


The subject of the present invention is a process for preparing pregelatinized high amylose starch, comprising the steps consisting of:                forming a suspension comprising a high amylose starch and water;        subjecting the said suspension to steam jet cooking at a temperature of between 125 and 135° C. so as to obtain a pregelatinized high amylose starch paste;        cooking and drying the said pregelatinized starch paste on a drum dryer at a pressure of between 2 and 10 bar, so as to obtain a pregelatinized high amylose starch.

Pregelatinized starches are generally prepared by thermal, chemical or mechanical techniques which can cause swelling of the starch granules so that they are soluble in cold water.
The preferred techniques are spray-drying, cooking on a drum or extrusion. Autoclaving or indirect heating on a heat exchanger are cooking processes which tend to produce complex colloidal dispersions consisting of intact, fragmented and swollen granules.
It is well known that high amylose starches, that is to say which have more than 50% by weight of amylose, are particularly difficult to disperse and require high cooking temperatures.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,890 describes a process for preparing pregelatinized amylose. This process consists in autoclaving at 191° C., under pressure, a solution of amylose containing at most 25% by weight of dry matter, and then drum-drying at 110–200° C. The powders obtained are amorphous and form irreversible gels after dispersion. Their apparent density is high, that is to say generally greater than 0.4 g/ml.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,394 describes a process for the pregelatinization of starches having amylose contents of less than 60% by weight. This process consists in cooking the starch at 149° C., followed by drum-drying, spray-drying or another type of drying means.
The document EP 0 366 898 describes a coupled cooking/spray-drying process which makes it possible to obtain amorphous products, which are practically free of retrogradation, and which have an apparent density greater than that of an identical starch which has been subjected to the same process but in two separate stages, that is an apparent density greater than 0.45 g/ml. The cooking of high amylose starches is carried out on a jet cooker at 143° C. and the spray-drying is carried out with an inlet air temperature of 220° C. This document presents, in FIG. 7, a comparison of various prior art pregelatinized starches.
Starting from this teaching, the applicants have now found, after long research studies, that it was possible to prepare a pregelatinized high amylose starch using a particular process leading to products of low apparent density while working at not very high temperatures, which none of the prior art techniques made it possible to obtain.

Process for cooking/drying high-amylose starches

Abstract: Its subject is also a pregelatinized high amylose starch, having an apparent density of less than 0.4 g/ml for a mean particle size of 100 micrometers. Its subject is in addition the use of such a starch for the manufacture of soft gelatin capsules or of hard gelatin capsules and the film-coating of pharmaceutical, dietary or agricultural solid forms.


“A reflexotherapy applicator having needles fixed in a flat elastic base. Each needle has a core, a sharpened portion, and a thickened portion. The thickened portions are fixed in the base so that the sharpened portions protrude from the base. One or more needle groups have a partially coated core. One or more needle groups have multilayer coatings of the core and sharpened portion. One or more needle groups differ from the other groups by their materials or by the coating materials, which have different electrochemical potentials. The needles and their coatings are made from steel, copper, chromium, nickel, silver, cobalt, aluminum, magnesium, zinc, tin, titanium, vanadium, beryllium, gold, platinum, strontium, tellurium or their alloys and oxides. The needles are placed on the base so that adjacent needles are made from materials with different electrochemical potentials and are designed to contact an user's skin.”

The most relevant device to the proposed needle comprises a needle having a base in the form of a rod member provided with a sharpened portion at one end and a head portion at the opposite end thereof, said rod being made of steel, copper, chromium, nickel, or silver, and with one layer of solid coat made of chromium, copper, silver, or nickel over the whole base of the needle (SU-A-1797889).
Solid coat of the needle base restricts the possibilities of electrophoresis since only one microelement is delivered to the user's body (either from the needle surface or from the base thereof if the needle is not provided with a coat), as well as insignificant amount of the needle base microelement due to diffusion through through the coat. Besides, no microcurrents are available within any needle, thereby eliminating its electrical effect on a corresponding area of the user's body and causing insufficient intensity of electrophoresis. In addition, the presence of a solid coat results in a rather high consumption of valuable coating materials, e.g. silver. The narrow range of materials (i.e. copper, nickel, silver) considerably restricts selection of microelements required by the user.
Known in the art is an applicator comprising a base member and needles fixed therein and provided with sharpened portions and heads, wherein needle bases are made of steel, copper, chromium, nickel, or silver, and coats are made of copper, chromium, nickel, or silver; these materials, upon being brought into contact with epidermis, form galvanic couples (SU-A-1797889).
This applicator provides a limited set of materials, thereby restricting the set of microelements to be delivered to the user's body, i.e. possibilities of electrophoresis; in addition, it restricts the possibility of presetting required parameters of microcurrents. Application of coats to the whole bases of needles provides the possibility of generating microcurrents only between needles made of dissimilar materials, while eliminating such microcurrents developed between dissimilar materials of individual needles in the user's body, thereby eliminating generation of a three-dimensional complicated heterogeneous electrical field in the user's epidermis; this in turn restricts the efficiency of application and results in insufficient smoothing of the electrical field, disturbed by a disease, in the user's skin upon application, and causes insufficient efficiency of electrophoresis.

Needle for use in reflexotherapy, and an applicator using the same


A hermaphroditic terminal assembly for connecting electrical devices includes an insulating support member for supporting female sockets and male pins, a number of female sockets, and a number of male pins. An intercoupling component for connecting electrical devices includes two hermaphroditic terminal assemblies configured such that the first hermaphroditic terminal assembly can be mated with the second hermaphroditic terminal assembly.

Electrical connection pins are a popular means for connecting two electrical devices. For example, integrated circuit (IC) packages typically possess a number of male electrical connection pins for mounting the IC package an electrical socket on a printed circuit board (PCB). Each of the male electrical connection pins of the IC package is inserted into corresponding female sockets in the electrical socket on the PCB.
As technology continues to advance, the size of electrical devices continues to decrease while the number of connections required between electrical devices continues to increase. Consequently, increasing the density of electrical connection terminals for electrically connecting two electrical devices is necessary.


A gate valve corresponding to the sealing structure seals an opening of a plasma generation chamber and includes a valve body, a valve stem, and ring-shaped first and second sealing members that seal a gap between the valve body and the plasma generation chamber. The first ring-shaped sealing member is on the side of the plasma generation chamber and is exposed to a plasma atmosphere. The first and second ring-shaped sealing members do not contact each other, that is, a gap is formed therebetween. A plurality of gas grooves are arranged in the length direction of the first ring-shaped sealing member. The gas grooves are formed by cutting the valve body in a direction almost perpendicular to the length direction of the first ring-shaped sealing member, and the gap is in communication with the plasma generation chamber via the gas grooves. A gas injection passage 14 for injecting a gas into the gap is formed in the wall of the plasma generation chamber. A concave portion extending along the length direction of the first ring-shaped sealing member is formed on the surface of the plasma generation chamber, and the concave portion is connected to a gas outlet of the gas injection passage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing structure of a plasma processing apparatus, a sealing method, and a plasma processing apparatus including the sealing structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plasma technology is being widely used for manufacturing variety of semiconductor devices, such as integrated circuits, liquid crystal displays, solar batteries, etc. Plasma technology is used in thin film formation, thin film etching, or other operations included in a semiconductor manufacturing process. However, a highly accurate plasma process, for example, a super-fine processing technique, is required to achieve high-performance, high-functional products. In particular, microwave plasma processing apparatuses using microwave plasma have attracted much attention.
In a plasma process, stable plasma generation is essential, and vacuum maintenance is important to achieve stable plasma generation. When a plasma process is performed, sealing prevents leakage of air or gas from a plasma generation chamber and entry of external air into the plasma generation chamber, thereby maintaining the plasma generation chamber in an airtight or vacuum state. An O-ring generally used in such sealing is prone to deterioration when the O-ring is exposed to plasma atmosphere, leading to generation of particles or degradation of sealing.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. hei 6-112168 (hereinafter, referred to as reference 1) discloses a plasma processing apparatus which performs a uniform plasma process. A reaction vessel is made airtight through a conductive O-ring, by an upper electrode that forms a cover of the grounded reaction vessel. Even when the upper electrode is bent, the upper electrode is electrically connected to the reaction vessel, and thus the reaction vessel is grounded. Thus, no electrical disturbance occurs as high frequency, and no noise is generated. Consequently, a reaction gas is homogenously converted into plasma and thus a uniform plasma stream is generated. Accordingly, a semiconductor wafer is uniformly plasma-processed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-182958 (hereinafter, referred to as reference 2) discloses a vacuum device which detects external leakage in an early stage in order to minimize damage. The vacuum device includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum chamber sealing member, and an inert gas seal-in member between the vacuum chamber sealing member and external air. The inert gas seal-in member prevents external air from entering the vacuum chamber when leakage occurs in the vacuum chamber. The inert gas seal-in member includes a first pressure monitoring mechanism which monitors the pressure of the inert gas seal-in member, and a second pressure monitoring mechanism which monitors the pressure of the vacuum chamber. Therefore, the vacuum device is able to detect leakage in an early stage.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-99924 (hereinafter, referred to as reference 3) discloses a vacuum treatment system capable of improving corrosion resistance and completely preventing intrusion of air into a chamber. An outer sealing member and an inner sealing member are fitted into an outer groove and an inner groove, respectively, which are formed concentrically in contact parts where a wall and a ceiling plate that constitute the chamber abut on each other. A passage through which the outer sealing member and the inner sealing member communicate with each other is formed, and a helium gas, which supplies a pressure exceeding an atmospheric pressure, is filled into the passage. Therefore, the vacuum treatment system can improve corrosion resistance and completely prevent intrusion of air into the chamber.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-141803 (hereinafter, referred to as reference 4) discloses a plasma processing apparatus which prevents particle generation caused by deterioration of an O-ring and also prevents deterioration of a sealing property. A gate valve is formed between a reaction chamber and a transfer chamber, and thus a metal mesh-shaped O-ring and a fluororesin-based O-ring are formed on the side of the reaction chamber and on the side of the transfer chamber, respectively. Therefore, plasma atmosphere is kept in the reaction chamber of the plasma processing apparatus.
A method of using two O-rings with two different functions is well known as a method of preventing reduction of the sealing property by suppressing deterioration of an O-ring as much as possible. However, this well-known method does not consider blockage of microwaves. In addition, an abnormal electric discharge occurs between the two O-rings, and thus plasma may be unstable.
The reference 2 focuses on detecting degradation of an O-ring and preventing leakage from occurring in a vacuum chamber, but provides no particular measures to prevent deterioration of the O-ring. The reference 3 protects an O-ring from being exposed to plasma atmosphere by using an inert gas, but a relatively expensive helium gas should be used as the inert gas so that the inert gas can penetrate through the O-ring.

Sealing structure of plasma processing apparatus, sealing method, and plasma processing apparatus including the sealing structure


A container (100) configured to house a fluid or other liquid, semi-solid, or solid composition has a body having a pulp-molded portion (130) and a side wall (104) that at least partially defines a coated lumen (118). The container can include a neck (116) that has an open end and is coupled to the body. A heterocompositional frame (114) can be used to reinforce the neck (116). The container (100) can include a permeation barrier material or other coating to act as a barrier between the container's walls and the container's contents. A method of reinforcing a neck (116) in a pulp-molded bottle is also disclosed. The method includes the step of providing a frame material that is heterocompositional to a material of the bottle. The method also includes the step of applying the frame material to the neck (116) of the bottle.

Waste has been a prominent problem in the modern world. Much of the waste comes from plastic and/or metal, which decomposes at a very slow rate. These materials must be recycled, dumped into the oceans or waterways, or deposited into landfills where they will remain for centuries.
In order to reduce the waste in our ever-filling landfills, it is advantageous to create containers that are biodegradable and/or compostable. U.S. Pat. No. 1,415,100 to Lang describes a paper bottle having a neck portion that is strengthened by increasing the amount of pulp used in forming the neck. However, the additional pulp fails to increase the tensile strength of the neck, as the additional pulp comprises the same material that forms the body. Thus, as additional force is used to place a cork or other stopper in the neck, the neck portion can crack and subsequently leak.
Lang and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,540,726 to Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 1,602,925 to Moore, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,027,484 to Koch describe reinforcing the neck of paper containers by folding the sidewall over the mouth of the containers to add additional layers to the neck. However, such methods also fail to sufficiently increase the tensile strength to withstand insertion of a cork or other stopper.
It is also known to reinforce the neck portion by additional paper layers, as described in United Kingdom Pat. No. 401019 to Farrow, U.S. Pat. No. 1,342,013 to Chenery, and U.S. Pat. No. 1,415,100 to Lang. However, such reinforcement suffers from the same problem as above.
It is further known to strengthen the neck portion by adding one or more ribs formed about the neck portion, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,090,699 to Plunkett.
All of the above methods, while strengthening the neck portion, fail to sufficiently increase the tensile strength of the neck portion such that the neck can withstand forced insertions of corks or other stoppers into the bottles.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,525,399 to Kerkhof discusses utilizing a metal ring to strengthen a the neck of a receptacle. However, the metal ring is not biodegradable and would therefore add to the existing waste problem.
Thus, there is still a need for a reinforced neck portion comprising a frame having a material that is heterocompositional from that of the paper container.

Paper container having a reinforced neck


The height positioning of the rotor (4) and thus the play between the wings (3) of the rotor and the sieve (5) of the machine are adjustable by means of an adjusting system (20-26), even during operation of the machine. The drive of the rotor (4) by a belt (19) allows to omit gears as well as an oil bath for the drive. The risk of a contamination of the granulated material by residues is thus obviated. The sieve (5) is supported on a retaining ring (6) which allows to adjust the height of the sieve in such a manner that the internal surface of the sieve is always at the same position independently of the thickness of the sieve. It is thus possible to adjust the play between the sieve and the rotor with precision.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a granulating machine having a sieve in the form of a truncated cone in which a rotor is disposed which is mounted on a shaft, the shaft rotating in at least one bearing and being coupled to a lateral driving element which is arranged under the sieve and the rotor, the machine thus being designed for in-line operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a machine is known for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,113. The rotor of this machine turns on bearings which are accommodated in a protective casing of a gear transmission. The casing is arranged under the rotor, the latter being driven by a lateral driving shaft and by the bevel gears which are mounted on the rotor shaft and on the driving shaft. The axial position of the rotor on its shaft, the play between the rotor and the sieve, is adjustable by increasing or reducing the number of washers which are disposed between the upper end of the rotor shaft and the bottom of the rotor bore. It is obvious that in order to vary the axial position of the rotor, the latter must be dismounted from its shaft which, in addition, is impossible without stopping the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,599 discloses a granulating machine having a device which allows an adjustment of the axial position of the rotor and thus of the play between the rotor and the sieve. The adjustment is effected by means of a disk which is accessible from the top side of the rotor and the sieve, an in-line operation being impossible due to the disk, the rotor axis, and the bearings of the rotor which are disposed above the rotor.
A first object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks. This object is attained by a granulating machine wherein the rotor including its shaft is axially displaceable by an adjusting device acting upon the shaft of the rotor underneath the rotor and the sieve. Preferentially, the adjusting device is acting upon the bearing of the rotor, which is axially displaceable.
Another drawback of the known machine is the fact that the bevel gears which are transmitting the rotation of the driving shaft to the rotor shaft must be in an oil bath, which requires an absolute tightness of the casing in which the bevel gears and the bearings of the rotor shaft and of the driving shaft are accommodated. However, the risk of leakages cannot be totally eliminated, and it is easy to imagine the damages caused by oil leakages, particularly if the machine is used for the treatment of pharmaceutical products. Thus, another object of the present invention is to prevent these drawbacks. This object is attained by a granulating machine wherein the driving shaft of the rotor is driven by a belt.


In substrate-mounting type inductor having a winding having conductivity, a core on which the winding is winded, and a terminal portion arranged at an end of the winding, a recessed portion which is recessed in a direction of height of the core is formed on a substrate mounting surface of the core, and the terminal portion is arranged to be housed in the recessed portion through an insulating member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inductor used in various electric appliances such as a mobile phone, a personal computer, and a television set.
2. Description of the Related Art
As conventional inductors, inductors which use a magnetic material such as an Ni—Zn-based ferrite or an Mn—Zn-based ferrite as a core material thereof are known. However, when an Mn—Zn-based ferrite is used as a core material in an inductor, insulation failure may occur between a winding and a core. Therefore, in an inductor which uses a core consisting of a magnetic material such as an Mn—Zn-based ferrite, a mounting substrate must be electrically insulated from the core.
In a choke coil disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-207371 (FIG. 1), a resin molding body having a connection terminal to which an end of a winding is connected is arranged below a bottom surface portion of a core on which the winding is winded. In this manner, the resin molding body is arranged below the core to electrically insulate a mounting substrate on which the choke coil is mounted from the core.
However, in the choke coil disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-207371 (FIG. 1), the resin molding body is interposed between the core and the mounting substrate. For this reason, the dimension of the choke coil in the direction of height is disadvantageously increased by a thickness of the resin molding body. When the configuration is applied to the inductor, the same problem is posed.


A dispenser for feeding perforated paper towels from a continuous roll. The dispenser includes a dispenser body for containing the paper towel roll which may be mounted to a supporting surface such as a wall. A unique feeder assembly is attached to the dispenser body for dispensing an end portion of the continuous roll. The feeder assembly includes a feeder body having a back wall, first and a second side walls attached on each side edge and a bottom wall attached to the bottom edge of the back and side walls. A first aperture is located on the bottom wall of the feeder body and a face plate having a second aperture overlapping the first aperture also is attached to the feeder body. The pair of overlapping apertures are biased against one another for receiving and dispensing an individual paper towel. In the preferred embodiment, a removable flange attaches the feeder assembly to the dispenser body. The flange includes a locking mechanism for lockingly engaging the flange onto the dispenser body.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus for dispensing paper towels from a continuous roll.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Paper towel dispensers are commonly used for storing and dispensing products such as toilet tissue, hand towels, and others. Towels, for example, are stored in a continuous fashion such as in a continuous roll of perforated paper rolled into a cylindrical tube. The roll is housed in a container in which end of the paper is fed through a dispensing nozzle. During use, the user grasps the exposed end of the towel and pulls a sheet-length section. The pulling action of the user tears the towel giving the user a section for use and exposes the end of the next section to be used.
Unfortunately, most previously available paper towel dispensers have a number of shortcomings. First, the mechanisms used for dispensing the paper are complicated. For example, many mechanisms require the paper towel to be initially fed through a variety of slots, turns, and passages. This initial set-up is often time consuming and difficult since threading the towel requires it to be manipulated through the numerous bends and turns which are small and difficult to access. Once threaded, the paper can mis-tear if it is pulled too hard by the user requiring the paper to be re-threaded.
Second, due to the numerous mechanical components, these dispensers are often more expensive than less complicated dispensers and require additional maintenance to keep them in proper working condition.
In addition, present dispensers are only able to be used for one size or one strength of paper towel unless changed by the delivery man. As a result, variations in the characteristics of the paper due to different brands, styles, or manufacturing variances produce dispenser problems such as the paper being too wide or too narrow to be threaded through the dispenser. For example, towels are perforated to help control the size of the towel and provide an aesthetically pleasing edge when the towel is torn from the roll. Changes in the perforation resistance can result in the dispenser not adequately holding and tearing the roll resulting in additional sheets being inadvertently pulled from the dispenser causing wasted towels, frustrated users, and additional paper expensive. A perforation resistance that is less than the dispenser settings results in the towels tearing from the roll without pulling the next sheet into position requiring the machine to be opened and the towel to be threaded through the opening. Thus, current dispensers are unable to accommodate a variety of sizes without timely and troublesome adjustments to dispense various sizes.
Finally, many presently available dispensers do not provide for a user to dispense a towel using a single hand. The towel does not tear adequately from the roll leaving either too much or too little towel for the user Two hands are needed to grasp and provide constant tension to tear the towel in an adequate manner. Physically challenged persons are never able to use these types of dispensers and many bi-armed persons are unable to adequately use this dispenser when they only have one hand available such as when holding an object in one hand.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved paper towel dispenser in which the paper roll is easily threaded and can be easily and quickly refilled while, at the same time, can automatically handle varying sizes and strengths of paper without requiring adjustment.


In a pneumatically or hydraulically driven membrane valve assembly with a pressure piece actuated by a pressure spindle, a membrane support member designed as a coupling member engages the pressure piece. The membrane member is connected to the membrane support member by means of a releasable coupling extending through the pressure piece. The pressure spindle can be coupled to the membrane support member by a releasable ridge/groove-connection. Thereby, all types of medium membranes can be coupled even at a later stage. The valve assembly has a top housing portion, an intermediate housing piece and a bottom housing portion. The top housing portion is connected to the intermediate piece by screwing it thereon. Both the top portion and the intermediate piece have circumferential stop faces engaging each other in the screwed on state and having at least partially differing pitch values for creating a predetermined bias in the thread. The mutual rotational movement is limited by a step shaped end stop member constituted by the afore mentioned circumferential stop faces to avoid an overtightening.

The membrane members for pneumatically or hydraulically driven membrane valve assemblies that are commercial use in these days can be classified roughly in one of two groups:
Elastomeric membranes (EPDM-membranes) that are fixed to the pressure spindle and the pressure piece, respectively, by means of a screwed connection and PA1 Polytetrafluor ethylene membranes (PTFE-membranes) including a support membrane member made of an elastomeric material that are fixed to the pressure spindle and the pressure piece, respectively, by means of a bayonet connection. PA1 FC (fail close), i.e. the force of a biased spring closes the valve; PA1 FO (fail open), i.e. the force of a biased spring opens the valve; and PA1 DA (double acting), i.e. the force of a biased spring either opens or closes the valve.
By providing a bayonet connection, as disclosed, for example, in German Published Patent Application DE-A1-30 00 510, it is avoided that the closure pressure is induced from the pressure spindle via the membrane pin, whereby an axial displacement path is provided between pressure spindle or pressure piece and membrane member. An unduly high pressure acting onto the membrane pin can lead to damage of the membrane member and/or the lower portion of the valve housing.
In a membrane valve assembly of the kind referred to above, the pressure piece cannot be removed without disassembling the drive unit for operating the valve assembly. As a result, replacing the membrane assembly by another one requires quite a high effort if such replacement has to be done later on.
In the case of pneumatically operated membrane valve assemblies, the correct positioning of the connecting pieces for pressurized air required for operating the valve assembly is of essential importance. The disadvantage of known membrane valve assemblies may be seen in the fact that they do not provide for a reliable positioning of the connecting pieces for pressurized air which usually are integrated into the top housing portion of the valve assembly. Moreover, the housing portion can unintentionally become loose due to the lack of a certain bias force in the threaded connection.


A cargo carrier for vehicle tops is comprised of first and second molded clam shells with the clam shells having mated peripheral edges. The secured devices are used for mounting the first clam shell to the vehicle top and a clamp or other fastener is used for securing the clam shells together along the mated peripheral edges to form an enclosed cargo carrying space on the vehicle top. The invention is directed to providing wheels on the second clam shell and a handle system whereby when the second clam shell is removed from peripheral engagement with the first clam shell, the second clam shell serves as a carrier for goods carried in the cargo carrier. The handles for the cargo carrier may be molded in to a trailing edge of the second clam shell. In one embodiment, the handle is a U-shaped member which is slidable to a stowable position and in a second embodiment the U-shaped handle is pivotable around to be stowed in a position on the underside of the second clam shell. The second clam shell is provided with a molded space for receiving a cooler. In a further embodiment, a single wheel is provided and the handles are stowed inside the carrier and inserted into handle receptacles and latched inplace by detent means.

The present invention relates to cargo carriers adapted to be carried upon the roof of an automobile and, more particularly, to a cargo carrier in which the cargo carrier or a portion thereof can be utilized as a cargo carrying cart when demounted from the vehicle.
Cargo carriers have been well known in the art for many years and are a relatively inexpensive and convenient way of expanding the cargo carrying space of vehicles, such as automobiles while leaving the interior space of the vehicle more free for passenger purposes or for carrying other cargo. Such prior art systems protect the cargo while it is being carried on the roof of the vehicle from the elements.
Frequently, the vehicle must be parked some distance from the place where the cargo is to be utilized. For example, campers and sportsman such as fisherman, hunters, swimmers, campers, picnicers and the like, frequently must park their vehicles some distance from a camp site, fishing spot, or the area where they may be hunting. Carrying or portage of coolers, beach umbrellas, sporting equipment, clothes, tents and the like may require many trips to and from the vehicle with some of the equipment arriving in some disarray.
In Kennedy et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,050, a relative complicated foldable rack-type device is disclosed which can be used to transport skis on the top of a car and as a hand cart to transport the skis on the ground. In Smeenge et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,898, a technique is disclosed for mounting a portion of a car top carrier on a hand cart.
According to the present invention, a cargo carrier having a base or first clam shell and a top or second clam shell have their peripheral edges adapted to be sealingly mated together and mounted on a vehicle in a conventional fashion. The covering top or second clam shell is provided with a wheel assembly and handle, means so that when the second clam shell is removed from peripheral engagement with the first clam shell, the second clam shell serves as a wheel cargo carrier or cart for the contents of the cargo carrier or for other contents of the vehicle. Moreover, the handles are stowable for normal vehicular travel and unstowed for use at the location and for moving the carrier to and fro.
In a preferred embodiment, the cargo carrier has a well molded into it for easily locating a cooler for beverages, food and the like. A plugged drain is provided in the bottom of the well. In addition, this well for receiving or storing the cooler serves as a ground engaging support and may include downwardly depending ground lugs so as to provide a stable, level position for the cargo carrier cart. In a still further preferred embodiment, the wheels have relatively wide treads or tracks so that they can be moved through sand on beaches and the like to fishing locations or that will travel relatively easier over rugged mountain trails to a camp site, for example.


A client terminal CT transmits an acquisition request for musical composition information. An associated information provision server KS continuously receives the acquisition request at a given time interval. The associated information provision server KS transmits timing specification information along with the musical composition information corresponding to the acquisition request to the client terminal CT. The timing specification information specifies timing for the client terminal CT to transmit the acquisition request next. The associated information provision server KS controls a polling interval for acquisition requests. In this manner, acquisition requests can be distributed to those transmitted at a given time interval and those received in accordance with the timing specification information. A simple method can be used to prevent acquisition requests from being concentrated on the associated information provision server KS.

Conventionally, radio receivers are used for audio stereo reproduction systems such as all-in-one stereo systems and separate stereo components, portable audio systems, car-mounted audio systems, and the like. The radio receiver receives and demodulates broadcast signals broadcast from a radio station and allows users to listen to programs and musical compositions.
On the other hand, the radio station publicizes various information about its programs on the Internet homepage. For example, the radio station sends broadcast signals to the audience, and provides it with musical composition information as associated information (hereinafter, to be referred to as "radio broadcast information") about broadcast musical compositions such as their titles and artist names as well as names and numbers of CDs that record the musical compositions.
There is proposed an audio reproduction apparatus as a client terminal having the radio reception function and the Internet connection function implemented in one system that simultaneously performs listening of radio programs and acquisition of musical composition information.
This audio reproduction apparatus allows a user to listen to a radio program from the audio reproduction apparatus and acquire musical composition information from associated information provision servers. The musical composition information includes titles, artist names, and the like related to musical compositions that are broadcast in the radio program.
The audio reproduction apparatus is capable of clipping a musical composition received from the radio station onto a hard disk. Further, the audio reproduction apparatus is capable of clipping musical composition information about the musical composition acquired from the associated information provision server onto the hard disk.
On the other hand, a consumer game machine is capable of downloading game contents from a game content server via a network. On a day when a new game is released, for example, the game content server is concentratively accessed from many consumer game machines aiming at data request information about the targeted game content.
To solve this problem, the game content server predetermines a delivery schedule based on system setting or a user option. According to the delivery schedule, the consumer game machine issues data request information about the game content to the game content server (e.g., see Patent Document 1: Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-open Publication No. 2002-202927).
Now, let us consider a case where a plurality of audio reproduction apparatuses issue acquisition requests for the musical composition information to the associated information provision server at a time. According to the method as described in patent document 1, however, the associated information provision server must perform complicated delivery schedule management for many audio reproduction apparatuses. There has been the problem of giving too much load on the associated information provision server.


In an analysis system including as light sources an incandescent lamp and a blue light emitting diode, the light of the two sources is combined and directed through filters and a test tube with material to be examined to a photodiode array spectrometer. The filters are so selected that they counteract the intensity drop of the incandescent lamp and the sensitivity decrease of the photodiode array of the spectrometer at short wave lengths.

The invention resides in an analysis system comprising at least two light sources with a beam splitter for combining the beams of the light sources, an optical cell and a photodiode array spectrometer.
In a spectral photometer, the spectrum emitted from light sources such as incandescent lamps over a certain wave length range as well as the spectral sensitivity of the sensors used for the detection cause excessive signal differences within the spectral range to be covered. An extreme case resides in the use of incandescent lamps together with silicon photodiode arrays: It is well known that the intensity of an incandescent lamp drops strongly toward blue. At the same time, the sensitivity of silicon photodiodes decreases toward the blue. As a result, the dynamic range of the photodiode arrays used as multi-channel detector is not well utilized which results in a noise with spectral dependency. But even more disturbing is the error light at the short wave end of the measuring range since, at this end, the intensity is very low and barely higher than that of the stray light. In the given example, the stray light is particularly pronounced since an incandescent lamp has a relatively high emission in the close infrared range and silicon photo diodes have their greatest sensitivity in the same area. If such a spectrometer system is used for absorption measurements, the absorption spectrum of a gas, a liquid or a solid to be investigated is highly adulterated so that a quantitative concentration determination using the short wave measurement range is not possible.
A solution frequently used to solve this dilemma resides in employing a halogen lamp. Because of the halogen cycling process in effect in halogen lamps, these lamps can be operated at very high filament temperatures which results not only in a high general light output, but also in a relatively high output of light in the blue spectral range. Unfortunately, the life of halogen lamps is limited to about 1500 hours (2 months), which results in relatively high maintenance costs for a process measuring apparatus which is in constant operation, day and night. Also, the life of a halogen lamp can be extended only insignificantly by operating the lamp at lower than design voltage since the voltage operating range is very limited: at much reduced voltage, the filament and glass bulb temperatures become so low that the halogen cycle process does not operate properly and deposits (blackening) form at the inside of the glass bulb.
To compensate for the signal loss in the short wave range of the visible light the following methods are known:
In scanning spectral photometers which include a detector element and a rotating diffraction screen, a second beam path with a second detector is utilized. Depending on the wave length and consequently the signal intensity, the amplifier for the first detector, with photomultipliers, the high voltage is adjusted. In addition, a deuterium lamp is utilized which provides for light of 200 nm to 400 nm wave length.
This solution however has several disadvantages: for one, this concept may be suitable for laboratory equipment but, because of the mechanical structure (rotating screen), not for rough industrial applications. Also disadvantageous is the short incandescent lamp life, since the lamp has to be operated at a relatively high load in order to generate sufficient blue light radiation.
Also, a deuterium lamp has only a relatively short life of about 3 months when operated constantly. In addition, a scanning system, also in the laboratory, has never the good wave length reproducibility which a rigid solid array spectrometer system has. Finally, the deuterium lamp which is needed for such arrangements is extremely expensive.
Array spectrometers with rigid diffraction screen and a multi-channel detector (photodiode array) are more sturdy and have a good wave length reproducibility. The varying signal intensity is at least partially compensated for by the combination of halogen and deuterium lamps.
The main disadvantages are the short lives of both lamps and the costs of the deuterium lamp.
More advantageous are UV array spectrometers which operate with a single light source, that is, a xenon flash light as described in DE Patent 4 232 371 C2.
The only disadvantage of this arrangement resides in the costs for the xenon flashlight and the necessary transfer optical system compensating for the movements of the light-generating arc. These expenses would be justifiable for the UV light range, but not for the visible light range.
It is also possible to arrange a diaphragm directly in front of the photodiode array which includes restrictions to compensate for array elements which have high light intensities or for photodiodes which are very sensitive. A corresponding procedure is described in EP 0 260 013 A3. However, such arrangements requires expensive adjustment devices and generate additional stray light.
From Yair Talmi, publication Applied Optics, volume 19, issue 9, May 1, 1980, pages 1401 ff, it is further known to improve the dynamic range of array spectrometers by periodically changing the integration time of the array. For example the strong signal range can be evaluated with a short integration duration, whereas the weaker signal ranges can be evaluated with longer light collection periods. The time spectrum is obtained with this method by combining the not over-controlled spectral ranges of all the records of different radiation durations.
This procedure, however, has the disadvantage that, on one hand, a complicated electronic system for controlling the arrays is needed and, on the other hand, the dark current changes differently with regard to the spectrum, and the signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an analysis system with an optical light source which, together with an array spectrometer system better utilize the dynamic range of the photodiode array in a simple manner and, as a result, reduces stray light.


There is provided mechanisms for determining antenna settings associated with at least one network node in a wireless communications network. A method is performed by a network node. The method comprises detecting an event of a network node in the wireless communications network, the event indicating a need for adjustment of at least one antenna setting of the network node and/or at least one other network node in the wireless communications network. The method comprises determining the adjustment of the at least one antenna setting by identifying stored key performance information based on the event. The method comprises determining the adjustment of the at least one antenna setting by assessing a candidate set of possible antenna settings of the network node and/or the at least one other network node, wherein the candidate set is defined by the key performance information.

In communications networks, there may be a challenge to obtain good performance and capacity for a given communications protocol, its parameters and the physical environment in which the communications network is deployed.
For example, reconfigurable antenna systems (RAS) are increasingly used in wireless cellular networks to improve the network operation and communication quality. One common variant of RAS is antenna tilting which is applied to balance the coverage of a sector antenna with the interference generated to and received from neighboring cells. An antenna pattern can be tilted mechanically or electrically, by local input or using remote control. More advanced antenna pattern shaping is becoming feasible with the introduction of active antennas having integrated radio frequency functionality. For example, the beam width or sidelobe levels may be adjusted by changing the excitation of individual antenna elements within an antenna array.
In order to tune the RAS settings of many antennas and cells in a network, different automated algorithms may be applied. These algorithms are commonly denoted as RAS-SON algorithms, where SON is short for self-organizing network or self-optimizing network. Due to the complexity of predicting the network response to a considered RAS change, it is common to test the new settings and observe the changes in network behavior, and then decide, based on the performance changes, whether to keep the new settings or revert back to the original settings. Typically, a conservative approach is required in order not to have too large or too frequent performance drops by using non-optimal settings. Another mechanism to achieve a stable working network involves collecting network behavior statistics or Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for significant time periods in order to gain confidence that the new settings indeed provide improved performance.
RAS-SON algorithms as outlined below are ill-suited to cope with rapid changes in the network. One particular case of a rapid change in the network is the loss of a cell due to e.g. power outage. When such an outage occurs, the network needs to readjust its RAS settings quickly to mitigate, or even avoid, service loss, which is contradicting to the slow and conservative approach outlined above.
Hence, there is still a need for an improved determination of antenna settings in a wireless communications network.

Antenna settings in wireless communications networks


A device housing with a generally semicircular clip assembly for attaching the device housing to a cylindrical object, for example tubing, is disclosed. The clip assembly includes a helical coil spring for biasing the generally semicircular clip against the device housing. In the preferred embodiment, a timekeeping device is incorporated within the device housing. The device housing with timekeeping device may be securely clipped to stethoscope tubing. Also disclosed in the present invention is an inexpensive method of placing multicolor advertising upon a device housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device housing with a generally semicircular clip assembly. More specifically, the present invention relates to means for attaching the housing of a digital clock to a cylindrical support, for example, the rubber tubing on a stethoscope. The present invention also related to an inexpensive method for exposing advertising to potential customers through placement of advertising on such a device housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Digital clocks with a LCD display have been known for many years. These clocks are common on watches and kitchen timers. These devices commonly incorporate a flat clip attached on the back of the housing in order to removably secure the device to a fixation point. In addition to clocks, various other devices, such as pens, digital devices, pagers, and telephones often include clips so that the device may be removably secured to a fixation point.
Typically the structure of clips is straight and flat. Such clips are designed to attach the device to flat objects such as shirt pockets, belts, and car visors. Many of these types of clips have a spring biased mechanism that allows the clip to open and close, facilitating the application and removal of the associated device. Examples of these types of flat clips are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 276,512 to Webster, U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,931 to van Kuijk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,459 to Hyvonen, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,281 to Kamp. A problem with these types of flat clips is that they do not work well, if at all, when used to secure a device to a cylindrical fixation point, for example, tubing or hoses. The clips dislodge from the fixation point easily and the tubing can be compressed by flat spring biased clips.
There are other clips that are designed to secure to cylindrically shaped objects, for example, tubing and hoses. Circular hose clips as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,650 to Yamada and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,607 to Hohmann. These are not designed to be integrated into a device housing. Furthermore, although these may grip a hose or tubing, they are not readily removable without tools. Therefore these hose clamps are inappropriate for attaching an associated device housing. Another type of clip for holding a tube is a shaped pre-bent single piece of resilient metal or plastic such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,267 to Russell. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,906 to Posey discloses a tube holder made from a narrow, elongated, thin, flat, semi-rigid strip of pre-bent spring metal such as stainless steel that is adapted for use with a given standard size hospital tubing. Those types of clips are without any coiled spring biasing mechanism and operate merely by leaf spring type biasing of a pre-bent metal strip. As such, they can be difficult to place and remove, may compress the tubing, usually fit only one particular diameter of tubing, and may fail early due to metal fatigue. Another type of specialty clip is the carabineer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,438 discloses a carabineer incorporation a timekeeping functionality. A carabineer however would not hold securely to a cylindrical fixation point.
What is lacking in the prior art is a device that will securely and removably attach a device housing to a cylindrical fixation point such as tubing.

Handheld electric device with a substantially semicircular spring clip assembly and an advertising method


Disclosed are methods, devices, and systems for treatment of an abnormal wound healing response. The methods, devices, and systems can be used to treat solid ulcerated tissue, such as diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs), arthritic tissue, muscle soreness, joint pain, varicose veins, obesity, and peripheral artery disease. Additionally, the methods, devices, and systems can promote the healing of xenograft, allograft, autograft, or engineered tissue following reconstruction surgery. The methods, devices, and systems include the ability to determine an optimal set of pulse parameters that are specific to wound healing. In embodiments, the methods, devices, and systems include components for guiding the user on electrode placement based on anatomical or electrical measurements, delivering a custom series of electric pulses, applying heat, and using feedback from physiologic measurements to control the device.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are the cause of over 80,000 amputations each year in the United States. The number of people who lose a limb due to diabetes is expected to triple by the year 2050. Nationally, of the over $100 billion spent annually on managing diabetes, at least 33% is linked to the treatment of DFUs.
Often, poor-healing, neuropathic wounds that occur on diabetic patients, especially on the lower extremities, will only worsen if left untreated, in part due to impairment of blood flow. Patients who have diabetes experience reduced blood flow in the limbs, and ulcers often develop on the bottom of the foot.
There is, therefore, a need for treatment and/or monitoring of DFUs in a cost-effective manner that can prevent amputation.

Devices, methods, and systems for the treatment and/or monitoring of damaged tissue


A method for enhancement of spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) from gases comprising a multimode blue laser diode which receives feedback from a near concentric bidirectional multipass cavity in such a way as to generate a circulating power of order 100 W for a sample volume of 10 mm3. The feedback, provided via a volume Bragg grating, reduces the laser bandwidth to 4 cm−1. Spectra of spontaneous Raman scattering from ambient atmospheric air, detected collinearly with the pump, were recorded with a limit of detection below 1 part-per-million.

Sensing and monitoring of the chemical composition of gases is needed for a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, medical diagnostics, process control, environmental surveying and hazard detection. Gas sensing systems capable of detecting trace concentrations are particularly desirable and should provide long-term reliability with rapid response times and economic feasibility. In addition, a gas sensing system able to differentiate isotopologes—molecules differing only by their isotopic composition—finds applications in precision spectroscopy and tracing applications.
Although a host of readily available techniques for trace gas detection currently exist, including ion mobility spectrometry, absorption spectroscopy, non-dispersive infrared spectroscopy and ion mass spectrometry, the overall size, complexity and price of these techniques have prevented the realization of a miniaturized, consumer viable product for trace gas detection. Additionally, with the rapid development of "smart" electronic devices that now reach into a realm of household applications, a compact, low-cost trace gas analyzer could find numerous applications in portable health diagnostics, home monitoring, etc.
As a conceptually simple, versatile, isotopically sensitive, and extremely reliable optical technique, spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) is, in principle, poised to realize such applications. However, the low density of gases to be detected and the notoriously weak scattering cross-section of SRS have precluded its application in an economical fashion. Numerous practical difficulties have so far precluded gas phase SRS at parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is an improved system and method based upon spontaneous Raman scattering (SRS) that is applicable for sub-parts-per-million (ppm) detection of gases, while also being compact and economical.

Diode-pumped multipass cavity raman gas sensor and method of use