The present invention relates to a stable, nondetergent composition based on fatty acids, in microemulsion form, for administration to humans or animals, comprising:

The present invention relates to stable microemulsions for the administration of fatty acids to humans or to animals. These microemulsions, with a pH of less than 6.5, have a very high fatty acid concentration since they contain from 5 to 30% by weight of fatty acids.
The influence of fatty acids and of mixtures thereof on the behaviour of animals has been described and commented on in the literature. By way of illustration, there may be mentioned pheromones which may contain or constitute such mixtures of fatty acids.
Compositions based on fatty acids are more particularly known which have a soothing and relaxing effect on certain mammals. These compositions are capable of combating anxiety in an animal experiencing a particular stress situation caused for example by a change in its environment which is too sudden. U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,863 describes in particular fatty acid compositions which, simply upon bringing into contact with the olfactory organs of the respiratory tract, facilitate the adaptation of cats to an unknown environment by limiting their anxiety.
The emulsions described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,863 have, nevertheless, a number of disadvantages.
They are not easily dispersible in the environment because of their high viscosity.
Furthermore, they exhibit inadequate heat stability; it has been possible to observe crystallization of the fatty acids at low temperature and sometimes even at room temperature.
One way of reducing the viscosity of fatty acid compositions is to formulate these fatty acids in a microemulsion.
However, the formulation of microemulsions with high fatty acid concentrations, which are both chemically and heat stable, is problematic.
In fact, because of the high fatty acid concentrations (greater than 5% by weight), the use of cosurfactants such as alcohols is necessary. However, the simultaneous presence of alcohols and fatty acids in the microemulsions is a priori not desirable given the high risks of esterification. The chemical stability of such microemulsions appears compromised.
Surprisingly, the inventors have been able to develop a stable composition, in microemulsion form, comprising a high concentration of fatty acids and which may include up to 30% by weight of alcohol.
More precisely, the invention relates to a stable, nondetergent composition, in microemulsion form, for administration to humans or animals, comprising:
from 5 to 30% by weight of one or more fatty acids with a free carboxylic acid function, as active ingredient;
from 5 to 35% by weight of one or more surfactants;
from 5 to 30% by weight of one or more C1-C12 alcohols, as cosurfactant;
from 5 to 35% by weight of one or more water-soluble compounds with a carbonyl or hydroxyl function; and
from 0 to 35% by weight of one or more water-immiscible compounds; the said composition having a pH of less than 6.5.
Fatty acid is understood to mean, according to the invention, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched hydrocarbon chain-containing monocarboxylic acids which are active in humans or animals when administered thereto, this being regardless of the route of administration. More precisely, these fatty acids are chemical substances capable of modifying the behaviour or the physiological responses of humans or animals.
Usually, the fatty acids are in the form of C4-C22. Examples thereof are capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic, linoleic, stearic, arachidonic, n-butyric, isobutyric, xcex1-methylbutyric, caproic, pivalic, gamma-linoleic, eicosapentanoic and docosahexanoic acids.
At room temperature, these fatty acids are present either in liquid form or in solid form, depending on the length and structure of the carbon chain.
Examples of mixtures of fatty acids which can be used as active ingredient in the context of the invention are pheromones.
Preferably, the compositions of the invention comprise one of the following fatty acid mixtures:
ixe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid and palmitic acid;
iixe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid and n-butyric acid;
iiixe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid;
ivxe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid and palmitoleic acid;
vxe2x80x94a mixture of capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid and oleic acid;
vixe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid and myristic acid;
viixe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid , lauric acid and myristic acid;
viiixe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, myristic acid and pentadecanoic acid;
ixxe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid and stearic acid;
xxe2x80x94a mixture of oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, myristic acid, lauric acid and pentadecanoic acid;
xixe2x80x94one of the C4-C22 fatty acid mixtures described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,863.
The composition of the invention preferably comprises from 10 to 30% by weight of one or more fatty acids, better still from 15 to 25% by weight, for example from 17 to 23% by weight.
According to the invention, it is essential that pH of the composition is less than 6.5. Preferably, the pH of this composition is between 3 and 6.
According to the invention, the composition in microemulsion form may comprise one or more surfactants chosen from an anionic, cationic, zwitterionic or nonionic surfactant as long as its nature is not incompatible with its use.
Preferably, the compositions of the invention comprise exclusively pharmaceutically acceptable constituents.
Thus, the preferred surfactants are anionic, and better still nonionic, surfactants.
Examples of anionic surfactants which may be suitable are alkyl sulphates in which the alkyl chain is C6-C18, such as sodium lauryl sulphate, alkyl benzenesulphonates in which the alkyl chain is C6-C18 and dialkyl sulphosuccinates in which the alkyl chain is C6-C18, such as sodium dioctyl sulphosuccinate.
The counter-ion for the alkyl sulphates, for the alkyl benzenesulphonates and for the dialkyl sulphosuccinates is preferably the cation of an alkali metal such as sodium or potassium, or alternatively an ammonium cation.
Examples of nonionic surfactants are:
a) the product of condensation of an aliphatic fatty alcohol, preferably a C8-C22, with a C2-C3 alkylene oxide. The C2-C3 alkylene oxide may be ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or alternatively a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in any proportions. An example of such surfactants is the product of condensation of lauryl alcohol (or n-dodecyl alcohol) with 30 mol of ethylene oxide;
b) the product of condensation of an alkylphenol in which the alkyl chain is C8-C22 with a C2-C3 alkylene oxide. Here again, the products of condensation with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or alternatively a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in any proportions are also advantageous. By way of example of such surfactants, there may be mentioned the product of condensation of n-nonylphenol with 10 mol of ethylene oxide;
c) the product of condensation of a fatty acid, preferably a C8-C22, with a C2-C3 alkylene oxide, for example ethylene oxide or propylene oxide or a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in any proportions. These condensation products contain a chain alkoxylated at the level of the hydroxyl function of the carboxyl group. Preferred surfactants of this group are the condensation products obtained from oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid;
d) the product of condensation of a C8-C22 fatty acid glyceride with a C2-C3 alkylene oxide such as ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide. Among these, ethoxylated glyceryl palmitate is preferred;
e) the product of condensation of a C8-C22 fatty acid ester of sorbitol with a C2-C3 alkylene oxide which may be ethylene oxide, propylene oxide or mixtures thereof. These compounds are polysorbates. A preferred example is sold under the name Tween 80;
f) the product of condensation of sorbitol with a C8-C22 fatty acid.
As surfactant, it is preferred to use either an alkali metal alkyl sulphate or a nonionic surfactant of the c) type or of the e) type above.
According to the invention, it is possible to envisage the combination of one or more surfactants.
Thus, particularly advantageous combinations of surfactants are the combination:
of a nonionic surfactant of the e) type with a nonionic surfactant of the f) type;
of an anionic surfactant such as a dialkyl sulphosuccinate with a nonionic surfactant of the e) type or of the f) type;
of an anionic surfactant such as an alkyl sulphate with a nonionic surfactant of the e) type or of the f) type.
Preferably, the composition of the invention comprises from 8 to 30% by weight of surfactant, better still from 10 to 30% by weight, for example from 10 to 25% by weight.
The composition of the invention comprises one or more linear or branched C1-C12 alcohols as cosurfactant. Preferably, these constituents represent from 5 to 25% by weight of the composition, better still from 10 to 20% by weight.
The alcohols of this type which can be used according to the invention are those generally used in the technology of microemulsions. Reference may be made for example to the book by Bourrel M. and Schechter R. S. entitled xe2x80x9cMicroemulsions are related systemsxe2x80x9d published by Marcel Dekker Inc., New York and Basle, 1988.
Preferred cosurfactants are aliphatic monohydroxylated alcohols and more particularly C1-C4 alkanols, such as isopropanol and ethanol.
The water-soluble compounds with a carbonyl or hydroxyl function have the effect of stabilizing the microemulsion of the invention from the chemical point of view. They are not surfactants. The exact nature of these compounds is unimportant as long as they comprise at least one carbonyl function or at least one hydroxyl function, it being possible for the latter to be the carbonyl or hydroxyl function of a carboxyl group.
It should be understood according to the invention that the water-soluble compound may comprise both a hydroxyl function and a carbonyl function.
A preferred group of such water-soluble compounds consists of glycols and their corresponding C1-C4 alkyl ethers.
In the context of the invention, the expression glycol denotes any compound corresponding to the formula HO-A-OH in which A represents an alkylene chain optionally interrupted by one or more oxygen atoms, the said alkylene chain being linear or branched, but preferably linear.
The alkylene chain may comprise from 2 to 100 carbon atoms and up to 50 oxygen atoms.
Examples of glycols are ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol and polyethylene glycols.
The polyethylene glycols preferably used in the context of the invention have a molar mass of less than or equal to 2000.
The C1-C4 alkyl monoethers of these glycols are also preferred water-soluble compounds. Alkyl is understood according to the invention to mean saturated, linear or branched, aliphatic hydrocarbon groups such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl and tert-butyl.
Other preferred water-soluble compounds are monosaccharides or disaccharides of the sorbitol, glucose, galactose, lactose, mannitol, xylitol, lactol, lyxose, arabinose, idose, mannose, fructose, xylose, altrose, erythrose, threose, fucose, rhamnose, ribose and sorbose type.
There may also be mentioned glycerol, alkyl monoethers and diethers of glycerol in which the alkyl portions are C1-C4, N-methylpyrrolidone, N-methylacetamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide and acetone.
Preferably, the composition comprises one or more water-soluble compounds chosen from N-methylacetamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, a glycol optionally in C1-C4 alkyl monoether form, a monosaccharide, a disaccharide or glycerol. The glycols and their ethers as well as N-methylpyrrolidone are particularly preferred.
The content of water-soluble compounds with a carbonyl or hydroxyl function varies between 5 and 35% by weight of the composition, preferably between 10 and 30%, better still between 15 and 30%.
The microemulsion of the invention may comprise, in addition, one or more water-immiscible lipophilic compounds whose nature is not very critical as long as these compounds are chemically inert towards the other constituents of the composition. The compounds lack surfactant properties.
According to a preferred embodiment, the lipophilic compound is chosen from paraffins and isoparaffins, preferably saturated C5-C16 hydrocarbons, esters of C4-C20 fatty acid with a variety of alcohols and, for example, with glycerol or (C4-C20)alkylpyrrolidones. The esters of fatty acids with glycerol include the monoglycerides of fatty acids, the diglycerides of fatty acids and the triglycerides of fatty acids.
An example of alkylpyrrolidone is octylpyrrolidone.
The presence of one or more lipophilic constituents enhances the physical stability of the microemulsion.
When they are present, these constituents preferably represent from 5 to 35% of the total weight of the microemulsion, better still from 8 to 20% of the total weight of the microemulsion.
The microemulsions of the invention may comprise, in addition, antimicrobial preservatives such as a paraben ester or benzyl alcohol, or alternatively antioxidants chosen from gallic acid esters (such as propyl gallate), ethoxyquin, vitamin E, butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene and diphenylamine.
The microemulsions of the invention are prepared simply by mixing the constituents in any order. It is preferable, however, to prepare a premix from the fatty acids, the water-immiscible compounds and the water-soluble compounds, and then to add to this premix the surfactants, the cosurfactants and the water. According to the invention, the microemulsions are of the oil-in-water type.
They preferably comprise from 5 to 80% by weight of water, better still from 15 to 25% by weight.
The size of the droplets of the microemulsions varies generally from 0.01 to 0.1 xcexcm. Because of the small size of the droplets, the microemulsions are translucent and not opaque.
The advantageous properties of the microemulsions of the invention are in particular:
a good chemical stability: the fatty acids do not react with the cosurfactant alcohols of the composition;
a good physical stability: the compositions of the invention remain clear, without any agglomeration of the droplets or phase separation being observed; and
the microemulsions of the invention have a low viscosity, this being for a broad range of temperatures, and in particular of between 0 and 40xc2x0 C.
The microemulsions of the invention are administerable to humans and to animals by the oral, sublingual, intravenous, transdermal, intramuscular, topical, subcutaneous or rectal route or even by simply bringing the active ingredient of the microemulsion of the invention, in liquid or vapour form, into contact with the olfactory organs situated at the inlet of the respiratory tracts.
Thus, the administration may be carried out by spraying, nebulization or atomization of the microemulsions into the environment around humans or animals or evaporation of the active ingredient after application of the microemulsion into this environment, via the natural respiratory mechanisms in humans or animals, or alternatively the administration may be carried out by inhalation.
The appropriate mode of administration depends on the nature of the constituents of the microemulsion and in particular on the nature of the fatty acids incorporated into it.
When the microemulsion contains fatty acids capable of modifying the behaviour or the physiological responses in humans or animals as active ingredient, administration simply by spraying, nebulization, atomization or application of the composition into the environment around humans or animals is perfectly appropriate.
The administered doses depend on the mode of administration, the nature of the active ingredients, the seriousness of the condition or pathology and the weight of the animal and/or the nature of the behaviour or of the physiological response desired.
Thus, according to another of its aspects, the invention relates to the use of compositions of the invention for modifying the behaviour of humans or animals without a therapeutic or prophylactic treatment being involved.
According to yet another of its aspects, the invention relates to the use of the microemulsions of the invention for the preparation of a medicament which can be administered to humans or to animals.
By way of example, the microemulsions based on one of the mixtures of fatty acids described in U.S. Pat No. 5,709,863 may be used in the treatment of anxiety in cats or more generally for modifying the physiological responses in humans or animals.
The examples which follow further illustrate the invention.

Stable microemulsions for the administration of fatty acids to humans or to animals, and use of these microemulsions


A control system (60) for a printing press having a printed copy, a device (68 and 70) for manually using the copy to control operation of the press based on information on the copy, and device (80 and 82) for automatically reading the copy while excluding any control by target information on the copy, and controlling operation of the press based upon information on the copy.

The present invention relates to control systems for a printing press.
In the past, four process inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) have been used on a printing press to produce copies with a gamut of colors. To improve trapping and reduce ink cost, various undercolor removal techniques (UCR) and grey component replacement (GCR) techniques have been used in the color separation processing. The UCR and GCR techniques remove a certain amount of the cyan, magenta and yellow ink from some printing areas and replace them with a certain amount of the black ink. Thus, the black ink has been used to generate not only the text but also the color image, thus reducing the total volume of ink used to print. Different color separation equipment manufacturers offer different UCR and GCR techniques to determine when this black ink substitution will take place and what amount of inks will be substituted.
In the past, the press room color reproduction quality control process has been divided into two categories: "control by target" and "control by image."
In the "control by target" method, a set of color control targets is printed in a margin. Instruments, such as densitometers, are used to monitor the color attributes, such as the optical density, of these targets. The printing press is then adjusted based on the measured deviation of these control targets from a predefined attribute value. The application of this method for quality control creates waste and consumes resources in that an additional process is required to cut off this target from the final product. It also requires a tight material control for paper, ink, and other printing parameters.
In the "control by image" method, the print image on a production copy is compared with the printed image on a reference copy, called a proof. The press is then adjusted based on the difference between the production image and the reference image. This system is more versatile because it does not require an additional target to be printed. The "control by image" method is also more accurate than the "control by target" method because in some situations although the measured attributes of control targets on the production and reference images are the same, the two images will look different. Conventionally, both the image comparing task and the press adjusting task are performed by a press operator. To improve the productivity and the color consistency, several automatic printing quality inspection systems have been reported recently. These systems use opto-electronic sensor devices, such as a spectrophotometer, or CCD color cameras, to measure the color reproduction quality. Currently, the bandwidth of these sensor devices is limited to the visible region of 400 nm through 700 nm in wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, within the visible region, it is not possible for these devices to reliably distinguish the black ink from the process black made by the combination of cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, or to determine whether the black ink or all cyan, magenta, and yellow inks should be adjusted. Although these devices, such as spectrophotometers, might be able to measure the printed color accurately, it is difficult to use the measured color information to achieve the automatic control for a four-color press without a target due to the involvement of the UCR and GCR techniques. A control method without targets could require selecting the points in the image to be measured or a large number of measurements would have to be acquired. A camera system can acquire a large number of measurements simultaneously, giving it an advantage when targets are not printed.
It is desired to implement the system for both manual use of a printed copy and automatic use of the information on the copy in order to control the press.

Workstation for both manually and automatically controlling the operation of a printing press


A processor of an apparatus in one example makes a determination of an environmental characteristic based on an average of a plurality of concomitant values that correspond to the environmental characteristic.

Electronic sensors are often used for measurement of environmental characteristics. Gyroscopes are capable of measuring inertial characteristics, such as angular rate and/or acceleration. In known inertial measurement units ("IMUs"), a single gyroscope is used for each range of motion that is to be measured. For example, IMUs employ a gyroscope for pitch, a gyroscope for roll, and a gyroscope for yaw. In some applications additional gyro(s) may be used for redundancy so that on the event of a gyro failure the redundant gyros(s) data may be used.
Outputs from gyroscopes may be unstable due to error terms that vary over time. Some error terms are caused by environmental changes to the gyroscope, such as temperature fluctuation, shock, and vibration. The error terms may or may not be correlated with each other and may or may not vary between gyroscopes. A specialized and more precise gyroscope may be used to reduce the error terms, but at a higher manufacturing cost.
Thus, a need exists for reduced error terms in environmental characteristic measurements without higher manufacturing costs.


Disclosed a heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of parallel tubes for conveying a first fluid, a pair of header plates, each having a plurality of openings into which respective ends of the tubes are inserted in a fluid-tight manner, a jacket connected to the header plates in a fluid-tight manner and defining with the header plates an inner volume for receiving a second fluid, the tubes being placed within the inner volume, and a fluid channel joined to a wall of the jacket, the fluid channel being in fluid communication with the inner volume through an opening formed through the wall, wherein the wall is, on an opposite side relative to the fluid channel, joined to sidewalls of said tubes.

Automotive heat exchangers include, for example, water charge air coolers (WCAC) used in intake systems of internal combustion engines. In these WCACs, a water-based mixture is circulated through the jacket of the WCAC, which is connected to a water circuit. The water-based mixture passing through the jacket is used to cool down a gaseous fluid (air or gaseous mixture) conveyed by the tubes of the heat exchanger towards the intake system of the internal combustion engine.
In this type of heat exchangers, a week point of the water circuit is the inlet and outlet of the coolant side, i.e. at inlet and outlet openings formed through respective walls of the jacket. In particular, it has been detected that the stress level on the tubes is highest on the areas of the inlet and outlet openings where no jacket is covering the tubes. Furthermore, these areas where no jacket is covering the tube are exposed to coolant flow, which promotes the erosion of the tubes in these areas.


A transporting device of the magnetically floating type is disposed in a central area of a multi-chamber to transport a semiconductor wafer into and out of peripheral processing rooms. The transporting device is comprised of a movable slider member having a working arm disposed along an axial direction and a server disposed at an end portion of the working arm for carrying a wafer. An electromagnet magnetically floats the slider member to drive the same in the axial direction. Sensors sense the size of the gap between the electromagnet and the slider member. Based on the magnitude of the gap, a PID circuit controls an electric current supplied to the electromagnet to maintain the slider member in a horizontal attitude state. A comparator operates to detect a variation in the electric current flowing through the electromagnet in order to determine whether the server is loaded with the wafer.

The present invention relates to a workpiece transporting device of the magnetically floating type suitable for use in a semiconductor fabrication system or the like, under a under vacuum condition.
Generally, a semiconductor wafer is treated within a vacuum chamber during the semiconductor fabrication process. The semiconductor wafers and other workpiece articles are handled by a transporting device within the vacuum chamber. Therefore, the transporting device is required to be free of dust during the course of the transporting operation. FIG. 6 shows an example of the conventional transporting device used under the vacuum condition. In the figure, a multi-chamber 1 is comprised of a plurality of processing rooms 2-4, a loading room 5 and an unloading room 6, the rooms being arranged around a central area of the chamber 1. A turntable 8 is disposed on the central area of the chamber 1. A transporting device 10 of the magnetically floating type is mounted on the turntable 8. This transporting device 10 has an arm 11 movable in the lengthwise or axial direction of the device. A server is provided at an end portion of the arm 11 for carrying a semiconductor wafer 13.
In such a multi-chamber, the semiconductor wafer 13 is charged and discharged into and from respective processing rooms 2-4, loading room 5 and unloading room 6 during the course of the fabrication process. For this handling, the turntable 8 is rotated to place the server of the arm 11 in front of a desired room, and then the arm 11 is extended or retracted to charge or discharge the semiconductor wafer 13 into or from that room. In this operation, it is necessary to check to see if the semiconductor wafer 13 is being carried on the server in order to ensure the correct fabrication process. However, there is no practical article sensor which is reliable in the vacuum. Therefore, conventionally an optical sensor is provided outside the multi-chamber 1 so as to detect the presence or absence of the semiconductor wafer 13. In order for the optical sensor to view the interior of the multi-chamber from the exterior thereof, a quartz glass piece 14 is fitted in an opaque top plate 15 in registration with a sensor (not shown in the figure).
However, such a multi-chamber 1 is costly since a plurality of the quartz glass pieces 14 must be fitted into the top plate 1. Further, each sensor must be addressed sequentially in synchronization with a position shift of the semiconductor wafer 13 during the course of the semiconductor fabrication process. A detection sequence of the sensors is provisionally set, but this complicated sequence is occasionally set erroneously to thereby cause a check miss.

Transporting device of magnetically floating type


The present invention relates to polypeptide derivatives of dog gastric lipase as obtained by genetic engineering as well as to the nucleotide sequence encoding this recombinant DGL. It also relates to the use of this recombinant DGL for the production of pharmaceutical compositions intended especially for the treatment of pathologies linked to the insufficiency, or even the absence, of secretion of lipases in the body of an individual.

The present invention relates to nucleic acids encoding dog gastric lipase (DGL), and other polypeptide derivatives of the latter possessing a lipase activity, as well as their use, especially for the production of these polypeptides. The subject of the invention is also the polypeptides encoded by these nucleic acids, and the use of these polypeptides in pharmaceutical compositions.
DGL is a glycoprotein of about 380 amino acids (AA) of a molecular weight of about 49 kilodaltons (KD) synthesized in the form of a precursor containing a signal peptide at the amino-terminal (NH.sub.2 -terminal) end and secreted by the median cells of dog stomach fundic mucosa (Carriere F. et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 202 (1991) 75-83).
This enzyme belongs to a family of so-called "preduodenal" lipases of which certain members have already been purified and sometimes even cloned (Docherty A. J. P. et al., Nucl. Ac. res. 13 (1985) 1891-1903; Bodmer M. W. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Act. 909 (1987) 237-244; Moreau H. et al., Biochem. Biophys. Act. 960 (1988) 286-293; European Patents No. 0,191,061 and No. 0,261,016).
For a long time, it was taken for granted that the hydrolysis of food lipids occurred in the small intestine by virtue of the action of enzymes produced by the pancreas (Bernard C., C.R. Acad. Sci. 28 (1849) 249-253).
Observations suggested, however, that the hydrolysis of triglycerides could occur in the stomach by means of preduodenal enzymes (Volhard, F., Z. Klin. Med. 42 (1901) 414-429; Shonheyder, F. and Volquartz, K. Acta Physiol. Scand. 9 (1945) 57-67). These enzymes, and in particular dog gastric lipase, have enzymatic and physico-chemical properties which distinguish them from mammalian pancreatic lipases. These differences between gastric and pancreatic lipases essentially relate to the following points: molecular weight, amino acid composition, resistance to pepsin, substrate specificity, optimum pH for action, and stability in acidic medium.
Furthermore, in vitro, under certain conditions, a synergy of action between gastric and pancreatic lipases can be detected on the hydrolysis of long-chain triglycerides (Gargouri, Y. et Al., Biochem. Biophys. Act. 1006 (1989) 255-271).
Several pathological conditions (cystic fibrosis, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency) are known where the patients totally or partially lack pancreatic exocrine secretion and therefore the enzymes necessary for the hydrolysis of foods (amylases, lipases, proteases). The non-absorption of fats at the intestinal level, and especially long-chain triglycerides, results in a very substantial increase in steatorrhea in these patients and in a very substantial slowing down of weight gain in young patients. In order to overcome this, pig pancreatic extracts are administered to these subjects at the time of meals. The therapeutic efficacy of these extracts could be greatly improved by the co-prescription of DGL by virtue of its specificity of action on long-chain triglycerides.
The purification and the determination of the NH2-terminal sequence of DGL are described in the article by F. Carriere which appeared in Eur. J. Biochem. 201, 75-83, 1991. A process permitting the extraction of this enzyme from dog stomachs is also described in this publication. This process consists essentially in subjecting dog stomachs to an extraction by an acidic aqueous medium (pH 2.5); the-lipase extract is precipitated by addition of water-soluble salts, then by a filtration on a molecular sieve, followed by a separation by ion-exchange chromatographies, as well as by gel filtration, and an elution fraction containing the lipase is recovered. The purified DGL obtained by these processes has a molecular weight according to the Laemmli technique of 49,000 daltons, of which 6000 correspond to sugars and 43,000 to a protein.
Obvious reasons of difficulties of supply of dog stomachs prevent any development of this process both at the laboratory level and at the industrial level, hence the necessity to find a process avoiding the use of dog stomachs, which makes it possible to produce DGL in a large quantity.

Polypeptide derivatives of dog gastric lipase and pharmaceutical compositions containing same


An operating device includes a movable part capable of moving between a first position and a second position, with the movable part being capable of operation by the finger of the user gripping the operating device. The operating device includes a regulating part that regulates a range in which the movable part can move, and a control part that determines the amount of regulation in which the movable part can move and provides the regulating part with an instruction to regulate the range in which the movable part can move according to the amount of regulation which has been determined.

The home game machine is provided with an operating device which detects user's action such as button depression and device shaking and sends the information representing the thus detected user's action to the main body of the game machine. Some of the operating devices are so designed as to give the user the sense of touch and force by means of an actuator.

Operation device and method for controlling the same


A device for supporting a tree limb. The device includes a base having top and bottom surfaces for situating the device proximate to said tree limb. A telescoping pole having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends is provided, the first end being rotatably secured to the base. A coupling is included for varying the length of the telescoping pole. A support rod is affixed to the second end of the telescoping pole, the support rod being rotatable about the longitudinal axis. A U-shaped limb support member is fixedly appended to the support rod.

As trees age, oftentimes, their branches become less healthy and vigorous and, without suitable intervention, oftentimes would break away from the main trunk of the tree. This can also occur with healthy branches that may be unduly stressed by weight. For example, as fruit develops on the branches of a fruit bearing tree stress is created that the branch or limb must support.
There are many reasons why one may wish to save a tree limb under distress rather than to simply remove it from the main trunk system. If the limb is fruit bearing, the distress would be removed once the fruit is harvested. Even in situations where a limb is less than vigorous, it is oftentimes desirable to save it rather than to prune or remove it. For example, such a limb could aesthetically add to the visual appearance of a tree or provide shade or privacy which the tree owner would wish to maintain if at all possible.
A number of prior techniques have been employed in attempts to save distressed limbs. It is not uncommon to see braided wire fixed between the limb and load bearing trunk portions of the tree which, although are functional, further provide distress as such braided wire is generally screwed into the bark and limb of the trunk. Further, such guide wires are often unsightly and prove to be aesthetically detracting from the tree's overall appearance in many instances.
It is also oftentimes desirable to provide a limb support system on a temporary basis only to be removed once distress is no longer placed upon the limb. For example, when the tree is fruit bearing, once the fruit is harvested, there is oftentimes not a need to continue supporting the limb, at least until fruit reemerges in the following growing season.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a device capable of supporting a limb of a tree.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device for supporting a limb without involving the trunk or bark portion of the tree and without fixing the support device permanently proximate the distressed limb.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a limb supporting device capable of being adjustable in height and capable of residing upon uneven terrain to enable the device to function appropriately proximate a distressed limb regardless of surrounding conditions.
These and further objects will be more readily apparent when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.


A method of rearranging a display of at least one icon on a touch screen of a portable electronic device is provided. The method detects if the device has entered a tilted state, and automatically rearranges the display of the at least one icon according to the tilted state. In some implementations, icons are rearranged to be displayed in a lopsided manner when entering the tilted state, thereby facilitating user touch selection of the icons.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to portable electronic devices and user interfaces thereof, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for arranging user interface objects in a touch screen portable device.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid developments in electronics and telecommunications in recent years, portable (i.e., handheld) electronic devices such as mobile terminals, smart phones, game devices, electronics organizers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), etc., have become increasingly popular. Portable terminals in some cases have become necessities of modern life as important means for delivering information which changes rapidly.
Recently, with the widespread use of touch screen portable devices based on a Graphic User Interface (GUI), designs have focused on improving user interfaces and facilitating user input. Touch screen devices typically display a plurality of user selectable objects on a main screen. A user can execute a task associated with an object via touch contact on the object to thereby select it. The user interface object may be an icon which allows a representatively loaded program to be executed to carry out a function, initiate an application program, etc.
As touch screen devices have proliferated, new designs with relatively larger touch screens have been introduced. With the advantage of a large screen, these devices have become increasingly popular. However, they exhibit a drawback when a user attempts to select objects using his/her thumb. For instance, if the user is holding the device with one hand and attempts to select icons using the thumb of that hand, it may be difficult to reach icons located across the entire screen furthest from the thumb position.

Method arranging user interface objects in touch screen portable terminal and apparatus thereof


A wiring board includes a plate-shaped resin member; chip connection pads provided in the resin member, the chip connection pads having connection surfaces electrically connected to electrode pads provided on a semiconductor chip, the connection surfaces being situated in substantially the same plane as a first surface of the resin member, the first surface being a side where the semiconductor chip is mounted; pads provided in a portion of the resin member, the portion being situated outside an area where the chip connection pads are formed; lead wirings connected to the pads; and conductive wires sealed by the resin member, the conductive wires electrically connecting the chip connection pads and the pads to each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wiring boards. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wiring board having pads electrically connected to chip connection pads via conductive wires.
2. Description of the Related Art
In related art wiring boards, there is a wiring board, for example, illustrated in FIG. 1, whereby electric connection reliability is improved and generation of cross-talk is prevented.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the related art wiring board.
As shown in FIG. 1, a related art wiring board 200 includes a plate-shaped resin member 201, chip connection pads 202, pads 203, and conductive wires 205.
The resin member 201 is configured to seal the chip connection pads 202, the pads 203, and the conductive wires 205.
The chip connection pads 202 are provided in a portion of the resin member 201 corresponding to a mounting area of the semiconductor chip 211. The chip connection pads 202 have connecting surfaces 202A where bumps 214 are provided. The connecting surfaces 202A are exposed from the resin member 201. The connecting surfaces 202A are situated in substantially the same plane as an upper surface 201A of the resin member 201. The chip connection pads 202 are electrically connected to electrode pads 212 provided on the semiconductor chip 211 via the bumps 214.
The pads 203 are provided in a portion of the resin member 201 situated outside the mounting area of the semiconductor chip 211. The upper surfaces 203A of the pads 203 are exposed from the resin member 201. The upper surfaces 203A are situated in substantially the same plane as the upper surface 201A of the resin member 201.
The conductive wires 205 are sealed by the resin member 201. First ends of the conductive wires 205 are connected to the chip connection pads 202. Second ends of the conductive wires 205 are connected to the pads 203. Thus, the chip connection pads 202 and the pads 203 are electrically connected to each other via the conductive wires 205. See, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2001-319992.
However, in the related art wiring board 200, it is not expected that the pads 203 are efficiently arranged in an area as small as possible. Therefore, it is difficult to make the surface of the wiring board 200 small.

Wiring board having efficiently arranged pads


In conventional keyboard devices, since an elastic member is disposed between an insulating substrate and the central crossing part of levers, it is impossible to realize a thin keyswitch, and a high cost is required to modify the height of the keyswitch to a desired value required in a specific application. The invention provides a keyboard device having no such problems. In the keyboard device of the invention, a first and second levers are combined with each other via a shaft such that they cross each other; an elastic member is disposed in a hollow formed in the first or second lever; and the top portion of the elastic member is in contact with the pedestal formed on the back surface of the keytop. This structure allows a reduction in space between the keytop and the top portion of the elastic member. Thus, it is possible to realize a thin-type keyboard device, and it is also possible to accommodate the requirement of various heights of keyswitches simply by making a modification on the keytop. This allows a reduction in production cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard device suitable as an input/output device for use in a word processor, personal computer, or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 illustrates a keyboard device used as an input/output device. In this keyboard device, switch elements are constructed by placing a flexible insulating substrate 51, having a circuit (not shown) formed thereon, onto an insulating substrate 50 on which a conductor (not shown) is formed.
Each supporting member 52 is made of a synthetic resin in such a manner so as to include: a holding element 52a having a hole; a holding element 52c having a sliding slot 52b; and a cut-away part 52d formed between the holding elements 52a and 52c. These components are combined into a single supporting member 52. A plurality of similar supporting members are produced and placed on the insulating substrate 51.
First and second levers 53 and 54 are connected to each other via a shaft 55 such that they cross each other, wherein one end of the first lever 53 is slidably fit into the sliding slot 52b and one end of the second lever 54 is pivotably fit into the holding element 52a.
Each keytop 56 is made up of a synthesis resin in such a manner as to include: a holding element 56a having a hole and a holding element 56c having a sliding slot 56b wherein the holding elements 56a and 56c are disposed on the back surface of each keytop 56. The other end of the first lever 53 is pivotably fit into the holding element 56a and the other end of the second lever 54 is slidably fit into the holding element 56c thereby fixing the keytop to the first and second levers 53 and 54.
Dome-shaped elastic members 57 made of electrically insulating rubber are placed on the insulating substrate 51 in such a manner that they are located in the cut-away parts 52d of the respective supporting members 52. The top portion 57a of each elastic member 57 is in contact with the central crossing part of the first and second levers 53 and 54.
A plurality of key units each consisting of first and second levers 53 and 54, a keytop 56 fixed to the levers 53 and 54, and an elastic member 57 are disposed on the switch elements along a plurality of lines.
In the keyboard device constructed in the above-described manner, if a certain keytop 56 is pressed, the first and second levers 53 and 54 rotate about the shaft 55 and also pivot at their one end fit in the holding elements 52a and 56a, respectively. The other end of the first lever 53 slides in the sliding slot 52b and the other end of the second lever 54 slides in the sliding slot 56b. Thus, the first and second levers 53 and 54 move downward. As a result, the keytop 56 also moves downward while maintaining itself horizontal. As a result of the downward movement of the first and second levers 53 and 54, the top portion 57a of the elastic member 57 is pressed by the central crossing part 58 of the first and second levers 53 and 54, and finally the dome-shaped elastic member 57 is inverted in shape. As a result, the insulating substrate 51 is pressed by the elastic member 57 and the corresponding electric contact formed on the insulating substrate 51 comes in contact with the conductor disposed on the insulating substrate 50. Thus, a corresponding switch element is turned on.
If the pressing force against the keytop 56 is removed, the first and second levers 53 and 54 and the keytop 56 are pushed back by the elastic force of the elastic member 57 to their original positions where they were located before being pressed. The pressure by the elastic member 57 against the insulating substrate 51 is released and the insulating substrate 51 returns to its original position by its own restoring force. As a result, the contact with the conductor on the insulating substrate 50 is released and thus the switch element is turned off.
In the conventional keyboard device described above, since the dome-shaped elastic members 57 for actuating the corresponding switch elements are disposed between the insulating substrate 51 and the central crossing parts 58 of the first and second levers 53 and 54, the height H of the upper surface of the keytop relative to the insulating substrate 51 becomes great, and thus it is difficult to achieve a thin keyboard device.
Furthermore, since the elastic members 57 are simply placed in the cut-away parts 52d of the supporting members 52 on the insulating substrate 51, when the first and second levers 53 and 54 are attached to the supporting members 52 after the elastic members have been placed, the elastic members 57 move from their right position. Therefore, it is required to correct the position of the elastic members 57, and thus the assembling process is inefficient.
Furthermore, in the conventional keyboard device, it is required to modify the height H in accordance with specific applications. To this end, it is required to prepare various sizes of components including supporting members 52, first and second levers 53 and 54, and keytops 56. This causes an increase in cost, and makes it impossible to standardize the components. As a result, it is impossible to assemble the components into a keyboard device in an efficient manner.


A cable guide routing a control cable that extends between an actuator and a suspension system having a crown connecting two parallel tubular bodies to a steerer tube. The cable guide includes a housing formed on the crown and having a bore extending therethrough for receiving the control cable. The suspension system includes a spool located on an end of one of the tubular bodies for winding and unwinding the control cable. The housing is configured on the suspension system such that a portion of the control cable extending between the housing and the spool lies substantially in a plane of the spool. So configured, friction is minimized.

The present invention relates to cable guides for bicycles, and more particularly to a cable guide for a control cable extending between an actuator and a suspension system.
Bicycle suspension systems are designed to absorb the impacts and vibrations typically experienced by riders when the bicycle traverses irregularities on the riding surface. Some suspension systems are provided with a lockout mechanism that turns the suspension on or off. When the suspension is on, it is compliant and displaces in response to bumps in the road. When the suspension is off or "locked out," it becomes substantially rigid and does not displace in response to road irregularities. Additionally, suspension systems have been provided with control devices that adjust the characteristics of the suspension such as travel and spring rate. Typically, a rider operates these control devices by turning a knob located at the top or the bottom of the fork. So located, the rider must remove his or her hand from the handlebar to operate the knob.
To solve the above problem, a remote actuator is provided on the handlebar and is connected to the lockout mechanism through a control cable. The cable system should be routed as directly as possible to minimize friction. By minimizing friction in the cable system, the actuating force at the handlebar is also minimized. Advantageously, the control cable is protected from contaminants to minimize friction. Further, to reduce cost, it is desirable to provide a remote actuator that is retrofitted to an existing control device local to the suspension system. This may be accomplished by replacing the actuator or knob of the existing control device with a simple spool connectable to the control cable.
A cable guide 100 for a remote actuated suspension system has been previously provided as shown in FIG. 1, however, there are several drawbacks to the system. The guide 100 includes a redirect spool 110 for changing the direction of the control cable 116 extending from a lever 118 located on a top 130 of the fork. The spool 110 is located at a very high stress point 112 on a crown 114. Further, the 180-degree change in direction of the control cable between the lever and the spool, adds friction, thereby reducing the life of the control cable.
Another cable guide 130 for a remote actuated suspension system is shown in FIG. 2. There is also a drawback to this design: the cable guide 130 clamps onto a cap 134 of the suspension system. The cap 134 has a low profile to avoid interference with the bicycle frame. Accordingly, there is limited space on the cap 134 to attach the cable guide 130. As a result, the cable guide 130 can be easily snapped off the cap 134 by a strong pulling force on the control cable 136. Further, the system of FIG. 2 is not easily retrofittable to an existing control device local to the suspension system. Therefore, there is a need for a cable guide that minimizes friction, contamination and cost.

Cable guide for a bicycle suspension fork


A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Cobwhite’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; daisy-type inflorescence form with white-colored ray florets and yellow orange-colored disc florets.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Cobwhite'.
The new Argyranthemum is a whole plant mutation of the Argyranthemum cultivar Cobsing, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,541. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. on May 30, 2002. The new Argyranthemum was selected on the basis its unique ray floret coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. since Jun. 12, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Systems and methods provide an adaptive avatar-based real-time holographic communication service. End devices implement a customized avatar for holographic communications. With the assistance of a network edge platform, a user's facial motions and gestures are extracted in real time and applied to the customized avatar in the form of an augmented-reality-based or virtual-reality-based holographic entity. When a connection to the network edge platform is interrupted or not available, a master holographic entity provides a graceful fallback to a less resource-intensive avatar presentation using, for example, a user's prerecorded motions as a basis for rendering avatar movement. The customized avatar may be automatically adjusted/altered depending on with whom a user is communicating (e.g., a friend vs. a business associate) or a purpose for the communication (e.g., a professional meeting vs. a social activity).

For multimedia communications, a person may prefer to use an alternate graphical representation or persona to represent themselves to others, commonly referred to as an avatar. The avatar may provide an alternative to a picture or video image of a user. In live video communications, an avatar may be implemented as an Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR)-based holographic entity. Native computing resources of most mobile devices are insufficient to support generation of, and interactions with, an AR/VR-based holographic entity in real time.

Methods and system for adaptive avatar-based real-time holographic communication


A method of processing images allowing the identification of at least one same point appearing on each image of a sequence of images, the sequence of images including a first image, a second image and a third image generated respectively at a first instant, a second instant, later than the first instant, and a third instant, later than the second instant, by a camera mounted in an automotive vehicle. The method includes detecting a plurality of identical points in each image of the sequence of images, relating to a plurality of repetitive patterns in each image of the sequence of images and of identification, in the second image and in the third image, of the identical points corresponding to the points in space for which the calculated depth is identical, these points in space representing respectively in the second image and the third image one and the same real point.

Nowadays, it is known to equip an automotive vehicle with a driving assistance system commonly called ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System). Such a system comprises in a known manner a video camera, for example mounted on the front windshield of the vehicle, which makes it possible to generate a stream of images representing the environment of said vehicle. These images are utilized by an image processing device with the aim of assisting the driver, for example by detecting an obstacle or else the crossing of a white line. The information provided by the images acquired by the camera must therefore be sufficiently precise and relevant to allow the system to assist the driver in a reliable manner.
In particular, to utilize these images, it is necessary to track the optical flow of a certain number of points in the series of images. More precisely, this entails tracking the trajectory of these points in a sequence of images, that is to say in a plurality of successive images, and determining their location in space.
In order to track a point represented by a pixel of a first image in a second consecutive image, a known solution consists in analyzing a zone of pixels around said pixel in the second image so as to determine the direction in which the point moves between the first image and the second image.
However, this method of processing images exhibits a major drawback. Indeed, for a given point of an identical pattern which repeats several times on each image of a sequence of images, the method detects a plurality of similar signatures on one and the same so-called "epipolar" segment according to which the objects corresponding to these patterns are disposed, for example a plurality of posts of a safety barrier installed along a road. Stated otherwise, this method of processing images proposes several possible solutions for the location of one and the same point of a repetitive pattern in each image of the sequence of images. This being so, the information given to the driver relating to the distance between the object and the vehicle may turn out to be false, and this may present a risk in respect of the safety of the occupants of the vehicle.

Method and device for fast detection of repetitive structures in the image of a road scene


The present invention relates to an agricultural cultivator frame having a center and two wing sections pivotally attached to the center section for rotation about horizontal axes in the direction of travel for movement between a substantially horizontal field or working position and a substantially vertical transport position. Support wheels are attached adjustably to the frame by a transverse rockshaft extending the width of the cultivator and controlling the elevation of the frame above ground level. The hitch is pivotally attached to the frame for automatic leveling. The rockshaft wing sections are connected to the rockshaft center section by a universal joint. The rockshaft wing sections are pivotally attached to the wing section for movement about multiple axes and provide for longitudinal displacement relative to the frame.

It is well known in the art to provide for cultivator frames having a centre section and wing sections pivotally connected together along an axis parallel to the direction f travel so that upon actuation of hydraulic or other mechanisms the wing section may be rotated from a substantially horizontal field position to a substantially vertical position for transport.
It is also known to support such cultivator frames on a multiplicity of wheels.
Adjustment of the height of the cultivator frame above the ground in field position and for transport purposes has previously been accomplished by a variety of mechanisms all of which are complicated and expensive to manufacture and prone to failure.
In one variety of such cultivator frames the mechanism for raising and lowering the frame is centred around a rockshaft pivotally attached to the cultivator frame and from which a variety of wheel mechanisms is mounted for rotational displacement about the axis of the rockshaft. Prior mechanisms however, require very complex and ineffective mechanisms to provide for such rotation while maintaining the cultivator frame level to the ground.


An eLORAN receiver may include an antenna and eLORAN receiver circuitry coupled to the antenna. The antenna may have a ferromagnetic core including a ferromagnetic medial portion and ferromagnetic arms extending outwardly from the ferromagnetic medial portion, a respective electrically conductive winding surrounding each of the ferromagnetic arms, and an electrically conductive patch element adjacent the ferromagnetic core.

For radio frequency (RF) communications in the very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), and medium frequency (MF) ranges, for example, relatively large ground-based antenna towers are used for transmitting such signals. Such antenna configurations may include a tower several hundred feet in height connected to the ground at its base, with numerous guy wires connecting the tower to ground for stability.
One example medium wave antenna system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,300 to Mendenhall. This patent discloses an antenna system including an electrically conductive radiating mast that extends generally vertical relative to earth ground. The mast has a lower end for receiving RF energy for radiation thereby at an operating RF frequency, and an upper end. A plurality of N radial, electrically conductive, wires is provided with each having an inner end and an outer end. The inner ends of the radial wires are electrically connected together and located proximate to the vertical mast. The radial wires are elevated throughout their lengths above the level of earth ground and extend radially outward from the vertical mast. A tuning device, such as an adjustable inductor, is connected to the radial wires for adjusting the impedance thereof such that the radial wires resonate at the operating frequency.
Another example where large scale tower based antennas are used is low frequency transmission stations for navigation systems, such as the long range navigation (LORAN) system. LORAN was developed in the United States and Britain during World War II. Subsequent implementations provided for enhancements in accuracy and usefulness, including LORAN-C and the later enhanced LOng-RAnge Navigation (eLORAN) implementations. More particularly, eLORAN is a low frequency radio navigation system that operates in the frequency band of 90 to 110 kHz. Low frequency eLORAN transmissions can propagate by ground wave, a type of surface wave that hugs the earth. Ionospheric reflections or sky waves are another significant mechanism of eLORAN wave propagation. With typical low frequency antennas, the tower itself is used as a monopole antenna. Because of the height of the tower, which may be 600 feet or more as a result of the operating wavelength, many upper wires connect to the tower top forming a resonating capacitor. These wires, known as top loading elements (TLEs), may approximate a solid cone.
eLORAN may operate at low frequencies, such as 100 kHz, making the transmit antenna physical size large. Yet, in eLORAN, the antenna electrical size is small relative to the wavelength. Physics may limit the electrically small antenna fixed tuned bandwidth. One theory is the Chu Limit as described in the reference "Physical limitations of omnidirectional antennas", Chu, L. J. (December 1948), Journal of Applied Physics 19: 1163-1175, which is called out as a reference herein. The Chu Bandwidth Limit equation may Q=1/kr3, where Q is a dimensionless number relating to bandwidth, k is the wave number=2τ/λ, and r is the radius of a spherical analysis volume enclosing the antenna. Antenna radiation bandwidth is a matter of considerable importance to eLORAN as it enables sharp eLORAN pulses with fast rise times to be transmitted.
While high radiation efficiency is needed in transmit antennas, high antenna efficiency is not required for eLORAN receive antennas. This is because naturally occurring "atmospheric noise" is abundant at the low frequencies used by eLORAN. As atmospheric noise is a matter of considerable importance in spectral allocation, it is cataloged by the International Telecommunications Union as the report "Radio Noise", Recommendation ITU-R P.372-8, FIG. 2 "Fa Versus Frequency". Curves B and A of this report indicate that at 100 kHz frequency atmospheric noise is 77 dB above the antenna thermal noise in quiet natural conditions and that manmade noise is 140 dB above antenna thermal noise in high manmade noise conditions, i.e. there is significant "static" so to speak. Assuming a receiver noise figure (transistor thermal noise) contribution of about 10 dB, and knowing the directivity of an electrically small antenna cannot exceed 1.8 dB, the required receive antenna gain to resolve to natural noise in quiet conditions is −77+10+1.8=−65 dBi or decibels with respect or isotropic. At eLORAN frequencies, small antennas therefore suffice for reception.
Antennas to receive eLoran transmissions are categorized as to E-field and H-field types. E-field antennas may be whips or patches, while H-field types may be circles or windings. The E-field types are based on the divergence of electric current and are related to the dipoles and monopoles. The H-field types are based on the curl of electric current and therefore relate to loops and half loops. Both E-field and H-field antenna types respond to the far field radio waves providing useful reception. Further, both the E-field and H-field antenna types respond to both the E-fields and H-fields present in the far field radio wave.
There are many trades between the two receive antenna types. Important differences exist between the near field responses of the E-field and H-field antenna types. The E-field type has a strong radial E-field reactive near field response. Differently, the H-field type has a strong radial H-field reactive near field response. E-field antennas may pick up manmade electromagnetic interference (EMI) more than H-field antenna types. The accessories of man, such as high voltages powerlines, result in considerable charge separation and strong E-field EMI, to which the E-field type receive antenna will respond. The E-field antenna type is however-useful for compactness and sensitivity. The H-field receive antenna may offer improved rejection of local EMI, rejection of P static or noise due to electric charge buildup, and direction of arrival information. Disadvantages of the H-field antenna may include increased cost as ferrite rods may be used.
With the rise of satellite based navigation systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), there has been relatively little development or investment in terrestrial-based navigation systems, such as eLORAN, until recently. A renewed interest in such systems has arisen as a backup to satellite navigation systems, particularly since low frequency eLORAN signals are less susceptible to jamming or spoofing compared to the relatively higher frequency GPS signals. As such, further developments in eLORAN antenna systems may be desirable in certain applications.
As noted above, given the operational frequency of eLORAN systems and the typical deployment in land vehicles and watercraft, the design of the eLORAN antenna may present unique design issues. In particular, given the mobile application of the eLORAN antenna, the antenna may desirably be small sized and durable. It is important that eLORAN receive antennas work in the complex environments of man to deliver accurate navigation and time.

eLORAN receiver and antenna with ferromagnetic body and windings and related methods


Single and multiple disc strobe tuners employ microprocessor controlled stepper motors for driving the disc(s) to facilitate the use of customized tuning schemes, such as unequal temperaments and stretch tuning. The tuning schemes are stored in a look up table and may be programmed by the user. The single disc embodiment preferably employs an auto note detector which determines the identity of a note being played by an instrument, and causes the microprocessor to adjust the speed of the stepper motor almost instantaneously to a speed assigned to that note in accordance with a selected tuning scheme. This enables a user to play through a series of notes rapidly to verify whether they are in tune with the selected tuning scheme. The multiple, preferably 12, disc embodiment employs a separate stepper motor and micro controller for each disc to accommodate individual tuning of each disc relative to one another. A main microprocessor is employed in this embodiment to control each of the micro controllers, and a master oscillator supplies clock pulses to all of the circuit elements to maintain synchronism with one another.

The present invention relates in general to a strobe tuner for indicating whether a musical instrument is tuned correctly.
Strobe tuners are employed to sense the pitch of a note being played by a musical instrument and indicate whether the note is in tune with a reference standard. A first type of strobe tuner employs a single strobe disc which is rotated by a synchronous motor at a precise speed determined by the reference standard and vernier pitch offset to which the musical instrument is to be tuned. An audio circuit is employed to detect the note being played by the instrument, and generate an oscillating electrical signal whose frequency is directly proportional to the note's frequency. This oscillating signal causes a light source positioned behind the strobe disc to flash at frequencies that are components of the sound generated by the musical instrument. If the instrument is in tune with the reference standard, the light source will flash in synchronism with a spinning pattern of black rectangles on the strobe disc, and thus produce a pattern that appears to be stationary. If the instrument's tone is flat relative to the reference standard, the strobe disc pattern will appear to be rotating counterclockwise at a speed proportional to the error in frequency. On the other hand, if the instrument's tone is sharp relative to the standard, the strobe disc pattern will appear to be rotating clockwise.
Single disc strobe tuners typically have some type of switching means or the like for selecting one note at a time to which the instrument is to be tuned so that the speed of the synchronous motor can be changed for each note as necessary. Another type of strobe tuner for tuning an instrument to multiple notes employs multiple strobe discs, one for each of the notes to which the instrument is to be tuned. For example, 12 wheel strobe tuners are known wherein strobe discs for each of the 12 natural and sharp notes in an octave are provided. These devices employ a single motor to drive all 12 strobe discs through a gear train. As a result, the speed relationships between the strobe discs are fixed by the gear ratios to an equal-tempered relationship. In particular, each note is related to an adjacent note by a factor of approximately the 12th root of 2.
A notable drawback to previous strobe tuners is that they cannot be readily adapted for use with complex tuning arrangements, such as unequal temperaments or stretch tuning. In unequal temperaments, the notes in each octave are not separated equally from one another. Stretch tuning is a technique employed for tuning string or bar percussion instruments, such as pianos, wherein notes played from keys one octave apart are tuned slightly farther apart than the exact ratio of 2:1. This is desired by many instrument tuners as a means to compensate for mechanical limitations and imperfect vibrational modes in these instruments. Obviously, neither unequal temperaments nor stretch tuning can be accommodated by the previous 12 disc strobe tuner since the gear ratios of the disc drive train prevent independent adjustment of the speed of one disc relative to the other discs. Even with previous single disc strobe tuners it is very difficult to accommodate unequal temperaments and stretch tuning since such schemes typically require adjustment in a very precise range of a fraction of a semitone. This would require some type of fine vernier adjustment for the strobe disc which would have to be manually adjusted for each note in the scale. A still further drawback to previous 12 disc strobe tuners is that their gear trains inherently tend to generate a lot of noise. This noise can interfere with the operation of the strobe tuner which ideally should be used in as quiet an environment as possible to isolate its sensitivity to the sounds played by the instrument to be tuned.


An image forming apparatus, method and computer program product, including a pattern detecting device configured detect whether or not a pattern is constructed with a lengthwise line of a single dot width on a basis of a pattern of respective multi-value data of a target pixel and circumferential pixels adjacent thereto in a main scanning direction; and a printing device configured to print size-reduced printing dots of the lengthwise line of the single dot width detected by the pattern detecting device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus, method and computer program product for performing improved image formation in, for example, a laser printer, digital copying machine, etc.
2. Discussion of the Background
With respect to methods for forming an image in a digital copying machine, there is generally known a negative/positive (N/P) process in which laser light is radiated on a position corresponding to a black portion of manuscript data. The image is formed by putting toner on a radiated area. Since a diameter of the laser light beam is usually larger than a theoretical size of a single dot (i.e., with respect to dots per inch (DPI)), in the N/P process when the image is formed on a portion where the laser light is radiated (i.e., the image portion area), a black line of a single dot width is usually reproduced thicker than the theoretical single dot width. Although this results in a continuous reproduced line, the reproduced line, however, is thicker than the width of the theoretical single dot.
Accordingly, since the reproduced single dot black line becomes thicker than the black line of the manuscript document and the white single dot line becomes thinner, there arises a problem that the reproducibility may be worsened. In particular, in the case of the so-called grandson copying of re-using the copied sheet as the manuscript document, the phenomenon thereof appearing at that time may become further prominent.
Furthermore, as the troublesome matter of forming the electrophotographic image, there is a difference in the reproducibility of the lengthwise line and the transverse line. In general, the lengthwise line is reproduced thickly than the transverse line. Therefore, when the image forming condition is determined, the transverse line is apt to be made thinner than the manuscript document at the time of fitting to the lengthwise line. In contrast, the lengthwise line is apt to be made thicker than the manuscript document at the time of fitting to the transverse line. Those are the troublesome matters to be solved. That results in the difficulty of deciding the image forming condition.
In such the situation, as the background art of solving the troublesome matters, for instance, the published specification of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 5-75816 discloses the technology of preventing the ruin (destruction) of the non-image part on the single dot line and thereby improving the reproducing property by determining the density of the target pixel and the more than two pixels immediately adjacent thereto for the binary-value image data. Furthermore, the published specification of Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 6-89338 discloses the technology of determining the print starting position of the target pixel on a basis of the relationship between the target pixel and the pixels adjacent thereto for the multiple-value image and putting the target pixel close to the adjacent pixels and printing the image in such the state, and thereby the reproducibility of the fine line and the edge portion of the image can be improved.
However, according to the technology disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 5-75816, since the reproducibility of the single dot line can be improved by compensating the density only for the binary image data, there arises the other problems (troublesome matters to be solved) that the edge portion of the line extending over the plural pixels for the multi-value image and the single dot line of the black color become too thick, or, in contrast, the single dot line of the white color is destroyed (the aforementioned phenomenon of the ruin or destruction). In addition, the thickness of the lengthwise line and the transverse line become different from each other. Those matters are also the problems to be solved.
Furthermore, according to the technology disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 6-89338, only it is possible to improve the reproducibility of the fine lines divided into two or more pixels and the edge portion of the image. However, the compensation of the line width is not taken into consideration when the thickness of the lengthwise line and the transverse line differ from each other. Those matters are also the problems to be solved.
Moreover, in both of the above-mentioned technologies, it was impossible to select whether or not the compensation is performed or not performed in consideration of the unevenness between the machines in accordance with the image pattern.

Apparatus, method and computer program product for performing image formation


Techniques for efficiently identifying objects of interest in an environment and, thereafter, tracking the location and/or orientation of those objects. As described below, a system may analyze images captured by a camera to identify objects that may be represented by the images. These objects may be identified in the images based on their size, color, and/or other physical attributes. After identifying these potential objects, the system may define a region around each object for further inspection. Thereafter, portions of a depth map of the environment corresponding to these regions may be analyzed to determine whether any of the objects identified from the images are “objects of interest”—or objects that the system has previously been instructed to track. These objects of interest may include portable projection surfaces, a user's hand, or any other physical object. The techniques identify these objects with reference to the respective depth signatures of these objects.

Augmented reality environments allow interaction among users and both real-world objects and virtual or digital objects. To achieve these augmented reality environments, a system may project content onto projection surfaces, such walls or a portable projection surface, within an environment. In addition, this system may monitor the environment for user gestures, in response to which the system may perform predefined actions. As such, such a system may monitor the environment for certain objects of interest, such as a projection surface (for projecting content thereon) or a user's hand (for the purpose of identifying a user's gesture). However, because tracking objects in this manner may be computationally expensive, the system may have difficulty tracking these objects in real-time or near-real-time, thus lessening the experience of a user employing the system.


A method and system for searching encrypted data using wildcard keywords. The method includes: obtaining, by a first computing device, a keyword for data to be encrypted, where the keyword has a fixed length; generating a sequence of primes; determining corresponding one prime from the sequence of primes for each character of the keyword; and defining a product of the corresponding primes of the characters of the keyword as index of the encrypted data, where the index can be searched using a wildcard search keyword.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Data leakage happens frequently and brings great losses to both companies and customers. Therefore, more and more data are stored in encrypted format. Considering efficiency, usually data are encrypted by symmetric encryption schemes, e.g., Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) or Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). In some cases, data might be encrypted by asymmetric encryption schemes, e.g., Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA). For achieving provable security, all the conventional encryption schemes achieve indistinguishability (IND) security. In particular, a probabilistic polynomial time (PPT) attacker cannot distinguish two ciphertexts based on the messages he encrypted. In another word, the ciphertext is a random value to an entity without the decryption key (the secret key in the symmetric setting or the private key in the asymmetric setting).
Therefore, if the data are encrypted by conventional encryption schemes, a server without the decryption key cannot perform searches on the data anymore. To search over the encrypted data, data owner has to download all the data, decrypt the data locally and then search over the plaintexts all by himself. This brings the following issues. First, the communication overhead is high, especially in the era of big data, the data size might be on the gigabyte (GB), terabyte (TB) level. Second, the client side has to store the downloaded ciphertexts, which is costly for resource-constrained devices. Third, the client side has to decrypt all ciphertexts and decryption is computationally heavy, thus bringing great burdens to the client end and it will be very time-consuming or even not practical for resource-constrained devices.
Therefore, an unaddressed need exists in the art to provide a lightweight and easy-to-use key management between client and server.

System and method for multiple-character wildcard search over encrypted data

Beijing Jingdong Shangke Information Technology Co., Ltd.

JD.com American Technologies Corporation


A method for configuring a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) includes the following steps. When a RAID instruction to access the RAID array is received, it is determined whether a removed hard drive unconnected to the RAID array is present in a hard drive list of the RAID array; when the removed hard drive unconnected to the RAID array is present in the hard drive list, the hard drive list of the RAID array is amended; it is detected whether a new hard drive connected to the RAID array is absent in the hard drive list; when the new hard drive connected to the RAID array is absent in the hard drive list, the hard drive list is amended; and the RAID instruction is executed to access the RAID array according to the hard drive list.

Depending on more and more popular computers, the data saved in the computers by people is increasingly huge, so that computer manufacturers must be continuously engaged in development of larger-capacity storage media. However, the large-capacity storage media such as hard drives are generally limited on data transmission rate due to their reading heads with accessing rate and the transmission rate of the bus connecting thereto. In addition, once the storage media that have no error-tolerance function are destroyed, the stored data will also be destroyed.
Accordingly, the redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) is developed, which is a virtual logic hard drive stimulated by several physical hard drives. The RAID array can simultaneously access data from several physical hard drives, so that the virtual logic hard drive has a faster data transmission rate. Besides, some RAID arrays have error-tolerance function, when one of the physical hard drives of the RAID array is broken, the data in the broken physical hard drive can be recovered from the other physical hard drives.
For replacing the physical hard drives of the RAID array at any time, the hot-plug physical hard drive is essential to RAID array. However, when software is applied to emulate RAID array, it is necessary to monitor and to deal with plug in or out of the physical hard drive under the circumstance with RAID drivers at any time.


A system, method and computer program are provided for generating error and summary reports for a data load. A plurality of records to be loaded in a database are received. The records may include medical records. A data management template corresponding to the records is chosen. It is verified that all records to be loaded match the data management template. The records are sent to a database for loading in the database upon validation that the records match the data management template. A report of records that match the data management template and records that do not match the data management template is compiled.

Computerized databases are commonly used to store large amounts of data for easy access and manipulation by multiple users. In a centralized computer system, there is a single copy of the data stored at one location, typically a computer. By maintaining a single, centralized database, such a system avoids inconsistencies which might otherwise occur with more than one copy of the data. Nevertheless, the centralized database approach has several drawbacks. First, since only one copy of the data exists, if the data becomes corrupted or inaccessible, the entire system becomes unavailable. Second, with only one copy of data available for read and update purposes, the system may appear slow and time-consuming, especially to multiple users.
Consequently, many of today's organizations, especially those dispersed over several locations, utilize some type of distributed database system. In a distributed system, an organization's data is spread across the storage facilities of several computers or processors. These storage facilities may be located throughout a single building, across several adjacent buildings or at different locations across the country or around the world. These computers or processors are interconnected via a communications network and are referred to as sites or nodes. Each site, moreover, is able to process local transactions which access data retained only at that local storage facility as well as distributed transactions which access data stored on more than one computer.
Computerized databases, both centralized and distributed, are often used to execute transactions. A transaction is a set of data-dependent operations requested by a user of the system. For example, a user may request some combination of retrieval, update, deletion or insertion operations. The completion of a transaction is called a commitment and the cancellation of a transaction prior to its completion is referred to as an abort. If a transaction is aborted, then any partial results (i.e., updates from those operations that were performed prior to the abort decision) must be undone. This process of returning the data items to their original values is also referred to as a roll back. An important aspect of a transaction is atomicity. Atomicity means that all of the operations associated with a particular transaction must be performed or none of them can be performed. That is, if a transaction is interrupted by a failure, the transaction must be aborted so that its partial results are undone (i.e., rolled back) and, if the transaction is completed, the results are preserved (i.e., committed) despite subsequent failures. The classic example of atomicity concerns a transfer of bank funds from account A to account B. Clearly, the system must either perform both the withdrawal and the deposit operations of the transaction or neither operation.
To protect against disruptions caused by the failure of any particular site, most distributed database systems allow additional copies or "replicas" of the data to be made at other sites. That is, a copy of each data item stored on one of the system's database facilities may also exist at the database facilities of other sites. By replicating the data across multiple instances of database facilities, a certain degree of fault-tolerance may be obtained. Furthermore, by having a locally available replica of the database available, the response time of certain transactions may be improved.
Although replicated systems provide the above advantages over non-replicated systems, there are nonetheless inherent costs associated with the replication of databases. To update a single data item, at least one message must be propagated to every replica of that data item, consuming substantial communications resources. Furthermore, in order to manage multiple databases and handle the execution of concurrent transactions, a complicated administrative support mechanism is required. In addition, if the replicated system cannot guarantee consistent updates at all replicas, data integrity may be compromised.
Most commercially available replicated database systems utilize either a distributed transaction approach or a primary-backup approach to replicate the data. In the distributed transaction approach, all database replicas are updated with a single, distributed transaction. That is, whenever a data item is updated by a transaction, all copies or replicas of that data item are updated as part of the same transaction. This approach results in completely synchronized replicas. To ensure atomicity, distributed transaction-based systems must employ an atomic commit protocol, such as the well-known 2 Phase Commit ("2PC") protocol. The basic idea behind 2PC is to determine a unique decision for all replicas with respect to either committing or aborting a transaction and then executing that decision at all replicas. If a single replica is unable to commit, then the transaction must be aborted at all replicas.
More specifically, under the 2PC protocol, a single database manager associated with a single database facility is chosen as the coordinator of the transaction. The coordinator first asks all of the participants (i.e., the other replicas) including itself (if the coordinator is a participant) to prepare for the commitment of a transaction. Each participant replies to the coordinator with either a READY message, signaling that the participant is ready and willing to commit the transaction, or an ABORT message, signaling that the participant is unable to commit the transaction. Before sending the first prepare message, the coordinator typically enters a record in a log stored on stable storage, identifying all of the replicas participating in the transaction. The coordinator also activates a time-out mechanism. Based on the replies received from the participants, the coordinator decides whether to commit or abort the transaction. If all participants answer READY, the coordinator decides to commit the transaction. Otherwise, if at least one participant replies with an ABORT message or has not yet answered when the time-out expires, the coordinator decides to abort the transaction.
The coordinator begins the second phase of 2PC by recording its decision (i.e., commit or abort) in the log. The coordinator then informs all of the participants, including itself, of its decision by sending them a command message, i.e., COMMIT or ABORT. In response, all of the participants write a commit or abort record in their own logs. Finally, all participants send a final acknowledgment message to the coordinator and execute the relevant procedures for either committing or aborting the transaction. The acknowledgment message, moreover, is not simply an acknowledgment that a command has been received, but is a message informing the coordinator that the command has been recorded by the participant in its stable log record. When the coordinator receives the acknowledgment messages from the participants, it enters a "complete" record in its log.
Although widely implemented, the 2PC protocol nonetheless has several disadvantages. First, as set forth above, the protocol requires each replicated database facility to submit a READY message before the transaction can be committed. Thus, in a fully replicated environment, any site or link failure brings all activity to a complete halt until the site or link is repaired, since that site cannot transmit a READY message. That is, until the failed site is recovered, no further transactions may be executed by a system relying on 2PC. Second, 2PC requires the transmission of at least three messages per replicated database per transaction. The protocol thus consumes substantial communications resources and reduces the system's response time and throughput. Third, 2PC requires both the coordinator and all participants to record the commit/abort decision and the final outcome to stable storage. This involves two forced disk writes per participant per transaction, adding significant overhead to this protocol. Other protocols, such as Quorum Consensus, have been proposed as a solution to the first problem, but these other protocols impose even more communications overhead than 2PC and, as a result, they have not been utilized in commercial systems.
In the primary-backup approach, all transactions update a single, specific replica site, referred to as the primary site. These updates are later copied to the other replicas in the system, which are referred to as backup replica sites. The precise manner in which the updates are propagated to the backup sites varies from implementation to implementation. For example, some systems update the backup replica sites as soon as possible, typically resulting in minimal delays of several seconds. Others update the backup sites at specific time intervals or after a specific number of transactions have committed at the primary site. Some systems, moreover, perform the backup function by transferring entire recovery logs in order to perform the transactions at the other backup sites. Still others create a deferred log of transaction requests which are later used to do the updates. Commercial products incorporating the primary-backup approach to replication include Sybase Replication Server, the Oracle Snapshot Facility, Oracle Symmetric Replication, Oracle Standby Database, Ingres/Replicator and DB2 Data Propagator.
One of the apparent advantages of the primary-backup approach is the ability to create a highly available database system by replacing a failed primary with one of the backups, allowing the backup to become the new primary. This approach, however, has several drawbacks. First, update propagation to the backups typically generates a large amount of network traffic, consuming significant network resources. Second, regardless of the precise manner by which updates are propagated, the backups will always lag the primary. Transactions, moreover, are typically executed serially at the backup sites to avoid data inconsistencies resulting from possibly different execution orders at the primary and backup sites. Hence, in high volume applications, backup sites can lag the primary by tens if not hundreds of transactions. This has serious data consistency consequences both during normal processing and, in particular, after failures.
During normal processing, applications typically access the backups for read-only purposes to improve processing capabilities. Nonetheless, as mentioned above, data at the backup sites may be stale, causing potential problems depending on application requirements. Furthermore, after a primary site failure, both database and real world inconsistencies are likely to arise due to update decisions at the new primary based on stale data. For example, if the sale of the last widget in stock was recorded at the primary site but not propagated to any of the backup sites by the time of a primary failure, then the last widget may be sold a second time by a transaction executing at the new primary.
In addition to being prone to data inconsistencies, the primary-backup approach does not automatically allow for transparent failover to a backup site after a primary failure. First, after a primary failure, application clients must be switched over to a new primary. This process involves significant time during which the system is unavailable. Second, since the backup sites are not always consistent with each other, difficulties arise choosing a new primary from the various backups. Moreover, failures that result in network partitions may result in more than one backup declaring itself the new primary.
In addition to the distributed transaction and primary-backup approaches to database replication, at least one attempt has been made to utilize state machines as a basis for replicating data at different sites. This system, however, requires all transactions to be executed serially at all replicas and thus does not support the concurrent execution of transactions. Basically, a state machine is a entity containing a set of states and a set of commands which transform those states such that all of the new states are also contained within the machine. The prior state of the art of the state machine approach to replication management is described in F. Schneider Implementing Fault-tolerant Services using the State-Machine Approach: A Tutorial ACM Computing Surveys 22 (December 1990). The basic idea of the state machine approach is to start with some number of state machines, and arrange for commands to be sent to all state machines where they may concurrently and independently execute. In order to achieve consistent data replication, however, the commands must be deterministic. That is, the commands must produce identical results when operating on identical states. The requirement that commands be deterministic presents a significant problem in applying this approach to database systems (or, more generally, to transaction-based systems).

Error and load summary reporting in a health care solution environment