A system and method for use in accessing and displaying information is disclosed. The system and method may include a hand-held device for displaying information; the device may include a processor; a memory; and a word dictionary table stored in the memory. The word dictionary table may include a word list of unique words within the information. The word dictionary table may also include a set of word identification tokens that each represent a word in the list. The memory may also include a phrase dictionary table, which may include a phrase list of word identification token groups, each word identification token group representing a phrase that is contained in the information. The phrase dictionary table may further include a set of phrase identification tokens, each representing one of the phrases in the textual information. The memory may be updated or synchronized via a network that includes a satellite link.

1. Technical Field
A method and system relating to the field of data storage, and, more particularly, a method and apparatus for storing, accessing, and presenting technical information, is disclosed.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent advances in data storage techniques and the development of portable digital assistants (PDAs) and similar devices have made it possible for users to have immediate access to large amounts of data, literally at their fingertips. Such data may include names, phone numbers, addresses, date books, documents, specialized wireless web pages, financial information, personal to-do lists, or calendars.
In addition to providing built-in functions, some PDAs include expansion slots for inserting modules. These modules allow for virtually unlimited functions to be performed by the devices, such as digital photography, MP3 music, memory expansion, games, modems, universal remote controls, or global positioning systems.
Some specialized hand-held devices (i.e., units that are not general-purpose PDAs) have made limited amounts of technical data for use in servicing and repairing automobiles available to users. One such hand-held device provides specifications-dedicated information, such as battery, ignition system, starter, belt tension, engine torque, wheel alignment, and wheel nut torque specifications for a range of vehicles and model years. However, while specialized devices may save a technician a trip to a shop manual for a specification, it is not a replacement for the comprehensive repair information contained in a bound set of shop manuals, such as the manuals published by the Mitchell Repair Information Company (MRIC). Specifically, MRIC illustrates the steps in addition to the raw specifications needed to complete a repair or other operation. Also, specialized handhelds typically don't have any provision for a technician to enter his own information to help him keep track of (or share) what he learns through experience, or to maintain an inventory of his tools, for example.
In addition, updating a similar dedicated device is inconvenient and error-prone: it requires some disassembly of the unit and the removal and replacement, by a user, of an internal memory component that may be sensitive to electrostatic discharge or other damage. Finally, by definition, specialized hand-held references do not provide general-purpose functionality, such as a calculator, date book, or to-do list to help justify their purchase.
General purpose PDAs, on the other hand, do provide a wide range of functions, but due to memory limitations (and limitations of current data compression techniques), they can not store the comprehensive amounts of data needed to make them viable alternatives to hardbound service manuals. Thus, a better solution is desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Textual and graphic data presentation system and method


An oligonucleotide that inhibits the binding of a serine/arginine-rich protein 30c (SRp30c) to a pre-mRNA of a glucocorticoid receptor gene in vivo.

Glucocorticoids are a class of hormones produced by the adrenal cortex and involved in metabolism and immunity. Since glucocorticoids have strong anti-inflammatory effects and immunosuppressive effects, artificially synthesized glucocorticoids have been used as drugs for treating allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases.
Furthermore, since glucocorticoids have growth inhibitory effects on lymphocytes that have become cancerous, artificially synthesized glucocorticoids have been used in chemotherapy for lymphoma or lymphocytic leukemia. Since it is quite rare for the administration of glucocorticoids to produce side effects such as myelosuppression or severe gastrointestinal symptoms, glucocorticoids are essential drugs for treating lymphoma or lymphocytic leukemia.
Glucocorticoids have been used for the treatment of various diseases. However, there are cases in which some patients exhibit resistance to glucocorticoids, and glucocorticoids do not exert effects in such cases. It is reported that from 5% to 10% of the patients with asthma, about 30% of the patients with rheumatic diseases, from 20% to 50% of the patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, and from 10% to 25% of the patients with childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia have resistance to glucocorticoids. Therefore, development of a technique for canceling resistance to glucocorticoids has been requested.
The following findings have been reported with regard to glucocorticoid receptors (GRs).
GRs, when bound to glucocorticoids, function as transcription factors in nuclei. The base sequence of a human GR gene is known (NR3C1, Gene ID: 2908, NCBI Reference Sequence: NC—000005.9). Nine exons are present in the human GR gene, and two splicing variants, GRα and GRβ, are generated by alternative splicing within exon 9 (having 4,111 bases).
GRα is a protein having 777 amino acid residues translated from a mature mRNA formed by joining together of exons 1 to 9. GRα translocates into the nucleus in a ligand-dependent manner and functions as a transcription factor.
GRβ is a protein having 742 amino acid residues translated from a mature mRNA formed by joining together of exons 1 to 8 and a part of exon 9 (from 2631st base to 4111th base from the 5′-end of exon 9). GRβ lacks a part of the ligand-binding domain, and has no ligand-binding capacity. In the nucleus, GRβ competitively antagonizes GRα to which a ligand is bound, and inhibits the transcription factor activity of GRα.
With regard to glucocorticoid resistance of cells, the following reports have been made.
It has been reported that, in cell lines (CL-1 cells, GL-1 cells) derived from canine lymphoma or leukemia, glucocorticoid resistance is canceled by inhibiting the function of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and cell proliferation is inhibited by the addition of a glucocorticoid (for example, see Document 1). This suggests that the inhibition of NF-κB function increases GR expression levels in the cells, thereby making it easier for the cell proliferation inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids to be exerted on the cells.
It has also been reported that, in Raji cells derived from human Burkitt's lymphoma and peripheral blood-derived cells from patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia, glucocorticoid resistance is canceled, and GRα expression levels are increased, by inhibiting NF-κB function using an siRNA (for example, see Document 2). This result suggests the possibility that glucocorticoid resistance is canceled by increased expression of GRα in the cells.
With regard to GR expression, the following reports have been made.
It has been reported that, in a colon cancer cell line (HT-29 cells) and a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7 cells), histone deacetylase inhibitors such as trichostatin A and sodium butyrate and a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine increase GRα expression levels while decreasing GRβ expression levels (for example, see Document 3). At the same time, the expression level of ASF/SF2, which is a type of serine/arginine rich protein (SR protein), increases, suggesting the possibility that ASF/SF2 may be involved in the regulation of the splicing of the GR mRNAs. SR proteins are splicing factors, and regulate the splicing of pre-mRNAs into mature mRNAs in the nucleus.
It has been reported that a study comparing mRNA levels in peripheral lymphocytes from 28 healthy volunteers reveals the negative correlation between the expression level of serine/arginine-rich protein 30c (SRp30c), which is a type of SR protein, and the ratio of the GRα expression level to the GRβ expression level (GRα/GRβ) (for example, see Document 4).
It has also been reported that, in a neutrophil-like cell line (retinoic acid-stimulated PLB-985 cells), knocking-down of SRp30c using antisense oligonucleotides results in a decrease in the expression levels of the GRβ mRNA and an increase in the expression levels of the GRα mRNA (for example, see Document 5).
In addition, it was found that a 5-base sequence of AGGAC is present in the GR gene at relatively high frequency, and this sequence is expected to be an SRp30c recognition sequence (for example, see Document 6).
These findings suggest that the alternative splicing within exon 9 of the GR gene is regulated by SRp30c, which is a type of SR protein. That is, the above findings suggest that a site to which SRp30c binds is present in exon 9 of the pre-mRNA of GR, and that SRp30c binds to this site and regulates the splicing of the pre-mRNA of GR into the mature mRNA of GRβ.
However, there are no reports about whether or not the glucocorticoid sensitivity of cells is actually altered by inhibiting SRp30c function, and this point is unclear.
Meanwhile, a technique for inhibiting a function of an SR protein by inhibiting the phosphorylation of the SR protein is disclosed. For example, a technique is disclosed (for example, see Documents 7 and 8) in which an isonicotinamide compound SRPIN 340, which is an inhibitor of an SR protein kinase, is used as an antiviral agent.
Document 1: Matsuda A, et al. Res. Vet. Sci., 2010, 89(3):378-382.
Document 2: Matsuda A, et al. The 14th International Congress of Immunology, August 2010, Volume 22, Supplement number 1, p. v8.
Document 3: Piotrowska H, et al. Arch. Med. Res., 2009, 40: 156-162.
Document 4: Watanuki T, et al. J. Affect. Disord., 2008, 110(1-2): 62-69.
Document 5: Xu Q, et al. J. Biol. Chem., 2003, 278: 27112-27118.
Document 6: Paradis C, et al. RNA, 2007, 13: 1287-1300.
Document 7: Karakama Y, et al. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 2010, 54(8): 3179-318.
Document 8: International Publication No. WO 2005/063293.

Oligonucleotide, glucocorticoid sensitivity enhancer, pharmaceutical composition, and expression vector

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF CORPORATION TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY


By executing the steps of sequentially retrieving buffers on a clock tree from a clock source to input pins of the cells other than the buffers and recognizing the buffer retrieved, organizing a group of the buffers recognized on the clock tree into an instance as a hierarchical block and extracting the hierarchical block as a net list, the part constituting the buffers on the clock tree once designed is organized in the hierarchical block and the hierarchical block are saved as the net list as well as the physical arrangement information of an individual buffer. After the circuit modification or net list change have been made, the hierarchical block previously saved is inserted into the net list, and the hierarchical levels are developed after automated arrangement to reproduce the physic arrangement information of the clock tree.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a layout method for a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a layout method of a clock tree for shortening the design period of a semiconductor integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with development of semiconductor technology, large-scaling, complication and high integration of the semiconductor integrated circuit have been advanced. Particularly, in a system LSI in which a large number of soft cores and hard cores are used, the clock system is complicated so that the number of designing man-hours for creating a clock tree in a layout step for the design of semiconductor integrated circuits is increased. This greatly influences a designing schedule.
In the design of the clock tree in recent years, it is an important theme to solve not only reduction of clock skew but also the problems of power consumption, transistor deterioration due to miniaturization, delay error due to process change, etc.
In the design of the clock tree, in order to reduce the changing error in transistors to be used, the number of steps of the clock tree and cell type are made equivalent to implement equivalent-length wirings and equivalent loads. This cannot be implemented easily only by a conventional skew adjusting technique. Thus, the creation of the clock tree entailed considerable labor.
Further, in the layout design of the semiconductor integrated circuit which has been large-scaled and complicated, in many cases, a circuit modification or change is carried out. In order to implement the layout in a short time after a final RTL specification has been determined, generally, provisional layout is implemented before the RTL specification is determined, thereby creating the clock tree.
However, even if the clock tree with low power consumption and tough to changes and crosstalk is designed by consuming considerable labor for the provisional layout and further saved, there has not been proposed an efficient means for reproducing the clock tree having the same technical idea for the circuit re-recomposed after the circuit modification occurs. Therefore where the modification has been made for the RTL, the design of the clock tree must be restructured from the beginning. Thus, the period taken for designing the clock tree in a final layout step becomes equal to the designing period taken for during the provisional layout.
As a countermeasure for such a problem, conventionally, there has been developed a technique for making the design effective by facilitating the skew adjustment by "hardmarco" organization of the clock tree (for example, see Japanese Patent No. 3112843). FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the process for designing the clock tree according to a prior art.
In FIG. 6, in step 601, circuit design is made. In step 602, the clock inserted in the circuit is "hardmacro" organized. In step 603, forward annotation is performed. If the result is OK, the processing proceeds to the subsequent step 604. If the result is NG, the designing process returns to the circuit design of step 601.
In step 604, blocks of the "hardmacro" in step 603 and step 602 are arranged. In step 605, wiring of automated arrangement is made. In step 606, back annotation is performed. If the result is OK, the designing process is ended. If the result is NG, the designing process returns to the circuit design in step 601 again. By such a clock tree creating method, the skew adjustment is facilitated.
The prior art described above is a technique for minimizing the clock skew. However, if the timing of the circuit cannot be made satisfactory in the back annotation after the arrangement wiring has been made, the process for designing the clock tree must be returned to the circuit designing. Thus, the prior art is not an efficient means for shortening the period from the determination of the final RTL specification to the end of the layout, and so is problematic in the efficiency of design.
Further, in the prior art, since the wiring of the automated arrangement is made after the "hardmacro" has been arranged, the connection between the flip-flops and hardmacro arranged generates wiring disorder so that the clock skew may be deteriorated. Even where the flip-flops to be connected to the "hardmacro" are arranged adjacently to the hardmacro taking the wiring disorder of the clock into consideration, the timing of data path may be deteriorated.

Clock tree layout method for semiconductor integrated circuit

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Various methods, systems, and apparatuses for customizing travel actions in travel directions are disclosed. One method and apparatus includes providing a first set of travel directions to a user, the travel directions including at least one travel action, receiving at least one selected travel action and a replacement travel action from the user associated with the first set of travel directions, and outputting a second set of travel directions associated with the at least one selected travel action and the replacement travel action. Another method and apparatus includes obtaining travel directions based on a start point and an end point, comparing travel actions from the travel directions with a customization file, the customization file including at least one selected travel action and a replacement travel action, determining that at least one travel action in the travel directions is the same as the at least one selected travel action, and integrating the replacement travel action into the travel directions.

1. Field of the Invention
Implementations consistent with the principles of the invention relate generally to automated travel planning systems, and more specifically, to automated travel planning systems in a digital environment.
2. Description of Related Art
Computerized mapping systems have been developed for facilitating travel planning. For example, travel-planning Internet websites are commercially available and well-known. Such websites typically permit a user to input a starting point and an end point for travel, and these are then used to calculate and provide travel directions to the user. Because the travel directions are not customized to take account of the user's experience and knowledge of the relevant area, travel directions generated by such websites typically contain steps or instructions that a user might find unnecessary and/or wasteful.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 1–3, travel directions generated by known systems may contain unwanted or unnecessary steps. FIG. 1 illustrates a web browser 100 that displays a travel direction data entry web page 105. As shown, a user has entered a start point of 95 Riley Dr., Bison, N.Y. and an end point of 774 Albany Ave, Nantucket, N.Y. The user then requests the directions by selecting a "Get Directions" button 110. Directions are then calculated and displayed on the browser 100 in a travel directions web page 200, as illustrated in FIGS. 2–3. As shown, the displayed directions are longer (i.e., require more space for display) than the size of the browser 100 display. Therefore a scroll bar 205 is typically provided so that the user may scroll down to see the remainder of the travel directions. FIG. 3 depicts the remainder of the travel directions after the user has used the scroll bar 205 to scroll down to the bottom of the travel directions web page 200.
As illustrated by the preceding example, the travel directions generated by known systems may include a number of steps that the user already knows, such as how to go from home (95 Riley Dr.) to the highway (HWY 28), As shown in FIG. 2, this portion of the travel directions requires nine separate instructions. These unnecessary instructions add clutter to the travel directions the user actually needs. Indeed, the user may even disagree with the travel route that has been automatically generated by the system for this portion of the trip. Further, the user may be required to scroll down to view the remainder of the directions, instead of having all of the needed directions provided in the same display. Moreover, the extraneous steps may cause unnecessary paper to be used if the user prints out the directions. It is desirable to address the limitations in the art.

Method and apparatus for customizing travel directions


Certain embodiments of the present invention include a vehicular seat having a seatback, a seat cushion, a table and an armrest. The seatback is preferably tiltably connected to a seat cushion. The table is preferably provided beside the seat cushion. The armrest is preferably mounted to a side portion of the seatback. The table preferably has a recess for avoiding from interfering the table with the armrest when the seatback is brought down to a predetermined position.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to vehicular seats equipped with a table.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-168420 discloses a vehicular seat. The vehicular seat has an armrest and a table. On the inside of the vehicle, the armrest is mounted to a side portion of the seatback. The table is disposed adjacent to the side of the seat cushion. However, when the seatback is brought down onto the seat cushion, the armrest will interfere with the table.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a seat in which the armrest does not interfere with the table located beside the seat cushion when the seatback is brought down.


A flaring device for flaring a hollow malleable tubular member is provided. A hydraulically powered assembly includes a main body having a cylinder, a lever and a piston member which is received in the cylinder. The main body has an axis and opposing first end and second end. The lever is pivoted on the first end of the main body and operable to drive the piston member to move along the axis. One end of the piston member is formed with a conical expander. The die set is disposed at the second end of the main body and has a plurality of die elements arranged around the axis. The conical expander of the piston member is actuated to move axially and outwardly so as to radially drive the die elements to flare the hollow malleable tubular member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flaring device for a tubular member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional flaring device is used to flare one end of a tubular member, so that an opening of the tubular member would be flared and expanded. Thus, the flared tubular members could be connected to each other conveniently.
The conventional flaring device has two opposing conical clipping member disposed thereon. A plurality of expanders is arranged around a periphery of the conical clipping member. A user could operate the conventional flaring device to reduce a distance between the two conical clipping members, so that a conical surface of the conical clipping member would push the expanders to move outwardly for flaring and expanding an internal wall of the tubular member.
Clearly, the conventional flaring device includes a screw rod is movably screwed between the two conical clipping members. The two conical clipping members would be approached to or away from each other via rotating the screw rod. When the screw rod is rotated, one conical clipping member is moved by said rotation; another conical clipping member is rotated relative to the screw rod, so that the two conical surfaces are rotated relative to each other. However, the conventional flaring device is inconveniently to operate, and said rotation of the screw rod for the two conical clipping members to approach to or be away from each other, is laborious and tardy. Therefore, the two conical surfaces rotated relative to each other would apply a torsion onto the two expanders to cause a non-uniform expansion.
A further conventional flaring device includes a body having a handle bar disposed thereon. By using the lever rule, the handle bar could drive a conical faring pusher to move outwardly for flaring a tubular member. However, the further conventional flaring device could be only operated by applying a hand press. Regardless of the thickness of the tubular member, a user needs to apply a strong force to drive the further conventional flaring device. Therefore, a flaring efficiency of the further conventional flaring device is bad, and if the tubular member has a thick tubular wall, the thick tubular wall could not be flared.
The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages.


An image processing method that puts input image data represented by multi-value pixels into gradation representation of dots having binary data of plural minute pixels while performing error diffusion processing. The method includes a first step that when a dot is formed which corresponds to correction image data produced by adding correction data to multi-value image data of a multi-value target pixel, only in the case where the dot is to be formed so as to be adjacent to a dot formed for a proper adjacent multi-value pixel, forms the dot even if it has less than k (2 or greater integer) number of minute pixels. In other cases, the method forms only a dot having k number of minute pixels or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method and an image processing apparatus. More particularly, in the fields of laser beam printer and printing plate making apparatus, the present invention relates to an image processing method for putting input image data represented by multi-value pixels into gradation representation by binary data of plural minute pixels while being subjected to error diffusion processing, and an image processing apparatus for executing the processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the fields of laser beam printer, ink jet printer, and printing plate making apparatus, an area gradation method and stochastic half toning technology are known as methods for reproducing the density gradation of color-separated multi-value image data. The former represents density gradation by the magnitude of collections (clusters) of binary dots, and the latter visually represents density gradation by the roughness and fineness of binary dots.
As the area gradation method of the former, a dither matrix (concentrated dither) method is known. According to this method, with regular grid points as base points, dot areas are modulated while minute dots are being colored according to an image density. On the other hand, as the stochastic half toning technology of the latter, an error diffusion method is known. According to this method, while each multi-value pixel is binarized by predetermined threshold values, binarization errors are diffused to unprocessed adjacent multi-value pixels to macroscopically preserve density information (non-patent document 1, for example).
Since the dither matrix method performs binarization processing while comparing predetermined threshold values and input image data on a multi-value pixel basis, satisfaction of both gradation properties and resolution requires sufficiently high resolution of the binarization processing and a large size of dither matrix. Regular binary dot arrangement poses the problems of color moire of secondary and tertiary colors and document moire.
On the other hand, the error diffusion method, in which binarized threshold values do not rely on multi-value pixel positions unlike dither matrix, has the characteristics of easy adaptation to an image structure of input image data because of low periodicity of dot structure and macroscopic preservation of density information, and satisfies both gradation properties and resolution and effectively prevents the occurrence of moire pattern.
However, the error diffusion method has had problems in that, if specific data is continuously inputted, diffusion errors have periodicity, as a result of which specific textures occur or stripe-like noise called worm noise mingles. These problems have been conventionally solved by using technology for adding random number data to diffusion errors (patent document 1, for example), and technology for switching factors to be multiplied by diffusion errors in various ways (patent document 2, for example).
FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a binarized image produced by binary error diffusion processing according to the related art of the former. FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing a binarized image produced when, with a 2-by-2 bitmap allocated to a multi-value pixel, binary error diffusion processing, that is, high-resolution error diffusion processing is performed on a minute pixel basis. Particularly in an ink jet printer, high quality images can be produced using such a high-resolution error diffusion processing method.
Laser printers employing electrophotographic processes have the restriction of slow-scan resolution of scan beam and therefore a method for achieving high resolution only in a fast-scan direction has been conventionally used (non-patent document 2, for example). In such a recording system, multi-value error diffusion as shown in FIG. 22 can be used. According to the multi-value error diffusion method, one multi-value pixel is equally divided by eight so that it can be represented by nine values. Specifically, each multi-value pixel is made dense by n/8 according to density thereof and an error from an input value is diffused to peripheral pixels, where n is 0, 1, 2, . . . .
In this connection, although the error diffusion method is frequently used in ink jet printers and satisfactorily provides its gradation reproduction effects, in actual situation, it is not so frequently used in later printers in which the dither matrix method and the analog line screen method are dominant (patent documents 3 and 4, for example).
This is because since spatial frequency responses as well as MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) of photosensitive materials deteriorate in electrophotographic processes such as exposure, development, transfer, and fixing, even if an image structure arranged finely with minute dots as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 is inputted as a recording signal, reproducibility becomes unstable and washout and blocks occur, resulting in the lack of satisfactory gradation representation.
On the other hand, since the dither matrix method and the analog line screen method expand dots at proper locations according to density, stresses on spatial frequencies do not change greatly in density areas, and the number of lines of dots may be set according to the responsibility of printer, so that gradation can be represented by changes in dot area. Therefore, the dither matrix method and the analog line screen method presuppose dot processing in an output part and perform pre-processing such as spatial frequency filter processing for image data to avoid interference with the dot processing.
Technology taking advantage of the characteristics of dot area modulation and the characteristics of error diffusion processing is proposed (patent documents 5 and 6, for example).
According to the technology disclosed in patent document 5, if correction image data (input image data containing added error values) is less than a value corresponding to a reproducible minimum dot size, dots are not generated and an error value is diffused to the periphery, and if the correction image data is equal to or greater than the value corresponding to the reproducible minimum dot size, a dot of a size corresponding to the correction image data is formed and error data is zeroed.
The following technique is disclosed in patent document 6. According to the technique, to prevent washout and blocks, the sizes of dots created by error diffusion processing are subjected to pulse width modulation by density around a multi-value target pixel so that low densities are widely modulated and high densities are narrowly modulated.
[Patent document 1]
Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. Hei 1-058915
[Patent document 2]
Japanese Published Examined Patent Application No. Hei 6-66873
[Patent document 3]
Japanese Patent No. 2532398
[Patent document 4]
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Sho 55-19201
[Patent document 5]
Japanese Patent No. 2664173
[Patent document 6]
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2000-138829
[Non-patent document 1]
R.FLOYD&L.STEINBERG, "An Adaptive Algorithm for Spatial Grey Scale", SID 75 DIGEST, PP 36-37
[Non-patent document 2]
The Institute of Image Electronics Engineers of Japan draft Jul. 2, 1985, Tomoaki Tanaka et al., "Electronic Photo Recording by Use of Elliptic Beams"
Generally, error diffusion processing is characterized by a dispersed dot structure and is technology that cannot be used without performing processing so that a uniform structure does not appear for a specific image density as described previously. If this processing is insufficient, dispersed structures are interspersed with regular structures, making texture change conspicuous and making the image ugly. In this connection, according to the related art disclosed in patent document 5, error diffusion processing is performed only in highlight portions, and in portions equal to or greater than a specific density, error diffusion processing is not performed and PWM (pulse width modulation) is performed on a multi-value pixel basis, as a result of which an image of line screen structure is produced. Accordingly, an image rich in gradation change, when outputted, becomes ugly because structure change is conspicuous in the vicinity of switching areas.
The error diffusion processing preserves densities, while, in the technology disclosed in patent document 6, since dot sizes are modulated after processing, areas in which density information is not preserved come into existence, with the result that mismatch occurs between diffused density errors and a reproduced image. As a result, gradation jump and density reversal may occur in boundaries between portions subjected to pulse width modulation and portions not subjected to pulse width modulation (PWM).

Image processing method and image processing apparatus


An embodiment is a method of semiconductor processing. The method includes depositing a high-k gate dielectric layer over a semiconductor fin. A barrier layer is deposited over the high-k gate dielectric layer. A silicon passivation layer is deposited over the barrier layer. A nitrogen treatment is performed on the silicon passivation layer. A capping layer is deposited over the silicon passivation layer. The capping layer is annealed.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. In the course of the IC evolution, functional density (defined as the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. A scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs. Such scaling down has increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs. For these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC manufacturing are needed.
As the semiconductor IC industry has progressed into nanometer technology process nodes in pursuit of higher device density, higher performance, and lower costs, challenges from both fabrication and design have resulted in the development of three-dimensional (3D) devices, such as fin field effect transistors (FinFETs). Advantages of FinFET devices include reducing the short channel effect and increasing the current flow. There has been a desire to use a FinFET device with a high-k gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode to improve device performance as feature sizes continue to decrease.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


This invention relates to novel carbohydrate polymers with hydrophobic and hydrophilic side-groups suitable for solubilising, for example, hydrophobic drugs. The chain length of the carbohydrate polymeric backbone, and the type and number of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic side-groups are specifically chosen to improve the solubility properties of the carbohydrate polymers.

Soluble polymers bearing pendant amphiphilic or hydrophobic groups, commonly known as polysoaps, have been studied for a number of years and numerous applications proposed1 based on exploiting their solubilisation capacity for hydrophobic molecules2, 3. These compounds form intramolecular micelles4, 5, usually several per molecule6, and their solubilisation capacity is not lost on dilution1 unlike small molecular weight micelles7, making them especially useful as solubilisers. Although these molecules are well known they have not been exploited to any great extent as pharmaceutical solubilisers.
Hydrophobic drugs are those drugs, which are practically insoluble in water. The definition of "practically insoluble" used by the British Pharmacopoeia is used here and is defined as a situation where 1 g of such material requires more than 10,000 millilitres of solvent (e.g. water) to be solubilised8 or alternatively a material which has a solubility of less than 0.1 mg mL−1 in water.
A few pharmaceutical solubilisers have been reported using hydrophobically and hydrophilically modified chitosans, namely: N-acyl 6-sulphated chitosans10, quaternary ammonium palmitoyl glycol chitosan8 and alkylated poly(L-lysine citramide)11, although the effects of depolymerisation of the carbohydrate backbone was not explored in the work done on these carbohydrates8, 9, 11. However, two different molecular weights of N-lauroyl 6-carboxymethyl chitosan, with one molecular weight class being investigated at two different levels of lauroyl and carboxymethyl substitution, have been reported by Miwa and others11 as "micellar" carriers of the hydrophobic drug paclitaxel. The paclitaxel formulation described by these workers however is prepared by the probe sonication of N-lauroyl 6-carboxymethyl chitosan and paclitaxel in a 10% v/v ethanol solution. The removal of ethanol by dialysis was attempted but not confirmed by these workers and final N-lauroyl 6-carboxymethyl chitosan—paclitaxel formulations were described as "turbid" with particle size ranges of between 30 and 300 nm and a mean particle size of between 32 and 82 nm. In contrast, the invention disclosed herein relates to the attributes of a solubilising polymer which produces optically clear solutions (devoid of appreciable light scattering) when hydrophobic drugs are added to an aqueous phase (devoid of organic solvents) in the presence of the solubilising polymer. Miwa and others on the other hand report that the precursor to N-lauroyl 6-carboxymethyl chitosan which contains no hydrophobic chain—carboxymethyl chitin "yielded a clear solution and the scattering phenomena detected in the case of micellar solution were not observed in the carboxymethyl chitin solution"11. The present invention thus differs from that reported by Miwa and others11 in that an aqueous optically clear solution is prepared from the polymer and appropriate concentrations of poorly soluble drugs. Organic solvents are also not required in the preparation of the present solutions.
Hydrophobically modified chitosans soluble in dilute acid solutions have also been reported12, 13. Other hydrophobically modified carbohydrates have been reported to yield particulate14-19 dispersions in aqueous media as opposed to water soluble materials13—namely palmitoyl glycol chitosan14, 15, deoxycholic acid modified chitosan16, 17 and cholesterol bearing pullulans18, 19 or alternatively aqueous insoluble gel-like materials20, 21.
While the advantageous influence of depolymerisation, controlled hydrophilic substitution, and controlled hydrophobic substitution of carbohydrates on the production of an optically clear solution with hydrophobic drugs has not previously been described, reports on the individual influences of depolymerisation, hydrophobic substitution and hydrophilic substitution on polymer behaviour can be found in the literature. There is an indirect relationship between the length of hydrophobic pendant groups and water solubility in the case of hydrophobised starches22 and hydrophobised ethyl celluloses20. This parameter also has a direct influence on the degree of polymer aggregation when in solution in the case of amphiphilic chitosans9 and dextrans23 as well as on the solubilising properties of hydrophobically modified chitosans9. The degree of hydrophobic substitution has also been reported to have an indirect influence on the aqueous solubility of starch derivatives22 and affects the flow properties of hydroxypropyl guar gums.
The balance of hydrophobic and hydrophilic substitution has also been reported to affect a number of polymer properties. An increase in hydrophobic substitution from 20 substituents in every 100 monomers to 90 substituents in every 100 monomers with an associated decrease in the level of carboxymethyl substituents from 200 substituents in every 100 monomers to 140 substituents in every 100 monomers decreased the association of paclitaxel with the N-lauroyl 6-carboxymethyl chitosan colloids11, indicating that a more hydrophobic polymer promoted association of paclitaxel with the chitosan based colloid. The balance between the level of hydrophobic and hydrophilic modification also affected the flow properties of amphiphilic hydroxyethylcelluloses24 and an optimum hydrophobic modification level for amphiphilic chitosans has been identified when these materials are used to prevent wool shrinkage during washing25.
With regard to amphiphilic polymer molecular weight alone this has been shown to have an indirect effect on the emulsifying activity of hydrophobised starches26 and an optimum molecular weight has been identified for amphiphilic chitosans bearing deoxycholic acid pendant groups in the context of DNA—chitosan nanoparticles fabricated for gene delivery27. Also the molecular weight of hydrophobised (C6-acyl) dextrans influenced the phase separation of these systems with the high molecular weight material being more likely to phase separate23. The molecular weight of hydrophobic hydroxypropyl guar gums28 was found to influence their flow properties. However, the molecular weight of N-lauroyl 6-carboxymethyl chitosan polymers did not affect their ability to encapsulate paclitaxel within the chitosan based colloid11.
Returning to the work of Zhang and others on acyl dextrans23, the main purpose of this work was to "prepare a family of polymer pairs in which the compatibility in aqueous solution could be varied in subtle ways" with a view to applying the results to the development of adhesives. The authors conclude that the tendency for dextran and hydrophobically modified dextran to phase separate increases with molecular weight, degree of hydrophobic substitution and hydrophobic chain length23. It should be noted that Zhang and others23 did not explore the effect of molecular weight on the phase separation of hydrophobically and hydrophilically modified dextrans.
It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one or more of the aforementioned problems.
It is a further object of embodiments of the present invention to provide a polymer for solubilising hydrophobic materials such as drugs.

Solubilising polysaccharides substituted with dydrophilic and hydrophobic groups

The School of Pharmacy, University of London


A method for planning a scan path for intraoperative radiation therapy may comprise acquiring a plurality of images of a region of interest through an auxiliary scanning component, establishing a 3D model of the region of interest based on the plurality of images of the region of interest, determining a radiation therapy volume based on the 3D model of the region of interest, and planning a scan path for a radiation therapy component to scan the radiation therapy volume.

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is a technology that applies a high level of radiation directly to a tumor, a tumor bed, or a recrudesce or metastasis region visible during surgery. An advantage of the technology is that important organs adjacent to the target (i.e., the to-be-irradiated area) of the patient may be pushed out of the irradiation field in the surgery so as to reduce the radiation dose applied thereto.
In the late 1990s, Hitesys S.P.A. in Italy firstly launched a mobile IORT apparatus NOVAC7, details of which are described in a U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,721. Then, Intraop Medical Inc. in the United States launched another mobile electron linear accelerator MOBETRON dedicated for an IORT apparatus, which is detailed in a U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,271. However, neither of the two apparatuses uses intraoperative radiation therapy images, and it entirely relies on experience and skills of clinicians to perform the intraoperative radiation therapy, which may cause the radiation dose insufficient for the target area or excessive for surrounding important organs and thus cannot achieve a desirable effect of the intraoperative radiation therapy.
A Chinese patent No. ZL200310108091.2 entitled "APPARATUS FOR INTRAOPERATIVE RADIATION THERAPY" discloses a new apparatus for intraoperative radiation therapy. The apparatus uses CT and MRI 3D images to determine direction and position of an electron beam incident onto a lesion. The electron linear accelerator is fixed to the ceiling of the operation room through a motion frame, and it may be placed at a predetermined position for intraoperative radiation therapy by moving the motion frame and an operation table. Although the apparatus utilizes 3D images, the images are acquired by CT or MRI devices before the surgery, and it cannot determine a relationship between the lesion and normal tissues and important organs in a condition where the tumor bed is exposed, and thus cannot obtain an optimum treatment solution.
At present, an IORT treatment scheme is determined by a radiation oncologist based on her/his experience within a short time when she/he comes to the operation table. Due to lack of 3D intraoperative images and dose distribution information, a 3D dose distribution of the radiation irradiated on the tissues cannot be evaluated, and whether or not treatment parameters (e.g., size, angle of a treatment applicator, beam energy) in the treatment scheme can be correctly selected depends largely on experience of the radiation oncologist. As a result, insufficient dose in the target area or excessive dose to the important organs may occur, which impacts the effect of the IORT treatment.
Further, a lot of time-costing preparation work is required before the IORT treatment starts. For example, the radiation oncologist needs to manually place and fix the treatment applicator and manually control a handle to move the head of the electron accelerator so that a central axis of the electron beam is aligned to a central axis of the applicator. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure precision of the irradiation. In addition, the radiation therapy is performed simply with a single energy in a fixed irradiation field, and the electron beam with the single energy can irradiate only to a single depth, which can not completely accommodate the spatial shape of the tumor with varying depth and thus normal tissues surrounding the tumor cannot be protected from radiation.

Intraoperative radiation therapy system and method for intraoperative radiation therapy

Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences


The invention is a device for displacing a switch blade between a position on a stock rail and a position at a distance from the stock rail. The device has: a locking bearing coupled to the switch blade and connected to a locking catch via an axle; and a locking rod that guides the locking catch against a locking support coupled to the stock rail, locks the locking catch to the support, and then unlocks and guides it away from the locking support. The locking support is positioned on the side of the stock rail opposed to the switch blade and is connected to a thrust bearing that is arranged on a fixed superstructure component. The locking bearing is arranged on a component that at least partially follows the displacement, and the displacement motion is transferred from the locking bearing to the switch blade via a displaceable push rod.

The present invention relates to a device for displacing a switch blade between a position on a stock rail and a position at a distance from the stock rail.
Railroad switches are fitted with locking devices for the purpose of securing switch blades, as disclosed for instance in European patent application EP 0 885 795 A1. This European patent application discloses the function of a modern locking device (latching closure CKA). Said document discloses not only the locking and unlocking but also the displacement of the switch blades, which in the case of a latching closure take place with the aid of a locking rod and a locking catch. The switch blade connected to the locking catch via a locking bearing is brought into contact with the associated stock rail during the locking procedure of the locking rod, during which the locking catch is guided under the stock rail and pressed upward against the foot of the stock rail, that is, against the locking support arranged at the foot of the stock rail, by the locking rod for locking the switch blade.
Particularly in the case of switch blades which are quite long, as they need to be for the larger radiuses, undesirable oscillations occur during use. These switch blades are furthermore at increased risk of torsion, as a result of which the switch blade can lift clear of the stock rail. It is known that document EP 0 624 508 A1 discloses a locking device which seeks to achieve a tight connection between the switch blade and the stock rail. This is achieved by providing the locking bearing connected to the switch blade with an elongation which presses against a locking support firmly connected to the stock rail when the locking device locks, as a result of which the switch blade pivots about the locking bearing and is pressed tightly against the stock rail.
Moreover German patent application DE 43 15 200 A1 discloses a locking device according to the document EP 0 624 508 A1 mentioned above. Said device is integrated into a hollow-section cross-tie, enabling automatic tamping of the track ballast in the region of the switch displacement device, that is, especially in the region of the tips of the switch blades.
It is common to all the above-mentioned reference documents that the locking support at the foot of the stock rail is held by gripping the foot of the stock rail on both sides and/or the locking catch is held in the locking bearing which is directly fastened to the switch blade. It is therefore easy to understand that, particularly in countries such as the USA, the UK and Japan, which have a great plurality of track and switch blade profiles, a correspondingly large number of different locking supports and/or locking bearings needs to be held in inventory and used in line with demand. It is thus expensive and time-consuming to store and use such items in this way in view of the plurality of profiles which exist. Even with only slight differences between one profile and another there is a risk that the construction team, which as a rule installs switches when the line is open to traffic, and is therefore always working under a certain amount of time pressure, might get the profiles mixed up. Such mistakes however can lead to premature wear or even to a serious malfunction.

Locking device for switch blades with adaptable profiles


A two-stage alarm for a rotary wing aircraft, such as a helicopter which operates on a collective control arm. A moveable mass or weight is operatively connected to the collective control arm. The moveable weight may be of a reciprocating type or a rotor driven mass which is mounted eccentrically for rotation about an axs which is spaced from the center of gravity of the weight. In the latter case, a D.C. motor spins the weight rapidly about the axis at a first speed to produce a shaking action to the collective control arm as a warning of an approaching danger. The weight is moved more rapidly to produce a much more noticeable action at a second frequency, or at an increased amplitude as a warning of a more imminent or serious condition which requires immediate action.

Control column shakers or stick shakers for fixed-wing aircraft are well known for unmistakably relaying advance warning of an impending stall. Such shakers have been adapted for use on high performance and other aircraft. They are typically mounted on the aircraft's control column. These units electrically provide a high amplitude, low frequency buffet signal to a pilot. Such signals cannot be confused with other warnings and provide a pilot with a reliable stall warning. Control column shakers of various designs are presently manufactured and sold by Safe Flight Instrument Corporation of White Plains, N.Y., the assignee on the present invention.
The uses of control column shakers in rotary wing aircraft have also been disclosed, as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,755 to Cotton. As disclosed therein, an alarm, such as a shaking of the collective pitch control lever of a helicopter, is used as an indication that the actual acceleration exceeds the permissible acceleration. As disclosed by the Cotton patent, the structural envelope of the aircraft, as defined by weight, air speed, rotor rpm, air density and collective stick position, is used as an indication of permissible loading of a helicopter rotor. Cotton also teaches the use of a gross measure of the aircraft weight, density of the air, air speed, the collective pitch and rotor speed of the aircraft as indices of a table look-up to determine the maximum permissible aircraft acceleration under such flight conditions which is then compared against the actual aircraft acceleration to determine when the aircraft is maneuvered close to a loading which exceeds a structural envelope. cl SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is presently believed that there is a significant demand for an improved collective control shaker in accordance with the present invention. It is believed that there is a significant demand for a two-stage tactile warning system which alerts a pilot that he/she is approaching a dangerous condition and then warns the pilot when immediate corrective action should be taken. With this approach, the pilot can fly the aircraft close to its critical limitations and at the same time take corrective action when it becomes necessary.
The collective control shaker in accordance with the present invention provides a first sensory warning when the aircraft is close to a relatively critical stage with respect to any one of a number of flight conditions. For example, as the aircraft approaches a dangerous condition, the shaker vibrates the collective control at a first frequency or amplitude to alert the pilot to either push the collective in a downward direction, or to at least be prepared to do so. Then if any one of a number of flight characteristics becomes more critical, the shaker produces a more violent shaking to provide a vigorous sensory signal to indicate the need for immediate action.
The tactile warning system in accordance with the present invention enables a pilot to fly a helicopter safely at maximum loading within its structural envelope. The system provides an alert signal, such as a vibration of the collective control at a first frequency or amplitude when any one of several operating parameters reaches a first preselected level. The system then provides a more noticeable signal, such as a violent shaking, which overrides the first signal when any one of several parameters becomes critical. The operating parameters may include engine torque, exhaust gas temperature, rotor speed, turbine output shaft speed, turbine inlet temperature, etc.
In addition, the tactile warning system in accordance with the present invention is durable, reliable and can be manufactured, installed and serviced at a competitive cost.
In essence, the present invention contemplates a two-stage alarm for a rotary wing aircraft, such as a helicopter. The alarm operates on a collective control arm of the type used in the control of helicopters. A moveable mass or weight is operatively connected to the collective control arm as, for example, by being mounted thereon or bolted thereto. The moveable weight may be of a reciprocating type or a rotary driven mass which is mounted eccentrically, i.e. for rotation about an axis which is spaced from the center of gravity of the weight. In the latter case, means such as a D.C. motor spins the weight rapidly about the axis at a first speed to produce a shaking action to the collective control arm as a warning of an approaching danger. Means are also provided for moving the weight more rapidly, as for example by a higher voltage, to produce a much more noticeable action at a second frequency, or at an increased amplitude as a warning of a more imminent or serious condition which requires immediate action.
A tactile warning system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a collective control arm and a shaker mechanism operatively connected to the collective control arm. The shaker mechanism may be mounted on, bolted or otherwise fixed to the collective control arm. The system also includes means for sensing a first pre-selected flight condition which is indicative of an approaching danger and a second pre-selected flight condition which is indicative of a more imminent danger and means for producing first and second signals in response to the sensed conditions. The shaker mechanism includes means for producing a first level of sensory perception in response to the first of the signals and a second level of sensory perception which overrides the first level of sensory perception in response to the second signal. In this way, a pilot is warned that he/she is operating a helicopter near a dangerous condition and then given a second warning when the condition becomes critical. The invention will now be described in connection with the following drawings wherein like reference numerals have been used to indicate like parts.


A wired circuit board includes a wired circuit body portion having a wired circuit, an electrostatic charge removing portion conducted with the wired circuit body portion and having a semiconductive layer, and a conduction cut-off portion arranged between the wired circuit body portion and the electrostatic charge removing portion to cut off electrical conduction therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wired circuit board. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wired circuit board for mounting an electronic component, such as a suspension board with circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
A wired circuit board such as a suspension board with circuit includes, for example, a metal supporting board of stainless steel foil or the like, an insulating base layer of polyimide resin or the like, which is formed on the metal supporting board, a conductive pattern of copper foil or the like, which is formed on the insulating base layer, and an insulating cover layer of polyimide resin or the like, which is formed on the insulating base layer to cover the conductive pattern. The wired circuit boards of this type are widely used in a variety of fields of electric and electronic equipment.
In such wired circuit board, in order to prevent electronic components mounted thereon from electrostatic breakdown, there has been proposed that a semiconductor layer is formed by sequentially laminating a metal thin film and a metal oxide layer on surfaces of the insulating cover layer or insulating base layer of the suspension board with circuit, so that electrostatic charging can be removed via the semiconductor layer (cf., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-335700).
In addition, there has been proposed that after a semiconductor layer is formed on a surface of an insulating layer, a through hole extending through the insulating layer and the semiconductor layer is formed so that a conductive layer may be exposed, and a connecting terminal is formed in the through hole to contact the semiconductor layer with the connecting terminal, thereby removing static electricity charged on the insulating layer and the conductive layer (cf., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-152383).


The invention relates to a detection apparatus comprising a filter (20) for filtering a conical radiation beam (4) such that at least a first region (22) and a second region (23) of the radiation beam are generated having different energy spectra, wherein the first region of the radiation beam illuminates a first detector area (25) on a detection surface (21) of a detector, thereby generating a first set of detection values, and the second region of the radiation beam illuminates a second detector area (26) on the detection surface, thereby generating a second set of detection values. For example, by using the filter the detection apparatus can be used as dual-energy computed tomography apparatus, wherein, for instance, a standard computed tomography apparatus can be transformed to a dual-energy computed tomography apparatus by adding the filter to the standard computed tomography apparatus, preferentially without modifying the radiation source and the detector.

The article "Dual Source CT: Detecting Urinary Stones by Spiral Dual Energy Computed Tomography With Virtual Non-Enhanced Images" by Paul Stolzmann et al., SOMATOM Sessions, pages 49 to 51, November 2007 discloses a dual-energy computed tomography apparatus comprising two x-ray tubes emitting x-rays with different energy spectra. The x-rays, after having traversed a region of interest, are detected by a detector, while the two x-rays tubes are rotated around the region of interest for illuminating the region of interest in different directions. The detector generates two sets of detection values, which correspond to the two x-ray spectra of the two x-ray tubes, and a reconstruction unit reconstructs two images of the region of interest from the two sets of detection values. This dual-energy computed tomography apparatus is technically relative complex.


When a layered rock-salt type cathode active material and a sulfide solid electrolyte are mixed to be a cathode mixture, and an all solid-state battery is obtained using this mixture, oxygen is released from the cathode active material when the battery is charged, and the sulfide solid electrolyte is oxidized, increasing the battery internal resistance. To increase the concentration of cobalt inside the active material, and at the same time to lower the concentration of cobalt of the surface of the cathode active material, to suppress oxygen release in charging, specifically, a cathode mixture includes: a cathode active material; and a sulfide solid electrolyte, wherein the cathode active material has a layered rock-salt crystal phase, and is made of a composite oxide containing Li, Ni, Co, and Mn, and the concentration of cobalt inside the cathode active material is higher than that of a surface of the cathode active material.

Patent Literatures 1 to 3 disclose cathode active materials formed of lithium-containing composite oxides. Such a cathode active material formed of a lithium-containing composite oxide can be used in a cathode for an all solid-state battery as well. A composite oxide having a layered rock-salt crystal phase and containing Li, Ni, Co and Mn is a known example of a cathode active material usable for an all solid-state battery.

Cathode mixture for all solid-state battery, cathode for all solid-state battery, all solid-state battery, and method for producing the same


The child restraining seat belt aid for redirecting the shoulder strap of a safety belt properly across the chest of a child. The device comprises a plate with the plurality of fingers. A first set of fingers is provided for receiving the lap belt, and a second set of fingers extending at an acute angle from the first set of fingers is adapted to receive the shoulder strap. The acute angle defined is smaller than the angle normally defined by the shoulder strap in relation to the lap belt. The fingers allow the lap belt and shoulder strap to be easily and quickly inserted during installation. The design also facilitates quick removal in an emergency. The device is comprised of a single piece of plastic manufactured using standard plastic injection molding techniques. The device can be adapted for use in either the right seat or the left seat of the automobile. The plate can have a contour conforming to the shape of the child's chest to provide a more comfortable feel. In use, the device properly orients the shoulder strap across the child's chest rather than across the child's chin or neck, thus providing a more affective safety belt arrangement.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vehicle safety restraints, and more specifically to restraints used by children seated in vehicles to properly route the shoulder strap across the child's chest.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
All automobiles currently manufactured for use in the United States include safety restraints comprised of seat belts to be used by every passenger in the car. These safety restraints typically include a lap belt, and a shoulder strap which is adapted to extend diagonally across the chest of the passenger. The shoulder strap is adapted to extend at a predetermined angle from the buckle, across the chest of the passenger and over the opposite arm, and is secured to an upper portion of the vehicle interior. Unfortunately, all automobile manufacturers design the safety restraints to conform to the anatomy of an adult passenger. Consequently, when a child or a smaller passenger is seated in the vehicle, the extension of the shoulder strap can extend across the passenger in an uncomfortable, ineffective, or dangerous position. Specifically, children often will simply put the shoulder belt behind them, thus rendering the shoulder strap ineffective and unavailable should the automobile crash. Only the lap belt is extended across the lap of the child, which may help reduce injury to the child, but which will not restrain the upper portion of the child from projecting forwardly against a forward seat or the dash of the car. Thus, it can be very dangerous for the child to render the shoulder strap ineffective.
In other instances, the child will simply let the shoulder strap extend across the child's chest and over the opposite shoulder. In this arrangement, the shoulder strap extends closely below the neck of the child. This position is also dangerous for in the event of a subsequent crash, the shoulder strap will restrain the child at the neck from thrusting forward. This is a dangerous point of the child's body to be restricting forward movement. It can cause serious damage to the back, cause the throat to collapse, and possibly even choke the child during the crash due to collapsed windpipes.
Several companies provide various child seat restraining devices, including portable seats which are specifically designed for children. There are many variations of child seats available in the market. However, older children do not always desire to use these seats and wish to sit on a seat like the other passengers using the standard seat belt. This is dangerous as discussed. Further, child seats are expensive, and they are sometimes difficult, time consuming and cumbersome to install or move from one vehicle to the next. Thus, there is a recognized need to provide an inexpensive child safety restraint which is adaptable to the existing seat belt arrangement in automobiles, and which can more properly protect the child should the automobile crash.
The brochure produced by the Blue Ridge/The Item Company advertising the Safe Fit.TM. shoulder belt adjuster for children addresses the problem that shoulder belts are not adapted to children. However, this devices suffers in that the device provides no extra support to the child. The shoulder strap still concentrates force across a child's abdomen during vehicle impact. Further, the belt is not restrained within the sleeve in a proper arrangement, but rather, is constrained only and may be a loose fitting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,588 to Huspen teaches a child safety restraint. While this device addresses the problem of providing a safety device for a child too large for a baby seat, yet too small for a conventional seat belt/shoulder strap combination, the device requires several parts. Specifically, a stress plate, a pair of shoulder straps, and a crotch strap. It also requires a moderate amount of installation time when adapted to a child.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,915 to Perry teaches a child restraint for use with a seat belt in an automobile. This is invention comprises a pillow-like elongated cushion which attaches only to a seat lap belt. It is not meant to be used in connection with a shoulder strap. Thus, there is no teaching of adapting a shoulder strap about a child.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,404 to Otaegui-Ugarte teaches a protector for a vehicle occupant. This invention comprises a protective breast plate having an air compartment, wherein the breast plate is rigidly attached to the straps of a vehicle seat belt. Thus, the equipment would need to be provided as standard equipment by the automobile manufacturer. Breast plate 1 is not removable from the straps, nor is there any teaching of redirecting the direction of the diagonal strap such that the device would be adaptable to a child.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,965 to Brown teaches a vehicle seat belt retainer for a child. This device teaches a strap adapted to circumscribe the child's lower buttock, and which is releasably securable to the lap belt of the conventional vehicle seat belt. There is no teaching of redirecting the shoulder strap to more properly adapt to the size of a child.


The present disclosure provides a display apparatus, including: a plurality of pixels, at least one of which includes a red sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, a first blue sub-pixel and a second blue sub-pixel. Blue light emitted by the first blue sub-pixel has a wave band of 400˜540 nm and blue light emitted by the second blue sub-pixel has a wave band of 420˜580 nm. The red sub-pixel and the green sub-pixel are combined with the first blue sub-pixel or the second blue sub-pixel to perform a RGB three-primary-color display. The present disclosure further provides a display method for the display apparatus.

An existing OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display is a self-luminescence display that does not need a backlight compared with an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). Thus, the OLED display is lighter and thinner. Further, the OLED display has advantages such as a higher brightness, lower power consumption, a larger viewing angle, a higher response speed, and a wider range of operating temperatures and thus is increasingly used in various display fields with a high performance.

Display apparatus and display method therefor

HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A fitting for vehicle seats, particularly motor vehicle seats, includes an adjustable fitting component connected to the back rest of the seat and a stationary fitting component at the seat portion, wherein the stationary fitting component is mounted at its front end so as to be pivotable about an axle pin rigidly connected to the seat portion, and wherein the rear end portion of the stationary fitting component rests on a stop pin rigidly attached to the seat portion. In the locked position of the stationary fitting component, the stop pin is surrounded by the jaw of a catch hook mounted on the stationary fitting component, wherein the locked position is releasably secured by a locking device. The locking device includes an eccentric tensioning member which supports the catch hook in the locked position and is supported on a pin of the stationary fitting component, and a gear plate which is mounted on the eccentric tensioning member and surrounds the pin with an oblong hole. The gear plate has a control cam which over portions thereof interacts with a support pin of the stationary fitting component and to which is hinged a pull member which acts in a releasing direction against the force of a retaining spring. The eccentric tensioning member has a locking projection which faces the catch hook. In the open position of the catch hook, the locking projection engages in a recess provided on the catch hook and, in this position, the locking projection is held by a retaining spring extending between the gear plate acting on the eccentric tensioning member and the catch hook. The catch hook has an actuating projection protruding beyond the jaw of the catch hook for releasing the open position when making contact with the stop pin rigidly connected to the seat portion during the backward swinging movement of the back rest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fitting for vehicle seats, particularly motor vehicle seats. The fitting includes an adjustable fitting component connected to the back rest of the seat and a stationary fitting component at the seat portion, wherein the stationary fitting component is mounted at its front end so as to be pivotable about an axle pin rigidly connected to the seat portion, and wherein the rear end portion of the stationary fitting component rests on a stop pin rigidly attached to the seat portion. In the locked position of the stationary fitting component, the stop pin is surrounded by the jaw of a catch hook mounted on the stationary fitting component, wherein the locked position is releasably secured by a locking device. The locking device includes an eccentric tensioning member which supports the catch hook in the locked position and is supported on a pin of the stationary fitting component, and a gear plate which is mounted on the eccentric tensioning member and surrounds the pin with an oblong hole. The gear plate has a control cam which over portions thereof interacts with a support pin of the stationary fitting component and to which is hinged a pull member which acts in a releasing direction against the force of a retaining spring.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a fitting for vehicle seats of the above-described type disclosed in DE 195 31 018, in which the possibility is provided for pivoting the back rest forward for facilitating entering the rear of two-door passenger cars, a locking lever is mounted on the fitting component connected to the seat portion for maintaining the release position of the catch hook, wherein, in the open position of the catch hook, the locking lever engages with a locking projection arranged at its locking arm in a recess of the locking cam and wherein, in this position maintaining the non-operative position of the locking cam, the locking lever is held by a retaining spring tensioned between the gear plate and the locking lever until a control arm provided on the locking lever makes contact with the stop pin rigidly connected to the seat portion when the back rest is swung back into its position of use. This causes the locking cam to be released from its locked position by the backward pivoting of the locking lever, so that the catch hook, which previously has already engaged the stop pin rigidly connected to the seat portion, is secured in its locked position as a result of the backward pivoting of the locking cam. Aside from the fact that the catch hook must be provided underneath its jaw with an inclined opening portion, the locking lever constitutes an additional structural component which must be mounted on the fitting component attached to the seat portion, so that the fitting is not economical because of the increased requirements with respect to structural components and manufacture thereof.

Fitting for vehicle seat, particularly motor vehicle seat


A seat assembly for use in supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle is provided, having a seat frame and a suspension material extending between and operatively secured to the seat frame for supporting the occupant of the seat assembly. A plurality of adjustment assemblies operatively couple the suspension material and the seat frame. Each adjustment assembly includes a stationary bracket secured to the seat frame and an adjustable attachment bracket operatively coupled to the stationary bracket. The suspension material is secured between the adjustable attachment bracket and the stationary bracket. The tension in select portions of the suspension material may be selectively adjusted in response to movement of the adjustable attachment bracket relative to the stationary bracket.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat assembly for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to a seat frame and an adjustable attachment and tensioning assembly for the suspension of a fabric material supported by the seat frame and a method of selectively tensioning portions of the fabric suspension to vary the seating characteristics for a particular occupant supported by the seat assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
Automotive vehicle seat assemblies often include adjustment or tensioning devices for adjusting the feel, shape, support or position of a specific portion of the seat assembly, such as the lumbar portion of the seat back. One example commonly referred to as "The Henderson" lumbar strap uses a tensioning strap to vary the amount of support for the occupant in the lower back region, or lumbar. However, an occupant is in contact with much more of the seating surface than just the lower back region, and therefore, the device is only partially effective and does not allow an occupant to selectively vary the tension of portions of the seat assembly. Furthermore, many current tensioning systems create a force on the seat frame causing the frame components to separate. Other problems include the potential for the suspended material to slip and lose its adjusted position and the difficulty of assembling a seat assembly with a pre-tensioned suspension material.
Accordingly, it remains desirable to provide an assembly that provides for selective tensioning control of portions of a seat assembly, allowing an occupant to fully customize a seat, without exerting force on the seat frame causing separation of the components. It is also desirable to provide an assembly that provides for a seat assembly that allows the suspension material to be attached to a seat frame and then later tensioned. Furthermore, it remains desirable to provide an assembly with a reduced number of components and an esthetic appeal.

Adjustable attachment and tensioning assembly for the suspension of a seat assembly


The disclosure provides a filter for mounting in a vacuum cleaner, such as a wet and dry vacuum cleaner, having a seal at generally each end, and a corresponding mounting structure that focuses compressive sealing forces on specific seal components rather than the filter body as a whole. The sealing is directed primarily to portions of the seals on the filter ends that are compressed or “pinched” between adjacent surfaces. The concentrated compressive stress provides a well-defined region to consistently provide a sealing engagement. The compressive force can thereby remain relatively constant through multiple uses of the filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to the field of vacuum cleaners. More specifically, the disclosure relates to vacuum cleaners having removable filters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vacuum cleaners are notoriously dusty and dirty, requiring some method to separate the dust and the dirt from the exhaust air. Hence, filters are commonly used to perform this separation function. There often is a need to remove and re-attach the filter, for example when cleaning the filter or replacing it with a new filter. With the type of vacuum cleaner known as wet and dry vacuum cleaners, the filter is also often removed when the vacuum cleaner is used to suction liquids. Thus, special structures accompany a typical wet/dry vacuum cleaner to accommodate removing and replacing the filter.
Typically, a suction system with a motor creates the vacuum and is mounted in a lid that is removably attached to a collection drum for receiving the vacuumed materials. A portion of the lid, herein termed a mounting assembly, extends at least partially downward into the drum and mounts a filter support assembly, such as commonly known as a "cage," that generally covers a vacuum intake to the suction assembly in the lid. The cage is composed of a series of ribs, with a large percentage of open surface area. The ribs support the filter and prevent radially inward collapse of the filter during operation. The lid suctions external air or water through a hose into an opening in the drum or lid, so that water or dirt is deposited into the drum. Remaining material, mainly air, then flows radially inward through the filter for removal of dirt and debris. The filtered air then continues through the filter support assembly into a suction impeller in the lid, and then is exhausted from the vacuum cleaner.
In many such systems, the entire filter body is attached to the mounting assembly by a mounting flange removably attached to the mounting assembly. The filter is inserted over the cage, and a mounting flange of rigid material, such as plastic, is attached to the cage or mounting assembly and used to compress or "sandwich" the filter between the flange and the mounting assembly. The compressive force on the entire filter body and its filter element is the primary force used to seal the filter to the vacuum cleaner and prevent unwanted leakage into the impeller.
Experience has shown that operators have difficulty determining how much compressive force to use on the filter body, because such installation includes compressing the filter element as well. At times, operators use too little force and achieve an inadequate seal, thus allowing leakage of fine dust, resulting in wear on the internal vacuum motor, impeller, and other internal structures. At other times, operators apply too much force and crush the filter or strip the attachment threads, causing repair or replacement of parts. Further, the compressive force can vary without notice to the user, depending, for example, on whether the filter media has been exposed to moisture as is typical in a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.
Therefore, there remains a need for an improved filter design and system for mounting and sealing the filter in such a vacuum cleaner.

Filter and system for improved sealing on a vacuum cleaner


Disclosed is a method for preparing a metal oxide solid solution in nano size. The metal oxide solid solution is prepared by reacting a reactant mixture containing water and at least two water-soluble metal compounds at 200 to 700° C. under a pressure of 180 to 550 bar in a continuous manner, wherein the reactant mixture contains the metal compounds at an amount of 0.01 to 30% by weight in total and the solid solution has a crystallite size of 1 to 1,000 nm. The metal oxide solid solution is, in particular suitable as a UV light shielding agent or as an oxygen storage component.

Formation of solid solutions with metal oxides can open new application fields of metal oxides. That is, metal oxide solid solutions can be applied to a broader range of fields than individual metal oxides can. For example, nano-sized metal oxide solid solutions find applications in various industrial fields, such as UV light shielding, chemical reaction catalysis, optical devices, and so on.
Depending on the phase in which materials are processed, the preparation of metal oxide solid solutions can be classified into vapor, liquid and solid phase processes.
A vapor phase process, exemplified by flame combustion pyrolysis, laser vaporization, plasma vaporization and spray pyrolysis, generally involves the vaporization of metal or metal precursors, which is followed by oxidation.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/018741 A1 discloses the preparation of solid solutions of titania with various metal oxides by use of flame combustion pyrolysis, stating that titania can show improved photocatalytic activity when it forms solid solutions with Al2O3, PtO2, MgO and/or ZnO. The pyrogenic process has advantages of being simple, as in the production of individual metal oxide, and being able to produce fine particles with homogeneity. However, the process suffers from disadvantages of high energy consumption, expensive facilities and low productivity.
Typical of a solid phase process are firing and mechanochemical synthesis. A firing method, which is traditionally used for the preparation of inorganic particles, comprises thermally decomposing precursors for a long period of time at a high temperature in a furnace in the presence of oxygen to produce metal oxides and crystallizing the metal oxides, followed by pulverization to fine particles. The firing method is simple, but has the disadvantage of easily allowing the incorporation of impurities into products and requiring a long period of reaction time at high temperatures.
Nature Materials, Vol. 1, 123-128 (2002) introduces a mechanochemical synthesis method of doping various metals such as Mg2+, Al3+, Ti4+, Nb5+ and/or W6+ to improve the electric conductivity of LiFePO4, a cathode material of secondary lithium batteries. Such a mechanochemical synthesis method is characterized by a mechanical stimulation (high-speed ball milling) for activating the surface of metal precursor sufficiently to induce reaction thereon. In the process of milling, however, impurities may be incorporated from vials. Additionally, the mechanochemical synthesis requires a long reaction time and a separate calcination process.
As for the liquid phase process, it includes hydrothermal synthesis techniques or sol-gel techniques and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,972 discloses a method of preparing doped zinc oxide microspheres with resort to a sol-gel technique. This method is able to produce uniform spherical micro-particles, but cannot be applied to mass production.
Hydrothermal synthesis techniques, most widely used in the liquid phase process, use water as a reaction medium or a reactant for thermal synthesis. EP 1,055,642 A2 describes the production of metal oxide-doped ceria by use of a hydrothermal synthesis technique. According to this prior art, metal ions as dopants are required to be larger in ion radius or lower in valance than Ce4+. Metal ions meeting these requirements include Ca2+, Y3+, La3+, Nd3+, Eu3+, Tb3+, Sm3+, Mg2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, and Ce3+. With high UV shielding performance, low catalytic activity, and excellent transparency, the metal oxide-doped ceria may be suitable as UV-light blocking cosmetic materials.
It is reported that ZnO-doped CeO2 exhibits excellent UV-light blocking effects, but low oxidation catalytic activity (Ruxing Li et al., Materials Chemistry and Physics, 75, 39-44 (2002)). Through the hydrothermal synthesis technique, nano-sized particles can be prepared at relatively low temperatures and pressures. The hydrothermal synthesis technique, however, bears formidable disadvantages: expensive oxidant employment, by-product production, and post-processes for treating waste acids. Additionally, a long period of reaction time and the sintering of produced particles are needed for hydrothermal synthesis.
According to wavelength, UV light is subdivided into UV-A and UV-B. Both of these UV radiations are significantly harmful to the skin. For example, the skin turns dark (sun-tan) when excessively exposed to UV-A, and red (sun-burn) when to UV-B. Thus, the development of organic or inorganic UV light shielding materials has been directed to protection against both UV-A and UV-B.
Among the organic UV-light shielding materials developed so far, ones with effective UV-A blocking performance are rare. In addition, organic UV-light shielding materials are found to cause skin irritation which is difficult to eliminate. Thus, as such, development research is being focused on inorganic UV light-shielding materials, e.g., titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, etc. However, the inorganic UV-light shielding materials may decompose the organic materials used together therewith, and/or the lipid components on the surface of the skin, because of their catalytic activities. It is thus important to lower the catalytic activities as well as to increase UV-light shielding effects. The smaller in particle size they are, the more effective in UV light shielding ability the inorganic materials are. Further, the inorganic particles of 60 nm or less are transparent as well as showing excellent UV light shielding effects. However, catalytic activities also tend to increase as the size decreases. Accordingly, there is a need for controlling these counter-functional properties.
In this regard, EP 1,055,642 A2 discloses a metal oxide doped ceria which has an excellent UV light shielding effect and transparency, and whose catalytic activity is low. However, much must be done to improve properties of the doped ceria.
Ceria, zirconia and ceria composites have been used in the oxygen storage application. Three-way catalysts for automobile exhausts have excellent conversion efficiency for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in a narrow air/fuel ratio range of around 14.6, but the efficiency sharply decreases outside of the range. Due to ready conversion from Ce(III) to Ce(IV) and vice versa, ceria can be used to store oxygen in the fuel lean operation and to release oxygen in the fuel rich operation.
Fuel lean: Ce(III)2O3+1/2O2→Ce(IV)O2
Fuel rich: Ce(IV)O2→Ce(III)2O3+1/2O2
Because of its ability to prevent the problem that the conversion efficiency of three-way catalysts is greatly decreased with even a small change in air/fuel ratio, ceria has been used with three-way catalysts since early 1990s. Three-way catalysts for automobile exhausts are necessarily exposed to high temperatures. In general, the heat resistance of ceria is not high. Accordingly, when exposed to high temperature, ceria undergo the pore filling and the sintering of crystallites, which results in a great loss of surface area, a great increase of crystallite size, and a reduction of oxygen storage capacity and oxygen mobility.
Various attempts have been made to overcame these problems.
As it was found that, when being mixed, especially when forming a solid solution with zirconia, the ceria are improved in thermal resistance as well as in oxygen storage and release capacity, the zirconia-ceria mixed oxides have been applied to three-way catalysts for automobile exhaust. It is also known that the addition of third elements can bring about an improvement in the thermal resistance and oxygen storage capacity of ceria/zirconia composites and that preparation processes and/or compositions have a great effect on the performance of the resulting composites.
Ceria/zirconia composites can be simply prepared by co-precipitation of their precursors and calcinations of co-precipitates at 500-900° C. (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei. 4-55315). Upon co-precipitation, the solubility of cerium precursors is quite different from that of zirconium precursors according to pH, so that the co-precipitates have non-homogeneous compositions. Further, the solid solution is not formed in the co-precipitation stage, and thus a calcination process should be performed.
Following the impregnation of an aqueous zirconium solution into ceria, the calcination of the impregnant at 700-1,200° C. produces ceria/zirconia composites (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei. 4-284847). However, these composites have coarse primary particle sizes and nonhomogeneous compositions.
Both of the above-mentioned processes result in unsatisfactory solid solubilities of about 40% and 20%, respectively, requiring a calcination process at high temperatures and preferably at around 1,600° C. to obtain a sufficient solid solubility of about 100%. However, the solid solutions are not suitable as oxygen storage materials for automobile exhausts because they are large in crystallite size, e.g., 1,000 nm or larger, and small in specific surface area, e.g., 1 m2/g or less.
Korean Patent No. 0313409 discloses a composition based on ceria and zirconia with a cerium/zirconium atom ratio of 1 or higher, optionally added with yttrium, scandium or rare earth metal (elements of atomic Nos 57 to 71) oxides, which have a specific surface area of 35 m2/g or larger after calcination for six hours at 900° C. This composition is prepared by mixing and heating cerium compounds, zirconium compounds and if necessary, yttrium, scandium or rare earth metal compounds in liquid media and calcining the precipitates thus produced. As mentioned above, the calcination, which is conducted to improve the crystallinity of the precipitates, may cause an excessive increase of size of crystallites.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,800 describes a process for preparing a mixed cerium and zirconia-based composition, which is of a single cubic phase, comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture containing cerium(III) and zirconium, bringing the liquid mixture into contact with carbonate or bicarbonate to form a reactive medium exhibiting a neutral or basic pH during the reaction, collecting precipitates containing cerium carbonate, and calcining the precipitates. After the calcination at 800° C. for six hours, the composition is found to have a specific surface area of 20 m2/g or higher, which remains insufficient for practical application.
Japanese Pat. No. 3341973 discloses a preparation technique of oxide solid solution particles which are improved in oxygen storage capacity and contain crystallites with an average diameter of 100 nm or lower and preferably 12 nm or lower and a specific surface area of 20 m2/g or larger and preferably 50 m2/g or larger by increasing to 70% or higher and preferably to 90% or higher the solid solubility of a mixture containing ceria, zirconia and if necessary, at least one selected from among alkaline earth metal elements and rare earth metal elements except for cerium. The solid solution particles are prepared by a first process of adding surfactant and an alkaline material or hydrogen peroxide to an aqueous solution of cerium compound and zirconium compound to give precipitates and a second process of heating the precipitates at 250° C. to facilitate the dissolution of zirconia to ceria to yield oxide solid solution particles. In Example 19, solid solution particles are described to have a specific surface area of 80 m2/g and an average crystallite diameter of 6 nm The particles, when thermally treated at 300-1,200° C. for five hours, are reduced from 75 m2/g to 5 m2/g in specific surface area and increased from 6 nm to 22 nm in average crystallite diameter. Based on this fact, the particles are believed to still be insufficient in thermal resistance.

Metal oxide solid solution and use as oxygen storage composition and UV light shielding agent


The disclosure relates generally to embodiments of systems and methods of spinal stabilization. Embodiments include methods that use a dilator to displace tissue proximate to a sleeve. An embodiment of a surgical system can comprise a dilator that may define a working channel from a first opening to a second opening. The dilator can be positioned to displace tissue proximate to the sleeve. The dilator may be shaped to allow a first end of an elongated member to enter the working channel through the first opening and exit the dilator through the second opening to be percutaneously moved to another assembly.

Bone may be subject to degeneration caused by trauma, disease, and/or aging. Degeneration may destabilize bone and affect surrounding structures. For example, destabilization of a spine may result in alteration of a natural spacing between adjacent vertebrae. Alteration of a natural spacing between adjacent vertebrae may subject nerves that pass between vertebral bodies to pressure. Pressure applied to the nerves may cause pain and/or nerve damage. Maintaining the natural spacing between vertebrae may reduce pressure applied to nerves that pass between vertebral bodies. A spinal stabilization procedure may be used to maintain the natural spacing between vertebrae and promote spinal stability. Spinal stabilization may involve accessing a portion of the spine through soft tissue. Conventional stabilization systems may require a large incision and/or multiple incisions in the soft tissue to provide access to a portion of the spine to be stabilized. Conventional procedures may result in trauma to the soft tissue, for example, due to muscle stripping. Spinal stabilization systems for a lumbar region of the spine may be inserted during a spinal stabilization procedure using a posterior spinal approach. Conventional systems and methods for posterolateral spinal fusion may involve dissecting and retracting soft tissue proximate the surgical site. Dissection and retraction of soft tissue may cause trauma to the soft tissue, and extend recovery time. Minimally invasive procedures and systems may reduce recovery time as well as trauma to the soft tissue surrounding a stabilization site.