An ice maker of a domestic refrigerator that includes an ice mold having an electrically-conductive polymeric body and a plurality of cavities defined in the polymeric body. Each cavity is sized to receive a quantity of fluid corresponding to a single ice cube. A pair of electrodes is engaged with a bottom surface of the polymeric body. The polymeric body has a first electrical conductivity at a first operating temperature and a second electrical conductivity that is less than the first electrical conductivity at a second operating temperature. The second operating temperature is greater than the first operating temperature.

A domestic refrigerator is a device that is used to store food items in a home at preset temperatures. A domestic refrigerator typically includes one or more temperature-controlled cavities into which food items may be placed to preserve the food items for later consumption. A domestic refrigerator also typically includes a door that permits user access to the temperature-controlled cavity, and many domestic refrigerators also include an ice maker to produce ice for consumption.

Ice maker with self-regulating ice mold and method of operating same


An A/D converter includes: an A/D converter circuit that causes a dissipation current (Idis) having dependence on an input voltage (Vin); and a counteracting current generation circuit controlled based on an output digital value (Dout) provided from the A/D converter circuit to generate a counteracting current (Icnt) that is a dissipation current for reducing the dependence of the dissipation current (Idis) on the input voltage.

In recent years, in the field of image sensors, analog-to-digital converter circuits (hereinafter, referred to as "A/D converters" or "ADCs") of various circuit types have been provided. In particular, Non Patent Literature (NPL) 1 discloses that a delta sigma analog-to-digital (ΔΣAD) converter is provided in an image sensor to cause the image sensor to offer a high accuracy and low power consumption.
Meanwhile, depending on performance of an image sensor, some images captured by the image sensor have a phenomenon called streaking. Streaking is a phenomenon in which, for example, when a bright point light source or the like is image-captured in the dark, white straight lines appear on the left and right sides of the point light source in the captured image. Streaking is also a phenomenon in which, for example, when a strong light source such as the sun is image-captured in daylight, band-like regions in changed color or regions in black appear on the left and right sides of the sun on the captured image.

A/D converter, image sensor, and digital camera

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A method is disclosed herein. The method includes dicing a wafer and applying a mask. The method includes spraying die bond material, at a first temperature, to a surface of the wafer and cooling the die bond material at a second temperature to at least partially solidify the die bond material. The method also includes removing the mask from the wafer through the die bond material. After the removing of the mask, the method includes curing the die bond material to form a die attach film layer on the wafer.

Generally, an integrated circuit (also referred to as a chip or a microchip) includes a small flat piece of semiconductor material with electronic circuits fabricated thereon. In integrated circuit fabrication, integrated circuits (i.e., chips) are produced in large batches on a wafer of electronic-grade silicon or other semiconductor. In device assembly or packaging, the wafer is cut (e.g., diced) into pieces called die, each containing at least one copy of the electronic circuits (e.g., copies of the chip). Oftentimes, the die are stacked and vertically connected to collectively behave as a single device that achieves performance improvements at reduced power and provides a smaller footprint than conventional two dimensional processes.
Conventionally, DAF is used between the dies to fix the dies to each other and into a static position. The stacked die/chips require precision placement on top of each other while not interfering with electrical connections (e.g., bond wires). Typically, DAF is applied as a tape or a liquid at ambient temperature to the wafer before the wafer is diced. After applying the DAF, ultraviolet radiation is applied to reduce a tack of the DAF, and each die is individually picked up and bonded either on a substrate or to another die at 90 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius (e.g., this range maybe referred to generally as "elevated temperatures"). Other manufacturing steps then are performed, such as electrical connection (e.g., wire bonding) and molding, so that the finished devices may be used in various electronic applications (e.g., mobile electronics).
Given space demands in these electronic applications, there is a need for decreasing sizes of the finished devices. In turn, it is desirable to decrease the size of the die stacks, which means reducing not only die thickness, but also DAF thickness, noting that present DAFs are 10 microns or greater in height.


An air conditioner system fitting includes a first seal portion comprising a metal material adapted to provide a primary seal, and a second seal portion attached to a free edge of the first seal portion and adapted to provide a secondary seal, wherein the fitting militates against leakage during operation of the air conditioning system.

In assembly line manufacturing of vehicles, it is desirable that line fittings in an air conditioning system can be secured using a power nut driver rather than using a torque wrench. For this reason, peanut or block type fittings are often used.
Various refrigerants such as R12, R134a, and CO2 have been used in the air conditioning system for the vehicle. However, environmental concerns exist. As a result, legislation has been passed by various governmental agencies of the United States and the European Union, for example, requiring that the air conditioning system operate with substantially no refrigerant leaks or permeation.
Seal structures having multiple seals have been used to militate against leaks from the fittings used in the air conditioning system. These prior art seal structures have included rubber O-rings and other elastomeric seals, for example. However, over time, such seals can degrade. Damage to the seal structure can also occur due to improper installation or handling.
An advantageous prior art block fitting with seal structure is described in Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,568 to Schroeder et al., the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The block fitting includes a male block portion with a first aperture receiving a tube end therein. The male block portion includes an annular shoulder surrounding the first aperture of the male block portion. The annular shoulder has an axially extending lip formed at a first end thereof. The block fitting also includes a female block portion with a first aperture receiving a tube end therein or a female integrated into a mating component. The female block portion has an annular collar surrounding the first aperture of the female block portion and cooperating with the annular shoulder formed by the male block portion. The first aperture of the male block portion and the first aperture of the female block portion are substantially concentrically aligned.
As further described in Schroeder et al., a seal structure is disposed radially inward from the axially extending lip of the male block portion and between the male block portion and the female block portion. The seal structure includes a first seal portion produced from a plastically deformable (e.g., soft) metal or plastic material, and has a free edge. The first seal portion surrounds the first aperture of the male block portion and the first aperture of the female block portion. A second seal portion is produced from an elastomer disposed on the free edge of the first seal portion. A fastener sealingly engages the male block portion and the female block portion. The fastener causes the male block portion and the female block portion to deform the first seal portion and thereby provide a primary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion. The fastener also causes the male block portion and the female block portion to cooperate with the second seal portion and provide a secondary seal between the male block portion and the female block portion. The primary seal and the secondary seal militate against a leakage of a fluid from the block fitting.
There is a continuing need for a fitting including a seal structure for use in an air conditioning system which minimizes a leaking of a refrigerant from the air conditioning system. Desirably, critical design constraints of the fitting and seal structure are optimized in order to minimize the leaking of the refrigerant from the air conditioning system.


According to the present invention, one or more PDCCH-SFs are set from among subframes in a predetermined duration so as to force user equipment (UE) to perform a PDCCH blind decoding (BD). Information indicating said set PDCCH-SF is provided to the UE from a base station (BS). The UE performs the PDCCH BD only in the PDCCH-SF which is set to the UE itself, and not to all subframes, and performs HARQ process(es) according to the PDCCH BD. The present invention exhibits the advantages of reducing the number of BDs which the UE has to perform and of reducing the implementation complexity of the UE.

With appearance and spread of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and a variety of devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs and technology demanding a large amount of data transmission, data throughput needed in a cellular network has rapidly increased. To satisfy such rapidly increasing data throughput, carrier aggregation technology, cognitive radio technology, etc. for efficiently employing more frequency bands and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) technology, multi-base station (BS) cooperation technology, etc. for raising data capacity transmitted on limited frequency resources have been developed. In addition, a communication environment has evolved into increasing density of nodes accessible by a user at the periphery of the nodes. A communication system including high-density nodes may provide a better communication service to the user through cooperation between the nodes.
Due to introduction of new radio communication technology, the number of user equipments (UEs) to which a BS should provide a service in a prescribed resource region increases and the amount of uplink data and uplink control information that the BS should receive from the UEs increases. Since the amount of resources available to the BS for communication with UE(s) is finite, a new method for efficiently transmitting/receiving an uplink/downlink signal using the finite radio resources is needed.

Downlink signal receiving method and user equipment, and downlink signal transmitting method and base station


A demagnetizer for an inductive load having a driver circuit including at least one transistor and a ramp-down voltage source switchably connected to the driver circuit, so that when the ramp-down voltage source is connected to the transistor, it drives the voltage of the transistor below its threshold voltage.

This invention relates to inductive magnetic heads, and particularly to eliminating or reducing remnant magnetization and residual flux in the inductive magnetic head.
Inductive magnetic heads are commonly used in magnetic disk drives for writing data to magnetic disks. The magnetic head is operated by driving a write current through the inductive coil of the magnetic head, and reversing the direction of the current to reverse the magnetic field generated by the head. Field reversals in the head induce changes in magnetic dipoles on the disk to represent data. While several types of current driver circuits are commonly used to drive current in opposite directions through the coil, one common circuit is an H-bridge circuit. An H-bridge circuit employs four transistor switches operated to direct write current through alternating pairs of the switches of the circuit.
For optimal performance, it is necessary to periodically clear the inductive head by removing remnant magnetization and residual flux from the write head. Remnant magnetization and residual flux in the write head may polarize or bias the read head and erase data, even when the write head is supposed to be turned off.
Information is written by placing the inductive head in one of two states, which correspond to a 1 and a 0 in digital information. Usually, the inductive head is cleared by turning off the current into the head. However, as magnetic recording head dimensions have become smaller, the shape anisotropy of the magnetic pole may cause the head to stay magnetized even after the current is removed. This results in unintentional erasure of data on the disk.
It is known that applying an alternating and diminishing magnetic field to a magnetic material will diminish the total magnetic induction in the material to a substantially small amount, and sometimes to zero, resulting in the material becoming essentially demagnetized. This method, sometimes called AC erasure, has been used in the past in industrial applications, such as demagnetizing metal tools and erasing bulk quantities of magnetic tapes. Typically, the magnetic field applied to the target is diminished by moving the target farther away from the source of the magnetic field.
Therefore, it is desirable to find a way to clear a small inductive head that may stay magnetized even after current no longer flows to the inductive head. It is also desirable to find a simple and inexpensive way to clear an inductive head of remnant magnetization in an H-bridge circuit.


The present invention describes compounds, compositions and methods of using the same comprising lysine covalently attached to amphetamine. These compounds and compositions are useful for reducing or preventing abuse and overdose of amphetamine. These compounds and compositions find particular use in providing an abuse-resistant alternative treatment for certain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADD, narcolepsy, and obesity. Oral bioavailability of amphetamine is maintained at therapeutically useful doses. At higher doses bioavailability is substantially reduced, thereby providing a method of reducing oral abuse liability. Further, compounds and compositions of the invention decrease the bioavailability of amphetamine by parenteral routes, such as intravenous or intranasal administration, further limiting their abuse liability.

(i) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to amphetamine compounds, compositions and methods of delivery and use comprising amphetamine covalently bound to a chemical moiety.
The invention relates to compounds comprised of amphetamine covalently bound to a chemical moiety in a manner that diminishes or eliminates pharmacological activity of amphetamine until released. The conjugates are stable in tests that simulate procedures likely to be used by illicit chemists in attempts to release amphetamine. The invention further provides for methods of therapeutic delivery of amphetamine compositions by oral administration. Additionally, release of amphetamine following oral administration occurs gradually over an extended period of time thereby eliminating spiking of drug levels. When taken at doses above the intended prescription, the bioavailability of amphetamine, including peak levels and total amount of drug absorbed, is substantially decreased. This decreases the potential for amphetamine abuse which often entails the use of extreme doses (1 g or more a day). The compositions are also resistant to abuse by parenteral routes of administration, such as intravenous "shooting", intranasal "snorting", or inhalation "smoking", that are often employed in illicit use. The invention thus provides a stimulant based treatment for certain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is commonly treated with amphetamine. Treatment of ADHD with compositions of the invention results in substantially decreased abuse liability as compared to existing stimulant treatments.
(ii) Background of the Invention
The invention is directed to amphetamine conjugate compounds, compositions, and methods of manufacture and use thereof. In particular, the invention is directed to an anti-abuse/sustained release formulation which maintains its therapeutic effectiveness when administered orally. The invention further relates to formulations which diminish or reduce the euphoric effect while maintaining therapeutically effective blood concentrations following oral administration.
Amphetamine is prescribed for the treatment of various disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obesity and narcolepsy. Amphetamine and methamphetamine stimulate the central nervous system and have been used medicinally to treat ADHD, narcolepsy and obesity. Because of its stimulating effects amphetamine and its derivatives (e.g., amphetamine analogs) are often abused. Similarly, p-methoxyamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine, 2,4,5-trimethoxyamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine are also often abused.
In children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), potent CNS stimulants have been used for several decades as a drug treatment given either alone or as an adjunct to behavioral therapy. While methylphenidate (Ritalin) has been the most frequently prescribed stimulant, the prototype of the class, amphetamine (alpha-methyl phenethylamine) has been used all along and increasingly so in recent years. (Bradley C, Bowen M, "Amphetamine (Benzedrine) therapy of children's behavior disorders." American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 11: 92) (1941).
The potential for abuse of amphetamines is a major drawback to its use. The high abuse potential has earned it Schedule II status according to the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Schedule II classification is reserved for those drugs that have accepted medical use but have the highest potential for abuse. The abuse potential of amphetamine has been known for many years and the FDA requires the following black box warning in the package inserts of products:
Furthermore, recent developments in the abuse of prescription drug products increasingly raise concerns about the abuse of amphetamine prescribed for ADHD. Similar to OxyContin, a sustained release formulation of a potent narcotic analgesic, Adderall XR® represents a product with increased abuse liability relative to the single dose tablets. The source of this relates to the higher concentration of amphetamine in each tablet and the potential for release of the full amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient upon crushing. Therefore, like OxyContin, it may be possible for substance abusers to obtain a high dose of the pharmaceutical with rapid onset by snorting the powder or dissolving it in water and injecting it. (Cone, E. J., R. V. Fant, et al., "Oxycodone involvement in drug abuse deaths: a DAWN-based classification scheme applied to an oxycodone postmortem database containing over 1000 cases." J Anal Toxicol 27(2): 57–67; discussion 67) (2003).
It has been noted recently that "53 percent of children not taking medication for ADHD knew of students with the disorder either giving away or selling their medications. And 34 percent of those being treated for the disorder acknowledged they had been approached to sell or trade them." (Dartmouth-Hitchcock, 2003) "Understanding ADHD Stimulant Abuse." http://220.127.116.11/healthyliving/familyhome/jan03familyhomestimulantabuse.htm). In addition, it was reported that students at one prep school obtained Dexedrine and Adderall to either swallow tablets whole or crush and sniff them. (Dartmouth-Hitchcock (2003).
According to the drug enforcement administration (DEA, 2003):                Methylphenidate and amphetamine can be abused orally or the tablets can be crushed and snorted or dissolved in water and injected. The pattern of abuse is characterized by escalation in dose, frequent episodes of binge use followed by severe depression and an overpowering desire to continue the use of these drugs despite serious adverse medical and social consequences.        Rendering this potent stimulant resistant to abuse, particularly by parenteral routes such as snorting or injecting, would provide considerable value to this otherwise effective and beneficial prescription medication.        (DEA (2003). "Stimulant Abuse By School Age Children: A Guide for School Officials. "http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/brochures/stimulant/stimulant13abuse.htm).
Typically, sustained release formulations contain drug particles mixed with or covered by a polymer material, or blend of materials, which are resistant to degradation or disintegration in the stomach and/or in the intestine for a selected period of time. Release of the drug may occur by leaching, erosion, rupture, diffusion or similar actions depending upon the nature of the polymer material or polymer blend used. Additionally, these formulations are subject to breakdown following relatively simple protocols which allows for abuse of the active ingredient.
Conventionally, pharmaceutical manufacturers have used hydrophilic hydrocolloid gelling polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose or Pullulan to formulate sustained release tablets or capsules. These polymers first form a gel when exposed to an aqueous environment of low pH thereby slowly diffusing the active medicament which is contained within the polymer matrix. When the gel enters a higher pH environment such as that found in the intestines, however, it dissolves resulting in a less controlled drug release. To provide better sustained release properties in higher pH environments, some pharmaceutical manufacturers use polymers which dissolve only at higher pHs, such as acrylic resins, acrylic latex dispersions, cellulose acetate phthalate, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate, either alone or in combination with hydrophilic polymers.
These formulations are prepared by combining the medicament with a finely divided powder of the hydrophilic polymer, or the hydrophilic and water-insoluble polymers. These ingredients are mixed and granulated with water or an organic solvent and the granulation is dried. The dry granulation is then usually further blended with various pharmaceutical additives and compressed into tablets.
Although these types of formulations have been successfully used to manufacture dosage forms which demonstrate sustained release properties, these formulations are subject to several shortcomings including uneven release and are subject to abuse.
The need exists for an abuse resistant dosage form of amphetamine which is therapeutically effective. Further, the need exists for an amphetamine dosage form which provides sustained release and sustained therapeutic effect.

Abuse resistant lysine amphetamine compounds


A dynamically adaptable communications processor includes a memory element, which includes executable content, and a control element, coupled with the memory element, that selectively implements the executable content to modify the dynamically adaptable communications processor to process data based, at least in part, on a type of communication channel from which the data is received.

Data networking is a term colloquially applied to any architecture wherein electronic devices (e.g., computer systems, communication devices) are communicatively coupled to one another through a network architecture. The network architecture is typically comprised of a number of network devices, e.g., routers, switches, and hubs, which serve to route data packets (sometimes colloquially referred to as datagrams) between electronic devices.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many different types of networks and an associated number of communication protocols through which such devices communicate. Typically, a network device is designed to operate in one of the number of networking environments and, in this regard, will include a communications processor dedicated to processing data packets in accordance with a single communication protocol. With the acceptance and proliferation of multiple network types and associated protocols, it has become desirable to create a network device that functions in multiple network architectures and, in this regard, with multiple network protocols.
A conventional approach to such multi-network networking devices generally requires that the network device be endowed with multiple communications processors, i.e., one each for each of the communication protocols to be supported by the network device. Employing multiple communication devices within such a network device can, however, greatly increase the cost of the network device. Moreover, such a solution, which is fundamentally based in hardware, is not extensible to accommodate future network architectures and/or communication protocols.
Another, more recent, approach to such a multi-network networking device is to fabricate a communications processor with the circuitry necessary to support a predetermined number of communication protocols. Again, such an approach is rather costly, as the fabricated device does not really reduce the amount of circuitry necessary to support the pre-determined number of communication protocols, but merely integrates it within a single package. Moreover, as above, inasmuch as the solution is fundamentally based on hardware, it is not extensible to accommodate newly developed networking architectures or communication protocols.

Dynamically adaptable communications processor architecture and associated methods


An illumination system includes a light source device configured by an excitation light source, a light guiding member and a wavelength converter that are connected in order, and an operation check device. The system further includes: a connector configured to directly and physically connect the operation check device to a light signal emitting end which includes the wavelength converter; a detector configured to detect a light signal emitted from the light signal emitting end when the light signal emitting end and the operation check device are connected by the connector; and an operation determiner configured to determine the operations of the excitation light source, the light guiding member, and the wavelength converter by a detection result in the detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination system which illuminates an object to be illuminated.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2008-26698, there is disclosed a light emitting device which is a light source device having a constitution capable of detecting disconnection with high accuracy. This light source device includes a light source having a semiconductor light emitting element to emit light (for example, excitation light), a lens which condenses the light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element, a connector on which the light is condensed by the lens, a light guiding member connected to the connector, and an optical part disposed at a tip of the light guiding member. The light guiding member guides the light condensed on the connector. An example of the light guiding member is an optical fiber. The light is guided to the optical part by the light guiding member.
Moreover, the above light source device further includes a light branching member, which is interposed between the lens and the connector, to branch the reflected light returned from the optical part, and a light receiving element which receives the reflected light branched by the light branching member. The light receiving element is also a detecting section which detects the reflected light to detect the presence/absence of a failure of the light source device, for example, the disconnection of the light guiding member.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2008-26698 described above uses a constitution which detects reflected light branched by a light branching member to detect a failure such as disconnection of a light guiding member. However, detection items to be detected by such reflected light are limited, and when the measurement items are increased for the purpose of precisely detecting the failure, it is necessary to mount detectors on a light source device, which brings about an increase in the size of the device.


Systems and methods are provided to enable vector scalability in evolutionary algorithms to enable execution of optimization problems having a relatively large number of variables. A subset of the total number of variables of a chromosome data structure may be considered relative to a baseline known solution for the purpose of evaluating one or more objective functions of the evolutionary algorithm.

The goal of multiple-objective optimization, in stark contrast to the single-objective case where the global optimum is desired (except in certain multimodal cases), is to maximize or minimize multiple measures of performance simultaneously whereas maintaining a diverse set of Pareto-optimal solutions. The concept of Pareto optimality refers to the set of solutions in the feasible objective space that is non-dominated. A solution is considered to be non-dominated if it is no worse than another solution in all objectives and strictly better than that solution in at least one objective. Consider a situation where both f1 and f2 objectives are to be minimized, but where the two objectives are in conflict, at least to some extent, with each other. Because both objectives are important, there cannot be a single solution that optimizes the f1 and f2 objectives; rather, a set of optimal solutions exists which depict a tradeoff.
When the number of variables for a given optimization problem grows beyond what the current state-of-the-art methods are capable of handling, the problem is often reformulated to reduce the number of variables (through sensitivity analysis perhaps) so that existing methods can be used. For many problems, however, extensive a priori knowledge of the sensitive variables might be too costly to attain or the variable interactions are so highly coupled that reduction of the number of search variables is not possible.

Systems and methods for vector scalability of evolutionary algorithms


An image monitoring system may include an object area detection processing section and an object area tracking processing section. The object area detection processing section may be configured to detect object area information from an image obtained by an input image signal on a basis of the input image signal. The object area tracking processing section may be configured to perform object area tracking processing by associating a current object area with a past object area on a basis of the object area information detected by the object area detection processing section. The object area tracking processing section may associate the current object area with the past object area using unique identifying information. The object area tracking processing section may continue to retain identifying information given to a predetermined object area that has disappeared, and may give the retained identifying information to the predetermined object area when the predetermined object area reappears.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image monitoring system and an object area tracking method suitable for application to a monitoring system using an ITV camera, for example, and particularly to an image monitoring system and the like that in a tracking process performed by associating a current object area and a past object area with each other using unique identifying information, continue retaining identifying information given to a predetermined object area that has disappeared and give the retained identifying information to the predetermined object area when the predetermined object area reappears. The identifying information can be maintained even when the object area temporarily disappears because the object area is overlapped or hidden, and thus object tracking performance is improved.
2. Description of the Related Art
Technology of detecting objects such as people, cars and the like in an image taken by an ITV (Industrial TV) camera or the like is very important in constructing an image monitoring system. For example, when the technology is applied to a monitoring system using an ITV camera, the construction of the system is considered which takes an image of a place desired to be monitored, such as an off-limits area or the like, by a camera, detects whether an object is present in the image, and generates an alarm when an object enters. In addition, at a place where a large number of people enter and leave a department store or a railway station, a flow of the people is surveyed by tracking the moving people. Thus, the technology can be applied also to regulation of a flow of people, market research and the like.
To detect a moving object in an image may require two processes as shown in FIG. 7. First, an object area detecting process is performed on the basis of an input image signal to detect information on an object area (current object area) from an image based on the input image signal. Next, in an object area tracking process, the current object area and a past object area are associated with each other, and object area information (size, position, traveling velocity, identifying number and the like) is output. The identifying number constitutes unique identifying information. By performing these processes, it is possible to detect a moving object present in an image.
As the object area detecting process, there is a method of comparing an input image (current image) and a past image with each other and thereby detecting a change area as an object area, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 6-1100552 referred to as Patent Document 1, for example. This kind of method is generally referred to as inter-frame difference processing.
In addition, as the object area detecting process, there is for example a method described in C. Stuffer, W. E. L Grimson "Adaptive background mixture models for real-time tracking". This method generates a background image that does not include an object area, compares the background image with an input image, and thereby detects the object area. This kind of method is generally referred to as background difference processing.
Further, as the object area detecting process, a processing method as a combination of the inter-frame difference processing and the background difference processing as described above has been proposed. The method is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-282368 referred to as Patent Document 2, for example. By using such processes, an object area in an input image can be detected. This process first determines a size, a position and the like of information on the object area.
The object area tracking process tracks the object area by associating a current object area and a past object area detected from images based on an input image signal with each other, and gives a unique identifying number to the object area being tracked. There is a method as follows for the association. For example, an object area tracking process disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-325672 referred to as Patent Document 3 evaluates correlation between an object area detected in a current image and an object area detected in a past image using size, position and the like, and associates object areas having a highest evaluation value with each other.

Image monitoring system and object area tracking method


An exhaust pipe extension having movable fan blades mounted on a center axle which blades and part of the axle extend into an opened vehicle exhaust pipe. The other end of the same axle is fixed connected to a rotatable end decorative visual spinner within a hollow housing. To provide for individuality the visual spinner can take on a variety of different sizes and shapes. The spinner rotates in unison with the propelled fan blades which blades are driven by the vehicle's exhaust gases. Appropriate easily detachable mounts are used to fix the housing and its axle and the fan blade members to the vehicle's exhaust pipe to provide for an attractive add-on accessory.

The vehicle car accessory market covers a great variety of different items that may be attached to or retrofitted on existing components of the vehicle. For internal combustion engines, at the vehicle's exhaust end such accessories have taken on a variety of different designs and shapes. Normally, such exhaust pipe extensions are mounted to the existing exhaust pipe or may be a complete replacement thereof. In any event, such exhaust pipe extensions impart a different individual distinctive visual appearance to the vehicle or may provide a different audible sound from the exhaust, or both. The present invention relates to an exhaust extension device that is mounted on the opened end of the vehicle's exhaust pipe and which has an internal fan blade driven by the exhaust gases from the engine and an attached visually displayed spinner all as more fully set forth herein.


A plan for disposing of assets in a given asset portfolio is determined using a genetic algorithm, which operates to satisfy certain objectives, including the generation of a cash amount. A genome population including a number of vectors is generated. The genome population is modified using a genetic algorithm, until at least one vector represents a change in the percentage of each asset such that the disposition of each asset in accordance with the vector most nearly satisfies one or more objectives.

Cash. Just the sound of it evokes permanence, substance, an almost tangible feel, a tribute to its origin in the French word for 'money box,' casse. We speak of "cash in hand," "cash on the barrelhead" and "cash cow," all suggesting an unqualified immediacy of value or profit. Cash is the lubricant of finance, the most liquid of assets; if there is anything for which one would say "don't leave home without it," it must be cash. The range of uses of cash is unlimited. But the primary question is this: where do you get cash?
There are basically three ways to obtain cash: 1) working; 2) selling assets; and 3) investing assets. One way of obtaining cash is by selling existing assets from an existing asset portfolio. As shown in FIG. 1, one can sell certain assets from an asset portfolio 100 including assets A, B, C, and D, to obtain a modified asset portfolio 103 including assets A′, B′, C′, and D′ and a certain amount of cash. One can use such cash generated to purchase other assets, so as to obtain another modified asset portfolio 105 including assets A″, B″, C″, D″, E″, and F″. These assets A, B, C, D and the like can be any type of assets, such as stock of a particular company, stock of a particular type (large cap, small cap, etc.), real property, bonds, intellectual property, personal property, cash, and even debt or liabilities. For the purposes of the present invention, an 'asset' is anything that can be given an economic value. Conventional investment strategies normally only recommend how an asset portfolio should be redistributed for optimization. This is so called portfolio optimization or portfolio balancing. As shown in FIG. 2, conventional investment strategies typically recommend that, for a given investor, the initial asset portfolio 100 including a plurality of assets, such as A, B, C, and D, should be redistributed to the modified asset portfolio 105 including a plurality of assets, such as A″, B″, C″, D″, E″, and F″. In order for such portfolio optimization to occur, it is inevitable that certain assets in the initial asset portfolio should be sold to generate a certain amount of cash and that the generated cash should be used to purchase new assets for the modified asset portfolio, as shown in FIG. 1. However, the prior art (FIG. 2) only teaches the type and amount of assets that should be included in the modified asset portfolio, but does not teach or suggest how a certain amount of cash should be generated from the initial asset portfolio while satisfying certain objectives in order to reach the modified asset portfolio. In other words, conventional portfolio optimization merely identifies the desired end result, the modified portfolio, but does not describe how to achieve that end result.
One of the key issues that arise in disposing of assets in any context is the tax consequence. While many investment strategies suggest minimizing tax consequences, when it comes to determining which assets to dispose of in which amounts, the complexity of determining the tax effects is typically overwhelming. While investment advisors do have general heuristics or suggestions for considering the tax consequences, these are merely precautionary, and not based on computational analysis of the actual tax consequences of each various possible optimization plans.
It is a very complicated task to find a solution for how an initial asset portfolio should be modified to generate a certain amount of cash while satisfying certain objectives as shown in FIG. 1. Consider, for example, a situation where $4,000 of cash should be generated from an asset portfolio having ten different mutual find holdings each comprising 10 lots that have assets in different capital gain categories under the tax law, while satisfying certain objectives specified by a user. The search space for this situation would involve devising a plan to sell some part of each asset so as to generate a certain amount of cash while satisfying certain objectives. Having ten funds each with ten lots, there will be 100 distinct assets of which some fraction can be sold. Assuming that the assets can be sold between 1% and 100% in 1% increments, just to simplify the calculation, there will be 100 ways to sell each asset. That is, there will be 100 ways to sell 100 distinct assets, resulting in 100100 combinations of possible solutions. In addition, a variety of objectives should be considered when finding the solution, such as minimizing tax obligations, maximizing capital gains, avoiding sale of certain assets, minimizing associated commissions and fees, minimizing the number of transactions, preference to sell entire asset lots, consideration of future value, consideration of personal preference, etc., with respect to a user-specified importance level for each objective. The solution space for such a situation will be enormous, discontinuous in scope and will typically involve non-linear, non-dimensional, and inter-dependent variables.
Such a complicated problem is very difficult to solve, but once a solution is obtained, it is easy to check the solution. Such problems are called non-deterministic polynomial ("NP") problems, which mean that it is possible to guess the solution by some non-deterministic algorithm and then check the solution, both in polynomial time. NP problems typically can be solved by genetic algorithms. However, so far there has been no attempt to apply a genetic algorithm to finding a solution for generating a certain amount of cash from an asset portfolio while optimizing certain objectives of a user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Cash generation from portfolio disposition using multi objective genetic algorithms


An ornamental strap with charging and data transmitting function is disclosed, The ornamental strap comprises: a data cable; a base; a data connector rotatably connected to the base; and a USB connector; wherein a positioning groove is provided between the data connector and the base; the data cable has one end connected to the data connector, and the other end bent and turned back to connect with the USB connector after passing through the positioning groove. Therefore, the data cable forms a loop at one end of the base such that it can be carried about and will not be lost easily, and further it can be used as an ornament.

Digital mobile equipment such as cell phone, MP3/MP4, digital camera and digital video recorder, is normally supplied by a built-in rechargeable battery pack. When recharging is required, a charger is usually used for charging the mobile equipment such that the mobile equipment may be used again. Furthermore, a data cable is used for the data transmission between the digital mobile equipment and the host computer. The charger in the prior art normally has a long wire, and the data cable is also relatively long, so that it is inconvenient for use and carrying about, and it may be lost easily due to not carrying the cable about. Moreover, the wire of the charger or the data cable is always simple without any ornament, while the ornamental strap is only used for decoration without the function of charging and data transmitting.

Strap with charging and data transmitting function


A compression sealable electrolysis cell that is easily and reliably manufactured, maintained and repaired comprises two insulating end pieces which can position and seal two electrode tubes with electrical contacts separated by a ceramic membrane tube where fluid can be introduced at one end piece and removed at the other end piece in the spaces between the electrode tubes and the ceramic membrane tube. The design permits the compression of the entire assembly via the fixing of nuts on one or more threaded rods extending through both end pieces without the use of an adhesive or cement and without the imposition of torque or compressive stress on the ceramic membrane tube. The water or other fluid to be electrolyzed can be introduced tangentially to spaces between the electrode tubes and the ceramic membrane tube at a angle of 0 to 15 degrees to optimize flow and contact with the electrode tubes.

Electrolysis cells are useful for sanitizing water and for the generation of powerful biocides solutions from brine. Many types of electrolysis cell exist for these purposes. The basic feature of some of the most efficient cells is two concentrically disposed cylindrical electrodes with an ion permeable membrane separating the space between the two electrodes to define anode and cathode compartments. Typically an electrolyte solution is passed through the compartments separately or successively to generate the biocide and to sweep the accompanying gases that are generated through the system. The membrane permits the diffusion of electrolytes between the anode and cathode but retard the migration of electrolysis products at the anode and cathode from diffusing to each other reverting back to starting material or undesired side products.
Electrolysis cells using cylindrical electrodes and water insoluble ion permeable membrane or diaphragm between the electrodes have been described for more than 100 years as, for example, that described in U.S. Pat. No. 590,826. U.S. Pat. No. 914,856 describes a cell which permits the flow of electrolyte solutions separately through the anode and cathode compartments using concentric cylindrical electrodes with an ion permeable diaphragm. Numerous improvements have been described since that time including the materials used for fabrication and the features on the component anodes, cathodes, and ion permeable membranes or diaphragms. Less effort has been directed to the assembly process for such cells. The mass production, maintainability, and repairability of these cells have suffered from the nature of the features of the assembly that results. As electrolysis cells have become more extensively employed for water purification, the generation of biocidal solutions, and used in continuous medical and agricultural operations, problems associated with fouling become a consideration in selecting a reliable affordable unit. For this reason the need to easily and reliably produce a maintainable and repairable electrolysis cell assembly has become increasingly important.
Early cells were typically had the electrodes and the diaphragms cemented into place. They were subsequently, cemented, welded, or attached mechanically. Diaphragm material is a particulate material within a bag such that construction required a skilled packer, and the sealing of the material into the system made them impractical to perform maintenance. Membranes were introduced to avoid the problems associated with the packing of the diaphragm. Reliably positioning and attaching the membranes within the cell to achieve sealed anode and cathode compartments remains a problem. The use of soft and flexible polymeric ion permeable membranes are difficult to position and even more difficult to reliably seal. The use of ion permeable ceramic membranes avoid the problems associated with the polymeric membranes due to their soft and flexible nature, but introduce other problems of providing a reliable seal as they are fragile and display a propensity to crack when a stress is applied to them.
A superior compression sealable electrolysis cell assembly is described by Naida et al. in EP0922788 (B1) which has features to impart a spiral circulation of the electrolysis solution through the space between concentric cylindrical tubes. A compression seal is desirable as generally the assembly is used under a slight positive pressure and since a gas is generated and any blockage of flow can impose high pressures of the assembly. A portion of the assembly of EP0922788 (B1) is reproduced in FIG. 1, where an cylindrical electrode tube 4 is positioned outside of an ion exchange diaphragm tube 5 which is positioned outside of an inner rode 4 that functions as the counter electrode and is threaded on the outer ends to apply a compressive force on two bushings 1, or end pieces. These bushings 1 have gaskets 3 placed on seats between the tubes 4 and 5 and the bushings 1 and an o-ring 2 positioned to seal the rod to the bushings. The bushings also display channels 7, or ports, externally ending in pipe connections, or fittings, and proceeding to the electrode chambers 8, which are the spaces between the tubes 4 and 5 and the diaphragm tube 5 and the rod 6, tangentially to the inner generatrix of the base of corresponding cylinders at guide elements 9 placed below the exit from the channels to the electrode chambers. These guide elements 9 are to reinforce the flow of the electrolyte in spiral channels that are initiated by the position of the channels and are a ramp at an angle α to the plane of the gasket seat. The exit of the channels 7 and the guide elements 9 are the width of the electrode chambers 8. The assembly has limitations in that the geometry must include a central rod electrode 6 which is threaded to compress the assembly. This limits the composition of the rod to metals or other electrode materials which can be threaded and withstand the act of compression. The use of gaskets 3 to seal the outer electrode 4 and the ion exchange diaphragm tube 5 results in significant fabrication losses as the compressive force is necessarily imposed upon the ion exchange diaphragm tube 5 resulting in breakage of many units during construction.
The channels 7 described in EP0922788 (B1) must be inserted at an angle β to address the electrode chambers 8 situated between the tubes 4 and 5 and the diaphragm tube 5 and the rod 6. These channels 8 are claimed to exhibit a right edge guide oriented at an angle β greater than 0 degrees and smaller than 90 degrees to a the base elements of the cylinders. Smaller angles are preferable to larger angles to produce the spiraling flow as an angle of 90 degrees imparts no spiral at all and a small angle will increase the number of revolutions between entrance and exit. As the guide elements 9 are situated below the entrance channel 7, and can only increase the angle from that defined by the angle of the channels 7 by deflecting the flow to a higher angle. The guide elements 9 can not attract the flow and reduce the angle of the spiral from that imposed by the flow out of the channel 7. However, to inside edge of the outer tube 4 or 5, or more correctly its gasket 3 that it is resting upon and the outside and inside diameters of the electrode chambers 8 restricts the allowable angles to a much smaller window to that claimed. To achieve an angle less than 15 degrees, the diameter of the channel 7 must be impractically small at the entrance of the chambers 8. The figures and description of EP0922788 (B1), which is also shown in FIG. 1, indicate that the diameter of the channels 7 must match the width of the electrode chambers 8 and would be required for good flow. Given these constraints and the claimed constraints imposed upon the relative diameters of the rod and tubes, the angle for the outside electrode chamber can be no smaller than 24.6 degrees and no larger than 46.1 degrees and the angle for the inside electrode chamber can be from 19.7 degrees to 46.6 degrees, and larger if there is a thickness to the gasket. If the two electrode chambers are nearly equal in width, which would be most reasonable to achieve nearly equal flow rate and pressure, the angle of the channel must be approximately 37 degrees. Although larger angles than 46.6 degrees are not useful to achieve a effective spiral flow they could be achieved by a change in the face from which the channels proceed. The most desirable angle are less than 15 degrees, and they can not be achieved by the geometric requirements imposed in EP0922788 (B1). Therefore although EP0922788 (B1) claims angles from 0 to 90 degrees it teaches how to achieve angles of 19.7 to 46.6 degrees and for other considerations requires an angle of about 37 degrees. The most efficient spiral flow in the electrode chambers is achieved by much smaller angles than 19.7 degrees and these angles are not possible as disclosed in EP0922788 (B1).
The design of EP0922788 (B1) requires that the bushings 1 are in the form of a cap and that the inner electrode rod 6 is longer than the diaphragm tube 5 which is longer than the outside electrode tube 4. Both tubes 4 and 5 must be seated firmly on the gasket 3 and bushing 1 this requirement necessitates that stress is applied to the diaphragm tube 5.
To avoid the imposition of the compression placed on the diaphragm tube an end-cap was designed as described by Daily et al. in US20050183949 which is coassigned with this application. This end-cap is designed to permit the introduction of the electrolyte solutions at only 0 degree angle to the base of the cylinders. Although preferable to an angle greater than 20 degrees, it is not an optimal angle to form a regular spiral in the electrode chambers about the inner tube of the chamber. The end-cap is designed as a combination of three sections which are threaded to seal the sections and the electrode tubes are sealed with an epoxy cement rather than a mechanical compression. There is no seal or physical seat for the diaphragm tube. A tight fit between the orifice of one section of the end-cap and the diaphragm tube is required. By this design, an insufficient seal results in leakage between the two electrode chambers. Slippage of the tube can result in an inner electrode chamber that is blocked from the channel by the tube. Too tight of a fit results in breakage when placing the diaphragm tube into the end-cap section or when a torque is applied when one section is screwed onto the other section. In practice this results in as much as twenty percent breakage during fabrication of the assembly.
The goal of achieving a mass producible electrolysis cell that has a low failure rate of production remains. Furthermore, an easily and reliably manufactured, maintained and repairable electrolysis cell remains a need in the industry. Achievement of smaller more efficient angles of flow entry into the channels to optimize the efficiency of the cell is also desirable.


Techniques are provided for determining if an element is contained in a set of elements. In one aspect, an element may be received and inserted into a bloom filter. The element may also be inserted into a memory associative on the bloom filter indexes. In another aspect, a search element may be received and compared to a bloom filter. If the search element is included in the bloom filter, a memory may be used to determine if the search element is included in the set of elements.

There are many situations in which determining if a specified sequence of characters is included in a larger pool of characters is needed. For example, a network security appliance may examine all packets traversing a network in order to detect malicious packets. For example, a packet may contain a portion of a virus that is identifiable by a certain sequence of characters in the packet. By examining every packet for the sequence of characters, it may be determined if the packet may contain at least part of the virus. Once it is determined that a particular character string is present, further action may be taken. For example, in the case of a network security appliance, the packet may be forwarded to additional logic to determine if the packet actually contains the virus, or if the character sequence just happened to be included in the packet for non-malicious reasons.

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.


A computer is allowed to execute an information acquisition process that acquires a file expressing information on pins used in respective ports provided in each block of a logic circuit to be redesigned and information indicating connection relationships between the ports (#2); execute a multiplexer disposition process that, based on the file, classifies pins of output ports of a block into a number of pin groups that is less than the number of pins, and disposes a multiplexer having a function to multiplex a signal output from each pin classified in the same pin group (#11, #13); and execute a demultiplexer disposition process that, based on that file, disposes a demultiplexer having a function to demultiplex signals that have been output from output ports of a block and multiplexed by the multiplexer, and a function to output each demultiplexed signal to input ports of respective input destination blocks (#12, #13).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer program, apparatus, and method for redesigning a logic circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) are used in the development of an LSI (Large Scale Integrated Circuit) such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). By using FPGAs, it is possible for the developer to redesign a function any number of times to redefine a logic circuit.
When creating a prototype for a large-scale logic circuit, the logic circuit is divided into a plurality of FPGAs or the like. Thus, it is possible to conveniently realize a logic circuit equivalent to the original logic circuit. At this time, it is desirable to divide the logic circuit into FPGAs for each of one or a plurality of specific functions. Doing so is effective, because it is thus possible to perform work such as verification and debugging of the operation of each of the one or a plurality of specific functions.
However, with the above method, although there is no problem in terms of capacity, often the number of pins is insufficient. So, elimination of pin necks is sought.
The methods described in Japanese unexamined patent publication Nos. 11-73440 and 8-30653 are both methods for eliminating pin necks. However, with these methods, it is not possible to eliminate pin necks when the logic circuit is divided into a plurality of FPGAs or the like.

Logic circuit redesign program, logic circuit redesign apparatus, and logic circuit redesign method


Repeating gun having an actuating arrangement which is mounted so as to be axially displaceable and which can be connected to a movable breech mechanism, which is guided likewise in an axial manner, for opening and closing the cartridge chamber, and can be locked by way of safety means, wherein the actuating arrangement is formed as an axially movable pistol grip (2) having a trigger guard (6), which frames a stationarily mounted trigger (5), and is connected to the breech mechanism (1) by way of two guide bars which are formed as L-shaped strips (3) and which slide in grooves on both sides of the axis of the barrel and are anchored with their shorter ends on the breech mechanism (1) as well as with their longer ends on the pistol grip (2) or the trigger guard (6) respectively, and in that the safety means comprise a spring-loaded press button (7) which is provided on the rear projection of the pistol grip (2) and by way of which the repeating unit is locked in the closed position of the breech mechanism and in the actuated state of the press button the safety of the trigger (5) is released.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a repeating gun having a repeating unit which is axially guided in a rail for opening and closing the cartridge chamber.
Many known axially guided repeating units are operated by means of a bolt handle which is secured to the breech mechanism. In this case, numerous hand movements are required in order to unlock and lock the breech mechanism. The shooting hand (usually the right hand) must be directed upwards to the bolt handle. This impedes rapid repeat cycling. In addition, the stable contact with the shoulder is disturbed, this impairing the shooting rhythm and, for example, forcing the hunter to pick up the target repeatedly when firing several shots at running game.
Furthermore, so-called pump action systems are known, in which the breech mechanism is controlled by moving the front stock or fore-end backwards and forwards. These systems have the disadvantage that when shooting from fixed gun rests (for example, raised-hides) repeat cycling is impossible without raising the weapon.
In the case of the so-called lever action repeating systems which are also known, repetition is effected by moving the trigger guard, extended towards the rear, up and down.
Furthermore, manual repeating weapons are known, the repeating action of which is controlled by a movable pistol grip on the small of the stock by slewing in the vertical line of the weapon. The disadvantage of this is that the support triangle that is required for safe shooting and which consists of the shoulder contact, elbow and hand on the fore-end is impaired as a result of the wrist movement.
2. Description of the Related Art
A repeating gun of the kind mentioned by way of introduction is known from the printed publication DE-A-195 30 793. Here, a repeating unit, consisting of the breech mechanism, the trigger group consisting of the trigger and trigger guard, and the pistol grip, is drawn back and pressed forwards axially. In this case, a telescopic piece runs into the hollow rear stock. The shooting hand remains on the pistol grip during the repeat cycling.
The disadvantage of this gun is that the trigger group, which has to be moved back as well, must be positioned in a very precise manner in order to release the shot, something which creates difficulties in terms of manufacturing engineering, and that, in the event of the weapon possibly becoming dirty or in the event of humidity-dependent swelling of the stock wood, the telescopic piece can become jammed. Moreover, in order to cancel the lock on the repeating unit, it is necessary to press a blocking lever downwards each time with the thumb, this being unfavourable ergonomically.

Repeating gun having an axially guided repeating unit


The use of pellets comprising one or more thermoplastic material(s) of more than 40%, based on the total dry weight of the pellets and one or more cellulosic material(s) of more than 20%, based on the total dry weight of the pellets, as a reducing agent in a process for making pig iron in a blast furnace. The pellets can be provided in unground form, as a partial replacement of coke through the top of the blast furnace, or can be provided as reducing agent in the raceway in an amount of higher than 10 kg/ton iron.

The blast furnace (BF) process is the most common means of producing crude metal, also called pig iron. Inside the massive cylindrical structure of the BF, coke may be used as a source of heat and as a reducing agent in melting iron ore.
The iron ore and coke can be loaded into the blast furnace from the top in alternate layers, and hot air is fed from tuyeres at the base of the furnace into the furnace to generate carbon monoxide gas from the coke. The heat of this reaction and the carbon monoxide are being used to reduce and melt the iron ore. The pig iron and slag thus produced are removed at intervals via an outlet at the base of the furnace.
Blast furnace coke is a key material for BF ironmaking, acting as a major energy source (fuel), a reductant, a carburization agent and a permeable structural support. Coke rate is the parameter for the consumption of BF coke which is measured in kilograms of BF coke consumed per ton of hot metal produced. An efficient blast furnace operates at a low coke rate.
Injection of auxiliary reducing agents has been within the last two decades a way to decrease the coke rate, see for example JP-A-2006/233332.
Currently, steel companies generally inject pulverized coal at the level of the tuyeres of the blast furnace. The so named Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI) is a process based on the concept of primary air (termed the "conveying gas") carrying pulverized coal which can be injected through a lance to the tuyere (mid-bottom inlet of a blast furnace), then mixed with secondary hot air (termed the "blast") supplied through a blowpipe in the tuyere and then piped to a furnace to create a balloon-like cavity called a "raceway", which then propagates coal and coke combustion and melts the solid iron ore, releasing molten iron. The flame temperatures in the combustion zone, i.e. raceway, are in general 2000-2300° C. when operating with pulverized coal injection (PCI).
For an optimal blast furnace operation using PCI, it is a necessary requirement to ensure nearly the whole content of injected coal is gasified as fast as possible and best as possible within the tuyere and raceway; otherwise it could negatively affect the permeability of the BF. The amount of coal that can be injected depends on the coal and coke quality, furnace geometry, and operational practices. Furthermore, the pulverized coals have a low bulk density and bad storage characteristics. A main disadvantage of pulverized coal is the fact that it is from a non-renewable source.
Pulverized coal is not the only reducing agent used at the blast furnace. Waste plastics of different origin may be used in place of coke and pulverized coal. The injected plastic is broken down to form reducer gas (CO+H2) which rises through the raw materials in the furnace and reacts with the iron ore. When plastics are used hydrogen contributes to the reduction reaction. One advantage of using plastics generally is that they have a low thermal conductivity and the heat transfer rate in a raceway is extremely high.
Examples of such use is for example described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,772,727 and 6,230,634, JP-A-2009/068088 and EP-A-1236790.
A disadvantage of using waste plastics is that such mixtures originating, for example, from domestic, urban or municipal waste are relatively valuable products that can be used to make (recycled) plastic products. A further disadvantage is, that despite a high calorific value, the waste plastic pellets are less efficient than pulverized coal in reducing iron oxide to iron in the sense of keeping the required temperature in the raceway, and the required amount of reducing agent.
The delivery of waste plastics into a furnace may vary depending upon the nature of the waste material and the type of furnace being supplied. There are three ways to use waste plastics in iron making technologies: gasification and subsequent injection of generated reducing gas; embedding in raw materials (self-reducing pellets, composites, coal blend for coke making, fuel for sintering); direct use by injection via or at the level of the tuyeres. In the latter, the solid plastics undergo mechanical or/and thermal processing and be further recovered in the form of agglomerates, granulates, pellets, etc. which are then reduced (pulverized) to a required particle size in a shredder and then employed into the furnace (Babich et al. Use of charcoal, biomass and waste plastics for reducing CO2 emission in ironmaking in Proceedings/METEC InSteelCon 2011 Düsseldorf, Germany, Düsseldorf).
DE-A-2935544 describes the use of all sorts of comminuted waste and biomass as replacement of PCI in a blast furnace.
WO 2008/107042 teaches that cellulose/plastic waste can be used in a blast furnace when comminuted. The cellulose fraction of the fuel is CO2 neutral and therefore helps to reduce CO2 emissions by these furnaces. WO 2015/155193 describes co-grinding of pellets with coal for firing an industrial furnace, in particular for electricity generation.
The alternative wastes have issues with transport, storage, and processing, and are not used in practice.
There is thus a need in the field for a process in which another reducing agent can be supplied into a blast furnace preferably with higher efficiency than plastic waste, and thereby allowing relative large amounts of waste to be used per ton of iron.

P process of making pig iron in a blast furnace using pellets containing thermoplastic and cellulosic materials


Methods and structures for semiconductor devices with STI regions in SOI substrates is provided. A semiconductor structure comprises an SOI epitaxy island formed over a substrate. The structure further comprises an STI structure surrounding the SOI island. The STI structure comprises a second epitaxial layer on the substrate, and a second dielectric layer on the second epitaxial layer. A semiconductor fabrication method comprises forming a dielectric layer over a substrate and surrounding a device fabrication region in the substrate with an isolation trench extending through the dielectric layer. The method also includes filling the isolation trench with a first epitaxial layer and forming a second epitaxial layer over the device fabrication region and over the first epitaxial layer. Then a portion of the first epitaxial layer is replaced with an isolation dielectric, and then a device such as a transistor is formed second epitaxial layer within the device fabrication region.

Conventional silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS devices typically have a thin layer of silicon, also known as the active layer, on an insulator layer such as a buried oxide (BOX) layer. Active devices, such as MOS transistors (MOSFETs), are formed in active regions within the active layer. The size and placement of the active regions are defined by isolation regions, such as shallow trench isolation (STI) regions. Active devices in the active regions are isolated from the substrate by the BOX layer.
Devices formed on SOI substrates exhibit many improved performance characteristics over their bulk substrate counterparts. SOI substrates are particularly useful in reducing problems relating to reverse body effects, device latch-up, soft-error rates, and junction capacitance. SOI technology therefore enables higher speed performance, higher packing density, and reduced power consumption.
Currently, there are several techniques available for the fabrication of SOI substrates. One technique is known as "separation by implantation of oxygen" (SIMOX), where oxygen is implanted below the silicon surface and the substrate is annealed to provide a buried silicon oxide layer with a silicon overlayer. The implantation time can be intensive and cost prohibitive. Moreover, the SOI substrate may be exposed to high surface damage and contamination. A second technique is known as "bond-and-etch-back" SOI (BESOI), where an oxidized wafer is first diffusion-bonded to an unoxidized wafer, and the backside of the oxidized wafer is then grinded, polished, and etched to the desired device layer. The BESOI approach may be free from the implant damage inherent in the SIMOX approach. However, a time consuming sequence of grinding, polishing, and etching may be required. Another technique is known as the hydrogen implantation and separation approach, where hydrogen is implanted into silicon with a thermally grown oxide to form embrittlement of the silicon substrate underneath the oxide layer. The implanted wafer may then be bonded with another silicon wafer with an oxide overlayer. The bonded wafer may be cut across the wafer at the peak location of the hydrogen implant by appropriate annealing. These fabrication techniques may not be suitable for fabricating fully-depleted SOI substrates, since the uniform thickness of the silicon layer of a SOI substrate may be difficult to achieve.
Advanced CMOS fabrication typically also includes forming isolation regions between different devices. For example, some conventional CMOS hybrid orientation methods include fabricating isolation regions, e.g., shallow trench isolation (STI) regions, before the step of forming an epitaxial silicon layer. This particular fabrication sequence leads to problems. The differential etch rates among various isolation and semiconductor materials complicates the manufacturing of such CMOS devices. Accordingly, conventional CMOS manufacturing methods that include forming STI regions on SOI substrates suffer yield losses from etching of isolation regions.
What are needed then are more robust manufacturing methods and device structures to more effectively integrate CMOS isolation structures and SOI hybrid orientation technology.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A dual wall drill string assembly for subsurface drilling. The drill string assembly includes a metallic outer tube having an outer tube first end and an outer tube second end opposite the outer tube first end. The assembly also includes a flexible, substantially non-metallic inner tube that is substantially enclosed within and generally coaxially aligned with the outer tube. The flexible, substantially non-metallic inner tube has an inner tube first end, an inner tube second end opposite the inner tube first end, and an inner tube inner diameter. The inner tube and the outer tube define an annular channel therebetween. The drill string assembly also includes a means for conveying fluid through the annular channel toward the inner tube first end. The annular channel is adapted to convey drilling fluid under pressure toward the inner tube first end, and the inner tube is adapted to convey cuttings toward the inner tube second end.

Drill pipe is used in various ways and for different applications such as mining for diamonds, installing public and private utilities, drilling for oil and gas, creating an avenue to link the surface to one or more reservoirs, and linking a location on the surface or the subsurface with another surface or subsurface location. Accordingly, drill pipe comes in specialized configurations particularly adapted for use in one or more different applications. For example, drill pipe may comprise a single wall construction made from exotic steels to withstand hostile fluid and gases. Alternatively, drill pipe may comprise a dual wall construction adapted for use in reverse circulation drilling applications. Depending upon the application and environmental issues, a particular type of drill pipe may be preferable to another based upon cost, proven scientific principles, physical limitations and the like.
Regardless of the application, conventional single-walled drill pipe utilizes the same basic technique: fluids such as drilling muds are pumped down the inside of the pipe and cuttings produced by the drilling process are carried with the drilling mud to the earth's surface along the outside of the drill pipe. More particularly, the cuttings are carried out of the hole either between the borehole and the drill pipe or between a cased hole and the drill pipe. Some exotic types of drilling such as underbalanced drilling deal with the pressure differential between the bottom hole pressures and the surface pressures. This method of drilling is controllable, but it is dangerous.
In addition, single-walled drill pipe exposes the borehole to the drilling mud or fluids until the borehole is cased or cemented. Further, when the returned drilling mud or fluids and cuttings pass through the drilled hole, the hole can become plugged, thereby limiting the movement of the drill pipe. One technique employed to overcome the problem of plugging is to increase the mud flow volume and to circulate the borehole before further drilling is performed. This technique, however, impacts the earth's formation by forming cracks in the borehole, for example. Typically, much, if not all of the additional mud flows into the cracks and/or produces additional cracks. In addition, when the hole is close to the surface, the additional mud can seep or flow to the surface in a process known as "fracing out," which raises environmental concerns.
Reverse circulation drilling is a distinct drilling technique in which fluids are pumped to the drill bit and cuttings are transferred back to the earth's surface within the drill pipe assembly. This technique can be very advantageous because the drilling mud or fluid has limited exposure to the borehole and creates negligible damming effect. Also, it is environmentally-friendly in drilling applications that involve sensitive aquifers for drinking water and the like. The drill pipe typically used in reverse circulation drilling, however, is very stiff and difficult to steer and bend in a borehole. Thus, its use is limited to relatively straight hole applications, and it is not typically used in deviated hole drilling applications, which are commonly used in the construction, oil and gas, and mining industries.
In conventional drill pipes, wires are typically inserted and spliced inside each drill pipe to communicate with a gyroscope or compass transmitter in order to identify the location of the drill bit below the earth's surface. However, these wires are typically exposed and, therefore, are vulnerable to damage from short circuiting and breakage during the drilling operation.
It would be desirable, therefore, if an apparatus could be provided that would permit double-walled drill string pipe sections to be used for reverse-circulation, horizontal directional and deviated vertical drilling. It would also be desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would permit the double-walled drill string pipe sections to bend along the arcuate path of a subsurface borehole as freely as a single-walled drill pipe. It would be further desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would convey larger-sized cuttings and increased volumes of cuttings from the drilling mechanism to the surface of the ground. It would be further desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would permit drilling in soft, medium or hard rock formations as well as corrosive formations with reduced negative environmental impact and reduced borehole wall damage. It would be further desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would reduce or eliminate the risk of short circuiting the conductive wires on the drill string pipe sections. It would also be desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would permit an operator at the ground surface to know immediately what rock or soil formation the drill is cutting as well as the condition of the drill bit. It would be still further desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would produce a more efficient drilling mechanism by decreasing discharge backpressure experienced during drilling operations utilizing conventional drill pipe. It would be further desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would achieve longer pilot borehole distances and have a longer lifespan in the borehole. It would be still further desirable if such an apparatus could be provided that would permit the apparatus to be more easily assembled and perform drilling more efficiently, more quickly, and less costly.


A milk-protein hydrolyzate consisting of a mixture of peptides and free amino acids having proliferation activating property on human cutaneous cells but not having antigenicity of the milk-protein may be obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of milk protein. The peptides of the hydrolyzate have molecular weights less than 1000 daltons, and the hydrolyzate has a free aromatic amino acid/total aromatic amino acid ratio of at least 90%. Fractionation of the milk protein hydrolyzate yields a fraction consisting of a mixture of peptides. The fraction has a proliferation activating property on human cutaneous cells but does not have the antigenicity of the milk protein. The fraction contains aromatic amino acids in an amount of less than 5% by weight of total amino acids. Both the hydrolyzate and the fraction can be formulated into cosmetic compositions for application to the hair and skin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to milk-protein hydrolyzate which is bereft of antigenicity of the milk-protein, which activates proliferation of human cutaneous cells, and which is effective for conditioning of hair and skin, and for prevention and recovery from damaged hair and skin. The present invention also relates to hair and skin treating composition such as cosmetic, non-drug and drug products (hereinafter these products shall be referred to as cosmetic and the like) consisting of or containing milk-protein hydrolyzate as the effective component.
2. Discussion of the Background
Heretofore, milk-protein and hydrolyzate thereof have been utilized in cosmetic and the like.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette No. 57(1982)-209210 discloses the utilization of amino acids, hydrochlorides of amino acids, alkaline salts of amino acids and peptides, inclusive of peptides originated from milk-protein, as an agent for increasing solubility of bis-(2-pyridylthio-1-oxide)-zinc which is antibacterial agent against dandruff.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette published in Japanese language No. 58-500664 (corres. to International Application Gazette No. W082/03008; PCT/AU82/00022) discloses the utilization of polypeptide or protein inclusive of casein as a preventive agent against dental caries.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette No. 59(1984)-152317 discloses the utilization of casein, casein hydrolyzate or a mixture thereof as a stabilizer to mutanase solution for preparation of a preventive agent against dental caries.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette No. 63(1988)-57515 discloses a bath preparation containing macademian oil and peptide and/or amino acid obtainable by hydrolysis of milk-protein.
Japanese Unexamined patent Application Gazette No. 60(1985)-258102 discloses a hair and skin treating composition containing protein hydrolyzate as a protective agent for hair and skin, wherein the molecular weights of said hydrolyzate are made into 500-5000 for improvement in solubility of the hydrolyzate.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette No. 62(1987)-185100 discloses a hair and skin treating composition containing polypeptide as a protective agent for hair and skin, emulsifier or emulsion-stabilizer for the composition, wherein the molecular weights are made into less than 26000 for minimizing stickiness of casein.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette No. 64(1989)-11 discloses a method of preparation of a fraction of protein hydrolyzate to be used for an ingredient of cosmetic products, wherein the molecular weights of the hydrolyzate are made to 2000-200000 for eliminating problems of precipitation and/or turbidity in an aqueous solution of the hydrolyzate.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Gazette No. 1(1989)-269499 discloses a method of preparation of the peptide originated from casein for use as a hair and skin treating agent, wherein casein is hydrolyzed by trypsin and subtilisin for efficiently yielding peptides having molecular weights in the range of from 300 to 3000 which may improve solubility and chelatability of the peptides, stability of the peptides solution, adsorbability to hairs, affinity to hair and skin, protective property and moisturizing property, however, it does not prove the proliferation activating property of the peptides on human cutaneous cells.
The aims of addition of peptides to hair and skin treating compositions in these references are mainly for hair and skin conditioning effects such as moisturing, adsorbing, film forming and/or protective properties of the hydrolyzate.
In the prior art referred in the above, however, the effectiveness of peptide has not been proved, but merely relies upon rumor or belief. Furthermore there has been a problem that products containing peptide originating from milk protein may sometime cause a problem of allergy.
Some of the inventors of the present application have previously made an invention relating to hydrolyzate of milk-protein and a method of preparation of the same for the purposes of increase in solubility of milk-protein, increase in digestibility of milk-protein, prevention from or treatment of food allergy, treatment of or nutrition to patients having disorders in aromatic amino acids metabolism, and an application for patent for the invention has been filed in Japan by one of the assignees of the present invention (Japanese Patent Application No. 63(1988)-291090; filing date: Nov. 19, 1988 hereinafter this application will be referred to as the prior application.) The inventors of this application have conducted a thorough research with respect to the nature of the hydrolyzate of the prior application, and found that milk protein hydrolyzate having following natures can be used as a hair and skin treating agent or as an ingredient of hair and skin treating compositions: (a) said hydrolyzate is a mixture of peptides having molecular weights less than 1000 daltons; (b) 90% by weight or more of aromatic amino acids included in said mixture is free aromatic amino acids; (c) said mixture has a property to activate proliferation of human cutaneous cells; and (d) said mixture is bereft of antigenicity of the milk protein.
In other words, the inventors of the present invention found that when mi)k protein is hydrolized with two or more enzymes to a certain decomposition rate, the resultant hydrolyzate comprising a mixture of peptides having molecular weights less than 1000 daltons and 90% by weight or more of aromatic amino acids included in said mixture being free amino acids may surprisingly activate proliferation of human cutaneous cells, and is bereft of the antigenicity of the original milk protein, in addition to other properties as a hair and skin treating agent.
It was also found that a specific fraction of milk protein hydrolyzate having following natures can be used as the hair and skin treating agent or as an ingredient of hair and skin treating compositions: (a) said hydrolyzate is a mixture of peptides having molecular weigts less than 1000 daltons; (b) the percentage of aromatic amino acids to the whole amino acids included in the fraction is less than 5% by weight; (c) said mixture activate proliferation of human cutaneous cells; and (d) said mixture is bereft of antigenicity of the milk protein.
In other words, the inventors of the present invention found that peptides having the proliferation activating property on human cutaneous cells are included in a specific fraction of the milk protein hydrolyzate, said fraction being a mixture of peptides having molecular weights less than 1000 daltons, the aromatic amino acids included in said mixture being less than 5% by weight of the whole amino acids included in said mixture, said peptides being bereft of the antigenicity of the original milk protein and having other properties desirable as the hair and skin treating agent.
The present invention is based on these discoveries.

Milk-protein hydrolyzates and compositions for use as hair and skin treating agent


The present disclosure provides a method for rapidly treating a heterojunction solar cell fabricated using a crystalline silicon wafer doped exclusively with n-type dopants to improve surface passivation and carrier transport properties using the following steps: providing a heterojunction solar cell; the solar cell having an n-type silicon substrate exclusively doped with n-type dopants with a concentration higher than 1×1014 cm−3 and a plurality of metallic contacts; illuminating a surface portion of the solar cell for a period of less than 5 minutes and at a temperature between 200° C. and 300° C. with light having an intensity of at least 2 kW/m2 and a wavelength such that the light is absorbed by the surface portion and generates electron-hole pairs in the solar cell. The step of illuminating a surface portion of the solar cell is such that less than 0.5 kWh/m2 of energy is transferred to the surface portion and a temperature of the surface portion increases at a rate of at least 10° C./s for a period of time during illumination.

Heterojunction solar cells are typically formed by creating a junction between crystalline and hydrogenated amorphous silicon layers at low temperatures. This is in contrast to conventional solar cells, where a thermal diffusion is performed to create a doped silicon region of the opposite polarity to that of the wafer.
The heterojunction solar cell structure uses stacks of intrinsic and doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon to provide excellent surface passivation on both surfaces of the device. To gain the benefits of the excellent surface passivation, these solar cells require high bulk lifetimes and hence, are fabricated using a high-lifetime n-type wafers, free from p-type dopants.
In this specification 'n-type wafers' means wafers doped exclusively with n-type dopants having only trace concentrations of p-type dopants with a concentration of less than 1×1012/cm3. The absence of p-type dopants, in particular boron dopants, reduces light-induced degradation mechanisms related to the boron-oxygen defect.
One of the key challenges for heterojunction solar cells is that the layers of amorphous silicon and the overlying transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer typically degrade when annealed at temperatures above 200° C. This is well documented in the literature. As a result, after the formation of the heterojunction structure, annealing above 200° C. should be avoided to minimise degradation to the surface passivation and TCO properties.
The restriction to such low temperatures also leads to relatively high resistances for the metal contacts, particularly when using pastes deposited using techniques such as screen-printing.

Method for improving the performance of a heterojunction solar cell


An apparatus enabling inclination measurements or irregular surfaces comprising a retaining end adapted to temporarily hold a device equipped with an inclinometer and a supporting end, fixed to the retaining end, conformed to abut an irregular surface whereby the apparatus enables the device equipped with an inclinometer to measure inclination of an irregular surface.

Scoliosis is a deformity of the spine which can appear anytime during life. If a scoliotic deformity reaches dangerous magnitudes or is progressing, a surgical intervention can be proposed to prevent progression and/or correct the deformity. Alternatively, bracing treatments, which attempt to reduce or arrest any additional scoliotic progression, are commonly used in skeletally immature patients with moderate scoliosis. Otherwise, a patient with a mild curvature may simply be monitored to observe if any progression occurs. Over the last decade, a number of new less invasive surgical interventions have been proposed that seek to stop scoliotic progression without the need for fusion. However, such early surgical interventions are only justified if important curvature progression is anticipated. An important variable governing the incremental treatment platform of scoliosis is the progressive history of the spinal curvature. Thus, early detection methods that serve to identify scoliotic curves may greatly assist clinical prognosis and, consequently, improve treatment avenues. Such early detection methods will particularly help in reducing the number of patients presenting to a health professional for the first time with large curves for which a more aggressive treatment is required, considering that early detection of the scoliosis at a milder stage could have been treated with a less invasive treatment.
The present invention provides at least a partial solution to the identified problem.

Apparatus for containment of a device equipped with an inclinometer