A method for providing automatic detection of curvature of a spine and computation of specific angles in images of the spine includes automatically displaying the curvature of the spine as a line in an image of the spine, and computing at least one of a first angle or a second angle based on the line of the curvature of the spine.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for providing automated detection of spinal curvature and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing automated detection of spinal curvature using images of the spine and angle measurements.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The spine is made up of twenty-four vertebrae which are separated by discs. The normal curves of the spine provide the spine with the properties of flexibility, resiliency and shock absorbency. Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal condition in which there is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, causing the spinal column to bend to the left or right. Various studies have defined scoliosis as a lateral deviation of the normal vertical line of the spine which, when measured by X-rays, is greater than ten degrees. Whereas a normal spine, when the body is viewed from directly behind, has the appearance of a straight line, a spine with scoliosis resembles the letter S or C, because of the abnormal curvature. Scoliosis starts when the spine does not develop its normal front to back arches, which causes unusual weight to be carried on the discs. The center of certain discs shifts to one side and the vertebra tip to the other. This misalignment, called a subluxation, causes the spine to bend to the left or right. To compensate for this bend, the spine tips to the other side at another level and the result is scoliosis.
Scoliosis can occur at any age, but most often appears in early adolescence. Screening is useful when early identification enables treatment to be started that may halt the progression of the deformity. The Scoliosis Research Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons have endorsed school screening programs to detect scoliosis curves before they may become advanced. To diagnose the condition, a doctor may request an X-ray to get a better view of the spine. In an X-ray image, the curve of the scoliosis is usually measured by looking at the back view of the spine and measuring the angle formed by the top and bottom vertebrae of the curve. This measurement is called the Cobb angle.
Kyphosis is a spinal deformity which can be seen in association with scoliosis. Kyphosis in the thoracic spine means exaggerated kyphotic angle from the spine's normal kyphotic curve. A spine affected by kyphosis shows evidence of a forward curvature of the vertebrae in the upper back area, which leads to a "humpback" appearance. The Scoliosis Research Society defines kyphosis as a curvature of the spine measuring forty-five degrees or greater on an X-ray. The normal spine has only about twenty to forty-five degrees of curvature in the upper back area. Kyphosis is indicated in lateral X-ray images of the spine by the kyphotic angle, which is the superior angle formed by intersection of two lines drawn on a lateral chest radiogram, tangential to the anterior borders of the second and eleventh intervertebral disc spaces.
Using current methods, the Cobb angle is calculated by hand. FIG. 1 illustrates the hand calculation of the Cobb angle in a coronal view of the spine. Referring to FIG. 1, the first step is to find the end-vertebrae which are the vertebrae at the upper and lower limits of the curve which tilt most severely toward the concavity of the curve. Once these vertebrae have been selected, a line is drawn along the upper endplate of the upper body and along the lower endplate of the lower body as shown in FIG. 1. The kyphotic angle is also determined by hand. It is defined in the same way as the Cobb angle but is calculated from lateral images. The quality of an image of the spine may be poor, making it difficult if not impossible to locate the limits of the vertebrae, such as when the image is an X-ray image of the spine.

Systems and methods for computer aided detection of spinal curvature using images and angle measurements


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for mitigating interest flooding attacks in content-centric networks (CCNs). During operation, the system receives, at a physical interface of a router, an interest packet; obtains current interest satisfaction statistics associated with the physical interface; and determines whether to forward or drop the interest packet based on the current interest satisfaction statistics.

1. Field
This disclosure is generally related to content-centric networks (CCNs). More specifically, this disclosure is related to a method and a system that can be used to mitigate Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks in content-centric networks.
2. Related Art
The proliferation of the Internet and e-commerce continues to fuel revolutionary changes in the network industry. Today, a significant number of information exchanges, from online movie viewing to daily news delivery, retail sales, and instant messaging, are conducted online. An increasing number of Internet applications are also becoming mobile. However, the current Internet operates on a largely location-based addressing scheme. That is, a consumer of data can only receive the data by explicitly requesting the data from an address (e.g., IP address) closely associated with a physical object or location. This restrictive addressing scheme is becoming progressively more inadequate for meeting the ever-changing network demands.
The current architecture of the Internet revolves around a conversation model, which was created in the 1970s for the ARPAnet to allow geographically distributed users to use a few big, immobile computers. This architecture was designed under the influence of the telephone network, where a telephone number is essentially a program that configures the switches along a path from the source to the destination. Not surprisingly, the designers of the ARPAnet never expected it to evolve into today'subiquitous, relentlessly growing Internet. People now expect a lot more from the Internet than the ARPAnet was designed to provide. Ideally, an Internet user should have access to any content, anywhere, at any time—a task that is difficult to perform with the current location/device-binding TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/Internet protocol) networks.
Content-centric networks (CCNs), also referred to as "content-based networks," bring a new approach to data transport in a network. Instead of naming and addressing end-hosts in the network as in traditional networks today, CCN emphasizes naming and addressing content directly. Examples of content include a picture, an audio file, a movie, a document, status update in a social network such as Facebook® (registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif.) etc. In CCN, content is requested by name directly by the consumer. The network is responsible for routing the consumer's request to the appropriate content producer or provider and for transferring the content or data object from the content producer or provider to the consumer. In contrast to today's Internet, a key goal of the CCN is "security by design." In fact, it guarantees the integrity and provenance of every Data packet with digital signatures and protects user privacy with no source addresses carried in packets. However, current efforts in CCN architecture designs have not considered Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which pose a significant threat to the existing Internet infrastructure. The CCN architecture is also not immune from DDoS attacks and strategies to mitigate such attacks are not well studied yet.

Method and system for mitigating interest flooding attacks in content-centric networks


Disclosed are methods and systems for using electromagnetic sources that are substantially stationary in a body of water while electromagnetic field signals are detected with electromagnetic sensors towed through the body of water. An embodiment discloses an apparatus comprising: a vessel; a first electromagnetic source coupled to the vessel and configured to have a dipole moment oriented in a first direction; and a second electromagnetic source coupled to the vessel and configured to have a dipole moment oriented in a second direction, wherein the second direction is generally orthogonal to the first direction. Another embodiment discloses a system comprising: a sensor streamer configured for towing in a body of water, wherein the sensor streamer comprises a plurality of electromagnetic sensors disposed at spaced apart positions; and an electromagnetic source assembly configured for deployment at a substantially stationary position in the body of water.

Marine electromagnetic surveying is a geophysical survey technique that uses electromagnetic energy to identify possibly hydrocarbon-bearing rock formations below the bottom of a body of water, such as a lake or ocean. In one example of a marine electromagnetic survey system, an electromagnetic source may be towed at a selected depth in the body of water while a number of electromagnetic sensors are disposed at a substantially stationary position at the water bottom. The survey can be conducted for a range of electromagnetic source and electromagnetic sensor positions. The electromagnetic source can be actuated while towed through the water to emit an electric field that propagates outwardly into the water and downwardly into formations below the water bottom. The electromagnetic sensors detect and record electromagnetic field signals that can be used to infer certain properties of the subsurface rock, such as structure, mineral composition and fluid content, thereby providing information useful in the recovery of hydrocarbons.
Drawbacks to electromagnetic survey systems that use stationary sensors may include limited data acquisition due, for example, to a practical limit on the number of sensors that can be deployed at given time. Additional drawbacks may include the sensitivity of the stationary sensors to variations in the topography of the water bottom. To address these and other drawbacks with stationary sensors, electromagnetic survey systems have been developed that include towing both the electromagnetic source and the electromagnetic sensors through the water. Despite more dense data coverage and less sensor sensitivity to variations on the water bottoms, these towed systems may also have drawbacks. For example, there may be less flexibility in selected source and sensor positions to obtain data on targets from different angles. In addition, towed systems may also have increased induction noise due to movement of both the source and sensors through the water. Also towed systems typically may only measure the inline component of the electric field because the source and sensors may only have electrodes spaced apart in the towing direction.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods and systems for marine electromagnetic surveying.

Stationary source for marine electromagnetic surveying


A heater for use in an aerosol generating device is disclosed. The heater includes a heating element comprising a coil. The coil has at least two coiled regions and one non-coiled region. The heater includes a pair of wicks arranged to feed e-liquid to the heating element from different directions. A device for generating an inhalable medium including a heater for volatilizing liquid is also disclosed.

Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles that burn tobacco by creating products that release compounds without burning.
Examples of such products are so-called e-cigarette devices. These devices typically contain a liquid which is heated to vaporize the liquid to produce an inhalable vapor and/or aerosol. The liquid may contain nicotine and/or flavorings and/or aerosol-generating substances, such as glycerol. The known e-cigarette devices typically do not contain or use tobacco.
Other examples are heating devices which release compounds by heating, but not burning, the material. The material may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.
Devices that heat liquid during use often have wicks for wicking liquid from a liquid storage to a heater. In certain known devices the heater is proximal to the wick, occasionally in the form of a coil. In some cases, the heater and wick arrangement results in the wick drying out and become burnt. If the wick becomes burnt, a user must replace the wick which increases the expense of maintaining the device.

Heater for aerosol generating device and device


A membrane endoscopic retractor is disclosed for retracting organs and tissue inside the body using only small tools extending through short incisions in the body. The membrane retractor generally comprises a membrane for supporting tissue and organs and two or more probes for supporting the membrane. The probes are endoscopic devices which allow the user to place and manipulate the membrane inside a body by stretching and supporting the membrane between and along various points. The membrane is rollably arranged inside a housing on one probe so as to easily be inserted into the body and then extended therefrom by a second probe. A third probe may be used to provide additional support to the membrane between the first and second probes. The entire retraction procedure inside the body is manipulatable from control ends of the probes which are located outside of the body.

The field of endoscopic surgery has been advancing rapidly in recent years. In this form of surgery, procedures are performed inside of the body of a patient using instruments inserted through small endosurgical ports. The surgery is performed with the aid of an endoscope, which is a thin, tube like instrument featuring a light source, viewing lenses, and/or various other attachments such as irrigators, scissors, snares, brushes, or forceps. Endoscopes may be flexible or rigid, and normally utilize optic fibers to transmit light to the internal cavity. The surgery is normally viewed by the surgeon through an ocular. Lenses are placed near the tip of the endoscope and the image thereon is transmitted via optic fibers or other lens systems, to the ocular or viewer. Other types of endoscopes utilize optical fibers to transmit electronic signals representing the internal image from the distal lens to a video monitor which is viewed by the surgeon.
This form of surgery allows internal visualization of the body structure without the necessity of excessive dissection of tissue. Typical endoscopes often are in the 5 to 12 mm diameter range and thus require only very small incisions for insertion into the body.
This form of surgery has developed rapidly because of the numerous benefits arising in favor of the patient. Since there is only a small incision to permit entrance of the endoscope, endoscopic surgery results in less trauma to the patient's body and faster patient recovery. For the benefits of endoscopic surgery to arise, however, all aspects of the surgery, such as the initial examination, retraction, and the surgical procedure itself, must be capable of being accomplished through small endoscopic incisions or ports.
The obvious difficulty associated with endoscopic surgery is inadequate visualization of the internal structure required to properly complete the surgical procedure. Endoscopic surgery is thus difficult in areas which are typically difficult to reach, such as the gallbladder. In gallbladder surgery, (or "cholecystectomy") the tissue and organs surrounding the gallbladder are examined with the endoscope and retracted in order to properly expose the organ which is to be removed.
Currently, endoscopic procedures in the abdominal cavity, otherwise known as laparoscopy, often require retraction. Specifically, endoscopic procedures involving the gallbladder entail retracting the liver, which rests directly above the gallbladder. In an open surgery operation, retraction such as this is relatively easy, as the surgery involves the exposure of the entire organ area. In order to obtain the benefits of endoscopic surgery, however, a form of retraction which can be accomplished through endoscopic ports is necessary.
In an endoscopic procedure involving the gallbladder or other abdominal organ, retraction is currently accomplished by inflating the peritoneal cavity with carbon dioxide. This method of retraction requires a small endoscopic port for the introduction of a gas source. The gas is introduced into the body through a trocar, and a state of pneumoperitoneum occurs. The gas inflates the peritoneal cavity so as to cause the skin and muscles to separate and rise above various organs and tissue, creating the exposure necessary to accomplish the endoscopic surgery.
Several problems are associated with pneumoperitoneal retraction, however. First of all, exposure remains adequate only while the required pneumoperitoneal state remains. Since endoscopic surgery normally requires the introduction of at least the endoscope, and more often several other tools, several endoscopic ports will most likely be created in the body. Each of these ports, which normally use a cannula to keep them open for access, in effect create an exhaust port for the gas. The risk that insufflation pressure may be lost increases the risk that the endoscopic procedure may go awry as adequate exposure for the endoscope is extinguished.
Further, there are many complications which are associated with persistent pneumoperitoneum during an endoscopic procedure. Acute cardiovascular collapse secondary to over-distension of the abdomen, vasovagal reflex activation, cardiac arrhythmia, pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, alteration of large vein venous return, retinal hemorrhage, blindness, carbon dioxide embolism, and general patient discomfort have all been associated with persistent pneumoperitoneum.
Lastly, pneumoperitoneal retraction is effective in retracting only the muscles and tissue from above the organs. The organs themselves are not, to a great extent, retracted from each other.
There is therefore a need for a device and method which provides retraction in conjunction with endoscopic procedures which is effective in providing adequate visualization and which is safe and has fewer side effects than current methods.


A projection-based x-ray imaging system combines projection magnification and optical magnification in order to ease constraints on source spot size, while improving imaging system footprint and efficiency. The system enables tomographic imaging of the sample especially in a proximity mode where the same is held in close proximity to the scintillator. In this case, a sample holder is provided that can rotate the sample. Further, a z-axis motion stage is also provided that is used to control distance between the sample and the scintillator.

Since its discovery, the ability of x rays to penetrate through material has been exploited extensively, such as in non-invasive and non-destructive imaging in medical and industrial applications.
For example, a number of manufacturers have developed imaging tools for failure analysis of integrated circuit (IC) packaging that take advantage of the penetrating power of hard x rays with tens to hundreds of kilo electron-Volts (keV) energy. These x-ray inspection tools typically provide resolutions on the order of tens of micrometers. This is sufficient for inspecting most large features in IC packages. They provide sample mounting mechanisms and multi-axis motion control to allow the operator to translate, zoom, and tilt the sample with a joystick while observing the image in real time. These systems are widely deployed in packaging failure analysis (FA) labs.
In addition, with increasing feature density and complexity, two-dimensional (2 D) x-ray micrographs tend to contain too much overlapping information for the operators to interpret, necessitating the inclusion of a quantitative third dimensional (3 D) imaging capability in the FA tools.
Many x-ray inspection tool manufacturers have developed systems to meet the IC manufacturer's needs. The following is a brief overview of these x-ray inspection tools.
Some current commercial tools are arranged in a relatively simple projection geometry, in which the radiation produced by an x-ray source is allowed to penetrate the sample, and the transmitted radiation is collected by the detector. With this setup, the geometrical magnification of the system is:
                              M          =                                                    L                s                            +                              L                d                                                    L              s                                      ,                            (        1        )
where, Ls is the source to sample distance and the Ld is the sample to detector distance. As a result, the achievable resolution of these systems can be derived, being roughly:
                              δ          ≥                                                    M                -                1                            M                                    s                          ,                            (        2        )
where s is the size of the x-ray source spot.
From this relationship, in order to achieve high resolution, one should make M as close to 1 as possible. In the limit where M=1, the sample plane overlaps the detector plane, which is the geometry of contact printing mode.
Contact printing, however, requires a detector with high enough resolution to sample the contact image, since with the magnification close to one. Thus, the detector resolution must be on par with the sample feature to be resolved.
In the absence of such a high resolution detector, an alternative imaging mode is to increase the geometric magnification so that the features in the sample are magnified sufficiently such that they can then be sampled with a detector with coarse resolution. In this projection mode, M>1, the resolution is about the same as the source size. Thus, high resolution requires a source with very small spot size.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

High resolution direct-projection type x-ray microtomography system using synchrotron or laboratory-based x-ray source


Methods and systems may provide for determining quality of service (QoS) information for a job associated with an application, and determining a condition prediction for a wireless channel of a mobile platform. Additionally, the job may be scheduled for communication over the wireless channel based at least in part on the QoS information and the condition prediction. In one example, scheduling the job includes imposing a delay in the communication if the condition prediction indicates that a throughput of the wireless channel is below a threshold and the delay complies with a latency constraint of the QoS information.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments generally relate to power management in computing platforms. More particularly, embodiments relate to channel aware job scheduling to improve energy efficiency.
2. Discussion
In wireless environments, many factors may contribute to the condition of wireless channels. For example, co-channel interference, channel access contention between neighboring platforms and channel fading due to user mobility may all have an impact on wireless channel condition. When the channel condition deteriorates, the network interface controller (NIC) of a given platform may operate at a higher transmission power in order to compensate for poor conditions. Even with the higher transmission power, the NIC may suffer from lower throughput and frequent retransmissions, which can in turn cause applications running on the platform to complete communication-related jobs in a much longer amount of time. Longer job completion times and application runtimes may delay entry of the platform and/or NIC into low power states, wherein the delayed entry may ultimately result in higher platform energy consumption.


An optical system includes, a front lens unit having a positive refractive power, an aperture stop, and a rear lens unit having a positive refractive power, wherein the front lens unit includes an FB lens system, and an FA lens system, the FB and FA lens systems being configured to move appropriately, when shifting a focus from an object at a long distance to an object at a short distance. A focal length fFB of the FB lens system and a focal length f of the entire optical system are appropriately set.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an optical system and an image pickup apparatus including the optical system. The optical system is suitable as an image pickup optical system to be used in an image pickup apparatus such as a digital still camera, a digital video camera, a broadcasting camera, a monitoring camera, and a silver-halide film camera.
Description of the Related Art
Among digital still cameras, silver-halide film cameras, and the like, an image pickup optical system to be used in a single-lens reflex camera is required to have a wide angle of view for shooting, which is approximately 40 to 60 degrees. Such image pickup optical system is also required to have a large aperture ratio as well as a capability of focusing an image at a high speed, while maintaining high optical performance.
As a focusing method used in an image pickup optical system, there is a method where the entire image pickup optical system moves, or a method where a lens unit forming a part of an image pickup optical system moves. Among these methods, a method referred to as an inner focus system is known. In the inner focus system, an intermediate lens unit in an image pickup optical system moves to adjust a focus of the lens. The inner focus system enables a reduction of an amount of movement of a lens unit which moves during focusing (a focusing-lens unit), and facilitates miniaturization and weight reduction of the focusing-lens unit, compared to a focusing method where the entire image pickup optical system moves.
As a result, the focusing-lens unit can be moved at a high speed during focusing. Moreover, in such a focusing-lens unit, it is possible to decrease a drive torque at the time of focusing. Therefore, in a case where the focusing-lens unit is applied to an image pickup apparatus having an auto focus detection device, for example, a drive motor can be easily downsized.
Conventionally, there has been known an image pickup optical system having a relatively wide shooting angle of view which employs an inner focus system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,984 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-185507 each discuss an image pickup optical system including, from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, which moves during focusing, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, in this order.
When the inner focus system is employed in an image pickup optical system having a large aperture ratio and a wide angle of view, a height of a principal ray of on-axis rays or off-axis rays from an optical axis fluctuates widely, in a lens unit located on an object side relative to a focusing-lens unit. This causes a larger aberration variation in focusing. To address this problem, there has been known an image pickup optical system using a "floating" system, in which a plurality of lens unit moves to adjust a focus. The floating system can reduce an aberration variation caused by bringing a short-distance object into focus.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-168456 discusses an image pickup optical system including, from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive or negative refractive power, and a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, in this order. In this optical system, the second and fourth lens units move during focusing, thereby high optical performance can be achieved over the entire object distance.

Optical system and image pickup apparatus having the same


A touch sensor array includes a plurality of straight sensing series and a plurality of ladder-like sensing series. The straight sensing series are separated to each other. Each of the straight sensing series includes first sensing pads and first bridge lines, and each of the first bridge lines is connected to two adjacent first sensing pads. The ladder-like sensing series are separated to each other. Each of the ladder-like sensing series includes second sensing pads, second bridge lines and third bridge lines. The second bridge lines and the third bridge lines are alternatively disposed, and any two adjacent second sensing pads are connected through one of the second bridge lines or one of the third bridge lines. Each of the ladder-like sensing series crosses one of the first bridge lines.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a touch panel including a touch sensor array.
2. Description of Related Art
The touch interface facilitates users to input information and make options, such that touch display panels with the touch interface have been seen in more and more diverse applications. The touch display panel can be classified as an out-cell touch display panel and an embedded touch display panel depending on the position of the touch panel disposed in the touch display panel. The out-cell touch display panel refers to a display panel with the touch panel external disposed thereto. The embedded touch display panel, concerning the use in a liquid crystal display panel, can further be classified into a type that touch sensors disposed on a driving substrate and another type that touch sensors disposed on a color filter substrate depending on the position of the touch sensor array. Besides, the embedded touch display panel can be classified as a resistive, a capacitive and an optical touch display panels based on the induction principles of electricity. Recently, multi-touch capacitive touch panels attract much attention.
A traditional capacitive touch panel includes a touch sensor array including a plurality of X direction sensing series and a plurality of Y direction sensing series. Each of the X direction sensing series and the Y direction sensing series includes a plurality of sensing pads so as to accurately sense touch positions of users.
A metal jumper line is used to connect to two adjacent sensing pads and disposed at a junction between the X direction sensing series and the Y direction sensing series so as to avoid short-circuit. However, the metal jumper line may be broken when electrostatic discharge occurs, such that one of the sensing series may not be operated. Since the metal jumper line must be set at each junction, the amount of metal jumper lines is significant. Therefore, many metal jumper lines may be broken when electrostatic discharge occurs, and thus many sensing series may not be operated.
In view of this, how to improve abnormal probability in operation of sensing series from the electrostatic discharge is an important issue to be addressed.

Touch panel including touch sensor array


Various embodiments enable a user of a mobile media device to select one or more channels to load onto the device. Each channel comprises a collection of media content files, such as video content, audio content, and so on. Each collection of media content files can be associated with a particular genre (or genres) of media content. A channel can be managed such that its collection of media content can be rearranged, augmented, and/or otherwise edited to produce a refreshed version of the channel. A user's interaction with content within a channel can be monitored to produce behavior data about the user. The behavior data can be used to customize the playback of a particular channel to reflect user preferences. The behavior data can also be used to produce channels that are custom tuned for the user and can be used to produce a customized version of a mobile media device.

There is a wide availability of different types of media content for mobile media devices, such as audio content, video content, and the like. While most individuals are interested in taking advantage of this availability of media content, many of the currently available mobile media devices present significant barriers to some user's potential enjoyment of such content. Some mobile media devices require users to engage in time-intensive setup procedures and navigate cumbersome user interfaces before the device can be loaded with media content and utilized to enjoy the content. Some other devices are simpler but provide users with little or no control over media playback and simply provide a user with a single "bucket" of content to be played with no particular rhyme or reason with respect to the order in which the media content is played. Because of these barriers, many users fail to enjoy their interaction with mobile media devices, or simply avoid mobile media devices altogether.


The present invention is a process for producing a fiber, comprising: melt-extruding polyhydroxyalkanoic acid; solidifying the polyhydroxyalkanoic acid by quenching it to its glass transition temperature +15° C. or less, to form an amorphous fiber; cold-drawing the amorphous fiber at its glass transition temperature +20° C. or less; and subjecting the fiber to heat treatment under tension. The present invention can provide: a process for producing a fiber with high strength, and the fiber produced through the process; and a process for producing a fiber with high strength and high modulus of elasticity and the fiber with high strength and high modulus of elasticity produced through the process, regardless of molecular weights of PHAs varying depending on origins such as a wild type PHAs-producing microorganism product, a genetically modified product, and a chemical product.

Polyhydroxyalkanoic acids are biodegradable and biocompatible, and their use for various molded products such as fibers or films has been studied.
A fiber produced from PHAs as a raw material is biodegradable and biocompatible, and thus, a great demand can be anticipated for the fiber as: medical equipment such as surgical sutures; fishery equipment such as fishing lines and fishing nets; clothing materials such as fibers; construction materials such as nonwoven fabrics and ropes; packaging materials for food or the like; etc.
Poly(3-hydroxybutanoic acid) (hereinafter, may also be referred to as "P(3HB)") among PHAs is known to be synthesized by many microorganisms as an intracellular reserve substance and be accumulated in a form of granules in cytoplasm (Nonpatent Document 1).
Further, the inventors of the present invention have succeeded in obtaining P(3HB) with remarkably enhanced molecular weight using genetically modified Escherichia coli of a poly(3-hydroxybutanoic acid) synthesis gene compared to that obtained using a wild type P(3HB)-producing microorganism (Patent Document 1).
P(3HB) obtained from the P(3HB)-producing microorganism is expected to be a raw material for biodegradable products.
Fibers produced from P(3HB) as a raw material hitherto have been produced through a process involving: melt-extruding P(3HB) having a weight average molecular weight of about 600,000 (number average molecular weight of about 300,000) as a raw material; hot drawing the P(3HB); and subjecting the P(3HB) to heat treatment. A specific example of such a process described in Nonpatent Document 2 involves: purifying P(3HB) having a weight average molecular weight of 300,000 with chloroform; melt-extruding the P(3HB) in four stages of melting temperature zones (170° C.–175° C.–180° C.–182° C.); drawing the P(3HB) to a draw ratio of 800% at 110° C.; and maintaining the temperature at 155° C. for 1 hour to crystallize the P(3HB), to thereby form a fiber. Physical properties of the obtained fiber include a breaking strength of 190 MPa, an elongation to break of 54%, and a Young's modulus of 5.6 GPa. Further, Nonpatent Document 3 describes a process involving: forming pellets having a viscosity average molecular weight of 360,000 once without purifying P(3HB) having a viscosity average molecular weight of 540,000; melt-extruding the pellets at 173° C.; winding at a wind rate of 2,000 to 3,500 m/min or 250 m/min; drawing to a draw ratio of 400% or 690% at 40 to 60° C.; and maintaining the temperature at 40 to 60° C. to crystallize, to thereby form a fiber. The physical properties of the obtained fiber include a breaking strength of 330 Mpa, an elongation to break of 37%, and a Young's modulus of 7.7 GPa.
However, the fibers do not have physical properties comparable to those of the general polymers and are not in practical use.
Meanwhile, Nonpatent Document 4 describes a process involving: melt-extruding non-purified P(3HB) granules at a melting temperature of 180° C. and a nozzle temperature of 170° C.; winding at a wind rate of 28 m/min; drawing to a draw ratio of 600% at 110° C.; and maintaining under tension of 0 MPa, 50 MPa, and 100 MPa at 75, 100, 125, and 150° C. for 2.5 minutes to crystallize, to thereby form a fiber. The obtained fiber has a breaking strength of 310 MPa, an elongation to break of 60%, and a Young's modulus of 3.8 GPa.
However, a fiber with high strength, a fiber with high strength and high modulus of elasticity produced from P(3HB) as a raw material having any molecular weight including purified P(3HB) and P(3HB) having a high weight average molecular weight of 600,000 or more, and a process for producing the same have not been found.
Thus, developments of processes for producing a fiber with high strength and a fiber with high strength and high modulus of elasticity having improved physical properties while retaining biodegradability from various PHAs as a raw material including PHAs of a wild type PHA-producing microorganism have been desired.
<Nonpatent Document 1>
Anderson, A. J. and Dawes, E. A., Microbiol. Rev., 54: 450–472 (1990)
<Nonpatent Document 2>
Gordeyev et al., J. Mater. Sci. Lett., 18, 1691 (1999)
<Nonpatent Document 3>
Schmack et al., J. Polym. Sci. Poylm. Phys. Ed., 38, 2841 (2000)
<Nonpatent Document 4>
Yamane et al., Polymer, 42, 3241 (2001)
<Patent Document 1>
JP 10-176070 A

Polyhydroxyalkanoic acid fibers with high strength, fibers with high strength and high modulus of elasticity, and processes for producing the same


A combination carrying device and toy including a body having an exterior surface defining a toy-like structure and having interior surfaces defining at least one hollow body cavity being sufficiently sized to contain and carry desired baby accessories. At least one entry panel forms a portion of the exterior surface, the entry panel providing access to the hollow body cavity. The entry panel is fastened in a desired orientation relative to the exterior surface. Preferably, the body is in the shape of an ostensibly stuffed animal, such as a bear.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carrying devices and toys and more particularly to an ostensibly stuffed toy animal which serves as a carrying device for infant accessories and is convertible to an infant changing pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Parents, while travelling with an infant, typically have a difficult time as a result of the quantity of items which must be carried to care for the infant. The types of infant accessories vary in a wide range and include, for example, diapers, bibs, formula bottles, changing pads, baby wipes, baby blankets, feeding equipment and child toys.
Generally, heretofore, these infant accessories have been carried by large tote bags and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,150, issued on Dec. 12, 1989, discloses a baby's accessory carrier which includes an elongated, rectangular panel with a central, transversely extending change area covered by a releasable impermeable pad and bordered by a pair of pocket-containing ends, which are folded into an overlapping relationship with each other and with the change area to form a small, rectangular package. The package is folded double to form a compact, purse-like article.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,130, issued on Jan. 21, 1986, discloses a combination carrying bag for infant accessories and a diapering station formed of a single piece of material divided by fold lines into three successive sections to cushion an infant on a support surface and store infant accessories for diapering changing. The diapering station is converted into a carrying bag for infant accessories.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,277, issued on Nov. 1, 1988, discloses a diaper changing bag made from a soft quilted plastic material comprising two closeable storage compartments connected at their undersides by a mat in which the baby being changed is placed. Foldable end flaps support the baby's head and legs, respectively. Nappies or diapers and ointments can be stored in the compartments and feeding bottles in wells provided in the end of one of the compartments.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,020, issued on Oct. 13, 1959, discloses a diaper bag that folds out into a baby bed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,786, issued on Jan. 17, 1978, discloses another implementation of a baby bag.
By contrast to the above various infant accessory carrying devices, the following are examples of children's toy figures that may have additional utility.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,512, issued on Dec. 26, 1989, discloses a soft sculptural human-figured doll with a carrying strap. The doll may be used as a child's pillow.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 155,742 discloses a design for a children's purse in the shape of a bear with no substantial thickness. U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,121, issued on Aug. 31, 1976, discloses a doll with an unfixed shape that, by means of ties, can be arranged into various shapes.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 181,189 discloses a design for a toy bear figure with a back pack. U.S. Design Pat. No. 296,955, issued on Aug. 2, 1988, discloses an athletic tote bag with an ornamental animal fascia.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,159, issued on Jan. 7, 1986, disclosed a potentially multiple configured toy that may be concealed in a tote bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,512 discloses an animal-shaped toy with an attached blanket roll and inflatable pillow.
As will be disclosed below, the present invention combines the advantages of most of the previously discussed prior art by providing a device which efficiently and simultaneously carries numerous infant accessories. The present invention additionally and coincidentally serves as a child's toy configured as an ostensibly stuffed animal, which may further be reconfigured into an infant's bedding device and/or changing pad.


A pet identification tag with associated cavity holder for insertion of a miniaturized Radio-frequency identification (“RFID”) transponder capsule. The tag has an embedded cavity and mechanism to insert or remove an optional RFID transponder capsule. The tag with transponder capsule can then be attached to a pet's collar to wireless ID the pet without need to medically inject a RFID transponder capsule into a pet's body by surgical means.

The present invention relates to an animal tag of multiple shape configurations, preferably of symmetrical shapes, that has an associated case with a hollow cavity that is utilized as part of a novel plastic animal ID tag, attached to an accessory such as a dog or cat collar or leach, to assist in helping identify a pet and/or its owner. The case is configured to hold an optional RFID transponder capsule within a hollow cavity in the attachable pet tag case.
Injectible RFID capsules have been provided to shelters, veterinarians and pet hospitals in the form of a miniature glass-like capsule that is injected into the animal with a special syringe. Examples of RFID transponder capsule products for companion animals (i.e., dogs and cats) and more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,550 assigned to Trovan Limited. These systems typically work by injecting the tiny chip in the form of a fully assembled transponder that is encapsulated in a housing which is normally composed of glass or ceramic material (typically 1.2-2 mm wide and can even be smaller) into the animal's body with the pet shelters using an RFID reader, such as those made by AVID, to read a unique identifiable code that is wirelessly emitted from the chip to help identify the animal.
Combination syringe and capsule transponders are sold by many companies, one of several companies that market injectible microchips for pets. With the pinch of a syringe, the microchip is inserted under the skin in a procedure that takes less than 10 minutes and leaves no stitches. Small implantable transponders, approximately 13.3×2 mm are supplied in encapsulated form in a biocompatible glass tube and delivered in a sterile one-way injectible syringe. Once the capsule is injected into a pet, silently and invisibly, the dormant chip stores a code that releases pet-specific information when a scanner passes over.
Several million RFID transponders have been injected into pets using this internally injected encased capsule identification method representing the preferred and current method of micro chipping pets to help identify them by storing information related to the pet linked to a database when the transponder is read, typically at animal pounds or shelters that are equipped with transponder readers. The microchip is intended to help identify pets for medical purposes or pet and owner identification purposes.
The advantage of having a microchip ready detachable tag accessible outside of an animal's body, such as attached to collar ID tag, is that the user can still receive the benefits afforded by a microchip without the associated surgical insertion procedure. Having the tag in an accessed external tag position reduces the expense to pet owners and thereby increases the likelihood of usage of the tag, in contrast to requiring the user to visit a vet or animal professional to inject or make a choice to use a particular brand of RFID tag from among several possible choices. The tag can also be updated with new transponder capsule(s).
As noted above, having the tag already accessed and in a useable position outside of an animal's body is advantageous for the tag supplier as it enhances the opportunities for optional inclusion and use of the RFID capsule tag. Accordingly, suppliers of conventional animal tags desire the advantages of having their particular tag physically inserted by the end-user, or placed by manufacturer or seller, into the tag cavity for placement outside of the pet's body. In the case of a conventional animal tag, the user typically can select from a number of such RFID tags and has a choice among tags for use. For example, the user may often choose from or exchange different RFID capsules for animal ID depending on features desired. This is a useful feature considering that some foreign countries require pets to have a microchip for travel to their locations and the specific type of chip frequency and standards vary from country to country. Having the ability to upgrade to the proper chip for pet travel or asset identification purposes is advantageous. It is even possible to replace an existing capsule with a new RFID capsule for program renewals, updates or future product feature enhancements. Thus, the supplier of the conventional animal tag would obtain an advantage over other conventional animal tags described in prior art by having the capsule in the tag within an upgrade cavity position, in contrast to the other identification tags that merely put a nametag on an owned object with return instructions that typically feature a name and phone number or other identifier affixed to or printed onto the tag.
This invention improves upon pet identification tags described in prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,329 to Levy, Jr., that teaches a permanent pet collar identification tag and label system on a pet collar buckle. In contrast, the instant invention provides an improved and detachable pet identification tag with internal cavity for optional transponder capsule. The microchip transponder on a separate detachable tag mechanism is an enhancement to provide reliable electronic information about pets in conformance to different local standards imposed by state and local companion animal identification requirements. For the first time, it also permits the end-user or pet owner an opportunity to take advantage of the benefits of a conventional microchip transponder capsule (i.e., without the need to visit a vet for a surgical procedure to inject it within the animal's body). Such option allows for pet owners to later upgrade their chip by adding the transponder, replacing their chip capsule, or even removing it completely from the cavity when they are concerned about privacy or wish to insert alternate transponder capsules with new features and benefits as they become available or otherwise required under international or local animal control regulations (i.e., regulatory requirements for United States pet travel to Europe where animal must have a specific microchip for admittance into certain EU countries).
This invention improves upon U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,465 to Welsh and U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,065 to Shorrock, by incorporating a technological innovation with a new and useful process to incorporate an owner-controlled and accessible microchip transponder capsule innovation manufactured and contained within a cavity of a tag casing.
Such microchip tag innovation can facilitate finding lost pets under the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,637 to Klein, that teaches a lost and found system and method by RFID technological innovation. Such RFID devices can also be used to provide reward incentives to the finder of wayward pet or other tagged objects using the system and method of Klein's allowed patent under Publication No. 20010027401, Ser. No. 09/847,913.

Pet identification tag with internal cavity for transponder capsule


The present invention relates to an industrial server system, comprising a housing, a backplane, at least one rear board, a first front board, a second front board, and a power supply, wherein the backplane and the power supply are disposed in the housing, and the rear board, the first front board, and the second front board are coupled and configured to the backplane. Four connected blocks are disposed on the backplane, which makes that at least one rear board, the first front board, and the second front board are able to communicate to each other by a plurality of data connecting units disposed on the backplane. The rear board, the first front board, and the second front board of the present invention can achieve a great transmission efficiency by a specific configuration of connected block on the backplane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an industrial server system, and more particularly, to an industrial server system compatible with advanced telecom computing architecture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modular systems are typically used in communication networks where reliability and cost effectiveness are important factors. Such modular systems include one or more backplanes that receive and couple to other interoperable pieces such as circuit boards or "boards". These boards may include, but are not limited to blades, carrier boards, processing boards, interconnects, etc. Other interoperable pieces that a backplane may receive and couple to include components such as fans, power equipment modules (PEM), field replaceable units (FRUs), alarm boards, etc.
Backplanes within a modular platform system may receive and couple boards via one or more data transport and power connectors. Typically, the one or more data transport connectors include communication links to interconnect boards received and coupled to the backplane. These communication links may also couple interconnected boards to components resident on a given board (e.g., mezzanine cards, processing elements, chipsets, media devices, etc.). Data and/or instructions are forwarded on these communication links using various different communication protocols. Typically a data transport interface is used to serve as a bridge between the communication links that use different communication protocols.
The inventor of the present application has made great efforts to make inventive research thereon and eventually provided an industrial server system.


An electronic device with a USB connector is provided, which is designed for solving a problem in the conventional art that a USB cap on an electronic device may easily get lost. The electronic device with the USB connector includes an outer housing, an intermediate housing located inside the outer housing and moveable relative to the outer housing, and a circuit board located inside the intermediate housing. The USB connector is disposed on the intermediate housing, and electrically connected to the circuit board. A USB connector through hole is configured on the outer housing at a position corresponding to the USB connector. The electronic device further includes an elastic apparatus disposed in a moving direction of the intermediate housing, and an intermediate housing movement positioning apparatus. The technology is applicable to electronic devices with a USB connector such as a wireless USB Modem or a USB flash drive.

Recently, a wireless USB Modem in the market usually has the following structure.
As shown in FIG. 1, the USB Modem includes a housing 1, a USB connector 2 fixed on the housing 1, and a USB cap 3 fitted on the USB connector 2. The USB connector 2 is used for connecting to a computer, and the USB cap 3 is used for protecting the USB connector 2.
The inventor found that the conventional art has at least the following problems. The conventional art employs a plug-and-pull USB cap to protect a fixed USB connector of a USB Modem. When intending to realize network connections with the wireless USB Modem, the user needs to pull the USB cap from the USB connector. In this case, the USB cap is separated from the housing of the USB Modem, and thus may easily get lost.


Acquired and de novo endocrine resistance are major clinical problems in the management of breast cancer patients. Though the antiestrogen tamoxifen prolongs disease-free and overall survival in the adjuvant setting, and induces remissions in over half of the patients with estrogen receptor positive metastatic disease, all patients eventually acquire tamoxifen resistance. Furthermore, many of the resistant tumors actually appear to be stimulated by tamoxifen just as they are by estrogens. The present invention provides methods of predicting endocrine resistance comprising detecting the biological activity and/or expression of p38 MAPK and/or AIB1. The invention further provides methods of reducing, reversing, or preventing endocrine resistance comprising contacting a breast or prostate tumor with a p38 MAPK pathway inhibitor.

Breast cancer development and progression are influenced by steroid hormones, particularly estrogen, via their interaction with specific target cell receptors. Tamoxifen is a non-steroidal antiestrogen which is now the most frequently used drug in breast cancer treatment. Tamoxifen is thought to inhibit breast cancer growth by competitively blocking estrogen receptor (ER), thereby inhibiting estrogen-induced growth. ER, a ligand-dependent transcription factor, meditates most biological effects of estrogens on cell and tumor growth [Katzenellenbogen et al., 2000, Recent Prog Norm Res 55:163-195]. In the adjuvant setting after primary surgery for breast cancer, tamoxifen has been shown to prolong disease-free and overall survival, and it has also been shown to induce remissions in more than half of patients with metastatic disease who have ER-positive tumors [Early Breast Cancer Trials Collaborative Group, 1992, Lancet 339:1-14, 71-85; Saez et al., 1989, Current Clinical Oncology, Alan R Liss Inc., New York, pp. 163-172]. Although tamoxif respond to the drug despite the presence of ER. Furthermore, even patients who initially respond eventually acquire tamoxifen resistance, leading to tumor progression and death. The mechanisms for either intrinsic or acquired tamoxifen resistance are unknown, but they are probably multifactorial.
In both animal models and clinical specimens, lower tamoxifen uptake and somewhat altered tamoxifen metabolism in resistant tumors have been observed, but neither appears to explain tamoxifen stimulation of the resistant tumors. Nor do estrogen receptor losses or mutations appear to explain this phenomenon, although altered expression of transcriptional variant forms of the receptor may well contribute. Pure steroidal antiestrogens such as ICI 182, 780 are capable of reversing tamoxifen-stimulated as well as estrogen-stimulated growth of these resistant tumors, and are now in clinical trials for this purpose [Osborne et al., 1994, Breast Cancer Res Treat. 32(1):49-55]. Endocrine treatment of breast cancer is the major form of systemic adjuvant therapy and therapy for metastatic disease. Unfortunately, however, not all tumors will respond, and furthermore, initially responding tumors eventually become resistant to the endocrine treatment, leading to tumor progression and death.
The present inventors are interested in the mechanisms by which tumors develop resistance to tamoxifen, with the ultimate goal of developing new strategies for preventing or reversing the emergence of resistant cells. There are several possible mechanism by which tamoxifen resistance could develop in breast cancer cells. Clues to these mechanisms can be gleaned from an understanding of the myriad effects that tamoxifen has at the cellular level, as outlined in FIG. 1. Tamoxifen binds to the ER and competitively blocks estrogen-induced transcription of specific genes encoding proteins involved with regulation of cell proliferation. Some of these proteins are in fact polypeptide growth factors, such as transforming growth factor α, insulin-like growth factor II, and members of the fibroblast growth factor family, which by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms may enhance tumor growth. Down-regulation of the gene expression of these growth factors by tamoxifen may result in suppression of tumor growth. Oddly enough, breast cancer cells, as well as other tumor cells, may also synthesize and secrete growth inhibitors, such as transforming growth factor-β. Expression of TGFβ is reduced by estrogen, but enhanced by tamoxifen treatment. Thus, increased expression of growth inhibitors by tamoxifen may also contribute to tumor growth suppression. Clearly, alterations in the expression of these growth factors or growth inhibitors, or their specific cell membrane receptors, could provide the tumor cell with sufficient growth stimulation to overcome the tamoxifen block, resulting in tamoxifen resistance. Cross-talk between polypeptide growth factor pathways and ER-mediated events could also theoretically result in tamoxifen resistance. It has been shown, for example, that increasing the level of cellular cyclic AMP pharmacologically alters the cellular response to tamoxifen, converting it from an antiestrogen to a weak estrogen agonist [Fujimoto et al., 1994, Mol Endocrinol. 8(3):296-304]. The mechanism for this phenomenon is not yet understood, but it could be related to changes in the phosphorylation state of the ER itself and/or its coregulatory protein.
Other potential mechanisms for the development of tamoxifen resistance include the loss of or mutations in the ER, or altered expression of the accessory proteins that could modify the transcriptional signal generated by the ligands binding to estrogen receptor. Also, since certain metabolites of tamoxifen are known to be less antiestrogenic, or even to be full estrogen agonists, changed systemic metabolism of tamoxifen or altered uptake or metabolism of tamoxifen in the tumor itself could also result in tamoxifen resistance. Finally, high levels of the so-called antiestrogen binding sites, cytoplasmic binding sites whose function is not yet well understood, could theoretically serve as a sump, soaking up tamoxifen molecules and preventing their binding to ER. Studies of several of these possibilities have been initiated in laboratory models.
Clinical studies with tamoxifen provide several clues for mechanisms by which acquired resistance may develop. Patients whose tumors initially lack ER have a very low response rate to the drug, and thus, selection of an ER-negative clone of tumor cells could result in an estrogen-independent tumor refractory to tamoxifen. Some patients with tamoxifen resistance do develop resistance to all forms of endocrine therapy via selection of an ER-negative tumor cell clone. However, it was recently reported that a series of patients with acquired tamoxifen resistance in whom tumor estrogen and progesterone receptors were measured by both ligand binding and immunohistochemical assays (to circumvent the problem of receptor occupancy by the drug) [Encarnacion et al., 1993, Breast Cancer Res. Treat. 26(3):237-246]. More than 60% of tumors continued to express ER and/or PgR even while progressing in the face of tamoxifen. These data indicate that while ER negativity may account for some cases of resistance, mechanisms of resistance other than receptor loss must be common.
If patients' tumors remain ER-positive after development of tamoxifen resistance, one might expect that some of these tumors have retained estrogen sensitivity and will respond to other endocrine treatments. In fact, clinical experience demonstrates that patients who have initially responded to tamoxifen but who later develop tumor progression, frequently respond to second or third-line endocrine therapies. Thus, acquired tamoxifen resistance in these patients does not necessarily indicate global hormonal unresponsiveness, but rather selective resistance to tamoxifen itself. Although it has not been studied systematically, anecdotal experience suggests that some patients with tamoxifen resistance will respond to a rechallenge with the drug after an interval in which they receive other treatments. Furthermore, clinical reports suggest that patients who receive tamoxifen adjuvant therapy and then later recur, not infrequently will respond to a rechallenge with the drug. This suggests that tamoxifen resistance, in some cases, may not be a permanent phenotype, but rather may be reversible when administration of the drug is stopped. Patients may also respond to an increase in the tamoxifen dose after developing progression with a lower dose schedule. Finally, similar to reports of patients treated with high dose estrogen therapy, some patients who have responded to tamoxifen will have a withdrawal response when the drug is stopped at the time of tumor progression. The prolonged half-life of tamoxifen makes it difficult for clinicians to withhold alternative therapy while waiting for a withdrawal response to the drug. Nevertheless, these data strongly suggest that in some patients with acquired resistance, tamoxifen may actually be stimulating tumor growth.
Two previously published clinical trials also suggest that tamoxifen-stimulated tumor growth may be a cause of tamoxifen resistance in some patients [Pritchard et al., 1980, Cancer Treat Rep. 64(6-7):787-96] [Hoogstraten et al., 1984, Cancer 54(10):2248-2256]. In these studies, premenopausal women with advanced breast cancer were treated with second-line ovarian ablation after they first responded and then progressed on tamoxifen. In one of these studies, the secondary response to ovarian ablation was common in patients who had previously responded to tamoxifen, suggesting that tamoxifen treatment served as an in vivo tumor estrogen sensitivity assay. However, in the other study, opposite results were obtained and no patients responded to second-line ovarian ablation. In this latter study tamoxifen therapy was continued after the surgery, while in the first study tamoxifen treatment was stopped. Secondary response to ovarian ablation would not be expected in the latter study if tamoxifen itself was behaving as an estrogen agonist and stimulating tumor growth. Tamoxifen-stimulated tumor growth as a mechanism for acquired resistance is further supported by data from the present inventor's laboratory as well as others using experimental models. A major focus of the present inventor's group is to better understand mechanisms by which tamoxifen-stimulated tumor growth occurs.

P38 MAPK pathway predicts endocrine-resistant growth of human breast cancer and provides a novel diagnostic and treatment target


The present disclosure describes an apparatus for identifying a refrigerant fluid contained in a tank or in a measuring cell of a system for recharging an air-conditioning plant. The apparatus includes at least one infrared source configured to emit at least radiations with a first emitting intensity at a first wavelength and a second emitting intensity at a second wavelength. A first photodetector is configured to detect a first intensity of infrared radiations at the first wavelength, and a second photodetector is configured to detect a second intensity of infrared radiations at the second wavelength. A processing unit is configured to: calculate a ratio between the first intensity detected by the first photodetector and the second intensity detected by the second photodetector; and according to the Lambert-Beer law, obtain from said ratio a physical magnitude representative of the refrigerant fluid.

In air-conditioning plants for vehicles, various types of refrigerant fluid may be used. In particular, in vehicle repair workshops, R134a and R1234yf are generally used.
Each vehicle model has a corresponding specific type of refrigerant.
Air-conditioning plants are subject to refrigerant fluid losses and require periodic recharging. To do this, devices for keeping air-conditioning plants in such a state that the recovery, recycling, and recharging of the refrigerant fluid may be performed within the plant itself.
The new refrigerant fluid is contained in a tank which is periodically refilled. Sometimes, it may occur that the same tank is used for different vehicle models, and could therefore contain different refrigerant fluids.
Thus, cross-contaminations may occur, which have a detrimental effect on the performance of the air-conditioning plant.
Systems able to identify the refrigerant fluid contained in a recharging system are already known. These systems, although available in a wide range of designs, are concentration meters or sensors based on NDIR technology, which stands for Non-Dispersive Infrared Technology.
The main components of an NDIR meter are:                an infrared source, or IR source;        a measuring cell;        an optical filter;        an infrared radiation photodetector.
The infrared radiation is emitted by the source and passes through the measuring cell (in which the fluid to be analysed is contained) in the direction of the photodetector. The fluid inside the measuring cell determines the absorption of the infrared radiation at specific wavelengths according to the Lambert-Beer law, that is to say:
  I  =            I      0                  e              -        kL            where:                I0 is the intensity of the light emitted by the IR source;        k is the coefficient of attenuation, typical of the fluid passed through, dependent on wavelength and pressure        L is the optical path, that is to say the thickness of the fluid passed through        I is the intensity of the radiation received by the photodetector.
The variation of the radiation incident on the photodetector is used to calculate the concentration of the fluid present within the cell.
The photodetector is equipped with an optical filter, which inhibits the passage of the radiation at all wavelengths, with the exception of that which is absorbed by the fluid to be analysed, making it possible to provide sensors with high selectivity.
Meters based on the Lambert-Beer law require knowledge of I0, that is to say the intensity of the light emitted by the IR source. To this end, the measuring cell must be cleaned before a new measurement is started.
In air-conditioning plants, the residues of refrigerant fluid therefore must be removed before performing the measurement, for example by injecting air into the fluid tank by means of a pump.
This step of preliminary cleaning of the tank, however, increases the measurement time.
In addition, the IR source is formed of a refractive material heated to elevated temperatures (above 1000° C.), resulting in deviations in the intensity of light effectively emitted.
These deviations result in errors, the correction of which complicates the measurement system.
In this context, the objective of the present invention is to propose an apparatus and a method for identifying a refrigerant fluid contained in a tank or in a measuring cell of a system for recharging an air-conditioning plant, which apparatus and method overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

Apparatus and method for identifying a refrigerant fluid contained in a tank or in measuring cell of a system for recharging an air-conditioning plant


The invention makes it possible to achieve an increased labor efficiency in connecting a stepping motor and a circuit board. It is intended to provide a structure of electrical connections between the stepping motor and the circuit board in which a main motor unit of the same construction can be used regardless of whether the circuit board is located at a front surface or at a rear surface of the stepping motor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a circuit board (50) carrying a control circuit is provided on a front surface of a stepping motor (70) from which a drive shaft (711) of the stepping motor (70) projects and first connecting terminals (52) which extend parallel to an axial direction of the drive shaft (711) and connect to the control circuit are provided on the circuit board (50), while a junction board (80) to be electrically connected to the stepping motor (70) is provided on a rear surface of the stepping motor (70), opposite to its front surface from which the drive shaft (711) projects. As the first connecting terminals (52) are inserted into and connected to second connecting terminals (73), which extend parallel to the axial direction of the drive shaft (711) corresponding to the first connecting terminals (52), the second connecting terminals (73) are electrically connected to the junction board (80), thereby establishing electrical connections between the stepping motor (70) and the circuit board (50).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure of electrical connections between a stepping motor and a circuit board. More particularly, it relates to a structure of electrical connections between a stepping motor and a circuit board suitable for those applications in which the stepping rmLtor is used as a prime mover of an analog instrument for a mobile unit, such as a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a cable terminated with or without a connector has usually been used to establish electrical connections between a stepping motor and a circuit board incorporating a control circuit for driving the stepping motor, for instance. This kind of conventional structure requires complex wiring work and inevitably increases the size of an instrument. There exist previous approaches to the solution of this problem, such as those proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 8-111971 and 5-64411. These previous approaches are schematically depicted in FIG. 6, in which a stepping motor 3 rotatably accommodates a rotor 2 having a drive shaft 1, at least an output end of the drive shaft 1 projecting from a front surface (top side in FIG. 6) of the stepping motor 3, terminals 4 extending parallel to an axial direction of the drive shaft 1 are provided on the stepping motor 3, and circuit board 5 is provided on a rear surface (bottom s 4de in FIG. 6) of the stepping motor 3, opposite to its front surface from which the output end of the drive shaft 1 projects, wherein the stepping motor 3 is directly connected to the circuit board 5 by soldering the stepping motor 3 to the circuit board 5, for instance. This structure makes it possible to connect the stepping motor 3 and the circuit board 5 by using an automatic soldering process on a production line so that automation of the wiring work and cost reduction could be achieved.
There exists a growing tendency in recent years to use the stepping motor as a prime mover of an analog instrument installed on a mobile unit, such as a motor vehicle. In such applications, a pointer 6 may be fixed to an extreme end of the drive shaft 1 of the stepping motor 3 with a dial plate 7 located at the back of the pointer 6 as shown by broken lines in FIG. 6. In this kind of analog instrument, an alternative construction as shown in FIG. 7, for example, is occasionally employed. Specifically, terminals 4 of a stepping motor 3 extend in the same direction as the output end of a drive shaft 1 and a circuit board 5 is provided on a front surface (top side in FIG. 7) of the stepping motor 3, where the output end of the drive shaft 1 projects, wherein the output end of the drive shaft 1 passes through the circuit board 5 and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 8 are mounted on the circuit board 5 to illuminate a pointer 6 and a dial plate 7 through a diffuser plate 9. This alternative makes it possible to achieve high-luminosity illumination with a simple construction and to reduce the thickness of the instrument.
When the circuit board 5 is provided on the front surface of the stepping motor 3 as shown in FIG. 7, however, it is not possible to use an automatic soldering process based on flow or reflow soldering technique on a production line, because the output end of the drive shaft 1 projects beyond the circuit board 5. Thus, this alternative construction inevitably requires manual soldering, resulting in a low labor efficiency in electrical wiring and an increase in production costs. A further problem is that the construction of a main motor unit of the stepping motor 3 varies depending on whether the circuit board 5 is located at the front surface or at the rear surface of the stepping motor 3 due to the difference in the structure of the terminals 4 so that it is impossible to use a common main motor unit for the aforementioned two instrument constructions.


There is provided an air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a main drain pan dividing an inner space of the air conditioner into upper and lower halves, a base pan defining a lower outer appearance of the air conditioner, an indoor blower unit that is installed on an upper portion of the main drain pan to guide introduction and discharge of indoor air, and a control box in which a plurality of electronic components controlling the operation of the air conditioner are installed. The control box is installed vertically across the main drain pan.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner and, more particularly, an air conditioner in which a control box in which electronic components are installed are installed in a vertical direction and fixed to a main drain pan and an indoor blower unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an air conditioner includes a compressor, an expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger. The air conditioner uniformly maintains a room temperature to provide an enjoyable atmosphere to human beings.
That is, the air conditioner is a heating/cooling device installed at an indoor space of a room, office, or home to heat or cool the indoor space. The air conditioner has a cooling cycle such as compressor-outdoor heat exchanger-expansion valve-indoor heat exchanger or a heating cycle formed by a reverse circulation of the refrigerant.
Since the conventional air conditioner, however, is large-sized or is generally installed on a wall of a building, it is difficult to move the air conditioner once installed. This is troublesome for a user.
Therefore, recently, a movable air conditioner having wheels at a bottom thereof has been developed to provide a using convenience to the user. Such a movable air conditioner is disclosed in Korean Utility Model No. 0252478.
In the conventional movable air conditioner, a control box occupies a large space, increasing an overall size of the air conditioner. In addition, electronic components that generate heat, such as a capacitor, are disposed in the control box. The control box is enclosed by a cover. Therefore, the electronic components may be damaged by the heat generated and accumulated in the control box.
Furthermore, since an inner space of the control box when the cover is opened is small, it is difficult to mount the electronic components in the control box and the assembling capability is deteriorated.


An air suspension system for a load bearing vehicle which includes a pair of air springs fluidly connected to a pair of auxiliary air reservoirs and to a main air reservoir. The system includes control valves which permit the air in the air springs to be exhausted therefrom to lower the vehicle frame without exhausting the air from the auxiliary air reservoirs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air suspension system for a vehicle and more particularly to an air suspension system for a vehicle which is designed to permit one end of the vehicle to be lowered or kneeled. Even more particularly, the air suspension system of this invention permits the exhaust of air from the air springs of the suspension system, while preventing the exhaust of air from the auxiliary air reservoirs of the suspension system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Link Manufacturing, Ltd. ("Link") of Sioux Center, Iowa, markets an air suspension system under the trademark ULTRARIDE®. In the ULTRARIDE® system of Link Manufacturing, a pair of air springs are utilized to support the rear axle of the vehicle frame. In Link's prior art suspension system, the air may be exhausted from the air springs so that the rearward end of the vehicle frame may be lowered for loading purposes such as is desirable with shuttle buses, ambulances, etc. When the air springs are reenergized, the air compressor (the air source for the suspension system) may be unduly taxed which may potentially decrease its life. Further, in Link's prior art system, it takes some time to bring the vehicle to ride-height again which reduces the "drive away time," which creates problems in the EMS industry where "drive away time" is critical and the vehicle needs to return to ride-height quickly.


A method of providing a realistic broadcasting image including an ultra high definition (UHD) image, the method including generating a first encoding stream from a high definition (HD) image, generating a second encoding stream from at least one of a UHD image and an image restored from the first encoding stream, generating a third encoding stream from at least one of the UHD image and an image restored from the second encoding stream, generating a first transmission stream by applying at least one of packetization, synchronization, and multiplying to the first encoding stream and the second encoding stream, generating a second transmission stream by applying at least one of packetization and synchronization to the third encoding stream, transmitting the first transmission stream via a first transmission channel, and transmitting the second transmission stream via a second transmission channel having a lower transmission capacity than the first transmission channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for providing a realistic broadcasting image, and more particularly, to technology for concurrently providing a high definition (HD) image and an ultra high definition (UHD) image by appropriately distributing encoding streams corresponding to a UHD image, and transmitting the distributed encoding streams via a first transmission channel and a second transmission channel. The realistic broadcasting image includes a UHD image, a three-dimensional (3D) image, and a panorama image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method and system for providing a realistic broadcasting image includes transmitting encoding streams corresponding to a high definition (HD) image via a base layer and transmitting encoding streams corresponding to an ultra high definition (UHD) image via an enhancement layer. In particular, the encoding streams corresponding to the UHD image are transmitted by being divided into the base layer and the enhancement layer.

Method and system for providing realistic broadcasting image

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A device is provided for detecting the ullage level and flow in a vessel by detecting the presence of a solid or liquid material in proximity to a microwave detector. The device may be mounted to the side of the vessel or suspended inside the vessel so as to bring the microwave sensor into proximity with the surface of the contents of the vessel. A microwave bridge circuit may be used to detect a change in either the amplitude or phase of a signal reflected by the material within the vessel compared to a reference signal tuned to either the presence or absence of the anticipated solid or liquid material. In one embodiment, the reflected material signal is compared to the signal from a sample chamber containing the material to be detected. The device can reliably detect the level of multiple interfaces for various materials having distinct electric or magnetic properties.

Various mechanical devices have long been used to determine when the level of material in a tank or other vessel reaches a certain point. Floats and displacers rely upon the buoyant forces of a liquid, while other devices use diaphragms or vibrating elements to sense the presence of a liquid or solid. Such mechanical devices generally have a high maintenance cost due to deterioration or binding of various mechanically moving parts.
Sensing devices which rely upon measuring the weight of the tank contents require precise knowledge of the specific gravity of the material in order to accurately determine the level of material in the vessel. Optical sensors generally require an extremely clean environment for reliable operation, while sonic devices do not function well in foam or dust environments. Finally, conductivity sensing devices cannot be reliably used for determining the level of many solids or liquids in a tank, such as dielectric materials, and capacitive devices generally are restricted to detecting the level of nonconductive materials.
Microwave sensors have a significant advantage over the devices described above in that such devices may be universally employed for detecting the level of almost any solid or liquid, regardless of its conductivity or specific gravity. Moreover, microwave sensors are generally insensitive to dust, vapors, foam layers, or viscous liquid coatings or thin layers of powder on the sides of the vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,993 discloses microwave techniques for detecting the level of a liquid in a vessel. An external chamber constructed of material invisible to microwaves is required, and the system detects amounts of unabsorbed energy to the receiver. Microwave devices of this type experience alignment problems since the transmitter and receiver must be properly positioned with respect to one another.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,218,678, 4,359,902, and 4,044,355 also disclose microwave sensing devices for determining the level of materials in a tank. Microwave devices which utilize radar technology generally seek to determine the travel time of a signal to the detected material and thence to the receiver. The expense and complexity of these devices limits their practical use to situations in which the actual level of the material in the tank must be determined, as compared to devices which simply determine whether the material has or has not reached a certain level.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,572,119 and 4,458,530 are similarly directed to devices intended to quantitatively determine the level of liquid in a vessel. A sensor monitors the alteration of the standing wave passing through the liquid to determine the liquid level.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and improved methods and apparatus are hereinafter described for inexpensively yet reliably determining whether a solid or liquid material in a container has obtained a certain level or if such material is flowing or not.

Sensor and method for ullage level and flow detection


The present invention concerns a method for treating a respiratory distress in a infant in need of such treatment, the method comprising intratracheal administration of a pulmonary surfactant by a thin tube.

The human lung is composed of a large number of small air sacs, called alveoli, in which gases are exchanged between the blood and the air spaces of the lungs. In healthy individuals, this exchange is mediated by the presence of a protein-containing surfactant complex that prevents the lungs from collapsing at the end of expiration.
Lung surfactant complex is composed primarily of lipids and contains minor amounts of various proteins. An absence of adequate levels of this complex results in malfunction of the lung. This syndrome is called Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and is the single most important cause of morbidity and mortality in pre-term infants.
RDS is mainly treated with replacement therapy whereby exogenous pulmonary surfactant preparations extracted from animal lungs, known as modified natural surfactants are administered to the human in need. For instance, modified natural surfactants used in the clinical practice are poractant alfa derived from porcine lung, and sold under the trademark of Curosurf®, beractant (Surfacten® or Survanta®) bovactant (Alveofact®), both derived from bovine lung, and calfactant derived form calf lung (Infasurf®).
Synthetic surfactants mimicking the composition of the modified natural surfactants, and known as reconstituted surfactants, have also been developed.
Exogenous pulmonary surfactants are currently administered by endotracheal instillation as suspension in a saline aqueous solution to intubated pre-term infants kept under intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV).
However, IPPV is in itself an invasive procedure which frequently requires supplemental medication like treatment with sedatives, analgesic agents and catecholamines.
Furthermore IPPV in pre-term infants with RDS has long been recognized to contribute to lung injury which may lead to the development of pneumothorax and/or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BDP); and may cause reduction of mucociliary clearance, mucosal injury, and secondary infections as well as blockage of the endotracheal.
In view of the potential complications associated with intubation and mechanical ventilation, attention has been focused on different approaches of administration of exogenous surfactant.
Since long time, as a possible initial respiratory support for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, use of early nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (nCPAP), that delivers air into the lungs through specially designed nasal devices such as masks, prongs or tubes, has been introduced in neonatal intensive care.
Recently, to give exogenous surfactant without mechanical ventilation, the use of a thin gastric tube placed in the trachea supported with nCPAP has been proposed (Göpel W et al, abstract presented at the 20th International Workshop on Surfactant Replacement, Belfast, Jun. 2-5, 2005, page 12: Kribs, A et al. Paediatr Anaesth. April 2007; 17(4):364-9.).
In particular, Göpel W and colleagues reported on the administration of 60 mg bovine surfactant, diluted to 30 mg/ml, by a 5 Fr gastric tube in spontaneously breathing infants with a mean weight of about 1 kg.
However, to improve the clinical outcome, an initial dose higher than 60 mg/kg body weight, is currently recommended. A dose higher than 60 mg/kg requires a higher concentration of the surfactant preparation to be used, in particular of at least 40 mg/ml.
Since viscosity increases with surfactant concentration, the administration of a concentration of at least 40 mg/ml, by means of a gastric tube that has a very small diameter (5 Fr. corresponds to about 1.7 mm) would be only possible with a surfactant having low viscosity. In fact high viscosities would make the passage of the surfactant through the gastric tube and the small airways more difficult and may therefore result in uneven distribution in the lungs of the pre-term infants. Theoretically, surfactants having high viscosities carry the risk of blockage of the gastric tube and of acute airway obstruction.
In view of the drawbacks of the methods previously used for delivery of exogenous surfactant, alternative therapeutic methods for surfactant administration are needed. Such methods should provide at least identical or, preferably improved clinical outcome without the potential complications associated to endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.
The therapeutic methods and kits disclosed herein provide a real improvement over therapies described in the art.

Method of administration of a pulmonary surfactant

Abstract: The invention also concerns a kit for performing said method.