A latticed packing member for gas-liquid contacting system having an odd number of plural longitudinal strips and an even number of plural lateral strips, the latter number being one less the number of the longitudinal strips. These strips are crossed at right angles on their sides, and the bottom thereof is chamfered. At least one projected area is provided on the strips, on which a notch for engagement is formed. At the center of lattice sections other than sections provided with the projected areas, there is provided a reinforcement with a flat bottom. The longitudinal strip located at the center of the member coincides with the axial center line X of the lateral strip in the direction A of its length, and the axial center line Y of the longitudinal strip in the direction B of its length is formed by the lateral strip which passes the center of the lateral lattice section located at the center. The axial center lines X and Y intersect with each other at the center.

The present invention relates to a packing member for gas-liquid contactors used in gas-liquid contact operations of a chemical reaction apparatus such as a cooling tower and an absorption tower. More particularly, it relates to a lattice packing member which can be stacked in plural layers by alternately arranging the layers at right angles with respect to the layer immediately adjacent thereto.
Air contaminants such as sulfur dioxide contained in the exhaust gas from thermal power stations are generally removed by passing the gas through a gas-liquid contactor. In a chemical reaction apparatus such as the system for desulfurizing flue gas using lime and gypsum, various packing members are used to improve the gas-liquid contact efficiency. A structure consisting of plural strips that are crossed to form a lattice is known as one such packing member. For example, plural longitudinal strips A standing upright on their edges are arranged in parallel and are crossed at right angles with plural lateral strips B also standing upright on their edges, to thereby form an integral lattice structure.
There are two types of packing member with such lattice structure. One consists of a greater number of longitudinal strips A than lateral strips B, the latter being arranged at a larger interval. Thus, the openings in the lattice structure seen in a plan view are formed as a rectangle as in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 50-116372. The other consists of an equal number of longitudinal and lateral strips arranged in a criss-cross manner so that the openings in the lattice structure are formed as a square, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model publication No. Sho 56-51923. These latticed packing members are made of injection-molded plastics and are stacked and installed inside a flue gas desulfurizing system.
In a gas-liquid contactor loaded with such packing members, contaminants are removed from the flue gas as the gas and liquid are contacted. As such, the flow pressure of the gas and the gas-liquid contact efficiency play an important role. Preferably, a packing member should be capable of preventing flow pressure and loss, achieving uniform gas flow, and promoting well-balanced and uniform distribution of gas and liquid in order to effect uniform chemical reactions. Further, they need to have sufficient strength as plural members are stacked one upon the other to facilitate easy loading into the system, and be free of lateral displacement.
In the lattice structure mentioned above in which the lattice openings are formed as a rectangle by allowing a larger interval for the lateral strips B than the longitudinal strips A, flow pressure loss of gas can be reduced. However, because of the larger interval of lateral strips B, the amount of liquid which comes in contact with and flows down along the packing member is small, making the contact efficiency of liquid far from satisfactory. With the other latticed packing member having square openings, one packing member is stacked on another member with an interval secured therebetween by means of projections provided at each junction of the lattice structure. Such packing member makes it difficult to load the same inside a system as the projections get in the way as the member is slid inside, involving troublesome manipulation for loading.

Latticed packing member for gas-liquid contactors


The present invention relates to a timepiece comprising:                a mechanical power source coupled to a time indicating display,        a generator, wherein the mechanical power source is coupled to the generator,        a regulator circuit configured for enslaving a generator frequency of the generator to a reference frequency, wherein the regulator circuit is configured for electrically braking the generator when the generator frequency is higher than the reference frequency, wherein the regulator circuit comprises:        at least a first switch, at least a first inductor and at least a first capacitor, wherein the first switch and the first capacitor are arranged parallel to each other and wherein the first switch and the first capacitor are arranged in series with the first inductor.

The document EP 1 544 692 A1 describes an electromechanical timepiece comprising a mechanical energy source coupled, on the one hand, to a first time related information display means and, on the other hand, to a generator. The electromechanical timepiece further comprises a regulator circuit configured to enslave a generator frequency to a reference frequency. The regulator circuit includes switching means that are arranged for electrically braking the generator when the generator frequency is higher than the reference frequency. There are further provided means for accumulating electrical energy dissipated during generator braking. The energy accumulating means are formed by a voltage step-up circuit electrically connected to the generator.
A braking effect that can be provided by the regulator circuit is rather abrupt and therefore imposes a rather large mechanical shock or mechanical impact to the generator in the event of a braking action.
In view of this it is desirable to provide a rather smooth braking of a generator having a lower but eventually more constant impact on the mechanical components of the generator. It is an aim to prolong the lifetime of the generator and its mechanical components. Furthermore, it is an aim to provide a storage of electrical energy during braking events and to decrease energy losses during braking actions of the generator. Implementation of the timepiece and a regulator circuit thereof should be rather simple and cost-efficient.
The document EP 1 041 464 A2 describes an electronically controlled mechanical timepiece. Said timepiece includes a mechanical power source, an electric power generator driven by the mechanical power source, to provide electrical energy through a rectifier circuit, and a rotation controller driven by the electrical energy in order to control the rotation period of the electric power generator. It further includes a braking circuit connected to the electric power generator. Said braking circuit includes a first switch connected to a first output of the electric power generator and a second switch connected to second output of the electric power generator. The braking circuit is not adapted to provide a storage of electrical energy during braking events and to decrease energy losses during braking actions of the generator, which is a drawback.

The Swatch Group Research and Development Ltd


The present invention provides a communication system comprising a Master unit (1) and at least one Client unit (3), means to automatically establish a wireless bi-directional connection between said Client unit and said Master unit when they are close together; and means to automatically configure a communication interface (5) between said Master unit and said Client unit after connection is established. The invention thus enables systems with different protocols to find and communicate via said configured communication interface (5).

With present communication systems there are some drawbacks due to the fact that communication is necessarily restricted to users having communicators which are configured to exchange data according to a predetermined communication common protocol. For example, cellular network communication systems allow a certain number of subscribers to communicate with each other when they are inside a predetermine region "covered" by the same network.
A first solution to that problem has been provided for by creating "standard" communication system to which most of the mobile phones comply. However, even these "standard" systems, for example the GSM cellular system, are strictly limited to certain types of use mobile communicators such as cellular phones, and do not permit a user to go beyond predetermined regions, or devices.
These problems represent a big obstacle for a world-wide "universal" use of mobile communicators, which may be of different types, such as lap tops, personal digital assistants, mobile phones and the like which can not, at present, communicate with other communication devices wherever located and based on whatever communicating protocol.
In particular, there is a need for a communication system permitting vending apparatus to be joined to users having mobile communicators of different types without specific configuration procedures having to be implemented beforehand.

Communication system with automatic configuration of the communication interface


A system for service control and operations for a telecommunications network. In particular, an architecture and method for a service control and operations element system. The system communicates with a plurality of interconnected telecommunications network elements via a switching and signaling subsystem. The system provides and controls the various functions of the telecommunications network, such as call processing and routing, automatic fault detection and correction, providing services to customers in an interactive manner, fraud detection and control, identification of patterns of abuse of the network, collecting data regarding call activity at each network element, and producing a record of each call placed within the network.

Management of modern telecommunications networks requires performing multiple functions, including call establishment and routing, fault management, call details recording used to compile customer bills, fraud detection and control, new services provisioning, post-dialing delay measurement and time synchronization. Currently, multiple systems within a telecommunications network perform these various functions.
In a telecommunications network, information in the form of signaling messages is exchanged between network elements involved in call establishment and control. Switches, databases and the like are used to carry out the information exchange.
Common channel signaling is an out-of-band technique for exchanging information over channels separate from those used to carry voice or data signals. One well-known signaling technique utilizes the Comite Consultatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique (CCITT) Signaling System no. 7 (SS7) protocol. In the interface between an AT&T network device and a Private Branch Exchange (PEX), a second well known signaling technique utilizes Q.931 protocol. In SS7 protocol, the messages are highly structured information fields of bits that are differentiated from each other by a length indicator. A detailed discussion relating to the format of the SS7 message and to the interrelation of SS7 and Q.931 protocols is given in the CCITT Blue Book, Specification of Signaling System No. 7, Vol. 6 (1988). For a discussion of common channel signaling No. 7 protocol in general, see G.G. Schanger, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communication, Vol. SAC-4, No. 3, pp. 360-65 (1986), and S. Suzuki et al., Review of the Electrical Communication Laboratories, Vol. 28, No. 1-2, pp. 50-65 (1980) (each of which is incorporated herein by reference).
The network elements associated with a typical telecommunications network, such as the AT&T switched network, which are commonly traversed by a call include the following: (1) an originating switch node associated with the network, located in the geographic area of the calling party, which receives a call request message from a local exchange carrier or a competitive access provider, and is responsible for controlling the call set-up; (2) a terminating switch node, also associated with the network, but located in the geographic area of the called party, which connects the call to a local exchange carrier or a private branch exchange associated with the called party; (3) a via switch, used when a direct path between the originating switch node and the terminating switch node is not available because all direct trunks from the originating to the terminating switch nodes are busy, but an idle path exists which may be activated by using the via switch to reach the terminating switch node (for simplicity, references to via switches are omitted in the text and figures); (4) a service control point, which acts as a database that instructs the originating switch node as to the processing and routing of certain calls; and (5) signal transfer points, deployed in mated pairs, connected to the originating switch node, the terminating switch node, and the service control point by access links, used for transferring messages between network elements.
A typical call in North America has a called number of the form NO/1X NXX-XXXX, N being any number 2 through 9, 0/1 being either a 0 or a 1, X being any number 0 through 9, where the 10-digit code from left to right generally represents: a three-digit area code, a three-digit central office code, and a four-digit station number. The area code digits identify a geographic region in North America, the central office code digits identify the central office exchange serving the called party and the station code digits provide identification of the called party.
When the first three digits in the number are 800 or 900, however, the number is not directly associated with a geographic region. Some or all of the digits in an 800/900-type number normally must be translated into a physical destination by a service control point, which maintains a table of 800/900 numbers and the physical destinations associated with the numbers. Such a translation is referred to as a global title translation, and the tables maintained by the service control points are referred to as global title translation tables. The switches and/or signal transfer points maintain tables which identify which service control points serve which 800/900 numbers.
A signaling message flow for a typical call of the type 800 NXX XXXX or 900 NXX XXXX which traverses the various network elements is as follows.
An originating switch node receives a call request message, typically in the form of an initial address message, from a local exchange network or a competitive access provider serving the calling party. The originating switch node validates the message. If an error is detected in the message during the validation process, the call flow ends.
If no error is detected in the message, the originating switch node looks to its global title translation table to determine the identity of a service control point which can provide processing and routing instructions for the call. The global title translation table contains entries representing all numbers served by the network (e.g., 800 NXX XXXX or 900 NXX XXXX). For each dialed number, the table provides a service control point identification and a subsystem number identifying the application at that service control point. If the dialed number does not match an entry in the global title translation table, either the table is in error or the local exchange carrier switch or competitive access provider's switch misrouted the call.
Assuming a valid dialed number entry exists in the table, the originating switch node formulates a query message, also called a transaction capabilities application part message, requesting call routing and processing information. The originating switch node sends the query message to the service control point identified by the global title translation table. In some existing systems, a signal transfer point, instead of the originating switch node, looking at its own global title translation tables, routes a query message to the identified service control point.
After the service control point receives the query message, it formulates a response message containing instructions for processing and routing the call, and forwards the response message back to the originating switch node. If the service control point determines that it does not serve the dialed number received in the query message, the service control point will identify the error in the response message. Thus, the response message may contain instructions for processing and routing the call, or may be used to communicate that the call is being aborted because of an error detected at the service control point.
The originating switch node receives the response message and validates it. Assuming reception and validation of the response message is successful, the originating switch node proceeds to route the call. As part of the routing function, it sends the request message to a terminating switch node via a signal transfer point.
After the terminating switch node receives the request message from the signal transfer point and validates it, it forwards the request message to a local exchange carrier or private branch exchange serving the called party. If a private branch exchange serves the called party, however, the terminating switch node forwards, using Q.931 protocol, a set-up message (equivalent to the request message) to the private branch exchange. In both cases, the signaling in the forward direction for the call is thereby completed.
For a call terminating at a local exchange carrier, the local exchange carrier switch receives the called number, forwards the call to a known telephone destination and sends an address complete message to the terminating switch node indicating that the called party is alerted to the incoming call. For a call terminating at a private branch exchange, the private branch exchange receives the called number, and sends a call proceeding message and an alerting message to the terminating switch node.
After the terminating switch node receives either the address complete message or the alerting message, it regenerates an address complete message and sends it to the originating switch node. The originating switch node forwards the address complete message it receives from the terminating switch node to the local exchange carrier or competitive access provider switch associated with the calling party. Each switch provides a through connection for a voice path. The calling party then hears a ring back tone.
When the called party answers the call, either the called party's local exchange carrier sends an answer message, or the called party's private branch exchange sends a connect message, to the terminating switch node. If the called party is a private branch exchange, the terminating switch node sends a connect acknowledge message to the private branch exchange. Once the terminating switch node receives either the answer message or the connect message, it regenerates an answer message to the originating switch node.
The originating switch node regenerates the answer message to the local exchange carrier or competitive access provider switch associated with the calling party. After the calling and called parties hold a conversation, and the calling party hangs up, the local exchange carrier or competitive access provider switch sends a release message to the originating switch node. The originating switch node then sends the release message to the terminating switch node.
For a call completing to a local exchange carrier, the terminating switch node sends the release message to the local exchange carrier. The local exchange carrier responds with a release complete message, resulting in the call being torn down. The breakdown of a Q.931 connection to a private branch exchange requires the terminating switch node to send a disconnect message to the private branch exchange. The private branch exchange then sends a Q.931 release message to the terminating switch node. The terminating switch node in response sends a Q.931 protocol release complete message to the private branch exchange, which also results in the call being torn down.
The same call flow usually applies when the dialed number contains an area code indicating a geographic region associated with the called party, except that originating switch nodes are often able to route these calls based on their own routing tables, using additional information from automatic number identification tables and dialed number tables, without sending query messages to service control points for routing and processing instructions.
When services based on calling and called numbers are offered to network customers, automatic number identification tables and dialed number tables are maintained by each switch. Each table may contain millions of entries, and the number of entries increases as the services offered to a large population are expanded.
Network customers maintaining an 800 or 900 number often subscribe to a time-of-day routing service, such that their calls are directed to different telephone destinations at different times of the day. The translation of an 800 or 900 number to a physical destination based on time-of-day is performed by a service control point which uses its own local clock as a time reference. Typically, there is no provision for clock synchronization throughout the network, so that if the local clock is not accurate, calls of customers subscribing to a time-of-day routing service may be directed to the wrong location.
Customers may also subscribe to a data collection and reporting service which provides information regarding the distribution of 800 or 900 calls by time-of-day, day-of-week, etc. as well as distribution by destination and origin of calls. This information is commonly generated by service control points and sent periodically to a central computer. Alternatively, equipment is placed on each incoming and outgoing SS7 signaling link to collect messages going to or coming from each service control point. These data collection methods, however, do not provide information regarding calls which failed in the call set-up stage, such as calls which never reached a service control point. In addition, part of the processing power of the service control point is expended to perform these functions when the service control point collects and sends data to a central computer, and placing equipment to collect data on each link to each service control point represents a cumbersome and costly method of data collection.
Post-dialing delay, i.e., the delay between dialing of the called number and the receipt of the ring-back tone, has become a direct measure of the quality of network performance. Currently, measurement of post-dialing delay is limited because there is no satisfactory mechanism in place to monitor post-dialing delay on an ongoing basis.
The call details recording function for customer billing for a telecommunications network is commonly performed by originating switch nodes. An originating switch node analyzes the per call messages corresponding to the calls it controls, as described above. The switch node sets call billing parameters for a call when it receives the response message containing processing and routing information for the call from a service control point. The switch node notes the time the called party answered and the time the connection was released, and prepares a call detail record. Call detail records are forwarded to a data-processing center where the data is periodically processed to compute customer charges.
Utilizing the originating switch node to perform these functions results in limited flexibility for user-defined billing, and the inability to detect and control fraud or abuse of the telecommunications network, such as stalking, in real-time. A stalker is a person who places a call to a target party for purposes of harassment, etc. When the called party answers, the stalker hangs up. Currently, the call is not billed and there is no record of the stalker's abusive calls. Also, since data regarding calls is collected from originating switch nodes and other network elements only periodically, real-time detection of faults in the network is not possible.
Fault management has been handled in various ways in prior art systems, none of which are completely satisfactory. In one common practice, when an error is detected during the validation process performed by a network element, the network element responsible for validating the message stores the data regarding the error. The network element is then typically polled to retrieve the error data, or programmed to report the error data at predetermined intervals to a central computer. This can result in errors occurring and remaining undetected for a certain period of time.
Alternatively, selected calls entering a network system can be placed under surveillance by setting a predetermined bit called a surveillance bit in the messages associated with a particular call. The messages with their surveillance bits set are copied and forwarded to a processing element by each network element traversed by the call. As a result, a history for each selected call is provided up to the call's failure. For a detailed discussion of such a call surveillance technique, see Bhusri, U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,849. A description of a network element architecture capable of switching messages between the other network elements and also of reproducing the message and forwarding the reproduced message over a data network to a central processor may also be found in Bhusri at col. 5.
Even using the call surveillance technique, inability to effectively and efficiently monitor the status of each call entering a telecommunications system in real-time may result in errors occurring and going undetected.

Service and information management system for a telecommunications network


A die assembly for draw stamping sheet metal in a press. The die assembly has an upper die structure and a lower die structure, each constructed and arranged to me mounted on a press for reciprocal movement therebetween. The upper die structure and the lower die structure have complementary stamping surfaces for stamping sheet metal to a desired configuration. A clamping assembly and a stretching assembly grip the sheet metal along opposite sides of the complementary stamping surfaces and drivingly move apart in response to movement of the upper and lower die structures toward one another, thus pre-stretching the sheet metal as the upper and lower die structure are closed to stamp the sheet metal to a desired configuration.

In conventional draw stamping methods and draw stamping die assemblies, it has been known to effect a pre-stretching operation for pre-stretching the sheet metal to be stamped so as to work harden the sheet metal before it is drawn to the shape of the die cavity. A number of patents illustrate this principle, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,113,607; 2,961,028; and 4,698,995. However, in prior art arrangements, the pre-stretching of material requires the use of separate hydraulic clamping and stretching assemblies which are moved to pre-stretch the sheet metal under the force of independently provided hydraulic power. The prior art arrangements are rather inefficient, cumbersome, and not very cost-effective. In addition, the prior art is lacking an arrangement wherein a pre-stretch operation can be accomplished efficiently in a conventional die press, and by utilizing the force or tonnage provided by the press.


A method in an online game system is disclosed. The method comprises steps of providing a plurality of data files in a file directory of a file system, processing encoded file system information by encoding the plurality of data files and file directory information, storing the encoded file system information in a central memory device accessible by a plurality of client devices, and performing an online session in one of the plurality of client devices, the online session comprising steps of receiving a request for a data file of the plurality of data files, the request comprising request information identifying the data file, receiving at least part of the encoded information from the central memory device in a local memory device assigned to the client device, determining whether the data file requested is available in the local memory device, comprising a step of comparing the request information to the encoded information received in the local memory device, and, if it is determined that the data file is not available in the local memory device, loading the data file from the central memory device into the local memory device. Furthermore, an online game system is provided. (FIG. 1).

For a plurality of users, an online game system provides the opportunity for collaborative online gaming. The system is provided with a communications network or communications architecture comprising a central server device and a plurality of client devices. The client devices are connectable to the central server device for data exchange, especially for the purpose of implementing an online session for collaborative gaming. Data exchange may be performed, for example, via the internet. Also, the online game system is provided with memory device for storing electronic data, such as a central memory device accessible by the central server device and the client devices. In addition, the client devices are provided with local memory device which may comprise local memory of different levels, such as a first level cache and a second level cache.
In the course of an online gaming session performed for one of the client devices from the plurality of client devices, substantial data exchange is happening between the local memory device assigned to that client device and the central memory device. Such data exchange, usually, is using a data exchange protocol such as HTTP. Especially in view of the increasing number of users, there is need for technologies optimizing processes related to the data exchange in the online game system.


The present invention provides an apparatus and method for performing protected pulse irrigation. An impervious collapsible enclosure is provided to encompass that portion of the body upon which the area to undergo pulse irrigation is located. The enclosure provides the person performing pulse irrigation with the freedom of movement and visibility necessary to adequately irrigate the area of interest, while preventing contact with contaminated irrigation fluid and other biological materials.

Pressure or pulse irrigation has been shown to decrease infection rates in open wounds. During pulse irrigation the wound is bathed with a small stream of compressed air/fluid (generally a saline solution) at relatively high pressure to dislodge dead tissue and foreign contamination. Pressures up to 70 to 75 psi are used to attain the desired beneficial results. As little as 250 cc of irrigation fluid may be used in the procedure, but often as much as three (3) to six (6) liters of fluid are used to ensure proper cleansing and of the wound and removal of end coverage. Many hand, foot and other open injuries occur each year for which pulse irrigation provides beneficial results. Additionally, pulse irrigation is used in a number of operative procedures such as prosthetic joint replacement, in which it is used to remove bone fragments from the area of prosthesis.
Under current practices, however, the person performing the pulse irrigation and those other surgical support personnel in the immediate area are placed at risk of contracting infectious diseases borne in contaminated irrigation materials which splash off the open wound (including an area of surgery), are aerosolized or otherwise escape into the surrounding atmosphere. Some pulse irrigation systems are equipped with partial shields to prevent splashing of contaminated materials directly back toward the operator, but do not prevent peripheral splashing (which can soak the shoes of the operator and others in the periphery as well the floor and drapes) or aerosolization. The resultant risk of infection from such escaping materials during treatment of wounds in individuals with infectious diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis, makes pulse irrigation a possibly dangerous procedure to a treating physician and attending staff. It would therefore be highly desirable and advantageous to develop an enclosure system for use during pulse irrigation to isolate contaminated irrigation fluids and tissue from those persons in proximity to the patient.
Even before the recent discovery of the benefits of pulse irrigation, wounds have been treated with numerous fluids using a number of procedures to induce proper healing. Various enclosures have been developed to keep such fluids in proximity to the wound undergoing treatment. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,288,140 issued to McCarthy, for example, a method and apparatus for treatment of surface wounds by fluids is disclosed. The McCarthy apparatus comprises a cup or chamber into which a fluid is introduced. The cup provides a sealed chamber around the wound. The cup is first filled with fluid and then additional fluid is injected through an inlet to create a stirred bath. The apparatus is also provided with an outlet located above both the wound and the inlet to allow excess fluid to exit the cup or chamber. The cup is manufactured from plastic, hard rubber, porcelain and other materials impervious to the fluid being used. The inlet tube is disposed within the cup so as to allow angular movement but to prevent axial movement. The patient being treated with the device can thus change the angle of the inlet tube to direct the path of incoming fluid to different areas of the wound.
The use of fluids in treating infections has also been used in the treatment of animals. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,052, issued to Verch, et al., a device for treating infections in animals is disclosed. The device is particularly suited to the treatment of mastitis infection in female animals, and is particularly directed to the infection of the mammary glands of cows. The Verch, et al. device includes a cup or chamber into which an inlet tube is connected. Fluid is introduced into the chamber so as to create a turbulent flow around the affected area similar to the action of a whirlpool. The stimulation of the affected area causes an increase in blood flow to that area, which helps in the treatment of the infection.
A similar device for the washing and cleansing of an udder and teat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,423 issued to Sparr. The Sparr device includes a cup which is positioned to accommodate the teat of a COW. The bottom of the cup includes a valving means having an enclosed nipple which aims the solution towards the opening of the teat where the infection (mastitis) usually starts. The solution in the cup is in a state of swish-swashing turbulence and is suitably drained via an outlet tube.
Cups or chambers into which an irrigating fluid is injected have also been used to remove obstructions from the human eye. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,599, issued to Thomas, for example, an eye cup having a rim portion that conforms to the orbit portion which surrounds the eye is disclosed. The eye cup is placed over the eye and forms a liquid-confining chamber adjacent to the eye. The skin above and below the eye is drawn away from the eye with the eye cup being pushed against the skin so that the rim portion applies sufficient pressure against the skin to hold the eye open. Eyewash is delivered to the eye and drained from the chamber via inlets and outlets, respectively. The eyewash is delivered into the chamber so as to contact the side of the eye and not the cornea directly, thereby preventing blepharal spasms.
Portable enclosures or chambers have also been used in connection with the inducement of healing of wounds by hyperbaric oxygenation treatment. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,259, issued to Frech, et al., a hyperbaric oxygenation apparatus comprising a chamber in the form of a disposable inflatable bag of impervious, synthetic resinous material is disclosed. The chamber is designed to fit over the affected area and forms a non-leak enclosure into which oxygen can be introduced through a single port in fluid connection with the chamber. The pressure of the oxygen in the chamber is pulsated between maximum and minimum positive values. The patient cyclically experiences first a medicinal increase in the blood gas level in the limb under treatment with a corresponding restrictive blood flow and, thereafter, a progressive return to normal blood flow rates in the limb of the patient as the pressure in the chamber changes from maximum to minimum positive pressure. The pressure loss problem associated with prior portable hyperbaric oxygenation apparatus was solved by a novel cuff or sleeve preventing inversion under positive pressure. A portable hyperbaric oxygen chamber is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,491.
Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,238, issued to Rich, a wound infection prevention device is disclosed which comprises a porous pad encased in an air-impervious bag to which the upper and lower surfaces of the pad are attached. The device includes an annular channel surrounding the periphery of the pad to which air may be fed under pressure via a single air inlet port. The device is placed around a wound on the skin of the patient and air is fed into the annular chamber. The air passes through the porous pad and then flushes upwardly over the wound to prevent dust and airborne bacteria from falling upon the wound.
None of the above devices provides a chamber or enclosure suitable for use during pulse irrigation of a wound to isolate contaminated materials from those persons in the immediate area of the procedure. Enclosures previously designed for use with liquid treatment cannot withstand the relatively high pressures used in pulse irrigation without leakage, aerosolization or other escapage of the liquid or contaminated material. The person performing pulse irrigation also needs to have an unobstructed view of the wound. Furthermore, the operator should have freedom to maintain substantially complete control over the position of the pulse irrigation nozzle to adequately control the direction of the pulse. Moreover, because pulse irrigation is used under the time constraints experienced in operating room and emergency room procedures, a device developed for use with pulse irrigation should be capable of quick yet substantially fail-safe application.


An apparatus for friction stir welding is described that includes a stationary assembly having a bore therethrough, the bore having an inner diameter, and a rotational assembly having a welding end. At least the welding end of the rotational assembly extends through the bore. A portion of the rotational assembly is adjacent the inner diameter of the bore. At least one of the adjacent portion of the rotational assembly and the inner diameter of the stationary assembly are configured such that rotation of the rotational assembly will cause plasticized material from a welding process that has entered an area between the adjacent portion and the inner diameter to move towards a welding zone located proximate the welding end.

This disclosure relates generally to welding processes and more specifically, to methods and systems to facilitate flash reduction and weld integrity in friction stir welding processes.
Friction stir welding is typically utilized for joining together work pieces of materials such as metals and plastics. A friction stir welding tool has a shoulder at its distal end and a non-consumable rotatable welding pin extending downward centrally from the shoulder. Some known friction stir welding tools include a shoulder fixed in position with respect to the pin and other known friction stir welding tools include a pin that is movable with respect to the shoulder.
In a typical friction stir weld operation, two work pieces are supported on a backing plate and are positioned so that the work piece edges where the weld is to be formed are held in direct contact to form an interface. The tool is then positioned so that the rotating pin is in contact with the work pieces at the interface. The rotation of the pin against the work piece materials produces a large amount of frictional heating in both the welding pin and the plate. This heat causes the work piece materials to soften in the vicinity of the rotating pin, which results in the formation of a weld.
In one form of friction stir welding, the tool is moved longitudinally along the interface between the two work pieces, thereby forming an elongate weld along the interface. The welding tool shoulder facilitates reducing softened, or plasticized, work piece materials from escaping upwards and away from the weld being formed. When the weld operation is completed, the welding tool is retracted.
Known drive apparatus are utilized to move, or drive, the welding tool along the weld path. One known drive apparatus includes a conventional milling machine used in metalworking. Such milling machines are particularly suited to maintain a fixed gap between the distal end of the pin tool and the surface of the backing plate. Another type of known drive apparatus is known as a "constant vertical force machine", and it applies a downward force along the vertical axis of the pin until a predetermined force is reached. This type of "constant vertical force" machine is particularly suited to maintaining a precise contact between the friction stir welding tool shoulder and the upper surface of the materials to be welded.
The above described friction stir welding processes are sometimes referred to as continuous path retractable pin tool welding. During such welding process, parent materials are heated to a plastic or malleable state. As explained above, as the parent materials soften, such softened materials tend to migrate or draw up between an outer diameter of the tool and an inner diameter of the shoulder holding the pin. As a result, some amount of the plasticized materials between the two surfaces escapes from the weld process, and such lost material is commonly referred to as flash. The volume of material that migrates away from the weld can sometimes cause anomalies such as voids and undesirable surface indentations.
Another known friction stir welding process is commonly referred to as friction stir spot welding. During friction stir spot welding, parent materials are heated to a plastic or malleable state. As these materials soften, they also tend to migrate up between the outer diameter of the tool shoulder and the inner diameter of a clamping anvil, allowing the plasticized parent materials between the two surfaces to escape from the weld process. As with the continuous path retractable pin tool welding process, the volume of material that migrates away from the weld can sometimes cause anomalies such as voids and undesirable surface indentations.

Methods and apparatus for retractable pin friction stir welding and spot welding


A system and process for generating and using mixed raster content files is described. MRC files may be created directly from an application, rather than being processed from a composite image, to separate a single image into background, foreground, and selection masks for each page. Also, an improved MRC structure is described in which only relevant portions are contained in background, foreground, and selection layers for each page.

The use of non-modifiable files has increased with the growth of the internet. One standard file format for publishing documents is the Adobe Acrobat file format (generally associated with the extension .PDF). Other file formats include JPEG and bitmap files. A benefit of these files is that one can use these file formats to exchange information on the internet with minimal concern for modification of the documents.
Another file format that is commonly used is the MRC or mixed raster content file. This file format separates an image into three equally sized images and stores them at different resolutions and, in some cases, with different compression rates or technologies. FIG. 2 shows a typical process for generation of MRC files. An image generator 301 outputs a source image 302. Source image 302 has an image resolution of 300 dpi. The source image 302 is separated by a separation process 303 into three separate images 304–306. The three separate images include a black/white (B/W) mask image 304, a foreground image 305, and a background image 306. The three images 304–306 have the same dimensions (x,y) as the source image 302. As shown in FIG. 2, the resolutions of the three images 304–306 are shown as 300 dpi, 300 dpi, and 100 dpi, respectively. The three images may be selectively compressed by compression process 307 to various degrees by different compression technologies.
Despite the benefits of being able to decompose a source image 302 into various other files 304–306, MRC files suffer from a long decomposition process (separation process 303), as is known in the art. The separation process 303 attempts to analyze all components of an image and separate out aspects for inclusion in each of the files 304–306. A need exists to generate MRC files without the long delay.
Also, the composite files 304–306 may be large while having little content. FIG. 3 shows a sample conventional MRC file. The file includes three layers including background layer 401, selector layer or black/white or B/W mask layer 402, and foreground layer 403. For purposes of illustration, the composite image 411 is shown as the resultant image when the three layers (401–403) are combined. As is known in the art, background layer has a color depth per pixel of 24 bits per pixel (24 bpp), selector layer has a color depth per pixel of 1 bpp, and foreground layer has a color depth of 24 bpp.
Each layer comprises one image. Each image has the same dimensions (x,y) (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). For example, background layer 401 includes one image with content 404 in the center. Selector layer 402 includes one image with three sets of content 405–407. The content 405 is "Black Text," which is intended to represent black text. Content 406 is "Color Text A," which is text that has color A in composite image 411, yet is represented in selector layer 402 as black text. This is because selector layer 402 only has a 1 bpp color depth. Similarly, content 407 is "Color Text B," which is text that has color B in composite image 411, yet is black text in selector layer 402. Foreground layer 403 includes three sets of color palettes including black 408, color A 409, and color B 410. A concern with the MRC file of FIG. 3 is the significant amount of unused space. The unused space increases the underlying image size of each layer. This unused space increases time needed for encoding, decoding, and composition stages. Also, the combination of unused space with content sometimes results in poor compression of the layers. Accordingly, a need exists to minimize unused space in the composite files 304–306.


A head 4 includes a socket 10 and a weight body 12. The socket 10 has an upper hole part 18 and a lower hole part 20. The weight body 12 has an engaging part 32. The lower hole part 20 and the engaging part 32 can be relatively rotated. By the relative rotation, the weight body 12 can take an engaging position EP and non-engaging position NP. The engaging part 32 has an outermost part E1. The lower hole part 20 has a first portion 20x and a second portion 20y. The outermost part E1 can pass through the first portion 20x while compressively deforming the first portion 20x. A distance D2 between the second portion 20y and an axis line Z is greater than a distance D1 between the first portion 20x and the axis line Z.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head including a weight body.
2. Description of the Related Art
A head capable of replacing a weight body has been known. The position of the center of gravity of the head and the weight of the head can be adjusted by changing the weight of the weight body.
As a mechanism for attaching the weight body, a screw mechanism is typical. Meanwhile, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3142270 (US2009/0131200) discloses a mechanism including a sleeve and a weight. The sleeve is formed of a material having flexibility. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-139403 (US2012/0172142) discloses a head cavity body attached to a head and a head weight detachably attached to the head cavity body. The material of the head cavity body is a polymer. In these gazettes, the weight can be attached by a rotation of a predetermined angle, and the weight can be detached by a reverse rotation of a predetermined angle.


A frozen dough comprising flour, a high yeast level comprising one or more yeast with activity covering temperature range of 33-140° F., emulsifiers, dough conditioners, stabilizers, sugar, lipid source and optionally supplemental gluten such that the frozen dough does not require a conventional proofing (proofer) step prior to freezing or prior to baking. When the frozen dough is thawed in a retarder at 33-42° F. for at least 12 hours, or at an elevated temperature of between 43-85° F. for at least 1 hour, and then baked, the baked products have good appearance, taste and texture, and a specific volume of at least 4 cc/gram.

Freshly-baked products are generally preferred by consumers because of their "fresh" taste and aroma. However, the traditional way of preparing freshly baked products is time-consuming. A step that requires a significant amount of time and human care is proofing—during which yeast produces carbon dioxide that expands the product which leads to further expansion during baking. Proofing requires a proofer with temperature and humidity control, as well as experienced personnel attending to the proofing process over the duration of proofing (usually >1 hr).
Many frozen doughs also require proofing. In some frozen doughs, the dough is proofed prior to freezing. A significant time is required for pre-proofing. Additionally, pre-proofed doughs do not have long storage life. In some other frozen doughs, the dough is not proofed but requires chemical leavening.
Frozen doughs have been described that do not need a proofing step, but such doughs typically have chemical leavening agents which may be either very high in level (U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,417), or require more than one acid (WO 01/32023 A1). The former produces a product having biscuit-like taste and texture, and the latter results in a loss of leavening agent's gassing power during storage of the frozen doughs thereby limiting the storage time.


The invention relates to methods for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis by assaying for Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha expression in rheumatoid, myofibroblast like synoviocytes. Therapeutic aspects are also a part of the invention.

FAP-α is a Mr 95 kDa cell surface-bound type II transmembrane glycoprotein and is a member of the serine prolyl oligopeptidase family. Comparison of amino acid sequences indicate that FAP-α is essentially identical to seprase (Goldstein L A, et al., Biochim Biophys Acta 1997, 1361(1):11-19) and is closely related to DPP IV (dipeptidylpeptidase IV), also known as CD26, another type II integral membrane protein. (Morimoto C, et al., Immunol Rev 1998, 161:55-70). These exoproteases cleave NH2-terminal dipeptides from polypeptides with L-proline or L-alanine immediately following the N-terminal amino acid. FAP-α has been found to have collagenase activity in vitro. (Goldstein L A, et al., supra; Jones B, et al., Blood 2003, 102(5):1641-1648). In addition to various families of proteolytic enzymes, such as matrix or disintegrin metalloproteases that serve as major collagenases, peptidase activity of FAP-α contributes to extracellular matrix ("ECM") degradation. (Park J E, et al., J Biol Chem 1999, 274(51):36505-36512; Ghersi G, et al., J Biol Chem 2002, 277(32):29211-29241). This is not only a fundamental property of normal tissue repair and remodeling, but is also involved in the pathological processes of invasive growth. This property correlates with the expression of FAP-α in granulation tissue of healing wounds (Grinnell F, J Cell Biol 1994, 124(4):401-404), desmoplastic reactions (Yen T W, et al., Surgery 2002, 131(2):129-134), and in more than 90% of human epithelial carcinomas. (Garin-Chesa P, et al., Proc Nat'l Acad Sci USA 1990, 87(18):7235-7239). FAP-α is mainly expressed on the surface of mesenchymal cells that are involved in epithelium-mesenchyme interactions contributing to tissue remodeling. Consistent with its mesenchymal origin, FAP-α is also occasionally expressed by bone and soft tissue sarcomas. (Rettig W J, et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1988, 85(9):31103114). Immunohistochemical staining of colorectal carcinomas and breast cancer (Park J E, et al., supra; Scanlan M J, et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1994, 91(12):5657-5661) confirmed the specific expression of FAP-α by tumor stroma fibroblasts but not by malignant cells themselves. (See also, Sappino A P, et al., Int J Cancer 1988, 41(5):707-712). Observations made during a clinical Phase I study, which examined the biodistribution of a humanized anti-FAP-α antibody in patients with advanced or metastatic PAP-a-positive cancer, a minor low-grade uptake in the knees and shoulders of three patients without clinical symptoms of arthritis, could have led to the conclusion that FAP-α might also be present in human joints. (Scott A M, et al., Clin Cancer Res 2003, 9(5):1639-1647). Unfortunately, no further explanation or discussion of this observation was presented. Further, it is unknown whether these patients were suffering from osteoarthritis. In contrast, resting fibrocytes in normal adult tissue generally lack detectable FAP-α expression. (Rettig W J, et al., supra; Garin-Chesa P, et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1990, 87(18):7235-7239).
Further information on FAP-α can be found in, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,587,299; 5,767,242; 5,965,373; and 6,846,910, incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Rheumatoid arthritis ("RA") is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology and characterized by hyperplasia and chronic inflammation of the synovial membranes that invade deeply into the articular cartilage and bone. Activated fibroblast-like synoviocytes ("FLS") in the lining layer of the synovium are one of the dominant cells involved in pannus formation and are key players in joint destruction. (Firestein G S, Arthritis Rheum 1996, 39(11):1781-1790; Pap T, et al., Arthritis Rheum 2000, 43(11):2531-2536). Rheumatoid FLS have been shown to proliferate in an anchorage independent manner and express increased proliferation markers and matrix degrading enzymes when compared with FLS from patients with osteoarthritis ("OA"). (Qu Z, et al., Arthritis Rheum 1994, 37(2):212-220; Bucala R, et al., J Exp Med 1991, 173(3):569-574; Lafyatis R, et al., J Clin Invest 1989, 83(4):12671276). Expression of the CD44v7/8 epitope is linked to the proliferative behavior of FLS obtained from patients with RA, whereas expression of variants containing CD44v3 is linked with their increased invasive capacity (Croft D R, et al., Eur J Immunol 1997, 27(7):1680-1684; Wibulswas A, et al., Am J Pathol 2000, 157(6):2037-2044; Wibulswas A, et al., Arthritis Rheum 2002, 46(8):2059-2064). Matrix metalloproteases ("MMP") have been shown to be essential for degradation of the articular matrix, with MMP-1 and MMP-13 being considered as important candidates for joint destruction in RA (Tomita T, et al., Arthritis Rheum 2002, 46(2):373-378; Westhoff C S, et al., Arthritis Rheum 1999, 42(7):1517-1527). Invasion of migratory fibroblasts into connective tissue, however requires cell surface serine proteases, as well as metallocollagenases. (Ghersi G, et al., supra). Among these exoproteases that may cooperate with interstitial collagenase are groups of serine prolyl-peptidases such as DPP IV/CD26 and FAP-α/seprase. (Park J E, et al., supra; De Meester I, et al., Immunol Today 1999, 20(8):367-375). Fibroblasts with smooth muscle differentiation, termed myofibroblasts, are generally accepted to be the main source for extracellular matrix degrading factors. Furthermore, FLS with a myofibroblast-like molecular phenotype have been identified in the intimal lining layer of inflamed rheumatoid synovium. (Kasperkovitz P V, et al., Arthritis Rheum 2005, 52(2):430-441).
Despite the elucidation of FLS as a key player in joint inflammation and proteolytic enzymes like MMPs as representative markers for ECM degradation, no anti-fibroblast directed therapy is currently available. Approaches to inhibit the joint destructive process in RA by elimination or inhibition of one proteolytic enzyme did not produce sufficient results in clinical trials regardless of supportive in-vivo results. (Schedel J, et al., Gene Ther 2004, 11(13):1040-1047; Lewis E J, et al., Br J Pharmacol 1997, 121(3):540-546; Brown P D, Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2000, 9(9):2167-2177).
The difference between the targeting strategies of the approaches described supra, and a FAP-α-specific targeting approach, results from the substantial potential of FAP-α as a specific marker for synovial fibroblasts in RA, as described in the Detailed Description which follows. Thus, an embodiment of the present invention includes a diagnostic methodology for determining presence of RA in a patient, involving assaying a synovial tissue sample taken from the patient for the expression of FAP-α, wherein the expression of FAP-α is indicative of presence of RA in the patient.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a therapeutic methodology involving inhibition of FAP-α playing its role in tissue remodeling, as well as focusing antibody mediated cytotoxic activity on this synovial cell type to eradicate FAP-α's role in the joint destructive process. It has now been found that these deleterious cells can be identified via analysis of at least one marker on their cellular surfaces. Identification of this marker has therapeutic ramifications which are set forth in the disclosure which follows.
These, as well as other features of the invention, will be disclosed in greater detail in the Detailed Description which follows.

Method for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis via assaying myofibroblast-like synoviocytes for fibroblast activation protein


A driving device of a display device includes: a data signal line driving circuit including a shift register which has (i) multiple stages of flip-flops each of which operates in synchronism with a source clock signal and (ii) a level shifter for boosting the source clock signal whose amplitude is smaller than a driving voltage of each of the flip-flops so as to apply the driving voltage to the flip-flop, said data signal line driving circuit causing a sampling circuit to sample the image display data signal based on an output from the shift register so as to output the image display data signal to the data signal line; and control means for causing a frequency of the source clock signal in case of displaying an image to be higher than a frequency of the source clock signal in case of normal display in which multi-gradation display is performed in a full-color mode. Thus, it is possible to provide a driving device of a display device, a display device, and a driving method of the display device, whereby it is possible to reduce power consumption caused by an invalid current of the level shifter.

In a data signal driving circuit and a scanning signal driving circuit of an image display device, a shift register is widely used in order to determine a timing at which each data signal line samples an image signal and in order to generate a scanning signal provided to each scanning signal line.
While, more power is consumed in an electronic circuit in proportion to a frequency, a load-carrying capacity, and a square of a voltage. Thus, in an image-display-device-connected circuit such as a circuit for generating an image signal to the image display device or in the image display device for example, a driving voltage tends to be set to be a lower voltage in order to reduce the power consumption.
For example, in a circuit using a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor in order to obtain a wider display area like the data signal line driving circuit or the scanning signal line driving circuit, a threshold voltage difference reaches, for example, about 4V between substrates or even in a single substrate, so that reduction of the driving voltage is insufficiently realized. However, like the circuit for generating an image signal, it is often that the driving voltage is set to be, for example, 3.3V or lower in a circuit using a polycrystalline silicon transistor. Thus, in case of applying a clock signal lower than the driving voltage of the shift register, a level shifter for boosting the clock signal is provided on the shift register. An image display device having such a level shifter is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000/339984 (Tokukai 2000-339984)(publication date: Dec. 8, 2000) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001/307495 (Tokukai 2001-307495)(publication date: Nov. 2, 2001).
An arrangement and operations of the level shifter disclosed in the foregoing publications are described as follows.
As shown in FIG. 16, when a clock signal CK whose amplitude is about 3.3V for example is applied to the shift register 100, a level shifter 110 boosts the clock signal CK up to a driving voltage (for example, 8V) of the level shifter 100. The boosted clock signal CK is applied to each of flip-flops F1 to Fn, and a level shifter section 120 shifts a start signal SP in synchronism with the clock signal CK.
Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 17 for example, the level shifter 110 includes: a level shift section 111 for shifting a level of the clock signal CK; a power supply control section 112 for stopping supplying power to the level shift section 111 during a stop period in which it is not required to supply the clock signal CK; an input control section (switch) 113 for separating the level shift section 111 from a signal line, via which the clock signal CK is transmitted, during the stop period; input signal control sections 114 each of which turns off an input switching element of the level shift section 111 during the stop period; and an output stabilizing section 115 for keeping an output of the level shift section 111 at a predetermined value during the stop period.
The level shift section 111 includes: p-channel MOS transistors P11 and P12, serving as a difference input pair at an input stage, whose sources are connected to each other; a constant current source Ic for supplying, for example, a driving voltage Vcc of 8V to each of the sources of the transistors P11 as a predetermined current; n-channel MOS transistors N13 and N14 which constitute a current mirror circuit so as to serve as an active load of the transistors P11 and P12; and transistors P15 and N16 having a CMOS structure so as to amplify an output of the difference input pair.
The clock signal CK is inputted to a gate of the transistor P11 via the transistor N31, and an inverse clock signal CKB which is an inverse signal of the clock signal is inputted to a gate of the transistor P12 via the transistor N33. Further, gates of the transistors N13 and N14 are connected to each other, and are connected to a drain of the transistors P11 and N13. While, the drain of the transistors P11 and N13 connected to each other is connected to a gate of the transistors P15 and N16. A source of the transistor P15 is connected to the driving voltage Vcc. Note that, sources of the transistors N13 and N14 are grounded via the n-channel MOS transistor N21 which serves as the power supply control section 112.
In the level shifter 120 arranged in the foregoing manner, when a control signal ENA indicates operation (when a level thereof is high), the transistors N21, N31, and N33 are conductive, and the transistors P32, P34, and P41 are made nonconductive. Under such condition, a current of the constant current source Ic flows via the transistors P11 and N13 or transistors P12 and N14. Further, the current flows via the transistor N21. Moreover, a 3.3V-clock signal CK or a 3.3V-inverse clock signal GKB is applied to each of gates of the transistors P11 and P12. As a result, a current whose amount is in proportion to a gate-source voltage of each of the transistors P11 and P12 flows therethrough. While, the transistors N13 and N14 serve as active loads, so that a voltage of a junction of the transistors P12 and N14 corresponds to a voltage level difference of the clock signals or the inverse clock signals. The voltage becomes a gate voltage of each of the CMOS transistors P15 and N16. The transistors P15 and N16 amplify the voltage with the driving voltage Vcc, and thus amplified voltage is then outputted as an output voltage of 8V.
The level shifter 120 is arranged so as to cause the clock signal CK to switch on/off the transistors P11 and P12 at the input stage, that is, the level shifter 120 is not a voltage driving type but a current driving type in which any one of the transistors P11 and P12 at the input stage is always conductive during the operation, a current of the constant current source Ic is made to shunt according to a ratio of the gate-source voltages of the transistors P11 and P12. On this account, even when an amplitude of the clock signal CK is lower than a threshold value of each of the transistors P11 and P12 at the input stage, it is possible to shift a level of the clock signal CK without any problem.
As a result, each level shifter 120 can output an output voltage OUT obtained by boosting a peak value of a voltage, having the same shape as the clock signal CK whose peak value is lower (by about 3.3V for example) than that of the driving voltage Vcc, up to the driving voltage Vcc (about 8V for example) while a level of a control signal ENA corresponding to each level shifter 120 is high.
While, a liquid crystal display device used in a mobile device has been required to less consume power as the mobile device has been required to operate for an extended period of time. Here, for example, a mobile device such as a mobile phone is not always in a busy state but is in a waiting state for most of the time. Further, an image and a format displayed in a busy state are usually different from those displayed in a waiting state.
For example, in a waiting state, a liquid crystal display device only needs to be able to display a menu screen, time, and the like and therefore may occasionally have low fineness and a small number of display colors. Rather, it is important for a liquid crystal display device to less consume power so as to operate for an extended period of time. Conversely, in a busy state, a liquid crystal display device usually displays a large quantity of sentences, figures, images such as pictures and therefore is required to perform high-definition display. At this time, other parts (e.g., a communication module, an input interface section, and an operation processing section) of a mobile device consume a large amount of electric power, so that a display module less consumes power. Therefore, a mobile device is more strongly required to less consume power in a waiting state than in a busy state.
Accordingly, for example, in an attempt to reduce power consumption in a waiting state, Japanese Laid-Open Publication 248468/2003 (Tokukai 2003-248468; published on Sep. 5, 2003) discloses an image display device 200. In the image display device 200, as shown in FIG. 18, a display screen 201 is divided for display, i.e., partial display. In the partial display mode, the display screen is divided into three areas P1, P2, and P3. For example, the areas P1 and P3 serve as nondisplay portions each of which displays nothing but a white background, and the area P2 displays a static image such as time and wallpaper.
Therefore, in a waiting state, the area P2 serves as a display portion, and the areas P1 and P3 serve as nondisplay portions. Further, in a waiting state, the area P2 and the areas P1 and P3 are driven for display at different refresh rates (rewrite rates). The areas P1 and P3 are driven for display at a lower refresh rate for intermittent writing than the area P2.
This causes the image display device 200 in a busy state to perform high-definition display of a large quantity of sentences, figures, and images such as pictures in a multi-gradation manner and causes the areas P1 and P3 in a waiting state to perform display by more intermittent writing than the area P2 in a waiting state, thereby reducing power consumption.
A driving method of the image display device 200 will be described more in detail based on a timing chart. Note that, a timing chart in case where partial display is not performed will be described first.
First, as shown in FIG. 19, in a full-screen display mode in which partial display is not performed, a gate start pulse GSP becomes high in voltage for every predetermined number of gate clock signals GCK. That is, the gate start pulse GSP becomes high in voltage in every single vertical scanning period (1V). At this time, in a data signal line driving circuit, a source start pulse SSP becomes high in voltage for every predetermined number of source clock signals SCK, so that a data signal DAT is applied to a pixel after preliminary charging with a pre-charge control signal PCTL. Therefore, in this driving method, the gate clock signals GCK and the source clock signals SCK continually operate, and a refresh rate of a display screen 201 is constant. Further, display is performed in every single vertical scanning period. This undesirably incurs an increase in power consumption.
Conversely, as shown in FIG. 20, in a driving mode in which partial display is performed, the areas P1 and P3 serve as nondisplay portions each of which displays nothing but a white background (white data). Moreover, a refresh rate of the white data can be lowered without raising any display problem. This causes the refresh rate to be lower than that of image data for display in the area P2.
Further, the area P2 performs display once in every three vertical scanning periods (3V). That is, the gate clock signals GCK and the gate start pulse GSP, as well as the source clock signals SCK and the source start pulse SSP, are activated in a first vertical scanning period, and the gate clock signals GCK and the gate start pulse GSP, as well as the source clock signals SCK and the source start pulse SSP, are stopped in a second scanning period and a third scanning period so as to stop circuit operation. A liquid crystal is prone to retain display even when thus driven, so that a static image keeps being displayed.
Furthermore, the white data for nondisplay is displayed in every six scanning periods, and a drive circuit thereof is stopped in a fourth scanning period, thereby further reducing power consumption.
Thus, in the image display device 200 of the laid-open publication discloses various techniques for reducing power consumption.
However, the conventional driving device of a display device, the conventional display device, and the conventional driving method of the driving device raise such a problem that: the level shifter 120 is a current driving type in which any one of the transistors P11 and P12 at the input stage is always conductive regardless of whether the clock signal CK or the inverse clock signal CKB is on or off, so that a current of the constant current source Ic flows. Thus, such arrangement is insufficient in terms of power consumption reduction.
Note that, a technique similar to the present invention is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication 14318/2002 (Tokukai 2002-14318; published on Jan. 18, 2002), and the publication discloses a technique in which a driving frequency in the partial-screen display mode is set to be higher than a driving frequency in the full-screen display mode when performing the partial display. However, the object of the foregoing technique is to prevent uneven display in the conventional technique arranged so that connection is made with a high voltage power source circuit in the full-screen display mode and connection is made with a lower voltage power source circuit in the partial-screen display mode, thereby reducing the power consumption in the partial display. Thus, the foregoing technique is different from the present invention in terms of a cause of the problem to be solved.

Driving device of display device, display device and driving method of display device


A chainguard for use on a bicycle includes a housing having a connecting portion and an engaging portion. The connecting portion and the engaging portion are connected to a seat tube and a rear stay of a bicycle frame in the bicycle. Additionally, the rear stay includes a first portion and a second portion adapted for engaging with an axle of a rear wheel, and the first and second portions are interconnected at a corner. Additionally, the second portion includes a first surface, a second surface and a third surface substantially transverse to and interconnecting the first and second surfaces. Further, the third surface defines a positioning portion on which the engaging portion of the chainguard is mounted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chainguards for use on bicycles and bicycle frames on which the chainguards are mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is appreciated that chainguards are utilized to enclose chains in bicycles in order to prevent foreign material from contacting the chains as well as avoid the rider's trouser legs from being entangled or dirtied by the chains. Generally, these chainguards are attached at a front end thereof to a crank axle of the bicycle and at a rear end thereof to a bracket mounted to a rear stay in a frame of the bicycle. However, a disadvantage of such a structure is that these chainguards tend to have an adverse effect on flowing of the rider's pedaling action. Another disadvantage is that the procedure to install the chainguards on the bicycles is complicated.
The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.


Disclosed are compositions for attracting insects (e.g., harmful or troublesome insects such as blood-sucking and biting insects, ticks and mites) to an object (e.g., insect trap) or area (e.g., field, orchard). Also disclosed are methods for attracting insects involving treating (or exposing) the object or area with a composition containing compounds described herein (e.g., a pro-fragrance compound selected from the group consisting of an acetal, a ketal, hemiacetal and mixtures thereof, wherein at least one of a parent aldehyde, ketone, or alcohol of the pro-fragrance acetal or ketal is a fragrance compound), and optionally a carrier or carrier material.

Disclosed are compositions for attracting insects (e.g., harmful or troublesome insects such as blood-sucking and biting insects, ticks and mites). Also disclosed are methods for attracting insects to an object (e.g., insect trap) or area (e.g., field, orchard), involving treating (or exposing) the object or area with a composition containing compounds described herein (e.g., a pro-fragrance compound selected from the group consisting of an acetal, a ketal, hemiacetal and mixtures thereof, wherein at least one of a parent aldehyde, ketone, or alcohol of the pro-fragrance acetal or ketal is a fragrance compound), and optionally a carrier or carrier material.
The growing trend towards urban migration in the developing world has led to frequent outbreaks of vector borne diseases like Dengue fever, Yellow fever, and Chikungunya transmitted by, Aedes aegypti, a container breeding species of mosquito. A major portion of vector control strategies involves the use of either adulticides or larvicides. However, there are growing concerns about the shortcomings of such routinely applied control measures.
Arthropod vectors (e.g., mosquitos) show robust semiochemicals induced behaviors. Volatile organic compounds are used as major cues for tracking and surveillance of insect pest and arthropod vectors alike. These chemicals elicit behaviors such as attraction or repulsion/avoidance while vectors seek habitats, hosts, mates, or oviposition sites. Olfactory structures and function in arthropod vectors lead to identification and use of chemical ligands (Zain, S., Current Opinion in Insect science, 10: 83-89 (2015)). These chemical stimuli can be used for monitoring; however, they cannot be used to make commercially-viable products because of lack of stability and high volatility.
Mosquitoes of all species use chemical cues to find their hosts in nature. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is widely recognized as one of the strongest attractants for adult mosquitoes, particularly blood-seeking females. For this reason, CO2 is the main chemical attractant in traps targeting adult mosquitoes for control and surveillance. However, the deployment of CO2 in the field is often logistically difficult and expensive as it normally requires the purchase and mobilization of blocks of dry ice, compressed gas cylinders, regulating nozzles, etc. Other commercially available lures utilize a range of chemical compounds to attract mosquitoes, although their effectiveness is generally inferior in comparison to CO2. This situation strongly limits the practicality of current trapping methods, especially in rural and/or underdeveloped areas where they are often needed most.
Recently, cyclopentanone (an organic ketone commonly used as a flavoring/odorant agent, categorized by the US Food and Drug Administration as "Generally Regarded as Safe") was reported to mimic the attractive effect of CO2 in mosquitoes by stimulating the olfactory receptors normally responsible for the perception of CO2 (Tauxe, G. M., et al., Cell, 155(6): 1365-1379 (2013); Choo, Y-M., Xu, P., Hwang, J. K., Zeng, F., Tan, K., Bhagavathy, G., Chauhan K. R., and Leal W. S., 2017, Reverse chemical ecology approach for the identification of a mosquito oviposition attractant, Proceeding of National Academy of Science (in press)). In semi-field trials, the attractiveness of traps baited with cyclopentanone was equivalent to that of matching control traps baited with CO2. However, cyclopentanone poses one challenge for its deployment in the field: due to its high volatility, cyclopentanone evaporates extremely fast, thus making it hard to achieve the homogeneous, slow-release effect required for effective mosquito trapping.
There thus exists a need for other chemicals in order to attract pests such as mosquitoes.

Compositions and methods for attracting insects

The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture


A performance instructing apparatus is provided which reproduces a music piece according to automatic performance data, and displays a drawing of a display keyboard that is oriented in the same direction as a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information, and a key operation region corresponding to each key of the display keyboard. The key operation region represents a period from a point of time when the key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when the key is to be released. The key operation region is scrolled such that the region approaches the display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a performance instructing apparatus provided with a key-depression instructing function for instructing the timing in which a key should be depressed (or released), and a performance guidance function provided concurrently with performance by a player, for determining the coincidence of instructions on the key depression with key-depressing actions actually made by the player.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a performance instructing apparatus having a key-depression instructing function and a performance guidance function is known wherein a light-emitting diode (LED) (keyboard LED) provided for each key on a keyboard of an instrument is turned on as automatic performance data representing a song or a tune is reproduced, so as to inform a player of the timing when the key should be depressed. This conventional apparatus is also able to determine the coincidence of the key-depression instructed by the LED with an actual key-depressing action by the player.
Another type of performance instructing apparatus is known wherein a keyboard is displayed with a musical score displayed on a display by means of a sequencer using a personal computer, for example, such that the keyboard is oriented in the vertical direction of the display, namely, in the direction to which the actual keyboard is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, and wherein a lateral (horizontal) bar corresponding to each key to be depressed is also displayed at a position indicating the timing of the key-depression, such that the length of the lateral bar represents a period from the key depression to the key release.
Although the above-described conventional performance instructing apparatus is able to direct the current key depression and the next key depression, it is difficult for this apparatus to display the following key depressions, namely, display how the song or tune will proceed in the near future. Thus, the player guided by this apparatus is not able to grasp the flow of the song or tune.
Since the keyboard on the display is not displayed in the same direction as the keyboard actually played by the player in the conventional sequencer, the player must instantly associate a key on the display with a corresponding key on the keyboard to be actually played during the performance of the song displayed, which is difficult for a beginner, in particular.


In at least one embodiment, a method for secured rollback of a virtual Trusted Platform Module (vTPM) that renders available functionalities offered by Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on a computer to a virtual machine (VM) is provided. The method includes taking and saving a snapshot of current state of a virtual machine as well as a snapshot of the corresponding vTPM, upon receiving a request for taking a snapshot of the virtual machine. The method further includes converting the snapshots into the current state of the virtual machine and the current state of the vTPM, respectively, upon receiving a request to roll back the virtual machine.

Cloud computing typically requires robust security, prompting advancements in trusted computing technologies. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) technologies may be implemented to facilitate computing security in computer hardware. For example, a TPM may be implemented in integrated circuits that may be integrated into a computer motherboard.
Typically, a TPM authenticates and protects a host computer by, e.g., storing information specific to the host computer. Such information may include encryption keys, digital certificates and passwords. Accordingly, a TPM may facilitate secure booting sequences, ensure the integrity of the software stack in the computer system, remotely attest state of a computer system, and securely seal or unseal crypto keys and confidential data in the computer system.
In a virtual computing environment, a software program, e.g., a virtual machine manager (VMM), may monitor and manage operations of one or more virtual machines running on the computer system. A virtual machine may simulate a computer system, but the virtual machine does not have to be on the same computer system as the computer system that it is simulating. A VMM may isolate workloads and mediate or regulate access to physical resources of the simulated computer system among multiple virtual machines.
A software program, e.g., a virtual TPM (vTPM), may be used to virtualize and make available the TPM capacities to all virtual machines running on top of a VMM in the computer system. Multiple instances of a vTPM may be created that fully simulate a TPM which is implemented in hardware. Typically, a computer system may only have a single TPM hardware; via the use of a vTPM, each virtual machine needing TPM capacities may operate with the confidence that it has its own private TPM. Secure operation of a vTPM requires a secure association between a virtual machine and the corresponding vTPM.

Synchronized virtual trusted platform modules (VTPM) and virtual machine (VM) rollbacks

Hua Zhong University of Science Technology


Wet-like cleaning wipes and similar articles are described. These wipes comprise a carrier that provides controlled fluid absorbency and an emulsion applied to the carrier. The emulsion comprises a continuous external lipid phase and a polar (e.g., water) internal phase. The emulsion is sufficiently brittle that it ruptures when subjected to low shear pressures during use to release the dispersed polar phase. The carrier allows the released internal phase to initially reach and remain on the surface being cleaned, but then absorbs the material at the end of the wiping process.

Nonwoven webs or sheets such as those made of paper find extensive use in modern society in the context of household cleaning activity. Paper towels, for example, are a staple item of commerce which have long been used to wipe up liquid spills and to remove stains and/or soil from hard surfaces such as window glass, countertops, sinks, porcelain and metal fixtures, walls and the like, and from other surfaces such as carpeting or furniture.
Paper towels products which are especially useful for household cleaning have attributes which include relatively low density, high bulk, acceptable softness, high absorbency for both aqueous and nonaqueous liquids and acceptable strength and integrity, especially when wet. Prior art towel products having such attributes, and processes for their preparation, have been disclosed, for example, in Ayers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,863, issued Sep. 16, 1975; Ayers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,025, issued Aug. 10, 1976; Trokhan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,609, issued Mar. 4, 1980; Wells and Hensler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,597, issued Apr. 3, 1984; Trokhan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,840, issued Jul. 16, 1985; and Trokhan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,859, issued Jan. 20, 1987. Paper towels, such as those of the types described in the foregoing patents, are especially useful for absorbing and wiping up liquid spills from both hard surfaces and other surfaces such as furniture and carpets. Paper towel products, however, are also frequently used, generally in combination with liquid cleaning solutions or solvents, to remove soil or stains from surfaces to which such soil or stains may be especially securely affixed. Such soil or stains, for example, may include food material on stove, oven, or cooking utensil surfaces, soap scum found in bathtubs and sinks, food and beverage stains on kitchen counters, ink or crayon markings on walls and furniture, and the like. These prior art materials typically require the consumer to clean soils and stains using a separate cleaning solution and wiping article, which involves a level of inconvenience.
To address this issue of convenience, pre-wetted wiping articles have been developed, particularly in the area of baby wipes. These pre-wetted wipes are typically kept in a dispenser and are typically soaked in a reservoir of a moistening solution. There is often a lack of consistency in terms of the moisture content of each of the wipes, and the wipes feel cold to the touch. Also, because the main purpose of such wipes is to clean, these wipes generally exhibit relatively poor post-cleaning absorbency.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/336,456 (hereafter "'456 application"), filed Nov. 9, 1994 by L. Mackey et al., abandoned, discloses and claims wet-like cleansing wipes that are especially useful in removing perianal soils. These cleansing wipes comprise a substrate material (e.g., a nonwoven) that is treated with a water-in-lipid emulsion. These wipes have a number of significant advantages over prior cleaning products, especially when in the form of wet-like cleansing wipes used to remove perianal soils. These articles release significant quantities of water during use for comfortable, more effective cleaning. The continuous lipid phase of the emulsion is sufficiently brittle so as to be easily disrupted by low shear contact (e.g., during the wiping of the skin) to readily release this internal water phase, but sufficiently tough at elevated temperatures where the lipid is melted to avoid premature release of the water phase during the rigors of processing. The continuous lipid phase of these articles is also sufficiently stable during storage so as to prevent significant evaporation of the internal water phase. The normal tensile strength and flushability properties of these articles are not adversely affected when treated with the high internal phase inverse emulsions of the present invention. As a result, users of these articles get comfortable, efficient, moist cleaning without having to change their normal cleaning habits. The application also indicates that the technology is readily useful with other wipes, including wipes for cleaning hard surfaces.
In spite of the significant improvements over prior cleansing wipes, the substrates (also referred to as "carriers") described in the '456 application are lacking in one respect. Specifically, because the carriers described are generally hydrophilic materials, upon shearing of the emulsion in use, a significant amount of water is absorbed into the substrate, and therefore is not available for contact with the item to be cleaned. As such, it is necessary to surface treat the substrate with additional amounts of emulsion to account for the level of water absorbed by the carrier. To address the issue of rapid fluid absorbence by the carrier upon emulsion rupture, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/640,049 (hereafter "'049 application"), filed Apr. 30, 1996 by G. Gordon and L. Mackey, abandoned, describes the use of a carrier that has one or more hydrophobic regions to prevent water absorbence by portions of the substrate. The hydrophobic regions described by this co-pending application are generally described as having permanent hydrophobicity. That is, these regions are essentially unwettable throughout the wiping process and therefore do not contribute significantly to the overall absorbent capacity of the wipe.
Accordingly, in certain circumstances, it would be desirable to provide products for cleaning that offer the benefits provided by the cleansing wipes described in the co-pending '456 application, but which require treatment with reduced levels of emulsion. Similarly, it would be desirable to provide products that have the ability to hinder absorbence such as those described in the co-pending '049 application, but which allow absorbence by essentially all of the carrier. In this regard, a carrier that demonstrates the ability to provide controlled or delayed absorbency may allow for the use of only one carrier material. This would provide, among other things, simplification of processing the wipes, in that a relatively homogeneous carrier could be utilized. Furthermore, the ability to control absorbence of the cleaning solution by the carrier would allow sufficient contact time of the solution on the surface to remove soil, and would allow for the removal of the solution and solubilized soil during the typical wiping process.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide nonwoven, preferably paper-based, wiping articles which (i) are initially dry to the touch, but are capable of delivering fluid during the wiping process, (ii) have a controlled rate of absorbency of the fluid released from the article (as well as optional additional cleaning solutions), (iii) have desirably high overall absorbent capacity for liquids and especially effective soil and stain removal performance, and (iv) have sufficient wet strength integrity to withstand the vigors of the wiping process.

Cleaning articles comprising a high internal phase inverse emulsion and a carrier with controlled absorbency


A device for measuring electromechanical properties and microstructure of nano-materials under stress state comprises two bimetallic strips placed on an insulated metal ring plated with insulating paint, wherein the two bimetallic strips are placed in parallel or V-shaped to insulated metal ring on the same plane, one end of each bimetallic strip is fixed on the insulated metal ring, the other end of the bimetallic strip hangs inside of the insulated ring, the distance of two bimetallic strips were controlled within 0.002-1 mm. Also provided is a method for measuring electromechanical properties and microstructure of nano-materials under stress state.

As the basic building blocks of the nano-devices, nano-scale materials carry the information transport, storage and other important functions.
The interest in the trend to reduce the dimensions of these devices in the semiconductor and information industries has given rise to a necessity for developing techniques for studying microstructure and the size effects on the mechanical strength and charge transport properties of individual functional nanostructure under external stress field and electric field.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful tool for characterizing the micro-structures of solid state materials in the field of nano-science and nanotechnology. TEM grid is used to support the detected samples, which is usually Cu grid 3 mm in diameter with thin carbon film coatings. But at present the TEM grid is effective only for the static testing, and not for in situ manipulation and dynamic testing at the nanoscale even to atomic scale level.
In situ TEM experiments provide direct visualization and description of the events as they happen and give qualitative information about the structure-property-processing relationships. These knowledge are vital to not only the design and functional the nanodevices and but also the reliability and service.
Several approaches have been studies for in situ electron microscopy manipulating, measuring and imaging the structure-property relationships of individual nanotub or nanowire.
One technique is described in "Physics review letters, vol. 94, 236802,2005" by Z. F. Ren. They combined the scanning tunnel microscopy probe with transmission electron microscopy, which revealed that the intrinsic properties of super plastic deformation of carbon nanotubes under electrifying state.
Another method for in situ electron microscopy testing one-dimentional nanostructure is reported in "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 102, No. 41, p. 14503-14508, 2005." by H. D. Espinosa. They developed a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) based testing unit for in situ TEM mechanical testing of nanotubes, nanowires and thin films.
The above mentioned methods integrated the scanning tunneling microscopy probe or MEMS unit with the TEM holder, thereby enabling simultaneous TEM and mechanical measurements, for investigating the relationship between microstructure and interaction of individual nanostructure. But installing these devices inside the TEM holder that causes the holder can tilt a small angle or only a single axis tilting because of the narrow pole-piece gap. However, atomic scale lattice resolution of a crystal is only achieved when a low-indexed zone axis of a crystal is precisely aligned parallel to the electron beam. This condition is difficult to fulfill in these in situ measuring systems that are subjected to mechanical manipulation influence during the experiments.

Device and method for measuring electromechanical properties and microstructure of nano-materials under stress state


A sealed gas laser tube (10) has a pair of electrically insulated electrodes (53, 54) supported in the tube (11) adapted to couple to an external RF supply (30). With respect to each electrode, an RF feed terminal (84) having an externally threaded stem (84a) supported in the tube cooperates, through a sealable common feed/fill port (43) in the housing (11), with a movable plunger (100) stem (102) having an internally threaded central recess (105) supported (90) by the electrode such that when the terminal and plunger are in first positions spaced apart from each other, the plunger stem is withdrawn from the feed/fill port which is open wider than in the prior art enabling faster evacuation and refilling, and, when the terminal and plunger are in second positions drawn together, the plunger stem is pulled into the feed/fill port sealingly contacting an inner portion (82a) of an o-ring (82), the outer portion (82c) of which is simultaneously compressed (83) by the RF feed terminal to sealingly contact a feed/fill port wall, thereby re-sealing the tube and enabling normal laser operations with the RF feeds supplying the RF excitation. An opening (93) in the electrode support through which the plunger is drawn is wide enough that the plunger is self centering due to the action of the o-ring (82) as it is drawn tight by the RF feed terminal to close the port whereby bending forces are eliminated from the electrodes.

1. Fields of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method of providing radio frequency feed to a gas laser tube and to evacuating and filling a laser tube with a laser gas, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method in which a gas inlet port in a common feed-fill structure is selectively opened by moving apart RF feed and internal members of the tube to permit rapid evacuation and filling through the port around the moveable components, and, then, is selectively closed by moving together the RF feed and internal components in the tube to re-seal the port.
2. Discussion of Background and Prior Art

Integrated gas laser RF feed and fill apparatus and method