An orthodontic bracket design is disclosed together with the associated method of attachment to a tooth wherein the bracket contains an integral light source such as a solid state emitter. The bracket is placed on a tooth using a tool that also provides electrical power to the bracket to cause the integral light emitter to produce radiation of an appropriate wavelength to cure the adhesive used to attach the bracket to a tooth. The electrically powered bracket system overcomes many of the variabilities associated with the current clinical present practice of bonding orthodontic brackets to teeth to provide faster, stronger, and more consistent bonding.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention broadly relates to methods and apparatus for affixing brackets to the surfaces of teeth as used in orthodontic treatment. More specifically, the invention relates to a novel orthodontic bracket design and the associated bonding methods that provide enhanced clinical convenience and bond strength between the bracket and the tooth.
2. Description of Related Art
Orthodontic treatment involves moving teeth to improve occlusion. Current practice involves cementing slotted orthodontic appliances, known as brackets, to the teeth. To effect movement, an arch wire is inserted into the slot of each bracket. The wire is typically held in the slot by small elastics or wire ligature. The arch wire then exerts appropriate force via the brackets, to move the teeth and effect treatment.
Orthodontic brackets are designed to be bonded directly to the surface of patient's teeth using a bonding adhesive. The adhesives most commonly used are light-curable, and begin to set once light of the appropriate wavelength and intensity is directed onto the adhesive. Light-curable adhesives are generally preferred by orthodontists, as compared to chemically cured adhesives, mainly because the bracket can be readily repositioned prior to fixing it in place using the light.
Current bonding practice involves placing adhesive on the rear face of the bracket base and placing the bracket on a tooth. Some brackets are supplied with preapplied adhesive. The viscous nature of the adhesive causes the bracket to 'stick' to the tooth, allowing it to be repositioned by the orthodontist. A hand-held curing light, typically emitting blue visible light, is then directed along two or more edges of the bracket base to cure the adhesive between the back of the bracket and the tooth. Several practical clinical factors contribute to poor and variable bonding.
Since the curing radiation cannot pass through metal brackets, the adhesive under the bracket base must cure by conducting light from the perimeter of the base through the thin layer of adhesive between the bracket base and the tooth, and by reflecting through the tooth structure. This poor curing mechanism may not sufficiently react the adhesive in the central area of the bracket which can lead to debonding of the bracket when the bracket is subjected to a sufficiently large force.
Other factors contribute to a non-uniform cure of brackets. The orthodontist may typically place all the brackets in a quadrant (about 5) or an entire arch (about 10) prior to curing. In the time from initial placement to actual curing, the bracket may sag slightly or be accidentally touched and moved while placing the other brackets.
To achieve maximum bond strength, the thickness of the adhesive should be kept to a minimum. Pushing the bracket base against the tooth during bonding is the ideal way to both express excess adhesive and ensure intimate contact between the tooth and the bracket. Use of an external curing light prevents the clinician from ensuring intimate contact of the bracket during the curing process.
The intensity of the light that actually impinges on the adhesive depends upon many factors including the distance from the curing light to the bracket edge. While the tip of the light is typically held as closely as possible to the bracket, there is some natural variation in distance. Requiring the light tip to be held closely also poses the risk of touching a bracket, which would move the bracket from its desired position. A significant source of bonding variation is associated with the difficulty accessing all of the edgres of brackets bonded to rear teeth. In addition, variations exist in the type and radiant intensity of commercial curing units, as well as the clinical exposure times used by the orthodontist.
All of these factors affect the quality of cure and bracket adhesion. The clinician wants bracket bonding to be quick, have complete cures, maximum strength, and be consistent. Once the desired location is identified, placement and curing should proceed quickly and consistently.
A variety of approaches have been developed to improve the bonding of orthodontic brackets. Approaches have included new adhesives, priming agents, bracket designs as well as curing lights. Some brackets use bases with undercut regions, roughened surfaces, spherical particles, and fine metal mesh.
One of the more common modifications involves the texture and geometry of the bonding surface of the bracket to enhance the mechanical locking of the adhesive. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,855 describes the use of partially embedded textured particles on the bonding base and U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,301 teaches the use of a metal mesh, a layer of metallic or plastic particles, grooves and undercuts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,826 describes the use of various metal meshes bonded to a photo-etched metal foil backing, as well as sandblasting and even ion bombardment.
One of the earliest proposed design enhancements involves expressing some of the adhesive through the bracket pad to enhance retention. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,932,940, 4,094,068 and 5,435,720 all describe substantially the same approach, wherein brackets are provided with holes in the base to allow some adhesive to seep through and provide a better lock to the bracket.
Other approaches to improve bracket bonding are based upon variations in the curing light system. Several approaches include the use of light-conducting arch-shaped trays that allow an entire quadrant or arch of positioned brackets to be simultaneously illuminated and bonded. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,316,473 and 5,813,854 describe such designs which still require an external light source and have the potential for contacting and moving the bracket.
An approach described by Rueggeberg in U.S. Pat. No. 5,800,163, describes a tip to be placed at the end of a curing light assembly. The tip directs the light as a 360° ring towards the edge of the bracket base parallel to the tooth surface. This design is meant to address the problem of accessibility to the bracket edges when bonding to rear teeth, curing all around the perimeter of the bracket pad. The method has the drawbacks of still requiring an external light source and the possibility of physically contacting adjacent brackets by the relatively wide tip design.
Another bracket design approach is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,711,665 and 6,482,002. This orthodontic bracket design allows curing light to be directed normal to the bracket face instead of around the edges. A clear light guide in the body of the bracket is provided that allows curing light to be transmitted through the bracket body and onto the rear bonding surface. This design still requires the use of an external light source, but does begin to address the issue of directing curing light onto the rear bonding face of the bracket instead of the edge.
There is a continuing need to improve the strength, consistency, and efficiency of bonding orthodontic brackets to the patient's teeth to minimize the debonding of brackets during treatment. Premature debonding of orthodontic brackets represents a nuisance to the orthodontist and the patient, since the patient must return to the orthodontist for rebonding or replacement of the detached bracket to resume treatment.

Electrically powered orthodontic bracket and bonding method


Disclosed is an improved approach for implementing a system, method, and computer program product for integrating with a social media site, which can be used to create and configure a custom audience on the social media site.

Given the widespread availability and usage of the internet by consumers, many businesses have become interested in being able to effectively implement marketing solutions that can target consumers over the internet. To accomplish this, many marketers are now using enterprise applications and marketing automation tools to target prospects, execute marketing campaigns, send leads to sales in real time, and to convert marketing leads into actual sales. An exemplary example of a commercially available marketing automation product is the Eloqua product, available from Oracle Corporation of Redwood Shores, Calif.
With the prevalence and popularity of social media sites, many marketers are now also seeking to use the social media sites as a vehicle to deliver targeted advertisements to consumers and marketing prospects. To accomplish this, many marketers are using social relationship management tools to manage their interactions with social media sites. An exemplary example of a commercially available social relationship management tool is the SRM product available from Oracle Corporation of Redwood Shores, Calif.
Facebook is an example of a widely used social media site. As such, many companies are looking for more effective ways to use Facebook to efficiently direct advertisements to Facebook users. One way this can occur is by using the Custom Audience provided by Facebook to direct targeted advertisements to Facebook users. The custom audience feature allows marketers to identify their offline audiences among Facebook users, where information provided by the marketer can be used to match and specify custom audiences for advertisements.
The problem is that it may be difficult for organizations to use its internal data to match against Facebook users to form the custom audiences. In many cases, the organizations will need to engage in a costly and/or inefficient process to create its own custom process or tools to integrate its data with Facebook.
One possible approach to address this problem is to use existing combinations of enterprise applications and management tools to interface with the social media site. The problem with this approach, however, is that the applications/tools are tied together as products from the same vendor, which makes it difficult or impossible to be used by a company that chooses to use an application/tool from another vendor.
To address these issues, embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and computer program product for integrating with a social media site, where the applications/tools do not need to all be provided by the same vendor in order to integrate the organization's data. In some embodiments, an applications programming interface (API) is provided which is open enough to allow an organization to use a third party application (e.g., third party CRM application or marketing automation application) to integrate its data to create a customized set of data on a social media site (e.g., to create a custom audience on Facebook).
Other additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention are described in the detailed description, figures, and claims.

Method and system for integrating audience data with a social media site


An exposure apparatus includes a first driving mechanism which drives a first optical element, a second driving mechanism which drives a second optical element, and a control unit which controls the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism so as to adjust the astigmatism of a projection optical system. The amount of change in the first order component of the astigmatism and the amount of change in the second order component of the astigmatism upon driving the first optical element by the first driving mechanism have a first ratio, and the amount of change in the first order component of the astigmatism and the amount of change in the second order component of the astigmatism upon driving the second optical element by the second driving mechanism have a second ratio which is different from the first ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and a device manufacturing method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An exposure apparatus which projects the pattern of an original (also called a reticle or mask) onto a substrate (wafer) via a projection optical system to expose the substrate to light is used in lithography for manufacturing a device such as a semiconductor device. To manufacture large-scale integrated devices, it is necessary to minimize the aberration of the projection optical system.
However, when the projection optical system receives an exposure load (heat) upon substrate exposure, its optical elements deform. This may result in an image shift on the optical axis, for example, astigmatism on the entire surface of the projection optical system. The astigmatism means an aberration in which light which emerges from one off-axis point diverges into two orthogonal light beams shifted forward and backward from each other without converging to one point after passing through the lens. If astigmatism is present, the hole shape changes due to defocusing. To solve this problem, an astigmatism correction mechanism has been proposed.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating the relationship between the C5 and C12 terms of the Zernike polynomials when the astigmatism correction mechanism performs aberration correction. The abscissa indicates the amount of change in the C5 term (corresponding to a low-order component of astigmatism), and the ordinate indicates the amount of change in the C12 term (corresponding to a high-order component of astigmatism). The C5 and C12 terms are mutually dependent such that the C12 term is determined if the C5 term is given, while the C5 term is determined if the C12 term is given.
If the ratio between a low-order component and high-order component of the aberration amount to be corrected is close to that of the sensitivity of the correction mechanism, it is possible to correct the aberration of the projection optical system with high accuracy. On the other hand, if these ratios are largely different from each other, the high-order aberration component deteriorates when the low-order aberration component is corrected with high accuracy, while the low-order aberration component deteriorates when the high-order aberration component is corrected with high accuracy. The ratio between the low-order component and high-order component of astigmatism generated by exposure heat changes depending on the illumination conditions used. Hence, one astigmatism correction mechanism alone can hardly correct astigmatisms, which are generated under all the illumination conditions, with high accuracy.

Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method


The present invention provides rhamnogalacturonan-II (RG-II) and relates to its ability to complex specific multivalent heavy metal cations. In the presence of boric acid, RG-II monomers form dimers that are cross-linked by a borate ester. The yield of such borate ester cross-linked dimers of RG-II is enhanced in the presence of specific heavy metal cations. The present invention further relates to the utility of RG-II in assays for the detection of specific heavy metal contamination; as a reagent useful in the removal of specific heavy metal cations contaminating foods and liquids, for example, fish, wines, etc.; as a pharmaceutical composition useful as an antidote in specific heavy metal cation poisoning; as a treatment for the detoxification of specific heavy metal cations from blood and/or tissues; and in a method of remediation of waters and soils contaminated with specific heavy metal cations.

Rhamnogalacturonan-II (RG-II) is a low molecular weight, structurally well-defined, complex pectic polysaccharide that is released from the walls of plant cells by treatment with endo-.alpha.-1,4-polygalacturonase York et al. (1985) Methods Enzymol. 118:3-40!. RG-II has also been isolated from the cell walls of many plant cells, for example, sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) Darvill et al. (1980) in The Plant Cell (N. E. Tolbert, ed.) Academic Press, New York, pp. 91-162!, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) Thomas et al. (1987) Plant Physiol. 83:659-671!, rice (Oryza sativa) Thomas et al. (1989) Carbohydr. Res. 185:261-277!, onion (Allium cepa) Stevenson et al. (1988) Carbohydr. Res. 179:269-288!, kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa) Redgwell et al. (1991) Carbohydr. Res. 209:191-202!, etc., and is present in the medium of cultured sycamore cells Stevenson et al. (1986) Plant Physiol. 80:1012-1019!, in the commercial enzyme preparation Pectinol AC Spellman et al. (1983) Carbohydr. Res. 122:115-129!, and in red wine Doco et al. (1993) Carbohydr. Res. 243:333-343!.
RG-II contains eleven different glycosyl residues O'Neill et al. (1990) Methods Plant Biochem. 2:415-441!, including the unusual monosaccharides apiose, 3-C-carboxy-5-deoxy-L-xylose (aceric acid), 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (Kdo), and 3-deoxy-D-lyxo-heptulosaric acid (Dha). RG-II also contains the seldom observed methyl-etherified sugars 2-O-methyl xylose and 2-O-methyl fucose. Many of the glycosidic linkages and ring forms of the glycosyl residues of RG-II, including .beta.-D-galactosyluronic acid, .beta.-L-arabinofuranose, .alpha.-L-arabinopyranose, and a fully substituted rhamnosyl residue, are also unusual. Some of the glycosyl residues in RG-II are O-acetylated. The backbone of RG-II has been shown to be composed of at least seven 1,4-linked .alpha.-D-galactosyluronic acid residues Puvanesarajah et el. (1991) Carbohydr. Res. 218:211-222!, schematically presented in FIG. 1.
A variety of oligosaccharide side chains are attached to the backbone Stevenson et al. (1988) Carbohydr. Res. 182:207-226!. The carboxyl groups of some of the D-galactopyranosyluronic acid residues are esterified with methyl groups Puvanesarajah et al. (1991) Carbohydr. Res. 218:211-222!. Partial acid hydrolysis of both native and O-permethylated RG-II have led to the isolation and structural characterization of oligosaccharide fragments of RG-II containing its glycosyl residues York et al. (1985) Carbohydr. Res. 138:109-126; Stevenson et al. (1988) Carbohydr. Res. 182:207-226; Stevenson et al. (1988) Carbohydr. Res. 179:269-288; Puvanesarajah et al. (1991) Carbohydr. Res. 218:211-222; Spellman et al. (1983) Carbohydr. Res. 122:131-153; Melton et al. (1986) Carbohydr. Res. 146:279-305!. RG-II (see FIG. 1) has been shown to have the same structure in every plant from which it has been isolated.
RG-II isolated from radish roots Kobayashi et al. (1996) Plant Physiol. 110:1017-1020; Matoh et al. (1993) Plant Cell. Physiol. 34:639-642! and from sugar beet Ishii et al. (1996) Carbohydr. Res. 284:1-9! were found to contain borate esters. Boron is known to be an essential microelement for normal plant growth and development Loomis et al. (1992) BioFactors 3:229-239; Hu et al. (1994) Plant Physiol. 105:681-689; Shelp et al. (1995) Physiol. Plant 94:356-361; Welch (1995) Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 14:49-82!. Boron deficiency, which first becomes apparent in growing tissues, results in disorganized cell expansion and the formation of cell walls with abnormal morphology Loomis et al. (1992) BioFactors 3:229-239!. Growing plant cells require a constant supply of exogenous boron because the majority of boron in plant tissues is present in a "nonavailable" form Loomis et al. (1992) BioFactors 3:229-239; Hu et al. (1994) Plant Physiol. 105:681-689; Brown et al. (1994) Physiol. Plant 91:435-441!. Boron is believed to form borate-diol esters that covalently crosslink cell wall pectic polysaccharides (Kobayashi et al. (1996) Plant Physiol. 110:1017-1020; Matoh et al. (1993) Plant Cell Physiol. 34:639-642; Ishii et al. (1996) Carbohydr. Res. 284:1-9!. Also, borate ester cross-linking of polysaccharides in vitro has been shown to be pH-dependent Deuel et al. (1954) in Natural Plant Hydrocolloids Adv. Chem. Series No. 11! pp. 51-61, American Chem. Society, Washington, D.C.!. Thus, it has been suggested that boron cross-links are the "load-bearing", acid-labile linkages that are hydrolyzed by a decrease in cell wall pH during auxin-induced cell expansion Loomis et al. (1992) BioFactors 3:229-239!. RG-II is the only boron-containing polysaccharide that has been isolated from a biological source.
Contamination of the environment with heavy metal ions and/or alkyl and thiol derivatives of metals has increased over the last several decades, with toxic levels of the contaminants being reached in air, water and/or soil in certain locations. Contamination may stem from human and industrial sources. Heavy metals are an increasing problem in the sludge produced by industries and populations centers Adriano (1986) "Trace elements in the terrestrial environment," New York, Springer Verlag; Alloway (1990) "Heavy metals in soils" New York, John Wiley & Sons!. The wind borne residue of volatile metals have contaminated land at great distances from smelting operations, rendering it useless Lepp (1981) "Effects of heavy metal pollution on plants" In Appl. Sci. Editor, Applied Science Publishers, New Jersey 12!. Land in some parts of the globe such as the western United States Cannon (1960) "The development of botanical methods of prospecting for uranium on the Colorado Plateau," U.S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 1085A:1-50!, and Africa Brooks and Malaisse (1985) The Heavy Metal-tolerant Flora of South Central Africa, A. A. Balkema Press, Boston, Mass.! is naturally contaminated with high levels of a variety of toxic metals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, cobalt, lead, mercury, selenium and/or zinc. A major concern is the ability to dispose of wastes containing toxic heavy metals generated by weapons production facilities, power generation plants, mining and the metal fabrication industries. Stabilizing and reducing the mass of the toxic metals contained in such wastes would facilitate their disposal.
These heavy metals are often found in soil and marine sediments as heavy metal salts (e.g., thiol salts), as chelates with acidic humic substances (for example, methylmercury), and to a lesser extent other organocationic species, and as free multivalent cations. Some heavy metals cycle through the aqueous phase and into the atmosphere as volatile elemental cations, free or complexed, and are then oxidized and washed by rain into the marine environment Barkay et al. (1992) Biodegradation 3:147-159!. Some bacteria in soil and sediments can detoxify heavy metal cations by reducing them to their metallic forms. Heavy metals are often found bound in the form of organocomplexes in contaminated animals and microbes Barkay et al. (1992) supra; Robinson and Tuovinen (1984) Microbiological Reviews 48:95-124!. In fish, where heavy metal toxicity is well studied, most of the tissue-associated heavy metals are found as organocomplexes Pan Hou and Imura (1987) Arch. Microbiol. 131:176-177!. Heavy metal organocomplexes may be volatile and extremely toxic to plants and, generally, to the environment D'Itri and D'Itri (1987) Environ. Management 2:3-16!.
With global heavy metal contamination on the increase Nriagu and Pacyna (1988) Nature 333:134-139!, plants which can process heavy metals might provide efficient and ecologically sound solutions. Regions which are naturally contaminated with heavy metals are often characterized by scrubby heavy-metal tolerant vegetation Brooks and Malaisse (1985) The Heavy Metal-tolerant Flora of South Central Africa, A. A. Balkema Press, Boston, Mass.; Wild, H. (1978) "The Vegetation of Heavy Metal and Other Toxic Soils," in Biogeography and Ecology of Southern Africa, Wergren, M. J. H., ed., Junk, The Hague, Netherlands!. Certain of these naturally occurring metal-resistant plants hyperaccumulate large amounts of heavy metals in the form of malate or citrate chelates. These plants have been found in a variety of habitats, but often they exhibit bizarre metal ion requirements, grow poorly in less exotic habitats, and are of little direct economic value as crop or forest species.
There is a long felt need in the art for the in situ detection and detoxification of toxic heavy metal ions and/or heavy metal complexes in human and animal applications and in their environment. The present invention provides an assay to detect specific heavy metal cations and a method to complex such, and enables phytoremediation and/or revegetation of contaminated environments via plants and plant components capable of heavy metal cation complexation and sequestration.

Plant rhamnogalacturonan II complexation of heavy metal cations

University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.

Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique


Methods, apparatus and computer program products for applying texture to the surfaces of objects in graphics images utilizing texture patterns organized into blocks of texels. Each block of texels is preferably compressed using a block-oriented compression technique and then compressed further using entropy coding. Multiple processing elements rendering an image make requests for texels by address. The texel addresses are converted to block addresses, and the block addresses are consolidated and redundant requests are eliminated. The blocks are retrieved from texture pattern memory, performs entropy decoding, and transfers the data to the processor array such that the likelihood of redundant retrieval of texture data is reduced. The processing elements utilize the retrieved texture data for calculation of pixel values utilizing the texture information.

The addition of texture patterns to computer generated graphic images is a significant enhancement that is useful in a wide variety of visual image generation applications.
Accessing the texture map texel values, that generally must be obtained repeatedly from a memory that is off the chip that does the interpolation, is time consuming in the context of high quality graphical image generation. Conventional methods, therefore, generally require that the texture information be stored in uncompressed form in dedicated areas of memory to realize minimal acceptable time constraints.
Managing texture information via conventional techniques and with conventional hardware arrangements, therefore, is well known as being expensive and burdensome to a process that requires rapid generation of superior computer graphic images.
One method to provide acceptable quality video images is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,164 to Chandler et al. An expressed object of Chandler et al. is to obtain color cell texture modulation while minimizing hardware requirements.
Another attempt to reduce the hardware costs of texture processors is described in Sims et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,038. This method involves the use of texture and shading gradients in three dimensional space to define texture modulations.
Merz et al. describes, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,880, a video object generator with a texturing memory. The video object generator described therein has a data memory format whereby cell by cell object data for a plurality of objects are stored, retrieved and processed for video display.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,745, Economy et al. describes a method of texture data computation that reduces the quantity of bits used to represent the color intensity values of any given pixel. Computations are performed with fewer bits per pixel, and while Y values are processed at one level of detail, I and Q values are processed at a different level of detail.
A review of the prior efforts identified above reveals a need still exists for efficient computation of textures for visual display.

Shared access texturing of computer graphic images


A hitch damping system for dampening forces transferred between a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle. The hitch damping system includes a first assembly being designed for being operationally coupled to the towed vehicle. A second assembly is designed for being operationally coupled to the towing vehicle. A plurality of dampening members are operationally coupled between the first assembly and the second assembly. The dampening members permit the first assembly to swing in an arc with respect to the second assembly whereby the dampening members are designed for reducing longitudinal forces exerted on the towing vehicle, such as a truck, by the towed vehicle, such as a fifth wheel trailer, when a momentum of the towed vehicle differs from a momentum of the towing vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gliding fifth wheel attachments and more particularly pertains to a new hitch damping system for dampening forces transferred between a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of gliding fifth wheel attachments is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,777 describes a system for mounting a fifth wheel hitch that allows the hitch to be adjust to provide greater maneuverability when towing the towed vehicle. Another type of gliding fifth wheel attachment is U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,070 having a fifth wheel hitch that is adjustable between a maneuvering position and a towing position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,722 has a trailer hitch that absorbs end thrust shocks between a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,772,229 has a hitch that can be selectively moved along the length of runners to allow for selectively changing the mounting position of the hitch with respect to the towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,489 has a fifth wheel hitch with air suspension bags and shock absorbers to absorb vertical forces exerted between the trailer tongue and the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,485,045 has a pin box hitch member that is coupled to a superstructure that is selectively movable to allow access to a ball hitch positioned below the superstructure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,430 has a suspension system for fifth wheel connections that has an air suspension bag for absorbing vertical forces being transferred between the trailer and the towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,478 has a trailer hitch that has torsional spring apparatus coupled between a draw bar and a ball hitch so that the torsional spring absorbs shocks and surges between the towing vehicle and the trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,850 has a fifth wheel type hitch that receives a king pin of a trailer to coupled the trailer to a towing vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,560 has a trailer hitch that has a dampening mechanism for absorbing vertical forces and a dampening mechanism for absorbing horizontal forces transferred between the trailer and the towing vehicle. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0125683 has a fifth wheel hitch that has air suspension bags to absorb motion between the trailer and the towing vehicle.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features dampens longitudinal forces between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle.


The present invention uses the resilient behaviour of a flexible printed circuit board (10), both to mechanically clamp the components (20) in a permanent manner and to achieve good electrical contacts (24) between conducting parts (12) of the flexible circuit board (10) and the components (20). By cutting the flexible printed circuit board in such a manner that small tab-like, resilient members (12,16) are formed, the forces caused by elastically deformed resilient members (12,16) are usable both for mechanically fixing the components (20) and for causing an electrical contact (24). By choosing appropriate sizes of the resilient members (12,16), the relative strength of the spring force is increased, which even will be large enough to cause a plastic deformation of the material in the contact points (24) between the conducting resilient members (12) and the component contact members (22). In such a manner, soldering or gluing may be totally omitted.

The present invention generally relates to flexible printed circuit boards, and in particular to the mounting of components thereto.
For mounting electrical and other components to a flexible printed circuit boards according to prior art, the components are positioned at the appropriate locations and subsequently fastened by gluing or soldering. There is often a problem to maintain the components at the appropriate positions with a sufficient precision, during the gluing or soldering process.
The European patent application EP 0 256 581 A1 discloses a method for fixation of electric components at a flexible printed circuit board, which is intended to hold the component during the soldering or gluing process. This method is based on that tabs are formed in the flexible printed circuit board, which tabs extend into an opening in the flexible printed circuit board, large enough to allow the component to pass through. By introducing components from the back side of the board, the tabs are bent and applies a force onto surfaces of the component which are perpendicular to the board surface. The tabs clamp the component between each other and by prohibit the component to move back again, the component is fixed. The method is intended to be ended by a soldering or gluing process, which finally fastens the component. The tabs may also be covered with a conducting layer, which provides a possibility to achieve electrical contact by soldering or gluing with a conducting adhesive.
Most electric circuit mounting processes of prior art relies on soldering or gluing for achieving a good electrical contact and for maintaining the component mechanically in a fixed position. However, gluing or soldering processes are not always desired, in particular for very small components. There is always a risk for not achieving a sufficient reliable joint or to achieve a shortening between different electrical parts. Furthermore, the soldering and gluing occupies a separate production step, which increases the mounting times. If a component is found to be defect after mounting, there are also large problems to replace the defect component with a new one. When soldering, the joint may be reheated to melt the soldering, but for gluing, the normal procedure is to reject the total board.
Many printed circuit boards also uses separate assembling structures to hold the different components. The European patent application EP 0 649 272 A1 discloses a flexible fastening member which is used to reduce stress caused by differing temperature coefficients for the board and the components. However, a fastening member of that type increases the complexity of the assembling procedure considerably.
There is also a general problem in finding cheap and simple solutions on contacting members. One solution is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,089. In this document a method is described, which uses a portion of a flexible printed circuit board provided with electrical leads, which portion is bent and stuck into opening in another circuit board. The elastic force keeps the portion in position when applying the soldering material.
The particular solution, mentioned in EP 0 256 581, has the further problems of mechanically holding the component only by the tabs, why the heat exchange with the printed circuit board is very low, with overheating as a problem. Furthermore, the total mass of the component is mechanically fixed only by the limited tabs, which easily may cause fractures in the soldering.
The overall object of the present invention is to achieve a method of electrical circuit board assembling, which may omit the soldering or gluing step. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the number of separate parts used for assembling and electrically connecting. A further object of the present invention is to mount the components at the printed circuit board in a removable manner, for simplifying replacement of components or function as an electric connector.
The above objects are provided by an arrangement and mounting method according to the enclosed claims. In short terms, the present invention can be described as using the resilient behaviour of the flexible printed circuit board both to mechanically clamp the components in a permanent manner and to achieve good electrical contacts between conducting parts of the flexible circuit boards and the components. By cutting the flexible printed circuit board in such a manner that small tab-like, resilient members are formed, the forces caused by elastically deformed resilient members are usable both for mechanically fixing the components and for causing an electrical contact. By choosing appropriate sizes of the resilient members, the relative strength of the spring force is increased, which even will be large enough to cause a plastic deformation of the material in the contact points between the conducting resilient members and the component contact members. In such a manner, soldering or gluing may be totally omitted.

Flexible printed circuit board with resilient tabs and method of mounting components thereon


The present invention provides a see-through transmitting-reflecting projection screen excellent in transparency, capable of sharply displaying, on its both sides, identical or different images even under bright environmental light.

A conventional projection system is usually as follows: imaging light emitted from a projector is projected on a projection screen, and viewers observe the light reflected from the projection screen as an image. Specific examples of projection screens for use in such conventional projection systems include white-colored paper or cloth materials, and plastic films coated with ink that scatters white light. Besides, higher-quality projection screens that comprise scattering layers containing beads, pearlescent pigments, or the like and control the scattering of imaging light by the scattering layers are now commercially available.
The above-described projection screens are usually so made that the scenes behind the projection screens cannot be seen through them to provide higher-contrast images. There are, however, some uses that demand transparent projection screens through which the scenes behind them can be seen. Specifically, for example, in the case where a projection screen is attached to a show window or the like, calculating upon an eye-catching effect, it is necessary that the scene behind the show window can be seen through the projection screen at the time when no image is displayed on the projection screen. There is, therefore, a demand for a transparent projection screen that can display an image with high visibility and through which the scene behind it can be seen.
Since such a transparent projection screen is required to be highly transparent at the time when no image is displayed and also to achieve excellent image display even under bright environmental light, a screen using a hologram (holographic screen) is widely used as the transparent projection screen. Holographic screens are suitable for use in shops with show windows as described above, as well as places of entertainment or exhibition, and so forth.
In addition to commonly used transmission-type screens (screens in which imaging light, as transmitted light, is observed from rear side), reflection-type screens (screens in which imaging light, as reflected light, is observed from front side) have been proposed for the above-described holographic screens (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 222512/1997). However, these holographic screens, whether they are of transmission type or of reflection type, are supposed to be viewed only from one side. That is to say, viewing imaging light from both sides of a screen is, in general, beyond our conception.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3482963 discloses a transmission-type holographic screen from whose both sides imaging light can be viewed when combined with a half mirror. However, although the screen described in this patent document can thus display images on its both sides, the viewable images are merely identical ones, and it is theoretically impossible to display on the screen two different images, one on each side of the screen.
Even in the above-described transmission- or reflection-type holographic screens, it is possible to display on the screen two images, one on each side of the screen, if two imaging light beams are simultaneously projected on the screen from the front and the rear at different angles. In this case, when the two imaging light beams that are projected on the screen from the front and the rear are made to carry different images, it is possible to display on the screen two different images, one on each side of the screen. However, in this case, it is necessary to place two projectors on the respective sides of the screen. Moreover, it is necessary to conduct positioning of the projectors and the screen, and also to make the timing of displaying an image on one side of the screen coincide with the timing of displaying another image on the other side of the screen. The simultaneous projection of two imaging light beams is thus disadvantageous in that the practical installing operation is considerably complicated.
Besides, there exists the following problem with holographic screens themselves: since holograms have wavelength selectivity but no polarized-light selectivity, they cannot separate imaging light from environmental light, which makes it difficult to sharply display images on holographic screens under bright environmental light.

Transmitting-reflecting projection screen, and projection system comprising the same

Abstract: A transmitting-reflecting projection screen 10 comprises a reflection-type screen 11 and a transmission-type screen 12. The reflection-type screen 11 reflects a specific polarized component of imaging light projected. The reflection-type screen 11 does not reflect a polarized component, different from the specific polarized component, of the imaging light, and this polarized component passes through the reflection-type screen 11 and the transmission-type screen 12.


This invention describes a nano-scale magnetic solid base catalyst and its preparation method. The catalyst involves a magnetic core coated with a solid base active layer. The synthesis of the nano-scale magnetic cores was first carried out using a rapid nucleation method in a colloid mill reactor using a liquid-liquid reaction. The nano-scale magnetic cores were mixed with a mixed salt solution. The LDH-containing magnetic cores were prepared in a colloid mill reactor by a rapid nucleation method, and subsequently calcined to give a solid base mixed oxides coated on magnetic cores. The characteristics of this catalyst are: nano-scale, high surface area and high activity and selectivity in base-catalyzed reactions. The highly dispersed catalyst can be easily reclaimed using an external magnetic field because of its magnetism. The catalyst can be utilized in base catalysis in organic reactions such as glycol ether synthesis, ester exchange, aldol condensation, etc.

Current trends in catalysis research include the gradual replacement of homogeneous catalysts by heterogeneous catalysts. The advantages of using a solid base catalyst instead of a liquid base in catalytic reactions are:
(1) The high catalytic activity and selectivity and high purity of product;
(2) The catalysts can be easily separated;
(3) Preventing corrosion of equipment, reduction in effluent and more environmentally friendly.
However, heterogeneous catalysis systems usually have several shortcomings such as smaller reaction interface area and bigger transmission resistance, etc. These shortcomings significantly reduce the catalytic activity compared with homogeneous catalysis systems. There are also other reasons which limit the extensive application of heterogeneous catalysis systems.
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a promising prospect in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Shape-selective catalytic properties can be introduced by controlling the particle size and distribution and by adjusting the porosity. Nano-scale mixed metal oxides that have small particle size and large specific surface area have very efficient contact with the substrate, and give rise to high catalytic activities and excellent thermal stability. The disadvantage of these catalytic systems is the poor dispersion of the liquid-solid system, as well as difficulties in separation and reclamation of the catalyst. Furthermore, the large bed resistance caused by the small size of the catalyst particles in gas-solid catalysis systems leads to difficulties in their utilization in industry.
EP0421677A1 and EP0421678A1 relate to alkaline LDHs and calcined LDHs as solid base catalysts in glycol ether synthesis. LDHs can be represented by the general formula [M2+aM3+b(OH)9(2a+3b)][X]b, where M2+ and M3+ are divalent and trivalent metal cations, respectively; X is interlayer anion. LDHs were calcined to give Mg—Al—O compounds. Both of these works have not described how to solve the problems of dispersal, separation and reclaim of the catalyst however.

Nano-scale magnetic solid base catalyst and its preparation method

Beijing University of Chemical Technology


An electrode separator structure includes a conductive gas-resistant plate and a conductive porous structure. The conductive gas-resistant plate has a receiving space and at least a set of an inlet port and an outlet port, wherein the inlet port and the outlet port have passages communicating the receiving space. The conductive porous structure is disposed in the receiving space and communicates with the set of the inlet port and the outlet port to form reaction gas flow paths, wherein the conductive porous structure includes plural holes laminated as at least two porous layers, and the at least two porous layers are laminated in a staggered arrangement along a direction vertical to an extending plane of the conductive porous structure.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through an electrochemical reaction. A redox reaction is mainly carried out by oxygen or other oxidant to convert the chemical energy from the fuel into the electrical energy. The most common fuel for the fuel cell is hydrogen, and other fuel sources come from any hydrocarbon that decomposes hydrogen, such as natural gas, alcohol, and methane. Unlike a typical battery (the chemical energy comes from chemicals already present in the battery) being discarded as usual, the fuel cell has the advantage that produces electricity continuously and stably as long as the oxygen and fuel sources are continuously supplied. The fuel source for the fuel cell can be supplied from a renewable source, which will not cause environmental pollution. Therefore, the fuel cell is a green source energy that is environmental friendly.
There are many types of fuel cells, but they all consist of an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte that allows positively charged hydrogen ions (protons) to move between the two sides of the fuel cell. At the anode a catalyst causes the fuel to undergo oxidation reactions that generate protons (positively charged hydrogen ions) and electrons. The protons flow from the anode to the cathode through the electrolyte after the reaction. At the same time, electrons are drawn from the anode to the cathode through an external circuit, producing direct current electricity. Fuel cells can be classified by the type of electrolyte they use and by the difference in startup time. Also, a single cell produce relatively small electrical potentials, about 0.7 volts, and it is common that several cells are stacked in series to yield higher voltage, to create sufficient voltage to meet the requirements of the applications.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is one type of fuel cells, which generates electricity and heat by using a hydrogen-containing fuel and air. PEMFC is operated at a relative low temperature (such as in a range of 50° C. to 100° C.) and at atmospheric pressure, and contains a special proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane. Also, the fuel cell does not use any chemical liquid, and produces pure water and heat after power generation; therefore, it is not harmful to the human body and is also environmental friendly. The fuel cell is suitable for daily life, for example, it can be applied to daily transportation, field equipment, or portable device as power supply.
In a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), a stream of hydrogen is delivered to the anode side of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) through the plate with channels, and reaches the catalyst layer at the anode side via the gas diffusion layer. At the anode side, hydrogen is catalytically split into hydrogen ions (i.e. protons) and electrons. The anode reaction (also known as oxidation half-cell reaction) is represented as below.Anode reaction: H22H++2e−
Then, the hydrogen ions (i.e. protons) permeate through the polymer electrolyte membrane to the cathode side. The electrons travel along an external load circuit to the cathode side of the MEA, thus creating the current output of the fuel cell. Meanwhile, a stream of oxygen is delivered to the cathode side of the MEA. At the cathode side oxygen molecules react with the protons permeating through the polymer electrolyte membrane and the electrons arriving through the external circuit to form water molecules. The cathode reaction (also known as reduction half-cell reaction) can be expressed as below.Cathode reaction: ½O2+2H++2e−H2O
Overall reaction for a fuel cell can be expressed as follows:H2+½OH2O
However, if the water produced by the reaction as described above cannot be eliminated quickly, it will affect the electrochemical reaction of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and limit the discharge performance of the fuel cell.

Electrode separator structure and fuel cell applied with the same

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A terminal crimped wire includes a wire including a conductor and an insulation sheath covering a circumference of the conductor, a crimping terminal crimped to the wire, an anticorrosion material which covers an exposed part of the wire drawn out of the crimping terminal, and an elastic member provided along a circumference of the wire. The wire is crimped to the crimping terminal via the elastic member interposed therebetween.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a terminal crimped wire including a wire, a terminal, and an anticorrosion material provided to cover the wire exposed on an outside of the crimping terminal.
2. Related Art
WO 2011/125626 A1 discloses a conventional terminal crimped wire. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a conventional terminal crimped wire 150 includes a terminal connection portion 151 to be connected with a mating terminal, a wire connection portion 152 connected to a wire W, and a neck portion 153 connecting the terminal connection portion 151 to the wire connection portion 152. The wire connection portion 152 includes a pair of crimping pieces 152a. An exposed part of a conductor 160 of the wire W and a part of an insulation sheath 161 are integrally crimped by the crimping pieces 152a. The wire connection portion 152 is provided with a plurality of serrations 152b on the inner surface thereof. The area in the wire connection portion 152 where water may be poured to the wire W is covered with solder 155 as an anticorrosion material. In particular, the solder 155 is provided to cover the conductor 160 projecting forward from the crimping pieces 152a, and cover a gap provided in a portion where the crimping pieces 52a face and come into contact with each other
Even when the conventional terminal crimped wire 150 is poured to water, immersion of the conductor 160 in water is prevented in a manner such that the solder 155 prevents pouring water into the conductor 160 from a front and upper sides of the wire connection portion 152, and the serrations 152b prevent pouring water into the conductor 160 through a gap between the back end of the wire connection portion 152 and the insulation sheath 161 of the wire W. In the case where the conductor 160 is made of aluminum, galvanic corrosion can be prevented. Namely, a water cut-off performance and an anticorrosion property of the terminal crimped wire 150 are improved due to the solder 155 and the serrations 152b.


Components are disclosed which allow a powerful, variable speed lathe to turn the photoreceptor drums, charge rollers and developer brushes of printers, copiers, and facsimile machines. In one embodiment, adapter units fit over the cylindrical extensions on the ends of the drum. Two pieces of opposing tail stock support and hold the drum on the lathe by applying pressure against the adapter units. A drive bushing is attached to and rotates with the drive bolt of the lathe. The drive bushing has one or more drive pins which interact with the spoke-like members on the drum to turn or spin the drum and allow it to be cleaned, polished, coated or otherwise treated. In a second embodiment, a short length of hose is used to connect the adapter unit with the charge roller or developer brush. The drive pin of the drive bushing is received in a hole on the surface of the adapter unit facing the drive bushing. The roller or brush is turned on the lathe by having the drive bushing turn the adapter unit. The same drive bushing, adapter units and tail stocks can therefore be used to drive photoreceptor drums, charge rollers and developer brushes. Depending on the type of photoreceptor drum end, it is possible to spin the drum using just the drive bushing and tail stock without an adapter unit.

In printers, copiers and facsimile machines, dry toner is transferred to paper to produce an image. In simple terms, a charge roller rubs against a photoreceptor drum, and charges it. When light (the photo image) shines on the drum, the drum gets an image. The light removes the charge from the drum where it shines on the drum, in little pixel increments, so there is no charge where the image is, and the drum remains charged where there is no image. A developer brush is located close to the drum and is surrounded by dry toner. It applies toner to the drum where the drum is not charged. So where the image is, the drum is black, and the drum is white (no image) where the drum is charged. A second charge roller is on the opposite side of the paper from the drum. The drum rotates forward and the second charge roller attracts toner from the drum onto the paper. The image is transferred from the drum to the paper. Toner is then melted on the paper by fuser rollers.
The photoreceptor drum is exposed to ozone and the outer portion of the charge transport layer's (the outermost layer) structure changes from its original state to a different state, reducing its performance level and the quality of its image. Toner, paper particles and other debris also get on the drum, roller and developer brush. When charge rollers get dirty, for example, they can malfunction, causing streaks and/or grey haze on the output paper.
As a result of this, the drums, rollers and developer brushes need to be cleaned, polished, waxed and otherwise treated. For example, once the outer portion, of the charge transport layer, the modified portion is removed from the drum surface, the surface may need to be treated with a hard protective coating. The drums, rollers and brushes are usually cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. In the copier, laser printer, facsimile machine industry, and in the cartridge remanufacturing industry, the lathes available specifically to rotate drums for ease of treatment have small inadequate motors designed for one speed. If any real pressure is applied on the drums, rollers and brushes, the lathe will stop. It is believed that no means currently exists in the industry for turning charge rollers and developer brushes on any type of lathe. More powerful motors with variable speed are needed to turn these devices so they may be properly cleaned and treated.

Photoreceptor drum, charge roller and developer brush spinner device


The present invention discloses a deflection member for draining, during the operation of a ship hull, an inlet channel (2) to a turned off water jet unit. The deflection member includes a flap (6) that is rotatably or shiftably attached to a bottom of a ship hull. The flap in disposed in front of or immediately in front of an inlet. When the flap is immersed, the flap creates a cavity (0) outside the inlet opening to cover the same.

This invention relates to a device for evacuating an inlet to a water jet unit that is turned off wherein the water jet unit is disposed in a ship hull having a plurality of driving mechanisms. More particularly, the invention relates to a member that is movably engaged to a bottom of a ship hull. When the ship hull is in operation, the member is immersed into the relative water flow in front of the inlet of the driving mechanism. The configuration of the member is such that the water flow is deflected so that a cavity is formed in front of the intake opening to cover the same. In this way, water is prevented from flowing in through the intake. Additionally, the inlet of the turned off driving mechanism is drained. The present invention also relates to the use of such a deflection mechanism for this purpose and a method for draining the inlet of the turned off water jet unit while the ship hull is in operation.
Fast moving ship hulls are more often equipped with multiple driving mechanisms which often include the water jet units. Thus, there are many ships today that have up to four driving units. These are designed for velocities which often exceeds 40 knots so that it is easy to realize the need for maintaining the economy of operation while cruising at a lower velocity for example, in an archipelago or during night cruises when the passengers desire a smooth cruising speed.
The driving mechanisms are generally constructed to provide a good output at a high efficiency at the cruising speed which the ship is designed for. Therefore, if the effect of the output is reduced then the economy of operation is also reduced. It is therefore often more advantageous to completely turn off one of many units and to operate the remaining units at a constant output. This cannot be done without causing certain drawbacks such as increased resistance and vibrations. Besides the resistance caused by the impellent disposed in the turned off water jet units, the water flow through the intake is also undesirable and unnecessary due to increased weight which may be substantial. These drawbacks are obviously more apparent when one of the driving mechanisms have broken down and it is desirable to operate the ship at an acceptable cruising speed.
One objective of the present invention is to remove some of the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a deflection member that is movable and continuously adjustable and disposed in front of or adjacent to a forward edge of the intake. The deflection member creates a cavity defined in-the water that is outside the intake and covers the same. Thus, the penetration of water is prevented and the channel is drained so that any resistance from an idle impellent is eliminated. Additionally, the deflection member provides reduced weight and a corresponding reduced resistance to forward movement.
The objective is satisfied by the deflection member described in the appended claims.


A handheld, hatchling holder not only simplifies manual examinations but also better protects the hatchling's welfare. The welfare concerns include not only bruising but also yolk-sac rupture. The handheld, hatchling holder has a cupped seat portion for cupping the ventral-end of a hatchling. The cupped seat portion is apertured, as with an opening. The hatchling is seated on the handheld, hatchling holder such that the cupped seat portion provides support to portions of the hatchling's perineal area that surrounds the alimentary vent (cloaca) as the alimentary vent is situated for exposure by the opening. The holder and opening facilitates not only welfare-friendly discharge of the meconium in the hatchling's alimentary vent through the opening but also welfare-friendly examination of the distended innards of the vent for markers of gender. The quality of the meconium discharge (or absence thereof) also facilitates determining whether the hatchling exceeds a hydration standard or not.

The invention relates to livestock immobilization apparatus and, more particularly, to a handheld holder for holding an avian hatchling during a gender and/or hydration examination as well as a gender and/or hydration examination process facilitated by such apparatus.
The turkey-rearing industry, among others, is keenly interested in determining the sex of hatchlings as early as possible. Generally hatchlings are raised in separate-sex farms. One reason for separate-sex rearing is that toms (males) get so much larger than hens that at harvest the toms and hens are sent through separate factory-grade process lines specifically scaled for handling the larger or smaller carcasses according to sex.
One current popular practice to determine hatchling sex is to have skilled practitioners manually do so with each hatchling by squeezing the perineal area that surrounds the alimentary vent (or, in more accurate language, the "cloaca") and then rubbing a finger tip over the vent.
In this way, sex is determined based on hatchling anatomy and/or structure that is associated with the hatchling's vent (ie., cloaca). In actual practice, sex determination is reckoned by whether anatomical structure or organs characteristics of males are present or not. If present, then the hatchling is reckoned a male of course. If absent, then the hatchling is presumed a female. The preferred organs or structure for this determination are preferably the male "tokki," which might be reckoned as structure of the phallus.
By way of background, the custom of avian vent-sexing extends back to an early origin with Japanese practitioners who over time refined the practice to a high level of skill. Accordingly, terminology common in the field today shows these Japanese roots, and the particular structure on which to base a manual vent-sexing determination is referred to as "tokki." Presumptively "tokki" corresponds to structure of the phallus. What this structure appears like in turkeys is miniature testes gonads. As an aside, chickens differ from turkeys in that male hatchlings thereof present what appears more like a single ball structure. However, the true avian testes gonads in at least turkey or chicken hatchlings are deeper inside the abdomen than the "tokki" structure searched for by vent-sexing examiners. The "tokki" structure may actually be intermediate sperm reservoirs downline from the true testes gonads. Regardless, this "tokki" structure is found retracted just inside a peripheral portion of the alimentary vent in male avian hatchlings. The presence or absence of the "tokki" structure has been used by vent-sexing examiners successfully for many long years to determine sex of first-day hatchlings, and with a very high degree of accuracy.
Beyond gender determination, the practice of such manual examinations can furthermore be utilized to make a hatchling quality determination, such as hydration and/or deformation issues. That is, the examiner can be making determinations if a hatchling is normally (or sufficiently) hydrated or, in the alternative, problematically dehydrated. Also, the examiner can be making determinations if the hatchling has deformations in vent and/or surrounding perineal area that are unacceptable. Sexors are the only service personnel in the turkey (and/or poultry) industry that identify deformations in this area of the bird's anatomy. Identifying unacceptable deformations in this area of the bird's anatomy is only critical for breeding stock, and birds afflicted with such are culled immediately. The problematically dehydrated birds are typically culled their first day too because they have a low survival rate, and it is more efficient to cull them immediately rather than waste costly resources on them.
The inventors hereof know very well the difference between a healthy, sufficiently hydrated bird and dehydrated bird by manual inspection. Such indicators include the following. Before a hatchling is manually inspected, it is squeezed gently to void its alimentary vent of meconium. In birds, the "meconium" is the first stool or discharge of a hatchling. (Correspondingly, in mammals, meconium is typically a dark greenish mass that accumulates in the bowel during fetal life and is discharged shortly after birth.)
To void the vent of meconium, typically an examiner gently squeezes the hatchling's abdomen while concurrently giving the hatchling a single flick-of-the wrist shake toward the ground, with the hatchling's vent ultimately pointed down. To observers, this is not only a quick one-handed movement but is also appears something like squirting a stream from a rubber syringe, as with both a quick squeeze on the bulb and a flick with the wrist to the ground. Alternatively, the motion might be likened to someone wringing dry a soaking wet sponge ball.
If the hatchling is healthy, a watery squirt of considerable volume is obtained. With dehydrated birds, either no to little meconium comes out, and what does (if any) is chalky and thick.
As an aside, healthy (eg, sufficiently hydrated) hatchlings are typically plump in a worker's grip. Dehydrated birds feel shriveled and bony. Moreover, the legs of the hatchlings provide another tell-tale sign.
Healthy (properly hydrated) hatchlings have healthy legs (which is known to professional practitioners who sex hatchlings by the thousands and thousands each week) in contrast to dehydrated birds, whose legs have a wrinkled texture, like raisins.
In review, the practice of manually determining the sex of a hatchling to date has involved two separate steps of squeezing—gently, hopefully—the hatchling to do so. The first occasion of squeezing the hatchling is undertaken to void the vent of meconium. The second occasion of squeezing the hatchling is practiced to distend slightly the "tokki" structure—which is found retracted just inside a peripheral portion of the alimentary vent in male avian hatchlings—to a distended position protruding slightly outside alimentary vent. Albeit the step of voiding of the vent of meconium does help the examiner make a hydration determination, the primary purpose thereof is simply to allow the examiner to better see and feel whether the "tokki" structure is present or absent.
This second occasion of squeezing the hatchling (ie., to distend slightly the "tokki" structure) is usually practiced with the worker jamming his or her right thumb tip in the perineal area just above the vent (eg., into the gut of the bird), and then pinching the lower perineal area (eg., the rump of the bird) between his or her left thumb and forefinger. Hence, workers manually apply a squeeze by applying pressure at three points surrounding the bird's vent (cloaca). The foregoing allows the examiner to better see and feel whether the "tokki" structure is present or absent.
Suspicions have been forming nowadays that the practice of manually sexing hatchlings is causing harm or premature mortality to the hatchlings. It is feared that the jamming of a thumb nail in the gut of the hatchling is causing unwanted bruising. Worse still, it is known that most unwanted ruptures of the yolk sac are sexing injuries. That is, rupture of the yolk sac is most at risk when the hatchlings are squished and shook to clear meconium from their vents. The problem with the bruising is that it may impair growth or, that is, hatchlings bruised on their first day may not grow to be as heavy. But worse yet is the fate of hatchlings whose yolk sacs are ruptured, because the rupture kills. They die.
What is needed is an improvement for workers in the business of manually determining the gender of hatchlings, or optionally determining quality of hydration as well, which overcomes shortcomings of the prior art way of doing business and is kinder to the hatchlings.
A number of additional features and objects will be apparent in connection with the following discussion of the drawings and preferred embodiment(s) and example(s).

Handheld examination holder for avian hatchlings, and gender examination process


A tool and method for forming wire eyes in stiff wire are provided. The tool has a handle and a shank, or shaft, having a hollow or tubular opening at the end extending into the shank a selected distance corresponding to the length of the wire needed to form an initial bend in the wire. The end of the wire is inserted into the tubular opening and generally formed into a circular eye in two separate bending steps. A side opening or eye is provided in the shank adjacent the end to form a final bend in the wire to the wire eye which may be forcefully closed by pliers or the like.

In the past, in various aspects of electrical work wire ends in on the job applications are required to be bent in the field to the form of wire eyes. Such forming is needed in order to apply the wire eyes to stud terminals or the like, secured by nuts of one type or another to provide electrical connections. The usual tool employed in the field is a pair of pliers.
In some electrical work, such as railroad signal work, stiff copper wire is employed. Such wire, because of its stiffness is difficult to manipulate and form, particularly when numerous forming applications are needed in outdoor weather which may be harsh and inclement.
It has remained a problem to provide a simple tool which can be easily employed in the field to form wire eyes precisely formed at a stripped end of stiff insulated wire.


A surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a curved shaft to an actuator handle assembly and incorporates an improved actuator mechanism for transmitting the required operating forces and movements from the actuator handle assembly through the curved shaft to an anvil and staple driver of the stapling head assembly. The stapling head assembly includes a longitudinally movable trocar detachably secured by one or more retainer clips on a hollow shaft of the anvil. When the trocar is retracted, the anvil shaft slides into a central support tube which aligns the anvil axially and circumferentially with a staple holder on the stapling head assembly. The retainer clips are locked against the trocar by the support tube and transmit tension from the trocar to the anvil with no tension load on the anvil shaft. The actuator mechanism permits adjustment of the anvil gap to produce a desired staple height and precludes actuation of the staple head assembly if the anvil gap is set outside of a predetermined range. Also, the actuator mechanism is adapted to both advance and retract the staple driver relative to the staple holder in the stapling head assembly. Further, an improved arrangement for attaching the support shaft to the stapling head assembly and to the actuator handle assembly is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a surgical stapling instrument for applying surgical staples to tissue and, more particularly, to a surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation. More specifically, this invention relates to a surgical instrument in which a stapling head assembly is mounted by a curved shaft to an actuator handle assembly and to an improved actuator mechanism for transmitting the required operating forces and movements from the actuator handle assembly through the curved shaft to the stapling head assembly. Also, this invention relates to an improved stapling head assembly provided with a detachable anvil and a retractable staple driver. Further, this invention concerns an improved actuator mechanism which permits adjustment of the anvil gap to produce a desired staple height and precludes actuation of the stapling head assembly if the anvil gap is outside of a predetermined range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The field of surgical stapling has seen substantial advances in the past decades. Specifically, in the area of internal anastomotic stapling the advances have been quite dramatic. Devices such as the Proximate.TM. ILS stapler, produced by the assignee of the present invention, Ethicon, Inc., Somerville, N.J., have enabled surgeons to perform operations and procedures which were heretofore perceived as difficult, if not impossible, with relative ease.
Generally, in the performance of a surgical anastomotic stapling operation, two pieces of lumen or tubular tissue, e.g., intestinal tissue, are attached together by a ring of staples. The two pieces of tubular tissue may be attached end to end or one piece of tubular tissue may be attached laterally around an opening formed in the side of another piece of tubular tissue. In performing the anastomosis with a stapling instrument, the two pieces of tubular tissue are clamped together between an anvil provided with a circular array of staple forming grooves and a staple holder provided with a plurality of staple receiving slots arranged in a circular array in which the staples are received. A staple pusher is advanced to drive the staples into the tissue and form the staples against the anvil. Also, a circular knife is advanced to cut the excess tissue clamped between the anvil and the staple holder. As a result, a donut-shaped section of tissue is severed from each lumen and remains on the anvil shaft. The tubular tissue joined by the circular ring of staples is unclamped by advancing the anvil shaft distally to move the anvil away from the staple holder. The stapling instrument is removed by pulling the anvil through the circular opening between the pieces of tubular tissue attached by the ring of staples.
In the prior art, several types of circular anastomosis stapling instruments are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,576,167 and 4,646,745 to Noiles disclose a surgical stapler in which a stapling assembly is connected by an elongated shaft assembly having a longitudinally curved section to an actuator assembly. The shaft assembly includes an articulated hollow tube and a flexible band inside the tube, which are coaxial with a curved section of a hollow support shaft, for transmitting the compression and tension forces required to operate the stapling assembly. The hollow compression tube is concentric with the hollow support shaft. The flexible tension band is disposed in the interior of the hollow compression tube. Two elongated flexible spacer elements are mounted inside the compression tube above and below the flexible tension band to maintain the tension band substantially in the center of the curved compression tube. The compression tube and the tension band are mounted coaxial with respect to the curved sections of the support shaft.
It is also known in the prior art to provide a circular anastomosis stapling instrument including a flexible shaft which allows the stapling head to assume various orientations relative to the actuator assembly. Examples of circular stapling instruments with flexible shafts are disclosed in Noiles et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,077, Barker et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,909, and Shichman U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,523.
European Patent Application No. 293,123-A2 discloses a surgical anastomosis stapling apparatus including a stapling assembly comprising a tubular housing which supports an annular array of staples, a staple pusher mounted for movement between a retracted position within the housing and an extended position for expelling the annular array of staples, and a cylinder slidably mounted within the pusher assembly for selectively mounting either a trocar or an anvil assembly. The cylinder includes a central bore at its distal end for receiving a solid anvil shaft which is releasably held in the central bore by a detent formed on a spring member mounted at the distal end of the cylinder. The anvil shaft includes external longitudinal splines which engage internal splines provided within the housing for aligning the anvil shaft with the housing.
Co-pending U.S. Application Ser. No. 590,404, filed Sep. 28, 1990, by Main and assigned to Ethicon, Inc., discloses a surgical stapling device including an anvil portion which is detachable from a stapling head portion containing a trocar tip upon which the anvil is attached. The anvil portion contains an elongated sleeve with an opening through which the trocar tip is inserted. The anvil is provided with a locking clip which releasably engages an indentation or ridge provided on the trocar tip which allows the anvil to be separated from the trocar tip.

Surgical anastomosis stapling instrument


The present invention features anti-HERV-K monoclonal antibodies or antigen-binding portions thereof. The present invention also features uses of the antibodies for treating HIV infection or HIV-associated conditions or diseases.

Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERV) are remnants of past retroviral infections during human evolution and constitute about 8% of the human genome. Most HERVs are dysfunctional and subsequently silent due to extensive mutations and deletions in their encoded genes.
HERV-K species, especially the HML-2 clade, is the most recent to enter the human genome, perhaps as recently as 150,000 years ago. There are estimated to be approximately 1000 HERV-K insertions and between 30 and 50 HERV-K proviruses in the human genome. Certain HERV-K loci are capable of expressing all of the viral proteins, and viral particle formation has been detected in teratocarcinoma cell lines. Transcription of HERV-K is strongly affected by apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing, enzyme-catalytic, polypeptide-like 3G/F (APOBEC3G/F). Under steady state HERV-K genes are not expressed, believed to be the function of suppression mediated in part by APOBEC3G/F. However, in various cancers, upon HIV infection, and other specialized cellular activation methods HERV-K genes are expressed. HERV-K Env expression is activated by malignant transformation, and its expression has been reported in germ cell tumors, melanoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia and lymphoma.
HERV-K expression has been demonstrated to be induced upon HIV infection in vitro, and the expression of HERV-K Envelope (Env) on the surface of HIV-infected cells. This is the consequence of HIV Tat and Vif proteins. As HIV acquires host cell membrane proteins through the budding process it has suggested, although not yet demonstrated that HERVK Env may also be present on surface of HIV virions. Serum antibodies and T cell responses against HERV-K have been detected in HIV infected patients and SIV infected rhesus macaques. It has been demonstrated that HERV-K (HML-2) transmembrane (TM) domain is expressed on the surface of HIV-1-infected cells. The antibodies against human HERV-K (HML-2) transmembrane protein/domain bind specifically to HIV-1-infected cells and eliminated these infected cells in vitro through an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) mechanism.

Human monoclonal antibodies to human endogenous retrovirus K envelope (HERV-K) and use thereof


An image forming system includes a job executing portion, a preview executing portion, and a log image obtaining portion. The job executing portion executes a job based on an image. The preview executing portion executes displaying a preview of the image before the job is executed. The log image obtaining portion obtains a log image as a history of the image and store the log image in a storage portion. The log image obtaining portion obtains a log image of the preview.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming system and an image forming apparatus that, when executing a job based on an image, obtain a log image as a history of the image, and to a storage medium storing an image forming program.
Information leakages involving image forming apparatuses have been found occurring in organizations such as enterprises. Information leakage occurs, for example, when someone in an organization copies a document of confidential information by using an image forming apparatus to generate a duplicate and brings the duplicate out of the organization.
There is known a typical image forming apparatus that is configured to prevent such an information leakage involving an image forming apparatus. In the typical image forming apparatus, when a job is executed based on an image, a log image is generated and stored as a history of the image.
According to this typical image forming apparatus, the administrator can learn which user executed a job based on which image based on the log images. Thus, the typical image forming apparatus enables the administrator to prevent a violation, such as an information leakage, in advance. In addition, the typical image forming apparatus enables the administrator to identify violators. This gives a pressure to users to inhibit themselves from making a violation.

Forming system, apparatus and storage medium executing a job based on a preview log image and a log image is generated as a history image


An overfill prevention system for an folded sheet dispenser. The system is composed of: 1) a cover including a front face, a first side panel, a second side panel and a top panel; 2) a mounting frame adapted to hold a supply of folded sheets and to engage the cover, the mounting frame including a back panel and a bottom portion having at least one dispensing opening; and 3) at least one overfill bracket movably connected to the mounting frame such that an over-capacity of folded sheets in the mounting frame displaces the overfill bracket to prevent the mounting frame from engaging the cover. The system may include means to prevent deformation of the cover to override an overfill bracket displaced by an over-capacity of folded sheets. The system may include over-fill bracket with sloped surface to prevent folded sheets from being positioned over the overfill bracket. Desirably, the cover is pivotally attached to the mounting frame by links. The folded sheets may be folded paper towels, folded bath tissues or the like.

Dispensers of sheet products in roll form are simple and reliable because the rolls are easy to load and very difficult to overload or overstuff. However, products in roll form present some dispensing problems. A single roll dispenser with a nearly depleted roll must be monitored carefully by maintenance personnel to avoid running out at an inconvenient moment. Changing a partially depleted roll results in wasted product. Moreover, some single roll dispensers are designed so a roll cannot be removed until it is depleted and only a core is left.
Dispensers have been designed to hold reserve rolls. However, these dispensers have disadvantages. They take up more space and can be subject to pilferage. Reserve roll dispensers may require mechanisms that can be relatively complex to provide access to the reserve roll. Such mechanism may be subject to jamming or failure. Reserve roll dispensers may also require some action by a user to access the reserve roll. This typically requires the user to touch or contact the body of the dispenser which may be, in some settings, less than desirable for aesthetic or hygienic reasons.
Devices that dispense single sheets of product are desirable because the can be refilled when only partially depleted. Since no reserve roll is present, the devices are less prone to pilferage. Single sheet dispensers are also desirable because they tend to be simple devices that are not subject to jamming or failure. Devices that dispense folded sheet products are particularly desirable if the products can be dispensed continuously, reliably and can be accessed without touching the dispenser.
A major disadvantage of folded sheet dispensers is that they can be overloaded or overfilled. Overfilling the dispenser can create pressure against the stack of sheets that makes it very difficult to remove a sheet from the dispenser. For example, the pressure against the stack may prevent a "tab" end of the sheet from becoming accessible preventing a user from having a portion of the sheet to grasp in order to withdraw it. The stack of sheets may be wedged in the dispenser so firmly that the portion of the sheet grasped by the user simply tears instead of dispensing a single sheet. Friction against the dispensing opening may be increased by overfilling the dispenser making dispensing unreliable and problematic.
Another problem associated with folded sheet dispensers is encountered when a new stack or clip of interfolded sheets is loaded in the dispenser on top of a partially depleted stack or clip of interfolded sheets. While the sheets in each stack may be interfolded, the last sheet of the partially depleted stack and the first sheet of the new stack are not interfolded. When the first sheet of the new stack reaches the dispensing position the leading edge or "tab" end of the sheet may be difficult for a user to grasp because it was not interfolded and drawn out by the previous sheet to form a tail at the dispensing opening.
In view of the above, a need exists for a system to prevent the overloading or overfilling of single sheet or interfolded sheet dispensers. A need also exists for such an overfill prevention system that is difficult to override or thwart.
There is also a need for a system to improve the dispensing of single sheet or interfolded sheet dispensers which addresses the problem encountered with starting a new stack or clip of sheets in such dispensers or when product is misaligned in a dispenser or when a "tab" end or tail is not accessible. A need exists for a system to provide an improved dispensing geometry as part of an overfill prevention system.
Meeting these needs are important because it is highly desirable to improve the operation of folded sheet dispensers to provide high capacity "no touch" dispensing. Meeting these needs would provide the positive benefits of creating systems that improve the reliability of folded sheet dispensers so the many advantages of such dispensers may be fully exploited.

Overfill prevention system for folded sheet dispenser