A fluorescence sensor is constituted by: a light source, for emitting excitation light of a predetermined wavelength; a dielectric block, formed of a material that transmits the excitation light; a metal film, formed on a surface of the dielectric block; a non flexible film of a hydrophobic material, formed on the metal film at a film thickness within a range of 10 to 100 nm; a sample holding portion, for holding a sample such that the sample contacts the non flexible film; an incident optical system, for causing the excitation light to enter the interface between the dielectric block and the metal film through the dielectric block such that conditions for total internal reflection are satisfied; and fluorescence detecting means, for detecting fluorescence emitted by a substance within the sample, which is excited by evanescent waves that leak from the interface when the excitation light enters the interface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluorescence sensor that detects specific substances within samples by fluorometry. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fluorescence sensor that performs surface plasmon enhancement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fluorometry is conventionally used in for biological measurements and the like, as an easy and highly sensitive measuring method. In fluorometry, a sample, which is considered to contain a detection target substance that emits fluorescence when excited by light having a specific wavelength, is irradiated with an excitation light beam of the aforementioned specific wavelength. The presence of the detection target substance can be confirmed by detecting the fluorescence due to the excitation. In the case that the detection target substance is not a fluorescent substance, a substance labeled by a fluorescent substance that specifically bonds with the detection target substance is caused to contact the sample. Thereafter, fluorescence is detected in the same manner as described above, thereby confirming the presence of the bond, that is, the detection target substance.
FIG. 3 is a diagram that illustrates the schematic structure of an example of a sensor that performs fluorometry employing the aforementioned labeled substance. The fluorescence sensor is that which detects antigens 2 included in a sample 1. Primary antibodies 4 that specifically bond with the antigens 2 are coated on a substrate 3. The sample 1 is caused to flow through sample holding portion 5 provided above the substrate 3. Next, secondary antibodies 6, which are labeled with a fluorescent substance 10 and also bond specifically with the antigens 2, are caused to flow through the sample holding portion 5. Thereafter, a light source 7 emits an excitation light beam 8 toward the surface of the substrate 3, and a photodetector 9 detects fluorescence. At this time, if a predetermined fluorescence is detected by the photodetector 9, bonds between the secondary antibodies 6 and the antigens 2, that is, the presence of the antigens 2 within the sample 1, is confirmed.
Note that in the above example, the presence of the secondary antibodies 6 is actually confirmed by detecting the fluorescence. However, if the secondary antibodies 6 do not bond with the antigens 2, then they will flow past the substrate 3, and will not be present thereon. Therefore, the presence of the antigens 2 is indirectly confirmed, by confirming the presence of the secondary antibodies 6.
With recent advances in the performance of photodetectors, such as cooled CCD's, fluorometry has become indispensable in biological research. In addition, fluorometry has come to be widely used in fields other than biology.
However, in conventional surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensors such as that illustrated in FIG. 3, the excitation light beam reflected or scattered at the interface between the substrate and the sample, and light scattered by impurities other than the detection target substance becomes noise. Therefore, even if the performance of photodetectors is improved, the S/N ratio in fluorescence detection does not.
As a solution to this problem, evanescent wave fluorometry, that is, fluorometry that employs evanescent waves, has been proposed in A. Kusumi et al., "This Much Can Be Learned From Bio Imaging", pp. 104-113, Yodosha Press. An example of a fluorescence sensor that performs evanescent wave fluorometry is illustrated in FIG. 4. Note that in FIG. 4, elements which are the same as those illustrated in FIG. 3 are denoted with the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted unless particularly necessary (the same applies to all of the following descriptions).
In this fluorescence sensor, a prism 13 (dielectric block) is employed instead of the substrate 3. The excitation light beam 8 emitted from the light source 7 is irradiated through the prism 13 such that conditions for total internal reflection at the interface between the prism 13 and the sample 1 are satisfied. In this configuration, the secondary antibodies 6 are excited by evanescent waves 11 that leak in the vicinity of the interface when the excitation light beam 8 is totally internally reflected thereat. Fluorescence detection is performed by the photodetector 9, which is provided at the side opposite the prism 13 from the sample 1 (the upper portion in FIG. 4).
In this fluorescence sensor the excitation light beam 8 is totally internally reflected toward the lower portion of the drawing, and fluorescence detection is performed from above. Therefore, detected excitation light components do not become a background for a fluorescence detection signal. In addition, the evanescent waves 11 only reach a region of several hundred nm from the interface. Therefore, scattering due to impurities M within the sample 1 can be virtually eliminated. For these reasons, evanescent fluorometry is being noticed as a method that enables fluorescent measurement of detection target substances in units of single molecules, while greatly reducing (light) noise compared to conventional fluorometry.
A surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor, such as that illustrated in FIG. 5, is also known as a sensor capable of fluorescence measurement at even higher sensitivity. The surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 3562912, and differs from the fluorescence sensor of FIG. 4 in that a metal film 20 is formed on the prism 13. That is, surface plasmon is generated within the metal film 20 when the excitation light beam 8 is irradiated thereon, and the electric field amplification effect provided thereby enhances the fluorescence. According to a simulation, the fluorescent intensity has been shown to be enhanced 1000 times.
However, in the aforementioned surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor, if the fluorescent substance within the sample and the metal film are too close to each other, the energy excited within the fluorescent substance is transferred to the metal film before fluorescence is emitted. That is, a phenomenon in which fluorescence does not occur (so called metallic light loss) may occur.
Fang Yu et al. propose forming a SAM (Self Assembled Membrane) on the metal film, to separate the fluorescent substance within the sample from the metal film at least by a distance equal to the thickness of the SAM, in "Surface Plasmon Field-Enhanced Fluorescence Spectroscopy Studies of the Interaction between an Antibody and Its Surface-Coupled Antigen", Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 75, pp. 2610-2617, 2003. Note that FIG. 5 illustrates the SAM, denoted by reference number 21. T. Liebermann et al. also discuss the dependency of the fluorescence intensity enhanced by surface plasmon on the distance from the metal film, related to metallic light loss, in "Surface-Plasmon Field-enhanced fluorescence Spectroscopy", Colloids and Surfaces 171, pp. 115-130, 2000.
However, when fluorescence detection was performed using the aforementioned surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor provided with the SAM, it was found that the sensitivity of fluorescence detection was not improved much, compared to a case in which the SAM is not provided.

Surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence sensor and fluorescence detecting method


Liquid-transfer apparatus, and methodology employing the same, operatively interposable a syringe and a vial, and accommodating both a single-mouth-size (single-size), two-vial transfer procedure, and a two-mouth-size (two-size), two-vial transfer procedure. The apparatus includes a liquid-transfer device having a syringe-coupling end, a vial-coupling end, and liquid-passage structure effectively communicating between these ends. In the case of accommodating a single-mouth-size (single-size), two-vial procedure, only the liquid-transfer device is employed, and the same is sized with a vial-coupling end that is constructed for direct coupling to the top of the single-size vial which is used. In the case of accommodating a two-mouth-size (two-size), two-vial operation, the liquid-transfer device is employed along with a vial-coupling adaptor which is removably receivable in a connected relationship with the vial-coupling end in the device to adapt the same for coupling to the top of a vial having the smaller of the two sizes of vials which are to be employed. Under these circumstances, the entire procedure begins with coupling of the apparatus to a syringe and to the smaller-size vial, with the vial-coupling adaptor connected to the liquid-transfer device's vial-coupling end. Following a liquid-transfer operation with this smaller vial, the same is decoupled, and such decoupling automatically disconnects the vial-coupling adaptor and the liquid-transfer device. Thereafter, a vial of the larger size is coupled to the vial-coupling end in the liquid-transfer device, and a transfer procedure is completed between the syringe and the larger coupled vial.

In the field of medicine, it is often the case that liquid pharmaceuticals must be prepared for delivery to a patient by a syringe. Such preparation typically involves the withdrawing into a syringe of a diluent liquid contained in a first vial, the subsequent injection of that liquid from the syringe into a second vial which contains a blendable, dissolvable medicine in powder form, and thereafter the withdrawal of the now-blended pharmaceutical medicine from that second vial back into the syringe. It is most frequently, though not always, the situation that the first vial from which diluent liquid is withdrawn is smaller (in mouth-opening-diameter size) than the second vial wherein blending occurs--which second vial has a larger mouth-opening-diameter size. A procedure falling within this category is referred to herein as involving first a smaller-size vial, and thereafter a larger-size vial. One should note that such references to smaller, and larger vial sizes are related to mouth-opening sizes, and not necessarily to vial volume sizes. In the balance of preparation situations, two vials of the same mouth-opening size are employed throughout the operation.
To aid in the practice of such back-and-forth transfer/delivery of liquid between a vial and a syringe, and to take into account safety and health concerns regarding, inter alia, contaminization, loss of sterilization, and exposure of medical personnel to injuries from sharps (such as hypodermic needles), prior work in this field has witnessed the creation and development of various liquid-transfer devices, or interfaces, which allow both for convenient coupling to a syringe and to a vial for liquid transfer, and for minimization of the several kinds of safety and health concerns just mentioned.
Two issues which are not well addressed by known prior art approaches to such liquid-transfer requirements are, first, that highly convenient accommodation of transfer apparatus to the handling of two different vial sizes has not been offered, and second, that a testy problem, referred to as "foaming", has not apparently been well addressed. Foaming is a bubbling action which can and does readily occur during that part of a liquid-transfer process wherein diluent is injected into a vial containing dissolvable powdered medicine. Foaming introduces problematic air bubbles which must be removed before any delivery to a patient.
An important object of the present invention, accordingly, is to provide an improved form of liquid-transfer apparatus which offers all of the key advantages of known prior art devices aimed at this purpose, but which, in addition, avoids the drawbacks (i.e., the not well-addressed issues) mentioned above.
More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide such apparatus which readily and easily accommodates transfers back and forth of liquid between a syringe and vials of the same size, as well as such transfers between a syringe and vials of two different sizes.
Another significant object of the invention is to provide transfer apparatus which uniquely creates an "ejection" liquid-flow into a vial that contains dissolvable powdered medicine in a fashion that greatly minimizes, and in very many instances completely avoids, the problem mentioned above known as foaming.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide liquid-transfer apparatus of the type generally outlined which includes a ported spike which pierces and extends through the usual elastomeric stopper found in a vial, and which, further, is constructed in such a manner that with the spike piercing a conventional stopper, ports in the spike are contained within the usually present inwardly facing "cup" in the stopper, and in particular, in a condition closely adjacent the base in the cup. This offering of the invention plays not only a role in achieving the immediately preceding stated object of the invention, but in addition, ensures a situation wherein it is possible, predictably, and with no special effort required, and during withdrawing of liquid from a vial, to gather substantially all of the liquid in that vial.
Considering what we view to be the preferred organization of the present invention, that organization takes fundamentally two different forms. In one form, which form is designed to deal with the situation where only vials of the same size are ever used, the apparatus of the invention employs but a single unit, which we refer to as a liquid-transfer device. This device has a syringe-coupling end, a vial-coupling end which is sized to accommodate coupling to the particular single vial size that will be encountered, and special liquid passage structure which extends effectively for communication between the two mentioned ends of the device. The second organizational form of the invention is aimed at addressing, inter alia, the situation where two different sizes of vials need to be coupled-to during a preparation operation. In this form of the invention, two components are employed. One of these is a liquid-transfer device of the kind just mentioned above, with this transfer device being sized, at its vial-coupling end, to accommodate coupling to the larger size of the two vials which will be addressed. The other component takes the form of a slider/adaptor that fits in a connected (such as nested), removable relationship with respect to the vial-coupling end in the transfer device to accommodate direct coupling to a vial of the smaller of the two vial sizes which will be addressed.
With respect to both of these two forms of the invention, when an appropriate vial (of any size) is coupled-to for a liquid-transfer operation, and under circumstances where liquid is being injected through the transfer device into an attached vial, the liquid passage structure mentioned above directs liquid flow into the vial via a pair of tiny, laterally facing ports which reside, relatively positionally, within the hollow interior of an annular projection formed in the vial's stopper, which hollow interior faces the interior of the vial. This conventional annular projection and hollow interior thereof define what is referred to herein as a cup that faces (axially) the interior of the associated vial, and the port in the apparatus of the invention is located within the interior of this cup and closely adjacent the base of the cup. With this relationship extant--a relationship which exists because of certain special constructional features proposed according to the invention--and with the two ports organized as generally described, liquid flow into a vial is predominantly generally radial in nature, and uniquely suited to creating major liquid flow into the vial down the inside wall of the vial to minimize foaming.
Another feature of this kind of relationship which exists between the ports of the invention and the stopper's cup under circumstances where liquid is being withdrawn from a vial is that, with appropriate inversion of a vial, substantially all of liquid content can easily be withdrawn.
These and other objects, features and advantages which are offered by the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description that now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Medication vial/syringe liquid-transfer apparatus


A cell penetrating conjugate comprising a recombinant β helical protein linked to a functional molecule wherein the β helical protein length is in the range of from 5 nm to 25 nm, suitably, from 10 nm to 15 nm and width is in the range of from 1 nm to 5 nm, suitably, from 1 nm to 3 nm. Processes for preparing said conjugates and uses thereof are also disclosed.

A cell membrane is a semi-permeable membrane which separates the inner environment of a cell from its external environment. Membranes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells while differing in some properties and composition both comprise a semi-permeable bilayer structure of phospholipids. The semi-permeable nature of the cell membrane makes it selective for the type of molecules able to penetrate it. Those molecules capable of penetrating cell membranes hold promise for use in cell labelling, cell penetration, cell delivery, drug uptake, gene therapy and many other applications which involve penetration of the cell membrane.
There are certain peptides which can penetrate the cell membrane and translocate to the cytosol, such peptides are termed as cell penetrating peptides (CPPs). CPP conjugates, where the CPP is attached to one or more functional molecules, have been studied as a means to transport various biologically active molecules across the membrane. For example, absorption of insulin was drastically increased (6-8 times) in Caco-2 cells when treated with the CPP conjugate, CPP-insulin (Liang et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.; 2005; 335(3): 734-738). Similar results were seen for a conjugate comprising the Tat peptide (ibid.). Another study has reported use of a short amphipathic peptide carrier Pep-1 which could penetrate the membrane and deliver various peptides and proteins in several cell lines (Morris et al., Nature Biotechnol., 2001, 1173-1176).
CPPs have also been used to study the efficient delivery of various anti-cancer drugs as drug-CPP conjugates which could penetrate cell membranes more efficiently than the drug alone because of the properties of the CPP. One such study reported the use of Tat protein conjugated with a CK2 inhibitor (P15) to treat solid tumours (Perea et al., Cancer Res. 2004, 7127-7129).
There are also several molecular transporters which can deliver molecules across cell membranes. Guanidinium-rich molecular transporters (GR-MoTrs) comprising peptide and non-peptide agents have been shown to penetrate cell membrane owing to their number and spatial array of guanidinium groups. GR-MoTrs can enhance delivery of various cargos including small molecules, metals, imaging agents, iron particles, and proteins inside mammalian cells (Wender et al., Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 2008, 452-472; Wender et al., Drug Discov. Today Technol. 2012, e49-e55).
US20130137644 discloses a conjugate made up of a cell penetrating peptide, nucleic acid and a hydrophilic polymer which can penetrate cell membranes with increased efficiency. The nucleic acid used in the conjugate is described as preferably being an siRNA, with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the hydrophilic polymer.
US20040176282 discloses methods and uses of compositions for the cellular delivery of nucleic acids, polypeptides, fluorophores, molecular complexes. The intracellular release of the biologically active molecules after cell penetration is stimulated by light-activated dispersal of the complex. This system helps in repressing the biological functions of the molecules while being a part of the complex, but once inside the cell and upon light activation it can be dispersed and its biological activity can be restored.
One example of a promising and widely used technique involving functional molecules crossing the cell membrane barrier is gene therapy. Gene therapy involves delivering a gene of interest to cells to compensate for abnormal activity of genes or to provide a beneficial protein. Gene therapy has proven beneficial in treating diseases like chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, X-linked SCID, multiple myeloma, haemophilia amongst many others. Many life-threatening diseases have an underlying genetic origin, i.e. the diseases are due to malfunctioning or lack of proper functioning displayed by one or more associated genes. Gene therapy has shown promise for treatment of such disease conditions. However, gene therapy still faces a challenge in terms of delivering the required genes across a cell membrane. To date, two approaches for delivering the genes have been used—viral based and non-viral based.
The viral based approach for gene therapy makes use of attenuated viruses as vectors in which the desired gene is cloned and transferred into the required cells via a process known as transduction. This approach, has the advantage of suitable integration of the delivered gene into the genome of the cells but suffers from other disadvantages, one of them being a tendency to induce cancer in case of inappropriate genome integration. The non-viral based approach includes the use of injecting isolated DNA into the cells and the use of cationic lipids for surrounding a plasmid DNA (lipofection). The non-viral approaches do not require any integration of the gene into the genome and are inefficient in transferring the required genes to other cells in the tissues. Therefore gene therapy, although a promising and an excellent technique for treating a number of life-threatening disorders, suffers from the problem of delivery of genes into the cells.
For the most common inherited disorders, such as cystic fibrosis or muscular dystrophy, effective gene therapy is likely to remain a challenge due to the difficulties in delivering the genetic material into the cell. There is not yet a simple way to deliver genes to a significant proportion of cells in tissues such as the lung epithelium or skeletal muscle (Collins et al., Proc. R. Soc. B. Vol. 282. No. 1821. The Royal Society, 2015). Hence, an effective mechanism of cell delivery is required which can greatly enhance the benefits of gene therapy and expand the avenues for providing promising treatments for many life-threatening diseases.
In addition, and general to the delivery of all functional molecules to the cells, is that most of the mechanisms developed for cellular delivery suffer rely on an endocytosis-dependent mechanism for gaining entry inside the cells. The efficiency of translocation is a major area of concern in endocytosis dependent pathways due to, for example, the possibility of drugs getting trapped in endosomes or degraded in lysosomes. Hence there is a pressing need for devising novel mechanisms for penetrating cell membranes, which can be more reliable and efficacious.


A new and distinct variety of Poinsettia plant named `Duemal`, characterized by its dark red flower bracts that are angled upright with respect to stem axis; very dark green leaves; relatively compact and freely branching plant habit; and excellent postproduction longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name `Duemal`. The new cultivar is being marketed under `Red Fox Malibu Red`.
The new Poinsettia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Poinsettias that are freely branching; flower early; have desirable flower bract and leaf color; and have excellent postproduction longevity.
The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor of the Poinsettia `Fiscor` (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,364) as the male or pollen parent with a proprietary Poinsettia selection identified as code number Eup 101 as the female or seed parent. `Duemal` was discovered and selected in 1995 by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany.
Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


An information playback apparatus is provided to obtain editing effects using an optical disc in the same sense as an analog record disc is manipulated. An audio editing apparatus for playing back an optical disc such as a CD is provided with a rotatable jog dial, detecting device for detecting the amount of rotation of the jog dial, and sensing device for sensing the presence or absence of a pressing force on the jog dial. When the jog dial is rotated while being depressed with a predetermined pressing force, processing for providing sound effects is performed on the playback data to be played back from the optical disc in response to the amount of rotation detected by the detecting device. It is thereby possible to provide the same feeling of operation as provided by rotating an analog record disc through hand operations to produce playback sounds.

The present invention relates to an information playback apparatus for providing playback of audio information such as music or sound in conjunction with editing effects.
The present application claims priority from Japanese Application No. 2001-150928, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
For playback of analog record discs such as LPs with analog record players, conventional performance techniques are known which provide various editing effects for playback of sounds by forcefully changing the rotational direction and speed of the analog record disc through hand operations.
For example, a producer called a disc jockey may be seen such as in discotheques who touches an analog record disc during playback with an analog record player in order to forcefully rotate the disc at an rpm different from the one originally intended for the disc in the forward or reverse rotational direction. The producer thereby produces an imitation sound called a scratching sound (an imitation sound, such as "squeaking" and "rattling").
On the other hand, storage media such as CDs (Compact Disc) or DVDs (Digital Versatile Disc), on which information is stored in digital form, have come into actual use as the digital technology moves forward. It is now therefore difficult to provide such editing effects for those storage media through the same hand operations as for the conventional analog record disc.
That is, in the case of the analog record disc, audio signals such as music are allowed to remain unchanged to be continuously stored along the record track, thus making it possible to establish one to one correspondences between the position of the analog record disc to be read (or scanned) with a record stylus and the sound to be read. It is therefore possible to provide editing effects through hand operations as desired.
However, in the case of storage media such as CDs or DVDs on which information is stored in digital form, a special digital technology is employed to record or read the information which cannot be made known to human sense by intuition. For example, it is not possible to provide editing effects as desired for a CD during playback with a CD player even through the hand operations as for the analog record disc.
In particular, it is stipulated in the standards for CD or DVD players that their optical read device or pickup is to read information and play back the sound while the CD or DVD is being rotated in the predetermined rotational direction with respect to the pickup. Thus, it is not standardized that information is to be read in the reverse order to play back the sound while the CD or DVD is being rotated in the reverse rotational direction with respect to the pickup. Accordingly, turning the CD or DVD merely in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction through hand operations would cause information to be improperly read and played back, thereby making it impossible to produce an imitation sound called a scratching sound.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A display panel includes a gate driving circuit and a control circuit. The gate driving circuit includes a plurality of circuit stages. An Nth-circuit stage of the circuit stages includes a start unit, a drive unit, a first pull-down unit, a second pull-down unit, and a current detecting unit. The drive unit is configured to provide a dock signal to an Nth-output terminal. The first pull-down unit is configured to make an enable node have a first pull-down voltage. The second pull-down unit is configured to provide a disable node with a second pull-down voltage. The current detecting unit is configured to detect an error current passing through the first pull-down unit and output an error signal according to the error current. The control circuit is configured to adjust the second pull-down voltage according to the error signal of the Nth-circuit stage.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a display panel.
2. Description of Related Art
With the rapid development of science and technology, a display panel has already been applied in the life of people widely, such as mobile phones or computers and the like.
The display panel may include a gate driving circuit, a data driving circuit and a plurality of pixels arranged as a matrix. The gate driving circuit may include a plurality of circuit stages electrically connected in series. The gate driving circuit can generate a plurality of gate signals (scanning signals) sequentially through the circuit stages, and provide the gate signals to the pixels so as to open the pixels by columns/rows sequentially. A data driver can generate a plurality of source signals (data signals), and provide the source signals to the opened pixels so that the display states (such as color and gray scale) of the opened pixels can be updated. Therefore, images can be updated and displayed on the display panel.
Generally, each circuit stage of the gate driving circuit may include a plurality of switches (such as thin film transistors). The gate driving circuit can sequentially turn on and off the switches of plural circuit stages to generate gate signals of the plural circuit stages. However, after the switches are operated at a high temperature or driven for long time, the threshold voltage will deviate, resulting in that the switches cannot be turned on or turned off correctly. When specific switches cannot be turned on or turned off correctly, the gate driving circuit cannot output the gate signals correctly, resulting in the instability of the display panel.
Therefore, it is an important research topic of the field how to design a more stable display panel, to detect and correct the incorrect turn on or off of the specific switches in the gate driving circuit, so that the gate driving circuit can output the gate signals correctly.


An optical module includes a curved reflecting component, a first filtering component, a second filtering component and a rolling component. The curved reflecting component has a focus, a transmissive portion, a first reflecting portion and a second reflecting portion. The rolling component includes a first transforming portion and a second transforming portion. The first waveband light is transmitted into the transmissive portion and is then transformed into a second waveband light via the first transforming portion. The second waveband light is subsequently transformed into a first emergent light. The first waveband light is transmitted into the transmissive portion and is then transformed into the second waveband light via the second transforming portion. The second waveband light is subsequently transformed into a second emergent light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides an optical module and a projector apparatus comprising the same, and more particularly, to an optical module and a three-dimensional (3D) projector apparatus that use a curved reflecting component to simplify the optical path structure and to reduce the cost.
2. Descriptions of the Related Art
Solid-state light sources such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) have advantages of a long service life, a small volume and being mercury-free. However, the brightness of these solid-state light sources is still much lower than that of conventional high-pressure mercury lamps when they are used as light sources in projector apparatuses. Therefore, although the use of the solid-state light sources have become very popular, they have not completely replaced conventional high-pressure mercury lamps in projector apparatuses.
On the other hand, for a light source in a projector apparatus to emit light of the three primary colors (i.e., red, blue and green) so that light coupling can be accomplished by a light coupling assembly disposed in the projector apparatus, the following two ways are usually adopted in the prior art to output the light of the three primary colors: in the first way, a solid-state light source is used to emit a white light, then the white light propagates through a color wheel with a red region, a blue region and a green region to be transformed into a red light, a blue light and a green light respectively in different time periods, and finally the red light, the blue light and the green light are coupled for output. In the second way, a blue laser as a solid-state light source is used to excite phosphors coated on a rotary wheel to generate a red light, a blue light, and a green light or a yellow light, and then the blue light from the blue laser is coupled with the red light, the green light or the yellow light to obtain the desired image.
However, although both ways can use a light beam emitted by a solid-state light source to generate a red light, a blue light, a green light or a yellow light to achieve light coupling, they have a low efficiency and can only provide relatively divergent light rays due to limitations of the inherent optical properties of the light source. Particularly, to split the light to obtain a stereoscopic image in a single projector apparatus, a rotary filtering wheel and a color wheel are rotated synchronously to provide split images of different wavelengths to the left eye and the right eye respectively. Then, the left-eye image received by the left eye and the right-eye image received by the right eye are combined into a stereoscopic image.
However, it is difficult for the rotary filtering wheel of conventional stereoscopic imaging technologies to rotate completely synchronously with the color wheel in terms of both the rotation speed and the rotation angle. Accordingly, it is important to solve the problem of asynchronism between the rotary filtering wheel and the color wheel.

Optical module for use in a projector apparatus and projector apparatus


First and second clutches allow first and second tubular output shafts to pivot when a motor generates rotation at a second rotation speed or higher. A third clutch allows a pivot shaft to pivot when the motor rotates at a speed lower than a first rotation speed. A control plate is arranged at a first pivot position, second pivot position, or third pivot position. At the first pivot position, the first and second tubular output shafts are moved to positions in an axial direction allowing first and second rotated members to rotate. At the second pivot position, the first and second tubular output shafts are moved to positions in the axial direction allowing only the first rotated member to rotate. At the third pivot position, the first and second tubular output shafts are moved to positions in the axial direction allowing only the second rotated member to rotate.

The present invention relates to a clutched motor and a device for opening and closing an openable body.
In the prior art, devices for opening and closing an openable body include a sunroof device provided in a roof (roof panel) of an automobile. Generally, the vehicle sunroof device includes a roof glass and a sunshade. The roof glass and the sunshade can both be opened and closed. The sunshade can be opened when the roof glass is closed to allow ambient light to enter the vehicle interior. The roof glass and the sunshade can both be opened to allow fresh air, in addition to ambient light, to enter the vehicle interior. When the roof glass and the sunshade are both closed, the interior of the vehicle is shielded from the ambient light and the fresh air. For such type of a sunroof device, studies have been conducted to develop a device that open and close the roof glass and the sunshade by electric motors (for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-4521).
The sunroof device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 5-4521 uses different electric motors for the glass panel and the sunshade when opening and closing the glass panel and the sunshade. More specifically, the sunroof device includes two electric motors. This increases the cost, size, and weight of the sunroof device.

Clutched motor and device for opening and closing openable body


A toothbrush is arranged for reception within a housing, with the toothbrush arranged to be positioned between spring contacts within the housing, whereupon deflection of the toothbrush shaft relative to the contacts effects electrical communication upon excessive pressure being applied to the toothbrush shaft to actuate an audible alarm to indicate excessive pressure employed during a toothbrushing procedure.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to toothbrush apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved pressure alarm toothbrush assembly wherein the same is directed to the indication of excessive pressure employed in a toothbrushing procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toothbrush apparatus of various types are utilized throughout the prior art and exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,599 to Scheller indicating contacts arranged within a housing to indicate excessive pressure exerted during a toothbrushing.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a structure arranged to provide for the indication of toothbrushing excessive pressure, as well as permitting adjustment of the pressure to actuate an associated audible alarm and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


Methods and apparatuses for identifying food chewed or beverage drank are disclosed herein. In embodiments, a device may comprise one or more sensors to provide vibration signal data representative of vibrations sensed from a nasal bridge of a user wearing the device, a chewing analyzer to extract from the vibration signal data a first plurality of features associated with chewing activities, and/or a drinking analyzer is to extract from the vibration signal data a second plurality of features associated with drinking activities. The extracted first and/or second plurality of features, in turn, may be used to determine a category of food the user was chewing, or a category of beverage the user was drinking. In embodiments, the methods and apparatuses may use personalized models.

Recognition of chewing and drinking activities during the day can provide a number of benefits such as the following:                1—Managing how fast a user chews and/drinks;        2—Indicate and/or predict how frequently a user eats within a day (i.e. too many or too few meals), or drinks within a week (e.g., how many soda and/or alcoholic drinks);        3—Indicate and/or predict how long a user spends on meals over a time window (e.g. per day, per week etc.);        4—Track medication intake (particularly useful for users who regularly have to take one or more medicines per day);        5—Indicate and/or predict whether a user is having too much or too little of a category of food and drink.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.

Methods and apparatus for identifying food chewed and/or beverage drank


Described herein are release layers formed via solventless extrusion. The release layers include a polyolefin and an alkyl dimethicone. The release layers exhibit tailorable release properties from pressure-sensitive adhesives. The release layers are simple to make and require no post-treatment in order to impart the observed release properties. The release layers are adaptable to multilayer extrusion, blown film formation, and cast film formation techniques.

Pressure sensitive adhesive tapes, or adhesive tapes, are often provided in roll form, wherein the tape construction includes a backing, an adhesive layer on one major side of the backing, and a release layer on the other major side of the backing. The release layer allows the tape to be unwound from the roll at a controlled level.
Other articles having release characteristics are employed in a variety of applications. Any adhesive coated article, including tapes, die-cut adhesive articles, labels, and the like, require, as a matter of practicality, a release coating or a separate release liner. The release coating or liner provides a surface to which the article does not permanently adhere.
Duct tapes are a common and widely used type of adhesive tape. Duct tapes typically include a scrim, a polymer film backing, and an aggressive, rubber resin-based pressure sensitive adhesive that is coated over the scrim and the backing. The scrim provides strength to the tape and additionally allows the tape to be hand torn. Conventional melt blown polyethylene films used to make duct tape backings either do not contain a release material or employ low molecular weight release materials (e.g., waxes) that can bloom to the free surface of the backing and provide a release function. Without the use of release material, the unwind forces of duct tapes made with such films are extremely high due to the aggressive nature of the pressure sensitive adhesive employed. However, the low molecular weight release materials are cohesively weak and are not strongly bound to the film surface; therefore, the release material can transfer to the adhesive surface when the tape roll is unwound, resulting in reduced adhesion levels of the adhesive when applied to the target surface.
Conventional means to apply release layers on various articles, including but not limited to duct tape constructions, include solvent coating. Solvent coated release layers have been applied by dissolving the components in a solvent, coating the solution onto the targeted release surface, and drying to evaporate the solvent. One example of this approach is described by Dahlquist et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,011. However, solvent based processes require a separate step to apply the release material, and further are of concern as a process typically requiring the use of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
One non-solvent based approach to forming a release layer is extrusion or coextrusion of the release layer. That is, the release material is mixed with an extrudable polymer to form a release layer.
Berg, U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,666 discloses a silicone release material that can be added to an extrudable thermoplastic polymer. However, the additive requires the use of polyphosphoric acid as a binding agent, in order to impart non-migratory properties and prevent poor readhesion of the adhesive article.
Mohajer et al., WO 91/15538 discloses a release film including a base polymer and a silicone copolymeric additive such as a silicone polyamide or silicone polyurea.
Gardiner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,002 discloses a silicone additive that can be added to an extrudable thermoplastic polymer, the additive derived from silicone diamines and rosin isocyanates.
Bechtold et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,105,233 discloses organosiloxane additives, wherein the additives are prepared by dehydrogenative coupling. The reaction results in the formation of Si—O—C linkages, which are known to be thermally and/or hydrolytically unstable and therefore unsuitable for extrusion processes.
Ohara et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,743 discloses a method of making a release paper, wherein an alkyl modified silicone, or alkyl dimethicone, is melt blended with a polyolefin and extrusion coated onto a substrate. However, the blend must be post-treated, for example by heating the coated substrate for a period of 20 minutes, to cause the silicone to "bleed" to the surface in order to impart release properties.
There is a need in the industry to provide an extruded release layer, wherein release properties are provided without additional solvent coating, without provision of other additives, and without additional steps such as post-treatments. There is a need to provide release materials that concentrate sufficiently at the surface of the extrudate prior to solidification of an extruded layer in order to impart release properties thereto. There is a need to provide such release layers that do not transfer materials to the adhesive when it is contacted with the release layer.

Release films via solventless extrusion processes


An electronic device and method for operating an electronic device are presented. An input for performing a predefined function is received. A lock function is deactivated to unlock the predefined function and the predefined function is displayed on a display module, if the input is received and if a correct password is entered.

Many electronic devices that use a key input to enter information (e.g., mobile wireless terminals) include a dial operation prevention function such as a keyboard lock function or a dialing lock function. The dial operation prevention function prevents activation of an operation caused by an accidental touch on a key and/or prevents unauthorized use by an unauthorized user who comes into possession of the electronic device.


The present invention provides a syndiotactic polypropylene resin composition of excellent moldability comprising 100 parts by weight of a syndiotactic polypropylene and 0.001-10 parts by weight of a diamine/monocarboxylic acid condensate and/or a diamine/monocarboxylic acid/polybasic acid polycondensate. The composition has excellent moldability, particularly, excellent releasability from mold in injection molding; excellent transparency; and good balanced mechanical properties.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a syndiotactic polypropylene resin composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a syndiotactic polypropylene resin composition having excellent moldability (e.g. excellent fluidity and mold releasability), good optical properties (e.g. good transparency and gloss) and good mechanical properties (e.g. good rigidity and impact resistance).
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Syndiotactic polypropylene has excellent transparency, impact resistance, electrical properties, etc. but has a problem of low hardening rate, that consequently causes poor moldability (particularly, poor injection moldability).
The hardening rate of crystalline polypropylene can be increased by, for example, addition of a nucleating agent. When there is added to crystalline polypropylene a known nucleating agent typical examples thereof are organic nucleating agents such as aromatic carboxylic acid metal salt (e.g. GBA), sorbitol derivative (e.g. Gelall MD), organic phosphoric acid salt (e.g. NA-21) and the like and inorganic nucleating agents such as talc and the like!, an increased crystallization rate is obtained and, in the case of isotactic polypropylene, improved transparency is obtained in many cases but the transparency is not sufficient. In the case of syndiotactic polypropylene, the crystallization rate after addition of the above nucleating agent is not sufficient and, moreover, addition of the nuceating agent results in reduced transparency.
It is known that addition of diamine/monocarboxylic acid condensate to isotactic polypropylene gives improved slip property and anti-blocking property of film.
Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 220268/1994 discloses a composition obtained by adding a diamine/monocarboxylic acid/polybasic acid polycondensate to isotactic polypropylene. It is described in the literature that the composition has improved fluidity and gives a molding of improved heat resistance and impact resistance
Isotactic polypropylene, which has a high crystallization rate and good moldability, hardly has a problem of poor mold releasability associated with low crystallization rate. Therefore, the above literature aims at improved fluidity and improved heat resistance and impact resistance of molding.
Meanwhile, syndiotactic polypropylene, although having excellent properties (e.g. excellent transparency, impact resistance and electrical properties), has a low crystallization rate and resulting poor moldability, which is an inherent problem of syndiotactic polypropylene and must be improved when syndiotactic polypropylene subjected to injection molding. (This problem is not present in isotactic polypropylene.)
The object of the present invention is to improve the poor moldability of syndiotactic polypropylene, and provide a molding having good transparency.

Syndiotactic polypropylene resin composition


Selectively cross-linked starches are disclosed that are useful as fluid loss control additives in subterranean treatment fluids comprising starches that cross-linked to a Brabender peak viscosity of about 800 to about 1250 Brabender units after about 40 to about 70 minutes at about 92xc2x0 C. and provide good fluid loss control over a temperature range of from about 20xc2x0 C. to about 160xc2x0 C. (68xc2x0 F. to 320xc2x0 F.).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cross-linked starches that are useful as fluid loss control additives for aqueous-based subterranean treatment fluids, such as drilling, workover and completion fluids.
2. Related Background Art
The cross-linked starches of this invention may be advantageously used in oil field applications. Particularly, the starches may be incorporated into fluids used in operations where there is contact with a subterranean formation. Drilling, workover, and completion fluids are examples of fluids used in subterranean formations.
Drilling fluids may be used for any of several functions that allow evaluating or producing a reservoir (formation) for oil, gas, or water. The drilling fluid may be pumped into the wellbore during the drilling operation to cool the drill bit and to flush out the rock particles that are sheared off by the drill bit. A xe2x80x9cdrill-inxe2x80x9d fluid is often used while drilling the production zone.
Workover fluids may be used to perform one or more of a variety of remedial operations on a producing oil well with the intention of restoring or increasing production. Examples of workover operations include, but are not limited to, deepening, plugging back, pulling and resetting a liner, squeeze cementing, shooting and acidizing.
Completion fluids may be used to perform one or more of a variety of oil field applications illustrated by, but not limited to, operations such as cementing, using spacers, perforating, gravel packing, installing casing, underreaming, milling and a variety of simulation techniques such as acidizing and the like.
Subterranean treatment fluids are used in well operations, particularly oil well operations, for various purposes. The subterranean treatment fluids are generally prepared at the well site by admixing a viscosifying agent and a base fluid. The viscosifying agent thickens or viscosifies the base fluid, thereby increasing the ability of the fluid to suspend or flush out the rock particles. The subterranean treatment fluid may also advantageously contain other additives that are conventionally used in well treatment operations, as needed, based upon the specific site requirements and environmental conditions.
A common problem associated with the use of subterranean treatment fluids is the loss of fluid into the surrounding formation near the wellbore. Fluid loss control additives are added to the subterranean treatment fluids to limit exposure of the formation and also control leak off of the liquid components to the surrounding subterranean formation. As a result, the subterranean treatment fluids that are most useful in well operations possess adequate high water retention capacity. Desirably, the subterranean treatment fluid should retain high water retention capacity under the often adverse environments encountered during use. For example, high temperature conditions are encountered in deep wells, where operating temperatures frequently exceed 250xc2x0 F. Low temperature conditions are encountered in shallow wells or in areas of a well that are closer to the earth""s surface. High salt conditions are created when brine-containing subterranean treatment fluids are used. Accordingly, the fluid loss control additive used in subterranean treatment fluids should preferably be stable in both high temperature and high salinity environments. More preferably, the fluid loss control additive should be stable over a range of temperatures and should function in environments of either high or low salinity.
Natural starches are a well known and important class of materials useful as fluid loss control additives. However, it is also well known that starches do not possess long term stability and tend to degrade when maintained at elevated temperatures. For example, at temperatures in excess of 225xc2x0 F., natural or conventional starches begin to degrade, and will fail to provide adequate fluid loss control.
Several approaches have been used to increase the stability of starches to provide more stable well drilling fluids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,968 discloses the use of quaternary ammonium starch derivatives as fluid control additives that are stable at high temperatures. These derivatives were prepared by reaction of starch with epichlorohydrin and a tertiary amine.
A thixotropic three-component well drilling fluid, consisting of a cross-linked potato starch, a heteropolysaccharide derived from a carbohydrate by bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas, and hydroxyethyl cellulose, providing improved water loss control is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,947.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,384 discloses the use of selected cross-linked starches to provide fluid loss control at elevated temperatures. The starch, which is cross-linked to a rather high degree under specified conditions, requires activation at elevated temperature for over four hours in order to achieve suitable effectiveness.
Other well treating fluid blends have been prepared by incorporating Xanthomonas gum and an epichlorohydrin cross-linked hydroxypropyl starch, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,500. This particular combination of additives interact synergistically to enhance suspension characteristics and decrease fluid loss.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,267 discloses fluid loss control additives for fracturing fluids composed of blends of two or more modified, or cross-linked, starches or blends of one or more natural starches with one or more modified starches.
Although many of the cross-linked starch compositions described above offer improvements over conventional starch, there remains a need in the industry for a readily dispersible starch additive that can provide good fluid loss control over a wide temperature range and that is stable in brine-containing fluids.
This invention is directed to selectively cross-linked starches and blends of these cross-linked starches that are useful as fluid loss control additives that provide good fluid loss control over a wide temperature range. More particularly, this invention is directed to fluid loss control additives for use in subterranean treatment fluids comprising starches which are cross-linked and have a Brabender peak viscosity of about 800 to about 1250 Brabender units after about 40 to about 70 minutes at about 92xc2x0 C. (198xc2x0 F.) and provides good fluid loss control over a wide temperature range of from about 20xc2x0 C. to about 160xc2x0 C. (68xc2x0 F. to 320xc2x0 F.). This invention is also directed to the selectively cross-linked starches that are spray-dried to further improve the starch properties. Additionally, this invention covers subterranean treatment fluids containing the defined cross-linked starches.
In this invention, the ability to provide a fluid loss control additive which is effective over a wide temperature range by using a selectively cross-linked starch is demonstrated. This result is surprising and unexpected as evidenced by a review of the literature and commercially available products which show the use of various starches and modified starches, none of which suggest the particular starches of this invention or the degree of fluid loss control exhibited over an extended temperature range.
An important feature of this invention is the amount of cross-linking that the starch receives, i.e. the amount of treatment or the degree of cross-linking. While it is difficult to measure this characteristic of the treated starch, particularly at low levels, one of the best ways to determine the amount of cross-linking is to measure the viscosity of the starch. It is well known to measure the viscosity of cross-linked starch using a C. W. Brabender Visco-Amylo Graph. Using this measuring device and method, the starches of this invention are cross-linked to provide a Brabender peak viscosity of about 800 to about 1250, preferably about 920 to about 1150 Brabender units after about 40 to about 70 minutes at about 92xc2x0 C. The test procedure for measuring this feature is provided below.
The cross-linked starches used in this invention may include starch treated with a number of multi-functional cross-linking agents. More particularly, the cross-linking agents used in this invention include epichlorohydrin, phosphorus oxychloride, adipic-acetic anhydrides and sodium trimetaphosphate. Epichlorohydrin and phosphorus oxychloride are preferred cross-linking agents and epichlorohydrin is most preferred.
The starches which may be used as the base material in preparing the cross-linked starch of this invention may be derived from any plant source including corn, potato, wheat, rice, sago, tapioca, waxy maize, waxy rice, and sorghum. Also useful are the conversion products derived from any of the above base materials including, oxidized starches, prepared by treatment with oxidants such as sodium hypochlorite, and fluidity or thin-boiling starches, prepared by enzyme conversions or mild acid hydrolysis. Preferred starches are corn, waxy maize, potato, wheat and tapioca, with waxy maize being especially preferred.
The cross-linked starches of the present invention are generally prepared using known techniques by reacting starch with an appropriate cross-linking agent in aqueous solution under alkaline conditions. The desired cross-linked starches will have a specified relatively low degree of cross-linking defined by Brabender viscosity as described earlier. The amount of cross-linking agent used to achieve this degree of cross-linking will vary somewhat depending of the conditions and materials used. Typically, the amount of cross-linking agent used is from about 0.05% to 0.15%, and preferably about 0.1%, by weight of the starch.
In addition to using the selectively cross-linked starches as defined herein, it has been found that pregelatinizing the starches using a spray-drying process provides a product which has enhanced properties. It is believed that the spray-dried starches possess more uniform particle size which leads to more uniform and controlled swelling. The use of the spray-dry pregelatinization methodology produces starch that possesses uniform particle size without the often significant degradation that occurs when drying and gelatinizing by drum-drying or extrusion methods.
Pregelatinization of the cross-linked starches of this invention may be accomplished by spray-drying using a steam-injection/dual- or single-atomization process described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,851, 4,600,472, or 5,149,799, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. In this process, a mixture of the granular starch is cooked or gelatinized in an atomized state. The starch which is to be cooked is injected through an atomization aperture in the nozzle assembly into the spray of atomized steam so as to heat the starch to a temperature effective to gelatinize the starch. An enclosed chamber surrounds the atomization and heating medium injection apertures and defines a vent aperture positioned to enable the heated spray of starch to exit the chamber. The arrangement is such that the lapsed time between passage of the spray of starch through the chamber, i.e. from the atomization chamber-and through the vent aperture, defines the gelatinization time of the starch. The resulting spray-dried pregelatinized starch comprises uniformly gelatinized starch in the form of indented spheres, with a majority of the granules being whole and unbroken and which swell upon rehydration. Nozzles suitable for use in the preparation of these starches are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,760 which is incorporated by reference herein.
The steam injection/dual atomization process as referred to above may be more particularly described as pregelatinization of the starch by:
a) mixing the starch in an aqueous solvent,
b) atomizing the mixture with an enclosed chamber, and
c) interjecting a heating medium into the atomized mixture in the enclosed chamber to cook the starch, the size and shape of the chamber being effective to maintain the temperature and moisture control of the starch for a period of time sufficient to cook said starch.
A steam injection/single atomization process for cooking and spray-drying starch is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,799 patent referred to above and comprises:
a) slurrying the starch in an aqueous medium,
b) feeding a stream of the starch slurry at a pressure from about 50 to about 250 psig into an atomizing chamber within a spray nozzle,
c) injecting a heating medium into the atomizing chamber at a pressure from about 50 to about 250 psig,
d) simultaneously cooking and atomizing the starch slurry as the heating medium forces the starch through a vent at the bottom of the chamber, and
e) drying the atomized starch.
It is further noted that blends of the selected cross-linked starches may be used. For example, a blend of epichlorohydrin cross-linked starch and phosphorus oxychloride cross-linked starch may be used. The proportions of the two cross-linked starches are not limited but generally a weight ratio of about 4:1 to about 1:4 of epichlorohydrin cross-linked starch to phosphorous oxychloride cross-linked starch is used. Preferably, the blend comprises a mixture of about 1:1, by weight, of the starches. The blends of the epichlorohydrin and phosphorus oxychloride cross-linked starches may be prepared by dry-mixing the separately prepared, spray-dried starches. Alternatively, the blends may be prepared by simultaneously spray-drying wet mixtures of the cross-linked starches.
The cross-linked starches of the present invention are employed in subterranean treatment fluids in an effective amount to provide fluid loss control and educe fluid loss over a broad temperature range. The effective amount of cross-linked starches will vary depending on the other components of the subterranean treatment fluid, as well as the geological characteristics and conditions of the subterranean formation in which it is employed. Typically, the cross-linked starch fluid loss control additive may be used in an amount of from about 1 pound to about 10 pounds (lbs) of starch per barrel (bbl) of the subterranean treatment fluid, preferably from about 3 to about 6 pounds per barrel. The term xe2x80x9cbarrelxe2x80x9d as used herein means a barrel that contains 42 U.S. gallons of fluid.
In addition to the cross-linked starches, the subterranean fluids may contain other components such as a base fluid and often a viscosifying agent. The base fluid may be an aqueous system containing fresh water, seawater and/or brine. Brine is an aqueous saline solution containing soluble salts of potassium, sodium, calcium, zinc, and/or cesium and the like. The viscosifying agent may be xanthan gum, guar gum, other polymers and/or clays such as bentonite and/or mixtures of these and like materials. Other additives known to be used in these subterranean fluids include, but are not limited to, corrosion inhibitors, oxygen scavengers, antioxidants, biocides, breakers, surfactants as well as mixtures thereof and the like.
The oxygen scavengers and antioxidants may be added to subterranean treatment fluids to reduce the deleterious effects of oxygen, i.e., the oxidative degradation of the fluid loss control additive, viscosifying agent, and/or other additives. Exemplary oxygen scavengers include sodium sulfite, sodium dithionite, potassium metabisulfite, and the like. Exemplary antioxidants include magnesium oxide, triethanolamine (TEA), tetraethylene pentamine (TEPA), and the like. Addition of oxygen scavengers or antioxidants to subterranean treatment fluids may provide fluids possessing enhanced viscosity and fluid loss control properties, such that excellent fluid loss control may be maintained over a broad range of temperatures.
The amounts or proportions of each of the components and additives used in the subterranean treatment fluid will vary greatly depending on the intended use and purpose of the treatment fluid as well as the geological characteristics and conditions of the subterranean formation in which the fluid is employed. However, the amount of base fluid generally present in the fluid is about 25% to about 99% by weight of the fluid. The viscosifying agent may be present in an amount of about 0% to about 20% by weight of the fluid. Other additives, such as those listed above, may be present in a treatment fluid generally in an amount of about 0% to about 10% by weight of the fluid.
Subterranean treatment fluids for specific purposes require special additives. For instance, drilling fluids may also have weighting agents, such as barite, to control the pressure of the formation. Further information on the composition of drilling fluids can be found in the Fifth Edition (1988) of xe2x80x9cComposition and Properties of Drilling and Completion Fluidsxe2x80x9d by Darley and Gray, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Oil well cement slurries may also be classified as subterranean fluids and often contain Portland cement, retarders, accelerators and similar products. Weighting agents in drilling fluids and cementing agents in slurries or spacer fluids may be used in amounts up to about 50% or more, by weight of the fluid, depending on the requirements of the geological formation. Further information on the composition of cement slurries can be found in the 1987 SPE Monograph on xe2x80x9cCementingxe2x80x9d by D. K. Smith, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Acidizing fluids would include acid, typically in amounts of about 1 to about 37% by weight, to etch the formation. The 1979 SPE Monograph xe2x80x9cAcidizing Fundamentalsxe2x80x9d by Williams et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, further describes the uses and composition of acidizing fluids. Similarly, other special purpose additives could be used for other applications.
The subterranean treatment fluids of this invention contain the cross-linked starch or starch blend, and any viscosifying agent, base fluid and other additive components, present in such proportions that are appropriate for the specific well site as determined by those skilled in the art. For example, a typical drilling fluid containing the fluid loss control additives of the present invention may be prepared by admixing 4 pounds of the cross-linked starch of this invention, 0.8 pounds of high viscosity polyanionic cellulose, 1.1 pounds of xanthan gum and 50 pounds of calcium carbonate into 1 barrel (42 U.S. gallons) of water or brine.
As described above, the cross-linked starch fluid loss additives of this invention provide good fluid loss control over a broad temperature range and in an environment where salinity, shear and high temperature tolerance are often required. While the degree of fluid loss is a relative term depending on actual conditions of operation, a fluid loss of less than about 100 g, as shown by the low temperature-low pressure (LTLP) API and the high temperature high pressure (HTHP) API tests as described below, has resulted when using the cross-linked starch additives of this invention. This level of fluid loss control has been found to occur over a broad temperature range of about 20xc2x0 C. to about 150xc2x0 C. (68xc2x0 F. to 302xc2x0 F.) in the moderate to high salinity environment of sea water or saturated sodium chloride solution, used as base fluids. Addition of oxygen scavengers or antioxidants to subterranean treatment fluids containing the cross-linked starches of this invention may provide enhanced fluid loss control over a wider temperature range, e.g. up to about 160xc2x0 C. (320xc2x0 F.). Use of higher concentrations of fluid loss control additive and/or viscosifying agent in the subterranean treatment fluids of this invention may similarly increase fluid loss control at very high temperatures.

Method of controlling loss of a subterranean treatment fluid

National Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation


The invention concerns a method (200) and system (100) for producing an optimal slow forward trick mode playback of a portion of video containing a plurality of pictures wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pictures are predictive pictures. The invention includes the steps of: receiving (210) a slow forward trick mode command; and inhibiting (216) the display of an initial set of the plurality of pictures prior to obtaining a properly decoded predictive picture from the initial set of the plurality of pictures. The invention can also include the steps of: selectively decoding (214) the plurality of pictures to obtain the properly decoded predictive picture from the initial set of the plurality of pictures; and decoding (218) subsequent pictures in the portion of video using the properly decoded predictive picture to obtain subsequent properly decoded pictures.

1. Technical Field
The inventive arrangements relate generally to video recording systems and more particularly to video recording systems that record digitally encoded video sequences onto disc media such as recordable digital video discs, hard drives and magneto optical discs.
2. Description of Related Art
MPEG video generally uses three types of picture coding methods: Intra (I) pictures, predictive (P) pictures and bidirectional predictive (B) pictures. I pictures are encoded or decoded independently of any other picture. This creates a reference picture from which P and B pictures, or non-I pictures, can be constructed.
A number of MPEG video signals, however, are encoded without I pictures. In particular, many U.S. cable systems broadcast MPEG signals that do not contain I pictures. At first glance, such a video signal appears impossible to decode since there are no I pictures from which to construct the P and B pictures.
Nevertheless, a video signal without any I pictures can be decoded by most MPEG decoders because a separate portion of each P picture in the signal is typically composed of I macroblocks. That is, successive P pictures containing I macroblocks can be used to eventually properly decode a P picture, which can then be used to decode the remaining pictures in the video signal. As an example, in a sequence of five P pictures, twenty percent of each P picture can contain I macroblocks. For example, the top twenty percent of the first P picture can be composed of I macroblocks and the lower eighty percent can be composed of P macroblocks. Referring to the second P picture in the video signal, the portion representing the twenty percent of the picture immediately below the top twenty percent can comprise I macroblocks while the lower sixty percent and the top twenty percent can be composed of P macroblocks. Thus, a different portion of each successive P picture contains I macroblocks. Hence, the bottom twenty percent of the last P picture can contain I macroblocks.
These I macroblocks, along with the P macroblocks contained in the P pictures, can be used to assemble each successive P picture. Specifically, as each P picture is decoded, the I and P macroblocks can be stored in memory. As such, the decoder can generally properly decode the fifth P picture, from which the remaining P and B pictures can be properly decoded.
During normal playback of a video signal having no I pictures, there is a brief period in which the picture quality suffers at the initiation of the playback. This is because the pictures at the beginning of the playback must be constructed from the P pictures that are not yet properly decoded. As an example, the first P picture in the playback signal normally contains the first portion of I macroblocks. Thus, the P and B pictures that are constructed from the first P picture cannot be properly decoded, as the first P picture contains only roughly twenty percent of the information needed to produce these pictures. As the playback continues, however, the picture quality improves since more of the P pictures are decoded thereby providing a greater number of correctly decoded I and P macroblocks until a properly decoded P picture is acquired. This initial reduction in picture quality is acceptable since it is brief, as a properly decoded picture is usually constructed within the first one-half to one second of normal playback of the video.
Significantly, however, the delay in building a properly decoded P picture in a signal lacking I pictures may be prolonged during a trick mode. As an example, during a slow motion trick mode in a forward direction, each of the pictures in the replay material are repeated during the playback one or more times depending on the slow motion playback speed. For instance, if the playback speed is ⅓ ×(1× is normal playback speed), then each picture is displayed and then repeated twice. Thus, in this example, each of the improperly decoded pictures are displayed and then repeated twice thereby tripling the amount of time it takes to display the properly decoded pictures. As a result, the acceptable reduction in picture quality during normal playback may become unacceptable during slow motion trick mode operation, particularly during very slow motion speeds. Thus, a need exists for a method and system for performing slow motion trick modes without significantly diminishing picture quality.

Slow forward trick mode playback of recorded video


A convertible shoe having a shoe body and a shoe sole. An air channel formed in said shoe sole including pressurized air inlet and air exhaust. An elongated pocket or multiple individual pockets in the bottom of the shoe sole and along said air channel. A flexible wall portion between said air channel and pocket that expands into the pocket(s) upon pressurization of said air channel. A protrusion affixed to said flexible wall portion and which extends out of said pocket and into engagement with a support surface when said air channel is pressurized.

Traction devices as contemplated for the present invention are often referred to generically as cleats. A cleated football shoe has different types of cleats that provide improved traction on different kinds of turf. A golf shoe has cleats that provide stability for a golfer when swinging a golf club. Not as common but considered to be as desirable are cleated shoes for walking on ice-laden walks and so on.
The problem with such cleated shoes is that the cleats are not desirable on surfaces that either are impenetrable to the cleats or have surface finishes that can be damaged by the cleats (e.g., inside floors of homes, restaurants, club houses and the like).
This dilemma has not gone unnoticed and there are numerous patents that have issued that purport to solve the problem via retractable cleats. Typically, holes are provided in the sole and/or heel of the shoe and different means enable the extension and retraction of cleats through the holes.
Whereas these concepts have been in existence for years, none are considered feasible and none have found acceptability in the marketplace. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a shoe having the retractable cleats that adds the desired feasibility.


The present is directed to systems, methods, and devices for Zero Touch Provisioning (“ZTP”). The system can include a data center computing network, and at least one server coupled with the data center computing network. The server can receive a trigger signal from a triggering device coupled to a data center hardware network, transmit an executable script to the triggering device, which executable script instructs the triggering device to generate a definition file including a unique identifier of the triggering device, receive the definition file from the triggering device, identify a configuration file associated with the triggering device based at least in part on the unique identifier, and provision the triggering device by delivering the configuration file to the triggering device.

Data centers play an important role in modern software technology. Data centers frequently employ multiple servers connected interconnected via a switch architecture. Via this switch architecture, the servers are able to communicate with each other, as well as communicate with devices outside of the data center.
Such switch architectures have evolved and improved over time. Some of these improvements have included a change in architecture from tree architectures to more modern, spine-and-leaf architectures. These modern architectures provide significant benefits, including decreased and consistent latency.
These improvements in data center architecture have been driven, in part, by ever increasing needs for processing capability and increased processing speeds. Increasing processing demands have resulted in the growth of data centers, and specifically in the growth in the number of servers a switches forming the data center.
With the increase in desired processing capacity have come concomitant increases in network connectivity and shortened time-to-market. The standard network neighbor driven configuration patterns, which work well in stable network environments, do not converge when applied to a just-built network with missing and untested cabling. Due to these changes, further improvements to the creation, control, and operation of data centers are desired.

Zero-touch configuration of network devices using hardware metadata


The subject invention pertains to novel methods and compositions utilizing novel fatty acid esters which exhibit excellent herbicidal activity in controlling unwanted vegetation. The novel compositions and methods described here facilitate effective weed control using a wide range of fatty acids.

Weeds cost farmers billions of dollars annually in crop losses and in the expense of keeping weeds under control. Much of the cost of intertillage of row crops, maintenance of fallow, seedbed preparation, and seed cleaning is chargeable to weed control. Suppression of weeds along highways and railroad right-of-ways, and in irrigation ditches, navigation channels, yards, parks, grounds, and home gardens also is expensive. Ragweed pollen is the source of annual periodic distress to several million hayfever sufferers. Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, nettles, thistles, sandburs, and puncturevine also bring pain to millions. Weeds also serve as hosts for other crop diseases as well as for insect pests.
The losses caused by weeds in agricultural production environments include decrease in crop yield, reduced crop quality, increased irrigation costs, increased harvesting costs, decreased land value, injury to livestock, and crop damage from insects and diseases harbored by the weeds.
Chemical herbicides have provided an effective method of weed control; however, the public has become concerned about the amount of residual chemicals which might be found in food, ground water, and the environment. Stringent new restrictions on the use of herbicides and the elimination of some effective herbicides from the market place could limit economical and effective options for controlling costly weeds. Additionally, the visually apparent phytotoxic effects of some systemic herbicides appear very slowly on the target weeds, so pesticide users often seek methods by which the apparent speed of action of the herbicide is increased.
Recently, salts of fatty acids, primarily sodium or potassium fatty acid salts, have been used commercially as pesticides. Compositions having excellent pesticidal properties which exploit these salts are available commercially from Safer, Inc., under the trademark SAFER INSECTICIDAL SOAP. A herbicidally active composition utilizing partially saponified fatty acids as the active ingredient is sold by Safer, Inc. under the trademark SHARPSHOOTER. These fatty acid compositions are effective, naturally occuring pesticides which have no known long term environmental effects. Although fatty acid salts have herbicidal activity, it would be desirable to provide an alternative composition having an unsaponified active ingredient while maintaining the environmental compatibility of the pesticide and reducing the eye and skin irritancy of the product.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,626,862; 4,975,110; and 5,035,741 describe certain fatty acid compositions useful as herbicides. These documents mention the use of salts of fatty acids. Specifically, "saponified" fatty acids are discussed. Saponification means "to form the sodium or potassium salt of a fatty acid." It stems from the soap making industry where animal fats (esters of fatty acids and glycerol) are hydrolyzed in sodium or potassium hydroxide to form the sodium or potassium salts of the fatty acids (soaps) and free glycerol. Mixing sodium or potassium hydroxide with a free fatty acid to form the salt is also called saponification. "Complete" saponification means that 100% of the fatty acid is converted to the salt; "partial" saponification means that <100% of the acid is converted to the salt. This means there is a mixture of the free fatty acid and the fatty acid salt. U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,110 indicates that the free fatty acid form is preferable to fatty acid salts for use as a herbicide. These patents also teach that the proper formulation of a fatty acid herbicide requires one or more surfactants.
In the past, fatty acid esters have been used as chemical pinching agents for the inhibition of bud growth of certain plants (Tso, T. C., G. L. Steffens, M. E. Engelhaupt [1965] J. Agr. Food Chem. 13(1):78-81; Sill, L. P., P. V. Nelson [1970] J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 95(3):270-273). However, no general herbicidal activity has been established and, in fact, the literature on this subject as well as the common knowledge in the field taught that herbicidal activity of fatty acid compositions was reduced when esters were formed. Therefore, efforts heretofore have focused on methods for formulating fatty acid herbicides to reduce the possibility of any ester formation through, for example, chemical reaction of the fatty acid with free hydroxyl groups. For this reason, esters and ethers have commonly been used as surfactants rather than compounds with free hydroxyl groups.

Herbicidally-active glycol esters of fatty acids


Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Aspects include a device generating data to be sent to a receiving device and determining to provide provenance for the data. The device may generate a data identifier based on an identifier generation key and encrypt the data using an encryption key generated from a key associated with an owner of the device. The device may sign they encrypted data transmission using a signing key where the signing key is based on the encrypted data and the data identifier. In some cases, the device may send the data to a receiving device via one or more proxy devices. In some cases, multiple device may send signed data transmissions to a proxy device and the proxy device may process the multiple data transmission and send the processed data to the receiving device. The receiving device may verify provenance of the data.

The following relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to data provenance.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include fourth generation (4G) systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) systems, or LTE-A Pro systems, and fifth generation (5G) systems which may be referred to as New Radio (NR) systems. These systems may employ technologies such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DFT-S-OFDM). A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or network access nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE).
Devices, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices may generate private data and a receiving device may use the private data from one or more devices. In some cases, a proxy device such as a data management system may act as an intermediate device that facilitates transfer of the private data from one or more devices to the receiving device. However, in cases were the data is transferred or stored in one or more intermediary device (e.g., data management system, cloud-based storage, etc.) the receiving device may have no way of verifying the provenance (e.g., authenticity and origin) of the data without trusting the intermediary devices. In some cases, the device producing the data may also want to control privacy of the data while still providing provenance of the transferred data.


Disclosed is a biodegradable resin composition improved in water barrier properties. Also disclosed is a molded body formed from such a resin composition. The biodegradable resin composition comprises 100 parts by mass of a biodegradable polyester resin and 0.1-15 parts by mass of a jojoba oil and/or a polar wax. The biodegradable polyester resin may contain not less than 50% by mass of a plant-based resin. Polylactic acid can be used as the plant-based resin.

In recent years, biodegradable resins typified by polylactic acid have come into focus from the viewpoint of environmental preservation. The polylactic acid is one of the most heat-resistant and highly transparent biodegradable resins, and is mass-producible from a material derived from plants such as corn and sweet potato. Therefore, the polylactic acid is less expensive. In addition, the polylactic acid is contributable to reduction in oil consumption and hence is very useful. However, the biodegradable resin is still unsatisfactory for use as a material for containers and packages which are required to have gas and liquid barrier properties.
An exemplary method for improving the gas barrier property of the biodegradable resin is to add a phyllosilicate organically treated with a specific ammonium ion to the biodegradable resin as disclosed in JP-A-2002-338796. This document states that the addition improves the strength and the gas barrier property of the resin. Further, a method of coating a biodegradable plastic with a metal oxide such as silicon oxide by a chemical vapor phase method is disclosed in JP-A-2002-068201. These methods ensure an excellent gas barrier property, but are unsatisfactory in environmental consideration and attribution to the plant-based material.

Biodegradable resin and product molded or formed from the same


The invention provides methods for displaying diagnostic results obtained from a tissue sample. In general, the invention assigns tissue-class probability values to discrete regions of a patient sample, and creates an overlay for displaying the results. The overlay facilitates display of the tissue class probabilities in a way that reflects the diagnostic relevance of the data. For example, methods of the invention comprise applying filtering and color-blending techniques in order to facilitate display of diagnostic results.

It is common in the field of medicine to perform visual examination to diagnose disease. For example, visual examination of the cervix can discern areas where there is a suspicion of pathology. However, direct visual observation alone may be inadequate for proper identification of an abnormal tissue sample, particularly in the early stages of disease.
In some procedures, such as colposcopic examinations, a chemical agent, such as acetic acid, is applied to enhance the differences in appearance between normal and pathological tissue. Such acetowhitening techniques may aid a colposcopist in the determination of areas in which there is a suspicion of pathology.
Colposcopic techniques are not perfect. They generally require analysis by a highly-trained physician. Colposcopic images may contain complex and confusing patterns and may be affected by glare, shadow, or the presence of blood or other obstruction, rendering an indeterminate diagnosis.
Spectral analysis has increasingly been used to diagnose disease in tissue. Spectral analysis is based on the principle that the intensity of light that is transmitted from an illuminated tissue sample may indicate the state of health of the tissue. As in colposcopic examination, spectral analysis of tissue may be conducted using a contrast agent such as acetic acid. In spectral analysis, the contrast agent is used to enhance differences in the light that is transmitted from normal and pathological tissues.
Spectral analysis offers the prospect of at least partially-automated diagnosis of tissue using a classification algorithm. However, examinations using spectral analysis may be adversely affected by glare, shadow, or the presence of blood or other obstruction, rendering an indeterminate diagnosis. Some artifacts may not be detectable by analysis of the spectral data alone; hence, erroneous spectral data may be inseparable from valid spectral data. Also, the surface of a tissue sample under spectral examination is generally not homogeneous. Areas of disease may be interspersed among neighboring healthy tissue, rendering overly-diffuse spectral data erroneous.
Furthermore, current methods of displaying data based on tissue classification algorithms do not facilitate quick, accurate, or clear communication of diagnostic results. Current techniques generally require interpretation by a skilled medical professional for meaningful and accurate conveyance of diagnostic information, due, in part, to the unfiltered nature of the diagnostic data.
Thus, there exists a need to improve the ease, accuracy, and clarity with which diagnostic data are displayed.

Methods and apparatus for displaying diagnostic data