An implantable device which stores information indicative of events occurring within a patient's body and related to operation of the device for transmission to an external device in response to a request from the external device. The implanted device is provided with a mechanism for retaining information as to the state of the information stored in the device at the time of a preceding request or interrogation from the external device and for storing cumulative information indicative of the operation of the device or events occurring within the patient's body over a time frame spanning multiple interrogations or requests from the external device. The two types of stored information together may be employed by the implanted device or the external device to derive information indicative only of events occurring since a preceding interrogation of the implanted device by the external device.

This invention relates to implantable devices which detect and/or treat tachyarrhythmias (rapid heart rhythms), and more specifically, to mechanisms for monitoring the rhythm of the patient's heart and for monitoring the operation of the device.
In conjunction with monitoring the operation of an implantable device and the condition of the patient in whom the device is implanted, it has become common for the implanted device to keep records of and counts of events occurring during operation of the device. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,266 issued to Schober et al, the events counted may be as simple as delivered atrial and ventricular pacing pulses, sensed atrial and ventricular depolarizations, detected premature atrial and ventricular depolarizations and runs of premature depolarizations. In the context of implantable antitachyarrhythmia devices, it is common to maintain counts of the occurrences of the various arrhythmias detected by the device and counts of the various types of therapies employed by the device. It has also become common to retain measured parameters associated with operation of the devices, such as R-wave and P-wave amplitudes, battery voltage, lead impedance and the like, and in some cases to store information with regard to such parameters in the form of trend lines illustrating the values of the parameters over time, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,488, issued to Markowitz et al.
These stored counts and/or measured parameters are typically provided to the physician during interrogation of the implanted device using an external programmer. In such cases, the implanted device uplinks the various stored counts and measured parameters since the last time the device memory was cleared. In some such devices, the various counts and/or stored parameters may be cleared by the physician in conjunction with interrogation of the device, so that upon subsequent interrogation, only the events occurring and values measured since the previous interrogation will be reflected in the stored information. This approach, however, results in the loss of the ability of the device to retain counts or values taken over an extended period of time, spanning multiple interrogation sessions. An additional alternative has been to employ time stamps in conjunction with the recording of the events occurring and parameters measured by the implantable device, so that the physician can determine, by comparing the time stamps to the time of the previous interrogation, which events occurred subsequent to the previous interrogation session.

Implantable medical device with automated last session identification


A portable device including an external-light-shielding sheet is provided. The portable device includes a display panel; and an external-light-shielding sheet arranged on the display panel, wherein the external-light-shielding sheet includes a base portion and a plurality of wedge shaped portions arranged on the base portion to absorb external light. Therefore, it is possible to absorb and block as much external light as possible. In addition, it is possible to improve bright-room contrast by effectively realizing a black image on a display panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable device including a external-light-shielding sheet, and more particularly, to a portable device which includes an external-light-shielding sheet disposed on a display panel and can thus improve the visibility and the anti-shock properties of the display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable devices generally include a controller (such as a central processing unit (CPU)) and a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the controller. Examples of the peripheral devices include a storage unit (such as a memory), a manipulation unit (such as a keypad or a keyboard), a display unit (such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel) and a camera module unit.
During the operation of a portable device, data may be transmitted between a controller and a plurality of peripheral devices of the portable device under the control of a software program.
When an LCD panel of a portable device realizes a black image, external light may be reflected from the front of the LCD panel. Thus, the black image may be mistakenly recognized as being brighter than it actually is, thereby reducing bright-room contrast.

Portable device including external-light-shielding sheet


A substrate is provided. The substrate includes a plurality of devices disposed in the substrate, a plurality of contact pads disposed on a surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the devices, and a surface dielectric layer positioned on the surface of the substrate. Thereafter, a surface treatment process including at least a plasma etching process is performed. Subsequently, at least a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process is performed to form a dielectric layer on a surface dielectric layer. The PECVD process is performed in a high frequency/low frequency alternating manner. Following that, a masking pattern on the dielectric layer is formed, and an anisotropic etching process is carried out to form a plurality of openings corresponding to the contact pads in the dielectric layer. The openings expose the contact pads, and each opening has an outwardly-inclined sidewall.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a wear-resistant dielectric layer, and more particularly, to a method of forming a wear-resistant dielectric layer by performing a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process in a high frequency/low frequency alternating manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the fabrication of semiconductor devices and MEMS (micro electromechanical system) devices, a dielectric layer mainly provides insulation and protection functions. For different purposes, some parameters of the dielectric layer, such as the electric constant, the material strength, and the stress between the dielectric and other materials that contact with the dielectric layer, must be considered. Generally, the dielectric layer is made of silicon oxide and silicon nitride. Silicon oxide has a higher electric constant, and the stress between silicon oxide and other semiconductor materials, e.g. a silicon substrate, is less. Consequently, silicon oxide is frequently used as a material of a gate insulating material. On the other hand, silicon nitride is more rigid, and therefore is mostly selected as a passivation layer of the semiconductor devices or the MEMS devices. For a passivation layer, wear-resistant and hydrophilic characteristics are required.
The stress between silicon nitride and other semiconductor materials is higher, and thus the thickness of a silicon nitride layer formed by deposition technique has its limit. Otherwise, cracking or peeling problems tend to appear. Normally, the stress of a silicon nitride layer exceeds 1000 MPa as long as the thickness of the silicon nitride layer is over several micrometers. In view of the high stress problem, the thickness of a silicon nitride layer is generally less than 1 micrometer.

Method of forming a wear-resistant dielectric layer


The present invention provides a new scintillator, cerium bromide (CeBr3), for gamma ray spectroscopy. Crystals of this scintillator have been grown using the Bridgman process. In CeBr3, Ce3+ is an intrinsic constituent as well as a luminescence center for the scintillation process. The crystals have high light output (˜68,000 photons/MeV) and fast decay constant (˜17 ns). Furthermore, it shows excellent energy resolution for γ-ray detection. For example, energy resolution of <4% (FWHM) has been achieved using this scintillator for 662 keV photons (137Cs source) at room temperature. High timing resolution (<200 ps-FWHM) has been recorded with CeBr3-PMT and BaF2-PMT detectors operating in coincidence using 511 keV positron annihilation γ-ray pairs.

The present invention relates to a scintillator. More specifically, the present invention relates to a CeBr3 scintillator for use in gamma ray spectroscopy and x-ray detection.
Scintillation spectrometers are widely used in detection and spectroscopy of energetic photons (X-rays and γ-rays) at room temperature. These detectors are commonly used in nuclear and particle physics research, medical imaging, diffraction, non destructive testing, nuclear treaty verification and safeguards, nuclear non-proliferation monitoring, and geological exploration (Knoll Radiation Detection and Measurement, 3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York, (1999), Kleinknecht, Detectors for Particle Radiation, 2nd Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K. (1998)).
Important requirements for the scintillation crystals used in these applications include high light output, high stopping efficiency, fast response, good proportionality, low cost and availability in large volume. These requirements cannot be met by any of the commercially available scintillators. As a result, there is continued interest in the search for new scintillators with enhanced performance (Derenzo, in, Heavy Scintillators for Scientific and Industrial Applications, De Notaristefani et al. eds., Gif-sur-Yvette, France (1993), pp. 125-135; van Eijk, Lecoq, Proc. Int. Conf. Inorganic Scintill. Appl., pps. 3-12, Shanghai, China, (1997); Moses, Nuc. Inst. Meth. A-487:123-128 (2002)).
One of the uses in geological evaluation includes well logging or formation evaluation. These are terms used for the measurement versus depth or time, or both, of one or more physical quantities in or around a well. Typically, a logging tool is lowered into a borehole and then retrieved from the hole while recording measurements. Wireline logs are taken "downhole", transmitted through a wireline to the surface and recorded there. Measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and logging-while-drilling (LWD) measurements are also taken "downhole". The measurements are either transmitted to the surface by mud pulses, or else recorded "downhole" and retrieved later when the instrument is brought to the surface. Mud logs that describe samples of drilled cuttings are taken and recorded at the surface.
Measurements typically taken during well logging or formation evaluation involve, for example, 1) natural gamma-ray spectroscopy to measure the spectrum or number and energy of gamma-rays emitted as natural radioactivity by a formation; 2) neutron activation which provides a log of elemental concentrations derived from the characteristic energy levels of gamma-rays emitted by a nucleus that has been activated by neutron bombardment; 3) epithermal neutron porosity measurement which is a measurement based on the slowing down of neutrons between a source and one or more detectors that measure neutrons at the epithermal level, where their energy is above that of the surrounding matter; 4) elastic neutron scattering which involves neutron interaction in which the kinetic energy lost by a neutron in a nuclear collision is transferred to the nucleus; and 5) gamma-ray scattering which is used for a measurement of the bulk density of a formation based on the reduction in gamma-ray flux between a source and a detector due to Compton scattering.
Scintillation and semiconductor detectors are typically used in these logging devices. It is well known that the static temperature in a wellbore increases gradually with depth. In most of North America the increase or "gradient" will be between 0.5 and 2.5° F. for each 100 feet of increase in depth, with a value of 1.7° F./100 feet (3° C./100 meters) being typical. For these applications, one of the important characteristics of the detector is its ability to perform at high temperatures. Typical scintillators used in well logging devices include BGO and CsI(Tl) which perform poorly as temperature increases, losing half of their light output at around 75° C. and 130° C., respectively. Furthermore, the variability of output with temperature of the scintillators necessitates careful calibration procedures.
In the present invention, properties of a new scintillator, cerium bromide (CeBr3), are disclosed. In this material, Ce3+ is an intrinsic constituent as well as a luminescence center for the scintillation process. The γ-ray stopping efficiency of CeBr3 is significantly higher than that of NaI(Tl), the most common scintillation detector. Small crystals of CeBr3 have been grown using the Bridgman process and their scintillation properties have been characterized. High light output, good proportionality, fast response and excellent energy and timing resolution have been measured for small CeBr3 crystals. In addition, CeBr3 was also found to possess excellent scintillation properties including high light output and fast response at high temperature (for example, at about 175° C.). Based on the results, CeBr3 was demonstrated to be very promising for γ-ray spectroscopy and its properties were determined to be very similar to those of another recently discovered scintillator, cerium doped lanthanum bromide (LaBr3:Ce) (van Loef et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 79:1573 (2001)).
Attention is drawn to several references in the field, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference (as are all references cited herein):
Derenzo et al., Nucl. Inst. Meth. Physics Res. A 505:111-117 (2003), entitled "The Quest for the Ideal Scintillator" reviews the history of, and characteristics and mechanisms of many inorganic scintillators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,203 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,293, both entitled "Scintillator material." Discloses Cerium fluoride and thallium doped Cerium fluoride as "improved" scintillator material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,858, "Divalent fluoride doped cerium fluoride scintillator." Discloses additional doped cerium fluoride scintillators.
Moses et al., J. Luminescence 59:89-100 (1994), entitled "Scintillation Mechanisms in Cerium Fluoride" described studies of the scintillation mechanisms of cerium fluoride and of lanthanum fluoride doped with cerium in concentrations between 0.01% and 50% mole fraction cerium.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,394, "Material for scintillators." Discloses barium fluoride as scintillator material.
van Loef et al., "High energy resolution scintillator: Ce3+ activated LaBr3", Appl. Phys. Lett. 79:1573-1575 (2001).
van Loef et al., "Scintillation properties of LaBr3:Ce3+ crystals: fast, efficient and high-energy-resolution scintillators", Nucl. Instr. Meth. Physics Res. A 486:254-258 (2002). Discloses certain characteristics of cerium doped LaBr3 compositions including, light yield, and scintillation decay curve. The rise time and time resolution of the compositions are not disclosed or suggested.
WO 01/60945, "Scintillator crystals, method for making same, use thereof", Discloses inorganic scintillator material of the general composition M1−xCexBr3, where M is selected from lanthanides or lanthanide mixtures of the group consisting of La, Gd, and Y. X is the molar rate of substitution of M with cerium, x being present in an amount of not less than 0.01 mol % and strictly less than 100 mol %. The rise time and time resolution of the various compositions are not disclosed or suggested.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,362,479, "Scintillation detector array for encoding the energy, position, and time coordinates of gamma ray interactions," discloses a scintillator-encoding scheme that depends on the differential decay time of various scintillators. The use of lutetium orthosilicate-lutetium orthosilicate (LSO-LSO) crystals with a time resolution of 1.6 ns is also discussed. A time resolution of 1.6 ns is equivalent to an approximately 50 cm uncertainty, which is as large as the cross-sectional dimension of the human body, and not useful in TOF-PET.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,623, "Positron emission tomography camera with quadrant-sharing photomultipliers and cross-coupled scintillating crystals." Discloses arrangement of hardware elements in PET camera and use of scintillators. Only specific scintillator disclosed is BGO.
Moses et al., "Prospects for Time-of-Flight PET using LSO Scintillator," IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 46:474-478 (1999). Discloses measurements of the timing properties of lutetium orthosilicate (LSO) scintillator crystals coupled to a PMT and excited by 511 keV photons.


An educational digital publication platform coordinates distribution of multilayered content documents to multiple devices of a user. The platform ingests content and transforms it into a form suitable for web-based publication in the form of a multilayered document while preserving page fidelity. EReading browser applications executing on user devices render layers of the multilayered content into a form readable by end users. The publishing platform authenticates or denies requests to access content on each device and manages distribution of the content to the browser applications executing on authenticated devices, thereby effectively connecting multiple devices of the same user. As the end user interacts with the content, activities are logged by the platform and reported to all the user's connected devices in order to synchronize delivery of content and services.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to distribution of multilayered electronic content to a plurality of consumer devices.
Description of the Related Art
The rapid shift to mobile internet services is bringing content offerings to an increasingly larger number of connected devices. Experiences previously limited to a single device are now accessible across multiple devices as high volume consumer electronic platforms such as smart phones, tablets, eReaders, game systems, and Internet TVs have become new channels to receive digital documents and services. Popular electronic book services leverage standardized publishing formats to seamlessly integrate and synchronize digital document reading experiences across consumer devices.
But as new digital services are progressively embedded within the original document, merging these additional content layers into a single reading experience becomes increasingly more difficult. Most importantly, as digital documents shift from a static model to a dynamic model, in which related, personalized, and social content are aggregated dynamically within the original document, publishing services must be able to manage and distribute these new content layers across a plurality of connected devices.

Multilayered document distribution in multiscreen systems


A method and receiver which provides, among other features, for resubtraction of an already subtracted signal in order to eliminate subtraction errors, termed re-orthogonalization, is described herein. According to exemplary embodiments, pairwise combinations of spreading codes are used to despread received composite signals. For example, these pairwise combinations can include a first spreading code associated with a signal that has already been subtracted and a second spreading code associated with a signal which is weaker than that associated with the first spreading code. In this way both resubtraction and subtraction are performed at the same time.

The present invention relates generally to radiocommunication systems and, more particularly, to signal processing techniques in spread spectrum radiocommunication systems.
CDMA and spread spectrum communications have been around since the days of World War II. Early applications were predominantly military oriented. However, today there has been an increasing interest in using spread spectrum systems in commercial applications, including digital cellular radio, land mobile radio, and indoor and outdoor personal communication networks.
The cellular telephone industry has made phenomenal strides in commercial operations in the United States as well as the rest of the world. Growth in major metropolitan areas has far exceeded expectations and is outstripping system capacity. If this trend continues, the effects of rapid growth will soon reach even the smallest markets. Innovative solutions are required to meet these increasing capacity needs as well as maintain high quality service and avoid rising prices.
Throughout the world, one important step in cellular systems is to change from analog to digital transmission. Equally important is the choice of an effective digital transmission scheme for implementing the next generation cellular technology. Furthermore, it is widely believed that the first generation of Personal Communication Networks (PCNs), employing low cost, pocket-size, cordless telephones that can be carried comfortably and used to make or receive calls in the home, office, street, car, etc., will be provided by cellular carriers using the next generation digital cellular system infrastructure. The key feature demanded in these new systems is increased traffic capacity.
Currently, channel access is achieved using Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) methods. In FDMA, a communication channel is a single radio frequency band into which a signal's transmission power is concentrated. System capacity is limited by the available frequencies as well as by limitations imposed by channel reuse. In TDMA systems, a channel consists of a time slot in a periodic train of time intervals over the same frequency. System capacity is limited by the available time slots as well as by limitations imposed on channel reuse.
With FDMA or TDMA or hybrid FDMA/TDMA systems, the goal is to ensure that two potentially interfering signals do not occupy the same frequency at the same time. In contrast, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) allows signals to overlap in both time and frequency. Thus, all CDMA signals share the same frequency spectrum. In the frequency or the time domain, the multiple access signals appear to overlap one another.
There are a number of advantages associated with CDMA communication techniques. The capacity limits of CDMA-based cellular systems are projected to be up to twenty times that of existing analog technology as a result of the properties of a wide band CDMA system, such as improved coding gain/modulation density, voice activity gating, sectorization and reuse of the same spectrum in every cell. CDMA transmission of voice by a high bit rate decoder ensures superior, realistic voice quality. CDMA also provides for variable data rates allowing many different grades of voice quality to be offered. The scrambled signal format of CDMA completely eliminates cross talk and makes it very difficult and costly to eavesdrop or track calls, ensuring greater privacy for callers and greater immunity from air time fraud.
In a "traditional" direct-sequence CDMA system, the informational data stream to be transmitted is impressed upon a much higher rate data stream known as a signature sequence to generate a transmitted sequence. The informational data stream and the high bit rate signature sequence stream are combined by effectively multiplying the two bit streams together, assuming the binary values of the two bit streams are represented by +1 or -1. The informational data stream may consist of M'ary complex symbol values instead of binary +1 or -1 values. This combination of the higher bit rate signal with the lower bit rate data stream is called coding or spreading the informational data stream signal. Each informational data stream or channel is allocated a unique signature sequence.
Typically, the signature sequence data are binary, giving rise to stream of bits referred to as "chips." One way to generate this signature sequence is with a pseudo-noise (PN) process that appears random, but can be replicated by an authorized receiver. It is common for the period of the signature sequence to occupy one data symbol period, so that each data symbol is spread by the same Nc-chip signature sequence. A randomizing code sequence with a very long period may be added on top of this. In general, this signature sequence may be represented by real and imaginary numbers, corresponding to sending a chip value on the carrier frequency (I channel) or on a 90-degree shifted version of the carrier frequency (Q channel). Also, the signature sequence may be a composite of two sequences, where one of these sequences is a Walsh-Hadamard code word.
Typically the data symbols are binary. Thus, transmission of the signature sequence or its inverse represents one bit of information. In general, to send information symbol b using signature sequence s(n), one transmits EQU t(n)=b s(n) (1)
The receiver correlates the received signal with the known signature sequence to produce a detection statistic, which is used to detect b. For binary information symbols, when a large positive correlation results, a "0" is detected; when a large negative correlation results, a "1" is detected.
A plurality of coded information signals modulate a radio frequency carrier, for example by phase shift keying (PSK), and are jointly received as a composite signal at the receiver. Each of the spread signals overlaps all of the other spread signals, as well as noise-related signals, in both frequency and time. If the receiver is authorized, then the composite signal is correlated with one of the unique signature sequences, and the corresponding information signal can be isolated and decoded.
In the above example, a data symbol b directly modulates a signature sequence s(n), which is commonly referred to as coherent modulation. The data symbol can be binary (+1 or -1), quaternary (+1, +j, -1, -j), or, in general, M'ary, taking on any of M possible values. This allows log.sub.2 (M) information bits to be represented by one information symbol b. In another traditional CDMA modulation scheme, the information is contained in how b changes from one symbol to the next, this being referred to as differentially coherent modulation. In this case, the true information is usually given by b(t) b*(t-Ts), where * denotes complex conjugation, t is a time index, and Ts is the information symbol period. In yet another traditional CDMA modulation scheme, sometimes referred to as noncoherent modulation, an M'ary information symbol is conveyed by transmitting one of M different signature sequences.
Another CDMA technique, called "enhanced CDMA", also allows each transmitted sequence to represent more than one bit of information. A set of code words, typically orthogonal code words or bi-orthogonal code words, is used to code a group of information bits into a much longer code sequence or code symbol. A signature sequence is used to scramble the binary code sequence before transmission. This can be done by modulo-2 addition of the two binary sequences. At the receiver, the known scramble mask is used to descramble the received signal, which is then correlated to all possible code words. The code word with the largest correlation value indicates which code word was most likely sent, indicating which information bits were most likely sent. One common orthogonal code is the Walsh-Hadamard (WH) code. Enhanced CDMA can be viewed as a special case of noncoherent modulation.
In both traditional and enhanced CDMA, the "information bits" or "information symbols" referred to above can also be coded bits or symbols, where the code used is a block or convolutional code. One or more information bits can form a data symbol. Also, the signature sequence or scramble mask can be much longer than a single code sequence, in which case a subsequence of the signature sequence or scramble mask is added to the code sequence.
In many radio communication systems, the received signal includes two components: an I (in-phase) component and a Q (quadrature) component. This results because the transmitted signal has two components, and/or the intervening channel or lack of coherent carrier reference causes the transmitted signal to be divided into I and Q components. In a typical receiver using digital signal processing, the received I and Q component signals are sampled every Tc seconds, where Tc is the duration of a chip, and stored.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,151,919 and 5,218,619 to Paul W. Dent describe a CDMA system which allows several subscribers to communicate on the same radio frequency with a base station, which patents are incorporated here by reference. Unlike more traditional CDMA systems, interference is prevented in these patented systems by, for example, decoding signals successively in strength order from strongest to weakest, and subtracting the decoded signals from the received composite signal after decoding.
The exemplary implementations described in the foregoing incorporated patents use digital signal processing for descrambling a signal by use of its known scrambling code, transforming the signal to the spectral domain, and then notching out the spectral component associated with that signal. After notching, the remaining, nonzero components represent the transform of the other signals which have been descrambled with the first signal's code. The remainder is then transformed back to the waveform domain and the descrambling code re-applied to restore the signals to their original domain with one of them now subtracted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,619, it is disclosed that imperfect signal subtraction caused by errors in the amount of signal subtracted due to interference from other, weaker, overlapping signals may be eliminated by subtracting an already subtracted signal again in suitable amount, after having subtracted some of said other signals. This resubtraction process, referred to as reorthogonalization, can be performed by digital signal processors. However, this technique has the characteristic that the amount of processing increases with at least the fourth power of the spectrum bandwidth, making this technique costly for wideband signals.

Re-orthogonalization of wideband CDMA signals


The present disclosure provides a transporting apparatus. The transporting apparatus can include the following components: a first frame support configured to support an object; a second frame support configured to roll the transporting apparatus and to move relative to the first frame support; and a plurality of shock absorbing elements positioned between the first frame support and the second frame support.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. Technological advances in IC materials and design have produced generations of ICs where each generation has smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. However, these advances have increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs and, for these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC processing and manufacturing are needed. In the course of IC evolution, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs.
As semiconductor manufacturing has grown in complexity, it becomes increasingly necessary to transport wafers among a number of different process modules or clusters of process modules, and sometimes between tools and modules that are separated by significant distances. Transport between different process facilities often results in increased risk of wafer damage (e.g., bevel defects, chipping defects, die shift, crack, and molding loss) due to shock and vibration of the wafer transporting apparatus.

Transporting apparatus with shock absorbing elements

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Provided is a method for obtaining female germline stem cells from follicular aspirates.

Epidemiological statistics have found that about 48.5 million couples worldwide face infertility problems every year (Mascarenhas, M. N., S. R. Flaxman, T. Boerma, et al., National, Regional, and Global Trends in Infertility Prevalence Since 1990: A Systematic Analysis of 277 Health Surveys. PLoS Med, 2012. 9(12): p. e1001356). Infertility has become a major health and social problem. Germline stem cells can be used to study the pathogenesis of infertility. The present inventors have isolated female germline stem cells (FGSCs) from postnatal mouse ovaries for the first time in the world. A C-terminal DDX4 antibody is used for magnetic bead sorting of germ cells from the postnatal mouse ovaries. The germ cells can be used to establish FGSC cell lines after in vitro culture. Transplantation of FGSCs into the infertile mouse ovaries may produce functional oocytes and offspring (Zou, K., Z. Yuan, Z. Yang, et al., Production of offspring from a germline stem cell line derived from neonatal ovaries. Nat Cell Biol, 2009. 11(5): p. 631-636). Subsequently, White et al. used the same antibody to flow-sort human FGSCs from ovaries of women of childbearing age (White, Y.A.R., D. C. Woods, Y. Takai, et al., Oocyte formation by mitotically active germ cells purified from ovaries of reproductive-age women. Nat Med, 2012. 18 (3): p. 413-421). An increasing number of studies have found that there are FGSCs in mouse, rat and human ovaries. It is worth mentioning that the latest clinical studies have found that injecting mitochondria of human FGSCs into the patient's own oocytes can improve the quality of oocytes and increase the success rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF) (Fakih, M. H., M. E. Shmoury, J. Szeptycki, et al., The AUGMENT℠ Treatment: Physician Reported Outcomes of the Initial Global Patient Experience. JFIV Reprod Med Genet 2015. 3 (3): p. 154).
FGSCs have a variety of clinical application values, including the treatment of female infertility, preservation of female fertility, and postponement of female menopause. However, ovarian tissues can be clinically obtained only in three ways: during the caesarean section, during the laparoscopy in infertility examination, and during the ovariectomy in the treatment of various gynecological diseases. Since the ovary is located in the abdominal cavity, ovarian tissues are mainly obtained by laparotomy and laparoscopy. This restricts the clinical application of FGSCs.
Human FGSCs have opened up new ideas for postponing female menopause, treating female infertility, and providing fertility preservation methods. However, the shortage of human ovarian tissues restricts the future research and clinical applications of human FGSCs. This shortage prompts people to find alternative sources of FGSCs. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is a widely used medical technology. International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies has reported that at least 1 million cases are implemented every year worldwide to help infertile couples to obtain offspring. In ART, transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicular puncture and aspiration is a commonly used technique for collecting oocytes, and follicular aspirates are produced during this operation.
After picking out mature oocytes, the follicular aspirates are often discarded, resulting in a very serious waste of clinical resources. Previous reports have found that preantral follicles can be obtained from follicular aspirates, and oocytes can be obtained after in vitro culture of these preantral follicles (Wu, J., L. Z. Zhang and P. Liu, A new source of human oocytes: preliminary report on the identification and maturation of human preantral follicles from follicular aspirates. Human Reproduction, 1998. 13(9): p. 2561-2563). However, no literature has currently reported that follicular aspirates contain ovarian tissues from which FGSCs can be obtained.

Method for obtaining female germline stem cells from follicular aspirates


The present invention discloses a digital image pickup apparatus. The digital image pickup apparatus reads digital image data from a main memory in a horizontal direction. The digital image pickup apparatus corrects an optical distortion component in the horizontal direction in the digital image data. The digital image pickup apparatus writes the digital image data into the main memory in the horizontal direction, so as to store it without changing the direction. The digital image pickup apparatus further reads the digital image data from the main memory in a vertical direction. The digital image pickup apparatus corrects an optical distortion component in the vertical direction in the digital image data. The digital image pickup apparatus writes the digital image data into the main memory in the vertical direction, so as to store it without changing the direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital image data correction apparatus and a digital image data correction method for correcting optical distortion of digital image data, and a digital image pickup apparatus having the digital image data correction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image pickup apparatus includes an apparatus for picking up an object to be photographed through an optical lens of a silver halide camera, a digital camera or the like, and obtaining an image showing the object. In this image pickup apparatus, distortion occurs around the obtained image by refraction of the optical lens. The distortion is generally called optical distortion. The lens used in the image pickup apparatus is constituted so as to cancel the optical distortion. In the case of a zoom lens, however, it is difficult to correct both a telephoto end and a wide end with the same lens configuration. Large optical distortion, therefore, easily occurs. Even a single-focal lens requires an expensive lens material or a thicker lens configuration for correction. It is, therefore, difficult to provide a thin and economical lens configuration. As a result, the optical distortion still remains.
When an image obtained is recorded on a film with a silver halide camera, the recorded image cannot be corrected. The optical distortion is, therefore, determined by a lens performance. On the contrary, when an image is obtained by digital data and is recorded onto recording media like the digital camera, the image can be corrected by an operating process even after recording. In the digital camera field, therefore, conventionally, techniques for the correction of optical distortion have been proposed.
One technique for correcting such optical distortion includes a method of representing a correcting amount by an approximation formula so as to perform correction as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 11-250238, 11-250239, 11-250240 and 11-252431. It is generally known that an amount of data conversion due to the optical distortion can be approximately expressed by a polynomial depending on a distance from an optical center. In this method, therefore, an inverse number of the polynomial is used as a correcting expression. Concretely, a coordinate on an uncorrected image corresponding to each pixel on a corrected image is calculated based on the polynomial by a CPU. The each pixel is interpolated with pixel data around the calculated coordinate, so that correction is performed.
In the prior technique, however, when the interpolation is carried out by bi-linear interpolation, for example, an operation using four-pixel data around the calculated coordinate is necessary. The operation for the correction becomes, therefore, complicated. Accordingly, the CPU needs to do a large amount of calculation only for the processing of one pixel. There, therefore, arises such a problem that the processing of an entire image takes much processing time. Particularly when the number of pixels of the digital image data is increased, the time required for the correction also increases. In order to achieve further high resolution with a digital image pickup apparatus, therefore, reducing of the correcting process time is demanded.

Digital image data correction apparatus, digital image data correction method and digital image pickup apparatus


An antenna system includes a VHF dipole antenna having a pair of rod elements disposed substantially in a line, and a UHF Yagi antenna having a radiator and a direction disposed on the rod elements.

Antennas mounted on a moving article, such as a television broadcast receiving antenna mounted on a car, may be non-directional. Non-directional antennas include, for example, an Alford loop antenna and a cloverleaf antenna. To receive radio waves in, for example, VHF and UHF bands by means of such non-directional antennas, one for each of the frequency bands has been used.
An Alford loop antenna and a cloverleaf antenna are formed of many components, are large in size and require complicated manufacturing processes. Accordingly, such antennas for receiving UHF and VHF bands undesirably require a large space to mount them because they are large. In addition, non-directional antennas, such as Alford loop antennas and cloverleaf antennas, are subject to receiving undesired radio waves and, therefore, tend to cause ghosts to appear in a television picture when used for receiving television broadcast ratio waves.
An object of the present invention is to provide an antenna which is small in size and can selectively receive radio waves of plural frequency bands. Another object is to provide an antenna which hardly receives undesired radio waves and substantially non-directional in receiving radio waves.
An antenna system according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a dipole antenna for a first frequency band. The dipole antenna has a pair of rod elements arranged substantially in a straight line. The antenna system also includes a Yagi antenna for a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band, which has a radiator disposed on at least one of the pair of rod elements of the dipole antenna. The first and second frequency bands may be the VHF and UHF bands, respectively.
The Yagi antenna may include, in addition to the radiator, a director and/or a reflector. The Yagi antenna radiator may be disposed at a predetermined angle, e.g. 90xc2x0, with respect to the rod elements of the dipole antenna. The radiator may be a folded-dipole antenna. It is desirable to dispose the folded-dipole antenna in such a manner that its longitudinal center is on the rod element of the dipole antenna. The radiator of the Yagi antenna may be a planar radiator.
A plurality of such dipole antennas may be used for the first frequency band. In this case, the rod elements of the different dipole antennas are disposed to extend radially from the same center, and a plurality of Yagi antennas are used with their radiators disposed on the rod elements of the dipole antennas. The radiators may be disposed on the respective rod elements of at least one dipole antenna, or may be disposed on different ones of the dipole antennas. Selecting means selects one of the outputs of the dipole antennas and also one of the outputs of the Yagi antennas. The selecting means may be arranged to select more than one outputs of the antennas.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, an antenna system includes a first Yagi antenna for a first frequency band having at least one director, and a plurality of second Yagi antennas for a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band. The second Yagi antennas have radiators disposed on the at least one director of the first Yagi antenna. The first Yagi antenna may have a plurality of directors. The radiators of the second Yagi antennas may be disposed on one director or on different ones of the directors. The first Yagi antenna also has a radiator. It may have a reflector, too.
An antenna system according to a further embodiment of the present invention includes a first antenna for a first frequency band including a pair of rod elements mounted on a boom, and a second antenna for a second frequency band higher than the first frequency band. The second antenna has a radiator which is mounted on the boom substantially in parallel with the rod elements of the first antenna and can be used as a director of the first antenna.
An antenna system according to a still further embodiment includes a body and a plurality of Yagi antennas all for the same frequency band disposed in the body. The Yagi antennas are arranged at different levels in the body. The Yagi antennas are disposed in the body to be receptive of radio waves from different directions. Parts of the respective antennas intersect without contacting each other. Any one of various shapes may be employed for the body, but a planar body is preferred for space saving. Each Yagi antenna may include at least a radiator and a reflector or at least a radiator and a director. The intersecting parts of the respective Yagi antennas may be parts of the radiators, or the reflectors for the antennas with reflectors.
A plurality of Yagi antennas may be disposed in the plane at each of the different levels for receiving radio waves from different directions.
The plurality of Yagi antennas in one plane may be two Yagi antennas arranged to receive radio waves from opposite directions. In this case, each antenna has a radiator and a reflector. Each radiator is in a flaring shape with its opposite extremities located close to corresponding extremities of the other radiator. Each reflector includes a portion curving toward the associated radiator.
According to a still further embodiment, an antenna system includes a body and a plurality of Yagi antennas disposed in said body for receiving radio waves from different directions. Each of the Yagi antennas has to have only a radiator and a reflector or a radiator and a director. Adjacent ones of the Yagi antennas are at different levels, and Yagi antennas adapted to receive radio waves from directions 180xc2x0 apart from each other are disposed on the same plane.
Each of the Yagi antennas may be connected to a matching device. Selecting means selects one of outputs of the matching devices of the respective Yagi antennas and combinations of outputs of the matching devices of pairs of adjacent Yagi antennas. Each of the matching devices has first and second output terminals with the first output terminal connected to a reference potential and with the second output terminal connected to the selecting means. With this arrangement, the phases of the antenna outputs provided from the respective matching devices are aligned.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, an antenna system includes an even number of rod antennas radially extending substantially in the same plane. The number of the rod antennas is equal to or greater than four. The antenna system further includes pairs of feed terminals as many as the rod antennas. Each pair of feed terminals are led from a pair of adjacent ones of the rod antennas, whereby V-shaped antennas as many as the rod antennas are provided.
A matching device may be connected to each pair of the feed terminals. Selecting means selects individual ones of outputs from the respective matching devices and combinations of outputs of the matching devices of pairs of adjacent V-shaped antennas. Also, energizing means is provided for energizing only the selected one or more of the matching devices.
In this embodiment, each rod antenna functions as a component of two V-shaped antennas. Accordingly, in order to avoid its adverse effect, the matching devices associated with the respective antennas operate only when the associated antennas are selected by the selecting means.
Each matching device has first and second output terminals with the first output terminal connected to a reference potential and with the second output terminal connected to the selecting means.
An antenna system according to a further embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of radially extending rod antennas. Pairs of rod antennas extending diametrically opposite directions substantially in the same plane form a plurality of dipole antennas. The antenna system further includes a pair of feed terminals led from each dipole antenna.
A matching device may be connected to each pair of the feed terminals. Selecting means selects individual ones of outputs from the respective matching devices and combinations of outputs of the matching devices of pairs of adjacent dipole antennas. Also, energizing means is provided for energizing only the selected one or ones of the matching devices.
In this embodiment, too, each rod antenna functions as a component of two dipole antennas. Accordingly, in order to avoid its adverse effect, the matching devices associated with the respective antennas operate only when the associated antennas are selected by the selecting means.
Each matching device has first and second output terminals with the first output terminal connected to a reference potential and with the second output terminal connected to the selecting means.
In accordance with a still another embodiment of the present invention, an antenna system includes a plurality of antennas for the same frequency band disposed to be receptive of radio waves from different directions, selecting means for selecting individual ones of outputs from the respective antennas and combinations of outputs of pairs of adjacent antennas, and control means for providing a selection control signal to the selecting means.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, an antenna system includes a plurality of first antennas for a first frequency band disposed to be receptive of radio waves in the first frequency band coming from different directions, and a plurality of second antennas for a second frequency band disposed to be receptive of radio waves in the second frequency band coming from different directions and associated with the respective ones of said first antennas. The antenna system further includes the same number of amplifying means as the first and second antennas, each of which receives outputs of one of the first antennas and an associated one of the second antennas. Combining means combines outputs of the amplifying means. The antenna system further includes control means for switching between a state in which the amplifying means are individually energized and a state in which the amplifying means receiving the outputs of pairs of adjacent ones of the first antennas are energized.
According to a still further embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of Yagi antennas are so disposed at different levels in a body as to be receptive of radio waves in a first frequency band coming from various directions. A plurality of rod antennas are disposed at a level different from the levels of the Yagi antennas. The rod antennas are disposed to be receptive of radio waves in a second frequency band coming from various directions. A plurality of Yagi antennas may be disposed at the same level for receiving radio waves from different directions. Also, an even number, not smaller than four, of rod antennas may be used and combined to form V-shaped antennas or dipole antennas. The level at which the rod antennas are disposed may be intermediate between the levels at which the Yagi antennas are disposed.


Biomarkers and methods are disclosed for diagnosing the risk of a myocardial infarction in an individual by measuring the levels of a set of biomarkers in a sample from an individual. A risk score is calculated for the individual by weighting the measured levels of the biomarkers. The risk score then is used to identify whether the individual is likely to experience a myocardial infarction. In addition, kits are disclosed that include a set of reagents for specifically measuring biomarker levels in a sample from an individual.

Myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as heart attack, is associated with modifiable risk factors but nonetheless remains a leading cause of death and severe disability worldwide. (Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ounpuu S, et al. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with MI in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case-control study. Lancet. 364:937-52 (2004)). Toward prevention, contemporary American and European guidelines recommend an integrated two-step approach in which risk assessment (prediction) is followed by individualized risk reduction (therapy), if needed; the higher the risk, the more aggressive the prescribed preventive care. (Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report. Circulation 106:3143-421 (2002); European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: executive summary. Eur. Heart J. 28:2375-414 (2007)).
Risk assessment in primary prevention of MI has not changed dramatically in the last 40 years. It remains based upon the risk factor concept introduced by the Framingham Heart Study in the 1960's. (Kannel W B, Dawber T R, Kagan A, Revotskie N, Stokes J, 3rd. Factors of risk in the development of coronary heart disease—six year follow-up experience. The Framingham Study. Ann. Intern. Med. 55:33-50 (1961)). Because individual risk factors such as plasma cholesterol and blood pressure have low independent predictive ability (Ware J H. The limitations of risk factors as prognostic tools. N. Engl. J. Med. 355:2615-7 (2006)), they have been combined to generate global risk assessment measures such as the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the European SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation). (Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) final report. Circulation 106:3143-421 (2002); European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice: executive summary. Eur. Heart J. 28:2375-414 (2007)).
These multivariable risk prediction models provide estimates of 10-year absolute risk and relative risk. The absolute risk is used primarily to assess the need for pharmacological risk reduction, whereas the relative risk is more useful in identifying younger individuals for lifestyle modification to reduce their otherwise high lifetime risk.
Although this two-step preventive approach is sound, it is far from perfect in its present form because established risk factors have limited predictive power even when combined (Wald N J, Morris J K, Rish S. The efficacy of combining several risk factors as a screening test. J. Med. Screen. 12:197-201 (2005)), and progression of subclinical disease to clinical MI events still occurs despite initiation of the recommended "optimal" therapy. (Koenig W. Treating residual cardiovascular risk: will lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 inhibition live up to its promise? J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 51:1642-4 (2008)). Most MI events occur in individuals classified in FRS/SCORE low and intermediate risk categories, i.e., among misclassified individuals. Further, a substantial residual risk persists even with the best available medical therapy. (Koenig W. Treating residual cardiovascular risk: will lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 inhibition live up to its promise? J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 51:1642-4 (2008); Naghavi M, Falk E, Hecht H S, et al. From vulnerable plaque to vulnerable patient—Part III: Executive summary of the Screening for Heart Attack Prevention and Education (SHAPE) Task Force report. Am. J. Cardiol. 98:2 H-15H (2006); Lauer M S. Primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: the high public burden of low individual risk. JAMA. 297:1376-8 (2007)).
Thus, there is a need to improve both the detection and the treatment of individuals at highest risk for a MI event.

Risk factors and prediction of myocardial infarction


A glenoid implant includes a body, a plurality of fins, a collet, and a plug. The body has a central aperture therethrough and a plurality of slots. Each of the plurality of fins are coupled with a respective one of the plurality of slots of the boss of the body such that each of the plurality of fins is configured to move from a first generally inward position towards a second generally outward position. The collet including an interior threaded bore and a plurality of deflectable arms. The plug includes a threaded portion and a tip portion configured to engage with and cause the plurality of deflectable arms of the collet to move and cause the plurality of fins to move from the first generally inward position towards the second generally outward position, thereby aiding in securing the body to a scapula of a patient.

Shoulder replacement surgery (arthroplasty) is often used to treat patients suffering from pain due to worn or damaged shoulder joints (e.g., caused by arthritis and/or injury). The shoulder comprises three bones: the humerus (upper arm bone), scapula (shoulder blade), and clavicle (collarbone). A ball or head at one end of the humerus fits into a glenoid to allow rotation. In shoulder replacement surgery, damaged parts are removed and replaced with a prosthesis. Because tens of thousands of shoulder arthroplasty surgeries are performed each year in the United States, there remains a need for improved glenoid implants. The present disclosure is directed to solving these and other problems and needs.


A method of selecting application and a hand-held electronic device are provided. The method of selecting application is used in a hand-held electronic device, wherein the hand-held electronic device is installed with several applications corresponding to several channel codes. The method of selecting application includes the following steps. Firstly, a selecting signal outputted from an input unit of the hand-held electronic device is received for choosing one of the channel codes. Next, the application corresponding to the chosen channel code is driven. Then, the driven application is displayed on a display unit of the hand-held electronic device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a selecting method and a hand-held electronic device, and more particularly to a method of selecting application and a hand-held electronic device thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advance and popularity of technology, various hand-held electronic devices such as mobile phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), have become a part of modern people's life. Meanwhile, the function of hand-held electronic devices becomes more complicated. Conventional operation mode enables the user to select a desired function by way of a selection menu incorporated with icons, text, or contents. As the number of function increases, the menu needs to include all function selection, hence making the menu too complicated to operate.
Please refer to FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1A is a diagram of a main menu of a conventional mobile phone. FIG. 1B is a diagram of a sub-menu of a conventional mobile phone. The electronic device 100 at least includes a display screen 110, a Talk key 122, an End key 124 and a control key 126. The display screen 110 displays a select frame 111, a plurality of main menu function icons 112 and a plurality of sub-menu function selections 113. The mobile phone is normally operated by a control key 126 which moves a select frame 111 upward/downward to a desired function icon, then the user press the Talk key 122 to enter the sub-function menu (as shown in FIG. 1B). Next, the user moves the select frame 111 to the desired function selection by the control key 126 and then presses the Talk key 122 to perform the particular function. If the user needs to choose another function, the user can press the End key 124 to return to the main menu and choose another function again by above conventional operation mode.
However, as the function of the mobile phone increases, the selection also becomes complicated. Therefore, the operation of the above menu also becomes difficult. When the user needs to operate a function selection, the user normally has to spend time searching from the menu, hence making the use inconvenient. Besides, due to the complication of menu selection, the user may not be able to remember and operate the path of some functions. Therefore, the user has to search again for each operation, causing inconvenience to the user. However, if the user is not familiar with the operation of the electronic device, the method of operating the menu is became difficult to the user so that the will of purchase is reduced.

Method of selecting application and hand-held electronic device


A new cultivar of Epimedium plant named ‘AMBER QUEEN’ that is characterized by clumping habit, spiny holly-like leaflets that are green and russet in color, and amber-orange spurred flowers that are held above two distinct layers of foliage. In combination these traits set ‘AMBER QUEEN’ apart from all other existing varieties of Epimedium known to the inventor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of bishop's hat grown for use as an ornamental for container, rock garden, or as a groundcover in the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Epimedium wushanense×E. flavum and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name 'AMBER QUEEN'.
'AMBER QUEEN' is a plant hybrid that resulted from the deliberate cross-hybridization of Epimedium wushanense 'Caramel' (unpatented) and Epimedium flavum (unpatented). The seed parent is an individual Epimedium wushanense 'Caramel' and the pollen parent is an individual Epimedium flavum. The deliberate cross-hybridization was conducted in 1994 by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Hampshire, England.
The inventor selected the new Epimedium cultivar named 'AMBER QUEEN' in 1994 based on the distinguishing characteristics of flower shape and flower color. The new Epimedium variety 'AMBER QUEEN' is readily distinguishable from the parents by flower shape and flower color. There are no close comparison plants known to the inventor.
'AMBER QUEEN' is semi-evergreen, characterized by clumping habit, spiny holly-like leaflets that are green and russet in color, and amber-orange spurred flowers that are held above the leaves. 'AMBER QUEEN' exhibits two distinct layers of foliage, due to the difference in length between basal stems and the subsequently basally branching stems. Essentially herbaceous, 'AMBER QUEEN' will retain leaves when winter temperatures are above minus 10° Centigrade.
The first asexual reproduction of the new Epimedium cultivar 'AMBER QUEEN' was conducted in 1995 by the method of division. Division of 'AMBER QUEEN' was accomplished by the inventor, at the inventor's nursery in Hampshire, England. Since that time the distinguishing characteristics of 'AMBER QUEEN' have been determined stable, fixed and reproduce true to type in successive generations.


A solid electrolyte gas analyzer includes an analyzer circuit housed in an electronics housing and a probe housing for immersion in the gas of interest. The electronics housing mounts directly to the probe housing, preferably through a standoff. The analyzer circuit is powered by an AC line input and includes a switching power supply to convert the AC line input to DC power useable by the analyzer circuit. The analyzer circuit also includes a heater circuit controlling a heater in the probe housing. The power supply and the heater circuit automatically adjust to different AC line input voltage levels. The switching power supply efficiently supplies DC power to other portions of the analyzer circuit with little heat generation.

The present invention relates generally to the segment of the field of gas analysis instrumentation that involves the use of solid electrolyte cells to measure gaseous species. More specifically, the invention relates to a novel housing configuration and electronic circuitry for use with a heated solid electrolyte cell. As used herein, the term solid electrolyte cell means a quantity of the solid electrolyte, for example zirconia-yttria ((ZrO.sub.2).sub.(1-x) (Y.sub.2 O.sub.3).sub.x), and porous electrical contacts or electrodes connected thereto, usually made of platinum or other suitable materials.
Gas analyzers having a probe with a solid electrolyte cell to measure gaseous oxygen are well known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,400,054 and 3,928,161, incorporated herein by reference. Another example is the World Class 3000 Oxygen Analyzer sold by Rosemount Analytical Inc. of Orrville, Ohio, available with replacement cells under part no. 4847B61G01/02/03. A common application for such analyzers is the measurement of gaseous oxygen in a flue or duct such as a smokestack. At a given elevated temperature, the solid electrolyte cell generates an EMF V.sub.cell as a function of the concentration of oxygen (or other gaseous specie) exposed to the cell. V.sub.cell can be approximated by the Nernst equation: EQU V.sub.cell =C+S.multidot.log{P(O.sub.2)/P(O.sub.2).sub.REF },
where C is a cell constant, S is a cell slope which is a function of cell temperature T, and P(O.sub.2) and P(O.sub.2).sub.REF are the oxygen partial pressure at a measurement and reference end, respectively, of the solid electrolyte cell. Actual solid electrolyte cells deviate from the Nernst equation to some extent.
It is also known for such analyzers to include analog or digital electronic circuitry in a housing separate from the probe that measures V.sub.cell and provides an analyzer output indicative of the gaseous species concentration. The probe is configured with a heater and thermocouple, controlled by circuitry in the separate housing, to maintain the solid electrolyte cell at a constant elevated temperature (e.g., 750 C.).
An object of the invention is to provide a compact, rugged, low-cost housing for a solid electrolyte gas analyzer. The housing should simplify installation and provide structural integrity for the analyzer, while maintaining the analyzer circuit at an acceptable operating temperature.
Another object of the invention is to reduce the size and heat dissipation of the analyzer circuit to permit such circuit to be housed in a compact and relatively high temperature compartment.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a heater circuit and preferably a complete analyzer circuit capable of receiving different AC line input voltages (e.g., 120 VAC and 240 VAC) and self-adjusting for such different AC inputs so as to maintain the heater and solid electrolyte cell at a specified temperature.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.

Solid electrolyte gas analyzer with improved circuit and housing configuration


A dentists' preparation instrument (1) comprises a turbine (4) for driving a tool (3) using compressed air, and a rotor (6) that is arranged in a turbine compartment (5), rotates about a longitudinal axis (7), and has blades (11) extending to a face (13) of the rotor (6). The turbine compartment (5) has a discharge port (12) for the compressed air towards a returning air duct (8). Said discharge port (12) is disposed in such a way that both the face (13) of the rotor (6) and parts of the blades (11) sweep past the discharge port (12) as the rotor rotates about the longitudinal axis (7). For deceleration purposes, the rotor (6) has a deceleration contour (9) on the face (13), said deceleration contour being formed by projections (14), and the turbine compartment (5) has a deceleration contour chamber (15) inside which the deceleration contour (9) is accommodated. The discharge port (12) in part also extends across the deceleration contour chamber (15).

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dentists' preparation instrument having a turbine for driving a tool by means of compressed air. A rotor disposed in a turbine compartment and rotating about a longitudinal axis has blades extending to a face of the rotor. The turbine compartment has a discharge port for the compressed air to a return air duct, wherein the discharge port is disposed in the turbine compartment in such a way that the face of the rotor passes by the discharge port laterally in rotation about the longitudinal axis.
Description of the Related Art
A dental turbine handpiece is known from EP 0 974 308 B1 with which, after the turbine has been shut down, because of the reduced pressure that develops due to after running in a turbine compartment upstream from the discharge port, a curtain flow is created for the purpose of preventing intake or reverse draw. This takes place due to the fact that a flow web protruding into the flow path deflects the flow from the discharge port inward. A flow groove may be placed upstream from the flow web disposed in the turbine compartment to make the flow step greater and to increase the efficiency. The compressed air flows out on one face of the blades and into an annular chamber provided in the turbine wheel, where it loses pressure. Both the annular chamber and parts of the blades lie opposite the discharge port. During functional operation, however, there is a break in the curtain flow because of the pressure gradient.
DE 100 60 152 B4 describes a dental turbine handpiece in which a rotor is equipped with a first and a second turbine wheel to increase the torque, and connecting ducts are provided to deflect the pressure medium from the first turbine wheel to the second turbine wheel. In one embodiment, the flow passes twice through the second turbine wheel, which decelerates the rotor and reduces the rotational speed.
The object of the invention is to achieve a reduction in the idling speed in order to improve the lifetime and noise behavior without restricting the effective power to an extent that would be of practical relevance.


The invention is a thermostat for a cooling system comprising a valve member configured to be positioned in a valve port in the cooling system. The valve member is configured to impede or prevent a flow of a thermal conducting medium into or out of the valve port. A thermally responsive actuator is coupled to the valve member to move the valve member into and out of a position that impedes or prohibits the flow of the thermal conducting medium into or out of the valve port. The thermally responsive actuator comprises at least one flexible plate for applying a thermally generated motion to the valve member.

The present invention relates to a thermostat valve that utilizes the reversible expansion and contraction of a thermally expandable material, as typically used in internal combustion engines.
Bimetal and bellows type thermostats were originally employed in low pressure/low temperature applications. With the growing use of pressurized cooling systems, designed to raise the boiling point of the cooling fluid, thermostats employing an "incompressible" thermally responsive material, such as wax or a wax--metal mixture, have come into wider use.
The mechanics of the conventional wax-pellet thermostat are well known, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,075 by Oaishi. The thermostat is placed in the coolant outlet, so that the wax containing reservoir rests in the engine block coolant. When the engine is cool a spring ensures that the valve member maintains contact with the valve seat, blocking coolant flow from the engine to the cooling reservoir (typically the cooling radiator for land vehicles or the body of water for marine use). As the engine warms, the wax within a soft elastic bladder is heated and expands. This produces a force against a piston in contact with the valve member. When the coolant temperature reaches a predetermined level, the force of the bladder on the piston overcomes the spring force joining the valve member and valve seat. The valve member and valve seal separate, allowing cooling fluid to flow. As the temperature continues to rise, the wax continues to expand, and the valve continues to open until steady state is reached or the piston full stroke is reached.
Shortcomings of this thermostat are well documented. Oftentimes the container for the wax material leaks or otherwise fails. This causes the thermostat to remain closed, eventually resulting in engine overheating. The piston is also subject to sticking or hanging up, usually in the closed or fully open position. The former will result in an overheated engine, while the latter will cause poor engine performance, excessive exhaust, and again overheating if the increased heat transfer from the radiator to the environment is inadequate, thus resulting in heat build up in the reservoir.
Numerous improvements to the basic design exist that improve the functionality of the thermostat. One improvement employs a casing member, containing a thermally responsive material acting on a piston member which slides through a cylindrical guide, that is either machined with tight clearances or employs a seal to allow the piston to repeatedly axially translate from the closed to open position. However, this improvement involves more parts, which increases both the probability of any one part failing and the cost of manufacturing.
Another drawback to this design is that it promotes piston sticking or bladder wear, since one end terminates at the wax bladder, while the other end is open to the cooling fluid forming a "dead leg", a place where contaminants and debris tend to accumulate. Contaminants can also enter the pellet area causing bladder wear, particularly in cold temperatures.
Most of the present art employs a separate spring member to ensure that the thermostat is biased in the closed position. This usually results in an engine overheat upon failure. This design also suffers the same shortcomings regarding the additional parts involved, namely the increased probability of the failure of any single component and the increased manufacturing cost.
Several alternatives to alleviate this shortcoming have been developed, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,952 by Duprez. Duprez reveals a thermostat designed to fail in the opening position. This design reveals the basic wax thermostat design discussed above with an added spring to force the thermostat into an open position upon failure of the thermostat. This design employs added complexity and parts, both which adversely affect the probability single component failure and added manufacturing cost.
Other solutions have been employed, such as redundant thermostat valves or manufacturing the thermostat incorporating fusible elements. However, both these solutions adversely impact manufacturing cost.
Additionally, the redundant valve is typically sized to provide only enough coolant flow to allow the engine to operate under no-load conditions. Thus, the net effect is to save the engine, but strand the operator with an engine that cannot perform.
The latter method, employing fusible members in the construction of the thermostat, typically requires exotic materials and is slow to react. Other factors besides temperature also promote failure, such as cycle fatigue. In the event that the fusible member works as designed, the valve fails completely open, with all the cooling fluid going through the cooling reservoir with the same results of a stuck open thermostat described previously.
The present invention solves the problems present in the field. First, the invention provides a reliable thermostat with fewer parts. Further, the present invention minimizes the number of moving parts. Thirdly, the invention provides a reliable thermostat without a fluid "dead leg" where contaminants and debris tend to accumulate. In addition, the present invention fails in the open position, and can be designed to fail open in a preset prescribed position. Lastly, the invention is a simple design and can be easily fabricated or assembled, thus saving manufacturing costs.
The invention consists of a reservoir containing a thermally expandable material. The base of the reservoir is a resilient flexible plate. A stem connects the resilient flexible plate to a valve seal which acts as a closure for a valve port.
In the cooled state, the expandable material occupies the whole of the volume of the reservoir. In the unheated state, the plate is biased concavely inward towards the reservoir volume. Thus, in the unheated state, the valve member is seated against the valve seal and blocking the valve port.
When heated, the material expands and exerts pressure against the resilient plate. This force operates to bend the plate away from the reservoir and drive the stem outwards. This serves to free the valve seal from the valve opening and thus allowing coolant to circulate through the valve opening.
If the reservoir should develop a leak, a neutral pressure would occur in the reservoir relative to the operating environment. Thus, the plate would naturally straighten, forcing the stem outwards. The valve would then be placed in a predetermined open position, allowing a predictable flow of coolant through the opening when being operated.


The universal work stand is a device that is useful for holding a pistol or other small items to assist the user in cleaning, assembly and repair. The device is mounted to any relatively flat surface. Once the device is secure to that surface the pivoting ball can accept a plurality of work piece holders such as a firearm holder, a fly tying vise, a reel vise (for holding fishing reels), fishing rod holder, pistol barrel holder or any other vise configuration that will hold a work piece. The unique pivoting ball allows for the manipulation of the ball to aid in the worker in placing the work at various angles. The ball lock is a standard locking mechanism and is also available with a quick release that can be adjusted with one hand while the other hand securely moves the work piece or the holder.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,458,608 issued to Lea on Jan. 11, 1949 discloses a pistol machine rest or vise that holds a weapon for accuracy in testing of the weapon and its ammunition. This device is primarily constructed as a support for a pistol or small firearm in a natural position. This device is for testing not for cleaning or repair. The device also secures the pistol or firearm by clamping the exterior base of the grip of the weapon. The instant invention allows for the device to secure internally to the magazine area. The device is also designed to be rotatable 360° to place the weapon in any position that will facilitate cleaning, assembly or repair.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,359 issued to Bassett on Apr. 11, 1989 discloses a pistol machine rest or vise that is also designed to be used as a testing apparatus with the added feature of horizontal adjustability and a shock absorbing aspect. Again, this prior art is not produced to be used to clean, assemble or repair but for sighting and ammunition testing. The instant device is not designed for test firing or ammunition testing. The prior art here again uses an exterior clamping system where the instant invention has an adjustable internal securing apparatus.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,337 issued to Butler on Dec. 27, 1994 discloses a hand gun sighting device or vise which retains the weapon by its barrel and not the pistol grip like the first to forms of prior art. The end result is the same. The device holds the barrel securely to test the sights and then adjust them in order to make the weapon accurate in firing. Again this device is clamped to the exterior of the barrel.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,919 issued to Pryor on Sep. 2, 1997 discloses an adjustable hand gun holder. The device includes an adjustable vertical portion to rest the barrel and fore stock of the weapon upon while the pistol grip portion of the weapon rests between two external clamping units that lock the pistol grip portion in place. This device retains the weapon by the use of external clamping units, the instant invention uses an internal mounting and fastening mechanism that allows for unimpeded access to the exterior of the weapon at all times.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,808 issued to Varzino on Oct. 25, 2005 discloses an apparatus for securing a workpiece. This device also suffers the same limitations that Pryor supra does. Its securing mechanism is designed to grasp the exterior of the weapon where the instant invention once the clip of the weapon is removed slides within the area designed for the clip. This again allows the entire exterior of the weapon to be exposed and free to be worked upon.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 7,066,457 issued to Gerritsen on Jun. 27, 2006 discloses an apparatus for securing a workpiece. Again this device is limited as Pryor and Varzino are in that it does not allow for complete access to the exterior of the weapon.


The present invention is directed to bioconjugates of complexes represented by the formula:

This invention relates to compounds effective as contrast agents in diagnostic imaging. In one aspect, this invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of human or non-human animal subjects using metal complexes of substituted nitrogen-containing fifteen-membered macrocyclic ligands which are conjugated to a targeting biomecule as contrast agents. In another aspect, this invention relates to manganese(II) complexes of substituted nitrogen-containing fifteen-membered macrocyclic ligands which are conjugated to a targeting biomolecule as MRI contrast agents.
X-rays have long been used to produce images of human and non-human animal tissue, e.g. the internal organs of a patient, the patient being positioned between a source of X-rays and a film sensitive to the rays. Where organs interfere with the passage of the rays, the film is less exposed and the resulting developed film is indicative of the state of the organ.
More recently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been developed as an imaging technique, i.e. MRI. MRI avoids the harmful effects sometimes attending X-ray exposure. For improved imaging with X-rays, patients have been given enhancers prior to imaging, either orally or parenterally. After a predetermined time interval for distribution of the enhancer through the patient, the image is taken. To obtain a good image it is desirable that the time after the taking of enhancer be kept to a minimum. On the other hand there is a decrease in effectiveness with time, so desirably the decay should be relatively slow so as to provide a substantial time interval during which imaging can be done.
In the NMR imaging process, protons in the water of the body relax via two mechanisms. The respective relaxation times are referred to as T1 and T2. The rate at which the relaxation process occurs may be altered for some water molecules by giving values that contrast with the norm.
Compounds that enhance NMR images, referred to as contrast agents, are generally paramagnetic in nature. These may be organic free radicals or transition/lanthanide metals which have from one to seven unpaired electrons.
A necessary prerequisite of any ligand that binds a metal to form a contrast agent is that the resulting contrast agent be stable so as to prevent the loss of the metal and its subsequent accumulation in the body. Other considerations include an ability to reversibly bind water, which in turn increases it contrastability and decreases the dose level required. This ability is clearly important since the interaction between any two nuclear spins through space decreases at a rate equal to the reciprocal of the distance raised to the sixth power.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,447 discloses use of an NMR image enhancer consisting of the salt of an anion of a complexing acid and a paramagnetic metal anion. A preferred embodiment is the gadolinium chelate of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd DTPA), which is now commercially available from Nycomed Salutar, Inc. under the trade name Magnevist for use as an NMR contrast agent. From the data reported therein these appear to perform well. However, this compound is rapidly excreted by the kidneys, making the timing of the injection extremely critical. Furthermore, there is virtually no uptake by any solid-organ, such as the heart, pancreas or liver.
However, while a number of gadolinium contrast agents are known, there remains the possibility that small amounts of free lanthanides are being released, by decomposition of the agent, into the body. Not being a naturally existing metal in the body, little is known about long term effects.
Other nitrogen-containing macrocyclic ligands have been suggested for use as NMR contrast agents. Jackels, S. C. et al, "Aqueous Proton NMR Relaxation Enhancements by Manganese(II) Macrocyclic Complexes: Structure-Relaxivity Relationships", Inorg. Chem., 31, 234-239 (1992) discloses fifteen-membered nitrogen-containing ring complexes. However, these compounds suffer from being insufficiently stable and/or colored, and as such are inadequate for application as MRI contrast agents.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to develop alternative contrast agents which avoid one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. It would also be desirable to be able to direct the contrast agents to a desired target in the body where the compound can be concentrated for optimal effect. Without some way to render the compounds "targeting", increased dosages are sometimes necessary in order to obtain an efficacious concentration at the site of interest. Such increased dosages can sometimes result in undesirable side effects in the patient.
It has now been discovered that metal complexes of substituted nitrogen-containing macrocyclic ligands which have increased kinetic, thermodynamic and oxidative stability, and which can be substituted to control lipophilicity, i.e. biodistribution, avoid the problems of the aforementioned contrast agents while providing good contrastability. It has also now been found that the macrocycles or metal complexes of the present invention can be attached, i.e. conjugated, to one or more targeting biomolecule(s) via a linker group to form a targeting biomolecule-macrocycle or targeting biomolecule-metal complex conjugate.

Bioconjugates of metal complexes of nitrogen-containing macrocyclic ligands

Abstract: wherein R, R′, R1, R′1, R2, R′2, R3, R′3, R4, R′4, R5, R′5, R6, R′6, R7, R′7, R8, R′8, R9, R′9, M, X, Y, Z and n are defined herein for use as contrast agents in diagnostic imaging.


A clutch structure for manual hoists includes a driven wheel for driving the wind device in the manual hoist. A ratchet and at least one resilient member are sequentially and co-axially mounted on the driven wheel. A nut is screwed onto the driven wheel to prevent the ratchet and the at least one resilient member from detaching from the driven wheel. The at least one resilient member axially pushes the ratchet to make the ratchet securely abut the driven wheel, and enhance the friction between the ratchet and the driven wheel, wherein the connecting intensity is the load limit of the manual hoist. The push force from the at least one resilient member to the ratchet is adjusted, and the friction between the ratchet and the driven wheel is adjusted when the position of the nut is adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clutch structure, and more particularly to a clutch structure for manual hoists, which is automatically enforced upon an overload operation.
2. Description of Related Art
A manual hoist is a convenient mechanism for hoisting or unloading a heavy object. The manual hoist has a simple structure such that the manual hoist is widely used in many places.
The manual hoist usually includes a handle for sequentially driving a drive device and a wind device for to roll/release a chain or a cable to hoist/unload the heavy object. However, the conventional manual hoist has no clutch structure. Consequently, the operator frequently operates the manual hoist under an overload condition. As a result, the operator is located in a dangerous work place and the use life of the manual hoist is shortened due to an over abrasion.
Consequently, some manual hoist manufacturers provide a clutch structure between the drive device and the wind device for promoting the safety of the manual hoists. The conventional clutch structure of manual hoist includes two ratchets that are laterally abutted each other. A slip is formed between the two ratchets when the manual hoist is overload and the friction between the two ratchets is smaller than the load of the hoist such that the drive device can not drive the wind device to roll chain or cable.
However, a vibration may be occurred between the two ratchets and the two ratchets may be collided during clutching, especially when the hoist is in a heavy load. As a result, the use life of the ratchets is shortened even damaged during operating.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional manual hoist and the clutch structure thereof.


The present invention provides a stereoscopic image display apparatus. The stereoscopic image display apparatus includes a first projection element group, a second projection element group, and a reflecting optical system. The first projection element group includes a plurality of first projection elements operable to project first light fluxes in a first direction. The second projection element group includes a plurality of second projection elements operable to project second light fluxes in a second direction which is different from the first direction and in which the second light fluxes are directed to the first light fluxes. The reflecting optical system is operable to reflect the second light fluxes toward the first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a stereoscopic image display apparatus which projects a stereoscopic still picture or moving picture to display a stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A projector is known which projects light to produce and display an image on a screen or the like. Generally, a projector uses a white lamp as a light source and modulates light emitted from the white lamp with a modulation element such as, for example, a liquid crystal element to form an image. The image formed in this manner is projected on a screen or the like using various kinds of lenses. Also an apparatus is known which includes a plurality of liquid crystal elements or a plurality of projectors by which images having a parallax are produced. The images produced in this manner are projected by a projection lens to display a stereoscopic image. The apparatus of the type described is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-258215 (refer particularly to FIG. 4) (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1).
Also a display apparatus which can project a stereoscopic image is known and disclosed, for example, in JP-A-2000-509591 (refer particularly to FIGS. 1 and 9) (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 2). The display apparatus has a first light emitting face for projecting light including image information picked up, for example, from multiple eye points and a second light emitting face spaced by a predetermined distance from the first light emitting face. The second light emitting face is formed from pixels disposed two-dimensionally. As light is emitted from the first light emitting face toward the second light emitting face, a stereoscopic image is formed on the second light emitting face such that it can be observed by an observer. Patent Document 2 further discloses a modified apparatus. Light fluxes from the first light emitting face (light emitting points S1, S2, . . . ) are reflected by a mirror disposed sidewardly so that it is introduced to the second light emitting face (pixels P1, P2, . . . ) (refer particularly to FIG. 9 of Patent Document 2). This is effective to reduce the pitch of the light emitting points S1, S2, . . . .


A method for preparing a solar cell, includes: forming a first electrode on a substrate; forming a light absorbing layer on the first electrode; and forming a second electrode on the light absorbing layer, wherein the method further comprises forming an impurity material layer including an impurity element on the light absorbing layer adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode in any one side or both sides thereof, and forming a doping layer by diffusing the impurity element into a portion of the light absorbing layer.

The present invention relates to a solar cell and a method for preparing the same, and more particularly, to a solar cell structure in which an internal electric field such as a p-n junction is formed by forming an impurity doping layer containing Ti or Si impurities in a Cu compound or Cd compound solar cell which includes an amorphous, polycrystalline or single crystal solar cell to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell, and to a preparation method thereof.
A silicon solar cell is a crystalline solar cell including a single crystal solar cell and a polycrystalline solar cell and has the largest market share at present. Technologies for preparing silicon solar cells with high efficiency at low costs are being developed.
For the past 20 years, the most efficient silicon solar cell in the world has been a cell with 25% efficiency using the PERL (Passive Emitter Rear Locally Diffused) structure developed by University of New South Wales, Australia. However, at the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference in April 2014, Panasonic Corporation announced that they achieved a solar cell efficiency of 25.6% by adopting a new structure. In this solar cell, a front contact for blocking some of the sunlight entering the solar cell is changed such that both positive and negative contacts are located on a rear surface of the solar cell. In addition, a high quality amorphous silicon film is formed on a crystalline silicon wafer so as to prevent damage to a surface of the wafer, thereby minimizing the occurrence of recombination of carriers on front and rear surfaces, achieving an efficiency of 25.6% exceeding an efficiency wall of 25%.
However, all the designs related to this new efficiency record have the disadvantage of using a high quality silicon crystal, which makes it difficult to obtain economical efficiency.
On the other hand, a thin film solar cell technology is a next generation solar cell technology as compared with that of a crystalline Si solar cell. A thin film solar cell is a solar cell which has higher efficiency than a crystalline Si solar cell and which can be prepared at lower costs.
Many different types of thin film solar cells are being developed, and the representative example thereof is a CIGS(Cu(In, Ga)Se2) solar cell.
A CIGS solar cell is a cell composed of a general glass substrate-a rear electrode-a light absorbing layer-a buffer layer-a transparent front electrode, and the like. Among the components, the light absorbing layer which absorbs sunlight is composed of CIGS or CIS(CuIn(S,Se)2). CIGS may be used by replacing Cu, In, and Ga which are cations, and Se which is an anion with different metal ions or anions, respectively, each of which may be called as a CIGS-based compound semiconductor. The representative example thereof is Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and such a CIGS-based compound semiconductor is a material of which the energy band gap as well as the crystal lattice constant may be controlled by changing the type and the composition of cations (for example: Cu, Ag, In, Ga, Al, Zn, Ge, Sn, and the like) and anions (for example: Se and S), both constituting the CIGS-based compound semiconductor. For example, recently, a material such as Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS) or Cu2SnxGeyS3(CTGS) (wherein, x and y are any positive numbers) is used as a low-cost compound semiconductor material.
However, such a composite compound semiconductor containing Cu has a multi-component structure, and therefore, there is a disadvantage in that it is difficult to have uniformity and reproducibility since it is difficult to optimize the composition by controlling each component material. In addition, a typical structure has a limitation in improving efficiency through the reduction in recombination of carriers, and the like.

Solar cell and method for preparing same