A fat simulating composition is composed of a substantial portion of elongated, irregularly shaped carbohydrate gel particles having a longest axial dimension of up to 250 microns with a mean volume diameter ranging from about 10 microns to about 100 microns; the particles are in a hydrated state so as to have the substantially smooth organoleptic character of an oil emulsion. This fat simulating product is substituted in foods for all or a portion of the fat and/or oil used in that food product.

The invention relates to edible fat substitutes which include shredded carbohydrate gel particles.
Prior to the present invention, it was believed that in order to simulate a fat sensation in the mouth, that carbohydrate particles had to be substantially spheroidal in shape and had to have a mean diameter particle size distribution between about 0.1 micron and about 2 microns (.mu.) with less than about 2% of the number of particles exceeding 3.mu.. The particles also had to be non-aggregated. If the carbohydrate particles meet these criteria, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,946 teaches that they will exhibit the substantially smooth organoleptic character of an oil-in-water emulsion and could be used to replace all or a portion of the fat or cream in food products such as ice cream, yogurt, salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream, cream cheese, other cheeses, sour cream, sauces, icings, whipped toppings, frozen confections, milk, coffee whiteners, and spreads. PCT publication no. WO 89/12403 also discloses that a fat-like mouthfeel can result from carbohydrate particles having a substantially spheroidal shape with a mean diameter distribution in the range of from about 0.1 to about 4 microns, with less than about 2% of the total number of particles larger than about 5.mu.. However, this publication demonstrated, in Example 5, the criticality of the particle sizes in an alginate product by showing that the product was found to provide some powdery character upon swallowing as a consequence of the larger particle volume weighted mean equivalent diameter for alginate of Example 5 verses that for konjak in Example 3. Further, this publication demonstrates the need for specialized equipment (i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,396), or specialized separation to obtain the correct particle range (i.e., sieving and centrifugation), or multiple passes through a very high pressure homogenizer (ten times at greater than or equal to 9,000 psig). Also, this prior art demonstrates an overall low yield (i.e., 10% yield in Example 3).
A need exists in the food industry for an improved fat simulating substance for which strict size and shape control of the particles is not required. Hence, the present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a fat-simulating composition which does not rely on strict particle size and shape control, or specialized equipment or processes, while being readily producable in a high yield.


A thyroplasty implant having a tiered base for anchoring in a window cut through a thyroid lamina and a projecting member for causing medial displacement of a vocal cord. The tiered base has a bottom tier, a middle tier, and an upper tier, the bottom tier and upper tier being larger in area than the middle tier so as to facilitate anchoring the base in the window. The base is made of a firm biocompatible material to facilitate firm anchoring of the implant, and the projecting member being made of softer, biocompatible material that is sufficiently soft to avoid damage to the vocal cord. The projecting member is generally triangular in shape and has a portion that extends in a posterior direction from the base. A measuring tool having a projecting member of similar shape to that of the implant and a movable stop member is used to measure the optimum size implant.

When a patient's vocal cord has been paralyzed or is otherwise impaired, treatment can include medially displacing the nonfunctioning vocal cord to reduce the distance between it and the other, functioning vocal cord to improve voice and prevent aspiration. As is discussed in Isshiki, Nobuhiko, Phonosurgery, (Springer-Verlag, N.Y., 1989), pp. 77-104, the most common surgical technique to achieve this medial displacement is the cordal injection of Teflon. Another technique described in this reference is cutting a window in the thyroid lamina and medially displacing the cut window material (referred to therein as the "window") by implanting a shim or a plug in the resulting window (referred to herein to mean the opening cut through the thyroid lamina), the plug or shim having a projecting portion that extends inward beyond the window to displace the cut window material, and thus the paralyzed vocal cord on the other side, toward the functioning vocal cord. One of the plugs described in Isshiki has a an angled projecting portion of varying height and a flange that is larger than the cut window and rests on the outside surface of the lamina. Another plug described in Isshiki has a projecting portion that has a posterior wedge extension that extends posteriorly beyond the window.


A medical device includes a syringe assembly and a shield system for delivering medicament to a patient. The syringe assembly includes a barrel defining a medicament reservoir, and a needle cannula coupled to the barrel and in fluid communication with the reservoir. The shield system has a hub coupled to the syringe barrel, a shield movably arranged on the hub, the shield being movable from a first position disposed from the needle cannula tip to a second position during insertion of the needle into a patient and movable from the second position to a third position covering the needle cannula tip after the needle cannula is removed from the patient. An urging member urges the shield to the third position upon removal of the needle cannula from the patient. A cover sleeve connected to the needle barrel surrounds the hub and the urging member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prefilled medical device for delivering a dose of medicament by injection and having an integral shield system for preventing accidental needle sticks after use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Syringes used for the delivery of medicaments to patients are well known. Oftentimes syringes are prefilled with a dosage of a medicament or other substance by a pharmaceutical manufacturer and then distributed to end users such as health care professionals or patients for administration of the prefilled medicament. Such syringes typically include a cylindrical hollow barrel which may be formed of a glass or plastic material and which may contain the medicament. One end of the barrel is fitted with a fixed or removable hollow needle, and the other end of the barrel receives a plunger having a stopper which is slidable with respect to the barrel for delivery of the medicament to the hollow needle, i.e., to urge the medicament toward and out of the needle. A syringe assembly, which typically includes the above-described components, is usually stored with a removable needle cover which protects the needle from damage during storage and handling. Prior to use, the needle cover is removed to expose the needle.
To prevent a syringe user and, in particular, a health care professional from inadvertent sticks by the needle after use of the syringe on a patient, the syringe assembly may incorporate a safety shield which forms a guard to cover the needle after use. Some such shields are spring activated for imparting a telescoping-like deployment action to the safety shield. Certain attributes to be considered in such syringe assemblies are that the shield should be intuitive and easy to use, should preferably provide consistent and reliable shield deployment, and should be operable with one hand. Other attributes are that such syringe assemblies require no change in current medicament delivery techniques, allow for dose adjustment, are preferably autoclavable, and allow for the inspection of contents before and after activation of the shield. Moreover, the use of the shield must not detrimentally affect processing and filling of the syringe at the pharmaceutical company, the assembly (i.e., syringe assembly and safety shield) must be easy to manufacture, must prevent accidental activation, and must limit the possibility of incurring cosmetic or structural damages.


A facility for determining an estimated value of a home is described. The facility applies a first valuation model that is insensitive to value-affecting geographic features near the home to obtain a first valuation. The facility applies a second valuation model that is sensitive to value-affecting geographic features near the home to obtain a second valuation. The facility combines the first and second valuations to obtain an estimated value of the home.

In many roles, it can be useful to be able to accurately determine the value of residential real estate properties ("homes"). As examples, by using accurate values for homes: taxing bodies can equitably set property tax levels; sellers and their agents can optimally set listing prices; buyers and their agents can determine appropriate offer amounts; insurance firms can properly value their insured assets; and mortgage companies can properly determine the value of the assets securing their loans.
A variety of conventional approaches exist for valuing houses, Perhaps the most reliable is, for a house that was very recently sold, attributing its selling price as its value.
Another widely-used conventional approach to valuing houses is appraisal, where a professional appraiser determines a value for a house by comparing some of its attributes to the attributes of similar nearby homes that have recently sold ("comps"). The appraiser arrives at an appraised value by subjectively adjusting the sale prices of the comps to reflect differences between the attributes of the comps and the attributes of the house being appraised.
A further widely-used conventional approach to valuing houses involves statistical modeling. For particular geographic region, such as a county, home sale transactions are used together with attributes of the sold homes to train a model capable of predicting the value of an arbitrarily-selected home within the geographic region based upon its attributes. This model can then be applied to the attributes of any home in the geographic area in order to estimate the value of this home.

Estimating the value of a property in a manner sensitive to nearby value-affecting geographic features


The dental extractor includes a housing coupled to a flexible shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough; a dental bridge coupled to the flexible shaft, the dental bridge having a top portion coupled to a first elongated member, including a first bottom support member, and a second elongated member, including a second bottom support member; an opening between the first bottom support member and the second bottom support member adapted to receive the tooth; a gripping mechanism having a top portion pivotally coupled to a first gripping member and a second gripping member, the gripping mechanism being slidably positioned between the first elongated member and the second elongated member of the dental bridge; a control mechanism positioned inside the housing to control the opening and closing of the gripping mechanism; and a selectively movable member coupled to the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dental instruments, and more particularly to a dental extractor that reduces the chance of injury during the extraction of a tooth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dental extraction procedures are uncomfortable and, at times, painful experiences. Typically, dentists rely on the use of dental pliers to grasp the crown region of the tooth to extract an unwanted or damaged tooth. To remove a tooth using a dental plier, the dentist must grab the crown region of the tooth and move the tooth back-and-forth and from side-to-side in order to loosen the root portion of the tooth from the gums so that it can be removed. By moving the tooth in these various directions, the dentist risks injuring the patient's lips, gums, and possibly even the surrounding teeth, not only causing the patient to suffer pain and discomfort, but also potentially causing further unnecessary damage to the surrounding teeth.
Thus, a dental extractor solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


A piezoelectric medical device and a process for preparing the same by electrostatically spinning a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and a second fluorinated hydrocarbon, and collecting the spun fibers on a suitable receiver is disclosed.

This invention relates to a process for preparing biomedical devices. More particularly, it relates to such a process for preparing devices exhibiting piezoelectric properties by electrostatically spinning certain fluorinated polymers.
Medical devices, and in particular vascular grafts, have been prepared from polymer compositions using electrostatic spinning techniques. These techniques are well known and described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,043,331; 4,552,707; 4,798,607 and 4,657,793; U.K. Patent Application GB 2,181,207, and European Patent Application Nos. 0 223 374 and 0 239 339. The polymers which can be spun include polyurethanes and fluorinated hydrocarbons such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) . These polymers can be spun to prepare tubular structures suitable for vascular grafts, as well as fibrous mats or sheets suitable for use in wound dressings.
The polymers electrostatically spun to-date to prepare biomedical devices do not exhibit piezoelectric properties. A polymer is piezoelectric if it can convert mechanical energy or pressure into electrical energy, or vice-versa. In physical terms, piezoelectricity has been defined as the electrical polarization or charge produced by a mechanical strain in certain materials.
Through the use of selected polymeric materials, medical devices exhibiting piezoelectric properties and prepared by the electrostatic spinning technique are expected to display good biocompatibility, nonthrombogenicity, controlled porosity, oxygen and vapor transmission, and outstanding physical properties. In the body, the "piezoelectric effect" will be generated repeatedly by the effect of bodily movement upon the device. For example, when the device is a vascular graft, the regular beating of the heart and the pulsation of the blood vessels will act to provide the necessary mechanical strain on the device to induce the piezoelectric effect.
Certain piezoelectric polymers have been known for some time. For example, polyvinylidene fluoride and certain copolymers derived from vinylidene fluoride are piezoelectric. See Kawai H.:"The Piezoelectricity of Polyvinylidene Fluoride", Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. *:975, 1969, and Lovinger A.: "Ferroelectric Polymers", Science, Vol. 220, No. 4602, 1983. These piezoelectric polymers have found wide interest and acceptance in electronics, computer, avionics and audio and visual applications. Piezoelectric devices for these applications have been prepared conventionally as follows: a) the polymer is melt extruded to prepare a film, b) the melt extruded polymeric film is then subjected to a series of mechanical stresses or forces to induce an all-trans molecular conformation, and c) the stretched film is subjected to high voltage, plasma or corona poling to align the dipoles of each chain of the polymer in the direction of the field and induce an electrostatic charge. Steps b) and c) of this process are often referred to as "sequential stretching and poling".
While polymeric devices exhibiting piezoelectricity have found use for numerous applications, such devices have not been disclosed for biomedical applications. Furthermore, the conventional process for preparing piezoelectric devices, including stretching and poling of the device, limits the device to very specific geometries and forms, i.e., film or fiber, and is cumbersome, expensive and time-consuming. It would be extremely desirable to fabricate biomedical devices of various geometrical forms and exhibiting piezoelectric properties using a relatively simple and straightforward process.

Process for making a piezoelectric biomedical device


A power module for an inverter that is used in an eco-friendly vehicle, such as a hybrid vehicle, an electrical vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle, i.e., a heat sink-integrated double-sided cooled power module in which cooling efficiency is maximized by adopting a double-sided direct cooling method that uses a heat sink manufactured by an extrusion method. In particular, the heat sink is disposed in upper and lower portions of the power module, and direct bonding materials (DBMs) are deposited between the upper and lower heat sinks where a chip is interposed between the DBMs. Faces between the heat sinks, the chip, and the DBMs are bonded to one another by a solder, and an entire circumference of the chip and the DBMs is finished by a mold portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink-integrated double-sided cooled power module, and more particularly, to a power module for an inverter that is used in an eco-friendly vehicle, such as a hybrid vehicle, an electrical vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a permanent magnet type motor is used as a driving mechanism in an electrical vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle. The motor is typically driven by a phase current that is transmitted by an inverter that transforms a direct current (DC) voltage into a three-phase voltage due to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal of a controller, via a power cable.
A power module that supplies power for driving the motor by receiving DC power from a battery, is combined with the inverter. The power module generally has a shape in which six or three phases are integrated as one package. Heat is generated in such a power module as a result of supplying power. Thus, various units for cooling heat generated in the power module are used for a stable operation of the power module. For example, a heat sink for reducing heat generated in an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and a diode chip when a switching operation is performed, is typically used in the power module. [NOTE: We would recommend including these in an IDS rather than the background.]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a single-sided direct cooled power module according to the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a case type single-sided direct cooling method is used in cooling the power module, and the power module is disposed on an integrated blazing heat sink. Here, reference numerals 100, 110, 120, and 130 represent a chip, a direct bonding material (DBM), a heat sink, and a solder, respectively.
Direct bonding copper (DBC) or direct bonding aluminum (DBA) is usually used as the DBM. However, in the power module illustrated in FIG. 1, it is difficult to manufacture the integrated blazing heat sink, and high manufacturing costs are required, and it is difficult to manage a plan view of the heat sink, however. Also, cooling efficiency of the power module is lowered compared to double-sided cooling.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a double-sided indirect cooled power module according to the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a double-sided indirect cooling method is used in cooling the power module, and thermal grease is applied onto both sides of the power module and then ceramics are attached to the power module so that both sides of the power module can be cooled by a heat sink. Here, reference numerals 100, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, and 170 represent a chip, a heat sink, a solder, thermal grease, ceramics, a heat spreader, and a mold, respectively.
However, in the power module illustrated in FIG. 2, it is difficult to dispose both sides of each of several power modules parallel to each other so as to cool the power module by using the heat sink. Also, since the power module, the ceramics, and the heat sink are separate elements, it is difficult to create an inverter that combines the elements, since assembling thereof is complicated and thus, management and manufacturing thereof is difficult. Also, since the indirect cooling method is used in cooling the power module of FIG. 2, cooling efficiency is lowered compared to double-sided direct cooling.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a double-sided direct cooled power module according to the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a mold type double-sided direct cooling method is used in cooling the power module, and an insulation sheet is attached to both sides of the power module so that the power module can be fixed to a box type heat sink. Here, reference numerals 100, 120, 130, 160, 170, and 180 represent a chip, a heat sink, a solder, a heat spreader, a mold, and an insulation sheet, respectively.
However, in the power module of FIG. 3, the box type heat sink is combined with the power module by attaching the insulation sheet to the power module. In this case, cooling efficiency is lowered due to the insulation sheet. Also, when the insulation sheet is forcibly attached to the power module, the insulation sheet may become detached from the power module. In this case, a problem relating to insulation may occur.

Heat sink-integrated double-sided cooled power module


A method for improving a downlink signal received by a listener on a phone is disclosed. The method includes calculating an environment noise level of the listener and filtering and adjusting gain of the downlink signal based on the environment noise level.

The present invention can improve the voice quality of a speech signal received or heard by a person listening on a phone in an environment with noise. Particularly in the case where a listener is using a wireless phone, a listener may have difficulty listening to speech signals the listener receives because the listener is in an environment with noise, such a city environment where there is a lot of street noise. A natural response for a listener being in an environment with noise is to raise his or her voice in level and pitch. This response has been called the Lombard Effect. An existing approach to solving this problem of listening on a phone in an environment with noise is that the listener raises the volume of the ear piece of the phone. Existing approaches to solving the problem require the listener make adjustments to his or her speech and manual adjustments to the phone in order to help make the speech signal received by the listener dominate over the noise in the listener's environment or help make the listener feel as though he or she is returning a coherent speech signal amidst the environment with noise. An improvement to existing approaches does not require the listener to make such adjustments.
The present invention borrows the ideas of the Lombard Effect and a listener raising the volume of the ear piece to improve the voice quality of a speech signal received by a listener on a phone in an environment with noise. Accordingly, the present invention determines when the listener is in an environment with noise and based on the level of noise in the listener's environment, processes the speech signal received by the listener. As a result of this processing, the speech signal received by the listener can dominate over the noise in the listener's environment. Thus, the goal of the present invention is to make the speech signal received by a listener easier to hear and understand.

Methods and apparatus for improving voice quality in an environment with noise


A lightweight glass plate includes a first glass plate, a second glass plate and an intermediate layer that connects the first and the second plates together. The lightweight glass plate further includes at least one connection element that allows the lightweight glass plate to be connected to an abutting component. The connection element is embedded into the intermediate layer in an edge area of the lightweight glass plate and the intermediate layer extends to surfaces located between the connection element and the glass plates. The lightweight glass plate is preferably used in the preparation of elevator doors and/or car walls. The lightweight glass plates are lightweight and can transfer large forces.

The elevator installation consists substantially of a car which is connected with a counterweight by way of support means. The car is moved along a substantially vertical car travel path along a shaft front wall by means of a drive, which selectably acts on the support means or directly on the car or the counterweight. The car travel track is usually integrated in a building in a shaft. The shaft is bounded by at least one shaft front wall and by further shaft walls, shaft ceiling and shaft floor. The shaft front wall as well as if required further shaft walls have openings through which the shaft or the car arranged in the shaft can be entered. These shaft openings are closable by means of shaft doors. The car has in turn car doors which free or close access to the car from time to time in co-operation with the shaft doors. The car travel track can also be merely attached to the building or a corresponding building structure, wherein parts of the shaft walls, shaft ceiling and shaft floor are superfluous or can be defined by non-solid materials. The glass structure is used as part of the car, as part of the car door or as part of the shaft door.
Glass structures are known. Thus, EP 0665181 shows glass elements for elevators, wherein the glass elements are inserted in frames and held by these. Glass elements of that kind are heavy and the frame constructions are similarly heavy and complicated to produce. Illustrated in EP 0472845 are glass elements which are provided with holes and which can be connected with further components by way of these holes. These glass elements are again heavy and the use of holes or bores in the glass plates obliges complicated and aesthetically unsatisfactory connecting elements. Further glass elements for use in buildings and building structures are known from WO 2006/091308 in which insert parts are inserted in edge region zones of the glass elements. The glass plates are composite plates with an intermediate film. The insert parts are matched by means of intermediate layers to a thickness of the intermediate space determined by the film. Forces acting on the insert part are introduced into regions of the insert part in the glass plates.
The object is now set of providing an elevator installation with improved glass structures, which are usable as load-bearing components, are lighter overall and can be worked in aesthetically elegant and functionally appropriate manner.

Elevator installation with lightweight glass plate


Hubless optical disc having low radial runout. The optical disc is capable of containing a high capacity of information therein. The optical disc includes a disc substrate having a formatted surface. A mechanism is provided within the disc substrate for mating the optical disc with a drive spindle, wherein the formatted surface is concentrically registered relative to the mechanism within the disc substrate. In one embodiment, the mechanism may comprise an annular groove, annular ridge, or a plurality of holes molded in the disc substrate. The present invention includes optical tooling for forming the hubless optical disc having low radial runout. The present invention further includes an optical disc player drive spindle capable of mating with the high-capacity hubless optical disc.

Optical data discs are a popular media choice for the distribution, storage and accessing of large volumes of data. This includes audio and video program material, as well as computer programs and data. Formats of optical data discs include audio CD (compact disc), CD-R (CD-readable), CD-ROM (CD-read only memory), DVD (digital versatile disc or digital video disc) media, DVD-RAM (random access memory), various types of rewritable media, such as magneto-optical (MO) discs, and phase change optical discs. In general, optical discs (such as CD-ROMs) are produced by making a master which has physical features representing the data formed in or on a reference surface therein. The master is used to make a stamper, which, in turn, is used to make production quantities of replica discs, each containing the data and tracking information which was formed in the master. The high data capacity, convenience, and relatively low production costs of such discs have contributed to their great success and acceptance in the marketplace.
In optical discs, data is stored as a series of lower reflectance "pits" embossed within a plane of higher reflectance "lands". The microscopic pits are formed on the surface of the plastic disc when the material is injected into a mold. Typically, the pitted side of the disc is then coated with a reflectance layer, such as a thin layer of aluminum, and in the case of a CD, followed by a protective layer of lacquer. The pits on an optical disc can be arranged in a spiral track originating at the disc center hub and ending at the disc outer rim. The data can also lie in a series of concentric tracks spaced radially from the center hub.
To read the data on an optical disc, an optical disc player shines a small spot of laser light through the disc substrate onto the data layer as the disc rotates. The intensity of the light reflected from the disc's surface varies according to the presence (or absence) of pits along the information track. When a pit lies directly underneath the "readout" spot, much less light is reflected from the disc than when the spot is over a flat part of the track. A photodetector and other electronics inside the player translate this variation into the 0s and 1s of the digital code representing the stored information.
As optical disc technology has evolved, optical discs have increased in storage capacity. Higher density discs have resulted in the storage of a greater amount of information within the same size of disc area. For example, a CD having a storage capacity of 0.65 gigabytes has data pits which are 0.83 .mu.m long and has a track pitch (the distance between data tracks) of approximately 1.6 .mu.m. In comparison, a DVD disc data pit is as small as 0.4 .mu.m long, and a track pitch of only 0.74 .mu.m, resulting in a storage capacity of 5 gigabytes on a single layer. Similarly, MO and phase change disc track pitch varies with the density or storage capacity of the disc.
To read high capacity optical discs having smaller pits and a smaller track pitch, the optical disc player's read beam must achieve a smaller spot focus. Further, data must be more precisely located on the optical disc substrate. Ideally, the data tracks are concentrically located about the center hole of the disc. During the optical disc manufacturing process, a centering error is introduced into the radial positioning of the data tracks (or track cycles) on the optical disc. This error is known as radial total indicated runout (RTIR). RTIR is defined as the measure of non-concentricity of the data tracks to the drive spindle on the optical disc player.
In a conventional optical disc manufacturing process, RTIR error is introduced during the injection molding process. The injection molding process begins with a tooling mechanism. The optical tooling mechanism includes a fixed side and a moving side. The moving side typically includes a stamper for replicating data and format information into the disc substrate, and a movable gate cut for cutting a central opening in these disc substrates. The stamper is located by an inner holder, wherein the inner holder fits over the stamper. Several more parts are located at the center inside diameters of the tool. In typical optical tooling, all of these parts need to remain concentric between the gate cut and the removable inner holder for concentric registration (or centering) of the format information in the disc substrate relative to the central opening or central hole.
In a disc molding process, a resin, typically polycarbonate, is forced in through a sprue channel into a substrate cavity within the optical tooling (mold) to form the optical disc substrate. The format of the grooves and pits are replicated in the substrate by the stamper as the cavity is filled. After filling, the gate cut is brought forward to cut a center hole in the optical disc. After the part has sufficiently cooled, the optical tooling mold is opened and the sprue and product eject are brought forward for ejecting the formed optical disc off of the stamper. The inner holder may be removed to allow change out of the stamper.
Any misalignment of the aforementioned optical tooling results in the replication of greater RTIR error in the molded disc. Further, any debris, flash or other imperfections resulting from the gate cut action, and any misalignment of the moving stamper relative to the fixed side of the optical tooling will add to the RTIR error. When track pitch is larger, such as in CD optical discs, the disc reader will read CD optical discs having typical RTIR errors between 50 and 100 .mu.m due to a relatively large track pitch (1.6 .mu.m). For higher capacity discs, such as DVD discs, it is difficult (or impossible) for an optical reader to read a DVD optical disc having an RTIR error greater than 50 .mu.m, due to the smaller track pitch. Similar problems exist with MO disc technology having a typical RTIR between 20 and 30 .mu.m.
In order to reduce the RTIR error to acceptable (or readable) levels, hubs are installed within the center opening of the optical disc. A new center is located, and the hub is installed centered on the disc relative to the formatted data tracks. This is typically accomplished using a costly centering process. Further, the hub itself is insert molded, resulting in a high expense relative to the total disc cost.
It is desirable to have a high density optical disc having a low RTIR error which does not require the use of a hub for centering the drive to the information on the disc. It is desirable to have a high density optical disc which may be mounted and centered on features molded into the plastic substrate of the disc. Further, it is desirable to have a disc molding process for forming high capacity optical discs which may include simple modifications to conventional optical tooling, and which introduces low RTIR error into the disc substrate.

Hubless optical disc having low radial runout and method of manufacture


Detecting a chewing noise from a user during a chewing session, triggering operation of a camera, obtaining image data capturing a food product, identifying the food product based on image data, determining a measurement of the chewing session, determining a volume of the food product based on the measurement of the chewing session, and determining a calorie intake based on the food product, the volume of the food product, and the measurement of the chewing session.

This disclosure relates generally to the field of digital image processing, and more specifically to the field of calorie counting in an augmented reality device.
Many factors contribute to inaccurate calorie counting. For example, serving sizes may be difficult to measure while eating in a restaurant. The result is that people have inaccurate calorie counts, impairing weight loss, accurate drug dosages, and more. Purchasing and eating only from single serving packages to ensure an accurate calorie count is expensive and impractical, and leads to an excessive amount of packaging materials. Thus, what is needed is an improved determination of food consumption.


A ejector (12) for a memory card connector (10) having a host pin connector (18) adapted to receive a corresponding electrical connection terminal of a memory card (42) comprises a cover (54) disposed to receive a input force for controlled movement along memory card tracks (30) affixed to the host pin connector (18), the cover (54) having a cam engaging element (74). A cam lever (84) is pivotally mounted to said connector housing (14) includes a cam engaging surface (72) to receive the cam engaging element (84) and an ejector engaging element (106) disposed to linearly and rotationally engage the rear surface (126) of the memory card (42); whereby movement of the cover (54) actuates the cam lever (54) to cause said ejector engaging element (106) of the cam lever (68) to linearly and rotationally engage the electric terminal surface of the memory card (42) in a manner to disengage the memory card (42) from the host pin connector(s) (18).

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector useful for signal transmission and reception between a memory card and the circuit of a machine concerned, and more particularly to a mechanism to effect ejection of the memory card from a header providing electrical connection to the circuit through use of a cam lever engaging a cam surface which force multiples the hand force without causing accelerated memory card action to throw the card out.
2. Description of Prior Art
In the electrical connector industry, it is well known to provide an electrical connector useful for signal transmission and reception between a memory card and the circuit of a machine concerned. The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association ("PCMCIA") has established memory card (or "PC Card") standards defining the PC Card's physical outline standards, connector system and qualification test parameters, including reliability, durability and environmental test parameter, PC Card Standard, Release 2.0, PCMCIA (September 1991), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In more detail, an electrical connector includes a pin header to act as pin shrouds protecting an array of pin terminals which receive the memory card and engage the circuit as well as provide polarization for the memory card. The electrical connectors are held in the pin header by frictional engagement between the female contacts carried by the memory card (or IC pack or PC card), and the male pins carried by the pin header. A tight fit is necessary for ensuring proper frictional engagement of the pin header and the contacts of the memory card. Because the pin headers are relatively easily damaged, it becomes necessary to maintain a proper alignment of the memory card (or PC card) when engaging or disengaging with the pin contacts.
To disengage the memory card from the pin header, the sum of the frictional engagement forces of all of the numerous contacts require that a substantial friction force must be overcome during the un-mating operation. In such instances, it is often desirable to have an ejection means to help eject the connector from the pin header. Thus, there has been a need for an ejection device wherein a sufficient force is applied to disengage the memory card from the pin header, while at the same time maintaining linear alignment of the memory card to prevent damage to the pin header contacts as well as protect the card from being ejected and completely out onto the floor. Many prior attempts to satisfy this need have been suggested in the prior art.
Typical of such prior attempts is U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,051 issued to Kocher et al. which describes a latch/eject pin header (10) which provides for positive locking of the connection of a header and positive ejection of the connector upon disconnect. The header includes an elongated housing defining a elongated cavity (14) therein with a plurality of pin terminals (20) fixed in the base of the cavity. Latching members (28) pivotly mounted at the ends of the cavity include a latching arm for engaging the mating connector, an eject arm (36) for levering the connector from the cavity, and an actuating arm (38) to effect pivotal movement of the latching member (28).
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 of Kocher et al., a two piece actuation member includes an actuating member (58) having a pin mounted thereon engaging a recess (56) of a latching arm (50) and a cam surface (62) on the free end thereon. Inward movement of the actuation member (58) causes the cam surface (62) to engage an end portion of the mating face (44) of the connector to cam it out of the mating engagement with the terminal pins (20) of the header (10).
Another example of such an ejection device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,873 issued to Ishizuka et al. In Ishizuka, a multi-terminal connector composed of a male housing (9) and a female housing (1) is disclosed wherein each housing member (1,9) is provided with a plurality of female and male terminals respectively. The housing members can be connected or disconnected from each other by a relatively strong force owing to a cam mechanism integrated therein. The cam mechanism (as illustrated in FIGS. 2,3,4) includes guide rails (4,4') on the female housing (i) to define slots (5), and cam tracks (13,13') formed on the male housing (9). A pair of sliders (15) has grooves defined to engage the guide rails (4,4'), a cam follower (19) which extends through the slots (5,5') to engage the cam tracks, and a pin (20) which is engagable pin guide grooves formed in a rotary actuator plate (21). As shown in FIGS. 2-4, a handle (24) of the rotary guide plate (21) is rotated about axis (22), which fits within axis (7) of the female housing (1), and the pin (20) follows the contour of pin guide grooves (23,23') to move cam follower (19) along the slots (5) and along cam tracks (13,13'). This motion of the handle (24) causes the connection and disconnection of the female and male housings (1,9) which guide shafts (8) formed on the female housing (1) engage corresponding female portions (14) of the male housing to ensure proper alignment therebetween.
While such devices provide the important advantages of proper alignment and the use of leverage to increase applied force in an ejection technique, they do not provide the advantage of multiplying the applied hand force to maximize mechanical leverage through the utilization of cam surfaces which induce the coordination of both linear and rotational forces to eject the connector from the pin header, wherein the ejector is a self contained integrated unit requiring no specialized surfaces on the substrate or memory card being ejected.


Laundry treatment compositions comprising 0.001–5 wt % of monomeric hybrid organic/inorganic nanoparticles having a particle size of 1–10 nm and 10–95% surfactant give ease of wash benefits to soiled fabric as well as prevention of adsorption of particulate soils.

It is well known to use particles to modify the surface of cotton fibres. Consequently, particulate inorganic materials such as clays, silica and alumino-silicate have been widely used in detergent compositions. Typically, these are present as 'softeners' which associate with the surfaces of fibres and fibrils of cotton.
In recent years it has been proposed to use so-called 'nanoparticles' for fabric treatment. WO 02/064877 (P&G) discloses coating compositions, which comprise a 'nanoparticle' system of a size of less than or equal to 750 nm, with a lower limit of '0' nm. Examples provided include synthetic silica (10–40 nm), boehemite alumina (2–750 nm) and 'nanotubes' (2–50 nm). Clays, particularly plate-like laponites (25–40 nm wide and ˜1 nm thick) are considered suitable and organic materials such as nano-latexes are proposed.
Nanosilica particles are negatively charged and are not expected to deposit on the fabric surface (also negatively charged) during wash because of their negative charge. At pH 8, for example, the Zeta-potential of a nanosilica was measured to be −21 mV.
EP 1371718 (Rohm and Haas) discloses 1–10 nm polymeric nanoparticles as a fabric care additive. These can be organically modified with silicones.
WO 02/18451 (Rhodia) discloses the use of nanoparticles in a polymeric or nano-latex form.
DE 10248583 (Nanogate Technologies GmbH) discloses the use of inorganic nanoparticles as a carrier for a silane material.


A method of making a double-sided embossed non-woven fabric includes: forming a stack of semi-molten fibers on a screen assembly, the screen assembly including a first layer structure that has a plurality of suction holes arranged into a first pattern, and a second layer structure that is disposed on the first layer structure and that has a plurality of elements arranged into a second pattern; and embossing the stack of the semi-molten fibers on the screen assembly by suctioning the stack of the semi-molten fibers using a suctioning device such that the stack of the semi-molten fibers is drawn into the holes to wrap the elements.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of making a double-sided embossed non-woven fabric, more particularly to a method involving suctioning a stack of semi-molten fibers on a screen assembly to form a double-sided embossed non-woven fabric.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,801 discloses a method of making a double-sided embossed fibrous web. The method is capable of overcoming a tendency of undesirably breaking or rupturing the fibrous web during embossing by using conventional embossing rollers. The method of the patent includes passing a fibrous web through a nip between a pressure roller and an embossing roller. The pressure roller has a smooth and hard surface so as to create the effect of a double sided three dimensional embossing on the fibrous web. However, the method is disadvantageous in that the material of the embossed regions of the embossed fibrous web that are brought into contact with the pressure and embossing rollers is undesirably hardened and shrunk due to melting, pressurizing and cooling of the material in the embossing process. In addition, the thickness of the embossed regions tends to become thinner as compared to that of the non-embossed regions of the embossed fibrous web.

Method of making a double-sided embossed non-woven fabric


A magnetic recording device comprises, spindle means for supporting a magnetic record disk thereon, the spindle means rotated to rotate the magnetic record disk thereon, bearing means for supporting rotatably the spindle means to rotate the magnetic record disk, the bearing means including a radial bearing portion for supporting the spindle means in a radial direction of the spindle and an axial bearing portion for supporting the spindle means in a longitudinal direction of the spindle at a longitudinal end of the spindle means, and magnetic head means for magnetizing or demagnetizing portions of the magnetic record disk so that the informations is output from the magnetic record disk or is input thereinto, the magnetic head means moving on the magnetic record disk in the radial direction of the spindle means so that a wide radial surface of the magnetic record disk is used for recording the informations.

The present invention relates to a magnetic recording device used as an external storage of a computer system.
In a conventional magnetic recording device as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a base 101 includes a bottom plate 102 at a first side and a bottom plate 103 at a second side opposite to the first side. The bottom plate 102 is arranged at a slightly lower level than a level of the bottom plate 103. A base plate 104 made of a thin iron plate is arranged on the bottom plate 102. A resin layer (not shown) is arranged on the base plate 104 so that a circuit is printed on the resin layer and a circuit part 105 for driving a motor is arranged thereon. A printed board 106 for processing signals is arranged on a lower side of the bottom plate 103 so that a circuit part 107 for processing signals is mounted on the printed board 106. The circuits on the base plate 104 and the printed board 106 are connected to each other through a flexible printed board 108 extending over a staircase-shaped portion between the bottom plates 102 and 103. A spindle motor 109 is supported on the base plate 104. The base plate 104 supports a head supporting device 114 including a carriage 110 and a head arm 111 to hold a magnetic head 112 for a side 0 of a floppy disk and a magnetic head 113 for a side 1 of the floppy disk, a head positioning device 117 including a stepping motor 115 and a lead screw 116, and a disk loading device 122 including a driving member 118, a cartridge holder 119, a trigger lever 120 for operating also to open a shutter, and an inject lever 121.
As shown in FIG. 6, in the spindle motor 109, a housing 123 extends integrally from the bottom plate 102 of the base 101 to receive a ball bearing 124 for bearing an axial or thrust force and a radial force of the spindle 126 and an oleophilic-metal bearing 125 for bearing the radial force of the spindle 126 so that a spindle 126 is supported rotatably by the bearings on the base 101. A stator 127 is fixed to an outer periphery of the housing 123, and winding coils 128 are mounted along a circular line on the stator 127 with a substantially constant distance. A rotor 130 is fixed to a forward end of the spindle 126 through a bushing 129, and magnets 131 for generating magnetic flux between the magnets 131 and the stator 127 magnetized by the winding coils 128 are mounted on an inner surface of an outer peripheral portion of the rotor 130, so that the spindle 126, the rotor 130 and the magnets 131 are rotated for rotating the floppy disk in accordance with changes in magnetized portions of the stator 127 by the winding coils 128.
In the conventional spindle motor described above, an actual inclination of an longitudinal axis of the spindle 126 in relation to a desired rotational axis thereof is large when the spindle 126 is rotated on its rotational axis and a centrifugal force by unbalance of the rotor 130 and of the magnets 131 around the rotational axis and a magnetic force between the stator 130 and the magnets 131 are applied to the spindle 126. Alternatively, in order to make the inclination of the spindle 126 small, sizes and shapes of the spindle 126, the bearings 124 and 125 and an hole of the housing 123 must be very accurate and a distance between the bearings 124 and 125 must be large.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A lateral semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate formed on a base region therein; a plurality of emitter regions with a triangle arrangement in an upper part of the base layer and collector regions surrounding the emitter regions, respectively, apart from the emitter regions with a predetermined space through the base layer; the base layer formed in a concentric circular pattern on the upper part; the emitter regions and collector regions provided with contacts respectively; and emitter and collector wiring layers connected to the contacts.

Referring to FIG. 9, the background technology will be explained.
One of lateral type power transistors used for power sources such as a low drop-out power source is a power transistor having a base layer on an upper part of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of emitter regions provided separately from each other on an upper part in the base layer, and a collector region provided apart from the emitter region by a predetermined distance so as to surround them, the plurality of emitter regions being connected together in parallel to be used. The power transistor mentioned above is configured as follows.
In FIG. 9, the power transistor 1 has an N+ buried layer formed on a predetermined portion of an upper part of a substantially rectangular P− type semiconductor substrate 2, an N− type base layer 4 formed by vapor phase epitaxy so as to cover the buried layer 3, and a P− isolation region 5 formed on the peripheral part of the base layer 4 by thermal diffusion. The part within the P− isolation region of the base layer 4 is partitioned in three compartments 9a, 9b, and 9c by dividing the inside part in three by means of a guard ring 8 comprised of an N++ region 6 and an N+ region provided on the upper part of the base layer 4, along approximately the periphery of the substrate in parallel with the side of the rectangular outline of the semiconductor substrate 2.
A plurality of emitter regions 12 having a square pattern of a P++ region 10 and a P+ region 11 with a predetermined depth respectively are arranged one by one at a predetermined first pitch in the horizontal direction of the substrate surface and at a predetermined second pitch in the perpendicular direction thereof, on the upper part inside the base layer 4 in each compartment 9a, 9b, or 9c. Furthermore, the upper part of the base region 4 is provided with a P+ collector region 13 in such a manner as to surround each emitter region 12 spaced by a predetermined space, so that a PNP transistor 14 is formed locally with being centered at each emitter region 12.
An insulating layer of such as SiO2 is formed on the base layer 4, the emitter region 12, the collector region 13, etc. A square emitter contact 16 smaller than the emitter region 12 is formed on a part of the insulating layer over the emitter region 12 so as to conduct the emitter region 12. On the other hand, a rectangular collector contact 17 is formed on a part of the insulating layer over the collector region 13 between the emitter regions 12 adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction along the arranged direction of the emitter regions 12, so as to conduct the collector region 13. Moreover, a base contact 18 is formed on a predetermined part of the periphery of the semiconductor substrate 2.
An emitter wiring patterned to connect in parallel each emitter region 12 through each emitter contact 16 and a collector wiring 20 patterned to connect in parallel each collector region 13 through each collector contact 17 is formed on the insulating layer. Reference numbers 22 and 23 designate a collector pad and an emitter pad respectively provided on the insulating layer 15.
However, because the rectangular collector contact 17 in the conventional technology is provided in the direction of the arrangement of the emitter regions 12 between two emitter regions 12 adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction, the distance between the PNP transistor units 14 centered at each emitter unit 12 cannot be decreased. That is, the above fact causes difficult situation to make the power transistor 1 be more miniaturized.
In addition, the collector contact 17 is formed adjacent to each emitter contact 16 in the longitudinal direction, so that the electric current when the transistor is operated concentrates on a part where the collector contact 17 is nearest to each emitter contact 16. Therefore, the electric current does not flow effectively to the collector region 13, and this leads to a low electric current efficiency.
Additionally, because the base contact 18 is located on a predetermined part of the periphery of the semiconductor substrate 2 and the guard ring 8 is provided so as to divide the inside of the semiconductor substrate 2 in parallel with the side of the rectangular outline into three compartments, the base resistance component of the PNP transistor unit 14 becomes large as the transistor unit gets close to the central part inside the divided three compartments 9a, 9b, and 9c. In consequence, the PNP transistor 14 becomes difficult to be operated and especially the current gain at the large current region becomes deteriorated. Though it is therefore necessary that number of the PNP transistor units should be increased to improve the characteristics, this matter is contrary to miniaturizing the power transistor 1.


The invention provides synergistic biofuel blends comprising a petroleum distillate and two or more fatty acid alkyl ester-containing biofuels. Methods for making synergistic biofuel blends are also provided.

Biodiesel is the name for a variety of ester-based oxygenated fuels made from vegetable oils, fats, greases, or other sources of triglycerides. Biodiesel is a nontoxic and biodegradable blendstock which may be blended with petroleum diesel provided relevant specifications are met. Blends of biodiesel with petroleum diesel can reportedly substantially reduce the emission levels and toxicity of diesel exhaust. Biodiesel has been designated as an alternative fuel by the United States Department of Energy and the United States Department of Transportation, and is registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a fuel and fuel additive.
Because biodiesel is made from numerous different feedstocks (e.g. rapeseed oil and palm oil), including mixed feedstocks, a finished fuel manufacturer is often not aware of the exact feedstock composition of a purchased biodiesel. Biodiesel is commonly referred to by its feedstock source (e.g. rapeseed methyl ester, palm oil methyl ester). Since the performance of a biodiesel depends upon the particular feedstock mixture from Which it was produced, formulators are therefore often unable to predict how the biodiesel will perform in the finished fuel blend. In the case of blends containing two or more biodiesels, it can prove difficult to anticipate whether the blend will afford a performance advantage such as an improved cetane number, or will in fact suffer from a performance disadvantage (such as poor low-temperature operability) that might call for the addition of a performance enhancer.
PCT WO2005028597 discloses fuel blends that contain mixtures of fatty acid methyl esters derived from different sources such as rapeseed methyl ester, palm oil methyl ester.
Sarin, et al., "Jatropha-Palm biodiesel blends: An optimum mix for Asia", Fuel 86 (2007) 1365-1371, discloses blends of jatropha and palm biodiesels that have low temperature and oxidative stability properties that are well-suited to use in Asia.
Park, et al., "blending effects of biodiesels on oxidation stability and is low temperature flow properties", Bioresource Technology 99 (2008) 1196-1203, predicts the oxidation stability and cold filter plugging point of blends of palm, rapeseed, and soybean biodiesels.
Moser, "Influence of Blending Canola, Palm, Soybean, and Sunflower Oil Methyl Esters on fuel Properties of Biodiesel", Energy & Fuels 2008, 22, 4301-4306, discloses fuel properties of single, binary, ternary, and quaternary blends of canola, palm, soybean, and sunflower oil methyl esters.
While the above references reflect efforts to identify the operating properties of biodiesel blends, the need continues to exist for fuels and blending strategies that will yield improved combinations of petroleum distillates and fatty acid alkyl ester-containing biofuels.

Synergistic biofuel blends and related methods

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company


The present invention is directed to a system and method for synchronizing data between mirrored subsystems. A method for storing data may include receiving data suitable for storage to a first storage device and a second storage device, wherein the first storage device and the second storage device are mirrored. A map is created including at least one map entry having an identifier suitable for describing a range of addressable data blocks, wherein the map entry corresponds to a data block modified after operation of the first storage device is suspended. A map is stored including the at least one map entry on the second storage device, wherein the map is suitable for being utilized to restore data stored on the second storage device to at least one of the first storage device and a third storage device.

The present invention generally relates to the field of mirrored data storage systems, and particularly to a system and method for synchronizing data mirrored by storage systems.
The reliable storage of computer data is one of the most important aspects of modem life. From applications and programs, to credit information, web sites, and the like, some of the most important aspects of an individual""s life are stored in an electronic form. One of the problems facing electronic storage is device failure and the subsequent loss of data. One of the methods utilized to lessen the chance of data device failure, and the resulting loss of information, is the use of mirrored data storage devices.
Mirrored data storage devices are devices in which data is written to at least two devices simultaneously. In this way, if one of the devices fail, the system may switch to the other device without a loss of data or service. Mirroring is useful as a way to keep data accessible in a reliable manner. However, although the data is typically available when one of the devices is suspended, such as when an interruption in operation occurs, it is still desirable to enable the data on the working subsystem to be mirrored on an additional device. In other words, to return the system to full operational status in case the remaining working subsystem suffers an operational failure, such as by returning the suspended device to operational status, using a replacement device, and the like. To accomplish this, mirrored devices previously copied all the data from the operational device to the suspended storage device. However, this may take a significant amount of time to perform, thereby causing a decrease in system resources. One method utilized to address this problem involved the transfer of only the data changed since the mirrored storage device became suspended. This was accomplished with a type of log or map that was maintained to track the data not transferred to the mirror. However, as storage devices became larger, the storage and processing required for maintaining this map has become increasingly larger.
Therefore, it would be useful to provide an improved system and method for synchronizing data between mirrored subsystems.
The present invention is directed to a system and method for synchronizing data between mirrored subsystems. In a first aspect of the present invention, a method for storing data includes receiving data suitable for storage to a first storage device and a second storage device, wherein the first storage device and the second storage device are mirrored. A map is created including at least one map entry having an identifier suitable for describing a range of addressable data blocks, wherein the map entry corresponds to a data block modified after operation of the first storage device is suspended. A map is stored including the map entry on the second storage device, wherein the map is suitable for being utilized to restore data stored on the second storage device to at least one of the first storage device and a third storage device.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a system for storing data includes a first storage device and a second storage device. The first storage device and the second storage device are suitable for receiving and storing data in a mirrored fashion. When operation of the first storage device is suspended, at least one map entry of a map including an identifier suitable for describing a range of addressable data blocks, modified after operation of the first storage device is suspended, is incremented. The map is suitable for being utilized to restore data stored on the second storage device to at least one of the first storage device and a third storage device.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a method for restoring mirrored data includes creating a map including at least one map entry having an identifier suitable for describing a range of addressable data blocks. In which, the map entry corresponds to a data block modified after operation of a first storage device is suspended. The map is stored, the map including the at least one map entry on a second storage device. At least one of the first storage device and a third storage device are restored. In which, the map stored on the second storage device is suitable for being utilized to restore data stored on the second storage device to at least one of the first storage device and the third storage device. Thus, data on the second storage device is mirrored by at least one of the first storage device and the third storage device.
It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

System and method for synchronizing data mirrored by storage subsystems


A system and method are provided for of a Multicast system by a controller in a software defined network. The method may include, receiving a request for a multicast stream from a first switch of the software defined network. The request may have originated from a requestor using an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). The method may further include, adding the request to a table, wherein the table is designated to have requests from IGMP using requestors for multicast streams. The method may further include, determining whether the request for the multicast stream matches with a multicast data transmission from a sender received by the controller. The method may further include, initiating a connection of the multicast between the requestor and the sender if the request matches the multicast data transmission.

A network is a collection of computers and other hardware components interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of network resources and information. Where at least one process in one device is able to send/receive data to/from at least one process residing in a remote device, then the two devices are said to be in a network. Generally, more than one computer interconnected through a communication medium for information interchange is called a computer network. Modern devices often use networks to connect with servers for information and services. The need for mobile devices to connect to, and interact with, a network is now common.

Management of a multicast system in a software-defined network


A method for monitoring the activity of a tape drive system having one or more electro-mechanical components that receive electrical current from a power supply. The method includes sampling an actual current supplied to an electro-mechanical component of a tape drive system from a power supply during an activity; reading a theoretical current for said activity from a memory; calculating a statistical value for said actual current and said theoretical current; comparing said statistical value to at least one threshold value; and outputting information to at least one of a user, another system, and another process based on said comparison of said statistical value to said at least one threshold value.

There is a great need for testing and monitoring the operation of electrical-mechanical components of systems. For corporations that produce systems with electrical-mechanical components, it is necessary to test the manufactured systems for defects before shipping the systems to customers, thereby increasing profitability and customer satisfaction. The industries that utilize these electrical-mechanical components want to minimize machine down time for their customers. Having devices and systems that can characterize the operation of the electrical-mechanical components, and then identify and report causes of failure, can reduce the amount of machine down time for the customer and enhance the profitability of the corporation which produced the systems and the customer using the systems. The vast importance of quality control cannot be overstated.
Many devices and systems today include a large number of electrical-mechanical components that require testing and monitoring. For instance, large library data storage systems include a variety of servo-mechanisms, DC-servo motors, and solenoids. Similarly, modern automobiles use a variety of electrical-mechanical components to operate the various features of an automobile such as power mirrors, power door locks, power track release and a retractable radio antenna. In many cases, all of the electrical-mechanical components are connected to a single power supply. Alternatively, multiple power supplies are used to provide power for multiple electrical-mechanical components individually, or in groups. Connecting test equipment for each and every single electrical-mechanical component when a system failure occurs is a time consuming and hence costly procedure for a customer engineer. It is highly desirable to develop a method and system than can test the function of multiple electrical-mechanical components simultaneously without having to instrument and test each device individually
There are numerous systems and devices known in the current state of the art that address the need to test and monitor electrical-mechanical components. U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,870 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Predicting Electric Induction Machine Failure During Operation" discloses one such testing and monitoring system for induction motors. This patent teaches a method and apparatus for identifying in real time an operating condition of an in-service induction motor, which draws a power load, by monitoring the frequency content of the power signature and associating the frequency components with device operating conditions. The method and apparatus taught by the '870 patent uses a data conditioning sampler to monitor and sample the current used by the induction motor. The patent describes that each induction motor has a separate control transformer. The patent goes on to disclose that a data conditioning sampler is coupled to each respective control transformer to sample the induction motor current. Alternatively, the patent teaches that a multiplexer could be used to enable one data conditioning sampler to interact with multiple control transformers and sample induction motor current.
The data gathered by the data conditioning sampler is in the time domain. An electrical device, referred to in the patent as a preprocessor, converts the time domain data gathered by the data conditioning sampler into the frequency domain by performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the data. A filter, referred to as a spectral characteristic component selector filter, selects for analysis at least one specific frequency by referencing a database containing typical operational frequencies of the motor. A neural network then associates the selected frequency with an operating condition of the motor. An additional processor may then enunciate the association to a user via an output device. In addition, this processor may generate a control signal to operate an electrical distribution system protection or a control apparatus.
Another system to monitor the performance of electrical motors is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,194 entitled "Acoustic Motor Current Signature Analysis System with Audio Amplified Speaker Output." This patent essentially teaches a system that converts a noise portion of the motor current signal into an audio signal within an audible frequency range. The patent discloses that the system has an input for receiving a motor current noise signal. A demodulator then demodulates the motor current noise signal. A signal conditioner filters the noise signal selecting predetermined frequencies of the motor current noise and removing unwanted frequencies and harmonics from the motor current noise signal. A signal translator shifts the selected frequencies of the motor current noise signal into an audio bandwidth. An audio section having an amplifier and a speaker coupled to the amplifier amplifies and plays the selected frequencies of the motor current noise signal.
Both of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,629,870 and 5,689,194 discussed above teach testing and monitoring systems that are directed solely towards induction motors. However, a great deal of modern equipment uses electrical-mechanical devices other than just induction motors. For instance, large library data storage systems include numerous servo-mechanisms that also require monitoring. Many systems use solenoids. It is highly desirable to have a testing and monitoring system that can function for devices other than just induction motors. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,870 teaches an induction motor monitoring system that monitors each motor individually by sampling current data from each individual motor. It is highly desirable to develop a system that can monitor systems of multiple interconnected electrical-mechanical devices by sampling current data from a single node in the system instead of from each individual device.
Other devices and systems used to test electrical equipment are currently known in the art. A system for testing integrated circuits is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,066 entitled "Automatic Test Equipment for Integrated Circuits." The apparatus taught by this patent includes a semiconductor tester that produces an analog signature signal relative to a circuit node of an electronic circuit, such as a pin connection of an integrated circuit. The analog signature signal is the result of horizontal and vertical signals that are also directed to an integrator/A-D converter. The integrator/A-D converter produces therefrom a set of four digital signals representing said analog signature. These digital signals are then compared in a computer against reference digital values for the same circuit node of the same electronic circuit that is known to be good. If the digital signals are not within a selected range relative to the reference digital values, the analog signature of the circuit node is displayed for inspection and evaluation by an operator.

Correlating power signatures with automated equipment

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to compositions and methods for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, including but not limited to, RKIP cancer markers and RKIP pathway modulators. In particular, the present invention provides compositions and methods of using RKIP in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancers.

Most forms of cancer do not have diagnostic screening tests available or sufficient therapeutic interventions. For the cancers that do have screening tests available, the tests are frequently invasive, expensive, and lack strong diagnostic utility. Many current therapies, while improving, permit recurrence and metastasis.
For example, afflicting one out of nine men over age 65, prostate cancer (PCA) is a leading cause of male cancer-related death, second only to lung cancer (Abate-Shen and Shen, Genes Dev 14:2410 [2000]; Ruijter et al., Endocr Rev, 20:22 [1999]). The American Cancer Society estimates that about 184,500 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001 and 39,200 will die.
Prostate cancer is typically diagnosed with a digital rectal exam and/or prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening. An elevated PSA level can indicate the presence of PCA. PSA is used as a marker for prostate cancer because it is essentially restricted to prostate cells. A healthy prostate will produce a stable amount—typically below 4 nanograms per milliliter, or a PSA reading of "4" or less—whereas cancer cells produce escalating amounts that correspond with the severity of the cancer. A level between 4 and 10 may raise a doctor's suspicion that a patient has prostate cancer, while amounts above 50 may show that the tumor has spread elsewhere in the body.
The advent of prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening has led to earlier detection of PCA and significantly reduced PCA-associated fatalities. Elevated serum PSA levels, however, are often detected in patients with non-malignant conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and provide little information about the aggressiveness of the cancer detected.
In addition, colon cancer, which is the second most frequently diagnosed malignancy in the United States as well as the second most common cause of cancer death, lacks an effective screening assay. The prognosis of colon cancer is clearly related to the degree of penetration of the tumor through the bowel wall and the presence or absence of nodal involvement, thus making early diagnosis very important for long-term survival.
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a test used to check for hidden blood in the stool. Sometimes cancers or polyps can bleed, and FOBT is used to detect small amounts of bleeding. In addition, screening tests (such as a rectal examination, proctoscopy, and colonoscopy) may be done regularly in patients who are at high risk of colon cancer or who have a positive FOBT result. The proctoscopy examination finds about half of all colon and rectal cancers. After treatment, a blood test (to measure amounts of carcinoembryonic antigen or CEA in the blood) and x-rays may be done to screen for recurrence. CEA is a serum glycoprotein frequently used in the management of patients with colon cancer. However, a review of the use of this tumor marker suggests that CEA is not a valuable screening test for colorectal cancer due to the large numbers of false-positive and false-negative reports.
Thus, development of additional serum and tissue biomarkers specific to cancer such and prostate are needed to supplement the currently available screening methods. In particular, biological markers that characterize the stage of cancer are needed. The art is also in need of new biological targets for controlling the spread of cancer.

Systems and methods for detecting and regulating metastasis

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A traveling simulator capable of controlling in real time the movements of model traveling members, irrespective of a traveling speed of a carrier, is disclosed. The model traveling members, modeled after actual traveling objects, are placed moveably on a traveling plate, and the moveable carrier is disposed below the traveling plate. These model traveling members are tracted by the carrier via the attractive force between magnets provided on a lower surface of the traveling members and magnets provided on an upper surface of the carrier. The magnets on the side of the carrier and those, which are opposed to the magnets on the side of the model traveling members consist of magnets rotatable around vertical shafts. These magnets are provided on the sides of the model traveling members and carrier, two each respectively, so that each set of magnets are spaced from each other. Motors for rotating the magnets are provided on the carrier, and a conversion mechanism for converting the rotational movements of the magnets into predetermined actions of predetermined portions of the modeled traveling members are provided on the sides of the modeled traveling members.

Hitherto, such running simulation apparatuses disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 7-28958 or Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 6-36860 are known. In the running simulation apparatus, a model running body simulating a running body such as a horse with a jockey riding is placed on a running plate so as to run, a carrier capable of running is arranged beneath the running plate, and the model running body is drawn by the carrier through a magnetic attractive force acting between a magnet provided on a lower surface of the model running body and a magnet provided on an upper surface of the carrier.
In the race horse model apparatus disclosed in the above publications, the model horse is supported on a mount carriage having wheels and front and rear legs of the model horse or front and rear legs of the model horse and both arms of the model jockey are swung by the wheel through a crank device when the wheel turns to simulate running of an actual horse and action of an actual jockey.
Further, a race horse model apparatus similar to the above-stated apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-71782. In this apparatus, simulation of actions of the horse and jockey is realized by magnets provided on the model running body side and the carrier side respectively and capable of turning round vertical axes, other than the above-stated wheel.
That is, when the magnet on the carrier side is turned by a motor, the magnet on the model running body side turns following the former magnet, and the turning motion of the latter magnet is converted through a cam mechanism to neck swinging motion of the model horse and up-and-down motion of the model jockey, for example.
In the customary running simulation apparatus as described in the above Japanese patent publication No. Hei 7-28758 or Japanese utility model publication No. Hei 6-36860, the model running body moves when the wheel of the mount carriage supporting the model running body is turned by friction against the running plate and the moving speed is in accordance with the turning speed of the wheel or the running speed of the carrier, therefore it is not always possible to simulate the motion with fidelity.
For example, when the carrier stops, namely, when the model running body stops, it is impossible to make the running body do some motion. In addition, because the motion speed of the model running body depends on the running speed of the carrier, if a high motion speed of the model running body is wanted, the running speed of the carrier also must be high and if a low motion speed is wanted, the running speed also must be low. It is impossible to quicken the motion of the model running body without changing the running speed of the carrier especially to give an increased speed feeling.
Compared with this, in the customary running simulation apparatus described in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-71782, as motion of the model running body is given by the motor for turning the magnet on the carrier side independently of running, stopping or running speed of the carrier, it is possible to simulate actual motions more faithfully or more effectively.
However, the running simulation apparatus requires some means for preventing relative rotation of the model running body and the carrier. If such a rotation preventing means is not provided, as well known in a toy with a doll dancing while turns for example, the whole model running body turns when the magnet turns and it is impossible to convert the rotation of the magnet to a motion of a predetermined part of the model running body. Therefore, in the running simulation apparatus, fixed magnets for traction similar to those in the former prior art are provided on the model running body side and carrier side in addition to the rotary magnet, to prevent the relative rotation of the both and enable a linear motion of the model running body.
Namely, the latter prior art corresponds to the former prior art whose wheel is converted into a rotary magnet, and in both prior arts, the model running body has means for traction and means for motion formed and arranged separately, therefore the model running body becomes large-size. Further, since motions are given to some parts of the running body, to the model horse and the model jockey for example, by the same wheel or rotary magnet, it is impossible to give the model horse and the model jockey motions which are independent of each other, respectively. For example, the model jockey cannot whip the horse at a voluntary timing in such a manner that the model jockey whips directly after starting and again whips before the goal, and if it is intended to make the model jockey whip, the model jockey continues to whip from the start to the last.


A method of administering an effective amount of (R)-7-chloro-N-(quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to a patient in need thereof.

For many, Alzheimer's disease is the number one medical issue facing our aging society. It is typically thought to be a late onset neurodegenerative disease that impairs memory and cognitive performance. Symptoms frequently include decreased functional capacity and negative psychological attributes (e.g., depression, anxiety) in association with the memory and cognition deficits.
The prevalence of dementia in North America is approximately 6 to 10% of the population, with Alzheimer's disease accounting for a substantial portion of these cases. This illness represents a steadily growing medical and social problem of our aging societies around the World. Some believe the main pathological features may relate to intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles, formation of amyloid beta plaques and/or neurodegeneration of mainly cholinergic and, in later stages, also serotonergic, noradrenergic, and other neurons, resulting in deficiencies of acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters. Some theories suggest that the gradual development of an acetylcholine signaling deficiency may be responsible for the early clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease. Consequently, some believe that compounds that improve cholinergic functioning, such as acetylcholine esterase inhibitors may ameliorate the cognitive deficits in patients with Alzheimer's disease. The most widely used acetylcholine esterase inhibitor is donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept®).
Acetylcholine esterase inhibitor medications are designed to increase acetylcholine levels, a neurotransmitter that is severely reduced in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Rogers reports that treatment with an acetylcholine esterase inhibitor typically results in an increase of approximately 2.5-3.1 points on the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's disease assessment scale (ADAS-Cog) from baseline over placebo (Rogers, 1998). Cummings reports that improvements in cognition modestly exceed the threshold considered to be clinically relevant and typically last for 6 months (Cummings, 2001). Therefore, more efficacious drugs are urgently needed to provide treatment for cognitive impairments such as for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Methods of maintaining, treating or improving cognitive function


The present invention pertains to a direct push small diameter fluorescence ased penetrometer system for performing in situ spectral analysis on subsurface liquid or gaseous samples. The invention is configured to collect liquid or gaseous analyte samples within the penetrometer's sample chamber through a port that is juxtaposed to a heating element that accelerates the separation of volatile chemical materials from the soil matrix. Fiber optic cables are linked to surface mounted real-time data acquisition/processing equipment from the sample chamber. The penetrometer sampling device is also equipped with a standard penetrometer electric cone sensor module containing cone and sleeve strain sensors that are used to calculate soil classification/layering in real-time during penetration. The invention integrates soil classification/layering data with spectral signature data of suspect subsurface liquid or gaseous fluids for assessing whether the subsurface soil and ground water regions are contaminated without the requirement of transporting the sample and/or analyte to the surface for analysis. Moreover, the system integrates a means for grouting the bore hole upon retrieval of the penetrometer.

Environmental concern of soil and groundwater contamination along with governmental mandated requirements to remedy this problem has prompted the need for rapid and cost effective subsurface characterization methods to determine chemical contaminants therein. Prior traditional subsurface soil characterization techniques include collection of field samples and subsequent analysis in the laboratory for both chemical and elemental analysis. The samples are initially collected from a bore hole, monitoring well or penetrometer sampler which in turn are taken to a lab for analysis using standard analytical procedures, atomic absorption or inductively coupled plasma emission processes for determining the types of contaminants and concentration thereof. These traditional techniques take relatively long time periods to perform as to sample extraction and preparation to laboratory analysis thereof, thus not suitable for examining large land areas where soil contamination has occurred. Additionally, these prior techniques are prone to error due to loss of soil sample contaminant material prior to laboratory analysis resulting in less accurate results. An example of this methodology includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,176 by Manchek, III entitled "Hazardous Waste Characterize and Remediation Method & System," that teaches in one embodiment of that invention of taking siphoned samples of downhole vapors as well as core samples for analysis. This system transports examined vapors through connecting tubing to the surface using a heated carrier gas or fluid. Once on the surface, the vapors are analyzed using field portable analytical laboratory equipment. Note that this system's sampling technique uses a rotary drilling device to obtain measurements from the soil whereas the instant invention uses a push penetrometer system for in situ down hole analysis. Other types of penetrometer vapor samplers trap down hole vapors in absorbent chemical traps within the probe that are later brought to the surface for analysis.
Another in situ methodology for determining soil contaminants includes Grey et al.'s U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,862 entitles "Method and Apparatus for In Situ Detection and Determination of Soil Contaminants." This method requires use of reagent carrying tape that captures contaminants between the outer wall of the penetrometer and the soil wall formed by the penetrometer. An optical fiber coupling device transmits the response of a calorimetric reaction on the tape surface to the surface for analysis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,795 by Lancaster entitled "Volatile Organic Compound Sensing Devices" teaches of a vaporchromic sensor within a penetrometer unit with associated optical fiber techniques for detection of volatile contaminant compounds in the ground water/soil.
Yet other in situ methodologies include optical fiber penetrometer systems for determining both elemental and molecular contaminants. These systems use real-time monitoring methods using either: i) a fluorescence spectroscopic based system; or ii) a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopic (LIBS) based systems where emission spectra of elemental contaminants are gathered. Both fluorescence and LIBS systems are effective techniques for determining different compositional materials by irradiating the soil sample at differing radiant intensities. A fluorescence based technique is primarily used for examination of molecular materials such as petroleum hydrocarbons since fluorescent activity occurs when excited. The LIBS technique is primarily used for determining elemental atomic contaminants such as metals by breaking down molecular bonds of soil materials and reducing molecules into component atomic species which are in a plasma state that in turn produce emission spectrum of the atomic species which are in a plasma state that in turn produce emission spectrum of the atomic species. The LIBS based system requires features not found in a fluorescence based system such as a more durable light focusing subsystem for transmitting and receiving light signals in such a system due to the high peak irradiance values used. In particular, dielectric breakdown of a soil contaminant material requires flux values approximately 3 to 4 orders of magnitude greater than those needed for a fluorescence based system. LIBS is not a soil contamination determination system for use in quantifying molecular species concentration since most molecular materials in the soil dissociates during plasma production. In system form, these two techniques use different light excitation sources and components for focusing the light due to the differing required power levels for determining particular materials.
Examples of Fluorescence based soil penetrometer systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,176 as discussed above that has a further embodiment of an optical fiber sensing system. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,882 of Cooper et al. entitled "Device for Measuring Reflectance and Fluorescence on In Situ Soil" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,950 of Apitz et al. entitled "Method for Quantitative Calibration of In Situ Optical Chemical Measurements in Soils Using Soil Class and Characteristics". These two additional teachings use a penetrometer probe that use a light source or low powered laser source, e.g. a N.sub.2 laser. These optical light sources operate at low power levels around 10.sup.4 W/cm.sup.2 range or less. The observed optical data determines what types of molecular chemical contaminants are present in the soil, e.g. petroleum hydrocarbons using their fluorescent spectra when excited by an electromagnetic (EM) ultra-violet light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,103 by Zigler entitled "Method and Apparatus for In Situ Detection of Minute Amounts of Trace Elements" is an example of the LIBS system where a mobile laboratory issued for in situ detection of organic and heavy metal contaminants in ground water. This teaching requires a much higher powered laser source with higher irradiance values of around 10.sup.8 W/cm.sup.2 for proper excitation of metallic materials for determining their respective emission spectra.
The pnetrometer system of the instant invention collects real-time soil classification/layering data similarly to those methods used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,882 and 5,316,950 as discussed above. This methodology allows for down hole real-time analysis of liquid/vaporous samples for detection of contaminants in the soil.
The instant invention's geophysical sensing sampler module has a self-contained heating and aspirating sample chamber in the probe for enhancing real-time data collection and spectral analysis of liquid and/or gaseous samples at various down hole locations during a single penetrometer push operation. The real time collection of subsurface stratification data is needed for determining locations where subsurface contamination is suspected and where sample analysis is desirable. The conduct of real-time spectral analysis on down hole samples in the penetrometer sampler module's sampling chamber is faster than conventional sampling methods, less expensive, and does not bring contaminants to the surface that may result in equipment contamination and/or the generation of contaminated wastes. This results in more accurate data when compared to previous in situ methods that use either the fluorescence or Roman penetrometer as discussed above, since the analyte is more efficiently separated from the soil matrix by localized heating by the penetrometer's sampler module in proximity to the examined soil formation, resulting in tine efficient, more accurate sampling of the soil under examination.
Accordingly, the present invention is an improved over current in situ fluorescence based systems that examine soil samples through a down hole window in the probe. In particular, it is more reliable and time efficient since contaminant analytes are gathered in the down hole sampler module's sample chamber.

Penetrometer sampler system for subsurface spectral analysis of contaminated media

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A new and distinct member of Gerbera jamesonni plant named `Terkitos` which is particularly distinguished by its double flower type and a specific intense lilac-purple color of the ray florets, a green disc floret, the outermost florets of which show white stigmas and the middle flowers of which show yellow anthers, purple perianth lobe color and 100 mm overall flower diameter.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera jamesonni, referred to by the cultivar name `Terkitos`. `Terkitos` was originated from a hybridization program in De Kwakel, The Netherlands in 1988. The female parent was unnamed seedling 86.91, and the male parent was unnamed seedling TN 10. Female parent 86.91 has a higher production, shorter stems, smaller flower diameter, and a less intense purple color than `Terkitos`. Of TN 10 is no description available. Both parent plants were not available to others outside the company, and they weren't registered in the USA. The new cultivar was selected by me from the progeny of the stated parentage on or about November 1988. The first asexual reproduction of `Terkitos` was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken on April 1989 in De Kwakel. The new cultivar is presently being propagated by cuttings and tissue culture. Horticultural examination of selected units initiated November 1989 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for `Terkitos` are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in De Kwakel, The Netherlands, under greenhouse conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of `Terkitos`, which in combination distiguish this Gerbera from its parents and all other varieties of which I am aware:
1. Type: Semi-double. PA0 2. Color of ray floret: Distinctive purple. PA0 3. Color of disc floret: Distinctive green. PA0 4. Color of perianthy lobe: Purple. PA0 5. Diameter of flower head: Medium 100 mm.
Of the many commercial cultivars known to me, there is no cultivar similar in comparison to `Terkitos`.