Accurate and continuous monitoring of clearance function is obtained by determining the depletion of a labelled substance from the extracellular body fluid using an external monitor which detects label from within a defined tissue volume. The detector of the external monitor is contained within a collimator which functions to both exclude external influences and to functionally isolate the volume of extracellular fluid to be monitored. Also, a method for determining and expressing a clearance function in a subject includes steps of allowing a time sufficient to permit establishment of equilibrium of a detectable substance in the extracellular space in the subject, obtaining first and second measures, at first and second times, of the detectable substance in the extracellular fluid within a defined tissue volume in the subject, and determining the slope of the measures over the time interval.

This invention relates to monitoring organ function. One function of some organs, such as for example the kidney or the liver, is removal of substances from body fluids. The performance of such a clearance organ can be determined by assaying for accumulation in body fluids of a substance that is expected to remain constant or to deplete, or by monitoring the clearance by the organ of a labelled substance from the body fluids, for example.
The kidney is one such clearance organ that removes substances from body fluids. Acute renal failure ("ARF") as a complication of medical, obstetrical and multiple surgical conditions represents an important health problem. Currently patients suffering from ARF have a survival rate of about 50%. The pathogenesis of renal failure remains undefined, and there are no clear approaches for its prevention and treatment. In the early stages of renal failure patients show no symptoms and feel no discomfort. Diagnosis can be made by analyzing the body fluids to determine whether the kidneys are maintaining the expected levels of one or more substances.
Because of the abruptness of the renal impairment in patients having ARF, their clinical status following the onset of renal failure is determined largely by their prior state of health and the nature of the insult that led to the renal failure. Hypoperfusion of the kidney is a frequently recognized insult leading to ARF in the setting of trauma, surgery, hemorrhage or dehydration. Continuous and precise monitoring of the cardiopulmonary function in such settings has long been available and has helped in restoring the normal circulatory status of the acute patient, but estimation of the renal function conventionally is carried out by such relatively crude means as measurement of urine output and determination of plasma creatinine level. Such standard methods are inadequate for monitoring renal function in the acute patient.
Although the kidney is capable of virtually complete recovery after an episode of hypoperfusion, transient ischemia or toxin-induced cellular destruction can suppress urine formation for days or even weeks. Current methods of measuring renal function have poor time resolution, and undetected or late-detected renal failure accounts for substantial mortality. There is at present no reliable method for continuous and near real-time monitoring of renal function.
Renal function is conventionally determined by measuring the levels of substances in the urine or the serum, or both. Either technique can be made quantitative, but they have not become widely used for monitoring because, among other reasons, they require taking multiple samples from the patient and the sample analysis is time-consuming and costly.
Renal function is commonly assayed by determining creatinine levels in the urine or serum (Carrie et al., 1980, Am. Jour. Med., Vol. 69, pp. 177 ff.; Shemesh et al., 1985, Kidney Int., Vol. 28, pp. 839 ff.; Walser et al., 1988, Kidney Int., Vol. 34, pp. 412 ff.; Price et al., 1972, Urology, Vol. 107, pp. 339 ff.). However, measurement of serum creatinine or of creatinine clearance may not provide an accurate measure of glomerular filtration rate.
In one accurate but technically difficult approach to determining clearance rate, a substance is introduced to the patient by continuous intravenous infusion until an equilibrium is reached at which the plasma level of the substance (as determined by analysis of plasma samples) is steady, at which point the infusion rate is equal to the rate of loss in the urine (Earle et al., 1946, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., Vol. 62, pp. 262 ff.)
In another approach, the glomerular filtration rate is calculated from an analysis of the rate of disappearance of a labelled substance from the plasma after a single intravenous injection. Following an equilibration period, the clearance of the labelled substance is determined by measuring the level of the label remaining in a series of blood samples taken over a period of several hours; the injected substance can be radiolabelled and the amount of the radiolabel detected in the samples (Sapirstein et al., 1955, Am. Jour. Physiol., Vol. 181, pp. 330 ff.; Chantler et al., 1972, Arch. Dis. Child., Vol. 47, pp. 613 ff.) or the quantity of the substance remaining in each of the series of blood samples can be determined by gas chromatography after extraction of the substance from the serum (H. -U. Schulz, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,202). The non-endogenously produced substance inulin may be an ideal filtration marker for GFR determination, and it has remained the "gold standard". Because inulin is in limited supply and difficult to measure, alternative substances have become the choice for routine use, particularly .sup.51 Cr-EDTA, .sup.99m Tc-DTPA and .sup.125 I-sodium iothalamate.
External monitors for measuring renal function have been suggested, but have not come into wide use for a variety of reasons. In the suggested approaches, a radiolabelled substance is administered to the patient, and then a radiation detector is positioned so that it is exposed to radiation from the labelled substance in the blood or urine. External monitors have been positioned adjacent the head, and on the chest of the patient to be monitored, to bring the detector near the blood stream; or adjacent the kidney or urinary bladder, to bring the detector near the urine. The proposed apparatus can be expensive, patient movement can be restricted during monitoring, the patient can be uncomfortable during monitoring, and background noise generally limits the accuracy and reliability of the measurements.
In one such approach, Blaufox et al., 1967, Jour. Nucl. Med., Vol. 8, pp. 77-85, describes measuring clearance of .sup.125 I-hippurate using an external counter aimed at the zygomatic arch of the skull, and requires two blood samples for monitor calibration. This approach has the disadvantage that the patient must be immobilized while the apparatus is in use, and development of a helmet containing the monitor and recorder is suggested as a means for providing some patient mobility during monitoring.
Rossing et al., 1978, Scand. Jour. Clin. Lab. Invest., Vol. 38, pp. 23-28; and Casey et al., 1986, Nucl. Med. Comm., Vol. 7, pp. 811-818, describe using external detectors placed upon the patient's chest to determine the clearance of .sup.99m Tc-DTPA from the blood as a measure of renal function. In these approaches, one plasma sample is taken in order to convert the external rate constant to plasma clearance. Because the background noise to signal ratio is fairly high, and renal function, as expressed by GFR, can be determined by taking the slope of the data values at intervals longer than about 30 to 60 minutes.
Bak et al., 1982, Proc. III World Congress of Nuclear Medicine and Biology, Paris: 1982, pp. 609-13, describes positioning a CdTe detector at the back of the leg 10 cm below the knee for analyzing .sup.99m DTPA clearance as a measure of renal function.
In another approach, Junges German Patent No. 3,245,778 describes using a gamma camera with three detectors, one focused on each kidney and the third on the urinary bladder, to measure quantity of a radiolabelled substance removed by the kidneys.


A device for comminuting feedstock is provided that includes a cutting tool with a first rotor and at least one second rotor, each of which rotate around their longitudinal axis with an opposite rotation direction. Each rotor is provided with a number of cutting discs, which are arranged at an axial distance to one another. In this case, the cutting discs of the first rotor are located on gaps and with radial overlapping relative to the cutting discs of the second rotor. The cutting discs along their circumference have support surfaces for accepting cutting tools, whose cutting edges move past one another over the course of the rotation of rotors with the formation of a cutting clearance. For the positionally precise fixation of the cutting tool on the cutting discs, a positive fit is formed between the cutting tools and cutting discs, a positive fit groove running in the plane of the cutting disc is arranged in the common contact area, the groove in which at least one positive fit strip engages.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for comminuting feedstock.
2. Description of the Background Art
The comminuting of feedstock is a central component of mechanical process engineering in which a starting material is divided by separation into smaller parts. In this case, the feedstock is altered in its size, form, or composition in view of its later use. Separation methods suitable for this provide for comminuting by means of tearing, beating, rubbing, grinding, or cutting. An example is the preparation of waste products, in which size reduction of the feed material is a requirement for processing in subsequent processing stations or in which separation into various components, present in the feedstock, occurs simultaneously during comminuting.
It is known for comminuting by means of cutting to move the cutting edges of cutting tools past one another to execute an effective motion. Apart from the type of feedstock and its insertion during the cutting process, the cutting geometry determined by the machine structure as well is a major determining factor for the cutting process. To achieve a clean cut, it is necessary in particular that the active cutting edges of the cutting tools slide past one another while maintaining an optimal blade clearance, which depends on the type of feedstock. With an increase in the distance between the jointly acting cutting edges, the effectiveness of the cutting process declines, because part of the energy to be applied for grinding, tearing, or crushing the feedstock is used up. As a result, increased mechanical stress arises, which accelerates signs of wear, reduces operating reliability, and not least increases energy consumption. Maintaining an optimal cutting geometry is very important therefore.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,071 discloses a device for comminuting used tires, in which a vehicle tire is divided by counter-rotating cutting rotors. The cutting rotors including cutting discs which are arranged on a shaft at an axial distance and are populated at their circumference with cutting tools, whereby the cutting discs of the one rotor engage with a smaller radial overcutting into the gaps of the other cutting rotor. Because the cutting tools are exposed to great mechanical stress during operation and have a correspondingly great wear, the cutting tools are affixed detachably to the cutting discs, so that they can be replaced by new or resharpened tools.
Two possible ways of affixing the cutting tools to the cutting discs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,375. It is possible, on the one hand, to form the circumferential surface of each cutting disc in the shape of a polygon, which results in a planar support surface for the cutting tools. The cutting tools are bolted down by means of radially acting bolts, which are accessible from the top side of the cutting tools and extend into the circumferential area of the cutting discs, whereby the heads of the bolts come to lie within corresponding recesses. Because during damage to cutting tools due to rough comminuting operation the support surface for the cutting tools and the tapped holes in the cutting discs become damaged and must be repaired when the cutting tools are changed, another embodiment, depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,375, comprises affixing the cutting tools with the interconnection of a bearing plate on the outer circumference of the cutting discs. This has the advantage that in the case of damage only the bearing plates need to be replaced but the entire support surface of the cutting discs need not be resharpened. In addition, to take up the fixing bolts bushings are provided, which have both an inside and outside thread and are screwed into radial holes in the disc rotor. With their inside threads, the bushings in turn take up the fixing bolts. If an inside thread is damaged, the threaded bushing can be replaced as a whole unit without having to work on the disc rotor itself.
During operation of comminuting devices of this type, large axial forces arise, which are passed via the cutting tools to the cutting discs. These forces must be absorbed by the fixing bolts, which are stressed thereby by shearing and bending. Because the load bearing capacity of each bolt is limited, the removal of the total load requires a relatively large number of fixing bolts, which, when the cutting tool is changed, entail a correspondingly large amount of work because of their loosening and retightening.
Another factor is that the positioning of the cutting tools on the cutting discs is carried out with the fixing bolts. As a result of the play between the cutting tool and the fixing bolt, large tolerances arise during the setting of the blade clearance, which are an obstacle to maintaining a precise cutting geometry and entail the previously described negative effects on the cutting process.
Another factor is that based on geometric circumstances and static requirements, the fixing bolts may be disposed only with maintenance of a minimum distance to the transverse edge of the cutting tools. The arising leverages with a nonuniform load application during the comminuting process lead to a nonoptimal load removal, which must be considered in dimensioning the fixing bolts.
To find a remedy here at least in part, European Pat. No. EP 1 289 663 A1, which corresponds to U.S. Publication No. 20030122006, and which discloses a rotor for a generic comminuting device, in which the cutting tools are affixed laterally to a tool holder by means of screws, optionally with the interconnection of compensating plates. The thus arising cutting unit comprising tool holder and cutting tools is affixed by radially acting screws at the outer circumference of a cutting blade, whereby positioning pins are provided for exact positioning of the cutting unit. As a result, the positioning accuracy of the tool holder relative to the cutting disc is in fact improved, but dimensional inaccuracies are again introduced into the system by the screwing of the cutting tools to the tool holder, optionally with inserted distance plates; these in turn undo this advantage.
In view of the static load removal behavior, in this type of construction, axial stress is introduced via the fixing screws and the positioning pins into the cutting discs with a load removal cross section limited by the number and diameters of the screws or pins. In addition, here as well no optimal force transfer from the cutting tool to the cutting disc is possible, because the positioning pins due to construction must also maintain a minimum distance to the transverse edges of the tool holder.

Comminuting device with counter-rotating rotors


A sifting apparatus for stratifying raw material includes a material feed-in device, a material support unit, a gas plenum, and a discharge control device. The material support unit receives material from the material feed-in device and has a surface having a plurality of openings for a gaseous medium introduced from underneath the material support unit, thereby effecting loosening and stratification of the material into a layer of relatively heavier material, and a layer of relatively lighter material atop the heavier material. The introduced gaseous medium originates in a pump, is collected in a pressurized reservoir and is controlled by a metered valve prior to introduction to the material support unit.

Sifting or settling apparatuses generally include a material feed device, material support unit with holes through which flows a gaseous fluid, often gas guided by a plenum disposed underneath the material support unit, and a discharge control device for controlling separated discharge of relatively heavier material and relatively lighter material. The inflowing pulsed gas operating to loosen the material fed onto the material support unit stratifies the material into layers of relatively lighter material atop of layers of relatively heavier material. An air sifting apparatus of this type is described, for example, in the publication Schubert "Aufbereitung fester mineralischer Rohstoffe", Band II VEB Deutscher Verlag fuer Grundstoffindustrie, Leipzig, Pages 89 and 90.
Typically, sifting apparatuses, like the one described above, produce a less distinct separation between the heavier and lighter materials when compared with wet sifting machines. To achieve satisfactory sorting results according to the aforementioned apparatus, traditionally multiple factors must be present including, for example, a large density difference between the components of the material. There is always a need for an improved sifting apparatus.


A device for physical training, such as in martial arts, boxing and similar disciplines that involve punching, kicking, wing chun kung fu drills, etc. These training and drills are performed without the need for a partner by the use of a training accessory that mounts to a heavy training bag and which provides targets or wing chun type blocking arms which the trainee can punch, kick, or block, for example. The training accessory has a frame that mounts to the heavy bag by use of cinch straps, and includes a pair of depending bars positioned one on each side of the bag. Accessory arms selectively mount to the depending bars and carry or define punching, kicking, or striking targets or wing chun blocking arms. Straps are secured to the heavy bag to prevent its twisting undesirably in response to torque generated by impacts and blocking movements of the trainee.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to provide a training aid, which is used while mounted on a heavy bag for practicing martial arts and boxing techniques. The training aid utilizes a frame carried on the heavy bag and various targets, mounted to this frame. A martial artist or boxing trainee, for example, thus can train without the necessity for a partner.
2. Related Technology
An extremely popular method of martial arts and boxing training involves having a partner hold a pair of focus mitt gloves at various levels which the trainee strikes as a target. The mitts fit over the partner's hands like a glove with a padded front surface covered with vinyl for striking by the trainee without injuring the partner's hands. The major limitation of this method is the necessity for a training partner. Effective training without a partner can often times be impractical or impossible. There are various products that provide targets to strike at for training purposes, but these all suffer from one or more deficiencies. This invention, however, incorporates the use of a heavy bag to eliminate the need for a training partner while also overcoming other deficiencies of the conventional technology. For example, for trainees of wing chun kung -fu a staple training aid is the use of a large, heavy, stationary, columnar device called a "wooden man", which provides three appendages for striking and blocking practice. This device is rather cumbersome and heavy and does not provide for a realistic and dynamic target. This wooden man is also not reasonably available, or easily relocated.

Martial arts and boxing accessory apparatus for heavy bag


The generation of “fingerprints”, also called challenge-response pairs (CRPs) of Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs), can often stress electronic components, leaving behind traces that can be exploited by crypto-analysts. A non-intrusive method to generate CRPs based on Resistive RAMs may instead be used, which does not disturb the memory cells. The injection of small electric currents (magnitude of nanoAmperes) in each cell causes the resistance of each cell to drop abruptly by several orders of magnitudes through the formation of temporary conductive paths in each cell. A repeated injection of currents into the same cell, results in an almost identical effect in resistance drop for a single cell. However, due to the small physical variations which occur during manufacturing, the cells are significantly different from each other, in such a way that a group of cells can be used as a basis for PUF authentication.

Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) act as a virtual "DNA"s or "fingerprint" of the hardware, and can be used as cryptographic primitives during authentication protocols and access control. PUFs exploit the intrinsic manufacturing variations introduced during fabrication of microelectronic devices such as critical dimensions, doping level of semiconducting layers, and threshold voltages. These variations distinguish each device from each other. The underlying mechanism of PUFs is a generator of challenge-response pairs (CRP), the challenges have been generated upfront as reference and are often stored in secure servers, and the responses are generated during the authentication protocols. The challenges and responses are then compared during the authentication process. The authentication is positive when the rate of matching pairs is statistically high enough. There is an expectation of randomness and secrecy that should make PUFs hard to extract by third party and thereby easy to use for secure authentication.

ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY


Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for data preheating, which relate to database technologies, so as to increase a responding speed of a database system, reduce frequent IO on a magnetic disk, and improve overall performance of the database system. The method includes: when a database is started, reading hit ratio information from a flash memory device and reading user configuration information from a hard disk; obtaining a union set of a preset hot data table in the user configuration information and a hot data table in the hit ratio information; determining the total number of to-be-loaded hot data blocks from the union set; according to the storage proportions, determining the to-be-loaded hot data block to be stored into a shared buffer and the flash memory device; and separately storing the to-be-loaded hot data block into the shared buffer and the flash memory device.

With rapid development of database technologies, a database storage system presents the following characteristics:
A novel storage device, such as a solid-state drive (Solid-State Drive, SSD) and a phase change memory, and a conventional magnetic disk device constitute a hybrid storage environment. Compared with a conventional magnetic disk, the SSD based on a flash memory has advantages of high performance and low energy consumption, and its price and capacity are between those of a memory and those of the conventional magnetic disk. It is predicted that, in a long time from now, various types of hard disk devices will coexist, and hybrid storage will become a mainstream storage configuration. As there are more and more applications, the data amount of a user grows larger and larger, and an input/output (Input/Output, IO) bottleneck problem caused by conventional data storage is prominent; some important application requirements require a database system to respond quickly, in time, and correctly.
In the prior art, a controller device with a cache is provided between a main memory and an external memory to implement preloading of data of a next request, and transfer the data to the main memory when the request arrives. Alternatively, a flash memory device is used as a level 2 cache; when a buffer of the main memory is full, some data blocks that need to be replaced are written into the flash memory device; and in a startup phase of a database, some hot data is not preloaded according to actual usage of a user.
In the prior art, in an early phase after the database is started, when the amount of data requested by a client is large and a service is very busy, responding efficiency of the database system will be lowered, and IO will be very busy, affecting overall performance of the database system.

Method and apparatus for data preheating


A fixture for use in the bonding of a plurality of chips each to a respective one of a plurality of substrates includes a lower vacuum chuck and a frame member supported on the chuck for reciprocatory motion toward and away from the chuck surface. The chuck surface is arranged to hold substrates with predeposited solder in pockets at predetermined locations thereon. The frame member has openings aligned with those pockets and weights which extend through the openings. After substrates are placed on the chuck surface, the substrates are heated so that the predeposited solder reaches eutectic status, and then chips are placed on the substrates. The frame member is then mounted on the chuck and gradually lowered until the weights press against respective chips, thereby holding the chips in position on the substrates. The entire assembly is then transported to a solder reflow bonding station.

This invention relates to the bonding of a chip to a substrate and, more particularly, to a method for use in such a bonding process to provide increased throughput.
At the present time, semiconductor laser chips are mounted to a silicon optical bench (or substrate) one at a time. In present practice, the substrates are predeposited with solder and a pick and place machine uses a vacuum collect to pick up a single substrate from a substrate cassette and place it on a lower vacuum chuck. The chip is then picked up by the upper vacuum chuck and held on top of the substrate. Heat is then applied to the substrate and chip through the chucks to melt the solder and bond the chip to the substrate. A number of problems are associated with this present practice.
The present practice is time consuming. Wafer level assembly or multiple substrate assembly is impossible because the substrate will not withstand multiple solder reflows, which deteriorate the solder composition. In addition, the time necessary for the bonding, which includes tacking and heating/cooling, is twice as long as for just tacking.
The present practice also results in poor solder joint quality. Thus, since the solder is reflowed in an open environment, even with a gas purge oxidation is still unavoidable. Further, the final composition of solder joints vary on a single substrate with multiple joints because of the nature of the sequential bonding. Also, the process has to be changed from time to time when a different substrate with different joints is used.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to perform wafer-level assembly or multiple substrate assembly, without the disadvantages described above.

Method for use in bonding a chip to a substrate


Embodiments of the present invention disclose an apparatus and method for recovering a data signal in a digital transmission. A computer processor receives a data signal from a data signal input wire. The computer processor receives an external clock signal. The computer processor samples a binary bit of the data signal multiple times per clock cycle. The computer processor determines, for each sampling group, a sample and a quality measurement. The computer processor stores, for each sampling group, the sample and the quality measurement into a set of memory elements. The computer processor stores the sample from each sampling group into a first and a second delay chain. The computer processor determines a current sampling point. The computer processor transmits output corresponding to a content of the current sampling point to a data signal output wire.

Transmission speeds of digital data are constantly being pushed to the next limit. Everybody wants their computer or smartphone to run faster, or wants to download larger data files quicker than ever before. Recognizing that speed is not the only concern, it is equally important that the received data actually matches what was sent. All data gets broken down and converted back to simple 0's and 1's. Each byte that is sent through digital communication, no matter how physically far it may travel, must be readable without error and without loss at the receiving end.
A clock signal is produced by a clock generator, comprising a resonant circuit and an amplifier. The clock signal oscillates between a high and low state, usually at a fixed frequency. There are many clocks inside of microprocessors used for many different functions. The reading of a digital data transmission is triggered by either the rising edge, or falling edge of a clock signal.
In synchronous data transmission, no start or stop bit is typically used, but rather transmission speeds are synchronized at both the sending and receiving end using clock signals. While the data transfer is quicker without using stop and start bits, eventually the clocks will get out of sync and some bytes will become corrupted. The data and clock signals can get delayed differently due to environmental factors, such as temperature drift or maximum phase jitter. Jitter is a deviation from the true periodicity of an oscillating signal in frequency, amplitude or phase. Jitter may be created by electromagnetic interference and crosstalk with carriers of other signals. Jitter may be reduced through the use of filters and buffers, but can still be a problem. Current solutions for clock delays require frequent re-synchronization of the clocks, the use of a check or parity bit, or the use of a much slower data speed compared to the clock speed during digital transmissions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method to recover a data signal


Systems and methods are provided for obtaining sensor data comprising one or more entities and one or more attributes of the respective one or more entities. The systems and methods may be configured to infer one or more relationships between the respective one or more entities based on the one or more attributes, and update the sensor data based on the inferred one or more relationships.

Under conventional approaches, machines may track large amounts of data without fully understanding a meaning, significance, or purpose of the data. In some instances, such conventional approaches may not adequately capture or infer relationships between entities of the data, and/or may not predict changes in the data. Thus, for example, conventional approaches may not be useful for coordinating or strategizing an action based on the data.

Systems and methods for inferring relationships between entities


A blue-green-red three-band phosphor for multilayer agricultural plastic film for converting near ultraviolet light in photosynthetic active radiation is disclosed. The substrate of the phosphor is prepared from the group IIA element SiO44−, having a total stoichiometric equation (ΣMe+2O)2α(SiO2)α, in which α=1, 2, 3, ΣMe+2=Ba+2 and/or Sr+2 and/or Ca+2 and/or Mg+2, having an orthorhombic crystal architecture, and generating a three-band spectrum when activated by d-f element selected from the group of Eu+2, Mn+2 and Sm+2. The maximum wavelength of the three-band spectrum is λ1=440˜460 nm, λ2=515˜535 nm and λ3=626˜640 nm. The maximum value and halfwave width of every spectrum are determined subject to the concentration of the activator and the phosphor synthesis technology. The three-band phosphor is prepared through a solid synthesis method in the form of high dispersed ultrafine powder having the average grain size of d≦0.8 μm. The use of an agricultural plastic film made according to the present invention in an enclosed soil equipment greatly raises the productivity of vegetable crop.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to agricultural field and soil enclosure means for seasonal hot bed and greenhouse and more specifically, to the agricultural science and technology for creating optimal spectrum and sunlight illumination atmosphere for green plants under a seasonal thin-film covered hotbed condition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the foundation work of research by Russian natural scientist K. A. Timiriazev in 1896-1919, it has been for sure that sunlight is absorbed into the leaves of green plants by a green pigment, which absorbs red and blue light, but reflects green light, causing the leaves to appear green. This light energy is then converted into a chemical energy in the form of starch or sugar: 6CO2+6H2O→C6H12O6+6O2.
This equation translates as six molecules of water (6H2O) plus six molecules of carbon dioxide (6CO2) produce one molecule of sugar (C6H12O6) plus six molecules of oxygen (O2).
Since the creation of phosphor light source in 1930˜1950, all greenhouses and hotbed provide red and blue radiation light sources. Under the illumination of radiation light sources, the amount of vegetables and fruits obtained from the enclosed soil equipment is greatly increased. Solar radiation goes through a polyethylene thin film and the pigment of the polyethylene thin film is modified to, for example, light blue or rose. In the years of 1980˜1990, light conversion agricultural films were appeared. The radiation of these light conversion agricultural films include 5˜6% red light. This red light reacts with 6% original solar ultraviolet radiation. These agricultural films were patented in many countries around the world, such as Russian Patent 2160289 (inventor Soschin. N et. al.), Russian Patent 2064482 (inventor Soschin. N et. al.), U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,665 (inventor Goldburt et. al.), Euro Patent 999/35595 (inventor Bolschukxin W. et. al.), and Mexico Patent MX 01004165A (inventor E. T. Boldburt et. al.). The invention adopts the aforesaid patents as reference objects. In the aforesaid patents, a first generation light conversion agricultural plastic film utilizes Y2O2S:Eu based narrowband red phosphor, which has best conversion efficiency as known. The half-wave width of the spectrum band is smaller than 5 nm, assuring enhancement of red quantum concentration on the surface of green plants. Under the effect of light conversion agricultural plastic films, the production of vegetables and fruits in hotbed is increased by 20˜75%, and the nutrition composition of vegetables and fruits is substantially improved, for example, vitamin and minor element content of vegetables and fruits is increased.
Although the first generation light conversion agricultural plastic films have been intensively used for agricultural purposes, they still have drawbacks. At first, light conversion involves red spectrum region only, giving no effect on the second shortwave of blue spectrum. Under this condition, photosynthesis is periodically destroyed. Further, reduction of transmissive light in blue and green spectrum regions of the light conversion agricultural plastic films results in extended growth period of greenhouse crop. The creation of a thin film having blue-red re-radiation characteristic eliminates a part of the aforesaid drawbacks. US2000/24343 (inventor Soschin. N. et. al.) discloses a similar design. The invention utilizes this invention as a prototype. The blue and red phosphors filled in this agricultural plastic film create supplementary light for plants. Using blue and red conversion radiator means in a film layer is a continuation and development of this concept, and has become a patent of France researchers (see WO 00/24243, inventor Blanc. W. et. al.). They created a single-component dual-band phosphor based on Ba3MgSi2O8:Eu+2Mn+2. With respect to the fabrication of agricultural plastic films, the concept of the aforesaid patent assures its advantages. However, in the literature, we did not find any strick proof of the applicability of this agricultural plastic film. The application of this dual-band phosphor may be constrained to its defect because photosynthesis requires all the three spectrum regions: blue, green and red at different radiation amounts.
Actually, according to data from modern researchers, spectrum illumination has the following physiological meanings: 1.280˜320 nm UVB light will damage plants; 2. Radiation of UVB and near UVB light at a small amount has a great concern with growth regulation of plants; 3. Purple and blue light are requisite for photosynthesis and regulation of upper green leaves (plant root system); 4. Green and yellow radiation provides a long-lasting effect, and is partially absorbed by lush green leaves and dense tender branches of plants; 5. Orange and red radiation is necessary for photosynthesis; 6. 700˜750 nm dark red radiation is the message communication path for green plants; and 8. 1200˜1600 nm infrared radiation heats and dissolves plant nutrients. From this short catalog, we obtain the conclusion that full-spectrum illumination in radiation is necessary.

Three-band phosphor for multi-layer agricultural plastic film


A liquid crystal display includes a backlight assembly. The backlight assembly includes a light guide plate, a light source module which emits light to a side surface of the light guide plate, and a housing which accommodates the light guide plate and the light source module. The light source module includes a printed circuit board on which a plurality of a point light source is mounted, and a light source fixing board which supports the printed circuit board. The housing includes a bottom portion on which the light guide plate is placed, and a fixing portion which extends from an edge of the bottom portion. An extension portion of the light source fixing board, which is adjacent to a corner of the light guide plate, and an end of the fixing portion of the housing, are coupled to a reinforcing member.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays ("LCDs") are one of the most widely used types of flat panel displays ("FPDs"). Generally, an LCD includes two substrates having electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates. In an LCD, voltages are applied to the electrodes to rearrange liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer, thereby controlling the amount of light that passes through the liquid crystal layer.
Since the light transmittance of liquid crystal molecules is changed according to the orientation and intensity of an applied electric field, LCDs require light to display images. Examples of light sources used in LCDs include light-emitting diodes ("LEDs"), cold cathode fluorescent lamps ("CCFLs"), and flat fluorescent lamps ("FFLs").
The thickness of a conventional LCD can be reduced to produce an ultra-slim LCD. In this case, however, the rigidity of the conventional LCD is also reduced at corner portions thereof.

Backlight assembly and liquid crystal display including the same


The invention is a system and method for real-time monitoring and control of chemical sterilant concentration during all phases of a sterilization cycle by employing semiconductor-based sensor modules to selectively detect and measure the actual sterilant concentration in real time. In response to the transmitted concentration values, the sterilizer control system controls critical environmental parameters to maintain concentration levels within acceptable ranges for given time periods to assure sterilization efficacy and that the sterilant has been properly exhausted at completion of the cycle. The selectivity, sensitivity and accuracy of the semiconductor sensor are optimized by calibrating the sensor to baseline environmental parameters and by adjusting the sensor concentration reading when environmental parameters change during the sterilization cycle, by programming a new baseline value for the sterilant concentration at the new condition.

In systems for sterilization and decontamination, certain critical process parameters must be maintained within acceptable limits for a given period of time in order to achieve target sterility assurance levels. Real time monitoring and control methods for such critical parameters as temperature, pressure and time are widely known and practiced. However, in liquid and gas chemical sterilization and decontamination systems, the critical parameter of sterilant concentration must also be monitored and controlled. Until the present invention, there has been no practical method for directly measuring the sterilant concentration in real time that is economically feasible for use in all types of sterilization and decontamination systems.
Indirect methods to measure the concentration of chemical sterilants, such as ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide and peroxygen compounds are commonly employed. For example, the theoretical concentration of vaporized hydrogen peroxide in a sterilization chamber at any given time may be calculated by correlating the consumption of liquid peroxide supplied to the vaporization system with such system parameters as temperature, pressure, relative humidity, dew point and, if applicable, air flow rate and chamber volume. Based on this indirect calculation, the sterilizer control system may then operate various sterilizer components, such as pumps, valves, etc., to control the amount of liquid hydrogen peroxide delivered to the vaporizer in order to maintain the desired theoretical concentration of sterilant gas/vapor in the chamber, while avoiding condensation due to vapor saturation.
It is known, however, that for most chemical sterilant systems there may be a disparity between the theoretical sterilant concentration and the actual sterilant concentration due to variable environmental factors, including decomposition, absorption and/or adsorption of the sterilant gas/vapor upon contact with various surfaces within the system and the load being processed. The effect of these factors on the actual sterilant concentration is unpredictable and varies from load to load and system to system such that adjusting the supply of liquid chemical sterilant to account for these effects is impractical and inefficient. To assure that target sterility assurance levels have been met, therefore, a system for direct, real time measurement of the actual chemical sterilant concentration in the chamber at any given time is preferred.
Recently, developments in near infrared spectrophotometry have allowed the use of this technology to directly measure and control the concentration of hydrogen peroxide vapor in a given sterilization or decontamination environment in real time. Such a system is disclosed in our commonly assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/508,314, filed Jul. 27, 1995, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. This approach, while demonstrated to be effective, is costly and may appreciably add to the overall cost of sterilization and decontamination systems. In addition, the large overall size of the near infrared system, as currently configured, precludes easy integration into small sterilizer or decontamination systems, such as small endoscope or dental instrument sterilizers.
There remains a need for a practical and reliable system that provides real-time monitoring and control of the actual concentration of liquid or gas chemical sterilants during a sterilization or decontamination cycle and that can be inexpensively and easily integrated into virtually any system. There is also a need for a system that is highly selective for and sensitive to the chemical sterilant of choice.
A known and relatively inexpensive technology for selectively measuring concentrations of gases and/or liquids employs semiconductor-based sensors. Semiconductor technology has been used for detecting and warning of toxic and/or explosive gases in domestic and industrial environments. For example, semiconductor-based sensors have been used to detect gases in the cabs of motor vehicles, and to produce signals or control outputs for the switching on or off of air filtering systems or ventilation systems if the gas concentration reaches a predetermined set-point concentration. Semiconductor monitoring systems have been used for detection of ethylene oxide in areas around sterilizers on a continuous, 24-hour air sampling basis. Semiconductor sensor probes have also been used to detect the constituents and concentrations of gases, such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and hydrocarbons in exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. Other such sensors have variously been used to sense the presence and/or concentrations of gases and liquids, such as ethanol, carbon dioxide, glutaraldehyde and ammonia.
A known problem with semiconductor-based systems is their sensitivity to environmental conditions. For example, variations in temperature, relative humidity, and/or flow velocities of air currents that are to be monitored can affect the stability and accuracy of the semiconductor sensor signal and produce erroneous gas concentration readings. Moreover, semiconductor sensors may demonstrate changes in electrical conductivity in the presence of oxygen and oxidizing gases other than the gas being measured. Variations in these environmental conditions during a sterilization cycle and between cycles, often in combination with variations in pressure, are present in virtually all sterilization and decontamination systems employing liquids and gases, such as ethylene oxide, peroxygen compounds, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and the like. Thus, until the present invention, semiconductor-based sensors have not been described for real-time monitoring of the concentration of sterilant liquid or gas within a sterilization chamber during a decontamination or sterilization cycle.

Monitoring and control of sterilization processes with semiconductor sensor modules


Various embodiments implement high current carrying multi-strands of interconnects between two pins in a region of interest within an electronic circuit by performing area-based searches for viable routing solutions using valid intervals. Certain pins that are within a predetermined proximity to each other may be optionally clustered to form a single, wide pin. The region of interest may be first processed to form one or more sets of spacetiles, or the geometries in the region of interest may be projected onto a boundary of the region of interest, to determine the valid interval(s) on along the boundary. The valid intervals may then be used by a router to implement the multi-strands of interconnects. The router also considers the physical, electrical, and manufacturing requirement(s) in implementing the multi-strands of interconnects.

Integrated circuits, or ICs, are created by patterning a substrate and materials deposited on the substrate. The substrate is typically a semiconductor wafer. The patterned features make up devices and interconnections. This process generally starts with a designer creating an integrated circuit by hierarchically defining functional components of the circuit using a hardware description language. From this high-level functional description, a physical circuit implementation dataset is created, which is usually in the form of a netlist. This netlist identifies logic cell instances from a cell library, and describes cell-to-cell connectivity.
Many phases of these electronic design activities may be performed with computer aided design (CAD) tools or electronic design automation (EDA) systems. For example, an integrated circuit designer may use a set of layout EDA application programs, such as a layout editor, to create a physical integrated circuit design layout from a logical circuit design. The layout EDA application uses geometric shapes of different materials to create the various electrical components on an integrated circuit and to represent electronic and circuit IC components as geometric objects with varying shapes and sizes. After an integrated circuit designer has created an initial integrated circuit layout, the integrated circuit designer then verifies and optimizes the integrated circuit layout using a set of EDA testing and analysis tools. Verification may include, for example, design rule checking to verify compliance with rules established for various IC parameters. The EDA layout editing tools are often performed interactively so that the designer can review and provide careful control over the details of the electronic design.
Typically, geometric information about the placement of the nodes and components onto the chip is determined by a placement process and a routing process. The placement process is a process for placing electronic components or circuit blocks on the chip and the routing process is the process for creating interconnections between the blocks and components according to the specified netlist. The task of all routers is the same—routers are given some pre-existing polygons consisting of pins on cells and optionally some pre-routes from the placers to create geometries so that all pins assigned to different nets are connected by wires and vias, that all wires and vias assigned to different nets do not overlap, and that all design rules are obeyed. That is, a router fails when two pins on the same net that should be connected are open, when two pins on two different nets that should remain open are shorted, or when some design rules are violated during routing.
A layout file is created from the placement and routing process, which assigns logic cells to physical locations in the device layout and routes their interconnections. The physical layout is typically described as many patterned layers, and the pattern of each layer is described by the union of a set of polygons. The layout data set is stored, for example in GDSII ("Graphic Data System II") or OASIS ("Open Artwork System Interchange Standard") formats. Component devices and interconnections of the integrated circuit are constructed layer by layer. A layer is deposited on the wafer and then it is patterned using a photolithography process and an etch process.
In modern integrated circuits, some nets or interconnects may be required to carry high current(s) between wide pins, clusters of pins, or a combination of a wide pine and a cluster of pins. As a result, some design may require a wider minimum width for a high-current carrying interconnect so as to keep the current density under control. Conventional approaches are to route a "fat wire" between two pins. Nonetheless, the conventional approach may fail when some blockages or obstacles exist in the path of the "fat wire". In other words, such conventional approaches may not be able to find viable routing solutions, especially in congested regions of a layout. In addition, these approaches do not involve any search-based routing strategies or any area-based search strategies in implementing the interconnects between the two pins, pads, or terminals (hereinafter pin or pins.)
Thus, there exists a need for a method, a system, and an article of manufacture for implementing high current carrying interconnects. There also exist a need for a method, a system, and an article of manufacture for implementing high current carrying interconnects using strand routing of various topologies while satisfying various physical or electrical constraints, rules, or requirements and generating an electronic design that produces satisfactory results for various electrical analyses.

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for implementing high current carrying interconnects in electronic designs


The invention provides a system for optimization of three-dimensional audio listening having a media player and a multiplicity of speakers disposed within a listening space, the system including a portable sensor having a multiplicity of transducers strategically arranged about the sensor for receiving test signals from the speakers and for transmitting the signals to a processor connectable in the system for receiving multi-channel audio signals from the media player and for transmitting the multi-channel audio signals to the multiplicity of speakers, the processor including (a) means for initiating transmission of test signals to each of the speakers and for receiving the test signals from the speakers to be processed for determining the location of each of the speakers relative to a listening place within the space determined by the placement of the sensor; (b) means for manipulating each sound track of the multi-channel sound signals with respect to intensity, phase and/or equalization according to the relative location of each speaker in order to create virtual sound sources in desired positions, and (c) means for communicating between the sensor and the processor. The invention further provides a method for the optimization of three-dimensional audio listening using the above-described system.

It is a fact that surround and multi-channel sound tracks are gradually replacing stereo as the preferred standard of sound recording. Today, many new audio devices are equipped with surround capabilities. Most new sound systems sold today are multi-channel systems equipped with multiple speakers and surround sound decoders. In fact, many companies have devised algorithms that modify old stereo recordings so that they will sound as if they were recorded in surround. Other companies have developed algorithms that upgrade older stereo systems so that they will produce surround-like sound using only two speakers. Stereo-expansion algorithms, such as those from SRS Labs and Spatializer Audio Laboratories, enlarge perceived ambiance; many sound boards and speaker systems contain the circuitry necessary to deliver expanded stereo sound.
Three-dimensional positioning algorithms take matters a step further seeking to place sounds in particular locations around the listener, i.e., to his left or right, above or below, all with respect to the image displayed. These algorithms are based upon simulating psycho-acoustic cues replicating the way sounds are actually heard in a 360° space, and often use a Head-Related Transfer Function (HRTF) to calculate sound heard at the listener's ears relative to the spatial coordinates of the sound's origin. For example, a sound emitted by a source located to one's left side is first received by the left ear and only a split second later by the right ear. The relative amplitude of different frequencies also varies, due to directionality and the obstruction of the listener's own head. The simulation is generally good if the listener is seated in the "sweet spot" between the speakers.
In the consumer audio market, stereo systems are being replaced by home theatre systems, in which six speakers are usually used. Inspired by commercial movie theatres, home theatres employ 5.1 playback channels comprising five main speakers and a sub-woofer. Two competing technologies, Dolby Digital and DTS, employ 5.1 channel processing. Both technologies are improvements of older surround standards, such as Dolby Pro Logic, in which channel separation was limited and the rear channels were monaural.
Although 5.1 playback channels improve realism, placing six speakers in an ordinary living room might be problematic. Thus, a number of surround synthesis companies have developed algorithms specifically to replay multi-channel formats such as Dolby Digital over two speakers, creating virtual speakers that convey the correct spatial sense. This multi-channel virtualization processing is similar to that developed for surround synthesis. Although two-speaker surround systems have yet to match the performance of five-speaker systems, virtual speakers can provide good sound localization around the listener.
All of the above-described virtual surround technologies provide a surround simulation only within a designated area within a room, referred to as a "sweet spot." The sweet spot is an area located within the listening environment, the size and location of which depends on the position and direction of the speakers. Audio equipment manufacturers provide specific installation instructions for speakers. Unless all of these instructions are fully complied with, the surround simulation will fail to be accurate. The size of the sweet spot in two-speaker surround systems is significantly smaller than that of multi-channel systems. As a matter of fact, in most cases, it is not suitable for more than one listener.
Another common problem, with both multi-channel and two-speaker sound systems, is that physical limitations such as room layout, furniture, etc., prevent the listener from following placement instructions accurately.
In addition, the position and shape of the sweet spot are influenced by the acoustic characteristics of the listening environment. Most users have neither the mean nor the knowledge to identify and solve acoustic problems.
Another common problem associated with audio reproduction is the fact that objects and surfaces in the room might resonate at certain frequencies. The resonating objects create a disturbing hum or buzz.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a system and method that will provide the best sound simulation while disregarding the listener's location within the sound environment and the acoustic characteristics of the room. Such a system should provide optimal performance automatically, without requiring alteration of the listening environment.

System and method for optimization of three-dimensional audio


A composition for a wire protective member with heat resistance, flame retardancy, and resistance against both a calcium chloride and a braided wire; a wire protective member and a wire harness using the composition. The composition for a wire protective member is produced by including a polypropylene having a propylene monomer constituting 50 to 95 percent by mass of monomers forming a polymer, a melt flow rate of 0.5 to 5 g/10 min, and a melting point of 150 degrees C. or more; a bromine-based flame retardant and an antimony trioxide as a flame retarder; a phenol-based antioxidant as a heat resistance life improving agent; and a metal deactivator, wherein the propylene has a tensile strength of 20 to 35 MPa and a Charpy impact strength of 10 kJ/m2 or more at 23 degrees C.

As described in Patent Literature 1, the flame retardant corrugate tube made of a flame retardant composition which is produced by combining a specific bromine-based flame retardant with a polyolefin has conventionally been known as a protective member of electric wires in an automobile. Although this flame retardant corrugate tube has fire retardancy, in general, its tolerable maximum temperature for continuous use is around 80 to 90 degrees C. because a polyolefin is used. Higher heat resistance is required for the wire protective member.
In recent years, demand for EV (Electric Vehicle) and HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and like has been increasing. For these kinds of vehicles, high voltage wires can be routed under the floor. The high voltage wire transmits large current and generates high heat, so it requires heat resistance. In case the heat resistance is required, a corrugate tube using a polyamide 6 (PA6) instead of a polyolefin is usually used. (see Patent Literature 2)

Composition for wire protective member, wire protective member, and wiring harness


An image pickup apparatus includes: a face detection section configured to detect a face area from an image obtained by the image pickup apparatus; and a control section configured to detect at least any one of the amount of change in size of the face area detected by the face detection section and a movement speed of the face area, determine whether there is a possibility of occurrence of subject shake blur, which is blur occurring in a captured image due to the movement of a subject, on the basis of information on the detected amount of change in size of the face area or the detected movement speed of the face area, and output a warning when it is determined that there is a possibility of occurrence of subject shake blur.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image pickup apparatuses, control methods therefor, and computer programs, and, more particularly, to an image pickup apparatus capable of detecting blur caused by the movement of a subject and preventing a blurred image from being captured, a control method therefor, and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image pickup apparatuses such as digital cameras sometimes provide blurred photographs. Currently, various functions of preventing blurred photographs from being captured are implemented in cameras. For example, there is a function of displaying a "blur warning icon" on the display of a camera when an image capturing mode in which image capturing is performed at a shutter speed slower than a predetermined speed is set. This function is used to notify a user (photographer) that there is a possibility that blur caused by a camera shake will occur at a slow shutter speed.
Furthermore, some cameras include a gyro sensor, and have a function of causing the gyro sensor to detect the movement of a camera body held by a user (photographer) and displaying a "blur warning icon" on the display of the camera on the basis of the detection result. Thus, many techniques for detecting blur caused by the movement of a camera body and outputting a warning on the basis of the detection result have already been developed and are now being used.
However, there are two main factors responsible for the occurrence of blur in a photograph captured by a camera, that is, the above-described camera shake caused by the movement of a camera and subject shake. The camera shake occurs due to the movement of a camera body during exposure. The subject shake occurs due to the movement of a subject during exposure. Many techniques for detecting the camera shake that occurs due to the movement of a camera body and outputting a warning on the basis of the detection result have already been proposed.
On the other hand, a technique for detecting the subject shake that occurs due to the movement of a subject and outputting a warning for a user (photographer) on the basis of the detection result has not been disclosed. As a similar technique, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-323621 discloses a technique for detecting whether a person set as a subject goes out of an image capturing field and outputting a warning on the basis of the detection result. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-20196 discloses a technique for analyzing captured images, extracting an image in which face images are overlapped or a face image is cut, and deleting the extracted image as an error photograph.
However, the above-described known techniques do not detect subject movement and warn a user of the occurrence of blur on the basis of the detection result.

Image pickup apparatus, control method therefor, and computer program for detecting image blur according to movement speed and change in size of face area


Methods and apparatuses are disclosed with regard to a tool for actuating chain-operated assemblies. One embodiment includes a tool including an elongated member having a top, a bottom, and a length greater than a width. Further, the tool includes a first set of equidistantly spaced hooks in a linear arrangement along the length, wherein the first set is located closer to the top than the bottom. When one or more hooks engage the chain of the chainwheel, a further feature enables the tool to lock down on those engaged chains, and, thereby, provide safer pulling and pushing to open and close the chain-operated assembly. Further still, the tool includes at least one handle in an offset, parallel position relative to the first set, wherein the at least one handle may be located closer to the bottom than the top.

Chain-operated assemblies, such as a chain valve assembly, are sometimes placed in locations that are not easily accessed for employee-safety purposes. For example, avoiding accidental openings of a valve that is located a ground level in a chemical plant, which delivers a source of hydrogen cyanide gas, an extreme poison, may be desirable. Accordingly, the chemical plant may decide to provide access to the hydrogen cyanide gas through a chain valve assembly that is less prone to accidental openings. The associated chain may wrap, at least partially, around a wheel or other component of the chain-operated valve. Upon application of a force, such as on a slack portion of the associated chain, the chain-operated assembly may actuate through pulling or pushing a chain, i.e., opening or closing, respectively. To further enhance employee-safety purpose, a security device holds the hooked chain links. Another security mechanism is for the company to elevate the chain-operated valve or other chain-operated assembly in order to prevent accidental leaks. In order to avoid dangerous climbing or maneuvering, it is desirable to provide tools and methods in order to actuate chain-operated assemblies, especially in difficult to access locations, e.g., elevated locations.


The present invention relates to a method of treating a tissue defect in a human or animal body comprising the steps of implanting into said body an unseeded scaffold; allowing or effecting a wound healing response at the site of said defect; allowing said scaffold to be vascularized until a substantially sufficient fluid flow through said scaffold is assured for the transport of nutrients and/or waste products, and seeding said vascularised scaffold with a suitable population of tissue-regenerating cells.

The need for replacement tissues and/or organs for the human body, in combination with the shortage of donors has been a strong incentive for the development and production of tissue engineered implants that can take over the function of missing or injured body parts. An advantage of these "engineered" replacement tissues and organs is that they may circumvent many of the hazards and problems associated with donor tissues and organs, and at lower cost. Today, tissue engineering (TE) applications cover virtually every human tissue, including skin, eyes, liver, pancreas, blood vessels, ligaments, cartilage, bone, muscle and parts of the nervous system.
The principle of TE is relatively simple and involves the isolation and culture of cells, and the seeding of the cultured cells onto a biological or artificial scaffold in vitro prior to transplantation of the seeded scaffold into the specific location of the body. The scaffold thereby serves as an attachment matrix and guides the cells during tissue formation or regeneration. The regeneration of the seeded cells into a tissue may take place prior, during or after the implantation. The cells that are used for regenerating a tissue should exhibit an inherent regenerative capacity. Stem cells, that have the ability to differentiate into a variety of different cell types, are now commonly used for this purpose. Stem cells are undifferentiated progenitor cells and may for instance be isolated from autologous sources (patient's bone marrow) and expanded in in vitro culture. Preferred progenitor cells are bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), that may form connective tissues such as bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, bone marrow stroma, mucous tissue, fat and muscle. These progenitor cells can be induced by specific bioactive molecules to mature into a required cell type. MSCs may for instance be induced to form osteoblasts by using dexamethasone. Once matured, the cells are then seeded onto the scaffold.
Prior to the implantation of the seeded scaffold in vivo, the seeded cells can be induced by yet other specific bioactive molecules such as growth factors, by ex-vivo gene transfer or by other physical factors to form the required neotissue in vitro. Alternatively, the scaffold comprising the growth factors may be combined with the cells in vivo. An example of the first TE procedure is that of tissue engineering of bone, wherein bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells are expanded, differentiated to bone-forming osteoblasts and subsequently seeded on a biodegradable scaffold. The scaffold is osteoconductive in that it provides a path for the growing bone tissue. The in vitro prepared and loaded scaffold is then implanted in a bone defect and while the seeded cells are induced to form new bone material, the scaffold itself is degraded. An example of the latter TE procedure is that of human articular cartilage repair using the patient's own autologous chondrocytes retrieved at arthroscopy. The chondrocytes are expanded in vitro before being reimplanted into full-thickness articular cartilage defects covered with a sutured and fibrin-glued periosteal patch. Of course, tissues or organs may also be produced completely in vitro and transplanted as ready replacement materials.
Though simple in conception, these procedures can be quite complex in practice. While TE of skin is relatively straightforward due to the 2-D arrangement of cells, the formation of more complex solid structures such as bone and even complete organs is far more demanding, even under controlled in vitro conditions. Bone formation itself preferably occurs in situ since proper bone formation requires that bone is formed in the direction of the functional pressures and is highest in density at high-pressure sites. The compact and spongy material of natural bone is composed such that maximum strength is produced with a minimum of material and, in form and structure, must be formed such that the maximum compressive stresses normally produced by the body weight are resisted in the most economical manner. Moreover, natural formation of bone is the result of the combined action of bone-forming osteoblasts and bone degrading osteoclasts, and the flow of interstitial fluids is believed to play an important role in the activation of the various processes (Hillsley and Frangos, 1994). As a result, functional bone formation cannot properly occur in vitro.
An important problem with in vitro produced TE implants (grafts) is that once the grafts are transplanted in vivo the nutrient supply to the cells is discontinued. Tissues of any size need a blood supply to bring in nutrients and carry out dissimilation products. During the first 6-8 days post transplantation, the vascularization of the implant is the principal factor that limits the viability of the cells. This problem can only partially be addressed by using matrices that house growth factors to stimulate blood vessel ingrowth from the surrounding tissue. Substituting these growth factors with blood-vessel progenitor cells that sprout vessels from within the body of the matrix is one way of enhancing the rate of vascularization. Internally derived vessels then only need to link with surrounding vessels to establish a flow-through circulation. However, because such processes are slow, many of the cells in the implant will have died by then and tissue ingrowth (i.e. ingrowth into the scaffold as to form the 3-D tissue) will be severely hampered.
The possibility of limited tissue ingrowth in tissue-engineered constructs due to insufficient nutrient transport is an important concern in tissue regeneration. Research into the flow velocity around and through scaffolds, as performed with specialized high-aspect-ratio vessel rotating bioreactors and complex three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for culturing osteoblast cells (Yu et al., 2004), has revealed that the 3D dynamic flow environment affects bone cell distribution, cell phenotypic expression and mineralized matrix synthesis within tissue-engineered constructs. Such studies are important for the design and optimization of 3D scaffolds suitable in bioreactors for in vitro tissue engineering of bone and stress the need for a proper flow of fluids through the engineered tissue.
Another important problem associated with tissue regeneration in TE is associated with biodegradable scaffolds. Although not exclusively, TE techniques generally involve the use of a temporary biodegradable scaffold that serves as 3D template for initial cell attachment and subsequent tissue formation. The ability of the scaffold to be metabolized by the body allows it to be gradually replaced by new cells to form functional tissues. However, these biodegradable scaffolds also have their downside. Without proper removal of degradation products, accumulation of waste products may impede the growth of the tissue-regenerating cells. This problem can only partially be solved by the use of scaffolds with a slow degradation rate and often requires the use of non-degradable permanent scaffolds.
Thus, in general, cell growth on biodegradable scaffolds requires high levels of mass transfer. Proper growth requires the transfer of sufficient amounts of nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and degraded scaffold mass must be removed. Production of tissue replacements outside the body (ex vivo) is already difficult since conventional bioreactor devices with impeller mixers are often not effective for providing mixing and mass transfer. This challenge arises due to the lack of rapid vascularization (angiogenesis) of large three-dimensional (3-D) scaffold constructs.


An imaging apparatus and an imaging method supply an optimum amount of image data to another apparatus. When a PDA has a maximum transfer rate of 1.5 Mbps, a mobile phone determines that the maximum speed of communication with the PDA is low, reduces the amount of moving image data captured by a CCD of the mobile phone accordingly, and supplies the captured moving image data to the PDA. The PDA therefore displays a low-quality moving image on its display unit. When the PDA has a maximum transfer rate of 480 Mbps, the CPU of the mobile phone leaves unchanged the amount of moving picture data captured by the CCD and supplies the captured moving image data to the PDA. The PDA then displays a high-quality moving image on its display unit. The foregoing may be advantageously applied to digital cameras.

The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method. More specifically, the invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method for supplying an optimum amount of image data to another apparatus.
The popularization in recent years of imaging apparatus, such as digital video cameras, has entailed significant improvements in the resolution of camera equipment, such as the incorporation of a CCD (charge-coupled device) in each apparatus. There also is a recent trend toward a growing number of feature-rich models of imaging apparatus represented by digital video cameras furnished with a communication function and mobile phones with an imaging function.
Typically, a digital video camera equipped with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) communication function is capable of obtaining moving image data about a given object and supplying the moving image data thus acquired in real time to another apparatus, such as a personal computer, via a USB cable.
The higher the camera resolution, the greater the amount of moving image data obtained by imaging the object.
Where a data-receiving destination apparatus has a low processing capability or where network congestion between the sending and the receiving apparatuses are lowering transfer rates, the growing data quantity can lead to overflows of communication processes or missing frames in reproduced moving images.
A proposed solution to these problems involves causing the data-sending digital video camera to reduce beforehand the amount of outgoing moving image data, such as by compressing the data, so that moving image data can be supplied normally to their destination at reduced transfer rates. This solution, however, unnecessarily degrades the quality of reproduced moving images in cases where high-speed communication is available.
Another proposed solution involves preparing two kinds of data, i.e., first data, and second data acquired by compressing the first data. When the transfer rate is high the first data is supplied, but the lower quality second data can be supplied if the transfer rate turns out to be low. (For example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-99393, pp. 4-12, furnished with FIG. 4.)
The second solution has its own disadvantages. Because the two categories of data (i.e., first image data, and second image data which correspond to the first in content and which have the smaller quantity) need to be provided in advance, an ever-growing storage area must be allocated to accommodate the data to be supplied. Another disadvantage is that the second solution is not fit for applications where moving image data about the object are to be supplied in real time.
A further disadvantage is that the compression rate of the prepared second image data may or may not be suitable for the ongoing status of communication.


An accessing apparatus removably installable into the cargo space of a rearwardly unloadable service vehicle includes front and rear frame assemblies of generally planar configuration disposed in parallel spaced apart vertical planes. Guide tracks extend between the upper and lower extremities of the frame assemblies for accommodating the wheels of storage components such as a container, side racks and an overhead rack. By virtue of their wheeled engagement of the tracks, the storage components can be easily moved in a lateral direction in and out of the rear of the cargo space.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns apparatus for manipulating items carried in the cargo area of automotive vehicles such as pickup trucks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many cargo vehicles such as pickups, vans, and the like are equipped with permanent or removable covers over the cargo area for protecting the cargo or for other utilitarian purposes. Since this type of covered vehicle only has a rear opening, it is difficult to reach articles located at the front of the cargo area. It is usually necessary to climb into the rear opening and work the articles rearward or to risk injury by leaning inward and picking up or pulling the articles rearward. The same applies in reverse, namely, when loading the vehicle.
Various devices have been disclosed for efficiently storing items in the cargo space of a pickup truck, and moving said items toward the rear of the truck for accessibility. Most typically, tool boxes are stored in the forward-most part of the cargo area, and are not easily accessible unless moved rearwardly toward the tailgate of the truck. Devices which facilitate controlled rearward displacement of storage containers within a truck cargo space are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,681,360; 4,752,095, and 5,121,959.
In the case of pickup trucks having a rigid cover disposed above the cargo area, the interior sidewalls and roof of the cover are capable of supportively storing items. However, as in the case of forwardly located storage boxes, it is difficult to access items stored within the covered region of the cargo space adjacent the walls and roof of the cover. Any apparatus for enhancing the storage and access of items within the covered cargo space of a pickup truck has to be an after-market item installable after the truck has been manufactured because it is a feature that is not of universal interest to all owners of pickup trucks.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for enhancing the accessibility of items stored within a covered cargo space of a rearwardly unloadable service vehicle such as a pickup truck or van.
It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus as in the foregoing object for forwardly and rearwardly displacing a storage compartment supported by the floor of the cargo space of a service vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature for forwardly and rearwardly displacing items stored adjacent the walls and roof of a covered cargo space of a service vehicle.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature which can be adjustably installed into the cargo space of a service vehicle.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide accessing apparatus of the aforesaid nature of durable, simple construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

Accessing apparatus for a pickup truck having a covered cargo space


There is provided a search technique capable of outputting a proper number of accurate search results within a short time in searching a plurality of databases for a document. To achieve this object, an information processing apparatus according to this invention has the following arrangement. That is, an information processing apparatus which searches a plurality of databases for a document includes a unit which searches for a document stored in an arbitrary database among the plurality of databases, a unit which records access information to documents stored in the plurality of databases, a unit which extracts a document close in access order to the searched document by using the access information and calculates a related level to the searched document on the basis of the access order, and a unit which can outputs as search results the searched document and the document whose related level is calculated.

In the offices of companies and public agencies, networking and digitization of the office environment are progressing. Now, various documents are stored as electronic documents using software such as wordprocessor software, spreadsheet software, or presentation software. Also, paper documents are converted into electronic documents by a device such as a scanner, and the electronic documents are stored.
Hence, many electronic documents must be stored in the office, and many offices introduce a document management system to realize efficient management of electronic documents (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-315210).
However, the number of documents processed in one database is limited, and when the number of registered documents increases, the database is divided into a plurality of databases to manage documents. Since the search of many documents decreases search efficiency (requires a long search time), a distributed database environment must be prepared. As an initial operation policy of the document management system, a database may be divided for each department or each type of document. Thus, it should be taken into consideration that a plurality of databases are searched for an electronic document in the document management system.
As the document management system which searches a plurality of distributed databases, there is proposed a system shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, reference numerals 301 to 303 denote document management servers; and 305, a client. The document management servers 301 to 303 and the client 305 are connected to each other via a network 304. In FIG. 3, the document management system and the database are in one-to-one correspondence for descriptive convenience, and no volume server is illustrated.
In the document management system, when the client 305 issues a search instruction, each document management server searches a database connected to it, and the client 305 presents, to the user, a set of search results from the document management servers as final search results. However, search of a plurality of databases by using this search method poses the following problems.
When the document management system is so designed as to sequentially search the databases of respective document management servers, the time taken for the search process increases depending on the number of databases to be searched. This problem can be avoided when document management servers 301, 302, and 303 are so designed as to parallel-search their databases. In this case, however, the process must wait for a search result from a database which requires the longest search time, and shortening of the process time is limited.
When different scoring criteria (scoring algorithms) are used for search between databases, no accurate ranking (final search results) can be obtained by simply concatenating final search results in accordance with their scores in displaying the final search results on the client 305. In addition, when the number of databases is large, the number of final search results also becomes large (for example, in an environment where 10 databases are connected, when 100 search results are received from each database, 1,000 final search results are displayed).
These problems occur when the conventional search method is used for searching a plurality of databases. That is, first, the process time becomes longer as the number of databases to be searched increases. Second, no accurate results can be obtained as final results. Finally, the number of final results increases as the number of databases to be searched increases.

Information processing apparatus, document search method, program, and storage medium


Embodiments are disclosed herein for providing an immersive reality experience to a patient during a medical procedure. In one example, a method includes determining a location of a stressful object in a medical environment that includes a patient undergoing a medical procedure. The method further includes, upon determining that the stressful object is in a field of view (FOV) of the patient, adjusting display content based on the location of the stressful object within the FOV and outputting the display content for display on an immersive device.

Some medical procedures, such as minimally-invasive procedures where a local anesthetic is administered to a patient, may be stressful to the patient. For example, the patient may become anxious upon seeing the needle via which the anesthesia will be delivered or via which the biopsy will be performed, which may result in a procedure taking longer than needed, being more painful for the patient, or otherwise decreasing patient satisfaction and/or compromising patient care. Further, while some patients may prefer to be unaware of when a potentially unpleasant portion of the procedure is occurring (e.g., injection with a needle), other patients may prefer to know when the potentially unpleasant portion of the procedure is occurring, thus making a one-size-fits all approach to mitigating stress in a medical procedure challenging.

Methods and systems for immersive reality in a medical environment


A method for compressing a digital input signal to provide a compressed signal in which spectral components are derived from the digital input signal and are divided into critical bands. The spectral components at lower frequencies are also divided into a block having a bandwidth corresponding to that of plural critical bands. Block floating processing is applied to the block to generate a floating coefficient. Finally, the spectral components in each critical band are quantized using an adaptively-allocated number of bits. Additionally, the word length indicating the number of bits allocated for quantizing the spectral components in each critical band is included in the compressed signal together with the floating coefficient for the block as the only floating coefficient for the critical bands in the block. This reduces the number of bits in the compressed signal. The spectral components in a higher-frequency critical band are divided into blocks having a bandwidth that is narrower than the bandwidth of the critical band. Block floating processing is applied to the blocks to generate a floating coefficient for each block. Finally, the spectral components in each block are quantized using an adaptively-allocated number of bits. The word length for each block is included in the compressed signal together with, instead of the floating coefficient for each block, the allowed noise level for the critical band.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for compressing a digital audio signal in which the amount of subinformation in the compressed signal is reduced.
2. Prior Art
For compressing a digital audio signal or sound signal, etc., known coding technologies based on bit allocation divide the digital audio or sound signal, etc. into signal components in plural blocks in the time domain or the frequency domain, and adaptively allocate a number of quantizing bits to each block. Among the coding technologies based on bit allocation there is, for example, sub-band coding (SBC), in which a digital audio signal in the time domain is divided into spectral components in plural frequency bands and the spectral components are then quantized. There is also adaptive transform coding (ATC) that orthogonally transforms a digital audio signal in the time domain into the frequency domain to divide the signal into spectral components in plural frequency bands. The spectral components in each frequency band are then adaptively quantized. There is also adaptive bit allocation (APC-AB) coding in which sub-band coding and adaptive predictive coding (APC) are combined to divide a digital audio signal in the time domain into spectral components in frequency bands. The spectral components in the frequency bands are then converted to spectral components in base bands, and a linear predictive analysis of plural orders is carried out to provide predictive coding.
As a further example, blocks obtained by dividing a digital audio signal in time are transformed into the frequency domain by an orthogonal transform, such as a fast Fourier transform (FFT) or a discrete cosine transform (DCT). The resulting spectral components are divided into plural bands, and the spectral components in each band are quantized by the adaptive bit allocation. The quantized spectral components are then included in the compressed signal.
An approach frequently employed in quantizing the bands of spectral components using adaptive bit allocation divides the spectral components into blocks and applies block floating processing to each block to further increase data compression. Because of this, and the configuration of the complementary expander, the compressed signal also includes subinformation comprising a floating coefficient for each block, and a word length corresponding to each floating coefficient and indicating the number of bits allocated for quantizing the spectral components in the block.
However, it is desirable to further increase the amount of signal compression provided by the above-mentioned compression scheme.

Method and apparatus for compressing a digital input signal with block floating applied to blocks corresponding to fractions of a critical band or to multiple critical bands


A method for removal of asbestos floor tile comprising the following steps: lowering the temperature of a selected tile section and the adhesive material between said tile(s) and the juxtaposed subflooring; maintaining the temperature reducing agent for a period of time sufficient to cause said adhesive material/layer to substantially lose its bonding properties; removing the de-bonded asbestos tile from the subflooring and disposing according to Governmental regulations.. A manually transportable housing dimensioned for receiving therewithin a quantity or block of dry ice. Said housing having a bottom section defining an opening for being aligned with a selected asbestos floor tile(s). Blower means mounted to said housing for directing an air stream over said dry ice and downwardly through said opening unto said tile(s).

It is often necessary to remove and replace asbestos floor tile with non-asbestos tile. Typically, the asbestos tile is manually removed by scraping and breaking sections of the tile with a knife and other blade devices, which can cause dangerous asbestos particles to become airborne. Simply forcing or breaking off the asbestos tile by mechanical means is laborious, relatively expensive, inefficient and hazardous to the workers and others within the general environment. In addition, the problem of containing/stacking, shipping and disposing of the hazardous scraps and pieces of waste material produced by the prior art methods is substantial. It is noted that such prior art methods produces numerous asbestos fiber surfaces about each broken-off piece of tile and, consequently, detectable airborne asbestos contamination of the air environment.
Since large quantities of scraps and pieces of tile are more difficult to containerize, transport, and store than uniform originally shaped tile sections, for example, flat square foot tiles, such prior art techniques and removal methods are relatively expensive and wasteful of our limited disposal sites for hazardous materials.

Process and apparatus for removal of asbestos floor tile

156
FSC 62
FSC 134
FSC 264
FSC 427
FSC 30
FSC 83
FSC 275
FSC 241


Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are disclosed. One example method includes forming a gate oxide and a gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate; performing a first ion implantation process for the formation of an LDD (lightly doped drain) region in the substrate; forming spacers on the sidewalls of the gate electrode; performing a second ion implantation process for the formation of a junction region in the substrate using the spacers as mask; forming a trench for device isolation by removing selectively the top portion of the substrate between the spacers; forming a sidewall oxide layer on the resulting substrate; forming a diffusion barrier on the sidewall oxide layer; depositing a gap filling insulation layer over the diffusion barrier; planarizing the gap filling insulating layer; and removing selectively some part of the gap filling insulation layer to form contact holes.

A conventional fabricating method of a transistor comprises forming shallow trench isolation (STI) structures and filling the STI structures. The method may also include performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, forming a gate electrode, and depositing an interlayer insulation layer.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,082 to Chen et al. discloses a method of forming metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors with a common shallow trench isolation and interlevel dielectric gap fill. The Chen et al. patent forms trenches and, then, forming gate electrodes. Here, spacers are formed in the trenches to fill easily the trenches.
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor device according to a convention fabricating method. STIs are formed in a semiconductor substrate 1 through an etching process and filled with oxide. A CMP process is performed to form trench-type device isolation layers 3. Next, a gate oxide layer 5 and a gate polysilicon layer 7 are formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 including the device isolation layers 3. An ion implantation process 9 for the formation of a lightly doped drain (LDD) is performed using the gate polysilicon layer 7 as a mask. A tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) //SiN/TEOS layer is formed over the resulting substrate 1. Spacers 11 are formed through an etching process for the TEOS/SiN/TEOS layer. Next, an ion implantation process 13 for the formation of junction region is performed using the spacers 11 as a mask. Finally, an insulating layer 15 is deposited over the resulting substrate 1 and etched to form metal contact holes 17.
However, such a conventional method includes a first planarization process after the deposition of a gap filling oxide layer in trenches and a second planarization process after the deposition of an interlayer insulation layer and, therefore complicates the fabricating process. In addition, a pad nitride layer and a pad oxide layer have to be necessarily formed in the conventional method. However, when a CMP process is applied to the substrate including the pad nitride layer and the pad oxide layer, a residual nitride layer may be generated and the pad oxide layer may be damaged. The residual nitride layer and the damage of pad oxide layer may deteriorate circuit performance and reduce a device yield as the pitch between metals is reduced more and more due to high-integration. Moreover, the conventional method increases manufacturing costs due to complex fabricating steps.