A method determines alignment of images in high dimensional feature space. The method comprises registering a source image of a reference modality to a target image of a second modality with an algorithm based upon a measure of information affinity present in both of the source and target image to create a registered image. Next, a plurality of feature vector are extracted from the registered image for each of the source and target images and attributes of the joint distribution of feature vector are captured using an entropic graph spanning the features. Edge lengths are between proximal feature vectors are extracted from the entropic graph and a similarity measure of one of an α-divergence estimate or an α-affinity estimate is constructed based upon these edge lengths to quantify whether the source and target image are sufficiently registered.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a method of determining alignment of images in high dimensional feature space, and more specifically, to determining alignment of a sequence of images of different modalities from various types of applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Registering images aligns a target image onto a source, or reference, image using various registration algorithms to enhance image correlation, remove geometric distortion, and to facilitate various image processing tasks, such as image analysis, segmentation, understanding, visualization, and rendering. Image registration methods select a sequence of intensity preserving transformations, or algorithms, to maximize an image similarity measure between the reference image and the target image. Image registration has wide applications in medical imaging, DNA sequencing, video motion analysis, satellite imagery, remote sensing, security and surveillance. The accuracy of the registration algorithm critically depends on two factors: the selection of a highly discriminating image feature space and the choice of similarity measure to match these image features. These factors are especially important when some of the intensity differences are due to the sensor itself, as arises in registration with different types of imaging sensors or registration of speckle-limited images.
Multi-sensor images typically have intensity maps that are unique to the sensors used to acquire them and a direct linear correlation between intensity maps may not exist. Several other matching functions have been suggested in D. Hill, P. Batchelor, M. Holden, and D. Hawkes, "Medical image registration," Phys. Med. Biol., vol. 26, pp. R1-R45, 2001; M. Jenkinson, P. Bannister, M. Brady, and S. Smith, "Improved methods for the registration and motion correction of brain images," Oxford University, Tech. Rep., 2002; and C. Penney, J. Weese, J. Little, D. Hill, and D. Hawkes, "A comparison of similarity measures for used in 2-D-3-D medical image registration," IEEE Trans. on Medical Imaging, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 586-595, 1998.
Some of the most widespread techniques are: histogram matching (J. Huang, S. Kumar, M. Mitra, and W. Zhu, "Spatial color indexing and applications," in Proc. of IEEE Int'l Conf. Computer Vision ICCV '98, pp. 602-608); texture matching (J. Ashley, R. Barber, M. Flickner, D. Lee, W. Niblack, and D. Petkovic, "Automatic and semiautomatic methods for image annotation and retrieval in qbic," in Proc. SPIE Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases III, pp. 24-35); intensity cross correlation (J. B. Maintz and M. Viergever, "A survey of medical image registration," Medical Image Analysis, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1-36, 1998); optical flow matching (M. Lef'ebure and L. Cohen, "Image registration, optical flow and local rigidity," J. Mathematical Imaging and Vision, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 131-147, 2001); kernel-based classification methods (N. Cristiani and J. Shaw-Taylor, Support Vector Machines and other kernel-based learning methods. Cambridge U. Press, 2000); and boosting classification methods (J. S. de Bonet and P. Viola, "Structure driven image database retrieval," in Advances in neural information processing, vol. 10, 1997; T. Kieu and P. Viola, "Boosting image retrieval," in IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, 2000).
In such cases, it is well known that the standard linear cross correlation is a poor similarity measure. Previously, the images have been aligned based upon a single dimension feature, such as gray scale pixel intensity, using simple correlation techniques. These methods produce adequate results for images that are of a single modality. However, if the images are from different modalities or have high dimensional features, the single dimension feature approach does not produce adequate results.
Previous sequence alignment methods that can be applied to high dimensional data have been based on simple correlation measures that can handle the high computational load. When the sequence of images consists of only a few objects one can apply sophisticated methods that compute the entire empirical distribution of low dimensional features extracted from the sequence. These methods have superior performance when the features are well selected as they can adapt to non-linearities, spurious differences, and artifacts within the sequence. Examples include histogram equalization methods and methods based on minimizing joint entropy or maximizing mutual information (MI). However, these feature-distribution methods are difficult to apply as the dimension feature becomes high. Thus, these sequence alignment methods have been limited to low dimensional feature spaces, such as coincidences between pixel intensity levels.
The multi-modality images may arise from alignment of gene sequences over several genomes, across-modality registration of time sequences of patient scans acquired during cancer therapy, or simultaneous tracking of several objects in a video sequence. The previous sequence alignment methods fail when the objects in the sequence are high dimensional and are not exact replicates of each other, e.g., due to the presence of non intensity-preserving deformations or spurious noise and artifacts. In particular, computationally simple linear cross correlation methods fail to capture non-linear similarities between objects.
Entropic methods use a matching criterion based on different similarity measures defined as relative entropies between the feature densities. Entropic methods have been shown to be virtually unbeatable for some medical imaging image registration applications as discussed in C. R. Meyer, J. L. Boes, B. Kim, P. H. Bland, K. R. Zasadny, P. V. Kison, K. F. Koral, K. A. Frey, and R. L. Wahl, "Demonstration of accuracy and clinical versatility of mutual information for automatic multimodality image fusion using affine and thin-plate spline warped geometric deformations," Medical Image Analysis, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 195-206, April 1997 and D. Hill, P. Batchelor, M. Holden, and D. Hawkes, "Medical image registration," Phys. Med. Biol., vol. 26, pp. R1-R45, 2001.
Several properties of entropic methods have contributed to their popularity for image registration: 1) because they are statistically based measures they easily accommodate combinations of texture based and edge based registration features; 2) relative entropies are easily defined that are invariant to invertible intensity transformations on the feature space; and 3) they are simple to compute and the number of local maxima can be controlled by suitably constraining the set of image transformations.
The difficulty in applying these entropic methods to a long sequence of images becomes almost insurmountable since the dimension of the feature space grows linearly in the length of the sequence. In order to apply these methods to long sequences, each pair of images has to be analyzed thereby increasing the likelihood of introducing computational errors. Further, such previous entropic methods have resulted in a computational bottleneck that is a major hurdle for information based sequence alignment algorithms.
These related art methods are characterized by one or more inadequacy. Specifically, limitations of the prior linear correlation methods do not extend to higher dimensional features and the prior entropic methods are equally unworkable with regard to higher dimensional features. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a method that overcomes these inadequacies.

Method of determining alignment of images in high dimensional feature space

The Regents of the University of Michigan


The present invention provides the cloning of intron-containing Amaranthus caudatus agglutinin (ACA) gene from Amaranthus caudatus and the coding region gene sequence encoding the ACA protein. The said gene sequence of the ACA gene coding region was ligated with highly efficient and stable microbial expression vectors to produce the ACA protein using microbe largely. High expression of the ACA gene can make the transgenic plants have antiaphid activity and improve the nutrition quality thereof. The ACA gene has potential application value in plant anti-insect gene engineering and quality improvement.

Amaranthus caudatus agglutinin (ACA) is a kind of phytoagglutinin (plant lectin) present in the seeds of Amaranthus caudatus having high nutritive value originated in South America continent [Vietmeyer, N. et al (1986), Science 232:1379–1384] and is mainly as a storage protein providing nutrition during the seed germination. ACA is abundantly synthesized in seeds during the formation of endosperm, but little in vegetative organs. The amino acid sequence of ACA protein has been reported in GenBank (Accession No. g2781234). Rahbe Y. et al carried out in vitro feeding pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) with different purified plant lectin proteins and the results showed that ACA gave the very high inhibition or toxic effect for tested aphids [Rahbe Y, Sauvion N, Febvay G et al 1995, Entomol Exp Appl, 76:143–155]. It is reported that this agglutinin plays an important role in specific recognition of tumor cells, histochemical identification and early diagnosis of tumors [Boland, C. et al, (1991), Cancer Res. 51:657–665]. As the function of plant agglutinins being further elucidated and potential application values thereof in medicine and biology being understood, it appears necessary to clone the ACA gene for studying and applying the agglutinin. Though the aphid-resistant activity of ACA has been revealed in the insect-resistant test in vitro as described, this activity has not been verified in transgenic plants expressing ACA gene. Moreover, ACA protein as a protein being rich in essential amino acid residues may play an important role in improving quality of crop. High level expression of ACA protein obtained in vitro conveniently could be a sufficient supply of this protein for identification of some tumor diseases.

Institute of Microbiology Chinese Academy of Sciences


A slicer is provided for use in conjunction with a manually manipulated knife for cutting slices off one end of a loaf of a food product, such as a loaf of bread, a loaf of meat, a loaf of cheese, etc. The slicer includes a U-shaped channel in which the food product loaf is contained with one end of the loaf being in engagement with an end wall. The channel is inclined to the horizontal to cause the loaf to self feed down into engagement with the end wall. A knife slot is provided in the channel to allow a slice having a pre-determined thickness to be provided. The entire end wall moves towards or away from the knife slot to adjust the thickness of the cut slice. A tool or implement is inserted into the channel to hold a bagel therein during slicing of the bagel.

It is estimated that more than two million breadmaking machines have now been purchased and that the number is growing fast. The reason for this popularity is largely that there is a widespread appetite for truly fresh bread, fresher than can be bought in stores. The yen for bread freshly out of the oven poses the problem that fresh, warm bread is not easily sliced into neat slices of any desired thickness and of equal thickness in all parts of the slice. This yen is what led to the development of the slicer herein described. This device enables one to serve precisely these two purposes, i.e. to slice bread as soon as it has cooled enough to handle and to slice bread and many other food products evenly of precisley the desired thickness.
Food products of various types are often provided in large chunks or loaves which are typically sliced into relatively thin slices. For example, "deli" type meat products are usually provided in elongated loaf type form, and slices are cut from the end of the loaf as required. The same is true of many cheeses. While bread loaves can be bought in either cut or uncut form, most bread purchased in grocery stores might be pre-sliced, or the purchaser could have the store or bakery slice the bread if so desired. However, if the bread is not sliced at the store or bakery, or if the bread is home baked, then the user must cut slices in order to use the bread.
While specialized slicers are used in commercial establishments for slicing meat or bread products, these slicers are relatively large, motorized products which are not generally suitable for home use. Many meat slicers include a rotatable, motorized cutting blade with the loaf of meat being held against the cutting blade and moved back and forth across the blade to cut sequentially slices of meat off the end of the loaf. Bread slicers often include a plurality of vertical, reciprocating saw blades spaced apart by the thickness of the desired slices, with the bread loaf being pushed through the saw blades to slice the entire loaf in one action. Again, these slicers are generally too expensive for home use.
In addition, cutting an entire loaf of bread all at once is disadvantageous if the bread is not consumed quickly, particularly for home baked bread lacking preservatives, since the bread tends to dry out rapidly. It would be better to cut off just individual slices as needed and leave the rest of the bread loaf intact.
Obviously, a loaf of bread could be cut simply by holding the loaf of bread in place with one hand and using the other hand to manipulate a knife to cut slices off the end of the loaf. However, this is not ideal for a number of reasons. Gripping the loaf tightly with the hand tends to crush the bread while it is being cut. In addition, it is difficult to cut slices having a consistent thickness, or to adjust easily the thickness of the sliced bread, simply using an unsupported knife. Finally, if the user is not careful, there is a possibility that the user might accidentally cut his or her fingers with the knife blade.
Various devices are known for use with a manual knife to help hold a loaf of bread when slicing the bread. Many of these devices comprise channel shaped boxes in which the loaf of bread is placed, with the side walls of the boxes having a plurality of knife slots spaced along the length thereof so that multiple slices can be cut one after another along the length of the loaf. Often, these slots are spaced at different distances from one another to allow the bread slices to have various thicknesses. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,072,450 to Hamblin, 1,131,333 to Coon and 4,964,323 to Fortney disclose devices of this type.
While these devices are more effective than simply using an unsupported knife to slice the bread, they have various disadvantages. For one thing, the knife slots in each side wall have to be precisely aligned with all the other slots in the other side wall to allow the knife blade to pass across the width of the box to slice the bread. The need for such an alignment, and the use in the first place of multiple slots spaced apart in an array of such slots, makes the construction of such a device relatively labor intensive, and accordingly more complex and expensive. In addition, to adjust the thickness of the bread slices, the end of the bread loaf has to be positioned appropriately adjacent to those knife slots having the right spacing from adjacent slots. This can be difficult and time consuming to do, thus making the device complex to use if slices having different thicknesses are required.
The Applicant has two prior patents, namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,383,384 and 5,566,602, which show a slicing device having a single set of knife slots at one end of a bread loaf supporting channel. The thickness of the slices are adjusted by slipping one or more thickness adjusting plates into the channel between the knife slots and an end wall. This device is less expensive to construct and much simpler to use than many of the prior art devices described above. However, the thickness adjusting plates have to be on hand in order to be used. If the thickness adjusting plates are lost or misplaced, the thickness of the slices cannot be adjusted.
U.S. Pat. No. 252,325 to Moore shows a bread cutter with an adjustable gage that can move towards or away from the knife slot to adjust the slice thickness. The cutter of Moore is not in the form of a U-shaped channel but has only one side wall, a bottom wall, and the aforementioned gage. In addition, the gage has a very small width such that the end of the bread loaf would mostly stick out to the side past the gage and not be in contact with the gage. Thus, it would be easy to cock or tilt the loaf relative to the gage resulting in slices with inconsistent thickness. Moreover, the knife is quite exposed to the user's fingers in the Moore device.


The transesterification of substituted lower alkyl hydroxyhydrocinnamates with a higher alcohol or a polyol is greatly facilitated by the use of a trace amount of a tin catalyst. In many cases, the amount of the catalyst is so small that it is unnecessary to remove it from the final product by distillation of said product.

The aliphatic esters and polyesters of substituted sterically hindered hydroxyhydrocinnamic acid are well-known as effective antioxidants for a wide variety of organic materials protecting them from oxidative and thermal degradation. Many of these esters have gained wide commercial acceptance as phenolic antioxidants.
Some transesterification catalysts which may be used to prepare the instant compounds include lithium amide, aluminum isopropylate and dibutyltin oxide. U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,444 (Orban) teaches a process for the preparation of sterically hindered hydroxyphenylcarboxylic acid esters by the transesterification of the corresponding methyl or ethyl ester with a higher aliphatic alcohol using an oxide or an organometallic compound of a metal of the fourth main group or subgroup of the periodic table as catalyst in an amount between 0.05 and 1.0 mol percent based on the methyl or ethyl ester. Higher dialkyltin oxides, particularly dibutyltin oxides, are taught as the preferred catalyst for this process.
However, if the amount of tin residue in the product is too high, ultimate product stability is compromised and efforts must be taken to remove such residues. If the amount of tin catalyst can be reduced well below that seen in the Orban process, such residue removal efforts may be unnecessary and process economies would be evident. That is the case in the instant process where the amount of tin catalyst required is so small that its removal from the final product by distillation of said product is often unnecessary.
The instant process differs from this Orban process by running the transesterification process at much lower concentrations of tin catalyst and also at lower temperature.

Process for the preparation of substituted hydroxyhydrocinnamate esters


A combined scintillation crystal includes: at least one scintillation crystal A module and a scintillation crystal B module. The scintillation crystal A module and the scintillation crystal B module are scintillation crystal modules with different performances. The scintillation crystal A module comprises at least one scintillation crystal A, and the scintillation crystal B module comprises at least one scintillation crystal B. The sensitivity of the scintillation crystal A is lower than the sensitivity of the scintillation crystal B, and the light output ability of the scintillation crystal A is higher than the light output ability of the scintillation crystal B. The scintillation crystal B module includes a ray incidence plane for receiving rays, and the at least one scintillation crystal module A is arranged at the outer side of the ray incidence plane of the scintillation crystal B module.

A scintillation detector is a radiation detector composed by a scintillation crystal and a photoelectric device, and it provides device support for nuclear physics research, radiation measurement and nuclear medicine imaging device research. A scintillation crystal firstly converts x/γ rays to visible photons, then a photoelectric device converts the visible photons to electric pulse signals, and finally a back end performs differential counting on the electric pulse signals based on an amplitude to obtain radiation information. A silicon photomultiplier (SiPM), as a new-type photoelectric device, has characteristics of small size, high gain, having no requirement for a high voltage and so on. Therefore, the SiPMs gradually replace traditional photo-multiplier tubes (PMT) to be used as the scintillation detector.
The existing scintillation detector is mostly composed by one single type of scintillation crystals. Based on the detector in this structure, the function of a nuclear measuring instrument like an x/γ radiation dosimeter can be realized. However, this type of scintillation detectors in the single scintillation crystal structure has a contradiction between the sensitivity and a linearity range of counting rate. A high-sensitivity detector will generate electric pulse signals of a high counting rate in an intense-radiation field, and will arouse the surface pile-up effect to give rise to information loss on one hand, and put forward high requirements for the performance of a back end signal processing module on the other hand, thereby greatly increasing difficulty of using and cost. A SiPM has a finite dynamic range due to constraints of snow slide recovery time and pixel number, and thus it is difficult for a SiPM to have linear response to wide-range light intensity.
Therefore, on account of the above technical problems, it is necessary to provide a new-type combined scintillation crystal structure, a SiPM-based combined scintillation detector structure with the combined scintillation crystal structure and a radiation detection device with the combined scintillation detector structure, to solve the problem of a contradiction between the sensitivity and a linearity of counting rate in the conventional technology.

Combined scintillation crystal, combined scintillation detector and radiation detection device


A method for determination of .sup.18 O/.sup.16 O and .sup.2 H/.sup.1 H ratios and .sup.3 H concentrations of xylem and subsurface waters using time series sampling, insulating sampling chambers, and combined .sup.18 O/.sup.16 O, .sup.2 H/.sup.1 H and .sup.3 H concentration data on transpired water. The method involves collecting water samples transpired from living plants and correcting the measured isotopic compositions of oxygen (.sup.18 O/.sup.16 O) and hydrogen (.sup.2 H/.sup.1 H and/or .sup.3 H concentrations) to account for evaporative isotopic fractionation in the leafy material of the plant.

1. Field of Invention
This invention concerns a method for determination of .sup.18 O/.sup.16 O and .sup.2 H/.sup.1 H ratios and .sup.3 H concentrations of xylem and subsurface waters using time series sampling, insulating sampling chambers, and combined .sup.18 O/.sup.16 O, .sup.2 H/.sup.1 H and .sup.3 H concentration data on transpired water. In particular, the method involves collecting water samples transpired from living plants and correcting the measured isotopic compositions of oxygen (.sup.18 O/.sup.16 O) and hydrogen (.sup.2 H/.sup.1 H and/or .sup.3 H concentrations) to account for evaporative isotopic fractionation in the leafy material of the plant.
2. Background Art and Related Art Disclosures
Traditional approaches to obtain samples of soil water or shallow groundwater for stable isotopic (.sup.18 O/.sup.16 O or .sup.2 H/.sup.1 H) or tritium (.sup.3 H) analyses have focused on intrusive sampling methods, including drilling wells, using hydropunches, digging trenches, or otherwise excavating the earth and obtaining water samples through pumping, using vacuum lysimeters, or removing the water from soils using physical methods such as compression, cryogenic trapping, or centrifugation, or chemical methods such as azeotropic distillation. Similarly, traditional approaches to obtain samples of plant xylem waters for isotopic characterization involve destructive sampling of woody plant material.
Many researchers have obtained water samples from various plant tissues for purposes of studying the isotopic compositions of the waters, as summarized in Stable Isotopes and Plant Carbon-Water Relations, 510 (1993), Academic Press.
Advances in Organic Geochemistry, 55-67 (1966), Pergamon Press, describes the use of plant xylem water to determine the stable isotopic compositions of hydrogen and oxygen in shallow environmental waters and shows that plant xylem water is not isotopically fractionated during root uptake or transport to the plant leaf as xylem water.
Isotopes and Radiation in Soil-Plant Nutrition Studies, IAEA:410-415 (1965) shows that bulk leaf water becomes enriched in the heavy isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen due to evaporative fractionation. Because the amount of heavy sotope enrichment in water extracted from the leafy tissues of plants depends on such factors as transpiration rate, humidity, wind velocity, plant species, and local soil conditions, it is difficult to accurately predict the degree of heavy isotope enrichment in the leafy material of a given plant.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to have available a method for determination of a degree of heavy isotope enrichment in the leafy material of plants.
Stable Isotopes in Plant Carbon-Water Relations: 529-540 (1993) presents theoretical aspects of stable isotope relationships in plant leaf tissue and demonstrates the difficulty in accurately modeling or predicting the stable isotopic compositions of leaf water due to compartmentalization, and perhaps to species-dominated and capacitance-related effects.
Stable Isotopes in Plant Carbon-Water Relations, Physical Ecology Series, Eds. Ehleringer et al., Academic Press, Inc., pages 71-90 (1993) discusses the theory and modeling of stable isotope relations in transpired water and shows that precise application of the existing models require stable isotopic analysis of plant stem water and atmospheric water vapor.
Transpired waters, collected and analyzed for the stable isotopic compositions of hydrogen and oxygen provided similar results. As described in Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 11:41-52 (1974), transpired waters were shown to be isotopically disturbed, with non-equilibrium enrichments in the heavy isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen due to evaporation during water residence in the plant leaf.
Because mass dependent fractionation of light isotopes depends only on the relative masses of the fractionating isotopes, .sup.3 H fractionation in the leafy materials of plants is expected to be 50% stronger than .sup.2 H fractionation under equilibrium conditions, and 33%-50% stronger than .sup.2 H fractionation under disequilibrium conditions, as reported in Tritium in the Physical and Biological Sciences, 1, IAEA Report No. ST1/PUB/39: 161 (1962).
Environmental Tritium in Trees, IAEA-WM-232/44: 405-418 (1979) showed that one can determine the distribution of .sup.3 H in shallow subsurface waters by conducting .sup.3 H activity measurements of plant xylem waters.
To accurately determine the stable isotopic compositions of hydrogen and oxygen and the tritium concentrations of soil waters and shallow groundwaters using analytical data for transpired waters, it is necessary to determine the amount of evaporative fractionation that has occurred during water residence in the plant leaf. However, a method to do so is currently not available. Until the current invention, therefore, lack of knowledge regarding the degree to which tritium concentrations are disturbed during evaporation has made it impossible to accurately estimate tritium concentrations in subsurface waters from transpired water data.
It would be, thus, highly desirable to provide a sampling approach, analytical strategy, and data interpretation technique that would allow the determination of the amount of hydrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation in transpired water samples, and to use this information to determine the amount of evaporative tritium fractionation in those same transpired waters. This would allow the quantitative determination of the stable isotopic compositions and tritium activities of waters being used by the plant, whether those waters are from the saturated zone (shallow groundwaters) or the unsaturated zone (shallow soil waters).
It is, therefore, the primary object of the current invention to provide a method of sampling transpired waters, an analytical approach, and a data interpretation technique that would allow quantification of stable isotopic compositions and tritium activities of plant xylem waters and isotopically equivalent soil waters and/or shallow groundwaters being used by the plant.

Method for determination of .sup.18 O/.sup.16 O and .sup.2 H/.sup.1 H ratios and .sup.3 H (tritium) concentrations of xylem waters and subsurface waters using time series sampling


A method for migrating an electronic circuit from a source technology to a target technology includes accepting a source circuit that operates in the source technology. The source circuit includes source components interconnected at nodes in accordance with a source topology. Source voltages at the nodes of the source circuit are determined, and the source voltages are transformed to produce respective target voltages suitable for the target technology. The source circuit is separated into sub-circuits, each sub-circuit including one or more of the source components. In each sub-circuit individually, the one or more of the source components are converted to one or more respective target components in the target technology responsively to the target voltages, so as to produce a respective migrated sub-circuit. The migrated sub-circuits are reconnected to produce a target circuit in the target technology, the target circuit having a target topology identical to the source topology.

As VLSI technology progresses, the characteristic feature size of VLSI devices continually decreases from one technology generation to the next. Smaller feature-size devices enable a designer to fit higher-complexity systems on chip (SoC) onto a smaller die area, to increase the operating frequency, as well as to reduce the operating voltages, power consumption and heat dissipation of the device. These advances in VLSI technology create a need for reusing circuit designs, proven and verified in one technology, in another technology. In some cases, migration of circuits from one technology to another is performed manually. Manual migration, however, is often a labor-intensive, tedious, slow and expensive process.
Several methods and systems are known in the art for automatic migration of digital circuitry from one technology to another. Typically, these methods use "optical scaling," in which the dimensions of components of the source circuit are geometrically scaled to fit the target technology feature size. Such automatic conversion methods are described, for example, by Dennard et al. in "Design of Ion-Implanted MOSFETs with Very Small Physical Dimensions," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, volume SC-9, October 1974, pages 256-268.
Optical scaling methods are often unsuitable for converting analog and mixed-signal (A&MS) circuits, such as clock generation circuitry, input/output (I/O) circuits, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters (ADC, DAC). Several methods are known in the art for converting A&MS designs. For example, Galup-Montoro, et al., describe a conversion procedure that follows a set of resizing rules in "Resizing Rules for MOS Analog-Design Reuse," IEEE Design and Test of Computers (19:2), March/April 2002, pages 50-58.
Hammouda et al. describe a method for automatic circuit resizing between different technologies in "A Fully Automated Approach for Analog Circuit Reuse," Proceedings of the Fourth IEEE International Workshop on System-on-Chip for Real-Time Applications, Banff, Canada, July 2004. The method studies the original design, extracts its major features (basic device and block features, device matching, parasitics and symmetry) and reproduces a resized design in the target technology having the same performance as the original design. A similar method is described by the same authors in "Analog IP Migration Using Design Knowledge Extraction," Proceedings of the 26th IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference, San Jose, Calif., September 2004, pages 333-336.
Some migration methods perform multivariate parameter optimization. For example, Funaba et al. describe an approach for technology scaling of metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) analog circuits in "A Fast and Accurate Method of Redesigning Analog Subcircuits for Technology Scaling," Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing (25:3), December 2000, pages 299-307. The authors describe a circuit optimization method based on matching equivalent circuit parameters between a previously designed circuit and the circuit undergoing redesign. Optimization methods are also used in a circuit sizing and optimization tool called Virtuoso® NeoCircuit, produced by Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (San Jose, Calif.). Additional details regarding this product can be found at www.cadence.com/products/custom_ic/neocircuit/index.aspx.

Automated migration of analog and mixed-signal VLSI design

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed herein is a fractional N-type PLL frequency synthesizer apparatus. A fractional N-type control circuit employed therein for varying N values for each reference cycle is constructed of a combination of a frequency divider (comprising D flip-flops) and a logic circuit (comprising an exclusive OR circuit, AND circuits and an OR circuit), taking the timing provided to output a carry signal into consideration in advance. Owing to such a construction, the fractional N-type PLL frequency synthesizer apparatus can be activated with low noise and can provide a short lockup time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control circuit suitable for a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) frequency synthesizer apparatus, and particularly to a control circuit for varying frequency-divided values (N values) every reference cycles, which is suitable for use in a fractional N (Fractional Number)-type PLL frequency synthesizer apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fractional N-type PLL frequency synthesizer apparatus features that since it can set a division ratio for fractional values or numbers, a reference frequency can be set to twice by a natural number as large as a frequency step desired to be changed and correspondingly the time constant of a loop filter can be reduced, thereby making it possible to provide high-speed lockup and low noise (high C/N). The fractional N-type PLL frequency synthesizer apparatus is provided with a control circuit (hereinafter called "fractional N-type control circuit") for changing N values every reference cycles.
A related art of the fractional N-type control circuit will be shown in FIG. 1. In the same drawing, 2-bit frequency-divided value (N value) data (A, B) are respectively supplied to terminals 1 and 2, a clear signal is supplied to a terminal 3 and a reference clock having a frequency of 1.2 MHz, for example, is supplied to a terminal 4. The terminals 1 and 2 are respectively electrically connected to one addition input (A2) terminals of adders 5 and 6. A carry output (CO) terminal of the adder 5 is electrically connected to a carry input (CI) terminal of the adder 6. A carry output (CO) terminal of the adder 6 is electrically connected to a carry output terminal 7.
An addition output (S) terminal of the adder 5 is electrically connected to a data (D) input terminal of a D flip-flop 8. A Q output terminal of the D flip-flop 8 is electrically connected to the other addition input (A1) terminal of the adder 5. An addition output (S) terminal of the adder 6 is electrically connected to a data (D) input terminal of a D flip-flop 9. A Q output terminal of the D flip-flop 9 is electrically connected to the other addition input (A1) terminal of the adder 6. Respective clear (CL) input terminals of the D flip-flops 8 and 9 are electrically connected to the terminal 3 and clock (CK) input terminals thereof are electrically connected to the terminal 4.
In the fractional N-type control circuit constructed as described above, a carry signal is supplied to a PLL swallow counter (not shown) as an N+1 signal through the carry output terminal 7. When the 2-bit frequency-divided value data (A, B) are respectively (0, 0), (1,0), (0, 1) and (1, 1), for example, their frequency-divided values are respectively set to 0, 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4. When the frequency-divided value is 1/4, N+1 is supplied or given once every four reference cycles. When the frequency-divided value is 2/4, N+1 is given twice every four reference cycles. When the frequency-divided value is 3/4, N+1 is given three times every four reference cycles.
The operation of the fractional N-type control circuit at the time that the frequency-divided value is 1/4, will now be explained as an example by the following example in which a channel interval is 300 kHz. If a one channel shift occurs when a given channel is defined as N (kHz), then the channel interval becomes N+300 (kHz). If a reference frequency is set to 300 (kHz) at this time, then a PLL can be easily constructed. Since, however, the reference cycle is long, time is required until the PLL is locked. Thus, if the reference frequency is set to 1.2 MHz corresponding to four times the frequency of 300 kHz, for example, then the reference cycle is brought to 1/4. Therefore, the PLL is locked fast as compared with when the reference frequency is 300 (kHz).
As described above, the PLL using 1.2 MHz is locked once per four reference cycles with a frequency large by one reference frequency. Namely, the count of the swallow counter is incremented by 1 once per four reference cycles. In doing so, the PLL is brought to (N+N+N+N+1.2 MHz)/4=N+300 kHz on the average. Thus, the fractional N-type is intended to construct the PLL in which a quick-response frequency is defined as the reference frequency and lock the PLL to a desired frequency by incrementing the count of the swallow counter by 1 n times per m reference cycles.
Since, however, the related art fractional N-type control circuit uses the adders 5 and 6 and has a fedback circuit configuration, the low noise (high C/N) and high-speed lockup characteristics of the fractional N-type PLL frequency synthesizer apparatus are impaired and a relatively high frequency is supplied to the entire circuit for the sake of feedback control. As a result, a problem arises that the current to be used up by the entire PLL unit increases.


An improved process for separation of liquid mixtures involves vapor stripping followed by mechanical compression of the vapor which is then exposed to a permeation membrane for separation of the compressed vapor. The apparatus for separating a liquid mixture of two or more solvents comprises components a stripping column, at least one over-head compressor and, thereafter, at least one selectively permeable membrane wherein the membrane separates the components of the vapor based on the different sorption and diffusion characteristics.

This invention relates to the field of separation of liquids using stripping means. The process of the invention involves vapor stripping followed by mechanical compression of the vapor which is then exposed to a permeation membrane for separation of the compressed vapor.
Distillation is the most common separation unit operation for miscible liquid mixtures in the chemical industry, including facilities producing ethanol. Although distillation has proven to be a robust and efficient method for removing and concentrating ethanol (EtOH) from fermentation broths, the energy efficiency of distillation declines dramatically below an ethanol concentration of 5 wt %. Processes proposed for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass and waste materials to ethanol may deliver ethanol concentrations less than 5 wt %. As a result, processes which recover ethanol from water more efficiently than distillation at low concentrations will make lignocellulosic ethanol more economically viable. Further, standard distillation is only able to reach the ethanol-water azeotrope—about 5 wt % water. To reach fuel-grade water levels (<1.3 wt % water), distillation is typically followed by molecular sieve dryers. A process which could efficiently produce fuel grade ethanol from dilute ethanol would be of great interest. Such a process would also be useful for recovering ethanol from dilute process or waste streams not currently attractive due to the inefficiency of distillation, particularly in smaller installations in which the economies of scale do not favor distillation. Such a technology would also be useful for the separation of other organic solvents from water and separation of organic solvent mixtures.
Gas stripping, shown schematically in FIG. 1a (prior art), has been proposed as a method for recovering volatile products from fermentation broth. The ability of an inert gas to remove these products under mild temperature and pressure conditions is attractive. Unfortunately, the inert gas dilutes the volatile product, making recovery of the product by condensation more energy intensive. When the inert gas is replaced by only water vapor, as depicted in FIG. 1b (prior art), the process is called steam stripping. Although steam stripping is usually associated with high temperatures, operating the stripping column at reduced pressures enables operation at lower temperatures.
Both gas and steam stripping offer high degrees of separation when the vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) provides a strong concentrating effect or if the overhead condensate separates into two phases due to solubility limits of the components. However, in situations where the components are fully miscible and the VLE behavior is not highly favorable, stripping and overall separation efficiencies decrease. Such is the case for the separation of lower alcohols, such as ethanol, methanol, and propanol(s), from water. Due to the low partial pressure of the lower alcohols in a vapor phase in equilibrium with an alcohol-water solution (i.e. low activity), the volume of gas or steam required to strip a given mass of the alcohol is higher than for more volatile/less soluble compounds. In addition, lower alcohols are fully miscible with water in the overhead condensate. Finally, several of the lower alcohols form azeotropes with water, complicating the separation of the components in a VLE-based system.
Alternative technologies must be compared to the benchmark technology for the recovery of alcohols from water—distillation. According to Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary (14th Ed.), "distillation" is defined as: "A separation process in which a liquid is converted to vapor and the vapor then condensed to a liquid. The latter is referred to as the distillate, while the liquid material being vaporized is the charge or distilland. Distillation is thus a combination of evaporation, or vaporization, and condensation." Hawley's further defines "continuous distillation" as: "Distillation in which a feed, usually of nearly constant composition, is supplied continuously to a fractionating column, and the product is continuously withdrawn at the top, the bottom, and sometimes at the intermediate points." According to Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook (7th Ed.) the fractionating column in distillation can be considered as being composed of two sections: "If the feed is introduced at one point along the column shell, the column is divided into an upper section, which is often called the rectifying section, and a lower section, which is often referred to as the stripping section." The stripping vapor for the stripping section is generated in a reboiler which may be indirectly heated with steam or with a combusted fuel. Alternatively, a vapor, such as steam, may be directly introduced to the column to generate the stripping vapor.
The stripping section of the column acts to remove the more volatile compounds from the falling liquid so that the liquid exiting the bottom of the column (the "bottoms" stream) is depleted in those compounds which preferentially partition into the vapor phase. The rectifying section acts to deplete the rising vapor of the less volatile species, thereby enriching the rising vapor in the more volatile compounds. Thus, in distillation columns a portion of the rising vapor at the top of the column is condensed and returned to the column to cause rectification/enriching of the more volatile species. The returned condensate is called "reflux". At the bottom of the distillation column, a portion of the falling liquid is evaporated in the "reboiler" to create rising vapor. The reflux rate and the reboil rate are controlled to yield the desired operating conditions and compositions of the overhead and bottom product streams. The term "reflux ratio" is defined either as the ratio of liquid flow to vapor flow within the column (internal reflux ratio) or as the ratio of distillate returned to the column to the distillate withdrawn as product (external reflux ratio).
In conventional distillation columns, heat is added in the reboiler and removed in the overhead condenser. Although it acts to improve the separation performance of most distillation columns, return of reflux condensate to the column increases the heat required in the reboiler. In energy terms, the reboiler and overhead condenser are antagonistic. Thus, the reboiler heat required to perform a separation using a distillation column is greater than that required to simply strip the volatile species from the liquid.
The energy used to recover a unit mass of alcohol by distillation is a direct function of the feed concentration and reflux rate required to meet the desired product purity. As the concentration of alcohol decreases in the feed stream, the reflux rate increases and the amount of energy required to recover a unit mass of alcohol increases dramatically. This is shown graphically in FIG. 2 (Prior art) for the ethanol-water system as a gray area which represents a range of data provided in the literature for distillation processes. Also shown in FIG. 2 (prior art), as a horizontal line, is the heat of combustion of ethanol, about 30 MJ/kg. As indicated in the figure, the energy required to recover ethanol by distillation is low relative to the heat of combustion when the feed concentration is greater than 3 wt % ethanol. However, below 3 wt %, the energy of distillation rises rapidly and will exceed the heat of combustion when the feed concentration drops below 1 wt %. For this reason, the recovery of ethanol from streams containing less than 3 wt % is not very attractive from an energy standpoint.
In standard corn-to-ethanol production facilities, three separation columns (two stripping columns, one rectification column) combined with a molecular sieve dehydration system are used to recover ethanol from the fermentation broth and dry it to meet fuel specifications. Separate stripping and rectification columns are used instead of a single distillation column to improve heat integration, utilizing lower grade steam sources from within the recovery stage and from other unit operations in the facility. However, heat integration of this kind is more complicated to design/operate and requires additional equipment, thus increasing the capital cost. Such complexity is acceptable for larger scale operations, but becomes less so when the operation is scaled down and the relative cost increases. The beer still column, rectifier column, and side stripper column contain 22, 30, and 16 trays, respectively. Kwiatkowski et al. (J. R. Kwiatkowski, A. J. McAloon, F. Taylor, and D. B. Johnston, Modeling the process and costs of fuel ethanol production by the corn dry-grind process, Industrial Crops and Products, 23 (May 2006) 288-96) modeled the distillation system columns in a corn-to-ethanol facility with 34, 28, and 27 stages, respectively. Steam usage in those three columns treating 10.8 wt % ethanol broth totaled 25,146 kg/hr for an energy usage of 4.7 MJ/kg-ethanol (assuming 80% efficient boilers and an energy value of 2.26 MJ/kg-steam).
Prior art involving hybrid distillation-vapor permeation systems for alcohol-water separations rely upon rectification with condensed overhead vapor reflux liquid. The vapor feed to the vapor permeation system is either re-evaporated condensate or uncondensed overhead vapor. In all cases, however, a reflux condenser is an integral component of the system. Similarly, in hybrid distillation-pervaporation systems, the feed to the pervaporation system is condensed overhead vapor. Hybrid processes combining gas stripping with vapor permeation taught in prior art use non-condensable gases to remove volatile compounds from a liquid mixture. Other related prior art uses membranes to recover and recycle water vapor for the purpose of stripping non-condensable gases dissolved in liquids.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/546,686 Ikeda (pub. no. US 2006/0070867 A1) "Method for concentrating water-soluble organic material". Ikeda '686 teaches a method for concentrating water-soluble organic material combining distillation with vapor permeation and includes heat recovery from either or both the permeated and non-permeated vapor either directly or indirectly in reboiler. Ikeda '686 teaches the use of a distillation column with complete condensation of the overhead vapor and a return of a portion of that condensed overhead as reflux to the rectification section of the column. No overhead compressor is taught therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,430 by Nakagawa et al. "Method for dehydration and concentration of aqueous solution containing organic compound". Nakagawa '430 teaches a combination of an "evaporation vessel", in which heat is provided but no reflux is involved, with a water-selective vapor permeation membrane system. The process of Nakagawa '430 relies upon the temperature of the evaporation vessel with an optional "adjusting valve" to set the feed pressure to the vapor permeation system. Thus, the membrane feed pressure for Nakagawa '430 is coupled to the evaporation temperature. No overhead compressor is included. The process of Nakagawa adds heat to the vapor prior to the membrane system and requires cooling to produce condensed permeate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,273,572 Baker (1993) "Process for removing an organic compound from water". Baker '572 teaches the separation of organic compounds from water by gas stripping with organic compound removal from the gas using organic-selective membranes. Stripping gas may be recycled. Stripping gas may be water vapor i.e. "steam", but the steam is at least partially condensed before the stream, contacts the membrane unit. Overhead from stripper may be compressed. Stripper may operate at reduced pressure. However, the invention of Baker does not produce dry solvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,694 by Coiling et al., "Purification of fluid compounds utilizing a distillation-membrane separation process". Colling '694 teaches the combination of a distillation column, requiring reflux liquid for rectification with vapor permeation system for hydrocarbon purification. Coiling '694 teaches the use of a compressor on the vapor overhead from the column to raise the pressure of the vapor feed to the vapor permeation membrane and to enable recovery of latent heat from the overhead vapor by condensation of a portion of that overhead in the reboiler heat exchanger.
Sommer and Melin (2004) (S. Sommer and T. Melin, Design and optimization of hybrid separation processes for the dehydration of 2-propanol and other organics, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 43 (2004) 5248-59) discusses distillation-vapor permeation and distillation-pervaporation hybrids, all have reflux ("a pervaporation unit should be operated in such a way that the amount being separated by the membrane is as small as possible and withdrawn [from the distillation column] on the highest concentration level"). This article teaches against the presently disclosed invention.
Material published by Vaperma Inc. of St-Romuald, Quebec, Canada on their website www.vaperma.com shows a flow diagram of a process for producing ethanol in which overhead from a beer still is treated by membrane separation. No compression of the overhead stream from the still is shown, and the condensed permeate stream is returned to the fermentor, not the beer still. A presentation by Pierre Côté et al. at the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop in St. Louis, Mo. on Jun. 23, 2007, entitled Field Demonstration of the Sifiek™ Membrane for Ethanol Dewatering, and available subsequently on www.vaperma.com, shows a two-step membrane separation unit treating an ethanol/water mixture to create a dry ethanol product. The membrane separation steps operate under a driving force provided by a partial vacuum on the permeate side of the membranes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,571 by Matson, "Energy-efficient process for the stripping of gases from liquids". Matson '571 teaches an energy-efficient process for the removal of a noncondensable or high vapor pressure gas (such as carbon dioxide or ammonia) from a liquid, such as water, which combines a stripping process with vapor permeation membrane system. The gas is separated from the vapor leaving the stripper by the membrane unit, enabling recovery of latent heat by return of the condensable vapor directly to the stripping column or by condensation in a reboiler heat exchanger. Matson '571 teaches the desorption of dissolved gases, either from water or organic solvents. It does not teach separation of water-organic solvent mixtures. In all of the claims in Matson '571, the membrane is "substantially permeable" to the condensable vapor while "substantially impermeable" to the noncondensable gas. The process of Matson '571 would not be appropriate for the separations to be performed with the present invention because both the permeate and retentate streams of the present invention contain condensable vapors while only one of the streams in Matson '571 is condensable. Matson '571 teaches that the gas-free permeate vapor is much more economically compressed from an energy standpoint than is the overhead from stripping column stating that "this method [compressing the entire overhead mixture] is impractical because of the large energy requirement associated with compressing the stripped gas present with the vapor". Thus, Matson '571 creates the membrane mass transfer driving force using a vacuum compressor only on the permeate stream which also enables recovery of the latent heat from the condensable permeate. In Matson '571, the membrane feed pressure is dictated by the temperature of the stripping column. The maximum pressure difference across the membrane is determined by the stripper pressure. Thus, the minimum membrane area according to the invention of Matson '571 can only be reduced by increasing the temperature of the stripper.

Liquid separation by membrane assisted vapor stripping process

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency


A process for working up a liquid reaction discharge of the cationic polymerization of isobutene, which substantially comprises polyisobutene, unconverted isobutene and, if required, an inert diluent, is described. Problems with foam formation when the unconverted isobutene is being distilled off are avoided if the heated reaction discharge is let down into a flash container and/or not more than 900 m3/h of vapor are expelled per square meter of liquid surface and/or the resulting foam is destroyed, for example in a wet cyclone.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for working up a liquid reaction discharge of the cationic polymerization of isobutene, which substantially comprises polyisobutene, unconverted isobutene and, if desired, an inert diluent.
2. Description of the Background
High molecular weight polyisobutenes having molecular weights up to several 100,000 Dalton have long been known and their preparation is described, for example, in H. Güterbock: Polyisobutylen und Mischpolymerisate, pages 77-104, Springer, Berlin 1959. The highly reactive polyisobutenes which have a high content of terminal vinylidene groups, preferably substantially more than 60 mol %, must be distinguished from these conventional polyisobutenes. Highly reactive polyisobutenes are desirable intermediates for the preparation of additives for lubricants and fuels.
Such highly reactive polyisobutenes are obtainable, for example, by the process of EP 0 628 575, by cationic polymerization of isobutene in the liquid phase with the aid of boron trifluoride and a secondary alcohol at from 0 to −60° C.
The prior patent applications DE 199 48 947.5, DE 199 52 031.3, DE 199 52 030.5, DE 100 28 585.6 and DE 100 35 298.7 relate to improved or advantageous embodiments of such a process.
After the desired molecular weight has been reached, the reaction is stopped by deactivating the polymerization catalyst. The polymerization catalyst or its deactivation products is or are preferably removed by extraction with an aqueous solution. The unconverted isobutene, possibly together with part of the inert diluent, is then distilled off, the polyisobutene formed and the main amount of any inert diluent remaining behind. However, this distillation has the considerable problem that a bulky stubborn foam forms. As a result of the foam formation, the column used for the separation may be flooded and may no longer be able to perform its separation task. The production has to be stopped or the production rate reduced until the foam collapses under the action of gravitational force. However, the total capacity of a production plant is thus greatly restricted.
The cause of the foam formation is not exactly known. Usually, the formation of foams is observed in the case of amphiphilic molecules. However, polyisobutene and any diluent used have only hydrophobic groups but not hydrophilic groups. The use of chemical antifoams is not suitable since the polyisobutene is obtained as a distillation residue and the added antifoam would remain in the end product.

Separation of isobutene non-reacted during polymerization of isobutene


A flat panel display and a method of manufacturing the same, which allows the formation of an organic film by inkjet printing while avoiding overflow of ink into adjacent areas, thus increasing the uniformity of thickness of the organic film and decreasing manufacturing costs. The flat panel display includes a substrate, a first electrode layer formed on the substrate, ink with material for a light emission layer formed on an active area of the first electrode layer, a repellant area formed of organic material located around the active area, and a border area also formed of organic material located between the active area and the repellant area. A surface energy of the border area is higher than a surface energy of the repellant area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a flat panel display suitable for patterning performed by inkjet printing and a method of manufacturing the flat panel display.
2. Discussion of the Background
An organic layer with a light-emission layer can be formed as a component of a flat panel display by inkjet printing. In an inkjet printing process, an active material is first dissolved in a solvent to form ink. The ink is then jetted as droplets on an active area of a substrate by a printing process such as piezo printing or bubble-jet printing. Mechanical arrangement can be used to position an ink head corresponding to the desired position of the droplets on the substrate. After the solvent dries, the ink-jetted active material forms a film on the active area.
One main failure of the inkjet printing technique is the overflow of ink droplets into adjacent active areas, which can lead to color mixing.
The inkjet printing technique can be used to manufacture a full-color display with light-emitting polymers (LEPs).
United States Patent Application Publication Number US 2002/0004126 A1 discloses a process in which small drops of an active material, such as a hole-transporting or light-emitting material, are deposited on an active area of a substrate. An active area defines the pixel area, and the dimension of an active area designed for use in high-resolution displays for mobile applications can be in the range of 30 μm by 180 μm. Advanced commercially available inkjet heads are able to generate drops with diameters of about 30 μm or greater. Thus, use of ink drops with this diameter in a high-resolution display may result in ink overflow into neighboring pixels. To prevent this overflow, the substrate surface could be modified.
There are two approaches to modify the substrate surface: one approach is to create a substrate surface with different wetting properties for ink in the active area and outside the active area; the second approach is to form geometrical barriers on the substrate surface to mechanically prevent overflow of the ink outside an active area.
The first fundamental approach of creating a substrate surface with different wetting properties for ink in the active area and outside the active area is disclosed in EP 0989778 A1. The wetting property disclosed in this reference is the surface energy across the substrate. A contrast in surface energy across the substrate is produced by an appropriate selection of materials that form the substrate surface. Print-applied ink can only flow in areas having high surface energy, whereas areas having low surface energy serve as barriers to prevent flow of ink. To obtain a film of inkjetted active material with a homogeneous thickness, a surface with low surface energy can be positioned beyond the boundary of a pixel surface of an organic light emitting diode (OLED). The coating thickness of the film may be homogeneous inside the active area up to the boundary, but then noticeably decline outside an active area around the barriers.
Variation in contrast of the surface energy across the substrate can be achieved in different ways and with different methods.
EP 0989778 A1 discloses two coating structures on a substrate. With a common surface treatment using plasma, an upper coating can be provided with low surface energy, while a lower coating can be provided with high surface energy. The lower coating can be typically formed of an inorganic material, such as silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
Thus, the upper organic coating and lower inorganic coating act as a boundary zone, where the upper coating has low surface energy to repel the ink. Hence, this structure facilitates the deposition of polymer films by inkjet printing.
However, the deposition and structuring of this coating requires processes that are typically used in the semiconductor industry, such as coating separation, sputtering, and gas phase processes including plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). These processes can be expensive and accordingly can reduce the cost advantage gained by the use of OLED technology. Moreover, the upper coating can form a surface topography since areas with low surface energy have a defined height above the substrate surface. As a result of this height, the polymer film may be formed to an undesirable thickness.
JP 09-203803 AA discloses a chemical treatment of a substrate surface that has been previously treated with photoresist. The photoresist is then exposed to light through a mask and developed. In such a structure, the areas with the photoresist have low surface energy, while areas without photoresist have high surface energy. The flanks of the photoresist structure possess a mean surface energy and thus provide a gradual transition of the surface energy across the flanks. However, the flanks of the photoresist structure do not constitute a defined boundary zone with selectable surface energy and geometry, and have low spatial dissolution capacity.
JP 09-230129 AA discloses a two-stage surface treatment method including treating selected regions of an entire substrate possessing low surface energy with short-wave light (e.g., UV light). The short-wave light increases the surface energy of the selected regions. However, the resulting contrast of the surface energy is limited, and the time-consuming exposure process may not be suitable for mass production.
DE 10236404 A1 discloses surface fluorination of photoresist using CF4, also including a plasma process combined with a liftoff process, for patterning. However, this process requires chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which adds considerable process costs and time. Furthermore, the surface energy changed by surface modification can be unstable over time. This is because fluorinated parts of the photoresist layer may diffuse into the photoresist bulk to maintain equilibrium. Additionally, the fluorinated parts may not chemically adhere to the photoresist bulk and may be washed away after exposure to an acid-containing solution, such as PDOT:PSS, which is commonly used for polymer OLED manufacturing.
DE 10343351 A1 discloses the deposition of a hydrophobic layer, such as the product sold under the trademark Teflon®, which repels ink. Teflon® can be deposited by CVD and patterned by liftoff technologies, laser ablation, or by a shadow mask. However, this technology also requires CVD or thermal evaporation, which both are vacuum-based technologies and require considerable expenses and process time.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,611 B2 discloses the use of a polysiloxane-based photoresist to form insulating areas and define active areas of a display. To generate a passive matrix display, polysiloxane can have an overhanging structure to separate cathodes. However, a polysiloxane layer can have a considerable film thickness and can negatively influence a cathode sheet resistance because of metal film separation at the edges of the polysiloxane layer.
EP 1008873 discloses a process of manufacturing a color filter for an LCD display using the inkjet printing technique. The surface energy of a photoactive material can be changed by irradiation to provide shading areas and ink-philic areas where ink for color filters is applied by inkjet printing. Because the photoactive material changes only its surface energy, the photoactive material cannot be used as a barrier to ink flow or pixel defining layer for polymer OLED production directly.
The second approach to prevent overflow is to use geometrical structures that act as a spatial barrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,377 B1 discloses the positioning of photoresist strips between adjacent active areas. The strips have a height of at least 2 μm and provide a physical barrier to prevent overflow of ink.
EP 0996314 A1 discloses the fabrication of photoresist structures. Because of the boundary limitation of various rows or columns of a full-color display screen formed by photoresist for example, HTL-ink and polymer ink can be printed into pre-structured channels. Thus, red, green, and blue emitting polymers can be printed in a line-shaped manner and adjacent to each other without flowing into neighboring channels or causing color mixing. These photoresist structures form channels with a certain height on a substrate, which is then built up to the full-color display screen. Therefore, no ink flows over the photoresist barriers and into the neighboring lines. The height of the banks of the channels is greater than a thickness of a film to be deposited by inkjet printing. Furthermore, the height of the banks is larger than ½ of the diameter of a drop of ink divided by the width of an active area or pixel. Additionally, the upper surface of the banks can have a semi-circular, triangular, or rectangular sub-structure reservoir to store ink that overflows. Accordingly, a second barrier is provided in addition to the bank structure to avoid overflow of ink into adjacent active areas.
DE 10311097 A1 discloses the use of additional ink stoppers. Because photoresist structures with banks along the channels provide only lateral limitations for ink flow, HTL-ink and polymer ink can flow out of the upper and lower regions of the channels. Therefore, the ink volume in the upper and lower regions of the channels is less than that in the middle regions of the channels. Therefore, when dry, an HTL or polymer film may not have a homogeneous layer thickness. The use of ink stoppers in the upper and lower regions of the channels prevents flow of ink outside of the channels.
US 2003/0042849 A1 discloses another approach to define the drop landing/film formation for inkjet printed devices. Here, a mechanical metal mask is positioned and fixed onto a substrate so an organic emitter can be applied using a spin coating technique. However, the use of a metal shadow mask restricts the size of the substrate since different thermal expansion coefficients between the substrate and the mask may result in misalignment of the desired pattern.

Flat panel display with repellant and border areas and method of manufacturing the same


An electrical connector assembly comprises an insulating housing (1), a plurality of terminals (2) retained in the insulating housing and a picking up section (5) mounted on the insulating housing. Wherein the insulating housing has a base section (10) and an engaging plate (14) extending backwardly from the base section. The picking up section comprises a plurality of elastic clasps (52) engaging with the opposite sides of the engaging plate directly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and more particularly to an electrical connector assembly with a simple structure.
2. Description of Prior Arts
When an electrical connector is mounted on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), it is necessary that a soldering portion of the electrical connector connects exactly with a soldering point of the PCB. Usually, a vacuum sucking mechanism can complete the operation by sucking on a picking up section mounted on the electrical connector. The picking up section has a slippy surface fastening with the sucking mechanism, and a plurality of elastic sections for fastening on corresponding locking parts of the electrical connector.
However, prior art picking up section locking with the electrical connector by a plurality of locking parts formed on an insulating housing of the electrical connector. So the insulating housing usually is complex, and hard to operate. Additionally, the electrical assembly is withdrew upwardly from the electrical connector. If the force carrying the picking up section is too fiercely, the soldering portion of the electrical connector may fall off from the PCB, leading to an undesirable connection between the electrical connector and the PCB.


Provided is a filler for affinity chromatography having a high dynamic binding capacity for proteins and having excellent alkali resistance and storage stability. The filler for affinity chromatography of the present invention comprises a porous particle consisting of a copolymer of 40 parts to 99.5 parts by mass of (M-1) a methacryloyl group-containing vinyl monomer that contains a hydroxyl group and does not contain an epoxy group, 0.5 parts to 30 parts by mass of (M-2) an epoxy group-containing vinyl monomer, 0 parts to 59.5 parts by mass of (M-3) a methacryloyl group-containing vinyl monomer which is other than the monomers (M-1) and (M-2), and 0 parts to 25 parts by mass of (M-4) a vinyl monomer other than the monomers (M-1), (M-2) and (M-3) (with the proviso that the total amount of the contents of (M-1), (M-2), (M-3) and (M-4) is 100 parts by mass); ring-opened epoxy group obtainable by ring-opening of epoxy group that is contained in the copolymer; and ligand that is bound to the porous particle.

Affinity chromatography plays a key role in the research, development and production of proteins including monoclonal antibodies. A filler for affinity chromatography generally contains a solid phase carrier having ligands that selectively bind to a target molecule. As the ligands on the solid phase carrier used in affinity chromatography show high selectivity to the target molecule, the affinity chromatography enables economic purification with excellent yield at a high speed, as compared to other chromatographic techniques such as ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography, and reverse phase liquid chromatography.
Generally, in affinity chromatography for protein purification, since a strongly alkaline aqueous solution such as an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide is used for the washing in the purification process that is repeatedly carried out, a filler for affinity chromatography is required to have high alkali resistance. Particularly, in a filler for affinity chromatography which uses a protein such as Protein A as a ligand, deterioration of the protein ligand itself, or deterioration reaction between a protein ligand and a residual reactive group on the solid phase carrier proceeds may occur during the washing or storage using a strongly alkaline aqueous solution; and therefore, an enhancement of alkali resistance and storage stability is required. Silica-based fillers that are commonly used in, for example, analytical chromatography are dissolved in a strongly alkaline aqueous solution, and therefore cannot be used repeatedly in affinity chromatography for protein purification.
Under such circumstances, it has been suggested to use agarose particles that have high hydrophilicity, high ligand activity, and a high dynamic binding capacity for a target molecule, as the solid phase carrier of a filler for affinity chromatography (Patent Documents 1 and 2).
As another solid carrier of a filler for affinity chromatography, it has been suggested to use porous particles consisting of a copolymer of styrene-divinylbenzene having excellent alkali resistance (Patent Documents 3 and 4).
Meanwhile, there have been cases in which porous particles consisting of a polymer of a hydroxyl group-containing methacrylate-based vinyl monomer are used in chromatography. However, these examples are all suitable only for gel filtration chromatography or reverse phase liquid chromatography for analytical purposes (Patent Documents 5 and 6).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate having a non-display region and a display region gate and data lines crossing each other, a gate electrode connected to the gate line, a gate insulating layer on the gate line and the gate electrode, an active layer on the gate insulating layer over the gate electrode, an ohmic contact layer on the active layer, source and drain electrodes spaced apart from each other on the ohmic contact layer, a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode and contacting the gate insulating layer, an alignment layer on the pixel electrode, gate and data pads defined as an end portion of the gate and data lines, respectively, and positioned at the non-display region, and gate and data pad terminals on the gate and data pads, respectively. The data pad terminal may extend to the display region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and more particularly to an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes two substrates that are spaced apart and face each other with a liquid crystal material layer interposed between the two substrates. Each of the substrates includes electrodes that face each other, wherein a voltage applied to each electrode induces an electric field between the electrodes and within the liquid crystal material layer. Alignment of the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal material layer is changed by varying an intensity or direction of the applied electric field. Accordingly, the LCD device displays an image by varying light transmissivity through the liquid crystal material layer in accordance with the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules.
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating a liquid crystal display (LCD) device according to the related art. In FIG. 1, an LCD device has upper and lower substrates 60 and 10, which are spaced apart from and facing each other, and a liquid crystal material layer 80 interposed and sealed by a sealant 90 between the upper and lower substrates 60 and 10. The LCD device can be divided as a display region A and a non-display region B.
The upper substrate 60 includes a black matrix 62, a color filter layer 64, and a transparent common electrode 68 subsequently disposed on an interior surface thereof. The black matrix 62 includes openings having one of three sub-color filters of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). Below the black matrix 62 there is an overcoat layer 66.
The lower substrate 10, which is commonly referred to an array substrate, has a thin film transistor T having a gate electrode 22, a source electrode 34, and a drain electrode 36. On the gate electrode 22 a gate-insulating layer 24 is formed. On the gate-insulating layer 24 a silicon layer and a doped silicon layer are deposited and patterned into an active layer 26 and an ohmic contact layer 28. The source electrode 34 is connected to a data line 32 and the gate electrode 22 is connected to a gate line (not shown). The gate line and the date line 32 cross each other to define a pixel area P. On the source and drain electrodes 34 and 36 a passivation layer 40 is formed and patterned to have a drain contact hole 42 and a pad contact hole 44. A pixel electrode 52 is formed within the pixel area P to correspond to the sub-color filters (R), (G), and (B), and is electrically connected to the thin film transistor T via a drain contact hole 42. The pixel electrode 52 is made of a light transparent conductive material, such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO).
A data signal is supplied to the source electrode 34 of the thin film transistor T along a data pad 38 and the data line 32. The data pad 38 is formed at one end of the data line 32, and a data pad terminal 54 is connected to the data pad 38 via the pad contact hole 44. The data pad terminal 54 may be formed of the same material as the pixel electrode 53. The data pad 38 and the data pad terminal 54 are positioned in the non-display region B.
On each interior surface, orientation or alignment layers 72 and 74 are positioned. The orientation layers 72 and 74 have an organic material such as polyimide.
Light transmission through the liquid crystal material layer 80 is adjusted by controlling electrical and optical properties of the liquid crystal material layer 80. For example, the liquid crystal material layer 80 includes a dielectric anisotropic material having spontaneous polarization properties such that the liquid crystal molecules form a dipole when the electric field is induced. Thus, the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal material layer 80 are controlled by the applied electric field. In addition, optical modulation of the liquid crystal material layer 80 is adjusted according to the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules. Therefore, images of the LCD device are produced by controlling light transmittance of the liquid crystal material layer 80 by optical modulation of the liquid crystal material layer 80.
The manufacturing method of the array substrate will be explained. For example, when forming the gate electrode 22, a metal layer is formed by a sputtering method and patterned into the gate electrode 22 using a photolithography method. The photolithography process includes depositing a photoresist layer, exposing the photoresist layer using a patterned mask, removing the exposed portion or the non-exposed portion according to type of the photoresist material, etching the metal layer, and stripping the remaining photoresist portion. The etching method is usually chosen between a wet etching and a dry etching according to the material of being etched. The stripping process uses a stripper having an organic solvent, which is one reason of high cost.
For manufacturing the array substrate, five or six mask or lithography processes are usually adopted. Reducing the number of lithography processes has been a big task to decrease manufacturing cost.

Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same


A high laser damage threshold reflective optically addressed liquid crystal spatial light modulator for shaping 1053 nm linearly polarized light beams, comprising a computer-controlled LCoS electrical addressable spatial light modulator, polarization beam splitter, and polarizer, Liquid crystal cell, analyzer, AC power supply, where the liquid crystal cell comprises a transparent conductive film antireflection film layer, a transparent conductive film base layer, a first transparent conductive layer, a liquid crystal alignment layer, a liquid crystal layer, an alignment element, a reflective film layer, a light guide layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. By changing the transparent conductive layer material of the light-transmitting part of the liquid crystal cell from ITO to gallium nitride material, the damage threshold of the high-energy laser is improved, which facilitates application of beam shaping in high-power laser devices.

Liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC-SLM), is an optical device that dynamically controls the amplitude, phase, and polarization of the light field in real time, which has important applications in beam shaping of large laser devices. For example, in the NIF (National Ignition Facility) device in the United States, the OMEGA-EP (Extended Performance) device, the LMJ (Laser Mêgajoule) device in Europe, and the "Shenguang III" device in China, the liquid crystal spatial light modulator is used to pre-shield the damage point, pre-compensate the beam intensity, and improve the beam intensity Uniformity and other aspects.
In the liquid crystal spatial light modulator, the light-addressable liquid crystal spatial light modulator is a spatial light modulator that does not require pixel electrodes and does not affect the original optical path. Compared with the common transmissive electrical addressing spatial light based on thin film transistors (TFT) modulator and the reflective electrical addressing spatial light modulator based on liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS), the light-addressable liquid crystal spatial light modulator not only avoids the low aperture ratio of the TFT spatial light modulator due to components such as non-transparent electrodes, but also avoids the LCoS spatial light modulator due to optical path distortion caused by black grid effect and other reasons.
When the light-addressable liquid crystal spatial light modulator is used in a large-scale laser device, its laser damage threshold is an important performance index. However, the currently used transparent conductive layer material indium tin oxide (ITO) has a low laser damage threshold, so that the overall laser damage threshold of the optically addressed liquid crystal spatial light modulator is low, which limits its application in high-power laser devices. Therefore, how to increase the damage threshold of the transparent conductive film and then the laser damage threshold of the light-addressable liquid crystal spatial light modulator has become an important research topic for the researchers.
A high laser damage threshold reflective optically addressed liquid crystal spatial light modulator for linearly polarized light at 1053 nm has been disclosed, however, the liquid crystal cell structure has a reflective film layer that hinders the electrical signal transmission in the light guide layer and the second conductive layer.

High laser damage threshold reflective light addressing liquid crystal spatial light modulator for linearly polarized light at 1053 nm

Shanghai Institute of Optics And Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences


The invention provides a functionalized compound of formula (II), which functionalized compound comprises n carbene precursor groups which are the same or different, wherein n is an integer equal to or greater than 3: wherein x is 1, E is a group which is capable of being converted into a carbene reactive intermediate group, Q is a core moiety, a polymer or a dendrimer, and each of the [R]x-E-L- groups, which are the same or different, is independently selected from a group of formula (Ie) and a group of formula (Ia): wherein L is a single bond or a linker group as defined herein, R is a terminal group as defined herein, and R1 is as defined herein. Further provided is the use of the functionalized compound as an agent for producing a chemically-bound three-dimensional network on or within a substrate. Processes for producing the following products using the functionalized compounds of the invention are also provided, as are the resulting products: a chemically-bound three-dimensional network on or within a substrate; a chemically-bound three-dimensional network between a first substrate and a second substrate; a film or a coating; a coated substrate; a product which comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a composition at an interface of the first and second substrates; a treated particle. The invention further provides a process for cross linking a first substrate to a second substrate, using a functionalized compound of the invention, and the resulting cross-linked product. The invention also provides a process for producing the functionalized compounds of the invention.

Modern technology and products are critically dependent on the use of advanced materials, including macroscopic materials, microscopic materials and nanomaterials, with properties carefully tailored to the desired specific application. These properties can rarely be achieved with one homogeneous material or compound, but are readily available by attaching one material or compound to another, giving a composite whose properties combine the desired properties of each component. Of particular importance is the control of thermal, rheological, cohesive and adhesive properties as well as solvent resistance of materials. Such properties dictate the end application of material and limit the use of a material in challenging environments. By the addition of a linking agent which has the ability to interact with a material at two sites it is possible to influence these properties to a degree; examples of this can be found in JP59212832 or WO0158230. However since the interactions from such agents are confined to two dimensions using this approach the magnitude of the change in properties is limited. Also, the examples are limited to photo activation which precludes their use in many applications where the application of UV light is prevented, either because of sample stability, by ease of irradiation or by film thickness/composition.
By creating a 3-dimensional network on or within a material via the addition of a second chemical agent which is capable of forming strong interactions (either physically or chemically) it is possible to produce composites possessing hybrid properties and/or enhanced function. Such materials find application in a wide variety of industries, including for instance the medical, chemical, hygiene, aeronautical, automotive, computing, and consumer product industries, for example as adhesives, composite matrix materials (carbon fibre, Kevlar, etc) and coatings. They are frequently used as components which are critical for the successful function of a particular chemical product or device, or as chemical agents having an increased efficacy for a specific purpose.
There is therefore a continuing need to develop improved agents which can be used to form such three-dimensional networks, which can be used with a wide variety of substrates and materials, which offer safe handling in a production environment, and which possess curing conditions that are applicable for the market.

Chemical agents capable of forming covalent 3-D networks


A command line environment is configured to receive a command line that implicates a plurality of remote nodes. The command line environment is configured to establish a session, which may be persistent, to each implicated remote node, and to initiate execution of the remote command on those nodes. The session may be assigned to a variable, and the remote execution may be performed concurrently. Results of the remote execution are received and may be aggregated into an array. The command line environment may distribute the task of establishing sessions to other systems to improve performance.

Computing systems and networks today are complex and often vast. Some large enterprises may have thousands of individual computing systems interconnected over local and wide area networks. Keeping all these computing systems running smoothly is crucial to the success of an enterprise. For this reason, system developers endeavor to provide useful administrative tools for system administration.
Because the typical system administrator is a very sophisticated user, administrative tools are often more complex than applications intended for the consuming public. For example, command line environments are still popular with system administrators, even though the graphical user interface is preferred by ordinary users. Often, administrators can perform relatively complex tasks quicker using a command line than with a graphical interface.
The typical command line environment is provided by a shell operating on a computing system. Typically, the command line environment provides a few core commands that the administrator can execute. For more complex tasks, typical command line environments allow commands to be "pipelined," which means that two or more commands can be entered on the same command line, and the results of each command are "piped" or passed to the next command in the pipeline.
Despite their popularity with administrators, there has been little attention paid to making the command line environments more usable and powerful, especially for remote system administration. For instance, frequent is the case when an administrator must perform some action on a remote computer or using information gathered from one or more remote computers. However, even relatively simple tasks prove daunting when remote execution is called for. In addition, the complexities of state of the art computing systems are re-defining what "remote" means. For example, today a "remote" system may be a different process executing on the same computer, yet existing command line environments ignore these situations.
Until now, a command line environment that provides sophisticated remote system administration has eluded those skilled in the art.

Remote system administration using command line environment


The present invention relates to compositions, methods and medical devices for the treatment of bone voids and bone defects. The methods of the invention comprise the step of applying to a bone void or bone defect site a composition comprising a matrix which provides local prolonged release of at least one antibiotic agent at the bone void site.

Bone voids alternatively referred to as bone defects are commonly caused by injury, disease, or surgical interventions. Bone fractures caused mostly by trauma to a bone as well as jaw bone damages caused by trauma, disease or tooth loss are those most commonly associated with bone infections. Early efforts must be made to decontaminate the bones and the surrounding soft tissues and to stabilize the bone void site in order to enable successful bone healing. Unfortunately, the rate and severity of bone infections following such bone void defects is high. Infection is a particularly severe complication of an open fracture and the higher Gustilo types have been shown to have high incidence of this complication. Type-IIIB and type IIIC open fractures have been described as the most critical injuries with as high as 48% of deep bony infections after Type-IIIB fractures. The current oral and intravenous antibiotic treatment allows high concentrations of antibiotics in the blood, but often insufficient local concentration of the drug at the bone voids and specifically in contaminated or infected bone voids defects. Local antibiotic administration is commonly used to overcome poor bone penetration of antibiotic given systemically (intravenously or orally). The first product on the market for local treatment of infected bone is based on antibiotics loaded in poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement, in the form of antibiotic beads (Osetermann et al., J. Bone and Joint Surgery, 1995, 77B(1):93-97). However, the clinical effect of using this method is hampered by the fact that >90% of the drug remained trapped inside the cement beads. Furthermore, bone cement is not biodegradable and is not osteoconductive, and therefore has to be removed by a second surgical procedure.
Biodegradable polymers such as polylactic/polyglycolide (PLGA), chitosan or collagen were also used as antibiotic-saturated implants in bone lesions. However, such polymeric drug delivery systems cannot maintain a constant and sufficient release rate of antibiotics over the prolonged period of time needed to fully eradicate the invading bacteria. Moreover, the polymeric systems cannot support osteoconductive bone in growth into the void. To overcome these major limitations, antibiotics were added to osteoconductive bone fillers such as calcium sulfate hemihydrate pellets, tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and to calcium hydroxyapatite ceramics. In these bone fillers the release of antibiotics is characterized by a rapid release of the drug in the first week, followed by a sharp decrease in the amounts released after that.
An alternative approach for treating bone infection/bone destruction is using a liposomal drug delivery system to release antibiotics. Liposomes offer a safe and convenient way to control the rate and the location of the delivered drug. But this requires prolonged and repeated systemic applications of the encapsulated drugs in order to achieve complete sterilization of bone and soft tissues. When liposomal antibiotics were combined with osteoconductive elements, most of the drug (˜60%) was released in the first 24 h, followed by decreasing amounts in the following days. Thus, the current local delivery systems available do not provide sustainable high local antibiotic concentration at the fracture site during the healing process. Therefore, in spite of the addition of systemic antibiotic treatment with these local treatments, they cannot fully eradicate the bacterial infection in most patients.
Osteoset-T® and PerOssal® are approved biodegradable bone fillers, based on TCP granules, and are used for filling or reconstruction of bone defects in orthopedics, orthodontic and facial surgery. In addition to their osteoconductive properties, these products can also release antibiotics locally, and they are therefore used in infected wounds and in bone defects. Their biodegradability and osteoconductivity suggest a significant advantage over PMMA beads. However, their high burst and the short release period of the drug (antibiotic), for no more than several days following the implantation, represent significant limit to their anti-bacterial effect.
WO 2010/007623 to one of the inventors of the present invention and others provides compositions for extended release of an active ingredient, comprising a lipid-saturated matrix formed from a biodegradable polymer. The present invention also provides methods of producing the matrix compositions and methods for using the matrix compositions to provide controlled release of an active ingredient in the body of a subject in need thereof. These drug delivery matrices provided extended release of the active agent over a period of days, weeks or months.
There is an unmet medical need for effective means for the treatment of bone fractures, and in particular open bone fractures, which promote the bone healing process while preventing infection in a single treatment.

Compositions and methods for the treatment of bone voids and open fractures


In one form, a compressor system includes a compressor, and an annular ring disposed downstream of the compressor and structured to reduce pressure fluctuations in the pressurized air discharged by the compressor. The annular ring may include an internal passage for conducting the pressurized air. The annular ring may include at least one resonator in fluid communication with the internal passage. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

Systems that effectively reduce the amplitudes of pressure waves in the pressurized air discharged by a compressor remain an area of interest. Such pressure waves may include aerodynamic pressure and aeroacoustic pressure. Some existing systems have various shortcomings, drawbacks, and disadvantages relative to certain applications. Accordingly, there remains a need for further contributions in this area of technology.