A system for creating an index print, generated from a negative strip having one or more frame images, independent of sequentially scanning each frame on the negative strip, the system includes a scanner for substantially simultaneously creating a composite digital image of the negative strip from the negative placed on the scanner independent of the position or orientation of the negative on the scanner. An image locator operatively connected to the scanner for locating each digital representation in the composite digital image of the individual frame images on the negative strip. A printer operatively connected to the locator for printing the index print from a signal from the locator.

In current conventional photographic film applications, a roll of light sensitive film having a predetermined number of exposures is selectively exposed to incident light for capturing an image to each exposure. The exposed film is processed by a photofinisher for creating photographic prints from the exposed film, and also for converting the exposed film into non-light sensitive negatives which the consumer may later use for ordering additional prints. The photographic negatives are usually in the form of strips.
When ordering additional photographic prints of interest from the negative strip, the consumer must identify the negative that produced the print of interest to the photofinisher. Unfortunately, photographic negatives are not readily viewable by the human eye, and it can be extremely difficult to identify which negative belongs with a print of interest, particularly in cases in which several almost identical exposures were taken in very rapid succession. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an index print that contains photographic images, preferably reduced in size, each having a number corresponding to a particular image frame on the negative. This permits a consumer to readily identify which negative belongs to the print of interest.
Several systems have been developed for generating index prints during the initial photofinishing process. Typical of such systems is commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,227 issued to Foley, for example, discloses a photographic printer with an index print generator. The printer includes a scanning device for sequentially and electronically scanning a roll of negatives as they are processed by the photographic printer. The digitized image data generated by the scanning device is supplied to an exposure determination computer that controls the operation of an optical printer light source to print the photographic negatives. In addition, the digitized image data is supplied to an index print generator that prints reduced size positive images on an index sheet using a hardcopy output printer. A corresponding index number identifying each negative frame is printed beside each positive image on the index sheet so the consumer can readily identify which negative frame belongs to which positive image.
Although the presently known and utilized systems and methods are satisfactorily, they are not without drawbacks. The index prints are typically generated during the initial photofinishing process. This requires the consumer to decide whether to generate index prints during the this initial photofinishing process which may be days, months or even years before it is actually known if index prints are needed. If it is later decided that they are not needed, obviously an un-recoverable expenditure has already occurred. In addition, the method and system for generating index prints are difficult, time consuming, labor intensive and expensive because each frame image is sequentially scanned during the printing process.
Consequently, a need exists for improvements in the system and mode of generating index prints so as to overcome the above-described drawbacks.

System and article of manufacture for producing an index print from photographic negative strips


A monopole fractal antenna and a method of manufacturing thereof are described. The antenna includes a ground plane having a cavity recessed therein, a radiating arm backed by the cavity and coupled to a feeding line arranged at the cavity, and at least one pair of electrical shunts configured for connecting at least two points selected within the fractal portion of the radiating arm to the ground plane. At least a portion of the radiating arm has a fractal geometric shape. The radiating arm is extended from the cavity along an axis disposed in relation to the ground plane.

There are many applications in which the small size of the antennas is a desirable feature due to cosmetic, security, aerodynamic and other reasons. There is also demand in the art for design of broadband antennas.
Fractal antennas are known in the art as solutions to significantly reduce the antenna size, e.g., from two to four times, without degenerating the performance. Moreover, applying fractal concept to antennas can be used to achieve multiple frequency bands and increase bandwidth of each single band due to the self-similarity of the geometry. Polarization and phasing of fractal antennas also are possible.
The self-similarity of the antenna's geometry can be achieved by shaping in a fractal fashion, either through bending or shaping a surface and/or a volume, or introducing slots and/or holes. Typical fractal antennas are based on fractal shapes such as the Sierpinski gasket, Sierpinski carpet, Minkovski patches, Mandelbrot tree, Koch curve, Koch island, etc (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,127,977 and 6,452,553 to N. Cohen).
Referring to FIGS. 1A to 1D, several examples of typical fractal antennas are illustrated.
In particular, the Triadic Koch curve has been used to construct a monopole and a dipole (see FIGS. 1A and 1B) in order to reduce antenna size. For example, the length of the Koch monopole antenna is reduced by a factor of 1.9, when compared to the arm length of the regular half-wave dipole operating at the same frequency. The radiation pattern of a Koch monopole is slightly different from that of a regular monopole because its fractal dimension is greater than 1.
An example of a fractal tree structure explored as antenna element is shown in FIG. 1C. It was found that the fractal tree usually can achieve multiple wideband performance and reduce antenna size.
FIG. 1D shows an example of a Sierpinski monopole based on the Sierpinski gasket fractal shape. The original Sierpinski gasket is constructed by subtracting a central inverted triangle from a main triangle shape. After the subtraction, three equal triangles remain on the structure, each one being half of the size of the original one. Such subtraction procedure is iterated on the remaining triangles. In this particular case, the gasket has been constructed through five iterations, so five-scaled version of the Sierpinski gasket can be found on the antenna (circled regions in FIG. 1), the smallest one being a single triangle.
The behavior of various monopole antennas based on the Sierpinski gasket fractal shape is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,691 to Varadan et al., in a paper titled "On the Behavior of the Sierpinski Multiband Fractal Antenna," by C. Puente-Baliarda, et al., IEEE Transact. Of Antennas Propagation, 1998, V. 46, No. 4, PP. 517–524; and in a paper titled "Novel Combined Multiband Antenna Elements Inspired on Fractal Geometries," by J. Soler, et al., 27th ESA Antenna Workshop on Innovative Periodic Antennas: Electromagnetic Bandgap, Left-handed Materials, Fractals and Frequency Selective Surfaces, 9–11 March 2004 Santiago de Compestele, Spain, PP. 245–251. It is illustrated in these publications that the geometrical self-similarity properties of the fractal structure are translated into its electromagnetic behavior. It was shown that the antenna is matched approximately at frequencies
            f      n        ≈          0.26                    c        h                          δ        n              ,where c is the speed of light in vacuum, h is the height of the largest gasket, δ≈2, and n a natural number. In particular, the lowest frequency of operation in such antennas is determined by the height of the largest gasket.


A first defect distribution superimposed image is formed by superimposing defect distributions on individual substrates processed by a causal equipment unit candidate on one another. Second defect distribution superimposed images are formed by superimposing, on one another, defect distributions on individual substrates processed by equipment units other than the causal equipment unit candidate in one same step as that executed by the causal equipment unit candidate. The first defect distribution superimposed image and the second defect distribution superimposed images are displayed in contrast on one display screen.

Conventionally, in multi-step production lines for semiconductor devices, thin film devices and the like, various in-line inspections are performed with a view to achieving improvement of product quality and stabilization of equipment, and there is introduced a system for determining an abnormal step or equipment unit that causes a product failure or the like based on inspection information acquired by the in-line inspections. For example, JP 2005-197629 A discloses a technique that defect distribution states of product substrates are classified based on information acquired by a pattern defect inspection, which is one of the in-line inspections, followed by performing common path analysis as to the similarity level of the defect distribution states by using production history information, by which problematic equipment candidates are specifically determined.
In the technique of JP 2005-197629 A, a report display screen is presented to report a user on the result of determination of problematic equipment candidates. This report display screen contains information (product type, lot number, inspection date, etc.) for identifying abnormality-detected inspected wafers, inspection information (defect distribution images) as to those wafers, information (device name, etc.) for identifying problematic equipment candidates, information (defect distribution images) from which the problematic equipment candidates have been identified, and information representing statuses (being problematic or not, countermeasure-taken or not) of the problematic equipment candidates.

System for specifying equipment causing failure


An antenna apparatus for a radio frequency (RF) coil to transmit signals to and to receive signal from a subject in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a distal surface facing away from the subject, a proximal surface facing towards the subject, a high permittivity material (HPM) having a shape, and an antenna coupled to the HPM and positioned on the proximal surface such that the antenna is positioned between the HPM and the subject.

High permittivity materials (HPM) (or High Dielectric Material or High Dielectric Constant (HDC) Material) have been adapted for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including ultra-high field (UHF) applications. HPMs may be used to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), transmit B1 efficiency, and B1 field uniformity. HPMs may be incorporated in, for example, radio frequency (RF) coils in an MRI system. Typically, HPMs are positioned between a subject and the RF coil. For example an HPM positioned around the human head, spine or other body part during an Mill scan can improve image SNR and resolution or reduce scan time, and also reducing RF energy deposition or specific absorption rate (SAR) to make Mill safer.

Antenna apparatus including high permittivity materials (HPM) for radio frequency (RF) coils


A clock generating circuit includes oscillators each having a delay rise vote input, a delay fall vote input, a delay rise output, a delay fall output, and a clock output; a vote rise circuit having inputs coupled individually to the delay rise outputs of the oscillators, and an output coupled in common to the delay rise vote inputs of the oscillators; a vote fall circuit having inputs coupled individually to the delay fall outputs of the oscillators, and an output coupled in common to the delay fall vote inputs of the oscillators; and a vote clock circuit having inputs coupled individually to the clock outputs of the oscillators, and an output for providing a synchronized clock signal.

In certain applications synchronization is required between multiple clock generating circuits. Each clock generating circuit nominally generates the same frequency within an error tolerance of the desired frequency. With the exception of the synchronization between the circuits, each circuit operates independently.
What is desired is a method and circuit for synchronizing a multiplicity of clock generating circuits whereby the starting point of the generation of the rising and falling edges are each determined by the majority vote of the states of the opposite edge from the system of circuits so that a reliably synchronized output clock signal can be provided.

Method for synchronizing a multiplicity of clock generating circuits


A noise dampener for a motor vehicle door lock including a door arrester bar which pivots about an axis extending parallel to a motor vehicle door hinge axis, which is pivotally secured to one of door assembly parts, a door or a door pillar, with a bearing bolt extending through a bearing bore formed in an end region of the door arrester bar and supported in a bearing block, and which extends into a retaining housing secured to another of the door assembly parts and having locking element(s) cooperating with detent marks provided in the door arrester bar for retaining same, with the noise dampener being formed as a hollow part made of a non-metallic, noise dampening material, surrounding, at least partially, the end region of the door arrester bar, and having an interior space closed at least at two sides with the bore having a shape corresponding to a shape of the end region of the door arrester bar and with the hollow part further including a locking nose formed on a wall of the hollow part corresponding to a wide side of the door arrester bar and cooperating with a detent indentation or bore formed in the wide side of the door arrester bar for fixedly securing the hollow part to the door arrester bar.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a noise dampener for a motor vehicle door lock including a door arrester bar which pivots about an axis extending parallel to a motor vehicle door hinge axis, which is pivotally secured to one of the door assembly parts, a door or a door pillar, with a bearing bolt extending through a bearing bore formed in an end region of the door arrester bar and supported in a bearing block, and which extends into a retaining housing secured to another of the door assembly parts and having locking means cooperating with detent marks provided in the door arrester bar for retaining same, with the noise dampener being formed of a non-metallic, noise dampening material, surrounding, at least partially, the pivotally securable end region of the door arrester bar, and provided with means for preventing longitudinal displacement of the noise dampener relative to the end region of the door arrester bar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The door locks of the type described above are locked, during opening or closing of the door, with the door arrester bar which extends into the retaining housing and is secured there with the spring-biased locking means which cooperates with the detent marks provided on the door arrester bar. Thereby, the door can be held in one or more opening positions. Because the door lock parts are mass-produced parts, the discrepancy between the manufacturing tolerances of the bearing bolt for securing the door arrester bar and the bearing bore in which the bearing bolt is received, are inevitable. Because of the possible discrepancy of tolerances, the bearing bolt can extend through the bearing bore either with a relatively large clearance or with a press fit.
When a tolerance discrepancy results in a press fit, it causes difficulties, at least initially, in the attachment of the door arrester bar to the door assembly part. A tolerance discrepancy which results in a clearance fit, leads to that the door arrester bar, which is longitudinally displacable due to cooperation of the locking bodies with the detent marks provided on the door arrester bar, impacts on the bearing bolt causing generation of an unpleasant, undesirable, audible noise.
In order to reduce a possible tolerance discrepancy between the bearing bolt and the bolt-receiving bearing bore, which is formed in the end region of the door arrester bar, and thereby to eliminate or substantially reduce the audible noise resulting from the tolerance discrepancy, German publication DE-OS 40 06 572 suggests to provide a split taper socket, which is formed as a spring sleeve, between the inner wall of the bearing bore and the bearing bolt. Thereby the bearing bolt becomes fixedly secured in the bearing bore, without the possibility of the door arrester bar moving relative thereto. Such a socket permits to eliminate the tolerance discrepancy to a most possible extent, thus eliminating the undesired audible noise. However, the attachment the door arrester bar with the use of a spring socket results in increase of the manufacturing costs. Further, using the split socket results in increase of the assembly time and necessitate use of particular tools.
German Publication DE-OS 37 22 996 suggests for reducing the tolerance discrepancy between the bearing bolt and the bearing bore, to provide a spring element between the bearing block and the door arrester bar, which is formed as a U-shaped snap-on clip pushed onto the end of the door arrester bar and the legs of which have recesses between which the bearing bolt is received. The U-shaped snap-on clip should act as a brake which would prevent the relative movement between the door arrester bar and the bearing bolt in case of an increased clearance, eliminating, theoretically, any audible noise. Because such a snap-on clip should apply an adequate spring force to prevent a relative movement between the door arrester bar and the bearing bolt, it complicates the attachment of the door arrester bar. Further, because such a snap-on clip is made of metal, it cannot dampen or reduce noise which still can be generated by the relative movement between the door arrester bar and the bearing block.
It was further proposed to provide, in the region of the bearing bolt, a fold element formed of a non-metallic material instead of the U-shaped clip, with the fold element having spaced surface portions, which are connected by a connection web, overlap the wide sides of the door arrested bar, and have a through-bore through which the bearing bolt extends. Both free edges of the surface portions are provided with clipping tabs for retaining the free end of the door arrester bar. However, the use of the fold element, which is formed on a non-metallic, in particular, plastic material, does not permit, because of a certain underpressure and a slow braking action, to completely eliminate the relative movement between the door arrester bar and the bearing bolt, in particular when the clearance is relatively large, and thus, to eliminate a possible audible noise. A particular drawback associated with the use of the fold element consists in that it is relatively difficult to mount the fold element onto the end of the door arrester bar and in that the clip tabs, which are provided on the free edges of the surface portions, which overlap the door arrester bar, do not adequately prevent disengagement of the fold element from the door arrester bar.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a noise dampener which would reliably prevent any audible noise resulting from displacement of the door arrester bar relative to the bearing bolt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a noise dampener having a simple construction and which can be easily mounted on the door arrester bar.

Noise dampener for a door lock for a motor vehicle door


There is provided a navigation system having a guidance-controller, the guidance-controller controlling the sequence of guidances, and priority, according to an execution condition set depending on the type of a relevant guidance, while determining whether or not a guidance is executed according to the execution condition to thereby alter the teaching of guidance-execution. If overlapping by plural guidances using speech, and screen display occurs, the simple display of the guidance lower in priority is executed, and if the guidance falls outside an effective range, the guidance is interrupted, or the guidance during standby-display is not executed. Thereby, plural guidances are concurrently displayed, and a meaningless guidance is not displayed.

The present invention relates to a navigation system and a navigation method, for executing a guidance with speech and display and in particular to a navigation system and a navigation method, for outputting plural guidances for guidance events that have happened in an overlapping manner, and inhibiting a guidance that is meaningless to a user.
In a vehicle navigation system for use in executing a path-guidance up to a destination, a guidance to a user, such as an approach to a crossover point, speeding, and receipt of traffic information, is often executed by means of speech and a screen display. A function has been known whereby a direction in which a user makes a turn is shown by means of a screen and speech, for example, immediately before a vehicle comes to a crossover point. Speech-outputting and screen display are executed whenever necessary on a event-by-event basis every time an event happens, the event being the cause thereof. For this reason, if a screen display based on a certain event is in the course of execution, and concurrently, another event on which another display is to be executed happens, this will lead to a situation where plural display requests are accumulated as a list. Accordingly, in the case where displays are sequentially shown in the order in which events have happened, it follows that the next display is shown after completion of an immediately preceding event. In consequence, timing of outputting speech and a screen display is provided after the vehicle has passed a location where the speech and the screen display are to be outputted, and therefore, there is a possibility that a guidance that is meaningless to a user is executed. To take an example, if speeding occurs in the course of the display of a guidance on a crossover point, and attention-attracting speech is outputted after completion of the display of the guidance on the crossover point, it is conceivable that the vehicle has already largely passed a location where the speeding occurred.
Accordingly, a technology for controlling plural guidances for a user has been proposed.
For example, with a navigation system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-236029, if the necessity of outputting a speech guidance having higher priority arises in the course of a certain speech guidance being outputted, the guidance being outputted at present is interrupted, and the speech guidance having higher priority is outputted.
Further, with a navigation system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-267328, the order of speech-guidance priorities are pre-decided for every speech-guidance types, and in the case where a speech-guidance that is about to be outputted at present is outputted, determination is made on whether or not overlapping by a speech-guidance having higher priority will occur by a completion time of the outputting. If the overlapping by the speech-guidance having higher priority occurs, the speech guidance that is about to be outputted at present is not executed. Thereby, a speech-guidance having lower priority is prevented from being interrupted by the speech-guidance having higher priority.


A pump assembly having a power end and a fluid end, wherein the fluid end includes a plurality of pump bodies connected side by side between opposing end plates with a plurality of fasteners tightened to compress the pump bodies between the end plates. The power end and at least one of the plurality of pump bodies being connected together by a tie rod having a rod portion and a sleeve portion, wherein the sleeve portion surrounds the rod portion and abuts the power end at an end and at least one of the pump bodies of the fluid end at an opposite end.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Reciprocating pumps such as triplex pumps and quintuplex pumps are generally used to pump high pressure fracturing fluids downhole. An example of a triplex or quintuplex pump is disclosed in commonly assigned PCT Application No. PCT/IB2010/053868, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the current disclosure. Typically, the pumps that are used for this purpose have plunger sizes varying from about 7 cm (2.75 in.) to about 16.5 cm (6.5 in.) in diameter and may operate at pressures up to 144.8 MPa (21,000 psi). In one case, the outer diameter of the plunger is about 9.5 cm (3.75 in) and the reciprocating pump is a triplex pump.
These pumps typically have two sections: (a) a power end, the motor assembly that drives the pump plungers (the driveline and transmission are parts of the power end); and (b) a fluid end, the pump container that holds and discharges pressurized fluid.
In triplex pumps, the fluid end has three fluid cylinders. For the purpose of this document, the middle of these three cylinders is referred to as the central cylinder, and the remaining two cylinders are referred to as side cylinders. A fluid end may comprise a single block having cylinders bored therein, known in the art as a monoblock fluid end. Similarly, a quintuplex pump has five fluid cylinders, including a middle cylinder and four side cylinders.
The pumping cycle of the fluid end is composed of two stages: (a) a suction cycle: During this part of the cycle a piston moves outward in a packing bore, thereby lowering the fluid pressure in the fluid end. As the fluid pressure becomes lower than the pressure of the fluid in a suction pipe (typically 2-3 times the atmospheric pressure, approximately 0.28 MPa (40 psi)), the suction valve opens and the fluid end is filled with pumping fluid; and (b) a discharge cycle: During this cycle, the plunger moves forward in the packing bore, thereby progressively increasing the fluid pressure in the pump and closing the suction valve. At a fluid pressure slightly higher than the line pressure (which can range from as low as 13.8 MPa (2,000 psi) to as high as 144.8 MPa (21,000 psi) the discharge valve opens, and the high pressure fluid flows through the discharge pipe. In some cases, the pump is operated at 12,000 psi. In some other cases, the pump is operated at 15,000 psi. In some further cases, the pump is operated at 20,000 psi.
In assembling and operating these pumps at such harsh conditions, zones of weaknesses have been identified which present a high potential for failure and injury. One example zone includes the tie rods used to connect the power and the fluid end of the pumps, and more particularly the threads at each end of the tie rods. As a precaution, tie rods that are generally used in the industry need to be periodically inspected and replaced in an effort to prevent the tie rod from becoming defective.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved tie rod and pump equipment to increase efficiency, flexibility, reliability, and maintainability.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Device for automatically implementing the SPE method, with a two-dimensional needle arrangement which is suitable for removing substances from different two-dimensional specimen vessel arrangements and dispensing them under pressure into a two-dimensional cartridge arrangement.

a) Field of the Invention
The process of solid phase extraction (SPE) makes it possible to separate complex mixtures of substances such as mixtures of microorganisms, vegetable and animal samples and synthetic mixtures containing combinatorial and parallelized syntheses for subsequent analysis. The separating process consists in that the complex substance mixture is initially adsorbed in suitable extraction phases, then separated by elution in one or more separation steps, each with one or more separation stages, and the obtained fractions are concentrated, if necessary, by another SPE step or are adjusted on a desired solvent.
b) Description of the Related Art
The complex work sequences for carrying out the process of solid phase extraction always comprise the same process steps, such as the conditioning of the extraction phases (sorbents, resins or separating phases), the supplying of specimens, washing, and elution. Identical process steps which sometimes run repeatedly in different sequences are excellent candidates for automation.
Since the supplied substances (specimens or solvents) do not flow through the extraction phase exclusively due to gravitational force in many applications, the substance is forced through the extraction phase by generating a vacuum below the extraction phase or an overpressure above the extraction phase. Technical apparatus has been developed for both principles. In this connection, systems making use of a vacuum suction technique have proven disadvantageous. The vacuum that can be generated remains limited to one bar and with a plurality of cartridges per vacuum channel the pressure compensation takes place through the best "running" cartridges (vessel containing an extraction phase), so that a complete elution often does not take place in poorly "running" cartridges. In particular With biological specimens, the viscosity and the particle proportion is often so unfavorable that some cartridges elute incompletely when the process is carried out simultaneously in a plurality of cartridges with the vacuum suction technique (e.g., Nachr. Cheni. Tech. Lab. 44; 1969; No. 4; page M18).
In known devices which press the specimen through the extraction phase with overpressure, each cartridge is individually sealed independently from one another. For example, the STRATEC Elektronik GmbH company offers an automatic pipettor, known as VIVACE, with an expansion module FEX which is suitable for carrying out the SPE process. In order to generate a positive pressure on the extraction phase, an appropriate tool of one of the two pipetting arms of the VIVACE is placed on the upper end of the column (cartridge end) in a gastight manner and the necessary pressure is built up with a suitable inert gas. Each of the two pipetting arms is outfitted with a pipetting needle. The pipetting needle can be freely positioned within a plane by means of the linear adjustment of the pipetting needle at the pipetting arm in one coordinate direction and the movement of the pipetting arm in a coordinate direction vertical to the latter. In this way, pipetting can be carried out from virtually any commonly used vessel. Regardless of the circumference of the vessels or the distances at which they are positioned from one another below the pipetting arm, the pipetting tip can be moved to the vessels in such a way that it stands above the vessels exactly in the center.
The demand for the use of vessels with different circumferences results from the different volumes which depend, for example, on their concentration to be taken up and dispensed by means of the pipetting needles. For an economical use of substances and a reproducible volume take-up, the entire volume to be taken up must be taken up by completely emptying a vessel. Since the relative lift required for this purpose between the pipetting needle and vessel bottom should be as small and as constant as possible regardless of the capacity of the vessel, there is a demand for the use of vessels of the same height with different circumferences having correspondingly different capacities. However, vessels for dispensing the substance—even if they have different capacities—could also, in principle, have the same circumference but a different height because immersion is not required for dispensing in the vessel. However, for automation, a constant lift is also advantageous in this case, so that there is also a demand in this case for the possibility of using vessels with different circumferences.
Vessels for receiving (specimen vessels) and dispensing (cartridges) are available as individual vessels, also already arranged in a rack in a two-dimensional arrangement with modular sizes or grid dimensions (center distances) of a×b (a represents the grid dimension of vessels arranged in a row and b represents the grid dimension of the vessels arranged in a column).
As an alternative to the two-dimensional arrangement of individual vessels, there are monolithic blocks of specimen vessels and cartridges in which the actual vessels are formed by chambers with grid dimensions a×b.
The cross section of the individual vessels and chambers is usually round or rectangular. Polygonal shapes are also known. In arrangements with round and square cross sections: a=b.
The grid dimensions are adapted to those of commercially available microtiter plates or other multi-vessel systems.
With regard to the automation of simultaneous receiving and dispensing of specimens from and into vessel arrangements of different grid dimensions, there is the particular problem of providing a needle arrangement which is suitable for emptying and filling these vessels and which can also be sealed relative to these vessels.
The prior art does not disclose any apparatus for carrying out the SPE method that is suitable for receiving the substances from two-dimensional arrangements of specimen vessels of different grid dimensions with a two-dimensional needle arrangement and dispensing the substances in a two-dimensional cartridge arrangement under pressure.

Device for fully automated solid phase extraction


A instrument and method for effecting the dilatation of an artery. The instrument comprises a catheter and an expandable balloon. The catheter includes first and second lumens extending longitudinally therethrough and in communication with respective portions of the balloon. The balloon is an everted member having a cylindrical outer wall and a cylindrical inner wall disposed within the outer wall. The inner wall has a central passageway extending therethrough communicating with the first lumen through which a conventional guide wire may be extended. The inner wall of the balloon is collapsible radially inward, e.g., upon the application of a vacuum to the first lumen, whereupon it frictionally engages the guide wire to prevent relative movement therebetween and to enable the instrument and guide wire to be moved as a unit. The outer wall of the balloon is collapsible radially inward, e.g., upon the application of a vacuum to the second lumen, so that its cross-sectional area is less than that of the catheter to facilitate the introduction of the balloon into a restriction, a stenosed area, in the artery. The outer wall of the balloon is also movable radially outward by introducing a pressurized fluid into the annular space in the balloon member via the second lumen to effect the dilatation of the stenosed artery. A cylindrical, radio-opaque stent may be located within the balloon between the inner and outer walls thereof.

This invention relates generally to dilatation catheters, and more specificially to over-the-wire dilatation catheters for angioplast.
Angioplasty is commonly carried out by use of a dilatation catheter which has an inflatable balloon at its distal end. The balloon catheter is typically guided through the patient's vascular system to a location adjacent the stenosis via use of a guide catheter. Then, using some imaging technique, e.g., fluoroscopy, the catheter is moved the remaining distance through the opening in the stenosis, i.e., "across" the stenosis. With the balloon within the stenosis, it is inflated by supplying a fluid, e.g., saline and a radio-opaque dye, whereupon the balloon's inflation stretches the artery and presses the lesion into the artery wall, thereby enabling increased blood flow through the artery.
Balloon angioplasty catheters are of two basic types, namely, the so-called "fixed-wire" type and so-called "over-the-wire" type. The fixed wire balloon catheter essentially comprises an expandable balloon fixedly secured onto a distal end portion of a guide wire. Such an instrument has a very narrow profile or "crossing size", i.e., a small cross-sectional area. Thus, the fixed-wire balloon catheter can easily cross its way through narrowed arteries so long as the tip or distal end can be negotiated through the artery. The major limitation with fixed-wire balloon catheters is the difficulty in steering the balloon wire tip into and through the narrowings or vascular restrictions. Another major limitation is that one balloon cannot be exchanged for another, e.g., a larger balloon, without first removing the first balloon. Such removal is undesirable since rethreading another fixed wire instrument to the vascular position of the first instrument vacated my not be possible or at the very least be difficult and potentially dangerous.
The over-the-wire balloon catheter essentially comprises an elongated catheter having a distal end portion at which an expandable balloon is fixedly secured and a central passageway through which a guide wire can be extended. With such an instrument a guide wire is first passed through the narrowed artery and then the balloon catheter is passed over the guide wire so that the guide wire is within the catheter's central passageway. While over-the-wire balloon catheters allow more flexibility in catheter placement and exchange, i.e., removal of one balloon catheter leaving the guide-wire in place so that a larger balloon catheter and be slid thereon to the vacated position, such catheters are not without their own limitations. In particular, a major limitation of over-the-wire balloon catheter instruments is that the tip crossing size is significantly larger than that of a fixed-wire instrument. Accordingly, the crossing of severely narrowed arteries with over-the-wire balloon catheters is made more difficult if not impossible.
Heretofore considerable efforts have been made to provide an over-the-wire dilatation catheter which is sufficiently flexible to pass through very tight tortuous paths, which exhibits good "pushability" (i.e., the transmission of longitudinal force along the catheter so that it can be readily pushed through the vascular system), and which has a reduced profile so that its balloon not only can reach but also can cross a very tight stenosis. Examples some prior art over-the-wire balloon catheters are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,347 (Fogerty et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,440 (Chin), U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,959 (Horzewski et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,113 (Burns), U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,705 (Burns), U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,061 (Seifert et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,045 (Arney et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,636 (Burns).
However, a need still presently exists for a balloon catheter which exhibits the small crossing size advantages of a fixed-wire instrument, with the positioning and exchange advantages of an over-the-wire instrument, all the while exhibiting good flexiblility and pushability.

Hybrid balloon angioplasty catheter and methods of use


According to one embodiment of the present specification, a method by which a base station transmits a signal for removing phase noise in an mmWave communication system can be provided, wherein the method for removing phase noise can comprise the steps of: generating a shared PTRS for phase noise of a downlink signal; transmitting, to a terminal, shared PTRS pattern information on the shared PTRS through downlink signaling; and transmitting, to the terminal, the shared PTRS on the basis of the shared PTRS pattern information transmitted to the terminal.

An ultra-high frequency wireless communication system using mmWave is configured to operate at a center frequency in the range of several GHz to several tens of GHz. Due to such a center frequency feature, significant path loss may occur in a shadow area in the mmWave communication system. Considering that a synchronization signal should be stably transmitted to all terminals within coverage of a base station, the synchronization signal needs to be designed and transmitted in consideration of the potential deep-null phenomenon, which may occur due to the above-described ultra-high frequency band characteristics, in the mmWave communication system.

Signal transmission method for removing phase noise in wireless communication system and device therefor


A DNA sequence encoding a glucocorticoid-induced leucine-zipper family related protein (GILR), isoforms, fragments or analogs thereof, said GILR, isoforms, fragments or analogs thereof capable of inhibiting apoptosis and stimulating lymphocyte activity, GILR proteins, isoforms, analogs, fragments and derivatives thereof encoded by the aforesaid DNA sequence, their preparation and uses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally in the field of modulators of apoptopic cell death and uses thereof in therapeutic applications to inhibit or to enhance apoptosis, as desired depending on the disease and whether or not it is desired to kill the diseased cells or to rescue the diseased cells from apoptopic cell death. Specifically, the present invention concerns novel genes encoding novel proteins belonging to the leucine zipper family, which are capable of inhibiting apoptosis mediated by the CD3/TCR system or by the Fas/Fas-L system, and which are also capable of stimulating lymphocyte activation. In particular, the present invention concerns a new protein and the gene encoding therefor called GILR, preparation and uses thereof, as well as any isoforms, analogs, fragments and derivatives of GILR, their preparation and uses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is an important intracellular process having an important role in normal cell and tissue development as well as in the control of neoplastic growth (Cohen, 1993; Osborne and Schwartz, 1994; Wyllie et al., 1980; Kerr et al., 1972; Bursch et al., 1992).
A number of stimuli can either induce or inhibit programmed cell death through activation of molecules, involved in the signaling and execution of apoptosis, acting at different levels including the cell membrane, cytoplasm and nucleus. Among these, of note are those intracellular molecules, including some transcription factors, that have been shown to regulate cell growth. In particular, leucine zipper family proteins, such as for instance MYC, FOS and JUN, can modulate cell death (Shi et al., 1992; Smeyne et al., 1993; Goldstone and Lavin, 1994).
Apoptosis is also important in T-cell development (Dent et al., 1990; Ju et al., 1995; MacDonald and Lees, 1990). In particular, negative selection is due to apoptosis activated through the antigen (Ag) interaction with the T-cell-receptor(TCR)/CD3 complex (Smith et al., 1989). Engagement of the TCR/CD3 complex, either by APCs presenting antigenic peptide or by anti-CD3 antibody, triggers a series of activation events, such as for example, the expression of the Fas/Fas-Ligand (Fas/Fas-L) system, that can induce apoptosis in thymocytes, mature T cells and T cell hybridoma (Alderson et al., 1995; Dhein et al., 1995; Ju et al., 1995; Jenkinson et al., 1989; Webb et al., 1990; Yang et al., 1995). For example, triggering of such activation events in T cell hybridomas leads to cell cycle arrest, followed by apoptosis. This activation-induced cell death (AICD, Kabelitz et al., 1993) requires the interaction of Fas with Fas-L (Alderson et al., 1995; Itoh et al., 1991; Yang et al., 1995).
It has been shown that other stimuli, such as cytokines and glucocorticoid hormones (GCH), are also critical regulators of T-cell development (Migliorati et al., 1993; Nieto et al., 1990; Nieto and Lopez-Rivas, 1989; Cohen and Duke, 1984; Wyllie, 1980). For example, dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic GCH which by itself induces apoptosis in T cell hybridomas and in normal T lymphocytes, can inhibit AICD induced by triggering of the TCR/CD3 complex (Zacharchuk et al., 1990). This inhibition may be due to prevention of activation induced expression of Fas and Fas-L (Yang et al., 1995).
With respect to the above noted Fas/Fas-L system, it should be noted that Fas has also been called the FAS receptor or FAS-R as well as CD95. For simplicity, this receptor will be called 'Fas' herein throughout and its ligand, as noted above, will be called 'Fas-L' herein throughout.
Fas is member of the TNF/NGF superfamily of receptors and it shares homology with a number of cell-surface receptors including the p55-TNF receptor and the NGF receptor (see for example Boldin et al., 1995a and 1995b). Fas mediates cell death by apoptosis (Itoh et al. 1991) and appears to act as a negative selector of autoreactive T cells, i.e. during maturation of T-cells, Fas mediates the apoptopic death of T cells recognizing self-antigens. Mutations in the Fas gene, such as the lpr mutations in mice, have been shown to be responsible for a lymphoproliferation disorder in mice resembling the human autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythomatosus (SLE; Watanabe-Fukunaga et al., 1992). The Fas-L molecule is apparently a cell surface-associated molecule carried by, amongst others, killer T cells (or cytotoxic T lymphocytes—CTLs), and hence, when such CTLs contact cells carrying Fas, they are capable of inducing apoptopic cell death of the Fas-carrying cells. Further, a monoclonal antibody specific to Fas has been prepared which is capable of inducing apoptopic cell death in cells carrying Fas, including mouse cells transformed by cDNA encoding human Fas (see, for example, Itoh et al,. 1991).
While some of the cytotoxic effects of lymphocytes are mediated by interaction of lymphocyte-produced Fas-L with the widely-occurring Fas, it has also been found that various other normal cells besides T lymphocytes, express Fas on their surface and can be killed by the triggering of this receptor. Uncontrolled induction of such a killing process is suspected to contribute to tissue damage in certain diseases, for example, the destruction of liver cells in acute hepatitis. Accordingly, finding ways to restrain the cytotoxic activity of Fas may have therapeutic potential.
Conversely, since it has also been found that certain malignant cells and HIV-infected cells carry Fas on their surface, antibodies against Fas, or Fas-L itself, may be used to trigger Fas-mediated cytotoxic effects in these cells and thereby provide a means for combating such malignant cells or HIV-infected cells (see, for example, Itoh et al. 1991). Finding yet other ways for enhancing the cytotoxic activity of Fas may therefore also have therapeutic potential.
As noted above, Fas is related to one of the TNF receptors, namely, the p55-TNF receptor. TNF (both TNF-α and TNF-β, and as used throughout, 'TNF' will refer to both) has many effects on cells (see, for example, Wallach, D. (1986) In: Interferon 7 (Ion Gresser ed.), p. 83-122, Academic Press, London; and Beutler and Cerami (1987)). TNF exerts its effects by binding to its receptors, the p55-TNF receptor and the p75-TNF receptor. Some of the TNF-induced effects are beneficial to the organism, such as, for example, destruction of tumor cells and virus-infected cells, and augmentation of antibacterial activities of granulocytes. In this way TNF contributes to the defense of the organism against tumors and infectious agents and contributes to recovery from injury. Thus, TNF can be used as an anti-tumor and anti-infectious agent.
However, TNF can also have deleterious effects. For example, overproduction of TNF can have a pathogenic role in several diseases, including amongst others, septic shock (Tracey et al., 1986); excessive weight loss (cachexia); tissue damage in rheumatic diseases (Beutler and Cerami, 1987); tissue damage in graft-versus-host reactions (Piquet et al., 1987); and tissue damage in inflammation, to name but a few of the pathogenic effects of TNF.
The above cytocidal effects of TNF is mediated mainly by the p55-TNF receptor in most cells studied so far, which activity is dependent on the integrity of the intracellular domain of this receptor (see, for example, Brakebusch et al., 1992; Tartaglia et al., 1993). In addition, mutational studies indicate that the related Fas and p55 TNF-receptor mediate intracellular signaling processes, ultimately resulting in cell death, via distinct regions within their intracellular domains (see also, for example, Itoh and Nagata, 1993). These regions also designated 'death domains' present in both these receptors, have sequence similarity. The "death domains" of Fas and p55-TNF receptor are capable of self-association, which is apparently important for promoting the receptor aggregation necessary for initiating intracellular signaling (see, for example, Song et al. 1994; Wallach et al., 1994; Boldin et al., 1995a, b), and which, at high levels of receptor expression, can result in the triggering of ligand-independent signaling (Boldin et al., 1995a, b).
Recent studies have indicated that the cytotoxic effects mediated by Fas and p55-TNF receptor involves an intracellular signaling pathway which includes a number of protein-protein interactions, leading from the initial ligand-receptor binding to the eventual activation of enzymatic effector functions, and which include non-enzymatic protein-protein interactions which are involved in the initiation of the signaling for cell death (see also, for example, Nagata and Golstein, 1995; Vandenabeele et al., 1995; and Boldin et al., 1995a, b). Apparently the binding of the trimeric Fas-L and TNF to their receptors results in the interaction of the intracellular domains of these receptors which is augmented by a propensity of the death-domain regions or motifs to self-associate (Boldin et al., 1995a, b), and induced binding of at least two other cytoplasmatic proteins (which can also bind to each other) to the intracellular domains of these receptors, namely, the protein MORT-1 (also called FADD) which binds to Fas (see Boldin et al., 1995b; Chinnaiyan et al., 1995; Kischkel et al., 1995), and the protein TRADD which binds to the p55-TNF receptor (see Hsu et al., 1995; Hsu et al., 1996). A third such intracellular protein has also been identified called RIP (see Stanger et al., 1995) which binds to the intracellular domains of both Fas and the p55-TNF receptor. RIP can also interact with TRADD and MORT-1. Thus, these three intracellular proteins allow for a functional "cross-talk" between Fas and the p55-TNF receptor. The interactions between these receptors and their associated proteins (MORT-1, TRADD, RIP) occurs through the 'death domain' motifs present in each of these receptors and proteins.
Thus, the "death domain" motifs of the p55-TNF receptor and Fas as well as their three associated proteins MORT-1, RIP and TRADD appear to be the sites of protein-protein interactions. The three proteins MORT-1, RIP and TRADD interact with the p55-TNF receptor and Fas intracellular domains by the binding of their death domains to those of the receptors, and for both RIP and TRADD their death domains also self-associate, although MORT-1 differs in this respect in that its death domain does not self-associate. Accordingly, it would seem that the interaction between the three proteins MORT-1, RIP and TRADD is an important part of the overall modulation of the intracellular signaling mediated by these proteins. Interference of the interaction between these three intracellular proteins will result in modulation of the effects caused by this interaction. For example, inhibition of TRADD binding to MORT-1 may modulate the Fas-p55 TNF-receptor interaction. Likewise, inhibition of RIP in addition to the above inhibition of TRADD binding to MORT-1 may further modulate Fas-p55 TNF-receptor interaction.
Recent studies have also implicated a group of cytoplasmatic thiol proteases which are structurally related to the Caenorhabditis elegans protease CED3 and to the mammalian interleukin-1β converting enzyme (ICE) in the onset of various physiological cell death processes (reviewed in Kumar, 1995 and Henkart, 1996). There have also been some indications that protease(s) of this family may take part in the cell-cytotoxicity induced by Fas and TNF receptors. Specific peptide inhibitors of the proteases and two virus-encoded proteins that block their function, the cowpox protein crmA and the Baculovirus p35 protein, were found to provide protection to cells against this cell-cytotoxicity (Enari et al., 1995; Los et al., 1995; Tewari et al., 1995; Xue et al., 1995; Beidler et al., 1995). Rapid cleavage of certain specific cellular proteins, apparently mediated by protease(s) of the CED3/ICE family, could be demonstrated in cells shortly after stimulation of Fas or TNF receptors (both the p55-TNF receptor and the p75-TNF receptor).
One such protease and various isoforms thereof (including inhibitory ones), designated MACH which is a MORT-1 binding protein and which serves to modulate the activity of MORT-1 and hence of Fas and p55-TNF receptor, and which may also act independently of MORT-1, has been recently isolated, cloned, characterized, and its possible uses also described, as is set forth in detail in the international application No. PCT/US96/10521, and in a recent publication (Boldin et al., 1996). Another such protease and various isoforms thereof (including inhibitory ones), designated Mch4 has also recently been isolated and characterized (Fernandes-Alnemri et al., 1996; Srinivasula et al., 1996). This Mch4 protein is also a MORT-1 binding protein which serves to modulate the activity of MORT-1 and hence likely also of Fas and p55-TNF receptor and which may also act independently of MORT-1.
Moreover, it has also recently been found that besides the above noted cell cytotoxicity activities and modulation thereof mediated by the various receptors and their binding proteins including Fas, p55-TNF receptor, MORT-1, TRADD, RIP, MACH and Mch4, a number of these receptors and their binding proteins are also involved in the modulation of the activity of the nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, which is a key mediator of cell survival or viability, being responsible for the control of expression of many immune- and inflammatory-response genes. For example, it has been found that TNF-α can actually stimulate activation of NF-κB and thus TNF-α is capable of inducing two signals in cells, one eliciting cell death and another that protects cells against death induction by inducing gene expression via NF-κB (see Beg and Baltimore, 1996; Wang et al., 1996; Van Antwerp et al., 1996). A similar dual effect for Fas has also been reported (see reference to this effect as stated in above Van Antwerp et al., 1996). It would therefore appear that there exists a delicate balance between cell death and cell survival upon stimulation of various types of cells with TNF-α and/or the Fas-L, the ultimate outcome of the stimulation depending on which intracellular pathway is stimulated to a greater extent, the one leading to cell death (usually by apoptosis), or the one leading to cell survival via activation of NF-κB.
In addition, recently there has been further elucidated the possible pathway by which members of the TNF/NGF receptor family activate NF-κB (see Malinin et al., 1997 and the various relevant references set forth therein). Briefly, it arises that several members of the TNF/NGF receptor family are capable of activating NF-κB through a common adaptor protein, Traf2. A newly elucidated protein kinase called NIK (see above Malinin et al., 1997) is capable of binding to Traf2 and of stimulating NF-κB activity. In fact, it was shown (see aforesaid Malinin et al.) that expression in cells of kinase-deficient NIK mutants results in the cells being incapable of having stimulation of NF-κB in a normal endogenous manner and also in the cell having a block in induction of NF-κB activity by TNF, via either the p55-TNF receptor or Fas, and a block in NF-κB induction by TRADD, RIP and MORT-1 (which are adaptor proteins that bind these p55-TNF and/or Fas receptors). All of the receptors p55-TNF and p75-TNF receptors and Fas, and their adaptor proteins MORT-1, TRADD and RIP bind directly or indirectly to Traf2, which by its binding ability to NIK apparently modulates the induction of NF-κB.
It has been a long felt need to provide a way for modulating the cellular response to Fas-L and to TNF. For example, in the pathological situations mentioned above, where Fas-L or TNF is overexpressed or otherwise present in excess amounts or where the Fas or, at least, p55-TNF receptor is over-activated or overexpressed, it would be desirable to inhibit the Fas-L or TNF-induced cytocidal effects, which in other situations, e.g. in tumor cells or wound healing applications, it would be desirable to enhance the TNF effect, or in the case of Fas, in tumor cells or HIV-infected cells, it would be desirable to enhance the Fas-mediated effect. To this end, a number of approaches have been attempted directed at the receptors themselves (to enhance or to inhibit their activity or amount, as the case may be) or directed at the signaling pathways, as noted above, in which these receptors or their associated proteins play a role (to enhance or inhibit the activities or amounts of the receptors or their associated proteins, as the case may be).
However, heretofore there has not been elucidated the role of glucocorticoid hormones (GCH) in the regulation of lymphocyte apoptosis, in particular, the role that GCH have in inducing gene expression, the product(s) of which may modulate apoptosis in T cells (and possibly other cells as well), which modulation may be by direct or indirect interaction with, or other means of modulation of, the Fas-mediated or the associated/related p55-TNF receptor-mediated intracellular signaling pathways leading to cell death (by apoptosis in which various proteases as noted above are involved) or leading to cell survival (via induction of NF-κB activation as noted above).

Intracellular modulators of apoptopic cell death pathways

Applied Research Systems ARS Holding N.V.


The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a tablet computer having the same. According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid crystal display, comprising: a liquid crystal display panel for displaying an image; a driving circuit unit connected to the liquid crystal display panel and including a printed circuit board mounted with a circuit component; a top chassis disposed over the liquid crystal display panel; and a fastening member for fastening the printed circuit board of the driving circuit unit to the top chassis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a tablet computer having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) displays an image on a liquid crystal display panel by controlling the light transmissivity of individual picture elements in response to image signals applied to a plurality of control switches arranged in a matrix form. LCD displays are very widely used because of their superior features such as lightweight, slim structure, low power consumption, full-color, and high resolution. Currently, LCD displays are used in devices such as computers, tablet personal computers, notebook computers, PDAs, portable phones, and television sets.
As the demand for ultra-thin tablet personal computers has recently increased, several studies have been undertaken in the technology of manufacturing such computers. However, the manufacturing cost of an ultra-thin tablet personal computer increases since the number of processes and necessary components for making a tablet personal computer increases as the computer is made thinner or ultra-thin.

Liquid crystal display and tablet computer having a chassis fastening member that receives a printed circuit board


Disclosed herein are an ice maker and method including an ice container to store ice, and a refrigerator having the same. The ice maker includes an ice making unit that receives water and produces ice from the water, a first ice container that receives the ice separated from the ice making unit, and an ice forwarding unit disposed at one side of the first ice container to guide the ice to be discharged to the outside.

1. Field
One or more embodiments relate to an ice maker and method including an ice container to store ice and a refrigerator having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, refrigerators comprise a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment sectionally formed from each other to preserve various food stuff for a long time in an optimum state. The refrigerating compartment stores foods such as vegetables and fruits to be preserved above the freezing temperature whereas the freezing compartment stores foods such as meat and fish to be preserved under the freezing temperature.
Such a freezing compartment is provided with an ice maker that produces ice by freezing water using cold air circulating therein.
The ice maker comprises a tray that receives water to produce ice, and an ice container that stores the produced ice.
Changes in dietary culture have recently caused an increase in the consumption of ice, and accordingly have increased the demand for ice makers which have an ice container capable of storing a quantity of ice.

Ice maker and method, and refrigerator having the same


Examples disclosed herein relate to a radar warning system positioned in a highway infrastructure. The infrastructure element includes a radar unit that is configured to produce radar data from one or more return radio frequency (RF) beams reflected from a surrounding environment using one or more steerable RF beams radiated to the surrounding environment, detect a moving object in a path of the surrounding environment from the radar data, determine whether the moving object in the path is violating directional criteria, and generate an alert message notifying one or more receiving units to avoid the path of the moving object when the moving object in the path is violating the directional criteria. The infrastructure element also includes a communication unit coupled to the radar unit and configured to send the alert message to the one or more receiving units in the surrounding environment.

A highway system provides drivers with high speed access to geographically dispersed areas at the risk of high-speed traffic with many other commuters. The system runs smoothly when drivers follow traffic rules and drive in proper designated lanes. Accidents often occur when a driver is not obeying the rules, such as when a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol or when a driver takes a wrong turn due to bad weather and low visibility. There are a variety of situations that result when a vehicle is traveling on the wrong side of a road or highway. The ability to identify these situations and provide a warning or alert to other drivers would reduce the loss of life and damage from these unfortunate occurrences.

Method and apparatus for radar infrastructure


A note skew detector, for use in a note transport mechanism of an Automated teller Machine (ATM) is described. The detector comprises a light source and a single optical sensor, optically coupled via a pair of optical wave-guides arranged to have an air gap there between so as to provide a note transport path between the said wave-guides. The wave-guides are further arranged to provide a first optical path and a second, distinct, optical path between said light source and said sensor.

The present invention relates generally to a note skew detector.
A detector in accordance with the present invention has application, for example, to the detection of skewed bank noted in the transport path of an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). In the cash dispensing mechanism of the aforementioned ATM it is important to provide a simple and reliable means for detecting skewed notes. Notes can become skewed as they are transported from a note storage cassette to the output slot of the ATM, as can notes deposited by a user and it is equally important to detect skew in notes being deposited in the ATM.
A variety of different prior art detectors have been utilized to detect note skew in ATMs. These include both electromechanical and optical detectors. However, they all have certain features in common. In particular, they all rely on a pair of sensors, each of which is located at a predetermined position along the transport path within the ATM. Also as the detector is arranged to determine skew perpendicular to the direction of travel along the transport path, both the sensors and light sources must be located within the transport path, thus making assembly and serviceability of the detectors difficult. For example, cables must be laid into both sides of the transport path to connect to the sensors.


A photolithography patterning stack and method for forming the same. The stack includes a plurality of patterned silicon oxide lines. A plurality of patterned silicon germanium lines each underlie and contact one patterned silicon oxide line of the plurality of patterned silicon oxide lines. The photolithography patterning stack further comprises a plurality of layers underlying the plurality of patterning silicon germanium lines. The method includes patterning at least a photoresist layer of a photolithographic patterning stack. The patterning exposing portions of a silicon germanium layer of the photolithographic patterning stack. A germanium oxide layer is formed in contact with the patterned photoresist layer and the portions of the silicon germanium layer. A plurality of silicon oxide layers is formed from the germanium oxide layer. Each of the silicon oxide layer is in contact with one of the portions of the silicon germanium layer.

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of semiconductors, and more particularly relates to photolithography of semiconductor structures.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation may be employed in photolithography to transfer a pattern onto an article to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer. As semiconductor devices continue to be reduced in scale, shorter wavelengths of radiation are preferred. As a result, techniques have been developed in which extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation can be used in the fabrication of semiconductor devices to form components and/or patterns at even smaller scales than more conventional UV photolithography allows. For example, EUV photolithography enables features with dimensions in the order of 320 nanometers (nm) or smaller. EUV radiation is often regarded as including wavelengths of from about 4 nm to about 40 nm. Although patterned feature dimensions have decreased the difficulty in achieving these smaller dimensions has increased. For example, multilayer lithography stacks typically utilized with EUV photolithography may cause defects in the patterned photoresist as devices become smaller and smaller. These defects include broken photoresist lines and microbridging, which can lead to device failures and decreased device performance.

Extreme ultraviolet patterning process with resist hardening

International Business Machines Corporation


An axially-extendable-bolt forming process by upsetting includes preparing a die having a through bore, and an internal upsetting cavity and a buffer space, a rod-shaped bolt precursor and a knock-out member, primarily pressing a leading end of the bolt precursor onto a leading end of the knock-out member, and secondarily pressing the bolt precursor onto the knock-out member. In the preparing step, the bolt precursor and knock-out member are fitted into the through bore of the die so that they can be brought into contact with each other. In the primarily-pressing step, the leading end of the bolt precursor is swollen finely and is brought into contact with an inner peripheral surface of the through bore of the die so that an excess material, being present adjacent to a leading-end surface of the bolt precursor, is flowed out into the buffer space. As a result, an axially-and-outwardly projecting flash is formed on a leading-end outer periphery of the bolt precursor so that irregularities, having been generated by shearing, are equalized. In the secondarily-pressing step, an intermediate portion of the bolt precursor is swollen in the internal upsetting cavity, and the bolt precursor is provided with an upset portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for forming a bolt, for instance, to a process which is appropriate for processing an axially-extendable bolt by upsetting.
2. Description of Related Art
An axially-extendable bolt has been known conventionally. The axially-extendable bolt includes an intermediate leg portion and a threaded leading-end leg portion, and is formed so that the intermediate leg portion has a smaller diameter than that of the threaded leading-end leg portion. As a result, the intermediate leg portion is likely to be extended by an axial tensile force. In general, the axially-extendable bolt has been manufactured in the following manner.
First, a workpiece is prepared by shearing a metallic rod-shaped blank. Then, the resulting workpiece, or a rod-shaped bolt precursor is subjected to drawing by using a forming apparatus. Thus, a leg member having a predetermined diameter is formed, and simultaneously a head member is formed. Moreover, the bolt precursor is subjected to upsetting by using another forming apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus, the leg member is processed to have a leading-end leg portion which is subsequently subjected to thread-rolling. The resultant leading-end leg portion of the leg member has a larger diameter than that of the intermediate portion thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the forming apparatus is provided with a die 50, and a knock-out member 60. The die 50 has a through bore 51. A bolt precursor "W" is fitted into the through bore 51 from one of the opposite ends of the through bore 51. The knock-out member 60 is fitted into the through bore 51 from another one of the opposite ends of the through bore 51, and is disposed relatively movably therein. The bolt precursor "W", fitted into the through bore 51, is moved relatively with respect to the knock-out member 60 along with the die 50. Accordingly, the leading end of the bolt precursor "W" is pressed against the leading end of the knock-out member 60. Consequently, the bolt precursor "W" is swollen at the leading end in radial directions. The forming apparatus thus carries out the upsetting operation.
Thereafter, the swollen leading-end leg portion of the bolt precursor "W", formed by the upsetting operation, is subjected to drawing in order to carry out shaping. After the shaping operation, the leading-end leg portion of the precursor "W" is subjected to thread-rolling in order to form screw threads thereon. Finally, the bolt precursor "W" is subjected to hexagonal-head shaping at the head member, round-flange trimming at the head member, a surface treatment, and the like, if necessary. An axially-extendable bolt is thus completed.
When preparing a bolt precursor in the above-described manner, a metallic rod-shaped blank is sheared in the following manner. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a cutter quill 70, and a cutter 80 are first disposed parallelly. The cutter quill 70 has a through bore 71, and the cutter 80 has a through bore 81. The through bores 71 and 81 are communicated with each other linearly. Then, a metallic rod-shaped blank "A" is fitted into the through bores 71 and 81. Finally, the cutter 80 is moved heavily in a shearing direction with respect to the cutter quill 70. However, when the metallic rod-shaped blank "A" is sheared, the cut surface of the resulting bolt precursor "W" is not flat because a sheared surface "d", and a fractured surface "e" arise therein as illustrated in FIG. 6(a). The disadvantages result from the existence of clearances "a", "b" and "c" shown in FIG. 5. The clearances "a" and "b" are formed between the inner peripheral surfaces of the through bores 71 and 81, into which the metallic rod-shaped blank "W" is fitted, and the outer peripheral surface of the metallic rod-shaped blank "W". The clearance "c" is formed between the facing surfaces of the cutter quill 70 and cutter 80. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 6(b), a running "f" arises on the outer periphery adjacent to the cut surface of the resultant bolt precursor "W". As a result, irregularities arise in portions adjacent to the cut surface of the resultant bolt precursor "W".
When the bolt precursor "W" having the defects is subjected to the upsetting operation as illustrated in FIG. 4, there arises a problem in that a dent "g" is likely to develop in the upset portion because an uneven thickness is likely to occur, and because the upsetting accuracy is prone to be unstable. As illustrated in FIG. 7, when the dent "g" is developed, an oblique drawing takes place eventually in the subsequent drawing operation for shaping the upset portion of the bolt precursor "W". As a result, an axial run-out occurs in the drawn portion, and the perpendicularity deteriorates therein. All in all, there emerges a problem in that these drawbacks finally result in the deterioration in the qualities of a completed bolt.
The applicant of the present invention has proposed a novel process for forming a bolt in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-209,461. The novel bolt forming process is intended for securing a flatness in the leading-end surface of a leg member of a bolt. In the novel bolt forming process, in order to carry out the objective, a bolt precursor is flowed radially outwardly at a portion adjacent to the leading-end surface, and simultaneously the flowed portion is removed by cutting. When the novel bolt forming process is applied to the above-described upsetting operation, it is possible to inhibit the aforementioned uneven thickness from arising, because the flowed portion is removed by cutting. However, it is necessary to carry out post-processing the burrs and flashes, which have been produced by cutting. Consequently, there might arise a drawback in that the man-hour requirement, and the cost of equipment increase.

Process for forming axially-extendable bolt by upsetting


A lighted display panel includes a plurality of illumination layers, with each layer having leading and trailing edges. Each of the layers has a cross section in which the leading and trailing edges are angled toward an upper or lower face of the layer. In some cases, the leading and trailing edges are offset from one another. In other cases, the illumination layer has a wing shape. Lighting elements (e.g., LEDs) are located in the leading edges of the illumination layers. The illumination layers define vents through which air may flow, but which obstruct the passage of light.

Lighted display panels, such as LED panels and the like, are used for a variety of purposes, including providing traffic information via signs over highways or in subway stations, scrolling various messages across single or multi-color displays, and presenting information or replays during sporting events in large arenas, among other uses. Lighted display panels are well known in the art, and many patents have been granted for various aspects of their design.
However, a common problem in the art is that known lighted display panels inherently have high wind resistance due to their solid surfaces and their considerable sizes that are needed to be visible from long distances. It would thus be an advancement in the art to provide a physical housing configuration, or form factor, for a lighted display panel that provides venting or other physical characteristics to allow wind and elements to pass through the lighted display panel.


This invention provides a safe and effective agent for ameliorating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that has both a bronchodilator effect and an anti-inflammatory effect. The agent for ameliorating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease contains mepenzolate bromide as an active ingredient. More preferably the mode of administration of the agent for ameliorating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is airway administration or inhalation administration, and furthermore the mode of administration thereof is oral administration or rectal administration. This invention is a safe and effective agent for ameliorating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that has both a bronchodilator effect and an anti-inflammatory effect of mepenzolate bromide.

In recent years, bronchodilators (a β-agonist, a muscarinic antagonist, and the like) have been used for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hereinafter may be referred to as "COPD") and these are reported to improve airflow limitation temporarily (Non-Patent Literature 1).
Furthermore, ipratropium bromide, which is a muscarinic antagonist, is reported to exhibit a bronchodilator effect by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle (Non-Patent Literature 2).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease in which various factors, particularly smoking causes chronic lung inflammation and the inflammation causes alveolar destruction and bronchial mucous gland hypertrophy, which in turn lead to shortness of breath and increased coughing or expectoration.
A disease previously referred to as pulmonary emphysema (PE) and a disease previously referred to as chronic bronchitis (CB) are often combined in various ratios and developed, and accordingly, the diseases caused by these two diseases came to be collectively referred to as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
According to a trial calculation made by the World Health Organization (WHO), three million people died of COPD worldwide in one year in 2005 and COPD is the fourth leading cause of death, and it is predicted that the number of deaths from COPD will increase further by 30% in the next 10 years. According to statistics by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan, in 2005, deaths from COPD accounted for 1.3% of the total number of Japanese deaths and COPD is the tenth leading cause of death and the seventh leading cause of death exclusively in men.
The primary cause of COPD development is smoking. 90% of COPD patients are smokers (Non-Patent Literature 3) and the risk of smokers developing COPD is six or more times higher than that by nonsmokers. Approximately 10 to 15% of smokers develop COPD and, exclusively in the elderly population, nearly 50% of smokers suffer from COPD. Other causes include indoor air pollution or air pollution, inhalation of chemical substances or dust, genetic factors, pneumonia or bronchitis in childhood, and the like.
COPD is a disease whose characteristic condition is airflow limitation, that is, difficulty in breathing out, although the true nature of the condition is chronic airway inflammation. Smoking, inhaled substances, and the like cause inflammation in various sites in a lung ranging from a central airway to a peripheral bronchus. It is believed that the inflammation leads to protease-antiprotease imbalance, oxidant-antioxidant imbalance, and the like, which in turn causes alveolar destruction and bronchial mucous gland hypertrophy.
COPD is an incurable disease since irreversible destruction of the airway has occurred. Smoking cessation, pharmacotherapy by administration of e.g., a bronchodilator, an expectorant, and an antitussive drug, oxygen therapy, or the like can only relieve symptoms of COPD, and thus COPD is a very troublesome disease.
From the above-mentioned point of view, various kinds of agents for ameliorating COPD or methods for ameliorating COPD have been proposed so far (for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2); however, development of an even better agent for ameliorating COPD is currently awaited.
In the above-mentioned context, the present inventors have worked toward development of an agent for ameliorating COPD by performing a study to search existing commercially available drugs. As a result, the present inventors have confirmed that mepenzolate bromide, which has been used as a therapeutic drug for irritable bowel, exhibited a therapeutic effect on COPD based on a bronchodilator effect and an anti-inflammatory effect thereof, and thus accomplished the present invention.
Mepenzolate bromide is known as an anticholinergic drug that has an effect of suppressing movement and contraction in a lower gastrointestinal tract and has been used as a therapeutic drug for irritable bowel in a clinical setting since 1967. However, it is unknown that mepenzolate bromide is effective for COPD treatment.
Furthermore, there has been no known therapeutic agent for COPD that has both a bronchodilator effect and an anti-inflammatory effect so far.

Agent for ameliorating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease


A permanent magnet synchronous machine includes a stator, and a rotor which defines with the stator an air gap. The stator includes a plurality of teeth which are disposed in spaced-apart circumferential relationship and separated from one another by a tooth pitch. Each of the teeth has a shaft which terminates in a tooth head adjacent the air gap, with the tooth heads of neighboring teeth being separated from one another by a slot. The tooth heads are constructed to prevent saturation. The rotor has permanent magnets which are aligned in flux concentration direction and arranged to define a pole pitch, wherein a pitch ratio of tooth pitch to pole pitch is ≧2.5.

The present invention relates, in general, to a permanent magnet synchronous machine.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
A permanent magnet synchronous machine of a type involved here includes a stator and a rotor which together define an air gap. The stator includes teeth which have each a radial tooth pole and an axially extending tooth head, whereby the tooth heads are arranged adjacent the air gap and neighboring tooth heads in circumferential direction are spaced from one another by a slot. The rotor includes permanent magnets which are arranged in flux concentration direction.
The tooth heads become saturated when the flux density within the is high enough. As a result, increased losses are experienced. This problem has been addressed heretofore by preventing such flux densities within the air gap. The radial extension of the tooth heads is hereby kept as small as possible in order to realize a greatest possible slot cross section.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved permanent magnet synchronous machine which is effective and reliable in operation, even when subject to increased flux density within the air gap.


Provided herein are mutant strains of Neisseria meningitidis which produce lipooligosaccharide (LOS) differing from the wild-type LOS in structure as well as the mutant LOS molecules and immunogenic compositions containing truncated LOS molecules from a Neisseria strain containing a genetically stable in a gene selected from the group consisting of genes encoding .alpha.-1,2-N-acetylglucosamine transferase and a gene homology to an Escherichia coli gene encoding 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. N. meningitidis NMB-559 harbors an insertion mutation in the gene encoding .alpha.-1, 2-N-acetylglucosamine transferase, and N. meningitidis NMB-469 harbors an insertion mutation in an nlaB gene, the protein product of which has significant amino acid sequence homology to the E. coli gene encoding 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase.

Neisseria meningitidis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are important human pathogens. N. meningitidis causes meningitis, sepsis and bacteremia; N. gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhoea in both sexes, pelvic inflammatory disease and/or sterility in women, and rectal and pharyngeal infections, as in homosexual men. More rarely, disseminated gonococcal infection (gonococcal bacteremia) can result, with complications such as polyarthralgias or purulent arthritis, for example. These two species are relatively closely related genetically; there is approximately 85% DNA sequence homology between the genomes of the two species. The genus also includes several other species which are nonpathogenic to man although they colonize the upper respiratory tract.
The capsule of N. meningitidis contains N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid) polymerized in .alpha.2-8 linkage; the capsule is a component which contributes to virulence in that it appears to offer at least some protection against the bactericidal activity of serum and it appears to promote invasiveness. The Group B capsule is poorly antigenic because it mimics the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) . It also down regulates the activation of the alternative complement pathway by enhanced binding of the complement factor II to cell surface-deposited C3b, which is subsequently inactivated by Factor I. The level of Group B capsule expression affects the virulence of the meningococci in the mouse model and the attachment of the meningococcal cells to mucosal surfaces. N. gonorrhoeae is not encapsulated, but extracellular polyphosphate is produced.
Neisseria produce lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which is associated with the bacterial outer membrane. The lipopolysaccharide differs from that of the Enterobacteriaceae in that there are short, often branched sugar chains rather than relatively long repeating subunits. Hence, the neisserial LPS is known as lipooligosaccharide (LOS). Neisserial LOS is classified into six serotypes among the gonococci and into thirteen in the meningococci. Neisserial LOS contain glucose, galactose, 3-keto-2-deoxyoctanoic acid (KDO), glucosamine, galactosamine, sialic acid and ethanolamine in ratios and linkages which depend on the serotype. LOS molecules generally have molecular masses in the range of about 3200 to about 7000, as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE). The short, often branched oligosaccharide chains are attached via KDO to lipid A embedded in the outer membrane. The LOS structure of a particular strain is subject to antigenic variation.
The lipid A acts as a classic endotoxin and can induce changes in the permeability of the blood brain barrier after invasion of the cerebrospinal fluid during meningococcemia [Tunkel and Scheld (1993) Clin. Res. Microbiol. 6:118-136]. The composition of the LOS influences the invasive capacity of the meningococci [MacKinnon et al. (1993) Microb. Path. 15:359-366] and in the gonococci as well as the meningococci, the composition of the LOS affects the susceptibility of the bacterial cells to normal human serum [Shafer et al. (1984) J. Infec. Dis. 149:179-183; Porat et al. (1995) Infect. Immun. 63:2164-2172].
The terminal galactose of neisserial lipooligosaccharide is sialylated. The wild-type LOS lacto-N-tetraose unit of eight of the twelve serotypes of N. meningitidis appears to mimic certain human blood group antigens [Mandrell et al. (1988) J. Exp. Med. 168:107-126; Tsai and Civin (1991) Infect. Immun. 59:364-369]. Phase variation can produce heterogeneous oligosaccharide chains, and therefore a change in the antigenic profile of the strains. In gonococci, attachment of the sialic acid to the terminal galactose found in many of the LOS immunotypes results in increased resistance to the bactericidal action of normal human serum. Accordingly, in the formulation of vaccine compositions, it is important to avoid triggering an autoimmune response in the vaccinated individual.
While purified polysaccharides from Groups A and C meningococci have been used successfully in vaccines, the polysaccharides of the Group B meningococci are poor antigens, per Davis et al. (1990) Microbiology and Immunology, J. B. Lippincott Company, Philadelphia, Pa., at page 558.
There is a long felt need in the art for a protective vaccine effective in the prevention of human diseases caused by the pathogenic Neisseria species, N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis, especially Group B meningococci. Meningococcal meningitis or meningococcemia can result in about 85% mortality if untreated and about 10-20% if treated, and those with deficiencies in late complement cascade components C5, C6, C7 and C8 appear to be prone to multiple episodes of meningococcal meningitidis. For example, nonpathogenic strains or antigenic material therefrom, particularly those which lack intact lipooligosaccharide (LOS) structure, as antigen for preparing antibodies specific to this bacterial surface component or for vaccines useful in protection against the neisserial disease resulting from infection with Neisseria species.

Neisseria mutants, lipooligosaccharides and immunogenic compositions


An image processing method includes capturing a display image of a display panel in-focus with a camera; generating a first image by applying a high-pass filter to the captured image to remove or reduce a spatial frequency component corresponding to moiré that has appeared in the captured image; capturing the display image out-of-focus with the camera; generating a second image by applying a correction filter to the captured image to correct attenuation of the spatial frequency component of the captured image with the correction filter, and applying a low-pass filter to the corrected captured image; and generating a third image in which the moiré has been removed or reduced by compositing the first image and the second image. The sum of the transmittance of the high-pass filter and the transmittance of the low-pass filter is a constant value at any spatial frequency.

In the case of capturing an image of a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic electroluminescent (EL) panel in which pixels are aligned periodically with a solid-state image sensor camera in which imaging pixels on an image capture plane are aligned periodically, moiré, which is also referred to as "interference fringe," appears in the captured image due to misalignment occurring between the period in which the pixels are aligned and the period in which the imaging pixels are aligned.
When the luminance of the pixels is measured based on the captured image in which moiré appears, the influence of the moiré needs to be suppressed due to the fact that the luminance cannot be accurately measured due to pixels at positions corresponding to the moiré on the display panel being measured as being dark.
As a countermeasure against this, the inventor of the present invention has proposed an image processing method for removing moiré by compositing an in-focus image and an out-of-focus image in Patent Document 1. With this image processing method, an in-focus image and an out-of-focus image of the display panel are captured, and image processing is performed by filtering each captured image using a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter of the image processing apparatus.
FIGS. 15(a)-(d) show diagrams showing processes of image processing performed using the image processing method, FIG. 15(a) being a diagram showing spatial frequency characteristics of the in-focus image and the out-of-focus image, FIG. 15(b) being a diagram showing filter characteristics of a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, FIG. 15(c) being a diagram showing spatial frequency characteristics resulting from filtering the in-focus image and the out-of-focus image, and FIG. 15(d) being an image showing a spatial frequency characteristic of an image obtained by compositing images that have been filtered.
As shown in FIG. 15(a), a spatial frequency f1 of the in-focus image is output near a gain of 1 over a range in which the spatial frequency region ranges from 0 to the Nyquist frequency fN. In the in-focus image, moiré M occurs in a region that is a low spatial frequency region of 1/10 or less of the Nyquist frequency. On the other hand, a spatial frequency f2 of the out-of-focus image gradually attenuates as it transitions in the range in which the spatial frequency region ranges from 0 to the Nyquist frequency fN.
As shown in FIG. 15(b), the high-frequency component is extracted from the spatial frequency f1 of the in-focus image, and the low-frequency component is extracted from the spatial frequency f2 of the out-of-focus image, using a high-pass filter having a filter characteristic F1 and a low-pass filter having a filter characteristic F2 in the image processing apparatus used in the image processing method.
At this time, the moiré M that appeared in the low spatial frequency region is removed due to only the high-frequency component being extracted from the spatial frequency f1 of the in-focus image.
As shown in FIG. 15(c), the spatial frequency characteristic of the in-focus image resulting from filtering using the high-pass filter and the spatial frequency characteristic of the out-of-focus image resulting from filtering using the low-pass filter exhibit characteristics of relative characteristic compensation in which "transmittance of high-pass filter+transmittance of low-pass filter=1" is satisfied for any spatial frequency.
When the in-focus image resulting from filtering and the out-of-focus image resulting from filtering are composited, the frequency characteristic of the composite image exhibits a spatial frequency characteristic f3, which is approximately flat over the range in which the spatial frequency region ranges 0 to the Nyquist frequency fN, as shown in FIG. 15(d), and "composited frequency characteristic=in-focus spatial frequency characteristic" is satisfied for any spatial frequency. Accordingly, when the luminance of the display panel is measured, moiré is suitably removed, and an image with a favorable resolution can be composited.

Image processing method and image processing apparatus for executing image processing method


A gasket material including a steel plate and a foamed rubber layer formed on one or both sides of the steel plate, in which the foamed rubber layer is obtained from a rubber composition containing at least one of NBR, H-NBR or a functional group-modified NBR, as a rubber compound; and a crosslinking agent, and in which the foamed rubber layer has a quinoid crosslinking structure.

There have hitherto been used gasket materials having a steel plate and a foamed rubber layer comprising NBR, H-NBR or functional group-modified NBR, which is formed on one or both sides of the steel plate. Such gasket materials have many air bubbles in the foamed rubber layer, so that they have a high compressibility compared with gasket materials in which a non-foamed rubber layer is formed. Accordingly, such gasket materials are excellent in sealing properties for flanges having a high surface roughness or in sealing under low surface pressure, and therefore become the mainstream at present.
Further, NBR, H-NBR or functional group-modified NBR is generally crosslinked with sulfur or peroxide. However, it is difficult to perform a peroxide crosslinking in the atmosphere, unlike a sulfur crosslinking, so that the peroxide crosslinking is unsuitable for crosslinking in an oven, which is usually performed. The sulfur crosslinking is therefore generally performed also in the gasket materials (for example, see Patent Document 1). However, sulfur is liberated from the foamed rubber layer in some cases. In particular, when the gasket materials are used in electric components, there is a possibility of corroding metals which form the components or metal parts in the peripheries thereof.
Furthermore, in recent years, there are being popularized hybrid cars in which an engine and an electric motor are combined as power sources and electric cars driven by only an electric motor. However, when the gasket material with the sulfur-crosslinked foamed rubber layer formed is used in the electric components such as an alternator, it is presumed that liberated sulfur corrodes the metal components of the electric motor.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-2003-268163


Systems and methods for indoor tracking via Wi-Fi fingerprinting and electromagnetic fingerprinting are provided and can include a gateway receiver device measuring a RSSI value of a signal transmitted by a Wi-Fi transmitter device, the gateway receiver device measuring an EMF value of an interference in an electromagnetic field created by the gateway receiver device that is caused by the Wi-Fi transmitter device, the gateway receiver device determining whether the RSSI value matches any of a plurality of Wi-Fi fingerprints associated with a monitored region and whether the EMF value matches any of a plurality of electromagnetic fingerprints associated with the monitored region, and responsive thereto, the gateway receiver device identifying that a location of the Wi-Fi transmitter device is within the monitored region.

Indoor tracking systems and methods are known in the art and are based on RF fingerprints, transliteration, and time of arrival (TOA). However, known systems and methods are vulnerable to external interference, thereby resulting in inconsistent accuracy. For example, it is difficult to accurately track a position of a person or an object when RF signals are used and those RF signals overlap or encounter interference, such as iron materials, walls, or other objects that affect signal strength.
In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods.