Metabolizable lipid emulsions, such as Intralipid and Lipofundin, are excellent vehicles for peptide therapy of autoimmune diseases and of other TH1 T cell mediated diseases or conditions, as it promotes a TH1 to TH2 cytokine shift. Such emulsions may be used in conjunction with an antigen recognized by inflammatory T cells associated with the pathogenesis of a T cell mediated disease or condition for the therapeutic treatment of such

The present invention relates to vaccine therapy for T-cell mediated diseases, and in particular to therapeutic preparations comprising antigens recognized by T cells involved in the pathogenesis of T cell mediated diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, and a metabolizable lipid emulsion as a biologically active carrier.
Autoimmune disorders, e.g., insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM or type I diabetes), multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroiditis, are characterized by reactivity of the immune system to an endogenous antigen, with consequent injury to tissues. These immune responses to self-antigens are maintained by the persistent activation of self-reactive T lymphocytes.
T cells of the CD4 xe2x80x9chelperxe2x80x9d type have been divided into two groups by the characteristic cytokines they secrete when activated (Mosmann and Coffman, 1989). TH1 cells secrete IL-2, which induces T cell proliferation, and cytokines such as IFN-xcex3, which mediate tissue inflammation. TH2 cells, in contrast, secrete IL-4 and IL-10. IL-4 helps T cells secrete antibodies of certain IgG isotypes and suppresses the production of TH1 inflammatory cytokines (Banchereau et al., 1994). IL-10 indirectly inhibits TH1 activation by affecting antigen-presentation and inflammatory cytokine production by macrophages (Moore et al., 1993). It is the TH1 cells which contribute to the pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmune diseases. TH1-type responses also appear to be involved in other T cell mediated diseases or conditions, such as contact dermatitis (Romagnani, 1994).
Peptides suitable for immunologically specific therapy of an autoimmune disease are peptides that are recognized by T cells involved in the pathogenesis of the autoimmune disease. Each autoimmune disease will have its ideal peptide for use in therapy. A disease like multiple sclerosis involving T cells reactive to self-antigens such as myelin basic protein (MBP) (Allegreta et al., 1990) will require a peptide of myelin basic protein for its therapy, as for example those described by Ota et al., 1990.
The present inventors have shown that autoimmune diseases such as type I diabetes mellitus may be treated by administering a suitable peptide in an oil vehicle. NOD mice spontaneously develop type I diabetes caused by autoimmune T cells that attack the insulin-producing xcex2 cells of the islets. The autoimmune attack is associated with T-cell reactivity to a variety of self-antigens including a peptide of the 60 kDa heat shock protein (hsp 60) and peptides of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). Thus, for example, spontaneous diabetes developing in the NOD/Lt strain of mice could be treated with a peptide designated p277 corresponding to positions 437-460 of the human hsp 60 sequence (PCT Patent Publication No. WO90/10449; D. Elias and I. R. Cohen, Peptide therapy for diabetes in NOD mice, The Lancet 343:704-06, 1994); with variants of the p277 peptide in which one or both cysteine residues at positions 6 and/or 11 have been replaced by valine and/or the Thr residue at position 16 is replaced by Lys (see PCT Publication WO96/19236) and with peptides designated p12 and p32 corresponding to positions 166-185 and 466-485, respectively, of the human hsp60 sequence. See Israel Patent Application No. 114,407 of the same applicant of the present application, filed on Jun. 30, 1995. See also PCT application No. PCT/US96/11375, filed Jul. 1, 1996, claiming priority from said Israel application no. 114,407, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Peptide therapy for treatment of IDDM using p12, p32, p277 or variants thereof, was found by the present inventors to be effective when the peptide was administered to mice subcutaneously (sc) in an oil vehicle such as an emulsion of mineral oil known as incomplete Freund""s adjuvant (IFA). However, IFA as well as complete Freund""s adjuvant (CFA; a preparation of mineral oil containing various amounts of killed organisms of Mycobacterium) are not allowed for human use because the mineral oil is not metabolizable and cannot be degraded in the body. Therefore, it would be desirable to discover an effective vehicle for peptide therapy that would be metabolizable.
Several fat emulsions have been in use for many years for intravenous nutrition of human patients. Two of the available commercial fat emulsions, known as Intralipid (xe2x80x9cIntralipidxe2x80x9d is a registered trade mark of Kabi Pharmacia, Sweden, for a fat emulsion for intravenous nutrition, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,094) and Lipofundin (a registered trade mark of B. Braun Melsungen, Germany) contain soybean oil as fat (100 or 200 g in 1,000 ml distilled water: 10% or 20%, respectively). Egg-yolk phospholipids are used as emulsifiers in Intralipid (12 g/l distilled water) and egg-yolk lecithin in Lipofundin (12 g/l distilled water). Isotonicity results from the addition of glycerol (25 g/l) both in Intralipid and in Lipofundin. These fat emulsions are quite stable and have been used for intravenous nutrition of patients suffering from gastrointestinal or neurological disorders, which prevent them from receiving nutrition orally, and thus they receive the calories needed to sustain life. Usual daily doses are of up to 1 liter daily.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,943 issued on Feb. 14, 1978 to Wretlind et al. and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,393 issued on May 29, 1990 as reissue patent of U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,308 issued on Sep. 18, 1979 to Wretlind et al., describe a carrier system for use in enhancing parenteral, particularly intravenous, administration of a pharmacologically active, oil-soluble agent, comprising a stable, oil-in-water emulsion containing a pharmacologically inert lipoid as a hydrophobic phase dispersed in a hydrophilic phase, said lipid being dispersed in the emulsion as finely divided particles having a mean particle size less than 1 micron to achieve rapid onset of an acceptable therapeutic effect, said carrier system being used with an effective dose of said pharmacologically active, oil-soluble agent predominantly dissolved in said lipoid at a fraction ratio thereto in the hydrophobic phase, said therapeutic effect being attributable to said effective dose of the active agent. This carrier system is said to be suitable for administration of a water-insoluble or water-soluble, oil-soluble pharmacologically active agent that is predominantly dissolved in the lipoid phase. Examples of such pharmacologically active agents are depressants, anaesthetics, analgesics, stimulants, spasmolytics, muscle relaxants, vasodepressants and diagnostic, e.g. X-ray contrast, agents. The carrier system is said to enhance the diagnostic or therapeutic effect of the agent with a rapid onset accompanied by a reduced incidence of injury to body tissues.
Intralipid has been proposed as a non-irritating vehicle for several adjuvants for use in vaccines such as, for example, 6-O-(2-tetradecylhexadecanoyl)- and 6-O-(3-hydroxy-2-docosylhexacosanoyl)-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (Tsujimoto et al., 1986 and 1989), avridine (Woodard and Jasman, 1985), N,N-dioctadecyl-Nxe2x80x2,Nxe2x80x2-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) propanediamine (CP-20,961) (German Patent Application No. DE 2945788; Anderson and Reynolds, 1979; Niblack et al., 1979). Kristiansen and Sparrman, 1983, have disclosed that the immunogenicity of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase in mice is markedly increased after adsorption onto lipid particles constituting Intralipid.
None of the above publications describe the use of Intralipid as a vehicle for peptides in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, nor has there been any disclosure that Intralipid could mediate a shift of the immune response from a TH1-type response to a TH2-type response.
It has now been found, in accordance with the present invention, that metabolizable lipid emulsions, such as Intralipid and Lipofundin, can act as vehicles for peptide therapy of autoimmune diseases and of other TH1 T cell mediated diseases or conditions. It has been further found that this activity is associated with a TH1 to TH2 cytokine shift.
The present invention thus relates to a therapeutic preparation for the treatment of an autoimmune disease or other T cell mediated disease or condition, comprising a peptide or other antigen and a biologically active lipid carrier, wherein the peptide or other antigen is one recognized by inflammatory T-cells associated with the pathogenesis of said disease or condition, and wherein the biologically active lipid carrier is a fat emulsion comprising 10-20% triglycerides of plant and/or animal origin, 1.2-2.4% phospholipids of plant and/or animal origin, 2.25-4.5% osmo-regulator, 0-0.05% anti-oxidant, and sterile water to 100%.
The triglycerides and phospholipids of plant or animal origin may derive from any suitable vegetable oil, such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil or olive oil, or from egg-yolk or bovine serum. Preferably, the triglycerides are derived from soybean oil and the phospholipids are derived from soybean or from egg-yolk. Preferably, the triglycerides/phospholipids weight ratio is about 8:1.
Any suitable osmo-regulator may be added to the fat emulsion, preferably glycerol, xylitol or sorbitol. The fat emulsion may optionally comprise an anti-oxidant, for example 0.05% tocopherol.
In one embodiment of the invention, the fat emulsion as defined above is processed by centrifugation, e.g. at 10,000 g or higher, thus forming a small triglyceride-rich (about 90% triglycerides) layer on the top of a phospholipid-enriched aqueous dispersion containing about 1:1 triglycerides:phospholipids, and this latter aqueous dispersion is used as the lipid vehicle in the preparations of the invention.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the preparation is for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and comprises a peptide derived from the human heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) that is recognized by inflammatory T-cells associated with the pathogenesis of IDDM, wherein said peptide is selected from the group of peptides appearing in the following Table 1:
The invention further relates to a method for therapy of a subject suffering from an autoimmune disease or other TH1 mediated disease or condition, which comprises administering to said subject an effective amount of a therapeutic preparation according to the invention.

Preparations for the treatment of T cell mediated diseases


An ink jet head has a head substrate including discharge elements for discharging ink, with an electric wiring board being electrically connected to the head substrate, in which the periphery of the head substrate is sealed with a first sealant, and an electric splice between the head substrate and the electric wiring board is sealed with a second sealant. The first and second sealants contain the same base resin and curing agent, and the second sealant shows higher hardness than the first sealant after curing. This ink jet head is free from problems such as cavities and fissures at the boundary of the two sealants caused by a difference in linear expansion coefficients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet head and an ink jet printing apparatus having the head.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a recording system using an ink jet head, heat energy or vibration energy is applied to ink to discharge the ink as fine droplets from nozzles to thereby form an image on a recording medium. An example of a method for manufacturing an ink jet head can be found in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-19120.
According to such a manufacturing method, an ink jet head is manufactured in the following manner. Initially, heat elements (discharge element part) and a wiring conductor for supplying electric power to the heat elements are formed on a silicon substrate, a protective film is formed on the wiring conductor, and ink passages and ink discharge ports are patterned using a resist.
Next, a material for nozzles is applied and cured, and holes for supplying the ink are opened in the silicon substrate from its backside to the discharge element part. The resist is then removed through the holes to thereby form the ink passages and discharge ports.
The silicon substrate is then cut into chips, each having a necessary size as a head, to yield head substrates. The head substrate is attached to a support plate made typically of alumina, and a plated layer or ball bump is formed on a pad for bonding a flexible wiring board. The flexible wiring board serves to supply electric power from outside of the head to the heat elements and other components. The flexible wiring board is then bonded to the resulting recording head.
Next, a sealant for sealing the periphery of the head substrate (chip) (hereinafter referred to as "chip-periphery sealant") is applied to thereby protect the side of the head substrate from ink and dust. After curing the chip-periphery sealant, an inner lead bonding (ILB) sealant for sealing an electric splice (hereinafter referred to as "ILB sealant") is then applied over the chip-periphery sealant.
The chip-periphery sealant for sealing the head substrate (chip) and the ILB sealant for sealing the electric splice must satisfy the following requirements.
The chip-periphery sealant must continuously flow, in a short time, in a narrow groove around the chip, having a width less than 1 mm, positioned at the boundary between the head substrate and the support plate supporting the head substrate. The chip-periphery sealant must also protect the chip (head substrate) from ink and other matter. The ILB sealant must completely seal the electric parts and must not peel off even when rubbed by a blade or wiper and even when paper jams and comes into contact with the sealed portion. The blade or wiper is placed in the printing apparatus and serves to clean the plane of the ink discharge ports on the top side of the head substrate. In addition, the ILB sealant must not contain components that adversely affect the ink-repellent function of the head face which is treated with, for example, an alkyl fluoride compound or low-molecular weight cyclic siloxane.
To satisfy the above-mentioned requirements, the chip-periphery sealant should preferably have low thixotropy, exhibit good flowability and be flexible over a wide range of temperatures. In contrast, the ILB sealant should preferably have high hardness, viscosity and thixotropy and maintain its shape.
In conventional techniques, an optimum material satisfying the requirements of the chip-periphery sealant, and one satisfying the requirements of the ILB sealant have been separately selected.
For example, a material comprising a flexible polybutadiene-modified epoxy resin and an amine curing agent is used for the chip-periphery sealant, and a "dam agent" ("dam material") comprising a bisphenol-A epoxy resin, a curing agent and about 70% of an acid anhydride and filler is used for the ILB sealant.
However, these conventional techniques are susceptible to further improvement.
For example, if the ILB sealant is applied and cured after the chip-periphery sealant is applied and cured, it takes a long time to cure these two sealants, dedicated thermostats must be provided for curing the chip-periphery sealant and the ILB sealant, respectively, and spaces for the two thermostats are required, thus inviting higher cost of manufacture. An attempt has been made to shorten the curing time by applying a chip-periphery sealant, subsequently applying an ILB sealant, and performing curing treatment of these sealants in a certain period. However, the following problems have arisen.
In some cases, a thin uncured layer is formed at the boundary between the chip-periphery sealant and the ILB sealant, and the ink penetrates the uncured layer to thereby cause electrical failures. In addition, the ILB sealant contains a larger amount of filler, has a higher specific gravity and thereby sinks into the flexible chip-periphery sealant. Thus, the chip-periphery sealant flows over the chip, or cavities are formed in the cured sealants and ink penetrates the cavities.

Method of manufacturing ink jet head and apparatus using sealants


The present invention provides methods and compositions involving microbiome signatures and their association with oral complications of cancer therapy.

Conventional dental/oral cavity examination methods cannot predict oral complications or outcomes due to cancer therapy and not based on methods following the changes in oral microbiome composition and gene expression that in essence alter oral health. Therefore, personalized preventative and/or curative treatment cannot be implemented for a clinically heterogeneous cancer patient population. Head and neck cancer patients may present to the dental clinic with variable past history of radiation therapy, chemotherapy and/or antibiotic treatments, different cancer stages, and primary sites of oral cancer development, and are possibly scheduled for further radiation and/or chemotherapy treatments.
The present invention overcomes previous shortcomings in the art by providing methods and compositions employing oral microbiome signatures as biomarkers for prediction of risk, progression and response to treatment for oral complications associated with cancer therapy.

Compositions and methods for oral microbiome signatures

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority


The present invention provides a process of reducing acrolein by product from polytrimethylene terephthalate using selected phosphorus compounds to contact the polytrimethylene terephthalate or reactants in the process of producing polytrimethylene terephthalate. The selected phosphorus compounds are retained in the polytrimethylene terephthalate. The present invention also provides polytrimethylene terephthalate compositions containing amounts of phosphorus compounds.

Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) is primarily a linear aromatic polyester which can be prepared from the condensation polymerization of 1,3-propanediol (PDO) and terephthalic acid (TPA). Processes for making this polymer have been known for some time. For example, a process for making PTT is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,597. An atmospheric pressure process for making PTT is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,900. A continuous all melt low pressure process for making PTT is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,947. This continuous all melt low pressure process makes PTT with a high enough intrinsic viscosity so that solid state polymerization of the PTT is not required. In most prior processes, solid state polymerization was required in order to increase the intrinsic viscosity to an acceptable commercial value. Solid state polymerization is also advantageous because the final product is low in acrolein content but solid state polymerization has the disadvantage that the PTT pellets are friable.
It is known that the addition of a hindered phenol to polytrimethylene terephthalate can help reduce the amount of acrolein generated when the PTT comes into contact with air. To date, this is not considered true for phosphorus compounds because phosphorus compounds reduce the amount of acrolein only under an inert atmosphere when added during the polymerization process, and do not reduce the amount of acrolein formed when the polymer is heated under air. U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,786 describes a process for making PTT which has a reduced tendency to form acrolein when heated in air. This process involves the addition, to the polycondensation reaction, of a hindered phenol and an aromatic organophosphite containing a trivalent phosphorus group of the formula (ArO)wP, in which AR is an aryl group and w is an integer from 1 to 3.
Example 12 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,786 describes that using tris(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)phosphite during polymerization to make PTT did lower the amount of acrolein found in the pellets. However, the results of that example shown in Table 3 (before the solid state polymerization step) show that the retention of the phosphite in the final polymer is poor, i.e., a maximum amount of 26 ppm phosphorus when starting with either 50 or 75 ppm of the phosphite. Example 20, Table 7, shows that a high amount of the phosphorus compound is contained in the PDO distillate which is the PDO which is recovered from the process for recycle.
Any of the phosphorus species which volatizes during the process of making PTT can contaminate the PDO distillates and this contamination can interfere with the purification of these distillates for recycle. Even the nonphosphorus parts of some additives can interfere with PDO purification. For example, IRGAFOS™ 168 additive generates volatile 2,4-di-t-butylphenol which complicates the fractional distillation of the recovered PDO. In a preferred embodiment of the process of U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,947, recovered excess PDO is directly recycled from vacuum spray loops without purification. The phosphorus compounds and their byproducts can interfere with the polymerization if recycled into the PTT process; for example, by reducing the activity and efficiency of the process catalysts. Furthermore, volatile phosphorus compounds, the compounds themselves or phosphorus-containing degradation products of the compounds, can interfere with the operation and efficiency of catalytic oxidizers used to destroy volatile by product streams from the process because phosphorus compounds poison the catalysts commonly used in such oxidizers.
Therefore, it can be seen that it would be useful to have a process, particularly an all-melt process without solid-state polymerization, for making PTT which utilizes phosphorus compounds to reduce the amount of acrolein and which are retained to a high degree in the final PTT product from the process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,572 describes a process for the acceleration of the polycondensation of polyester, i.e. meaning polyethylene terephthalate (PET). From 30 to less than 500 ppm, typically from about 120 ppm to about 300 ppm, of a phosphorus compound which is a carboxy phosphonic acid is added prior to precondensation to accelerate the polycondensation of the polyethylene terephthalate. For the production of PTT, the addition of large amounts of the phosphorus compounds is a disadvantage because they tend to slow down the polycondensation rate which results in a polymer with a lower intrinsic viscosity over the same reaction time.

Polytrimethylene terephthalate having a low level of acrolein and a process for producing the same


An engine restart control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a brake system includes: a negative pressure detector configured to detect booster negative pressure; an engine restart controller configured to restart the engine after a stop of the engine; and a storage memory configured to store the booster negative pressure detected by the negative pressure detector. The engine restart controller restarts the engine when the booster negative pressure is reduced by a first set value or more from a reference booster negative pressure, which is detected at a predetermined timing after the stop of the engine, among booster negative pressures stored in the storage memory.

In vehicles such as automobiles, idle stop is the known control to stop an engine at a stop of the vehicle and restart the engine at a start of the vehicle, so as to reduce fuel consumption and emission during the vehicle stop. In relation to this idle stop control, there are various known techniques on engine restart control to restart the engine when the booster negative pressure of the brake system or the battery capacity satisfies a predetermined condition after an engine stop. For example, the cited document 1 discloses the technique of restarting the engine when the booster negative pressure of the brake system is reduced by a predetermined ratio after a stop of the engine. The cited document 2 discloses the technique of restarting the engine when the booster negative pressure of the brake system decreases below a threshold value after a stop of the engine.

Engine restart control apparatus, vehicle and vehicle control method


Embodiments enable cooperative transmissions from a group of cells (can include the serving cell and one or more neighboring cells) to a user equipment (UE). The cooperative transmissions emulate Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmissions to the UE. Specifically, when the UE is experiencing high interference, the UE's serving cell can create a transmit incremental redundancy (IR) group for the UE, which is used to transmit information in a HARQ-like fashion to the UE. Because interference is reduced, the UE can decode the information at a lower coding rate and higher coding gain.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to multi-cell incremental redundancy schemes for wireless communication access networks.
2. Background Art
In wireless communication access networks, such as cellular networks for example, user performance is largely limited by interference from neighboring cells. For example, in a single frequency network (SFN), about 30% of the users have a Carrier-to-Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR) of 0 dB or below. Interference is particularly a concern for users that happen to be located at radio cell edges (cell edge users) due to proximity to neighboring cells.
The present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Generally, the drawing in which an element first appears is typically indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.


A wind speed detecting circuit includes a heating unit, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a control unit and a driving unit. The first temperature sensor detects a first temperature of an internal portion of an electronic device, thereby generating a first detecting signal. The second temperature sensor detects a second temperature of the heating unit, thereby generating a second detecting signal. The control unit generates a modulation signal according to the first detecting signal and the second detecting signal. In response to the modulation signal, the driving unit generates a driving signal to control operations of the heating unit, so that a temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is maintained constant. A specified relation between the wind speed and the modulation signal facilitates discriminating whether a dust-proof element of the electronic device needs to be replaced.

With increasing development of high technology industries, various electronic devices such as power supply apparatuses, air conditioners or projectors become indispensable in our daily lives. During operations of these electronic devices, a great amount of heat is generated. The system stability and the use lives of these electronic devices are dependent on the capability of removing heat.
Take a power supply apparatus for example. The power supply apparatus usually has a fan for quickly removing heat generated during operation of the power supply apparatus. The fan may provide forced airflow for exhausting warm air from the internal portion of the power supply apparatus to the airflow outlet of the power supply apparatus. In addition, a dust-proof element (e.g. an air filter) is usually arranged at the airflow outlet of the electronic device in order to obstruct dust from entering the internal portion of the electronic device and/or exhausting to the environment.
In a case that the dust-proof element has been used for a prolonged period, the degree of dust accumulation becomes more serious and thus the airflow induced by the fan fails to pass through the dust-proof element. Under this circumstance, the heat-removing capability of the power supply apparatus is reduced and the performance of the power supply apparatus is deteriorated. For providing unobstructed airflow, the dust-proof element needs to be periodically cleaned or replaced with a new one.
Conventionally, three mechanisms are used for discriminating whether the dust-proof element needs to be replaced. According to a first mechanism, a notifying signal is generated when the dust-proof element has been used for a certain time period. The first mechanism fails to comply with diverse conditions of using different power supply apparatuses. According to a second mechanism, a notifying signal is generated when the pressure of the airflow passing through the dust-proof element is lower than a threshold value. Since pressure of the airflow is very tiny, it is difficult to accurate measure airflow pressure. In other words, the second mechanism usually erroneously generates the notifying signal. According to a third mechanism, a notifying signal is generated when an intensity of a transmissible light or a reflective light received by an optical receiver is below a threshold value. Since the optical receiver is often contaminated by the dust, the optical receiver will erroneously generate the notifying signal. Under this circumstance, an additional dust cleaner is necessary to clean the optical receiver.
There is a need of providing a wind speed detecting circuit capable of detecting the timing for replacing dust-proof element of electronic device so as to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art.

Wind speed detecting circuit capable of detecting the timing for replacing dust-proof element of electronic device


The present specification discloses a smart broadcast device, including: a device body, wherein the device body comprises a first surface that comprises a payment graphic code; a transceiver, installed inside the device body and configured to communicate with a payment service provider through maintaining a persistent wireless and/or wired network connection with the payment service provider; a processor, installed inside the device body and electrically connected to the transceiver; and a speaker, installed inside the device body and electrically connected to the processor, wherein the processor submits a payment result audio signal to the speaker upon receiving an external trigger signal from the payment service provider by using the transceiver, wherein the external trigger signal includes data defining at least a portion of a payment result, and wherein the payment result audio signal drives the speaker to output payment result audio.

With the rapid development of Internet technologies, electronic transactions enter people's life. Online electronic transactions such as online transfer and online payment are gradually performed offline. For example, after purchasing an article or a service from a physical merchant, a user pays a bill over the Internet. In an offline electronic transaction scenario, a more timely and reliable transaction result feedback solution is needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The invention is directed to an intracoronally supported pontic which is uniquely anchored between two existing teeth by means of two wings which engage within slots or indentations prepared in the two existing teeth. The engaging wings are disposed on either side of a matrix around which the pontic is formed and which supports the pontic when positioned between the existing teeth. The invention further concerns the method of forming the pontic around the supporting matrix and installing it in the patient's mouth.

Problems which are uniquely associated with the prosthetic replacement of a single missing tooth, as opposed to providing an entire bridgework, have long been recognized in dental technology. One of the principle difficulties has been in providing a satisfactory support structure for the pontic so that it is maintained correctly in position between the adjacent teeth. A further problem has been providing the pontic itself and attaching it to a satisfactory support structure between adjacent teeth, particularly in view of the natural movement which occurs between opposing and adjacent teeth in the chewing process.
Systems of the prior art for providing a single pontic between adjacent teeth have involved support structures that were either (1) fixed extra coronally to the back side of adjacent teeth or (2) supported by a "Maryland bridge", which fits inside the mouth. Either of these prior art practices add bulk dimension to the adjacent teeth or inner gum area. At best it is uncomfortable and difficult to maintain in hygienic condition. It is impossible to use in cases of tight occlusions.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a prosthetic device and procedure which can be accomplished quickly and easily in a single sitting. There is a further need for a simplified device and procedure for fixing a pontic intracoronally between adjacent teeth so as to not impinge on the inner surface of the mouth.
Besides providing a simplified procedure and device which can be implemented in a single office visit, the present invention accomplishes these objectives and additionally provides a prosthesis pontic which does not impinge on the inner surface of the mouth and which can be altered as needed to accommodate changes in tissue contours.


A system and method control a pacing parameter in a closed-loop manner by determining a value of an EGM-based index corresponding an optimal electrical activation condition of a patient's heart and adjusting a pacing therapy to maintain the EGM-based index value. The closed loop control method performed by the system may establish a relationship between an EGM-based index and multiple settings of a pacing control parameter. Values of the EGM-based index are stored with corresponding setting shifts relative to a previously established optimal setting. A processor of an implantable medical device monitors the EGM-based index during cardiac pacing. Responsive to detecting an EGM-based index value corresponding to a non-optimal setting of the control parameter, the processor determines an adjustment of the control parameter from the stored index values and corresponding setting shifts.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a treatment for heart failure patients in which one or more heart chambers are electrically stimulated (paced) to restore or improve heart chamber synchrony. Improved heart chamber synchrony is expected to improve hemodynamic performance of the heart, such as assessed by ventricular pressure and the rate of change in ventricular pressure or other hemodynamic parameters, thereby alleviating symptoms of heart failure. Achieving a positive clinical benefit from CRT is dependent on several therapy control parameters, such as the atrio-ventricular (AV) delay and the inter-ventricular (VV) delay. The AV delay controls the timing of ventricular pacing pulses relative to an atrial depolarization, intrinsic or paced. The VV delay controls the timing of a pacing pulse in one ventricle relative to a paced or intrinsic sensed event in the other ventricle.
Numerous methods for selecting optimal AV and VV delays for use in controlling CRT pacing pulses have been proposed. For example, clinicians may select an optimal AV or VV delay using Doppler echocardiography or other imaging modalities to optimize a hemodynamic variable. Such clinical techniques are time-consuming, require an expert technician to perform, and are performed at a discreet time, such as at device implantation or during a clinical visit, without ongoing adjustment to the CRT therapy parameters as the need may arise. Other methods may be based on a hemodynamic sensor signal or a sensor of mechanical heart function. Such methods may require additional sensors and therefore add cost to the overall system. A need remains, therefore, for a device and method that enables closed loop optimization of CRT therapy parameters for restoring ventricular synchrony and alleviating the symptoms of heart failure associated with ventricular dyssynchrony.

Closed loop optimization of control parameters during cardiac pacing


Multifunctional nanocomposites are provided including a core of either a magnetic material or an inorganic semiconductor, and, a shell of either a magnetic material or an inorganic semiconductor, wherein the core and the shell are of differing materials, such multifunctional nanocomposites having multifunctional properties including magnetic properties from the magnetic material and optical properties from the inorganic semiconductor material. Various applications of such multifunctional nanocomposites are also provided.

Nanocomposite materials provide the possibility for enhanced functionality and multi-functional properties in contrast with more-limited single-component counterparts. One example of a nanocomposite material is the inorganic core-shell structure. In the case where semiconductors comprise the core and shell, the core-shell motif has permitted enhanced photoluminescence, improved stability against photochemical oxidation, enhanced processibility, and engineered band structures. Where metals have been combined in core-shell structures, noble metals have been grown on magnetic metal cores and the reverse, for example, causing changes in magnetic, optical and chemical properties compared to the properties of the individual components. While examples of enhancement or modification of properties resulting from the core-shell structures are becoming more common, instances of truly multifunctional behavior remain rare. For example, iron oxide nanoparticles overcoated with a dye-impregnated silica shell were shown to retain the magnetic properties of the core, while exhibiting the luminescent optical properties of the organic dye.


Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for correcting the location of a base station. The apparatus includes a data collection unit for receiving collected data including collection places and scan data acquired from the collection places from a collection-only terminal, and receiving scan data having no collection places from a user service terminal. A determination unit obtains correlations between respective base stations based on a number of times each base station in an identical search group is found in a search using the collected data or the scan data, and determines whether a base station has been moved, deleted or added, based on the correlations between respective base stations. A location specification unit specifies a location of the corresponding base station that has changed due to any one of the movement, deletion, and addition of the base station, based on results of the determination.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for correcting the location of a base station and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for correcting the location of a base station, which analyze and detect whether a wireless communication infrastructure, such as a base station, the location of which is stored in a location database (DB), has been moved or deleted or whether a new base station has been added, by means of scan data transmitted by users, and which utilize the analyzed and detected information for correcting/updating the location DB.
2. Description of the Related Art
Location estimation technologies using wireless communication infrastructures are present in various schemes depending on the type of infrastructures and the range of services. For example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) denotes a system for determining a user's location using satellite signals in orbit around the Earth. Similarly, the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS), Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), European Galileo, etc. are currently operated or are expected to be operated.
Such a GNSS provides a high location precision of about 10 m or less and high availability in a flatland or a suburban area in which a Direct Line of Sight (DLOS) is directly ensured between satellites and a receiver. However, in a congested metropolitan area corresponding to a Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) area, there is a disadvantage in that a location error reaches 50 m due to multi-path errors, and, especially in indoor areas, it is difficult to determine location because reception sensitivity is deteriorated to make it impossible to acquire signals.
Among other wireless communication infrastructures, cellular-based location estimation technology refers to technology for determining the location of a user using the location information and measurement signals of a mobile communication base station. In detail, cellular-based location estimation technology is classified into Cell-ID, Enhanced-Observed Time Difference (E-OTD), Advanced-Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT) depending on the number of base stations from which a terminal device is capable of receiving signals. Due to the characteristics of mobile communication infrastructures having most urban and suburban areas as a service range, cellular-based location estimation technology is advantageous in that the location may be determined even in indoor areas as well as outdoor areas. However, it is difficult to apply such a cellular-based location estimation technology to indoor/outdoor navigation services requiring a location precision of about several meters because the precision of location estimation varies according to the arrangement density of base stations and a relatively low location precision of an average of about 100 to 800 m is implemented.
Assisted-GNSS denotes technology for acquiring assistant information from a location estimation server so as to improve minimum reception signal sensitivity of a GNSS receiver contained in a user terminal device and shorten the initial location determination time (Time to First Fix). Assisted-GNSS enables fast location determination using a GNSS in a congested metropolitan area corresponding to a weak signal environment, but it is impossible to obtain large effects because signal intensity is very low in indoor areas.
Upon estimating location in indoor/outdoor areas, a problem of discontinuous and interrupted communication occurs, and thus methods usable in both indoor and outdoor areas are developed. A representative of those methods is a Wi-Fi-based location estimation technology. Such a Wi-Fi-based location estimation technology may be chiefly classified into a location database (DB)-based technique and a radio map DB-based technique.
A location DB includes information, such as the identifiers, locations, transmission signal intensities, and signal attenuation coefficients of Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) (i.e., base stations) present in a service area. An agent that calculates locations receives such a location DB and estimates locations using a method, such as Cell-ID, triangulation or Weighted Centroid Localization (WCL).
A radio map DB includes information such as base station information, signal intensities, and various types of statistical information that are received from a plurality of preset reference locations within a service area. An agent that calculates locations compares currently found positioning resources with signal intensities or the like recorded in the radio map DB, and estimates a reference location having the most similar information to be a current location.
Generally, the size of a location DB is relatively small in proportion to the number of base stations installed in a service area. In contrast, a radio map DB is larger than a location DB in proportion to the multiplication of the number of constructed reference locations by the number of base stations. Further, upon estimating locations using a radio map DB, all radio maps related to found information must be compared and correlations therebetween must be analyzed, and thus a longer time is required compared to the location DB-based technique.
Meanwhile, upon estimating locations based on a location DB, location precision is directly influenced by the arrangement and number of base stations, and thus a deviation in performance is large. In contrast, generally, when radio map DBs are densely constructed, relatively precise and stable (having less deviation) performance is exhibited.
When a generally constructed location DB representation method is described in the case of, for example, Wi-Fi, the following Table 1 is given.
TABLE 1DB itemExample of Wi-FiBase station uniqueMAC addressidentifierBase station aliasSSIDBase station locationLatitude, longitude, and altitude, or latitude,longitude, and floor, or indoor relative Xcoordinate, indoor relative Y coordinate, andfloor, etc.Base station transmissionPo (dBm) in Log-distance path-loss modelsignal intensitySignal attenuationα in Log-distance path-loss modelcoefficient......
Since the location DB includes the location, unique identification number, attribute information, etc. of each base station, a terminal may estimate the location using a Cell-ID technique, a triangulation technique, a Weighted Centroid Localization (WCL) technique, or the like by exploiting the included DB information.
For example, when location is estimated using the Cell-ID technique, a location corresponding to a base station having the largest signal intensity, among found base stations (or infrastructures), is determined to be the current location of a terminal.
When location is estimated using the triangulation technique, three or more base stations are selected from among found base stations, signal intensities are converted (estimated) into distances, and the current location of a terminal is calculated using a Least Square method (LSM) or the like.
When location is estimated using the WCL technique, the intensities of signals received from respective base stations are compared with each other using all or some of found base stations, and weights are assigned to the signal intensities, and thus the current location of a terminal is calculated.
If the actual location of a base station has changed due to the influence of various environmental factors, but it is not reflected in the location DB, a large error may occur in the results of the location estimation of the terminal even if any of the above-described location DB-based location estimation methods is used.
Meanwhile, a wireless communication base station, such as a Wi-Fi Access Point (AP), that has short radio coverage and that can be easily installed and removed by a user, may exhibit a frequent change in location with the elapse of time. Accordingly, the location DB in which such information is recorded must be able to desirably reflect such an environmental change. Generally, in order to construct a location DB, radio information, collection locations, etc. must be collected and processed in given areas. However, frequently performing collection/analysis tasks to maintain the location DB in the latest status results in a great waste of time and cost.
As related preceding technology, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2011-0111851 (entitled "Method of Automatic Registration of Wireless AP") discloses technology for compensating for the deterioration of precision in location determination due to the information of a moved AP after an AP information map has been constructed, and for continuously improving precision.
As another related preceding technology, there is Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2010-0120924 (entitled "Method and System for Renewal of AP Location Information using Wireless LAN Terminal, and Wireless LAN Terminal therefor"). This patent discloses technology that automatically updates erroneous location information attributable to the location information of a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) AP that is newly installed and the movement of installation locations of previously registered wireless LAN APs, in the DB of a wireless LAN AP location management system via the wireless LAN terminal of a user, thus reducing cost and time required for update after the location information DB of the wireless LAN AP has been initially constructed, with the result that the quality of a wireless LAN-based location information service can be improved.
As further related preceding technology, there is provided Korean Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0063070 (entitled "Apparatus and method of management of wireless AP for enterprise"). This patent discloses technology that, when a communication service provider provides an enterprise wireless LAN service, periodically receives the information of APs installed in a business workplace, immediately updates information required for authentication agency, and periodically checks whether each AP is normally operated so as to process authentication agency of an enterprise wireless LAN and fault management thereof, so that an AP authentication agency service may be favorably processed and AP faults may be immediately repaired, thus supporting the improvement of wireless LAN services for enterprise customers.

Apparatus and method for correcting location of base station

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A client issues a first electronic request to access a service at a server. The server receives the request and identifies a type of challenge form among a number of different types of challenges (e.g., represented by a number of different XML schemas). The server issues a challenge, in accordance with the identified type of challenge, to the client. The challenge can include state information that indicates to the server when an appropriate response to the challenge is received. The client receives the challenge and formulates a response (including the state information) to the challenge in accordance with the identified type of challenge. The client issues a second electronic request, which includes the formulated response. The server receives the response and determines, based on the response, if the second electronic request is to be processed.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer system authentication, and more specifically, to challenges for determining the identity of a computer system and challenges for potentially reducing the impact of denial-of-service attacks.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Computer systems and related technology affect many aspects of society. Indeed, the computer system's ability to process information has transformed the way we live and work. Computer systems now commonly perform a host of tasks (e.g., word processing, scheduling, and database management) that prior to the advent of the computer system were performed manually. More recently, computer systems have been coupled to one another to form computer networks over which the computer systems can communicate electronically to share data. As a result, many of the tasks performed at a computer system (e.g., accessing electronic mail and web browsing) include electronic communication with one or more other computer systems via a computer network (e.g., the Internet).
Often, electronic communication on a computer network includes a client computer system (hereinafter referred to as a "client") requesting access to a service (e.g., electronic mail or a web page) at a server computer system (hereinafter referred to as a "server"). Before granting the client access to the service, the server may issue a challenge to the client requiring the client to prove it's identity to the server. A challenge may be a relatively simple challenge, such as, for example, challenging a user at the client to enter a user-name and password. On the other hand, a challenge may be more complex, such as, for example, challenging the client to correctly perform a complex handshake sequence.
Unfortunately, existing challenge mechanisms often utilize specialized protocols to issue challenges and receive responses to challenges. Some of these specialized protocols, such as, for example, the Session Initiation Protocol ("SIP"), prescribe both the types of challenges that are used and the protocols used to implement the challenges. Other of these specialized protocols, such as, for example, the Secure Sockets Layer ("SSL") handshake sequence and Secure and Protected Negotiation ("SPNEGO") allow the protocols used to implement challenges to be varied.
However, while the algorithms used to implement challenges can be varied, the types of challenges typically cannot. For example, the SSL handshake sequence requires particular portions of data exchanged between the client and server to be signed. While the algorithms used to sign the data can be varied, the requirement that the particular portions of data be signed cannot be varied. Further, the different algorithms used to sign data are hard coded into SSL. Thus, an SSL handshake sequence is typically limited to these hard coded algorithms.
This makes it difficult to extend the SSL handshake sequence (or other typical challenge protocols) to support additional types of challenges and support additional algorithms for implementing challenges. Further, as challenges can be used in a large and diverse number of different computing environments, there is little chance that every possible type of challenge and algorithm could be implemented by a single handshake protocol. Altering a well-documented or standardized protocol, such as, for example, the SSL handshake protocol, can also lead to incompatibilities between computer systems.
Thus, an application designer may be constrained to using existing types of challenges even if some other type of challenge would be more advantageous for a particular application. In any event, applications (in part due to the configuration of protocol stacks) often lack the ability to alter functionality in lower layers of a protocol stack (e.g., the transport layer) where handshake protocols typically operate. Thus, even if an application desired the performance of a particular challenge, the application would have limited, if any, mechanisms to alter the functionality of a handshake protocol to implement the particular challenge.
Additionally, some protocols used to issue challenges are limited in the type of communications they support. For example, the SSL handshake is a state-based protocol that functions only when Transmission Control Protocol ("TCP") is used as a transport. Thus, applications that use stateless protocols, such as, for example, Universal Datagram Protocol ("UDP"), as a transport cannot issue or respond to SSL challenges. This is unfortunate as many applications use stateless protocols due to the low overhead associated with these protocols.
Further, the use of state-based protocols can increase the detrimental effects of attacks that flood a computer system with useless requests (commonly referred to as "denial of service" attacks). When a request is received, state information is created and maintained for the request. Typically, state information continues to be maintained for some amount of time after the request is received, even if no additional data for the request is received. For example, a computer system may maintain state information for a request during the period of time it waits for a response to an issued challenge. However, the initiator of the denial service attack is typically not interested in accessing the computer system and typically does not respond to the issued challenges. Thus, each request in a denial of service attack can consume computer system resources (e.g., system memory) even though none of the requests result in access to the computer system.
Therefore systems, methods, computer program products, and data structures for selecting a challenge from among different types of challenges would be advantageous. Systems, methods, computer program products, and data structures for issuing and responding to challenges in a stateless manner would also be advantageous.

Performing generic challenges in a distributed system


Techniques of peer-to-peer email synchronization are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a technique includes transmitting, from a first client device to an email server, a synchronization request to synchronize an email between the email server and the first client device. In response, the first client device receives a reply containing data representing a replicate identification of email content of the email and identification of a second client device at which a copy of the email content is present. Upon receiving the reply, the first client device can establish a peer-to-peer communications channel with the second client device, download a copy of the email content of the email from the second client device instead of the email server, and surface the downloaded email content in an email client on the first client device to a user.

Electronic Mail or "email" is a communications technique based on exchanging electronic messages among users via computers, smartphones, or other suitable types of client devices across computer networks such as the Internet or an intranet. Today's email systems typically operate on a store-and-forward model utilizing email servers to receive, forward, and store emails to corresponding users. For instance, upon receiving an incoming email to a user, an email server can store a copy of the incoming email and transmit a notification to the user indicating reception of the incoming email. In turn, the user can use an email client executing on a client device to connect to the email server in order to retrieve a copy of the incoming email. The email client can then render and present the retrieved incoming email to the user at the client device.

Peer-to-peer email content replication and synchronization


A method (200) for controlling shared buffer capacity in a packet switched network is disclosed, the packet switched network comprising a plurality of transport nodes, each node comprising a shared buffer capacity which may be allocated to interfaces of the transport node. The method comprises obtaining a configuration of traffic flows within the network (210). The method further comprises, for a transport node, determining, on the basis of traffic flows within the network, an allocation of the transport node's shared buffer capacity between interfaces of the transport node to limit overall packet latency for the transport node (220), and causing the determined allocation of shared buffer capacity to be applied in the transport node (230). Also disclosed are an apparatus (600, 800) and a transport node (700, 900) in a packet switched network and a computer program product configured to carry out methods in a packet switched network and a transport node.

Communication networks typically comprise a plurality of transport nodes, enabling the distribution of data throughout the network. Packet switching in such networks involves the use of buffers at ingress (Rx) and egress (Tx) interfaces of the transport nodes, which may for example be IP routers. The buffers provide temporary storage of incoming and outgoing data packets, allowing the network to control the rate of packet drops and the quality of datagram transport. When buffer capacity is exhausted for a particular packet queue at an interface, packets are dropped according to the queueing policies applied at the interface. The physical memory components used to provide buffer capacity for transport nodes can be expensive, meaning router vendors do not have the possibility to provide an excessive amount of buffer capacity. Typical total buffer capacity for a transport node may vary from less than one MB to several GB, depending upon the nature of the transport node. Additional limitations on buffer capacity may be imposed by circuit integration, including for example System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures, in which integration advantages are balanced by limitations in die size and process, meaning overall buffer capacity cannot scale with system throughput.
Accurate buffer dimensioning; balancing buffer requirements for predicted traffic throughput and forwarding characteristics against cost of providing buffer capacity, remains an ongoing challenge. This is particularly the case for transport nodes which are to be positioned close to the access portion of a communication network, where traffic variability is great, with incoming traffic flows demonstrating high levels of burstiness (traffic characterised by intermittent bursts in which inter packet gaps are considerably shorter than for packets arriving before or after the burst). Transport nodes in a core network benefit from flow shaping performed by the buffering action of peripheral nodes, and so generally process traffic demonstrating greatly reduced burstiness compared with transport nodes near the access portion of the network. FIG. 1 illustrates buffer capacity required to absorb bursts of different size and duration, and illustrates the high degree of variability in buffer requirements which may be experienced depending on the burstiness of the traffic to be buffered. The exact behaviour of individual users, and the number of concurrent users, are unknown factors which increase the uncertainty in buffer requirements.
Many existing IP routers seek to address the problem of buffer dimensioning through the use of a shared buffer capacity, which capacity may be allocated to different ports of the router. The precise allocation of this shared resource to the individual ingress and egress ports may be static or may be dynamically decided on the basis of measurements made by the router at individual interfaces. While such shared buffer capacity can provide performance advantages over individual interface buffers, improving router performance with respect to packet loss and overall transport quality, and reducing the cost associated with router buffering, remain priorities for further development.

Methods and apparatus for shared buffer allocation in a transport node


A method releases hydrogen by forming a second ionic liquid from a first ionic liquid by releasing hydrogen from the first ionic liquid by exposing the first ionic liquid to water and a catalyst. The first ionic liquid includes a cation and an anion including a borohydride. The release of the hydrogen forms a borate, which makes up the anion of the second ionic liquid. The cation of the first ionic liquid is the same as that of the second ionic liquid. A reaction system includes the first and second ionic liquids, water and a catalyst.

The storage and distribution of hydrogen can be effected in different ways. For example, hydrogen can be stored in compressed form in suitable high-pressure tanks which allow storage at up to a pressure of 875 bar. Further, storage of the liquefied low-temperature hydrogen in suitable cryogenic containers, preferably in superinsulated cryogenic containers is known. The last named possibility is implemented in particular with hydrogen-powered vehicles-independently of whether they are powered by means of a modified combustion engine or by means of a fuel cell which drives an electric motor.
Storage systems are in the experimental stage in which the storage of the hydrogen takes place in organic compounds capable of hydrogenation which are able to chemically bind the hydrogen. Such storage systems are known under the designations MPH (methylcyclohexane poluene hydrogen), decaline/napthalene and n-heptane/toluene system.
Common to the aforementioned systems is that the hydrogen is brought to reaction with them under suitable conditions so that hydrogenation and storage of the hydrogen results. All the aforementioned alternatives have specific advantages and disadvantages so that the decision in favor of one of the alternatives is usually determined by the specific applications and circumstances. The fundamental disadvantage of the last-named alternative until now has been that the chemical reaction systems used have relatively high vapor pressures, are thus volatile and contaminate the hydrogen to a considerable degree.
To achieve high degrees of purity for the hydrogen in particular, such reaction systems must, therefore, be removed, often at great expense in terms of technology and/or energy.
The person skilled in the art is continuously striving to create a storage potential for hydrogen which allows storage of the hydrogen in a pure or absolutely pure form, where storage should be possible in the safest and most economical manner possible. Hydrogen is needed in a very pure form particularly in the operation of fuel cells. In the case of the modified combustion engines mentioned as well, which usually have a downstream catalytic converter, storage of the hydrogen in (ultra)pure form is striven for since otherwise the hydrocarbons entrained with the hydrogen (may) have a negative effect on the activity and life of the catalytic converter. Particularly in the use of hydrogen in the so-called mobile applications—operation of vehicles, etc.—the safety aspect is paramount; this applies especially for the refueling process which is usually performed by the driver himself and therefore by a "technical layman." Thus, there may be a need for an alternative method of storing hydrogen, which method may be efficient and/or secure.

Method of use of an ionic liquid for storing hydrogen


A printing unit, which is a part of a multi-color printing press, has a plurality of double printing units which are arranged vertically one above the other and consist of two printing groups forming a double print position. The printing group cylinders are mounted together in a central stand section. Inking units, which are associated with the printing groups, are mounted in outer stand sections. A distance between adjacent ones of these stand sections is adjustable. Printing and transfer cylinders of each printing group are coupled by a toothed gear wheel connection and are driven in pairs by a separate drive motor. The toothed gear wheels of all of the printing group cylinders are arranged in a common lubricant chamber which is formed by the central stand section and a cover. The inking systems have at least one separate drive motor, which is independent of the printing group cylinders.

A printing unit of this general type is discussed in WO 95/24314 A1. Four blanket-to-blanket printing units are arranged vertically, one above another, and can be moved horizontally relative to one another in the area of their blanket-to-blanket printing point. The blanket-to-blanket printing units that are on the same side of a web are each mounted in a shared frame. At least one of said frames can be moved horizontally.
EP 12 64 686 A1 discloses a printing unit with blanket-to-blanket printing units arranged vertically, one above another The printing group cylinders are mounted in a center frame section and the two inking units are mounted in respective outer frame sections. These outer frame sections can be moved horizontally, relative to the center frame section, in order to introduce plate handling devices into the intermediate space, as may periodically be needed.
EP 11 49 694 A1 discloses a printing unit having a multitude of arch-shaped blanket-to-blanket printing units, arranged vertically, one above another. Each such printing unit is comprised of two printing groups that form a blanket-to-blanket printing point. The printing group cylinders of the printing groups are all mounted in a center frame section while the inking units, which are assigned to the printing groups, are mounted in respective outer frame sections. The adjacent frame sections are structured such that their spacing relative to one another is adjustable.

Printing unit pertaining to a multi-color roller rotary press, and method for operating the same


A multi-purpose, implantable stimulator for use in an FES system includes a housing, implantable into a patient's body. The housing contains a receiving device and a control unit, the control unit receiving signals from the receiving device which, in turn, receives signals transcutaneously from a controller arranged externally of the patient's body. A plurality of leads extend from the housing, the leads being arranged in separate bundles of discrete leads, each bundle being associated with a particular site of the patient's body.

Neurological impairment, such as spinal cord injury (SCI), can occur in people of any age, and is often caused by injuries sustained in accidents associated with motor vehicles, firearms, sports injuries, and the like. Many of the individuals who sustain such injuries are young male adults between the ages of 16 and 30 who, up to the point of the accident, have lead active and healthy lives.
In the USA, the prevalence of neurological impairment resulting from SCI is estimated at between 712 and 906 per million with the incidence of SCI being calculated at between 30 and 40 per million. It is widely recognised that SCI has a large impact on society in general and is a sudden and irreversible change to an individual's quality of life.
In order to define SCI, it should be understood that an SCI is a traumatic lesion to the spinal cord and the associated nerves. Thirty-one spinal nerves originate from the spinal cord and can be grouped as follows: 8 cervical (C1 to C8), 12 thoracic (T1 to T12), 5 lumbar (L1 to L5), 5 Sacral (S1 to S5) and 1 coccygeal. An injury to the spinal cord can result in varying degrees of impairment depending on where and to what extent the spinal cord is injured. In general, the higher up on the spinal cord the injury, the more severe the resulting impairment.
People suffering from a SCI are essentially categorised into two main groups: tetraplegics and paraplegics.
Tetraplegics are individuals who have sustained injury to one of the eight cervical segments of the spinal cord, C1 to C8. Such an injury results in impaired use of the arms and hands as well as the legs. A person who has suffered such an injury generally experiences significant loss of sensation and volitional body movement as well as the loss of volitional bladder and bowel control. Many tetraplegics may also have loss of psychogenic and impaired reflex erections.
Paraplegics are individuals who have sustained an injury at the thoracic level, T1 to T12. These individuals usually have sensation and volitional control over their upper limbs, but have lost sensation and control of their lower limbs and bladder and bowel control, as well as erection problems in males.
Due to SCI individuals being unable to control bladder function, individuals must regularly self cathertise. This procedure is problematic, especially for females, and can result in an increase in the incidence of urinary tract infections. Still further, persons suffering from SCI must often undertake lengthy bowel evacuation procedures using, for instance, digital evacuation. SCI patients are also prone to secondary medical problems, such as pressure sores, osteoporosis, muscular atrophy in the lower limbs, muscle spasticity, deep vein thrombosis, cardiovascular disease and depression. Pressure sores are caused by the occlusion of blood flow during sitting and lying and are a major health problem which may require surgery to repair and months of rehabilitation including requiring the patient to remain lying on their abdomen for an extended period of time.
Therefore, whilst restoration of bladder and bowel control is a primary need of SCI individuals, reduced incidence of pressure sores is also highly needed. This, together with the ability to exercise and stand and step, are functions that would greatly improve the quality of life of SCI individuals.
It is therefore evident that a large proportion of the population who have a SCI would benefit from a device that would be able to assist in, at least, the partial restoration of such lost functionality, in particular bowel and bladder function, erectile function, the reduction in the incidence of pressure sores and the provision of exercise and upright mobility. Various systems have been proposed by numerous organisations to deal with one or other of the functions that have been lost to SCI individuals.
There have been systems designed for bladder control via an implantable device that have met with variable success with the majority of such devices requiring invasive surgical procedures such as posterior sacral rhizotomies and sacral laminectomies. The "Vocare" device manufactured by Finetech Medical Limited (UK) requires a posterior sacral rhizotomy and a laminectomy, in order to achieve a non-reflexive bladder with adequate capacity, and also requires a sacral laminectomy to access the anterior sacral roots to enable the cuff type electrodes to be fitted. This surgical procedure eliminates reflex erection in male recipients and it is considered that an individual who receives a rhizotomy but does not use the device would be expected to have reduced bowel activity.
There have been a number of systems proposed to assist in limb control, particularly lower limb control. The majority of such systems, such as the "Parastep" system from Sigmedics (Wheeling, Ill., USA), rely upon surface stimulation techniques that use external electrodes placed on the user's limbs to stimulate the muscles via an electric charge through the skin. Such systems are limited with regard to the functionality they can restore to the limbs due to the non-specific way that stimulation is applied. Implantable systems have also been proposed to control limb movements directly. These systems use a plurality of electrodes to stimulate targeted muscle groups, either in the lower limbs or in the arms/hands.
It will be appreciated that SCI results in loss of control over multiple physiological systems, and implants to date have only been developed to restore individual functions. A need therefore exists to provide a generic implantable stimulator capable of restoring multiple functions to an SCI individual and the stimulator being controllable by various functions or modes that are matched to an individual patient's requirements. There is also a need to provide a generic FES implant that requires less invasive surgical procedures, and only one source of control rather than multiple sources.

FES stimulator having multiple bundled leads


A technique involves trapping a command-not-found message instead of displaying it when an erronous command is entered at a user terminal and connecting it to a translation file of successful command signals which is searched for a match. There are several alternatives including displaying a failing command signal for editing, verification, review or confirmation. If a match is revealed, a substitute command signal can be displayed also for these activities.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, generally, relates to systems that require the use of user-entered commands and, more particularly, to a technique for detecting an incorrect command entered by a user but executing a correct command.
An individual using a computer can easily enter an incorrect command, and this might even be done deliberately when the correct command does not quickly come to mind. While several on-line help systems are available for this type of situation, they require a deviation from the more comfortable routine of just entering commands.
2. Related Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,386 to Prager describes a system based on a list of intents for commands, and when an error in a command is detected but the intent is available, a command that compares with the intent is suggested to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,617 to Gardner et al. describes a system that provides suggestions in response to an erroneous command entered by a user, and this system includes a language analyzer for providing a way to achieve a goal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,091 to Ueda describes a word processor that develops spelling corrections in response to incorrectly spelled words entered in a sentence.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,575 to Lamberti et al. describes an interface between a user's input and a prestored goal and performs the action when a match is found.

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided are structures for connecting trace lines of printed circuit boards and optical transceiver modules with the same. The module may include an optical transmitter/receiver part, a signal processing unit, a flexible PCB, and a rigid PCB. The flexible PCB may include a first signal line, and the rigid PCB may include a second signal line. The flexible PCB and the rigid PCB may be overlapped with each other. The first signal line and the second signal line may not be overlapped with each other and be electrically connected to each other by a junction soldering structure. It is possible to transmit high quality and high frequency signals through the first and second signal lines.

Example embodiments of the inventive concept relate to an optical transceiver module, and in particular, to structures for connecting trace lines of printed circuit boards and optical transceiver modules with the same.
With the widespread usage of internet and media contents, there is an increasing interest on optical transmission/reception systems capable of transmitting a large capacity of voice and video signals at high speed. Conventionally, in 10 Gbps optical transmitter/receiver modules applied for the high-speed optical transmission/reception system, a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) is used outside of an optical module package to transmit high frequency RF signals. The flexible PCB is electrically connected to other PCB for operating the optical transmitter/receiver module. Most of transmission lines on the flexible PCB are configured to have a ground electrode provided below a signal electrode or be a grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) type.
When the transmission lines on the flexible PCB are connected to soldering pads of a PCB, a lower electrode of the flexible PCB is partially removed at a position of the soldering pad and be configured to have a CPW structure that via holes are formed in a signal electrode. Since a lower ground electrode is not used to connect the flexible PCB with the PCB, the soldering pad of the flexible PCB may have an increased inductance, and thus, high frequency signals may be seriously reflected by characteristic impedance mismatch. The reflection of high frequency signals may deteriorate transmission quality of optical signals.

Structure for connecting electrical trace lines of printed circuit boards and optical transceiver module with the same

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A drive control method based on detected dielectric breakdown is provided. The drive control method includes individually determining whether dielectric breakdown of high voltage components occurs according to whether a switch for electrically connecting a high voltage battery and other high voltage components is opened and a condition of each of the high voltage components when dielectric resistance of a vehicle is measured to determine that dielectric breakdown of a high voltage system occurs. An operation of the high voltage components, the dielectric breakdown of which occurs, is stopped according to a determination result, when dielectric breakdown of high voltage components, which do not affect vehicle driving among the high voltage components, occurs.

A hybrid vehicle using a high voltage battery includes a system that automatically shuts off power of a main high voltage battery in an emergency. The emergency refers to excessive electric leakage due to deterioration of related components or excessive electric leakage due to a short-circuit caused by component breakdown as a result of external shock, such as dielectric breakdown, dielectric breakdown, and so on.
In a state of emergency of a vehicle, an upper component for controlling a high voltage component such as a battery management system (BMS), a hybrid controller (HC), or the like issues a command for shutting a main power to power off.
A high voltage related component monitors a voltage and current of a connecting path for the power via a predetermined program or sensor. In this case, when the detected voltage or the current is outside a normal range, or a leakage current value is greater than an allowable value, and a dielectric resistance breakdown value which is greater than the allowable value are present, the main power is shut off via CAN communication or signal transmission.
With respect to the hybrid vehicle, a fuel battery vehicle and the like that use the high voltage battery, it is important to measure dielectric resistance. The dielectric resistance is measured by using various methods. During the measurement of the dielectric resistance, resistance between chassis ground and the high voltage battery is measured to determine whether or not dielectric breakdown occurs.
In this case, when the detected and measured dielectric resistance value is greater than the allowable value, or a component such as a low voltage direct current (DC) converter (LDC), an on-board charger (OBC), a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), an air conditioner (A/C), an inverter, a motor, and so on as well as a high voltage component such a battery management system (BMS), a hybrid controller (HC), a fuel cell controller (FC), and so on is abnormal, the dielectric resistance value which is greater than the allowable value may be detected.
However, conventionally, when the dielectric breakdown such as a stop state, a drive state, a regenerative braking state, and so on of the vehicle occurs, whether or not the dielectric breakdown occurs is simply examined, and it is not possible to check an actual faulty component. Accordingly, a relay of the high voltage battery is powered off to handle the dielectric breakdown. In this case, even though driving is possible without the faulty component, when the detected dielectric resistance value is equal to or greater than the allowable value, since the relay of the high voltage battery is powered off, driving is not possible.
The description of the related art is to aid in understanding of the present disclosure and is not to be construed as conventional arts that are already known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Drive control method based on detected dielectric breakdown