A battery including a case defining a cavity for housing an electrode assembly, the case having an opening for receiving the electrode assembly, and a cap plate attached to the case to cover the opening, the cap plate including a welded portion that is thicker than a major area of the cap plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery. More particularly, the present invention relates to a battery configured to have an increased power capacity, the battery having a battery case housing an electrode assembly and an electrolyte, and a cap assembly including a cap plate for covering the battery case.
2. Description of the Related Art
Batteries are employed in a wide variety of equipment including, to name just a few, vehicles, e.g., electric and hybrid vehicles, portable power tools, electronics, etc. Portable compact electronic devices, e.g., cellular phones, laptop computers, camcorders, etc., are being widely developed and produced. Such portable electronic devices typically include an internal battery pack to allow continuing operation even when no external power supply is available. Such a built-in battery pack typically includes at least one unit battery inside and provides the electronic device with a predetermined level of voltage over a reasonable period of time.
Batteries are generally classified as primary or secondary batteries. Primary batteries are commonly known as single-use batteries, while secondary batteries are commonly known as rechargeable batteries. Both primary and secondary batteries may be suitable for use in portable electronic devices. However, secondary batteries are widely adopted because they can be reused and may be, therefore, more economical than single-use batteries. Secondary batteries have been developed using a wide variety of technologies.
Battery technologies currently favored for portable electronic devices include nickel cadmium (Ni—Cd) batteries, nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries, lithium (Li) batteries, etc. The Li batteries have, in particular, been widely employed in the latest generation of electronics devices. A Li battery may have an operation voltage of 3.6V, which is about three times the operation voltage of comparable Ni—Cd or Ni-MH batteries. The Li battery may exhibit a relatively high energy density per unit weight. In a typical Li battery, a lithium-based oxide may be used as a positive electrode activation material, and a carbon-based material may be used as a negative electrode activation material. Li batteries may be classified as liquid electrolyte batteries and polymer electrolyte batteries, depending on the electrolyte used therein. Liquid electrolyte batteries are also known as lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries and polymer electrolyte batteries are also known as Li polymer batteries. The Li battery may be manufactured in various shapes, e.g., cylindrical can types, rectangular or prismatic can types, pouch types, etc.
A typical battery may have an electrode assembly, a battery case for housing the electrode assembly and electrolyte injected inside the battery case to give mobility to charge carriers, e.g., ions. The electrode assembly may include a positive electrode plate on which a positive activation material is coated, a negative electrode plate on which a negative activation material is coated and a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrode plates. The separator may serve to prevent short circuits between the positive and negative electrode plates, and to allow only charge carriers to pass. The width of the separator of the electrode assembly may be larger than the widths of the electrode plates, in order to prevent the electrode plates from making contact with each other.
The electrode assembly of the battery may be fabricated by stacking the positive and negative electrode plates with the separator interposed therebetween, and the resulting structure may be wound into a jelly roll configuration. Positive and negative electrode taps may extend from the positive and negative electrode plates, respectively, in order to allow electrical connections to the electrode plates.
One of the positive and negative electrode taps may be connected to the cap plate of the cap assembly. The cap plate may be electrically connected to the battery case, so that the battery case may act as an electrode terminal. The other of the positive and negative taps, i.e., a tap of the opposite polarity, may be connected to another electrode terminal, which may be insulated from and pass through the cap assembly.
The cap assembly may include the cap plate, which may be assembled to the battery case to cover it. The cap plate may be welded to the battery case. The cap plate may cover an opening in the battery case through which the electrode assembly is installed.
The cap assembly may further include an electrode terminal passing therethrough, and a gasket installed between the cap plate and the electrode terminal for electrically insulating them from each other. The cap assembly may also include an insulation plate providing insulation between the cap plate and the electrode tap of opposite polarity, and a terminal plate installed in a lower portion of the insulation plate and connected to the electrode terminal.
The electrolyte may be injected into the battery case after the electrode assembly is placed in the battery case. The electrolyte allows charge carriers, e.g., ions, to travel between the positive and negative electrode plates. The electrolyte may occupy all of the remaining volume within the battery case.
Battery capacity is determined by a number of design factors including, e.g., the battery technology (chemistry) employed, the sizes of the positive and negative electrode plates, the electrolyte, etc. For a given battery technology, battery capacity is generally limited by the size of the battery. Accordingly, where the size of the battery is limited by, e.g., the design limitations of the device it is intended to power, it may be difficult to increase the battery capacity.
For example, if the amount of the electrolyte in the battery is insufficient, the capacity of the battery may be reduced. Further, in the case of a secondary battery, which may be discharged and charged numerous times, the capacity of the secondary battery may be reduced over time if the electrolyte begins to deteriorate with use. Increasing the size of the battery case to provide a sufficient amount of electrolyte may not be possible if the design requirements of the electronic equipment do not allow for a larger battery. Moreover, reducing the size, i.e., volume, of the charge-generating positive and negative electrode plates may allow for more electrolyte, but may reduce the overall capacity of the battery. Therefore, there is a need for a battery that maximizes the available electrolyte volume without increasing the external dimensions of the battery or reducing the size of the charge-generating elements therein.
One possible approach to increasing the internal volume of the battery is to reduce the thickness of the cap plate, i.e., thin the inner surface of the cap plate. However, if the cap plate is welded to the battery case, reducing the thickness of the cap plate may make it difficult to weld the cap plate to the battery case. In particular, the cap plate may be damaged by the welding process, even if a low power welding apparatus is employed, leaks may develop at the welded seams due to the thinning of the cap plate, etc.


Styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers that are prepared at lower temperature than conventional solid grade oligomers, or are hydrogenated, contain fewer terminal vinylic unsaturations, when compared to such conventional styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers prepared by the customary high temperature processes. Styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers that contain fewer terminal vinylic unsaturations demonstrate improved thermal stability and may provide improved resistance to UV weathering compared to the conventional and non-hydrogenated styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers.

Styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers prepared by continuous bulk polymerization of vinylic monomers at high temperatures are low molecular weight copolymers which contain some residual, terminal vinylic unsaturation, or carbon-carbon double bonds. Such residual unsaturation may adversely impact the stability and other properties of these oligomers and products and articles made from them. Residual unsaturation may reduce the thermal stability of the styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers and limit their utility in certain applications that require exposure of these polymers to high temperature conditions.
For example, high glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-content, styrene-GMA oligomers, which are made under high temperature bulk polymerization conditions, are excellent chain extenders for a number of plastics, such as, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), polycarbonate (PC), and PET copolymerized with cyclohexane dimethanol (PETG). However, due to their reduced thermal stability, the styrene-GMA oligomers are not suitable for certain applications that require contact with food.
For applications where styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers are to be in contact with food, strict guidelines must be met in terms of the presence of residual monomers in the final article. Because of such strict restrictions on residual monomers, polymeric additives should fulfill two basic requirements: they should have very little or no residual monomers to begin with, and have minimal or no generation of monomers and other harmful chemicals during the compounding and making of a final article.
In typical styrene-GMA oligomer applications, small amounts of the oligomers are compounded with the host plastic to make the final articles, such as bottles. Compounding temperatures range from 200° C. to 220° C. for PLA, and can go as high as 270° C. or even higher for PET. The compounding cycle usually lasts for 5 minutes, or less. However, under such conditions, styrene-GMA oligomers may begin degrading. At the high temperatures used for making styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers, terminal double bonds or terminal vinylic unsaturation are produced. These terminal unsaturations are one of the reasons that such styrenic (meth)acrylic oligomers in general, and the high-GMA containing styrene-GMA oligomers in particular, may be thermally unstable. Conventional styrene-GMA oligomers may start degrading at temperatures in the 200° C. to 250° C. range. Because of the thermal instability of the styrene-GMA oligomers, and their concomitant degradation, their use in products that have direct contact with food products is limited, as well as their use in numerous other applications.
Conventional, high-temperature produced (meth)acrylic oligomers have similar draw-backs, but not necessarily for the same reasons. For example, where the (meth)acrylic oligomer is an acrylic-based oligomer, some amounts of unsaturation may be present, leading to thermal instability as above with respect to the styrene-GMA oligomers. For methacrylate oligomers, little unsaturation is present, however, high-temperatures impart some inherent instability. All methacrylate systems are not polymerized at high temperatures due to the thermodynamics of polymerization but the resulting polymers still have disadvantages when used at high temperatures or under demanding conditions.
The presence of residual unsaturation in conventional styrenic (meth)acrylic and acrylic oligomers may lead to ultraviolet (UV)-light absorption by the oligomers and subsequent degradation of the oligomers or products such as coatings containing these oligomers.


An insulating substrate includes a first area where a semiconductor device is disposed, a second area where a wiring electrically connecting to the semiconductor device is disposed, and a third area where a terminal electrically connecting to the wiring is disposed. A first wiring is disposed on a main surface of the insulating substrate in the second area and connects to the second wiring disposed in the first area and the terminal disposed in the third area through first and second interlayer connecting portions. With this configuration, the second wiring need not be disposed in the second area, so that flexibility in the second area used as a connecting portion increases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printed circuit board, a magnetic disk device, and a method for manufacturing the printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to manufacture a printed circuit board connectable to an electronic device or the like, a main body and a harness protrusion of the printed circuit board may be integrally formed by using a flexible insulating resin film. An example of this technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2003-124579.

Printed circuit board, magnetic disk device, and method for manufacturing the printed circuit board


A manipulation mechanism for an angle section of an endoscope includes at least one pulley provided within a main operation unit, with the base ends of a pair of operating wires wound thereupon, a pulley rotating shaft extended externally from a casing of the main operation unit to rotate the pulley, an angle operating apparatus provided outside of the main operation unit and coupled to the pulley rotating shaft, a pulley supporting assembly fixedly held by the casing of the main operation unit for supporting the pulley to be reciprocally rotated over a predetermined angle, a sleeve member provided within the main operation unit for passing through the operating wires from the pulley, a pipe holder fixedly mounted to the sleeve member, and a supporting rod connected at one end to the pulley supporting assembly and being fixed to the pipe holder at the other end.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanism for manipulating an angle section in an insertion portion of an endoscope used for use in medial and other fields.
2. Description of the Related Art
An endoscope for medical or other use, generally, consists mainly of an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity and the like, a main operation unit to be connected at the base end of the insertion portion, and a universal cord which is extended from the main operation unit and is detachably connected to at least a light source device. The insertion portion is adapted to be inserted into the body cavity of a patient or the like for inspecting and carrying out diagnosis inside the body. Further, when necessary, a treatment can be performed by using forceps, a high-frequency treatment or other treating equipment to be inserted into the endoscope.
An operator manipulating the endoscope usually holds the main operating unit with one hand. In order to reduce a load on the operator operating the endoscope, the main operation unit is designed to be of reduced weight. To this end, the casing of the operation unit is formed of plastic, and the thickness of the casing is reduced as much as possible to expand the internal space with a small and compact shape. Since various members are installed within the operation unit, its casing is divided into several parts. These parts can be detachably assembled for the convenience of maintenance to those installed members, such as mounting, repair, inspection and replacement.
The casing of the main operation unit must have sufficient strength, at least part to which the manipulating or operating mechanism such as the later-described angle operation device is fixedly mounted. Therefore, the casing comprises a thick-walled main unit case portion to which is mounted the angle operation device and the like. The main operation unit has a main unit case portion and other portion or portions such as a holding case portion held by the operator. The holding case portion and the like are formed with thin-walled plastic, and may not be as strong as the main unit case portion.
A connecting member made of metal or the like mounted which is provided in the casing of the main operation unit is known in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-43484. The known connecting member functions as a framework for the assembled parts of the casing to reinforce high strength. With this known configuration, the connecting member with the metal plate has one end fixed to the main unit case portion, and is extended to at least the inside of the holding case portion. The connecting member is fixed in a manner to exert a force to the holding case and the like to pull tightly, thereby abutting against the main unit case portion, and thereby increasing the overall strength of the casing of the main operation unit.
The insertion portion has a distal end section and an angle section, and further there is a bending section provided between the angle section and the operation unit. An endoscopic observing mechanism consisting of an illumination window and an observation window are provided at the distal end section. A treatment equipment outlet for introducing treatment equipment such as forceps is also provided at the distal end section as necessary. The angle section functions to turn the distal end section toward a desired direction by performing an angle operation to curve or flex it in vertical and horizontal directions by a remote control mechanism. Operating wires are provided to enable this angle operation. At least one pair of operating wires is provided at the upper and lower places in the insertion section for curving or flexing at a desired angle for the angle section vertically in the event that one operating wire is pulled and the other is pushed. Further, in addition to the pair each of the operating wires for upper and lower portions, another pair of operating wires is provided at the right and left places, thereby the angle section may be induced to curve vertically and horizontally. These operating wires are extended from the insertion portion to the inside of the main operation unit, and are connected to an angle operation device mounted to this main operation unit.
The angle operation device has at least one pulley, to which the base portions of the operating wires are wound, to pull and push the pair of the operating wires by rotation (one pulley uses a pair of operating wires, and two pulleys use two pairs of operating wires). A rotating shaft is coupled to the pulley. This rotating shaft is extended externally from the casing of the operation unit and an angle operation means, such as a knob or a lever, is linked thereto. The operator can control the direction of the angle section by manually manipulating the angle operating means using the fingers of the hand holding the operation unit.
The operating wires for angle operation are, for example, control cables, and a predetermined length of each operation wire is passed through the sleeve member. Thus, pushing and pulling the base end transmits the force thereof to the tip end. The sleeve member is generally flexible, such as a tightly coiled wire and flexible sleeve, or the like. However, at the rigid portion in the endoscope, for example, within the main operation unit, the sleeve member can be made of a hard pipe. Opposite ends of the sleeve member are to be securely fixed, and the operating wires are drawn out from both ends of the fixed sleeve member. The base end of the operating wire is wound around the pulley. The tip end of the operating wire is taken out from the sleeve member, which is provided at or before the angle section.
A great reaction force acts on the operating wires at the time of angle operation and this reaction force is to be received by the pulley. The ends of the sleeve member must be securely fixed, because the fixed portions of the sleeve member are affected by the reaction force. Also, the rotating shaft coupled to the pulley should be supported by the casing of the main operation unit in a stationary manner. The fixing means of the base portion of the sleeve member must also be held in a stable manner. Also, a means for preventing looseness of the operating wires is provided between the sleeve member and the pulley. The means for preventing looseness also moves together with the pushing and pulling operation of the operating wires, so a space is given between the base end of the sleeve member and the pulley to allow the removal of the means for preventing looseness in a predetermined range.
By situating the fixing means of the sleeve member apart from the pulley, the pulley should be connected to the main unit case independently from the edge of the sleeve member. In a conventional manner, the fixing means for the sleeve member is provided within the operation unit, and attached to the connecting member of the casing, which serves as a strength member.
The holding case portion receives a force toward the main operation unit. Also, when the insertion portion is inserted into the body cavity, the connecting member is caused to bend by the force acting to compress the operation unit, by the reaction force caused by the resistance and oppression upon inserting the insertion portion into the body cavity. When the connecting member is bent, the length of the operating wires is changed from the fixing means to the pulley, because the fixing means for the sleeve member is mounted to the connecting member of the casing. As a result, the angle section becomes unintentionally curved slightly even though the angle operating means is not manipulated, the amount of invalid stroke of operating the angle operating means is changed, and so forth.
Also, since the operating wires are exposed between the fixing means of the sleeve member and the pulley, the exposed portions of the operating wires may contact other installed members in the operation unit such as a light guide, thereby resulting in tangling and damage
Particularly, in the event that the means for preventing looseness provided to the operating wires is also exposed, the possibility of damage to the light guide formed of, for example, extremely fine optical fibers increases. Further, by separately providing and independently fixing the pulley, the sleeve member fixing means, and a means for guiding the operating wires, it becomes difficult to adjust their relative positional relationships.
In light of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to keep tension of the operating wires for performing angle operation constant even if the bending load or the like acts on the main operation unit.
It is another object of the present invention to maitain a stable positional relationship between the pulley and the sleeve member fixing means.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to allocate the operating wires within the operation unit in a facilitated manner, thereby allowing a smooth and suitable movement of the operation wires.
In accordance with the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned objects, there is provided a manipulation mechanism for an angle section of an endoscope, consisting of a main operation unit and an insert portion connected to the main operation unit, the insert portion having a distal end section connected with the angle section, adapted for manipulating to curve the angle section by pulling and pushing operation at least a pair of operating wires running throughout the insert portion and to introduced into the main operation unit; characterized in that the manipulation mechanism comprises: at least one pulley provided within the main operation unit, with the base of the operating wires wound thereupon; a pulley rotating shaft extended externally from a casing of the main operation unit to rotate the pulley; an angle operating means provided outside of the main operation unit and coupled to the pulley rotating shaft; a pulley supporting assembly fixedly held by the casing of the main operation unit, for supporting the pulley to be reciprocally rotated over a predetermined angle; a sleeve member provided within the main operation unit for passing through the operating wires from the pulley; a pipe holder fixedly mounted to the sleeve member; and a supporting rod connected at one end to the pulley supporting assembly and being fixed to the pipe holder at the other end.
It is desirable to have a wire cover detachably installed on the supporting rod to form a tunnel-shaped passage for running through the operating wires. The casing for the main operation unit can be composed of a main unit case portion to which at least the angle operation means is mounted, and a holding case portion which is assembled to the main unit case portion in a tightly abutting engagement by a connecting member. By so constructing, the fastener member and the supporting rod can be kept apart from the connecting member.
These and other objects, configurations, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the embodiments described below with reference to the drawings. It is needless to say that the present invention is not to be interpreted so as to be restricted to these embodiments.

Manipulation mechanism for an angle section of an endoscope


A device and method for generating a refresh signal for use in a dynamic memory having an array of memory cells organized according to addresses, the device including a refresh data memory array, a write driver circuit responsive to a refresh signal and timing information for writing at least a portion of the timing information in the refresh data memory array according to addresses corresponding to addresses used in the array of memory cells, a circuit for reading the written timing information from the refresh data memory array corresponding to certain of the addresses, and a logic circuit responsive to the present value of the timing information and said read timing information for producing said refresh signal indicative of when a refresh is required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to solid state memory devices and, more particularly, to the refresh requirements of dynamic random access memories (DRAM).
2. Description of the Background
The simplest configuration for a DRAM is a memory cell comprised of one transistor which operates in conjunction with a capacitor. The transistor is connected across a bit line and the capacitor, and is gated by a wordline. The other plate of the capacitor is connected to a common circuit plate. A write operation is performed by placing data on the bit line and gating the data into the capacitor with the wordline. A read operation is performed by precharging the bit line and raising the wordline. Charge sharing, occurring between the cell's capacitor and the bit line, changes the voltage on the bit line by between 5% and 30%, while the information in the cell is destroyed. Thus, a read operation must be accompanied by a write back to ensure the integrity of the data.
DRAM cells are extremely small because they require only a single transistor and a single capacitor. Therefore, very high density DRAMs can be fabricated. Densities can be increased even further by constructing the capacitor in a vertical direction, e.g., a trench capacitor, as opposed to a planar direction. Because of their high density, DRAMs can often be fabricated at lower costs than other types of memory cells.
One characteristic associated with DRAMs is that the voltage stored on the capacitor of an individual cell tends to dissipate over time as a result of leakage currents. Because the difference between a voltage which represents a logic 1 and a voltage which represents a logic 0 is very small, each cell of the DRAM must be periodically refreshed to ensure the accuracy of the data stored therein. Despite the need to refresh the data, DRAMs are widely used because of their lower cost.
A refresh operation generally comprises copying the data held in certain of the memory cells into one or more registers and then copying the data back into the memory cells from the registers. Traditionally, that refresh requirement has required additionally circuitry. A memory controller, or perhaps the system processor, intercedes between successive read and write operations to initiate the refresh in a forced manner. Forced refresh operations result in delaying subsequent read or write operations.
More recently, DRAMs have been proposed which have a self-refresh mode for executing the refresh process. In such DRAMs, a refresh signal does not need to be generated by the memory controller or system processor. DRAMs having self-refresh capability include a circuit specifically designed for initiating and carrying out the refresh operation.
Nevertheless, whether the refresh is initiated by a device external to the DRAM or internal to the DRAM, the systematic reading and writing back of information from each cell within the array consumes both power and time. Thus, the need exists, for adding intelligence to the refresh decision in a manner which does not unduly complicate the DRAM circuit.

Intelligent refresh controller for dynamic memory devices


A method for screening a substance that inhibits the onset of anti-cardiac troponin I autoantibody-related disease, a pharmaceutical composition and a base material for therapy of cardiac disease that contains the substance obtained by aforesaid method thereof, a therapeutic apparatus that removes anti-troponin I autoantibody for aforesaid antibody related disease, a method of making an animal model for evaluating cardiac disease characterized by administrating anti-cardiac troponin I antibody, a method of selection of a therapeutic substance for cardiac disease characterized by using aforesaid animals, and a diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy characterized by measuring anti-cardiac troponin I autoantibody. An apparatus of the present invention that removes anti-cardiac troponin I antibody and a pharmaceutical composition for therapy of the antibody related disease may be useful for a therapy and/or prevention of cardiac disease.

Dilated cardiomyopathy is one of the myocardial diseases characterized by progressive depression of myocardial contractile function and dilated ventricle, and the dysfunction of depressing dilated left ventricle is present. This disease often develops chronically and the prognosis is poor in the majority of cases. Therefore, in Europe and the United States, cardiac transplantation is necessary for this disease in many cases, and above 90% of cardiac transplantation cases in Japan were those of patients with this disease. 30% of dilated cardiomyopathy patients are said to have a congenital mutation in the gene that codes an important component of myocardium, which links cytoskeleton to cell matrix. However, the causes of the rest of cases are unknown. In both cases, the onset rate is very high (36.5 in 100,000 people) and the death rate is also high. However, there is no effective therapy except for cardiac transplantation.
In addition to ischemic, toxic, metabolic, infectious, and genetic causes, autoimmunity has been suspected to be one of the main causes. Several papers have reported that the patients of myocarditis or cryptogenic dilated cardiomyopathy have heart reactive autoantibodies. Antibodies to the mitochondrial ADP/ATP translocator or β1-adrenoceptor, which are often found in human patients, have been shown to enhance Ca2+ current (Journal of Experimental Medicine, 1988, 168(6), p 2105-2019, European Journal of Pharmacology, 2001, 423(2-3), p 115-119). In addition, immunoabsorption has been reported to have beneficial effects. (Circulation, 2001, 103(22), p 2681-2686). Stephan B. Felix proved that the therapy with immunoabsorption made patients' hemodynamics improved and the column eluent, which contains harvested antibodies from immunoabsorption column, decreased cell contraction in myocardial cells because of calcium current suppression (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2002, 39(4), p 646-652). Experimental studies in rodents have shown that cardiotropic viral infections or immunization with cardiac antigens can elicit injury of cardiomyocytes, leading to cardiomyopathy with concomitant production of heart-reactive autoantibodies and cytotoxic T cells (Circulation, 1982, 65(6), p 1230-1235, Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology, 1987, 43, 1, p 129-139, Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 1997, 29(2), p 641-655, Journal of Immunology, 1987, 139(11), p 3630-3636). However, because autoimmune responses observed in the rodent models and human patients could be secondary to heart inflammation, the involvement of autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy is still debatable (Journal of Immunology, 1990, 145(12), p 4094-4100).
PD-1 is an immune inhibitory receptor belonging to CD28/CTLA-4 family and inhibits antigen receptor-mediated signaling by recruiting SHP-2 upon engagement with its ligands, PD-L1 or PD-L2 (Current Opinion Immunology, 2002, 14(6), p 779-782). C57BL/B6 PD-1-deficient mice developed lupus-like glomerulonephritis and arthritis (Current Opinion Immunology, 2002, 14(6), p 779-782). The inventors have recently shown that BALB/c PD-1-deficient mice develop dilated cardiomyopathy (Science, 2001, 291(5502), p 319-322, WO02/39813).
The dilated heart of the mice showed prominent depositions of immune complex on myocardial cells. Furthermore, sera from PD-1-deficient mice contained high-titer autoantibodies against a heart-specific, 30-kDa protein. Although these results support the hypothesis that autoimmunity is a probable cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, there was no direct evidence. Therefore, it is essential to identify the 30-kDa antigen and assess the pathogenic role of the antigen-specific autoimmune reaction in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Method of screening remedy for heart disease and medicinal composition for treating heart disease


In order to avoid deterioration in sound quality caused by band shortage between an HNB-GW and an HNB, in a femto system 100, an HNB-GW 140 is connected to an HNB 120 via a network 130, and relays at least one of transmission and reception of voice data between an MGW 170 and the HNB 120. A narrow band determination unit 150 in the HNB-GW 140 determines whether the band of the network 130 is a narrow band which is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold. When it is determined that the band is a narrow band by the narrow band determination unit 150, a conversion unit 160 converts the voice data to decrease a bit rate of the voice data transferred to the HNB 120 from the MGW 170.

The intensity of radio waves is poor in underground areas, back of buildings, and boundary areas of related mobile phone base stations having call areas of several hundreds of meters to more than ten kilometers in radius. One problem occurred in these areas is that it is difficult to connect to the base stations. One system provided in order to solve this problem is a micro base station having a call area of about several tens of meters in radius where phone calls can be made even in those areas. Such a micro base station is called a femtocell. In the following description, a system in which a femtocell is arranged is called a femto system.
FIG. 18 shows an example of a femto system. A femto system 10 includes a femtocell 30, a gateway apparatus 50, a media gateway 52, and a line switching unit 54. While the media gateway 52 may be included in the line switching unit 54, the media gateway 52 and the line switching unit 54 will be separately shown and described for the sake of clarification.
In the following description, the femtocell, the gateway apparatus, the media gateway, and the line switching unit are denoted by a Home Node B (HNB), a Home Node B Gateway (HNB-GW), a Media Gateway (MGW), and a Mobile-service Switching Center (MSC). Further, each terminal apparatus 20 connected to the HNB 30 is denoted by a User Equipment (UE).
The gateway apparatus 50 relays transmission and reception of voice data between the MGW 52 and the HNB 30, and is connected to the HNB 30 through a network 40. The voice data in the phone call is transmitted to the UE 20 through the MGW 52, the HNB-GW 50, the network 40, and the HNB 30 in this order, or transmitted from the UE 20 through the HNB 30, the network 40, the HNB-GW 50, and the MGW 52 in this order. Further, as described in a non-patent literature 6 and a non-patent literature 1, "The RUA has the following functions: Transparent transfer of RANAP messages", "Iu UP is terminated in CN and HNB (i.e. not in the HNB GW), which means that, in the HNB-GW 50, data whose level is higher than Iu-UP and RANAP are transparently transferred, and the MSC 54/MGW 52, the HNB 30, and the UE 20 are adapted to use the same codec.

Gateway apparatus, relay method, program, femto system


The presently disclosed embodiments relate in general to electrophotographic imaging members, such as layered photoreceptor structures, and processes for making and using the same. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to a photoreceptor underlayer comprising a metal oxide and a porphine additive to eliminate charge deficient spots in specific conditions and improve image quality.

Herein disclosed are imaging members, such as layered photoreceptor structures, and processes for making and using the same. The imaging members can be used in electrophotographic, electrostatographic, xerographic and like devices, including printers, copiers, scanners, facsimiles, and including digital, image-on-image, and like devices. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to a photoreceptor that incorporates specific molecules to facilitate electron transport across the layers of the photoreceptor device.
Electrophotographic imaging members, e.g., photoreceptors, typically include a photoconductive layer formed on an electrically conductive substrate. The photoconductive layer is an insulator in the substantial absence of light so that electric charges are retained on its surface. Upon exposure to light, charge is generated by the photoactive pigment, and under applied field charge moves through the photoreceptor and the charge is dissipated.
In electrophotography, also known as xerography, electrophotographic imaging or electrostatographic imaging, the surface of an electrophotographic plate, drum, belt or the like (imaging member or photoreceptor) containing a photoconductive insulating layer on a conductive layer is first uniformly electrostatically charged. The imaging member is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as light. Charge generated by the photoactive pigment move under the force of the applied field. The movement of the charge through the photoreceptor selectively dissipates the charge on the illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing oppositely charged particles on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The resulting visible image may then be transferred from the imaging member directly or indirectly (such as by a transfer or other member) to a print substrate, such as transparency or paper. The imaging process may be repeated many times with reusable imaging members.
An electrophotographic imaging member may be provided in a number of forms. For example, the imaging member may be a homogeneous layer of a single material such as vitreous selenium or it may be a composite layer containing a photoconductor and another material. In addition, the imaging member may be layered. These layers can be in any order, and sometimes can be combined in a single or mixed layer.
Typical multilayered photoreceptors have at least two layers, and may include a substrate, a conductive layer, an optional charge blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a photogenerating layer (sometimes referred to as a "charge generation layer," "charge generating layer," or "charge generator layer"), a charge transport layer, an optional overcoating layer and, in some belt embodiments, an anticurl backing layer. In the multilayer configuration, the active layers of the photoreceptor are the charge generation layer (CGL) and the charge transport layer (CTL). Enhancement of charge transport across these layers provides better photoreceptor performance.
The demand for improved print quality in xerographic reproduction is increasing, especially with the advent of color. Common print quality issues are strongly dependent on the quality of the undercoat layer. Conventional materials used for the undercoat or blocking layer have been problematic. In certain situations, a thicker undercoat is desirable, but the thickness of the material used for the undercoat layer is limited by the inefficient transport of the photo-injected electrons from the generator layer to the substrate. If the undercoat layer is too thin, then incomplete coverage of the substrate results due to wetting problems on localized unclean substrate surface areas. The incomplete coverage produces pin holes which can, in turn, produce print defects such as charge deficient spots ("CDS") and bias charge roll ("BCR") leakage breakdown. Other problems include "ghosting," which is thought to result from the accumulation of charge somewhere in the photoreceptor. Consequently, when a sequential image is printed, the accumulated charge results in image density changes in the current printed image that reveals the previously printed image. Thus, there is a need, which is addressed herein, for a way to minimize or eliminate charge accumulation in photoreceptors, without sacrificing the desired thickness of the undercoat layer.
The terms "charge blocking layer" and "blocking layer" are generally used interchangeably with the phrase "undercoat layer."
Conventional photoreceptors and their materials are disclosed in Katayama et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,496; Yashiki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,801; Yashiki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,669; Seki et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,605; Kawahara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,407; Markovics et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,599; Monbaliu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,734; Terrell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,080; and Yoshihara, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,449, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
More recent photoreceptors are disclosed in Fuller et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,716; Maty et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,309; and Dinh et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,334, which are herein incorporate by reference in their entirety.

Imaging member having undercoat layer comprising porphine additive


An airborne cell phone system comprises a cabin-based system for communicating with a ground station over a satellite link. A base station transceiver is in the ground station and an air interface (Um) is extended to a cabin-based mobile as if the cabin-based mobile is ground-based. The cabin-based system includes the cabin-based mobile for communicating over the Um interface. A custom device emulates the Um interface and communicates with the cabin-based mobile. A cabin transceiver connected to the custom device communicates with the custom device and the satellite link. The ground station further comprises a ground transceiver for communicating with the satellite link. A handset emulator connected the ground transceiver emulates a handset and communicates with the ground transceiver. A ground Um interface communicates with the handset emulator and the base station transceiver communicates with the ground Um interface.

The present invention generally relates to cellular telephone communications systems, airborne cellular systems, and specifically to an airborne cellular GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) system that provides service by extending a cellular Um interface.
Use of cellular telephones and other wireless data devices onboard aircraft has been banned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FCC ban is in place to avoid interference with terrestrial cellular systems while an aircraft flies over a cellular network. The FAA regulations restrict the use of cell phones on an aircraft to ensure against interference to onboard communications and navigation equipment. In mid-December, 2004, the FCC announced that it is going examine relaxing its ban on cell phone use in aircraft. A relaxation in the FCC rules will still be subject to the rules and policies of the FAA and aircraft operators.
The FCC is proposing to permit airborne use of cell phones and other wireless devices at the devices lowest power settings under control of a picocell located on the aircraft and only if such operation does not interfere with terrestrial cellular systems. In small cell phone networks picocells are the smallest of radio cells. Picocells often extend to just a few hundred meters in diameter in ground applications. Picocells are generally used to fill in areas of poor coverage or provide coverage in remote locations where there is no standard cellular service available. Onboard an aircraft a cell phone user makes a call that goes to the picocell. The picocell then communicates from the aircraft using a transceiver to a ground station or to a satellite and from the satellite to a ground station and finally to connect to a public switched telephone network (PSTN).
An onboard picocell presents multiple problems related to connection to a ground-based cellular infrastructure. These problems have been and are being addressed by various companies and organizations.
One approach to offering cellular GSM service on aircraft is to place a picocell or BTS (base transceiver station) onboard. The BTS must be connected to a base station controller (BSC) on the ground. To offer onboard cell phone service worldwide, this air-ground link is typically supplied through satellite communications systems (SATCOM) such as Globalstar and Inmarsat. A normal BTS to BSC interface (A-bis interface) requires a T1 line. A T1 line is a high bandwidth telephone line that can handle 24 voice or data channels at 64 kilobits per second, over two twisted pair wires. A T1 line is capable of sending and receiving very large text files, graphics, sounds, and databases very quickly. A dedicated T1 over an existing SATCOM system is inefficient and very expensive.
One solution to the problem is to use a gateway onboard the aircraft to reduce the information on the A-bis connected to the onboard BTS, passing the reduced data over the satellite link, connecting to a second gateway on the ground to regenerate the A-bis before connecting to the ground-based BSC.
Another problem to be solved is the apparent need for an onboard BTS to roam from a BSC at one ground station to that at another. This is the case given the satellite serving the air-ground link must change during a flight, which may occur on flights between the U.S. and Europe for example (depending on the satellite constellation providing the link). Although the GSM standard allows mobiles to roam from one BTS to another, it does not allow for a BTS to roam from one BSC to another. Other approaches seen involve placing more capability onboard, such as including a BSC along with the BTS, or even portions of an MSC (mobile switching center).
Current solutions proposed by industry players only offer partial performance solutions. There is a need for seamless in-flight cell phone coverage by offering a roaming capability. Furthermore, a need exists for an in-flight cell phone system capable of providing needed cell phone performance at lowest costs.

In-cabin phone service by extending cellular Um interface


An interconnect formed using a stiff layer having a plurality of holes extending there through. A first flexible layer is bonded to a first side of the stiff layer. The first flexible layer having a plurality of conductive bumps, each conductive bump being positioned over a hole. A second flexible layer is bonded to a second side of the stiff layer. The second flexible layer having a plurality of conductive bumps, each conductive bump being positioned over a hole. Signal paths are formed in the holes, the signal paths connecting the plurality of conductive bumps on the first layer to the plurality of conductive bumps on the second layer.

Many test and measurement devices, including logic analysis systems and probes, require the use of a high density interconnect to interface with a device under test. In the case of a logic analysis probe that tests circuits secured by, for example a ball grid array, it is not unusual for a logic analysis probe to use an interconnect having a 49×49 array of connections to connect the probe to the board under test. Such interconnects have a total of 2,401 connections. Many current interconnects are of the so-called "bed of nails" variety that is clamped over a matrix of lands, for example to the rear of a ball grid array, formed on a board under test. In this configuration, the connections (e.g. the nails) match with the lands on the board. Known interconnects of this configuration require a clamping force of 40 to 60 grams per contact meaning that over 96 Kilograms (up to 144 Kilograms) of clamping force is required. Other known types of interconnects include socketing and a variety of board to board interconnects most of which have similar clamping requirements.
Examples of known interconnects include those produced by INTERCON SYSTEMS, SHINETSU, TYCO, TELEDYNE, and PARACON for use with their respective probe offerings. The probes provided by such producers often include additional circuitry to perform specialized functions including: pin translation, termination, and compensation. In these probes, the additional circuitry is either added to the test and measurement unit or embedded in an additional structure associated with the cable. While useful, such additional circuitry would benefit from being integrated with the interconnect. Such integration would lead to decreased loads and reduced stub lengths.
Accordingly, the present inventors have recognized a need for interconnects that reduce the required clamping force while providing for integrated circuitry.


Magnetic levitation self-regulating systems having enhanced stabilizational forces designated for immobile, or forward, or rotational motion and stable hovering of heavy masses (working bodies) in both gravity and weightlessness are proposed. This system includes a stator assembly and a levitator assembly. The stator assembly comprises split iron cores with air gaps between their core shoes fixed on a non-magnetic foundation and magnetic screens in the capacity of which serve superconductive, or permanent magnetic, or non-magnetic conductive strips. The levitator assembly comprises permanent magnets coupled together by non-magnetic couplers and disposed into the air gaps of the stator assembly. The levitator magnets are magnetized across the air gaps of the stator and generate the primary magnetic field, magnetizing the iron cores, which, in turn, create a secondary magnetic field. The magnetic screens change distribution of the primary and secondary magnetic fields in the air gaps. The resulting magnetic field creates a stabilizational forces providing a stable hovering of the levitator without any active control system and additional energy sources.

The present invention relates generally to magnetic levitation devices and more particularly to magnetic levitation self-regulating systems comprising permanent magnets, ferromagnetic cores and superconductive or permanent magnetic or non-magnetic conductive metallic strips capable of providing the stable hovering of a immobile or/and a moving working body in a magnetic field without any active control system and any energy sources.
To determine the stability of the equilibrium position of any conservative system, Lagrange's theorem is applied [3]. It states that if, in a certain position of a conservative system, its potential energy has a strict local minimum, then this position is that of stable equilibrium of the system.
It is known that the existing magnetic levitation systems of the electromagnetic type use iron cores and electromagnets with an air gap here between. The magnets do not have an equilibrium position therein, and the magnetic field is distributed in such a way as to create destabilizing forces only, tending to attract the magnets to the iron cores.
In order to provide stability to the known systems, a fast-response automatic control system is necessary. Such control is expensive and not reliable at present.
The magnetic levitation self-regulating systems of present invention use different elements from the known systems and include split iron cores with an air gap between their shoes rather than solid cores. Furthermore the present invention uses permanent magnets rather than electromagnets, and so superconductive or permanent magnetic or non-magnetic conductive strips. This structure provides an equilibrium position for hovering body in the air gap and the distribution of the magnetic field therein is capable of creating stabilizing forces only.
A linear synchronous motor having enhanced levitational forces U.S. patent application Ser. No. 764,734, a self-adjusting magnetic suspension for a levitated vehicle guideway U.S. patent application Ser. No. 691,431, and magnetic levitation self-regulating systems U.S. patent application Ser. No. 864,258 serves as examples for these elements.

Magnetic levitation self-regulating systems having enhanced stabilization forces


As explained hereinbefore, the C12orf59 gene of the present invention suppresses cancer cell invasion and inhibits cancer cell survivability, and the over-expression of C12orf59 protein or a fragment thereof inhibits cancer cell invasion, so that C12orf59 gene or a fragment thereof not only can be effectively used for the pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating cancer but also can be used as a clinical marker for screening a cancer treatment agent candidate, for diagnosing various cancers or for predicting pathological stage. In addition, the C12orf59 gene or a fragment thereof of the present invention can be used for the method for preventing and treating cancer and for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating cancer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating cancer comprising C12orf59 protein or a fragment thereof, or a polynucleotide encoding the same as an active ingredient.
2. Description of the Related Art
C12orf59 (chromosome 12 open reading frame 59) gene has been well kept in human, chimpanzee, dog, cow, mouse, rat, and chicken. Two isoforms of its nucleotide sequence have been reported (BC131523, 183a.a.; NM—153022, 163a.a.). This protein has been presumed as a membrane protein considering the amino acid sequence thereof, but the function of this protein has not been disclosed, yet.
In some patent descriptions (WO2010/037859 and US 2009/0163435), the involvement of C12orf59 gene in cancer has been proposed, which is though only in relation to the gene expression regulation by the treatment of anti-cancer drug. Up to date, the expression regulation and function of C12orf59 gene involved in cancer have not been explained, yet.
Cancer is one of the toughest diseases threatening human health most, which is developed by a series of cell mutation in which cells are proliferated unlimitedly and uncontrollably and hence immortalized.
A variety of biochemical mechanisms in relation to cancer have been disclosed and hence therapeutic agents have also been developed. However, any fundamental treatment method for cancer has not been established, yet. Studies have been actively undergoing to identify various biomolecules involved in cancer and thereby to develop a drug targeting such molecules, and attempts have also been made to increase cancer treatment effect by utilizing the combination of developed drugs. Therefore, it can be said that the task to identify a target molecule involved in cancer is very important.
Colorectal cancer is a kind of incurable diseases which causes million illnesses every year over the world, among which 530,000 patients are killed. This disease increases so fast as to take the third place (12.7%) of total cancer cases in Korea, which seems to be partly attributed to aging and the change in dietary pattern. The recently developed anticancer agents that are effective in treating colorectal cancer are exemplified by fluoropyrimidines such as 5-FU, UFT and capecitabine (product name: XELODA); irinotecan (product name: CAMPTO); and oxaliplatin. Seven largest pharmaceutical markets including those in USA and Europe for colorectal cancer treatment agents amount to $900 million today, which is expected to grow fast to $7,800 million in 2017. However, there are always disadvantages of continuous use of these drugs, which are resistance and side effects. Therefore, it is requested to study further to develop a novel treatment agent.
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), which has been used as a marker for diagnosing colorectal cancer, is a kind of glycoproteins normally generated in the prebirth stage. The production of this protein is normally stopped before birth. If CEA level in adult is higher than that in a newborn baby, it presents the possibility of colorectal cancer or other cancers. However, the CEA level can be increased in liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and alcoholic pancreatitis patients and smokers as well. Therefore, the CEA level is used for diagnosing cancer supplementarily.
The present inventors have studied to develop a cancer diagnosis or cancer treatment agent, and as a result confirmed the expression of C12orf59 gene in cancer cell line. Particularly, when C12orf59 protein or a fragment thereof was over-expressed in cancer cell line, ITGA5 expression involved in cancer cell invasion was decreased, indicating the reduction of cancer cell invasion. When C12orf59 gene expression was suppressed in colorectal cancer cell line, cancer cell invasion was increased and cancer cell survival was increased as well, leading to the activation of various cell signal transmission pathways. The above results indicate that C12orf59 gene has a function as a tumor suppressor. Therefore, the present inventors finally completed this invention by confirming that C12orf59 gene or protein can be effectively used for the pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating cancer and for the method for screening cancer diagnosis or cancer treatment agent candidate substances.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of treating cancer with a composition containing a C12ORF59 protein

Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology


A tape applicator having an edge folding structure includes a main body and an edge folding block. The edge folding block is provided with a transverse press board, a longitudinal reverse folding block, a longitudinal reverse folding reinforcement block, and a longitudinal flattening board. A distance is defined between the flattening board and the reverse folding reinforcement block. An outer side of the reverse folding block is pivotally connected with a folding post. The tape applicator has a simple structure and can be assembled easily with the folding post to be pivoted to the outer side of the reverse folding block. The tape applicator enables the tape to form a nonstick side edge exactly for the user to tear off the tape from a packing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing device, and more particularly to a tape applicator having an edge folding structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional tape applicator. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the conventional tape applicator when in use. The tape applicator comprises a main body 200. The main body 200 has a side board 210. The side board 210 is provided with a tape seat 220. The front end of the side board 210 is provided with a press roller 230 and a blade 240. The main body 200 is provided with a folding unit 250 between the press roller 230 and the tape seat 220. The folding unit 250 comprises a folding post 251, a stop block 253, an inclined block 254, a first post 255, a press block 257, and a second post 258 which are arranged in sequence in the direction of movement of a tape. A folding roller 252 is fitted on the folding post 251. The stop block 253 is disposed at the circumferential side of the folding roller 252 for pre-folding the inner side of the tape. The inclined block 254 is disposed at another side of the stop block 253 opposite the folding post 251. An upper end of the inclined block 254 has an inclined surface 2541 for folding back the inner side of the tape to form a folded side edge. The press block 257 is disposed at another side of the inclined block 254 opposite the stop block 253. The front of the press block 257 has an oblique surface 2571. The top of the press block 257 has an upper flat surface 2572. The upper flat surface 2572 is adapted to flatten the folded side edge of the tape. The first post 255 is disposed close to the upper flat surface 2572 of the press block 257. A first roller 256 is fitted on the first post 255. The first roller 256 is adapted to press the folded side edge of the tape to the upper flat surface 2572 of the press block 257, such that two adhesive sides of the tape can be adhered to each other to form a strip of nonstick side edge. The second post 258 is disposed between the press block 257 and the press roller 230. A second roller 259 is fitted on the second post 258 for delivering the tape to the press roller.
The edge folding structure of the conventional tape applicator has many parts, which is not beneficial for assembly. The folding unit 250 is unable to provide a better nonstick side edge for the tape. As a result, the tape pulled from the tape applicator is totally taped to the packing to be packed. When the user wants to open the packing, it requires much time and work to tear off the tape. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

Tape applicator having edge folding structure


A microbicidal filter for treating air, includes, in the allocated direction of flow of the air stream capable of passing therethrough, a filtration layer and a HEPA filter. The filtration layer contains a bactericidal and/or fungicidal agent, and the HEPA filter is pleated while being applied against a second pleated filtration layer that is arranged downstream, so as to prevent the mutual contacting of its pleats. The combination of the action of the impregnated layer and of the HEPA filter inhibits or kills by contact all the living particles that penetrate into the microbicidal filter. The HEPA filter is held in stable application in the pleated shape thereof against the second filtration layer, so that filtering performance deteriorates only gradually.

The present invention relates to a microbicidal filter for treating air and a filtration cartridge comprising such a filter.
A filter for clean rooms and hospitals is known from a reading of the document U.S. Pat. No. B-4,323,374. It is composed, in a preferential configuration, of a HEPA filter conformed in a zigzag, downstream of which a filtration layer is placed, fabricated from polypropylene fibres with an electrostatic property. The upstream HEPA layer retains the particles and microbes with a size of less than 0.3 micrometers. The downstream layer retains a large quantity of particles with a size of less than 0.111 micrometers. Separators are placed between the pleats of a pleated element to separate its walls. The advantages proposed are high efficiency and low fouling.
The living particles trapped by the HEPA filter do however remain living and may contaminate the air, in particular during the filter replacement operation, so that the person carrying out this work is exposed to a health risk. Moreover, separators must be placed in the hollows of the pleats to prevent collapse of the pleated element.

Microbicidal filter and filtration cartridge incorporating such a filter


A flexible member for coupling a driving member to a driven member is an elastomer element formed with a plurality of integrally formed segments of tapering cross sectional area and is provided at the intersections of the segments with connecting elements for connecting the flexible member to the driving and driven members; the connecting element is formed in a manner that prevents rotation of the elastomer member relative to each point of connection; the segments of the flexible member are shaped in such a manner to maximize resistance to deformation under the influence of torque loading and misalignment.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flexible coupling members between driving and driven elements such as shafts, which must accommodate misalignment and torque in use and which preferably can be installed rapidly and accurately.
2. Background of the Invention
The prior art includes a great variety of shaft coupling devices intended to compensate for misalignment and to transmit torque over a desired range. In constructing such devices, one of the primary considerations involves the magnitude of the torque to be transmitted through the coupling, as this quantity most directly affects the durability of the coupling. In a number of prior art coupling structures, only a very narrow range of torque magnitudes can be accommodated. Thus, for example, where only low speed and correspondingly low torque levels are to be encountered, the coupling designs have not required or utilized the relatively heavy metallic disc elements in the coupling. Conversely, for relatively high speed and large torque loads, the designs have been correspondingly more robust, using the principles of multi-layered flexible discs of high grade steel, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,992 to Mancuso et al. While these latter types of couplings have exhibited sufficient durability and flexibility in use, the cost and the difficulty in manufacturing and installing them have been a disadvantage particularly in view of the relatively narrow field of use in which they can be economically employed. Other types of couplings, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,738, while somewhat less costly to manufacture than the metal couplings, indicate a low torque load capability due to the unavoidable distortion in use under certain loads.


Systems and methods of selective data mirroring are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a device is disclosed that includes a data storage medium and a controller operably coupled to the data storage medium. The controller configured to selectively enable a data mirroring function to copy data in a first data storage location of the data storage medium to one or more second data storage locations of the data storage medium when the one or more second data storage locations do not have valid primary data stored to them.

Data mirroring is a technique used to enhance reliability in data storage arrays. In a typical storage array that employs data mirroring, the mirroring can be accomplished by writing the information at two different locations. Some systems write the information 180 degrees out of phase on the same disc; thus, reducing the capacity of the drive by at least half. On the other hand, some systems write the data from one disc drive onto a second disc drive in the array; this method requires having a second drive for every first drive in the array. These systems require twice as much data storage space to meet the non-mirrored design requirements. Consequently, such systems can be expensive and inefficient.
Therefore, a need exists for a system of providing data mirroring at a more efficient rate and lower cost. More specifically, a need exists for a solution to the problem of mirroring fast input/output drives, while reducing the cost incurred in mirroring without decreasing the system performance.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved system and method of data mirroring in a data storage device.

System and method of selective data mirroring in a data storage device


An aquatic biofiltration system where invertebrate aquatic filtering organisms in the form of tunicates filter free-floating particulates in a water volume is disclosed. The system provides a habitat for tunicates with at least one residence device (5, 6) adapted to be arranged in a water volume, and a collection system (7) adapted to collect expelled solids from the tunicates. A biofiltration method for filtering particulates from a volume of water is also disclosed.

Much of the organic nutrient matter in the oceans and waterways of the Earth exists in the form of highly dispersed microparticulates, e.g. phytoplankton (autotrophic prokaryotic or eukaryotic algae), zooplankton that feed on other plankton (including eggs and larvae of larger animals), bacterioplankton (bacteria and archaea) and mycoplankton (fungi and fungus-like organisms). This biomass represents a vast source of essential foodstuffs that sustain life through a series of trophic levels up to and including man. It is generally acknowledged that the amount of food passed on at each step in the food chain is reduced by approximately a factor of ten. This implies that there exists a large potential for increasing the amount of food harvested from the sea by increasing the proportion of food from low trophic level organisms such as phytoplankton and zooplankton. A major obstacle to this approach is that these resources generally are very diverse and exist dispersed at low density in large volumes of water which often contains inorganic particulates and is populated by pelagic fauna, making it difficult to apply large scale harvesting techniques based on fine meshed sieves. An indirect strategy for harvesting planktonic biomass is to take one step up on the trophic ladder and harvest filtering organisms that naturally sift through large volumes of water, selecting organic matter and producing useful biomass. Examples are farming operations for filtering organisms such as bivalves (e.g.: mussels, oysters, clams, scallops) and tunicates on installations in open water and in closed habitats such as cages and ponds. While this approach has proven highly successful, the fact remains that only a small proportion of the total biomass captured by the filtering organisms is incorporated in their bodies in the form of food and useful biomaterials. The rest is either consumed in their metabolism or excreted in partly digested or non-digested form as feces or pseudofeces. In intensive marine farming operations involving filtering organisms as well as fish, accumulation of fecal matter and unused foodstuffs near the farms are known to cause severe deterioration of the local marine environment, a problem which has so far been largely ignored in the industry.
Recently, there has been a raised awareness of the problems posed by microplastic ocean pollution. This stems from plastic materials that have been dumped in the ocean and subsequently have been degraded, resulting in fragmentation of the plastic into smaller and smaller parts. Ultimately, the plastic is comparable to plankton in size and is ingested by and accumulated in marine organisms. This represents a huge and growing problem worldwide, and remedies are very difficult to find and implement, due to the diffuse distribution of the particles in question and their small size.


A method for paging user equipments (UEs) receiving a second service in a mobile communication system providing a first service and the second service. A serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support node (SGSN), determines an identifier indicating the second service and a coefficient related to paging occasions for transmitting a paging instance indicating presence/absence of paging information related to the second service in response to a request for the second service from UEs, and transmits the determined identifier and coefficient to a radio network controller (RNC). The RNC transmits the identifier and the coefficient to the UEs, determines the paging occasions and transmission times of the paging instance in each of the paging occasions by using the identifier and the coefficient, and transmits the paging instances over a first channel at the transmission times of the paging instances for each of the paging occasions so that the UEs recognize presence/absence of the paging information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication system, and in particular, to a paging apparatus and method for a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) service.
2. Description of the Related Art
These days, due to the development of the communication industry, a service provided by a code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile communication system is developing into multicasting multimedia communication for transmitting not only voice service data but also high-capacity data such as packet data and circuit data. In order to support the multicasting multimedia communication, a broadcast/multicast service is required in which one data source provides a service to a plurality of user equipments (UE). The broadcast/multicast service can be divided into a cell broadcast service (CBS), which is a message-based service, and a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) supporting multimedia data, such as real-time image and voice, still image, and text.
Network architecture for providing an MBMS service in a mobile communication system will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates network architecture for providing an MBMS service in a mobile communication system. Referring to FIG. 1, a multicast/broadcast service center (BM-SC) 110 is a source that provides an MBMS service stream, and the BM-SC 110 delivers an MBMS service stream to a transit network (NW) 111 after scheduling. The transit network 111 is a network existing between the BM-SC 110 and a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support node (SGSN) 100, and delivers the MBMS service stream provided from the BM-SC 110 to the SGSN 100. It is assumed herein that the SGSN 100 can be comprised of a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) and an external network, and there exist a plurality of UEs desiring to receive the MBMS service at a certain time, i.e., UE1 104, UE2 105 and UE3 106 belonging to a Node B Cell 1 102 and UE4 107 and UE5 108 belonging to a Node B Cell 2 103. The SGSN 100, receiving the MBMS service stream from the transit network 111, performs MBMS service-related control on subscribers (or UEs) desiring to receive an MBMS service. For example, the MBMS service-related control includes management of MBMS service accounting-related data for each subscriber and selective transmission of MBMS service data to a particular radio network controller (RNC) 101. In addition, the SGSN 100 forms and manages an SGSN service context for an MBMS service X, and delivers a stream for the MBMS service to the RNC 101. The RNC 101 controls a plurality of Node Bs, and transmits MBMS service data to a Node B where there exists a UE requesting the MBMS service among Node Bs managed the RNC 101 itself. In addition, the RNC 101 controls a radio channel established to provide the MBMS service, and forms and manages an RNC service context for the MBMS service X by using the MBMS service stream provided from the SGSN 100. As illustrated in FIG. 1, only one radio channel is formed between one Node B, e.g., the Node B Cell 1 102, and the UEs 104, 105 and 106 belonging to the Node B Cell 1 102. Furthermore, a home location register (HLR), though not illustrated in FIG. 1, is connected to the SGSN 100 and performs subscriber authentication for the MBMS service.
In addition, as mentioned above, the RNC 101 and the SGSN 100 manage service-related information according to MBMS services, and the service-related information managed according to MBMS services is defined herein as "MBMS service context." For example, information stored in the MBMS service context includes a list of UEs desiring to receive an MBMS service, i.e., UE identifiers (IDs) of UEs desiring to receive the MBMS service, a service area where the UEs are located, and a quality of service (QoS) needed to provide the MBMS service.
A procedure for providing an MBMS service will now be described herein below.
In order to provide the MBMS service, fundamental information on the MBMS service must first be transmitted to the UEs, and if the UEs receiving the fundamental information on the MBMS service desire to receive the MBMS service, then a list of the UEs requesting the MBMS service must be transmitted to a network. Upon receiving the list of the UEs desiring to receive the MBMS service, the network must page the UEs and set up a radio bearer for providing the MBMS service. After setting up a radio bearer between the network and the UEs, the network provides the MBMS service over the set radio bearer. Meanwhile, if the MBMS service is ended, the fact must be notified to all UEs. Then, all the UEs receiving the MBMS service must release all resources assigned for the MBMS service, for normal MBMS service.
However, in an existing communication system providing an MBMS service, there has been provided no detailed plan for the above-stated procedure for providing the MBMS service, especially a procedure for paging a UE. Accordingly, there is a demand for a method of paging a plurality of UEs receiving the MBMS service.

Paging apparatus and method for MBMS service in a mobile communication system


A snubber device for reducing shocks and vibrations in a downhole tool. The snubber includes a main body extending between upper and lower connector ends. The main body is defined by one or more cut-out portions. One or more elastomeric elements are held within the one or more cut-out portions. The cut-out portions provide flexibility to the main body. The elastomeric elements absorb shocks and vibrations and are conveniently replaceable when excessive wear reduces their shock and vibration absorbing capacity.

Rotary drilling in earth formations is used to form boreholes for obtaining materials in the formations, such as hydrocarbons. Rotary drilling involves a drill bit disposed on a drilling end of a drill string that extends from the surface. The drill string is made up of a series of tubulars that are configured to allow fluid to flow between the surface and earth formation. Tools provided to support a process known as measurement-while-drilling (MWD) are typically located relatively close to the drill bit. Examples of such tools include gamma ray detectors, accelerometers, magnetometers, and various sensors for measuring density, porosity, pressure and other data as well as batteries required to provide power to any of these tools. Multiple tools for MWD or well logging may be grouped together in a system known as a bottom hole assembly. Such tools are also used in other downhole applications such as well completions.
During rotation of the drill bit using modern drilling techniques, downhole tools in the bottom hole assembly are invariably subjected to vibrations and mechanical shocks that can damage the downhole tools, thereby disrupting communication along the drill string, or connections between downhole tools and other downhole components. The electronic and mechanical devices in tools may be particularly sensitive to mechanical shock and vibration. Damage to electronics in downhole tools may reduce reliability and life of the tools. Failure of the tools can result in costly downtime due to halted drilling operations and tool repairs before drilling may resume. To reduce damage, and thus failures due to mechanical shock and vibration, the tools may be isolated from mechanical shocks by one or more shock absorbing devices, commonly called snubbers.
A snubber is generally a component which is configured to reduce tool damage and wear due to stresses caused by mechanical shock and vibration. Conventional snubbers reduce the mechanical shocks being transmitted along the longitudinal axis of a drill string from the direction of the drill bit through compressibility of the snubber material. The conventional snubber typically includes one or more springs or elastomeric rings configured to compress radially and longitudinally when exposed to mechanical shocks. The shock absorbing ability of the snubber is often a function the thickness and type of snubbing material and limited to high frequency dampening. As such, snubbers are typically disposed on the side of a downhole tool where mechanical shocks are most likely to be generated.
Examples of such snubbers are described in US Patent Publication Nos. 20190119994, 20180179830, U.S. Pat. No. 9,187,997, and Canadian Patent Publication No. CA 2,735,619, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in entirety.
There continues to be a need for improvements in devices such as snubbers for protection of downhole tools to reduce costs and improve low frequency dampening and stick-slip radial dampening.

Downhole vibration and shock absorbing device

Extensive Energy Technologies Partnership


A method for use with a computing device is provided. The method may include inputting an input data set into a first private artificial intelligence model generated using a first private data set and a second private artificial intelligence model generated using a second private data set. The method may further include receiving a first result data set from the first private artificial intelligence model and receiving a second result data set from the second private artificial intelligence model. The method may further include training an adaptive co-distillation model with the input data set and the first result data set. The method may further include training the adaptive co-distillation model with the input data set and the second result data set. The adaptive co-distillation model may not be trained on the first private data set or the second private data set.

Computer models are used in various fields to enable computer systems to analyze data for a particular situation and make decisions based on the data. A wide variety of such models have been developed. For example, symbolic models such as expert systems and decision trees, and non-symbolic models such as neural networks and support vector machines, are well known. In machine learning, a model is trained on a data set, while in symbolic systems a model is typically designed heuristically, that is, using human decisions. With such a wide variety of models in use by different entities, opportunities for collaboration exist.
In distributed machine learning, a machine learning algorithm is trained using data distributed between multiple computing devices. Each of those computing devices may store its own set of training data that are used to locally train a machine learning model. Those machine learning models may then be combined into a centralized model. Distributed machine learning may be used, for example, when the machine learning models are trained using private data which the users of the computing devices do not want to send to a central server.
However, the inventors have identified the following technical shortcomings of the above-described methods of distributed machine learning. In the above-described methods of distributed machine learning, all the client machine learning models have the same model architecture. Thus, multiple client machine learning models with different architectures may not be combined into a central machine learning model. In addition, the users of the distributed client computing devices may desire to keep private the specific machine learning model architectures they use for the client machine learning models, for privacy reasons, competitive advantage, licensing or other legal constraints, etc. However, the above-described methods of distributed machine learning share the same model architecture among the distributed users, and thus do not enable client model architectures to be kept private. Thus, a technical challenge exists to provide an artificial intelligence system that promotes the technical integration of learnings of different artificial intelligence models developed by independent parties, while at the same time preserving the data privacy of the data on which each of those different artificial intelligence models were trained.
The field of industrial automation is one example of a technical field in which these shortcomings present a particular challenge. Various manufacturers have instrumented manufacturing equipment, such as robotic arms, conveyors, etc., with motion sensors and cameras, for example, that gather performance data from the manufacturing equipment during a manufacturing process. This performance data is used by each manufacturer to train artificial intelligence models that are used to operate the manufacturing equipment during future manufacturing processes. The above-discussed challenges of lack of interoperability between artificial intelligence models of different architectures and data privacy for data sets on which these different models have been trained, present potential barriers to the rapid growth and development of artificial intelligence models used in such industrial automation systems.


An information input device has a device body made of an elastically deformable material. The device body can be held in a palm and operated with one hand. The device body is provided in its face with a touchpad. A pressure sensor and an acceleration sensor are independently provided in the device body. The device body includes therein an RF module for transmitting a sensor signal from each sensor to a personal computer. By a control unit (CPU) in the device body, for example, a determination signal for determining an operation on the touchpad as input data is assigned to the pressure sensor, and a canceling signal for canceling the determination signal is assigned to the acceleration sensor. Thus, the user need not operate the device body on a desk or the like. The user can easily hold and operate the device body with one hand, without restriction of place to operate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to information input devices used, e.g., for moving a cursor or the like displayed on a monitor screen connected with a program executing machine, such as a computer or a video game machine, that executes an application program, and for selecting, from an operation menu, a process to be executed; an information input system; and an information input method.
2. Description of the Related Art
As information input devices, mouse to be connected with computers or the like and controllers to be connected with video game machines are known for example. Touchpads and trackballs generally provided on note-type personal computers or the like are also information input devices.
Any mouse is moved on and along a flat face such as a desk. For example, a cursor is moved accordingly on a monitor screen to select an item from an operation menu displayed on the screen. The mouse can be operated to determine the selection of the item. Any touchpad or any trackball enables similar operations by being rubbed or rolled with a fingertip or the like. Any controller connected with a video game machine also enables operations such as cursor movement.
However, in case of mouse, it must be operated on a flat face such as a desk. In case of game controller, the operator must hold it in both hands to operate. This may restrict the operator's posture to operate. In case of touchpad or trackball, the operator must operate it with putting his or her hand on the body of the personal computer. This also may restrict the operator's posture to some extent.
As described above, any conventional information input device has a problem that it may restrict the operator's posture to some extent. Besides, any conventional information input device has been made functionally first of all. Therefore, it could not take a free shape and so lacked fun in design.

Information input device for giving input instructions to a program executing machine


A composition of matter that has surfactant properties in aqueous solutions. The presence of a large number of silanols on the molecules of these compositions creates a solubility or disperseability of these molecules in aqueous solutions that is not obtainable from the quaternary salt monomers. The compositions also have adhesive properties when cured with or without functional organic materials.

This invention deals with compositions of matter that have surfactant properties in aqueous solutions and adhesion properties when cured, including co-curing with reactive organic compounds. The presence of a large number of silanols on the molecules of this invention creates a solubility or disperseability of these molecules in aqueous solutions that is not obtainable from the quaternary salt monomers per se. These materials, when cured, have very good adhesion to solid substrates, and when cured with reactive organic molecules, provide adhesion to solid substrates. It should be noted that these molecules provide very good adhesive properties to bond various solid substrates to each other. The inventors herein are not aware of any like molecules in the prior art.

Compositions having surfactant and adhesion properties


A reconfigurable maximum a-posteriori probability (MAP) calculation circuit that reuses the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) hardware to calculate forward state metrics (alpha values), backward state metrics (beta values), and extrinsic information (lambda values) for the trellis associated with the MAP algorithm. The alpha, beta and lambda calculations may be performed by the same ALU hardware for both binary code (i.e., WCDMA mode) and duo-binary code (i.e, WiBro mode).

The maximum a-posteriori probability (MAP) algorithm is used in a number of coding schemes to improve the performance of communication systems. Maximum a-posteriori probability (MAP) decoders are used in, for example, turbo code-based radio frequency (RF) transceivers. Turbo coding is a powerful forward error correction (FEC) algorithm that achieves a coding gain close to the Shannon limit. Turbo encoders and turbo decoders have been adopted for use in the physical layers of a number of wireless standards, including WCDMA, CDMA2000, IEEE-802.16e (i.e., WiBro) and others. Thus, MAP decoders are implemented in, for example, WCDMA 8PCCC turbo decoders and in 802.16/Wibro CTC turbo decoders.
A software-defined radio (SDR) device uses reconfigurable hardware that may be programmed over-the-air to operate under different wireless standards. For example, an SDR transceiver in a wireless laptop computer or PDA may be configured by different software loads to operate in an IEEE-802.11x wireless network, a CDMA2000 wireless network, an OFDM/OFDMA wireless network, a GSM wireless network, or other types of networks. Many of these wireless standards require the use of turbo decoders or other decoders that are based on maximum a-posteriori probability (MAP) decoders.
However, conventional decoders have significant drawbacks with respect to SDR applications. Turbo decoders and other types of decoders are optimized for decoding under only one or two specific standards. Conventional designs use different MAP decoders to support each standard separately. For example, a MAP decoder calculates three values: alpha (α), beta (β), and lambda (λ). Normally, three distinct hardware blocks are used to calculate these values. This increases power consumption and uses a large amount of die space.
If an SDR device is required to support many wireless standards, more than one decoder must be implemented in the SDR device. This leads to a complex transceiver design that makes inefficient use of chip space and has high power dissipation. This also increases development cost and time-to-market (TTM). Additionally, some of the newer wireless standards operate at relatively high data rates (e.g., WiBro, HSPDA, and the like). A decoder that is optimized in terms of speed and power consumption for a low data rate standard is unlikely to be optimized in terms of speed and power consumption for a high data rate standard, and vice versa. Thus, conventional decoder designs are not suitable for use in SDR applications.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved reconfigurable decoder for use in a software-defined radio (SDR) system. In particular, there is a need for a maximum a-posteriori probability (MAP) decoder that may be implemented in a reconfigurable decoder that operates under different wireless standards.

Generic maximum aposteriori probability decoder for use in software-defined radio systems


Systems and methods are described for determining a handover condition in a wireless communication network. A plurality of active wireless devices in communication with a first access node may be detected. Measurement and reporting information may be received at the first access node from the wireless devices indicating proximity to a second access node. A criteria for selecting a wireless device in communication with the first access node for handover may be determined. A bias factor for the selected wireless device based on the received measurement and reporting information may be calculated. The bias factor may be provided to the selected wireless device and the first access node and/or a controller node may instruct the selected wireless device to communicate with the second access node.

Telecommunication systems, such as cellular networks or other wireless networks, use wireless signals to establish communication channels between various network devices. For example, an access node may transmit a reference signal or a pilot signal over a signal radius, and one or more wireless devices within the signal radius may attempt to establish a connection with the access node. In a heterogeneous network, a handover procedure for offloading traffic at hotspot areas can be negotiated between a source access node (e.g., strongest signal strength) and a target access node (e.g., short range, low power access node). This allows a wireless device to be served by an access node having the lowest signal path loss rather than by an access node having the strongest signal strength.
Interference can occur at the cell edge of the target access node due to the reference signal strength of the source access node. This interference can result in undesirable reduction in coverage, poor quality of service that dramatically decreases user experience, throughput to the wireless devices in communication with the short range access node, and handover failure.

Method and system for managing a handover condition in a wireless device


A rapid closing security container which is adapted to quickly and efficiently secure various items from theft or tampering. The rapid closing security container generally includes a container having an upper opening which may be closed using a closure assembly. The closure assembly includes a first tube and a second tube which extend parallel to each other. Using a draw cord and a pair of closure cords, the first and second tubes may be drawn toward each other to close the container. A lock may be utilized to secure the draw cord and prevent the container from being opened without disengaging the lock.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a secured container and more specifically it relates to a rapid closing security container which is adapted to quickly and efficiently secure various items from theft or tampering.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
It is increasingly important to properly secure items within containers when travelling or visiting areas in which theft is a problem. While there are a wide range of locks and containers which are currently available for securing items, these often require a large amount of maneuvering to properly lock the item therein. An individual will often find it necessary to fumble with clasps, buttons, zippers, buckles, and/or locks in securing items therein.
When the container happens to be opened when encountering a potential theft situation, an individual will often not be able to close and secure the prior art containers in a timely manner to prevent theft from the container. Alternatively, when leaving a container at a location such as in the bed of a truck, valuable time can be lost in dealing with properly securing the container and the lock to protect the items.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved rapid closing security container which is adapted to quickly and efficiently secure various items from theft or tampering.