Systems and methods are provided for program identification. For example, a first audio fingerprint corresponding to a first audio signal is acquired; whether one or more second audio fingerprints in a predetermined fingerprint database match with the first audio fingerprint is detected, a second audio fingerprint corresponding to a second audio signal; and in response to one of the second audio fingerprints matching with the first audio fingerprint, a program associated with the matching second audio signal is provided as a result for program identification associated with the first audio signal.

Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to computer technology. More particularly, some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for network technology. Merely by way of example, some embodiments of the invention have been applied to data processing. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
Television and radio remain the mainstream media-communication platforms in spite of the rapid development of the Internet, and users generally watch TV or listen to the radio to get information.
If a user unintentionally watches or listens to a section of a program, it is often needed to identify the program in order for the user to resume watching or listening to the program later. Conventionally, the user often acquires a keyword appeared in the program and manually enters the keyword through a keyboard or a touch screen. A terminal receives the keyword entered by the user, and sends the request for acquiring the program corresponding to the keyword to a server. The terminal then receives a program provided by the server in response to the user request, and provides the received program as a result for identifying programs associated with the keyword.
But the conventional technology has some problems. For example, the user may not be able to acquire the keyword or may acquire a wrong keyword, so that the terminal sends an incorrect program request based on the wrong keyword to the server. A correct program may not be acquired in response to the request, and thus the accuracy of program identification is reduced.
Hence it is highly desirable to improve the techniques for program identification.

Systems and methods for program identification

Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited


A method for the direct in vivo transformation of cells in and surrounding a solid tumor is disclosed. This method is based on the site-specific delivery of proteins to solid tumors and to tissue surrounding the solid tumor by direct injection of a nucleic acid sequence. In particular, this method is directed to site-specific delivery of nucleic acids encoding major histocompatibility proteins, cytokines, and toxins to a solid tumor. This technique provides for the transfer of vectors and expression of recombinant genes in vivo and allows the introduction of proteins of therapeutic or diagnostic value for the treatment of disease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the treatment of diseases by the site-specific instillation or transformation of cells and kits therefor.
2. Discussion of the Background
The effective treatment of many systemic and inherited diseases remains a major challenge to modern medicine. The ability to deliver therapeutic agents to specific sites in vivo would be an asset in the treatment of, e.g., localized diseases. In addition the ability to cause a therapeutic agent to perfuse through the circulatory system would be effective for the treatment of, e.g., systemic diseases.
For example, it would be desirable to administer in a steady fashion an antitumor agent or toxin in close proximity to a tumor. Similarly, it would be desirable to cause a perfusion of, e.g., insulin in the blood of a person suffering from diabetes. However, for many therapeutic agents there is no satisfactory method of either site-specific or systemic administration.
In addition, for many diseases, it would be desirable to cause, either locally or systemically, the expression of a defective endogenous gene, the expression of a exogenous gene, or the suppression of an endogenous gene. Again, these remain unrealized goals.
In particular, the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is characterized by three fundamental biological processes. These are: 1) proliferation of intimal smooth muscle cells together with accumulated macrophages; 2) formation by the proliferated smooth muscle cells of large amounts of connective tissue matrix; and 3) accumulation of lipid, principally in the form of cholesterol esters and free cholesterol, within cells as well as in surrounding-connective tissue.
Endothelial cell injury is an initiating event and is manifested by interference with the permeability barrier of the endothelium, alterations in the non-thrombogenic properties of the endothelial surface, and promotion of procoagulant properties of the endothelium. Monocytes migrate between endothelial cells, become active as scavenger cells, and differentiate into macrophages.
Macrophages then synthesize and secrete growth factors including platelet derived to growth factor (PDGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and transforming growth factor alpha TGF-α). These growth factors are extremely potent in stimulating the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells in the atherosclerotic plaque. In addition, platelets may interact with the injured endothelial cell and the activated macrophage to potentiate the elaboration of growth factors and thrombus formation.
Two major problems in the clinical management of coronary artery disease include thrombus formation in acute myocardial ischemia and restenosis following coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Both involve common cellular events, including endothelial injury and release of potent growth factors by activated macrophages and platelets. Coronary angioplasty produces fracturing of the atherosclerotic plaque and removal of the endothelium. This vascular trauma promotes platelet aggregation and thrombus formation at the PTCA site. Further release of mitogens from platelets and macrophages, smooth muscle cell proliferation and monocyte infiltration result in restenosis.
Empiric therapy with antiplatelet drugs has not prevented this problem, which occurs in one-third of patients undergoing PTCA. A solution to restenosis is to prevent platelet aggregation, thrombus formation, and smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Thrombus formation is also a critical cellular event in the transition from stable to unstable coronary syndromes. The pathogenesis most likely involves acute endothelial cell injury and or plaque rupture, promoting dysjunction of endothelial cell attachment, and leading to the exposure of underlying macrophage foam cells. This permits the opportunity for circulating platelets to adhere, aggregate, and form thrombi.
The intravenous administration of thrombolytic agents, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) results in lysis of thrombus in approximately 70% of patients experiencing an acute myocardial infarction. Nonetheless, approximately 30% of patients fail to reperfuse, and of those patients who undergo initial reperfusion of the infarct related artery, approximately 25% experience recurrent thrombosis within 24 hours. Therefore, an effective therapy for rethrombosis remains a major therapeutic challenge facing the medical community today.
As noted above, an effective therapy for rethrombosis is by far not the only major therapeutic challenge existing today. Others include the treatment of other ischemic conditions, including unstable angina, myocardial infarction or chronic tissue ischemia, or even the treatment of systemic and inherited diseases or cancers. These might be treated by the effective administration of anticoagulants, vasodilatory, angiogenic, growth factors or growth inhibitors to a patient. Thus, there remains a strongly felt need for an effective therapy in all of these clinical settings.

Treatment of diseases by site-specific instillation of cells or site-specific transformation of cells and kits therefor

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A fluid mixing system and a method of using same for maintaining uniform concentrations of fluid chemical additives in a dilutant, in which the system includes a multi-port aspirator device including a venturi having a venturi inlet for receiving dilutant and a venturi outlet of reduced diameter for discharging said dilutant, a dilutant injector source fluidly coupled to said multi-port aspirator device for delivering a dilutant at a dilutant pressure thereto, and a plurality of injectate sources fluidly connected to the aspirator device at or immediately downstream said venturi outlet, wherein each said injectate source is capable of independently varying pressure at said a multi-port venturi injector with respect to said dilutant pressure. The use of the inventive fluid mixing system also provides a facile and accurate means of injecting required volumes of wet chemicals into a flowing stream of a carrier fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a chemical flow management (CFM) full flow processor chemical inject control aspiration system and a method of using same to inject a fluid additive into a primary carrier liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the fabrication of integrated circuitry on a semiconductor wafer, it is imperative to maintain the purity and perfection of the material. For example, semiconductor wafers are routinely chemically cleaned after many processing steps to remove any unwanted organic films, heavy metals, particulates, and debris from the surface of the wafer. Also, wet etchants are often used in the removal of bulk material from a wafer surface, such as an etchant component of a slurry used in surface polishing operations or for local etching in fabrication steps used to delineate surface features. The cleaning and etching solutions used for these purposes usually are aqueous mixtures formed by dilution of a chemical reagent or concentrate, or a combination of such, in a dilutant. In semiconductor processing, the dilutant of choice is deionized water. The performance and aggressiveness of the cleaning solution can be a strong function of the dilution rate of active chemical(s). Due to the fineness of microcircuitry, any inadvertent fluctuations in the mixing ratios of the chemical reagents with water can adversely impact and frustrate efforts at quality control. Therefore, consistent and reliable control of the mixing procedure used in preparing the cleaning and etching solutions used in IC chip fabrication is very important and highly desired.
A conventional CFM tool used in semiconductor applications generally prepares process solutions by injecting or entraining chemical concentrates or other chemical reagents into a stream of continuously flowing deionized water. Semiconductor processing wet tools have used mechanical devices in combination with a pneumatic chemical injection system to control the flow rate of required chemical additives into the processing chamber of the wet tool when called for by the process program. In the conventional systems, the water pressure is adjusted to adjust the amount of chemical injection and, consequently, the chemical injection is inversely proportional to the water pressure/flow.
A conventional CFM tool 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. An injection tube cylinder 11 is filled with the chemical reagent or additive, and the additive is pressurized at the proper time using dome-loaded regulator 14. The opening of a needle valve 12 is manually adjusted initially to provide a predetermined volume of wet chemical reagent via feed line 16 at a specified pneumatic pressure over a finite period of time. The additive(s) is supplied then flows through manually-adjusted needle valve 12 and mixes with the dilution water supplied via carrier liquid source stream 15 in a sampling valve 13. A sampling valve is a standard piping component with a large bore and which is constantly open, and a small side tap which is isolated by a normally closed valve. This allows a small amount of the stream flowing through it to be sampled, or conversely a small amount of an additive to be injected into the main flowing stream. A standard 0.25 inch (0.64 mm) PFA adjustable needle valve installed in a manifold has been used as needle valve 12. To achieve a range of flow requirements, the pneumatic pressure is adjusted correspondingly. Namely, the mixing ratio is controlled by adjusting the cylinder pressurization in the injection tube 11 by use of the dome loaded regulator 14, which acts against a resistance controlled by adjustment of the needle valve 12 and the head pressure of the water at the sampling valve 13. The mixture of additive and dilutant water is conducted to wafer processor 17 for usage.
This conventional CFM system allows a dynamic range in the mixing ratio of 2.5.times. (e.g., the system can supply chemicals at a ratio of 100:1 to 250:1). This mixing ratio is bounded by the pressure ratings of the components in the injection tube 11 assembly at its upper limit and by the static pressure of the water the system is injecting against. The timing, pressure and valve adjustments all must be controlled in a coordinated manner to give an accurate injection of the chemical in this conventional system. Also, the static pressure of the deionized water at the injection point is well above atmospheric pressure in this conventional system. This property tends to restrict the dynamic range possible in the mixing ratio of water and injectate for the injection system. In this regard, it will be appreciated that in any flow system, the fluid exerts two pressures on its surroundings. One being the dynamic pressure exerted against a surface perpendicular to the direction of flow, and the other being a static pressure exerted against a surface, such as a pipe wall, oriented parallel to the direction of flow. At the point of injection, the injectate is being injected through a hole in the pipe wall; hence, the injectate is injected against the static pressure of the flowing deionized water.
Furthermore, the conventional flow mixing system has been unstable with respect to the ratio of the flow rate of the injected additive (and consequently the chemical concentration in the processing solution). In this conventional system depicted in FIG. 1, the mixing process was based on changing pressure to adjust the amount of chemical injection, and, therefore, the chemical injection was inversely proportional to the water pressure/flow. At any time, the instantaneous rate of flow of the additive (injectate) would be proportional to the pressure difference between the pressure applied to the injection tube 11, which is a fixed pressure, and the head pressure of the water at the mixing point within sampling valve 13. A transient increase in the water flow rate would cause an increase in this pressure. As the injection pressure of the additive is fixed, the change in P (.DELTA.P) for the additive suffers a decrease, resulting in a proportional decrease in the additive flow. As a consequence, any transient change in the water flow rate would undesirably induce the opposite effect in the additive flow rate.
The impact of this effect is magnified by the way in which the CFM tool is typically used. Namely, the most critical and sensitive cleaning and etching operations are carried out at high dilution ratios of the etchant chemical in the carrier fluid. In order to preserve the dynamic range of the CFM tool under these circumstances, the needle valve 12 is adjusted so that these injections take place at low pressure. However, as the error in flow is proportional to the ratio of the transient pressure excursion to the desired .DELTA.P for the injected additive, the relative error in flow for a given pressure excursion is magnified under these conditions. As a consequence, the adjustment and control of these mechanical devices and pneumatic injection systems is very complicated and often inaccurate, especially at lower chemical flow volumes.

Integrated dynamic fluid mixing apparatus and method

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and method for aspirating, irrigating and/or cleansing wounds is provided. The apparatus and method include one or more of the following: simultaneous aspiration and irrigation of the wound, supplying of thermal energy to fluid circulated through the wound; supplying physiologically active agents to the wound; a biodegradable scaffold in contact with the wound bed; and application of stress or flow stress to the wound bed.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a medical wound dressing for aspirating, irrigating, and/or cleansing wounds, and a method of treating wounds using such apparatus for aspirating, irrigating, and/or cleansing wounds.
It relates in particular to such an apparatus, wound dressing and method that can be easily applied to a wide variety of, but in particular chronic, wounds, to cleanse them of materials that are deleterious to wound healing, whilst distributing materials that are beneficial in some therapeutic aspect, in particular to wound healing.
Description of the Related Art
Aspirating and/or irrigating apparatus are known, and tend to be used to remove wound exudate during wound therapy. In known forms of such wound therapy, aspiration and irrigation of the wound generally take place sequentially.
Such known forms of aspiration and/or irrigation therapy systems also often create a wound environment that may result in the loss of optimum performance of the body's own tissue healing processes, and slow healing, and/or in weak new tissue growth that does not have a strong three-dimensional structure adhering well to and growing from the wound bed. This is a significant disadvantage, in particular in chronic wounds.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A miter saw includes a base section having a front side and a rear side defining a first direction, and having a right side and a left side those defining a second direction. A holder is movably supported to the rear side of the base section and pivotable in the second direction. A fixing mechanism fixes a pivot position of the holder relative to the base section. A guide bar section includes two guide bars supported to the holder and extending in the first direction. A saw blade support section is disposed slidable with respect to the guide bars and selectively position-fixable with respect to the guide bars. A saw blade section which is pivotably supported accommodates a motor and rotatably supports a circular saw blade driven by the motor.

The present invention relates to a miter saw having a circular saw blade section pivotable about a first axis extending in a direction parallel with a rotation axis of the circular saw blade, and pivotally movable about a second axis extending horizontally and in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.
Japanese Utility Model application Publication No. S62-11526 discloses a miter saw including a base section, a holder extending from a rear portion of the base section, a slide bar slidably supported to the holder, a saw blade support section supported to the slide bar, and a saw blade section pivotally movably supported to the saw blade support section. The saw blade section includes a circular saw blade and a motor for rotating the blade. The holder is pivotally movable in a lateral direction for changing and angle of a side surface of the circular saw blade relative to an upper surface of the base section.
In the conventional miter saw, entirety of the miter saws become compact in size when the saw blade section is positioned frontwardly, i.e., away from the holder. This facilitates transportation of the miter saw. However, if the saw blade section is moved rearward, the slide bar largely protrudes rearwardly from the holder. Therefore, a large installation space is required between a wall and a rearmost end of the slide bar for allowing the slide bar to be moved to its rearmost position to perform cutting operation for cutting an elongated workpiece.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H11-90730 discloses a miter saw including a base section, guide bar extending from a rear portion of the base section and supported to the base section and slidably movable in a frontward/rearward direction, a holder supported to the guide bar and pivotally movable in a lateral direction, and a saw blade section pivotally movably supported to the holder.
In the conventional miter saw, entirety of the miter saws become compact in size when the saw blade section is positioned frontwardly, i.e., the guide bar is retracted into the base section. This facilitates transportation of the miter saw. However, in these conventional miter saws, if the saw blade section is moved rearwardly, the holder is also moved rearward away from the base section. Therefore, a large installation space is required between a wall and a rearmost end of the holder for allowing the saw blade section to be moved to its rearmost position to perform cutting operation for cutting an elongated workpiece.
Further, in both conventional miter saws, large load extending perpendicular to the sliding direction of the slide bar or the guide bar is imparted on receiving portions slidably receiving the slide bar or the guide bar. This degrade slidability. Additional components must be required or a low frictional material must be selected to improve sliding performance, which is costly.

Miter saw having circular saw blade section pivotally movable upward and downward and tiltable leftward and rightward


A semiconductor chip package includes a first semiconductor chip, that is an MEMS chip having a movable structure. The movable structure has a movable section. The first semiconductor chip includes a plurality of first electrode pads, and a first sealing section. The first sealing section is a closed loop formed on the top face of the frame section surrounding the movable structure. The first semiconductor chip also includes a thin plate member for sealing the movable structure. The semiconductor chip package also includes a second semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip has a plurality of second electrode pads. The semiconductor chip package also includes a substrate. The substrate has third electrode pads. The first and second semiconductor chips are mounted on the substrate. First bonding wires connect the first electrode pads to the second electrode pads. Second bonding wires connect the second electrode pads to the third electrode pads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor chip package and a fabrication method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Technology to fabricate a several hundred μm size micro structure using micro machining technology, such as semiconductor micro processing technology, has been developing. For example, application of this technology to various sensors, optical switches in the optical communication field and radio frequency (RF) components has begun.
Such micro structures can be fabricated using a conventional semiconductor fabrication process, so that it can be integrated into a single chip.
A chip on which a system having specific functions, including this micro structure, is constructed is called a Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) chip, or a Micro-System-Technology (MIST) chip (hereafter simply called an MEMS device). One example of known MEMS devices is an acceleration sensor, and disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 11-135804.
The piezo acceleration sensor chip disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 11-135804 has a frame. This frame includes a center section and beam sections. The beam sections extend between the inner side face of the frame and the center section. The weight section is supported in the center section such that the weight section can oscillate. The support member supports the bottom face of the frame, and encloses the outer edge of the weight section via notches.
The weight section is an element that is moved by external force (stress), so that it is also called a "movable section" or "movable element." The movable element and the beams are integrated into a micro structure. Each beam is thin and narrow.
The sensor chip having this configuration is generally provided as a packaged device.
An example of conventional acceleration sensor chip packages will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B of the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 9A is a plan view depicting the composing elements of a conventional acceleration sensor chip package. To show the internal configuration, an illustration of the top face of the protective cover (will be described) is omitted.
FIG. 9B is a cross sectional view taken along the dashed line 9B-9B in FIG. 9A.
This acceleration sensor chip package 100 has an acceleration sensor chip 110. The acceleration sensor chip 110 has a plurality of electrode pads 112. The electrode pads 112 are pads for supplying signals to another element from the acceleration sensor chip 110 or introducing signals to the acceleration sensor chip 110. In the acceleration sensor chip 110, a movable structure 114, which operates mechanically, is built in.
The acceleration sensor chip 110 also has a sealing substrate 116 which seals and restricts the movement of the movable structure 114. This sealing substrate 116 is bonded to the substrate 120 by adhesive material 122.
The protective cover 130 has a turned bowl shape. On the substrate 120, the lower edge of the protective cover 130 is bonded. The protective cover 130 and sealing substrate 116 constitute a closed space 140 for sealing the acceleration sensor chip 110.
At the edges of the substrate 120, external terminals 150 are provided. The external terminals 150 extend to the outside from inside the closed space 140. In the closed space 140, the external terminals 150 and the electrode pads 112 of the sensor chip 110 are electrically connected to each other by bonding wires 160.
In order to seal the entire chip by mold resin without interfering with the operation of the detecting section of the acceleration sensor, a structure to create a frame-shaped "mold resin inhibited area" around the detecting section is used. Such structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 7-225240.
According to the above described acceleration sensor chip package, the acceleration sensor chip and external terminals are electrically connected by the bonding wires. The protective cover is used to contain the bonding wires and to seal the acceleration sensor chip. Therefore, seal-by-potting using transfer mold or liquid resin cannot be performed, and the area of the package increases.
In the fabrication method of the conventional sensor chip package, the acceleration sensor chip is diced and then packaged. Thus, the cutting chips created during the dicing process may attach to the movable (weight) element and its vicinity. This will hinder the operation of the movable element.
As Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. 7-225240 discloses, for example, attaching a special member to the acceleration sensor chip makes the fabrication steps more complicated. This worsens the throughput not only of the acceleration sensor chip, but also of the acceleration sensor chip package, which is the final product.
Therefore a technology for further downsizing the acceleration sensor chip package, and a technology for improving yield and productivity, particularly by preventing damage of the movable element when the acceleration sensor chip package is fabricated, and implementing simplifier fabrication steps are desired.

Method of fabricating a semiconductor chip package


A connecting member for electrically connecting a flat cable with a connector unit mounted on an electric apparatus, wherein an end portion of the flat cable has a projection projecting therefrom and exposed conductor portions of conductor lines in the cable, while the connecting member has a plurality of contacts supported in an insulator for electrically connecting with the connector and for electrically connecting with corresponding ones of the exposed portions. The insulator has a cavity into which a slider of insulator material is inserted together with the flat cable when the connecting member is connected at the end of the cable. The slider has a receiving surface for receiving the flat cable and a stop for engaging the projection of the flat cable to prevent the flat cable from removal of the receiving surface. Each of contacts has a contact portion and an engaging portion projecting in the cavity towards each other. The contact portion comes into contact with corresponding one of the exposed conductor portions, and the engaging portion engages with a corresponding one of recesses formed in the slider to prevent the slider and the cable from removal out of the cavity.

This invention relates to an electrical connector device, and in particular, to an connecting member for connecting a wiring member such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a flexible flat cable (FFC) and others to an electrical device such as a printed circuit board.
A known connecting member of the type is described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication, JP-U-5-6759.
In the JP-U, an electrical connector and a slide insulator are disclosed as a connecting member for connecting a wiring member such as FPC, FFC, or others to a printed circuit board. FPC and FFC will be collectively referred to as a flat cable, hereinafter. The electrical connector is mounted on a printed circuit board. An end of FPC is inserted together with a slide insulator into the electrical connector and is mechanically and electrically connected to the electrical connector. In the case, the slider insulator is used as the connecting member for connecting the FPC to the electrical connector mounted on the printed circuit.
The electrical connector comprises a base insulator, a holddown for fixedly holding the base insulator mounted on the printed circuit board, a slide insulator combined with the base insulator, and a plurality of conductive contact fitted in the base insulator to be brought into contact with the FPC.
The FPC is inserted together with the slide insulator into an insert cavity formed in the base insulator. At this time, conductive patterns of the FPC are faced to contacting portions of the contacts in one-to-one correspondence. Simultaneously, the FPC is pressed by a plate portion of the slide insulator. Thus, the conductive patterns are brought into contact with contacting points of the contacting portions in one-to-one correspondence.
With the above-mentioned structure, the FPC is put into contact with the contacting points under a pressing force of the plate portion to be simply clamped between the plate portion and the contacting portions having elasticity. Therefore, the FPC can be unfortunately easily released from the electrical connector if it is pulled in a releasing direction.
In view of the above, it is proposed to design the electrical connector such that the contacting portions of the contacts have strong elastic force sufficient to obtain increased contacting force. On the other hand, the electrical connector is generally desired to have a compact structure such that the contacts are fitted in the base insulator of a small size with a very high density. Therefore, each of the contacts comprises a thin plate having a reduced thickness and a small size and can not have such strong elastic force as desired.
In the electrical connector, it is also desired to easily connect and disconnect the FPC to the connector mounted on the printed circuit.

Electrical connector for connecting FPC to printed circuit with means for fixedly connecting FPC to the connector without removal of FPC from the connector

Japan Aviation Electronic Industry, Ltd.


A compound, which inhibits SGLT1 (sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1) activity to suppress absorption of glucose or the like, thereby suppressing abnormal glucose tolerance or postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetes, is provided. Specifically, a 4-isopropyl-6-methoxyphenyl glucitol compound represented by the following formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, is provided:

Blood glucose levels are used as a biomarker for metabolic syndrome, and people are diagnosed as having diabetes if their fasting blood glucose levels exceed 126 mg/dL. Moreover, even if fasting blood glucose levels fall within a normal range, some people have 2-hour postprandial blood glucose levels as high as 140 to 200 mg/dL and are diagnosed as having impaired glucose tolerance (or postprandial hyperglycemia). Recent epidemiological studies have reported that impaired glucose tolerance increases the risk of cardiovascular disorders (see Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). Further, it has been reported that exercise therapy and/or medication not only suppresses the development of type II diabetes from impaired glucose tolerance, but also significantly suppresses the onset of hypertension (see Non-Patent Document 3).
In view of the foregoing, suppression of postprandial hyperglycemia is of importance in suppressing the onset of diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome, and there has accordingly been an increasing demand for drugs used to control postprandial hyperglycemia.
As drugs for improving postprandial hyperglycemia, α-glucosidase inhibitors have been conventionally used widely, which inhibit sugar hydrolases and thereby delay sugar absorption from the small intestine. In addition to these agents, there have been developed other agents with a new mechanism of action for improving postprandial hyperglycemia.
On the mammalian small intestinal epithelium, sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) is expressed at a high frequency. It is known that SGLT1 serves depending upon sodium and plays a role in active transport of glucose or galactose in the small intestine. Based on these findings, pyrazole derivatives have been reported, which inhibit SGLT1 activity to thereby suppress glucose absorption from a meal and can be used for prevention or treatment of postprandial hyperglycemia (see Patent Documents 1 to 6). On the other hand, sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) is expressed at a high frequency in the kidney, and glucose once filtered by the glomeruli is reabsorbed via SGLT2 (see Non-Patent Document 4). Moreover, it has been reported that upon inhibition of SGLT2 activity, sugar excretion into urine is facilitated to induce a hypoglycemic action (see Non-Patent Document 5). SGLT2 inhibitors are characterized in that they have an excellent hypoglycemic action to lower casual blood glucose levels, but their action to control postprandial hyperglycemia is low, unlike SGLT1 inhibitors. Further, there is a report of C-phenyl glucitol derivatives which inhibit not only SGLT1 activity but also SGLT2 activity at the same time (see Patent Document 7).
On the other hand, in the case of drugs required to be administered continuously, including drugs for improving postprandial hyperglycemia, it is important to have a wide margin of safety between the therapeutic dose and the toxic or side effect dose. Particularly in the case of drugs prone to remain in the body, it is difficult to control their dosage required for treatment, so that an excessive drug effect will be developed as a result of summing residual drugs remaining in the body, thus leading to unexpected toxicity and side effects. For example, it is known that cationic drugs whose molecule has a hydrophilic group (e.g., a tertiary amine) and a hydrophobic group (e.g., an aromatic ring) bind to phospholipids through hydrophobic bonding and are taken up by lysosomes and hence accumulated in all organs in the body. As typical examples, chloroquine is shown to cause retinopathy, while perhexiline gives rise to a problem of neuropathy because it induces changes in the lung and cerebellum (see Non-Patent Document 6).
Thus, drugs are desired to be rapidly excreted from the body after developing their efficacy. In particular, drugs for improving postprandial hyperglycemia that must be administered continuously are desired to be free from the problem of accumulation in the body.


A system and method for detecting atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage includes a controller programmed to apply a non-selective inversion recovery RF pulse to a region of interest, apply a plurality of encoding sequences to the region of interest to cause generation of a plurality of echoes during application of each encoding sequence. The controller is further programmed to acquire three dimensional MR data from the region of interest during generation of each of the plurality of echoes, identify a hemorrhage based on the three dimensional MR data, characterize a type of the hemorrhage, and reconstruct an image based on the three dimensional MR data, the image comprising the characterized hemorrhage.

The invention relates generally to magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for detecting and classifying atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage.
When a substance such as human tissue is subjected to a uniform magnetic field (polarizing field B0), the individual magnetic moments of the spins in the tissue attempt to align with this polarizing field, but process about it in random order at their characteristic Larmor frequency. If the substance, or tissue, is subjected to a magnetic field (excitation field B1) which is in the x-y plane and which is near the Larmor frequency, the net aligned moment, or "longitudinal magnetization", MZ, may be rotated, or "tipped", into the x-y plane to produce a net transverse magnetic moment Mt. A signal is emitted by the excited spins after the excitation signal B1 is terminated and this signal may be received and processed to form an image.
When utilizing these signals to produce images, magnetic field gradients (Gx, Gy, and Gz) are employed. Typically, the region to be imaged is scanned by a sequence of measurement cycles in which these gradients vary according to the particular localization method being used. The resulting set of received NMR signals are digitized and processed to reconstruct the image using one of many well known reconstruction techniques.
Carotid plaque hemorrhage has been associated with increased plaque progression and increased risk of future stroke/transient ischemic attacks. Detection, identification, and classification of atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage may allow a treatment plan to be developed for a patient having an atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage such that negative risks associated therewith may be minimized.
It would therefore be desirable to have a system and method capable of detecting and classifying atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage.

Apparatus and method for detecting and classifying atherosclerotic plaque hemorrhage

The Board Of Trustees Of Michigan State University


A connector assembly of a first connector and a second connector. The connector assembly includes at least one latch biased to a locking position to lock the assembly in cooperation with a complementary locking section. The connector assembly includes a release member movable in a direction towards a top face of one of the connectors from a rest position to a release position. The release member pushes the latch away from the locking position when the release member is moved to the release position.

Such connector assemblies are for instance used to connect optical cables to a transceiver. Optical cables can be connected to printed circuit boards or similar substrates using transceivers and cable assemblies which can be plugged into a complementary opening in the transceiver. The transceiver is typically received by a socket assembly mounted on the substrate. The cable assembly should be accurately positioned within the transceiver in order to assure that the terminal end of each fiber faces an associated light receiving lens in the transceiver with a gap of a predetermined distance between the two. The optical signals pass the transceiver and are converted to electronic signals. The transceivers can for example be provided with a heat sink to dissipate heat generated during use.
Although unintentional decoupling of the cable assembly should be avoided, the cable assemblies must provide the possibility of removal. To this end, the cable assemblies are generally provided with a lock and a release member to unlock the lock, typically by manual actuation. Accessibility of such an actuator for unlocking requires sufficient space around the cable assembly. This requirement reduces the possible density of the transceivers on a board.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lockable and releasable connector allowing a high density of transceiver positions on a substrate. It is a further object of the invention to provide a connector allowing increased heat dissipation from an associated transceiver.


A tool for the supervision and/or hypervision of a set of systems of different security levels, the systems transmitting messages, includes a display system, and further includes, for each supervised network, at least one gateway for converting the messages to image data, said gateways transmitting said image data via a one-way video link to the display system, at least one of the supervised networks being of a higher security level than the area in which the display system is placed. The invention applies notably to the centralized supervision of several information systems when said systems are subjected to different security constraints.

The present invention relates to a tool for the supervision and/or hypervision of a set of systems of different security levels. It applies notably to the centralized supervision of several information systems when said systems are subjected to unequal security constraints.
In order to supervise entities such as information systems, protected rooms, production or control systems, it is known practice to employ a centralized supervision or hypervision tool. A supervision tool assembles in one and the same location indicators originating from various supervised entities in order to offer an overview of the state of said entities. A hypervision tool offers, in addition to the supervision tool, a synthetic view of the state indicators, correlations being able to be made between indicators originating from distinct entities.
However, when the levels of sensitivity of the data handled on each of the networks are different, the centralized supervision of said networks becomes difficult because of the constraints imposed by the rules aimed at protecting the data. The interconnection of a first system, with a high security level, with a second system, with a lower security level, poses at least two types of problems: the leakage of sensitive information from the first system to the second system and the intrusions originating from the second system.
Conventionally, the supervision centers are then installed in the network of highest security, the other networks being linked via one-way links to the supervision center in order to feed said center with state indicators. Since communications are made only in the uplink direction, no leakage of information present in the network of highest security level is possible. However, the regulation applied to the level of the network of highest security usually induces the application of costly constraints, both from the technical point of view and in matters of training, organization and personnel authorization.
In order to place a supervision center in a network of lower security, in order to avoid the abovementioned constraints, it is known practice to use an interconnection system of multiple security levels. According to one operating mode, such a multilevel system is first configured in order to define what types of data are confidential. Labeling of the data streams is carried out in order to distinguish the confidential data streams from the data streams that are not very sensitive. It is therefore necessary to define manually, for each of the communication protocols used, labels and filtering rules to be applied. This manual configuration phase is protracted and costly. Moreover, the labels applied to the data streams must be signed by cryptographic keys, which requires the use of a key-management infrastructure.
Finally, a supervision and/or hypervision tool must be able to transmit possible alarms in real time, which also excludes the solutions that make use of a manual operation for filtering the sensitive information.

Tool for the centralized supervision and/or hypervision of a set of systems having different security levels


Wireline operation depth control in cased wells can be substantially improved by attaching a combined magnetic and radioactive marker to the casing in the vicinity of the zone of interest. A cased hole log is then performed, such as a perforation depth control (PDC) log, using both a casing collar locator and a gamma ray sensor. The marker produces distinctive spikes on the logs from both sensors. The casing collar log is tied in to the gamma ray log simply by aligning these distinctive spikes on both logs. This helps to ensure that subsequent cased hole wireline operations, such as perforating, that rely solely on a collar locator for depth control are performed at the correct depth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of depth control for accurate location of tools and other equipment in cased wells during wireline operations. More specifically, the present invention discloses an improved method of wireline operation depth control using a collar with both magnetic and radioactive markers to ensure accurate correlation between the gamma ray radiation log and perforating depth control log.
2. Statement of the Problem
Most modern wells, after being drilled, have at least a minimum logging program run on them before casing is set. A "log" is generally a graph of a particular instrument reading, with one axis being depth within the well. These readings are usually rock characteristics, such as natural gamma ray radiation, response to nuclear bombardment, resistivity, electrochemical properties, or acoustic wave transfer properties. There are others, of course, but the foregoing list encompasses the primary groups of logs. A logging program is then defined as the particular log, or logs, run on the well. The number or type of logs (i.e. the number of rock parameters measured and the level of log sophistication) is a function of the objective for drilling the well. It is also a function of the body of knowledge available, if any, from other wells drilled in the area.
FIG. 1 is an example of a number of commonly used logs. Nearly all wells have at least a resistivity log plus a spontaneous potential ("SP") log 45 prior to casing. The SP log 45 is a measurement of the natural electrochemical voltage that develops in rock because of drilling fluids contacting the natural fluids contained in the rock. Additionally, a gamma ray (GR) log 41 is usually run. This log measures the natural gamma ray radiation emitting from the rock surrounding the well. With some exceptions, this is a fairly good indicator of rock that may contain small pore spaces capable of holding fluids (water, oil, gas, injected hazardous waste, etc.). Generally, a low gamma ray count rate is associated with rock that may have porosity and therefore could contain fluids. There are many other types of logs. These are generally targeted at determining the amount of porosity and the type of rock (limestone, quartzite, dolomite, etc.) and the type of fluid that resides in the pore space if porosity exists.
For example, the logs depicted in FIG. 1 indicate that zones A and C are potential reservoirs because they have low gamma ray count rates and high porosity. Zones A and C are also likely to contain fluid because they have spontaneous potential (SP) ratings that deviate from the SP baseline. The resistivity log further indicates that zone A contains oil and/or gas because of its high resistivity, and that zone C has salty water because of its low resistivity. Zone B has no fluids due to its low porosity.
The instruments 20 used to measure these rock characteristics are lowered into the well on a steel strand, flexible cable (called a "wireline") 21 with conductors inside to power the instrument and transmit the readings to the surface. The cable is mounted on a winch on the back of a truck, or on a transportable platform for offshore work. The readings are processed by electronic surface equipment. The resulting data is then presented on film as a function of depth in the well.
Considering that wells generally range from 2,000 feet deep to 25,000 feet or more, accurate depth control can be a problem. Depth calibration of the cables must be done very carefully. Even so, it is not necessarily true that two different logging units will obtain exactly the same depths (i.e. sub-sea elevations) for a particular rock strata. Because of this, the first logs in the well become the standard depth reference. Subsequent log depths are adjusted or recalibrated to match the first logs.
After these openhole logs are completed, the well can then be cased. The purpose of casing in the well bore is to ensure that the well does not "cave in" (wall integrity) and that the various rock strata are isolated from each other (zone isolation). Zone isolation cannot be achieved by casing only. The casing must have cement placed in the annulus between the casing outer wall and the well bore wall perimeter. This is called cementing or grouting the casing. If the cement job is of good quality, rock strata at different depths are isolated from one another. In other words, fluids in one strata cannot flow to another strata through the annular area on the outside of the casing.
After the well has been cased and cemented, a cased hole gamma ray log is run inside the casing prior to perforation. The gamma ray log is used because it can "see" through the casing wall. The cased hole gamma ray count rate 42 will be reduced to a degree due to the shielding effect of the casing 12, but will generally track the openhole gamma ray count rate 41, as depicted in FIG. 4. Recalling the previous comments regarding depth control, one can see that the cased hole log depths may not be the same as the depths of the openhole log. Because the openhole log depths are defined as the standard, the cased hole log 42 is adjusted to overlay or agree with the openhole log 41. This process is called "tying in". The cased hole gamma ray log is a good choice for tying in because it works well for identifying rock strata, even though it is run inside the casing. Curves 43 and 44 in FIG. 4 demonstrate the types of error that can occur if the cased hole gamma ray log 42 is not properly tied in to the openhole gamma ray log 41.
Simultaneously with the cased hole gamma ray log, a casing collar locator is run. This combination is usually referred to as a PDC log (perforating depth control log). FIG. 3 shows a conventional tool string 30 used to run the PDC log within the cased well. The tool string includes a casing collar locator 32 spaced a predetermined vertical distance above a gamma ray sensor 34. The casing collar locator 32 identifies the depth of the casing collars (coupling/tool joints) 11. It does this by magnetically sensing the increased metal mass at the casing collar 11 which is greater than the rest of the casing 12. The resulting casing collar log indication is a spike 54 on the log baseline trace 51, as shown in FIG. 5. This is important because the casing collar locator 32 accurately places the depth of the casing collars 11 relevant to the depth standard set by the openhole log 41 (from FIG. 1). This assumes that the cased hole gamma ray log is correctly tied in to the openhole logs. This also assumes that the vertical displacement on the tool string between the gamma ray sensor 34 and casing collar sensor 32 is correctly accommodated. Because the PDC depth reference is normally based on the location of gamma ray sensor 34, the raw data from the casing collar log 51 will be off depth due to the vertical distance (usually a few feet) between the gamma ray sensor 34 and the casing collar sensor 32 on the tool string 30. This causes a need to adjust the recorded casing collar depths 54 to reflect the vertical distance between these sensors 32 and 34, as shown in FIG. 5. This distance must be incorporated into the final casing collar log 52 presentation for accurate subsequent cased hole work, as shown in FIG. 5. Herein lies one of the problems addressed by the new technique. The problem is that the casing collar log 51 can inadvertently remain uncorrected; or, it can be corrected the wrong distance; or, it can be corrected the wrong direction. The latter error causes a subsequent depth error of double the distance from the collar locator sensor 32 to the gamma ray sensor 34.
Collar locator depth displacement corrections are typically done a multitude of ways, including: (a) by manually redrawing the recorded log by an appropriate increment either uphole or downhole; (b) by memory capacitor banks or computer to shift the casing collar signal by an increment of depth before being printed onto the log; or (c) by shifting the ink pen which draws the log in the case of paper print out. In any of the foregoing techniques, the resultant depth corrected casing collar log 52 is only as good as the shift information contributed by the equipment operator. If the wrong casing collar depth correction information is used, the casing collar indications will be off depth. This will cause depth errors in virtually all subsequent cased hole wireline work, including perforating, because the casing collar log is the depth reference standard for those operations.
It is appropriate to add that other sensors may be run with the PDC log gamma ray sensor and collar locator sensor, such as a sensor for cement quality. This, however, only adds other log information. It does not change the issues outlined here. If anything, it makes the casing collar log depth correction process more complex and mistakes become easier to make.
After the PDC log is finished, the zone of interest must be perforated. Generally, a number of holes of about 1/2 inch diameter are punctured from the inside of the casing, through the casing wall, through the cement sheath, and into the surrounding rock formation. These perforations allow oil or other fluids to flow out of the rock formation into the inside of the casing. The fluid then flows up the casing to the surface for collection and transporting to its destination. Fluids intended for injection into the rock follow the opposite path, but the well mechanical configuration is the same. Wells that are part of water, carbon dioxide, or polymer flood projects are very similar to fluid disposal using injection wells.
Though there are various ways to create perforations, the vast majority are done with a wireline explosive tool known as a perforating gun 20, as shown in FIG. 2. The perforating gun 20 is typically run into the well 10 with a collar locator sensor 22 attached. The collar locator recorded depths are adjusted until the perforating gun collar indications overlay (in depth) exactly with the collar locator indications 53 from the corrected PDC log 52 shown in FIG. 5. Once this is accomplished, the gun 20 can be placed at the appropriate depth, as determined by analysis of the openhole logs. Once the gun 20 is positioned, it is fired by an electrical current transmitted through the cable 21 from the surface which detonates a blasting cap attached to the gun. This, in turn via primacord, detonates individual shaped charges 25 which perforate the casing, cement, and surrounding rock.
The most common cased hole operational errors causing the well to be perforated off depth (i.e. perforations misaligned with the rock strata of interest) can be summarized as follows:
1. Incorrect depth shifting of the collar locator indications 54, either by the wrong distance, the wrong direction or both. This accounts for approximately 60% of the errors in the applicant's observations during almost 30 years in the business.
2. Tying in to the wrong casing collar 11. Because oil field casing joints tend to be approximately 30 feet in length, this creates at least a 30 foot error in perforated intervals. This accounts for approximately 30% of the errors in the applicant's observations.
3. Other types of errors account for approximately 10% of the errors in the applicant's observations.
It should be added that many of the interesting rock strata can be only 10 or 20 feet in thickness. Therefore, these errors can cause the perforations to partially (or even totally!) miss the zone of interest. At the very least, the well must be re-perforated after time-consuming failures to establish production. On the other extreme, an undesirable zone may have been perforated by the depth error. For example, a water zone may have been perforated in an oil/gas well causing production and disposal costs to increase dramatically. It is not only expensive to plug perforations that are in a location causing production/injection problems. The plugging operation can occasionally develop such serious problems that the well must be abandoned and re-drilled.
3. Prior Art
A number of magnetic or radioactive markers have been invented in the past to assist in well depth control, including the following:
______________________________________ Inventor U.S. Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Goble 2,728,554 Dec. 27, 1955 Ternow 3,019,841 Feb. 6, 1962 Doak 3,106,960 Oct. 15, 1963 Frye 3,144,876 Aug. 18, 1964 Pennebaker 3,145,771 Aug. 25, 1964 Bryant 3,288,210 Nov. 29, 1966 Rike 3,291,207 Dec. 13, 1966 Kenneday 3,291,208 Dec. 13, 1966 Schuster, et al. 3,396,786 Aug. 13, 1968 Hamilton 3,570,594 Mar. 16, 1971 Spidell, et al. 3,776,323 Dec. 4, 1973 Pitts, Jr. 4,189,705 Feb. 19, 1980 Talbot 4,244,424 Jan. 13, 1981 Hoehn, Jr. 4,465,140 Aug. 14, 1984 ______________________________________ Blaskowsky, et al., "Magnetic Markers Simplify Well Depth Correlations", World Oil, Nov. 1979, pp. 64-68.
Doak discloses an attachable collar for placement on a section of casing at one or more points along the casing string. The collar carries a marker that coacts with a sensing instrument to provide a depth indication. The marker means for elements 24 may be permanent magnets (col. 5, line 73 through col. 6, line 41), or as shown in FIG. 5a, a plurality of marker elements utilizing a magnetic, radioactive and/or radioactivity shielding material. The device provides a final correlation log output (e.g. FIG. 9) that shows a gamma ray or other radioactive indication 62, 64 as well as marker lines 58, 60.
The Talbot patent and the article by Blaskowsky, et al., disclose a magnetic marker that attaches to the casing to simplify well depth correlation. Magnetic markers of this type are commercially available from Gemoco of Louisiana, and its licensees. Magnetic markers are useful in determining whether the perforating gun is tied in to the correct collar, rather than another one uphole or downhole. Because the magnets in the device cause a unique collar indication, this would not likely be confused with any of the true collar signals which all look basically alike. However, magnetic markers do not address the problem of incorrectly shifting the PDC casing collar log either by the wrong distance or direction when running the PDC log.
This problem of tying in to the wrong collar during the perforating run is also addressed by the use of a casing "pup" joint. A pup joint is a short length of casing compared to the usual lengths of joints in the well (e.g. in the oil field, a pup joint might be 5 or 10 feet in length compared to the 30 feet typical joint length). When in the well with a perforating gun with a collar locator attached, the wireline operator knows that the correct collar is tied in when the short joint is recorded in the correct place. But again, the pup joint technique does not address potential errors caused by incorrectly shifting the casing collar log either by the wrong distance or direction when running the PDC log.
Pennebaker utilizes a radioactive pill 16 that is embedded in selected collars 24 along depths of interest in the casing string. This device also uses a downhole radiation source and is primarily used for location of a perforator relative to single tubing perforation when multiple tubing strings extend within the casing.
Schuster discloses a depth control apparatus having a collar locator 24 that is designed to detect previously located magnetic anomalies such as a short "pup" joint in the casing string 13. Schuster notes that it is possible to use other detecting means in conjunction with the locator 24, and that such other means can detect identifiable geologic formation characteristics such as the natural or induced radioactivity of earth formations.
Kenneday teaches the use of a radioactive pill 15 embedded in one or more of the pipe strings 12 in a multiple "tubingless" completion. A sensing instrument measures radioactivity from the pill to aid in depth measurement.
Rike uses leaded collars to provide an inverse radioactivity function. Each collar shields natural radioactivity in the surrounding formation and thereby creates a distinctive radioactivity log at those depths where a leaded collar has been inserted.
Hoehn, Jr. discloses a method of magnetizing the well casing in which the direction of the magnetic field is periodically reversed to create a plurality of magnetic flux leakage points along the well casing.
The remainder of the references cited disclosed various forms of downwell control systems and orientation devices that are of general interest only.
4. Solution to the Problem
None of the prior art references uncovered in the search show a method for wireline depth control using a combined magnetic and radioactive marker attached to the casing to ensure both: (1) that the PDC log is tied in to the correct casing collar; and (2) that the collar locator indications on the PDC log are shifted correctly to account for the vertical distance between the gamma ray sensor and the collar locator sensor.
This invention provides an improved method of wireline operation depth control in cased wells. An openhole gamma ray log is performed of the relevant zone of interest of the well prior to casing. A combined magnetic and radioactive marker is attached to the casing in the vicinity of the zone of interest. After casing has been run into the well and cemented, a cased hole log is then performed, such as a perforation depth control (PDC) log, using both a casing collar locator and a gamma ray sensor. The marker produces distinctive spikes on the logs from both sensors. The casing collar log is tied in to the gamma ray log simply by aligning these distinctive spikes on both logs.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a method to ensure accurate correction of the casing collar log to tie in to the gamma ray log.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method to ensure that the casing collar log is tied in to the correct casing collar.
These and other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will be more readily understood in view of the following detailed description and the drawings.

Method for wireline operation depth control in cased wells


A peptide (Peptide-1) based on the C-terminal of Equine CC10 has been discovered that can be used as a vaccine to protect horses from respiratory airway obstruction (RAO). Antibodies to Peptide-1 may also be administered for short-term passive immunotherapy to RAO-affected horses, and can be used to measure the level of CC10 protein in serum to identify potential RAO horses (horses with reduced CC10). Due to similarities between equine RAO and human asthma, this peptide or its antibodies may also be useful in treatment or prevention of human asthma.

Recurrent Airway Obstruction
Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), a respiratory disease similar to human asthma, is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions affecting the lung of older horses all around world. It is a type-1 immediate hypersensitivity allergic disease involving a series of events that begin with reaginic antibodies, mainly IgE. These antibodies bind with high affinity to Fc epsilon-RI (FcεRI) receptors via the Fc portion that are found on the membrane of mast cells and basophils. Once bound, the antibodies can cross-link with environmental allergens, resulting in mast cell degranulation leading to the production of histamine and other chemical mediators that act together to induce airway inflammation. At least one reaginic antibody against Faenia rectivirgula, a common gram-positive bacteria, was found to be associated with lung diseases in RAO-affected and unaffected horses, finding the antibody present in about 15% in RAO-affected horses (28).
Most evidence suggests that RAO is the result of a pulmonary hypersensitivity to inhaled antigens. Exposure of affected horses to hay dust, pollens, and mold spores leads to neutrophil accumulation in the lung and bronchospasm. The identification of allergen-specific IgE in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and sera of affected horses supports the involvement of a late phase, IgE-mediated, hypersensitivity reaction in the pathogenesis of equine RAO. The cytokine profiles of horse affected by RAO have been measured, and a modified Th2-like immune response was thought to be involved with elevated IL-4, IL-13 and IFNg levels (6,22).
CC10 in RAO
Clara Cell 10 kDa protein (CC10) is one of the members of a family of anti-inflammatory defense proteins produced predominantly in the airway epithelium of man and animals. In humans it is also called human uteroglobin (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,255,281 and 7,846,899). CC10 has been shown to inhibit the entry of eosinophils and neutrophils into the human airways during inflammation in the lung, and to inhibit enzymes that release inflammatory mediators (23). Some of the members of this family have been directly linked to protection from asthma, allergy and related inflammatory responses. The gene that encodes the protein was found to be down regulated during RAO in horses (34), and the production of the CC10 protein was also reported to be reduced in RAO horses (24). The amount of CC10 in the horse serum was measured using antibodies produced in rabbits using a synthetic 21 amino acid peptide from horse CC10 (EPSKPDADMKAATTQLKTLV; SEQ ID NO:2). This peptide corresponded to amino acids 47-66 of horse CC10 protein (protein accession no. NP 001075327.1) with two amino acid variations.
A hypo-allergic vaccine to an environmental antigen of Timothy grass pollen Profilins was developed by engineering its structure (35). The engineered protein was demonstrated to induce IgG's and inhibit allergic patients' IgE antibody binding to Profilins to a similar degree as those induced by immunization with the wild type. IgG's inhibited Profilin-induced basophil degranulation. Another environmental antigen, a novel Fel d1 cat allergy vaccine, was developed that induced strong IgG response, which abrogated the allergy response in mice (32). Allergen-induced systemic basophil degranulation was shown inhibited in an Fc gamma-RIIb-dependent manner (26). In addition, antibodies have been found in healthy horses; elevated IgG response were found in healthy horses to auto antigen (1). IgGb specific to KLH was found elevated in healthy versus control horses. An inverse correlation was reported between BCG vaccination and incidence of IgE mediated allergic diseases (18). BCG immunization was demonstrated to inhibit IgE production by B cells.
Receptors for the Fc fragment of immunoglobulin-G (Fc gamma-R's) are important molecules not only to mediate and control the effectors' functions of IgG antibodies, but they also control the autoimmunity-tolerance balance in the periphery. In humans, three different types of Fc gamma-R's, belonging to the immunoglobulin gene super-family have been identified via Fc gamma-RI (CD64), Fc gamma-RII (CD32) and Fc gamma-RIII (CD16). In humans, myeloid cells express both activating and inhibitory receptors of the Fc gamma-RII family. Fc gamma-RIIA mediates processes associated with cell activation, while Fc gamma-RIIB down regulates such signaling. Differences in affinity for IgG between activating and inhibitory Fc gamma-R can result in substantial local changes in their relative concentrations with important functional consequences. Human airway smooth muscle cells express IgG-Fc gamma-RIIb with the potential to suppress remodeling and immune-modulation (36). A wide range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as vasculitis, glomerulonephritis, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, seems to be mediated, in part, by Fc gamma-R′s.
Human Asthma and Animal Models
Human asthma is a multifactorial disease, and is usually a chronic lung condition which can develop at any age and progress to a devastating disease. Asthma is classified as a hypersensitivity disease (5,30). An estimate shows that there are more than 150 million people with asthma worldwide, of which 20.3 million are in America. It is also important to note that the trend of deaths and hospitalization due to asthma is increasing in the industrialized countries of the world. Despite extensive research into the pathophysiology and treatment of asthma, high morbidity continues to threaten the human population. Because asthma can be induced by multiple stimuli, no single theory satisfactorily explains all types and cases, thus making a therapeutic regimen cumbersome.
It is a well-established fact that the salient feature of human asthma is the tendency of the affected airways to overreact to a wide variety of nonspecific stimuli, which has led to the use of bronchial provocation tests as a method to diagnose the condition (19). This hyperreactivity is characterized by hyperresponsiveness and hypersensitivity of airways to various inflammatory mediators (13). This condition can result from abnormal tissue reaction in the airways either due to intrinsic stimuli arising from a biochemical, neurological, or humoral physiological imbalance in the body or due to extrinsic stimuli arising from the environment. The changes in the environment are detected in the airway mucosa by sensory receptors, which are richly innervated by sensory (afferent) fibers. Various respirable stimuli, including charged particles, allergens, irritants, as well as heat, cold and acid, activate sensory receptors.
Animal Models of Human Asthma:
To examine various factors and mechanisms involved in pathogenesis of asthma, a number of mammalian animal models have been identified and used to study human airway hyperreactivity. For example, guinea pigs, which are not naturally susceptible to asthma, are used because of the ability to generate an experimentally-inducible model of asthma with indices similar to human asthma (14,15). Another animal model for asthma is mice which again are not naturally susceptible to asthma, but asthma can be induced experimentally. One advantage to mice is the ability to study the genetic aspects of the disease (12).
Equine Models of Human Asthma:
A major advantage to an equine model is that horses get asthma naturally like people. Horses are important for the similarity between the signs and symptoms of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) to those of asthma, for the similarity in the nature of disease progression to human asthma, and for the ability in horses to induce or precipitate an "asthmatic" episode (7,33). Histological findings such as thickening of epithelial basement membrane, edema, inflammatory infiltrate in bronchial walls, oversized submucosal glands, hypertrophy of bronchial wall muscle, and emphysematous changes are observed in both human asthma and in equine RAO (6,7,33). One difference is that the cellular infiltrate in RAO is mostly neutrophils, whereas esosinophils are more common with human asthma. Recently, identification of persistent nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-KB) activity in asthma and RAO clearly suggests that equine RAO is a better animal model of human asthma than those of other mammalian species (8,20). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in horses, commonly called heaves, and currently termed recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), is an airway hyperreactivity disease comparable to human asthma (7,33). Horses with heaves spontaneously develop acute bronchiolitis after exposure to antigens such as hay or pasture mold. Heaves is a more common condition in temperate climatic regions where horses are confined in stables during winter seasons and where they are house near stored hay. Another form of RAO seen in the southern regions of the U.S. is summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease (SPAOPD), caused by allowing horses to graze on lush pasture in the humid summer months where molds and pollens in the grass serve as antigen stimulation (4). Both forms of RAO share common signs and symptoms (4,6,11). The clinically abnormal condition of RAO is characterized by hyperreactivity of airways to antigens, inflammatory mediators and various other external stimuli. The condition also presents a decreased dynamic compliance of lung and increased airflow resistance to histamine- or methacholine-challenges, which are the common tests performed for diagnosing either human asthma or equine RAO. When horses are exposed to diverse stimuli such as allergens or respirable irritants in the environment, their airways react with a specific response that includes infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lungs, damage of airway epithelium, and inflammatory mediator release. This reaction primes the airways to respond excessively to a broader range of stimuli. Continued stimulation leads to airway hyperreactivity, which is characterized by hypersensitivity (increased sensitivity of airway smooth muscles) and hyperresponsiveness (increased magnitude of smooth muscle contractility) to diverse stimuli as observed in human asthma (3,6,7,11). Thus, RAO in horses shares several common features of human asthma, such as airway hyperreactivity, severe bronchoconstriction, increased mucus production, presence of airway inflammatory mediators in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, infiltration of inflammatory cells, difficulty in breathing and exercise intolerance. Horses then have several advantages as an animal model for human asthma. Of course, the main disadvantages to using horses are size and cost to obtain and house.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,846,899 and 6,255,281 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0261180 describe the use of recombinant human CC10 (also referred to as human uteroglobin) and its use in various human inflammatory and respiratory disorders.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0240012 describes the use of recombinant human CC10 and methods to administer CC10 nasally, and its use in treatment of various nasal inflammatory diseases, including rhinitis and sinusitis.

Peptide for protection of allergic respiratory disorders

Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College


The present invention provides a system for transporting products including a pallet consisting of a deck having an upper surface and a pattern of recesses formed in the upper surface including sets of recesses deployed for receiving a footprint of a layer of crates. A stacking element for deploying on the upper edges of the layer of crates consisting of a board including a surface, and a pattern of recesses formed in the surface including sets of recesses for receiving the upper edges of the layer crates.

Transportation concerns the movement of products from a source such as a plant, factory, farm, or workshop to a destination such as a warehouse, distribution center, customer, or retail store. The most common transport structure used to transfer products or goods is a pallet or a skid.
A pallet or a skid is a flat horizontal transport structure, which supports products or goods while being lifted by material handling equipment such as a forklift, a pallet jack, an erect crane and the like. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies. Goods or shipping containers are often placed on the pallet secured with strapping, stretch wrap or shrink wrap and shipped.
While pallets are made of different materials such as plastic, metal, paper, etc. the majority of pallets are made of wood.
Wooden pallets, though vastly used, harbor several deficiencies, for example, significant storage space requirement, worker safety risks (nails, splinters, etc.), consumption of natural resource, material handling equipment damages, and food safety hazards.


The photoelectric encoder of the present invention has a light-emitting device and light-receiving devices arranged in one direction in a region that light from the light-emitting device can reach. When a moving object that alternately has a light-on portion that produces a state in which light is incident on the light-receiving device and a light-off portion that produces a state in which light is not incident on the light-receiving device passes at a prescribed movement frequency in the one direction, an output of each of the light-receiving devices takes a value corresponding to the incidence or nonincidence of light on the light-receiving device. A logical operating section carries out operation of the logical values expressed by the outputs of the light-receiving devices to form an output signal that has a frequency different from the movement frequency.

The present invention relates to photoelectric encoders. The present invention relates, in particular, to, for example, photoelectric encoders of a light transmission type and a light reflection type employing a moving object with a plurality of slits formed.
The present invention also relates to electronic equipment provided with such a photoelectric encoder. The electronic equipment widely includes printing machines such as copying machines and printers and FA (Factory Automation) equipment such as robots.
As this kind of photoelectric encoder, a light transmission type as shown in FIG. 12A in which a light-emitting section 101 and a light-receiving section 102 are arranged facing each other, and an output is obtained by making a moving object 103 that has a plurality of slits formed pass between the light-emitting section 101 and the light-receiving section 102, and a light reflection type as shown in FIG. 12B in which a light-emitting section 201 and a light-receiving section 202 are arranged side by side, and an output is obtained by making a moving object 203 that has a plurality of slits formed pass through positions opposite to the light-emitting section 201 and the light-receiving section 202 are known.
The photoelectric encoder of the light transmission type often has a moving object 40, which has a plurality of slits X1, X2, . . . at a constant pitch P in the movement direction and whose slit width is 1/2 pitch (i.e., P/2) as schematically shown at the top of FIG. 11 between the light-emitting device and the light-receiving device arranged facing each other. In the light transmission type, the slits X1, X2, . . . correspond to portions (referred to as a "light-on portion") that make light incident on the light-receiving device, and portions Y1, Y2, . . . constructed of a plate material (material of moving object) located between the slits X1, X2, . . . correspond to portions (referred to as a "light-off portion") that does not make light incident on the light-receiving device.
For example, in the device described in JP 3256109, as shown in the middle of FIG. 11, four photodiodes PD1, PD2, PD3 and PD4 whose width is a half (i.e., P/4) of each slit width are arranged without spacing along the direction in which the slits X1, X2, . . . of the moving object 40 are arranged, and four signals (assumed to be A+, B−, A− and B+ in a sequence) outputted from the photodiodes PD1, PD2, PD3 and PD4 are read. By comparison between A+ and A− and between B+ and B− of these four signals by respective comparators, two output signals whose phases are mutually different by 90° are obtained.
Moreover, in the device of JP 2001-99684 A, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 11, four photodiodes 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d whose width is equal (i.e., P/2) to the slit width are arranged at 3/4 pitch (i.e., 3P/4) along the direction in which the slits X1, X2, . . . of the moving object 40 are arranged, and four signals (assumed to be A+, B+, A− and B− in a sequence) outputted from the photodiodes 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d are read. By comparison between A+ and A− and between B+ and B− of these four signals by respective comparators, two output signals whose phases are mutually different by 90° are obtained.

Photoelectric encoder and electronic equipment with increased resolution


An electric motor, e.g., a fan motor for an air conditioning fan of a motor vehicle, includes a receiving housing serving as a motor housing, which has a receiving opening into which the electric motor at least partially extends, as well as including connection elements for supplying power to the electric motor, and attachment means for the electrical connection elements. The attachment for the electrical connection elements is provided on the electric motor.

In a wide range of electric motor applications, the motors are provided in a receiving housing serving as a motor housing which is then used to further attach the electric motor. This receiving housing is also used to decouple motor vibrations. For example, fan motors for heating and air conditioning systems which are typically used in motor vehicles are usually vibration-decoupled with respect to the vehicle. The goal is to limit the transmission of structure-borne noise from the electric motor or fan unit to the vehicle body and thus to the passenger compartment.
According to common methods for mounting motors of this type, the electric motor is introduced, for example, into a receiving housing serving as a motor housing, elastic isolation means being provided between the electric motor and the receiving housing so that it is possible to decouple the motor vibrations from the motor housing and thus, for example, from a vehicle body. A flange for securely connecting the motor to the air conditioning system, for example via a carrier part formed on the body, is typically provided on the motor mount itself.
Published German patent document DE 43 34 124 describes a device for accommodating an electric motor which achieves an especially low-vibration and thus noise-damping effect by providing, between the inner walls of this receiving device and the outer walls of the motor housing facing the device, at least one elastic damping element which is supported on the walls of the receiving device and the motor housing facing each other.
Another critical point relating to the transmission of the structure-borne noise generated by the electric motor to the motor housing and thus to the vehicle body is the plug-and-socket connection typically used for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The motor is provided with an integrated plug-and-socket connection. Because the motor is completely enclosed by the motor mount, the cable connection for supplying power is produced by a plug that is typically latched to the motor housing from the outside. The mechanical latching system is used to absorb the cable or plug extraction forces occurring during fan assembly and operation.
An air conditioning fan motor as well as a receiving housing in which a plug element for supplying electric power to the driving motor is passed through the receiving housing is described in published International patent document WO 00/48 293. The corresponding opening in the receiving housing of the electric motor is just large enough to insert the connecting plug element in a form-locked manner through this receiving opening. The system according to WO 00/48 293 thus prevents air taken in between the plug element and the receiving housing for the electric motor from exiting the fan. WO 00/48 293 also proposes to insert, between the plug element and the receiving housing, a sealing element which attaches the plug to the receiving housing and also prevents undesirable exiting of air at this point.
An object of the present invention is to prevent noises and vibrations generated by the electric motor from being coupled into the motor housing, or to substantially dampen them in their penetration.


The present invention is to provide a composition for preventing plant diseases which comprises at least Component I and Component II, is capable of obtaining a synergic effect that cannot be expected with each single component, is capable of markedly increasing a control effect in a much smaller amount of chemicals against various plant pathogens, and causes no phytotoxicity suffering.

From the past, a large number of chemical fungicides have been used. However, it has become obvious that there is a problem of resistance of plant pathogens against chemical active ingredients associated with frequent use or overdose of such chemical active ingredients with the same action having a similar skeleton for controlling diseases of the same kind.
On the other hand, in late years, consumer's needs for crops with reduced agricultural chemicals or social needs for reduced environmental burdens of chemical pesticides.
Furthermore, in a farm field where chemicals are actually used, when two or more kinds of chemicals are mixed together using a tank mixing method for the treatment, active ingredients which are incompatible with each other are combined, causing lots of risks such as reduced effects of each active ingredients or phytotoxicity suffering to the plants.
Under these circumstances, compositions for preventing plant diseases with significant effect against fungi resistant to the existing active ingredients and with great effect even in a much smaller amount of an active ingredient have been in demand. Furthermore, in order to prevent plant pathogens from having chemical resistance as well, there have been demanded a composition for preventing plant diseases with good compatibility comprising components (compounds) with different actions having different basic skeletons, and a method for preventing the plant diseases.
In JP Patent Publication No. 1997-235282A and European Patent Publication No. 737682 is disclosed
(RS)—N-[2-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)thiophen-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-tri fluoromethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (a common name: penthiopyrad (currently applied for ISO), hereinafter referred to as penthiopyrad) which has a control effect against various diseases.
[Patent Document 1] JP Patent Publication No. 1997-235282A
[Patent Document 2] European Patent Publication No. 737682 (EP0737682)

Composition for preventing plant diseases and method for preventing the diseases

Abstract: A composition for preventing plant diseases comprises Components I and II as active ingredients. The Component I is (RS)—N-[2-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)thiophen-3-yl]-1-methyl-3-tri fluoromethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide. As the Component II, there can be exemplified, for example, tetraconazole, flutriafol, imibenconazole, triadimefon, simeconazole, oxpoconazole fumarate, prothioconazole, bupirimate, spiroxamine, metiram, dodine, anilazine, chlozolinate, oxycarboxin, ethaboxam, iprovalicarb, pyrazophos, fluoroimide, diflumetorim, fenhexamid, famoxadone, fenamidone, cyazofamid, zoxamide, cyflufenamid, boscalid, benthiavalicarb-isopropyl, picoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, fluoxastrobin or dimoxystrobin.


Apparatus, and an associated method, for a packet radio communication system that utilizes a packet retransmission scheme. A data packet, together with a selected number of retransmissions thereof are sent to a mobile station, or other receiving station. A channel condition estimator estimates channel conditions on the communication channel and, responsive to the channel condition estimates, selection is made of the number of packet data retransmissions that are to be effectuated prior to performing decoding operations to recover the informational content of the data packet.

A communication system operates to communicate data between a sending station and a receiving station. The data is communicated upon a communication channel formed between the sending and receiving stations. If necessary, the data to be communicated by the sending station is first converted into a form to permit communication of the data upon the communication channel. The data communicated upon the communication channel is detected at the receiving station. And, subsequent to detection of the data at the receiving station, operations are performed upon the data to recover the informational content thereof.
Many different types of communication systems have been developed and implemented. In some communication systems, the data to be communicated by the sending station to the receiving station is communicated in the electrical form by way of wireline connections interconnecting the sending and receiving stations. And, in some communication systems, the data is communicated in electromagnetic form, by way of radio links formed between sending and receiving stations. And, some communication systems include communication paths between endpoints formed of the sending and receiving stations that include both wireline and radio link portions such that the data is communicated in electrical form along a portion of the communication path and in electromagnetic form along another portion of the communication path.
The communication system is referred to as being a radio communication system when radio links are used to communicate the data in electromagnetic form. In contrast to a conventional wireline communication system that requires electrical connections to be formed between the sending and receiving stations, a radio communication system is inherently mobile. That is to say, because radio links, rather than wireline connections, are used along at least a portion of the communication paths extending between the sending and receiving stations, the sending and receiving stations need not be positioned in fixed locations, connected to wirelines, to permit communications to be effectuated therebetween.
A cellular communication system is a type of radio communication system that has achieved wide levels of usage and has been installed throughout extensive portions of the world. Successive generations of cellular communication systems have been developed. Reference is commonly made to at least three generations of cellular communication systems. A so-called, first-generation, cellular communication system generally refers to a cellular communication system that utilizes an analog modulation technique. An AMPS (advanced mobile phone service) cellular communication system is exemplary of a first-generation, cellular communication system. A so-called, second-generation, cellular communication system typically refers to a cellular communication system that utilizes a digital, multiple-access communication scheme. A GSM (global system for mobile communications) cellular communication system and an IS-95 (interim standard—1995), CDMA (code-division, multiple-access) cellular communication system are each exemplary of a second generation cellular communication system.
Third-generation, cellular communication systems are presently under development. Third-generation, cellular communication systems refer generally to cellular communication systems intended to provide universal communication service, including effectuation of data services, voice services, and multi-media services. Proposals for third-generation, cellular communication systems generally provide for IP (Internet Protocol)-formatted data. And, subsequent-generation, cellular communication systems are also being proposed. Such subsequent-generation cellular communication systems are generally also packet-based communication systems.
In a packet-based, communication system, data that is to be communicated by a sending station to a receiving station is formatted into data packets. And, the data packets are communicated upon the communication channel, usually during discrete bursts, and delivered to a receiving station. The data packets are operated upon by the receiving station to recover the informational content thereof. The communication channel upon which the packet data is communicated typically exhibits fading characteristics such that values of the data contained in a packet, when delivered to the receiving station differs in some values with the corresponding values of the data when transmitted by the sending station.
Operations performed upon the data packets at the receiving station attempt to compensate for the distortion introduced upon the data during its transmission upon the communication channel. If the distortion cannot adequately be compensated for, the informational content thereof cannot be recovered.
Some packet communication systems utilize a packet retransmission scheme in which a data packet is retransmitted by the sending station if the data packet has not been affirmed to have been adequately communicated to the receiving station. ARQ and HARQ retransmission schemes are used in a feedback setup in which the receiving station generates an acknowledgment when the informational content of the data packet is recovered at the receiving station. If the informational content is not acceptably recovered, the acknowledgment is not returned to the sending station. And, in an HARQ system, a negative acknowledgment is also returned to the sending station when the informational content of a data packet cannot acceptably be recovered. Retransmission of the data packet is thereafter effectuated. Multiple retransmissions of the data packet, if necessary, can also be effectuated. By sending multiple transmissions of the data packet, the likelihood that the informational content thereof can be recovered is increased.
1×EV-DO and 1×Ev-DV, cellular system standard specification proposals, related to the proposed cdma2000 system, provide for analogous such retransmission schemes. In such present proposals, packet data is communicated to a mobile station, and a mobile station selectably requests packet retransmission as well as indicating to a base station of such system of channel conditions on a forward link upon which the packet data is communicated. If an initial transmission of a data packet, when received at the mobile station, is in error, the mobile station returns an NAK (negative acknowledgment) to the base station. Additional retransmissions of the data packet occur until the data packet is received correctly or until a maximum number of retransmissions occur. The retransmissions sometimes involve incremental redundancy where subsequent packets contain new parity information, as well as repeat redundancy where the same information is retransmitted.
Such existing retransmission schemes, however, generally perform data combining operations and decoding operations at each successive retransmission of a data packet. This existing operation is computationally-intensive and power-consumptive.
An improved manner by which to communicate packet data pursuant to a retransmission scheme that is less computationally-intensive and power-consumptive would be advantageous.
It is in light of this background information related to packet communication systems that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Apparatus, and associated method, for operating upon packet data communicated in a packet communication system utilizing a packet retransmission scheme


A device is taught for holding a sew cord or corded piping while it is cut and for manufacturing sew cord with a desired seam allowance. The device incorporates an adjustable seam allowance by providing notches cut for holding the sew cord after or during stitching and during the cutting of the seam allowance. Various methods of adjusting the length of the seam and automating the process include having variable distance cuts, having a reduced side for tracking a cutting blade incorporating the device into a presser and incorporating a cutting blade in the product.

1. Field of Invention
The invention applies to sewing aids. More specifically the invention applies to devices for setting corded piping a desired spacing.
2. Prior Art
Corded piping historically is made when a strip of fabric is cut wide to cover the filler cord (or cords) and extending long enough to allow the seam allowance and trim waste. The fabric is then folded in half by the longest dimension and the filler cord is inserted in the fold. It is then sewn by the machine, usually immediately adjacent to the cord. Trimming or grading the seam to the seam width desired is accomplished by one or two prior art methods typically.
After making the corded piping, one has to measure and mark the seam allowance by using scissors to cut along the marked line cutting off the excess fabric. This is the most accurate prior art way to make corded bias piping.
Another method is to cut the fabric twice the width of the finished seam allowance plus the diameter of the filler cord used to make the piping. When sewing with this method, it is necessary to be very careful to make sure the cut edges of the fabric are lined exactly and that one knows exactly the diameter of the filler cord. The method can only be used when making piping with fabric cut on the straight of the grain. This is not an accurate method to use when making bias corded piping because the fabric stretches, becoming narrower after it is assembled when sewing in the cord and thereby losing the accuracy of the seam allowance.