The present invention provides methods for identifying and representing the biological pathways of drug action on a cell by: (i) measuring responses of cellular constituents to graded exposures of the cell to a drug of interest; (ii) measuring the responses of cellular constituents to perturbations in one or more biological pathways of the cell; and (iii) scaling a combination of the measured pathway responses to fit the measured drug responses best according to an objective measure. In alternative embodiments, the present invention also provides for assessing the significance of the identified representation and for verifying that the identified pathways are actual pathway of drug action. In various embodiments, the effects on the cell can be determined by measuring gene expression, protein abundances, protein activities, or a combination of such measurements. In various embodiments, perturbation to a biological pathway in the cell can be made by use of titratable expression systems, use of transfection systems, modification to abundances of pathway RNAs, modifications to abundances of pathway proteins, or modifications to activities of the pathway proteins. The present invention also provides methods for drug development based on the methods for identifying biological pathways of drug action, and methods for representing the biological pathways involved in the effect of an environmental change upon a cell.

The identification of the biological pathway of action of a drug or drug candidate is a problem of great commercial and human importance. Although the primary molecular target of and cellular pathways affected by a drug are often known or suspected because the drug was originally selected by a specific drug screen, it is important to verify its action on such a primary pathway and to quantify its action along other secondary pathways which may be harmful, or may be beneficial, often in unsuspected ways. In other cases, the primary pathways of drug action are unknown, and these must be determined.
This information is important in many areas of practical research, such as, for example, drug discovery, which is a process by which bioactive compounds are identified and preliminarily characterized. Drug discovery is a critical step in the development of treatments for human diseases. Two approaches presently dominate the search for new drugs. The first begins with a screen for compounds that have a desired effect on a cell (e.g., induction of apoptosis), or organism (e.g., inhibition of angiogenesis) as measured in a specific biological assay. Compounds with the desired activity may then be modified to increase potency, stability, or other properties, and the modified compounds retested in the assay. Thus, a compound that acts as an inhibitor of angiogenesis when tested in a mouse tumor model may be identified, and structurally related compounds synthesized and tested in the same assay. One limitation of this approach is that, often, the mechanisms of action, such as the molecular target(s) and cellular pathways affected by the compound, are unknown, and cannot be determined by the screen. In addition, the assay may provide little information about the specificity, either in terms of targets or pathways, of the drug's effect. Finally, the number of compounds that can be screened by assaying biological effects on cells or animals is limited by the required experimental efforts.
In contrast, the second approach to drug screening involves testing numerous compounds for a specific effect on a known molecular target, typically a cloned gene sequence or an isolated enzyme or protein. For example, high-throughput assays can be developed in which numerous compounds can be tested for the ability to change the level of transcription from a specific promoter or the binding of identified proteins. Although the use of high-throughput screens is a powerful methodology for identifying drug candidates, it has limitations. A major drawback is that the assay provides little or no information about the effects of a compound at the cellular or organismal level, in particular information concerning the actual cellular pathways affected. These effects must be tested by using the drug in a series of cell biologic and whole animal studies to determine toxicity or side effects in vivo. In fact, analysis of the specificity and toxicity studies of candidate drugs can consume a significant fraction of the drug development process (see, e.g., Oliff et al., 1997, "Molecular Targets for Drug Development," in DeVita et al. Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology 5th Ed. 1997 Lippincott-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia).
Several gene expression assays are now becoming practicable for quantitating the drug effect on a large fraction of the genes and proteins in a cell culture (see, e.g., Schena et al, 1995, Quantitative monitoring of gene expression patterns with a complementary DNA micro-array, Science 270:467-470; Lockhort et al., 1996, Expression monitoring by hybridization to high-density oligonucleotide arrays, Nature Biotechnology 14:1675-1680; Blanchard et al., 1996, Sequence to array: Probing the genome's secrets, Nature Biotechnology 14, 1649; 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,588, issued Oct. 29, 1996 to Ashby et al. entitled "Methods for Drug Screening"). Raw data from these gene expression assays are often difficult to coherently interpret. Such measurement technologies typically return numerous genes with altered expression in response to a drug, typically 50-100, possibly up to 1,000 or as few as 10. In the typical case, without more analysis, it is not possible to discern cause and effect from such data alone. The fact that one or a few genes among many has an altered expression in a pair of related biological states yields little or no insight into what caused this change and what the effects of this change are. These data in themselves do not inform an investigator about the pathways affected or mechanism of action. They do not indicate which effects result from effects on a primary pathway versus which effects are the result of other secondary pathways affected by the drug. Knowledge of all these affected pathways individually is useful in understanding efficacy, side-effects, toxicities, possible failures of efficacy, activation of metabolic responses, and so forth. Further, identification of all pathways of drug action can lead to discovery of alternate pathways suitable to achieve the original therapeutic purpose.
Without effective methods of analysis, one is left to ad hoc further experimentation to interpret such gene expression results in terms of biological pathways and mechanisms. Systematic procedures for guiding the interpretation of such data and such further experimentation, at least in the case of drug target screening, are needed.
Thus, there is a need for improved (e.g., faster and less expensive) methods for characterizing drug activities, and cellular pathways affected by drugs based on effective interpretation of such data as gene expression data. The present invention provides methods for rapidly identifying the molecular targets and pathways affected by candidate drugs and for characterizing their specificity. It further provides methods based on measurement methodologies other than gene expression analysis.

Methods for identifying pathways of drug action


A bearing assembly is disclosed that includes a sleeve having an opening formed therein and a shaft positioned within the opening of the sleeve such that a gap is formed between an inner surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the shaft. A lubricant is disposed in the gap and a plurality of grooves are formed on at least one of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve. An anti-wetting coating is disposed on the at least one of the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the sleeve between adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves.

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to x-ray tubes and, more particularly, to a liquid bearing assembly useable therewith and a method of bearing construction.
X-ray systems typically include an x-ray tube, a detector, and a support structure for the x-ray tube and the detector. In operation, an imaging table, on which an object is positioned, is located between the x-ray tube and the detector. The x-ray tube typically emits radiation, such as x-rays, toward the object. The radiation typically passes through the object on the imaging table and impinges on the detector. As radiation passes through the object, internal structures of the object cause spatial variances in the radiation received at the detector. The detector then emits data received, and the system translates the radiation variances into an image, which may be used to evaluate the internal structure of the object. One skilled in the art will recognize that the object may include, but is not limited to, a patient in a medical imaging procedure and an inanimate object as in, for instance, a package in an x-ray scanner or computed tomography (CT) package scanner.
X-ray tubes include a cathode and an anode located within a high-vacuum environment. The anode structure is typically supported by ball bearings and is rotated for the purpose of distributing the heat generated at a focal spot. Typically, an induction motor is employed to rotate the anode, the induction motor having a cylindrical rotor built into a cantilevered axle that supports a disc-shaped anode target and an iron stator structure with copper windings that surrounds an elongated neck of the x-ray tube. The rotor of the rotating anode assembly is driven by the stator. An x-ray tube cathode provides a focused electron beam that is accelerated across an anode-to-cathode vacuum gap and produces x-rays upon impact with the anode. Because of the high temperatures generated when the electron beam strikes the target, it is necessary to rotate the anode assembly at high rotational speed, which places stringent demands on the ball bearings.
A liquid lubricated or liquid metal bearing may be employed in lieu of ball bearings. Advantages of liquid metal bearings include a high load capability and a high heat transfer capability due to an increased amount of contact area as compared to a ball bearing. Advantages also include low acoustic noise operation as is commonly understood in the art. Gallium, indium, or tin alloys are typically used as the liquid metal, as they tend to be liquid at room temperature and have adequately low vapor pressure at operating temperatures to meet the rigorous high vacuum requirements of an x-ray tube.
Liquid metals tend to be highly reactive and corrosive. Thus, a base metal that is resistant to such corrosion is desirable for the bearing components. As such, a refractory metal such as molybdenum or tungsten is typically used as the base material for a liquid metal bearing. Not only are such materials resistant to corrosion, but they tend to be vacuum-compatible and thus lend themselves to an x-ray tube application. However, one concern that may be encountered in the use of a liquid metal is ensuring adequate wettability of bearing surfaces with the liquid metal. When adequate wettability does not occur, the liquid metal does not completely fill or lubricate the bearing and the liquid metal bearing may run out of liquid metal during use, thus shortening the life of the x-ray tube.
Liquid lubricated bearings are also highly sensitive to takeoff and landing events, which result in galling and wear on the bearing components and often constitute the failure mode of the bearing. To improve wear resistance and bearing performance a wear-resistant layer may be may be applied either to the moving or stationary surfaces of the bearing. The wear-resistant layers may, or may not, have poor wettability. If either the stationary or rotating surface is anti-wetting, then the bearing is considered "half-wetted". In these "half-wetted" bearings, the lubricant and the solid surfaces of the rotating and stationary components of bearing assembly are selected so the lubricant wets the surface of one of the bearing components, thus forming a no-slip boundary with the surface of one bearing component, and does not wet the opposing surface and thus can slip against the surface of other bearing component.
While a "half-wetted" bearing design may mitigate galling and wear between bearing components, "half-wetted" bearings experience reduced load capability and lubricant containment issues due to the interaction between the wetted and non-wetted surfaces of the bearing components.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have an apparatus and method that improves lubricant containment, mitigates galling, and improves wear resistance of liquid lubricated bearings. It would further be desirable to reduce net costs associated with fabricating a liquid lubricated bearing.

Liquid bearing assembly and method of constructing same


In one embodiment, a method of preparing a standard sample includes forming a second layer containing an analysis target element on a substrate via a first layer. The method further includes dissolving the first and second layers to form a plurality of droplets containing the analysis target element on the substrate. The method further includes drying the droplets to form a plurality of particles containing the analysis target element on the substrate.

In recent years, research and development have been examined on a nanodot memory which is fabricated by, for example, forming a charge storage layer or the like of a memory cell by using particle substances referred to as nanodots. In order to conduct the research and development on the nanodot memory, there is a need to analyze properties of the nanodots by a physical or chemical analysis method. In the physical analysis method, it is often the case that analytical data is measured by beam measurement or the like, and then the measurement result on an analysis sample is compared with the measurement result on a standard sample which serves as an analysis criterion. However, this type of existing physical analysis method generally supposes that the analysis sample and the standard sample have the analysis target substances of thin films. Therefore, when the existing physical analysis method is applied to the analysis sample including the nanodots as the analysis target substances, there is a possibility of failing to obtain accurate results of the analysis. On the other hand, the chemical analysis method of dissolving the substances to be analyzed is not affected by the shapes of the substances before the dissolution. However, the chemical analysis method cannot be applied to the nanodots containing an element which is difficult to be dissolved like noble metal elements.

Standard sample and method of preparing same


In a CMOS-element-containing semiconductor device, the CMOS element comprises: a silicon substrate; an n-channel MOS element formed on the silicon substrate and including an n-type source/drain region, a gate oxide film and a gate electrode; a p-channel MOS element formed on the silicon substrate and including a p-type source/drain region, a gate oxide film and a gate electrode; and a gate wiring layer electrically interconnecting the gate electrode of the n-channel MOS element and the gate electrode of the p-channel MOS element with one another. At least one of the p-channel MOS element gate electrode, the n-channel MOS element gate electrode and the gate wiring layer include at least in part a metal silicide layer. The gate electrodes and the gate wiring layer contain impurities consisting of at least one of a III group dopant and a V group dopant in total concentration of at most 3.times.10.sup.20 atoms cm.sup.-3.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device containing a complementary MOS (CMOS) element and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a known gate electrode of MOS element is a polycide gate electrode in a laminated structure composed of at least two layers, i.e. a polysilicon layer and a refractory metal silicide layer. In order to meet with much higher integration of IC elements in recent years, attempts have been made to reduce MOS element electrodes in thickness. For example, in a device structure according to 0.5 .mu.m rule, it is required that gate electrodes should have a thickness of less than about 3000 angstrom.
The present inventors have observed that the thickness of the gate electrodes, a polysilicon layer in particular, was inadvertently reduced due to heat treatment in the semiconductor device manufacturing process after formation of gate electrodes. This reduction of thickness of the polysilicon layer increases the stress on the gate oxide film or causes the metal of the silicide layer to penetrate into the gate oxide film, thus breaking the gate oxide film or deteriorating its characteristics.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device containing CMOS elements


Recording data is produced from first image data corresponding to each pixel with a first number of gradations so as to supplied to a recording apparatus, which expresses each pixel with a number of gradations smaller than the first number of gradations. Second image data is produced by converting the first image data into a color space that can be output by the recording apparatus. Third image data is produced based on a second number of gradations of the second image data so that the third image data has a third number of gradations. The recording data is produced by applying a halftone process to the third image data. The third number of gradations of the third image data is adjusted to be equal to or larger than the second number of gradations of the second image data in accordance with a number of colors for each pixel used in the second image data.

As a recording apparatus, which prints an image processed by a computer in multicolor and multi-tone (gradation), there is known an inkjet printer (hereinafter, referred to as an IJ printer) which records (forms) an image (also referred to as a dot image) on a recording paper as a recording medium by injecting ink droplets from nozzles provided to a recording head onto the recording paper. Means for generating energy to inject ink droplets in the IJ printer is generally classified into two methods, one being a so-called bubble jet® method (hereinafter, referred to as a BJ method) and the other being a so-called piezo method (hereinafter, referred to as a PZT type).
The BJ method propels droplets of ink by rapidly heating the ink filled in a pressurizing liquid chamber by utilizing a volume change by film boiling. The PZT method propels droplets of ink by a pressure due to a volume change generated by deforming a diaphragm constituting a part of a pressurizing liquid chamber by displacement of a piezoelectric element. Accordingly, although the pressurization of ink is different between the BJ method and the PZT method, there is no difference in the recording process to form a dot image by injecting ink droplets.
In the meantime, in order to output image data generated by a computer or acquired from an image input apparatus such as a digital camera or a scanner from the IJ printer, various processes must be applied to the image data. Generally, a process flow of image processing is such as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a process of converting input image data into data, which can output by a recording apparatus. In FIG. 1, CMM conversion processes P2 and P6 convert a color system (RGB) of image data P1, which is input as first image data, into a color system (CMY) of an output apparatus such as an IJ printer. BG/UCR processes P3 and P7 separate a black (K) component from the CMY data so as to generate second image data. γ-correction processes P3 and P7 adjust the output balance of each color component separated from the CMY data. Zooming processes P4 and P8 enlarge or reduce the image data so as to match the image data to an output resolution of the IJ printer. Halftone processes P4 and P8 compare each pixel in the enlarged image data with a threshold matrix so as to convert the image data into dot pattern data. An output process P10 outputs the dot image data as third image data.
Usually, image data sent from a personal computer PC has an amount of information with 8 bits for each color RGB per one pixel. Such an amount of information enables expression of 256 gradations from 0 to 255 for each color component.
However, all 256 gradations cannot be used in practice. Since output characteristic of each color component, cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) is dependent on coloring materials used in ink, an injection characteristic of ink droplets and characteristics of recording medium (recording papers), ideal output characteristics cannot be always acquired. Although the γ-correction processes P3 and P7 are applied so as to correct the output characteristics, the γ-correction may cause a lack of gradations mentioned below.
FIGS. 2A through 2F are graphs for explaining a lack of gradations due to a gamma-correction and avoidance of such a lack by an expansion of a gradation level. In FIGS. 2A through 2F, a horizontal axis represents an input tone (input gradation) and a vertical axis represents an output tone (output gradation). FIG. 2D is an enlarged view of a part indicated by a circle in FIG. 2C. FIG. 2F is an enlarged view of a part indicated by a circle in FIG. 2E. FIG. 2A shows a state where no correction is applied and an input and an output correspond to each other on one-to-one basis. On the other hand, since a nonlinear correction as shown in FIG. 2B is usually applied, a lack of gradations as shown in FIG. 2D, which is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 2C, may occur after the correction.
In order to solve such a problem of lacking in gradations, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. 2001-45308 and No. 2001-285630 suggest a process being performed after enlarging the data input to the CMM process into gradation data of more than 8 bits. Moreover, Japanese Laid-Open Paten Applications No. 2000-108384 and No. 2001-144958 suggest an expansion of a number of gradations with respect to data after the CMM correction. This treatment is to reflect a part, which is eliminated as a value less than a decimal in 8-bit data, as a gradation level.
FIGS. 2C and 2D show the lack of gradations, and FIG. 2E and 2F show an aspect in which the part of lacking gradations (shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D) is not eliminated and is reflected in the corrected data by the expansion of a number of gradations.
Thus, it is possible to avoid an occurrence of lacking gradations due to a gamma-correction by performing an expansion of a gradation level as mentioned above. However, it is natural that an expansion of a gradation level causes an increase in an amount of information. If an amount of information to handle is increased, a capacity of a buffer for operation must be increased. There may be a case where a expansion of a gradation level causes not only a decrease in a processing speed due to an increase in an amount of operation but also a cost increase due to an increase in a buffer capacity.
In recent IJ printers, a number of nozzles mounted on one head unit tends to be increased so as to acquire both a high-resolution and a high-speed operation. Especially, in a BJ printer that is capable of being applied with a photolithography technique, a head having more than 20 nozzles has become popular. Although such an increase in a number of nozzles is to avoid, by increasing the number of nozzles, a problem in that a recording width per a unit number of nozzles is decreased due to a decrease in a nozzle pitch to acquire a high-resolution, an amount of information to be sent to a head at once is increased by an amount corresponding the a number of nozzles increased.
Further, since it is necessary to increase a resolution not only in a sub-scanning direction, which is a direction of adding nozzles, but also in a main scanning direction, an amount of data required for one scan of a head is increased as a square times of the number of nozzles. In association with an increase in an amount of operation in an image processing apparatus due to an increase in resolution, a time lag may be generated between a scan timing of a head and a time of completion of transfer of data to a head unit. In such a case, the operation of the head unit is stopped until necessary data is received, which results in deterioration in effects of the increase in the number of nozzles.

Image processing method and apparatus, image forming apparatus and system, program and recording medium


According to an aspect of this disclosure, a mobile communication terminal is provided including determiner configured to determine a value of a parameter related to the mobile communication terminal and configured to determine an imprecision of the determined parameter value; and a controller configured to perform a setting for a communication service depending on the determined imprecision of the determined parameter value and to control the mobile communication terminal to use the communication service depending on the setting.

The usage of communication services by a mobile communication terminal may depend on the location of the mobile communication terminal. For example, available communication resources (such as available white space frequency resources) may be location-dependent. Reliable approaches for performing settings for a communication service which are dependent on location or, generally, dependent on parameters related to the mobile terminal, are desirable.

Mobile communication terminals, method for using a communication service and method for determining information related to a geographical position of a mobile communication terminal


An absorber of a carbon dioxide capture system according to an embodiment includes: a release region for releasing carbon dioxide from an absorbing liquid supplied from a stripper; and a second gas-liquid contact unit to which carbon dioxide released in the release region is supplied together with exhaust gas discharged from a first gas-liquid contact unit. The absorbing liquid having released the carbon dioxide therefrom in the release region is supplied to the second gas-liquid contact unit by an absorbing liquid supply device. The absorbing liquid having passed through the second gas-liquid contact unit is guided to the first gas-liquid contact unit while bypassing the release region. The second gas-liquid contact unit brings the exhaust gas and the absorbing gas into contact with each other so as to cause the carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas to be absorbed in the absorbing liquid.

In recent years, a carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) technology for capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) has been drawn attention as a countermeasure against global warming. In general, a comparatively large amount of carbon dioxide is generated in thermal power plants, steel plants, cement plants, and other chemical industry installations and the like, and the concentration of carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas is comparatively high. When the carbon dioxide capture technique is applied to such an installation, therefore, carbon dioxide can be captured efficiently.
The carbon dioxide capture technique as above is classified as a chemical absorption method. Specifically, exhaust gas is supplied to an absorber, in which carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gas is absorbed in an absorbing liquid. In this instance, the exhaust gas from which carbon dioxide has been released is discharged from the absorber as a treated gas. The absorbing liquid having absorbed carbon dioxide is supplied to a stripper, in which the carbon dioxide is released from the absorbing liquid and is separated and captured. The absorbing liquid from which the carbon dioxide has been released in the stripper is returned into the absorber.
However, in the stripper it is difficult to completely release carbon dioxide from the absorbing liquid. Specifically, carbon dioxide in an amount determined by gas-liquid equilibrium in the stripper may remain in a dissolved state in the absorbing liquid (lean liquid). For this reason, depending on the gas-liquid equilibrium in the absorber, there may be a situation in which part of the carbon dioxide dissolved in the lean liquid supplied from the stripper to the absorber is released from the lean liquid. Therefore, there is a possibility that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the treated gas discharged from the absorber is raised and the carbon dioxide capture rate is lowered.

Carbon dioxide capture system and carbon dioxide capture method


According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a non-volatile memory with a plurality of blocks. The minimum unit of a data erasing operation in the memory system is a block. A controller is electrically connected to the non-volatile memory and configured to execute, in response to a first command from a host requesting a secure erase of secure erase target data stored in a first logical area identified by a first logical area identifier, a copy operation copying valid data other than any secure erase target data from one or more first blocks of the plurality in which the secure erase target data is stored to one or more copy destination blocks of the plurality. The controller executes the data erasing operation on the one or more first blocks after the copy operation.

In recent years, memory systems having a non-volatile memory have become widespread. As one such memory system, a solid-state drive (SSD) having a NAND type flash memory is known.
Overwrite, block erase, and cryptographic erase are known as secure erase methods of safely and surely erasing data stored in an SSD. The secure erase methods are classified into a physical secure erase method that is an erase method of making stored data physically and irreversibly unreadable and a logical secure erase method that is an erase method of making stored data logically unreadable. Each of overwrite and block erase is an example of the physical secure erase method. Cryptographic erase is an example of the logical secure erase method.
In cryptographic erase, an encryption key used when data stored in an SSD is encrypted is erased by the physical secure erase method. Thereby, the stored data is no longer able to be decrypted, and can be said to be logically erased.
Recently, there has been a demand to perform secure erase on specific data among all the data stored in a memory system, such as an SSD, by a physical secure erase method.


An apparatus for exercising abdominal muscles comprises a load cable which is received by a pulley. The pulley is connected to a structure through a connector, and a single handle is connected to the first end of the load cable. A neck collar is connected to the second end of the load cable. In the method of exercising, the user lays on a surface and contracts the abdominal muscles to raise the torso no more than halfway to the normal position. Concurrently, the user pulls the handle such that a load is communicated between the handle and the neck collar to assist the abdominal muscles in raising the torso.

Physical fitness continues to be extremely important in our society. At the same time, however, many persons find it increasingly difficult to go to a gym, and consequently, home exercise equipment is often desirable. In addition, persons who travel may find it difficult to exercise when away from home. Thus, portability and compactability are increasingly desired qualities in exercise equipment.
Among fitness activities, abdominal exercises are popular. Traditionally, abdominal exercises are achieved through sit-ups, which involve a person laying on a surface and repeatedly raising the upper torso to an upright sitting position. However, traditional style sit-ups have several shortcomings. For instance, a high number of repetitions of exercises involving light weight are considered to have unique and beneficial results over a low number of repetitions of exercises involving heavy weight. However, traditional sit-ups do not permit variability in the weight, so the number of repetitions of the exercise is limited by a person's abdominal strength. As a result, some people simply lack the strength needed to perform a desired number of repetitions. Additionally, shallow sit-ups, also known as partial sit-ups, can provide superior abdominal exercise while reducing stresses through the spine. However, the repetition problem in traditional sit-ups is amplified with shallow sit-ups since the shallow portion of a sit-up is the most difficult part of the exercise (i.e. requires the most strength).


A distribution system architecture provides a platform for communicating energy services and non-traditional services as part of an overall communications infrastructure. A native message, regardless of the source of the message's application, is divided into data packets that are encapsulated and transmitted through an open network from a headend to a gateway or from the gateway to the headend. The receiver of the encapsulated data reassembles the original native message from the encapsulated data packets. The encapsulating information can include a header which incorporates a time division multiple access transport scheme. The encapsulating information at the headend provisions the gateways from the headend in a real time fashion and the headend dynamically allocates the gateway functions of listening, talking and acknowledging. A third of the time slots are allocated for polling each of the gateways during a predetermined period, a second third of the time slots are allocated to asynchronous, unsolicited communications from the gateways, and the final third of the slots are reserved for either polled or asynchronous communications. The reserved slots are dynamically allocated by the headend based on system and gateway needs.

Utilities often have to cope with the problem of satisfying consumer demand for energy. Energy demands fluctuate widely between peak and off-peak periods. For example, energy demands peak during hot summer days when consumers require air conditioning. One of the ways utilities handle such situations is by employing load management systems. Information is communicated between subscribers and a headend to efficiently manage consumer energy demands.
Other energy services have been developed including utility-based applications such as water, gas, and electric meter readings. In these applications, the headend communicates with a meter at a subscriber's premises. Often subscribers want to know what their energy cost and usage are at a particular time, for example during a billing period. An existing utility application allows the subscriber to request this information from the utility. The utility first obtains the information from the meter at the subscriber's premises performs a calculation at the headend and transfers the desired information to the subscriber.
More and more applications have been developed including those which extend beyond conventional utility applications. For example, home security and monitoring and the ability to program appliances are applications which can be implemented. These applications are distributed by different companies which use different protocols for both implementation of their services and for compatibility with the devices located on the subscriber premises.
Existing systems for communicating utility applications are closed or proprietary systems which require a specific type of native message compatible with devices located on the subscriber premises. For example, the applications are distributed over a wide area network that is specifically designed to handle the protocol for a particular vendor's application and the device located at the subscriber's premises.
There is a need to provide a network distribution system in which applications having different protocols can be broadcast together over the same network.
Another problem exists in setting up a scheme for a two-way interactive network distribution system wherein information can be transmitted in an inexpensive, orderly and an efficient manner between the headend and downstream gateways. One of the ways to control data transmission between gateways and the headend is for the gateway to be programmed to receive and transmit at specific times using a TDMA (time division multiple access) scheme. Existing TDMA schemes provision the gateway to operate stand alone. Thus, the gateway must keep track of when to talk and when to listen. These functions require processing power and are expensive to implement. As a result, existing schemes require significant processing power at the gateway because intelligence must be incorporated to provision the gateway for stand alone operation. Thus, there is a need to reduce the amount of intelligence in the gateway to limit the overall system cost and processing power required by the gateway.

Method and apparatus for communicating information between a headend and subscriber over a wide area network


A wheel loader includes a cab, a ladder provided laterally of the cab, a vehicle body cover rear of the cab, an engine, an air cleaner and a platform disposed laterally of the cab. The engine is disposed inside an engine room defined by the cover. The air cleaner has an exchangeable filter to clean air supplied to the engine. The air cleaner is disposed outside of the cover and above/rear of the ladder. The ladder has a first top step projecting laterally relative to the platform, and steps below projecting laterally relative to the first step. Preferably at least one of the first and second steps has a larger projection amount than the step below. Preferably, a projection amount of a third step positioned at a bottom is smaller than a projection amount of at least one of the first and second steps.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wheel loader.
2. Background Information
An exhaust gas post-treatment device is mounted on a wheel loader. The exhaust gas post-treatment device includes a diesel particulate filtering device that collects and removes particulate matter such as smoke and the like included in the diesel engine exhaust. The diesel particulate filtering device is mounted in a row with an air cleaner on an upper portion of the engine. A nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device may also be provided to remove NOx from the exhaust. The nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device is provided on the exhaust downstream side of the diesel particulate filtering device.
As described above, while the diesel particulate filtering device is disposed with the air cleaner on an upper portion of the engine, the installation location of the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device becomes a problem if the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device is installed along with the diesel particulate filtering device. Since the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device needs to be disposed on the exhaust downstream side of the diesel particulate filtering device, generally the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device is mounted in a row with the air cleaner and the diesel particulate filtering device on the upper portion of the engine when the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device is installed along with the diesel particulate filtering device.
However, a problem arises with the spatial relationship when the air cleaner, the diesel particulate filtering device, and the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device are all disposed in a row above the engine. Therefore, while disposing a relatively light air cleaner above the diesel particulate filtering device and the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device may be considered, the top plate of the engine room becomes higher in this case and visibility to the rear is reduced.
Accordingly, a configuration has been proposed for a large-scale dump truck described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-335268 in which an engine room is provided beside the cab and an air cleaner is disposed on the outside of the engine room. With such a configuration, visibility to the rear is not reduced when the air cleaner is disposed on the upper portion of the engine room.


A wireless communication system in which a master device and a slave device each performing wireless communication by a frequency hopping system can operate in synchronism with each other. In the master device, a master microcomputer outputs a first sync signal to a RTC unit after a transmission timing signal is received and a carrier frequency is changed a predetermined number of times according to a first change timing signal. In the slave device, a slave microcomputer outputs a second sync signal to a RTC unit after a reception timing signal is received and a carrier frequency is changed the predetermined number of times according to a second change timing signal.

Conventionally, there has been proposed a wireless frequency hopping technique in which a carrier frequency is switched according to a hopping pattern. For example, PTL1 discloses a trigger generation apparatus for providing a measurement start trigger to a measurement apparatus that measures a condition of a communication apparatus for performing communication by a frequency hopping system. The trigger generation apparatus has a communication means for data communication with the communication apparatus and a frequency hopping means for switching a frequency used in the communication means. The trigger generation apparatus outputs a trigger at time of communication of a measurement start position in data (e.g., at communication of a payload header of a data packet). In response to the trigger, the measurement apparatus starts measurement. This makes it easy for the measurement apparatus to be synchronized with the communication apparatus.

Wireless communication system including frequency hopping electronic devices, and control method and storage medium therefor


The comparator-system DC-DC converter 1 comprises the voltage conversion section 100 and the control unit 200. The control unit 200 comprises comparator sections 20 and 40 which compare the output voltage of the voltage conversion section 100 and the reference voltage, and determine a predetermined ON width of the ON pulse or the OFF width of the OFF pulse of the control signal Ssw, and a counter section 60 which counts at least either one of the ON pulses and OFF pulses of the control signal and counts the reference clocks to adjust the predetermined ON width so that the ratio between the count value of the control signal Ssw and the count value of the reference clock is M:N where M and N are natural numbers.

DC-DC converters which generate an output voltage which is stabilized by an input voltage are known. A variety of systems may be considered as methods of stabilizing the output voltage of a DC-DC converter. For example, Patent Document 1 mentions a switching DC-DC converter which uses a PWM (pulse width modulation). The PWM system is able to stabilize the output voltage by making the switching frequency constant and adjusting the ON pulse width. There are also switching DC-DC converters which employ a comparator system. A comparator system is able to stabilize the output voltage by using a comparator to make the ON pulse width constant and adjust the OFF pulse width (that is, the switching frequency).
This DC-DC converter can be used as a voltage source such as a PU (Processor Unit). In a PU, the consumed current increases suddenly when moving from a standby state to a processing state. When the output voltage drops suddenly as a result of a sudden increase in the load current, a comparator-system DC-DC converter immediately outputs the ON pulse. Hence, in comparison with a PWM system which is unable to output a pulse during a predetermined OFF-pulse period, the output voltage stabilizes rapidly. Thus, the comparator system possesses the characteristic that the response characteristic with respect to a sudden increase in the load current is favorable in comparison with that of a PWM system.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2000-287439.


The device for blow molding of a thermoplastic material contains a heating device for tempering preforms and a blow device for blow forming the preforms into a container. For controlling at least one blow station provided in the region of the blow device at least one preloadable control disk is provided. The control disk is preloaded relative to a carrier disk by at least one pneumatic spring and is connected to a pressure relief device allowing pressure free maintenance.

The invention concerns a device for blowmolding a thermoplastic material, which includes a heating device for tempering preforms and a blow device for blowmolding the preforms into a container, and in which at least one preloadable control disk is provided for triggering at least one blow station located in the region of the blow device.
Such devices are used, for example, in order to mold preforms, especially preforms made of polyethylene, into containers. For tempering of the preforms heating elements are provided in the region of the heating facility, which emit the energy tempering the preform. After they are tempered, the preforms are transferred to the blow device, and are there, in the region of blow stations, formed into containers. Especially in the case of blow devices in the form of blow wheels,.control disks are used, which, in combination with carrier disks and depending on their rotational positioning, supply pneumatic elements in the region of the blow station with working air. For this purpose groove-shaped recesses are provided in the area of the control disk, which are developed partly to carry pressure and partly to exhaust pressure. Along the groove-shaped recesses holes are drilled in the region of the carrier disk, and via these drillings working pressure is conveyed to the pneumatic elements, or compressed air conveyed to the pneumatic elements is exhausted. To ensure compact construction the control disk is sealed against the carrier disk by a relatively thin, planar gasket. To ensure a sufficiently reliable seal, the control disk is pre-loaded with regard to the carrier disk. The pre-load can occur, for example, in such a way, that the control disk is fixed and the carrier disk is positioned rotatably relative to a center column. In the region of its extension away from the control disk, the carrier disk is equipped with a spring holding it against the control disk. For the design of such a spring it is known to use mechanical spring elements, for example, disk springs.
The use of such disk springs has the disadvantage, that in order to allow the possibility of movement of the carrier disk relative to the control disk and thus to allow the possibility of positioning the blow wheel in a maintenance or service operation, a counter force compensating for the spring force of the disk spring has to be generated by way of a pneumatic supply. This has the consequence that a pressureless operation of the device is not possible. Especially in the case of problems in the region of the machine or for carrying out service- or adjustment work, working without pressure is desirable to avoid danger to persons working near the device.
The use of mechanical spring elements has further the disadvantage that during assembly tensile forces have to be generated which increase the assembly cost.
It is the task of the present invention, therefore, to improve a device of the introductorily named type in such a manner, that the assembly and service qualities are improved.
In accordance with this invention the problem is solved, in that the control disk is preloadable vis-a-vis a carrier disk by at least one pneumatic spring is connected to a pressure release device allowing pressure-free maintenance operations.
The use of a pneumatic spring makes it possible, to divert the pre-load force of supply pressure to be distributed. When the supply pressure is removed then the spring force is removed at the same time. In the case of performing maintenance in the absence of pressure it is thus possible to perform rotational movements in the region of the blow wheel without compensating for the mechanical pre-load forces. The use of a pre-load device in the form of a pneumatic spring has the further advantage, that for the assembly no pre-load forces need to be generated. The elements of the pneumatic spring can rather be assembled with introduction of a significant force and the pre-load forces are not provided until the start of operation after actuation of the supply pressure.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is proposed that the pneumatic spring is formed at least one piston covered with a membrane. Such membranes are especially suited for carrying out short stroke adjustment motions and facilitate the positioning of a piston, which transmit the pre-load to the carrier disk.
According to another preferred embodiment provision is made that the piston is formed as an annular piston which is arranged essentially concentric with the axis of motion of the carrier disk. By forming it as an annular piston it is assured that in spite of a relatively simple drive a large pressure surface is provided and thus an effective power transmission is made possible.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the assembly and maintenance properties are additionally improved, in that a two step pressure reducer is used for adjusting the supply pressure. The two step construction makes it possible to make a preadjustment by means of pressure regulator, which, for example, is equipped with a handwheel, which is then used for the adjustment of the main pressure regulator. Hitherto required extensive mechanical adjustment efforts are thus avoided.
A further improvement of the assembly properties is achieved in that at least in the region where transfer elements connect the heating device with the blow device, torsionally stiff couplings are provided. The use of such couplings has the advantage that an assembly with relatively large tolerances can be carried out and deviations regarding tilt and a mismatch in the region of rotational shafts can be compensated.
Further details of the present invention emerge from the subsequent detailed description and the attached drawings, in which, for example, preferred embodiments of the invention are shown.


This invention provides an isolated DNA molecule which encodes interleukin 6 (IL-6) of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. Antisense oligonucleotide molecules are also provided.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a new human herpesvirus (HHV8). Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common neoplasm occurring in persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Approximately 15-20% of AIDS patients develop this neoplasm which rarely occurs in immunocompetent individuals 13, 14!. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that AIDS-associated KS (AIDS-KS) has an infectious etiology. Gay and bisexual AIDS patients are approximately twenty times more likely than hemophiliac AIDS patients to develop KS, and KS may be associated with specific sexual practices among gay men with AIDS 6, 15, 55, 83!. KS is uncommon among adult AIDS patients infected through heterosexual or parenteral HIV transmission, or among pediatric AIDS parenteral HIV transmission, or among pediatric AIDS patients infected through vertical HIV transmission 77!. Agents previously suspected of causing KS include cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus, human papillomavirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Mycoplasma penetrans 18, 23, 85, 91, 92!. Non-infectious environmental agents, such as nitrite inhalants, also have been proposed to play a role in KS tumorigenesis 33!. Extensive investigations, however, have not demonstrated an etiologic association between any of these agents and AIDS-KS 37, 44, 46, 90!.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) interleukin 6 (IL-6) and uses thereof

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A container includes a bowl having a bowl interior space for holding solid material and a bowl opening for accessing the interior space of the bowl from an exterior of the bowl. The container also includes a bowl support having a bowl support interior space within which the bowl is located and a bowl support opening for accessing the interior space of the bowl support from an exterior of the container. The bowl is biased toward an upright orientation of the bowl independent of the rotational orientation of the bowl support. The bowl support opening overlies the bowl opening when both the bowl and the bowl support are in respective upright orientations, and the bowl support covers the bowl openings when the bowl support is tilted.

All of the material in this patent document, including the computer program listing, is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.
The present invention relates to a spill-proof container, and in particular to a particulate material container with an access opening that closes when the container is tipped from its normal upright position, preventing contents spillage.
Numerous spill-proof containers are described in the prior art for holding drinks or other liquids. When designed for use by children, such containers are commonly referred to as "sippy" cups. Spill-proof containers for liquids prevent liquid spillage by using a tubular member that extends into a larger outer container for holding a reservoir of liquid, or by using a valve arrangement adjacent the discharge opening, which is often sized to fit the user's mouth. These containers are not suitable for use in holding particulate material, whether or not a liquid is also present, since it is necessary for the user to have access, either by hand or a utensil, to the particulate material in order to remove the material from the container.
Several containers are also described in the prior art for use in holding particulate materials, or a combination of a particulate material and a liquid. These containers purport to hold particulate material in an easily accessible manner, while preventing discharge of material from the container when the container is tipped or inverted.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,174 to Williams, describes a spill-proof container for dry granular foodstuffs, such as cereal, which is comprised of an outer container into which the foodstuff is placed, and a smaller, open-bottom container that extends into the outer container. A cover extends over the space between the outer and inner containers. The user reaches through the inner container into the outer container to remove the foodstuff. If the container is tipped, the foodstuff is held within the space between the containers. Due to the configuration required to prevent spillage, the outer container can only be partially filled, and access is cumbersome, since only the material immediately beneath the inner container is accessible.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,103 to Abernathy et al. also describes a cereal bowl comprised of a smaller container within a larger container. The space between the upper edges of the containers is open. In the event the bowl is tipped, the cereal in the inner bowl spills into the outer bowl. This alternative has no provision for recovery of the spilled material within the outer bowl and effectively requires discarding the cereal in the event of spillage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,514 to Tubbs and U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,384 to Voloshin describe containers for food items, such as cereal flakes, crackers, cookies, and the like, in which the top is covered with a cap having a plurality of flexible, pie-shaped flaps that together form a spill-proof cover. The flaps are flexed in order to access the container contents. The flaps hinder access and prevent viewing of the contents.
There remains a need for a spill-proof container for particulate material that enables easy access to and viewing of the material during normal container usage, but which will prevent spillage of the material if the container is tipped. Preferably, the material within the container is not discharged from its original storage location and is recoverable when the container is returned to the upright position.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A field effect transistor, FET, (11) having a gate dielectric of varying thickness (14, 24) to improve device performance. The FET (11) is made on a substrate (10) and has a control electrode, or gate (16), and two current electrodes, or source and drain regions (28), which are separated by a channel region. The gate (16) is separated from the channel region by a gate dielectric. The gate dielectric has a centrally located first region that is of a first thickness (14) and a second region which is adjacent a perimeter of the first region that is of a second thickness (24). The second thickness (24) is made greater than the first thickness (14).

When NMOS, PMOS and CMOS technologies were first put into production in the semiconductor industry most metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) were fabricated with relatively thick gate oxides. For most applications gate oxides or gate dielectrics are used to isolate a conductive gate region from a substrate region which is usually called a channel. The thicker gate oxides gave the advantages of: (1) almost no leakage current resulting from valence band to conduction band transitions; (2) less MOSFET degradation with time, i.e. improved lifetime by reducing a well-known gate damaging hot electron injection phenomena; and (3) less Miller Capacitance, i.e. less gate-to-source and gate-to-drain capacitance which helps to improve on-to-off and off-to-on switching speed. However, the thicker gate oxides resulted in low gain or low current capability and short channel effects such as Drain Induced Barrier Lowering (DIBL) which adversely affect MOSFET turn on voltages or threshold voltages. DIBL is a phenomena that drastically reduces threshold voltages as the channel region length is reduced or, in other words, as the channel becomes a short channel.
To improve the performance and density of the MOSFET, the semiconductor industry began to shrink the geometry of this device not only in terms of surface area but also in terms of dielectric thickness which primarily involved the gate dielectric. As the gate dielectric was reduced in thickness, MOSFETs gained the advantage of higher source-to-drain currents which improved gain and resulted in a reduction of unwanted short channel behavior. The thinner gate dielectric also produced undesirable results, such as: (1) a higher gate current leakage from source-to-gate, from drain-to-gate and from channel-to-gate due to hot carrier effects; (2) valence band to conduction band current leakage in the source and drain; (3) strong degradation of the gate and therefore a shorter lifetime; and (4) larger Miller Capacitance which slowed the device. As the MOSFET size continued to shrink towards submicron sizes, it was realized that a new technology would have to be developed to keep current leakage and capacitance from becoming too extreme and performance limiting. This new technology had to be capable of further size reduction due to the fact that all the MOSFETs used up to this point in time were no longer electrically or mechanically capable of further reduction.
To correct some of the problems resulting from thin gate oxides and to allow further device size reduction in MOSFETs, Lightly Doped Drain (LDD) transistor structures were researched. LDD transistors helped reduce hot carrier effects and improve MOSFET lifetime as is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,100, issued Aug. 21, 1990, by Louis C. Parillo, entitled, "Hot Electron Collector for a LDD Transistor" and assigned to the assignee hereof. Although LDD transistor structures improved lifetime by reducing hot carrier effects, the structures, in general, did little to improve upon Miller Capacitance switching speed problems, short channel effects, and other typical thin dielectric MOSFET shortcomings. Not being able to shrink the presently existing LDD structures below critical dimensions of roughly 0.5 micron (.mu.) without introducing heavy current leakage and DIBL also hindered further progress.
A transistor structure referred to as an "Inverse T LDD" structure was also proposed. Although this transistor structure and other variations of this type of structure made some improvements over most thin gate MOSFET structures and LDD transistor structures, a noted disadvantage of Inverse T LDD MOSFETs is large pitch and therefore poor circuit density. In addition, the Inverse T LDD transistor structure still does not greatly improve upon valence band to conduction band transition leakage current or Miller Capacitance.

Field effect transistor having a gate dielectric with variable thickness


Each of image-signal-line drive circuits includes a timing controller that generates a control signal controlling itself and other image-signal-line drive circuit, and a master/slave selection circuit that sets itself as a master mode image-signal-line drive circuit or a slave mode image-signal-line drive circuit based on a selection signal to be given from outside. From among the plurality of image-signal-line drive circuits, the master mode image-signal-line drive circuit gives the control signal to the slave mode image-signal-line drive circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to display devices such as liquid crystal display devices, and particularly to an active-matrix display device.
2. Description of the Background Art
These days, display devices, such as liquid crystal display devices, are used in a wide field of application from home TVs to industrial displays.
For example, a configuration of a liquid crystal display device is roughly classified into a liquid crystal panel and a drive unit that drives the liquid crystal panel. A conventional drive unit includes a plurality of image-signal-line drive circuits, a plurality of scanning line drive circuits, and a timing controller that serves as a control circuit for driving these drive circuits.
Each image-signal-line drive circuit is an integrated circuit for driving the image signal lines of the liquid crystal panel. The plurality of integrated circuits are used to drive all the image signal lines of the liquid crystal panel. Similarly, each scanning line drive circuit is an integrated circuit for driving the scanning lines of the liquid crystal panel. The plurality of integrated circuits are used to drive all the scanning lines of the liquid crystal panel.
The timing controller receives image data, control reference signals that serve as a reference for controlling the image-signal-line drive circuit and the scanning line drive circuit, and a dot clock (DCLK) that serves as a reference for performing processes. The above-described control reference signals include signals such as a horizontal synchronizing signal (HD) used as a reference signal for horizontal synchronization of the liquid crystal panel, a vertical synchronizing signal (VD) used as a reference signal for vertical synchronization of the liquid crystal panel, and a data enable signal (DENA) that indicates a period in which the image data is valid.
These days, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-190932, an image-signal-line drive circuit in which a timing controller is installed (incorporated) has been developed. Since such an image-signal-line drive circuit eliminates the need for a circuit substrate for the timing controller, it is possible to reduce material costs. This results in achievement of low pricing of liquid crystal display devices.
The liquid crystal display device is provided with the plurality of image-signal-line drive circuits in each of which the timing controller is incorporated. One timing controller in itself, however, will suffice. Accordingly, one of the plurality of image-signal-line drive circuits is used in master mode. The remaining image-signal-line drive circuit is used in slave mode. More specifically, the master mode image-signal-line drive circuit operates based on its timing controller. The slave mode image-signal-line drive circuit receives the control signal from the timing controller of the master mode image-signal-line drive circuit and operates. In this case, it is possible to reduce power consumption by suspending the timing controller of the slave mode image-signal-line drive circuit.


A transmission level setting circuit outputs a signal having a transmission level with respect to a portable telephone based on a signal transmitted from a modem unit. The transmission level setting circuit includes a part which receives the signal from the modem unit, and a circuit which automatically outputs a signal having a fixed level regardless of the signal transmission level of the modem unit.

The present invention generally relates to transmission level setting circuits and modem units, and more particularly to a transmission level setting circuit which sets a carrier transmission level when making a data communication on a switched line or a radio line of a portable telephone, and to a modem unit using such a transmission level setting circuit.
Recently, it has become possible to make a data communication using a switched line or a radio line of a portable telephone by connecting a modem unit to the portable telephone or the switched line and controlling the modem unit from a personal computer or the like. In this case, because of the structural differences between the switched line and the radio line, the methods of setting the carrier transmission level from the modem unit are different between the case where the switched line is used and the case where the radio line is used. For this reason, in the general modem unit, the setting of the carrier transmission level is changed depending on the line used.
When making the data communication via the switched line, signal attenuation occurs depending on the distance from the modem unit to an exchange. Hence, in order to set the carrier transmission level of the modem unit to an optimum value, it is necessary to take into consideration the attenuation value and to increase and set the carrier transmission level depending on the attenuation value.
In a conventional modem unit that is used to make the data communication via the switched line, a standard setting of the carrier transmission level when the modem unit is shipped from a factory is -15 dBm, for example. For this reason, when this modem unit is connected to the personal computer or the like, it is necessary to increase the carrier transmission level at a transmitter part within the modem unit depending on the signal attenuation value that is dependent on the distance from the modem unit to the exchange. Such a change in the carrier transmission level is made manually from the personal computer or the like to which the modem unit is connected, by a qualified person such as the engineer in charge of the work.
On the other hand, when making the data communication via the radio line of the portable telephone, there is no need to take into consideration the signal attenuation value because the modem unit and the portable telephone are connected within a short distance. Hence, the carrier transmission level of the modem unit can be set to the optimum value by setting the carrier transmission level to a maximum value within a range of the input level specified by the portable telephone.
A conventional modem unit that is used to make the data communication via the radio line of the portable telephone is connected to the portable telephone via an attenuator which reduces the standard carrier transmission level that is set at the time of the shipping from the factory to -51 dBm, for example, and a resistor having a transmission impedance of 600 .OMEGA.. Accordingly, when making the data communication via the radio line of the portable telephone, it is necessary to change the carrier transmission level manually from the personal computer or the like to which the modem unit is connected, by a qualified person such as the engineer in charge of the work.
According to the conventional modem units, it was necessary to manually change the carrier transmission level depending on the kind of line that is used for the data communication, and there was a problem in that it required a troublesome operation of manually changing the carrier transmission level. In addition, a person who may perform such a troublesome operation was limited to a qualified person such as the engineer in change of the work, thereby leading to another problem in that the general users were prevented from freely making the data communication using the portable telephone.
On the other hand, it is conceivable to connect between the modem unit that is connected to the switched line and the portable telephone an adapter having a circuit which attenuates a signal in a signal path from the modem unit to the portable telephone by a fixed attenuation value of 36 dB, for example. Even in this case, however, problems similar to those of the conventional modem unit described above occur because the carrier transmission level from the adapter to the portable telephone will change if the carrier transmission level from the modem unit changes.

Transmission level setting circuit and modem unit using the same


A paint mist removing apparatus comprising a constricted passage for allowing a paint mist laden gas from a spraying chamber to flow at high velocity confluently with a cleaning liquid for delivery to an exhaust chamber; a liquid shooting section for scattering the cleaning liquid, in fine droplets in the gas flowing from a passage inlet down the constricted passage, toward a cleaning region in the constricted passage below the passage inlet; an upwardly facing inclined wall surface formed in the constricted passage for receiving droplets having captured paint mist in the gas flowing through the cleaning region, and guiding downflow of a liquid formed by collection of the droplets received; a downwardly facing wall surface formed in the constricted passage to be continuous from a lower end of the upwardly facing inclined wall surface; and a curved wall surface formed in the constricted passage between the upwardly facing inclined wall surface and the downwardly facing wall surface for deflecting the gas in the constricted passage toward the downwardly facing wall surface. The curved wall surface acts as a second liquid shooting section for separating and scattering the liquid flowing down the upwardly facing inclined wall surface, in fine droplets in the gas flowing through the constricted passage, toward a second cleaning region in the constricted passage below the downwardly facing wall surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to paint mist removing apparatus, and more particularly to a paint mist removing apparatus having a constricted passage for allowing a gas laden with overspray paint mist from a spraying chamber to flow at high speed, along with a cleaning liquid, down to an exhaust chamber. The constricted passage includes a liquid shooting section for scattering the cleaning liquid toward a cleaning region formed in a lower portion of the constricted passage, while reducing the cleaning liquid to fine droplets in the gas flowing down the constricted passage.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 7, a paint mist removing apparatus of the type noted above has a constricted passage 12 including a cleaning region S1 disposed below a passage inlet 12a and defining a droplet thick region where cleaning liquid W is dispersed from a liquid shooting section H1 while being reduced to fine droplets. In the cleaning region S1, the liquid droplets capture overspray paint mist in a passing gas A, thereby removing the overspray paint mist from the gas A. The cleaning region S1 providing the droplet thick region is formed in an intermediate portion of the constricted passage 12 where the gas flow is maintained at high velocity. This assures a higher mist capturing efficiency than the cleaning region being formed downstream of the constricted passage 12 where the gas flow is considerably decelerated upon discharge from the constricted passage 12 to an exhaust chamber 11.
Conventionally, this type of paint mist removing apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7, has the constricted passage 12 including only one cleaning region S1 below the passage inlet 12a, and only one liquid shooting section H1 to cooperate with the cleaning region S1.
A still greater efficiency of capturing overspray paint mist is demanded today. Attempts have been made to promote the mist capturing efficiency by diminishing a sectional area of the constricted passage 12 to increase gas velocity, or by causing an increased quantity of cleaning liquid to flow through the constricted passage 12 along with gas A. The diminished sectional area of the passage or increased quantity of cleaning liquid results in a greater pressure loss in the constricted passage 12. This brings about a disadvantage of greatly increasing noise (mainly noise of the scattering cleaning liquid) leaking from the constricted passage 12 to a spraying chamber 1, thereby worsening working environment in the spraying chamber 1.


Orthopedic implant insertion instruments for precision guiding of a fracture fixation implant into fractured bone to promote healing are disclosed. The implant insertion instruments comprise an insertion handle for implantation of a first fixation implant, an aiming arm for precise guiding of a second fixation implant into bone, a guide sleeve for protection of soft tissue and for translational and rotational control of the second fixation implant, and a drive shaft with coupling screw for attachment to the second fixation implant and for driving the second fixation element through the aiming arm and guide sleeve into the fractured bone. The implant insertion instruments also include a soft tissue clearance device to aid the surgeon in inserting the first fixation implant into the fractured bone. Also disclosed is a measuring device that reduces measuring errors made by a user and a measuring device that determines implant length, diameter, and angle of insertion.

Skeletal fractures are common injuries. These fractures are typically debilitating and often require the patient to undergo surgery. Depending on the severity of the fracture, the orthopedic surgeon has several options for treatment, ranging from simple fracture reducing implants to complete prosthetic replacements. However, even when the treatment of the fracture does not call for a complicated procedure such as complete replacement, the proper setting of a fractured bone can still pose substantial challenges to even the most skilled orthopedic surgeon.
The difficulties that a surgeon has to deal with when reducing a fracture are well-known. These difficulties include dealing with the shape and positioning of the bones or bone fragments when aligning the fracture and the accompanying complications regarding the proper placement of an orthopedic implant for supporting and holding the fracture in proper alignment until it heals. This latter problem of implant alignment still remains as one of the challenges facing an orthopedic surgeon in fracture surgery.
For example, fractures which occur in the femur, and especially in the femoral neck and intertrochanteric regions, have traditionally been treated by inserting a nail, such as an intramedullary nail, along the longitudinal axis of the femur and by inserting a second fixation implant, such as a locking implant, from the side of the femur, through the femoral neck, via the intramedullary nail, and into the femoral head. The fixation implant may then be locked to the intramedullary nail and they cooperate to align and compress the bone fragments. However, in order for the fixation implant to be properly implanted in the femoral head, the implant must be aligned prior to insertion through the femur. This is the challenge orthopedic surgeons face with during fracture surgery.
A variety of alignment systems have been developed to facilitate orthopedic implant placement in bone fracture surgery. The use of such alignment systems have substantially assisted orthopedic surgeons in aligning and implanting fixation implants to insure the proper healing of the fracture. However, the previous alignment systems have not been able to accurately predict insertion depth and translational distance and, more importantly, have not been able to accurately predict rotational distance and orientation. Accordingly, there exists a need for improved fixation implant systems.


Safety structure for protecting a railway line includes a fencing on supports resting on the track bed. These supports are connected to a rail of a railway line. The connection is effected by magnetic force. At their free ends, the supports have permanent magnets having a shape allowing them to engage the web of a rail. Due to the significant length of the supports, it is possible to apply a great torque to the magnets when the other end is engaged, that is to say that end which is turned away from the permanent magnets, as a result of which the magnet slides away along the web and can be detached therefrom. The magnet may consist of a number of magnets stacked on top of one another. The magnet is preferably arranged so as to be slightly displaceable with respect to the support to provide compensation for an uneven surface.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety structure for protecting a construction including a rail extending along the construction.
Description of the Related Art
A structure of this type is generally known in the state of the art. Examples which may be mentioned include FR 2,904,836, NL 1,030,956 and GB 2,333,795. All these structures are configured to connect the support to a rail of the railway track which is still present, due to the fact that when work is being carried out on double or multiple tracks, one railway track will generally be worked on while the other railway track will remain in use. Therefore, the railway workers will have to be protected. The only fixed points on such a railway track are the rails and sleepers. Therefore, the above-described prior art proposes a structure which engages with the rail foot or the centre sections of the rail, since the head of the rail has to remain clear for any passing trains.
NL 1 030 956 discloses a securing structure for a fence or the like which uses clamps. These clamps engage with the foot of a rail and are provided with a recess to this end. One of the clamps consists of two clamping bodies which are spaced apart and between which a magnet is arranged which comes to lie against the foot, thus locking the clamps.
WO 2007/035085 discloses a completely mechanical clamping system which is clamped between the head, the body and the foot of the rail.
This means that the fitting of such fencing is a complicated matter which takes up a considerable amount of time. The fitting and removal of fencing is a highly critical period because, at those times, the railway workers are not protected, and/or the railway traffic has to be halted completely.


This Invention is a method and apparatus for spraying water on the underside of a series of colorant applicators in order to rinse excess colorant from the machine parts. There is a water manifold having a first end portion connected to an upper trolley by a pivoting joint and a second end portion attached to a lower trolley by both a pivoting joint and a sliding joint. Both the upper and lower trollies are constrained in the horizontal, vertical, and rotational direction by a series of cam followers. The extra degrees of freedom provided by the two pivoting joints and the sliding joint insure that no binding occurs. An optional feedback control system can be added utilizing a rotational position transducer to sense the angle of the water manifold so that the motion of the trolleys can be retarded or advanced accordingly.

Previously developed washing systems for colorant applicators involved a manifold that was mounted on wheels having V-shaped grooves that rode on top of a V-shaped track. This system had frequent tracking problems ranging from binding to derailment due to the fact that this was a very fixed and rigid structure. Temperature variation is also a significant factor in the derailment and misalignment of the washing system.
The present invention solves these problems in a manner not disclosed in the known prior art.

Method and apparatus for cleaning colorant applicators


Disclosed are a method of multi-streaming encrypted contents stored in a storage medium to a second player during streaming the contents to a first player, and an apparatus using the same. The method includes: temporarily storing the encrypted contents streaming to the first player in a temporary storage medium; and streaming the stored contents to the second player in response to a multi-streaming command input by a user to the second player, wherein key generation information required to decrypt the encrypted contents is not stored in the temporary storage medium. It is possible to provide a multi-streaming with a copy protection through temporary storage, and also to reduce noise caused by rotation of the disc in the streaming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-streaming apparatus and a multi-streaming method, and more particularly, to a multi-streaming apparatus and a multi-streaming method which reduce noise and provide a content copy protection by using a temporary storage medium.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional home networks require multi-streaming of contents stored in a storage medium to a plurality of players. Typically, a streaming apparatus reads contents from a storage medium and produces streaming packets to transmit them to one or more players. The player receives packets, reorganizes the contents, decodes them according to a predetermined moving picture compression standard, and plays back the contents.
A streaming apparatus can read different portions of a certain content stored in a storage medium. For example, two or more players may simultaneously read a 2-hour movie from a 5-minute location after the start of the movie and from a 1-hour location after the start of the movie, respectively. In addition, a streaming server in the player can perform a multi-streaming of the contents from one or more sources.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional streaming apparatus 10.
The streaming apparatus 10 includes a disc drive 12, a decryption unit 13, and a streaming server 14.
The disc drive 12 reads binary signals from a storage medium 11, and extracts a content key 16 and key generation information 17 from the binary signals. The key generation information 17 is information used to decrypt the contents, for example, information used to produce the decryption key for decrypting the contents.
The decryption unit 13 decrypts the contents 16 based on the key generation information 17 and additional information to produce decrypted contents 18. Here, the additional information means information used or generated in the streaming apparatus 10. The decryption unit 13 may include all functions necessary for only authorized persons to decrypt corresponding contents through various methods such as authentication of the streaming apparatus. Thus, the decryption unit 13 is called a content protection system (CPS).
The streaming server 14 produces streaming packets 19 by using the decrypted contents 18 and transmits the streaming packets to the player 20.
The player 20 includes a streaming client 21 and a decoder 22. The streaming client 21 combines the streaming packets 19 to reorganize the contents 23, and the decoder 22 decodes the contents 23 according to a predetermined moving picture compression standard to produce video signals 24 and display them.
When two or more players 20 are provided, the disc drive 12, the decryption unit 13, and the streaming server 14 are concurrently operated in the streaming apparatus 10. For convenience of explanation, a stream to a first device is referred to as a first stream and a stream to a second device is referred to as a second stream. The disc drive 12 concurrently reads binary signals corresponding to the first stream and the second stream, respectively, and extracts contents and key generation information of the first stream, and another contents and key generation information of the second stream, respectively. Also, the decryption unit 13 and the streaming server 14 concurrently process a decryption and streaming procedure for the first stream and another decryption and decryption procedure for the second stream.
Unfortunately, the conventional streaming apparatus generates noise. Since the disc drive is required to read the binary signals from a storage medium 11 at a speed of "1× speed*the number of players," in theory, the disc must be rotated at a high speed, thereby generating noise.
For example, supposing a family member in a living room starts to watch a movie stored in a blue-ray disc ROM installed in the living room, and another family member in another room tries to watch the same movie from the beginning after one hour, the family member in the living room will see the movie with noise caused by the rotation of the disc.
Furthermore, an experimental result shows that the blue-ray disc would require a 4× or more speed for a normal playback in streaming a video content to two or more players when the video content to be played requires a high definition (HD) quality or higher. In this case, the noise problem can not be avoided.
On the other hand, recently, the whole contents are encrypted and then stored in a storage medium for copy protection, and a content protection system is included in a streaming apparatus. However, a multi-streaming apparatus having such a copy protection function has not been yet provided.

Multi-streaming apparatus and multi-streaming method using temporary storage medium


The present subject matter provides for a multi-layer conductive trace. The trace can be formed by digital printing the individual layers and firing. The individual layers each impart functional characteristics to the conductive trace and each layer has components that can be adjusted to affect the performance characteristics of that particular layer without detrimentally affecting the performance characteristics of the remaining layers.

Conductive traces are well known in the art and are typically produced with very small, thin copper pathways as the conductive material. One problem associated with copper traces is that copper is subject to corrosion from various sources. Copper forms compounds with oxidation states +1 (cuprous) and +2 (cupric). Although copper does not react with water, it does react with atmospheric oxygen forming a layer of brown-black copper oxide. Oxidation of the surface of the copper forms a green layer of verdigris (copper carbonate) that protects the bulk of the copper from further corrosion. However, in conductive traces, where the copper is formed from a layer having very thin width and thickness, "surface" corrosion can potentially break the conductive pathway or degrade performance of the conductive trace. Copper also reacts with sulfides, such as hydrogen sulfide, to form various copper sulfides on the surface of the copper. In reacting with sulfides, the copper corrodes, as is seen when copper is exposed to air containing sulfur compounds. Oxygen-containing ammonia solutions also react with copper to produce water-soluble complexes, as do oxygen and hydrochloric acid to form copper chlorides and acidified hydrogen peroxide to form copper (II) salts. Copper (II) chloride and copper react to form copper (I) chloride. Therefore there is a need to protect the copper traces from corrosion.
Conductive traces are typically formed by either subtractive or additive processes. Generally, in a subtractive process, copper is coated on a substrate and unwanted portions are removed to leave thin traces of copper. One problem with conventional subtractive processes is that they produce unwanted waste. Subtractive production techniques often begin with copper applied to one or both sides of a substrate. The trace is formed by etching away the unwanted copper from the substrate, leaving behind thin conductive copper traces on the substrate. The etching process typically utilizes ammonium persulfate or ferric chloride. The chemicals and removed unwanted copper is corrosive and toxic and produces environmental concerns and excess waste. Additionally, etching times are comparatively long. Further, as the etchant is repetitively used, copper saturates the chemical etchant making it progressively less effective in subsequently removing copper.
Generally, in an additive process to form traces, copper is formed on a substrate only in areas that form a trace. One problem associated with forming conductive traces by conventional additive processes is that the processes require multiple steps involving various equipment and machines. In a typical additive process, a substrate is imaged with a photosensitive film to produce an exposed pattern. The exposed pattern is subjected to a chemical bath to make the pattern capable of bonding with metal ions. The sensitized areas are then plated with copper to form the traces. The mask is then stripped from the substrate leaving only the copper traces.
Problems associated with both additive and subtractive conventional production techniques is that the copper traces, once formed, need to be protected against corrosion and shorting of the traces due to condensation. The traces are treated with a protective coating after being formed to protect against corrosion. This procedure requires an additional step that involves additional time, money, and equipment. Another problem with conventional production techniques is that the copper traces formed on a substrate exhibit only one color. That is, if the trace is applied to glass or a transparent plastic, the copper color of the trace is visually apparent from one or both sides of the substrate. Another problem associated with conventional techniques is that the substrates must be treated in order for the copper to appropriately bond to the surface. This again requires an additional step necessitating an investment of time and money.
One further weakness in conventional plating techniques is that the thin copper traces are subject to wear and abrasion and the conductive path is easily broken. When abraded to a point where conductivity is broken, the conductive trace becomes inoperable for its intended use.


A drum type washing machine capable of preventing/reducing damage to a damper fixing unit provided on a bottom plate for securing a damper at a fixed position by a reinforced rigidity of the damper fixing unit. The drum type washing machine includes a water tub installed in a body, at least one damper to support the water tub, and a damper fixing unit provided on the bottom plate of the body to secure the damper at a fixed position. The damper fixing unit is formed via cutting of the bottom plate and has a reinforced rigidity by a reinforcing portion formed around each cut portion of the bottom plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and, more particularly, to a washing machine capable of preventing damage to a damper fixing unit to which a damper is coupled.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Publication No. Heisei 5-253387 discloses a drum type washing machine comprising at least one damper for supporting a lower portion of a water tub and reducing vibration and shaking caused in the water tub. The damper has an upper end coupled to the lower portion of the water tub and a lower end secured to a bottom plate of a washing machine body, and acts to reduce vibration and shaking caused in the water tub by a flexible action thereof.
The disclosed washing machine comprises a damper fixing unit disposed on the bottom plate of the body and adapted to secure the lower end of the damper. The lower end of the damper and the damper fixing unit are coupled to each other by use of fixing bolts.
The damper fixing unit is conventionally attached to the bottom plate of the body by welding, or formed by cutting a portion of the bottom plate. For the fastening of the fixing bolts penetrated through the lower end of the damper, the damper fixing unit includes first and second fixing pieces extending from the bottom plate of the body to opposite sides of the lower end of the damper, respectively, each fixing piece having a bolt penetrating hole.
The damper fixing unit of the conventional washing machine having the above described configuration, however, has a problem in that a portion thereof connected to the bottom plate of the body is fragile, and therefore, the damper fixing unit and the peripheral region thereof may be damaged by repetitive vibration and shock applied thereto after the lapse of a long time.
In particular, in a case where the damper fixing unit is formed by cutting a portion of the bottom plate of the body, a boundary between the cut portion of the bottom plate and the damper fixing unit is fragile, thus having a high risk of damage.

Washing and/or drying machine having a damper connecting structure including a reinforcing portion