In a biological sample grinding device and method, a bearing having a plurality of rolling elements disposed between a pair of rings is disposed in a container in which a fluid having at least one biological sample particle therein is introduced. With the bearing immersed in the fluid having the biological sample particle therein, one ring of the bearing is rotated relative to the other ring thereof, whereupon the rolling elements roll between the pair of rings and, in response thereto, the biological sample particle is drawn by the fluid between the pair of rings where it is subject to being crushed or ground between at least one of the rolling elements and at least one of the rings. A baffle can be disposed in the container for inhibiting the rotation of the fluid and, hence, the introduction of air into the fluid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to preparation of a biological sample for testing.
2. Description of Related Art
Biological contamination of in-process materials and finished goods occurs. Current quality control and quality assurance practices employ traditional microbiology techniques that are labor intensive and often require a 3-14 day incubation time before contamination can be detected. Contamination can occur as individual growing cells, as in the case of bacteria, or as clusters or clumps of cellular growth in the form of a network of hyphae, in the case of mold. Before the latter sample can be tested for presence or absence of contamination, the clumps of growth must be broken up into individual cells or small fragments.
Several methods of breaking up a sample have been tried with various successes. Specifically, heretofore, small homogenizers, shakers with metal balls and other mechanical means of cutting or breaking up the sample into pieces have been implemented. Even though the sample was broken up into small fragments, the results were, in most cases, unacceptable because either the fragments were not uniform, the time required to fragment the sample was too long, or debris generated by the grinding device introduced background material that masked the detection of the real sample.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a device and method of breaking up biological samples for the detection of biological contamination that produce results superior to all previous devices and methods, whereupon: each sample is more uniform; the generation of debris is avoided; sample preparation time is reduced; and the noise associated with sample preparation is reduced.

Device and method for grinding biological samples


A capture basket system for use below an underdeck pipehandling machine on a drill rig. The capture basket system includes a capture basket to retain a falling object such as a pipe. The capture basket is coupled to a structure of the drill rig by an energy absorber that includes an elongated element.

The present disclosure relates to a capture basket system for an underdeck pipehandling machine. More precisely, the present disclosure relates to a capture basket system for use below an underdeck pipehandling machine on a drill rig, where the capture basket system includes a capture basket that is designed to retain a falling object such as a pipe.
An "underdeck pipehandling machine" refers to machines positioned in and below a drill deck on drill rig such as a single or multi hole mousehole or an in-deck tong.
When handling pipes in an underdeck pipehandling machine, experience shows that a danger of dropping pipes during operation exists.
A pipe or stand dropped into a mousehole or by an underdeck handling device has the potential to cause significant damage to life or property. If the dropped object is able to fall into the ocean it also has the potential to cause catastrophic damage to well head equipment.
Mouseholes are sometimes provided, with an internal energy absorbing system which is sized to handle dropped pipes/stands. Due to the high kinetic energy involved, these devices are generally for once-only use.
In the case of an internal or integrated energy absorbing system, this force would normally be transferred, to the deck or other supporting structure via the structure of the mousehole/pipe handling device. In this case, the accidentally dropped object loading would become a load case for the structural design of the mousehole/pipe handling device.
This is not an optimum situation because the accidental load may be greater than the normal operating load cases.
Designing the mousehole/pipe handling device to withstand these loads, even assuming that the elastic limits are exceeded, may be extremely difficult and may result in weight/cost penalties.
The deceleration distance is of paramount importance in the design of any energy absorbing system. The longer the deceleration distance, the lower the force applied.
Therefore, from the point of view of structural design, a "long" energy absorbing system would generally be preferable to a "short" system. However under deck devices are often in conflict with other equipment/operations such as blowout preventers (BOPs), Christmas tree handling, and the like.
This means that the structural requirements may often be incompatible with the physical layout requirements.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,527,319 and 4,982,813 explain safety and safety shock absorbing nets. However, these are not capable of retaining a killing pipe of the kind associated with drill rigs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,383 discloses an energy absorbing means that includes an energy converter for use in vehicles where a tubular converter body is deformed. GB Patent No. 2,011,019 shows a kinetic energy absorber where a tube is permanently deformed by a movable carriage, U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,399 discloses an energy absorption device that includes a sleeve through which a bolt head is drawn.

Capture basket system for an underdeck pipehandling machine


The oxide materials are of the class of ternary mesoporous mixed oxide materials including lanthanum, a metal M selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn, and zirconium or cerium such a mesoporous La—Co—Zr mixed oxide material designated as Meso LCZ[x] where x is the atomic ratio (La+Co)/La+Co+Zr. They are useful as catalysts since they show high activities for hydrocarbon oxidation and good resistance against poisoning agents. These highly ordered mesoporous mixed oxides are synthesized by: preparing an amorphous solution of a La-M precursor and adding a salt of zirconium or cerium thereto; acidifying the amorphous solution in the presence of a surfactant under conditions to obtain a clear homogeneous solution; adjusting pH of the solution under conditions to form a solid precipitate; separating the solution and surfactant from the precipitate; and calcinating the precipitate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mesoporous mixed oxide materials as a new class of SO2 resistant catalysts for hydrocarbon oxidation and a method for preparing the same. The mesoporous mixed oxide of this invention are ternary materials comprising lanthanum, a metal M selected from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn, and zirconium or cerium.
2. Description of Prior Art
The significant advantages of catalytic combustion of hydrocarbons include the more efficient use of energy source and minimum pollutant emissions as compared to convention flame combustion. Catalytic combustion at low temperature plays therefore an important role in energy supply for industrial and domestic applications. In the case of methane oxidation, the light-off point (defined as 10% conversion of the fuel stream) should ideally be achieved at a temperature of about 400° C. Therefore, in this context, catalytic materials should possess specific properties, such as high catalytic activity, low ignition temperature, long-term thermal stability, good resistance to poisoning agent and low cost.
Metal mixed oxide catalysts have been the subject of many investigations and have been recognized as active catalysts in a variety of catalytic processes such as hydrocarbon oxidation (Fokema, M. D. and Ying, J. Y., Catal Rev. Sci. Eng., 43, 2001, 1–29; A. J. Zarur and J. Y. Ying, Nature, 403, 2000, 65–67). Among them, perovskite type oxides containing transition metals (e.g., Co, Cr, Mn etc.) are considered of great interest for the combustion of hydrocarbon and NOx selective reduction etc. [Peña, M. A. and Fierro, J. L. G., Chem. Rev., 101, 101, 1981–2017; Tejuca, L. G. and Fierro, J. L. G. (Eds), Properties and Application of Perovskite-Type Oxides, Marcel Dekker Inc., New York, 1992; Kaliaguine, S., Van Neste, A., Szabo, V., Gallot, J. E., Bassir, M., and Muzychuk, R., Applied Catalysis A: General, 209, 2001, 345–358; Szabo, V., Bassir, M., Van Neste, A, and Kaliaguine, S, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 43, 2003, 81–92; Kaliaguine et al., U.S. Pat No. 6,017,504, 2000]. However, these materials usually possess low specific surface areas and are severely poisoned by a few ppm SO2. Their potential applications as catalysts are therefore limited. On the other hand, the discovery of surfactant-templated mesoporous molecular sieves with high surface area and uniform pore size [Kresge, C. T., Leonowicz, M. E., Roth, W. J. Vartuli, J. C., and Beck, J. S., Nature, 359, 1992, 710; Beck, J. S., Vartuli, J. C., Roth, W. J., Leonowicz, M. E., Kresge, C. T., Schmitt, K. D., Chu, C. T.-W., Olson, D. H, Sheppard, E. W., McCullen, S. B., Higging, J. B., and Schlenker, J. L., J. A. Chem. Soc., 114, 1992, 10834; Zhao, D., Feng, J., Huo, Q., Melosh, N., Frederickson, G. H., Chmelka, B. F., and Stucky, G. D., Science, 279, 1998, 548–552; Yang, P., Margolese, D. I., Chmelka, B. F., and Stucky, G. D., Nature, 396, 152] provided new opportunities for the synthesis of original catalysts [Kresge, C. T., Leonowicz, M. E., Roth, W. J. Vartuli, J. C., and Beck, J. S., Nature, 359, 1992, 710; Beck, J. S., Vartuli, J. C., Roth, W. J., Leonowick, M. E., Kresge, C. T., Schmitt, K. D., Chu, C. T.-W., Olson, D. H, Sheppard, E. W., McCullen, S. B., Higging, J. B., and Schlenker, J. L., J. A. Chem. Soc., 114, 1992, 10834; Zhao, D., Feng, J., Huo, Q., Melosh, N., Frederickson, G. H., Chmelka, B. F., and Stucky, G. D., Science, 279, 1998, 548–552; Yang, P., Margolese, D. I., Chmelka, B. F., and Stucky, G. D., Nature, 396,152; Trong On, D. and Kaliaguine, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng., 40, 2001, 3248-32–51; Trong On, D. and Kaliaguine, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng., 41, 2002, 1036]. The potential applications of these materials as catalysts were reported in a recent review [Trong On, D., Desplantier-Giscard, D., Danumah, C., and Kaliaguine, S., Applied Catalysis: General, 222, 2001, 299–357].

Mesoporous mixed oxide materials as a new class of SO


There is provided a device or a method including a flow path switching unit which switches a first flow path for releasing the vapor deposition material evaporated from a vapor depositing source from the same into a chamber, and a second flow path for causing the vapor deposition material evaporated from the vapor depositing source to flow from the vapor depositing source through a transfer path into a recovery container. The vapor deposition system or the vapor deposition method is capable of reducing an amount of a vapor deposition material consumed without being deposited on an object not to be processed during non-vapor deposition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vapor deposition system used for forming a film of a vapor deposition material and a vapor deposition method therefor.
2. Related Background Art
A progress has recently been made in development of an organic electroluminescent (EL) element (OLED). Among organic materials used for the organic EL element, a film of an organic material constituted of a low molecular weight compound is formed mainly by vapor deposition. The vapor deposition is a method of forming a film by heating a vapor deposition material arranged in a vapor depositing source and sticking the evaporated vapor deposition material to an object to be processed.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-229123 describes a vapor deposition system which includes a crucible for receiving a vapor deposition material, a vapor depositing source shutter, a vapor depositing material recovering tank, and a suction pipe. The vapor depositing source shutter is provided with a function of blocking a flow of the vapor deposition material evaporated from an opening of the crucible in a state of being separated by a few centimeters from above the opening, and configured not to interfere with an evaporation flow of the vapor deposition material in a state of being set in a position shifted from the opening. The position of the vapor depositing source shutter can be controlled by rotating and driving a rotary drive shaft, and flowing of the vapor deposition material evaporated from the crucible to a glass substrate can be permitted or blocked.
The vapor deposition system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-229123 can permit or block the flowing of the vapor deposition material evaporated from the crucible to the glass substrate by operating the vapor depositing source shutter. However, since the vapor depositing source shutter is separated from the crucible as described above, the evaporated vapor deposition material continues to leak into a film forming chamber from a separated area above the opening in this state.
The inventors have found that the described technical effects cannot be obtained by the vapor deposition system of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-229123. In other words, there is no big difference between a suction force of a suction pump and a suction force of a vacuum pump for suction in the film forming chamber. Further, the suction force of the suction pump is never much greater than that of the vacuum pump. To compare one end of the suction pipe, i.e., a suction port, with the area above the opening separated from the vapor depositing source shutter, the latter is substantially larger, and it is obvious that the material is not sucked into the suction pipe in most cases but released into the film forming chamber. Thus, the described technical effects cannot be obtained by the vapor deposition system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-229123.

Vapor deposition system and vapor deposition method


An electrically heated continuous flow heater control system includes an electric switching element that has an open and a closed switching position and is electrically connected in series to a thermostat. Switching element (26) is always closed in the brewing process while it can be opened and closed again in the keep-warm process by a control circuit. The control circuit includes a temperature sensor which is in good heat contact with the infusion beverage. When in the initial phase of the keep-warm process the sensor temperature is in excess of a definable switching temperature, the control circuit keeps the switching element in its open position for as long as the sensor temperature remains higher than the switching temperature in the course of the consequently occurring cooling of the infusion beverage. When the sensor temperature is below or equal to the temperature of the switching element in the keep-warm process, the control circuit keeps the switching element in its closed position for a predefinable first time interval (heating cycle) irrespective of the sensor temperatures produced during the heating cycle.

Continuous flow heaters of this type are known from DE-33 39 653 A1, for instance. The second function performed by the known continuous flow heaters apart from producing and supplying hot water to the brewing unit, namely to keep the infusion beverage controlledly warm by means of a warming plate upon completion of the brewing process, has been the subject matter of a number of protective right applications. The basic problem of the controlled keep-warm process resides in that the quantity of heat, which may amount to some 10 watts only and which is meant to compensate for the losses of heat from which the infusion beverage in the storage tank suffers, is desired to be produced by the continuous flow heater as well. However, the continuous flow heater has a relatively great heating capacity which is desirable for the brewing process and may amount to more than 1000 watts.
In order on a time average to produce a comparatively so small heating-power in a continuous flow heater of this type, the principle of the controlled keep-warm process resides in that the continuous flow heater is set to operate for a relatively short time and, subsequently, is deactivated again for a relatively long time. To this end, the continuous flow heater is switched on and off, respectively, in a known fashion by a thermostat thermally coupled to it in such a manner that, once the thermostat reaches its opening temperature, it will interrupt the voltage supply to the continuous flow heater and will reconnect it again after having cooled down to its closing temperature.
The result is that a relatively large quantity of heat is conveyed in a relatively short time to the infusion beverage from the warming plate through the bottom of the storage tank, what in turn has as a result that layers of the infusion beverage resting on the bottom of the storage tank will be heated remarkably, therefore rise upwardly in the storage tank, while cooled layers drop in the direction of the bottom of the storage tank. This causes a cycle within the storage tank due to convection so that, as a result, the entire infusion beverage can be kept warm approximately at the average temperature desired. However, this constantly performing cycle of heating and subsequent cooling has adverse effects on the flavour of the infusion beverage, in particular when the beverage is coffee.
Various proposals have been made already to minimize the adverse effects on the coffee's flavour when the coffee is kept warm in a controlled way.
Thus, it has been suggested already for keeping warm small quantities of coffee to provide apart from the thermostat available already a second thermostat with a lower opening temperature which by means of a so-termed `small-quantity switch` can be connected into the circuit for the heating element of the continuous flow heater, whereby the heating power delivered by the continuous flow heater on a time average is reduced (see DE-87 01 916 U1). However, in doing so, the heating power of the continuous flow heater is reduced also in the brewing process, from what ensues that the duration of the brewing process is prolonged without there being accomplished any appreciable favourable effects on the flavour of the infusion beverage.
Another solution intended again for keeping warm small quantities of coffee resides in starting an auxiliary heating to operate by actuating the small-quantity switch. This auxiliary heating will then heat the sole temperature controller provided when said is in its open position, the result being that the period of time is extended after which the temperature controller will return to its closing position again, so that in this case, too, the quantity of heat delivered to the warming plate on a time average is reduced (see EP-0 186 097 A1).
For the activation of the corresponding switching means to keep warm small quantities of infusion beverages, both the continuous flow heaters described in DE-87 01 916 U1 and in EP-0 186 097 A1 beside the main switch require to still actuate the small-quantity switch, without the actuation of which the infusion beverage will be subjected to relatively wide temperature variations in the keep-warm process. That is to say, in case of need the user has to actuate two switching means, what will be forgotten from time to time, on the one hand, and what is detrimental to the operating comfort, on the other hand.
DE 35 35 687 A1 discloses an apparatus which is intended not only to controlledly keep warm small quantities of an infusion beverage. In the continuous flow heater described therein, the heat connection to the warming plate is influenced in a mechanical fashion in that, by way of a bimetallic element, the distance between continuous flow heater and warming plate is adjusted such that it is larger when the continuous flow heater is very hot than it is when the continuous flow heater is less hot. As a result, the quantity of heat issued by the continuous flow heater to the warming plate will be rendered steady, that means the maxima of the issued heating power are dropped and the minima are raised.
A disadvantage common to all aforementioned measures of minimizing the adverse effects on the flavour of the infusion beverage resides in that, as a criterion for the control of the continuous flow heater, the temperature of the thermostat thermally coupled thereto is used, of which it is assumed that it rather correctly reflects the actual temperature conditions within the infusion beverage contained in the storage tank. Moreover, all of the described thermostats have a relatively great hysteresis, that means their opening temperature at which they interrupt the power supply of the electric heating element of the continuous flow heater may well be 10 or more degrees Celsius in excess of their closing temperature, at which they reconnect the electric heating element with the power supply. Likewise this feature of the used thermostats contributes considerably to the described irregularity of the quantities of heat issued per time unit by the continuous flow heater in the keep-warm process to the warming plate.

Continuous flow heater control system for an apparatus for making infusion beverages


An optically clear pressure sensitive adhesive article is described herein that includes a pressure sensitive adhesive film disposed on a substrate. The pressure sensitive adhesive film includes an optically clear adhesive composition formed by polymerizing a mixture of monomers that includes at least one (C1-C18)alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer and at least one polar (meth)acrylate monomer, and surface-modified fumed silica disposed in the optically clear pressure sensitive adhesive composition. The pressure sensitive adhesive film has a haze value in a range of 0 to 5% and a visible light transmittance value of 85 to 100%. Methods for making an optically clear pressure sensitive adhesive article are also described.

The present disclosure generally relates to optically clear pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) that include surface-modified fumed silica. The present disclosure more particularly relates to optically clear PSA articles that include surface-modified fumed silica for use with optical elements.
Optically clear adhesives (OCAs) are currently used in a variety of electronic display applications and serve an important role in the display's performance. The material's primary function is to improve optical quality by eliminating air gaps between the multicomponent layers of the display assembly that can lead to light diffraction, and in turn, increase the brightness and contrast of the display. Many of the material requirements of OCAs are very challenging given the ever evolving nature of display technology with rapidly changing component layers and features. OCAs not only are required to form a good adhesive bond with a multitude of substrates that make up the adjacent layers in the assembly, but also need to have excellent conformability to all of the various relief features of the assembly. For example, electronic display assemblies often have very sharp, 3D features such as printed ink steps in which the OCA must be able to conform to and adjust to without leaving air gaps or bubbles. Furthermore, industry trends toward requiring taller 3D features have generated a need for lower modulus, less elastic, and more conformable OCAs. To address this, previous work has focused on creating very "soft" OCA materials with greater viscous than elastic behavior and ultimately greater conformability. However, increasing the viscous characteristic of a PSA may have a detrimental impact on the ability to die-cut or handle die-cut piece parts of the OCA as well as the ability to remove specific carrier liners without damaging the OCA. Thus, a balance of conformability and handle-ability is needed to optimize the OCA for these challenging applications.

Optically clear pressure sensitive adhesive article


The present invention relates to a converter housing 10, in particular for n electronic converter for halogen lamps. The converter housing 10 in this case has a basic housing body 12 for holding electronic components, and a terminating element 14 with a cable support for supporting at least one electric connecting cable. The basic housing body 12 and the terminating element 14 are arranged perpendicular to one another in this case. At the end opposite the terminating element 14, the basic housing body 12 additionally has an end face 18 rounded off towards its underside.

There is a need for independent electronic converters in order to be able, for example, to operate halogen lamps with the conventional mains supply. Two types of converter are normally used for this purpose. These are, on the one hand, converters having terminals for the cabling on the supply side and lamp side which are spatially separated and situated opposite one another and, on the other hand, converters in which the terminals for the cabling on the supply side and lamp side are in a close spatial relationship and arranged next to one another. Owing to these different designs of the two types of converter, they also differ in the design of their housings. In the former case, the converter housing has two cover caps which each cover one terminal and are arranged at opposite ends of the housing. In the latter case, just one cover cap conceals both terminals, arranged close to one another spatially, at one end of the housing.
It is true that known converter housings with two cover caps on the one hand have sufficient space for mechanized and cost effective mounting of the electronic components and for easy mounting of the connecting cables with a diameter of up to 11 mm which are normally used in building installation. However, on the other hand because of their dimensions (length: 152 to 185 mm, width: 40 to 44 mm, height: 32 to 35 mm) and their elongated cuboid housing shape, it is impossible to insert these converter housings through, for example, ceiling cutouts of built-in luminaires. This holds, in particular, when the false ceiling is of low height, the spacing between the solid ceiling and the suspended ceiling normally being approximately 60 mm. The ceiling cutouts of the built-in luminaires normally have a diameter of approximately 55 mm.
Converter housings for converters with a terminal for the cabling on the supply side and lamp side can be designed to be shorter by approximately 40 mm by omitting one terminal while maintaining the same board area for the electronic components. In addition, it is possible to insert some of these known converters into low false ceilings. The types of converter housing mentioned in Table 1 may be mentioned here by way of example.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ Dimensions and other parameters of known converter housings (EREA Ereatronic 60/L, OMNITRONIX OMN60LT, nobile - 110 D, TRASFITALIA Mouse 105 DR) EREA OMNITRONIX nobile TRASFITALIA __________________________________________________________________________ Dimensions 127 .times. 41 .times. 36 123 .times. 36 .times. 28 123 .times. 36 .times. 25 122 .times. 38 .times. 28 mm! Insertable into no yes yes no false ceiling* Effective board area 26 27 26 27 cm.sup.2 ! Effective housing 89 67 60 70 volume cm.sup.3 ! Suitable for cables 6 6 6-7 6 with max .O slashed. mm! __________________________________________________________________________ *free height of the false ceiling: 60 mm; diameter of the ceiling cutout: 55 mm
The converter housings described in Table 1 in accordance with the prior art have various disadvantages, however. For one thing, the effective board areas and the effective housing volumes are very small. The electronic components therefore have to be mounted very closely next to one another or even above one another. It is therefore no longer possible to mount the components by machine. However, manual mounting of the components leads to a higher fault probability and higher mounting costs. In addition, the strain reliefs of the known housings are designed only for connecting cables with a diameter of up to a maximum of 7 mm. However, as already mentioned, the cables which are customary in building installation have an outside diameter of up to 11 mm. Because of the cuboid construction of these known converter housings, it is likewise impossible to retrofit them in false ceilings via the prepared ceiling cutouts of built-in luminaires.

Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluehlampen mbH


The ventilator of the invention uses a respiratory effort sensor that does not rely on respiratory airflow or pressure for synchronization, such as a device that measures movement of the suprasternal notch in response to respiratory efforts. This makes the ventilator relatively immune to leaks. Furthermore, the mask pressure may be modulated so as to servo-control the respiratory effort signal to be zero. Because effort is servo-controlled to be near zero, it is not necessary for the effort signal to be either linear or calibrated, but merely monotonic on effort. Similarly, it is possible to achieve near 100% assistance without having to know or estimate the resistance and compliance of the patient's respiratory system, as in those systems that provide proportional assist ventilation.

A goal of ventilatory support is to reduce the internal work of breathing in subjects with disease of the lungs or chest wall. Typical mechanical ventilators deliver a varying pressure to the airway, for example, via a face mask or nose mask. In a spontaneously breathing patient, a fundamental problem that must be solved is the synchronization of the delivered pressure with the patient's spontaneous efforts. For example, in a typical bilevel ventilator, the mask pressure is switched to a higher pressure, for example, 20 cmH2O, at the moment of detection of patient inspiratory airflow, and a lower pressure, for example, 5 cmH2O, at the moment of cessation of patient inspiratory airflow. There are at least four problems with the use of patient respiratory airflow to trigger the device between the higher and lower pressures:
(1) large and varying leaks cause a discrepancy between patient respiratory airflow (the desired quantity) and mask flow (the measured quantity);
(2) dynamic airway compression and intrinsic positive pressure cause a mis-match between effort (the truly fundamental quantity) and airflow (the measured quantity);
(3) cardiac emptying produces airflow that can be confused with respiratory airflow; and
(4) in patients with high airway resistance causing long respiratory system filling and emptying time constants, inspiratory airflow can continue after cessation of inspiratory effort, and expiratory airflow can continue despite recommencement of inspiratory effort.
There are several known ways to find a more direct measure of patient respiratory effort than is afforded by respiratory airflow. One method is to invasively measure intrathoracic pressure, for example, by placing a pressure sensing catheter in the oesophagus. Increasing respiratory effort produces increasing subatmospheric pressure at the sensor. However, this method is too invasive for general use. Another method is to place respiratory movement sensors around the chest wall, typically one around the thorax and one around the abdomen. Suitable sensors use either inductance pneumography, although reasonable signals can be obtained using strain gauges, magnetometers, graphite-in-rubber bands, etc. Unfortunately, none of these methods truly measures respiratory effort as opposed to the resulting chest wall movement, and if the airway is partially or completely occluded, then the signal can greatly diminish in amplitude even though the respiratory effort has actually increased. Also, changes in mechanics with body position or sleep state make these prior art sensors unreliable.
A third method is to use a diaphragm electromyogram as a measure of spontaneous effort, but this is extremely technically demanding, unsuitable for long term use, and difficult to process due to cardiac artifact. A fourth method, taught by McWilliams in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,631, is to monitor movement of the nostrils, which flare some moments prior to commencement of spontaneous inspiration under some circumstances. Unfortunately, this may not occur in all sleep states, or under conditions of relatively normal respiratory drive, making it less useful as the condition of concern becomes partially treated.
Another fundamental problem is to determine how much support to give, for example, whether to vary the pressure by 15 cmH2O as in the above example, or a smaller or larger value. Various known methods attempt to tailor the degree of support to suit the patient. One method is to deliver a fixed degree of support using a bilevel ventilator, and to attempt to tailor that degree of support to be best on average for the patient, by aiming to strike a balance between optimizing arterial oxygenation or carbon dioxide level versus providing comfort to the patient. An advantage is that patients are free to take larger or smaller breaths, and at varying rates, which helps with comfort, but a disadvantage is the inability to provide suitable support under varying conditions. Another essentially opposite method is to provide a fixed volume of air per breath (volume cycled ventilator) or a fixed volume per minute (servo ventilator), which is more effective but less comfortable. A pressure support servo ventilator, for example, as taught in PCT Application 97/00631 of Berthon-Jones entitled "Assisted Ventilation to Match Patient Respiratory Need", combines the comfort advantages of a pressure support ventilator with the blood gas optimizing advantages of a servo ventilator (as well as other advantages related to patient-machine synchronization). Still another method, proportional assist ventilation, is described in Younes U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,830. Proportional assist ventilation measures patient respiratory airflow, and provides support for the resistive component of work of breathing proportional to the respiratory airflow, and support for the elastic component proportional to the integral of respiratory airflow. All the above methods still have varying degrees of problems associated with the difficulties of measurement of respiratory airflow under conditions of high leak.
A ventilator, in general, comprises three parts:
(1) a respiratory effort sensor, or a sensor of a surrogate of respiratory effort,
(2) a source of breathable gas at a controllable pressure delivered via a mask or similar interface to a patient's airway, and
(3) a control that modulates the mask pressure so as to reduce the respiratory effort signal.
Generally, the respiratory effort signal is inferred from a surrogate such as mask pressure or flow. Both are unreliable indicators of effort in the presence of leaks, particularly changing leaks, which are particularly ubiquitous during noninvasive ventilation. They are also unreliable indicators in the presence of intrinsic PEEP (Positive End Expiratory Pressure), which is common in severe lung disease, because effort can precede flow by an appreciable period. They are also unreliable in the presence of a long respiratory time constant, as is universal in obstructive lung disease, because machine-induced pressure changes lead to long-lasting flow changes even when the patient has ceased inspiratory effort. More direct measures of respiratory effort known to be useable for the control of ventilators are either invasive or unreliable or both.

Ventilatory assistance using an external effort sensor


A portable tool used for installing fixing elements for assembling parts, which is particularly suitable for assembling machined parts or sheet metal by riveting. The portable tool includes a device for distributing fixing elements, one by one, according to a distribution axis; mechanism for holding a fixing element according to a placement axis; loading device for transferring a fixing element from the distribution device to the mechanism for holding; and a device for mounting a fixing element in a hole provided in the parts. The tool is characterized in that the loading device alternates between a loading movement for transferring a fixing element from the distribution device to the mechanism for holding and movement back to the initial position. During movements, the loading device describes the same path, alternating between one direction and the opposite direction.

Riveting different parts together consists of inserting a fastening element in a pre-drilled hole in each of said parts and matched during the operation. Then in a later stage, the fastening element is locked either by deformation thereof or by adding a locking element such as a nut or a ductile ring. Matching the holes drilled in the different parts is advantageously realized when drilling the parts together, during the same operation.
There is a large number of riveting devices, enabling an operator to perform each of these operations in succession. However, these devices require the operator to choose and to position the fastening element manually.
This has first of all a major shortcoming, from the economic viewpoint of the workstation. Indeed, the operator has not at his workstation all the fastening elements which he may need to perform the riveting operations. Secondly, such devices involve high risks as regards the quality of the work since the operator may be mistaken and use an inappropriate fastening element.
There are also mechanized elements moved by controlled machines, to ensure the complete sequence of operations. Such devices integrate means for selecting and making available fastening elements, suited to the location where riveting is carried out, but which have the major shortcoming of being heavy and cumbersome. Consequently, they cannot provide a portable tool handled directly by an operator.
Since the document EP-0,750.954, an apparatus has been known for feeding, setting and loading a riveting gun.
However, such apparatus is only suited to rivets fitted with a holding rod, situated opposite the rivet body with respect to the head of the rivet.
Moreover, during the operation of this apparatus, and notably for bringing the loading arm back to the starting position, the rivet-carrier may slip over the rivet and thereby twist it.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a tool which remedies the shortcomings aforementioned. In particular, the aim will consist in providing an ergonomic tool, easy to be handled.
It will also consist in providing a tool which enables to improve the riveting quality while remaining simple of use and cheap.
Other purposes and advantages will appear during the following description, given only for informative purposes and without being limited thereto.

Portable tool for installing fixing elements


The invention provides a process for producing an optical waveguide, which comprises the steps of: forming a substrate adhesion layer on a surface of a substrate from a layer-forming material containing a coupling agent; forming an undercladding layer on the substrate adhesion layer; and forming a core layer having a predetermined pattern on the undercladding layer through a wet process with a developing solution.

Optical waveguides are incorporated in optical waveguide devices, optical integrated circuits, and optical wiring boards and are in extensive use in optical communication, optical information processing, and other general optical fields. In the case of such an optical waveguide produced on a substrate such as, e.g., silicon or silica, it is constituted of a core layer which transmits light and cladding layers which have a lower refractive index than the core layer. This optical waveguide, illustratively stated, has a three-layer structure comprising an undercladding layer, a core layer formed thereon, and an overcladding layer which surrounds the core layer. Various polymeric materials are used as materials for forming the two cladding layers, i.e., the undercladding layer and the overcladding layer, and as materials for forming the core layer.
For example, fluorinated polyimides, which are satisfactory in light transmission as well as heat resistance, have been used as a material for forming the two cladding layers and a material for forming the core layer. However, the fluorinated polyimides have poor adhesion to substrates. It has hence been proposed to form an undercoat layer between a substrate and a cladding layer from the standpoint of improving adhesion between the substrate and the cladding layer. It has also been proposed to incorporate a coupling agent into the undercoat layer in order to further improve adhesion (see, for example, patent document 1).
Since the layer constitution described above necessitates complicated production steps, a technique is being investigated in which a coupling agent is directly incorporated into a cladding layer to secure adhesion between a substrate and the cladding layer without forming an undercoat layer.
Patent Document 1: JP 2002-90559 A
However, formation of an undercladding layer from the material for undercladding layer formation which contains a coupling agent has the following drawback. When a core layer having a predetermined pattern is formed on the undercladding layer through patterning by a wet process using an alkaline developing solution or the like, the undercladding layer opacities. This opacification of the undercladding layer is by no means desirable for optical waveguides because it results in a propagation loss.


A mainboard includes a selecting module, a calculating module, and a backup module. The selecting module selects a highest backup sequence group. The calculating module checks whether current backup time arrives, and calculates memory space of partitions belonging to the highest backup sequence group when the current backup time arrives. The backup module checks whether residual space in a first flash is enough according to the calculated memory space, and backs up the partitions belonging to the highest backup sequence group originally in a second flash to the first flash if the residual space in the first flash is enough. A method of the mainboard backing up of a baseboard management controller is also provided, which provides backing up for the baseboard management controller.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a mainboard, and particularly to a method of the mainboard backing up a baseboard management controller.
2. Description of Related Art
A baseboard management controller is responsible for detecting the health of a mainboard. The baseboard management controller automatically backs up for the mainboard when the mainboard is abnormal. However, there is no storage medium on the mainboard for backing up the baseboard management controller. Thus, the baseboard management controller will be unable to normally boot if a flash of the baseboard management controller is bad, and also can not detect the health of the mainboard. Therefore, a mainboard and method of backing up of a baseboard management controller is needed to be provided.

Mainboard and method of backing up of baseboard management controller


A back construction includes a back shell mounted on a back frame at top and bottom connections, and a flexible lumbar section biased forwardly by a biasing device. The bottom connection is located rearward of the back shell to allow unencumbered sliding entry into the seating unit from a lateral side position, but the bottom connection defines a virtual pivot forward of its physical location to provide the desired path of flexure when the lumbar section is flexed. In one form, the bottom connection is a pair of non-parallel links of dissimilar length. In another form, the bottom connection is a follower with two bearings following a guide slot. In some variations, the force of the biasing device is variable. Seating units incorporating the back construction include a vehicle seat, a foldable portable stadium seat, and a wheelchair seat.

The present invention relates to back constructions with flexible lumbar support, such as may be used not only for chairs and furniture seating, but also in vehicle and vessel seating (personal and mass-transit, including automobiles, trucks, buses, planes, trains, boats, etc.), stadium and auditorium seating, bench and multi-person seating, and other seating arrangements.
A comfortable and ergonomic back construction is disclosed in Battey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,258 (hereafter the "Battey '258 patent"). The back construction in the Battey '258 patent includes a back shell pivoted to a back frame at top pivots and at forwardly-located bottom pivots, and includes a flexible lumbar section that combines with stiff thoracic and pelvic sections and the pivots to cause the back to flex along a well-defined predetermined path. A biasing mechanism biases the lumbar section forwardly for optimal support to a seated user. Notably, in the Battey '258 patent, the bottom pivots are located on flanges (134) that extend forward of a front surface of the back shell, in a position where they limit overall design options and potentially interfere with laterally sliding onto the seat from a side position. It is desirable in some environments and some seating applications to eliminate interference to lateral entry onto the seat caused by the forwardly-extending flanges. At the same time, it is desirable to maintain the ergonomic function and comfortableness of a flexible back shell construction similar to the one shown in the Battey '258 patent.
It has been discovered that back supports with very flexible lumbar regions can potentially have issues caused by "uncontrolled flexure". Specifically, under extreme conditions, a highly flexible back support may bend in ways that do not represent human shapes, such as "S" shapes or non-arcuate "non-human-like" shapes. The reason this is important is because non-human-like shapes cause localized uncomfortable pressure in the back and/or lines of uncomfortably high pressures in the back. The original Leap® chair designs (e.g. see Battey U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,258, FIG. 12) attempted to solve this problem of bending to "non-human-like" shapes by providing forwardly-curved back shell material with first pivot points near the upper back and second pivot points forward of the lower pelvic (or belt) area. However, it is desirable to better control flexure of the back shell with fewer design constraints in regard to pivot locations, and while at the same time simplifying overall construction and design of a back shell and while reducing components and assembly time. It is also desirable to provide a back support design that is made of environmentally friendly materials, and made of easily recyclable components.
Heidmann U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,228 discloses a back arrangement where a flexible back shell is pivotally mounted at a top location and pivotally/slidably supported at a bottom location. However, testing has shown that better control over flexure of the back shell and better control over movement of and orientation of a lower edge of the back shell may be desired, while also requiring fewer design constraints in regard to pivot locations, and while at the same time simplifying overall construction and design of a back shell and while reducing components and assembly time.
Also, increased design flexibility is desired for both aesthetic and functional aspects, such as to allow relocation of or elimination of the top and/or bottom pivots, while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical assembly, while using environmentally-friendly parts that can be readily disassembled and recycled, and while still providing an open lateral access path into the seating area in front of the back.
Thus, a system having the aforementioned advantages and solving the aforementioned problems is desired.


A system and method for data entry by an operator uses data containing a first component and a second component derived therefrom, wherein the second component has error detection and correction abilities therein. The second component of the entered data is used to detect and correct error in the data entered for the first component. The first and second components are preferably characters (e.g., representing GPS position information) entered via a data entry device, while the second component preferably comprises Hamming code. The detection and correction can be performed after data entry and again after signal transmission.

Many systems such as Global Positioning System (GPS) rely on the entry of multiple coordinates using keypads. In a GPS system, if one digit is mistyped then the navigation system might contain a positional error in the order of hundreds of kilometers. Equally, a navigational error in the order of meters can be dangerous and difficult to spot detect. Navigational errors are more likely in adverse climatic or acoustic conditions and many other situations where accuracy is often critical.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,311 discloses a data recorder with single operator entry-verify control, in which each character entered is compared with the character it is replacing and an error control bit is produced for an unequal comparison, requiring verification of any data entered during a verify cycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,748,568 discloses an apparatus and method for verifying proper data entry and detecting common typing errors, in which common keyboard typing errors are detected by using at least one parity bit. When error is detected, the data input operator can be warned or entry may be automatically suspended.
These approaches have the disadvantage that although errors in operator data entry may be detected, the result of such detection is only to require operator verification of the entry or to automatically suspend entry. A need therefore exists for a system and method for data entry wherein the abovementioned disadvantage is alleviated.

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a hybrid constant current LED lamp. The LED lamp includes a rectifier unit, a filter circuit, a switching mode power supply, at least one main LED and a subsidiary LED. The main LED is electrically connected in series to the output terminal of the rectifier unit and the input port of the primary-side circuit of the switching mode power supply. The subsidiary LED is connected to the secondary-side circuit. The invention not only provides circuit architecture capable of providing a constant current, but also improves the power efficiency of the lamp.

1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a hybrid constant current LED lamp and, more particularly, to a constant current LED lamp having a hybrid driver circuit capable of providing a constant current with a minimal power loss.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the conventional lamp equipments have long suffered from the drawbacks of high power consumption and short service life, LED (light-emitting diodes) for general illumination applications are gaining popularity for their lower power consumption and longer service life.
However, since the LED have to be provided with a driver circuit to convert the AC power of the mains to DC, as the LED are normally driven by DC current, any improvement of the efficiency of the driver circuit would have far reaching effects.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional LED driver circuit, in which a resistor R is connected in series to LED 12. The resistor R is adjusted to consume excess voltage from the power source, so that the LED 12 would receive power with a suitable input current. However, this driver circuit has been shown to exhibit poor conversion efficiency.
FIG. 2 shows another conventional LED driver circuit 1 connected to at least one LED 12 and adapted to receive an AC power VAC. The LED driver circuit 1 is a switching mode power supply, and mainly comprises of a bridge rectifier 10, an electromagnetic interference restraining circuit 11, a filter circuit 16, a high frequency switching circuit 13, a converter circuit 14, and a feedback circuit 15, wherein the bridge rectifier 10 is used to rectify the VAC into a pulsed DC power, while the filter circuit 16 dampens the voltage swings of the DC power. The frequency of the DC power is controlled by the high frequency switching circuit 13, and the converter circuit 14 is used to convert the high voltage into a low voltage DC power that is supplied to the LED 12. The feedback circuit 15 can detect the magnitude of total voltage load of the LED 12, thereby regulates the output voltage of the converter circuit 14.
Although the conventional LED driver circuit 1 does drive the LED 12 to emit light, the architecture of the driver circuit 1 is quite complicated, resulting in a large circuit and high cost. Moreover, the voltage conversion circuit 14 is positioned close to the power input terminal and, as a consequence, a significant amount of electricity tends to lose in the form of heat during voltage conversion, causing a temperature rise in the circuit. This adds up to a lot of wasted energy and reduces the service life of the LED products.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/080,850 discloses another LED driver circuit used to drive multiple LED, or LED packages 12 that comprise multiple chips, connected in series. As shown in FIG. 3, the driver circuit comprises a rectifier circuit 17, a filter circuit 16, a stable voltage circuit 18 and a constant current circuit 19. The rectifier circuit 17 is adapted to receive an alternating current power and converting the alternating current power into a direct current power. The filter circuit 16 is connected to the rectifier circuit 17 and transmits the DC power to the stable voltage circuit 18 and the LED 12, respectively. The stable voltage circuit 18 is connected to the rectifier circuit 17 and comprises a first resistor 181 and a voltage stabilizer 182 (which may by way of example be a Zener diode) connected in series for generating a constant voltage. The constant current circuit 19 is connected to the stable voltage circuit 18, and comprises a transistor 191 connected in series to the LED 12 to limit the driving current flowing into the LED 12 and to maintain the current at a constant value.
Although the conventional LED driver circuit described above is capable of supplying a constant driving current to the LED 12, the transistor 191 is installed to absorb excess voltage from the input AC power. As a result, the excess voltage is absorbed by the transistor 191 and dissipated as waste heat.


A new and distinct Hemerocallis cultivar named ‘WF7-155’ is disclosed, characterized by its excellent landscape performance, resistance to daylily rust, yellow flower color, with a small green throat. Plants have dark green Winter dormant foliage. The new variety is a Hemerocallis, normally produced as an outdoor garden plant.

The new Hemerocallis cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor Philip Dale Westmoreland, in Southern Louisiana. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Hemerocallis varieties with strong performance in the landscape. This includes such characteristics as clear color, repeat bloom over a long period, strong and upright flower scape, high bud count, fade resistance of blooms, foliage appeal, and maintaining plant vigor throughout the season in a general landscape environment where it may not get optimum care.
Since the advent of daylily rust, beginning in approximately 2000, caused by Puccinia hemerallidis, the top priority in the breeding program has been to develop seedlings with a high resistance to daylily rust, in addition to the previously cited characteristics. The selection process involves no application of fungicides on any cultivars in our hybridizing program. This practices results in a loss of many cultivars in the program, but is necessary to determine which varieties may be rust resistant.
All daylilies from this program are hybridized, evaluated, and multiplied in plastic nursery containers using pinebark screenings as a growing medium and using overhead sprinklers for irrigation. They are grown in full sun outdoors year round. Each cultivar selected is confidentially evaluated for a period of 5 to 10 years.
The cross resulting in the variety know as 'WF7-155' was made during 2000. The seed parent is an unnamed, unpatented proprietary seedling, as is the pollen parent. The new variety was selected in the September of 2003 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2000 crossing, at a commercial nursery in Franklinton, La.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first performed by root divisions at a the same commercial nursery in Franklinton, La. during 2003, and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type over multiple generations.


An acoustic model learning apparatus includes a first output probability distribution calculating part that calculates a first output probability distribution including a distribution of output probabilities of respective units of an output layer using a feature amount obtained from an acoustic signal for learning and a learned first acoustic model including a neural network, and the first output probability distribution calculating part obtains the first output probability distribution using a smoothing parameter made up of a real value greater than 0 as input so that the first output probability distribution approaches a uniform distribution as the smoothing parameter is greater, and calculates the first output probability distribution by obtaining logits of respective units of an output layer using the feature amount obtained from the acoustic signal for learning and the first acoustic model and setting a value of the smoothing parameter greater in the case where an output unit number with the greatest logit value is different from a correct unit number than in the case where the output unit number with the greatest logit value matches the correct unit number.

Non-Patent Literature 1 is known as related art of an acoustic model learning method. A typical learning method of a neural network is illustrated in FIG. 1. A method for learning a neural network-type acoustic model (hereinafter, simply referred to as an "acoustic model") for speech recognition using this learning method is disclosed in a section called "TRAINING DEEP NEURAL NETWORKS" of Non-Patent Literature 1 (hereinafter, also referred to as "Related Art 1").
A pair of a feature amount (real vector) O extracted from each sample of learning data and a correct unit number jL corresponding to each feature amount O, and an appropriate initial model are prepared in advance. For example, as the initial model, a neural network in which a random number is allocated to each parameter, a neural network which has already learned with other learning data, or the like, can be utilized. An output probability distribution calculating part 81 inputs the feature amount O of the learning data in a current model (acoustic model which is being learned) to calculate an output probability distribution in which output probabilities p(j) of respective units j of an output layer are arranged.
A model updating part 82 calculates a loss function C from the correct unit number jL and the distribution of output probabilities p(j), and updates the model so that a value of the loss function C decreases. The above-described processing of calculating the output probabilities and updating the model is repeated for each pair of the feature amount O of the learning data and the correct unit number jL. A model at a time point at which a predetermined number of repetition times (normally, from several tens of millions to several hundreds of millions) is completed is utilized as a learned acoustic model.
Further, a method for transferring knowledge which has already been learned and is held by the neural network to a neural network which newly learns is disclosed in Non-Patent Literature 2 (hereinafter, also referred to as Related Art 2). A configuration of Related Art 2 is illustrated in FIG. 2.
Related Art 2 is similar to Related Art 1 in that a pair of a feature amount O and a correct unit number jL and an initial model (in FIG. 2, described as a "student model" for convenience sake) are prepared in advance. In addition, in Related Art 2, a teacher model which is a neural network which has already learned is prepared in advance. Related Art 2 is different from Related Art 1 in that a teacher output probability distribution calculating part 91 is provided, and the model updating part 82 is replaced with a corrected model updating part 92. The teacher output probability distribution calculating part 91 inputs the feature amount O of the learning data in a teacher model to calculate a distribution of output probabilities p1(j) in which probabilities of respective units j of an output layer are arranged (hereinafter, also simply referred to as teacher output probability distribution). Note that Related Art 2 is different from Related Art 1 in that a temperature T is introduced in a calculation equation for obtaining the teacher output probability distribution. The temperature T is a real-valued parameter which is set in advance and is greater than 0. The corrected model updating part 92 performs processing while replacing the loss function C of the model updating part 82 (see FIG. 1) with the following loss function C′.
                    [                  Formula                                                              1                ]                                                                      C          ′                =                                            -                              (                                  1                  -                  α                                )                                                                                ∑                j                                                                            d                  j                                                                                log                                                                                p                  j                                                              -                      α                                                      ∑                j                                                                            q                  j                                                                                log                                                                                p                  j                                                                                (        1        )
This loss function C′ is a weighted sum of the original loss function C (first term) of the model updating part 82 and a cross entropy (second term) of distribution of the output probabilities qj of the teacher model and distribution of the output probabilities pj of the student model. Weight α is a parameter which is set in advance and is equal to or greater than 0 and equal to or less than 1.
In Related Art 2, an effect is confirmed that a model which has accuracy equivalent to that of the teacher model and which requires a short calculation period can be learned by using a huge model (which has high accuracy but requires a long calculation period) which has been learned in advance as the teacher model and using a small model which is initialized with a random number as the student model, and by setting the temperature T=2, and the weight α=0.5. Note that the huge model means a model which has a large number of intermediate layers of the neural network and a large number of units in the respective intermediate layers.

Acoustic model learning apparatus, method of the same and program

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


A container for swabs with and opening, a hinged lid and a movable internal support member. The movable support member is mechanically linked to the lid so that the support member moves up when the lid is opened so that the swabs protrude from the opening. Grasping a swab is thus facilitated.

The present invention relates to the field of cotton swabs, and more specifically relates to the field of cotton swab containers.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 431,322 discloses a container for cotton swabs. The container comprises an upright cylindrical housing with a closed bottom and top. The housing is divided into a lower part and an upper part hinged to the lower part. The upper part serves as a lid. The hinge is placed at the back of the container. A separation line between the upper part and the lower part extends through hinge. At the back of the container the separation line is close to the top of the container. The separation line extends in a curved fashion from the extremities of the hinge towards the front of the container. At the front of the container the separation line is disposed significantly lower than at the back. In the center of the front, the separation line is in the middle of the height of the container. The shape of the separation line creates a cut-out in the front of the lower part. The cut-out allows users, in theory, to grasp a cotton swab by the shaft without touching any of the cotton heads, which is desirable for hygienic reasons. Practice has however shown that it is difficult to grasp a single shaft without touching any of the cotton heads, because not only is the cut-out relatively narrow, particularly when the swabs are compressed in tightly packed manner, it is difficult to grasp and moreover, difficult to manipulate but a single shaft of a compressed bunch of swabs with the fingers without touching any cotton heads in a tightly packed container.


A computer-implemented method of planning orthopaedic surgery comprises providing a library of templates representing orthopaedic prostheses, displaying and scaling one or more patient images such as X-ray images, allowing a user to reconfigure geometrical constructs displayed over the images to match the construct to anatomical features shown in the image; and selecting one or more templates from the library in accordance with parameters of the reconfigured constructs. The templates correspond to the orthopaedic prosthesis or prostheses which are most suitable for the patient. Hip replacement surgery can be planned using a single patient image. Knee surgery can be planned using two patient images showing different views of the anatomical features, in which case geometrical constructs for use with each view are provided. The library of templates is accessible via the Internet so as to be accessible by users in any location and readily updateable.

Orthopaedic surgery includes the replacement of damaged or worn joints with prostheses or implants. It is desirable to perform some pre-operative planning in order to select a prosthesis which is an appropriate size for the patient. Typically, this is done by using templates representing a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional prosthesis. The templates are in the form of pre-printed acetate sheets which are overlaid on X-ray images of the joint which is to be replaced. This technique allows a surgeon to choose a suitable prosthesis from those available, and also to plan surgical cut lines and determine the required orientation of the prosthesis. The X-ray image with its overlaid template is referred to by the surgeon during the operation.
However, there are a number of disadvantages associated with this templating technique. In general, it only provides an approximate guide to prosthesis size because X-ray images have a range of magnifications, which for any given image may not correspond with magnifications assumed in available templates. In any case, the exact magnification may not be known. Accuracy may also be compromised by the orientation of bones shown in the image; any bone lying in a plane non-parallel to the image plane will appear foreshortened so that its length and position will be difficult to determine.
Any inaccuracies in the planning process can lead to the selection of an unsuitable prosthesis. This may result in increased length of the subsequent operation, as the surgeon may require an alternative prosthesis to be obtained or may have to make additional or further incisions beyond those planned. In the longer term, a poorly selected prosthesis is more likely to fail early or be subject to other post-operative complications, and require substitution at a later date.
All of these factors tend to increase costs by requiring extra hospital staff time and patient care, and also cause increased pain and inconvenience to the patient.
Consequently, it is desired to provide an improved orthopaedic surgery planning method.


An apparatus for mass-tuning a gun barrel comprises a body portion configured for attachment to the gun barrel. The body portion includes a main bore therethrough and defines a plurality of predetermined mass attachment locations. Each mass attachment location comprises a mating portion configured to engage a complimentary mating portion of a mass attachment. In some embodiments, mass attachments can be used to configure the total mass of the device.

This invention relates generally to a tuning system for firearms and more particularly to an adjustable mass tuning system for firearm barrels.
The precision of targeting a rifle can depend on a number of variables, such as the ability of the shooter/operator; the quality of the rifle; the caliber and quality of the ammunition; and the quality of the optical sighting systems. The precision of targeting the rifle can be measured as the rifle's ability to place repeated bullet shots within a known grouping size. The grouping size is typically measured in minutes of angle, or MOA, at a standard distance from the shooter, such as 100 yards. A rifle capable of one (1) MOA will repeatedly place shots in a 1-inch diameter circle at 100 yards, or 2-inches at 200 yards, etc.
Some rifle designs are inherently more precise than others. One factor that impacts precision is barrel dynamics, and a rifle with superior barrel dynamics can be more consistently accurate that an otherwise equivalent rifle with lesser barrel dynamics. The stiffer the barrel, the less it will distort and deviate from its initial aim point as a bullet is fired. A higher barrel stiffness generally requires a higher barrel mass; however, it is generally desirable for a high-powered rifle to be as light as possible. Thus, barrel stiffness is often limited by practical consideration in the rifle design.
To provide higher accuracy with lighter barrels, some shooters have experimented by modifying the powder loads of their ammunition in an attempt to time the exit of the bullet from the barrel muzzle to coincide with the barrel muzzle's lowest dynamic displacement. This method generally requires customized ammunition optimized for the specific firearm being used. Commercially available ammunition will typically not match the specifics required of the customized ammunition.
In an attempt to allow a given firearm to be tuned according to different ammunition, such as commercially available ammunition from multiple manufacturers, some shooters have developed dynamic tuning systems. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,200 to Rose, which includes a moveable weight secured to the end of a gun barrel. The weight can be moved axially along the barrel to change damping characteristics and match the system to the ammunition.
Although Rose discusses damping characteristics and determining a "sweet spot" location, damping does not intrinsically alter the resonance vibration frequencies but only accelerates decay of the harmonic's amplitude. Further, the lateral displacement frequency is much lower than the longitudinal mode of barrel vibration by orders of magnitude and whose period is much too long be the cause of target aim diversion. In any case, the bullet muzzle exit event occurs over a time window much smaller than the highest frequency mode of barrel displacement. Therefore, it appears that damping is not the operative mechanism that improves rifle precision.
There remains a need for a robust mass tuning system for a firearm barrel that is highly adjustable, which can be set to a particular configuration that will not deviate over time and/or as the firearm is used repeatedly. There further remains a need for a mass tuning system that is uncomplicated for the end user.
All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.


The invention provides compositions of oligonucleotides targeted at influenza genes and at host animal genes involved in response to influenza infection. In some embodiments, the oligonucleotides are modified. In some embodiments, the compositions contain one, or more than one, oligonucleotide. The invention also provides methods and kits using the compositions of the invention for the treatment and prevention of influenza.

Influenza virus infection is a major public health problem, causing millions of cases of severe illness and as many as 500,000 deaths each year worldwide (WHO report, 2004, A56/23). Influenza virus has A, B and C types, among which the type A can be further classified into many sub-types according to the variations in NA and HA genes. Thus far, there have been 15 HA subtypes and 9 NA subtypes and the different combinations between HA and NA subtypes can form many types of influenza A virus subtypes.
Although inactivated vaccines are 60-80% effective against the matched influenza strains, vaccination coverage is a problem worldwide. Moreover, this strategy provides no protection against unexpected strains, outbreaks such as the H5 and H7 avian influenza outbreaks in Hong Kong in 1997 and the Netherlands and Southeast Asia in 2003-2004, or pandemics. Currently, antiviral drugs are the best defense against these outbreaks, but they provide only partial protection (Nicholson, etc., Lancet, 355:1845-1850, 2000), usually companied with some side effects, especially to the central nervous system (Wenzel, JAMA, 283:1057-1059, 2000).

Compositions and methods for the treatment of influenza infection


A wireless communication device communicates with a web site over an established communication link. The device includes a controller that automatically detects whether the website provides a search engine for use by a user. If the web site provides search engine, a controller at the device configures an adaptive, context-sensitive search function of the browser to receive user input, and to perform a search based on the user input. A user interface includes a display to display the results of the search.

The present invention relates generally to wireless communication devices, and particularly to wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones, capable of accessing the Internet.
Many consumer electronic devices, such as Personal Computers (PCs) and wireless communication devices, include a browser application for allowing a user to access web pages via the Internet. Typically, browser applications present the user with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to facilitate interaction with the web page. However, not all browsers present the GUI in the same way. The GUI for a browser executing on a PC, for example, usually has a dedicated field for receiving a string representing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), and another, separate field for receiving strings representing search terms and keywords. However, because of the size of the display and/or other constraints, browser applications executing on many wireless communication devices, such as cellular telephones for example, provide only a single input field for receiving both a URL and a search string. To determine whether the user enters a URL or a search term into the input field, the browser application analyzes the syntax of the input string. If the input string represents a URL, the browser application resolves the URL and downloads the corresponding web page for display. If the input string is a search term, the browser application generates a search query including the search term, and sends the query to a predefined search service provider such as GOOGLE or MSN or BING, for example.
In many cases, browser applications will provide the user with a list of suggestions to assist a user in locating a desired web page or other information source. The suggestions are usually based on the alpha-numeric characters input by a user, and may be refined as the user enters new characters into the input field. The source of data for generating the suggestions on the list can be information stored on the user's device. Conventionally, these sources include a predictive text input database, a list of previously visited URLs, and bookmarks stored in memory. The source for generating the list may also be provided by an application executing on an external server. One such example is a suggestion service like GOOGLE SUGGEST. With such suggestion mechanisms, a user is able to locate a desired information source relatively quickly and with a limited number of key presses. Therefore, the user receives a highly optimized experience.

Adaptive selection of a search engine on a wireless communication device


Novel quinones are provided, as well as compositions comprising these novel quinones. Methods of using the novel quinones in treatment of various indications including cancer are also provided.

The quinones are a large and varied group of natural products found in all major groups of organisms. Quinones are a group of aromatic dioxo compounds derived from benzene or multiple-ring hydrocarbons such as naphthalene, anthracene, etc. They are classified as benzoquinones, naphthoquinones, anthraquinones, etc., on the basis of the ring system. The C═O groups are generally ortho or para, and form a conjugated system with at least two C═C double bonds; hence the compounds are colored, yellow, orange or red. Quinones with long isoprenoid side chains, such as plastoquinone, ubiquinone and phytoquinone are involved in the basic life processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Quinones are biosynthesized from acetate/malonate via shikimic acid. A few quinones are used as laxatives and worming agents, and others are used a pigments in cosmetics, histology and aquarrell paints. Quinones have a variety of medicinal and industrial uses.
Many efficient antineoplastic drugs are either quinones (anthracycline derivatives, mitoxantrone, actinomycin), quinonoid derivatives (quinolones, genistein, bactracyclin), or drugs such as etoposide that can easily be converted to quinones by in vivo oxidation. Gantchev et al. (1997) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 237:24-27. The literature on quinone-DNA interactions is replete with references to quinones having the potential to undergo redox cycling with the formation of highly reactive oxygen species that are thought to relate to their cytotoxicity. O'Brien (1991) Chem. Biol. Interactions 80:1-41. It has also been shown that many quinones are efficient modifiers of the enzymatic activity of topoisomerase II, an enzyme essential for cell division.
Quinones are now widely used as anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-malarial drugs, as well as fungicides. The antitumor activities of the quinones were revealed more than two decades ago when the National Cancer Institute published a report in which fifteen-hundred synthetic and natural quinones were screened for their anticancer activities. Driscoll et al. (1974) Cancer Chemot. Reports 4:1-362. Anti-cancer quinones include β-Lapachone, a plant product, which inhibits DNA topoisomerase II and induces cell death with characteristics of apoptosis in human prostate and promyelocytic leukemia cancer cell lines. Human breast and ovary carcinoma showed sensitivity of the cytotoxic effect of β-lapachone without signs of apoptosis. Li et al. (1995) Cancer Res. 55:3712-5; and Planchon et al. (1995) Cancer Res. 55:3706-11. 1,2-Naphthoquinone (3,4-b)dihydrofuran inhibits neoplastic cell growth and proliferation of several cancers, such as prostate, breast, colon, brain and lung, including multi-drug resistant types. WO 97/31936. Furano-naphthoquinone derivatives and other naphthoquinones and naphth-[2,3-d]-imidazole-4,9-dione compounds are also useful in treating malignant tumors such as those affecting the blood, breast, central nervous system, cervix, colon, kidney, lung, prostate and skin. WO 97/30022 and JP Patent No. 9235280. Anthraquinone derivatives with telomerase inhibitory activity are also useful in treating leukemia, lung cancer, myeloma, lymphoma, prostate, colon, head and neck, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, bladder, ovarian, breast and gastric cancers. WO 98/25884 and WO 98/25885. Ansamycin benzoquinones are useful in the treatment of primitive neuroectodermal tumors, prostate cancer, melanoma and metastatic Ewing's sarcoma. WO 94/08578.
Quinones also have a number of other medicinal uses. Terpenoid-type quinones are also useful as treatments for diabetes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,900. Additional quinones can be used to treat cirrhosis and other liver disorders. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,210,239 and 5,385,942. Hydroquinone amines and quinone amines are also useful for treating a number of conditions, including spinal trauma and head injury. U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,843. Degenerative central nervous system diseases, as well as vascular diseases, are treatable with quinones such as Idebenone [2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-(10-hydroxydecyl)-1,4-benzoquinone] and Rifamycin S. Mordente et al. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11:54-63; Rao et al. (1997) Free Radic. Biol. Med. 22:439-46; Cortelli et al. (1997) J. Neurol. Sci. 148:25-31; and Mahadik et al. (1996) Prostaglandins Leukot. Essent. Fatty Acids 55:45-54. A vitamin K analog, 6-cyclo-octylamino-5,8-quinoline quinone shows efficacy for treatment of leprosy and tuberculosis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,565. Hydroquinone is used to treat skin pigmentation disorders. Clarys et al. (1998) J. Dermatol. 25:412-4. Mitomycin C-related drug indoloquinone EO9 has demonstrated cell killing against HL-60 human leukemia cells, H661 human lung cancer cells, rat Walker tumor cells and human HT29 colon carcinoma cells. Begleiter et al. (1997) Oncol. Res. 9:371-82; and Bailey et al. (1997) Br. J. Cancer 76:1596-603. Quinones such as aloin, a C-glycoside derivative of anthraquinone, accelerate ethanol oxidation and may be useful in treating acute alcohol intoxication. Chung et al. (1996) Biochem. Pharmacol. 52:1461-8 and Nanji et al. (1996) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 140:101-7. Quinones capsaicin and resiniferatoxin blocked activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, which is required for viral replication, immune regulation and induction of various inflammatory and growth-regulatory genes. Singh et al. (1996) J. Immunol. 157:4412-20. Antiretroviral and antiprotozoan naphthoquinones are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,780,514 and 5,783,598. Anthraquinones are also useful as laxatives. Ashraf et al. (1994) Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 8:329-36; and Muller-Lissner (1993) Pharmacol. 47 (Suppl. 1): 138-45.
A subset of quinones designated lapachones has been shown to have activity against neoplastic cells, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,969,163, 5,824,700, and 5,763,625. Antiviral activity (in combination with xanthine) or reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity for β-lapachone is suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,641,773 and 4,898,870, while antifungal and trypanosidal activity of β-lapachone is suggested in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,985,331 and 5,912,241.
Quinones can be administered alone or in conjunction with other agents, such as 1,2-dithiole-3-thione. Begleiter et al. (1997). Hydroxyquinone can be used in conjunction with glycol or glyceryl esters of retinoic acid to treat skin disorders. WO 9702030. Combinational chemotherapy of carboquone, a benzoquinine derivative, and cis-Platinum, diminishes the side effects of the former. Saito (1988) Gan To Kagaku Ryoho 15:549-54.
Quinones also have various additional uses. A few quinones are used as laxatives and worming agents, and others are used a pigments in cosmetics, histology and aquarrell paints. Quinones include 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-dione, which is useful as an oxidizing agent; in photography (U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,998); in manufacturing dyes and hydroquinone; in tanning hides; in strengthening animal fibers; and as a reagent.
In rapidly dividing cells such as tumor cells, cytotoxicity due to quinone administration has been attributed to DNA modification. However the molecular basis for the initiation of quinone cytotoxicity in resting or non-dividing cells has been attributed to the alkylation of essential protein thiol or amine groups and/or the oxidation of essential protein thiols by activated oxygen species and/or GSSG, glutathione disulfide. Oxidative stress arises when the quinone is reduced by reductases to a semiquinone radical which reduces oxygen to superoxide radicals and reforms the quinone. This futile redox cycling and oxygen activation forms cytotoxic levels of hydrogen peroxide and GSSG is retained by the cell and causes cytotoxic mixed protein disulfide formation. O'Brien (1991) Chem. Biol. Interact. 80:1-41.
Conjugation of quinones and glutathione (GSH) are sometimes associated with the process of detoxification. Jeong et al. (1996) Mol. Pharmacol. 50:592-8. For example, certain o-quinones contribute to the neurodegenerative processes underlying Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Glutathione transferase (GST) M2-2, which conjugates glutathione and o-quinones, prevents these processes. Baez et al. (1997) Biochem. J. 324:25-8. However, in many cases, conjugation with GSH actually leads to quinone bioactivation and toxicity. For example, the nephrotoxicity of hydroquinone and bromobenzene is mediated via quinone-glutathione conjugates. Jeong et al. (1996) Mol. Pharmacol. 50:592-8. The formation of GSH conjugates is also involved in the bioactivation of vicinal dihalopropane 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane. Hinson et al. (1995) Can. J. Physiol. Pharm. 73:1407-13. Additional examples of GSH conjugation potentiating the toxicity of quinones are described in Fowler et al. (1991) Hum. Exp. Toxicol. 10:451-9; Mertens et al. (1991) Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 110:45-60; Puckett-Vaughn et al. (1993) Life Sci. 52:1239-47; Dekant (1993) Toxicol. Lett. 67:151-160; Monks et al. (1994) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 7:495-502; Monks (1995) Drug Metab. Rev. 27:93-106; and Eyer (1994) Environ. Health Persp. 102 (Suppl. 6):123-32.
Because of the wide variety of biological processes in which quinones play a critical role, it would be advantageous to develop novel quinones for various uses, including disease treatment.
All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided herein are compositions and methods related to promoting protection or repair of articular cartilage and/or musculoskeletal soft tissue by contacting the cartilage, tissues or cellular components thereof with a parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH/PTHrP) receptor agonist or releasing factor.

There is currently no known medical treatment for stimulating the protection or repair of cartilage, tendons, muscles, meniscus, intervertebral discs, or ligaments. Osteoarthritis, for example, which is associated with degeneration of articular cartilage, is a leading cause of disability and immobility, with current estimates of over 40 million Americans affected. Articular cartilage in adults has an extremely limited ability to repair itself, and once deterioration begins, the outcome is usually an irreversible progressive degeneration and associated inflammation, pain and dysfunction. Current treatments include anti-inflammatory and pain medications, injections of steroids and hyaluronic acid into the affected joint, and surgeries, such as total joint replacement. Oral supplements of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been proposed as chondroprotective, but the chondroprotective effects of such oral supplements are controversial and minimal at best.

Protecting and repairing cartilage and musculoskeletal soft tissues


Provided is an apparatus for capturing live insects that includes an upper section having side walls, a top cover, and plural openings in the side walls that are large enough to permit insects to enter. This upper portion houses a light source and is well-suited to attracting and trapping insects in the first instance. An enclosed lower section is well-suited to trapping the insects on a more permanent basis. Between the upper section and the enclosed lower section is a funnel, having a wide opening adjacent to the upper section and tapering to a narrow opening within the lower section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to apparatuses for trapping live insects, e.g., for scientific study or for feeding to reptiles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different types of insect traps currently are available. However, most of such traps are designed to kill the insects (e.g., using electrocution), or else use a very sticky material to prevent the insects from escaping. As a result, such conventional insect traps typically do not provide live, healthy, usable insects.
One conventional trap that was intended to capture live insects was the "Wild Food Critter Catchers", which at least at one time was sold by James and Laura Sturgess of Phoenix Ariz. This conventional "trap" apparently consisted merely of a funnel attached to a jar, together with a string for hanging the assembly from a porch light, and simply relied upon insects falling into the top of the funnel and then becoming trapped within the jar. As a result, it is not believed to have been very efficient at capturing live insects.


An instrument cushion and support device includes a main body having a curved top surface, a curved bottom surface, a proximal end and a distal end. The main body includes a rigid central core and soft padding located between the curved top and bottom surfaces. A slip guard extends upward from the curved top surface of the main body at a location adjacent to the distal end, and a neck support extends upward from the top surface of the main body at a location adjacent to the proximal end.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Players of held musical instruments such as a guitar, for example, must be careful not to drop the instrument while playing. For this reason, most students learn to play the guitar in a seated position with the curved section of the guitar body resting on their leg. Moreover, advanced players often revert to this position as it is comfortable and allows prolonged play without tiring out the arm muscles of the player.
Unfortunately, depending on the weight and/or shape of the guitar body, it is not uncommon for users to experience discomfort in the leg where the guitar body rests for extended periods of time. This is because the surface area of the guitar making physical contact with the user is relatively small, therefore displacing the entire weight of the instrument onto a small portion of the users leg.
Additionally, many users must perform periodic maintenance on the instrument, such as replacing and/or tuning the strings, for example. When doing so, the guitar is typically placed onto a flat surface without any type of support along the delicate neck area. As such, it is not uncommon for the instrument to shift while being manipulated by the user, therefore causing undue frustration and/or possible damage to the instrument.
Accordingly, the present invention, directed to an instrument cushion and support device alleviates the above noted deficiencies and provides several benefits that were not previously available. The manner by which will become more apparent in the description which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.