Video object units are generated from a program stream. The generated video object units have navigation portions respectively, and compose video objects. The navigation portions are void of ending time information and search information. The video object units are sequentially recorded on the recording disc without being buffered. Ending time information and search information are detected from the program stream. A decision is made as to whether or not the recording of video object units composing one video object has been completed. Navigation information is generated which includes the ending time information and the search information, and which corresponds to the last recorded video object. The generated navigation information is recorded on zones in the recording disc which correspond to the navigation portions of the video object units composing the last recorded video object each time the recording of video object units composing one video object has been completed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method and an apparatus for recording data on a recording disc such as an optical disc. This invention particularly relates to a method and an apparatus for recording contents data such as audio data, video data, or audio-visual data on a rewritable DVD (digital versatile disc) in real time. In addition, this invention relates to a method and an apparatus for restoring data recorded on a recording disc such as a recordable or rewritable DVD. Furthermore, this invention relates to a computer program for restoring data recorded on a recording disc such as a recordable or rewritable DVD.
2. Description of the Related Art
DVDs are of several types including a rewritable type or a RAM type. The feature of a DVD of the rewritable type or the RAM type is that data can be recorded and reproduced thereon and therefrom a plurality of times.
The DVD-Video standards prescribe that during the recording of contents data on a DVD, management information inclusive of search information related to the contents data should also be recorded on the DVD. In general, contents data is divided into successive segments before being recorded on a DVD segment by segment. A management information piece is generated for every segment of the contents data. After the generation of a management information piece, a related contents-data segment and the management information piece are recorded on the DVD. Thus, the recording of a contents-data segment on the DVD remains inhibited until the preparations for recording a management information piece related to the contents-data segment are made. In other words, the preparations for recording the related management information piece are awaited. Such a waiting time causes a considerable delay in recording the contents data on the DVD. The recording delay deteriorates the real-time recording of the contents data.
In the event that the power feed to a DVD drive apparatus is interrupted during the recording of contents data on a DVD, a relatively great contents-data portion waiting to be recorded is lost due to the above-indicated recording delay.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,518 corresponding to Japanese patent application publication number P2002-530800A relates to a method of recording real-time information (video information) and control information related thereto in a recording area on a record carrier. The real-time information is subdivided into cells, and playback parameters for reproducing sequences of the cells are included in the control information. Within the recording area, the control information precedes the video information for playback functions of the recorded video. It is preferable that a recording is made in one pass, i.e., the video is to be recorded directly at its final location. Therefore, a recorder disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,518 has a control unit for performing the following steps: first creating a free area by selecting a starting point within the recording area different from the beginning of the recording area, thereafter recording the real-time information from the starting point, and recording the control information in the free area.
In the method or the recorder of U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,518, the recording of control information related to real-time information causes a considerable delay in recording the real-time information.
Japanese patent application publication number P2003-109360A discloses a video recording and reproducing system including an optical disk drive and a hard disk drive. During a recording mode of operation of the system, the optical disk drive records audio-visual information and complete management information related thereto on a DVD while the hard disk drive periodically records partial management information (time map information) on a prescribed area in a hard disk for a backup purpose. The recording of the complete management information on the DVD follows the recording of the audio-visual information thereon. The management information is designed for managing the playback of the contents of the audio-visual information. In the event that the power feed to the system is interrupted during the recording mode of operation, partial management information remains in the prescribed area of the hard disk although complete management information related to currently-recorded audio-visual information fails to be recorded on the DVD. When the power feed to the system restarts, the partial management information is read out from the prescribed area of the hard disk and is then recorded on the DVD as complete management information related to the audio-visual information recorded up to the moment of the occurrence of the interruption of the power feed. Therefore, the recorded audio-visual information can be properly reproduced from the DVD by referring to the complete management information. In other words, it is possible to restore the audio-visual information recorded on the DVD.
In the system of Japanese application P2003-109360A, partial management information (time map information) is periodically recorded on the hard disk at intervals of, for example, one minute for a backup purpose. Thus, in the case where the moment of the occurrence of the interruption of the power feed is far away from the moment of the last recording of partial management information, a management information piece for a relatively-large end portion of audio-visual information recorded on the DVD fails to be backed up so that the relatively-large end portion of the recorded audio-visual information can not be restored. The system of Japanese application P2003-109360A tends to be high in cost due to the presence of the hard disk drive.
It is known to replace a hard disk drive with a nonvolatile memory such as a nonvolatile RAM in a system similar to that in Japanese application P2003-109360A. In this case, the presence of the nonvolatile memory causes the system to be high in cost.
There is a DVD recording apparatus equipped with a normal power supply and a backup power supply using a storage battery. In the event that the normal power supply fails, the backup power supply replaces the normal power supply to keep the recording of data on a DVD. The presence of the backup power supply causes the apparatus to be high in cost and heavy in weight.

Method and apparatus for recording data on a recording disc, and method and apparatus for restoring data recorded on a recording disc


A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of input/output terminals (I/O1 to I/O4), a plurality of memory cell groups (1 to 4) and a plurality of sense amplifiers (31 to 34). A plurality of decision circuits (81 to 84) and a plurality of selection circuits (91 to 94) are provided in association with the input/output terminals (I/O1 to I/O4). A high voltage is applied to the input/output terminals that are not in use. This fixedly sets the corresponding sense amplifier groups to the non-activated state by means of the corresponding decision circuit and the selection circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device having a plurality of terminals for inputting or outputting data comprising plural bits, and the method for operating the memory device.
2. Description of the Background Art
The semiconductor memory device of various word organizations are currently employed. For example, as for the 1M bit dynamic random access memory (referred to hereinafter as DRAM), there are presently two kinds of word organizations, namely 1M word.times.1 bit and 256K word.times.4 bit word organizations. The DRAM of the 1M word.times.1 bit word organization is employed in a system in need of a larger memory capacity, such as a large sized computer, whereas the DRAM of the 256K word.times.4 bit organization is employed in a system in need of a smaller memory capacity, such as a personal computer or a word processor.
In these memory systems, data with parity bits annexed thereto are frequently employed. For example, when one parity bit is annexed to the 1-byte or 8-bit data, each unit of the processed data is made up of 9 bits. In such case, with a system having a smaller memory capacity, such as personal computer or a word processor, three DRAMs each being of a 256K word.times.4 bit organization, are necessitated. In one DRAM 101 of the three DRAMs in FIG. 9, 4-bit data D0 to D3 of the 8-bit data are stored, whereas, in another DRAM 102 of the DRAMs, the remaining 4-bit data D4 to D7 are stored. In the remaining DRAM 103, a parity bit PB is stored. Thus the four data input/output terminals are employed in their entirety in two of the three DRAMs 101 to 103, whereas only one input/output terminal is used in the remaining DRAM.
In a DRAM provided with plural input/output terminals, plural source amplifiers are provided in association with the input/output terminals. A major portion of the power consumed in a DRAM is consumed at a sense amplifier charging and discharging the bit lines. With conventional DRAMs, the totality of the sense amplifiers are always in operation irrespective of the number of the input/output terminals employed. Thus there is not much difference in the power consumption of the DRAM, no matter whether only one input/output terminal is in use or all of the four input/output terminals are in use.
Recently, in keeping with reduction in size of the personal computers and word processors, or coming into popular use of the laptop type personal computer as a word processor, battery backup has become necessary. Consequently, there is a demand for reducing power consumption by the memory system to as small a value as possible, and hence a demand for eliminating wasteful power consumption.

Semiconductor memory device for storing data comprising of plural bits and method for operating the same


[Problem] To provide ultraviolet hardening type ink compositions with a temperature-sensitive color change property, which has both the hardening property and the printing strength of UV ink and also has an excellent light resistance.. [Solution] Ultraviolet hardening type ink compositions comprising microcapsules with a temperature-sensitive color change property and a photopolymerization initiator, wherein said microcapsules contain no ultraviolet absorber and have the mean diameter of 0.5-50 .mu.m whereas said photopolymerization initiator comprises at least one of the compounds selected from ace tophenone type compounds and benzophenone type compounds.

The invention relates to ultraviolet hardening type ink compositions, especially ultraviolet hardening type ink compositions with a temperature-sensitive color change property, in which the color changes reversibly according to a temperature change.
The ultraviolet hardening type ink composition is widely known as a UV ink. Further, various kinds of coloring agents in which the color changes reversibly according to a temperature change are also known, namely, as thermochromic coloring agents.
However, examples using a thermochromic coloring agent as a coloring agent of the UV ink are hardly known, and only a JP, A, 7-324178 is known. This is because the thermochromic coloring agent has the structure that the coloring ingredient is basically included in microcapsules, and due to the fact that it is different in various characteristics compared with the general dye stuffs and pigments, it is considered that there are various restrictions caused by these characteristics.
For example, the following restrictions are cited.
(1) Since the color concentration of a thermochromic coloring agent is extremely low compared with that of the conventional dye stuff and pigment, the large amount is necessarily used in order to get a desired color concentration. However, this hinders the hardening of the UV ink itself and lowers a printing strength after the hardening. Further, this tendency is accelerated by said coloring agent in the form of microcapsules which have an extremely large particle diameter compared with a usual dye stuff and pigment.
(2) Since the light resistance of a thermochromic coloring agent is extremely weak compared with that of the conventional dye stuff and pigment, the addition of an ultraviolet absorber is indispensable. However, since the absorption wave length of such ultraviolet absorber coincides with the one which is necessary for initiating the light hardening of a UV ink, the UV ink including the ultraviolet absorber with a thermochromic coloring agent does not become hardened whatsoever.
In the above-mentioned JP, A, 7-324178, the thermochromic microcapsules containing the ultraviolet absorber having a specific absorption wave length (220-380 nm) and the photopolymerization initiator having a specific absorption wave length (360-450 nm) are used, however, this art requires a sufficient attention for selecting the constituting materials, and can hardly be satisfactory from the practical point of view.
Thus, if a thermochromic coloring agent could be used as a coloring agent for UV ink, various applications thereof could be expected. However, putting it to practical use has not been attained in the state of the art.

Ultraviolet hardening type ink compositions with a temperature-sensitive color change property


Compositions which increase the bioavailability of proteinase inhibitors are disclosed. Compositions which include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier comprising monoglycerides of medium chain-fatty acids are preferred. Preferred medium chain fatty acid glycerides include monoglycerides of saturated C.sub.6 to C.sub.12 fatty acids, preferably C.sub.8 to C.sub.10 fatty acids The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier preferably has an acid value of less than or equal to about 2.5. Preferably, the ratio of monoglycerides of medium chain fatty acid to the proteinase inhibitor is about at least 1.5.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to pharmaceutical compositions which increase the bioavailability of the proteinase inhibitors.
2. Description
It is well known in the art that a wide range of diseases are caused by retroviruses.
As far as is known at the present, AIDS is a disease of the immune system caused by the retrovirus HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). According to estimates by the World Health Organization, the disease, which affects about 10 million people, is continuing to spread and in virtually all cases results in the death of the patient.
Retroviruses HIV-1 and HIV-2 have been identified as a cause of the disease and they have been characterized by molecular biology.
Retroviral protease is a proteolytic enzyme that, owing to an aspartate residue in the active center, is regarded as an aspartate protease and participates in the maturation of new infectious virions in infected cells in the reproductive cycle of a number of retroviruses.
For example, HIV-1 and HIV-2 each have in their genome a region that codes for a "gag-protease". That "gag-protease" is responsible for the correct proteolytic cleavage of the precursor proteins that are produced from the genome regions coding for the "Group Specific Antigens" (gag). During the cleavage, the structural proteins of the virus core are liberated. The "gag-protease" itself is a component of a precursor protein encoded by the pol-genome region of HIV-1 and HIV-2, which protein also contains the regions for the "reverse transcriptase" and the "integrase" and is thought to be cleaved by autoproteolysis.
The "gag-protease" cleaves the major core protein p24 of HIV-1 and HIV-2 preferentially N-terminally of proline residues, for example in the divalent residues Phe-Pro, Leu-Pro, or Tyr-Pro. It is a protease having a catalytically active aspartate residue in the active center, a so-called aspartate protease.
As used herein, proteinase inhibitor refers to those compounds which inhibit aspartate proteases of viral origin and which are useful in the prophylaxis or treatment of viral infections caused by retroviruses, such as HIV, in mammals, both human and non-human. Details of the design of such proteinase inhibitors can be found, for example, in Roberts, N. A., et al., Science, 248, 358 (Apr. 20, 1990); Overton, H. A., et al., Virology, 179, 508 (1990); Tucker, T. J., et al., J. Med. Chem., 35, 2525 (1992); and Phylip, L. H., et al., FEBS Letters, 314, 449 (1992).
Because of the hydrophobic and/or lipophilic character of proteinase inhibitors, pharmaceutical formulations thereof with conventional solid or liquid pharmaceutical excipients tend to have disadvantages. For example the proteinase inhibitor may not be satisfactorily absorbed. Among the inherent factors known to affect absorption are the method of manufacture or method of compounding; the particle size and crystal form or polymorph of the drug substance; and the diluents and excipients used in formulating the dosage form, including carriers, fillers, binders, disintegrating agents, lubricants, coatings, solvents, suspending agents, and dyes.
A requirement for therapeutic effectiveness in vivo is the achievement of good bioavailability, for example good absorptive capacity and/or a high blood level, also in the case of enteral, such as oral, administration, in order to obtain sufficiently high concentrations in the infected cells and/or good distribution within a host in need of treatment.
An additional requirement is that the unit dosage form have good stability or shelf life so that it can be stored conveniently (e.g., no refrigeration, i.e., at room temperature (about 20.degree. C.) for a long period of time (e.g., about two years).
While there are many known proposals to alleviate or overcome problems of this type, it has been found that many of these proposals are inadequate in the area of the proteinase inhibitors. It has, however, surprisingly been found that certain classes of glycerides used as carrier components of formulation do assist in alleviating these inadequacies. In particular, they enable achievement of better absorption and thus enhanced bioavailability and have good stability or shelf life over a long period of time.

Pharmaceutical compositions containing proteinase inhibitors


A peritoneal dialysis (PD) system for infusing a volume of PD solution into a patient's peritoneal cavity in order to perform peritoneal dialysis on the patient includes a peritoneal cavity monitor (PCM) that measures this volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity by segmental bioimpedance spectroscopy (SBIS), to thereby determine an ultrafiltration volume of fluid in the patient's peritoneal cavity, and a switch, controlled by the PCM, for filling the patient's peritoneal cavity and draining the patient's peritoneal cavity when the ultrafiltration volume is unchanged over time, significantly decreased, or decreasing at a significant rate.

Renal dysfunction or failure and, in particular, end-stage renal disease, causes the body to lose the ability to remove water and minerals and excrete harmful metabolites, maintain acid-base balance, and control electrolyte and mineral concentrations within physiological ranges. Toxic uremic waste metabolites including urea, creatinine, uric acid, and phosphorus accumulate in the body's tissues, which can result in a person's death if the filtration function of the kidney is not replaced.
Dialysis is commonly used to replace kidney function by removing these waste toxins and excess water. In one type of dialysis treatment, peritoneal dialysis (PD), sterile, pyrogen-free dialysis solution is infused into the patient's peritoneal cavity. The peritoneal membrane serves as a natural dialyzer and toxic uremic waste metabolites and various ions diffuse from the patient's bloodstream across the membrane into the dialysis solution due to their concentration gradients. At the same time, fluid is drawn into the peritoneal cavity by an osmotic gradient. The dialysis solution is removed, discarded and replaced with fresh dialysis solution on a semi-continuous or continuous basis.
In the routine care of patients on peritoneal dialysis, removal of fluid by ultrafiltration plays a significant role in maintenance of normal body fluid volume and blood pressure. See Arkouche W., Fouque D., Pachiaudi C., Normand S., Laville M., Delawari E., Riou J. P., Traeger J., and Laville M., Total body water and body composition in chronic peritoneal dialysis patients, J Am Soc Nephrol 8: 1906-1914, 1997; Lindholm B., Werynski A., and Bergström J., Fluid transport in peritoneal dialysis, Int J Artif Organs 13:352-358, 1990; and Korbet M. S., Evaluation of ultrafiltration failure, Advances in Renal Replacement Therapy 5(3):194-204, 1998. The ability of the peritoneal membrane to remove fluid volume is typically assessed by the standard peritoneal equilibration test (PET), which measures the dialysate to plasma (D/P) ratio of selected substance (solute) concentrations, such as creatinine. For each solute, the transport rate is categorized as low, low average, high average, and high, in increasing ranges of the D/P ratio. See Twardowski Z. J., Nolph K. O., Khanna R., Prowant B. F., Ryan L. P., Moore H. L., and Nielsen M. P., Peritoneal Equilibration Test, Perit Dial Bull 7: 138-147, 1987; and Smit W., Estimates of peritoneal membrane function-new insights, Nephrol Dial Transplant 21: ii16-ii19, 2006 (hereinafter "Smit"). A high D/P ratio of creatinine is a reflection of ultrafiltration failure, as it is related to high absorption rates of low molecular weight osmotic agents, such as glucose, from the dialysate into the patient's blood, and therefore to a rapid disappearance of the osmotic gradient that enables removal of fluid from the patient into the dialysate. See Smit. After the disappearance of the osmotic gradient, fluid from the dialysate can be reabsorbed across the peritoneal membrane back into the patient. In such hyper-absorbing patients, the drain volume can be less than the initial filling volume, and is certainly less than the maximal desirable ultrafiltration volume. However, PET cannot be used to monitor the ability of the peritoneal membrane to remove fluid volume while a PD treatment is being administered. Traditionally, the total ultrafiltration volume (UFVM) is determined from the difference in weight between total filling and draining volumes at the end of a PD treatment, and therefore hyper-absorbing patients cannot be identified earlier in the treatment cycle.
Therefore, there is a need for improved monitoring of fluid removal by ultrafiltration for patients on peritoneal dialysis.

System and method of monitoring and control of ultrafiltration volume during peritoneal dialysis using segmental bioimpedance


Stage devices for various uses including use as a reticle stage or substrate stage in a microlithography system. An exemplary device includes a carrier and multiple linear EM actuators that couple the carrier monolithically to a base. The linear EM actuators collectively provide controlled movability of the carrier relative to the base in all six DOFs (X, Y, Z, θX, θY, θZ). The multiple linear EM actuators comprise at least one multiple-DOF linear actuator but fewer than six linear EM actuators. For example, the stage device can have two two-DOF linear actuators providing respective motions of the carrier in the X, Y and Y, Z DOFs (and collectively in all six DOFs) or can have two two-DOE linear actuators providing motions of the carrier in the Y, Z, θX, θY, and θZ DOFs and a one-DOF linear actuator providing motions in the X DOF.

Many advances in modern technology involve or are accompanied by a need to position objects extremely accurately and precisely. One arena in which this need is felt is precision machining. Another arena is precision imaging. Yet another arena is inspection and testing. One arena in which this need is particularly acute is microlithography, which generally is a technique for imprinting patterns of circuit elements on substrates. Advancements in modern microlithography systems have achieved levels of printing accuracy, precision, and resolution that were unheard of only a few years ago. For example, it is now possible to print features less than 50 nm across. To achieve such results, modern microlithography systems are extremely complex and have a large number of subsystems that must operate at or near theoretical limits of performance. These subsystems include not only illumination and imaging optics but also devices for moving objects such as reticles and substrates, and devices for measuring positions of objects such as reticles and substrates.
The particular subsystems to which this disclosure is directed is any of various "stage" devices that hold an object, such as a reticle or substrate, and that move and position the object with extremely high accuracy and precision. Referring to FIG. 11, a conventional microlithography system 100 has at least one stage, and many systems have two or more stages, such as a reticle stage 102 and a substrate stage 104 used on many types of projection-microlithography systems. The reticle stage 102 is situated and configured to hold a pattern-defining master termed a "reticle" or "mask" (generally termed a "reticle" 106 herein). The substrate stage 104 is situated and configured to hold a "substrate" 108 (e.g., a semiconductor wafer or a display panel) onto which the pattern from the reticle 106 is projected for imprinting purposes. The conventional projection-microlithography system 100 also has an illumination-optical system 110, located upstream of the reticle stage 102, that conditions a beam of lithographic light (produced by a source 112) for illuminating the reticle 106, and a projection-optical system 114, located between the reticle stage and the substrate stage 104, that receives patterned lithographic light from the reticle and projects an image of the reticle pattern onto the substrate 108. The reticle stage 102 and substrate stage 104 are independently movable in at least one direction, especially relative to the projection-optical system 114, to ensure placement of the pattern image(s) at proper location(s) and with proper alignment on the substrate 108.
Further with respect to the conventional system 100, the reticle stage 102 includes a platform (also called a "fine stage") 102F, on which the reticle 106 is mounted, and a coarse stage 102C, on which the fine stage 102F is mounted. The coarse stage 102C is movable relative to a stage base 102B, and the fine stage 102F is movable relative to the coarse stage 102C. To achieve such motion, the coarse stage 102C is coupled to an actuator 102CA mounted to the base 102B, and the fine stage 102F is coupled to an actuator 102FA mounted to the coarse stage.
Similarly, the substrate stage 104 includes a platform (also called a "fine stage") 104F, on which the substrate 108 is mounted, and a coarse stage 104C, on which the fine stage 104F is mounted. The coarse stage 104C is movable relative to a stage base 104B, and the fine stage 104F is movable relative to the coarse stage 104C. To achieve such motion, the coarse stage 104C is coupled to an actuator 104CA mounted to the base 104B, and the fine stage 104F is coupled to an actuator 104FA mounted to the coarse stage.
For performing highly accurate positional measurements of the reticle coarse stage 102C relative to the base 102B and positional measurements of the reticle fine stage 102F, respective interferometers 116C, 116F are used. Similarly, for performing highly accurate positional measurements of the substrate coarse stage 104C relative to the base 104B and positional measurements of the reticle fine stage 104F, respective interferometers 118C, 118F are used. Typically, each interferometer 116F, 116C, 118F, 118C shown in FIG. 11 includes multiple interferometers including measurement interferometers and reference interferometers. The interferometers 116F, 116C, 118F, 118C ensure, inter alia, co-alignment of the reticle 106 and substrate 108 with the projection-optical system 114.
As microlithography systems have evolved over the years, the mechanisms of the stages 102, 104 have become increasingly sophisticated. Much of the impetus behind evolution of microlithography systems has focused on increased throughput and better (finer) imaging resolution. To achieve these goals, modern microlithography systems have had to operate at shorter wavelengths of lithographic light than previously (which has required extensive modifications of the source 112, the illumination-optical system 110, and projection-optical system 114), and have had to incorporate many changes and refinements in the stages 102, 104. For example, many conventional stages now utilize linear and/or planar motors as actuators, and the number and sophistication of interferometers have generally increased.
Demands on the achievable motions of the stages 102, 104 have also increased. For example, as the numerical aperture (N/A) of projection-optical systems has increased, the depth of field (also called depth of focus) of these systems has correspondingly decreased. Consequently, the accuracy, precision, and numbers of degrees of freedom (DOF) of stage motions have had to be improved. (Regarding the stage motions relative to Cartesian (X, Y, Z) rectangular coordinates, up to six DOF are available: X, Y, Z, θX, θY, and θZ) Whereas, for example, reticle stages are currently available that provide motion in three DOFs (X, Y, θZ), the prospect of achieving all six DOF of motion in a single stage, especially such motions controlled to accuracy and precision in the nanometer range, has presented large technical challenges.
In addition to the above, obtaining better throughput and imaging resolution also requires stages that hold larger reticles and substrates, that accelerate and decelerate faster than previously, that move at higher velocities, and that produce less vibration. Achieving these goals also has presented large technical challenges. For example, increasing the ranges of motion and increasing acceleration, deceleration, and velocity usually results in increased size and mass of the stage and of the actuators. Hence, anything that can be done to reduce the mass of the stage without compromising stage performance would be beneficial.

Monolithic stage devices providing motion in six degrees of freedom


The present invention is intended to provide an image reconstruction method based on an iterative reconstruction technique and characterized by a short image reconstruction time, a small memory capacity, and high image quality. The image reconstruction method comprises the steps of: constructing a system model that has a plurality of concentric rings each segmented into a plurality of sectors; constructing a system matrix associated with one view, by using some of all the sectors constituting the system model, the some of all sectors being located on respective projection lines concerning the one view; creating a system matrix associated with another view, by transforming the system matrix associated with the one view; reconstructing an image through iterative reconstruction by using the system matrix and projection data; and transforming the image into an image composed of rectangular pixels.

The present invention relates to an image reconstruction method and an X-ray computed tomography (CT) system, or more particularly, an image reconstruction method based on an iterative reconstruction technique and an X-ray CT apparatus that performs the image reconstruction.
Iterative reconstruction is known as one of techniques for reconstructing an image on the basis of projection data produced by an X-ray CT apparatus or a positron emission tomography (PET) system.
The iterative reconstruction is such that an estimated distribution of coefficients in a system model is sequentially corrected until projection data produced from the estimated distribution of coefficients will agree with projection data produced from actual measurement. The iterative reconstruction may be referred to as statistical reconstruction. Typical examples of the image reconstruction technique include an ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) technique (refer to, for example, Non-patent Document 1).
[Non-Patent Document 1] "Study of a Convergent Subsetized List-mode EM Reconstruction Algorithm" by A. Rahmin, T. J. Ruth, and V. Sossi (Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record 2004 IEEE, Oct. 2004, Vol. 6, pp. 3978-3982)
According to the foregoing technique, a spatial array of coefficients formed like a rectangular lattice is adopted as a system model. A system matrix for use in reconstructing an image of the system model has a complex structure and includes an enormous amount of data. The calculation of the system matrix is a large load to be imposed on a computer.
As shown in FIG. 15(a), when a stored matrix having been calculated in advance is used, a large memory capacity is required. If a system matrix is, as shown in FIG. 15(b), calculated at every time of image reconstruction, an image reconstruction time gets longer. If the system matrix is simplified in order to shorten the image reconstruction time, image quality deteriorates.

Image reconstruction method and X-ray CT apparatus

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A bias circuit includes a feedback amplifier, a current source, first and second differential transistors, first and second resistive transistors and first and second mirror transistors. The feedback amplifier compares a first reference voltage with a voltage on an internal node and outputs a feedback signal. The current source is controlled by the feedback signal. The first and second differential transistors are connected to the current source. The first and second differential transistors receive a second reference voltage. The second differential transistor has a dimension different from the first differential transistor. The first and second resistive transistors are connected to the first and second differential transistors respectively. The second resistive transistor has a first gate. Each of the first and second mirror transistors has a gate connected to the first gate. The first mirror transistor is connected to the internal node. The second mirror transistor is connected to an output node.

The present invention relates to a bias circuit, and particularly to a bias circuit capable of outputting a bias current that depends on current amplification gains β of transistors and resistance values without depending on the accuracy of a required reference voltage.
A conventional bias circuit comprises an NMOS transistor for constant current source (hereinafter called "a constant current source transistor") 2 whose constant current value is controlled based on the output of a feedback amplifier, a differential pair of NMOS transistors (hereinafter called "differential transistors") equal in dimension from each other, which is connected to the drain of the constant current source transistor, diode-connected load PMOS transistors (hereinafter called "load transistors") respectively connected to the drains of the differential transistors, current mirror PMOS transistors (hereinafter called "mirror transistors") which constitute the load transistor and a current mirror, and a resistor 9 which receives a current that flows through the mirror transistor. The drain side of the mirror transistor serves as a current output terminal.
Different reference voltages are respectively applied to the gates of the differential transistors, and another reference voltage is further applied to a positive input terminal of the feedback amplifier.
When, for example, the differential transistors are increased in current amplification gain β due to variations in manufacture in such a bias circuit, the feedback amplifier controls a current flowing through the constant current source transistor so as to be reduced. Accordingly, the mirror transistor outputs an output current that depends on the current amplification gains β of the differential transistors and the resistance value of the resistor.
The conventional bias circuit is accompanied by a problem that the accuracy of the reference voltages applied to the differential transistors is degraded, and when an input potential difference varies, the output current also varies eventually.


A method of reducing noise from a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes the steps of establishing a maximum noise limit that may be for a particular frequency range. A primary fuel flow percentage, which may be emitted from a fuel nozzle arrangement having various groupings of simplex and duplex nozzles, is then established. An immersion depth measured between an aft rim of a swirler and a distal tip of the fuel nozzles may then be reduced thereby reducing the noise amplitude.

The present disclosure relates to a combustor of a gas turbine engine and, more particularly, to a method of reducing noise from the combustor.
Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, include a fan section to propel the aircraft, compressor section to pressurize a supply of air from the fan section, a combustor section to burn a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine section to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases and generate thrust.
It remains desirable for gas turbine engine manufacturers to develop combustor configurations that reduce emissions and/or noise with improved operational efficiencies.

Reducing noise from a combustor of a gas turbine engine


The present disclosure is directed at a system and method for analyzing clinical trial data over a network. The system and method specifics image protocols, encodes a number of protocols and communicates that information to an acquisition unit that appends the protocols to a digital image. When the image needs to be analyzed to gather clinical trial data, the encoded information is extracted and the correct software application is initialized and used to analyze the image.

Recently quantitative imaging has become a very important topic for pharmaceutical companies. Drug development is very costly and lengthy in time and often different phases of clinical trials are necessary in order to validate the effectiveness of a drug. Presently, pharmaceutical companies are developing agents that, when injected into human subjects, can be imaged, at the functional and anatomical levels to quantify the effectiveness of a drug. This type of agent can significantly reduce the length of clinical trial and the cost of drug development.
Accordingly, medical image analysis vendors are developing dedicated systems and tools to analyze and quantify such clinical trial images. For different image modality, such as CT, MR, PET, SPECT, different dedicated analysis tools may need to be developed. Utilizing present methods, analysis is application-centered. That is, the interested user first starts the application and then loads the data that is intended for the application. The respective clinical trial center may therefore need to have installed multiple applications for different clinical trials. It is therefore inefficient for users to look for, and locate, the right application and load the right image intended for analysis. Furthermore, it is not uncommon that two analysis software applications from two different vendors can do the same analysis. However, the analysis results may differ due to variations in the vendor platforms. For example, some critical parameters, such as the CT Hounsfield unit value for thresholding, may be hard coded in each application and vary across platforms. There is presently, no standardized way to minimize these differences and their impact among analysis results.
It is therefore highly desirable to have a method to organize the applications in an image-centered way, so that images and applications can not be mismatched. Furthermore, it is also highly desirable to systematically reduce or eliminate the analysis result difference encountered by different vendors.

System and methods for quantitative image analysis platform over the internet for clinical trials


The invention provides a Schottky diode structure. An exemplary embodiment of a Schottky diode structure includes a semiconductor substrate having an active region. A first well region having a first conductive type is formed in the active region. A first doped region having the first conductive type is formed on the first well region. A first electrode is disposed on the active region, covering the first doped region. A second electrode is disposed on the active region, contacting to the first well region. A gate structure is disposed on the first well region. A second doped region, having a second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type, and is formed on the first well region. The gate structure and the second doped region are disposed between the first and second electrodes.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Schottky diode structure, and in particular, to a Schottky diode structure with low leakage in a reverse bias.
Description of the Related Art
Because of the advantages of having a majority of conduction carriers and a low turn-on voltage in a forward bias, Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) are widely utilized to improve power transfer efficiency in power management integrated circuits (ICs). However, SBDs having low turn-on voltage also indicates that the SBDs have high leakage current in a reverse bias. When SBDs are used in devices, the high leakage current problem during reverse bias conditions gets even worse, due to the Schottky barrier lowering effect.
Thus, a novel Schottky diode structure to reduce reverse leakage and maintain the advantage of a low forward voltage is desirable.


Integrated telephone with an xDSL-modem (2), comprising a splitter unit (6) for separating telephone signals received via a telephone line (9) in a low-frequency band from data signals received in a high-frequency band via the telephone line (9), a telephone set (3) connected to the splitter unit (6) for the transmission of telephone signals in the low-frequency band; and a high-speed xDSL-modem (2) connected to the splitter unit (6) for the transmission of data signals in the high-frequency band.

xDSL (DSL: Digital Subscriber Line) is a family of telecommunication services including ADSL (Asymmetric DSL), RADSL (Rate-Adaptive DSL), SDSL (Symmetric DSL) and VDSL (Very High-Speed DSL). DSL provides a digital connection for customers to other end users. By using digital signalling methods, both voice and data can be transmitted over telephone lines but at much higher speeds than those speeds that are possible with ordinary modems. Modems are communication devices which convert binary digital information into electrical signals for the transmission via telephone lines and which convert these electrical signals back into a binary form at the receiving end. A conversion into the electrical signal form is known as modulation, whereas the conversion back to the binary form is known as demodulation. Modems are used for data transmission from or to a data communication equipment such as a laptop or a personal computer via the telephone line.
In POTS (POTS: Plain Old Telephone System), the frequency range between 0 and 4000 Hz is known as the voice channel and the frequency range from 300 Hz to 3000 Hz is known as a telephone frequency band. The voice signals are transmitted within the telephone frequency band as in-band telephone signals, whereas the telephone signals transmitted between 3000 and 4000 Hz are known as out-of-band signals. The signals within the in-band transmit the voice information, whereas the out-of-band signals are used for signalling and control purposes. Any frequencies above 4000 Hz are filtered out so that they do not interfere with the voice signal.
ISDN (ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network) where each telephone wire pair running to a home has the capability to carry not one but two simultaneous voice conversations, known as Bearer channels or B-channels. The voice calls are carried as 64 KPBS digital signals (128 KPBS together) along with a separate digital signalling channel, or D-channel. The D-channel can be used for packet data services when not needed for signalling, whereas the B-channels can be used for anything like voice, data and even video. ISDN transmits signals within a low frequency range reaching from 0 Hz to a cut-off frequency of about 130 kHz.
FIG. 1 shows an integrated telephone set having a modem according to the state of the art. The integrated telephone set comprises a conventional telephone set and an analog modem which are both connected to a switching device or multiplexer. The switching device is linked via a telephone line to the telephone network. The telephone wire is usually a single twisted pair wire made of copper. The analog modem has an interface for a connection to the data communication equipment such as a laptop or a personal computer. The integrated telephone set shown in FIG. 1 integrates the telephone functions and the data communication functions. However, in the integrated telephone set as shown in FIG. 1, the telephone services and the data communication services are both transmitted within the same frequency band. The telephone service is carried in-band together with the data communication service, and a fault in the data communication link will cause a failure of the telephone service.

Integrated telephone set with an xDSL-modem


A method for processing a workpiece including: a supporting plate preparing step of preparing a supporting plate having, on a top surface side of the supporting plate, a recessed portion configured to house a projecting portion provided in a device region of the workpiece; a positioning step of mounting the workpiece on the supporting plate such that the recessed portion of the supporting plate and the device region of the workpiece correspond to each other; a bonding step of forming a welded region in which the workpiece is welded to the supporting plate by irradiating a peripheral surplus region of the workpiece mounted on the supporting plate with a laser beam, whereby the workpiece is fixed on the supporting plate; and a processing step of processing the workpiece after performing the bonding step.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processing method for processing a plate-shaped workpiece typified by a semiconductor wafer.
Description of the Related Art
When the undersurface side of a workpiece typified by a semiconductor wafer which workpiece is provided with a device on the top surface side thereof is processed, a protective tape for protecting the device on the top surface side may be used (see for example Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 5-198542). The protective tape is formed by a base material and a glue layer on the base material. The protective tape is stuck to the top surface side of the workpiece by the adhesive force of a glue included in the glue layer.
In addition, a supporting plate that supports a workpiece may be used to prevent damage such as cracking, chipping, and the like at a time of processing (see for example Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-207606). The supporting plate has a rigidity necessary to support the workpiece. The supporting plate is stuck to the top surface side of the workpiece by an adhesive including a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Remote instruction and monitoring of health care may be facilitated by providing feedback to a local doctor performing the medical procedure while the local doctor is performing the medical procedure. Instructions for performing the medical procedure may be received from a remote doctor and transmitted to a local doctor. The local doctor may commence performing the medical procedure, and while the local doctor is performing the medical procedure, image or video of the medical procedure may be processed and compared to the instructions. For example, a first value of a parameter may be obtained from the image or video of the procedure and a second value of the parameter may be obtained from the instructions. Comparison data may be generated from the first value and the second value and presented to the local doctor and/or the remote doctor.

Access to health care may be challenging for people based on the location where they live. For example, a person who lives far from a city may have to spend a prohibitive amount of time to travel to meet with a doctor. Further, even people who live near a city may not have easy access to a desired doctor. For example, a person may need a certain type of specialist who is not present in that city or may desire to meet with a specific doctor in another location.
Access to health care may be facilitated using telemedicine where doctors meet with patients using a phone, videoconference, or other communication techniques made possible by the Internet. In some situations, augmented reality techniques may be used to facilitate communication with a doctor over long distance.
In one example, augmented reality may be used to allow a remote surgeon to assist a local surgeon (local to the patient). Each of the local and remote surgeons may be able to view a video of the surgical site. Another camera may capture the remote surgeon's hand and may superimpose the video of the remote surgeon's hand onto the video of the surgical site. As the remote surgeon moves his hand, this movement may be reflected in the superimposed video, and both the remote and local surgeon may see the remote surgeon's hand in the video. The superimposed video may give the appearance of the remote surgeon interacting with the surgical site even though the remote surgeon may be 1000 miles away.
While telemedicine and augmented reality allow greater access to health care, a remote doctor may be able to provide even better care through additional technologies not provided by current augmented reality systems.


A lock device includes a main body, a lock that locks and unlocks a lid member, an operating button, an engagement member, a rotor that rotates by locking and unlocking the lock, a coupling member, and an arm disposed on the rotor and coupled to one end of the coupling member. The coupling member interlocks the operation button and the engagement member with unlocking the lock and releases an interlock between the operation button and the engagement member with locking the lock. The engagement member slides through the coupling member to disengage the engagement member from the main body by operating the operating button.

As a center console disposed in an automobile, there has been known one wherein a lid member, which covers an upper opening of a center console box in an openable and closable way and is configured to serve as an armrest as well as shown in, e.g. Patent Document 1 listed below. In such a case, it is possible to house a relatively large article, such as a notebook computer, by making use of a feature that the console box has a relatively large volume and a great length in a front-to-rear direction. This type of structure is configured to protect a housed article from theft, such as breaking into a car, by providing a lid member with a lock device and locking the lid member in a closed state.
The lock device disclosed in Patent Document 2 listed below is configured to provide a lock to a lid member of a glove box so that a hook is swung by actuating the lock, and that even if an attempt is made to operate an operating button in a locked position, the lid member is prevented from being opened since any unauthorized action to the operating button is made ineffective to the hook in the locked position.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-4-278830
Patent Document 2: JP-Y-3-45504


A circuitry with a warning function, adapted to an electronic device electrically connected to plural peripheral devices each of which has a connector, includes a mainboard, plural switches and a light-emitting device. The mainboard is electrically equipped with plural of sockets to be electrically plugged by the connectors respectively. The switches are located in the sockets respectively. The light-emitting device is electrically connected to the switches and a power supply for providing power thereto. When one of the connectors electrically plugs into the corresponding socket and turns on the corresponding switch, the corresponding light-emitting device reveals a first warning state, and when one of the connectors does not electrically plug into the corresponding socket and does not turn on the corresponding switch, the corresponding light-emitting device reveals a second warning state. Thus the error connection can be concluded and excluded immediately before the electronic device is turned on.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to a circuitry, especially to a circuitry with a warning function by a light-emitting device.
2. Description of Related Art
As technology moves on, computer devices such as desktop computers, laptop computers or tablet computers are indispensable in our daily life or work. They are prevailing in every place and bring about various peripheral devices such as hard disks, keyboards, computer mice, and multi-media players.
For adapting to various peripheral devices, a computer device is equipped with various kinds of sockets such as ATX ports, SATA port and COM ports to be plugged by connectors for electrically connecting to peripheral devices configured for executing default functions.
Before a computer device is turned on and functions normally, the peripheral devices thereof must be connected thereto by electrically plugging the connectors firmly into the sockets on the mainboard thereof. Otherwise the peripheral devices cannot be detected by the computer device and the default functions cannot be executed. And even worse, the bad connection may cause damage on the mainboard.
Take a desktop computer as an example, most of the peripheral devices thereof are disposed inside the computer case and all the sockets are located either inside or at the rear side of the computer case. Therefore the condition is not easy to be clearly seen by naked eyes and the connecting state of the connectors plugging into the sockets cannot be acknowledged from the appearance. If a bad connection occurs it will not be checked out until the computer device is turned on and functions abnormally. Then the computer should be turned off and the connection state further checked, which is not convenient to a user.
Moreover, the connection state can only be checked by a use's naked eyes and it is possible that one of the connectors is not plugged firmly or omitted and the user has to re-open the computer case and check the connection state of every connectors. It is not only time-consuming but also risky on the possible damage of the mainboard or peripheral devices.


A method of fabricating an elastomeric structure, comprising: forming a first elastomeric layer on top of a first micromachined mold, the first micromachined mold having a first raised protrusion which forms a first recess extending along a bottom surface of the first elastomeric layer; forming a second elastomeric layer on top of a second micromachined mold, the second micromachined mold having a second raised protrusion which forms a second recess extending along a bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer; bonding the bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer onto a top surface of the first elastomeric layer such that a control channel forms in the second recess between the first and second elastomeric layers; and positioning the first elastomeric layer on top of a planar substrate such that a flow channel forms in the first recess between the first elastomeric layer and the planar substrate.

Various approaches to designing micro-fluidic pumps and valves have been attempted. Unfortunately, each of these approaches suffers from its own limitations.
The two most common methods of producing microelectromechanical (MEMS) structures such as pumps and valves are silicon-based bulk micro-machining (which is a subtractive fabrication method whereby single crystal silicon is lithographically patterned and then etched to form three-dimensional structures), and surface micro-machining (which is an additive method where layers of semiconductor-type materials such as polysilicon, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, and various metals are sequentially added and patterned to make three-dimensional structures).
A limitation of the first approach of silicon-based micro-machining is that the stiffness of the semiconductor materials used necessitates high actuation forces, which in turn result in large and complex designs. In fact, both bulk and surface micro-machining methods are limited by the stiffness of the materials used. In addition, adhesion between various layers of the fabricated device is also a problem. For example, in bulk micro-machining, wafer bonding techniques must be employed to create multilayer structures. On the other hand, when surface micro-machining, thermal stresses between the various layers of the device limits the total device thickness, often to approximately 20 microns. Using either of the above methods, clean room fabrication and careful quality control are required.

Method of forming a via in a microfabricated elastomer structure


A method of creating and trading corporate debt security derivative investment instruments on an exchange, as well as a trading facility for trading such derivatives, is disclosed. Corporate debt security derivative investment instruments are created by identifying a credit rating service that includes a plurality of risk categories. Unique monetary values are mapped to risk categories and an entity rated by the credit rating service is identified. A corporate debt security derivative investment instrument is then created whose value is determined at least in part by the monetary value to which the risk category associated with the rated entity is mapped.

Lending money involves risk. Regardless of who the borrower is, be it an individual, corporation, municipality, national government, or supranational organization such as the World Bank or the United Nations, there is always a possibility of default. In many cases the risk of default is remote. In others it is less so. Interest rates on loans are determined based on, among other things, a borrower's perceived ability to repay the loan. Paradoxically, a borrower whose ability to repay a loan is less certain will have pay more to borrow money in the form of higher interest rates than a borrower who is perceived to be less of a risk. Because debt plays a vital role in the world's economy, assessing risk is of critical importance to ensuring the desired flow capital from those who have it to those who would use it.
Over time, credit rating services have developed to assist lenders and investors in assessing risk and evaluating the overall credit worthiness of individuals and organizations. These credit rating services produce credit ratings for individuals and organizations that reflect the rated party's ability to repay its debts. Investors and lenders rely on such ratings when deciding whether to extend financing, and on what terms. In the United States, the Securities and Exchange Commission has relied on credit ratings by rating agencies that the markets have recognized as credible. These "nationally recognized statistical rating organizations" ("NRSROs") include several major credit rating services, including A.M. Best Company, Inc. (A.M. Best), Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (DBRS), Moody's Investor Services (Moody's), Standard and Poor's (S & P), and Fitch's Ratings (Fitch's).
The rating schemes followed by the three major rating services are all similar. Each includes multiple levels, with each level representing a different level of risk, or a different ranking of the perceived ability of a rated entity to meet its debt obligations. A 1 to 3-letter code identifies each of the different levels. For example Moody's defines nine primary risk levels:
Aaa, Aa, A, Baa, Ba, B, Caa, Ca, and C.
According to this system, the Aaa rating is reserved for the entities that demonstrate the strongest credit worthiness. Debt issuers or debt issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong credit worthiness but somewhat less than those rated Aaa, while rated simply those A represent above average credit worthiness. Issuers or issues rated Baa represent average credit worthiness. Those rated Ba demonstrate below average credit worthiness, and those rated B demonstrate weak credit worthiness. Finally, issuers or issues rated Caa demonstrate very weak credit worthiness. Those rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak credit worthiness, and those rated C demonstrate the weakest credit. Moody's also appends a numeric modifier 1, 2 or 3 to the categories Aa through Caa. The numeric modifiers indicate where within the particular risk category the entity being evaluated falls. 1 indicates the top rating within the group. 2 indicates the middle of the group. 3 represents the bottom. The modifiers 1, 2, 3 effectively expand the number of risk categories to a total of twenty-one.
S&P's alphabetic rating system is similar to Moody's. S&P defines its primary risk categories as:
AAA, AA, A, BBB, BB, B, CCC, CC, C, and D.
The definitions of S&P's categories roughly track those of Moody's and need not be explicitly related here. S&P append a (+) or (−) to categories AA to CCC in order to show an entity's relative standing within the major rating categories. With the modifiers, S&P's rating system effectively includes 16 different levels of risk.
Fitch also relies on a letter rating code similar to those already described:
AAA, AA, A, BBB, BB, B, CCC, CC, C, DDD, DD, and D.
Fitch also includes a (+) or (−) modifier to categories AA-CCC to indicate an entities relative position within a category. Thus, Fitch ratings may take on up to 18 different the levels.
The rating services monitor the financial health of the organizations they rate, updating their ratings as conditions warrant. If the rating services perceive a change in an organization's ability to meet its obligations the rating service may downgrade its rating of the organization. In contrast, improved financial circumstances may cause the rating services to upgrade an entity's credit rating. Thus, much like a company's stock price, an entity's credit rating may serve as a barometer of the entity's financial health.
Derivatives are financial securities whose values are derived in part from a value or characteristic of some other underlying asset or variable (the underlying asset). The underlying asset may include securities such as stocks, commodities market indicators and indexes, interest rate, and corporate debt, such as bonds, to name but a few. Two common forms of derivatives are options contracts and futures contracts.
An option is a contract giving the holder of the option the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a specific price on or before a certain date. Generally, a party who purchases an option is said to have taken a long position with respect to the option. The party who sells the option is said to have taken a short position. There are generally two types of options: calls and puts. An investor who has taken a long position in a call option has bought the right to purchase the underlying asset at a specific price, known as the "strike price." If the long investor chooses to exercise the call option, the long investor pays the strike price to the short investor, and the short investor is obligated to deliver the underlying asset.
Alternatively, an investor who has taken a long position in a put option receives the right, but not the obligation to sell the underlying asset at a specified price, again referred to as the strike price on or before a specified date. If the long investor chooses to exercises the put option, the short investor is obligated to purchase the underlying asset from the long investor at the agreed upon strike price. The long investor must then deliver the underlying asset to the short investor. Thus, the traditional settlement process for option contracts involves the transfer of funds from the purchaser of the underlying asset to the seller, and the transfer of the underlying asset from the seller of the underlying asset to the purchaser. Cash settlement, however, is more common. Cash settlement allows options contracts to be settled without actually transferring the underlying asset. A call option is "in-the-money" when the price or value of the underlying asset rises above the strike price of the option. A put option is "in-the-money" when the price or value of the underlying asset falls below the strike price of the option. An at-the-money option wherein the price or value of the underlying asset is equal to the strike price of the option. A call option is out-of-the-money when the price or value of the underlying asset is below the strike price. A put option is out-of-the-money when the price or value of the underlying asset is above the strike price. If an option expires at-the-money or out-of-the-money, it has no value. The short investor retains the amount paid by the long investor (the option price) and pays nothing to the long investor. Cash settlement of an in-the-money option, be it a call or a put, however, requires the short investor to pay to the long investor the difference between the strike price and the current market value of the underlying asset.
Cash settlement allows options to be based on more abstract underlying "assets" such as market indicators, stock indices, interest rates, futures contracts and other derivatives. For example, an investor may take a long position in a market index call option. In this case, the long investor receives the right to "purchase" not the index itself, but rather a cash amount equal to the value of the index (typically multiplied by a multiplier) at a specified strike value. An index call option is in-the-money when the value of the index rises above the strike value. When the holder of an in-the-money index call option exercises the option, the short investor on the opposite side of the contract is obligated to pay the long investor the difference between the current value of the index and the strike price, usually multiplied by the multiplier. If the current value of the index is less than or equal to the strike value, the option has no value. An index put option works in the same way but in reverse, having value, or being in-the-money when the value of the index falls below the strike value.
Futures contracts are another common derivative security. In a futures contract a buyer purchases the right to receive delivery of an underlying commodity or asset on a specified date in the future. Conversely, a seller agrees to deliver the commodity or asset to an agreed location on the specified date. Futures contracts originally developed in the trade of agricultural commodities, but quickly spread to other commodities as well. Because futures contracts establish a price for the underlying commodity in advance of the date on which the commodity must be delivered, subsequent changes in the price of the underlying asset will inure to the benefit of one party and to the detriment of the other. If the price rises above the futures price, the seller is obligated to deliver the commodity at the lower agreed upon price. The buyer may then resell the received product at the higher market price to realize a profit. The seller in effect loses the difference between the futures contract price and the market price on the date the goods are delivered. Conversely if the price of the underlying commodity falls below the futures price, the seller can obtain the commodity at the lower market price for delivery to the buyer while retaining the higher futures price. In this case the seller realizes a profit in the amount of the difference between the current market price on the delivery date and the futures contract price. The buyer sees an equivalent loss.
Like options contracts, futures contracts may be settled in cash. Rather than actually delivering the underlying asset, cash settlement merely requires payment of the difference between the market price of the underlying commodity or asset on the delivery date and the futures contract price. The difference between the market price and the futures price is to be paid by the short investor to the long investor, or by the long investor to the short investor, depending on which direction the market price has moved. If the prevailing market price is higher than the contract price, the short investor must pay the difference to the long investor. If the market price has fallen, the long investor must pay the difference to the short investor.
Again, like options, cash settlement allows futures contracts to be written against more abstract underlying "assets" or "commodities," such as market indicators, stock indices, interest rates, futures contracts and other derivatives. For example, an investor may take a long position in a market index futures contract. In this case, the long investor "buys" the index at a specified futures price (i.e. a future value of the index on the "delivery" date). The index based futures contract is cash settled. One party to the contract pays the difference between the futures price and the actual value of the index (often multiplied by a specified multiplier) to the other investor depending on which direction the market has moved. If the value of the index has moved above the futures price, or futures value, the short investor pays the difference the long investor. If the value of the index has moved below the futures price, or futures value the long investor pays the difference to the short investor.
Cash settlement provides great flexibility regarding the types of underlying assets that derivative investment instruments may be built around. Essentially any variable whose value is subject to change over time, may serve as the underlying asset for a derivative investment instrument. While standard derivatives may be based on many different underlying assets, there is a need for derivative investment instruments that relate to the financial health of various organizations.

Method and system for creating and trading corporate debt security derivative investment instruments

Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated


A fingertip-actuated surgical clip applier includes a first body and a second body substantially structurally identical to the first body. The first body includes a main section and a first jaw extending in a distal direction from the main section. The main section includes a hinge region and a first longitudinal wall extending between the first jaw and the hinge region. The first longitudinal wall includes a first outside surface adapted for contacting a first fingertip. The second body includes a second jaw and a second longitudinal wall. The second longitudinal wall includes a second outside surface adapted for contacting a second fingertip. The second body is inverted in relation to the first body and is pivotably connected to the hinge region. The first and second jaws are pivotable toward each other to a closed position and away from each other to an open position.

Many surgical procedures require vessels or other tissues of the human body to be ligated during the surgical process. For example, many surgical procedures require cutting blood vessels (e.g., veins or arteries), and these blood vessels may require ligation to reduce bleeding. In some instances, a surgeon may wish to ligate the vessel temporarily to reduce blood flow to the surgical site during the surgical procedure. In other instances a surgeon may wish to permanently ligate a vessel. Ligation of vessels or other tissues can be performed by closing the vessel with a ligating clip, or by suturing the vessel with surgical thread. The use of surgical thread for ligation requires complex manipulations of the needle and suture material to form the knots required to secure the vessel. Such complex manipulations are time-consuming and difficult to perform, particularly in endoscopic surgical procedures that afford limited space and visibility. By contrast, ligating clips are relatively easy and quick to apply. Accordingly, the use of ligating clips in both endoscopic and open surgical procedures has grown dramatically.
Various types of hemostatic and aneurysm clips are used in surgery for ligating blood vessels or other tissues to stop the flow of blood. Such clips have also been used for interrupting or occluding ducts and vessels in particular surgeries such as sterilization procedures. Typically, a clip is applied to the vessel or other tissue by using a dedicated mechanical instrument commonly referred to as a surgical clip applier, ligating clip applier, or hemostatic clip applier. A clip applier designed for use with asymmetric plastic clips in an open (i.e., non-endoscopic) surgical procedure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,416 to Oh et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The clip applier is used to position the clip over the desired vessel and its jaws are actuated, typically using an actuating mechanism disposed in the handle of the device, to close the clip about the vessel. The clip is typically left in place after application to the tissue until hemostasis or occlusion occurs. At some point thereafter, the clip is removed by using a separate instrument dedicated for that purpose, i.e., a clip removal instrument. A clip remover designed for use with asymmetric plastic clips in open surgery is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,391,035 to Appleby et al., assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
Ligating clips can be classified according to their geometric configuration (e.g., symmetric clips or asymmetric clips), and according to the material from which they are manufactured (e.g., metal clips or polymeric clips). Symmetric clips are generally "U" or "V" shaped and thus are substantially symmetrical about a central, longitudinal axis extending between the legs of the clip. Symmetric clips are usually constructed from metals such as stainless steel, titanium, tantalum, or alloys thereof. By means of a dedicated clip applier, the metal clip is permanently deformed over the vessel. An example of one such clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,920 to Phillips et al. An example of a metallic clip applier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,216 to Wood, in which a forceps-type applier having conformal jaws is used to grip and maintain alignment of the clip during deformation. Such appliers may additionally dispense a plurality of clips for sequential application, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,518 to McGarry et al.
With the advent of high technology diagnostic techniques using computer tomography (CATSCAN) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), metallic clips have been found to interfere with the imaging techniques. To overcome such interference limitations, biocompatible polymers have been increasingly used for surgical clips. Unlike metallic clips, which are usually symmetric, polymeric clips are usually asymmetric in design and hence lack an axis of symmetry. Inasmuch as the plastic clip cannot be permanently deformed for secure closure around a vessel or other tissue, latching mechanisms have been incorporated into the clip design to establish closure conditions and to secure against re-opening of the vessel. For example, polymeric clips are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,096 to Oh et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,846 to Oh et al., both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention. These plastic clips generally comprise a pair of curved legs joined at their proximal ends with an integral hinge or heel. The distal ends of the curved legs include interlocking latching members. The distal end of one leg terminates in a lip or hook structure into which the distal end of the other leg securely fits to lock the clip in place. The distal ends of the clips taught by Oh et al. also include lateral bosses that are engaged by the jaws of the clip applier.
A clip applier specifically designed for asymmetric plastic clips, such as the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,416 to Oh et al., is used to close the clip around the tissue to be ligated, and to latch or lock the clip in the closed condition. In operation, the jaws of this clip applier are actuated into compressing contact with the legs of the clip. This causes the legs to pivot inwardly about the hinge, thereby deflecting the hook of the one leg to allow reception therein of the distal end of the other leg.
In addition to compatibility with sophisticated diagnostic techniques, asymmetric clips have other advantages over symmetric clips. For example, because asymmetric clips are formed from polymeric materials, the mouths of asymmetric clips can be opened wider than the mouths of symmetric clips. This allows a surgeon to position the clip about the desired vessel with greater accuracy. In addition, a clip of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,834,096 and 5,062,846 can be repositioned before locking the clip on the vessel or before removing the clip from the vessel, in a process referred to as "approximating" the clip.
As indicated above, U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,416 to Oh et al. discloses a clip applier designed for use with asymmetric plastic clips in an open (i.e., non-endoscopic) surgical procedure. Other types of clip appliers have been developed for applying metallic clips. Clip appliers can also be classified according to whether they are designed for either open or endoscopic surgical procedures. Clip appliers designed for use with metallic clips in open surgery are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,745 to Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,216 to Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,522 to Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,523 to Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,130 to Samuels et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,740 to Peters et al. (assigned to the assignee of the present invention); U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,518 to McGarry et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,038 to Peters et al. (assigned to the assignee of the present invention); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,395 to Thornton et al. (assigned to the assignee of the present invention). Clip appliers designed for use with metallic clips in endoscopic surgery are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,327 to Thornton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,343 to Thornton; U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,320 to Carruthers et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,930 to Thornton et al., all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
As a general matter, endoscopic, and other minimally invasive surgical techniques enable surgeons to perform complex procedures through relatively small entry points, or surgical ports, in the body. Endoscopic surgery involves the use of an endoscope, which is an instrument permitting the visual inspection and magnification of a body cavity. The endoscope is inserted into a body cavity through a cannula extending through a hole or port in the soft tissue protecting the body cavity. The port is typically made with a trocar, which includes a cutting instrument slidably and removably disposed within a trocar cannula. After forming the port, the cutting instrument can be withdrawn from the trocar cannula. A surgeon can then perform diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures at the surgical site with the aid of specialized medical instruments adapted to fit through the trocar cannula and additional trocar cannulas providing openings into the desired body cavity. Minimally invasive surgical techniques are often desirable due to reduced trauma to the patient, reduced likelihood of infection at the surgical site, and lower overall medical costs.
Laparoscopic techniques are another type of minimally invasive procedure. The term "laparoscopic" refers to surgical procedures performed on the interior of the abdomen. One common laparoscopic procedure is hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery or HALS. In a typical HALS procedure, the surgeon uses a scalpel to make an abdominal incision. This incision is large enough to allow sufficient access of the surgeon's hand and forearm to the desired operative area in the abdomen. An inflatable device that includes two resilient rings attached to a translucent, polymeric cuff or sleeve is then inserted through the incision. The device is manipulated so as to form a port circumscribed by the incision, with one of the rings contacting the outer surface of the abdominal wall and the other ring contacting the inner surface of the abdominal wall. The surgeon then inserts one hand and forearm through the incisional area shaped by the port and into the peritoneal cavity of the abdomen, with the translucent sleeve surrounding the hand and forearm. The surgeon then uses his other hand to operate a manual inflation pump that is fluidly connecting to the sleeve through surgical-grade tubing. The device is consequently inflated so as to effect a seal between the surgeon's inserted forearm and the abdominal incision. The abdomen is then insufflated with a gas while the surgeon's hand remains in the peritoneal cavity, allowing the surgeon to move this hand around while using his other hand to manipulate one or more endoscopic devices, such as a clip applier, through a separately located trocar cannula.
Clip appliers can be further classified according to whether they are manual or automatic. The term "automatic" denotes the kind of clip appliers that retain a plurality of hemostatic clips adjacent to the jaws of a clip applier in a way such that a new clip is automatically fed to the jaws after the previous clip has been crimped or latched into place. Automatic clip appliers are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,509,518; 4,646,740; 5,047,038; 5,104,395; 5,112,343; 5,403,327; 5,527,320; and 5,634,930.
By contrast, the term "manual" denotes the kind of clip appliers that receive one clip at a time between the jaws, and which have to be reloaded manually after the previous clip has been crimped or latched. These manual instruments usually have a forceps-type design. The reloading operation is generally accomplished by inserting the jaws of the applier into a clip holder or cartridge and engaging or grasping a clip contained therein. Many types of clip cartridges currently available contain a plurality of longitudinally-spaced clip-retaining chambers. A single clip is retained in each chamber by a variety of means, and is removed from its chamber by a forceps-type clip applier that is inserted into the selected clip chamber and secured to the clip sufficiently to overcome whatever clip retention means is utilized, thereby enabling the clip to be removed from the clip chamber. Manual clip appliers are disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,270,745; 3,326,216; 3,439,522; 3,439,523; 4,146,130; and 5,100,416.
Conventional clip appliers of all types discussed above include a pair of jaws, and a handle or grip assembly designed for manipulation by the hand and fingers of the user to actuate the jaws. In addition, an elongate (e.g., 11 inches) intermediate section separates the jaws and the handle assembly. This intermediate section is usually a shaft section in the case of automatic and/or endoscopic clip appliers, or a pair of pivoting arms in the case of most manual clip appliers. In the case of a shaft section, some type of linkage is provided in the shaft section and/or the handles through which the force imparted by the surgeon's hand to move the handles (e.g., squeezing) is transferred into pivoting of the jaws and thus compression of the clip.
It is thus evident that for conventionally designed clip appliers, the surgeon's hand is remotely located with respect to the jaws and the clip loaded into the jaws, due to the intervening shaft assembly. Moreover, the shaft assembly or pair of forceps-style arms are designed to provide mechanical assistance and leverage when using the handles to actuate the jaws. While such conventional features in most cases serve the intended purposes of the clip applier well, it is acknowledged that the degree of "feel" of the clip in the jaws afforded to the surgeon is not optimal. It is further acknowledged that the lengthy configuration of conventional clip appliers is not always needed, especially in HALS procedures and non-endoscopic procedures where large-area access is already provided to the surgical site. In addition, the mechanical assistance provided by the conventional configuration is not always needed. This is especially true with respect to polymeric clips, which do not require much force to compress in comparison to metallic clips.
Therefore, many types of surgical procedures could be facilitated by providing a clip applier having a much smaller configuration than has heretofore been available. Applicant has discovered an improved fingertip clip applier that meets the long-felt need for such a device.

Fingertip-actuated surgical clip applier and related methods


The disclosure relates to an electronic device comprising an insertion housing produced from a profile element having a closed cross-section and including a first opening and a second opening, a circuit board having at least one electronic component, and a first closure element. The first closure element is disposed at the first opening, and the first opening lies in a plane at an angle to a direction of insertion of the circuit board.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device having a closed housing made from a profile material, e.g. an extruded section, from which the housing is separated.
Electronic devices are used in a plurality of applications. For example, engine control devices or other control devices that are conventionally of a shell structure are used in vehicles. In the case of this shell structure, an interconnect device, e.g. a circuit board, having electronic/electrical components is arranged in a first housing half shell and closed by means of a second housing half shell. In so doing, prior to the step of closing said shell, it is also possible, if necessary, to perform assembly tasks or other work on the circuit board, since the circuit board is freely open and can be worked on from above without any problem. Since heat is generated in known electronic devices during operation, conventional solutions for cooling the electrical devices are installed during assembly. In addition to using ventilation for cooling purposes, it is also possible to connect the electronic components directly to one of the housing half shells by way of a heat conducting element. Since the interconnect device is easily accessible in the case of the shell-like housing, the electronic components can be contacted directly in a particularly cost-effective manner. However, with respect to further cost savings, it would be desirable to replace the two half shells of the housing that are relatively costly to produce by a housing made from a profile element having a closed cross-section. However, in so doing, the problem arises that a circuit board that is inserted into the profile element can no longer be worked on from above if it is inserted into the housing.

Electronic device having a housing made of profile material


Provided herein are novel carbon-monoxide releasing molecules (CO-RMs) of the Formula (I): and esters, amides, salts, solvates and hydrates thereof; wherein R1 and R2 are as described herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, methods of their preparation, and their use in the treatment of liver disease and inflammation.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the most commonly encountered environmental poison. Paradoxically, more than half a century ago, it was found that carbon monoxide is constantly formed in humans in small quantities, and that under certain pathophysiological conditions this endogenous production of carbon monoxide may be increased (Sjostrand, Scan J Clin Lab Invest. (1949) 1: 201-214). Thus, although it has been known for a long time that carbon monoxide is generated in the human body, only in recent years have scientists begun to explore the possible biological activities of this gaseous molecule. The main endogenous source of carbon monoxide is heme oxygenase, which exists in constitutive (HO-2 and HO-3) and inducible (HO-1) isoforms. Heme serves as substrate for HO-1 and HO-2 in the formation of carbon monoxide, free ferrous iron, and biliverdin, the latter being rapidly converted to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase (see, e.g., Maines, Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. (1997) 37:517-554). It is generally believed that HO-1 represents a pivotal inducible defensive system against stressful stimuli, including UVA radiation, carcinogens, ischemia-reperfusion damage, endotoxic shock, and several other conditions characterized by production of oxygen-derived free radicals (see, e.g., Abraham et al., Cell Physiol Biochem. (1996) 6: 129-168). As part of its physiological and cytoprotective actions, heme oxygenase-derived carbon monoxide appears to play a major role as neurotransmitter, regulator of sinusoidal tone, inhibitor of platelet aggregation, and suppressor of acute hypertensive responses. Exogenously applied carbon monoxide has been a very useful experimental procedure to reveal the beneficial effects of carbon monoxide in animal disease models (see, e.g., US 2002155166, US 2003039638, US 2003219496, US 2003219497, US 2004052866, WO 03/103585, WO 04/043341). Thus, consistent findings reveal a series of important cellular functions that support a versatile role for carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide administration by inhalation is not practical for clinical applications, as it requires special delivery devices such as ventilators, face masks, tents, or portable inhalers. Moreover, carbon monoxide delivery to therapeutic targets by inhalation is inefficient, because it involves transport of carbon monoxide by hemoglobin. Hemoglobin binds carbon monoxide reversibly, but with very high affinity. Therefore, the doses required to deliver carbon monoxide to therapeutic targets in diseased tissues are likely to be associated with adverse effects. Carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CO-RMs) is a potential therapeutic alternative that can deliver carbon monoxide directly to therapeutic targets without the formation of intermediate CO-hemoglobin complexes (see, e.g., Johnson et al., Angew Chem Int Ed Engl (2003) 42:3722-3729). The advantages of carbon monoxide delivery by CO-RMs over carbon monoxide delivery by inhalation is generally recognized. However, CO-RMs should be able to deliver carbon monoxide selectively to diseased tissues. The identification of CO-RMs that are best suited for the treatment of a particular disease remains a major challenge of CO-RM development. Thus, there continues to remain a need for CO-RMs which, upon administration in vivo, selectively target a particular disease or organ with therapeutic benefit.

Carbon monoxide releasing molecules and uses thereof


A pin for attaching a surgical membrane barrier to tissue structure of a patient comprises a pin body 1 formed from a sequence of four truncated cones which define a serrated profile which enables the pin to engage the membrane barrier and to be pushed-fitted into the tissue structure. The head portion 2 of the pin serves to engage the membrane barrier and retain it in position on the underlying tissue structure.. The pin is made from a resorbable polymer, such as PDS Polydioxanone and is of substantially solid construction throughout.. In an alternative embodiment, a circularly cylindrical extension is provided between the largest truncated cone and the pin head. The arrangement serves to maintain a spacing between the membrane barrier and the underlying tissue.

It is known that, after performing certain surgical procedures on a patient, it can be desirable to place a membrane barrier on the site of the operation. Such membrane barriers exclude cell types such as epithelial elements, thereby promoting "productive" cell lines with the aim of encouraging qualitative and quantitative regeneration of functional tissue.
There are many clinical situations wherein a secondary means of fixing and retaining the appropriate membrane barrier to the underlying tissue structure is essential if the tissue regenerative process is to be encouraged.
It has long been recognised that secondary surgical interventions undertaken for the sole purpose of removing non-absorbable "scaffolding" structures (placed at the time of primary surgery) are undesirable. Apart from the additional discomfort and inconvenience to the patient, the secondary intervention can prejudice the quality and speed of the delicate biological regenerative process initiated soon after the placement of the membrane barrier.
The current systems available for providing membrane support are constructed from highly engineered medical grade titanium alloys. Apart from the disadvantages of requiring secondary surgery, as mentioned above, such titanium alloy systems are extremely expensive and require expensive manipulating instruments, such as drivers, graspers and surgical mallets. In addition, there is considerable difficulty with handling and manipulating such systems. Furthermore, the size constraints of existing designs can render it difficult to obtain adequate purchase in spongy cancellous bone.
It has therefore been considered desirable to provide a tissue tacking system made from a resorbable material, thereby precluding the need for secondary surgery, and to provide a system which overcomes the other disadvantages of conventional systems mentioned above.
Bone pins have therefore been made from synthetic resorbable polymers so as to overcome the need for secondary surgery. However, such bone pins have relied upon screw threading for retention, and this presents a major inherent problem in that they are unable to resist the high torque forces produced when attempting to fix them into dense bone.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a resorbable surgical pin which overcomes this disadvantage.
Pins made from synthetic resorbable polymers are known. These are of hollow construction to allow the pins to become infiltrated by, incorporated by, and ultimately resorbed by host tissue. However, this construction necessarily complicates the manufacturing process and is not feasible for pins having small dimensions. Furthermore, such a hollow construction is not necessary for facilitating the processes of guided tissue and/or bone regeneration.


A user controllable sleep system is provided-for, including at least one biometric sensor, a processor, memory in communication with the processor, a display in communication with the processor, and a user interface. The user interface provides landscape graphics relating to a selected soundscape comprising one or more related sounds. The user interface also has health indicia indicating health information from the biometric sensor and environmental indicia indicating environmental information received by the processor.

Sleeplessness and poor or interrupted sleep may significantly affect a person's health. Poor sleep may be caused by such factors as ambient noise, stress, medical conditions, or discomfort. Sleep systems may aid a user in falling to sleep based on settings received from a user. Thus, there exists a need for a device that can provide a user an easy way to control and receive information from a sleep system through the use of a novel visual user interface.