A size-adjustable high performance slip-on plastic roller skate has an injection-molded sole support piece in the form of separable front and rear sections respectively provided with wheel assemblies secured thereto. The sections are slidingly interfitted for movement toward and away from each other to vary the longitudinal extension of said sole support piece and can be locked at a plurality of the adjusted interfitted positions to enable accommodation of a plurality of shoe sizes. A metal reinforcing frame member is molded into one of said front and rear sections and extends within at least the interfitted portion of said sections, to bridge said portion at all size-adjusted positions, whereby to provide rigidity for the skate, enabling use of same in high performance applications.

This invention relates generally to roller skates, and more specifically relates to adjustable roller skates of the so-called "slip-on" type, which are nonetheless adapted for high performance use.
Roller skates of all types and degree of refinement have been in use for many decades. Consideration of the prior art constructions applicable thereto, will establish that by and large roller skates have been considered as either a low-cost, toy-like device for use primarily by young children; or else have taken the form of much more sophisticated apparatus, intended for use by highly skilled individuals, as, for example, in roller rink use or in sports competition and the like. The latter type of device has generally included a boot, to which is secured in permanent fashion a sole plate, which in turn carries the roller assemblies.
Recently, a great revival has occurred in interest in roller skates, with the use of same not being confined to roller rinks, even where comparatively sophisticated boot-type roller skates are involved. A number of considerations are pertinent from a technical viewpoint for the new interest thus developed, including the now widespread use of polyurethane or similarly comprised wheels, which lend themselves to excellent use both in indoor facilities, as well as upon sidewalks, street surfaces or the like.
One type of prior art roller skate, primarily considered in the past as a toy-like device, has been intended for use with conventional shoes. These roller skates, sometimes referred to as "slip-on," or adjustable skates, conventionally include a sole support plate or piece, to the underside of which are secured pairs of roller wheels, i.e. one at either end of the sole support piece. The support piece, further, is normally constructed so as to enable variation in the longitudinal extension of same, to thereby enable the skate to accommodate a variety of shoe sizes.
The adjustable slip-on skate of the above type, in addition to having in the past included low cost metal wheels or the like, thus rendering the skate of limited use in high performance applications (especially on street surfaces) usually had its sole support plate constructed of a metal such as steel, in order to provide the necessary strength and rigidity to enable reasonably long-term use.
In the above connection, it has been recognized that a number of significant advantages would reside in a plastic construction for the slip-on type of skate. Aside from relatively enormous cost savings in production of same, such a skate would be very useful in absorbing shocks and the like, especially where the skate is worn for outdoor (hard surface) use. However, consideration of prior roller skate structures based upon plastics, will establish that such devices have indeed been considered mere toys, and not acceptable for high performance applications. Such devices thus lacked sufficient mechanical strength to enable high performance use. Among other things, they lacked structural features as would enable same to be subjected to sustained high speed use, especially under conditions as would impose severe shock on the structure.
In accordance with the foregoing, it may be regarded as an object of the present invention, to provide a size-adjustable high performance slip-on plastic roller skate, which is of great structural strength and integrity, and is capable of absorbing substantial shock during use of same, without impairing the structure, and without substantial discomfort to the user.


A testing kit and method for determining the day of ovulation in a woman who has menstruated having a plurality of test assemblies each with an upper chamber, a lower chamber in fluid communication with the upper chamber separated from the upper chamber by a screen member, a saliva-absorbable chewable plug which when chewed by the user can be compressed against the screen member to express saliva into the lower chamber which contains a reagent which produces a color change, the intensity of which is proportional to the concentration of glucose in the saliva wherein a plurality of such test assemblies are utilized one on each of successive days for determination of the peak color intensity on the day that the saliva has the greatest concentration of glucose to allow for computation from this peak day of the date of ovulation of the woman.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns determination of the time of ovulation in women and more particularly relates to a home-testing kit easily used by women having no technical training to determine their day of ovulation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Historically, ovulation time has been guessed on the basis of menstrual time or "mittelschmerz" (a sharp pain believed to be felt by some women at the moment of ovulation). More modern methods of determination include measurement of basal body temperature (taken before arising in the morning, where it shows a slight elevation at the time of ovulation) and, most notably and reliably, by determination of the urinary concentration of a hormone associated with ovulation.
Concentration of a specific enzyme in a body fluid is also a useful indicator. For example, Foster in U.S. Pat. No. 3,406,015 describes detection of the presence of peroxidase in the saliva of a woman. Wegner in U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,569 and Melges in U.S. Pat. No. 3,037,496 describe testing apparatus for detecting sugar in a woman's cervix using a "TESTAPE." French patent 2,305,161 describes detection of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase in biological fluids.
Prosser et al in the Australian Journal Exp. Biol. Med. Sci. 61:265, 1983 describe elevation of glucose levels in saliva six days prior to ovulation. They state that "from a practical standpoint, an effective method of detecting the pre-ovulatory functional changes in the salivary gland may offer a convenient predictor of fertility in women."


A circuit arrangement includes an encryption circuit and a decryption circuit. A cryptographic shell circuit has a transmit channel and a receive channel in parallel with the transmit channel. The transmit channel includes an encryption interface circuit coupled to the encryption circuit. The encryption interface circuit determines first cryptographic parameters based on data in a plaintext input packet and inputs the first cryptographic parameters and plaintext input packet to the encryption circuit. The receive channel includes a decryption interface circuit coupled to the decryption circuit. The decryption interface circuit determines second cryptographic parameters based on data in a ciphertext input packet and inputs the second cryptographic parameters and ciphertext input packet to the decryption circuit. The encryption circuit encrypts the plaintext input packet based on the first cryptographic parameters, and the decryption circuit decrypts the ciphertext input packet based on the second cryptographic parameters.

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are popular platforms for implementing cryptography functions in networking, storage, and blockchain applications, for example. FPGAs provide convenient software control and ease of adding and/or improving functions.
Though FPGAs can be advantageous for implementations of cryptography systems, FPGAs present design challenges. Implementations of cryptography functions can consume a large quantity of FPGA resources such as look-up tables (LUTs), flip-flops (FFs), and block random access memories (BRAMs). For example, a single media access control security function (MACsec) can consume approximately 100,000 LUTs, approximately 100,000 FFs, and approximately 100 BRAMs. The large quantity of FPGA resources can challenge the circuit designer in closing timing on the circuit design, depending on the target clock speed. To alleviate timing issues, extensive pipelining may be employed, which can lead to the implemented circuit consuming more power than is desirable.


The present invention relates, in general, to fibroproliferative disorders, and, in particular, to methods and compositions for treating fibroproliferative disorders by administering to a mammal in need of treatment pharmacologically effective doses of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, such as pentoxifylline, and an anti-oxidant which is a precursor of glutathione, such as N-acetyl-cysteine, or their derivatives or metabolites.

Tissue damage may result from physical injury, infection, exposure to toxins, auto-immune processes and other causes. The physiological process of normal wound repair after tissue injury involves inflammation, the recruitment, activation and proliferation of fibroblasts and the secretion of extracellular matrix. This response ordinarily culminates in healing and termination of the proliferative and secretory processes. However, in clinically diverse conditions, the fibroproliferative response becomes itself detrimental and produces an abnormal accumulation of fibrocellular scar tissue that further compromises the normal architecture and function of the affected tissue and, in time, becomes the main cause for morbidity and mortality in these conditions.
As shown schematically in FIG. 1, injuries to normal tissues result in production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) and the release of cytokines, including TNF-α, PDGF, ET-1, bFGF, VEGF, TGF-β1 and chemokines CCL2 and CCL7. Mononuclear cells (monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils), T-lymphocytes and fibroblasts are recruited to the injury site. In response to released cytokines, these cells become activated and are a source for pro-fibrotic cytokines, namely TGF-β1 and CTGF. "Activated" fibroblasts trans-differentiate into myofibroblasts which are collagen type I producing cells. The final result is aberrant tissue remodeling, fibrosis and permanent scarring.
Pathological fibrosis can occur in almost any organ or tissue in the body. Examples include, but are not limited to:                1) All forms of pulmonary fibrosis from coal miners' Black Lung Disease to the treatment-induced varieties occurring in cancer patients and premature babies. Typically fibrocellular scar tissue severely reduces lung diffusion capacity, vital capacity and progresses relentlessly to respiratory failure and death.        2) All forms of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.        3) All forms of vascular fibrosis such as atherosclerosis and diabetic complications.        4) All forms of renal fibrosis.        5) All forms of interventional therapy triggered fibrosis such as restenosis of blood vessels after balloon angioplasties and atherectomies.
These fibroses are the cause of much suffering, disability and death in millions of patients across the world.
In recent years, due to growing understanding of biochemical and molecular events underlying the progression of fibrosis in whatever organ is affected, reasonable scientific strategies have been generated and, as a result, several experimental drugs for treatment or prophylaxis of fibrosis are in clinical trials and there is considerable optimism that additional new therapies will emerge in the years ahead.
Typically, treatment of fibroproliferative disorders comprises removal of the underlying cause (e.g., toxin or infectious agent), suppression of inflammation (using, e.g., corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents such cyclophosphamide and azathioprine), inhibition of fibroblast-like cell proliferation (using colchicines, penicillamine), down-regulation of cytokine machinery (using anti-TGF-beta antibodies, endothelin receptor inhibitors, interferons, pirfenidone and others), promotion of matrix degradation (using inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases), or promotion of fibroblast apoptosis. Despite recent progress, many of these strategies are still in the experimental stage, and existing therapies are largely aimed at suppressing inflammation rather than addressing the underlying biochemical processes. Thus, there remains a need for more effective methods for treating fibroproliferative disorders.
Studies have demonstrated that pentoxifylline (PTX) is capable of positively effecting fibroproliferative disorders in a multi-potent manner. First, as a pan-phosphodiesterase inhibitor, pentoxifylline improves microcirculation and tissue oxygenation of the fibrotic tissue [1-3]; second, pentoxifylline alters the biochemical and physical properties of platelets thus decreasing platelet aggregation in fibrotic tissues [4]; third, pentoxifylline exerts significant anti-cytokine and anti-inflammatory activity, as it is principally capable of inhibiting the pro-inflammatory actions of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on neutrophil function and cytokine production by monocytic cells [5]. Finally, pentoxifylline has shown direct inhibition of proliferation and collagen synthesis of human fibroblasts derived from normal and keloid skin and from hypertrophic scars [6]. Other phosphodiesterase inhibitors have some or all of the effects of pentoxifylline [19, 20].
Use of pentoxifylline as the sole agent in the treatment of liver and other fibrosis is claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,592 to Peterson entitled Uses for Pentoxifylline or Functional Derivatives/Metabolites Thereof. It is well known that fibroproliferative disorders are characterized by an accumulation of immunomodulatory cells (macrophages and neutrophils), parenchymal injury, and fibrosis [7]. Those cells in the affected tissue release exaggerated amounts of highly reactive oxygen radicals (oxidants), which mediate the parenchymal cell damage that typifies fibroproliferative disorders [21-24]. This oxidant burden is even more consequential due to a deficiency of glutathione, the major component of the antioxidant defense systems that normally protect against oxidant induced injury [8, 9].
In addition, low glutathione levels seem to play a major role in the exaggerated fibroblast proliferation seen in fibrosis [10]. Therefore, a rational therapeutic strategy for fibroproliferative disorders is to augment glutathione levels that would serve as protective screen to counterbalance toxic oxygen radicals.
For many years, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a glutathione precursor, has been widely used as a mucolytic drug in pulmonary medicine [25]. The antioxidant potential of N-acetyl-L-cysteine has been established in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the antioxidant capacity of N-acetyl-L-cysteine is directly related to the inactivation of electrophilic groups of free radicals [11, 12]. In vivo, N-acetyl-L-cysteine exerts its function as an antioxidant via its main metabolite, cysteine, the major precursor in the biosynthesis of glutathione [13]. In this respect, in paracetamol poisoning, oral N-acetyl-L-cysteine is able to replenish liver glutathione pools and to prevent drug-induced hepatotoxicity [14, 15]. In patients with lung tumours, oral treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine leads to an increase of glutathione levels in venous plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid [16].
Oral N-acetyl-L-cysteine therapy in pulmonary fibrosis patients not only increased lung glutathione levels, but it did so with no short-term adverse effects. The therapy was safe, as judged by all routine clinical and bronchoscopic parameters evaluated [10].

Compositions and methods for treating fibroproliferative disorders


A variable shelf organizer system for displaying merchandise thereon including a roller glide floor member, a standard track glide floor member, a plurality of removably adjustable divider members and a front wall member. The divider members and front wall member are engageable with both floor members and when multiple divider members are engaged with either floor member, product channels are formed therebetween for holding and securing products of varying size and shape on either floor member. The roller glide floor member is best suited for heavier packaged products such as six-pack or twelve pack products and the track glide floor member is best suited for standard products. The width of the shelf system may be increased or decreased by joining or detaching similarly constructed floor members in a side-by-side relationship and the length of the shelf system may be increased by attaching one or more floor extension members to the floor members.

The present invention relates generally to two embodiments of a gravity feed shelf organizer system for use in a wide variety of product merchandising display units including refrigerated display coolers commonly employed by supermarkets, convenience stores, and other wholesale and retail outlets and, more particularly, to various embodiments of a floor member and associated divider members and front wall member which are capable of being assembled so as to accommodate most shelf widths and any size and shape of product including heavier packaged products. The shelf system includes divider members engageable with the various embodiments of the floor member which can be selectively positioned and adjusted to form product guide channels of varying width to accommodate products of varying sizes and shapes, and it includes a front wall member which is likewise engageable with the various embodiments of the floor member and acts as a momentum arrestor to prevent product from toppling over the front wall of the shelf system. The present shelf system can be conveniently supported in a flat horizontal position or in an inclined position for gravity feeding products positioned thereon and represents a one-inventory solution to a particular user's specific needs and applications.
One problem that is typically associated with storing and displaying shelved products in a gravity feed shelf is the difficulty that heavier packaged products have in sliding down the shelf when the product is either being stocked, or when a consumer selects from the shelf a front product and other rear products are to slide down the shelf to replace the selected front product. For example, packaged products such as a six-pack or twelve-pack of beer or soda may have trouble sliding down the shelf to be at the front of the shelf, the position where consumers could more easily select the packaged product from the shelf.
Another problem typically associated with storing and displaying shelved products for sale to customers in a retail store setting is the inefficient use of available shelf space and the inability of the merchant to constantly provide an attractive arrangement of shelved products which are readily visible and easily accessible to the customer. Typically, articles of merchandise, especially products such as numerous bottled and canned soft drink products which are packaged in a wide variety of different container sizes and shapes, are randomly distributed and stacked in segregated areas on a shelf or other display device in such a manner that the selection of a particular item, access to that particular item, and the removability of that item from the shelf or display device by the customer becomes, at times, difficult if not impossible. In the present day marketing of consumer products, it is important to maintain the display of products in a suitable and organized fashion.
As a result, a wide variety of display devices and shelf organizers have been designed and manufactured for use in merchandising shelved products to consumers, and such devices are commonly utilized by supermarkets, convenience stores, grocery outlets, fast food outlets, and a wide variety of other wholesale and retail stores to show and focus attention on the particular products displayed therein. Although various shelf organizer constructions are known and have been utilized to alleviate some of the aforementioned problems associated with merchandising shelved products to customers, the known devices generally have limitations. For example, the known shelf organizers often fail to facilitate the movement of heavier product down the shelf. The known devices also have limitations in their ability to be compatible with shelves of varying width and length and, more importantly, they likewise have limitations in their ability to easily and quickly adjust the segregated product channels associated therewith to accommodate products of varying shapes and sizes so that a wider variety of different products may be stocked and dispensed from the same units.


A new and distinct Calibrachoa cultivar named ‘DCALCOFUCH’ is disclosed, characterized by a mounded growth habit and day length neutral flowering. The plants flower early and abundantly. The flower has a vibrant fuchsia color with a bright yellow throat. The new variety is a Calibrachoa, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

The new Calibrachoa hybrida cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Calibrachoa varieties. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during April of 2014.
The seed parent is the unpatented, propriety variety referred to as Calibrachoa 'cv. 12-2940'. The pollen parent is the unpatented, propriety variety referred to as Calibrachoa 'cv. 13-3598'. The new variety was discovered in November of 2014 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2014 crossing, in a greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'DCALCOFUCH' was first performed by terminal vegetative cuttings at a greenhouse in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. Subsequent propagation by has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in more than 25 successive generations.


In a video/audio coding and multiplexing method, coding of multimedia data including video data and audio data is implemented as a software program operating on a multitask operating system, and video/audio coded and multiplexed information in which video/audio synchronization is realized in specified time units is obtained. In this method, coded video information and coded audio information are temporarily stored in a video buffer and an audio buffer, respectively. A video/audio synchronization means creates time and information using video block rate information which is created on the basis of the coded video information and stored with the coded video information. According to the time information, a coded video read-out means and a coded audio read-out means read the coded video information and the coded audio information from the respective buffers, and the video/audio synchronization means performs video/audio multiplexing. Thereby, the coding process and the multiplexing process are performed at independent timings.

With the development of digital technology in recent years, multimedia data which have conventionally been processed only in analog form, for example, information including video and audio data, can be converted to digital information by digitization, compressive coding, and multiplexing, and the digital information can be used for recording and transmission. Multimedia data coded and multiplexed information so generated, for example, video/audio coded and multiplexed information, is called "system stream". Usually, a system stream is a one-dimensional array in which digitized, coded, and compressed video information and digitized, coded, and compressed audio information are alternately placed in prescribed units.
FIG. 27 shows an example of video/audio coded and multiplexed information. In the figure, reference numeral 2101 denotes a video sequence header showing that coded video information 2101 follows the header. When the coded (compressed) video information 2102 is subjected to inverse coding (expansion), an image having a reproduction time is generated. Reference numeral 2103 denotes an audio sequence header showing that coded audio information 2104 follows the header. When the coded (compressed) audio information 2104 is subjected to inverse coding (expansion), a voice having a reproduction time is generated. This audio/video coded and multiplexed information is also called "time-division-multiplexed information", and processes for generating this information are a coding process and a multiplexing process.
In an apparatus for reproducing the audio/video coded and multiplexed information, for video/audio synchronization at reproduction, video information and audio information to be reproduced synchronously are accumulated in a buffer and, when the video information and the audio information are completely stored in the buffer, they are decoded and reproduced. Since the capacity (size) of an internal buffer in a reproduction apparatus is limited, the coded video information 2102 and the coded audio information 2104 shown in FIG. 27 must be alternately arranged by quantities within a range allowed by the size of the internal buffer. More specifically, when the size of internal buffer is equivalent to 0.1 sec, the coded video information 2102 and the coded audio information 2104 must be alternately arranged in units that make the reproduction time not longer than 0.1 sec. Depending on the structure of the reproduction apparatus, there is a case where audio information and video information must be arranged alternately by quantities that make the video reproduction time and the audio reproduction time equal to each other.
A description is now given of a conventional apparatus for coding video/audio information and outputting video/audio coded and multiplexed information as mentioned above.
FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating a video/audio coding and multiplexing apparatus according to the prior art. With reference to FIG. 26, this apparatus is provided with an image/voice input means 2001, an audio capture means 2002, an audio coding means 2003, a coded audio storage means 2004, a video capture means 2005, a video coding means 2006, a coded video storage means 2007, and a file management means 2008.
The image/voice input means 2001 is implemented by a video camera or the like. This means 2001 receives image and voice, and outputs analog video information and analog audio information, separately. The audio capture means 2002 receives the analog audio information output from the input means 2001, and outputs digital audio information comprising discrete digital data. The audio coding means 2003 receives the digital audio information output from the audio capture means 2002, compresses the information by coding it excluding redundant information, and outputs coded audio information per unit time. In this case, the unit time is 0.1 sec. The coded audio storage means 2004 adds an audio sequence header to the coded audio information output from the audio coding means 2003, and outputs it to the file management means 2008. The video capture means 2005 receives the analog video information output from the image/voice input means 2001, and outputs digital video information comprising discrete digital data. The digital video information is composed of plural pieces of still picture information, each showing a still picture per unit time. The video coding means 2006 receives the digital video information output from the video capture means 2005, compresses the information by coding it excluding redundant information, and outputs coded video information. In this example, coded video information is output in units of individual still pictures. Since a still picture exists every 1/30 sec, the unit time for outputting the coded video data is 1/30 sec. The coded video storage means 2007 adds a video sequence header to the coded video information output from the video coding means 2006, and outputs it to the file management means. The file management means 2008 writes the input audio and video information in a file in a storage unit.
FIG. 27 shows video/audio coded and multiplexed information obtained by the conventional video/audio coding and multiplexing apparatus shown in FIG. 26. As shown in FIG. 27, for the reproduction process performed later, video information and audio information are arranged alternately by quantities that make the video reproduction time and the audio reproduction time equal to each other, and the reproduction time is not longer than 0.1 sec.
FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the video/audio cording and multiplexing apparatus shown in FIG. 26, with respect to the flow of data.
In FIG. 28, the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 26 designate the same or corresponding parts, and a video camera is employed as the image/voice input means 2001 shown in FIG. 26.
First of all, the video camera 2001 captures image and voice, and outputs analog audio information and analog video information, separately.
The audio capture means 2002 receives the analog audio information output from the video camera 2001 and outputs digital audio information. On the other hand, the video capture means 2005 receives the analog video information output from the video camera 2001 and outputs digital video information.
The video coding means 2006 receives the digital video information output from the video capture means 2005, compresses the video information by coding, and outputs coded video information corresponding to a single still picture. The coded video storage means 2007 adds a video sequence header to the head of the coded video information. The file management means 2008 stores the coded video information with the sequence header in a file in a storage unit.
The conventional video/audio coding and multiplexing apparatus repeats, three times, the process steps from coding by the video coding means 2006 to storage in the file by the file management means 2008. Since the coded video information is output every 1/30 sec, when the process steps have been repeated three times, the elapsed time is 0.1 sec (1/10).
The audio coding means 2003 receives the digital audio information output from the audio capture means 2002, compresses the audio information by coding, and outputs coded audio information by a quantity equivalent to 0.1 sec. The coded audio storage means 2004 adds an audio sequence header to the head of the coded audio information. The file management means 2008 stores the coded audio information with the sequence header in the file in the storage unit.
As long as the image/voice input through the video camera 2001 continues, the above-mentioned process steps are repeated appropriately, whereby coded video information and coded audio information as shown in FIG. 27, each being equivalent to 0.1 sec, are output as video/audio coded and multiplexed information, and stored in the storage unit.
As described above, in the conventional video/audio coding and multiplexing apparatus, when video information and audio information are coded, the video coding means 2006 and the audio coding means 2003 operate independently, and output coded video information and coded audio information at constant timings, respectively. More specifically, the video coding means 2006 outputs coded video information every 1/30 sec, and the audio coding means 2003 outputs coded audio information every 1/10 sec.
Therefore, video/audio coded and multiplexed information in which video information and audio information are alternately arranged in the same units of reproduction time (1/10sec) is obtained by successively storing output coded information in the file, without using special means for video/audio synchronization. To realize this, the conventional apparatus requires independently operating hardware dedicated to each of the audio coding means and the video coding means.
Hence, it is considerably difficult for the conventional apparatus to implement the video and audio coding means as software programs operating on a multitask operating system using a general purpose CPU, without using hardware.
The reason is as follows. On a multitask operating system, when plural programs (tasks) are operating in parallel, the timing for executing each program is decided by scheduling performed by the operating system or interruption generated by a device driver, so that equal assignment according to the request from the coding means is not guaranteed. Therefore, the above-mentioned constant operation is not always expected.
For example, for a device driver constituting the audio capture means and the video capture means, when an interruption generated by the audio capture means has priority over an interruption generated by the video capture means, there is a possibility that audio coding might be executed prior to video coding in a period of time.
FIG. 29 is a diagram for explaining this problem, and shows an example of video/audio coded and multiplexed information obtained as a result of video/audio processing when the conventional apparatus is implemented by the above-mentioned system. In FIG. 29, the ratio of the video reproduction time to the audio reproduction time is shown on the assumption that the video bit rate (quantity per unit time) is always equal to the audio bit rate. In section A, audio coding is carried out prior to video coding, so that the reproduction time of audio information is longer than the reproduction time of video information. In section B, since video coding is carried out so as to make up for the process in section A, the reproduction time of video information is longer than the reproduction time of audio information. In the multiplexed information shown in FIG. 29, since the video/audio multiplexing is unbalanced as a whole, a reproduction apparatus having a sufficiently large buffer for both of video and audio information must be used, otherwise the processing will be complicated, resulting in unwanted phenomena such as video or audio interruption.
Further, in the multitask operating system, since various kinds of programs reside besides the video and audio coding means, even though assignment to the video and audio coding means is performed equally, a problem still remains. For example, it is assumed that, when the audio coding means is expected to output 1/10 sec coded audio information constantly, a program other than the coding means consumes the CPU time over a long period, and 1 sec has elapsed from the previous audio coding when the CPU time is given to the audio coding means. In this case, even though 1 sec of digital audio information is buffered to prevent audio interruption, this audio information is output as a block of coded audio information for 1 sec. When this is processed by the conventional apparatus, in obtained video/audio coded and multiplexed information, 1 sec of audio information is inserted whereas video information and audio information must be alternately arranged in time units of 0.1 sec. When the capacity of the internal buffer in the reproduction apparatus is only 0.1 sec, the 1 sec of audio information results in a fatal event that image and voice are interrupted due to overflow of information from the buffer.
FIG. 30 is a diagram for explaining the problem in more detail, and shows an example of video/audio coded and multiplexed information obtained as a result of video/audio processing when the conventional apparatus is implemented by the above-mentioned system. In section A, coded audio information and coded video information are processed at sufficiently short time intervals. However, in section B, since another program, i.e., a process other than video/audio coding, has been executed at the beginning of this section, both the video information and the audio information are increased in time, leading to the above-mentioned problem.
Even when the video and audio coding means are only programs in the multitask operating system, a problem might occur. Generally, when the CPU operation switches to another program (task), a work for task switching is required. The ratio of this work time to the whole increases with an increase in frequency of task switching, resulting in degradation of performance in total. Therefore, in the conventional structure, to obtain video/audio coded and multiplexed information in which video information and audio information are alternately arranged in short time units, frequent task switching between the audio coding means and the video coding means is indispensable, resulting in degradation of performance as mentioned above. When the performance is degraded, there is a possibility that the coding process may not be completed by the next task switching time, and image and voice may be interrupted.

Method for coding and multiplexing multimedia data, apparatus for coding and multiplexing multimedia data, record media containing program for coding and multiplexing multimedia data

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


There is provided a sliding part in which a surface coverage ratio of copper in the sliding part increases. A bearing which is the sliding part is formed by filling the raw powder into the filling portion of the forming mold, compacting the raw powder to form a powder compact, which is sintered. A copper-based raw powder is composed of a copper-based flat raw powder whose diameter is smaller than that of an iron-based raw powder and an aspect ratio larger than that of the iron-based raw powder, and a copper-based small-sized raw powder whose diameter is smaller than that of the copper-based flat raw powder. The copper is allowed to segregate at the surface of the sliding part. The surface of the bearing is covered with the copper-based small-sized raw powder and the copper-based flat raw powder, thereby the surface coverage ratio of copper can be increased.

As a sliding part having reduced frictional resistance and improved durability and generating no noise, a sliding part is known that is a flat powder formed by sintering a powder compact, which is fabricated by filling an iron-based raw powder and a copper-based raw powder in a filling portion of a forming mold and applying vibration to the mold at the same time for compacting, and having an aspect ratio of the copper-based raw powder larger than that of the iron-based raw powder, on a surface of which copper segregates (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2003-221606); or a sliding part that is a flat powder formed by sintering a powder compact, which is fabricated by filling the iron-based raw powder and the copper-based raw powder into the filling portion of the forming mold and applying vibration to the mold at the same time for compacting, and having an average value of a maximum projected area of the copper-based raw powder larger than that of the iron-based raw powder, in which the copper-base raw powder contains flat powder of copper or copper-alloy and on a surface of which copper segregates (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2004-84038).

Sliding part and method of manufacturing the same


Inclusion of relatively small amounts of organic ionic species, such as calcium stearate, in the preparation of an electrically conductive polymer composite composition provides a composition having enhanced electrical properties relative to the composite composition lacking the added organic ionic species. As a result of this enhancement, normally insulating materials which rely upon a conductive filler to render them electrically conductive, can be made to achieve a given level of conductivity using less of the conductive filler than would otherwise be required. As a result, the adverse effects of the conductive filler on the polymer""s physical properties can be minimized while maintaining a high level of electrical conductivity.

This invention relates to electrically conductive polymer composite materials, and more particularly to methods for improving the electrical conductivity of such materials.
Normally electrically insulating polymers can be made electrically conductive via the addition of electrically conductive fillers, such as carbon fibers, carbon blacks, or metal fibers. In each case, sufficient amount of filler must be added to overcome the percolation threshold, the critical concentration of filler at which the polymer will conduct an electrical current. Beyond this threshold conductivity increases markedly as additional electrically conductive filler is added. It is believed that at the percolation threshold, uninterrupted chains of conducting particles first appear in the system. The addition of still greater amounts of electrically conductive filler produces a correspondingly higher number of uninterrupted chains and this results in still higher levels of conductivity.
Electrically conductive polymer systems are prized as materials for electromagnetic shielding in electronics applications and as materials used in the fabrication of structures to which paint may be applied using electrostatic painting techniques. A variety of electrically conductive fillers, such as carbon fibers, carbon fibrils and carbon black have been employed to impart electrical conductivity to otherwise insulating polymeric materials. The use of such fillers may however degrade other important physical characteristics of the material such as its impact strength. In addition, certain fillers such as carbon fibrils are high cost materials. Some electrically conductive fillers have a more pronounced negative effect on certain material""s physical properties than others, but nearly all polymer systems incorporating them suffer a degradation of impact strength, or certain other physical property not related to conductivity, relative to the unfilled polymer systems. In many instances, the desired level of electrical conductivity cannot be obtained without sacrificing at least some part of the material""s inherent impact strength. Therefore, it would be desirable to maximize the electrical conductivity enhancing effect of the conductive filler while minimizing the resultant loss in impact properties.
The instant invention is based upon the discovery that certain organic compounds function a s conductivity enhancing agents in organic conductive composite compositions, and that the inclusion of one or more of these conductivity enhancing agents reduces the amount of conductive filler required in order to achieve a given level of electrical conductivity relative to that required in the absence of the conductivity enhancing agent. The instant invention overcomes the limitations of earlier conductive composite polymer systems in that high levels of electrical conductivity can be achieved at reduced concentrations of electrically conductive filler relative to compositions lacking the conductivity enhancing agents. In this way, the present invention reduces the amount of electrically conductive filler required, thereby reducing the cost of the polymer system.
The present invention is directed to organic conductive materials comprising a conductivity enhancing agent, said organic conductive materials having improved conductivity relative to materials lacking said conductivity enhancing agent. One aspect of the invention, therefore, is an electrically conductive polymer composite composition comprising:
(A) an organic polymer matrix;
(B) an electrically conductive filler; and
(C) a conductivity enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of salts of carboxylic acids, salts of thiocarboxylic acids, salts of dithiocarboxylic acids, salts of sulfonic acids, salts of sulfinic acids, salts of phosphonic acids, salts of phosphinic acids, and mixtures thereof.
The invention further relates to methods of preparing electrically conductive polymer composite materials, to methods of enhancing the conductivity of electrically conductive polymer composite materials and articles prepared from these materials.

Electrically conductive polymer composite compositions, method for making, and method for electrical conductivity enhancement


A coordinate measuring instrument wherein a measuring element is related to a work to be measured, and a configuration or the like of the work is measured from a displacement of this measuring element. In this measuring instrument, one of supports is supported by one of guide rails in a manner to be positionally adjustable in direction of X- and Z-axes and the other of the supports is supported in a manner to be displaceable only in a direction of one of the guide rails. A slider guide rail racked across the supports can be adjusted in its posture in the direction of X- and Z-axes by a posture adjusting mechanism provided on connecting portions between the slider rail and the supports. The slider guide rail thus adjusted in posture in non-displaceable in the moving direction of a slider in a state where adjustment members provided on the slider guide rail are closely abutted against abutting surfaces of the supports.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coordinate measuring instrument, wherein a measuring element is displaceable on two or more axes perpendicularly intersecting one another as in a two-dimensional and three-dimensional measuring instruments and a configuration or the like of a work to be measured can be measured from a displacement of this measuring element.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Two-dimensional and three-dimensional measuring instruments, wherein a measuring element displaceable in two-dimensional or three-dimensional directions is brought into contact with a surface of a work to be measured and a configuration or the like of the work is measured from the displacement of the measuring element, are utilized in every fields of industry because of their high measuring accuracy.
The three-dimensional measuring instrument is provided with a mechanism, by which the measuring element can be displaced in directions of X-, Y- and Z-axis perpendicularly intersecting one another.
As a mechanism for displacing the measuring element in directions of three axes, there has been provided one in which, for example, a plurality of supports are erected on the top surface of a bedplate, two rails extending in the direction of Y-axis are provided in parallel to each other on these supports, a beam extending in the direction of X-axis is stretched across these rails in a manner to be movable in the direction of Y-axis, a slider is mounted on the rail provided on this beam in a manner to be movable in the direction of X-axis, further, a spindle is provided on this slider in a manner to be slidable in the direction of Z-axis, and a measuring element is fixed to one end of this spindle. In other words, this mechanism as a whole has been constructed by a stacking system and the positional reference thereof has been sought from the bedplate or another basis.
In consequence, the conventional construction has presented such disadvantages that the configuration of legs should have borne the load as a structure of making the measuring element to move in the coordinate directions, whereby the construction should necessarily be large-sized, while the measurable scope is extremely limited. Furthermore, the supports should be vertical to the bedplate or the like and in parallel to opposite sides thereof, further, the height of the supports should be accurately finished and assembled, and the adjustments in these works should be made in .mu.m order, thus requiring excessive labor hours.
Furthermore, a main scale is provided on the side of the bedplate along the moving direction of the supports and an index scale opposed to the main scale is provided on the side of the supports, and the position of the supports are detected by the scales. However, if the main scale is directed upwardly, the main scale is subjected to damages and contaminations depending on the environment of use, thus possibly causing a trouble to detecting the position.
On the other hand, if the main scale is disposed transversely, damages and adhesion of contaminations may be relieved, however, a lock knob or the like for locking the supports should be mounted to the top surface thereof, with the result that, the lock knob or the like protrudes upwardly from the top surface of the bedplate, thus possibly causing a trouble to the carry-in and carry-out works for the work to be measured.
Further, the supports should be vertical to the bedplate or the like and in parallel to the opposite sides thereof, the supports should be accurately finished and assembled in their heights, subsequently, the structure to be supported by these supports should be assembled to be in parallel and vertical to the X-, Y- and Z-axes successively, and further, after the adjustments are made in this assembled structure, scales are fixed in a manner to be in parallel to the slider and the like with predetermined clearances, thus requiring extremely complicated steps and high skill level.
This leads to that the finishing accuracy of one of the parts renders a great influence to the total accuracy, if there occurs any disorder in the first stage, then correction or improvements cannot be effected, and finally, all of the adjustments and assemblings should be done over again. Furthermore, the skill level of an assembling worker exerts a great influence on the total accuracy.


A fastener installation tool including a cylinder assembly, a handle/sleeve assembly, and a tool head. The handle/sleeve assembly includes a handle having a bore and a sleeve positioned within the bore. An inner wall of the sleeve includes a first portion with a first inner diameter and a second portion with a second inner diameter. The sleeve includes an outer wall having a first portion with a first outer diameter and a second portion with a second outer diameter, the first outer diameter of the first portion of the outer wall of the sleeve being greater than the second outer diameter of the second portion of the outer wall of the sleeve. A space is formed between the second portion of the outer wall of the sleeve and the second portion of the inner wall of the handle, which enables the sleeve to flex during operation of the tool.

Fastener installation tools, such as pneudraulic fastener installation tools, are utilized to install fasteners to secure a plurality of workpieces to one another. The fasteners may be conventional pull-type fasteners which include a separable pintail portion engageable by a jaw assembly attached to the tool. It is always desirable to extend the tool's life, prevent leakage of hydraulic fluid from the tool, and decrease manufacturing costs for the tool.


A method for fabricating silicon injection plates is both highly precise and particularly simple. The silicon injection plate is formed by an upper silicon plate having injection holes and a lower silicon plate having a through opening and channels. The lower silicon plate is fabricated by simultaneous, double-sided etching of silicon.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing silicon injection plates. In particular, the method of the present invention produces silicon injection plates by bonding an upper plate having an injection hole to a lower plate having a through hole arranged beneath the injection hole, at least one of the plates including recesses for forming channels between the through hole and an outer edge of the injection plates.
German Application No. 41 12 150 describes a silicon injection plate produced by bonding an upper silicon plate to a lower silicon plate. The upper silicon plate has injection holes and the lower silicon plate has at least one through-going hole. Recesses through which channels are formed connect the through hole with the outer edge of the silicon injection plate. A gas, such as air for example, is blown or drawn in through these channels to assure a better atomization of the liquid flowing through the injection holes. The silicon plates are fabricated by anisotropic etching. The lower silicon plate is fabricated by first etching a passage opening in the lower silicon plate completely from its bottom to its top. If the recesses for the channels are provided in the lower silicon plate, this fabrication step is preformed after the etching of the through opening in the lower silicon plate.
Unfortunately, a sequence of etching steps is required to fabricate the device described in German Application No. 41 12 150. Further, the etching steps must be precisely performed to assure good atomization. Thus, a simplified method of fabricating silicon plates in which good atomization always results is needed.

Method for the manufacture of silicon injection plates and silicon plates produced thereby


Each of the pair of elongated skis circumscribe a pair of upwardly facing wheel-engaging wells at opposite fore and aft ends thereof, for receiving and containing a pair of fore and aft registering wheels from both axles of a two axle pushchair. A pair of elongated elastic cables are each anchored at both ends thereof to front and rear portions of a corresponding ski intermediately of the wells thereof. A pair of hooks are each slidingly carried along a corresponding elastic cable and releasably interconnect the elastic cable to the pushchair frame in such a way that the corresponding ski is movable between a first, operative, ground-engaging position, in which each pair of fore and aft registering wheels engage a corresponding ski well and are biased thereagainst under the resiliency of the elastic cable, and an inoperative, ground-clearing position, in which the ski releases the corresponding registering fore and aft wheels and extend generally above the latter.

Canadian patent No. 138,919 issued in 1911 to Alfred WESTMAN, William WESTMAN and James RICHARDS, discloses a system for installing a snow-going ski to the wheels on one side of a two axle vehicle. The ski 1 includes a front arcuate end c which is adapted to engage a substantial sector part of the front peripheral portion of the front wheel 2. The ski 1 is releasably anchored to the vehicle by an extensible coil spring 7, extending between and endwisely anchored to the hub of the rear axle and the intermediate ski section 5, whereby the arcuate front ski section c engaging the front wheel 2 prevents forward relative motion of the ski. Clearly, when the ski is removed by disengaging the spring 7, the ski becomes loose and must be stacked somewhere--an inconvenience.

Detachable ski assembly for child's pushchair


A low-pass filter (10) includes an input portion (100) for input of an electromagnetic signal, an output portion (120) for output of the electromagnetic signal, a high impedance transmission portion (140) electrically connecting the input portion and the output portion, a pair of low impedance transmission portions (160, 180) arranged on either side of the high impedance transmission portion, and a capacitor. One of the low impedance transmission portions electrically connects the input portion and one end portion of the high impedance transmission portion. The other low impedance transmission portion electrically connects the output portion and the other end portion of the high impedance transmission portion. One end of the capacitor is electrically connected to the high impedance transmission portion. The high impedance transmission portion is symmetrical about the capacitor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to filters, and more particularly to a low-pass filter.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, when a wireless network device operates at high power, harmonic components of high frequencies are generated due to the nonlinear properties of the active components of the device, causing electromagnetic interference (EMI).
To address this, a filter is soften used to suppress the harmonic components. Some manufacturers use a waveguide element, such as a microstrip, formed on a printed circuit board of the device.
Features of an ideal filter are signal attenuation of zero within a pass band becoming infinite within a stop band. However, most filters do not achieve or approach these ideals.
Therefore, a need exists in the industry to overcome the described limitations.


An image processing device includes an acquiring section, a determining section, a storage section, and a reacquiring section. The acquiring section is configured to acquire data based on reference information indicative of a reference location on a network. The determining section is configured to determine whether the acquiring section succeeds or fails in acquisition of the data. The storage section is configured to store the reference information when the determining section determines that the acquiring section fails in acquisition of the data. The reacquiring section is configured to reacquire data based on the reference information stored in the storage section.

A printing device is conventionally known that acquires reference information of data, that acquires the data from a reference location indicated by the reference information, and that performs printing. For example, a printing device is conventionally known that acquires URL information for referring to a Web page, that acquires print data (contents) from the Web page at a reference location indicated by the URL information, and that performs printing.

Image processing device configured to reacquire data based on reference information


The color image forming machine such like a color printer or a color copier for forming a color image on a recording sheet. The image forming machine includes a photoreceptor belt; a belt driver for rotating the photoreceptor in a longitudinal direction; a laser beam scanner for repeatedly scanning the photoreceptor in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, with the laser beam, so that the latent image is formed on the photoreceptor; a developer for developing the latent image with plural color toners; a measuring unit for determining a rotation time of the photoreceptor; and a controller unit for controlling a scanning frequency of the laser beam scanner so that one scanning time of the laser beam scanner is set to the result of dividing the rotation time of the photoreceptor, while the photoreceptor rotates one round, by an integer.

The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus which forms a latent image on a belt-shaped photoreceptor with an optical writing device using laser beams.
A large number of methods and apparatus have been proposed to form color images by the method of electrophotography.
For example, the following color image forming method is disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Open to Public Inspection No. 100770/1986: Latent images, the number of which corresponds to the number of color separation of a document image, are formed on a photoreceptor drum which functions as an image forming body. Images are transferred onto a transfer drum after each development so that a multicolor image can be formed on the transfer drum. After that, the multicolor image is transferred onto a recording paper and a color copy is obtained.
According to the aforementioned method, it is necessary to provide not only the photoreceptor drum but also the transfer drum, the circumferential surface of which is sufficiently large so that a sheet sized image can be transferred onto the surface. Therefore, it is unavoidable that the dimensions of the apparatus increase and further the structure of the apparatus becomes complicated.
For example, as disclosed in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Open to Public Inspection No. 149972/1986, there is a method for obtaining multicolor copies in such a manner that; a latent image is formed on a photoreceptor drum in accordance with the number of separated colors of a document image; and the image is transferred onto a transfer sheet each time when development is conducted. According to the aforementioned method, color images can not be superimposed accurately, so that a color image of high quality can not be provided.
Further, there is a method by which a multicolor image can be obtained in such a manner that; a latent image is repeatedly formed on a photoreceptor drum in accordance with the number of separated colors of a document image; the formed latent image is repeatedly developed with color toner so that color toner images are superimposed on the photoreceptor drum; and the obtained multicolor toner image is transferred onto a transfer paper. The essential process of the aforementioned multicolor image formation is disclosed in the official gazettes of Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Nos. 75850/1985, 76766/1985, 95456/1985, 95458/1985, and 158475/1985 which have been applied by the inventors.
In the case of the aforementioned multicolor image forming apparatus in which color images are obtained through the process of registration, a plurality of developing units accommodating different color toners are disposed around the photoreceptor drum, and in general, when the photoreceptor drum is rotated a plurality of times, latent images on the photoreceptor drum are developed to obtain a multicolor image.
Concerning the image forming body, not only the aforementioned photoreceptor drum, on the circumferential surface of which a photoconductor is coated or vapor-deposited, but also a belt-shaped photoreceptor composed of a flexible belt on which a photoconductor is coated or vapor-deposited, is well known. The shape of a belt-shaped photoreceptor (referred to as a photoreceptor belt, hereinafter) is determined when it is provided around rotating rollers including a drive roller. Therefore, the photoreceptor belt is effective in the case where a compact color image forming apparatus is required, utilizing the space effectively. Further, since a small curvature can be applied to the photoreceptor belt, it is effective to separate a transfer sheet from the surface of the photoreceptor belt in such a manner that; a rotating roller of a small diameter is used to guide the photoreceptor belt; and the transfer sheet is separated from the belt when it passes a position in which the curvature of the photoreceptor belt is small. Due to the foregoing, a failure of separation of a transfer sheet can be prevented.
The inventors have further investigated the technique of utilizing the photoreceptor belt. As a result, the following problems have been found.
(1) The problem will be described as follows: When a multiwriting operation is conducted with an optical writing unit in which laser beams are used as exposure beams to form a multicolor image (in other words, when images of various colors are written on the photoreceptor, being superimposed), since the photoreceptor belt is driven by a roller separate from the belt, a relative positional slippage occurs in the longitudinal direction due to the slippage between the photoreceptor belt and the roller and the wear which is caused in the effective diameter of the roller. According to the aforementioned slippage caused in the moving direction of the photoreceptor belt (that is, in the direction of auxiliary scanning), positional slippage occurs, so that the color slippage in the auxiliary scanning direction and deterioration of resolution are caused.
In order to solve the aforementioned problems, the inventors have already applied for various patents. However, the following problem still remains: In the case where the interval time of scanning conducted by exposure beams does not agree with the time obtained when the period of time required for one revolution of the photoreceptor belt is divided by an integer, slippage within one scanning interval (one scanning pitch) is caused when the position of an image of each color is adjusted in the auxiliary direction.
(2) In order to solve the aforementioned problems, it is necessary to improve the mechanical accuracy of the apparatus. However, improvements in mechanical accuracy are not sufficient to solve the problems. Further, the cost of the apparatus would increase when parts of high accuracy are provided. Therefore, there is a limit to the aforementioned countermeasures.
The present invention has been achieved to solve the aforementioned problems. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus characterized in that; when multiwriting is conducted, positional slippage of writing is accurately prevented without severely restricting the position of a photoreceptor in the auxiliary direction; color slippage in the auxiliary direction and deterioration of resolution are prevented; and unnecessary writing is not conducted on the photosensitive portion of the photoreceptor.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a color image forming apparatus which can attain the aforementioned object, avoiding complication of the structure of the apparatus.

Color image forming apparatus with improved color image registration


An image sensing device includes, inter alia, a ramp signal generation unit generating a ramp signal that decreases during first and second periods for finding data values corresponding to a pixel signal and an offset value, respectively. The image sensing device also includes a comparison unit compares the pixel signal with the ramp signal during the first period, and compares the ramp signal with an internally generated offset value during the second period. A first counting unit is configured to perform a counting operation during the first period, and a second counting unit configured to latch a count value of the first counting unit as a data value in response to the result of the first comparison operation during the first period, perform a down-count operation from the latched data value in response to the result of the second comparison operation during the second period, and latch a counting result.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an image sensing device and a method for operating the same, and more particularly, to an image sensing device that can operate an exact correlated double sampling (CDS) operation and reduce power consumption, and a method for operating the same.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an image sensing device, and more particularly, to a circuit for handling an image signal provided from a pixel.
An image sensing device such as a portable camera or a digital camera typically generates images of the world. Examples of a sensing element provided in an image sensing device include a CMOS image sensor and a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor. A CMOS image sensor or CCD image sensor has a pixel array that respond to light for capturing images.
Each subject in the natural world corresponds to a brightness and wavelengths of light. Each pixel of an image sensor extracts an electrical value from sensing of the brightness and the wavelengths. The electrical value is converted into an electrical voltage that can be processed in the image sensor. An image sensor includes an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter which converts analog voltages sensed by the pixel array into digital values and a memory for use during signal processing.
A pixel array includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form of columns and of rows. An image sensing device usually processes image data provided from a pixel array with reference to a column. Internal circuits of the image sensing device are designed in terms of the columns of the pixel array.
A data processing unit which processes each column data performs an A/D conversion operation of converting an analog signal into a digital signal, and a CDS operation of removing an offset value. In the CDS operation, a digital value corresponding to an analog value provided from a pixel is calculated, and an offset value included in the digital value is removed.
A counter and a latch corresponding to each column are arranged for converting an analog value into a digital value. Since the counter consumes a relatively large amount of current during operation, the counters consume a large amount of current during data processing.

Image sensing device and method for operating the same


Imipramine functionalized compounds are provided for conjugation to antigenic compounds, particularly poly(amino acids), and enzymes. The antigenic conjugates are employed for the production of antibodies, which find particular use in immunoassays for the determination of imipramine, while the enzyme conjugate finds use in a homogeneous enzyme assay for the determination of imipramine.

Imipramine (a dibenzazepine derivative) finds extensive use for the treatment of depression. In administering imipramine, it is frequently necessary to ensure that the imipramine blood level remains within a certain narrow concentration range, in order to insure effective dosage, while avoiding levels which may be toxic or produce undesirable effects.
A number of techniques have been developed for determining imipramine, either based on extraction of a blood sample and determination of fluorescence of the extract or by chromatographic methods, such as thin layer chromatography or high pressure liquid chromatography. All of these methods have various inadequacies in either requiring extremely careful clinician handling, being slow, or subject to substantial interference from other constituents present in serum. Also, depending on the method of extraction, metabolites may be included to a greater or lesser degree in the extract.
It is therefore desirable to provide a simple and rapid procedure for determining imipramine levels in serum or other physiological fluids, which provides reproducible values and assurances of the compounds which are being measured.

Imipramine derivatives and poly(amino acid) conjugates


A method and system for adaptively controlling a hybrid vehicle comprises a recorder for recording a historical load or duty cycle of vehicle during or after operation of the vehicle. A classifier classifies the historical load in accordance with a load category. A controller assigns at least one of a current control curve and a slew rate control curve associated with the load category for a defined time period after the recording of the historical load or if the vehicle is presently operating generally consistent with the load category. At least one of the current control curve and the slew rate control curve, or data representative thereof, are used to control an operation of an electric drive motor of the vehicle for the defined time period.

A hybrid vehicle may have a control scheme that does not consider the use or load conditions of a vehicle. If the hybrid vehicle is operated under light load conditions, an internal combustion engine of the hybrid vehicle may burn more fuel than is necessary to handle adequately the light load. Conversely, if the hybrid vehicle is operated under heavy load conditions, the hybrid vehicle performance may be deficient where too much reliance is placed on the electric drive. Accordingly, there is a need to tune the control scheme of the hybrid vehicle to meet the applicable or anticipated load conditions.

Method and system for adaptively controlling a hybrid vehicle


The present approach relates to the use of a unique key for event messages related to the same event and by employing a publication/subscription framework so that like-keyed event messages are only processed by a subscribing server. The message key may be a numeric value (e.g., from 0-99) calculated or generated based on designated event fields so that similar message keys will have the same message key number. The message key may be used to populate an event bucket field and may also be used as the topic of an event message, allowing a subscribing server to subscribe to this message key and receive and process the related event messages in order of arrival. In this manner, there is no distribution of the event messages having the same message key between parallel processing servers.

The present disclosure relates in general processing of system or event messages in an order in which they are generated.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Computer resources hosted in distributed computing (e.g., cloud-computing) environments may be disparately located with different resources potentially having their own functions, properties, and/or permissions. Such resources may include hardware resources (e.g. computing devices, switches, etc.) and software resources (e.g. database applications). These resources may be used to collect and store data related to a variety of measurable properties, including network, hardware, or database performance properties measured at different times and may be monitored to properly maintain network infrastructure. As networks become more complex, network monitoring, maintenance and management becomes more difficult to properly maintain. For example, in the context of a distributed computing environment, a system or resource that is not operating properly may generate messages or indications to that effect. Due to the distributed nature of the computing environment, however, such messages may be received and processed by different monitoring devices at different times, or even out of chronological order.

System and method for event processing order guarantee


An in-ground apparatus includes a receptacle and a liner into which the receptacle can be placed and removed. The liner may be a molded plastic liner having a tapering body to permit stacking. The lower margin includes a set of seats for anchor fittings in the form of re-bar prongs that, when installed, extend radially outwardly from the liner. The seats, and hence the prongs, are located upwardly of the bottom edge of the liner so that they are embedded above and below when concrete is poured around the bottom of the liner. The bottom edge of the liner is folded upwardly and inwardly to form a V-shaped channel. The seats for the anchor fittings extend across the channel. The seats may include a cylindrical wall sealed from the inside of the liner. The liner may have intermediate stiffening ribs between bottom and top. The top of the liner may have a seat for the receptacle, and an external concrete break.

Waste removal has long presented logistical challenges. In some locations, particularly those at fast-food restaurants, or in urban areas, a large waste receptacle is employed. Typically, the waste receptacle is filled by persons depositing waste over a period of time, and is emptied once or twice a week by a truck. The truck typically has a lifting device, such as lifting forks, and may have a compacting ram. Large receptacles, such as dumpsters, are frequently used for this purpose.
Whereas dumpsters tend to sit on the ground, it is also known to provide refuse collection apparatus that is partially buried, or sits in a well in which a significant portion of the apparatus is located below grade. An apparatus that sits partially below grade may tend to be less accessible to animals, may tend to be less easily overturned, may tend to be more resistant to freezing in winter, and may tend to stay cooler during days of warm sunshine. When the refuse remains at a cooler temperature, it may tend not to be as strong a source of odours. Low lift height provides for safer and more ergonomic loading of the bin—that is, the deposit by users occurs at a low and convenient height. In addition, no fencing is required in municipalities, which may tend significantly to reduce waste system requirements.

In-ground receptacle and installation thereof


The present invention describes novel oligonucleotides targeted to nucleic acid sequences derived from Cryptosporidium organisms, and Cryptosporidium parvum organisms in particular, which are useful for determining the presence of Cryptosporidium organisms in a test sample. The oligonucleotides of the present invention include hybridization assay probes, helper probes and amplification primers. The present invention further describes a novel method for obtaining purified ribonucleic acid from viable oocysts.

Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan parasite capable of infecting a variety of animals, including humans. One particular species, Cryptosporidium parvum, is a coccidian parasite that poses particular threat to humans by causing gasteroenteritis in immuno-competent adults and infants, and occasionally life-threatening diarrhea in immuno-deficient individuals, such as infants, the elderly and AIDS patients. The mortality rate in AIDS patients infected with Cryptosporidium parvum is as high as fifty percent. Transmission of Cryptosporidium parvum is direct, by the fecal-oral route or by contamination of water supplies, swimming pools, and untreated surface water. Able to infect with as few as 30 microsopic oocysts, Cryptosporidium parvum is considered a leading cause of persistent diarrhea in developing countries and is a major threat to the U.S. water supply.
Cryptosporidium parvum exists in nature as a thick walled oocyst that is extremely resistant to environmental factors, exhibiting the ability to survive for months in the environment if maintained in a cool and moist setting. The oocysts are highly resistant to conventional chlorination of drinking water and their size presents a problem for water filtration systems typically employed by municipal water authorities. In fact, Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts are so robust that they are able to maintain their integrity and viability after a 24 hour exposure to full strength bleach. Their resistance to destruction by environmental and chemical means is particularly alarming since nearly ninety percent of all raw water supplies are infected with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts.
In the United States, the method currently approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for detecting Cryptosporidium parvum is an antibody staining method referred to as "Method 1622". This method has several drawbacks, including the subjectivity of the assay, high antibody background resulting in an unacceptable number of false positives, and its labor intensive aspects, requiring hours of microscopic analysis. Other methods currently available for detecting Cryptosporidium parvum, including detection of genomic DNA by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunological assays such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), have significant sensitivity and specificity problems. Thus, a need exists for a sensitive and specific assay which can be used to determine the presence of Cryptosporidium organisms, and Cryptosporidium parvum in particular, in a test sample, as well as a method for releasing the contents of the thick walled oocysts.

Compositions and methods for detecting the presence of cryptosporidium organisms in a test sample


A device for operating and anchoring a watercraft in congested and hazardous water areas is provided with a spud assembly for easy operation. A pole is provided for moving a watercraft in shallow water. The pole functions through an operating cylinder connected to a maneuvering ring. The spud assembly has a locking device for locking the maneuvering ring and the operating cylinder against movement in order to anchor the watercraft with the pole.

The use of fishing boats or marine vessels in shallow water or along the edge of the shoreline goes hand in hand with the success of a fishing effort. For the same reason, fish harbor in the brush or along the shoreline, larger fish prey on smaller fish near these hiding places. When fishing in these areas, the operator of the boat must be able to maneuver the boat without hitting the brush and follow the indications provided by a fishfinder.
A trolling motor is the most common means of navigating in shallow or hazardous water at a slow speed but fails to provide any provisions for stopping the boat. If a boat is taken near the shoreline for fishing, the trolling motor makes the boat sail, often into the shoreline damaging the boat or quickly through schools of fish. Stumps often provide the most hazardous damage to boats and are capable of damaging the trolling motor as well.
Some of the earliest means for operating the boat on a waterway was provided by men using long poles to push off the river bed to move the boat along the waterway. Such poles are also well known to provide a means for breaking boats or docking a boat. Nevertheless, there exists a need for operating and stopping boats in hazardous waterways for recreational use.

Anchoring and operating device for a watercraft


A deployment system for deploying a moveable wing surface (22) from a main wing section (8). The deployment system includes a plurality of swing arm assemblies (24,26) connecting the moveable wing surface (22) to the main wing section (8) and a drive means for deploying and retracting the moveable wing surface (22), wherein at least one of the swing arm assemblies (24,26) includes a swing arm (28) pivotably connected to the main wing (8) and a connector mechanism (34) for connecting the movable wing surface (22) to the swing arm (28). The connector mechanism (34) includes a first joint (36) having at least first and second rotational degrees of freedom and a second joint (40) having at least first and second rotational degrees of freedom and at least first and second translational degrees of freedom, said connector mechanism (34) being arranged to provide, in use, rotation of the moveable wing surface (22) about its longitudinal axis during deployment of the moveable wing surface (22), and allowing relative movement between the moveable wing surface (22) and the main wing section (8) due to thermal expansion and contraction of the movable wing surface (22).

The present invention relates to a deployment system for deploying a moveable wing surface, such as a slat or flap, from a main wing section.
Various mechanisms have been proposed for deploying slats and flaps on aircraft wings, including paired track systems, Kruger flap systems and swing arm systems. The present invention relates to a swing arm system, for example of the general type described in International patent application No: PCT/NZ95/00096.
It has been shown to be beneficial in deployment systems to have an arrangement that achieves a configuration during takeoff wherein the slat is deployed and rotated relative to the main wing to a first extent such that there is no gap between the deployed slat and the leading edge of the main wing, and a configuration during landing wherein the slat is deployed and rotated to a second, greater, extent such that a slot is formed between the trailing edge of the slat and the leading edge of the wing (for example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,970). Most wings taper from root to tip, and variable camber devices should mimic this taper to give full benefits along the length of the wing.
In prior art swing arm slat deployment systems such as that described in PCT/NZ95/00096, normally only one of the swing arms is driven, the undriven swing arm simply following the movement of the driven arm owing to its connection to that arm through the slat. This avoids mechanical stresses in the slats and the swing arms which might otherwise occur, for example when the slat and the wing experience different degrees of thermal expansion during flight. However, the arrangement suffers from the disadvantage that the undriven arm is not closely controlled, which can result in a step being left between the slat and the main wing section when the slat is in a stowed position.
However, if both swing arms are driven, the mechanism becomes susceptible to mechanical stress and could also under certain circumstances become jammed with one swing arm slightly in front of the line that passes through the pivot joints and the other swing arm slightly behind that line. This risk may be heightened when, for example, the slat and the wing experience different amounts of thermal expansion, or when the mechanical components in the slat mechanism are worn or do not meet required manufacturing tolerances. Locking of the swing arms could prevent the slat from deploying fully or cause it to become stuck in a partially-deployed position with potentially dangerous results.
A slat deployment system is described in GB 2362363 that addresses some of these issues. That system includes a slat that is connected to a main wing by first and second arm assemblies. Each arm assembly includes a swing arm that is pivotally attached to the main wing and upper and lower connector assemblies connecting the slat to the swing arm. The first and second arm assemblies are very similar: however, they differ in that the upper joint of the second arm assembly includes a lost motion mechanism. The slat is deployed from the main wing section by a drive system that drives both the first and second arm assemblies. The lost motion mechanism included in the second arm assembly reduces the potential for jamming by compensating for thermal expansion and contraction of the slat without transmitting stresses to the main wing.
The deployment system described in GB 2362363 provides a way of meeting the desired slat configurations for take off and landing described above and overcoming the problems associated with systems where only one of the arm assemblies is driven. In particular, it is the arrangement of the swing arms that defines the extent of deployment of the slat and the interaction of the upper and lower connector assemblies that causes the slat to rotate and hence change its angle of attack. However, that system is considered to be overly complex and lack mechanical robustness.
In mechanical systems used on aircraft simplicity is paramount. For example, with deployment systems having multiple arms with many bearings, rigging of the system is difficult, initial costs are high, maintenance is expensive, and the possibility of system failure increases. With all deployment systems it is necessary to make sure that any linkage mechanism does not get into a kinematic arrangement where it becomes locked. Deployment systems also need to be rigid in all conditions to prevent flutter and rapid wear of joints, and they need to handle loads efficiently and relay them to the main wing structure.

Deployment system for a moveable wing surface


A Chrysanthemum plant named xe2x80x98Yellow Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 characterized by its medium sized blooms with yellow ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

xe2x80x98Yellow Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 is related to xe2x80x98Pearl Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 (unpatented) and xe2x80x98Dark Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 (copending application Ser. No. 09/906,688). xe2x80x98Yellow Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 is a natural sport of xe2x80x98Pearl Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99.
xe2x80x98Yellow Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 is a product of a breeding and selection program which had the objective of finding color mutants of xe2x80x98Pearl Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant that is a natural occuring sport of a parent chrysanthemum named xe2x80x98Pearl Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99. A comparison with parent chrysanthemum xe2x80x98Pearl Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 is also made in this application. The new cultivar was discovered as a whole plant mutation in September 1996 by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout, Holland. The first act of asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98Yellow Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99 was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in November 1996 in Rijsenhout, Holland.
The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum bearing medium sized blooms with yellow ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

Chrysanthemum named xe2x80x98Yellow Reagan Mundoxe2x80x99


Monoclonal antibodies having high affinity for N-terminus pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are described. The monoclonal antibodies are prepared against a synthetic peptide having the Sequence ID No. 1. Specifically, the monoclonal antibodies described are produced from two hybridoma cell lines, 6G11-F11-D12 and 1C3-E11-R9, deposited with the American Type Culture Collection under Accession Numbers PTA-4844 and PTA-4845 respectively. The monoclonal antibody antibodies can be used as reagents in an immunoassay system to identify blood, serum or plasma levels of NT-proBNP. Such an immunoassay system can be used for diagnosing and quantifying congestive heart failure (CHF).

B-type natriuretic peptide (Brain natriuretic peptide, BNP) belongs to the family of structurally similar, but genetically distinct natriuretic peptides (NPs) first described by de Bold et al. (de Bold A J. Heart atria granularity: effects of changes in water-electrolyte balance. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1979; 161:508-511; de Bold A J, Borenstein H B, Veress A T and Sonnenberg H. A rapid and potent natriuretic response to intravenous injection of atrial myocardial extracts in rats. Life Sci 1981; 28:89-94).
The NPs possess potent diuretic, natriuretic and vasodilatory properties and have been reported as valuable diagnostic and prognostic markers in cardiovascular disease, particularly for patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes I-IV congestive heart failure (CHF) (Boomsma F and van den Meiracker A H. Plasma A- and B-type natriuretic peptides: physiology, methodology and clinical use. Cardiovasc Res 2001; 51:442-449).
The BNP gene encodes for a 108 amino acid residue precursor molecule, proBNP. Prior to secretion by cardiomyocytes, cleavage of this prohormone results in the generation of bioactive BNP from the COOH terminus. In 1995, Hunt et al. (Hunt P J, Yandle T G, Nicholls M G, Richards A M and Espiner E A. The Aminoterminal Portion of Probrain Natriuretic Peptide (Probnp) Circulates In Human Plasma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1995; 14:1175-1183; Hunt P J, Richards A M, Nicholls M G, Yandle T G, Doughty R N and Espiner E A. Immunoreactive Amino-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-PROBNP): A New Marker Of Cardiac Impairment. Clin Endocrinol 1997; 47:287-296) demonstrated that fragments corresponding to the N-terminal portion of the cleaved prohormone, NT-proBNP, also circulated in plasma, and like BNP, were a potentially important, and possibly more discerning, marker of ventricular dysfunction.
Many studies have demonstrated the clinical utility of measuring plasma concentrations of NPs, including NT-proBNP. NPs have been suggested as the biomarkers of choice for diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with heart failure (Clerico A, Del Ry S and Giannessi D. Measurement Of Cardiac Natriuretic Hormones (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide, Brain Natriuretic Peptide, And Related Peptides) In Clinical Practice: The Need For A New Generation Of Immunoassay Methods. Clin Chem 2000; 46:1529-1534: Mair J, Hammerer-Lercher A and Puschendorf B. The Impact Of Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Determination On The Diagnosis And Management Of Heart Failure. Clin Chem Lab Med 2001; 39:571-588; Sagnella G A. Measurement And Importance Of Plasma Brian Natriuretic Peptide And Related Peptides. Ann Clin Biochem 2001; 38:83-93; Selvais P L, Donckier J E, Robert A, Laloux O, van Linden F, Ahn S, Ketelslegers J M and Rousseau M F. Cardiac Natriuretic Peptides For Diagnosis And Risk Stratification In Heart Failure: Influences Of Left Ventricular Dysfunction And Coronary Artery Disease On Cardiac Hormonal Activation. Eur J Clin Invest 1998; 28:636-642; McDonagh T A, Cunningham A D, Morrison C E, McMurray J J, Ford I, Morton J J and Dargie H J. Left Ventricular Dysfunction, Natriuretic Peptides, And Mortality In Urban Population. Heart 2001; 86:21-26). Several studies have shown the utility of using NP measurements to identify patients with left ventricular dysfunction, even amongst patients who are asymptomatic (i.e. NYHA class I) and it has been suggested that NP measurements as a screening tool may help effectively target patients within high risk heart failure groups (e.g. coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, aged) who will require follow-up assessment and treatment (Hughes D, Talwar S, Squire I B, Davies J E and Ng L L. An Immunoluminometric Assay For N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide: Development Of A Test For Left Ventricular Dysfunction. Clin Sci 1999; 96:373-80; Omland T, Aakvaag A, Vik-Mo H. Plasma Cardiac Natriuretic Peptide Determination As A Screening Test For The Detection Of Patients With Mild Left Ventricular Impairment. Heart 1996; 76:232-237; McDonagh T A, Robb S D, Murdoch D R, Morton J J, Ford I, Morrison C E, et al. Biochemical Detection Of Left-Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction. Lancet 1998; 351:9-13; Schulz H, Langvik T A, Lund Sagen E, Smith J, Ahmadi N and Hall C. Radioimmunoassay For N-Terminal Probrain Natriuretic Peptide In Human Plasma. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 2001; 61:33-42; Talwar S, Squire I B, Davies J E, Barnett D B and Ng L L. Plasma N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide And The ECG In The Assessment Of Left-Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction In A High Risk Population. Eur Heart J 1999; 20:1736-1744; Hystad M E, Geiran O R, Attramadal H, Spurkland A, Vege A, Simonsen S and Hall C. Regional Cardiac Expression And Concentration Of Natriuretic Peptides In Patients With Severe Chronic Heart Failure. Acta Physiol Scand 2001; 171:395-403; Hobbs F D R, Davis R C, Roalfe A K, Hare R, Davies M K and Kenkre J E. Reliability Of N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Assay In Diagnosis Of Heart Failure: Cohort Study In Representative And High Risk Community Populations. B M J 2002; 324:1498). NPs have been shown to have good prognostic value with regards to both morbidity and mortality in heart failure. Several studies have also demonstrated the utility of NP measurements in the prediction of left ventricular dysfunction and survival following acute myocardial infarction (Richards A M, Nicholls M G, Yandle T G, Frampton C, Espiner E A, Turner J G, et al. Plasma N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide And Adrenomedullin. New Neurohormonal Predictors Of Left Ventricular Function And Prognosis After Myocardial Infarction. Circulation 1998; 97:1921-1929; Luchner A, Hengstenberg C, Lowel H, Trawinski J, Baumann M, Riegger G A J, et al. N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide After Myocardial Infarction. A Marker Of Cardio-Renal Function. Hypertension 2002; 39:99-104; Campbell D J, Munir V, Hennessy O F and Dent A W. Plasma Amino-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels In Subjects Presenting To The Emergency Department With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome: Possible Role In Selecting Patients For Follow Up? Intern Med J 2001; 31:211-219; Nilsson J C, Groenning B A, Nielsen G, Fritz-Hansen T, Trawinski J. Hildebrandt P R, et al. Left Ventricular Remodeling In The First Year After Acute Myocardial Infarction And The Predictive Value Of N-Terminal Pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide. Am Heart J 2002; 143:696-702). Monitoring NP levels may also provide guidance in tailoring therapies to meet the required intensity of the individual patient and in monitoring therapeutic efficacy (Richards A M, Doughty R, Nicholls G, MacMahon S, Sharpe N, Murphy J, et al. Plasma N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide And Adrenomedullin. Prognostic Utility And Prediction Of Benefit From Carvedilol In Chronic Ischemic Left Ventricular Dysfunction. J Am Coll Cardiol 2001; 37:1781-1787; Troughton R W, Frampton C M, Yandle T G, Espiner E A, Nicholls M G and Richards A M. Treatment Of Heart Failure Guided By Plasma Aminoterminal Brain Natriuretic Peptide (N-BNP) Concentrations. Lancet 2000; 355:1126-30).

Monoclonal antibodies against N-Terminus proBNP

Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation