An ink for use in ink jet recording which contains a dye and a pigment as colorants. The pigment is a self-dispersible pigment in which at least one anionic group is bonded directly or through another atomic group to a surface of the pigment, the dye is an anionic dye, 2-pyrrolidone is further contained in the ink as a solvent, and the mass-based content X of 2-pyrrolidone in the ink and the ratio Y of the pigment to the sum of the dye and the pigment satisfy the following formulas 1 to 3 at the same time:12≦X<30  formula 150≦Y≦75  formula 2Y≧−2X+84  formula 3.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink, particularly an ink for use in ink jet recording, and an ink jet recording method utilizing the same. The present invention also relates to an ink capable of improving (namely extending) a maximum elapsed time from the end of ink ejection by an ink jet ejection unit to a time when a next normal ink ejection is still possible (such time being called first-ejection time in the present specification), while maintaining a sufficient density in a recorded image, and relates to the equipment utilizing such ink. The ink of the present invention is most suited for an ink jet head of an ejection amount of 10 picoliters or less, and is applicable to all equipment capable of recording on various recording media (printing media) such as paper, cloth, leather, non-woven cloth, OHP sheets etc., for example office equipment such as a printer, a copying apparatus, or a facsimile employing an ink jet recording method.
2. Related Background Art
An ink jet printing method has various advantages such as a low noise level, a low running cost, the possibility of high-speed printing, easy compactization of the apparatus, easy color image formation etc., and is therefore widely employed in a printer, a copying apparatus etc. In such a printer or the like, ink to be employed is selected in consideration of printing characteristics, such as an ejection property and a fixing property, and a print quality, such as bleeding in the printed image, optical reflective density, and color developing property.
It is well known that the ink is divided, in terms of a colorant contained therein, into two categories: a dye based ink and a pigment based ink. Among these, the pigment ink containing a water-insoluble colorant has advantages such as superiority in water resistance and light fastness, and sharp character quality in comparison with the dye ink containing a water-soluble colorant.
As an example of pigment ink to be employed in the ink jet recording, a pigment ink utilizing a dispersant is known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-179183 (JPA 5-179183) discloses a pigment ink utilizing, as a pigment dispersant, a block polymer of the so-called AB, or BAB type. Also Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-53841 (JPA 7-53841) discloses a pigment ink utilizing a triblock polymer of the ABC type as a dispersant. For improving the fixing speed of a pigment dispersed by a dispersant of such type and increasing the optical density and the water resistance thereof, JPA 7-53841 is known to disclose, as essential conditions, two solvents constituted of a polyol/alkylene oxide condensate and a cyclic amide derivative such as 2-pyrrolidone for dissolving the same. JPA 7-53841 recognizes that a drying fixation speed of the ink and a solvent evaporation from the nozzle or a clogging therein are mutually contradictory factors, and, discloses an invention for improving the fixation speed of the pigment utilizing a dispersant, in comparison with a comparative example employing a cyclic amide derivative alone such as 2-pyrrolidone. JPA 7-53841 does not describe at all an ink jet head to be used.
Also there is known a pigment ink employing a self-dispersible pigment, without utilizing a dispersant such as the aforementioned block polymer. For example, WO 96/18695 and WO 96/18696 disclose a pigment utilizing carbon black on which a hydrophilic group is directly bonded to the surface. Such pigment ink aggregates without penetrating into a printing medium (recording medium) in an image dot formation. As a result, the colorant (pigment) becomes unevenly distributed in the vicinity of the surface of the printing medium.
An image formed by a pigment ink, observed in a single dot, has a uniform density distribution, and is considered acceptable in its outer shape. However, in the ink jet recording, the dot diameter of the pigment ink does not spread much. Therefore, a further improvement in the pigment is desirable in order to obtain a larger area factor in the ink jet recording. Also in the conventional pigment ink, in case a printing medium on which such pigment ink is applied has an insufficient ink absorbing property, the pigment aggregates on the surface of such a medium, thereby resulting in an image deficient in the uniformity of the colorant fixation. Also not only does a pigment ink in which the aforementioned aggregation reaction is relatively strong cause an uneven aggregation as in the conventional pigment ink, but also it may generate a colorant-lacking portion of a "crack" shape in the pigment fixed on the printing medium. Such a "crack" has a relatively large size that is noticeable also by the bare eyes, so that such a "crack" itself deteriorates the print quality. Also such crack portion exposes the background of the printing medium, thereby resulting in a decrease in the overall optical density. Such a "crack" often appears on a printing medium bearing a coated layer (resin layer) for accepting the ink, such as a transparency film. This is because the aggregation of the pigment is influenced by a substance contained in the resin layer. Particularly, in the case where the resin layer contains a cationic substance, an ink of an anionic pigment shows a rapid aggregation. Basically, the aforementioned aggregation-related issues appear conspicuously in the case where a pigment ink alone is used for printing, but are found to occur also in an ink utilizing a dye and a pigment as colorants and requiring a dispersant for such pigment, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2-276873 (JPA 2-276873). For resolving such a "crack" problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-240145 (JPA 11-240145) discloses an invention based on a combination of a self-dispersible pigment and a dye. Also U.S. Laid-Open No. 2003/0024434 Laid-open (US 2003/0024434) discloses an ink utilizing a combination of a special self-dispersible pigment, a dye and plural solvents (a humectant and a penetrant) thereby satisfying high-speed fixation and optical density. US 2003/0024434 discloses, as an only example utilizing a printer of a trade name Lexmark Z51 (black ejection amount of 27 picoliters), a combination of self-dispersible pigment:dye=1:1 and 7.5 mass % of 2-pyrrolidone. US 2003/0024434 suggests a range of pigment:dye from 0.75:1 to 2.5:1, but such disclosure is limited to a range where the optical density is considered satisfactory. Also it discloses a permissible range of 2-pyrrolidone of 3 to 10 mass %, but no basis therefor is disclosed.
For the ink to be used in the ink jet recording method, it is important, in addition to the properties relating to the image quality, to secure stable ink ejection even in the case of intermittent ejections. In case an ink jet printing head having a plurality of nozzles is paused and is exposed to the air, there results evaporation of water or a solvent in the vicinity of the ejection orifice, depending upon a non-ejection time including a difference in the ejection history of each nozzle, whereby a normal printing operation cannot be executed in certain nozzles. Thus the ink is not ejected uniformly from the nozzles, thus generating a defect on the image or causing a deflection in the ejecting direction, thereby deteriorating the print quality. For this reason, in the conventional ink jet head, there is executed an ejection not for recording (such ejection being called a preliminary ejection) even by interrupting a recording operation, in order to apply a safety factor on a non-ejection time inducing such ejection failure, thereby securing the reliability of the head. Since such preliminary ejection often interrupts the recording operation, it is proposed, in order to shorten the time of suspension as far as possible, to provide ink receiving portions on both ends outside a recording area and to execute the preliminary ejection in a closer ink receiving portion depending on the position of the scanning head (for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-118674 (JPA 8-118674), or to execute the preliminary ejection on an end portion of a paper constituting the recording medium (for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-314708 (JPA 7-314708).
It is generally considered that an ink employing a dye as the colorant does not influence a next printing even in case of exposure to the air for several seconds because the dye is water-soluble, while an ink employing a pigment as the colorant, because the pigment is insoluble in the liquid medium of the ink, tends to cause a clogging of the ejection orifice of the printing head in case of a prolonged exposure and shows a higher possibility of influencing a next printing operation, in comparison with the dye ink.

Ink for use in ink jet recording and ink jet recording method utilizing the same


A new Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0031’ particularly distinguished by small, purple flowers, a very good branching, flat habit and a very good field performance.

The present invention comprises a new Petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name 'PEHY0031'.
'PEHY0031' is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has small, purple flowers, a very good branching and flat habit and a very good field performance.
'PEHY0031' originated from a hybridization made in October 2010 in a controlled breeding environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was the unpatented proprietary plant designated 'M0601' with similar purple with vein flower color, but with bigger flower size, and a more upright to semi-trailing plant habit with less branching.
The male parent of 'PEHY0031' was variety 'PEHY0004' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,432) a bicolor star pattern dark rose and light rose, with a comparable plant habit and more greyish-green colored leaves.
The resulting seeds were sown in January 2011. 'PEHY0031' was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2011 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of 'PEHY0031' was accomplished when stem tip vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2011 in a controlled environment in Angers, France.


A fluid distribution system, such as a valve, comprises a housing having a chamber which has a plurality of acoustic modes. The acoustic modes are excited when fluid flows through the chamber. An inlet passage and an outlet passage are disposed in fluid communication with the chamber. A plate is disposed in the inlet passage. A plurality of orifices are formed in the plate. The orifices conduct fluid from the inlet passage to the chamber and reduce the coupling between the flow of fluid through the inlet passage and the acoustic modes of the chamber. With this arrangement, the acoustic modes of the chamber and the resonance frequency of each of the orifices are substantially unexcited by the flow of fluid through the orifices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluid distribution system, and in particular a valve, which reduces the noise generated by a fluid flowing therethrough.
2. Description of the Related Art
When reducing the pressure of a fluid in a system, noise may typically be generated by a fluid distribution system, such as a valve. Depending upon the environment in which the valve is used, the generation of such noise may be harmful to those persons exposed to it in terms of possible damage to their hearing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set the standard for the basic permissible noise intensity to which a person may be exposed for a duration of eight hours a day at 90 dBA. In addition, noise can have an adverse effect such as structural fatigue and/or equipment malfunction in the system in which the valve is utilized. Thus, in industrial applications, noise generation from pressure reduction is clearly undesirable.
Valves are a major source of industrial noise pollution due to the fact that they conduct fluids through orifices which restrict the flow thereof and cause unstable separation of flow. Noise can be classified as two types--broad band and narrow band, the latter including pure tones. Unacceptable noise levels in valves usually occur when pure tone excitation (whistle or screech) is involved. Whistle or screech is caused by the unstable separation of flow over a sharp edge or in the wake of a blunt body and coupling between this flow and acoustic modes within the surrounding cavities and pipe. This unstable flow separation, when stimulated by the acoustic modes of the chamber, can result in high intensity feedback oscillations and related emission of sound.
Reducing the noise generated by the fluid flowing through a valve has been accomplished by a variety of devices. In cage trim valves, in which a cage trim guides a valving element in its travel relative to a valve seat, the trim configuration has been a focus of noise-reducing efforts. The typical modification to the trim restricts the fluid flow rate through the trim, which reduces noise. The prior art shows many such modifications, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,124 to Self, which discloses nested concentric sleeves for subdividing the flow of fluid through a fluid control valve into a plurality of streams between the valve inlet and outlet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,592 to Ng discloses a cylindrical valve trim which has holes in the valve trim wall that pass through the wall at predetermined angles to create a plurality of counter-rotating vortices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,993 to Goode incorporates a cage design using axially spaced sets of ports interconnected by plenums to direct multiple flow streams through a series of changes of direction to reduce the velocity and pressure of the fluid. U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,278 to Allen discloses a control valve including a perforated sleeve-like cage member, where fluid flow is directed through the perforations to partition the flow, thereby attenuating noise.
These devices of the prior art deal with reducing broad band noise generated at the outlet of the device. None of the devices of the prior art have dealt with the problem of reducing narrow band or pure tone noise generated at the inlet. In fact, in some cases, these devices may generate undesirable pure tones in the range of human hearing.
Moreover, these devices tend to become clogged by particulate matter entrained in the fluid because they incorporate a circuitous path design. For this reason, they are difficult to manufacture and maintain. Thus, the known prior art approaches to reducing valve noise increase the cost of manufacturing and maintenance and decrease the reliability of valves, while increasing the potential for valve failure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an approach for eliminating narrow band or pure tone noise in a fluid distribution system, and specifically in a valve.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a plate for a fluid distribution system and a sleeve for a valve which reduce the noise produced by fluid flowing through the system or the valve.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid distribution system and a valve which incorporate a simple, straight flow path and which are thus easy and inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sleeve which can be installed in existing valves with a minimum of disruption.
Another object of the present invention is to design a valve which reduces the noise produced by fluid flowing therethrough.
It is intended that the fluid distribution system of the present invention includes a variety of devices, such as valves, dryers, fluid impingement devices and flow restrictors.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fluid distribution system having noise reduction mechanism


A system for purifying dredging water comprises a mixing compartment and an agitating means that mixes water with a coagulating agent. A discharge means collects the coagulated sediment and delivers it to a centrifugal sediment water separating means. An outlet at the top of the fluid container collects the purified water. Recirculation means connects the decanter with the container such that the water extracted from the sludge is returned to the mixing compartment. A conveyor means collects and transports decanted sediment. Preferably, baffles partially separate the container into compartments configured to promote mixing and sedimentation. The conveyor means may comprise a solidification reaction acceleration agent injector to mix this agent with the sediment to further dehydrate and solidify it.

This invention is directed to a system and method for water purification to remove soil, silt and various light organic materials. In a preferred embodiment, the invention permits water purification in conjunction with dredging of lakes, rivers, ponds, ditches, harbors, ports and the like.
Dredging is often necessary for shipping, conservation efforts, landscaping and other concerns. The sludge typically comprises inorganic materials like silt and soil and light organic materials floating near the bottom of the body of water. Current dredging techniques rely on excavation with dredging machinery like a back hoe. While this method achieves some success with inorganic materials, it largely ignores the organic material. Instead of removing the light organic materials that cause water pollution, the dredging operation tends to diffuse the organic materials into the water. Moreover, even though conventional dredging techniques pollute the water with organic material, varying environmental conditions for dredging prevent current practices from providing low-cost dredging and water purification at the same time.
Current water purification methods rely on sedimentation, filtration or flotation. Sedimentation purifiers are efficient, but typically have slow sedimentation rates making them ill-suited to handle the volume of liquid attendant with dredging operations. Filtration techniques provide the greatest degree of water cleansing, but the filters quickly become loaded requiring complicated contingencies for back washing or bypassing the filter to allow cleaning. None of the conventional techniques are equipped to deal with the volume of liquid produced in a dredging operation. Accordingly, there remains a need for a water purification system useful with a dredging operation which offers an improvement in the present water quality, maintains the water quality after dredging, allows for the simultaneous dredging, purification, fast treatment and reuse of sludge, cost reduction and decrease of the required time.


Using LAPI (low access priority indication) information of an RRC Connection Request from a terminal, a base station selects a specific mobility management node.

In a core network of a mobile communication system, the entirety of nodes in the core network need to have necessary functions for each service in order to provide various services to various terminals (mobile terminals). For example, in a large-scale mobile communication network, many nodes are disposed in a core network. Terminals are connected to nodes in the core network, in a distributed manner, on per a location registration.
Thus, the entirety of nodes in the core network need to have necessary functions (service provision functions) for each service. If one of the nodes in the core network should not have necessary service provision functions, service continuity could not be ensured.
PTL 1 discloses a configuration for optimizing a packet forwarding path(s) based on a type of a service used by a mobile station. According to PTL 1, when the mobile station uses a service provided by an external network, a constraint is given to a packet forwarding path(s) so that packets flow through a specific packet forwarding apparatus(es) based on the external network. When the mobile station uses a service provided by a mobile communication network, no constraint is given to a packet forwarding path(s).    PTL 1: Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 2003-338832A

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System, method, and apparatus for establishing a connection between a terminal and a network node


A novel pipe joint intersection contour scriber is disclosed for use in the art of welding pipes together at intersections which may or may not be perpendicular. The invention consists of a template connected by two rods to a three-disc assembly, one disc of which has a scriber sub-assembly. The three-disc assembly provides an adjustable clamp and centering function with the disc closest to the template containing the scriber sub-assembly which is allowed to rotate through 360.degree.. The scriber pen is connected by way of a sleeve to a wheel which rotates on the template causing the pen to trace the appropriate line. The scriber and wheel assembly is attached to the rotating disc by means of an adjustable three-piece section which functions to provide a means for adjusting the distance of the scriber pen from the center of its path of rotation and operates on the principal of a parallelogram, always maintaining the pen in the same orientation.

This invention relates to pipe scribers and more particularly to a novel pipe joint intersection contour scriber for use in the art of welding pipes together at intersections which may or may not be perpendicular.
In the art of welding pipes together at intersections which may or may not be perpendicular, the end of a branch pipe at such an intersection will define a rather complex curve, and it is necessary to scribe this curve with an appropriate portable tool so that the pipe may be cut at the appropriate place and welded to the mating pipe so that the intersection is even with the pipe to which it will be connected.
It is known in prior art devices to provide such portable tools for accomplishing the scribing and/or cutting and such prior art devices are disclosed in a number of patents uncovered as a result of a prior art search. The patents uncovered are the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,389,286; 2,545,666; 2,726,450; 2,852,847; 2,859,522; 3,464,685; 1,858,076; 2,878,010; and 3,442,500.
Of particular interest to the applicant's invention are the above patents herein discussed below as follows:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,666 issued to H. E. Lonngren and entitled "Pipe Intersection Bevel Cutting Device" discloses a device having a flame cutter or torch 19 rigidly connected to a rotatable guide assembly so that it may be rotated completely around a branch pipe. The path of the torch is diverted longitudinally as it turns by wheel 26 rolling along a cylindrical template 24 which has the same diameter as the main pipe 8 to which the branch pipe is to be connected. A second torch 18 is likewise guided by the same mechanism to cut the corresponding hole in main pipe 8 for accurate mating of the two pipes. This patent is apparently utilized only on "T" branch connections and requires a centering plate 32 and collars 33 to match the outside diameter of each branch pipe used. In addition this device requires contoured template elements 24 for each size of branch and in the event the device is not restricted to "T" connections, a template contoured for each desired angle of intersection would be needed for each size of branch pipe. The cylindrical template 24 also becomes cumbersome when mating a 4" pipe branch to a vessel having a diameter of 36" for example.
2. U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,010, issued to A. Cink and entitled, "Hand Apparatus for Flame Cutting of Profiled Tube Ends" operates in a similar manner to that of the above-mentioned Lonngren patent although it has a somewhat different configuration. The internal mounting utilized in this device is branch size range limiting and is not specific as to adjustability of one template with respect to inclination. There appears to be no means of determining the angle of inclination of one template without the need for others.
3. U.S. Pat. No. 2,852,847, issued to C. H. Cast and entitled, "Pipe Intersection Delineating Apparatus" teaches the use of a variable sleeve 30 on which a scribe is mounted so as to rotate about a pivot pin 2 and mark the proper cut line for a pipe intersection. The displacement of the scribe relative to the pivot corresponds to the radius of the main pipe. The orientation of bracket 21 corresponds to the angle of intersection. This device does not delineate mitered intersections and requires a shifting of the scribe-pointer bracket to obtain a complete delineation of a pipe intersection. In addition it requires sleeves and/or shims to accommodate mounting of the apparatus to different size branches.
4. U.S. Pat. No. 2,859,522, issued to C. M. Thomas and entitled, "Pipe Marker" discloses a device with a principal of operation similar to that of the before-mentioned Cast patent but requires a repositioning of the apparatus to complete delineation and further requires a determination of a center line on the branch pipe with the unit being not self-centering. The device shown in this patent would probably be cumbersome and inaccurate when used with smaller branch pipes and does not delineate mitered intersections.
5. U.S. Pat. No. 2,389,286, issued to W. W. Watkins and entitled "Apparatus for Marking or Cutting Pipes" discloses a device for cutting or marking pipes to be joined at their ends and has a cutter or marker which is guided along the pipe in a plane which may be oblique with respect to the pipe end. This device is not self-centering and makes only mitre cuts of delineations and the chocks on the end of the pipe waste a portion of the work piece.
The remaining patents before mentioned are not felt to be particularly pertinent and have been listed for general information concerning the level of development in the general arts area.


To prevent stresses from occurring in lamps in which an electrode system luding, for example, tungsten or molybdenum electrode shafts (4, 12, 22) and current supply leads (15, 26) of, for example, molybdenum, extend into a neck portion (3, 11, 20) of a discharge bulb, a metal foil of high temperature resistant resistant material (6, 16, 17, 18, 29, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37) partially or completely surrounds the metallic portions of the electrode system where it might come into contact with quartz glass during melt sealing of the neck portion of the lamp. The high temperature resistant metal foil is embossed and, preferably of molybdenum with a base thickness of between 0.02 and 0.2 mm, which, when profiled, changes by a factor of between 1.2 to 12 in thickness. Up to two layers of this foil can be wrapped around or placed on the respective metallic portions of the seal, a covering of for example, 1.25 to 1.5 turns about a circular shaft being preferred. Adhesion of quartz glass on the current supply elements themselves thus is prevented and tension-free thermal expansion of the electrode shafts and the current supplies is made possible, and, also, providing for better alignment of the electrode systems than possible in accordance with the prior art.

High pressure discharge lamps of elevated power, particularly discharge lamps retaining a metal halide fill, as well as xenon high pressure discharge lamps and mercury vapor high pressure discharge lamps are used, for example, in film and television studio illumination; some of those lamps are particularly adapted to simulate daylight or sunlight. Metal halide discharge lamps, for example, are formed with relatively long neck portions extending from a discharge bulb. The neck portions are melt-sealed to the discharge bulb. The relatively long neck portions permit locating of the sealing foils remote from the discharge arc within the bulb, and thus avoid difficulties which arise, in operation of the lamp, with respect to sealing of the discharge bulb due to the heat of the discharge arc between the electrodes. During the melt-sealing of the sealing foils in the electrode shafts, the quartz glass of the discharge bulb, and particularly quartz glass material adjacent the neck portions, must not touch the electrode shafts. The electrode shafts, typically made of tungsten, have a thermal coefficient of expansion which differs substantially from that of quartz glass. Upon cooling of the neck portions, immediately after sealing, substantial mechanical stresses may occur between the tungsten electrode shaft and the quartz glass, which lead to fissures and cracks in the quartz glass and either a reject of the lamp, or, later on, premature failure of the lamp.
It has previously been proposed--see the referenced U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,283, Loughridge, to surround the electrode shafts in the region of a pinch seal with concentric tubes of Cermet, to reduce the mechanical stresses in the region of the pinch seal. Cermet is a melt connection or alloy of a pulverized metal and quartz glass. The thermal coefficient of expansion of Cermet is between that of quartz glass and of the electrode shaft. Cermet tubes are not suitable for elevated power high pressure discharge lamps since, in high-power discharge lamps, the electrode shafts during the melt sealing of the sealing foils are subjected to temperatures of a level which the Cermet tubes cannot accept.
British patent 1,515,583, Beeson et al, proposed to wrap the electrode shafts with windings of molybdenum wire or tungsten wire in order to prevent adhesion of molten quartz glass to the electrode shaft. It is very difficult and expensive to manufacture suitable wire windings and apply such wire windings to the electrode shaft.

Elevated power high-pressure discharge lamp

Patent Treuhand Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen m.b.H


In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, system and methods for controlling borehole pressure in a MPD system to compensate for heave effects on a drilling rig are provided. The systems and method described herein involve calculating and implementing set points for two or more MPD system components in real time. These MPD components that are controlled via the dynamic set points may include a choke, a backpressure pump (BPP), a rig pump diverter (RPD), a continuous circulation device, one or more mud pumps, a pressure relief system, or some combination thereof. By calculating and providing these set points in real-time during various well and drilling operations, non-productive time, well control events, and costs to remedy issues resulting from improper pressure levels within the borehole may be mitigated or avoided.

Hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas, are commonly obtained from subterranean formations that may be located onshore or offshore. The development of subterranean operations and the processes involved in removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation typically involve a number of different steps such as, for example, drilling a borehole at a desired well site, treating the borehole to optimize production of hydrocarbons, and performing the necessary steps to produce and process the hydrocarbons from the subterranean formation.
In conventional drilling operations, a drill bit is mounted in a bottom hole assembly (BHA) at the end of a drill string (e.g., drill pipe plus drill collars). At the surface a rotary drive turns the string, including the bit at the bottom of the hole, while drilling fluid (or "mud") is pumped through the string and returned through an annulus. Various well systems may control borehole pressure of a well during this drilling process. In a conventional open well system, piping/riser for returning drilling fluid is typically open to atmospheric pressure. Closed-loop well systems include surface equipment to which the returning drilling fluid can be diverted.
Certain managed pressure drilling (MPD) systems may be characterized as closed and pressurized drilling fluid systems. MPD and like systems provide various techniques for regulating borehole pressure. However, existing pressure regulation techniques are often inadequate for use on certain types of drilling rigs to drill wells through reservoir formations.

Heave compensated managed pressure drilling


A method and device for multiplexing temporally constant signals from a PCI compliant device with sideband signals on an interface connector coupled between the PCI compliant device and an external device. The device comprises a control signal generator coupled to the interface connector for generating a control signal, and a selectable connector, responsive to the control signal for alternatively coupling the sideband signals and the temporally constant signals to the interface connector. The method comprises the steps of receiving a command signal in the PCI compliant device from the interface connector, generating a pulse in response to the command signal, isolating the sideband signals from the interface connector in response to the leading edge of the pulse, applying the temporally constant signals to the interface connector until they are stored in the external device, isolating the temporally constant signals from the interface connector, and applying the sideband signals to the interface connector in response to the trailing edge of the pulse.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to signal multiplexing on an interface bus, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for multiplexing PCI bus connector signals with sideband signals.
2. Description of Related Art
The Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) local bus is a high performance 32 or 64 bit bus with multiplexed address and data lines. The PCI Local Bus Specification, Rev. 2.0, incorporated by reference herein, defines the protocol, electrical, mechanical, and configuration specifications for PCI Local Bus components and expansion boards. The PCI local bus defines an industry standard high performance low cost local bus architecture. The PCI component and add-in card interface is also processor independent, enabling an efficient transition to future processor generations and ensuring compatibility with multiple processor architectures. The processor independence allows the PCI local bus to be optimized for input/output (I/O) functions, enabling concurrent operations of the local bus with the processor/memory subsystem, and accommodating multiple high performance peripherals in addition to graphics such as motion video, LAN, SCSI, FDDI, hard disk drives. High bandwidth I/O items such as enhanced video, multi-media displays and high definition TV, will continue to increase local bus bandwidth requirements. The PCI interface supports high bandwidth I/O, and is therefore highly suited to these applications. The PCI interface is also particularly useful for interconnecting high integrated peripheral controller components, peripheral add-in boards, and processor/memory systems.
The PCI interface standard offers other benefits as well. Configuration registers are specified for PCI components than add-in cards. A system with embedded auto configuration software offers true ease of use for the system user by automatically configuring PCI add-in cards at power on.
One limitation of the PCI local bus is that the PCI connector has no pins for sideband signals. Without sideband signal pins, sideband signals cannot be implemented directly on the interface connector. Sideband signals are loosely defined as any signal not part of the PCI specification that connects two or more PCI compliant agents, and has meaning only to these agents. Sideband signals may be used for two or more devices to communicate some aspect of their device-specific state in order to improve the overall effectiveness of PCI utilization or system operation. Flush request and acknowledge signals are used as an example here, but the present invention could be applied to any other two additional pin requirements on a PCI connector. For example, the present invention could be used to extend two data bus signals of the Interrupt Controller Communication (ICC) bus for Intel's APIC (Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller). New system designs may need to connect an existing legacy bus such as an EISA/ISA or MCA through several hierarchical PCI bridges, typically mounted on a PCI add-in card rather than in a plenary implementation such as a motherboard. Since a legacy bus usually lacks a back-off capability, at least two sideband signals, flush request and flush acknowledge, must be routed throughout the bus hierarchy (from a legacy bus to a host bridge) to avoid deadlock. Deadlock may occur when a downstream operation to the legacy bus module and an upstream operation from that legacy bus module are initiated concurrently. Normally, these signals would be provided by sideband signals. As mentioned earlier, the standard PCI interface does not provide sideband signaling capability. The present invention solves this problem by multiplexing these sideband signals in the PRSNT 1# and PRSNT 2# signals of the standard PCI connector.

Method and apparatus for multiplexing bus connector signals with sideband signals


There is provided a method for noninvasively evaluating the cell state (proliferation, multi-layering, and differentiation) of a cell sheet as a mimic tissue at the time of culturing the cell sheet. The method is characterized in that an analysis of an amino acid is conducted with the use of the culture supernatant of a cell sheet to monitor a change in the concentration of any amino acid selected from a group of 5-species of amino acids (Ile, Val, Ser, Leu, and Ala), thereby making a determination.

Attention has lately been focused on regeneration medicine whereby a tissue produced from a stem tissue is transplanted at a site of tissue injury, thereby implementing regeneration or functional recovery of an injured tissue or organ. It is well known that transplantation of a cell sheet, as a mimic tissue, in particular, is higher in treatment effect as compared with the case of a tissue solution in which a tissue is present as a simple substance. A human epidermal keratinocyte cell sheet is now a commercial realty, and a progress in clinical application of the cell sheet for use in treatment of severe burns and so forth has since been made. With respect to this cell sheet described as above, one of problems yet to be solved is presently establishment of a method for noninvasively evaluating the cell state of a cell sheet. The cell sheet becomes a mimic tissue via three stages including a step 1 through a step 3, after the cell sheet is disseminated with cells, described as follows. The step 1: a cell is caused to adhere to a culture surface, the step 2: the cell undergoes proliferation in a single layer throughout the culture surface to form a basal layer, and the step 3: the cell is multilayered in two layers or more, and further, each of the cells, in the two layers or higher, respectively, undergoes differentiation.
With the current state of the art, the quality of a cell sheet for use in transplantation is verified by invasive evaluation, such as observation with the use of a phase-contrast microscope during culturing, histological stain against a cell sheet for use in evaluation, produced simultaneously with the cell sheet for use in transplantation, and in the same condition as is the case with the cell sheet for use in transplantation and, and so forth. However, these methods each have a disadvantage. On one hand, the observation of a cell, using the phase-contrast microscope, is noninvasive, and can be conducted whenever necessary during the culturing, however, this observation can cope with the observation of only the surface layer of the cell sheet, but cannot evaluate a cell sheet as multilayered in the step 2 onward. Further, with respect to the evaluation by the histological stain, applied to the cell sheet for use in evaluation, it is possible to evaluate an extent of the multilayering as well as differentiation, in the step 2 onward, however, since the cell sheet is fixedly attached, this evaluation represents an invasive method, and it is therefore impossible to evaluate the cell sheet itself for use in transplantation. It can be said that establishment of a noninvasive monitoring technique capable of solving these problems will enable the cell state of a cell sheet to be directly evaluated, thereby contributing to enhancement in the quality of a regenerated tissue for use in transplantation.
A method for noninvasive cell-evaluation has thus far been described in several Patent Literature. For example, in Patent Literature 1, there has been proposed a method whereby respective cells of an embryo, an egg, a karyoplast, a stem cell, and a stem cell precursor are used as a target, and a viable force of each of the targets is determined on the basis of the concentration of an amino-acid in a medium, used as an index, thereby differentiating between a healthy embryo and an abeyant embryo. This has an object of selecting the healthy embryo to be returned to a mother body in the case of an artificial insemination. If this can be realized, it will become possible to limit the number of the embryos to be returned to the mother body to one, so that multiple pregnancy can be decreased in number. Further, in Patent Literature 2, there has been proposed a method whereby a cell sheet is used as a target, and timing of multilayering is determined on the basis of a ratio of glucose concentration in medium to ammonia concentration in medium, thereby enabling proliferation to be completed at appropriate timing.

Method for determining cell state and autoanalyzer using said method


An electric power steering apparatus (11) includes a reduction mechanism (G) for transmitting the rotation of a rotating shaft (28a) of a motor (28) to a ball screw nut (20) while reducing the speed of the rotation. The reduction mechanism includes a drive gear (29), which is coaxially connected to the rotating shaft of the motor, and a driven gear (16a), which is arranged on the outer surface of the ball screw nut. Due to the reduction mechanism, the motor may be inclined relative to a rack shaft (18).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power steering apparatus that applies an assist force generated by a motor to a vehicle steering system.
2. Discussion of the Background
A rack-and-pinion steering apparatus is one type of known steering apparatuses for vehicles. In this type of steering apparatus, a steering wheel is connected to a pinion shaft having pinion teeth, and the pinion shaft rotates as the steering wheel is rotated. The pinion teeth of the pinion shaft mesh with rack teeth of a rack shaft, and the rack shaft moves along its axis as the pinion shaft rotates. The two ends of the rack shaft are connected to two steered wheels (front wheels) by tie rods, respectively. The steering angle of the steered wheels changes as the rack shaft moves in its axial direction.
An electric power steering apparatus including the known rack-and-pinion steering apparatus has an auxiliary motor and a ball screw mechanism for assisting the axial movement of the rack shaft. The ball screw mechanism includes a ball screw nut having a helical ball groove in its inner circumference, a helical ball groove provided in the outer circumference of the rack shaft, and a plurality of balls interposed between the two ball grooves. The ball screw nut and the balls convert the rotation of the motor into axial movement of the rack shaft.
A first prior art of an electric power steering apparatus, which includes a reduction mechanism for transmitting the rotation of a motor to a ball screw nut while reducing the speed of the rotation, is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publications Nos. 60-25853 and 8-99643.
In the first prior art, the reduction mechanism includes two spur gears which mesh with each other. One of the spur gears is connected to the rotating shaft of the motor, and the other one of the spur gears is fixed to a ball screw nut of a ball screw mechanism. In order to transmit the power of the rotating shaft of the motor to the ball screw nut via the two spur gears, the motor is arranged parallel to the rack shaft.
A second prior art of a steering apparatus is described in Japanese Laid Open Utility Model Publication No. 6-44674. The steering apparatus includes a reduction mechanism including a worm and a worm wheel that mesh with each other. The worm is connected to a rotating shaft of a motor, and the worm wheel is fixed to a ball screw nut of a ball screw mechanism. In order to transmit the power of the rotating shaft of the motor to the ball screw nut via the worm and the worm wheel, the rotating shaft of the motor is arranged perpendicular to the rack shaft.
A third prior art of an electric power steering is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2000-95123. The steering apparatus includes a rack shaft, a stator having a coil that covers the rack shaft, and a rotor arranged coaxially with the rack shaft. The rotation of the rotor is converted into the movement of the rack shaft by a ball screw.
In a typical vehicle, other devices such as an engine, a transmission, etc., are arranged around the rack shaft. However, in the first prior art, the rotating shaft of the motor can only be arranged parallel to the rack shaft. In the second prior art, the rotating shaft of the motor can only be arranged perpendicular to the rack shaft. Therefore, the power steering apparatuses of the first and second prior arts have problems in that the motor interferes with the installation of other devices of the vehicle and the freedom of design in determining positions for installing other devices is restricted.
In the third prior art, the rack shaft, the stator, and the rotor are retained in a rack housing. The rack housing, which is relatively large, results in problems in that the rack housing interferes with the installation of other devices of the vehicle (the engine, transmission, etc.) and the amount of freedom of design in determining positions for installing other devices is restricted.
In addition, in the first to third prior arts, fastening means, such as bolts and nuts, integrally connects a casing retaining the electric motor to a housing, which retains a power-assist unit for transmitting the power of the electric motor to a steering gear mechanism. Therefore, there is a problem in that the vibration and noise of the electric motor are transmitted to the steering apparatus through the housing retaining the power assist unit and ultimately transmitted to the driver and the passenger compartment. In order to solve this problem, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. 2000-350397 describes an electric power steering apparatus in which an electric motor and a housing are connected to each other by a bushing. The bushing has a metal body covered slightly by a rubber elastic member. Thus, the electric motor and the housing are connected to each other only by the metal body, and the transmission of vibration and noise of the electric motor cannot be blocked sufficiently. In addition, the electric motor is supported by the elastic member in a floating manner with respect to the housing, and rattling of the electric motor may occur due to the floating support. When the electric motor rattles, there is a risk of the rotating shaft of the electric motor applying excessive force to the power transmission shaft of the power assist unit, and therefore the power assist unit cannot be operated smoothly.

Electronic control power steering device


Methods, devices, and systems are provided for a select device that can include a semiconductive stack of at least one semiconductive material formed on a first electrode, where the semiconductive stack can have a thickness of about 700 angstroms (Å) or less. Each of the at least one semiconductive material can have an associated band gap of about 4 electron volts (eV) or less and a second electrode can be formed on the semiconductive stack.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain its information and includes random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can provide persistent information by retaining stored information when not powered and can include NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, read only memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), and magnetic random access memory (MRAM), such as spin torque transfer random access memory (STT RAM), among others.
Select devices can be coupled to memory cells. Select devices can be used as a switch, in which the transistor is either fully-on or fully-off. Fully-on has a voltage across the transistor of almost zero and the transistor is "saturated" as it cannot pass any more current. Examples of select devices include thin film transistors (TFTs). TFTs commonly use silicon film. Generally, polycrystalline silicon materials have been widely used as semiconductor materials for TFTs because they have a high field-effect mobility and can be applied to high speed circuits and constitute complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits. TFTs using polycrystalline silicon materials can be used as active elements of active-matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) devices and switching and driving elements of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs).
Methods of crystallizing an amorphous silicon material into a polycrystalline silicon material include solid phase crystallization (SPC), excimer laser crystallization (ELC), metal induced crystallization (MIC) and metal induced lateral crystallization (MILC). SPC is a method of annealing an amorphous silicon material for several to several tens of hours at a temperature at or below the transition temperature of the glass used as a substrate of a display device employing a thin film transistor (typically, about 700° C. or less). ELC is a method of crystallizing an amorphous silicon material by irradiating the amorphous silicon material with an excimer laser and locally heating the amorphous silicon material to a high temperature for a very short time. MIC is a method of using phase transfer induction from amorphous silicon to polysilicon by contacting the amorphous silicon material with metals such as nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), gold (Au), and aluminum (Al), or implanting such metals into the amorphous silicon material. MILC is a method of inducing sequential crystallization of an amorphous silicon material by lateral diffusion of silicide formed by reacting metal with silicon.
However, SPC has disadvantages of long processing time and a risk of transformation of the substrate due to the long processing time and high temperature used for the annealing. ELC has disadvantages in the expensive laser equipment is required and interfacial characteristics between a semiconductor material and a gate insulating material may be poor due to protrusions generated on the created polycrystallized surface. MIC and MILC have disadvantages in that a large amount of crystallization-inducing metal remains on the crystallized polycrystalline silicon material to increase the leakage current of a semiconductor material of a TFT.

Select devices including a semiconductive stack having a semiconductive material


According to an aspect, relation extraction using manifold models includes identifying semantic relations to be modeled in a selected domain. Data is collected from at least one unstructured data source based on the identified semantic relations. Labeled and unlabeled data that were both generated from the collected data is received. The labeled data includes indicators of validity of the identified semantic relations in the labeled data. Training data that includes both the labeled and unlabeled data is created. A manifold model is trained based on the training data. The manifold model is applied to new data, and a semantic relation is extracted from the new data based on the applying.

The present disclosure relates generally to relation extraction, and more specifically, to relation extraction using manifold models.
Much of human communication, whether it is in natural-language text, speech, or images, is unstructured. The semantics necessary to interpret unstructured information to solve problems is often implicit and must be derived by using background information and inference. Unstructured data is contrasted with structured data, such as data in traditional database tables, where the data is well-defined, and the semantics are explicit. When structured data is used, queries are prepared to answer predetermined questions on the basis of necessary and sufficient knowledge of the meaning of the table headings (e.g., Name, Address, Item, Price, and Date). This is not the case with unstructured information where the semantics are not always explicit and it is often difficult to determine what an arbitrary string of text or an image really means.
With the enormous proliferation of electronic content on the web and within enterprises, unstructured information (e.g., text, images, and speech) is growing far faster than structured information. Whether it is general reference material, textbooks, journals, technical manuals, biographies, or blogs, this content contains high-value knowledge that is often important for informed decision making. The ability to leverage the knowledge latent in these large volumes of unstructured text lies in deeper natural-language analysis that can more directly infer answers to user questions.
Natural-language processing (NLP) techniques, which are also referred to as text analytics, infer the meaning of terms and phrases by analyzing their syntax, context, and usage patterns. Human language, however, is so complex, variable (there are many different ways to express the same meaning), and polysemous (the same word or phrase may mean many things in different contexts) that this presents an enormous technical challenge. Decades of research have led to many specialized techniques each operating on language at different levels and on different isolated aspects of the language understanding task. These techniques include, for example, shallow parsing, deep parsing, information extraction, word-sense disambiguation, latent semantic analysis, textual entailment, and co-reference resolution. None of these techniques is perfect or complete in their ability to decipher the intended meaning. Unlike programming languages, human languages are not formal mathematical constructs. Given the highly contextual and implicit nature of language, humans themselves often disagree about the intended meaning of any given expression.
Detecting semantic relations in text is very useful in both information retrieval and question answering because it enables knowledge bases (KBs) to be leveraged to score passages and retrieve candidate answers. Approaches for extracting semantic relations from text include rule-based methods that employ a number of linguistic rules to capture relation patterns. In addition, feature based methods that transform relation instances into a large amount of linguistic features like lexical, syntactic and semantic features, and that capture the similarity between these feature vectors can used. Approaches also include those that are kernel-based and focused on using tree kernels to learn parse tree structure related features.

Relation extraction using manifold models

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


The present invention relates to an apparatus for staining a Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide, which enables a sample on a slide plate to be rapidly and uniformly heated and prevents a dye solution and a washing solution, supplied to a rotatable staining plate, from remaining the rotatable staining plate, thus clear differential staining and maintaining the rotatable staining plate clean. Specifically, the apparatus for staining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide according to the present invention comprises: a hot-air supply unit disposed above a staining unit and configured such that circulating hot air is laterally discharged from the hot-air supply unit; and a slanted groove for centrifugal discharge, formed at the outer edge of the slide mounting groove of the rotatable staining plate.

Generally, an apparatus for staining a Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide is configured such that Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be visually detected by acid-fast staining of the slide having applied thereto a sample collected from a patient.
As disclosed in Korean Patent No. 1416966, this device for staining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide comprises: a staining unit provided in a staining apparatus body; a rotatable staining plate provided in the staining unit so as to be rotated by a motor; a staining nozzle disposed on the inner wall of the staining unit and configured to supply a dye solution to a slide disposed on the rotatable staining plate; a washing nozzle configured to supply a washing solution to the slide; a staining plate heater configured to heat the rotatable staining plate; a controller configured to control staining of a sample; and a staining operating unit enabling a user to input an operating signal into the controller.
The conventional apparatus for staining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide as described above is configured such that when the slide having the sample applied thereto is disposed on the rotatable staining plate and stained by operating the operating unit, the controller operates the staining heater provided in the rotatable staining plate to heat the slide to a certain temperature.
To the slide on which the sample had been heated as described above, a dye solution is applied through the staining nozzle to stain the slide. After completion of the staining, a washing solution is sprayed onto the slide.
However, the rotatable staining plate in the conventional apparatus for staining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide as described above is configured such that the staining heater provided on the rotatable staining plate heats the sample by heat conduction through the slide. Thus, the conventional apparatus has problems in that heating of the sample is time-consuming and the sample is dried and is not uniformly heated.
In addition, the conventional apparatus for staining the Mycobacterium tuberculosis slide has problems in that the dye solution remains in a slide mounting groove formed in the rotatable staining plate, is not clearly removed from the groove, and is mixed with a dye solution supplied, making clear staining impossible or causing contamination of the rotatable staining plate.

Tubercular bacillus slide staining apparatus


An attachment element (1;51), includes a boring head (5), a hollow cylindrical receiving body (2; 53) having, at its end (4) facing in a setting direction (S) of the attachment element (1; 51), a recess for receiving the boring head (5) and at its opposite end (6), an engagement element (7), the attachment element further having at least one outlet opening (10.1; 10.2) through which a mortar mass located in the receiving body (2; 53) is squeezed out under a pressure applied by a piston (27), a channel section (29) extending between the mortar mass and the at least one outlet opening (10.1; 10.2), and an inner tube (21; 52) arranged in the receiving body (2; 53) at a predetermined distance from an inner wall of the receiving body (2; 53) for forming at least one suction channel (22; 42.1; 42.2) and in which the mortar mass and the channel section (29) are arranged.

1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment element and, in particular, to a rock anchor for use in mining and/or tunnel driving and including a boring head and a hollow cylindrical receiving body. The receiving body has, at its end, facing in a setting direction of the attachment element, a recess for receiving the boring head and at its opposite end, an engagement element. In the receiving body, there is provided one or multi-component mortar mass, preferably packed in a bag. The attachment element is provided with at least one outlet opening through which the mortar mass is squeezed out under pressure applied by piston. Between the mortar mass and the at least one outlet opening, a channel section is provided.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rock anchors are used for stabilization of walls of hollow spaces such as tunnels, galleries, and the like and, in particular, for connecting rock regions adjacent to a wall with each other. In many cases, the regions which are located immediately adjacent to the wall and mechanical characteristics of which, in particular the load-carrying capacity, are reduced as a result of formation of hollow spaces, are connected to more remote, undamaged regions. The wall, in this regard, means the ceiling and side walls of a hollow space and also its bottom.
As a rock anchor, e.g. a so-called tubular anchor, which is formed of a tubular element provided, at its setting direction end, with a boring head and at its opposite end, with engagement means, is often used. At least one outlet channel extends through the boring head. The setting process of the known tubular anchor is effected into two steps. In the first step, the anchor is drilled, with an available boring tool, into the ground, in particular, rock. The degraded and comminuted stone, which is produced at the bore-side end of the anchor by the boring head, is removed through the outlet openings and the space between the bore wall and the outer circumference of the tubular anchor. In the second step, a mortar mass is introduced into the tubular member through the anchor end remote from the setting direction end of the anchor, and is pressed into the direction toward the bore by a piston and with the plunger of squeezing device. The mortar mass, which is located in the tubular anchor, is introduced into the bore from the tubular anchor through the outlet opening in the boring head. The mortar mass is distributed along the space or gap between the bore wall and the outer circumference of the tubular anchor. In this way, the known tubular anchor is anchored and/or secured.
The introduction of the mortar mass into the tubular anchor after the boring step is associated with additional, in particular timewise expenses, on one hand, and on the other hand, can be effected, dependent on the site conditions, only conditionally and often only using very expensive technical measures. Sometimes, the anchoring is not of adequate quality, which can lead, in the worst case, to replacement of the installed anchor.
German Publication DE-100 17 750 A1 discloses a rock anchor containing to-be-squeezed out mortar mass. The tubular anchor is provided, at its setting direction end, with outlet openings. Between the multi-component mass and the outlet openings, there is provided a mixer, so that the mortar mass, which is subject to pressure by a piston, is adequately mixed before it leaves the tubular body.
The drawback of the anchor disclosed in DE-100 17 750 A1 consists in that in order to insure removal of the comminuted stone which is produced by the boring head, the so-called drillings, a sufficiently large gap should be provided between the bore wall and the outer wall of the tubular body. To this end, the bits of the boring head should project sufficiently far beyond the cross-section of the tubular body. To insure anchoring of this rock anchor in a borehole, a large amount of mostly expensive mortar mass should be used, on one hand, and, on the other hand, high requirements are placed on the material characteristics of the mortar mass, e.g., its contraction, shrinkage, during hardening. With an increased thickness of the mortar mass layer, the possibility of failure of contraction during hardening increases.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an attachment element, in particular for use in mining and/or tunnel driving, with which the mortar mass is contained in the attachment element during the entire setting process.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment element with which the amount of mortar mass necessary to insure a reliable anchoring is reduced to a minimum.


The invention relates to a web guiding device (3) for guiding a material web (2), in particular a film web, with a first and a second frame element (31, 32), which                are pivotably mounted on a first spindle (33) in respective first end areas (311, 321),        are connected via a rotatably mounted web guide roller (34) in respective second end areas (321, 322) and        are connected via a second spindle (35) which is connected to the first spindle (33) by means of a fixing element (37).

The invention relates to a web guiding device for guiding a material web, in particular a film web, and a device for processing a material web, in particular a film web.
During the processing of material webs, such as for example film webs or paper webs, in an embossing device, printing devices or the like, the material webs are as a rule provided on reels, unwound for processing, guided to the processing position via deflection rollers and sometimes then wound up again.
If, when a new reel is provided, the material web is drawn in obliquely or asymmetrically, different tensile forces act on opposite edge areas of the material web, which can lead to creasing, folding or tearing of the material web.
However, in some cases, an asymmetrical, i.e. oblique drawing-in of a material web can also be desirable, for example in order to guarantee that an edge area of the material web is under high material tension—and therefore smooth—in order in particular to make possible a reliable reading of register marks or the like.
Irrespective of whether an asymmetrical drawing-in of the material web takes place in a targeted or undesired manner, it is necessary to correct such an asymmetry again as early as possible in order to avoid the above-named defects.
It is known to use web guide rollers with integrated differential gear to compensate for an oblique drawing-in. A detection of an oblique drawing-in and an active correction of the web guidance by active adjusting means, for example pneumatic, hydraulic or electric adjusting cylinders or the like, are also known. Such devices are however complex, expensive to buy and susceptible to faults.
Furthermore, to compensate for symmetrical web tensions, as can also occur when the web is drawn in straight, for example because of an out-of-roundness of the reel, so-called dancer rollers are known. Under varying tensile stress of the web, these swing perpendicular to the direction of extension thereof and thus again compensate for the tensile stress. However, they are not suitable for compensating for an oblique drawing-in.

Web guiding device and device for processing a web of material


The invention is a frequency switching method of a CPU in electronic devices. The electronic device is comprised of a display screen and the CPU. The screen display changes according to the pixel clock. The method lowers the frequency of the pixel clock, switching the CPU frequency, and then restores the frequency of the pixel clock.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a frequency switching method of a CPU, and more particularly to a frequency switching method of an Intel® XScale™ CPU.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) of Intel® XScale™ Microarchitecture, for example, the PXA250 or PXA210 CPU, has the advantages of ultra-low power consumption, minute volume, and is highly integrated. It is suitable for embedded systems as well as portable devices, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA). Taking the PXA250 CPU as an example, it has three operational modes: Turbo, Run, and Idle. During the Turbo mode, the operational frequency of the PXA250 CPU can reach a maximum of 400 MHz; during the Run mode, the operational frequency has a minimum of 100 MHz. Using a PDA as an example, when the user doesn't operate it for a period of time, it automatically switches to Idle mode in order to reduce power consumption. This switch can occur even though the LCD screen is on, for example, while reading an electronic book. When the PXA250 CPU is switched from the highest frequency in Turbo mode to Idle mode, the PXA250 CPU consumes about 110 mA at the Idle mode; when the PXA250 CPU is switched from the lowest frequency of Run mode to Idle mode, the PXA250 CPU consumes only about 70 mA at Idle mode. There is a 36 percent power consumption difference between these two types of switch, therefore the power consumption can be reduced if the PXA250 CPU first switched from Turbo mode to the lowest frequency of Run mode and then switched to Idle mode.
FIG. 1 is the flow chart of the conventional frequency switching method of a PXA250 CPU in a PDA. When the PDA needs to enter a power-saving state, the PXA250 CPU is switched to Run mode with a 100 MHz frequency (step 110). Then the PXA250 CPU is switched to Idle mode (step 120). Step 110 and 120 assure the minimum power consumption of the PDA. When the Idle mode is terminated, such as an interrupt occurs, the PXA250 CPU is switched to the original mode, for example Turbo mode with a 400 MHz frequency (step 130) for the best performance.
However, an abnormal disturbance, which is called a glitch, occurs on the PDA's screen during the frequency switching in step 110 or 130. In Run mode with a 100 MHz frequency, the internal bus, PXBus, of PXA250 CPU operates on 50 MHz frequency, while in Turbo mode with 400 HMz frequency, the internal bus operates on 100 MHz frequency. Due to the frequency switching of the internal bus, the PLL (phase lock loop) of the PXA250 CPU is disabled and then the pixel clock stops, which result in the glitch on the screen.


A process for producing a particular nucleic acid sequence from a given sequence of DNA or RNA in amounts which are large compared to the amount initially present, using PNAs in conjunction with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is disclosed.

The present invention relates to a process for amplifying nucleic acid sequences present in a sample. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of employing peptide nucleic acids (PNA) to enhance the amplification of nucleic acid sequences via the polymerase chain reaction. Still more specifically, the present invention relates to a process for producing a particular nucleic acid sequence from a given sequence of DNA or RNA in amounts which are large compared to the amount initially present, using PNAs in conjunction with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The polymerase chain reaction has, since its conception in April 1983, become a standard technique for amplification of nucleic acid sequences. In this process one or more specific nucleic acid sequences present in a nucleic acid or mixture thereof are amplified using primers and agents for polymerization and then detecting the amplified sequence. The extension product of one primer, when hybridized to the other, becomes a template for the production of the desired specific nucleic acid sequence, and vice versa, and the process is repeated as often as is necessary to produce the desired amount of the sequence.
The DNA or RNA may be single- or double-stranded, and may be a relatively pure species or a component of a mixture of nucleic acids. The PCR process utilizes a repetitive reaction to accomplish the amplification of the desired nucleic acid sequence. Indeed, in the approximately ten years since its discovery, the PCR technique has been widely employed in the field of molecular biology in detecting and identifying nucleic acid sequences. For example, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been extensively used to amplify DNA loci in genome mapping, linkage studies, genetic diagnostics, forensics, and paternity testing. The widespread use of this technique is testimony to the utility of the process.
Unfortunately, the polymerase chain reaction is not without problems. The PCR process depends upon multiple steps of annealing and melting (separation of two complementary strands). Under ideal conditions, one can envision the separation of the two complementary strands of double-stranded DNA, annealing of the complementary primers, and elongation of the primers with a polymerase to produce two molecules of double-stranded DNA. This cycle is repeated while the quantity of the desired sequence grows exponentially.
However, in most contexts in which the polymerase chain reaction is employed, situations are less than ideal. Often DNA of interest to the biotechnological community contains a number of repeat or near-repeat sequences. Additionally, nucleic acid sequences frequently contain a number of internally self-complementary sequences. These repeating and self-complementary sequences increase the likelihood that the nucleic acid sequence will experience interstrand and intrastrand interactions, possibly resulting in a nucleic acid strand folding in upon itself.
Further, as the polymerase chain reaction progresses, the concentration of complementary DNA sequences increases exponentially, while the concentration of primer commonly remains constant or decreases. This can result in the product of the interim cycles of the polymerase chain reaction successfully competing with the primers required for the next cycle of elongation. Such competition can significantly reduce the efficiency and yield of the polymerase chain reaction.
Moreover, diploid DNA poses additional challenges. Robust amplification of allelic sequences is often difficult, particularly when there is a significant size difference between the two alleles. Smaller alleles simply amplify more efficiently. This phenomenon, known as differential amplification, results in the generation of more copies of the smaller allele and thus a more intense band on the subsequent electrophoresis gel. At best, the larger allele is underrepresented relative to the smaller allele, at worst, differential amplification can result in allelic dropout, in which the larger allele amplifies so poorly relative to the smaller allele that the larger allele can neither be visualized nor detected. Differential amplification and allelic dropout can complicate genetic analyses.
The terms "peptide nucleic acid" and "PNA" refer to a DNA analog with a backbone consisting of N-(2-aminoethyl)glycine units. To this backbone, analogous to DNA, are attached the nucleobases--for DNA, adenine, guanine, cytidine, and thymine. The individual monomeric units of PNA can be synthesized to furnish a PNA chain having a specific sequence of bases. The synthesis of such PNA chains is detailed in various publications, including Science 254, 1497 (1991); J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114, 9677 (1992); J. Am. Chem. Soc. 144, 1895 (1992); J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Comm. 800 (1993); Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 90, 1667 (1993); Intercept Ltd. 325 (1992); J. Am. Chem. Soc. 114, 9677 (1992); Nucleic Acids Res. 21, 197 (1993); J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. 518 (1993); Anti-Cancer Drug Design 8, 53 (1993); Nucleic Acids Res. 21, 2103 (1993); Org. Proc. Prep. 25, 457 (1993); CRC Press 363 (1992); J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. 800 (1993); J. Am. Chem. Soc. 115, 6477 (1993); Nature 365, 566 (1993); ABRF News Vol. 4, No. 3 (1993); Science 258, 1481 (1992); WO 8-92/20702; and WO 92/20703, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, specific sequences of PNA are commercially available from BioSearch Div., PerSeptive Biosystems, Inc., Bedford, Mass.
PNA has been demonstrated to be a potent DNA mimic in terms of sequence-specific annealing. Experimental results (discussed in the above publications) have demonstrated that at physiological ionic strength a PNA/DNA duplex is generally 1.degree. C. per base pair more stable thermally than the corresponding DNA/DNA duplex. Other experimental data has indicated that PNA is more stable in the cell than DNA; that PNA binds to DNA or RNA 50-100 times more tightly than either DNA or RNA; that PNA can invade and displace double-stranded DNA (dsDNA); and that the backbone of PNA adopts a helical conformation. However, a single base mismatch in a PNA/DNA duplex is much more destablizing than a mismatch in the corresponding DNA/DNA duplex. Furthermore, PNA does not function as a primer for DNA polymerase.
Recently, PNAs have been used to detect single base mutations through PCR clamping. In Nucleic Acids Research 21, 5332 (1993), PNAs were reported to form a PNA/DNA complex which effectively blocked the formation of a PCR product. However, this PNA-directed PCR clamping results in a blocking of PCR amplification, rather than an enhancement of the polymerase chain reaction.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an efficient and effective method of amplifying existing nucleic acid sequences present in a sample using the polymerase chain reaction.

Method for enhancing amplification in the polymerase chain reaction employing peptide nucleic acid (PNA)


Simulated egg yolk in the nature of a thermoreversible, preferably homogenized, gel which is non-flowable at room temperature is extruded into disk-like shapes. A restrictive barrier is formed around the egg yolk disks by a reverse method of first contacting the non-flowable yolk with a setting agent such as calcium chloride in water and then with a film former such as sodium alginate in water. The resulting simulated egg yolk looks and behaves like natural egg yolk and may be incorporated into natural egg white while preserving a separate phase, so one can make "sunny side up" and "easy over" eggs.

The present invention relates in general to simulated eggs, including simulated egg yolk alone and those dispersed in a separate phase within liquid natural egg whites to provide simulated raw whole eggs, and more particularly, to cholesterol free simulated egg yolks capable of maintaining a separate phase in natural egg whites, so that upon cooking, the simulated egg yolk looks and behaves like natural egg yolk; and still more particularly, to such simulated egg yolks in the nature of a room temperature homogenized thermoreversible gel having a low gelatin content which are encapsulated in a restrictive barrier of an edible cross-linkable water soluble polymer formed in situ.
Although eggs represent an outstanding nutritional food which is enjoyed by many people, especially as part of one's breakfast, the fact is that natural egg yolk is one of the richest foods in cholesterol. This has forced a large number of people who are on cholesterol free diets from enjoying eating natural whole eggs. One practical and economically feasible solution has been to incorporate a simulated and preferably a cholesterol free egg yolk into natural egg white and to preserve them in separate phases, so that one can make, for example, a "sunny side up" and "over easy" egg. In this regard, there is known in the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,399, which is incorporated by reference herein, a simulated egg yolk and simulated raw whole egg manufactured therewith constituting an edible liquid, a viscosity modifier which is preferably a positive thermoreversible gel former, and a colorant. The simulated egg yolks produced thereby, which may be encapsulated by a hydrocolloid restrictive barrier, are remarkably lifelike and are useful in the preparation of "sunny side up" and "over easy" eggs when dispersed in natural egg whites.
The inventor realized that in the preparation of a simulated whole raw egg for use in the production of a natural looking "sunny side up" or "over easy" egg, it is typically necessary to store the simulated egg yolk in a separate gelled phase within liquid natural egg white. It was observed that these simulated egg yolks tend to absorb water from the natural egg white, probably by osmosis, thereby undesirably increasing the weight and volume of the egg yolk. The absorption of water is undesirable because it decreases the viscosity of the egg yolk upon cooking, which adversely results in the reduction of the egg yolk's overall mechanical and/or physical strength, i.e., the ability to remain unbroken and to retain its integrity and shape prior to being purposefully broken after cooking when being eaten. The decrease in viscosity can result in the premature disruption of the structure of the discrete egg yolk when in the molten state, such as during cooking, and uncontrolled running of the egg yolk at serving temperatures may take place. In addition, the reduction in the egg yolk's mechanical and/or physical strength requires that the egg yolk be handled delicately.
In the inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,293, which is also hereby incorporated by reference, a number of possible remedies to overcome these problems of water absorption were proposed. It was observed that the positive thermoreversible gel former used in the production of the simulated egg yolk appeared to be the driving force behind the absorption of water from natural egg white. Although it was proposed to minimize the amount of gel former used, this also had the tendency of producing "delicate" egg yolks whose viscosity will change prematurely such that the egg yolk's monolithic structure is lost during manufacturing and/or handling, including during cooking. Thus, the proposed solution created other problems which were not fully resolved.
Another proposed method of reducing the initial weight gain of a simulated egg yolk, yet maintaining its viscosity and mechanical and/or physical strength, is by the use of a restrictive barrier. Several methods of imparting such a barrier to the egg yolk before being added to liquid natural egg white are described, such as a cross-linked membrane of an edible resin, e.g. an alginate, a pectin, and the like. A multivalent cation, such as calcium or aluminum in the form of a salt may be used as the cross-linking agent. A restrictive barrier can also be formed from hydrateable edible polymeric compounds or hydrocolloids which give rise to substantial instantaneous increase in viscosity as soon as they come into contact with and start dissolving in aqueous systems.
Also disclosed is reducing the absorption of water by adding a solute to the liquid egg white such that smaller osmotic pressure differential will exist between the liquid egg white and the simulated egg yolk. This is expected to minimize the force thought to be driving water into the egg yolk. Finally, the inventor proposed immersing the egg yolk in an aqueous medium which provides an accelerated tendency of the egg yolk to absorb water. In this technique, the egg yolk is formulated with less water than would otherwise be used. The egg yolk is then immersed into water until the degree of water absorption desirable has been achieved. When added to liquid egg white, the thus created egg yolk does not exhibit a strong tendency to further absorb water.
Although the '293 patent mentions forming a restrictive barrier layer from a cross-linked film of an edible resin, there is no reference to a particular method of forming the barrier around an egg yolk. The methods used so far to produce restrictive barriers around simulated egg yolks were both time consuming and cumbersome. For example, Forkner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,249, discusses briefly the use of cross-linked hydrocolloids, such as alginates, with calcium salts, as edible membranes around artificial liquid yolks to hold the shape of the egg yolk. Cox et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,566, discloses various detailed methods of forming a restrictive barrier around a simulated liquid egg yolk. In both Forkner and Cox et. al. frozen or otherwise immobilized liquid egg yolk is coated with a restrictive barrier forming solution or dispersion such as one containing edible hydrocolloids, for example, sodium alginate. The coated egg yolk is treated to form the restrictive barrier by contact with a reactive composition in the form of a setting bath containing a setting agent, for example, calcium chloride. Cox et. al. discusses two alternative methods, the first of which they co-extrude a central yolk portion with a surrounding portion containing the film former, and in the second they include the film former in the formulation of the yolk. In the preferred method of Cox et. al., the second method, the restrictive barrier forming compounds are mixed with the egg yolk components in sufficient quantities to form a barrier on the outer surface of the egg yolk when contacted with a setting agent. The liquid egg yolk is extruded in the form of discrete liquid globules into a setting bath. These methods are undesirably time consuming, requiring the yolks to stay in the setting bath for 8-15 minutes, followed by rinsing for about 10-20 minutes.
This conventional process of forming a restrictive barrier in accordance with either Cox et. al. or Forkner has been found to present a large number of disadvantages resulting in a simulated egg yolk having a poorly formed barrier. A major drawback is the commercially undesirable (which may come to the point of being unacceptable) length of time needed to complete the process. When attempting to use reasonably short times for the conventional process, additional drawbacks, just to mention a few, include, but are not limited to, irreproducibility of the quality of the membrane, thickness variability, openings in the membrane structure, weak regions which may break easily, and tough to chew regions making the consumption of the respective egg unpleasant.
More particularly, the coating of the egg yolk first with a restrictive barrier forming compound often results in a barrier which is not only flimsy, but also not uniform in thickness. When immersed in the setting bath, the restrictive barrier forming compound often does not cross-link uniformly, in particular, in those regions having a thicker layer, thereby requiring extended residence times. In addition, it has been found that in those regions where an excess of restrictive barrier forming compound is present, incomplete cross-linking may still occur, resulting in the barrier layer being relatively weak, and in fact, may be in the nature of a loose slurry. These regions are potential defect sites which can cause the simulated egg yolk to prematurely rupture during handling.
The setting bath which contains the setting agent, for example, calcium chloride being the major representative of setting agent, even at small concentrations is known to have a bitter taste. Any excess setting agent which is retained on the egg yolk will subsequently dissolve in the liquid egg whites into which the egg yolk is deposited. This will result in the finally cooked whole egg having a bitter unpleasant taste which is unacceptable to the consumer. To avoid this problem, it becomes necessary to subsequently subject the egg yolk to an extensive rinse bath which is highly undesirable from the standpoint of both process time and economy.
A further disadvantage is the high probability of a remaining slippery fluid region under the membrane and surrounding the solid at room temperature yolk portion, which fluid region consists of unset or incompletely set film former. All these disadvantages render these processes very delicate, sensitive to unforeseen external parameters, time consuming, and cumbersome. Still more particularly, according to the conventional method, the yolk is dipped into a solution of a film former, which is very viscous even at low concentrations of film former, and therefore it produces an uneven thick film on the yolk. When this film comes in contact with the solution of the setting agent, a thin cross-linked skin is formed at the top of the film, away from the yolk. The skin does not allow easy access to the rest of the trapped film former, and thus, one has to wait for a long time (many minutes) for the setting agent, for example calcium ions, to diffuse through the skin and continue setting the rest of the resin. This increases the thickness of the skin and makes the diffusion process more and more difficult. If one does not wait for all the time required to complete the setting throughout the thickness of the film, there will remain a slippery fluid region under the skin, adjacent to the yolk, rendering the thus far made membrane flimsy and not supported by the non-flowable yolk. Further, since the outermost skin of the membrane will be fully cross-linked, due to the abundance of setting agent in that region, its adhesion to the white will be minimal, if any at all, upon cooking the yolk and coagulating the white. It is a very well known fact that fully cross-linked surfaces are notorious for refusing to adhere to other surfaces, and they may even be used as release structures. Thus, special treatment will be needed to provide adhesion of the membrane to the white.
Since the environment at which the membrane was formed in this case includes an abundance of setting agent, thorough rinsing becomes necessary in order to remove the setting agent (calcium chloride, for example) before the processed yolk is introduced into the egg white. The task of removing the setting agent becomes even more difficult, due to the fact that the portion of setting agent which has been trapped within the fully cross-linked outer part of the membrane, and which travels outward at a very low speed, does not find any uncross-linked sites to be bound, and therefore it has to be substantially removed completely to avoid the undesirable taste and other ailments that may introduce to the white.
Neither of the aforementioned patents provide a commercially feasible method of manufacturing large quantities of high quality simulated egg yolk and "friable" (either "sunny side up" or "over easy") or "poachable" whole eggs. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,293, the problems of commercializable methods are complicated by attempting to balance the complexities of water absorption and the need for a strong, monolithic simulated egg yolk with a highly controlled temperature/viscosity profile (yolk formulated to only become runny and lose its shape when desired).
These problems have been solved by the provision of a commercially feasible mass production method for the formation of high quality simulated egg yolk which is extrudable at or below room temperature in accordance with the present invention. The resulting simulated egg yolk, when added to liquid natural egg white and, thereafter, fried, yields a realistic egg in flavor, texture and look. The resulting egg retains a discrete egg yolk, even at serving temperatures, which naturally runs upon being disturbed. Thus, the resulting egg product looks, tastes and behaves as a natural fried or poached egg.

Simulated egg yolk and method of making same


A coated powder comprising a transition metal or compound thereof prepared by the process which comprises coating the surface of a powdered transition metal or compound there with a free radical polymerizable monomer having an e value of (-)0.8 to (+)0.8 and then subjecting the resulting coated powder to free-radical polymerization conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toners for electrostatic image development, particularly to a toner which can provide clear developed images over a long use cycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in electrophotography a colored resin powder, i.e., toner, is spread on a photosensitive plate or paper containing an electrostatically charged image. The toner particles image-wise adhere to the surface of the photosensitive plate or paper because of the electrostatically charged image. In this manner a visible image is developed on the plate or paper. The developer image may be transferred from the photosensitive plate on to a copy paper. The toner particles are thermally fused to the surface of the photosensitive paper or copy paper, thereby fixing the visible image on the paper.
The above technique is called the dry development method. In this method the toner is mixed with a carrier in order to electrically charge the toner to the degree necessary and spread the toner particles on the photosensitive plate or paper in uniform concentration. There are two dry development methods. One is called the cascade method in which a mixture of toner and a carrier such as glass particles, i.e., developing agent, is applied onto a photosensitive plate or paper. The other is called the magnetic brushing method in which a magnetic brush is used. The magnetic brush is comprised of a rod magnet to which the mixture of toner and carrier such as ferro magnetic particles, i.e., one of components in the developing agent, is attracted. The brush with the developing agent is so moved as to sweep the surface of a photosensitive plate or paper. During this sweeping process only the toner particles fall from the brush and stick to the surface of the photosensitive plate or paper.
In either dry development method, however, the surface of each carrier particle can never be free of toner particles since in the developing agent the toner particles adhere to the carrier particles. If not free of toner particles, the carrier fails to be charged electrically to the degree necessary, thus degrading the quality of the developed image. Further, in the magnetic brushing method toner particles will also adhere to those portions of the photosensitive plate or paper where no image has been electrostatically formed. If not free of extraneous toner particles, the photosensitive plate or paper degrade greatly the quality of the developed electrostatic image, particularly when it is repeatedly used and subjected to electrical charging, exposure, development and transfer many times.
Moreover, the toner contains a thermoplastic resin binder which melts or softens at a relatively low temperature. While being used or stored, the toner may therefore easily fuse together to form a massive block of material form agglomerates or the like depending upon the ambient temperature. If this happens, the toner loses its function as a powder toner.
A one component toner, that is one which does not contain carrier material, comprises in a single particle both the thermoplastic resin and magnetite powder. The attractive force of the magnetic brush for such powders is, of course, a function of the mass of magnetite powder in the toner particles. Thus such toner particles must contain a significant quantity of magnetite powder.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a toner having the proper balance of necessary properties.

Polymer coated transition metal powder as electrostatic image toner