When a specified task process may mix with another more highly prioritized task process, it is aimed at accurately calculating a process time for the specified task process. A CPU 11 can simultaneously perform a plurality of task processes such as a task process to display the reproduction time during an audio reproduction process on a display 20 and a task process concerning a telephone call. A DSP 12 performs the audio reproduction process and changes a timing to notify the CPU 11 of information about the audio reproduction time in accordance with loads on the task process in the CPU 11.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a cellular phone appropriate for reproduction-of music on a mobile telephone, for example.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, there are spreading silicon audio players and portable audio players with external detachable memory on the market. In accordance with this trend, the digital audio reproduction function is provided for some models of commercially available cellular phones.
It is known that the digital audio reproduction function for cellular phones decompresses (decodes) encoded data generated from linear PCM (Linear Pulse Code Modulation) data encoded by audio compression technologies such as MPEG1 Layer3 (Moving Picture Image Coding Experts Group 1-Layer 3:MP3) and ATRAC3 (Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding 3). Actually, the digital audio reproduction function is implemented by a control process of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a decode process of a DSP (digital signal processor).
The digital audio reproduction function further requires at least functions and specifications such as "reproduction", "stop", "reproduction time calculation", and "reproduction time display". The above-mentioned command processes such as "reproduction" and "stop" are available as handshake processes and therefore need to interchange commands between both. On the other hand, either CPU or DSP can process "reproduction time calculation"
The above-mentioned digital audio reproduction function has typically two methods, i.e., first and second methods of performing "reproduction time calculation".
According to the first method, the CPU counts frames and multiplies the reproduction time per frame by the count value to calculate the reproduction time. The frame is a single data unit for encoded data (bit stream). Encoding and decoding are performed in units of frames.
According to the second method, the DSP decodes frames. Each time the DSP completes decoding one frame, the DSP sends notification to the CPU to indicate that decoding of that frame has been completed. The CPU counts notifications from the DSP about completion of decoding one frame and multiplies the reproduction time per frame by the count value to calculate the reproduction time.
Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. 9-27187 (patent document 1) discloses the technology for finding the audio reproduction time. The apparatus according to this technology transfers coded signals read from a disk medium to the buffer memory. The apparatus decodes the coded signals read from the buffer memory and outputs audio data. In this apparatus, the buffer memory is provided with a time table to indicate sector sizes from the beginning of the disk. The reproduction time is found based on the time table.
[Patent document] Japanese Non-examined Patent Publication No. 9-27187 (FIG. 1)
An ordinary portable audio player can use the entire CPU throughput for the audio reproduction. The realtime capability for the digital audio reproduction is not influenced by a choice between the above-mentioned first and second methods for "reproduction time calculation".
However, a cellular phone has the telephone call function, i.e., the most important function whose realtime capability must be always ensured. For example, there may be a mixture of tasks for the telephone call protocol process and tasks associated with the digital audio reproduction process. In such case, tasks for the digital audio reproduction process must be less prioritized than tasks for the telephone call protocol process.
In other words, when the digital audio reproduction function is performed in such multitask process, an attempt must be made to minimize loads on CPU processes associated with the audio reproduction. Otherwise, the realtime capability may not be ensured during the audio reproduction. Especially, according to the above-mentioned second method considering an overhead for changing tasks, the CPU may not be able to realtime receive the time notification from the DSP. In this case, the reproduction time is displayed incorrectly.

Information processing apparatus and a cellular phone

Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc.


Silyl-protected nitrogen-containing cyclic compounds having formula (1) are provided wherein R1, R2 and R3 each are a monovalent hydrocarbon group, R4 and R5 each are a divalent hydrocarbon group, R6, R7 and R8 each are H or a monovalent hydrocarbon group. A is —C(O)OR9 or —C≡N, R9 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and a is 0 or 1. The compounds are added to polyurethane, polyester or polycarbonate resins to form one part type curable compositions for imparting stiffness, mechanical strength and transparency thereto.

As described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, nitrogen-containing cyclic compounds, typically piperazine are useful as resin additives (specifically epoxy resin curing agents), paint additives, adhesives and the like. Since piperazine has a secondary amine structure, the use of piperazine as a curing agent for epoxy resins, for example, ensures that piperazine ring is introduced into the epoxy resin via reaction of the secondary amine moiety with an epoxy group, for thereby imparting the stiffness, mechanical strength and transparency (inclusive of the UV region) inherent to the piperazine ring structure to the epoxy resin.
However, a problem arises with the piperazine described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 because it has active hydrogen on the nitrogen atom. On use of piperazine as a curing agent for epoxy resins, if piperazine is previously added to an epoxy resin, viscosity buildup and gelation can occur with the lapse of time. It is not viable with a curable composition of one part type. The composition must be formulated as two part type which requires cumbersome operations like accurate weighing and mixing on use.

Silyl-protected nitrogen-containing cyclic compounds and making method


The present invention relates to tris(N-aryl-benzimidazole)benzene compounds of the formula:

Organic electronic devices convert electrical energy into radiation, detect signals through electronic processes, convert radiation into electrical energy, or include one or more organic semiconductor layers. Most organic electronic devices include a conductive layer (such as a light-emitting or photoactive layer) positioned between two electrodes. In some devices, a charge transport layer can be utilized between the conductive layer and an electrode. For example, a hole transport layer can be positioned between the conductive layer and the anode and a electron transport layer can be positioned between the conductive layer and the cathode.
Thus, what is needed are new materials for use in organic electronic devices.

Tris(N-aryl benzimidazole)benzenes and their use in electronic devices

Abstract: where R1-R6, Ar, m, n, p, q, r, and s are defined in the specification. Also provided are compositions comprising tris(N-aryl-benzimidazole)benzene compounds. The invention also relates to use of such compounds in electronic devices.


A stowable support apparatus is disclosed and includes an elongate, horizontally oriented track with a slide mounted and reciprocally movable thereon. A support arm is pivotally coupled to the slide, and a mounting bracket that receives a display unit and includes a handle is pivotally coupled to the support arm. The apparatus further includes a lock mechanism that selectively secures the slide in a defined position on the track and includes a bias mechanism that urges the slide away from the lock mechanism. The apparatus, including a supported display unit, is selectively adjustable from a stowed position, in which the display unit is stored within a box-like housing on which the track is mounted, and a user-viewable position, in which the display unit is pivoted out of the housing and presented in an elevated viewing position.

In confined places such as aircraft and other vehicular passenger compartments, space is at a premium. Appliances such as flat-panel television and display monitors are important to many travelers, but must be provided with the capability of being stowed out of the way of the passengers and crew when not in use. Nonetheless, deployable/stowable appliances must be quickly and easily positionable by the user and should be as nearby as possible, preferably being built into the passenger's seat or an adjacent structure. Due to space constraints in such areas, however, efficient storage of the apparatus and its supported display unit is necessary. Because of the relatively low-slung seats that are typical on most commercial and private aircraft, unusual vertical space limitations further constrain the design of what will be referred to herein as a stowable support apparatus. The apparatus is used to support and position a display unit, which may include, for example, a television screen, a monitor for a computer or other interactive device, or other devices for displaying visual or audio-visual information to a viewer.
The utility of such an apparatus is especially recognized in environments such as airplanes, buses and other land vehicles, or in terminal areas. The apparatus provides the user with entertainment and/or allows the user to work. For instance, a television monitor may be utilized to display a movie or some other form of entertainment. Alternatively, the display unit may come in the form of a computer monitor operably connected to a computer to enable the user to work while traveling. Such an apparatus, because of its close proximity to the user's seat, must be stowable during ingress and egress so that it does not interfere with passenger movement. Moreover, after a passenger is seated, the apparatus should be accessible in an ergonomically advantageous way.
The user should also be able selectively to position the display unit for comfortable viewing angles. Because travelers and seating areas therefor differ dramatically in size and shape, the support apparatus must be adjustable to present the display unit at a user-selected viewing angle, regardless of the size or shape of the particular seat or user. Furthermore, even similarly sized individuals may have different preferred viewing angles. Therefore a stowable support apparatus should not only adjust between a stowed and a user-viewable position, but also should enable a user to adjust selectively the viewing orientation of the display unit to suit that user's particular needs or preferences.
Safety is also of utmost importance when such an apparatus is being used by a passenger when a vehicle is in transit. Sudden stops, starts, or changes in direction could cause the apparatus, including its display unit, to fly out of control and damage the unit or injure the intended user or nearby passengers. Therefore there is a need for a stowable support apparatus which is constrained from freely moving or otherwise adjusting when the vehicle or passenger undergoes sudden stops or movements. A competing, and equally important concern, however, is that the apparatus must collapse or yield if impacted by the user, such as during a collision or rapid change in direction or speed. If the device remains rigidly positioned when impacted, the user is prone to severe injury when he or she impacts this non-yielding structure. To satisfy both concerns, the apparatus should retract or otherwise pivot to a safe position when struck by a user or other object, yet resist changes in position solely on account of changes in the vehicle's speed or direction.
Although a number of stowable monitor supports are known in the prior art, such supports are unsatisfactory due to their failure to address and satisfy all of the concerns listed above.
With the above problems in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stowable support apparatus that positions and supports a display unit.
Another object is to provide a stowable support apparatus that is adjustable from a stowed position, in which an attached display unit is housed in an out-of-the-way position, and a user-viewable position, in which the display unit is presented for viewing by the user.
It is another object to provide a stowable support apparatus that is adjustable by the user to multiple positions for satisfying ergonomic requirements.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a stowable support apparatus that may be easily pivoted out of the way in the event of an emergency.
The invention achieves these and other objects and advantages in the form of a stowable support apparatus that includes an elongate, and preferably horizontally oriented, track with a slide mounted and reciprocally movable thereon. A support arm is pivotally coupled to the slide, and a mounting bracket that receives a display unit and includes a handle is pivotally coupled to the support arm. The apparatus further includes a lock mechanism that selectively secures the slide in a defined position on the track and includes a bias mechanism that urges the slide away from the lock mechanisms. The apparatus, including a supported display unit, is selectively adjustable from a stowed position, in which the display unit is stored within a box-like housing on which the track is mounted, and a user-viewable position, in which the display unit is pivoted out of the housing and presented in an elevated viewing position.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will become more fully apparent as the detailed description below is read with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Provided is a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet that has excellent magnetic properties and can be manufactured by secondary recrystallization orientation control using coil annealing with high productivity. A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet comprises a specific chemical composition, wherein an average value of a deviation angle (α2+β2)1/2 calculated from a deviation angle α from ideal Goss orientation around an ND rotation axis and a deviation angle β from ideal Goss orientation around a TD rotation axis is 5.0° or less, and an area ratio Rβ of crystal grains with β≤0.50° is 20% or less.

A grain-oriented electrical steel sheet is a soft magnetic material used as an iron core material of an electrical device such as a transformer or a generator, and has texture in which <001> orientation which is the easy magnetization axis of iron is highly aligned with the rolling direction of the steel sheet. Such texture is formed through secondary recrystallization annealing of preferentially causing the growth of giant crystal grains in (110)[001] orientation which is called Goss orientation.
The degree of preferred orientation of secondary recrystallized grains to (110)[001] orientation (hereafter referred to as "ideal Goss orientation") can be evaluated based on the "deviation angle" of the orientation of the secondary recrystallized grains from ideal Goss orientation. The deviation angle can be divided into the deviation angles around three rotation axes, namely, normal direction (ND) axis, transverse direction (TD) (direction orthogonal to the rolling direction) axis, and rolling direction (RD) axis. How the deviation angles α, β, and γ around the respective rotation axes influence the magnetic properties of the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet has been discussed.
Regarding the α angle which is the deviation angle around the ND axis, it is known that a smaller α angle improves the magnetic flux density of the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet, and the iron loss of the grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. Meanwhile, the γ angle which is the deviation angle around the RD axis does not influence the angle from the easy magnetization axis <001>, and therefore its influence on the magnetic flux density and the iron loss is considered to be insignificant.
IEEE Trans. Magn. 1996, Vol. 32, No. 2, p. 572-589 (NPL 1) describes the influence of the β angle which is the deviation angle around the TD axis on the iron loss in single crystal. According to NPL 1, the iron loss is most favorable when the β angle is 2.0°, and the magnetic domain width increases and the iron loss increases as the β angle approaches 0°.
JP H07-268567 A (PTL 1) proposes a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having a deviation angle from ideal Goss orientation of 8° or less to improve iron loss. Likewise, JP 2009-155731 A (PTL 2) proposes a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having a deviation angle of 5° or less.
In the case of simply defining "deviation angle" as in PTL 1 and PTL 2, the deviation angle denotes the compound angle of the α angle and the β angle. Accordingly, even when the deviation angle as the compound angle is decreased, if the β angle is close to 0°, the iron loss cannot necessarily be reduced as may be expected from the disclosure of NPL 1.
Techniques with focus on the β angle are disclosed in, for example, JP S59-177349 A (PTL 3), JP S57-061102 B2 (PTL 4), and JP 5286872 B2 (PTL 5). PTL 3 and PTL 4 each propose a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having a β angle of 4.0° or less. PTL 5 proposes a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet in which the average change rate of the β angle along the rolling direction in secondary recrystallized grains is 0.018°/mm to 0.06°/mm.

Grain-oriented electrical steel sheet and method for manufacturing same


A microelectronic photomultiplier device is fabricated by discrete proceds to provide a photocathode-anode and dynode chain arrangement which is analogous in operation to conventional photomultiplier tubes. This microelectronic photomultiplier device provides for low level photon detection and realizes the advantages of high reliability, small size and fast response, plus lower cost, weight and power consumption compared to conventional photomultiplier tubes. In addition, the fabrication on an SOI substrate permits integration of logic and control circuitry with detectors. The insulating substrate also permits the integration of an on-chip high voltage supply and may easily be extended to a plurality of detectors offering improved performance and design flexibility.

A large majority of light detection applications today rely on low cost, lightweight, high performance integrated circuit devices, such as, CCD's (charge coupled devices), p-i-n (p-type semiconductor:insulator:n-type semiconductor) and avalanche photodiodes. However for applications which require detection of very small signals with low signal to noise ratios (SNR), the vacuum photomultiplier tube is still superior to these integrated circuit type photodetectors.
A schematic of a conventional photomultiplier is shown in FIG. 1. It consists of a photocathode (C) and a series of electrodes called "dynodes" 1-8. Each dynode is biased at a progressively higher voltage than the cathode. Typically, the voltage increase at each dynode is about 100 volts.
Photons striking the photocathode generate electrons via the photoelectric effect. These electrons are accelerated by the field between electrodes and strike the surface of the first dynode with an energy equal to the accelerating voltage. Each primary electron generates several secondary electrons in the collision with the surface of the first dynode. These secondary electrons are accelerated towards the second dynode and the process is repeated. After passing through about eight stages of dynodes, the single photoelectron will have grown to a packet of 10.sup.5 or 10.sup.6 electrons. The last electrode, labeled A, is the anode which collects the electrons in the final stage. The anode signal is then fed into appropriate external signal processing electronics. Two types of photocathodes that have been used are the opaque photocathode and the semitransparent photocathode which only partly absorb incident light and are schematically depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. The spectral sensitivity of the photocathode is determined by its work function, therefore it is possible to choose a photocathode material to match a specific application.
Some of the disadvantages of conventional photomultipliers relative to integrated photodetectors are their large size and weight, high costs, and large power consumption. Furthermore, external electronics are normally required to obtain useful signal information. This requires additional interconnections, which increases system complexity and reliability. As a consequence, some modern applications, e.g. remote sensing, have been prohibited.
Thus, there is a continuing need in the state of the art for a microelectronic form of a photomultiplier tube which is designed to combine the desirable features of conventional photomultiplier tubes with the lightweight, low-power, low-cost advantages of an integrated circuit device.

Method of fabricating a microelectronic photomultipler device with integrated circuitry

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A technique for enhanced frequency domain equalization in an OFDM communication receiver enables derivation of a more accurate estimate of channel gain fluctuation by adding an additional frequency tone observation to the estimate. For example, the technique may involve estimation of an unknown, complex, channel-induced gain A based on observation of complex amplitude values for first and second preamble symbols transmitted in an OFDM frame, plus the complex amplitude value for a signal field in the OFDM frame. The enhanced frequency domain equalization technique may be especially useful in a network conforming to the IEEE 802.11a standard.

Wireless communication involves transmission of encoded information on a modulated radio frequency (RF) carrier signal. In a multi-carrier wireless communication system, such as an OFDM system, transmitted signals are susceptible to multi-path scattering and reflection, which can cause interference between information transmitted on different channels. For this reason, OFDM receivers typically include a channel estimator that measures fluctuation of the channel response. The receiver uses the measured channel response to adjust the detection of incoming signals, and thereby compensate for channel effects that could otherwise cause interference.
According to the IEEE 802.11a standard, fluctuation of the channel response that acts on a specific frequency bin is estimated using a number of known, repeatedly transmitted preamble symbols, or "tones." For example, an IEEE 802.11a receiver estimates channel fluctuation in a given frequency bin by comparing the received (complex) amplitudes of the tone with the known amplitude of the preamble tone transmitted twice for a particular frequency bin. The estimated amount of channel fluctuation then is compensated by dividing the received value of the tone by the estimated gain term before the detector processes each tone. This operation is known as frequency domain equalization.

Enhanced frequency domain equalization in OFDM communication


A microstructure includes a first structural layer and a second structural layer which faces the first structural layer with a space interposed therebetween and is partially fixed to the first structural layer. At least one of the first structural layer and the second structural layer can be displaced. Further, opposed surfaces of the first structural layer and the second structural layer are different in roughness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microstructure and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Research has been conducted on manufacturing micromachines by using a process for manufacturing a semiconductor element or a method similar to that process. For example, a three-dimensional structure having a space portion and a portion moving in the space portion, such as a gear or a bridge structure has been manufactured by processing a silicon wafer.
In recent years, research has been advanced on manufacturing a micro electromechanical device having one function by manufacturing a structure as described above and a semiconductor element over the same substrate or by attaching them manufactured separately, to each other. Such a micro electromechanical device is called a MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System), a micromachine, a micromachining, or the like.
Micro electromechanical devices (micromachines) are roughly classified into two groups according to their manufacturing methods. One is called a bulk micromachine which is obtained by manufacturing a three-dimensional structure in such a way that a silicon wafer or an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate itself is processed by etching or polishing. The other is called a surface micromachine which is obtained by manufacturing a three-dimensional structure in such a way that a thin film is stacked over a substrate such as a silicon wafer and the thin film is processed by photolithography and etching.
In the case of the bulk micromachine where the substrate is processed from various directions, the degree of freedom in manufacturing a three-dimensional structure is so high that various structures can be manufactured. However, many steps thereof are different from those in a process for manufacturing a semiconductor element. Therefore, in many cases, a semiconductor element and a structure are separately manufactured and then attached to each other, or they are packaged into one without being attached to each other. In the case of the surface micromachine, a general process for manufacturing a semiconductor element is applied.
Here, a basic structure and a manufacturing method of a structure in a surface micromachine will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 12A, a sacrifice layer 1002 is formed to form a space portion of a structure. This sacrifice layer 1002 is removed later. Note that although the sacrifice layer 1002 is formed over a substrate, the substrate is not shown in the drawing.
Next, as shown in FIG. 12B, a structural layer 1004 is formed over the sacrifice layer 1002. The structural layer 1004 is formed over the sacrifice layer 1002 so that the structural layer 1004 has a three-dimensional shape.
Next, as shown in FIG. 12C, the sacrifice layer 1002 is etched away. A space portion 1006 is formed under the structural layer 1004 by removing the sacrifice layer 1002; thus, a part of the structural layer 1004, which is disposed above the space portion 1006, becomes movable. Note that the part of the structural layer 1004, which is disposed above the space portion 1006 is a part of the structural layer 1004, which is in contact with a top surface of the sacrifice layer 1002 in FIG. 12B.
Described here is an example of a simple structure in which the structural layer 1004 and the space portion 1006 are provided over a substrate. A base film or a bottom electrode may also be formed over the substrate. Further, each of the sacrifice layer and the structural layer may have a multi-layer structure.
As well as being an important step in manufacturing a micromachine, the sacrifice layer etching is a rate-controlling point with many problems. For example, there is a problem in that the structural layer 1004 buckles as shown in FIG. 12D after the sacrifice layer etching, to stick to the substrate.
Further, there is a problem in that the structural layer 1004 buckles during operation, to stick to the substrate because of static electricity or the like.
In order to solve the above problems, a method of etching a sacrifice layer, or materials or shapes of a structural layer and a layer which faces the structural layer have been considered (e.g., Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. Hei10-107339, and Patent Document 2: Japanese Published Patent Application No. Hei11-340477).
In Patent Document 1, a method in which a sticking phenomenon of a silicon microstructure is prevented by removing a sacrifice layer by steam phase etching is disclosed.
In Patent Document 2, an acceleration sensor in which many protrusions and recesses where a width of each recess is 0.01 μm or more and 0.1 μm or less are formed randomly in at least one surface of opposed surfaces of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode is disclosed. In addition, a method in which the protrusions and recesses in the opposed surface are formed by an anode chemical conversion treatment in or after sacrifice layer etching is disclosed.

Microstructure, semiconductor device, and manufacturing method of the microstructure

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


Various embodiments of the present application are directed towards a method for forming a reusable vacuum bag, as well as the reusable vacuum bag resulting from the method. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a mold. The mold comprises a pair of plates that collectively define a cavity with layout of a reusable vacuum bag. A vacuum bag material is added to the cavity. For example, silicone may be added (e.g., injected or poured) into a cavity. The vacuum bag material is cured within the cavity to form the reusable vacuum bag. The reusable vacuum bag is thereafter removed from the mold. In some embodiments, the reusable vacuum bag resulting from the method comprises an integrated vacuum seal, an integrated sensor pad, an integrated vacuum port pad, an integrated vacuum track, uniform wall thicknesses, tapered or rounded edges, or any combination of the foregoing.

A composite material is a combination of two or more individual materials with different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual materials. Compared to traditional materials (e.g., non-composite materials), composite materials may be stronger, lighter, or less expensive, such that composite materials have a wide range of applications. Among other things, composite materials find application in buildings, bridges, boat hulls, swimming pool panels, race car bodies, shower stalls, bathtubs, spacecraft, and aircraft. One approach for forming structures from composite materials includes vacuum bag molding.


The present invention is directed to anti-AR antibodies, preferably humanized monoclonal antibodies having the amino acid sequences disclosed herein. The present invention includes a pharmaceutical composition comprising such antibodies. The present invention includes a method of inhibiting cancer cell growth comprising administering such antibodies into a subject. The present invention also provides a method of treating cancer or psoriasis in a subject in need of such a treatment by administering such antibodies to said subject in a pharmaceutically effective amount.

Amphiregulin is a heparin-binding glycoprotein of approximately 20 kDa which was originally purified from phorbol ester-treated MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells. The factor belongs to the EGF-family of growth factors and stimulates the proliferation of several cell types (including keratinocytes and some fibroblast cell lines), while inhibiting the proliferation of other cells (including many carcinoma cell lines) (Shoyab et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 6528–6532 (1988); Shoyab et al., Science 243, 1074–1076 (1989)). Studies have revealed that AR is a major keratinocyte autocrine factor (Cook et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 11, 2547–2557 (1991); Cook et al., In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol. 28A, 218–222 (1992); Piepkorn et al., J. Cell. Physiol. 159, 114–120 (1994)). A special feature of AR is that its biological activity is completely blocked in the presence of heparin sulphate. AR has been reported to be the only growth factor displaying this property (Cook et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 11, 2547–2557 (1991); Cook et al., In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol. 28A, 218–222 (1992), Piepkorn et al., J. Cell. Physiol. 159, 114–120 (1994)). An isolated AR is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,096 (This and all other U.S. patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety).
Multiple soluble active isoforms of AR are produced by the proteolytic cleavage of a membrane-anchored AR precursor. These active isoforms are AR78, AR81, AR84, AR87, AR92, and AR98, etc. (Shoyab et al, Science 243, 1074–1076 (1989), Plowman et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 10, 1969–1981 (1990); Thompson, S. A., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271(30): 17927–31 (1996)). Soluble, secreted AR exerts its tyrosine phosphorylation and mitogenic affects largely through binding and activation of the 170 kDa EGFR (Johnson, G. R., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 268: 2924–2931 (1993)).
Immunolabeling and northern analyses have indicated that AR is low to undetectable in normal adult epidermis and markedly over-expressed in some neoplastic and non-neoplastic hyperproliferative disorders of the epidermis, including appendageal tumors, actinic keratoses, verrucae, and sequamous cell carcimomas (Piepkorn, et al., Am. J. Dermatol. 18: 165–171 (1996)). Studies have demonstrated that AR acts as an autocrine growth factor in human colon cancer. Basolateral administration of neutralizing antibodies against AR reduces the basal DNA replication of colon cancer cells (Damstrup, L. et al., Br. J. Cancer 80(7): 1012–9 (1999)).
It has been reported that mRNA expression of AR is dramatically elevated in psoriatic skin (Cook, et al., Cancer Res. 52: 3224–3227 (1992)). There is also strong AR staining in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes with psoriatic epidermis, in contrast to the sparse, focal labeling restricted to keratinocyte nuclei in normal skin. Keratinocyte-specific transgenic expression results in lesions with striking histological similarity to human psoriasis (Cook, et al., J. Clin. Invest. 100: 2286–2294 (1997)).
Published patent application EP 1249237A1 discloses an AR expression inhibitor and the use thereof as an ameliorating agent for aged skin.
International patent application WO 90/14069 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,298 disclose the isolation of keratineocyte autocrine factor (KAF) having the matched amino acid sequence of AR. These two references generally discuss that administration of an inhibitor of KAF activity would benefit conditions such as psoriasis as well as squamous cell carcinomas.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,995 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,204,359 disclosed antibodies against AR.
The present invention is directed to neutralizing anti-AR antibodies having the disclosed amino acid sequences or binding characteristics, which are not disclosed in the above-referenced publications. The in vivo efficacy of the anti-AR antibodies for treating psoriasis and cancer are tested in the present invention. These antibodies will find use for inhibiting cancer cell growth, wound healing, enhancing skin quality, or/and treating psoriasis in a subject. The present invention is also pursuant to methods of treating psoriasis or epidermal and pancreatic cancers with any antagonists of AR, preferably, anti-AR antibodies, and more preferably, the antibodies claimed herein.

Amphiregulin antibodies and their use to treat cancer and psoriasis


Material and antireflection structure designs and methods of manufacturing are provided that produce efficient photovoltaic power conversion from single- and multi-junction devices. Materials of different energy gap are combined in the depletion region of at least one of the semiconductor junctions. Higher energy gap layers are positioned to reduce the diode dark current and enhance the operating voltage by suppressing both carrier injections across the junction and recombination rates within the junction. Step-graded antireflection structures are placed above the active region of the device in order to increase the photocurrent.

With appropriate electrical loading, photovoltaic solid state semiconductor devices, commonly known as solar cells, covert sunlight into electrical power by generating both a current and a voltage upon illumination. The current source in a solar cell is the charge carriers that are created by the absorption of photons. These photogenerated carriers are typically separated and collected by the use of PN or PIN junctions in semiconductor materials. The operational voltage of photovoltaic devices is limited by the dark current characteristics of the underlying PN or PIN junction(s). Thus improving the power output performance of any solid state solar cell generally entails simultaneously maximizing absorption and carrier collection while minimizing dark diode current.
Detailed balance calculations are typically used to compute the ideal, limiting performance of semiconductor solar cell devices (see for example, C. H. Henry, Limiting Efficiencies of Ideal Single and Multiple Energy-gap Terrestrial Solar Cells, J. Appl. Phys., vol. 51, pp. 4494-4500, August 1980). Two fundamental assumptions are traditionally made in these theoretical calculations. First, it is assumed that the diode dark current is limited by radiative recombination, and that the radiative recombination rate is set by the energy gap of the semiconductor material used to fabricate the device. Second, all of the photons in the incident spectrum with energy above the energy gap of the device material are assumed to create a charge carrier pair that is successfully separated and collected. In practice, neither of these assumptions is achieved. The dark current, and thus the operating voltage, of single junction homojunction solar cells and subcells are typically limited by non-radiative recombination mechanisms such as space charge recombination and majority carrier injection. Non-radiative recombination processes along with reflection losses also limit the current generating capability of single junction devices. Thus practical single junction solar cells have yet to reach the performance levels predicted by detailed balance calculations.
In recent years, multijunction solar cell structures have broken the Shockley-Queisser limit on solar cell performance derived from detailed balance calculations. Multijunction structures employ several different energy-gap materials, typically in separate PN junctions combined within a monolithic III-V material structure. Compared to state-of-the-art single junction GaAs solar cells, two- and three-junction III-V solar cells have roughly one half the current output, but benefit from a greatly increased voltage, which can be a factor of 2.5 to 3× higher, depending on the number junctions used and the individual properties of each junction subcell.
Even with the record breaking efficiency achieved with III-V multijunction solar cells, there remains keen interest in further improving the power output of these devices for both space and terrestrial applications. Therefore, it is desirable to provide for designs that can effectively suppress dark currents in each of the individual junction subcells employed in multijunction devices. Moreover, it is also desirable to provide design strategies and processes that can maximize the photocurrent generating capability of the limiting subcell within each multijunction structure.

Multijunction solar cell employing extended heterojunction and step graded antireflection structures and methods for constructing the same


An amorphous carbon layer sticking on a carbon nanotube surface is remarkably reduced when a carbon nanotube is joined to a conductive substrate by bringing a single fibrous carbonaceous material in contact with the tip of the conductive substrate and covering at least a part of the contact portion with a conductive material while at lest either of the fibrous carbonaceous material or the conductive substrate is heated in a vacuum.

In recent years, in the field of scanning probe microscopy, a probe is required to be sharpened from the viewpoint of the trend of a higher resolution. In response to the trend, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 276720/2005 proposes to form the tip of a probe with a single carbon nanotube or bundled plural carbon nanotubes (for example, about one to several tens nanometers in diameter).
When a conductive probe using carbon nanotubes (CNT) is used as the electron source of an electron microscope, some conductive probes have developed the problem in that the pattern of the electron beam is unstable and the emission current varies widely.

Conductive probe and method for producing the same


The invention relates to a component having a rectifying function, fulfilled by means of charge transfer by ions. To this end, the component is composed of multiple layers which have, successively, an asymmetric energy level course, and an electric field applied to these multiple layers.

The invention relates to a component with rectifying function using ion charge transport. More particularly the invention relates to rectifiers for particles which use especially thin layers in solids or thin membranes.
It is known as state of the art to form rectifiers for electrons on a semiconductor basis. They are well known and described in textbooks in semiconductor physics and semiconductor technology. In the technical literature in the last years, proposals have been made for rectifiers for ions which are analogous to the rectifiers for electrons on a semiconductor basis. In laboratory tests, the rectifying effect can be detected.
It is an object of the invention to provide a component with a rectifier function using ion charge transport with which can achieve the ion transport in other ways than are known in the art.
These objects are achieved with a component with a rectifier function with the aid of ion charge transport which has a layer stack of a multiplicity of layers which follow one another and form an asymmetrical course of the energy level and wherein an electric field is applied to this stack.
The following should be noted:
The component according to the invention with this rectifier function rests on other principles than those described as known above for rectifiers for ions. The basis of the component of the invention forms an exact theory of nonlinear mobility of particles in potentials without inversion symmetry. The component of the invention, however, can be described without this mathematical description.
The mobility of the ions/particles based upon atomic hop processes from one potential minimum to another potential minimum is involved. The potential for particles can have the shape of a staircase, whereby from the last step there is a sharp drop to the starting level. The mobility of particles in the hop process under the influence of a force is the same in both directions for small forces. This corresponds to the ohmic case in electrical transport. For very strong forces in one direction, the mobility due to the inverse of the mean of the inverse jump rate determines the corresponding direction. The means of the inverse jump rate all of which are the same (xe2x80x9cupward staircasexe2x80x9d) is much smaller than the means of the inverses of a very small and multiple size jump rate (each staircase). As a consequence the mobility as inverses of both of these means has a large step up and under a strong force and is small in the downward stepping direction. The here given clarification depends upon one dimensional potential which can possibly be realizable even in channels in membranes. They can however transition to three-dimensional layer structures when the layers are uniform in directions perpendicular to the movement direction.
It has been found to be advantageous to form the component according to the invention as a stack of multiple layers which collectively and one after the other contribute an asymmetric course to the energy level and also in which an electric field is applied to this layer stack.
Advantageously, a multiplicity of successive layer stacks is provided.
In an especially advantageous manner, one or more layers of the layer stack, especially all layers are constructed from a monolayer.
In another feature of the invention the component of the invention is configured highly advantageously with an asymmetric energy level course so that in the successive layers, each layer has an energy level which does not fall below the energy level of the preceding layer and so that the energy level from layer to layer increases in value. In this manner, a rectifying function is positively influenced.
The component of the invention for formation of the layer stack, can be made of semiconductive material. It is, however, foreseeable to provide another material for formation of the layer stack or its layers.
The above depicted potentials according to the invention are realized by the application of monoatomic layers of different atom types. Advantageously or preferably one can select the materials for optimization of selected boundary conditions as a function of the potential structures of certain materials. Another advantageous embodiment of the components according to the invention involves the formation of channels in selected membranes.
The component according to the invention with the proposed rectifier function can be used in the field of sensor technology. In this case, certain particles are driven through a barrier layer which cannot be overcome in the reverse direction by them. Advantageously with the components of the present invention, switching effects are obtained by a change in time of the forces. In dependence upon the formation of the layer structure with corresponding lateral extents, it can be advantageous to also transport large quantities of ions/particles.
The rectifying effect for particles, especially ions, obtained in accordance with the invention in layer structures or membranes is based upon the exploitation on non-inversion-symmetrical potential courses as well as the use of relatively strong forces upon the particles such that one operates in the non-linear ranges of the mobility of the particles, especially ions.
Uniform layer structures can be produced, for example, by means of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) techniques.

Component with rectifying function, fulfilled by means of charge transport by ions


Provided is a buffer status reporting method, comprising: for any radio bearer with duplication function configured or activated on a link, determining that different logic channels of the radio bearer belong to different logic channel groups; and when a buffer status reporting condition is satisfied, performing a buffer status reporting procedure based on the buffer status of the different logic channel groups.

A wireless communication system is a system based on scheduling. In the system, network side equipment allocates time-frequency resources required by data transmission to a terminal, and the terminal receives downlink data or sends uplink data according to a scheduling command of the network side equipment, where during uplink data transmission, a network side equipment scheduler informs the terminal through UL grant (uplink grant) after determining uplink resource allocation condition. And uplink resource allocation carried out by the network side equipment scheduler is based on the volume of uplink data to be sent by the terminal, namely buffer status of the terminal. The buffer is arranged at a terminal side, and when the network side equipment needs to acquire this information, the terminal needs to carry out Buffer Status Reporting (BSR) to a base station.

Buffer status reporting method and device, and computer storage medium

DATANG MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.


A vessel for frying, baking or cooking foodstuffs, includes at least one visible first material and one visible second material, wherein at least the first material reversibly changes color thermochromically when heated. The coloring of the two materials is selected in order for a color difference between the two materials to change visibly when the vessel is heated.

Frying or baking good that is to be prepared in a pan, for example, should often only be put on the pan when it has reached a certain temperature. However, this is often difficult because the respective temperature of the pan is not visually recognizable. Particularly often this problem exists when there is no oil or fat in the pan which is often the case, especially with pans which are provided with a coating made of polytetrafluorethylene PTFE (Teflon®).
This problem is solved in the state of the art by various measures. On the one hand, thermometers are known which can be placed on the bottom of the pan and display the temperature. But there are also known vessels which have a thermochromic element which can reversibly change color.
For example US 2012 0312 822 A1 shows a pan, in whose pan-handle an area with thermochromic color is arranged. This is changing when the pan is heated so that the user, through the color change, gets a hint to the temperature of the bottom of the pan. A similar device is shown by the German utility model GM 7734023. Also in this case an area which is not covered with cooking good, preferably the handle of the pan, is provided with a thermochromic element.
The utility model DE 20 2010 001 501 U1 shows a vessel for cooking, baking and frying of food at which thermochromic material is arranged at these outer shell surface. A missing coating on the vessel bottom shall prevent that the contact to the bearing surface is shielded. Inside the vessel the optimum coating for the cooking, frying or baking process can be selected. The full-surface coating of the shell outer surface of the vessel allows to recognize the color change clear and quickly from any angle of view.
The disadvantage of said pans and the vessel is among others that the thermochromic element and the thermochromic color, respectively, does not show the actual temperature of the bottom of the pan, but is merely thermally-conductive connected with the bottom of the pan. If the heat conduction is interrupted or disturbed false indications may occur.
The described embodiments from the state of the art also have the disadvantage that the user has to know what the thermochromic element must look like when the optimum temperature is reached. The respective color change must attract the user's attention why he has to observe the thermochromic element during the heating process in case of doubt. Especially in case of long periods of non-use of the vessel it can happen that the user no longer knows which color change occurs when the pan is warmed up.

Vessel comprising a thermochromic indicator coating


A method for the preoperative selection of an intraocular lens to optimise the results of refractive surgery on the eye. On the basis of an eye model comprising the individual biometric parameters of the eye, potentially suitable IOLs are selected on the basis of their optical parameters such as optical power, asphericity and toricity, and the residual refraction of potentially suitable IOLs is calculated using ray tracing. Various metrics, preferably retinal image metrics, are used to calculate the residual refraction and in order to improve the selection, at least one additional parameter is taken into consideration for the calculation, said calculation taking the postoperative effects of the selected IOL and/or of the surgical technique used into account.

According to the known prior art, IOLs are selected or adapted based on measured and/or estimated variables, only individual parameters in the form of individual measured values or as a mean for a defined patient group being taken into account.
The optimal intraocular lens (IOL) is selected or adapted exclusively according to its features, such as for instance type, refractive power, asphericity, and multifocality. No consideration is given to potential interrelationships with specific contributing factors to the treatment, such as patient features, diagnostics, surgical procedures, or the like, or to using statistical distribution for the parameters.
Cataract surgeons are required to select suitable intraocular lenses (IOL) for a patient. The surgeon must account for many factors. Firstly, the suitable calculation method for the IOL optical power must be selected. For this, as a rule different more or less suitable formulas must be used for the calculation for unusually long, normal, or unusually short eyes. In the simplest cases, the input parameters for these calculations are based on the keratometry and axial length of the eye. Due to their simplified model assumptions, the formulas generally also include an empirically determined correction factor, such as for instance the so-called A constant.
The currently most widely used calculation methods are so-called IOL formulas, e.g. Holladay, Hoffer, Binkhorst, Colenbrander, Shammas, and SRK IOL formulas. According to these, the refraction D (starting/evaluation parameter) of the patient after IOL insertion is calculated with:D=DIOL−f(K, AL, ACD, A)  (1)    where f( ) is a classically known IOL formula and            DIOL is the refractive power of the IOL,        K is the measured keratometry value,        AL is the measured axial length of the eye,        ACD is the measured anterior chamber depth, and        A is an IOL type-dependent constant input variable.
For selecting the IOL, the doctor specifies a target refraction (D=DTARGET). For optimization, the doctor calculates the refraction in accordance with (1) for different IOLs by varying DIOL and A. In many cases the doctor uses IOLs of the same type so that there is no variation in A and the optimization amounts to a formula calculation according to DIOL=DTARGET+f(K, AL, ACD, A). Thus, if the target is emmetropia, the classic formula calculation for the IOL that results is DIOL=f(K, AL, ACD, A).
The constant A in the formulas is determined empirically using a patient ensemble in order to adapt the formula values to the actually resulting optimal refraction values. However, this adaptation only ensures that the mean of the refraction values for the test ensemble agrees with the formula.
The doctor typically accounts for statistical errors in the biometry formula in that he knows from experience that his actually attained refraction values for his patients will have a certain fluctuation around the target refraction. If he wants to minimize its effect, he provides a correction to the target refraction. For instance, if the doctor typically has deviations of +/−0.25 D for target refraction in patients with myopic eyes, then he will target refraction of −0.25 D in order to have a high probability of preventing the eye of the patient from being intolerably hyperopic. This method represents a good strategy for the average in the patient ensemble.
However, the typical fluctuation around the target refraction or the allowance could be reduced if, instead of a mean value for a patient ensemble, individual input parameters for the individual patient were to be used as the initial variables.
Currently various approaches are used according to the prior art in order to minimize systematic errors.
Thus, a number of doctors use a different. A constant for each ethnic group among their patients. This permits a reduction in the systematic errors and also permits a reduction in statistical errors if the statistical variance in each group is lower.
Depending on defined starting conditions such as for instance patients having long axial eye lengths or that have had previous refractive corneal surgery, other doctors use different biometric formulas that are better adapted to the conditions in a specific case or that require measurement of additional parameters, such as the anterior chamber depth or lens thickness. In this case, as well, in particular the systematic errors are reduced, but statistical errors may increase due in part to the additional measured parameters.
Thus for instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,095A describes a method for pre-operative selection of an intraocular lens in which it is to be assured that the eye has a desired post-operative refractive power. This is to be attained in that the location of the lens haptic plane, the corneal refractive power of the eye, and the axial length of the eye are determined and the desired post-operative refractive power is selected. For an IOL to be implanted, the refractive power and geometry of which are known, an offset between the lens haptic plane and the anterior vertex of the lens is prespecified as if it were in its implanted condition. Then a calculation is made to check whether the focus of the selected IOL, with the aforesaid specifications and the refraction indices of the ocular fluids, will fall post-operatively onto the retina of the eye. If this is not the case, the calculation is performed over again for a different IOL having a different refractive power and/or geometry. For the implantation, an available IOL of nearest refractive power for which focusing on the retina has been calculated is selected for the implantation.
An alternative method, albeit a method that is not widely used, is ray tracing. As the term indicates, ray tracing shall be construed as a method for tracing/following rays. As is known, we only perceive objects in our environment because they are irradiated by a light source and they reflect these rays of light, some of which ultimately reach our eyes. The ray tracing method simulates this elementary natural phenomenon. If the optical system, i.e., the individual human eye with all of its optical elements, is known, a "real" image occurring on the retina may be calculated by means of ray tracing. The method is thus based on a detailed eye model using the corneal topography of the eye. In this method, no general correction factors (A constants) are used, but certain assumptions regarding the effective (post-operative) lens position (ELP) must be made. This method is suitable for eyes having widely varying biometric parameters, such as for instance long eyes, normal eyes, short eyes, post-LASIK eyes, etc.
The IOL optical power and the residual refraction are then calculated using ray tracing. Various selection criteria and metrics for the calculation may be used in order to attain a good correlation to subjective visual acuity, i.e. a result comparable to what the patient experiences. Although retinal image metrics have proved to be particularly suitable, the following other selection criteria are also possible:                Evaluation of the image on the retina with respect to moment, entropy, compactness, shape, and intensity distribution by means of point spread function (PSF), line spread function (LSF), and root mean square;        Evaluation of resolution using optical transfer function (OTF), such as modulation transfer function (MTF) or phase transfer function (PTF);        Evaluation of contrast using the contrast sensitivity function (CSF);        Evaluation of optical aberrations, such as chromatic aberration, ray aberration, wavefront aberration, depth of field, and binocular deviation of the image scale;        Evaluation of the classic refraction parameters: diopter and astigmatism.
This list merely provide examples, because in principle other optical evaluation parameters known to one skilled in the art may also be used. In addition, in principle any evaluation parameters or criteria with which deviations from the ideal wavefront may be assessed and quantified may be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,357,509 B2 describes some metrics that are particularly suitable for predicting the subjective impacts of wavefront aberrations of an eye. The metrics used may be based on the effective values or the increase in wavefront errors, the area of the critical pupil, a curvature parameter, the point spread function, the optical transfer function, or the like.
While P.-R. Preussner et al [1] compare the use of ray tracing methods and IOL formulas, publication [2] goes into more detail regarding a calculation model that is based on a method of ray tracing. In this case, based on the individual measured values and estimated variables such as especially the position of the IOL in the eye, an eye model with as a rule a plurality of optically active surfaces is developed and is calculated for one or a plurality of rays using methods from the optical design. The image quality on the retina/fovea is calculated as the evaluation value. With appropriately precise determination of the input variables this makes it possible to avoid systematic errors to a large extent. Statistical errors that result for example from lack of reproducibility of measurements or from fluctuations in the wound healing process are not taken into account here, either.
J. Einighammer et al describe another method for calculating the exact geometry of customized IOLs for pseudophakic eyes that is based on ray tracing in [3]. An individual calculation model is designed using measurements. During the optimization process, which includes the geometry of the customized IOL, so-called real ray tracing is used to try to obtain the minimum of wavefront errors.
In [4], L. N. Thibos et al investigate the extent to which the use of different metrics, such as for instance pupil plane and image plane metrics, impact the accuracy and precision of predicting the results of wavefront aberrations. It was found that there are certainly differences in the precision of predictions, but that the accuracy of all methods may be improved by correcting systematic bias.
In addition to the IOL optical power, certain parameters, such as asphericity and toricity or the cornea, provide indications for certain IOLs. In the case of so-called premium IOLs, after consulting with the patient, the surgeon may decide in favor of IOLs that satisfy specific visual tasks, such as e.g. multi-focal lenses. Such IOLs should make it possible for the patient to perform visual tasks in the near range and far range without additional vision aids. How the IOLs used in the individual eyes actually satisfy the requirements imposed on them is a function of a number of factors, such as for instance the optics of the cornea, the implantation technique, the optical and mechanical design of the IOL, the pathologies of the eyes, etc.

Method for the pre-operative selection of an intraocular lens to be implanted in an eye


Examples relate to a microscope system comprising a Light-Emitting Diode (LED)-based illumination system and at least one image sensor assembly, and to a corresponding system, method and computer program. The LED-based illumination system is configured to emit radiation power having at least one peak at a wavelength that is tuned to an excitation wavelength of at least one fluorescent material and/or to emit radiation power across a white light spectrum, with the light emitted across the white light spectrum being filtered such that light having a wavelength spectrum that coincides with at least one fluorescence emission wavelength spectrum of the at least one fluorescent material is attenuated or blocked. The at least one image sensor assembly is configured to generate image data, with the image data (at least) representing light reflected by a sample that is illuminated by the LED-based illumination system. The microscope system comprises one or more processors, configured to process the image data to generate processed image data.

In many microscope systems, Xenon-based illumination is used. To obtain light in different wavelength bands, the light of a Xenon-based light source is passed through a filter, e.g. through a filter wheel. This may lead to bulky, inefficient systems with high heat dissipation, which often rely on a fiber bundle from the stand to the carrier to provide the illumination at the carrier. Also, such a setup is inflexible, as the Xenon light source is used for both white light reflectance illumination and for fluorescence excitation, albeit using different filter wheels.
Furthermore, depending on the illumination provided by the illumination system of the microscope, different types of imaging may be performed, such as reflectance imaging and fluorescence imaging. However, due to the illumination provided through the different filter wheels, the illumination being used for reflectance imaging may contain gaps, which may manifest within the "white light" reflectance images.

Concept for a microscope system with an LED-based illumination system


A medical device for implantation in a hip joint comprising: a first part adapted to be fixated to the femoral bone of the patient; and a second part rotatably connected to the first part by means of a connecting member. The first part comprises a bowl-shaped inner contacting surface portion adapted to receive a bowl-shaped outer contacting surface portion of the second part such that the second part is rotatable, relative to the first part, around a point of rotation formed by the connecting member. The second part comprises a bowl-shaped inner surface adapted to receive a ball-shaped portion of a prosthetic replacement for the caput femur. The inner contacting surface comprises at least one extending portion extending beyond the equator line and being adapted to clasp the ball-shaped portion of the prosthetic replacement for the caput femur.

The hip joint is a synovial joint, joining the pelvis to the proximal portion of the femoral bone. Synovial joints are the most common types of joints in mammals, and are typical of nearly all limb joints. The contacting surfaces of said the pelvic, the acetabulum, and the contacting surface of the femoral bone, the caput femur, are smooth and rounded, and covered by articular cartilage. A synovial membrane, encapsulates the joint, forming a hip joint cavity, which contains synovial fluid. Outside the synovial membrane is a fibrous capsule and ligaments, forming an articular capsule.
There are both natural and pathological processes leading to deteriorated joint function. With age and wear, the articular cartilage becomes less effective as a shock absorber and a lubricated surface. Different degenerative joint diseases, such as arthritis, osteoartrithis, or osteoarthrosis, accelerate the deterioration.
Hip joint Osteoarthritis is a syndrome in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the hip joints, caused by abnormal wearing of the Cartilage that acts as a cushion inside if the hip joint. This abnormal wearing of the cartilage also results in a decrease of the joints lubricating fluid called Synovial fluid. Hip joint Osteoarthritis is estimated to affect 80% of all people over 65 years of age, in more or less serious forms.
The present treatment for hip osteoarthritis comprises NSAID drugs, local injections of Hyaluronic acid or Glucocorticoid to help lubricating the hip joint, and replacing parts of the hip joint with a prosthesis through hip joint surgery.
The replacing of parts of the hip joint is one of the most common surgeries to date performed at hundreds of thousands of patients in the world every year. The most common method comprises placing a metal prosthesis in Femur and a plastic bowl in Acetabulum. This operation is done through an incision in the hip and upper thigh and through Fascia Iata and the lateral muscles of the thigh. To get access by the joint, the supporting Capsule attached ID Femur and Ilium needs to be penetrated, making it difficult to get a fully functional joint after the surgery. Femur is then cut at the neck with a bone saw and the prosthesis is placed in femur either with bone cement or without Acetabulum is slightly enlarged using an Acetabular reamer, and the plastic bowl is positioned using screws or bone cement.
The complications after hip joint surgery includes dislocation of the hip joint and loosening of the prosthesis from its fixation in the femoral bone. The loosening and/or dislocation of the prosthesis could be induced by an abnormal strain being placed on the hip joint from e.g. the patient falling or making a rapid movement of the hip, or by a bodily macrophage reaction.


A decoder for decoding a message using an arbitrary-side growing (ASG) Huffman tree including a plurality of codewords and symbols includes a database, a processing module, and a bit pattern matching module. The database stores a plurality of parameters corresponding to the ASG Huffman tree divided into several sub-trees according to a Hashemian cut operation and a bits-pattern-Xor (BPX) operation. The plurality of parameters include a bit pattern of a sub-tree of the ASG Huffman tree divided according to the BPX operation and a code length of the bit pattern. The processing module receives a bit stream corresponding to the ASG Huffman tree from an encoder. The bit pattern matching module selects bits from the bit stream according to the code length of the bit pattern and decodes the selected bits into a symbol in the ASG Huffman tree by comparing the selected bits with the bit pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to decoders and, more particularly, to a decoder for decoding messages using an arbitrary-side growing Huffman tree.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of Huffman decoding technologies, applications using Huffman decodings are increasingly applied in various fields. Entropy coding in data compression applications widely relies on Huffman codes, but most software approaches using entropy decoding are limited to sequential decoding. As a representation of each symbol in Huffman decodings varies in size, it is difficult to speed up the decoding process. Consequentially, current researches have aimed to find a fast and memory-effective way to process Huffman decoding.
One such scheme for realizing fast Huffman decoding uses a single-side growing (SSG) Huffman tree, which is a fast algorithim when Huffman trees grow in a fixed direction. However, if the Huffman tree is arbitrary-side growing (ASG), the Huffman decoding processing the SSG Huffman tree is slower and memory-inefficient, requiring significantly memory capacity.

Decoder and method for decoding a message using an arbitrary-side growing Huffman tree


A heart valve prosthesis having an annular valve housing or base and two leaflets supported for pivotable movement within the annular valve housing. Each valve leaflet possesses a composite curvature shape with pivoting hinges being purposely offset to the hydraulic force center of the annular valve housing to provide fast response of the leaflets to flow direction change. The hinge mechanism includes modified serpentine curved hinge recesses in the annular valve housing for receiving elongated leaflet ears allowing the leaflets to change their motion modes approaching the closed position to reduce leaflet-edge tangential velocity and impact of the minor edges against one another and the major edges against the housing seat upon closure. The composite curvature leaflets allow maximal central flow with consequent lower pressure drop during the open phase and minimal regurgitation during the closing phase. The curved leaflet major trailing edges in the open position reduces boundary separation and associated turbulence along the flow stream direction.

The present invention relates to heart valve prostheses generally and more particularly relates to mechanical bileaflet prosthetic heart valves.
Heart valve prostheses are well known in the art. Generally speaking, heart valve prostheses can be classified in two major types or categories. One type of prosthesis employs a tissue valve of animal (usually porcine) origin in its blood flow regulating valve mechanism. The other type of heart valve prosthesis utilizes a ball, a disc, valve leaflets or other mechanical devices to regulate the direction of blood flow through the prosthesis. The latter type of prosthesis is usually known in the art as "mechanical" heart valve prosthesis. For specific examples and detailed descriptions of the heart valve prostheses of the prior art, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,744,062; 3,835,475; 3,997,923; 4,364,126 and 4,106,129.
By their very nature, the mechanical heart valve prostheses have metal or plastic surfaces which, when exposed to the blood flow, are thrombogenic to some degree related to deficiencies in design, physical structure, operational characteristics and structural material. In more recent years, pyrolytic carbon coated bileaflet heart valves having flat leaflets of the type shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,276,658; Re. 31,040; 4,935,030; 4,863,458; 4,822,353; 4,888,010; 4,272,854; 4,451,937; 4,689,046; and 4,863,467, as well as PCT Publication No. W089/00841, have been published. Other prosthetic heart valves of the type shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,484,365, 4,950,287 and 4,863,459, disclose leaflets curved in the downstream direction. A further group of designs employing conical or cylindrical surface leaflets and pivot axes adjacent to or somewhat displaced from the center of the valve wherein the leaflets typically open away from the center of the valve to provide for central blood flow are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,808,180; 4,363,142; 4,274,437; 4,446,577; 4,328,592; 4,308,624; 4,443,894; 4,357,715; 4,308,624; 4,488,318; and 4,676,789.
Such heart valve designs having a variety of shapes of the leaflets and configurations of hinges have been developed in an effort to improve reliability, hemodynamics, ease of surgical implantation, and the reduction or elimination of the development of thrombi.
However, some of the prior art heart valve prostheses have designs which are functionally inefficient and resistive to the free passage of blood. Others cause blood stagnation points or regions and turbulence which results in the formation of blood clots on the valve structure to obstruct the normal leaflet movement. Hemolysis (destruction of blood elements) is still a concern in prior art valves that have fast closing contact speed and momentum by which blood elements are mechanically crushed.
In prior designs, considerable attention has been paid to the hinge mechanisms and particular shapes of the bileaflet valves in an effort to improve the blood flow characteristics through the valve orifice in its open position, to reduce the pressure drop and turbulence caused by the profiles of the leaflets to flowing blood. Designs intended to reduce noise of closure of the leaflets, and to provide for continuous cleaning of the valve surfaces and wiping of the hinges have also been advanced in the listed patents. The above listed patents depict various hinge mechanisms that provide rotation and in certain instances, translation of the leaflets during the opening and closing phases. However, most of these designs have never been utilized due to a variety of design shortcomings listed above.
In this regard, to avoid clotting of blood, it is desirable to make further improvements in mechanical heart valve prostheses with regard to these characteristics as well as with regard to simplicity and cost of construction, reliability of operation, and reduction of thrombogenecity. The mechanical heart valve of the present invention provides such improvements.

Composite curvature bileaflet prosthetic heart valve with serpentine curve hinge recesses


A base layer is used that has an N-type SiC layer formed in a surface layer on the front surface side of an N-type SiC substrate, and a P-type region is formed on a surface of the N-type SiC layer with an N-type source region selectively formed in a surface layer of the P-type region. A source electrode is formed on a surface of the N-type source region and a drain electrode is formed on the back surface side of the N-type SiC substrate. Additionally, the gate electrode is formed via a gate insulation film only on a surface of the P-type region. In this way, high electric field is no longer applied to the gate insulation film on the surface of the N-type SiC layer due to stoppage of voltage application to the gate electrode.

A vertical MOSFET (Metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) is a widely known semiconductor device. In a proposed vertical MOSFET, a source electrode and a gate electrode formed via a gate insulation film are disposed on one surface of a semiconductor; a drain electrode is disposed on the other surface of the semiconductor; the semiconductor includes a base layer performing a function of one conductive type among N and P types, a first portion partially formed on a given surface of the base layer to perform a function of the other conductive type among N and P types, and a second portion partially formed on a surface of the first portion to perform a function of the one conductive type and having a surface connected to the source electrode; the given surface of the base layer, the surface of the first portion, and the surface of the second portion are exposed as constituent surfaces of one surface of the semiconductor; the first portion is located to be interposed between the given surface of the base layer and the surface of the second portion; and the drain electrode is disposed on the other surface of the base layer (see, e.g., Patent Document 1 (FIG. 3, etc.)).
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional diagram of a cross section structure of a conventional MOSFET. As depicted in FIG. 10, for example, in the vertical MOSFET, a base layer of a semiconductor is a layer including an N-type SiC substrate 1 and an N-type SiC layer 2 formed on one surface of the N-type SiC substrate 1. Multiple P-type regions 3 are formed as the first portion in a surface layer of the N-type SiC layer 2 (a surface layer on the opposite side to the N-type SiC substrate 1 side). An N-type source region 4 and a P-type contact region 5 are formed as the second portion in the surface layer of the P-type region 3 (a surface layer on the opposite side to the N-type SiC substrate 1 side). A source electrode 8 is formed on the surfaces of the N-type source region 4 and the P-type contact region 5. A gate electrode 7 is formed via a gate insulation film 6 on one surface of the N-type SiC layer 2 (a surface on the opposite side to the N-type SiC substrate 1 side) and a surface of the P-type region 3 between the N-type SiC layer 2 and the N-type source region 4. A drain electrode 9 is formed on the other surface (back surface) of the N-type SiC substrate 1.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional diagram of a cross section structure of another conventional MOSFET. As depicted in FIG. 11, in another vertical MOSFET, a base layer of a semiconductor is used that has the N-type SiC layer 2 formed on one surface of the N-type SiC substrate 1, and multiple P-type regions 10 (the first portion) are formed in a surface layer of the N-type SiC layer 2 (a surface layer on a side opposite to the N-type SiC substrate 1 side). A P-type SiC layer 11 (the first portion) is formed on a surface of each of the P-type regions 10 and a surface of the N-type SiC layer 2 (a surface on the opposite side to the N-type SiC substrate 1 side). An N-type source region 4 and a P-type contact region 5 are formed as the second portion in a surface layer of the P-type SiC layer 11 (a surface layer on the opposite side to the N-type SiC substrate 1 side). The source electrode 8 is formed on the surfaces of the N-type source region 4 and the P-type contact region 5. On the other hand, an N-type region 12 is formed in the P-type SiC layer 11 on a region where the N-type SiC layer 2 exists without formation of the P-type region 10 such that the N-type SiC layer 2 appears. The gate electrode 7 is formed via the gate insulation film 6 on a surface of the N-type region 12 and a surface of the P-type SiC layer 11 between the N-type region 12 and the N-type source region 4. The drain electrode 9 is formed on the other surface (back surface) of the N-type SiC substrate 1.
In these vertical MOSFETs, when a positive voltage is applied to the drain electrode 9 relative to the source electrode 8, if a voltage less than a gate threshold value is applied to the gate electrode 7, PN-junction between the P-type region 3 and the N-type SiC layer 2 (see FIG. 10) or PN-junction between the P-type SiC layer 11 and the N-type region 12 (see FIG. 11) is inversely-biased and therefore, no current flows. On the other hand, if a voltage equal to or greater than the gate threshold value is applied to the gate electrode 7, the formation of an inversion layer on the surface of the P-type region 3 (see FIG. 10) or the surface of the P-type SiC layer 11 (see FIG. 11) immediately below the gate electrode 7 causes current to flow. Thus, the switching operation of the MOSFETs can be achieved by the voltage applied to the gate electrode 7.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H10-107263

Semiconductor device with SiC base layer


A method for encrypting a piece of payment means data is disclosed. This method is implemented by a payment means having a data processor. Such a method has at least one iteration of the following steps: obtaining a current piece of payment means data from a memory of the payment means; generating a following piece of payment means data as a function of the current piece of payment means data and as a function of an encryption key of the payment means; replacing the current piece of payment means data by the following piece of payment means data within the memory of the payment means.

To overcome the major fraud to which this particular means of payment is subjected during online payments, solutions have been proposed such as the technique known as the "3D Secure" technique.
This technique is used to add an additional verification step during the payment on the Internet. "3D Secure" was developed by Visa© and Mastercard© to enable merchants to limit the risks of Internet fraud related to attempts at identity theft. This step makes sure, during each online payment, that the card is being used by its true holder. Thus, an additional step of entry takes place when the payment is made. In addition to the bank number, the expiry date of the card and the three digits of the security code (printed on the back of the card), the web user must enter a password, such as his date of birth (simple authentication) or a dynamic one-time use code (strong authentication) that he receives by SMS. This latter solution is more efficient because it makes sure that the user entering the data on the bank card also has a communications terminal enabling him to receive a code that is dynamically generated. In other words "3D Secure" uses the phone number of the card holder in order to transmit a "challenge" to this holder proving the identity of the user trying to make payment by bank card (the challenge being a code to be entered into a determined field of a web page). Thus, the proposed technique consists of the transmission of data representing information coming from merchants (security messages, business messages, information messages), indirectly to the users by using a data transmission service proper to the server of a banking institution with which said user possess a bank account. The 3D Secure technique however has limitations: the first limitation is that the bank and the online merchant must first of all be equipped with complementary architecture. This is not always the case. The second limitation is that the need to perform this additional information entry step is a considerable cause of abandonment of orders by users. Indeed, the fact of being obliged to have one's communications terminal ready at hand in order to read the dynamic code in it is an inconvenience.
In order to overcome this problem of loss of customers and complexity of architecture, industrialists have proposed a payment card comprising a dynamic code, the value of which evolves over a determined time period (for example every hour or every half hour). This is a classic-format bank card complying with prevailing standards (especially in terms of size and thickness). On the back of this card, at the traditional position of the verification code (CVV), this card embeds an "E ink" (electrophoretic ink) type of screen comprising three characters. This screen is connected by a data bus to a processor which is connected to a battery that is small and thin enough to be inserted into the payment card without changing the card format. The processor is responsible for regularly modifying the verification code.
The following technique is implemented to modify the verification code: on the basis of an original code, the computer, at regular intervals, computes a new code directly derived from this original code. This computation is done by carrying out a cryptographic operation on the original code, this operation delivering a dynamic code which is for example displayed on the "E ink" screen. For its part, the server also receives the original code associated with the user's card. When the user makes a payment, the server receives the dynamic code which has been entered by the user. On the basis of this received dynamic code, the server carries out a computation in reverse to the computation made by the processor of the card to retrieve the original code (and therefore compares the code obtained with the reference code that it possesses itself); as an alternative, on the basis of the received dynamic code, the server carries out a computation identical to the computation made by the processor of the card, from the reference code, and verifies that the same verification code as the one already received is obtained. In a third variant, the processor of the card computes a digital signature, the validity of which is then verified by the server.
It will be understood that, whatever the method employed, it implements firstly a cryptographic device, possessed by the card and the server and, secondly, a time-related component: indeed, to be able to generate a code dynamically, for example every hour or every half hour, the processor of the bank card has a clock, on the basis of which the cryptographic computation is made. As an alternative, the user himself can request a new code by pressing a button.
This application leads to a recurrent problem, namely the desynchronization of the clocks of the card and of the server. This problem appears, for example, in the following scenario: the user's card generates a dynamic code (on the basis of the counters, the date and the time, etc.) which it transmits to the user (for example using a screen). This code is transmitted to the card issuing party which must verify its validity. For this purpose, the card issuing party must itself, using the same algorithms as the card, generate a code under the conditions (time, etc.) of the transaction. If the code transmitted by the user and the code recomputed by the issuing party coincide, then the transaction is validated. This approach requires synchronization between the card and the issuer of the card.
This synchronization is done at the time of creation of the card by the manufacturer and can occasionally be done again (by an automatic bank teller for example) but these updates are only episodic.
The card can also, very frequently, get desynchronized in the presence of an electromagnetic field of greater or lesser intensity. Such electromagnetic fields, which can disturb the clock of the card, are usually encountered in the presence of Wifi, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, but also with security systems (for example safety doors in supermarkets or physical shops) and/or even contactless data reading devices that may be defective or wrongly calibrated.
The result of this is a wrong clock value on the card side which substantially disturbs the mechanism for creating the dynamic code. Similarly, on the server side, there can be other disturbances.
Thus, the code generated by the server can be different from the code generated by the card and the transactions then will no longer be accepted unless there is an updating and/or resynchronization procedure (resynchronization with the correct time can be done only at an automatic bank teller) since the payment terminals are not entitled to write on the card and are not necessarily connected to the bank at the time of the transaction.
There is therefore a need to provide a technique for generating a code that is not sensitive or is insensitive to desynchronization and therefore to disturbances undergone through the external environment.

Method for the encryption of payment means data, corresponding payment means, server and programs

BANKS AND ACQUIRERS INTERNATIONAL HOLDING


The present invention provides an alarm to prevent guardians from forgetting a child inside a car seat carrier within a vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a child safety seat with alarm for use in connection with transporting infants in vehicles. The child safety seat with alarm has particular utility in connection with notifying the driver of a vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when the driver moves away from the vehicle.
2. Description of the Known Art
Child safety seats with alarms are desirable for notifying the driver of a vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle. Children frequently fall asleep when being transported in vehicles. As a result, it is possible for a driver to forget that they are transporting a child if the baby remains quiet for a long period of time. Forgetting a child inside of a vehicle can result in severe injury to or the death of the child from extreme temperature conditions and/or dehydration. Child safety seats with alarms not only protect the child in the event of accident, but also remind the driver of the presence of the child through visual and audio alerts.
The use of child alert systems for automobiles is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,291 to Thornton discloses a child alert system for automobiles. However, the Thornton '291 patent has a significant drawback of not sounding an alarm until a potentially dangerous temperature has already been reached inside of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,844 to Burgess discloses a child seat with a built-in alarm that alerts if the door is opened. However, the constant alerting by Burgess's system—as the door will always be opened even if the parent hasn't forgotten the child—inefficiently drains the power supply of the alarm and also will unnecessarily wake a sleeping child.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,104,293 to Rossi discloses a warning system for detecting presence of the child in an infant seat that detects the state of the vehicle's ignition system. However, the Rossi '293 patent overly complicates the alarm system by not only detecting a child is present, but also detecting whether the vehicle is still operating. This complicated dual detection system allows for potential failure of the system.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,070 to Thornton discloses a child alert alarm for automobiles that detects the presence of a child locked within a parked automobile during extreme temperatures. However, the Thornton '070 patent cannot sound an alarm until a potentially dangerous temperature has already been reached inside of the vehicle.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,234 to Emery et al. discloses an infant vehicle seat alarm system that produces an audible or visual warning when the seat/carrier component is initially aligned on the base component, not locked onto the base component, or when the harness is in an unused state. However, the Emery et al. '234 patent does not alert the driver to the presence of an infant when the driver is away from the vehicle.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,509 to Rice discloses a voice-activated vehicle alarm system that generates an output signal in response to signals from a temperature sensor and a sound detector. However, the Rice '509 patent lacks the ability to sound an alarm until a potentially dangerous temperature has already been reached inside of the vehicle.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 306,099 to Kassai discloses a child's safety seat for an automobile. However, the Kassai '099 patent does not generate an alarm when the driver is away from the vehicle.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a child safety seat with alarm that allows notifying the driver of the vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when the driver steps away from the vehicle. Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved child safety seat with alarm that can be used for notifying the driver of the vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when the driver steps away from the vehicle. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the child safety seat with alarm according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of notifying the driver of the vehicle that an infant is in its carrier inside of the vehicle when the driver moves away from the vehicle.


The present invention presents methods for, inter alia, cleaning and etching semiconductor wafers with a solution containing ammonium fluoride and control of the process used for preparing such a solution at its point of use.

Various solutions have been used to clean and etch semiconductor wafers. Recently, general cleaning solutions, and particularly solutions designed for oxide etching, have been prepared containing ammonium fluoride as the primary cleaning or etching compound. In such instances, the semiconductor processing unit is designed to store the already prepared ammonium fluoride solution, which is then used when needed by the semiconductor processor.
Such solutions have been referred to as buffered HF solutions and consist of a mixture of hydrogen fluoride (HF), which is a weak acid, and a salt of this acid, ammonium fluoride (NH.sub.4 F). Initially this mixture was developed to buffer dilute HF so as to obtain a constant etch rate over an extended period of time (i.e., several days to weeks). Such solutions may be referred to as Buffered HF (BHF); the term BOE (Buffered Oxide Etch) is also used to refer to these solutions. Therefore, the appropriate solution (i.e., BHF or dHF) can be selected to optimize the specific etching and/or cleaning step to be performed.
It was discovered, however, that buffered hydrogen fluoride has slightly different properties than dilute HF, aside from the buffering, which can be used to a semiconductor processor's advantage in several occasions.
The major difference between BHF and dHF (dilute HF) is the different pH of the solutions. BHF has a pH of around 3 to 5, whereas dHF has a pH of around 1 to 2. Thus, the active species in the solutions is different.
The use of a BHF solution is attractive in some semi-conductor processing applications because: (1) resist is more "stable in" to BHF than to dHF (dilute HF) as a result of BHF's higher pH; (2) BHF has different etch selectivity than dHF (e.g., BHF is used when the BPSG (borophosphosilicate glass) versus thermal oxide has to be lower than the selectivity obtained in dHF; or BHF can also obtain the opposite if formulated right (i.e., it can also offer much higher etch rates for BPSG than thermal oxide); (3) BHF offers higher oxide etch rates than dHF for the same fluoride concentration; (4) BHF also offers higher nitride etch rates; (5) BHF terminates the surface differently than dHF; and (6) the higher pH of the BHF may in certain cases offer an improved particle performance depending on the particular action of the zeta potential.
In conventional BHF techniques, the solution is premixed and then employed in a wet processing unit. There are various problems associated with the use of premixed BHF. For example, particle formation tends to be an issue; such particles may compromise the integrity of the final product. Etch uniformity is limited due to the high viscosity and surface tension of BHF, the high etch rate, and, in the case of a wet bench, the continuous etching during insertion or removal of the wafers from the processing tanks and into the rinse tank. Also, because premixed BHF is typically used for an extended period of time, sometimes up to a week, there is the potential to introduce metallic impurities into the process liquids, which could again, compromise the integrity of the final product. Further, BHF tends to crystallize at temperatures below 16-17.degree. C. which poses a problem for commercial transportation of the premixed chemical from various locations (i.e., supplier to water processing plant). Because premixed BHF has a high viscosity and surface tension, a surfactant is generally required to improve its wetting properties and to reduce particle formation. Finally, with premixed BHF, one is limited to the premixed ratio of NH.sub.4 F to HF, typically mixing ratios of 6:1, 7:1 or 10:1, limiting flexibility in processing. The use of premixed BHF also is expensive.
Although there are significant benefits to using BHF to treat electronic component precursors, there is a need to reduce the problems associated with premixed BHF. The present invention addresses these as well as other needs.

Methods for treating semiconductor wafers