A thermal transfer protective sheet, a print, and a print with a window member are provided. The thermal transfer protective sheet includes a release layer and a topcoat layer having adhesiveness to an object to be transferred, which are stacked in this order on a base material, wherein the release layer and the topcoat layer are cold-peeled and transferred to the surface of the object to be transferred by the fusion thermal transfer recording method. The release layer comprises a first resin consisting of a thermoplastic resin and a second resin incompatible with the first resin in a mixed state. The first resin is an acrylic resin, and the second resin is a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition point of 50° C. or less. The mixing ratio of the first resin to the second resin is 80:20 or more and 99:1 or less in a weight ratio. In the release layer, the second resin exists as a particulate phase in the first resin, thereby inhibiting fusion between the base material and the release layer even if cooling is insufficient during peeling.

The present invention generally relates to thermal transfer protective sheets. More specifically, the present invention relates to thermal transfer protective sheets that include a release layer and a topcoat layer laminated in this order on a base material, as well as prints obtained by using them.
Thermal transfer recording methods using thermal transfer recording media including colored layers such as ink layers formed on a base material are widely employed as methods for recording images on cards such as license cards and credit cards. Thermal transfer recording methods are classified into the fusion thermal transfer recording method and the dye sublimation thermal transfer recording method.
For example, mainstream for thermal transfer recording media used in the fusion thermal transfer recording method have a structure including ink layers mainly including waxes having relatively low melting or softening points formed on a base material consisting of a polyester film or the like so that the ink layers are molten/softened by the heat of a thermal head provided in a printer and transferred to an object to be transferred such as a label, paper, tag or the like, whereby printing is accomplished.
Thermal transfer recording media used in the dye sublimation thermal transfer recording method have ink layers formed by coating sublimatable or thermally transferable dyes to be thermal transferred on a base material consisting of a polyester film or the like so that the sublimatable or thermally transferable dyes in the ink layers are transferred by the heat of a thermal head to an object to be transferred, whereby printing is accomplished.
The images formed by the thermal transfer recording methods as described above suffer from low durability such as weather resistance, mar resistance and chemical resistance. Thus, techniques for improving durability by forming a protective layer on the images formed by the thermal transfer recording methods have been proposed. The protective layer is formed by the steps of superimposing a thermal transfer protective sheet having a base material, a topcoat layer (protective layer) formed on the base material upon an object to be transferred bearing an image, applying heat energy from a thermal head to melt or soften the topcoat layer and ink layers and then cooling/solidifying them to transfer the topcoat layer to the object to be transferred.
In a typical thermal transfer protective sheet, a release layer is formed between the base material and the topcoat layer to improve transferability of the topcoat layer to the object to be transferred and peelability from the base material. See, for example, JPA 2003-127558. Many studies have been made about materials for use in the release layer, among which acrylic resins, especially polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resins are known as materials having not only durability after printing but also suitable peelability from the base material.
The fusion thermal transfer recording method is classified into the hot peel method and the cold peel method by the timing at which the heated thermal transfer protective sheet is peeled off from the object to be transferred.
In the cold peel fusion thermal transfer recording method, the topcoat layer and the release layer are sufficiently cooled by leaving a relatively long time interval from heating with a thermal head to peeling. The time interval from heating with a thermal head to peeling depends on the structure of the fusion thermal transfer recording printer, i.e. the distance between the heating element of the thermal head for applying heat energy to the thermal transfer protective sheet and a peeling member functioning to peel off the thermal transfer protective sheet and the object to be transferred from the base material.
Under normal appropriate print energy conditions, peeling is readily accomplished and good prints are obtained so far as the release layer consists of a material that is inherently easy to peel off from the base material such as an acrylic resin because the topcoat layer and the release layer are sufficiently cooled during the time interval from heating with a thermal head to peeling.
When heat accumulates in the thermal head by continuous printing or printing is performed at high applied energy, however, cooling is insufficient in the area from the thermal head to the peeling member because the thermal transfer protective sheet becomes hotter than normal.
If the release layer contains a material having a high glass transition point such as an acrylic resin as major component, the release layer fuses to the base material by residual heat. As a result, peel resistance increases to cause so-called sticking such as wrinkles or breakage of the base material, resulting in troubles such as printer shutdown or printing failure. A similar problem is seen when, for example, a high molecular weight PMMA resin is used in the release layer.
An approach proposed to improve peelability was, for example, to add another layer such as a peeling layer using a silicone resin or the like between the base material and the release layer, but this approach has disadvantages such as an increase in production cost due to complex processes associated with the increased number of layers of the thermal transfer protective sheet.

Thermal transfer protective sheets, prints, as well as prints with window members

Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation


A remote resource access interface apparatus is provided. A key input unit has keys for generating input key values. A communication unit transmits a connection establishment request message including screen resolution information to, and receives a connection establishment response message including supportable key information from, a portable device. The communication unit transmits input key information to and receives video information from the portable device after establishing the connection. A pixel information processing unit converts the video information to pixel signals for a video output unit to display as a visual image. A key advisor unit extracts supportable key information from the response message and outputs the supportable key information to the video output unit. The video information is video data adjusted in resolution based on the screen resolution information, and the input key value is mapped to one of key values indicated by the key information of the portable device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable device and, in particular, to a remote resource access interface apparatus for a portable device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, most people carry one or more portable electronic devices such as laptop computer, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and cellular phone, and such devices are basically provided with communication functions. With the advance of communication technologies and recent tendency toward functional convergence, the portable devices are evolving to multifunctional devices. For example, recent mobile phones support various functions such as short message service (SMS), internet access, game, e-book, and the like. This means that a mobile phone is used for accessing the Internet as with a personal computer (PC), and a PDA can be used as a communication device.
In the meantime, the portable devices are becoming slim and compact in their designs while maintaining tight integration and full functionality of the components, whereby display screen and keypad are becoming smaller in size, resulting in manipulation inconvenience. Also, since the portable devices are provided with their respectively integrated input/output (IO) modules, their portability and usability are limited by redundant IO modules. Furthermore, overlapped functionality of the portable devices, caused by similar hardware and software components, are not integrally managed, resulting in waste of resources.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Remote resource access interface apparatus


A method for extending the gas lifetime of an excimer laser by removing CF.sub.4 impurity, which comprises:. a) reacting CF.sub.4, an undesirable impurity which forms and is contained in the lasing gases, with an amount of an oxidizing gas additive effective to produce one or more compounds which are condensible with refrigeration means, without reducing laser output below a predetermined acceptable level; and PA1 b) condensing said one or more compounds produced in step a) with refrigeration means, substantially without condensing said one or more rare gases therewith, thereby removing said CF.sub.4 impurity from said excimer laser and extending the gas lifetime of the laser.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for extending the gas lifetime of excimer lasers.
2. Description of the Background
Excimer lasers represent an extension of laser technology into the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. Excimer lasers offer the capability for pulsed short ultraviolet wavelength systems with very high peak power. An excimer is a compound that has no stable ground state and exists as a bound molecule only in electronically excited states. Many excimer lasers utilize the noble gases, which generally do not form stable chemical compounds. For example, the krypton fluoride laser is a prime example of an excimer laser. In such a laser, a gas mixture containing krypton and fluorine is irradiated with high energy electrons to produce the metastable excited state of KrF* excimer which is temporarily bound. The molecule dissociates according to the reaction: EQU KrF.fwdarw.Kr+F+h.upsilon.
As there is no stable ground state, a population inversion is readily produced. Due to the nature of the reaction, excimer lasers are generally pulsed devices, with pulse durations on the order of nanoseconds.
Excimer lasers are now available commercially. Commercial excimer lasers require gas mixtures consisting of rare gases, such as He, Ne, Ar, Kr or Xe, and halogen donors, such as F.sub.2, NF.sub.3 or HCl. The particular components of the gas mixture used depend upon the particular lasing transition of interest. XeCl, KrF, ArF and XeF are examples of lasing transitions used today. However, XeCl, KrF and ArF, which operate at 308, 248 and 193 nm wavelengths, respectively, are the most widely used.
For KrF operation, the rare gases used in the laser chamber are Kr diluted in He or Ne along with a halogen donor which can be either F.sub.2 or NF.sub.3. NF.sub.3 is a better energy acceptor, but F.sub.2 is used in all commercial excimer lasers today because post-discharge recombination kinetics are more favorable for F.sub.2 in terms of minimizing gas degradation. The same applies to ArF with the exception that Ar replaces Kr, and ArF operation is more susceptible to gas degradation.
Excimer lasers are unlike any other gas laser as they generally operate with a fixed volume of gas which needs replacing often enough to make it mandatory for the user to either refill the laser chamber or purify and replenish the halogen donor. The need to replenish gas mixtures for excimer lasers is a result of undesirable chemical reactions occurring inside the laser chamber. As a consequence of these reactions, the gas mixture changes during operation of the laser and the laser output decreases. The characteristic feature of such gas degradation is loss of halogen donor and formation of gaseous impurities. Despite improvements in laser design to minimize gas degradation, there continues to be strong interest in extending the gas lifetime of excimer lasers. There are two important reasons for this. First, and most importantly, there is a need to minimize downtime of laser operation. Second, there is a need to reduce gas consumption of the expensive rare gases such as Ne, Kr and Xe.
Over the years, there have been a number of attempts to extend the continuous operational period of excimer lasers. In one method, partial gas replacements are performed during laser operation. In this case, the gas mixture in the laser is simply replaced slowly, in discrete but small steps, while maintaining operation. This method does eliminate laser downtime, however, it does not reduce gas consumption, and it adds to the gas handling hazards as cylinders of toxic halogen donor gas must remain open.
A second method involves adding small amounts of halogen donor gas during laser operation. While this approach can effectively replace halogen donor, it does not remove impurities in the gas which limit the useful gas lifetime.
Several methods are known for removing impurities in excimer lasers. Many of these methods utilize metal getter systems and molecular sieves which work on removing all gaseous species in the mixture except rare gas. In order to take advantage of the purified gas using such a method, the halogen donor is simply replaced prior to flowing this gas back into the laser chamber so that gas consumption is limited to halogen donor only. Devices utilizing this principle are commercially available, however, they are extremely expensive and require complex gas handling. A more economical approach, and thus most common in the field, entails the use cryogenic purification of the laser gas. This methodology takes advantage of the fact that many of the impurities resulting from gas degradation can be removed in a low temperature trap. To be sure, gas lifetimes of excimer lasers have been extended considerably using this technique on-line during KrF and ArF operation.
Unfortunately, the use of cryogenic purification on KrF operation, for example, is limited in that the lowest temperature allowable for on-line use is about -180.degree. C. below that at which one begins to reduce sufficient Kr in the gas mixture, which decreases laser output. This results in an inability to remove an important impurity, CF.sub.4, from the laser chamber, which limits the gas lifetime of KrF operation when cryogenic purification is used. For ArF, a cryogenic trap can be used at lower temperatures of around about -196.degree. C., which is sufficient to condense out more CF.sub.4. However, at such lower temperatures, a higher cooling capacity is required from the cryogenic trap.
Thus, a need continues to exist for a method of extending the gas lifetime of excimer lasers in an effective, but economic manner.

Method for extending the gas lifetime of excimer lasers


The disclosure provides a method of producing recombinant alkaline phosphatase comprising: (i) culturing an alkaline phosphatase in a recombinant cell culture; (ii) obtaining a preparation of recombinant alkaline phosphatase from the cell culture; and (iii) minimizing in the preparation a concentration of at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of: Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr), and Molybdenum (Mo).

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a life-threatening, genetic, and ultra-rare metabolic disorder that results in a failure to produce functional tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). It leads to the accumulation of unmineralized bone matrix (e.g. rickets, osteomalacia), characterized by hypo-mineralization of bones and teeth. When growing bone does not mineralize properly, impairment of growth disfigures joints and bones. This result in turn impacts motor performance, respiratory function, and may even lead to death. Different forms of HPP include perinatal, infantile, juvenile, and adult HPP. Recently, six clinical forms have been defined, most based upon age at symptom onset, including perinatal, benign prenatal, infantile, juvenile, adult, and odonto-HPP. Asfotase alfa is an investigational, first-in-class targeted enzyme replacement therapy designed to address defective endogenous TNSALP levels. For treating HPP with TNSALP, see Whyte et al., 2012 N Engl J Med. 366:904-13.
Asfotase alfa is a soluble fusion glycoprotein comprised of the catalytic domain of human TNSALP, a human immunoglobulin G1 Fc domain and a deca-aspartate peptide (i.e., D10) used as a bone-targeting domain. In vitro, asfotase alfa binds with a greater affinity to hydroxyapatite than does soluble TNSALP lacking the deca-aspartate peptide thus allowing the TNSALP moiety of asfotase alfa to efficiently degrade excess local inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) and restore normal mineralization. Pyrophosphate hydrolysis promotes bone mineralization and its effects are similar among the species evaluated in nonclinical studies. Efficacy studies were conducted in a mouse model of HPP (Akp2−/− mice). The Akp2−/− mouse model, created by inactivating the TNSALP gene (Narisawa et al., 1997 Dev Dyn. 208:432-46), shares many common features of the human condition, including accumulation of unmineralized bone matrix.

Method of producing alkaline phosphatase


Example embodiments provide a headgear including an audio player. The headgear includes a slap-on-band configured to coil around a head of a user, having an elongated state and a coiled state, and the slap-on-band being covered by a fabric cover. The headgear further includes an audio player disposed on the slap-on-band, and a pair of earphones electrically connected to the audio player to generate sound.

Conventional music player and storage devices have become increasingly transportable to enable such devices to be carried by user. For increasing convenience particularly when performing vigorous exercise, it is desirable to provide a headset which can be associated with the player device.
More recently, music player and storage devices have been incorporated within the headphones themselves and, in particular in ear pieces of those headphones or headsets. In such situations, the inconvenience of wire or potential breaks in communication with wireless coupling with a player device secured on a strap or in a pocket may occur.
However, there is typically a physical wire connection between the player device and the headset or a wireless connection but this connection is often interrupted or disturbed by loose fitting headphones and external wire connection from the headphones to the MP3 player.
When using a headphone to listen to a radio or MP3 player, the user needs to connect the earphones plug cable to the earphones jack of the radio or MP3 player. The earphones plug cable may hinder the user's movement. One of the benefits with regard to providing an integrated music player and storage device in a headset is to avoid the inconvenience of wires and/or the falling out or shifting of headphones. Such benefits are particularly important when involved in sporting activity such as, running, skiing, exercising, basketball, walking, etc.
Consequently, a need still exist for an innovation which will provide an effective solution to the aforementioned problem in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.


A method for determining a characteristic of tissue in a biological sample comprising: directing light at the biological sample at a first depth and receiving that light reflected from the biological; directing the light at a reflecting device and receiving that light reflected from the reflecting device. The method also includes: interfering the light reflected from the biological sample and the light reflected from the reflecting device; detecting light resulting from the interfering; and determining a first phase associated with the light resulting from the interfering based on the first depth. The method further includes: varying an effective light path length to define a second depth; determining a second phase associated with the light resulting from the interfering based on the second depth; and determining the characteristic of the biological sample from the first phase and the second phase.

The invention concerns a low coherence interferometric (LCI) method for detecting plaques. For example, a method and apparatus for the analysis and detection of atheromas and/or atherosclerotic plaques in arterial walls. More particularly, in one embodiment, a methodology and system for detecting and evaluating vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques in a blood vessel. Further, measurement of the interface between the plaque and lipid pool between the plaque and the artery and measurement the thickness of the plaque with a high accuracy. An application area of interest is that of the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) accounts for approximately fifty percent of the death toll attributed to CVD. Despite major advances in the treatment of coronary heart disease patients, a large number of victims of CHD who are apparently healthy die suddenly without prior symptoms. Available screening and diagnostic methods are insufficient to identify the victims before the catastrophic event occurs. The recognition of the role of the vulnerable plaque has opened new avenues of opportunity in the field of cardiovascular medicine. Vulnerable plaques have been defined as any atherosclerotic plaque with high likelihood of thrombotic complications and rapid progression. Researchers have found that many people who experience heart attacks do not have arteries that have been severely narrowed by plaque. In fact, vulnerable plaque may be buried inside the arterial wall. It has also been found that in these individuals, that vulnerable plaque manifested itself as more than just debris clogging an artery, but that it was filled with different cell types that induce blood clotting. One particularly lethal type of vulnerable plaque is generated through an inflammation process, leading to the formation of a large lipid core inside the artery wall, covered by a thin fibrous cap. When this thin covering over the plaque cracks and bleeds, it spills the contents of the vulnerable plaque into the bloodstream, creating clots large enough to block the artery.
Therefore, there is considerable interest in the identification of plaques prior to the occurrence of thrombosis. Early detection would enhance therapies, while leading to trials of novel preventive measures. Multiple new technologies to improve characterization of plaque in patients are under development. These techniques seek to identify the histologic features, of plaques suspected to represent vulnerability, and provide additional information that heretofore has not been available. Data on structure, composition, deformability, pathophysiology, metabolism, temperature, and the like will enhance characterization. The additional information is key to the accurate detection, characterization and management of vulnerable plaque, with positive outcome for the patients.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) affects 8 to 12 million Americans and is associated with significant disability and mortality. PVD is a condition in which the arteries that carry blood to the arms or legs become narrowed or clogged. This narrowing or clogging interferes with the normal flow of blood, sometimes causing pain but often exhibiting no symptoms at all. The most common cause of PVD is atherosclerosis, a gradual process in which cholesterol and scar tissue build up, forming a substance called "plaque" that clogs the blood vessels. In some cases, PVD may be caused by blood clots that lodge in the arteries and restrict blood flow. In extreme cases, untreated PVD can lead to gangrene, a serious condition that may require amputation of a leg, foot or toes.
In general, atheromatous or atherosclerotic plaques characteristically comprise a fibrous cap surrounding a central core of extracellular lipids and debris located in the central portion of the thickened vessel intima, which is known as the "atheroma". On the luminal side of the lipid core, the fibrous cap is comprised mainly of connective tissues, typically a dense, fibrous, extracellular matrix made up of collagens, elastins, proteoglycans and other extracellular matrix materials. In the case of arterial plaques the chronically stenotic plaque in which calcified material builds up in the artery to cause occlusion as discussed above may readily be distinguished from the rupture-prone vulnerable plaque, which consists of a thin fibrous cap and a large lipid core in the wall of the artery. The stenotic plaque is easily detected with MRI, ultrasound, and other diagnostic techniques. Once detected, it is opened up using a stent within a catheter.
With an active atheromatous or atherosclerotic plaque, at the edges of the fibrous cap overlying the lipid core comprises the shoulder region and is enriched with macrophages. The macrophages continually phagocytose oxidized LDL through scavenger receptors, which have a high ligand specificity for oxidized LDL. Continuous phagocytosis results in the formation of foam cells, a hallmark of the atherosclerotic plaque. Foam cells, together with the binding of extracellular lipids to collagen fibers and proteoglycans, play an important role in the formation and growth of the lipid-rich atheroma.
Examination of atheromatous/atherosclerotic plaques has revealed substantial variations in the thickness of fibrous caps, the size of the atheromas, the extent of dystrophic calcification, and the relative contribution of major cell types. Atheromatous plaques include a significant population of inflammatory cells, such as monocytes or macrophages and T lymphocytes. The emigration of monocytes into the arterial wall, and their subsequent differentiation into macrophages and ultimately foam cells, remains one of the earliest steps in plaque formation. Once there, these cells play a critical role in secreting substances that further contribute to atherosclerosis.
The causative agent of acute coronary syndrome is fissure, erosion or rupture of a specific kind of atheromatous plaque known as a "vulnerable plaque." It has been determined that vulnerable plaques are responsible for the majority of heart attacks, strokes, and cases of sudden death. A vulnerable plaque is structurally and functionally distinguishable from a stable atheromatous plaque. For example, a vulnerable plaque is characterized by an abundance of inflammatory cells (e.g., macrophages and/or T cells), a large lipid pool, and a thin fibrous cap. Pathologic studies have also provided a further understanding of why vulnerable plaques have a higher propensity for rupture than other atheromatous plaques. The thickness and integrity of the fibrous cap overlying the lipid-rich core is a principal factor in the stability of the plaque. Generally, atheromatous plaques prone to rupture can be characterized as having thinner fibrous areas, increased numbers of inflammatory cells (e.g., macrophages and T cells), and a relative paucity of vascular smooth muscle cells. Vascular smooth muscle cells are the major source of extra cellular matrix production, and therefore, the absence of vascular smooth muscle cells from an atheromatous plaque contributes to the lack of density in its fibrous cap.
While the fibrous tissue within the cap provides structural integrity to the plaque, the interior of the atheroma is soft, weak and highly thrombogenic. It is rich in extracellular lipids and substantially devoid of living cells, but bordered by a rim of lipid-laden macrophages. The lipid core is a highly thrombogenic composition, rich in tissue factor, which is one of the most potent procoagulants known. The lesional macrophages and foam cells produce a variety of procoagulant substances, including tissue factor. The fibrous cap is the only barrier separating the circulation from the lipid core and its powerful coagulation system designed to generate thrombus. Essentially, the rapid release of procoagulants into the blood stream at the site of rupture forms an occlusive clot, inducing acute coronary syndrome. Thus, the thinner the fibrous cap, the greater the instability of the thrombogenic lipid core and the greater the propensity for rupture and thrombosis. Generally, it has been determined that the critical thickness of the cap is of the order of 70 microns.
Common methods of plaque detection include angiography and angioscopy. Except in rare circumstances, angiography gives almost no information about the characteristics of plaque components. However, angiography is only sensitive enough to detect hemodynamically significant lesions (>70% stenosis), which account for approximately 33% of acute coronary syndrome cases. Angioscopy is a technique based on fiber-optic transmission of visible light that provides a small field of view with relatively low resolution for visualization of interior surfaces of plaque and thrombus. Because angioscopic visualization is limited to the surface of the plaque, it is generally insufficient for use in detecting actively forming atheromatous plaques and/or determining vulnerable plaques.
Several methods are being investigated for their ability to identify atheromatous plaques. One such method, intravascular ultrasound ("IVUS") uses miniaturized crystals incorporated at catheter tips and provides real-time, cross-sectional and longitudinal, high-resolution images of the arterial wall with three-dimensional reconstruction capabilities. IVUS can detect thin caps and distinguish regions of intermediate density (e.g., intima that is rich in smooth muscle cells and fibrous tissue) from echolucent regions, but current technology does not determine which echolucent regions are composed of cholesterol pools rather than thrombosis, hemorrhage, or some combination thereof. Moreover, the spatial resolution (i.e., approximately 100 μm) does not distinguish the moderately thinned cap from the high risk cap (i.e., approximately 25-75 μm) and large dense calcium deposits produce acoustic echoes which "shadow" so that deeper plaque is not imaged.
Intravascular thermography is based on the premise that atheromatous plaques with dense macrophage infiltration give off more heat than non-inflamed plaque. The temperature of the plaque is inversely correlated to cap thickness. However, thermography may not provide information about eroded but non-inflamed lesions, vulnerable or otherwise, having a propensity to rupture.
Raman spectroscopy utilizes Raman effect: a basic principle in photonic spectroscopy named after its inventor. Raman effect arises when an incident light excites molecules in a sample, which subsequently scatter the light. While most of this scattered light is at the same wavelength as the incident light, some is scattered at a different wavelength. This shift in the wavelength of the scattered light is called Raman shift. The amount of the wavelength shift and intensity depends on the size, shape, and strength of the molecule. Each molecule has its own distinct "fingerprint" Raman shift. Raman spectroscopy is a very sensitive technique and is capable of reporting an accurate measurement of chemical compounds. Conceivably, the ratio of lipid to proteins, such as collagen and elastin, might help detect vulnerable plaques with large lipid pools. However, it is unlikely that actively forming and/or vulnerable plaques will be reliably differentiated from stable plaques based solely on this ratio.
Radiation-based methods for detection of diseased tissue are also known in the art. Some devices include an ion-implanted silicon radiation detector located at the tip of a probe with a preamplifier contained within the body of the probe, and connected to the detector as well as external electronics for signal handling. Another device provides radio-pharmaceuticals for detecting diseased tissue, such as a cancerous tumor, followed by the use of a probe with one or more ion-implanted silicon detectors at its tip to locate the radio labeled diseased tissue; the detector is preferentially responsive to beta emissions.
Optical coherence tomography ("OCT") measures the intensity of reflected near-infrared light from tissue. OCT is an application of to form 3D images. OCT provides images with high resolutions that are approximately 10 to 20 times higher than that of IVUS, which facilitates detection of a thin fibrous cap. Advantageously, while other methodologies may exhibit the capability to detect the presence of lipids within the vessel wall, OCT techniques have been shown to exhibit the spatial resolution sufficient for resolving the parameters directly responsible for plaque ruptures. Unfortunately, OCT is an imaging technique and, as a result, is computationally intensive and very time consuming. The resulting images from OCT require skilled interpretation for the detection of vulnerable plaques.
Low Coherence Interferometry (LCI) is an optical technique that allows for accurate, analysis of optical interfaces, and is very adaptable to the analysis of the scattering properties of heterogeneous optical media such as layered biological tissue. Furthermore, the interface between two regions in biological tissues exhibiting different optical characteristics is characterized by change in scattering, absorption, and refractive index characteristics. Of particular interest, are sensitive methods to measure the important features of the signal at the discontinuity e.g., such as between a fibrous cap and lipid pool. In LCI, light from a broad bandwidth light source is first split into sample and reference light beams which are both retro-reflected, from a targeted region of the sample and from a reference mirror, respectively, and are subsequently recombined to generate an interference signal having maxima at the locations of constructive interference and minima at the locations of destructive interference. The interference signal is then employed to evaluate the characteristics of the sample. LCI exhibits very high resolution as the detectable interference occurs only if the optical path difference between them is less than the coherence length of the source. LCI can be used in the detection and characterization of blockage sites in peripheral arteries. The LCI interferometer can be made out of optical fibers, and therefore can be easily integrated with catheters used by interventional radiologists to open blood vessels. Unfortunately, current LCI techniques, such as OCT, rely on amplitude measurements of the interferences signal and may lack the high resolution required for accurate detection and characterization of vulnerable plaques.
The term "biological sample" denotes a body fluid or tissue of a living organism. Biological samples are generally optically heterogeneous, that is, they contain a plurality of scattering centers scattering irradiated light. In the case of biological tissue, especially skin tissue, the cell walls and other intra-tissue components form the scattering centers.
In spite of these endeavors, attempts to make available an effective sensor for practical operation to detect vulnerable plaque have thus far, proved inadequate. What is needed in the art is a new approach for LCI-based plaque detection and characterization based on the measurement of the phase of the interferometric signal to facilitate accurate detection and characterization of atheromatic/atherosclerotic plaques and particularly vulnerable plaques.

Low coherence interferometry for detecting and characterizing plaques


An edge emitting LED comprises a semiconductor substrate having a main surface, an active layer formed over the main surface, and the active layer having a light emitting region, an optical absorption region having a bandgap energy smaller than that of the light emitting region, and a composition change region formed between the light emitting region and the optical absorption region, the composition change region having the bandgap energy continuously changes. Accordingly, an edge emitting LED is able to produce a stable, spontaneous emission of a light under a wide range of operating conditions. Furthermore, a method of forming an edge emitting LED, comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate having a previous formation region of an active layer having a light emitting region and an optical absorption region continued with the light emitting region; forming a mask pattern over the substrate located on both sides of the optical absorption region; and forming the active layer over the formed structure. Accordingly, a method of forming a edge emitting LED is able to form a light emitting region and an optical absorption region, with one-step growth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an edge emitting LED (light emitting diode) and a fabrication method, paticuraly to an edge emitting LED having a selective-area growth optical absorption region.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 6 is perspective cross sectional view showing a light emitting diode in accordance with the prior art.
Referring to FIG. 6, a prior art edge-emitting LED comprises a p-InP substrate 1, an n-InP block layer 2, a p-InP block layer 3, a p-InP cladding layer 4, active layers 5, 8, a p-InGaAsP light emitting region A, an n-InGaAsP contact layer 7, a p-InGaAsP optical absorption region B, and an SiO2 film 9.
The prior art edge emitting LED has an optical absorption region B separated from the light emitting region A and the InP block layer 6.
A backward light emitted in the light emitting region A is propagated to the InP block layer 6 with some radiation angles due to diffraction, through the optical absorption region B.
Then, the backward light combines with the optical absorption region B. Since an effective bandgap of the optical absorption region B is smaller than that of the light emitting region A, the light combined with the optical absorption region B decreases due to an optical absorption effect.
As a result, a very small amount light can reach to the back facets of the optical absorption region B and optical feedback to the light emitting region A can be avoided.

Edge emitting LED having a selective-area growth optical absorption region


An elevator door unit includes cage doors, a cage door lock unit, hall doors, and a lock release unit. The cage doors are provided in a cage which moves in a shaft. The cage door lock unit limits and locks the opening width of the cage doors to the width not to permit passing of passengers. The hall doors are provided in a landing hall, and opened interlocking with the cage doors, when the cage stops in a range of facing to the cage doors. The lock release unit releases the cage door lock unit within the opening width by opening the cage doors by manual operation, when the cage stops in a range that the cage doors face to the hall doors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elevator door unit, and more particularly, to an elevator door unit having a mechanism which manually releases a lock unit of a cage in an emergency such as a power failure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cage of an elevator may make an emergency stop in sections other than a landing hall of a building when a power failure or other emergency conditions occurs. A passenger in the cage may open the cage door by force. If the cage door is opened forcibly from the inside of the cage, passengers will be exposed to danger. For example, passengers may fall into a shaft. Particularly, an elevator for viewing the outside has an open part where a cage is not surrounded by shaft walls. If a cage makes an emergency stop in this open part and a cage door is opened by force, passengers will be exposed to more danger. Therefore, a cage door is configured not to be opened forcibly from the inside of a cage.
In some elevator, the inside atmospheric pressure of a cage is controlled. A cage is airtight. When an elevator makes an emergency stop because of a power failure or other accidents, a cage door can be manually opened a little to let fresh air into a cage. However, if a cage door should be opened wide, passengers will be exposed to danger of falling, and the opening width of a cage door must be strictly limited.
An elevator is provided with a cage door lock unit. The cage door lock unit locks a cage door by limiting the cage door opening width, so that passengers are not exposed to danger even if a passenger attempts to open the cage door from inside.
The cage door lock unit has a lock pin driven by a solenoid as a driving source. The lock pin is urged by a spring so as to project in one direction. When electricity is applied to the solenoid, the solenoid moves the lock pin against the spring, and unlocks the cage door. In case of emergency such as a power failure or other accidents, the lock pin is pushed out by the spring, and the cage door is held locked.
A gate is provided in a landing hall of each floor of a building. A hall door is provided in each gate. The hall door is provided with a hall door lock unit.
An elevator has an engagement unit. When a cage arrives at a certain floor and a cage door coincides with a hall door, the engagement unit engages the cage door with the hall door. The lock of the hall door lock unit is released by the mechanical operation caused by this engagement. An electric signal is generated by the release of the hall door lock unit, and based on this electric signal, electricity is applied to the solenoid of the cage door lock unit. As a result, the lock pin is driven and the lock of the cage door is released. The cage door is provided with a drive unit. When the drive unit is operated, the cage door is opened together with the hall door. Then, passengers can get on or off the cage.
After passengers get on or off, the cage door and hall door are closed by the drive unit. When the hall door is completely closed, the hall door lock unit operates mechanically to lock the hall door. An electric signal is generated by locking the hall door, and the application of electricity to the solenoid is stopped by this electric signal. The lock pin is urged by the spring to lock the cage door.
If the cage should be stopped at a position where the cage door does not coincide with the hall door in case of emergency, the cage door is prevented by the cage door lock unit from being opened forcibly by a passenger. Even in the case of emergency stop, as long as the cage door coincides with the hall door, the cage door lock unit can be manually operated and unlocked from the landing hall side. The cage door lock unit is unlocked by the manual operation using a push member which pushes mechanically the lock pin. Passengers confined in the cage are rescued by unlocking the cage door lock unit from the landing hall side.
However, even if the cage stops in an emergency at a position where the cage coincides with the hall door, passengers in the cage cannot unlock the cage door lock unit and escape from the cage by their own efforts. The passengers left in the cage must wait for rescue from the outside. Particularly, when a cage stops under emergency conditions such as an earthquake and fire, passengers are confined in the cage and cannot escape from the cage, though the cage is stopping at the landing hall.

Elevator door unit having mechanism to release lock unit manually in emergency


Methods for converting polyols are provided. The methods provided can include using a metal pincer catalyst (e.g., an iridium pincer catalyst) to remove at least one alcohol group from a polyol. The methods provided can include converting glycerol to 1,3-propanediol.

The use of biomass and biomass-derived feedstocks in the production of fine and commodity chemicals is hindered by the lack of cost effective purification and conversion processes. The development of efficient and selective catalytic transformations should allow biomass feedstocks to become economically competitive with traditional petroleum-based feedstocks. Ideally, the conversion reactions will be applicable to a range of substrates and tolerant of crude biomass inputs.
Glycerol is of particular interest as a renewable raw material, because it is currently being generated in vast quantities as a byproduct of biodiesel production. The attractiveness of glycerol as a sustainable platform chemical has inspired research efforts to use the triol as a building block for a variety of functionalized and reduced structures.
The partial hydrogenolysis of glycerol has been envisioned as a new, direct route to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) for the production of polyesters, polyurethanes, and polyethers with high renewable resource content. Particularly interesting is the production of polytrimethylene ether glycol from 1,3-PD. One strategy for selective reduction of glycerol is a tandem catalytic sequence involving the dehydration of secondary alcohols followed by hydrogenation of the resulting carbonyl groups. Several competing condensation and dehydration pathways are available to glycerol in acidic aqueous medium, which typically leads to complex product profiles and low selectivity.
Efficient conversion of glycerol to higher value products will require the development of highly active, selective catalysts. It will be important to identify robust catalysts that are tolerant of water and acid at the high temperatures required for the dehydration step. For example, biodiesel production employs base catalyzed transesterification of triglycerides with methanol, which generates approximately 10% byproduct glycerol. This has flooded the glycerol market. The price of crude glycerol has dropped dramatically. Biodiesel production is expected to increase significantly in the next decade. One solution to the "glycerol glut" problem is to catalytically convert glycerol to a higher value product. Targets can include 1,3-propanediol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol. Of the possible products, 1,3-propanediol is most valuable, having a ready application in the production of polyesters. For example, Dupont markets this polyester as Sorona®; the current commercial process for 1,3-propanediol employs fermentation of glucose using genetically engineered microorganisms. Previous reports of glycerol hydrogenolysis have employed both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. Selectivity is generally poor, with a wide range of products including ethers, esters, alcohols and diols. Most reported procedures have employed organic solvents.
Early attempts to demonstrate the feasibility of selective conversion of glycerol to 1,3-PD utilized homogeneous catalysts yielding at best 21% 1,3-PD with 45% selectivity using a Rh(CO)2(acac) complex with tungstic acid (H2WO4) at 200° C. under 313 atm of H2/CO. Early work with heterogeneous catalysts such as copper chromite showed selectivity for 1,2-PD, with <5% 1,3-PD. More recently, heterogeneous catalysts have been identified that show improved selectivity for 1,3-PD. With Pt on sulfonated ZrO2 selectivities of up to 56% for 1,3-PD were reported.
Homogenous catalysts have a distinct advantage in that the application of mechanistic understanding can allow rational tuning of catalyst structure and reaction conditions to optimize activity, selectivity and lifetimes. Schlaf and coworkers have explored the reduction of terminal vicinal diols to n-alcohols using homogeneous Ru ionic hydrogenation catalysts and through these studies have provided insight into various factors that control deoxygenation selectivity. The use of diol models, which are less reactive than their polyol analogs, enabled kinetic analysis and more thorough characterization of product profiles. The most selective of the Ru hydrogenation catalysts was [Cp*Ru(CO)2(H2)][OTf], which achieved a 54% yield of 1-propanol in sulfolane solvent at 110° C. and 710 psi H2 using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (HOTf) as the catalyst for the initial dehydration step. In addition to the 1-propanol hydrogenation product, the formation of several ether condensation products was observed, including significant yields of propylene glycol propyl ether (11%) and di-n-propyl ether (15%). The overall selectivity for reduction of the secondary hydroxyl group is 99%. The high regioselectivity of the ruthenium catalyst was impressive, but the catalyst is deactivated by water, which is a byproduct of the reaction. The active Ru dihydrogen complex is deprotonated by water to yield an inactive dimer. This catalyst decomposition makes it impractical for use with inherently wet glycerol from biodiesel production. Several ruthenium containing ionic hydrogenation catalysts with N-donor ligands have demonstrated greater solubility and stability in aqueous solution, however significant thermal decomposition and/or reduced selectivities were observed.
The homogeneous ruthenium systems reported to date represent significant advances in the development of selective polyol deoxygenation catalysts, demonstrating unprecedented regioselectivity in partial diol deoxygenation. In addition, studies of these systems have delineated many of the competitive equilibria and condensation pathways that are common to alcohols in acidic medium and must be minimized for effective conversion. As vicinal diol groups are common to all sugar polyols, the lessons learned using these model substrates are expected to be broadly applicable. To fully develop and optimize effective polyol deoxygenation technologies, catalysts that exhibit greater stability at high temperatures in the presence of water are needed.
Thus, there is a need for catalysts and processes that can efficiently convert polyols (e.g., glycerol) into other products, such as 1,3-propanediol as well as others.

Univesity of Washington Through Its Center For Communication


An improved shear/seal ram assembly used in ram-type BOPs is disclosed. The disclosed invention is a unique shear/seal ram assembly in which rail seal actuators attached to or integrally formed in a planar surface of one shear blade mate with and slide within corresponding rail guide grooves formed in a planar surface of a second shear blade. As the shear blades move over each other, the rail seal actuators slide within the rail guide grooves, eventually coming into contact with a seal actuator plate of a unique blade-to-blade seal assembly placed within a shear blade seal groove. Continued movement of the shear blades over each other causes the rail seal actuators to compress, or “energize,” the blade-to-blade seal of the blade-to-blade seal assembly, thereby providing a pressure tight seal between the shear blade assemblies.

In the drilling of an oil and/or gas well, a specially formulated fluid known as "drilling mud" is circulated through the wellbore. During rotary drilling operations, the drilling mud serves multiple functions, including protecting against blowouts by holding back subsurface pressures of formation fluids. As long as the bore hole contains a sufficient volume of drilling mud of a sufficient density, the pressure created by the weight of the column of drilling mud is typically sufficient to prevent formation fluids from entering the bore hole. If a formation having higher pressure than expected is encountered during drilling operations, however, the potential for formation fluids, including gas, to enter the borehole and migrate toward the surface is present.
When formation fluids enter the bore hole, a pressure spike, or "kick" as they are commonly referred to in the industry, can occur. Ram-type BOPs are part of a pressure control system used in oil and gas drilling operations to control these unexpected well bore pressure "kicks." The BOPs are designed to close off the well to prevent a blowout by sealing the well against the fluid pressure from below. By sealing the well, the BOP prevents gas (and other well fluids) from migrating past the BOP stack to the drill floor of a rig where numerous potential ignition sources exist that could ignite the gas and thereby cause a blowout. A BOP can also be used to seal off the well around the drill string in normal drilling operations involving positive downhole pressure.
BOPs are typically included in the surface assembly at a wellhead when drilling or completing a well. Typically, multiple BOP rams are assembled in a vertical stack that is positioned over and connected to the wellhead.
The BOP has a central valve body with a vertical bore running through it. Wellbore tubulars, such as the drill string or coiled tubing, extend up through the center, vertical bore of the BOP stack. Similarly, during wireline logging operations, wireline extends up through the center, vertical bore of the BOP stack. Depending on the operations being conducted on the well, other wellbore equipment may be within the vertical bore of the BOP stack at a particular time.
A typical BOP has a plurality of laterally disposed, opposing actuator assemblies fastened to the valve body. Each actuator assembly includes a piston that is laterally moveable within an actuator body by pressurized hydraulic fluid (during normal operation) or by manual force (in the event of a failure of the hydraulic control system). Each piston has a stem threadably engaged or otherwise connected to it. The stem extends laterally toward the bore of the valve body and has a ram body attached to the end of the stem nearest the bore of the valve body.
Replaceable sealing elements are mounted within or on the ram bodies that extend into the vertical bore of the valve body of the BOP. When the pistons of the BOPs are moved to a closed position, commonly referred to as "closing the rams," the vertical bore of the BOP is sealed and the well bore pressure is contained. The sealing elements mounted within or on the ram bodies are available in a variety of configurations designed to seal the vertical bore of the BOP valve body when the opposing rams and pistons are moved to their closed position.
Several types of ram and seal assemblies are used in the actuator assemblies of a BOP stack. One type of ram and seal assembly known as a "pipe ram" utilizes seals designed to seal around the wellbore tubulars within the BOP's vertical bore when the BOP is closed. Each seal of a pipe ram typically has a semicircular opening in its front face to form a seal around half of the outer periphery of the tubular. When the pipe rams are closed, the opposing pipe rams engage each other and seal the entire periphery of the tubular, thereby closing off the annulus between the tubular and the well bore surface.
Another type of ram and seal assembly, known as a "blind ram," seals across the entire wellbore when no tubular is located in the vertical bore at the location of the blind rams. Like pipe rams, the blind rams are designed to engage each other when the BOP is closed. Blind rams, however, typically utilize seals with no opening in the face of the seals such that the blind rams form a complete seal through the vertical bore of the BOP.
BOP stacks typically also include shear, or cutting, rams that shear the tubular (or wireline) when the rams are driven toward each other as the BOP is closed. In operation, the shear rams are typically used as a last resort measure to contain wellbore pressure from causing a blowout. A BOP with shear rams is typically the top section of a ram-type BOP stack, while various pipe rams and blind rams are typically located below the shear rams. In operation, the pipe rams will be closed first to try to contain the wellbore pressure and prevent a potential blowout. In the event the pipe rams (and/or the blind rams) do not contain the "kick," the shear rams are actuated to try and contain the "kick" and prevent a potential blowout.
The shear ram assemblies must be sealed to prevent wellbore fluids from migrating through or around the shear blades after the tubular or other item within the valve body of the BOP is sheared. Various prior art patents disclose shear rams with integral sealing means disposed on or within the shear blades and/or within the shear ram bodies. Such prior art patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,580,626; 4,646,825; 6,244,336; and 6,719,042. Each of these patents energize the seal between the shear blades in different ways. However, the designs of the sealing mechanisms of each of these prior art patents have certain drawbacks that limit the amount of squeeze that may be placed on the seals and/or that make replacement of the sealing components difficult.
The present invention offers an improved sealing mechanism that "energizes" the sealing element between the shear blades in a unique way and that offers a design that allows for easy replacement of the seal assembly. Thus, the sealing mechanism of the present invention overcomes many of the drawbacks of the prior art.

Shear/seal ram assembly for a ram-type blowout prevention system


A bridge fitting (10) for anchoring containers, stacked especially on ship's decks or hatches, is provided with two operatively connected connecting pieces (12, 13) which are arranged at a variable distance to one another and which determine the effective length of the bridge fitting (10). These connecting pieces (12, 13) engage container corner fittings (11) of two adjacent containers and the effective length of the bridge fitting (10) can be adjusted by a steplike shiftability und lockability of at least one of the two connecting pieces (12, 13).

The invention relates to a device for connecting containers stacked on ships, especially on ship's decks, with two connecting pieces having hooking portions which are engagable to container corner fittings of adjacent containers, preferably of containers stacked side by side.
These type of devices are called bridge fittings in the art. They serve for anchoring the top layer of containers which are stacked for example on ship's decks or hatches. These devices each connect two adjacent containers in the horizontal direction. For this purpose, the device is provided with two hook-like or base-like hooking portions which engage the recesses of upper container corner fittings of two side by side containers. To bridge the space between two adjacent containers and to compensate for an inaccurate positioning of the containers relative to one another, the effective length of the device can be varied by changing the distance between the hooking portions or connecting pieces.
Known in the art is a device of this type in which the hooking portion of a first connecting piece is connected to an end of an adjusting portion in an articulated manner. One end of this adjusting portion passes through the second connecting piece. The part of the adjusting portion which is engaged to the second connecting piece is designed as a threaded rod, onto which the second connecting piece, provided with an appropriate nut, is screwed. By turning the nut on the adjusting portion of the first connecting piece, the distance between the hooking portions of the individual connecting pieces can be altered.
The above described known device has a relatively short service life. The thread which is locking the two connecting portions in a position with the required distance is easily damaged in practical operation by exterior impacts. Moreover, especially the thread corrodes very fast due to contact with salt water which can not be avoided on board a ship. To prevent this corrosion, the known device needs to be maintained and serviced regularly, which requires a high expenditure of labour, time and money. Furthermore, the adjustment of the distance between the hooking portions as required by the storage position of the containers is rather complicated as the nut has to be turned with an appropriate tool.

Conver-OSR Ozeanservice-Reparatur Ingenieurtechnik GmbH


A molding apparatus is provided for molding a leadframe, the molding apparatus comprising a mold having a leadframe-receiving area on its surface that is configured to receive and clamp the leadframe in the leadframe-receiving area. At least one molding cavity and a plurality of vacuum suction holes formed adjacent to the molding cavity are located within the leadframe-receiving area. The vacuum suction holes are operative to evacuate air from the mold surface, especially the molding cavity, through air vents connecting the vacuum suction holes to the molding cavity.

During the assembly of semiconductor packages, semiconductor chips are often attached onto carriers, such as substrates or leadframes, for processing multiple semiconductor chips at the same time. After or during attachment, electrical connections are made between electrical pads on the chips to corresponding contacts or connection pads on the substrates or leadframes. This can be done by wire bonding, or the electrical pads can be directly attached onto the contacts on the substrates or leadframes. Thereafter, it is usually necessary to protect the chips and the electrical connections from the environment by encapsulating them in a molding compound, such as epoxy molding compound ("EMC").
In a typical transfer molding process, the substrate or leadframe with the chips attached is placed into a molding system comprising two mold halves. One or more molding cavities are formed in one or both of the mold halves corresponding to the positions of the chips to be encapsulated. Molding compound is introduced into mold supply pots in the molding system, typically in pellet form. The mold supply pots are linked to the molding cavities through a system of runners and gates through which the molding compound is channeled before entering the cavities. A plunger is insertable into each pot under heat and pressure to crush the pellet and distribute molding compound under the pressure from the plunger through the system of runners and gates and into the molding cavities.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a surface of a conventional mold chase 100. Only one mold half is shown, which cooperates with another mold half to clamp a carrier for molding. The mold chase 100 includes cavities 102 which are configured for molding semiconductor chips located on leadframes 104. The parts of a leadframe 104 that require molding are positioned onto corresponding cavities 102 of the mold chase 100 during onloading.
Molding compound is introduced to the mold chase 100 via pellets (not shown) that are crushed at the cull areas 106 to liquefy the molding compound. The liquefied molding compound travels from the cull areas 106 into runners 108 and are then introduced into the cavities 102.
During molding, it is preferable that the cavities 102 are in a substantially vacuum condition so that air gaps will not form in the cavities 102 during molding. Therefore, vacuum holes 110 are formed outside the leadframe 104 location and near to the periphery of the mold chase 100. The vacuum holes 110 are connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) to suck out air from the cavities 102.
Air vents 112 are formed adjacent to the cavities 102 so that paths are created for the air inside the cavities 102 to flow towards the vacuum holes 110. For comparison, the air vents 112 are only illustrated on one set of molding cavities 102 for molding a leadframe 104, but it should be appreciated that air vents 112 should be present with respect to all the cavities 102. The air vents 112 are in the form of depressions located in between clamping areas 114 of the mold chase 100 that are operative to clamp the leadframe 104 tightly onto another mold half during molding.
In order to maintain a vacuum pressure in the mold chase 100, the vacuum area has to be sealed off from the ambient atmosphere. To perform sealing, a seal ring 116, typically in the form of a gasket or O-ring, is used to surround the vacuum holes 110 near to the periphery of the mold chase 100. A relief area 118 is formed just inside the seal ring 116 adjacent to the vacuum holes 110 to create paths for air to travel between the cavities 102 and air vents 112 into the vacuum holes 110.
While the above design is suitable for most molding purposes, it is not ideal as the seal ring 116 is vulnerable to wear failure after prolonged use and exposure to heat. Typically, it lasts only for a few months. Also, it is prone to damage, for example when it accidentally comes into contact with a sharp foreign material, especially when the mold is being closed to clamp the carrier to be molded.
There is a further risk of mold bleed occurring during molding such that the molding compound may then come into contact with the seal ring 116. This will also cause damage to the sealing ring 116. Meanwhile, since the seal ring 116 is exposed, there is always a risk of other accidental damage occurring due to human error.


Apparatus and methods are provided through which a radio-frequency dielectric heater has a cylindrical form factor, a variable thermal energy deposition through variations in geometry and composition of a dielectric, and/or has a thermally isolated power input.

Development of space nuclear power and propulsion systems is difficult and costly due to radiation-related health and safety problems during system testing. In order to reduce the health and safety problems, researchers have pursued means for non-nuclear testing of nuclear systems. The non-nuclear testing includes simulation of a nuclear reactor core with electrical heaters. Using a simulated reactor core, various characteristics of the nuclear system that are not directly related to the nuclear operation are tested.
Early stages of conventional nuclear system development utilized resistive electrical heater elements. The resistive electrical heater elements simulate nuclear reactor pins. Conventional resistive electrical heater elements are designed with the same form factor as the simulated nuclear reactor pins, namely a cylindrical structure with an outer metallic clad surrounding a graphite resistive element. The resistive electrical heater elements are bound in a hexagonal packing pattern to simulate the shape of the core structure of the nuclear reactor assembly. Other elements of the reactor design are also incorporated including heat transfer mechanisms, power conversion systems, radiators, and loads. However, the simulated core has thermal loss through the power leads that provide electrical power to the conventional resistance heaters.
Resistance heaters have nuclear pin diameters that are relatively large, greater than 0.5 inches. Power leads of the conventional resistive heaters require relatively large diameter wires to minimize losses in the leads. Since the power leads have electrical resistance, the current passing through the leads produces thermal energy in the leads. In order to minimize the thermal loss, larger diameter wires are used. However, as the lead wire diameter increases, two complications arise. First, the physical placement of the power leads entering the simulated core is problematic. Second, the conduction of thermal energy out of the core via the power leads increases, resulting in a less robust simulation of the nuclear reactor core.
Later reactor designs require smaller pin diameters, such as less than 0.5 inches, and require more pins, such as hundreds, for higher power systems, further exacerbating these problems. These requirements make the use of resistance heaters less attractive.
Inductive heating is commonly used for applications where a metallic structure must be heated. In general, inductive heating uses a coil that carries alternating current (AC) to produce an alternating magnetic field in the test article. The magnetic field induces currents in the test article, which in turn produce thermal energy via resistive losses. However, inductive heating requires high currents in the coil and hence large diameter power leads. Inductive heating also requires that the active heating element be metallic.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a heater with reduced thermal coupling to the outside environment. There is also a need for a heater with a reduced size relative to the power leads. Furthermore, there is a need to generate high thermal energy in a relatively small space to simulate fission reactions for non-nuclear testing in nuclear core development. The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed by the present radio-frequency driven dielectric heater, which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

Radio-frequency driven dielectric heaters for non-nuclear testing in nuclear core development

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A process for oxidizing iron ions contained within iron-doped lithium niobate. The process comprises the steps of protonating the iron-doped lithium niobate crystal and then placing the same into a pressure chamber where between 10-100 atmospheres of dry, ultra-pure pressurized oxygen are applied. While under pressure, the crystal is heated to approximately 950.degree. C. at a rate not to exceed 50.degree. C. per minute, and preferably at a rate not less than 25.degree. C. per minute. The crystals are then continuously heated at approximately 950.degree. C. for approximately 50 hours and then cooled to 30.degree. C. at a rate not to exceed 50.degree. C. per minute, and preferably at a rate not less than approximately 25.degree. C. per minute. The resulting lithium niobate crystal will thereafter contain iron ions wherein the divalent iron ion ration to the trivalent iron ion ratio is approximately 1:100.

Lithium niobate crystals are known as electro-optic materials that are useful as holographic recording media which have fairly good sensitivity. This sensitivity, as well as diffraction efficiency, can be greatly improved by doping such crystals with iron, as has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,328 to Glass et al.
In such applications, it is generally advantageous to maintain a minimum function of iron ions (Fe) in the divalent state (Fe.sup.+2), in order to achieve an optimal holographic write sensitivity, and a relatively larger function of Fe ions in the trivalent state (Fe.sup.+3), in order to minimize photoconductivity and, hence, minimize sensitivity to self-erasure effects when large numbers of holograms are time-sequentially stored within a common volume of lithium niobate. By maximizing write sensitivity and minimizing erase sensitivity, more high-efficiency holograms can be stored and greater information densities achieved within a given volume of iron-doped lithium niobate (Fe:LiNbO.sub.3).
Problematic with such iron-doped lithium niobate crystals, however, is the difficulty in producing such crystals wherein the iron portions contained therein exist predominantly in the trivalent state. More specifically, significant difficulty arises in oxidizing the divalent iron ions normally contained within such crystals, insofar as conventional oxidizing agents and techniques fail to thoroughly penetrate such crystals and hence oxidize the iron contained therein.
While certain processes are known in the art that are effective in oxidizing substantially all of the divalent iron ions present to trivalent ions, such processes suffer from other drawbacks. Generally, most prior art processes require heating such crystals to extremely high temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Such heating, which is typically carried out at temperatures between 800.degree. C. and 1100.degree. C., can cause the formation of lithium tri-niobate (LiNi.sub.3 O.sub.8), which, as is known to those skilled in the art, causes light to scatter and thus renders the crystal useless in holographic applications.
Such prolonged heating further is known to cause a portion of the lithium present to diffuse out of the crystal. Such diffusion, which is known to begin to occur at approximately 900.degree. C., causes light-absorbing color centers to form within the crystal. The light-absorbing properties of these centers dramatically limit the ability of such crystals to function properly in holographic applications, especially insofar as such color centers are known in the art to absorb light having a wavelength around 532 nanometers, which, for system reasons, is near-optimal with regard to recording holographic data.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an efficient, more thorough process for oxidizing iron-doped lithium niobate wherein the trivalent to divalent iron ion ratio is greatly enhanced. There is also a need in the art for a process for oxidizing iron-doped lithium niobate such that the iron ions present may be substantially oxidized from the divalent state to trivalent state that avoids the formation of unacceptable levels of lithium tri-niobate and further substantially minimizes the diffusion of lithium from the lithium niobate.

Process for oxidizing iron-doped lithium niobate


A physiological sensor having reduced sensitivity to interference includes a light source, a light detector in optical communication with the light source, and a sensor pad at least partially housing the light source and the light detector. The sensor pad is configured to be capacitively isolated from a patient. Moreover, the physiological sensor may be electrically connected to an amplifier having a signal ground and a monitor.

Physiological sensors are often used in medical applications to help doctors diagnose, monitor, and treat patients. Some physiological sensors use spectroscopy to provide valuable information about the patient's body tissue. Spectroscopy generally refers to the dispersion of light as it travels through a medium. A physiological sensor employing near-infrared spectroscopy may be used to detect characteristics of various body tissues by transmitting and receiving near-infrared light through the body tissue, and outputting a signal to a controller that provides valuable information about the body tissue. A doctor may use this information to diagnose, monitor, and treat the patient.
To measure the intensity of the light that travels inside the tissue, the near-infrared spectroscopy sensor may use one or more large area photodiodes mounted onto a flexible circuit board within a sensor pad. Because the photodiodes have a high equivalent resistance of the p-n junction, the sensor is very sensitive to the electromagnetic interference from other devices, such as electrosurgical equipment, electrocardiogram devices, or power supplies from medical or other electronic devices. One way to reduce the sensitivity of the near-infrared spectroscopy sensor to these other devices includes enclosing the photodiodes in a Faraday shield made from a copper mesh or plastic film covered by a transparent conductive material, such as iridium oxide. However, the Faraday shield is expensive, decreases the sensitivity of the photodiodes to the near-infrared light generated by the sensor, and reduces the flexibility of the sensor.
Accordingly, a sensor is needed that reduces or eliminates the effects of electronic devices without the added expense and/or decreased sensitivity in sensors employing the Faraday shield solution.

Physiological sensor having reduced sensitivity to interference


A blank for producing a formed dental part has closely toleranced reference faces being arranged at one end of a blank member lying opposite a retainer projection. The reference faces comprise two surfaces lying opposite one another that have a defined spacing from one another with close tolerances. The surfaces are advantageously formed by a reference part with a cylindrical cross section that is secured onto the blank member.

The present invention is directed to a blank for producing a formed dental part, which blank comprises a blank member of a tooth restoration material from which the formed part can be produced with a tool, a retaining projection for holding the blank member in the processing machine and a reference face having close tolerances for engagement by the tool for the purpose of calibration of the tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,678, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference thereto and which claims priority from the same Swiss Application as European Patent 0 160 797, discloses a blank, which can be machined or formed into a dental part. The blank is composed of the blank member of the tooth restoration material from which the actual dental part, such as an in lay, on lay, bridge or the like, can be produced and, in addition, has a retainer projection connected to the blank member. The purpose of the retainer projection is always to clamp the blank in an unambiguous position in the processing means or machine on the basis of a stop face and to be able to simultaneously exactly center the blank. To this end, the retainer projection contains at least one stop face for defining the angular position and, at its end face toward the blank member, a reference face that is arranged concentrically relative to the cylindrical axis and is exposed for the grinding tool and is cylindrical at least in sections. Within a narrow tolerance, the reference face has a predetermined, radial spacing from the axis of the retainer projection and serves the purpose of being able to define the position and critical dimensions of the processing tool, for example, the diameter of a grinding disk. This calibration, i.e., the definition of the reference point of the tool, occurs in that the tool is brought toward or, respectively, touches the calibration location with a small tolerance reference face before the beginning of the process.
In the known blank, the retainer projection must be very precisely fabricated in order to be able to adhere to the required position of xc2x10.01 mm. In terms of fabrication, thus, the retainer projection is of a high-quality part, so that simple manufacturing methods, such as, for example, injection molding, impact molding, die-casting, metal sintering or the like, therefore, do not come into consideration for the manufacture of the retainer.
The present invention is directed to an object of providing a blank wherein the retaining projection can be more economically produced, but the procession of the required reference or, respectively, touching faces can be enhanced given minimization of the manufacturing cost.
To obtain this object, the present invention is directed to a blank for producing a formed part that can be used for replacement or restoration of one or more teeth by removing material with at least one tool chucked in a processing machine, with the blank consisting of a blank member of the tooth restoration material from which the formed part can be worked with the tool, a retainer projection for holding the blank member in the processing machine being positioned at one end of the blank member, and a reference face being arranged at an end of the blank member opposite the retainer projection and containing at least two face elements or surfaces having a defined spacing from one another with a close tolerance.
In that the functions of retaining, on the one hand, and the touching of the reference faces, on the other hand, are separated from one another in the inventively manufactured blank, the retainer projection itself can be very cost-beneficially produced. That part on the end of the blank member lying opposite the retainer projection and containing the reference faces or surfaces, however, can also be comparatively cost-beneficially manufactured. The reference part can, thus, be advantageously cut to length from a rod material. Alternatively, a precision-fit pin or a roller bearing can be employed. The part can be put in place on the blank member without an exact positioning relative to the cylindrical axis of the retainer projection being necessary. As the simplest solution, it is proposed to provide a circular-cylindrical set part. However, it is conceivable and also lies within the framework of the invention to employ a cuboid or similarly-fashioned part. More than two surfaces can thus be potentially required for the calibration, given a lower symmetry of the set part.
The invention is based on the perception that the rotational axis of the processing machine is the only important reference quantity for the tool position and size. Differing from previous practice, the retainer projection need not be utilized for defining the size and position definition of the tool, which usually occurs by approaching or touching at least two reference faces having close tolerances, and this retainer projection need not be manufactured in a relatively complicated manner. On the contrary, a set part independent of the retainer projection suffices, and only this part needs to be constructed with close tolerances. This set part can then be secured to the blank member of the material without adhering to greater dimensional accuracy. Even though the set part need only comprise two reference faces lying opposite one another in the simplest case, with these faces or surfaces having a defined spacing from one another, it is expedient and advantageous to provide a cylindrical set part having a circular cross section. The position and critical dimensions of the processing tool, for example the exact current diameter of the grinding disk or, respectively, the spacing of the grinding disk or an end-milling cutter from the rotational axis of the processing machine, can thus be easily mathematically determined given the known spacing that the two reference surfaces have from one another.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, the drawings and claims.

Blank for producing a formed dental part


An electrostatic dissipative paint having a pigment. The pigment includes a composition according to the following formula:(Mg1−x,Znx)Ga2+yO4−δwherein the value of x is a value from about 0 to 1, y is a value from about 0 to 0.04 and δ is in the range of about 0 to about 0.03. An electrostatic dissipative coating system, a method for making an electrostatic dissipative coating, and a method for protecting a spacecraft is also disclosed.

Spacecraft are subjected to a wide range of thermal environments during service. For example, one side of the spacecraft may face in a direction away from the sun, while another side faces toward the sun. Thermal control is desirable because heat is radiated into space, which cools the spacecraft, but the spacecraft can simultaneously be heated intensively in direct sunlight.
Active and passive temperature control techniques are used to maintain the interior temperature of the spacecraft, which contains persons or sensitive instruments, within acceptable operating limits. Active temperature control may involve machinery or electrical devices, such as electrical heaters, electrical coolers, and heat pipes. In contrast, passive temperature controls are techniques that do not involve machinery or electrical devices, but may include thermal coatings or structural designs.
Specifically, one known approach to passive temperature control includes use of surface coatings, typically termed "paints", on the external surface of the spacecraft. A white paint, for example, has a low solar absorptance, while a black paint has a high solar absorptance. Selective application of such paints to various elements of the spacecraft exterior greatly aids in controlling its temperature.
In addition to passive temperature control, it is desirable for paint applied to the surface of spacecraft to dissipate electrostatic charges (i.e., provide electrostatic dissipation (ESD)) that may develop along the external surface of the spacecraft. The electrostatic charges may accumulate and cause arcing and possible damage to, or interference with, sensitive electronic equipment on or in the spacecraft. In order to dissipate electrostatic charge, the paint must have at least some electrical conductivity. Specifically, it is desirable that coatings capable of electrostatic dissipation (ESD) have a surface resistivity of less than about 109 ohms per square.
In addition to thermal control and ESD, paint for use on spacecraft and spacecraft components should exhibit additional characteristics for spacecraft applications. For example, the paint should be stable during long-term service in a space environment. The paint is desirably moderately tough and flexible so that it does not crack and flake away as it is flexed due to mechanical or thermal strains.
A number of white, electrostatic-dissipative paints are known for spacecraft use. One of the known paints includes an inorganic potassium silicate binder. The paint having the potassium silicate binder typically has a solar absorptance of from about 0.13 to about 0.15, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,693, whose disclosure is incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, it is desirable to have paints with lower solar absorptance. The lower the value of the solar absorptance, the lower the heating of the paint and thence the underlying substrate, in the intense heating of direct sunlight.
Known white thermal paints have high production costs. For example, doping of materials involves labor-intensive and expensive processes and expensive materials.
What is needed is an improved white thermal-control paint that is operable and stable in a space environment, which has a lower solar absorptance than available in existing paints, which has a lower operating temperature-limit than existing paints, which can manage electrostatic discharge (ESD) and can be manufactured inexpensively. In addition, it is desired to have an inorganic white thermal control coating which; a) minimizes space radiation degradation over time, b) minimizes the beginning of life (BOL) and the end of life (EOL) solar absorptance (α), c) maximizes the infrared emissivity (e), while at the same time d) maximizing the electrostatic dissipative (ESD) properties at low temperatures (below −65° C.). The present disclosure fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Low solar absorptance, high emissivity, inorganic electrostatic dissipative thermal control coating


A process for removing and recovering specific constituents from a waste stream at higher temperatures than the boiling point of the specific waste within a compound of chemicals and inert materials forming ninety-five (95%) percent of the waste stream in the United States. In the process, the waste is moved at a specified retention time, through a heat zone, thus increasing the temperature of the waste stream. There is further provided a means to separate certain components in that waste stream, whereby the components are vaporized and are released in a gaseous state, either from a liquid or a solid within the waste stream. The gaseous components are then transferred in the gaseous state through a flow of an inert medium, such as nitrogen gas, to inhibit combustion of the components, or to prevent the combination of oxidation, or oxygen being used as a catalyst to form even more hazardous compounds. The gaseous components then are released in a distilled state, which would otherwise be mixed with the waste, or an emulsion with the waste stream, containing a heavy metal such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, or some other type of heavy metal which may be a threat to the environment.

1. Field of the Invention
The process of the present invention relates to hazardous and non-hazardous waste. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for treating a waste stream containing hazardous and non-hazardous components, through increasing the temperature of the waste stream over a given period of time to desirable temperatures, through a plurality of heat phases in the system, so as to reduce the stream to a liquid and gaseous state, so that various components can be removed from the stream at particular temperatures, and may be condensed for reclamation.
2. General Background
Various industries, through their operation, produce waste stream from materials utilized in the industry. Therefore, there is an ever-increasing problem of the treatment of these waste streams in order to properly dispose of components which are harmful to the environment, and in order to recover components which may be useful when recovered. The Environmental Protection Agency, through their guidelines, have characterized waste as either hazardous waste or non-hazardous waste.
For example, in the field of refining oil and natural gas, as well as the condensate, which is recovered during the process of refining the waste stream, there are certain components of the waste stream which can not be refined or processed, and which are then destined for discard and disposal and may cause possible environment problems in the future due to the process of leaking into the water table adjacent the pits. In fact, most petro-chemical waste involved heavily ladened volatile organic compounds (or oil), which exist in emulsions with the inert earth, water, and other chemical compounds which become hazardous to the environment particularly from emissions through evaporation or from leakage into soil and ultimately going into ground water (drinking water)
Heretofore, there has not been a process which could properly process a waste stream, wherein the stream is subjected to various degrees of heat, over certain period of times, so that all the hazardous hydrocarbon components in the stream are volatilized at particular temperatures, and may then be recondensed into a recoverable and reusable component, or may be confined as a hazardous material which must otherwise be placed in storage and removed as a source of harm to the environment. The process of the present invention addresses a new and improved method of management of such diverse waste streams, and solves the problems that are being confronted in the present state of the art.
It is known in the art that there is provided a conveyor system for moving oil well cuttings through a chamber wherein the cuttings are fired by flames in order to drive them into the ashen state and thus be removed as dry cuttings or dry waste. The shortcoming of this particular apparatus is that when the open flame or oxidation occurs near the cite of a borehole, in the case of oilfield wastes, it creates an extremely hazardous situation. Furthermore, and perhaps even worse, the oxidation process can actually serve as a catalyst to form chemical compounds, thus not in-line with the separation process in reducing the waste, but in line with a now rejoining process of chemical catalyst of oxidation during the process of oxidizing (i.e., incineration process).
Several patents have been granted to the present inventor, which cover the incineration of oil well cuttings. The purpose for citing these patents is to point out current technology which can be utilized by the process of the present invention in serving as the means to provide the multi-phase heat required to thermally distill a diverse waste stream. However, although the aforesaid patents are directed to oil and gas wastes (containing hazardous constituents), the process of the present invention addresses a waste stream having hazardous and non-hazardous components in the stream, and may or may not contain hydrocarbons in the waste stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,283, entitled "A System For Extracting Contaminants And Hydrocarbons From Cutting Waste In Oil Well Drilling", relates to the distillation of oil well cuttings through the use of laterally disposed augers where the cuttings are processed prior to being opened into waste containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,301, entitled "A System For Extracting Contaminants And Hydrocarbons From Cutting Waste In Oil Well Drilling", also relates to an improvement of the process in the '283 patent, in that the gas released from the heating process is passed through a heat exchanger, in order to recondense some of the gaseous waste, rather than release the waste to atmosphere.
However, as stated earlier, it is suggested that the systems used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,283, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,301, can additionally be used for refining, production, and transportation of wastes in various industries. Due to increased technological advancements, which are recited as follows, the technology can now be utilized to separate hazardous waste being classified under the Superfund by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and to reduce the actual waste, thereby making it economical and more feasible to manage.

Process for recovery and treatment of a diverse waste stream


A check valve comprising a poppet urged by a conical spring to annularly seal uniformly around its entire periphery to assure more uniform cracking pressure about its entire periphery. The cracking pressure may be adjusted by means of an adjustable plate which reduces the length of the conical spring and thereby increase the amount of force exerted by the spring onto the poppet into sealing engagement, thereby increasing the cracking pressure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to check valves. More particularly, this invention relates to check valves having presettable and adjustable cracking pressures.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently, there exist many types of check valves designed to allow the flow of a fluid such as a gas in one direction but to block or "check" the flow of the fluid in the opposite direction. The amount of fluid force required to open the poppet of the valve in the un-checked direction is often referred to as the cracking pressure. Typically, the cracking pressure of a check valve is determined by the spring constant of the internal spring which constantly urges the poppet into a sealing position until unseated therefrom once the cracking pressure is attained.
A predetermined cracking pressure of a check valve is desired when check valves are used in conjunction with inflatable articles such as life vests and life rafts. Specifically, a check valve having a predetermined cracking pressure allows the inflatable to be inflated by means of a gas cartridge or the like to assure that the inflatable is inflated to a preset internal pressure. Thus, by allowing excess gas to be exhausted, over-capacity gas cartridges can be employed to inflate the inflatable to ensure that the inflatable is fully inflated to a preset internal pressure in all environments.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the oral inflation art.
Another object of this invention is to provide a check valve having an increased flow rate.
Another object of this invention is to provide a check valve having a structure composed of a minimal number of parts to increase its reliability while decreasing cost of manufacture and assembly.
Another object of this invention is to provide a check valve having a design that equalizes the sealing force of the poppet around its entire periphery to assure that the check valve is cracked uniformly about the periphery of the poppet.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


The invention concerns a method and an apparatus for determining the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid, where the following measures are proposed: providing a layered test element (12) including an enzyme-based chemistry layer which is responsive to the analyte by a color change, applying a sample of the body fluid onto the test element (12), detecting by means of a photometric reflectance measuring device (16) a reflectance value of the test element (12), correcting the measured reflectance value by a predetermined offset value attributed to the test element (12), determining a concentration value of the analyte using the offset-corrected reflectance value.

The document EP-A 2 618 160 discloses a test procedure using analytical test fields on a test tape, wherein a control value is determined from a from a time-variant change of measurement signals on the test field that is provided for sample liquid application, and wherein the measurement is discarded as erroneous when the control value falls below a preset threshold. In this context, it is proposed to determine the glucose concentration from a relative remission value that is calculated as a quotient of an end value of the reflectance and an initial dry value. In order to account for a signal offset of the device, which is independent of the test field, a calibration measurement on a black field is further proposed. However, this does not account for the influence of ambient conditions, e.g. high temperatures and humidity during storage of the test material. In this connection, it was only proposed to implement a failsafe against false interpretation of sample application.

Method and apparatus for determining the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid