Build plates for additive manufacturing systems are disclosed. The build plates of the additive manufacturing systems may include a body including a build surface, and a bottom surface positioned opposite the build surface. The build plates may also include a first conduit formed through the body and extending between the build surface and the bottom surface. The first conduit may be configured to be in fluid communication with a first aperture formed through a surface of a first component that may be built on the build surface of the body of the build plates.

The disclosure relates generally to additive manufacturing systems, and more particularly, to build plates including conduits for removing material positioned within channels formed through components built on the build plates and methods of building components on the build plates.
Components or parts for various machines and mechanical systems may be built using additive manufacturing systems. Additive manufacturing systems may build such components by continuously layering powder material in predetermined areas and performing a material transformation process, such as sintering or melting, on the powder material. The material transformation process may alter the physical state of the powder material from a granular composition to a solid material to build the component. The components built using the additive manufacturing systems have nearly identical physical attributes as conventional components typically made by performing machining processes on stock material.
Conventional additive manufacturing systems build components on large, solid build plates. These conventional build plates are often made of two inches (or more) of solid metal, for example stainless steel. While suitable for some components, the solid material forming the conventional build plates may make manufacturing components with unique features difficult. For example, some components manufactured on conventional build plates include channels formed therein. Some of these channels may include one aperture formed on and/or disposed through a surface that may contact, be built directly on and/or be obstructed by the conventional, solid build plate. As a result, the channel of the component that may be obstructed by the solid, conventional build plate may not be capable of being cleared of unsintered material, particles and/or debris before undergoing post-processes, such as polishing, coating and/or heat treatment. The inability to clear the channels formed in the component from unsintered material, particles and/or debris may result in undesirable build effects on the component after performing post-processes. For example, the unsintered material, particles and/or debris that may remain within the channels may become sintered when performing the post-processes on the component, which may result in partial or complete blockage of the channel within the component. Blockage of the channel may adversely affect the intended functionality and/or operation of the component built on the conventional build plate.
In another example, the component including the internal channel may also be built to include an aperture formed through an exposed surface of the component to provide access to the channel. While this may increase access to the internal channel of the component, and in turn improve the ability to clear the channel of unsintered material, particles and/or debris, the number of components that may be built on a single build plate may be reduced. Specifically, to provide adequate access to the aperture formed on the exposed surface of the component, the components built on the build plate need to be separated a distance to allow for a device capable of clearing the channels of unsintered material (e.g., air gun) to access each aperture. As a result, fewer components may be built on the build plate during a single build process. This in turn increases the cost and time for building the components that include internal channels using additive manufacturing.

Build plates including conduits for additive manufacturing systems and methods of building components on build plates


An electro-optical aerosol characterizing system includes a continuous wave laser for generating two beams in the red wavelength range, intersecting a particle stream at slightly spaced apart locations. A pulsed UV laser generates a beam that intersects the particle stream at a third location downstream. Laser energy scattered by each particle as it passes the first two locations, is used to compute aerodynamic sizes and UV laser pulsing times, so that in each case the UV beam irradiates the particle at the downstream location. Particles containing biological materials or other fluorescing components emit fluorescence signals in response to the irradiation. Accordingly, the system provides information about particle composition as well as particle size.

The present invention relates to instruments and processes for analyzing aerosol particles, and more particularly to apparatus for characterizing the particles as to their size and the presence of biological components.
Aerosols composed of biological particles comprise a small fraction of the aerosols present in our atmosphere. Nonetheless, there is an increasing interest in analyzing biological aerosols, which can incorporate bacteria, fungi and pollens. Certain diseases, for example, tuberculosis, influenza and pneumonia, are transmitted via airborne particles or droplets. Diseases that affect livestock and other farm animals, (e.g. anthrax and brucellosis) and diseases that affect crops, likewise are transmitted through the air. Airborne pollens cause allergic reactions in humans. The Persian Gulf War, and recent news reports about individuals in possession of anthrax, have galvanized public concerns over biological warfare and the potential for terroristic release of airborne biological contaminants. The study of airborne fungi, pollen and other components is now recognized as a key concern in the control of indoor environments, e.g. office buildings. Thus, it is not surprising to see the study of biological aerosols playing an increasing role in such diverse areas as epidemiology and other medical fields, agriculture, building management and defense.
A variety of devices have been used to detect and identify airborne biological particles, e.g. pollen traps, impingers, impactors, and cyclones that collect particles for subsequent identification. These methods fail to deliver real time results, and are time consuming and labor intensive, particularly in cases that require growing bacteria.
Similarly, a variety of particle sizing methods and systems are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,561,515 (Hairston, et al), assigned to the assignee of the present application, discloses an instrument for measuring the aerodynamic size of particles in the micron and submicron ranges. Particles in series are accelerated through a nozzle, and upon exiting the nozzle encounter two relatively long wavelength (red or infrared) laser beams. Aerodynamic size is determined based on a time-of-flight measurement, i.e. the transit time of each particle from the first beam to the next. Transit time is measured by detecting light scattered by the particle as it travels through both beams. A partial overlapping of the beams is used advantageously to reject any erroneous readings from single-trigger or coincidence events.
It has been found that biological cells contain fluorescent molecules, e.g. flavins, amino acids and nicotinamide adenine nucleotides, and thus emit fluorescent signals when exposed to excitation energy within a range of excitation frequencies. With this in mind, U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,012 (Ho) discloses a device for determining aerodynamic sizes, and subjecting the particles in sequence to ultraviolet laser light, then detecting any fluorescence. The ultraviolet laser is operated in the CW (continuous wave) mode, so that excitation occurs as particles reach that part of the particle path intersected by the UV laser. A similar technique is discussed in an article by Pinnick et al entitled "Fluorescence Particle Counter for Detecting Airborne Bacteria and Other Biological Particles", Aerosol Science and Technology, Volume 23, pp. 653-664 (1995). The continuous application of laser energy avoids the need to time individual particles for timing a pulsed UV laser. At the same time, it is difficult to maintain continuous lasers at the high power levels necessary to achieve the particle irradiation energy needed to trigger readily detectable fluorescent emissions. Moreover, continuous lasers maintained at any power are inefficient in this application, given that the system requires only intermittent irradiation.
Another approach, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,752 (Prather), involves determining aerodynamic size and chemical composition of particles. A stream of particles is drawn through a vacuum device with several stages separated by skimmers. Each particle is accelerated to a speed inversely related to its aerodynamic size, then remains substantially at that speed as it moves through two spaced apart beams. The travel time from one beam to the next yields a timing signal used to fire a high intensity laser downstream of the velocity measuring beams. The high intensity laser desorbs the particles and ionizes their molecule. The ions are then subjected to mass spectrometry.
Although measuring the particles at constant velocities affords relative simplicity in timing the downstream laser, the constant velocities are attainable only in a near vacuum (typically 10.sup.-6 to 10.sup.-7 torr), which requires high powered vacuum pump and inlet skimmers. A high intensity laser is required to free molecular ions from the particles. The mass spectrometry stage requires significant additional hardware for post irradiation analysis, including electrically charged ion accelerating plates, a flight tube for ion separation, and an ion detector. The travel of ions through the flight tube takes on the order of hundreds of microseconds, and thus limits the rate at which particles can be measured.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system capable of generating real time information about particle size and composition, using a relatively low power, pulsed laser or other source of excitation energy.
Another object is to provide an aerosol analysis system in which time-of-flight measurements, taken individually during particle accelerations are rapidly converted into timing information used to intermittently generate excitation energy.
A further object is to provide, in a system for generating aerodynamic size information based on scattered light and particle composition information based on induced particle emissions, a detecting arrangement with improved sensitivity to scattered light and emitted signals.
Yet another object is to provide a process that combines relatively low energy lasers for time-of-flight measurements and excitation of particles with fluorescent components, with enhanced sensitivity for detecting scattered and emitted energy, to generate more reliable real time particle size and composition information.

System for detecting fluorescing components in aerosols


A capacitive sensor for measuring a dynamical quantity based on a change in capacitance has a semiconductor substrate having a weight supported by beams so as to undergo displacement according to the dynamical quantity. The semiconductor substrate is sandwiched between glass substrates on which fixed electrodes are disposed in a position facing the weight with minute gaps existing between the glass substrates and the weight. A substrate electrode is disposed on one of the glass substrates and contacts a part of the semiconductor substrate. A recess having a size equal to or larger than a contact area in which the semiconductor substrate contacts the substrate electrode is formed in the semiconductor substrate, and a contact electrode is disposed in the recess in contact with the substrate electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a capacitive sensor for dynamical quantity for detecting a dynamical physical quantity such as acceleration and angular velocity as a capacitance change and more particularly to a capacitive dynamical quantity sensor which is manufactured through a semiconductor manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there has been known an electrostatic capacitive dynamical quantity sensor which has a weight that shifts according to the magnitude of externally applied acceleration or angular velocity, and a beam for supporting the weight formed within a semiconductor substrate, and which serves to detect a change in electrostatic capacitance generated between a movable electrode including the weight and a fixed electrode formed at a minute distance from the movable electrode (refer to JP 8-94666 A, for example). FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the conventional electrostatic capacitive dynamical quantity sensor. In this sensor, weights 91 and beams 92 are formed within a semiconductor substrate 93 through a fine patterning process, and are sealed from both sides by joining an upper substrate 94 and a lower substrate 95. In such an electrostatic capacitive dynamical quantity sensor, in order to have the weight to work as a movable electrode, a part of fixed electrodes 98 has a contact to the semiconductor substrate 93 to control the electrical potential of the weight 91. FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate contact portion. A part of the fixed electrode 98 laminated on a glass substrate 95 is formed so as to extend to a joint area between the glass substrate 95 and the semiconductor substrate 93, and is brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate 93 through the joining. The provision of a contact portion 99 makes it possible to control the electrical potential of the weight 91 formed within the semiconductor substrate 93 (refer to JP 8-94666 A, for example).
The conventional electrostatic capacitive dynamical quantity sensor, however, involves the following problems.
As shown in FIG. 10, an area 100 in which the glass substrate 95 does not contact with the semiconductor substrate 93 is generated in the periphery of the contact portion 99 due to a thickness of the fixed electrode 98 to cause the serious joint failure. This joint failure causes air leakage and the like to degrade the reliability of the device. In addition, it is possible to prevent the reliability degradation by designing a larger joint area in advance to avoid joint failure in the periphery of the contact portion, yet the chip size becomes larger to lead to a higher cost.

Capacitive sensor for dynamical quantity


The invention relates to compositions and methods of treatment using an iron chelator, an antioxidant, estrogen, and/or combinations thereof, optionally, linked to a nanoparticle, to treat a subject in need thereof. The compositions and methods may be used to restore or protect the normal functions of osteoblast and osteoclast by depleting iron and inhibiting oxidative damage. The compositions and methods may also be used to increase the bone formation rate in a subject.

Iron is an essential nutrient for virtually all cells, including mammalian cells, but iron is a double-edge sword. Iron is an essential element for oxygen transport and numerous biochemical reactions, including oxidation/reduction activity. Excess iron is toxic, causing cellular dysfunction, presumably due to the generation of highly toxic free radicals that can damage all molecular classes found in vivo. Therefore, proper iron regulation is crucial for the health of a subject, including a mammal, such as a human.
Iron produces free radicals, which are highly reactive atoms or groups of atoms that have one or more unpaired electrons. This free radical damage has long been believed to be a risk factor for the degenerative processes that accompany aging in a variety of animal species ranging from insects to humans. These include Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, coronary vascular diseases, inflammation and inflammatory disease and other diseases.1-4 The significant increases are also suggested, albeit controversially, to pose a risk for several chronic diseases, including, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance syndrome, atherosclerosis, and aging.5-13
Because of the long retention time of iron (half life of about 5.5 years), and the lack of a major mechanism of iron excretion in human body, iron accumulation in tissues is a characteristic of aging organisms, despite the fact that some studies show almost no change in the iron concentrations in healthy male livers associated with aging.14-16 Stored body iron, for example, as estimated by serum ferritin (SF) measurement, increases rapidly after menopause in women and adolescence in men. The increase continues with age and reaches a plateau in about the sixth decade of life. In postmenopausal women, the mean level of storage iron, as reflected by SF concentrations, is 106.3 ng/mL, more than twice that in premenopausal women with 43.0 ng/mL.17 As will be recognized, postmenopausal osteoporosis is a disease that correlates with the increased mean level of storage iron.
Iron accumulation is also found in adult men, where the mean concentration of serum ferritin (SF) is 121 ng/mL, while males aged from 5 to 19 have a concentration of around 20 to 30 ng/mL.
Therefore, free radical formation may play a role in many diseases. For example, Alzheimer's diseasse, Parkinson's disease, coronary vascular diseases, inflammation and inflammatory disease, heart disease, cancer, diabetes metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance syndrome, atherosclerosis, and aging.
While the relationship between free radical formation and diseases in skeletal tissues in situ is poorly understood, studies are also beginning to show a connection between free radical damage and skeletal diseases, such as osteoporosis. For instance, a mitochrondrial DNA deletion has been associated with systemic oxidative stress and severe osteoporosis in human males.18 Furthermore, antioxidant administration (e.g., vitamin E or citrus flavonoid) increases the bone mass of animals.19,20
With the widespread and diverse implications for iron accumulation in vivo, there is a need in the art for treatments that may reduce, prevent or treat disease commonly associated with increased iron concentrations. Two examples of such diseases are osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis is a disease in which bones lose strength leading to an increased risk of fracture. One in two women over age 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lives. Moreover, in the United States there are millions of women who have osteopenia, placing them at increased risk for postmenopausal osteoporosis. This disease has presented a big health problem not only for the United States, but also worldwide because approximately 200 million women suffer from this disease and it is increasing in significance as the population of the world both grows and ages. Also, postmenopausal osteoporosis and associated fractures put a heavy economic burden on society because of disability, decreased quality of life, and mortality. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, annual direct medical costs to treat 2.3 million osteoporosis fractures in Europe and in the United States of America are about $27 billion.
Furthermore, the lifetime risk of dying from osteoporotic hip fractures alone (about 20% of all osteoporotic fractures (NIH)) is the same as that of dying from breast cancer, and the risk of osteoporosis is greater than breast, cervical and endometrial cancer combined.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative, and irreversible brain disorder that is ultimately fatal. It is the most common form of dementia among people age 65 and older.21 Currently, about 4 million Americans suffer with the disease and approximately 360,000 new cases will occur each year. AD presents a big health problem, not only for the USA, but also worldwide, because of its enormous impact on individuals, families, the health care system, and society as a whole. The annual national cost of caring for AD patients has been estimated to be over $100 billion. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for AD at the present time.
Presently only acetylcholinesterase inhibiting drugs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of AD in the US; they are Aricept (donepezil), Cognex (tacrine), Rivastigmine (Exelon), and Galantamine (Reminyl, also acting as an allosterically potentiating ligand on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors).21-23 Although treatment with these drugs provides symptomatic improvements or delays in the progression of cognitive, behavioral, and functional deficits, it does not stop or reverse the progression of AD.
Other methods of treatment that have received some attention include anti-inflammatory drugs18, antioxidants24, estrogen, and nerve growth factor.21 Therefore, there remains a strong need in the art for additional treatment methods.
Accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that oxidative stress generated by various mechanisms may be among the major intermediary risk factors that initiate and promote neurodegeneration in AD.25-28 Many reports show that the metabolism of iron is involved in AD and that the concentration of iron in the brain of AD patients is elevated.29 Smith et al. studied the distribution of iron in the brain of AD patients using various histochemical methods and observed that the iron distribution matched the distribution of senile plaques (SP) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), the two hallmark pathologies of AD.8,10 Aluminum (Al) has also been shown to accumulate in the central nervous system and modulate the formation and deposition of Aβ in the brain [161]. Al, unlike transition metal ions, is unable to redox cycle in electron transfer reactions due to a fixed oxidation state of 3+ in biological systems, but growing evidence suggests that it can act synergistically with iron to increase free radical damage.30 Strong evidence also shows that other metals are implicated in the development of AD, including, but not limited to, copper and zinc.31-38
Overall, these studies indicate that the environment in the brain in AD, due to imbalances of several metal elements has the potential of catalyzing and stimulating free radical formation and enhancing neuron degeneration.
The elevated concentration of so many metals has previously looked too complex to be dealt with. However, the invention provides a unique opportunity for chelation therapy for the treatment of numerous diseases, including, but not limited to, AD and osteoporosis.


A system and method for platform independent LOS visual information transmission is disclosed. A transmitter consists of a series of sequential images that are stacked together to form frames in a video transmission. Each image is modulated spatially, by color, and by intensity. The data is transmitted over an LOS visual channel. The receiver first captures each individual image from the received video, and then demodulates each image in the three areas it was modulated spatially, by color, and by intensity. LOS visual information transmission allows for secure data transfer and reduces interference from other applications.

As technology continues to reduce the size of electronic devices and make them more capable of performing multiple tasks, various forms of information transmission are finding their way into an increasing number of products and applications as disclosed in J. Boone, et al., "Wireless Technology Will Improve Life Quality," on a GroupT my statement blog, 2011; M. Kolberg, M. Merabti, S. Moyer, "Trends in Consumer Communications: More Services and Media, Less Wires," in IEEE Communications Magazine: June 2010; and A. Goldsmith, "Wireless Communications," Cambridge University Press., 2005.
In conjunction with this increase, the amount of available unlicensed wireless spectrum continues to shrink and the unlicensed bands are becoming more as disclosed in J. D, Watson, et al., "Simulation and Analysis of Extended Brake Lights for Inter-Vehicle Communication Networks," in Distributed Computing Systems Workshops 2007, 2007, Given the plethora of different standards and applications for these wireless technologies, electromagnetic (EM) interference from other users or protocols poses a serious risk. Furthermore, with an increasing number of wireless communication applications being implemented, the security of the transmitted data is rapidly becoming a serious concern for those trying to protect personal or sensitive information as seen in S. Bar-On, "Hi-Tech Heist," on CBS News and online at cbsnews.com, 2009 and A. Greenberg, "Hacker's Demo Shows How Easily Credit Cards Can Be Read Through Clothes And Wallets," 2012.
To address some of these problems, a new field of information transmission via visual communications has been emerging, where information is transmitted using the visual light spectrum. By using the visual light spectrum, spectrum licensing is no longer an issue. Additionally, interference from other users is drastically reduced over similar systems, due to the LOS visual channel that is used in such a system. This is a desirable feature for any form of information transmission for applications such as commercial transactions, surveillance/national defense and medical/health networks.
Research into visual communication offers the potential to solve some of the aforementioned issues, as shown in T. D. C. Little et al., "Using LED Lighting for Ubiquitous Indoor Wireless Networking," in IEEE International Conference on Wireless and Mobile. Computing, Networking and Communication, 2008; M. Wada et al., "Road-to-Vehicle Communication Using LED Traffic Light," in IEEE Intelligent Vehicles Symposium, 2005; and J. D. Watson, et al., "Simulation and Analysis of Extended Brake Lights for Inter-Vehicle Communication Networks," in Distributed Computing Systems Workshops 2007.
Direct visual communications through the use of imaging systems are also becoming more popular. Limited throughput information transmission systems have emerged from the widely deployed camera imaging systems built within mobile devices. Furthermore, limited amounts of data can now be transferred by (Quick Response) QR codes and 2D barcodes as disclosed in ISO. See Automatic identification and data capture techniques, QR code 2005 bar code symbology specification, ISO/IEC 18004:2006, 2006 and Automatic identification and data capture techniques, Data Matrix bar code symbology specification, ISO/IEC 16022:2006.
Expanding visual communications to leverage video imaging systems is something that is beginning to be explored as disclosed in S. Hranilovic, Kschischang, "A Pixelated MIMO Wireless Optical Communication System," in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 12, No. 4, 2006; A. Ashok, et al., "Characterizing Multiplexing and Diversity in Visual MIMO," in 45th Annual Conference on Information Sciences and Systems (CISS): 2011, 2011; and S. D. Perli, "Pixnet: Designing interference-free Wireless Links using LCD-Camera Pairs," submitted to Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010.
Video communication systems sequentially process stacks of images in order to make up frames of a video that can transmit far more data. For instance, the pixilated MIMO method employs a digital camera to receive a video stack of pixilated images from a computer screen with a focus primarily on the channel used in such communications. Similar work, a concept called "Visual MIMO", expanded the general approach presented in by noting that, most of the distortion in such a system would not come from the channel, but instead from the perspective distortions in the receiver. Further work in the development of a system called Pixnet looked into a similar approach of using LCD screens as a transmitter and cameras as receivers with the focus on trying to maximize throughput, while mitigating distortions and losses due to multi-meter distances and off center viewing angles.
These research activities demonstrate the capabilities of visual information transmission systems and present potential uses for them, but are limited to the hardware that can be used in such a system. With video cameras built into most mobile electronic devices, the viability of turning any of these devices into a visual communications receiver with only a software package has yet to be investigated. Furthermore, these devices as well as many other devices have a digital screen to display graphics, making many devices candidates for transmitters. Much of the analysis into the transmission distance and reception area explored in previous research efforts can also be mitigated by requiring closer range communication between devices, similar to the requirements of QR codes.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved method and system for visible LOS communications.

Visual communications system employing video imagery

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A door hole cover for covering a hole in a door has two substantially flat cover plates that are secured to opposite sides of the door for covering the door hole. The first cover plate has an attachment tube extending from the center of its inner surface such that the attachment tube is positioned inside the door hole during assembly. A centering disk is placed over the attachment tube and held in place by a retainer clip. A fastener fits through a hole in the second cover plate and engages an internally threaded hole in the attachment tube to secure the first and second cover plates to the door in a position covering the door hole. The centering disk inside the door hole substantially prevents movement of the cover plates in a plane that is parallel with respect to the door. The centering plate may include three removable tabs that are left in place to cover relatively large door holes, but may be removed to cover smaller door holes.

The present invention relates to devices for covering holes in doors and, more specifically, to a door hole cover for covering a door hole after a door lock or the like has been removed from the door.
To install a dead bolt lock or a door knob in a door, a circular hole usually is drilled through the door. Later, when the lock or knob is no longer necessary or desired, a hole is left in the door if the lock or knob is removed from the door. For aesthetic and security reasons, so-called door hole covers have been developed to cover the hole left in a door after removal of a lock or knob. One type of door hole cover consists of two circular cover plates, one placed on each side of the door, which are clamped against the door and over the door hole by a screw passing through the door hole. These cover plates typically have small dimples near the outer edges of the plates that contact the door to help maintain the cover plates in frictional contact against the inside and outside surfaces of the door.
Door hole covers of the type described above, however, have suffered from several known disadvantages. For example, if the screw loosens, the cover plates will lose their frictional contact with the door and the plates will drop downward with respect to the door hole. In many instances, the screw will fall to the bottom of the door hole leaving the door hole only partially covered by the plates. In addition, temperature and humidity variations in some environments will cause the door to expand and contract. If such expansion and contraction is sufficient, the frictional contact between the door and the cover plates will be lost over time and the door hole cover will drop.
Another significant drawback associated with the door hole cover described above concerns the susceptability of the plates to tampering by a burglar or intruder. For example, a burglar may pry between one of the cover plates and the door to bend the cover plate so that it is no longer in frictional contact against the door surface, causing the door hole cover to drop downward in the door hole. In addition, a burglar may hammer against the edge of the cover plate, forcing the door hole cover toward the bottom of the hole. In either instance, the hole in the door can be exposed for further tampering and opportunity for unwanted entry.
Hence, not only is the partially covered hole aesthetically undesirable, but it also allows the potential for access through the door permitting possible tampering or entry. Thus, for security reasons it is very desirable to prevent the door hole cover from dropping in the door hole when subjected to forced entry attempts, loosened screws or variations in temperature or humidity.
In addition, it is known that door hole size varies depending upon the type of hardware installed in the door. For example, the door hole for a dead bolt lock is sometimes smaller than the hole for a door knob. Typically, different sized cover plates are used for each different sized hole. Using different sized cover plates requires that several different sized hole covers be manufactured and kept in stock. However, this undesirably increases manufacturing and administrative costs.
Accordingly, there has existed a definite need for a door hole cover that reliably covers a door hole and that can be used to cover several different sized door holes. The present invention satisfies these needs and provides further related advantages.


Plurality of crystalline, surface modified tin oxide nanoparticles, wherein the particles have a largest dimension up to 20 nm, and wherein the surface modifier comprises at least one of an organic carboxylic acid or anion thereof, including a dispersion comprising the crystalline, surface modified tin oxide nanoparticles and methods to make the same. The crystalline surface modified doped tin oxide nanoparticles are useful, for example, for preparing transparent electrodes, heat mirrors and energy storage devices.

Tin oxide (SnO2) is known to be useful for gas sensor applications due to its relatively high gas sensitivity, good stability, and low cost. Crystallite size, microstructure, and surface modification (noble metal loading) play a role in the gas-sensing properties of SnO2. Among these, decreasing the crystalline size of SnO2 is quite effective in improving its gas sensitivity. Tin oxide grains contained in gas sensors typically are <20 nm and stable from thermal growth during the sensing operation at elevated temperatures (300° C.-600° C.). These requirements have been met for sensor devices of the sintered block or thick-film types. Thin film tin oxide sensor fabrication by spin-coating or dip-coating from a colloidal suspension, or sol, of tin oxide has provided films with higher sensitivity and stability.
Doping of tin dioxide with other metal ions results in electronic materials with several desirable properties. One of the most prominent of the doped Tin dioxide materials is antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO). The introduction of antimony (Sb) into the tin oxide lattice is reported to greatly increase the electron conductivity, which renders this material useful as an excellent conductive agent. ATO is transparent throughout the visible region, but reflects/absorbs infrared light. These features make the ATO useful, for example, as transparent electrodes, heat mirrors, and energy storage devices. Surface modified ATO nanoparticles can be combined with a variety of polymeric resins to create optically clear nanocomposites film or laminates which are heat shielding. Nanoparticulate ATO has also been used as electrochromic material for the production of printed displays and anode material in lithium-ion batteries. In addition, ATO has applications in nuclear waste management and is a good catalyst for olefin oxidation.
Tantalum and niobium doped tin dioxide materials display nonlinear electrical properties and are useful as varistor materials.
The preparation of doped tin oxide nanoparticles with different shape, size, conductivity, and degree of agglomeration has been addressed by a large variety of techniques. Top-down milling process of agglomerated nanopowders of doped or undoped tin oxide are energy and time intensive and generating nanoparticles <50 nm is difficult to achieve. Smaller particle size of the nanoparticle can improve the optical clarity and decrease the haze of the final product.
Chemical methods in general can provide nanoparticles with smaller size in form of stable dispersions than the physical methods. The sol-gel, polymeric precursor, and co-precipitation techniques mostly provide either large particles or nanoparticle agglomerates. Calcination steps involved in some of these processes accelerate growth and agglomeration of obtained particle. Much better control over the growth of doped tin oxide particles has been achieved by hydrothermal and solvothermal techniques.
The hydrothermal method does not need a calcination process, and the dispersibility of the particles is greatly improved. The starting materials used in the hydrothermal methods are often soluble metal chloride, nitrate or sulfate salts. In the case of tin SnCl4, SnCl4.5H2O, SnCl2, or SnCl2.2H2O, are commonly used halide precursors where as for antimony SbCl3 and SbCl5 are used. Chlorine has been known to get adsorbed on tin hydroxide and is very difficult to remove, and large amount of product is lost during the repeated washing. The residual chlorine ions also affect the surface and electrical properties. In addition these salts are also corrosive and precautions are needed to avoid contamination or corrosion of stainless steel reactors. New synthetic processes involving benign precursors would be desirable for improving the yield and quality of doped and undoped tin oxide nanoparticles. Dispersions of the nanoparticles instead of agglomerated powders could also decrease post-synthesis processes needed to include them in nanocomposites.
There is a need for a process to prepare doped and undoped tin oxide nanoparticles as a stable dispersion with primary particle sizes <20 nm without the limitation of known processes.

Tin dioxide nanopartcles and method for making the same


A combination catalytic converter and heat exchanger unit that controls the temperature of one or more catalytic converters within their efficient conversion operating temperature ranges. The unit includes a plurality of spaced apart tubes through which the exhaust emissions flow through the unit. Each of the plurality of tubes includes a substrate on which is formed a catalyst that reduces or eliminates harmful by-products in the exhaust emissions. A cooling system, such as a fan, forces a cooling fluid, such as air, around the tubes to cool the catalyst to be within its efficient operating temperature range. The tubes have a suitable diameter that allows the center of the tubes to be effectively cooled. The speed of the fan is controlled to variably adjust the temperature of the exhaust emissions in response to various input data, such as the temperature of the exhaust emissions at different locations in the exhaust path, engine speed and load, and the type of catalyst being used. The plurality of tubes can incorporate two or more catalysts that have different operating ranges so as to control the effectiveness of the conversion for increased efficiency and reduction of energy consumption. It is also possible to provide supplemental electrical heat to the plurality of tubes to extend the duration whereby the catalytic converter is operating within its efficient conversion window.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for controlling the temperature of exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a system that uses a heat exchanger for controlling the temperature of the exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine delivered to a catalytic converter so as to increase the conversion of NOx pollutants by a catalyst to harmless by-products.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
There is increasing interest in diesel engines and other lean-bum engines for automotive application because of their inherently higher efficiency and lower carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) emissions relative to a conventional gasoline engine. In general, all internal combustion engines which bum various fuels, such as diesel and gasoline, with air, typically produce undesirable exhaust emissions and particles which may be harmful to the environment. These by-products of the combustion process include unburnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen monoxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO.sub.2), soot particles, reactive organic gasses, etc. In view of these environmental concerns, most modem vehicles are equipped with an exhaust system having a catalytic converter which functions to reduce or significantly eliminate such exhaust gas pollutants.
Nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, generally referred to in the industry as NOx, are considered to be the most difficult exhaust emissions to reduce or eliminate. This is especially true in lean-bum engines, such as diesel engines, two-stroke engines, lean-bum gasoline engines, etc., because these types of engines use excess air to bum the fuel. It is difficult to eliminate NOx emissions in the presence of air, and in order to reduce the NOx emissions, it is necessary to convert the NOx pollutants to harmless by-products using a lean NOx catalyst positioned in the exhaust path.
The use of a Lean NOx catalyst to convert NOx exhaust emissions from internal combustion engines into harmless by-products is well understood. Typically, the catalyst is provided within a catalytic converter positioned in the exhaust path such that the exhaust gasses are forced through and around the catalyst. Unfortunately, a problem exists with known lean NOx catalysts which reduces their ability to convert the NOx pollutants. Unlike conventional three way catalysts used in conventional gasoline engines, a lean NOx catalyst works most effectively within a specific, and somewhat narrow, operating temperature range. For example, the catalyst platinum-alumina is only effective to convert NOx emissions when its temperature ranges between 180-220.degree. C. Similarly, the catalyst copper zeolite is only effective to convert NOx emissions when its temperature is in the range of 380-420.degree. C. The temperature ranges are not exact because the catalyst does not work the same at each temperature in the range. Particularly, the effectiveness of the catalyst falls towards the ends of the range in a "bell" shaped manner. Other catalysts are also known, but also have limited operating temperature ranges.
In addition to this specific problem of NOx conversion, in any type of engine with a conventional catalytic conversion system, the heated exhaust gasses from the engine are used to heat the catalyst to its operating temperature. The exhaust temperature can vary under different vehicle operating conditions. However, this presents a problem because if the engine is not operating at or near its normal operating temperature, the catalyst will be too hot or too cold, and will not operate effectively. For example, at vehicle start-up, the catalyst is typically at ambient temperature and the exhaust emissions are not yet at the normal operating temperature. In contrast, higher load demands on the engine, such as from pulling a trailer, going up hill, operating in the desert, etc. typically cause the exhaust temperature to increase. Continued overheating of the catalyst can cause the catalyst to break down and reduce its normal life. For this reason, catalytic converters are usually positioned farther from the exhaust manifold than desirable for effective pollution control during vehicle start-up. In this position, the catalyst takes longer to heat up to its operating temperature range at vehicle start-up.
Different techniques can be used to solve the above discussed conversion problem. For example, it has heretofore been known to combine different catalysts having different operating temperature ranges into a single catalytic converter for increasing the operating temperature range of the catalyst. Additionally, research continues to find a catalyst which operates optimally over wider temperature ranges. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system which controls the temperature of the exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine to maintain the temperature of the catalyst within its operating temperature range that includes improvements over the prior art.

Combination catalytic converter and heat exchanger that maintains a catalyst substrate within an efficient operating temperature range for emmisions reduction


The present invention relates to the field of immunology. The present invention provides agonists and antagonists of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 13. In particular, the present invention provides TLR13 activating and inhibiting nucleic acids, and provides such nucleic acids for use as pharmaceutical agents. The present invention further provides in vitro methods using such nucleic acids.

The immune system recognises pathogens and potential danger with pattern recognition receptors (PRR). This sensing induces innate and adaptive immune responses and often is the prerequisite of a timely and effective immune defence against pathogens. However, an excessive immune response is dangerous and potential fatal as in the case of sepsis.
Among different families of PRR the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been recognized as very important for the activation of several innate and adaptive immune responses. Within the last years many different endogenous as well as artificial agonists and ligands for TLRs have been identified including agonists for TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR4, TLR5, TLR6, TLR7, TLR8, TLR9, and TLR11. For example, certain viral RNA as the agonists for TLR7 and TLR8 have been identified17. This knowledge allowed the use of TLR-ligands as adjuvants for the induction of superior immune responses in vaccines or in different therapies against infectious diseases and cancer. On the other hand this knowledge made it possible to interfere with unwanted immune responses by blocking TLR recognition. Examples of unwanted or exaggerated immune responses are autoimmune diseases, infection and sepsis. The immune responses induced by different TLR-agonists differ greatly, thus the identification of new TLR-agonists allows a more fine tuned application, e.g. as adjuvants.
Whereas TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 are major host sensors of Gram-negative bacteria, TLR2 and TLR7 are believed to be central detectors of Gram-positive bacteria.1 Recognition of Gram-positive bacteria by TLR2 or TLR7 occurs via their lipoproteins, RNA and DNA, respectively2-5. However, the role of additional TLRs or other classes of PRRs such as C-type lectins, RIG-I-like helicases, or nucleotide binding domain- and leucine-rich repeat—containing proteins for detection of gram-positive bacteria is unclear. In particular, among the 13 different TLRs described in man and mouse the ligands for TLR10, TLR12 and TLR13 are unknown so far.
Thus, there is still a need for elucidating the role of TLRs in host protection from bacterial infection. In particular, it is an object to provide tools for targeting such TLRs, and methods and medical applications using them.

Agonists and antagonists of toll-like receptor (TLR) 13


A shoe with a decorative showcase has a shoe body and transparent case selectively attached to a position on the shoe body. The transparent case contains at least one kind of liquid and multiple floating objects in different shapes floating on the at least one kind of liquid. Thereby, the transparent case imitates objects such as flowers or ducklings floating on water to provide a novel and revolutionarily attractive to the shoe.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shoe with a decorative showcase, and particularly to a showcase containing at least one kind of liquid and multiple floating objects built into or detachably mounted in the shoe.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional shoe in accordance with the prior art basically comprises an outsole, an insole bonded to the outsole and an shoe upper attached to the outsole to accommodate a foot inside the shoe. Although shoes have various shapes and are modified according to their different functions, shoes still can not get rid of conventional style to create a new and novel appearance. Conventional shoe styles have shown virtually no revolutionary creativity in present times.
The present invention has arisen to provide a shoe with a decorative showcase to make the shoe to have an innovative and attractive appearance.


In a liquid crystal device, in an element substrate, a first area, a second area, and a third area are provided in an area overlapped with sealing material which bonds the element substrate and a counter substrate. In addition, a film which is in the same layer as a first pixel electrode is provided in all of the first area, the second area, and the third area. In addition, a plurality of second pixel electrodes which are in the same layer as the first pixel electrode are formed in a area overlapped with the seal material.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal device in which sealing material is provided between a first substrate and a second substrate, and an electronic apparatus which includes the liquid crystal device.
2. Related Art
In a liquid crystal device, a first substrate for an element substrate in which a plurality of first pixel electrodes are provided in a display area, and a second substrate for a counter substrate that is opposed to a surface on which the first pixel electrodes of the first substrate are provided, are bonded together by sealing material, and a liquid crystal layer is retained within a space which is positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate and is surrounded by the sealing material. In the element substrate, a pixel switching element or a pixel electrode are formed by a plurality of films formed in the first substrate. Due to this, in the first substrate, a film thickness monitor film for monitoring the film thicknesses of the plurality of films is formed.
Meanwhile, in the liquid crystal device, a configuration in which a scribe area of a mother substrate where there are a plurality of element substrates to be cut out, or a test terminal for testing the pixel switching element at an area overlapped with the sealing material is provided, is proposed (refer to JP-A-2002-124554 and International Publication No. 2009/087706). In such a configuration, as in the configuration described in International Publication No. 2009/087706, if the test terminal is provided in the area overlapped with the sealing material, there is an advantage in that the scribe area can be narrowed, compared with a case where the test terminal is provided in the scribe area.
The present inventor has reviewed a case where a film thickness monitor area at which a film thickness monitor film is formed is provided in an area overlapped with sealing material, in the same manner as the configuration described in International Publication No. 2009/087706, but in this case, in the area overlapped with the sealing material, heights of the area in which the film thickness monitor film is formed and another area become different from each other. As a result, in a case where sealing material in which a gap material defining an interval between a first substrate and a second substrate is mixed is used as the sealing material, there is a problem that the interval between the first substrate and the second substrate is varied.

Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus


A passenger conveyor system (20) has a drive module that engages only one side (50) of the step chain loop (30). In a multiple drive module arrangement, at least one of the drive modules (40B) engages both sides (50, 52) of the step chain loop while another engages only one side (50). The inventive arrangement is not sensitive to spacing (54, 56) between the drive modules. Another example embodiment includes a synchronizing module (60) that engages both sides (50, 52) of the step chain loop (30).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to passenger conveyors. More particularly, this invention relates to drive modules for passenger conveyors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Passenger conveyors are well known and in widespread use. Escalators or moving walkways typically include a plurality of steps that move along a path to carry passengers from one location to another such as between floors in a building. Typical arrangements include a step chain having a plurality of links associated with the steps. The step chain moves in a loop corresponding to the loop followed by the steps. A drive module engages the step chain to cause the desired movement of the steps.
In modular conveyors, more than one drive module can be used to carry the anticipated passenger load, for example. Instead of using larger motors to compensate for the length of the passenger conveyor or the system construction, multiple drive modules may be employed. Passenger conveyors having multiple drive modules are known.
There are difficulties in utilizing more than one drive module for a passenger conveyor. One problem is associated with the spacing between the drive modules. If the spacing is not accurately controlled, the load carried by each drive module is not equal, increasing wear in the higher-loaded module(s). Further, even when accurate spacing is achieved, changes in the system over time (i.e., wear on system components or material contraction or expansion due to environmental factors) requires periodic maintenance and adjustment. Without accurate spacing between the drive modules in conventional arrangements, the portions of the step chain between the drive modules see varying amounts of compression or tension, depending on the situation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,096 presents one proposed solution to this problem. That patent describes a device for measuring compression or tension on step chain links to determine whether the spacing between drive modules is accurate. While such a device may facilitate placement of the drive modules or adjustment of the modules over time, the difficulty of accurate placement and load distribution among the drive modules still exists. Even with such a device, there are additional expenses associated with the maintenance and inspection of the escalators.
Conventional arrangements include a steel truss for supporting the elevator. The truss typically includes a track or other structure for guiding the step chain links along a chain loop. Such conventional arrangements Limit the materials that are useable for making the step chain links. Specifically, steel must be used for the step chain links to avoid different thermal expansion properties between the chain and the truss. With differing materials having differing thermal expansion properties, the tension on the drive chain may change responsive to a changing environment, which then necessitates further adjustment of the escalator drive system. Making such adjustments is impractical and, therefore, conventional arrangements have only included the same material used to make the escalator truss structure and the step chain links.
There is a need for an improved arrangement that allows using multiple drive modules for a passenger conveyor. This invention provides a system that eliminates the need to control the spacing between the modules, avoids uneven distribution of forces between drive modules and overcomes the shortcomings and drawbacks of the prior art described above.

Passenger conveyor drive module arrangement


A portable beach/outdoor table includes a table top adapted to be removably mounted onto the top end of a support pole. An auger is attached to and projects vertically from the lower end of the support pole. A diametrically-extending rod is attached to the support pole adjacent the auger. The rod functions as a wrench to aid in inserting the support pole into the ground. The rod also functions as a stabilizer for the table-mounted support pole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to outdoor furniture. More specifically, the present invention is drawn to a portable, ground-insertable, outdoor table having an attachment for a beach umbrella.
2. Description of the Related Art
Whether in the back yard, at the park or on the beach, it is often desirous to have a small table for holding plates, beverage containers, umbrellas and other outdoor paraphernalia. A small table which is portable, ground-insertable, stable, easily assembled and disassembled would be coveted even more and would certainly be a welcome addition to the art.
The prior art abounds with beach tables having means whereby the table may be inserted in the ground. Examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 364,048 (Winslow, Sr.), 2,799,543 (Tomasaselli), 3,624,732 (Bowden), and 5,197,394 (Schmidt). All of the above patents employ a pole having a pointed end, which end must be forced directly into the ground. Also note that the Patentees do not contemplate providing a structure to enhance the insertion process or provide a stabilizing support for the pole.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 366,372 (Skarda, Jr.), Des. 416,401 (Taylor) and 4,920,897 (Reed et al.) disclose beach tables having poles with auger structure on the ends thereof. Taylor and Reed et al show narrow flanges for providing stability. The flanges, however, perform no function to aid in inserting the poles into the ground.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to disclose a portable, ground-inserted outdoor table as will be subsequently described and claimed in the instant invention:
The present invention is drawn to a portable table which has a myriad of outdoor uses such as at the beach, at backyard cookouts, at picnics in the park, etc. The table comprises a support pole having an externally threaded upper end. The lower end of the pole is provided with an auger or corkscrew member. A diametrically-extending stabilizing rod is attached at the lower end of the pole just above the auger. The support pole can be separated into two pieces at its mid-section. An internally-threaded adjustment knob is utilized to join the two pieces and to also provide a mechanism for adjusting the length of the pole.
A flat disc-shaped member functions as a table top. The table top has an internally-threaded boss extending through the center thereof. On the underside of the table, the boss is threaded to receive the upper end of the support pole. On the top surface of the table, the boss is threaded to receive the threaded end of an umbrella support mast. Convenient cup holders are positioned in the top of the table.
In use, the stabilizing rod is employed as a wrench to aid in screwing the auger end of the support pole into the ground. The rod also functions to bear against the ground and provide stabilizing support for the inserted support pole. Once the support pole has been ground-inserted, the table top may be attached to the upper end of the support pole and the umbrella attached at the upper surface of the table.
As indicated above, the parts are easily assembled and thus, are just as easily disassembled. To enhance storage and portability, a carrying case is provided for receiving the disassembled table parts.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a portable table adapted to outdoor use.
It is another object of the invention to provide a portable table for outdoor use, which table is supported in the ground in a stable condition.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a portable table having parts which are easily disassembled for storage and transportation.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a portable table having means for housing the disassembled parts of the table.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.

Beach/outdoor table with cork screw anchor and umbrella


Disclosed are a matrix for restoring soft tissue and a method of producing the same, the method including: forming a sheet-type absorption layer (11) on one side of a double layer using biocompatible neutral collagen; forming a film-type support layer (12) on the remaining surface of the double layer by mixing collagen with a water-soluble polymer and a natural material; and forming a double layer-structured matrix (10) for restoring soft tissue by attaching the absorption layer (11) and the support layer (12) so as to treat damage to soft tissue of a mammal other than a human or restore damaged soft tissue. This invention pertains to the treatment of damage to soft tissue such as tendons, ligaments, and rotator cuffs or the restoration of damaged soft tissue, whereby the quality and reliability of products can be remarkably improved, thus satisfying various needs of consumers, who are the users thereof, and exhibiting a good effect.

As is well known in the art, tendons, ligaments and rotator cuffs, corresponding to soft tissue, are durable fibers that connect muscles to bones or bones to bones, but may be torn, disconnected, or detached from the bones for various reasons. Such damage to soft tissue may typically result from direct external injury to relaxed soft tissue, weakening of soft tissue due to aging, eccentric loading, repetitive motion, excessive exercise and/or increased stress or activity. Such acute damage may cause long-term pain and may interfere with free exercise.
Anatomically corresponding to soft tissue, rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder joint, cruciate ligaments, lateral ligaments and patellar tendons of the knee joint, Achilles tendons, medial and lateral ligaments of the ankle joint, extensor tendons or flexor tendons of phalanges in the hand, quadriceps femoris, hamstring, etc., are common tendon and ligament injury sites in our body.
Also, with regard to damage to soft tissue such as tendons, ligaments and rotator cuffs, degenerative changes in tendons and ligaments occur with an increase in age, and thus may cause tendon tearing or ligament tearing even in the event of a minor impact or even without external injury, and are very common in older people.
According to recent studies, rotator cuff tearing drastically increases after 50 years of age, and it has been typically reported that partial-thickness tearing progresses or worsens to full-thickness tearing, and 50% of patients with partial-thickness tearing progress to full-thickness tearing, and rotator cuff tearing is observed in 50% of those in their 60s and in 80% of those in their 80s.
Furthermore, tendons, ligaments and rotator cuffs generally heal at slow rates compared to other kinds of soft tissue because of poor blood supply and a lack of cells available for tissue regeneration at the time of injury. Also, the site where the tendon is attached to the bone undergoes complicated transitional processes pertaining to the tendon, non-calcified fibrocartilage and calcified fibrocartilage because anatomical tissue portions having different physical properties are connected to each other.
Thus, tendons, ligaments and rotator cuffs exhibit quite complex and various histological and biomechanical features compared to other kinds of tissue, and also show a very different pattern from damage to tendon alone after injury of the tendon-bone junction or treatment after such damage to tendon alone, making it difficult to predict the outcome of the treatment and requiring a long period of time for treatment.
The most common sites of tendon tearing, tendon disconnection, and bone dislocation are the quadriceps (a group of four muscles: vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, and rectus femoris, which form a patellar tendon together right above the knee bone (patella)), the Achilles tendon (it is located in the back (rear) of the foot just above the heel, and functions to attach the calf muscles to the heel (calcaneus) of the feet), the rotator cuff (it is located on the shoulder and consists of four muscles (the supraspinatus (which is the most commonly torn tendon), infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis), the biceps of the arm (which functions as an elbow flexor, tearing of the biceps being classified into proximal (near) tearing and distal (distant) tearing), and the flexor tendons of the hand (for example, the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor digitorum longus). The most common sites of ligament tearing, ligament disconnection, or bone dislocation are the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and medical collateral ligament (MCL). For almost all tendon and ligament injuries, there may be significant pain (acute or chronic), limitation of movement and weakness of affected joints and limbs. For torn or detached tendons/ligaments, surgery is the most common treatment procedure to fix the tendons or ligaments to bones or to reconnect the torn or disconnected ends of affected tendons/ligaments.
For other tendon/ligament injuries, typical treatment includes resting, ice, NSAID, corticosteroid injections, heat, and ultrasound. Despite decades of research and increased clinical interest in these injuries, however, clinical outcomes thereof are still unpredictable.
With regard to the Achilles tendon, both athletes and non-athletes are at risk of injury at all ages, and most injuries occur in males aged 30 to 50 ([Boyden, E., et al., Clin Orthop, 317: 150-158 (1995)]; [Hattrup, S. and Johnson, K, Foot and Ankle, 6: 34-38 (1985)]; [Jozsa, L., et al., Acta Orthop Scandinavica, 60: 469-471 (1989)]). Achilles tendinitis and tendinosis are also common in individuals who are stressed on their ankles and feet and in "weekend warriors" who are less tempered and active on weekends only or rarely physically active.
In the case of rotator cuff injuries, despite advances in surgical instruments and techniques, current techniques are insufficient to produce enduring recovery, and in some studies, the failure rate is as high as 94%. Failure of tendon restoration may result in poor healing of the damaged tendon and poor reattachment of the damaged tendon to the bone.
Strong attachment of ligaments to the bones is also essential for many ligament reconstruction procedures. Successful ligament replacement procedures, such as anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, require fixation of a tendon graft into the bone tunnel and progressive ingrowth of the bone into the tendon in order to produce biological attachment between the bone and the tendon. In histological and biomechanical studies, to achieve ingrowth of the bone, tendon-bone attachment, mineralization, and greater collagen-fiber continuity between the tendon and the bone, 6 to 12 weeks are required after typical insertion of a tendon graft into the bone ([Rodeo S. A. et al., Tendon-Healing in a Bone Tunnel, 75(12): 1795-1803 (1993)]).
Thus, in order to improve the healing response associated with surgical restoration or other non-surgical treatment, a novel composition and method for the treatment of various tendon/ligament injuries should be provided.
The problem pointed out in currently available operations for the restoration and regeneration of soft tissue is scarcity of graft material. These days, mainly useful treatment for restoring soft tissue includes methods using an autograft and an allograft, and materials necessary for such a grafting surgery include tendons and ligaments of humans or animals, and thus limitations are imposed on the supply thereof.
Furthermore, in the case of an autograft, pain at the sampled portion is severe and the recovery time is long.
Also, an allograft has fatal disadvantages such as weakness of transplanted organs due to sterilization, immune rejection, and the possibility of infection, for example, hepatitis or AIDS.
With the goal of solving these problems, many attempts are made to transplant biocompatible materials that help in the regeneration of soft tissue as surgical therapy of damaged soft tissue.
A biocompatible material is a substance that does not trigger rejection even when transplanted into a human body, and attempts have been made to replace damaged tissues and organs with normal tissues or to regenerate them using biocompatible materials, and thus a biocompatible material that may be transplanted into the body is receiving attention. The human body shows rejection when a foreign material is transplanted therein. Hence, it is very difficult to transplant a foreign material into the damaged site, and the development of biocompatible materials without rejection in the body has made a great contribution to the advancement of surgical medicine.
Currently, grafting medical devices to be inserted into the body are manufactured using artificial materials and natural materials.
Artificial materials, which have no vitality themselves, are composed of metals, inorganic compounds, ceramics, synthetic polymers, etc. that do not show rejection when inserted into the body and coming into contact with the surrounding tissue.
As natural materials, collagen, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, fibrin, etc. have been developed and commercialized.
Mainly useful among natural materials, collagen is a structural protein component, and forms soft tissue such as the dermis, tendons/ligaments, blood vessels and the like, and hard tissue such as bone, cartilage, etc., and constitutes about ⅓ of all proteins in mammals.
Collagen is known to have at least 20 types, and collagen type I, which forms the skin, tendons/ligaments, bone, etc., constitutes about 90% of collagen.
Collagen is a protein made up of three strands having a molecular weight of 300,000 Daltons (each strand: about 100,000 Daltons), in which the smallest unit of amino acid (with the smallest molecular weight), namely glycine, is repeatedly (-GXY-Glycine are repeated, wherein X and Y may vary) connected. Thus, glycine constitutes ⅓ of the amino acids of collagen. Furthermore, an amino acid called hydroxyproline is specifically contained in an amount of about 10% in collagen, and is thus utilized for quantitative collagen analysis methods.
Collagen is currently employed in medicine as a hemostatic agent, in wound dressings, in artificial blood vessels, and for wrinkle improvement. In the case of hemostatic agents, a collagen powder product called Avitene, obtained through extraction from calf skin in 1974, was first developed and has been used to date.
Although the properties of collagen products may vary depending on the preparation method thereof, products made of pure collagen have weak physical properties (tensile strength) and are difficult to use for suture surgery, but are excellent in terms of safety and purity. Since collagen has tensile strength and tear strength weaker than those of other polymers, it may be mixed with other materials (GAG), biocompatible synthetic polymers (PGA/PLA), water-soluble polymers (PVA, PVP), natural materials (alginate, genipin), etc.
Such collagen has advantages of low antigenicity, high biocompatibility and bioabsorbability, cell adhesion, growth and differentiation induction, blood coagulation, hemostatic effect, and compatibility with other polymers.
However, collagen has a lack of properties to maintain physical properties and volumes, and pure collagen is expensive, which is disadvantageous.
In order to solve the drawbacks of collagen, it is mixed with a biocompatible water-soluble polymer, which is any one selected from among polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and polyethylene glycol, and a natural material, which is any one selected from among alginate and genipin, thus overcoming the intrinsic weakness of collagen and developing therapeutic substances with a sufficient degradation period required for regeneration, thereby making it possible to produce a biocompatible film having an excellent effect for the restoration and regeneration of soft tissue.
In the case of the development of domestic medical devices for regenerating soft tissue having many problems and side effects (studies for replacements or complements of damaged rotator cuffs, tendons, and ligaments), research on such replacements is still in the early stages in Korea and the results thereof are unsatisfactory, unlike foreign countries, in which thorough research is being actively conducted.
For this reason, therapeutic agents for regenerating soft tissue, which are currently available, may cause many side effects, and are mainly dependent on imports and are thus expensive to insure and entail material supply limitations.

Matrix for restoring soft tissue and producing method therefor


A method of processing spent aluminum pot liner containing carbon, cyanide compositions, fluorides and inorganic oxides. The spent aluminum pot liner is crushed iron oxide is added to form an agglomerated material. The agglomerated material is melted in an electric arc furnace having the electrodes submerged in the molten material to provide a reducing environment during the furnace operation. In the reducing environment, pot liner is oxidized while the iron oxides are reduced to produce iron and a slag substantially free of cyanide compositions and fluorides. An off-gas including carbon oxides and fluorine is treated in an air pollution control system with an afterburner and a scrubber to produce NaF, water and a gas vented to the atmosphere free of cyanide compositions, fluorine and CO.

Aluminum spent potliner (SPL) is generated from the Hall electrolytic cells used in the reduction of Bayer alumina (Al2O3) to metallic aluminum. The cell, or pot, is lined with carbon, backed by thermal insulation, with a metal collector plate buried in the carbon lining to conduct the current. Thus, the entire carbon lining acts as the cathode. Reaction of the carbon with air at elevated temperatures results in the formation of several cyanide (CN) compounds, primarily sodium cyanide. The primary toxic constituents include the cyanide compounds, at concentrations up to 0.2 weight percent (wt pct), and fluorine, at concentrations up to 15 wt pct. Spent potliner is recovered from the reduction cells after their useful life, and includes the original carbon lining, along with some portion of the insulating refractory used to enclose the cell. The resulting SPL contains carbon, at concentrations from 12-50 wt pct, inorganic oxides (slag formers), at concentrations 30-60 wt pct, and the before mentioned toxic constituents. Due to its toxic constituents, SPL has been listed as a hazardous waste, designated K088, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). No approved treatment process currently exists for SPL, due to recent legal decisions, and a land ban enacted by the EPA has stopped all landfill. Annual generation of SPL from U.S. plants is estimated at 2-300,000 tons, which is currently stored above ground either on-site or at approved hazardous waste repositories. The SPL thus represents a major future expense and liability to the industry.
The only approved treatment technology for SPL, used by Reynolds Metals Aluminum Co., mixes the SPL with sand, incinerates it, and disposes of the residue in a dedicated landfill in Gum Springs, Ark. However, other aluminum smelting companies are critical of the process, because it results in an increased volume for landfill, the transportation costs for shipping the SPL to the treatment plant in Arkansas exceed the treatment costs themselves, and the treatment standard adopted by the EPA, the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP), does not accurately portray the effectiveness of the Reynolds"" process to render the SPL nonhazardous. In fact, the waste treatment standard adopted by the EPA for SPL destined for land disposal is being revised.
The inventive process constitutes the use of conventional graphite electrode arc furnace (EAF) technology to simultaneously utilize and detoxify the SPL. Hazardous constituents of the SPL, such as cyanogens, fluorides, and organics, are either a) destroyed during processing, b) converted to valuable compounds and captured within the system, or c) utilized for reduction of iron oxide additives to produce value-added products. The EAF system employed includes a close-coupled thermal oxidizer and state-of-the-art air pollution control system (APCS). A thermal oxidizer and components of an APCS are necessary for the success of the inventive process.
Detailed chemical analyses of typical SPL samples has shown that several cyanide species are generally present, along with 5-15% fluoride and 15-50% carbon. The remainder of the SPL consists of refractory brick from the reduction cell, composed of inorganic oxides and generally very high in alumina (Al2O3). The complex nature of the SPL, and the process economics, have stymied the development of an industry-wide treatment process. However, it is specifically this complex nature that makes the EAF the ideal vessel for the processing and ultimate recycling of SPL.
The invention consists of certain novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

Method for processing aluminum spent potliner in a graphite electrode ARC furnace

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


The present invention provides an improvement for use in a machine tool having a spindle (51) mounted in a body opening (30) for axial and rotative movement relative to a body (31). The improvement includes a bearing assembly (25) that permits spindles (S1, S2, S3, . . . ) to be quickly exchanged while obviating the need to recenter a replacement spindle with respect to the opening after the original spindle has been initially center therein. The improved bearing assembly (25) broadly includes: a ferrous tubular sleeve (29) mounted in the body opening, the sleeve having an outer surface (40) arranged to face toward a portion (31) of the body that surrounds the opening and having an inner surface (36, 39) arranged to face toward a penetrant portion of the spindle; and a tubular bearing (46) arranged within the sleeve, the tubular bearing having an outer surface (51) arranged to face the sleeve inner surface and having an inner surface (50) arranged to face the spindle penetrant portion.

In certain machine tools, such as automatic screw machines, a spindle is mounted for rotation relative to a body or head.
When initially mounted on the head, the spindle must be centered with respect to the head. To do this, shims are traditionally added where needed, to center the axis of the spindle with respect to the axis of the head or body opening.
However, with prior art arrangements, each time the spindle is removed or replaced, the reinstalled or replacement spindle must be recentered with respect to the body opening.
Accordingly, it would be generally desirable to provide a quick-change bearing assembly that will allow spindles to be quickly and easily removed, replaced and exchanged, and that will obviate the need to recenter a reinstalled or replacement spindle after the original spindle has been centered.

Quick-change bearing assembly that obviates the need to recenter replacement spindles


A new nepeta plant particularly distinguished by a low, spreading plant habit, floriferous with numerous purple-violet flowers, a long blooming period, mint-fragranced foliage and exceptional garden performance, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Nepeta, botanically known as Nepeta sp. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Psfike'. The new hybrid originated from an open-pollination cross between an individual plant of Nepeta amethystina var. laciniata (unpatented) as the seed parent, having bluish-violet flowers and an unknown individual plant of Nepeta sp. (unpatented) as the pollen parent.
Seedlings of this hybrid were grown from seed that was collected from a specimen of Nepeta amethystina var. laciniata that was growing in Denver, Colo. This new Nepeta hybrid was selected as a single plant in April 2004 from this group of seedlings that were grown in Brighton, Colo. The present invention has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in a controlled environment in Brighton, Colo. since July 2004. The present invention has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.


A restoration path planner that minimizes the worst-case number of cross-connections that must be performed in a network in the event of a single element failure involves a two-phase optimization. The first phase involves finding two node-disjoint paths for each service demand within a network such that the maximum link bandwidth in the network is minimized and the link bandwidths within the network are leveled. The second phase involves identifying the primary and restoration paths for each service demand within the network such that the worst-case number of cross-connections at any node within the network is minimized across all possible single-event failures. Embodiments also consider service demand-bundling that groups service demands with the same source-destination node pairs and routes them along identical primary and restoration paths, and banding, which consolidates multiple low-rate demands into a high-rate demand and consequently decreases cross-connections required in the event of a failure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications networks and, more specifically, to restoration time improvements in (e.g., optical) mesh networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In robust communications networks, it is typical to provide path redundancy for services. This is generally done by providing a primary path and a restoration path for each service. In the event of a failure along the primary path, the service traffic is switched over to the restoration path. Note that, in the art, the term "primary path" is often synonymous with the term "working path," while the term "restoration path" is often synonymous with the terms "protection path" and "alternative path."
For optical mesh transport networks, a challenge is to provide cost-effective systems that support restoration times that are comparable to those provided by SONET/SDH networks with self-healing rings (e.g., 10-100 ms restoration times). To help reduce network restoration time in optical mesh networks, several areas have been considered, including improving restoration signaling and associated algorithms and improving the switching speed of cross-connection infrastructure switching elements. A critical bottleneck for restoration speedup is the maximum number of cross-connections to be performed at a single network element in the event of a failure. Assuming everything else is constant, the larger the number of cross-connects, the longer the restoration time.


An apparatus, program product and method utilize automated analysis techniques to assist in the determination of acceptable usages of linguistic terms (e.g., words, phrases, acronyms, etc.). In particular, an acceptable usage of a linguistic term may be determined by scanning a plurality of documents for variants (e.g., based on differing spellings, punctuation, capitalization, meaning or definition, etc.) of the term, and tracking relative occurrences of a plurality of such variants found in the plurality of documents during scanning. By tracking occurrences of linguistic term variants, users may be able to use such statistical information to select which of the available variants represents an acceptable usage, or even a most acceptable usage, of a term. Scanned documents may be retrieved from the Internet, and scanning may occur while a user is browsing the Internet.

Computer technology has and continues to have a dramatic impact on all aspects of the human experience. For example, much of the new technology in the computer field defies definition using conventional terminology, and as a result, new words, terms, and phrases are added to the public's lexicon every day. Whereas the term "e-mail" meant something to only a few people only 10 years ago, today the term is practically as ubiquitous as the term "fire."
Furthermore, the advent of public networks such as the Internet have made it substantially easier for people to communicate with other people all over the world, as well as to access a wide variety of information from other computers located all over the world. One particularly interesting side effect of the Internet's bringing together of people from across the globe is the sweeping cultural changes that are beginning to occur. People with vastly different backgrounds, cultures, native languages, and the like are able to communicate electronically with one another with relative ease despite the fact that those people are located in different states, different countries or even different continents. As a result, people are exposed to new cultures, languages, and experiences that otherwise they might not experience outside of the electronic realm.
The world is consequently in the midst of a renaissance of culture and language, with the public's lexicon constantly in a state of flux. As new linguistic terms spring up and old terms cease to be used, it becomes difficult, particularly for writers and authors, and even for those corresponding informally with others by electronic messaging, to ensure the proper usage of terms in their compositions. Adding the fact that the informal nature of many electronic communications often diminishes one's desire to carefully and properly use terminology, the ability to ensure the proper spellings and usages of linguistic terms becomes even more difficult.
Automated spell checkers have been around for a number of years, and are used by a number of computer applications, including word processors, electronic messaging applications, desktop publishing applications, etc. Automated spell checkers generally operate by comparing words in a document against an electronic dictionary of terms, and identifying words that are not found in the dictionary as potential misspellings. Users often are permitted to customize their dictionaries by manually adding new terms.
However, the utility of an automated spell checker is often limited somewhat where technical terms, or other terms of art, are present in a document. Legal or scientific documents may contain a significant number of terms that are not found in common dictionaries. Some field-specific dictionaries have been made available to users that frequently author in a certain field. Otherwise, users that frequently use uncommon terms are generally required to manually add those terms to dictionaries over time to incorporate those terms into their spell checker's "vocabulary."
Considering the rapid influx of new terms brought about by the Internet and technology in general, however, maintaining spell checkers current is an arduous task. Electronic dictionaries are generally not updated particularly frequently, and users may not be particularly aggressive in adding new terms to a custom dictionary.
Perhaps more importantly, users may not be sure of what the proper spelling or punctuation for a linguistic term should be. For some terms, in fact, there may not even be a single spelling or punctuation of a term that is generally regarded as the "correct" usage of that term. For example, is "e-mail" spelled with or without a dash? Should the term "data warehousing" have a hyphen?
Similar problems may also exist for company names (is the "com" in a dot-com company's name capitalized?), as well as slang expressions (is "cheese head" one word or two?). Moreover, acronyms may stand for different things (e.g., "DVD" has been considered by different people to stand for either "digital video disk" or "digital versatile disk").
From the standpoint of an author or writer (or even the casual e-mail user), it would be extremely beneficial to be able to determine the proper (or most appropriate) spelling, punctuation, meaning and/or usage of linguistic terms, particularly newly-coined terms. Whether or not that person used such knowledge to update a dictionary, or simply to improve the quality of his or her writings, the benefits of obtaining such knowledge would be significant.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for awarding blockchain mining fees based on recycling efforts includes: receiving recycling data for each of a plurality of mining systems including an amount of recycled materials associated with the respective mining system; receiving validation data for each mining system from third party entities including, for each mining system, a confirmation of the amount of recycled materials for the respective recycling data; selecting one of the mining systems, which is weighted based on the amount of recycled materials for the respective mining system compared to a total amount of recycled materials for all mining systems; and receiving a new block generated by the selected mining system including a block header and a plurality of blockchain data values including a blockchain data value corresponding to a blockchain transaction for payment of mining fees for the new block to a wallet associated with the selected mining system.

Blockchains are typically managed and operated by a plurality of nodes in a decentralized network, where every node participants in the confirmation and distribution of blocks. For many blockchains, particularly larger blockchains with a large volume of data being confirmed and added, external computing systems participate in the blockchain as systems referred to as "miners." These mining systems perform complex calculations as part of the generation of new blocks, where the first mining system to come up with a suitable solution (e.g., finding a nonce that causes a hash of the new block to result in a value having a predetermined number of leading or ending zeroes) is awarded a fee for mining that block.
In an effort to increase the number of blocks successfully mined, and thus the number of fees collected, many mining systems use specialized hardware devices that are configured specifically for blockchain mining. However, these hardware devices often require significant amounts of electrical energy to operate, often far exceeding the amount of electrical energy used by standard computing devices and systems. In some geographical areas, the amount of electrical energy consumed by mining systems is substantial. In times where energy conservation is an important focus for many countries, and in fact the world as a whole, the significant usage of energy for blockchain mining may be discouraged or otherwise frowned upon.
However, mining is often essential for the successful and efficient operation and management of blockchains. Thus, there is a need for a solution to incentivize mining systems to improve their electrical energy usage or otherwise offset the amount of electrical energy used in mining.

Method and system for using recycling to improve blockchain mining


In at least one embodiment, a plastic article comprises a first plastic layer having a periphery and defining a cavity. An expanded polymer particle core is formed in-situ and heat-bonded to the cavity. The expanded polymer particle core has an apparent bulk density ranging from 1 lb/ft3 to 20 lb/ft3. The article supports a dynamic load or static load exceeding 1.3 lbf/in2.

Supporting heavy loads is most economical when a load is supported by a stiff and rigid article having the maximum span between support structures without unacceptable deformation of the article.
Methods for creating large stiff and rigid articles may be constrained by the size, injection pressure resistance, and expense of molding equipment needed for manufacturing these large articles. For example, a blow molding parison experiences significant stretching and thinning, possibly to the extent of failure, when trying to make an article over eight feet in length or four feet wide.

Structural plastic articles, method of use, and methods of manufacture