Candies and confectioneries containing non-toxic sparingly soluble calcium and phosphate compounds as additives, cause the release of calcium and phosphate ions into the oral cavity gradually and persistently for a period no less than five minutes. Released calcium phosphate ions diffuse into partially demineralized tooth enamel or dentin, leasing to remineralization and repair of caries lesions, dental plaque, open dentinal tubules and exposed dentin. Agents and methods for remineralization of teeth, for reducing or eradicating cariogenic challenge in plaque following sucrose intake for producing effective anticaries actions without the use of fluoride and for desensitizing hypersensitive teeth are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention comprises the use of non-toxic sparingly soluble calcium and phosphate compounds as additives, particularly to candies and confectioneries that cause the release of calcium and phosphate ions into the oral cavity gradually and persistently for an appropriate and therapeutically useful period. The released calcium phosphate ions can diffuse into partially demineralized tooth enamel or dentin, leading to remineralization and repair of the caries lesion. The released calcium phosphate ions can also diffuse into dental plaque to cause remineralization of teeth and to reduce or eradicate cariogenic challenge in plaque following sucrose or sugar intake. Thus, these formulations can produce effective anticaries actions without the use of fluoride. The released calcium phosphate ions can also cause precipitation of calcium phosphate minerals inside open dentinal tubules and on exposed dentine surfaces to desensitize hypersensitive teeth. These agents will have minimal adverse effects and require little effort on the part of the user.
2. Summary of the Related Art
Edibles, chewables and confections have the potential of being an effective vehicle for delivering therapeutic agents to teeth because they permit protracted contact of the agent to the teeth with minimal effort on the part of a patient. Despite the desirability of such items as a vehicle for delivering anticarious agents to teeth, no effective embodiments of anticarious confections or candies (with or without sugar) have been developed in the art.
The effectiveness of prior attempts at using potential anticarious agents in edibles for oral consumption, i.e., chewing gums, for example, was reviewed by Edgar and Geddes (1990, Br. Dent. J. 24: 173-176). For example, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD; CaHO4.2H2O), was used at a dose of 7.5 wt % and assessed for its effects on the calcium (Ca) and phosphate (PO4) concentrations in saliva (Pickel and Bilotti, 1965, J. Alabama Med. Soc. 2: 286-287). A chewing gum containing 10 wt % DCPD was assessed for anticarious effects in two different clinical studies (Finn and Jamison, 1967, J. Amer. Dent. Assoc. 74: 987-995; Richardson et al., 1972, J. Canad. Dent. Assoc. 6: 213-218). The results from the Richardson study showed that, although sugar-DCPD gum produced a lower caries score than did the gum containing sugar alone, the cariogenicity of the sugar-DCPD gum was equivalent to that of sugar-free gum. The marginal degree of effectiveness of DCPD as an anticaries gum additive in this study was accepted in the art as demonstrating that DCPD was ineffective as an anticarious agent. As a result of this study, there has been little interest or activity in the art in using calcium phosphate-containing gums as anticarious agents.
The feasibility of using two new calcium phosphate additives in bubble gum has been evaluated for effectiveness in increasing salivary mineral saturation levels and/or enhancing salivation (Chow et al., 1994, J. Dent. Res.73: 26-32). In these in vivo studies, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCPM; Ca(H2PO4)2.H2O) and an equimolar mixture of dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA; CaHPO4) and tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP; Ca4(PO4)2O) were used as chewing gum additives. These studies showed that both the MCPM and DCPA/TTCP gums increased the calcium and phosphate concentrations in saliva during a chewing period of 16 minutes. The extent of increase was much greater than those produced by gums containing DCPD. The degree of saturation with respect to tooth mineral was significantly increased by both experimental gums, with greater increase being produced by the DCPA/TTCP gum. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,037,639; 5,268,167; 5,427,768; and 5,437,857; issued to Tung, disclose and claim the use of amorphous calcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2) and derivatives as chewing gum additives for tooth remineralization.
While some of the above additives have had efficacy under some conditions, shortcomings have been associated with each. The DCPA/TTCP mixture requires an extensive preparation process: TTCP must be prepared in a furnace at a high temperature (1500xc2x0 C.) and then blended with commercially-available DCPA after each calcium phosphate salt has been ground to the desired particle size. ACP compounds must be precipitated in aqueous systems, thereby having variable composition and relatively undefined particles size. Also, the stability of ACP in gum base or a gel and perhaps in a confection may be limited, and a stabilizer may be required to achieve the desired shelf life.
Other calcium-containing compounds have been studied for their effectiveness in remineralization of teeth in situ. U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,131 to Greenberg disclosed the use of calcium glycerophosphate as a chewing gum additive for dental health benefits. This patent also disclosed the use of several other calcium compounds, including calcium lactate and calcium gluconate, to achieve an anticaries effect when used as a chewing gum additive. However, chewing gums containing calcium compounds as additives can only raise calcium concentration levels in saliva. In fact, phosphate concentration levels would be expected to be decreased as a result of chewing calcium-containing gums, based on the showing that saliva phosphate levels decrease with increased salivation stimulated by gum chewing (Chow et al., ibid.). Thus, these calcium-containing chewing gums disclosed by Greenberg are cariostatic, rather than anticarious. Consequently, there is a need for vehicles that release phosphate ions into the oral cavity in conjunction with increased calcium ion concentration to provide an anticaries effect not found in edibles known in the prior art.
In contrast to the recognized likely desirability of chewing gum as a vehicle for delivery of anticarious agents, candies have not been generally recognized as a means for delivering calcium and phosphate ions into the oral environment. A major reason for this is that sugar, the major ingredient of candies, is the chief culprit of dental caries. With the advent of sugar-free candies (i.e., candies that do not contain significant amount of fermentable carbohydrates), however, candies can be an effective means of delivering therapeutic agents for dental caries.
This invention provides candies and confectioneries (both sugar based and sugarless) that are formulated to release calcium and phosphate ions into the mouth of a human patient.
The invention provides a calcium phosphate-containing composition comprising a candy or confectionery and further comprising a calcium phosphate salt. In preferred embodiments, the candy or confectionary is sugar-free, though sugar-based candy may provide the benefits of the invention. In a most preferred embodiment, the calcium phosphate salt is xcex1-tricalcium phosphate. In other preferred embodiments, the calcium phosphate salt is xcex2-tricalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate monobasic, dicalcium phosphate anhydrous, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, octacalcium phosphate, tetracalcium phosphate, and mixtures and combinations thereof. Preferably, the calcium phosphate salt comprises from about 0.5 to about 10 percent of the candy formulation by weight (weight percent, or wt %). More preferably, the calcium phosphate salt comprises from about 1 to about 5 wt % of the candy formulation. In the sugar-free candies of the invention, the calcium phosphate salts are provided with a particle size of less than about 50 xcexcm, and more preferably having a particle size of from about 1 to about 20 xcexcm. Sparingly-soluble calcium phosphate salts are appropriate but are not required for this embodiment of the invention, due to the preferred composition of the candies and confectioneries of the invention as described in detail herein. Although sugar-free candies and confectioneries are preferred, calcium phosphate-containing embodiments of the candies and confectioneries of the invention prepared using sugar (e.g., sucrose) are within the scope of the invention. In such embodiments, it will be recognized that the cariostatic and remineralizing benefits of the calcium phosphate components of the inventive candies and confectioneries will outweigh the cariogenic propensity of sugar.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a calcium phosphate-containing candy or confectionery that comprises a calcium compound and a phosphate salt. In preferred embodiments, the candy or confectionery is sugar-free. In preferred embodiments, the calcium compound is a sparingly-soluble calcium salt of glycerophosphate, lactate, gluconate, or fumarate. In other preferred embodiments, the calcium compound is a soluble compound, and is preferably calcium acetate or calcium chloride. In these embodiments, the candy is formulated to slow the release of calcium ions from the soluble calcium compound so that calcium ions are released over a 5 to 15 minute period.
Preferably, the candies provided in this aspect of the invention are formulated to contain calcium compounds at from about 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the candy. More preferably, the calcium compounds comprise from about 1 to about 5 weight percent of these candies. Additionally, the calcium compounds provided in the candies of this aspect of the invention are provided having a particle size of less than 50 xcexcm, more preferably from about 1 to about 20 xcexcm.
The candies of this aspect of the invention are also formulated to contain a phosphate salt. Preferred phosphate salts include but are not limited to Na2HPO4, NaH2PO4, and Ca(H2PO4)2.H2O. Preferably, the candies in this aspect of the invention are formulated to contain phosphate salts at from about 0.5 to 10 weight percent. More preferably, the phosphate salts comprise from about 1 to about 5 weight percent of these candies. Additionally, the phosphate salts provided in the candies of this aspect of the invention are provided having a particle size of less than 50 xcexcm, more preferably from about 1 to about 20 xcexcm.
Although sugar-free candies and confectioneries are preferred, calcium phosphate-containing embodiments of the candies and confectioneries of the invention prepared using sugar (e.g., sucrose) are within the scope of this aspect of the invention.
The invention also provides methods for remineralizing teeth to reduce or eliminate dental caries and other dental disease. The methods of the invention are provided wherein a human patient simply ingests into the oral cavity the candies or confectioneries to release calcium and phosphate ions into the mouth and onto teeth. In a preferred embodiment, the candy or confectionery is used as a lozenge, from about one to about five minutes, more preferably from about three to about ten minutes, and most preferably from about five to about fifteen or twenty minutes, to effect the release of calcium and phosphate ions into the mouth and in contact with teeth.
A preferred use for the methods of this invention is for remineralizing a dental lesion in a human. Another preferred use for the methods of the invention is for remineralizing dental plaque in a human. Yet another preferred use for the methods of this invention is for reducing cariogenic challenge to human teeth. The methods of the invention are also preferably used for desensitizing hypersensitive human teeth, and for remineralizing open dentinal tubules and exposed dentine surfaces in human teeth.
Certain preferred embodiments of the candies and confectioneries as well as useful methods for using such embodiments for treating and remineralizing teeth, are described in greater detail in the following sections of this application.

American Dental Association Health Foundation


A refrigerant cycle is provided with a single three-way service valve that is utilized for draining and adding refrigerant. In the prior art, a second two-way valve was used in combination with the three-way valve. The present invention simply drains the refrigerant, and does not need to return the refrigerant. The present invention is particularly well suited for use with an environmentally benign refrigerant such as CO2.

This invention relates to a method of utilizing a three-way valve to provide simplified servicing to a refrigerant cycle, in a manner that allows the elimination of a second valve that was required in the prior art.
Refrigerant cycles are typically utilized to compress a refrigerant, and then pass that refrigerant through a series of heat exchangers to condition a fluid. Typically, a compressor compresses a refrigerant and delivers it to a condenser at which heat is rejected. From the condenser, the refrigerant passes to an expansion device, and from the expansion device to an evaporator. At the evaporator, the refrigerant takes in heat. As an example, in an air conditioning mode, the evaporator is utilized to cool air that is being delivered into an environment. Refrigerant cycles are also utilized to heat water for a hot water supply, and for many other applications.
In the prior art, the refrigerant that circulated through the refrigerant cycle tended to be Freon, or another refrigerant that could not be exposed to the environment. Thus, strict controls were in place to reduce the likelihood of any leakage of the refrigerant into the environment. One challenge for the refrigerant cycle designer in the past occurred when refrigerant was removed or added to the system. In the prior at, a pair of service valves were utilized with one valve on each side of the expansion valve. The valves were opened to allow refrigerant to flow outwardly of the system, and a recovery system was placed onto the two valve ports such that liquid refrigerant could be removed, with a vapor being returned. This complex system was necessary to minimize any possibility of leakage.
More recently, environmentally benign refrigerant such as CO2 have been developed. With the environmentally benign refrigerants, there is little concern with regard to leakage of refrigerant to the environment.

Refrigerant cycle with three-way service valve for environmentally friendly refrigerant


A method and apparatus for Time Division Duplex (TDD) synchronization of Access Points (APEs) uses the 1 pulse-per-second timing pulses of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and synchronization state machines for its Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) structure. As a result, the present invention obviates the need for expensive voltage-controlled oscillators used by the prior art, and achieves stable timing accuracy within approximately 7.5 minutes, as opposed to the 12 to 24-hour period needed by prior art methods.

Time Division Duplex (TDD) systems allow one or more Access Points (APEs) to bidirectionally communicate with Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) such as mobile telephones. As many APEs (also known as hubs) and a multitude of CPEs may be operational in a system, it is important that strict timing protocols be observed to avoid communication conflicts. In multi-sectored systems, time slots allotted to each sector also include guard times to prevent the activity of one sector from encroaching upon the designated time slots of other sectors.
Typical prior art TDD systems incorporate highly stable voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) in the hubs to provide accurate timing control. In addition to being expensive, such approaches also require transient periods of up to twenty-four hours before the local oscillator has achieved suitable stabilization.
There is a great need to provide in a TDD system, a Time Division Multiple Access architecture that incorporates timing generators that are both low cost, and that achieve stabilization shortly after they are activated.

Time division duplex system utilizing global positioning system timing signals for access point synchronization


A heterodyne receiver structure comprises a frequency conversion block arranged to convert an incoming analog radio frequency (RF) signal to an analog intermediate frequency (IF) signal; a filter block arranged to filter said analog IF signal; and an analog-to-digital (AD) converter block arranged to convert said filtered analog IF signal to a digital signal, wherein the AD converter block (309) is arranged to convert the filtered analog IF signal to the digital signal by using a sampling frequency (fs) which is at least N times a maximum bandwidth of the filtered analog IF signal, wherein the frequency spectrum from zero to the sampling frequency is divided into N frequency zones of equal width, wherein N is an even positive number higher than two; the frequency conversion block (304) is arranged to convert the incoming analog RF signal to the analog IF signal such that the analog IF signal is located in any of the N/2-1 frequency zones having lowest frequency; and the filter block (306-308) is arranged to low pass the analog IF signal such that any disturbing signal located in a zone, which would have a mirror image after the AD conversion in the zone, in which the analog IF signal is located, is filtered away, wherein the heterodyne receiver structure further comprises a digital signal processing block (311) arranged to filter said digital signal.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art super-heterodyne receiver with single analogue conversion. The receiver comprises an antenna band pass filter 101 arranged to filter an incoming analogue radio frequency (RF) signal, a low noise amplifier 102 arranged to amplify the incoming analogue RF signal, a band pass filter 103 acting as an intermediate frequency (IF) image reject filter to filter the amplified analogue RF signal, a frequency conversion block or mixer 104, which by aid of an oscillator 105 that provides the local oscillator frequency, is arranged to down convert the filtered analogue RF signal to an analogue IF signal, a band pass filter block comprising two band pass filter 106, 108 and an amplifier 107 and arranged to band pass filter and amplify the analogue IF signal, an analogue-to-digital (AD) converter 109 driven by a sampling clock 110 and arranged to convert the analogue IF signal to a digital signal 111, and a digital processing block 112 arranged to convert the digital signal to I- and Q-components to access a message in the incoming RF signal.
The receiver of FIG. 1 for a multicarrier receiver application is basically a double conversion receiver where the frequency conversion block 104 converts the analogue RF signal to an analogue IF signal, which is received by the AD converter 109 in one of the AD converter Nyquist zones. The second conversion is made in a digital domain utilizing e.g. a numerical controlled oscillator (NCO) multiplier with complex numbers to convert the output signal from the AD converter 109 to IF=0 to recover the I/Q modulation message in the signal.
The advantage of the super-heterodyne receiver is that no I/Q errors in the down-conversion process is introduced and the I/Q signal is obtained after a numerically controlled down conversion in the digital domain in contrary to the direct down conversion or homodyne principle were analogue modulators will introduce inaccuracies that can make homodyne receivers difficult to apply to multi carrier or multi signal receivers.
FIGS. 2a-b are Nyquist zone diagrams related to the operation of the prior art super-heterodyne receiver utilizing an AD converter 109 with sampling frequency fs. FIG. 2a shows the input signal scenario to the AD converter 109. A part of the second Nyquist zone 201 is selected to be used for the incoming analogue IF signal 203. The Nyquist zone 202 is the mirror zone for the real AD converter output signal digital since the response from the AD converter 109 in the frequency domain is mirrored in the Nyquist frequency fs/2. Signals 204, 205, and 206 are signals in adjacent Nyquist zones of the AD converter 109. FIG. 2b shows the resulting AD converter output scenario. The real AD converter output signal will receive the signal 203 and its real mirror image 209 if the disturbance signals 204, 205, and 206 are filtered away so they do not provide any real signals with mirror images in the AD converter output spectrum. Such disturbing or undesired signals are indicates by reference numerals 207 and 208.
Those parts of the Nyquist zone 201 which contain signals from other Nyquist zones of the AD converter 109 can not be used if not the band pass filtering before the AD converter 109 effectively blocks such signals. Therefore, in order to have as much receiver band width as possible in a Nyquist zone, very high Q band pass filtering has to be applied. The required slopes for such band pass filtering are indicated by 210 in FIG. 2a. Due to that filter problem the usage of a Nyquist zone bandwidth is normally limited to 50-70%.

Heterodyne receiver structure, multi chip module, multi integrated circuit module, and method for processing a radio frequency signal


The present invention provides a method and system for designing an integrated circuit (IC). The IC comprises a plurality of cells, and each of the cells comprises a plurality of transistors. The method achieves a target objective of a transistor, of a cell, or of part of or the entire IC. The method of designing the IC includes reshaping a basic shape of the transistor. The method includes determining a reshaping bias solution of the transistor. The method further includes modifying the basic shape of the transistor channel, based on the reshaping bias solution, and preparing a reshaped layout design.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the design of integrated circuits (ICs) and in particular to designing IC layouts.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the design and manufacture of modem Integrated Circuits (ICs), a number of advanced technologies are applied in concert to achieve uniformity and fidelity of all the patterned IC features, including transistors. Such advanced technologies span computer-aided design tools, photomask design tools and fabrication equipment, as well as lithography tools in the foundry. In all of these technologies, the simulation model of the transistor is based on idealized transistor channel widths and lengths. The transistor channel is modeled for simulation purposes as a rectangle. Further, the physical realization of the transistor channel, as represented in a circuit designer's computer-aided layout tool, is again a rectangle, e.g., the rectangular region where a polysilicon shape overlaps a diffusion shape. Subsequently, reticle enhancement techniques (RETs), notably those including optical proximity correction (OPC), sub-resolution assist features (SRAFs) and phase-shifting masks (PSM), all aim to optimize a mask design so that the transistor shape printed on the wafer has maximum fidelity to the rectangular drawn or designed shape. To summarize, in the vast majority of IC design and manufacturing flows, transistors are modeled, designed, drawn and printed so that their gates have perfectly rectangular channels.
With modern deep-submicron or decananometer-scale IC manufacturing processes, a very serious problem is that of leakage current, and therefore leakage power dissipation. It has been projected that in 65 nm process technologies, up to half of the power consumption of an IC can be static power due to leakage mechanisms. Static power is also known as "useless" power since it is dissipated without achieving any advancement of useful computations by the circuit. Components of static power dissipation include subthreshold leakage current, gate leakage or direct tunneling current, junction leakage or tunneling current, hot carrier injection current, gate-induced drain leakage current, punch-through current, etc. Such currents can exhibit sensitivities to environmental or manufacturing process variations. For example, subthreshold leakage current grows exponentially with a decrease in transistor channel length.
Present-day IC design and manufacturing processes only draw, layout and manufacture uniformly rectangular devices that meet prescribed transistor channel dimensions. Therefore, today's IC design and manufacturing processes fail to exploit a valuable degree of freedom, whereby not only the length and width but more generally, the shape of the transistor channel can be optimized to achieve a target objective with respect to performance, power, reliability, manufacturing yield, and other metrics. Due to this failing, today's IC design and manufacturing processes suffer unnecessary loss of performance, power, reliability, and parametric yield in manufactured ICs.
There exists a need for a method and system and that can reshape the transistor channel to improve the performance and leakage power of manufactured ICs. The method and system should be capable of improving the reliability, manufacturing yield and parametric yield of manufactured ICs. The method and system should also be capable of being used within the existing IC design cycle, to improve the design of the IC and make use of existing and known circuit analysis tools.

Method and system for reshaping a transistor gate in an integrated circuit to achieve a target objective


In order to obtain improved magnetic track density, it is desirable to bring the read and write elements as close to the recording surface as possible, short of actually touching it. This has been achieved by utilizing a magnetostrictive actuator, comprising single or multiple pairs of magnetostrictive elements and their associated conductor coils. A magnetic field is generated by passing electrical current through the conductor coils. This field will saturate the actuator and cause the magnetostrictive elements to contract or expand, thus moving the read/write element whenever so desired.

It is well known that increasing areal density in magnetic recording requires a corresponding reduction in the magnetic spacing between the write/read elements and the recording media. Previous inventions in this field have employed piezoelectric elements, thermal heating coils, and electrostatic attraction to reduce magnetic spacing. For example, a piezoelectric transducer (PZT) was applied to the suspension so as to reduce the flying height at the head region. Reducing the flying height is, however, undesirable because of the increased likelihood of head disk interference or even a head crash.
Thermal protrusion does not reduce the slider flying height, but it increases the sensor temperature and thus reduces reliability of the sensor. In addition, thermal expansion is relatively slow in response time. Electrostatic attractive force generation between head and media through a voltage application at the slider body has deficiency in potential "pull-in" crash due to the non-linearity in actuation outside the narrow nominal range. Also, the electrical charge could discharge to result in pin hole formation at the surface of the recording disk, creating a potential reliability problem of corrosion. There is a need for performance and reliability improvement on the methodology to achieve magnetic spacing adjustment.
A routine search of the prior art was performed with the following references of interest being found:
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,314, Lille discloses a deformable layer to temporarily reduce magnetic spacing between the head and the disk while in US Application Publication 2003/0174430, Takahashi et al show use of thermal expansion to adjust magnetic spacing.

Magnetostrictive actuator in a magnetic head


The present invention also provides infectious DNA clones, biologically functional plasmid or viral vector containing the infectious nucleic acid genome molecule of Torque teno sus virus (TTsuV). The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing TTsuV infection via immunological methods, e.g., enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot using PTTV specific antigens for detecting serum PTTV specific antibodies which indicate infections TTsuV1, TTsuV2, and individual TTsuV1 genotypes.

Anelloviruses are small, single-stranded, circular DNA viruses that infect a wide range of animal species from humans to domestic animals including pigs (Hino, S., and H. Miyata. 2007. Torque teno virus (TTV): current status. Rev Med Virol 17:45-57; Okamoto, H. 2009. TT viruses in animals. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 331:35-52). Most recently, all human and other animal anelloviruses have been assigned into a newly established family Anelloviridae that includes nine genera (Biagini, P., M. Bendinelli, S. Hino, L. Kakkola, A. Mankertz, C. Niel, H. Okamoto, S. Raidal, C. G. Teo, and D. Todd. 2011. Anelloviridae, p. 331-341. In A. M. Q. King, M. J. Adams, E. B. Carstens, and E. J. Lefkowitz (ed.), Virus Taxonomy, 9th Report of the ICTV. Elsevier Academic Press, London). Human anelloviruses include Torque teno virus (TTV), Torque teno mini virus (TTMV) and Torque teno midi virus (TTMDV) that belong to three different genera. Human TTV, TTMV and TTMDV are non-enveloped spherical viruses with DNA genomes of 3.6-3.9, 2.8-2.9 and 3.2 kb in length, respectively (Okamoto, H. 2009. History of discoveries and pathogenicity of TT viruses. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 331:1-20). These three groups of human anelloviruses show a high degree of genetic diversity, and infections of TTV, TTMV and TTMDV at a high prevalence in human populations have been documented worldwide (Ninomiya, M., M. Takahashi, T. Nishizawa, T. Shimosegawa, and H. Okamoto. 2008. Development of PCR assays with nested primers specific for differential detection of three human anelloviruses and early acquisition of dual or triple infection during infancy. J Clin Microbiol 46:507-14; Okamoto, H. 2009. History of discoveries and pathogenicity of TT viruses. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 331:1-20). On the other hand, porcine anelloviruses or Torque teno sus viruses (TTSuV) is assigned into a new genus Iotatorquevirus comprising two species (TTSuV1 and TTSuV2), each also characterized by high genetic diversity with a genomic size of approximately 2.8 kb (Huang, Y. W., Y. Y. Ni, B. A. Dryman, and X. J. Meng. 2010. Multiple infection of porcine Torque teno virus in a single pig and characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of four U.S. prototype PTTV strains: implication for genotyping of PTTV. Virology 396:287-97, Niel, C., L. Diniz-Mendes, and S. Devalle. 2005. Rolling-circle amplification of Torque teno virus (TTV) complete genomes from human and swine sera and identification of a novel swine TTV genogroup. J Gen Virol 86:1343-7). TTSuV1 and TTSuV2 are highly prevalent in pig populations in many countries (Gallei, A., S. Pesch, W. S. Esking, C. Keller, and V. F. Ohlinger. 2010. Porcine Torque teno virus: determination of viral genomic loads by genogroup-specific multiplex rt-PCR, detection of frequent multiple infections with genogroups 1 or 2, and establishment of viral full-length sequences. Vet Microbiol 143:202-12; Kekarainen, T., M. Sibila, and J. Segales. 2006. Prevalence of swine Torque teno virus in post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)-affected and non-PMWS-affected pigs in Spain. J Gen Virol 87:833-7; McKeown, N. E., M. Fenaux, P. G. Halbur, and X. J. Meng. 2004. Molecular characterization of porcine TT virus, an orphan virus, in pigs from six different countries. Vet Microbiol 104:113-7).
Human and porcine anelloviruses share the same genomic structure, which consists of at least four presumed open reading frames (ORFs), ORF1, ORF2, ORF1/1 and ORF2/2, as well as a short stretch of high GC content in the untranslated region (UTR) (Huang, Y. W., Y. Y. Ni, B. A. Dryman, and X. J. Meng. 2010. Multiple infection of porcine Torque teno virus in a single pig and characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of four U.S. prototype PTTV strains: implication for genotyping of PTTV. Virology 396:287-97; Okamoto, H., M. Takahashi, T. Nishizawa, A. Tawara, K. Fukai, U. Muramatsu, Y. I Saito, and A. Yoshikawa. 2002. Genomic characterization of TT viruses (TTVs) in pigs, cats and dogs and their relatedness with species-specific TTVs in primates and tupaias. J Gen Virol 83:1291-7; 39. Qiu, J., L. Kakkola, F. Cheng, C. Ye, M. Soderlund-Venermo, K. Hedman, and D. J. Pintel. 2005. Human circovirus TT virus genotype 6 expresses six proteins following transfection of a full-length clone, J Virol 79:6505-10). The transcription pattern and related translational products of human TTV genogroup 1 have been experimentally determined by using two full-length TTV DNA clones (Mueller, B., A. Maerz, K. Doberstein, T. Finsterbusch, and A. Mankertz. 2008. Gene expression of the human Torque Teno Virus isolate P/1C1. Virology 381:36-45; 39. Qiu, J., L. Kakkola, F. Cheng, C. Ye, M. Soderlund-Venermo, K. Hedman, and D. J. Pintel. 2005. Human circovirus TT virus genotype 6 expresses six proteins following transfection of a full-length clone, J Virol 79:6505-10). It was shown that the human TTV genome expresses three or more spliced mRNAs encoding at least six proteins, ORF1, ORF2, ORF1/1, ORF2/2, ORF1/2 and ORF2/3 (Mueller, B., A. Maerz, K. Doberstein, T. Finsterbusch, and A. Mankertz. 2008. Gene expression of the human Torque Teno Virus isolate P/1C1. Virology 381:36-45). The transcriptional analysis and protein expression profile using cloned full-length genomic DNA have not been reported for TTSuV.
The ORF1 of TTSuV is believed to encode a viral capsid and replication-associated protein (Huang, Y. W., Y. Y. Ni, B. A. Dryman, and X. J. Meng. 2010. Multiple infection of porcine Torque teno virus in a single pig and characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of four U.S. prototype PTTV strains: implication for genotyping of PTTV. Virology 396:287-97; Okamoto, H., M. Takahashi, T. Nishizawa, A. Tawara, K. Fukai, U. Muramatsu, Y. I Saito, and A. Yoshikawa. 2002. Genomic characterization of TT viruses (TTVs) in pigs, cats and dogs and their relatedness with species-specific TTVs in primates and tupaias. J Gen Virol 83:1291-7). IgG antibodies against the ORF1 of TTV and TTSuV have been detected in human and pig sera, respectively (15. Huang, Y. W., K. K. Harrall, B. A. Dryman, N. M. Beach, S. P. Kenney, T. Opriessnig, E. M. Vaughn, M. B. Roof, and X. J. Meng. 2011. Expression of the putative ORF1 capsid protein of Torque teno sus virus 2 (TTSuV2) and development of Western blot and ELISA serodiagnostic assays: correlation between TTSuV2 viral load and IgG antibody level in pigs. Virus Res 158:79-88; Kakkola, L., H. Boden, L. Hedman, N. Kivi, S. Moisala, J. Julin, J. Yla-Liedenpohja, S. Miettinen, K. Kantola, K. Hedman, and M. Soderlund-Venermo. 2008. Expression of all six human Torque teno virus (TTV) proteins in bacteria and in insect cells, and analysis of their IgG responses. Virology 382:182-9; 38. Ott, C., L. Duret, I. Chemin, C. Trepo, B. Mandrand, and F. Komurian-Pradel. 2000. Use of a TT virus ORF1 recombinant protein to detect anti-TT virus antibodies in human sera. J Gen Virol 81:2949-58).
The pathogenic potential of anellovirus is still controversial. Currently, human TTV is not considered to be directly associated with a particular disease, although recent studies suggested TTV may serve as an immunological trigger of multiple sclerosis (Maggi, F., and M. Bendinelli. 2010. Human anelloviruses and the central nervous system. Rev Med Virol 20:392-407). Similarly, whether TTSuV is associated with a swine disease is still debatable. TTSuV1 was shown to partially contribute to the experimental induction of porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) and postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS or porcine circovirus associated disease, PCVAD) in a gnotobiotic pig model (Ellis, J. A., G. Allan, and S. Krakowka. 2008. Effect of coinfection with genogroup 1 porcine torque teno virus on porcine circovirus type 2-associated postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome in gnotobiotic pigs. Am J Vet Res 69:1608-14; 22. Krakowka, S., C. Hartunian, A. Hamberg, D. Shoup, M. Rings, Y. Zhang, G. Allan, and J. A. Ellis. 2008. Evaluation of induction of porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome in gnotobiotic pigs with negative results for porcine circovirus type 2. Am J Vet Res 69:1615-22). PMWS-affected pigs in Spain had a higher prevalence and viral loads of TTSuV2 than the PMWS-unaffected pigs (Aramouni, M., J. Segales, M. Sibila, G. E. Martin-Valls, D. Nieto, and T. Kekarainen. 2011. Torque teno sus virus 1 and 2 viral loads in postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) affected pigs. Vet Microbiol 153:377-81; 21. Kekarainen, T., M. Sibila, and J. Segales. 2006. Prevalence of swine Torque teno virus in post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)-affected and non-PMWS-affected pigs in Spain. J Gen Virol 87:833-7). Moreover, a significantly lower level of anti-TTSuV2 antibody was found in PCVAD-affected pigs than in PCVAD-unaffected pigs (Huang, Y. W., K. K. Harrall, B. A. Dryman, N. M. Beach, S. P. Kenney, T. Opriessnig, E. M. Vaughn, M. B. Roof, and X. J. Meng. 2011. Expression of the putative ORF1 capsid protein of Torque teno sus virus 2 (TTSuV2) and development of Western blot and ELISA serodiagnostic assays: correlation between TTSuV2 viral load and IgG antibody level in pigs. Virus Res 158:79-88). However, results from other studies did not support a direct association of TTSuV1 or TTSuV2 with PCVAD or association of type 2 porcine circovirus (PCV2) and TTSuV with porcine reproductive failures (Gauger, P. C., K. M. Lager, A. L. Vincent, T. Opriessnig, M. E. Kehrli, Jr., and A. K. Cheung. 2011. Postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome produced in gnotobiotic pigs following exposure to various amounts of porcine circovirus type 2a or type 2b. Vet Microbiol 153:229-39; Huang, Y. W., K. K. Harrall, B. A. Dryman, T. Opriessnig, E. M. Vaugh, M. B. Roof, and X. J. Meng. 2012. Serological profile of Torque teno sus virus species 1 (TTSuV1) in pigs and antigenic relationships between two TTSuV1 genotypes (1a and 1b), between two species (TTSuV1 and 2), and between porcine and human anelloviruses. J. Virol. Submitted Manuscript; Lee, S. S., S. Sunyoung, H. Jung, J. Shin, and Y. S. Lyoo. 2010. Quantitative detection of porcine Torque teno virus in Porcine circovirus-2-negative and Porcine circovirus-associated disease-affected pigs. J Vet Diagn Invest 22:261-4; Ritterbusch, G. A., C. A. Sa Rocha, N. Mores, N. L. Simon, E. L. Zanella, A. Coldebella, and J. R. Ciacci-Zanella. 2011. Natural co-infection of torque teno virus and porcine circovirus 2 in the reproductive apparatus of swine. Res Vet Sci. doi:10.1016/j.rvsc.2011.04.001).
Due to the lack of a cell culture system to propagate anelloviruses, little is known regarding the molecular biology and pathogenesis of anelloviruses. In order to definitively characterize diseases associated with anellovirus infection, an appropriate animal model is needed. Since multiple infections of different genotypes or subtypes of human TTV or TTSuV are common events (Gallei, A., S. Pesch, W. S. Esking, C. Keller, and V. F. Ohlinger. 2010. Porcine Torque teno virus: determination of viral genomic loads by genogroup-specific multiplex rt-PCR, detection of frequent multiple infections with genogroups 1 or 2, and establishment of viral full-length sequences. Vet Microbiol 143:202-12; Huang, Y. W., Y. Y. Ni, B. A. Dryman, and X. J. Meng. 2010. Multiple infection of porcine Torque teno virus in a single pig and characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of four U.S. prototype PTTV strains: implication for genotyping of PTTV. Virology 396:287-97; Ninomiya, M., M. Takahashi, T. Nishizawa, T. Shimosegawa, and H. Okamoto. 2008. Development of PCR assays with nested primers specific for differential detection of three human anelloviruses and early acquisition of dual or triple infection during infancy. J Clin Microbiol 46:507-14), a biologically pure and isolated form of a specific anellovirus generated from full-length infectious DNA clone is also required for a pathological study of a single phenotype. Although infectious DNA clones of human TTV in cultured cells have been reported (de Villiers, E. M., S. S. Borkosky, R. Kimmel, K. Gunst, and J. W. Fei. 2011. The diversity of torque teno viruses: in vitro replication leads to the formation of additional replication-competent subviral molecules. J Virol 85:7284-95; Kakkola, L., J. Tommiska, L. C. Boele, S. Miettinen, T. Blom, T. Kekarainen, J. Qiu, D. Pintel, R. C. Hoeben, K. Hedman, and M. Soderlund-Venermo. 2007. Construction and biological activity of a full-length molecular clone of human Torque teno virus (TTN) genotype6. FEBS J 274:4719-30; Leppik, L., K. Gunst, M. Lehtinen, J. Dillner, K. Streker, and E. M. de Villiers. 2007. In vivo and in vitro intragenomic rearrangement of TT viruses. J Virol 81:9346-56), it is important to construct an infectious TTSuV DNA clone so that TTSuV can be used as a useful model to study the replication and transcription mechanisms and to dissect the structural and functional relationships of anellovirus genes. More importantly, the availability of a TTSuV infectious DNA clone will afford us an opportunity to use the pig as a model system to study the replication and pathogenesis of TTSuV or even human TTV.
Multiple infections of human TTV with different genotypes in a single human individual or TTSuV with different genotypes or subtypes in a single pig have been documented (Ball, J. K., R. Curran, S. Berridge, A. M. Grabowska, C. L. Jameson, B. J. Thomson, W. L. Irving, and P. M. Sharp. 1999. TT virus sequence heterogeneity in vivo: evidence for co-infection with multiple genetic types. J Gen Virol 80 (Pt 7): 1759 68; Forms, X., P. Hegerich, A. Darnell, S. U. Emerson, R. H. Purcell, and J. Bukh. 1999. High prevalence of TT virus (TTV) infection in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: frequent mixed infections with different genotypes and lack of evidence of associated liver disease. J Med Virol 59:313-7; Gallei, A., S. Pesch, W. S. Esking, C. Keller, and V. F. Ohlinger. 2010. Porcine Torque teno virus: determination of viral genomic loads by genogroup-specific multiplex rt-PCR, detection of frequent multiple infections with genogroups 1 or 2, and establishment of viral full-length sequences. Vet Microbiol 143:202-12; Huang, Y. W., Y. Y. Ni, B. A. Dryman, and X. J. Meng. 2010. Multiple infection of porcine Torque teno virus in a single pig and characterization of the full-length genomic sequences of four U.S. prototype PTTV strains: implication for genotyping of PTTV. Virology 396:289-97; Jelcic, I., A. Hotz-Wagenblatt, A. Hunziker, H. Zur Hausen, and E. M. de Villiers. 2004. Isolation of multiple TT virus genotypes from spleen biopsy tissue from a Hodgkin's disease patient: genome reorganization and diversity in the hypervariable region. J Virol 78:7498-507; Niel, C., F. L. Saback, and E. Lampe. 2000. Coinfection with multiple TT virus strains belonging to different genotypes is a common event in healthy Brazilian adults. J Clin Microbiol 38:1926-30; Ninomiya, M., M. Takahashi, T. Nishizawa, T. Shimosegawa, and H. Okamoto. 2008. Development of PCR assays with nested primers specific for differential detection of three human anelloviruses and early acquisition of dual or triple infection during infancy. J Clin Microbiol 46:507-14). These findings raise the question whether the anti-ORF1 capsid antibodies recognized by the antigen from a particular TTV or TTSuV species/geno types also comprise anti-ORF1 antibodies against other distinct TTV or TTSuV species/genotypes and whether the anti-ORF1 antibodies from one TTV or TTSuV genotype can cross-protect against infection with another genotype. To our knowledge, for human TTV or TTSuV infection there is no information on this topic available to date. Furthermore, the antigenic diversity and relationship of anelloviruses have never been assessed (Maggi, F., and M. Bendinelli. 2009. Immunobiology of the Torque teno viruses and other anelloviruses. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 331:65-90). It is reasonable to speculate that there is little, if any, antigenic cross-reactivity between different anellovirus species/genotypes, due to the fact that concurrent infections with multiple anelloviruses in a single individual or animal exist.
The inventors have previously developed and validated serum Western blot (WB) and indirect ELISA assays for detection of the IgG antibody against TTSuV2 in porcine sera using the purified recombinant TTSuV2-ORF1 protein expressed in E. coli (Huang, Y. W., K. K. Harrall, B. A. Dryman, N. M. Beach, S. P. Kenney, T. Opriessnig, E. M. Vaughn, M. B. Roof, and X. J. Meng. 2011. Expression of the putative ORF1 capsid protein of Torque teno sus virus 2 (TTSuV2) and development of Western blot and ELISA serodiagnostic assays: correlation between TTSuV2 viral load and IgG antibody level in pigs. Virus Res 158:79-88). By using TTSuV2-specific real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ELISA, The inventors further presented the combined virological and serological profile of TTSuV2 infection under natural or diseased conditions using 160 porcine sera collected from different sources (Huang, Y. W., K. K. Harrall, B. A. Dryman, N. M. Beach, S. P. Kenney, T. Opriessnig, E. M. Vaughn, M. B. Roof, and X. J. Meng. 2011. Expression of the putative ORF1 capsid protein of Torque teno sus virus 2 (TTSuV2) and development of Western blot and ELISA serodiagnostic assays: correlation between TTSuV2 viral load and IgG antibody level in pigs. Virus Res 158:79-88). In the present invention, The inventors initially aimed to assess the serological profiles of the two TTSuV1 genotypes (TTSuV1a and TTSuV1b) in pigs, respectively. Subsequently, the inventors aimed to compare the virological and serological profiles of TTSuV1a and TTSuV1b with that of TTSuV2, and to determine the degree of correlation of IgG antibody levels between anti-TTSuV1a and -TTSuV1b and between anti-TTSuV1a or -1b and anti-TTSuV2. Finally, for the first time, the inventors assessed the antigenic relationships between two TTSuV1 genotypes (TTSuV1a and TTSuV1b), between two species (TTSuV1 and TTSuV2), and between porcine and human genogroup 1 anelloviruses using ELISA and immunofluorescence assay with antibody cross-reactions in PK-15 cells transfected with recombinant plasmids expressing the ORF1s from TTSuV1a, TTSuV1b and TTSuV2, respectively.

Infectious genomic DNA clone and serological profile of Torque teno sus virus 1 and 2

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


A mooring unit and method of retrofitting a mooring unit are provided. Certain existing combination mooring units, of the type having two wire rope drums and two wildcats, are experiencing increased winch drive train component stress levels during operation when used in water deeper than they were designed for. Existing units are modified by providing left and right twin drum traction winch assemblies and additional winches. The existing wire rope drums are discarded, or reused with the additional winches. The additional winches are preferably mounted below the mooring unit. The twin drum traction winch assemblies, which deliver a constant winch pull force, are vertically mounted within the support flanges where the removed wire rope drums were previously mounted, without any modification to the support flanges.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to offshore drilling vessels, and more particularly to a mooring unit for use on an offshore drilling vessel and to a method for retrofitting an a mooring unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An offshore drilling vessel is essentially a massive, floating, mobile vessel used in the offshore exploration of oil and gas. In broad terms, the typical offshore drilling vessel generally includes two large pontoon hulls, at least four vertical support columns, and a drilling platform. The pontoon hulls float in the water horizontally and are parallel to one another. At least two support columns are attached to and extend vertically upwardly from each pontoon hull. The drilling platform is horizontally attached upon the vertical columns. The vessel is equipped with the necessary drilling tools to drill an oil and gas well into the ocean floor. The vessel is towed from drilling site to drilling site by one or more boats. When the vessel arrives at a drilling site, the vessel must be anchored to the ocean floor before drilling begins. Each corner of the vessel is anchored to the ocean floor by at least one large anchor. Each anchor is raised and lowered by its own mooring unit. In very broad terms, a mooring unit is essentially a giant hoist. It is quite common for each corner of the vessel to be anchored to the ocean floor by two large anchors. In this situation, two mooring units are mounted to each corner of the vessel; this is referred to as an "eight-point" mooring system. The mooring units are normally mounted below the vessel's drilling platform on shelves attached to the vertical columns.
There are three basic types of mooring units: (1) a mooring "winch," which uses large diameter wire rope to raise and lower the anchor; (2) a mooring "windlass," which uses large chain to raise and lower the anchor; and, (3) a "combination" mooring unit, which has both a winch and a windlass, and uses a combination wire rope/chain mooring line to raise and lower the anchor. With all three types of mooring units, the offshore drilling vessel is also equipped with a "fairlead" for each mooring unit. A fairlead is essentially a pulley. The fairleads are mounted to the vertical columns directly below each mooring unit. The wire or chain exits the winch or windlass and passes around its corresponding fairlead before being connected to the anchor. In broad terms, all three types of mooring units have a frame, at least one brake, at least one drive motor, at least one gearbox, and an electrical control system. A typical mooring winch also has at least one drum, to hold the wire rope, and a levelwind for each drum, with the levelwind guiding the wire rope back and forth across the drum as it is spooled out and wound up. An example of a commercially available mooring winch is Model No. ETW-350, which is manufactured by Skagit Products, of Houston, Tex. A typical mooring windlass, on the other hand, has at least one "wildcat," instead of a drum and levelwind. A "wildcat" is essentially a sprocket which grabs the chain link-by-link and either pulls it in or feeds it out. An example of a commercially available mooring windlass is Model No. WMD-48, also manufactured by Skagit Products. When retrieving an anchor, a windlass does not wind up the chain like a winch winds up wire rope. Instead, as the anchor is being retrieved, the chain, used with a windlass, passes over the wildcat and into a "chain locker" located inside the vertical column to which the windlass is attached; the chain simply piles up on the floor of the chain locker.
A combination mooring unit includes both a mooring winch and a mooring windlass. Thus, the mooring line with a combination mooring unit is a combination of wire rope and chain. The winch provides a large drum to store the required length of wire rope, while the windlass handles the chain portion of the mooring line. An example of a commercially available combination mooring unit is Model No. ETW-350/52, also manufactured by Skagit Products. A typical anchor chain used in a combination mooring line has an approximate diameter of three and one-quarter inches, is approximately 4,400 feet in length, and weighs approximately 100 pounds per foot. A typical wire rope used in a combination mooring line has an approximate diameter of three and one-half inches, is approximately 5,600 feet in length, and weighs approximately 23 pounds per foot. With a combination mooring unit, the anchor is always attached directly to the chain portion of the mooring line; the wire rope portion of the mooring line connects to the chain portion of the mooring line, not to the anchor.
When an offshore drilling vessel equipped with combination mooring units is moved from one drilling site to another, the anchors are held in a "stowed" position against brackets which are attached to the vertical columns below the fairleads. The anchor is held against the brackets by the chain, and the chain is held in place by the wildcat on the windlass. The remainder of the chain portion of the mooring line is stored in the chain locker. Further, during transport, the wire rope is stored on the drum of the mooring winch, and is disconnected from the chain portion of the mooring line. When the vessel arrives at the drilling site, the vessel must be anchored before drilling begins. To anchor the vessel, each windlass lowers its anchor away from its bracket and onto a boat. The boat then carries the anchor away from the vessel in the desired direction. The boat is advised to stop when most of the chain portion of the mooring line has been payed out. As known to those skilled in the art, when the chain has been payed out, a "tri-link" is used to connect the chain to the wire rope. At this point, the mooring line becomes a combination chain and wire rope mooring line, and the combination mooring line is controlled by the winch instead of the windlass. After the connection has been made, the boat is signaled to continue carrying the anchor to the desired location, thereby unwinding wire rope from the winch drum. When the boat reaches the desired location, the anchor is dropped to the ocean floor. After all anchors have been dropped in this manner, the drilling process may begin. When it is desired to move the drilling vessel to another drilling site, each anchor must be retrieved and secured to its corresponding vertical column as explained above. As explained below, it is during the process of retrieving the anchors with combination wire rope/chain mooring lines that the problem solved by the present invention arises.
At the beginning of the process of retrieving each anchor, in a typical situation, there is approximately 4,400 feet of anchor chain and approximately 5,600 feet of wire rope in the water. Thus, in this scenario, the total length of the combination mooring line in the water between the drilling vessel and each anchor is approximately 10,000 feet (or approximately 1.9 miles). A typical water depth in this scenario may be approximately 5,000 feet. One end of the chain is connected to the anchor and the other end is connected to one end of the wire rope. The other end of the wire rope is connected to the winch drum. At the beginning of the anchor retrieval process, the wire rope is at a layer very near the core of the drum. When the wire rope layer is very near the drum core, the winch is capable of pulling on the anchor with a much greater force ("winch pull force") than when the drum is full and the wire rope is at its outer layer. This is based upon the physical principle that torque is a product of force and distance. In this case, the torque delivered by the motor to the wire rope drum remains constant, and the distance from the drum core to the wire rope layer (i.e., the radius of the wire rope layer) varies. As the radius of the wire rope layer increases, the force must decrease since the torque remains constant. Thus, as the anchor is retrieved by the winch, and as the wire rope is evenly spooled by the levelwind onto the winch drum, the wire rope layer gradually moves away from the drum core, and the winch pull force gradually decreases. The existing combination mooring units presently in operation were designed with winches easily having the necessary winch pull force at the outer wire rope layer to haul the wire rope, chain and anchor up to a level high enough so that the chain could be connected directly to the windlass, and disconnected from the wire rope. However, as companies have extended their exploration efforts into deeper and deeper water, it has become necessary to utilize longer and longer lengths of chain and wire rope, thereby rendering inapplicable the original design parameters for the existing combination mooring units. Thus, the existing combination mooring units now in operation are being used under conditions more strenuous that those they were originally designed for. As will now be explained, a specific problem has arisen as a result of taking drilling vessels equipped with existing combination mooring units into greater water depths.
The specific problem occurs during the process of retrieving the anchors. More particularly, the problem occurs when the combination mooring line is still being reeled in by the winch. Stated differently, the problem occurs before the chain has been connected to the windlass and disconnected from the wire rope. As the winch is reeling in the anchor, and as the wire rope reaches the outer layer, where the winch pull force is at its lowest, the drive train component stress levels and deflections are highest. When in deeper water and operating parameters are more demanding than the original design parameters, the winch drive train component stress levels are further increased. If the retrieval loads continue to increase, the winch will simply stall. Thus, there is a need for a combination mooring unit having a winch with the capacity to raise the wire rope, chain, and anchor high enough to connect the chain directly to the windlass, and disconnect the chain from the wire rope, without exceeding the allowable design criteria, and without stalling. In addition, there is a need for an efficient and cost effective way to modify the existing combination mooring units presently in operation to meet these needs, instead of completely scrapping them and replacing them with new units. The present invention, as explained below, was developed in response to these needs.


An organic light emitting display device with improved thermal reliability is disclosed. The organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, and an organic light emitting device that includes a first electrode, an organic light emitting layer including a first host, a second host, and a dopant, and a second electrode sequentially stacked on the substrate. The first host and the second host have different glass transition temperatures.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting display (OLED) device, and more particularly, to an OLED device with improved thermal reliability.
Discussion of the Related Art
For an image display device which displays a variety of information on a screen as a core technology in advanced information and communication, there is continuous progress in development of slim, light-weight, and portable devices with improved performance. Hereupon, an organic light emitting display (OLED) device for controlling light intensity of an organic light emitting layer is recently receiving attention as a flat panel display device, along with demand for a flexible display capable of being bent pursuant to convenience and space utilization.
The OLED device can have a slim structure, include devices formed on a flexible substrate such as a plastic substrate, and be driven at a lower voltage, for example, at 10 V or less, than voltages required for a plasma display panel or an inorganic electroluminescent display, thereby reducing power consumption. In addition, much attention has been paid to OLED devices, since they are light-weight and realize high color quality.
Particularly, OLED devices are classified into active matrix organic light emitting display (AMOLED) devices and passive matrix organic light emitting display (PMOLED) devices. An AMOLED device displays an image using pixels including red, green, and blue sub-pixels arranged in a matrix form. Each sub-pixel includes an organic light emitting device and a cell driving unit that drives the organic light emitting device.
The cell driving unit includes at least two thin film transistors (TFTs) and a storage capacitor which are connected among a gate line supplying a scan signal, a data line supplying a video data signal, and a common power line supplying a common power signal to drive a first electrode of the organic light emitting device.
The organic light emitting device includes a first electrode, an organic light emitting layer, and a second electrode sequentially stacked and emits light using binding energy generated via combination of electrons and holes introduced into the organic light emitting layer by applying an electric filed to the first and second electrodes. The organic light emitting layer includes a host and a dopant and emits red, green, and blue light according to the types of the dopant and the host. The OLED device embodies full color emission by red, green, and blue sub-pixels respectively emitting red, green, and blue light.
However, if a host of the organic light emitting layer has a low glass transition temperature (Tg), quality of colors realized by the sub-pixels may be deteriorated by heat generated during emission of the organic light emitting device and operation of the TFT.
If a host has a low glass transition temperature, properties of the host change by heat to deteriorate quality of colors. Accordingly, color coordinates are partially changed to reduce a color reproduction rate. Particularly, when a host of a red organic light emitting layer has a lower glass transition temperature than those of green and blue organic light emitting layers so as to be vulnerable to heat, color purity and emission intensity of a red sub-pixel are relatively reduced. Thus, an OLED panel that realizes white light by mixing light emitted by red, green, and blue sub-pixels emits bluish green light instead of white light. As a result, reliability of the OLED device is reduced.


Single-channel magnetic head having a head face (1) which extends in a first direction (I) in which a magnetic record carrier (3) is relatively movable with respect to the magnetic head, and in a second direction (II) transverse to the first direction. The magnetic head has a structure of layers which, viewed in the first direction, are situated one on top of the other and extend substantially in the second direction and a third direction (III) transverse to the first and the second direction. The structure is provided with a magnetoresistive measuring element (5), a first magnetic element (7) and a second magnetic element (9). Both magnetic elements are electrically conducting, while the measuring element is arranged electrically in series between the two magnetic elements for passing a measuring current (i) through the measuring element substantially in the third direction. Each magnetic element has an electric contact face (7a, 9a). To obtain a stable single-channel magnetic head having a narrow, well-defined scanning width, at least one magnetic element extending as far as the head face has an extensiveness which is larger in the second direction than in the third direction. This extensiveness in the second direction is also larger than the effective width (w) of the measuring element. In the third direction, the relevant magnetic element has a larger relative magnetic permeability (.mu..sub.rIII) than in the second direction.

The invention relates to a single-channel magnetic head having a head face which extends in a first direction in which a magnetic record carrier is relatively movable with respect to the magnetic head, and in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and having a structure of layers which, viewed in the first direction, are situated one on top of the other and extend substantially in the second direction and a third direction transverse to the first and the second direction. This structure is provided with a magnetoresistive measuring element having an effective width extending in the second direction, a first magnetic element and a second magnetic element viewed; in the first direction, said magnetic elements are situated in an at least partially overlapping relationship, at least the first magnetic element of said elements extends as far as the head face and both magnetic elements are electrically conducting. The measuring element are arranged electrically in series between the two magnetic elements for passing a measuring current through the measuring element substantially in the third direction, and each magnetic element has an electric connection face.
A magnetic head of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,467. The known magnetic head has a spin-valve magnetoresistive sensor which is incorporated in a magnetic yoke. Two yoke parts of the yoke are electrically interconnected at a head face of the magnetic head by means of an electrically conducting gap layer, while one of the yoke parts is provided with an interruption which is electrically and magnetically bridged by the sensor. Each yoke part is provided in an area spaced apart from the head face with electrically conducting layers oriented transversely to the yoke parts, which layers terminate in connection faces situated beside the yoke parts. The sensor has an effective portion within which changes of magnetization are detected during scanning. Although a relatively narrow read channel can be realized with the known magnetic head, this head does not have an optimal stability, which is due to the yoke configuration used. This is particularly the case with a small yoke width because then there is a clear risk that the yoke parts are split up into magnetic domains so that instabilities and Barkhausen noise occur.

Single-channel magnetic head with magnetoresistive element in series with electrically conducting magnetic elements


One embodiment generally pertains to a method of prediction. The method includes generating a set of affixes from a selected input sequence and comparing the set of affixes with a predictive set of affixes. The method also includes selecting an affix from the predictive set of affixes. The invention uses various input data sets and allows the ability to perfectly render the original data set and the minimal size of the predictive set of affixes.

The present invention relates to an apparatus, system, and method for predicting and accurately reproducing linguistic properties of character and word sequences using techniques involving affix data preparation, generation, and prediction.
Automated document preparation systems have been available for some time. These systems allow a plurality of individuals to dictate information to a transcription center where the dictated information is stored, transcribed and processed for distribution in accordance with a predetermined arrangement. Such systems are commonly employed in the healthcare industry where physicians, nurses and other medical professionals are required to maintain detailed records relating to the status of the many patients they see during the course of their daily routine.
As with virtually all industries, the healthcare industry in particular is beset by a need for readily available information. From physicians to patients the ready availability of information is somewhat limited when one looks to the availability of information in other fields. While much of the known scientific information relating to medicine is available via public and/or private databases, the manner in which the data is gathered and analyzed is very similar to methods which have been utilized since the development of the printing press.
That is, physicians typically conduct research on an individual basis and publish reports telling of the information they have found through their research. The basis for their research is, however, usually information of which they have first hand knowledge or information which has been previously published by other physicians.
In addition to the limited availability of information for use by physicians, the available information regarding the practice of medicine is stored and prepared in an arcane manner not readily understandable by the conventional patient. As such, medical patients are often forced to rely entirely upon information given to them by their personal physicians, and consequently overlook alternate procedures which may be preferable to those suggested by their personal physician.
Automated document preparation systems for some time have incorporated natural language processing to enhance document processing and information retrieval. For example, a natural language processor linked with a text normalization processor may be configured to compile relevant information related to reports generated by an automated document preparation system. The relevant information may be information related to diagnosis of diseases, treatment protocols, billing codes and the like. The relevant information may be compiled and indexed for later retrieval and research.
In the conventional natural language processors, morphological analysis and stemming techniques have been implemented to enhance natural language processing and information retrieval. Morphological analysis may include inflectional and derivational of natural language text. More particularly, inflectional analysis may involve determining patterns in paradigms and derivational analysis may involve the process of word formation. Computational methods applied to morphological analysis and generation in natural language parsing; text generation; machine translation; dictionary tools; text-to-speech and speech recognition; word processing; spelling checking; text input; information retrieval, summarization, and classification; and information extraction.
However, drawbacks and disadvantages are associated with the text processing engines. For example, the conventional information extraction engine is typically constructed using databases or tables of terms. In the medical fields, these tables often encompass several million of terms (words and phrases). The size of these tables not only encumbers computer memory resources, but also encumbers the performance of the normalization engine. More specifically, as the tables grow larger, the time required to search the tables grows larger. It would also be desirable to apply the same generation and prediction methods for a number of information extraction processing steps such as uninflection, underivation, and part-of-speech prediction; and for these methods to work equally well over words and phrases. The problem of processing text is burdened by the fact that it is not possible to list all possible terms. Consequently, prediction technology should not only provide precise information about the terms of which it has direct knowledge, but also be able to accurately predict information for novel or out-of-vocabulary terms.
Several shortcomings of the prior art that are addressed by the patent are: (a) enforcing the requirement that the prediction method is capable of perfectly rendering information supplied by the data set used to generate the predictor; (b) providing a method of excluding data from the generation process; (c) providing a method of incorporating exceptional data into the generation process; and, thereby, (d) providing the ability either to replace completely the original data set or to combine perfect rendition of the information in a data set and highly accurate prediction for novel or out-of-vocabulary terms.

System, method and apparatus for prediction using minimal affix patterns


A mobile hydrocarbon and heavy metal removal unit for removing hydrocarbons and heavy metals from dirt, coal tar, sludge, slurries and aqueous particulates.

A need exists for a trailerable modular device for use with separate trailerable power units to remove heavy metals and hydrocarbons from dirt.
There is a need for an apparatus that is less liable to pollute and can produce clean particulate immediately (within a few minutes) of multiple sizes of clean particulate usable immediately essentially simultaneously.
A further need exists for a compact, device that can move on a roadway without permits, but can remove hydrocarbons and heavy metals from dirt, sludge, or aqueous particulate.
A need exists for an apparatus for creating multi-sized clean particulate simultaneously using a floating system that is re-locatable to other locations easily.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus for removing hydrocarbons and contaminates


An RF signal generation device includes an RF signal generation unit 102 that pulse-modulates a prescribed signal to generate an output signal in which four or more-level discrete output levels appear and that a lowest level and any other level appear alternately; a code converter 91 that converts the output signal from the RF signal generation unit 102 into an RF signal in which a smaller number of levels than the number of levels in the output signal; a driver unit 203 that converts the RF signal from the code converter 91 into a binary signal comprising plural bits in which bits corresponding to signal levels in the RF signal are significant; and a digital amplifier 303 that outputs a voltage corresponding to levels in the RF signal outputted from the code converter 91, on the basis of an output signal from the driver unit 203.

It is preferable for a transmitter in a base station of a radio system or the like to operate with low power consumption. In particular, a signal amplifier in the final stage of the transmitter consumes 50% or more of the electric power spent by the entire transmitter. It is thus required to increase the power efficiency of the final-stage signal amplifier. A class-D amplifier is known to have high power efficiency. An amplifier circuit is also known that is configured to generate a digital signal to be input to the class-D amplifier by a delta-sigma modulator. In a high frequency band (up to several GHz) as used in radio communication as well, there is a digital transmitter based on a digital amplification scheme that combines the delta-sigma modulator and the class-D amplifier.
Delta-sigma modulation schemes used in a digital transmitter include envelope delta-sigma modulation, low-pass delta-sigma modulation, and band-pass delta-sigma modulation. Configurations of these modulation schemes are disclosed in Patent Literature (PTL) 1, Non Patent Literature (NPL) 1, and NPL 2.
FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a radio transmitter which uses an envelope delta-sigma modulator described in PTL 1. The radio transmitter shown in FIG. 21 includes a radio frequency (RF) signal generation unit 101 including a binary delta-sigma modulator (binary ΔΣ modulator) 21, a driver unit 201, a class-D amplifier 301, and a filter circuit 8.
In the RF signal generation unit 101, a digital baseband unit 1 converts a signal to be transmitted into a baseband signal. The digital baseband unit 1 separates an amplitude component and a phase component of the radio signal to be transmitted, and outputs the components. A pulse phase signal generator 3 converts the phase component (phase signal) into a binary pulse phase signal unconverted to a carrier frequency band. The binary delta-sigma modulator 21 performs delta-sigma modulation on the amplitude component (amplitude signal), using the pulse phase signal as a clock signal, to quantize the signal to a binary pulse amplitude signal. A multiplier 4 multiplies the pulse phase signal by the pulse amplitude signal to generate an RF signal.
In the driver unit 201, a decoder 51 including an inverter circuit Ma converts the RF signal into a differential signal. Driver amplifiers 6a and 6b amplify the differential signal so as to be suitable for driving the class-D amplifier 301 in the subsequent stage.
In the class-D amplifier 301, switch elements 7a and 7b are driven by the differential signal. An RF signal amplified to a desired strength is output from the class-D amplifier 301. Then, an amplified input signal is reconstructed by the filter circuit 8.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing an exemplary configuration of a known delta-sigma modulator. In the delta-sigma modulator, a subtractor 211 outputs a difference between an analog input signal and an output signal from a delay circuit 214. An integrator 212 integrates the output signal from the subtractor 211. A comparator 213 compares the signal output from the integrator 212 with a reference voltage to thereby digitize the signal. The digitized signal becomes an output signal from the delta-sigma modulator, and it is also input to the delay circuit 214. The delay circuit 214 delays the input signal and supplies the resultant signal to the subtractor 211. The number of levels of the output signal from the delta-sigma modulator and the values of the respective levels are determined depending on how the threshold voltage in the comparator 213 is set.
In the case of using a delta-sigma modulation scheme, quantization noise is added to a signal during modulation. The quantization noise causes deterioration of signal-to-noise power ratio (SNR). Ideally, all the quantization noise will be removed by a frequency filter. However, in practice, quantization noise as small as possible is desirable at the time of being input to the frequency filter. A method of reducing the quantization noise is described, for example, in PTL 1 (see FIG. 12 and others in PTL 1). With the method described in PTL 1, a signal of multiple values exceeding two is output from the comparator 213 in the delta-sigma modulator.
The RF signal generation unit having the delta-sigma modulator that outputs a multi-level signal described in PTL 1 is greater in number of possible output levels and higher in resolution as compared to an RF signal generation unit having a binary delta-sigma modulator. Thus, the quantization noise (i.e. difference between the input and output signals) becomes small. Accordingly, the signal-to-noise power ratio of the generated radio signal improves as compared to the signal-to-noise power ratio of the radio signal generated by a digital transmitter using the binary delta-sigma modulator. In general, as the number of kinds of output signal levels is increased using a delta-sigma modulator of a greater number of values, the quantization noise included in an output signal from the RF signal generation circuit becomes smaller.

RF signal generation device and RF signal generation method


Systems and methods for generating multi-monitor recommendations. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include: a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: collect window information during use of the IHS; and create a multi-monitor recommendation based, at least in part, upon the window information.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an Information Handling System (IHS). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
A monitor is an output device that displays information in visual form. Typically, a monitor comprises a display, circuitry, casing, and power supply. Although there are various different types of display devices available today, the display of choice for modern IHS monitors is the thin-film transistor Liquid Crystal Display (TFT-LCD) with Light Emitting Diode (LED) backlighting.
A multi-monitor configuration is a setup where a single IHS is coupled to multiple physical display devices, such as monitors, televisions, and/or projectors, in order to increase the desktop area available for computer programs running on that IHS. Depending on the type of work being performed, multi-monitor configurations may increase the user's productivity manifold.


A ratchet and ball magnetic index device having a drive motor plate with a top surface and a bottom surface. The drive motor plate contains at least one ball receiving recess on the periphery of the bottom surface of the drive motor plate. A permanent magnet armature is secured to the top surface of the drive motor plate and rotates freely around a rotor shaft. A sector motor rotates the armature and drive plate when turned on. A ratchet plate, attached to the rotor shaft, has a bottom surface and a top surface with a plurality of contours displaced in a circular direction around the circumference of the ratchet plate. Each of the contours has a flat plane connected to an incline plane which is connected to a vertical plane. At least one magnetically attractable drive ball is positioned between the top surface of the ratchet plate and the bottom surface of the drive motor plate, wherein the drive ball moves freely within the ball receiving recess. A plurality of permanent magnets are positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface of the ratchet plate and located beneath each of the flat planes. When the drive motor plate rotates, the drive ball grips the ratchet plate and rotates it in the same direction. As the ratchet plate is secured to the rotor shaft, anything connected to the rotor shaft is similarly rotated. The presence of the magnets allows reliable operation in a variety of environments, including space.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to ratchet devices and, more particularly, to an improved ratchet and ball magnetic index device for use with remote-controlled switches.
2. The Prior Art
The prior art related to remote-controlled switches has employed various mechanical and electro-mechanical devices to simplify the operations of remote-controlled switches. Remote switches require precise movement when stepping a switch through each one of the set switch positions. It is known in the art to use indexing mechanisms to rotate an object in an intermittent motion. One of the simplest and most common methods of obtaining intermittent motion is the use of ratchet devices. Many methods have been used to rotate ratchets including a pawl and lever arm, and metallic balls disposed between a driven and driver member. A major drawback of these devices is the reliance on gravity to position the balls in the correct position. These devices are also subject to numerous other deficiencies including: poor reliability, slow response time, reliance on springs, and relatively large size.
Despite the advances in the state-of-the-art, there still remains a need for a device which will enable the remote-controlled switch to function according to a set pattern of switching options and in a wide variety of conditions, including weightlessness.


An apparatus for establishing an optical circuit path spanning a discontinuity in an optical channel supported by a first cable oriented about a first axis on a first side of the discontinuity and supported by a second cable section oriented about a second axis on a second side of the discontinuity includes: (a) a first coupling member coupled with the optical channel on the first side; (b) a first supporting member fixed with the first coupling member in an installed orientation in a clamping relation with the first cable section; (c) a second coupling member coupled with the optical channel on the second side; (d) a second supporting member fixed with the second coupling member in an installed orientation clamped with the second cable section; and (e) a connecting member optically coupling the first coupling member with the second coupling member to establish the optical circuit path.

Fiber optical systems may be employed in, by way of example and not by way of limitation, data communications, communication or sensor systems with vehicle health management computers or other applications. There may be situations, equipment locations or other reasons that may make it impractical to route fiber optic channels thru existing installed wire bundles or cable members or sections in an installed system. Installed systems may be located, by way of example and not by way of limitation, in an aircraft or another vehicle.
Existing solutions for adding an optical fiber system element to an existing wire bundle may require the use of relatively large and separate optical connectors. The extra connectors may require a new bracket to be installed to which the connector may be mounted, or may require an additional clamp to secure the extra connector to an installation structure. Further, such existing solutions may not provide a simple way of utilizing existing wire bundle routings (e.g., cable members or sections) to provide continuation of a fiber optic channel through structures such as bulkheads and may not facilitate repair of fiber when original fiber may be damaged such as, by way of example and not by way of limitation, from chafing, from repair efforts or from inadvertent damage during maintenance or operation. Such existing solutions may make access to fiber optic connections more difficult to access for testing. Such existing solutions may not permit maintaining fiber optic connectivity where a wire bundle may be sliced into for effecting electrical access.
There is a need for an apparatus and method for establishing an optical path spanning a discontinuity in an optical channel that may be employed without requiring large optical connectors or additional brackets.
There is a need for an apparatus and method for establishing an optical path spanning a discontinuity in an optical channel that may be employed to provide continuation of a fiber optic channel thru structures such as bulkheads.

Apparatus and method for establishing an optical path spanning a discontinuity in an optical channel


Methods for forming implantable compositions are provided. In some embodiments, the methods include (i) providing a gel base, (ii) adding water and a hydrating agent to the gel base to form a mixture, (iii) reducing the water content of the mixture; and (iv) adding a delivered material before, during, and/or after step (ii) or (iii). The water content is reduced to about 5% or less by weight of the implantable composition.

Overview of Grafts for Bone Repair
Implantable materials are used in a variety of applications, often to repair or replace tissue. Implantable materials are of particular interest in the repair of bone defects. The rapid and effective repair of bone defects caused by injury, disease, wounds, or surgery has long been a goal of orthopedic surgery. Toward this end, a number of compositions and implantable materials have been used or proposed for use in the repair of bone defects. The biological, physical, and mechanical properties of the compositions and materials are among the major factors influencing their suitability and performance in various orthopedic applications.
Autologous cancellous bone ("ACB") long has been considered the gold standard for bone grafts. ACB includes osteogenic cells, which have the potential to assist in bone healing, is nonimmunogenic, and has structural and functional characteristics that should be appropriate for a healthy recipient. Some people do not have adequate amounts of ACB for harvesting. These people include, for example, older people and people who have had previous surgeries. Further, there is reluctance to harvest ACB because of pain at the harvest site and donor morbidity.
Much effort has been invested in the identification and development of alternative bone graft materials. Urist has published seminal articles on the theory of bone induction and a method for decalcifying bone, i.e., making demineralized bone matrix (DBM). Urist M. R., Bone Formation by Autoinduction, Science 1965; 150(698):893-9; Urist M. R. et al., The Bone Induction Principle, Clin. Orthop. Rel. Res. 53:243-283, 1967. DBM is an osteoinductive material, in that it induces bone growth when implanted in an ectopic site of a rodent, owing to the osteoinductive factors contained within the DBM. Honsawek et al. (2000). There are numerous osteoinductive factors, e.g., BMP 1-18, which are part of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily. BMP-2 has been widely studied. There are also other proteins present in DBM that are not osteoinductive alone but still contribute to bone growth, including fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), insulin-like growth factor-I and -II (IGF-I and IGF-II), platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta.1). (Hauschka, et al. 1986; Canalis, et al, 1988; Mohan et al. 1996.)
Various cocktails of growth factors have been measured in DBM, including BMP2, TGFβ1, FGFa, IGF-I, PDGF, VEGF (Wildemann et al, 2007), BMP4 (Blum et al, 2004 and Honsaweket et al, 2005), and BMP7 (Pietrzak et al, 2006). Other extracellular matrix proteins have also been measured, including type I collagen, fibronection, Bone Sialoprotein (BSP), and osteopontin (Shigeyama et al, 1995). Combinations of growth factors may be more osteoinductive than a single growth factor (Kawai et al, 2006, Mehlhorn et al, 2007, Shintani et al, 2007, Raiche et al, 2004 and Ripamonti et al, 1997). DBM extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen may be used as carriers for the growth factors (Reddi et al, 2000).
DBM implants have been reported to be particularly useful (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,394,370, 4,440,750, 4,485,097, 4,678,470, and 4,743,259; Mulliken et al., Calcif Tissue Int 33:71, 1981; Neigel et al., Opthal. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 12:108, 1996; Whiteman et al., J. Hand. Surg. 18B:487, 1993; Xiaobo et al., Clin. Orthop. 293:360, 1993, each of which is incorporated herein by reference). Useful DBM implants are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,073,373; 5,284,655; 5,290,558; 5,314,476; 5,507,813; 5,510,396; and 5,676,146, each of which is incorporated by reference herein.
DBM may be derived from donated human tissue. The bone is removed aseptically and treated to kill any infectious agents. The bone is typically particulated by milling or grinding, and then the mineral component is extracted by various methods, such as by soaking the bone in an acidic solution. The remaining matrix is malleable and can be further processed and/or formed and shaped for implantation into a particular site in the recipient.
In some grafts, non-bone materials may be used, including hydroxyapatite, ceramics, calcium sulfate, calcium phosphates, tricalcium phosphate, bioactive glasses, other materials, and combinations of these.
In some applications, the graft material (which also may be referred to as a delivered material), which may include biologics and/or non-bone materials, are combined with a carrier. The delivered material-carrier combination then may be shaped into a suitable bone graft.
Carriers
Generally, a carrier may be employed to facilitate in vivo use and/or formation of a particular configuration of the implantable material. In considering carriers for combination with a delivered material, it is desirable to have a carrier that has minimal effect on bioactive compounds and/or biocompatible compounds of the delivered material. Suitable carriers may include, for example, glycerol or hydrogel. The specific carrier used may be selected based on desired handling characteristics and surgeon preference.
Hydrogels exhibit many properties that make them suitable carriers for implantable materials used in the repair of bone and other tissue defects. For example, hydrogels exhibit controlled viscosity over a wide range of values, strong resistance to surgical irrigation, and excellent biocompatibility. Hydrogels are formed of a highly absorbent natural or synthetic polymer base material dispersed in water. Water has been the universal solvent for hydrogels because those skilled in the art have not perceived disadvantages to the use of water, and because nonaqueous solvents for hydrogels have been thought impractical or impossible.
The inventors have determined that, while hydrogels may provide suitable or desirable handling characteristics to an implantable material, the presence of water may have deleterious effects on the bioactivity of the material, and/or on the material's shelf life. Accordingly, a process that adequately solubilizes or otherwise disperses the polymeric base material of a hydrogel in a nonaqueous solvent, or a water substitute, but which produces a material having similar or superior physical and biologic properties to hydrogels as a carrier, is desirable. The have developed, and disclose herein, a method for preparing a hydrogel carrier that has a substantial absence of water.

Implantable compositions and methods for preparing the same


A method for transmitting information, includes: transmitting on one carrier wave according to at least one of a preset transmission mode and a transmission mode indicated by a base station eNB when agreed transmission time of two or more physical uplink shared channels PUSCH overlaps.

The rapid development of the mobile Internet and the Internet of Things has led to explosive growth of data traffic and extensive rising of diversified and differentiated services. As a new generation of mobile communication technology, 5G (5th-Generation, the fifth-generation mobile communication technology) will support, compared to 4G (4th-Generation, the fourth-generation mobile communication technology) higher rate (Gbps), massive links (1M/Km2), ultra-low latency (1 ms), higher reliability, hundredfold energy efficiency improvement, etc. to support new demand changes. As a key indicator of the 5G technology, the ultra-low latency directly affects the development of delay-constrained services such as Internet of Vehicles, industrial automation, remote control, and smart grid, etc. Currently, study on a series of standards related to 5G delay reduction is gradually pushed forward.
As an important research direction for the current delay reduction, reduction of transmission time interval (TTI) is intended to reduce the current TTI length of 1 millisecond (ms) to 0.5 ms or even a length of 1 to 2 Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), such that the minimum scheduling time may be exponentially reduced, and the single transmission delay may be exponentially reduced without changing the frame structure. The TTI having the length of 0.5 ms or even 1 to 2 OFDM symbols is referred to as short TTI (sTTI), and 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) has discussed the short TTI delay reduction technology.
In the short TTI technology, user equipment (UE) needs to support the short TTI and the existing 1 ms TTI, and the UE may be dynamically switched therebetween. When a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) of the short TTI and a PUSCH transmitting the 1 ms TTI overlap in time, there is no effective solution to how to transmit.

Method and apparatus for transmitting information, method and apparatus for receiving information


According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate and a memory array. The semiconductor substrate has a first face. The memory array region is provided on the first face and includes a plurality of semiconductor pillars. The semiconductor pillars extend in a first direction perpendicular to the first face. Each of the semiconductor pillars includes a plurality of memory cells connected in series. Each of the semiconductor pillars is disposed at the nodes of a honeycomb shape when viewed in the first direction. When the semiconductor pillars are projected onto a first plane along the first and second directions perpendicular to the first direction, a component in the second direction of an interval between the semiconductor pillars has first and second intervals repeated alternately. The second interval is an integer multiple of the first interval greater than or equal to 2.

In recent years, semiconductor memory devices with increased density by arranging the memory cells in 3-dimensions have been proposed. This semiconductor device includes a plurality of pillar-shaped semiconductor pillars. Each semiconductor pillar includes a plurality of memory cells connected in series. Each semiconductor pillar is provided penetrating a stacked body that includes a plurality of electrode films stacked on a semiconductor substrate. The memory cells are configured at the positions where each semiconductor pillar intersects the plurality of electrode films. A plurality of bit lines and a plurality of source lines connected to each semiconductor pillar is provided in the semiconductor memory device. In the semiconductor memory device, it is important to increase the density of memory cells, as well as to reduce the pitch of the interconnection of the bit lines, and the like.

Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing same