A system for adjusting archery bows and arrows allows for easy adjustment thereof. The system allows an archery bow to be setup to provide for linear motion of the arrow in exiting the bow and provides for accurate shooting thereof. The system accommodates the natural shooting posture of the shooter. The system may also be used to verify the squareness and accuracy of arrow tips and inserts to ensure that arrow heads are attached squarely to the arrow. The system thus allows the accuracy of the arrow construction to be verified.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for adjusting archery bows and arrows. More specifically, the present invention relates to a level for adjusting bows and ensuring the accuracy of arrows.
2. State of the Art
Archery has become a common sport. Many persons use a bow and arrows for recreational target practice, hunting, etc. It is important that a person's bow and arrows are accurate and properly set up. Improperly set up or inaccurate bows and arrows result in inaccurate shooting. If a bow is not properly set up, the arrow will likely miss the intended target.
Similarly, arrows should be properly constructed for accurate shooting. If the arrows are not properly constructed, the arrow may wobble or curve as it flies, most likely missing the intended target. Imbalance of am improperly aimed arrow head, for example, may prevent the arrow from flying straight. Many arrow heads used in hunting include blades which extend laterally from the arrow head. If the arrow head is not properly aligned, these blades may prevent the arrow from flying in a straight path. It will thus be appreciated that there is a need for a device which allows a person to correctly adjust a bow and to verify the correct geometry of an arrow to achieve accuracy in shooting the same.

System for adjusting archery bow and arrows


A failure diagnostic device for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) apparatus, which can detect an intake pipe pressure at a high accuracy with a simple control and can prevent false diagnosis of an EGR system. If at least either one of first and second off-mode intake pipe pressures P1off, P2off exceeds a cancel determination value K, an ECU determines that the intake pipe pressures P1off, Pon and P2off are not properly detected, and cancels the failure diagnosis of the EGR system. Therefore, the false diagnosis of the EGR system can be avoided with a simplified process without requiring specific determinations on individual abnormal states of the various components other than the EGR system. By setting the cancel determination value K based on the intake pipe pressure P resulting when EGR off-control is executed in a state of an EGR valve being stuck in a fully-open position, each improperly-detected intake pipe pressure can be excluded with reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a failure diagnostic device for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, which determines an occurrence of a failure based on a differential pressure of intake air pressures in an intake pipe disposed downstream of a throttle valve between a passage-opening control and a passage-closing control of a recirculation pipe through which exhaust gases are returned to the intake pipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, EGR systems have been widely used in an internal combustion engine for reducing NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions in exhaust gases. In those types of the EGR systems, a portion of the exhaust gas is returned to an intake pipe through a recirculation pipe, whereby inert gas components in an air-fuel mixture are increased to lower a combustion temperature. Accordingly, if there occurs such a trouble as a blockage of the recirculation pipe or an operation failure of an EGR control valve disposed in the recirculation pipe, a problem arises in, for example, that an air-fuel ratio becomes abnormal. As a result, a combustion is brought into an unstable state and a degradation of exhaust gas emissions is caused.
As one of techniques for detecting a failure of the EGR system, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-82253, for example, discloses a technique of detecting a pressure change in an intake pipe downstream of the throttle valve, thereby determining whether or not the EGR system is failed. More specifically, according to the disclosed technique, when diagnosis run (or executing) conditions are satisfied, the intake pipe pressure during an open state of an EGR valve is detected plural times. Then, the EGR valve is closed and the intake pipe pressure during the closed state of the EGR valve is detected for plural times. A diagnosis value is computed from an average value of the intake pipe pressures during the open state of the EGR valve and the average value of the intake pipe pressures during the closed state of the EGR valve. Then, a failure of the EGR system is determined if a computed diagnosis value is deviated from a value for the determination of a normal state. In such a process, to prevent false diagnosis of the EGR system with a higher reliability, the diagnosis is ceased (cancelled) and the detected values are discarded, for example, when such operation conditions as a throttle opening degree and an engine speed are changed in excess of respective predetermined thresholds, or when the difference between an atmospheric pressure and each detected intake pipe pressure is not larger than a predetermined value.
In the above-described technique, however, to cancel the diagnosis as appropriate for a purpose of improving a measurement accuracy of the intake pipe pressure, various cancel conditions must be individually determined in specific manners. Therefore, the process for the failure diagnosis is more complicated.
Also, when control errors are caused in various kinds of engine controls and so on due to, e.g., a failure of any other components than the EGR system, there is a risk that the diagnosis cannot be properly cancelled. Such a case may lead to a risk that the detected value of the intake pipe pressure becomes an improper value and a false diagnosis result is determined.
In view of the state of the art set forth above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a failure diagnostic device for the EGR apparatus, which can detect the intake pipe pressure at a high accuracy with a simple control and can prevent the false diagnosis of the EGR system.

Diagnostic device for exhaust gas recirculation system


A process and apparatus for the production of reformed gases. Natural gas and oxygen are combusted in a first stage to produce carbon dioxide and water. The products of combustion are conveyed to a second stage. Reforming gas and oxygen are injected into the second stage and mixed with the products of combustion to react with the carbon dioxide and water to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The process and apparatus are particularly adapted for use in supplementing the reform gases produced in a Direct Reduced Iron plant wherein iron ore is reduced to iron inside a shaft furnace. The process and apparatus may also be used to provide heated enrichment natural gas for use as a source of carbon in the shaft furnace to provide for carburization of the iron. Additionally, the process and apparatus may be used as a process control device for controlling the temperature of the reformed gases flowing to the shaft furnace.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a process and apparatus for producing reform gases. More particularly, this invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing reform gases to boost the reformed gas capacity of existing reformers.
2. Background
Processes for making reformed gases are widely used throughout the world and have particular application in connection with Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plants. The DRI plants use reformed gases in large quantities to reduce iron ore (FeO) into iron (Fe) inside a shaft furnace. The iron from the shaft furnace is then processed into various steel grades for fabricating final products such as wires, rods, beams, and the like.
The reformed gases used in such shaft furnaces are mainly a hydrogen (H.sub.2) and carbon monoxide (CO) mixture in the general proportion of 1.5:1, respectively. These reforming gases (H.sub.2 and CO) provide the following metallization reactions in the shaft furnace: EQU FeO+H.sub.2 .fwdarw.Fe+H.sub.2 O EQU FeO+CO.fwdarw.Fe+CO.sub.2
The stoichiometric calculations of the above reactions indicate that 400 cubic meters of CO or H.sub.2 react with the iron ore (FeO) to form 400 cubic meters of CO.sub.2 or H.sub.2 O for each metric ton of iron reduced from FeO. Chemical calculations require that the ratio of the reductants (CO+H.sub.2) to oxidants (CO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O) be greater than about 2:1 before any reduction occurs. Therefore, the reformed gas entering the shaft furnace must have a sufficient amount of reductants to allow conversion of 400 cubic meters of reductants into oxidants per ton of iron, and still have a ratio of 2:1 of reductants-to oxidants after all the FeO is reduced to Fe.
The metallization process is carried out in the shaft furnace in which iron oxide is fed from the top in a feed hopper and distributed in the furnace by several distribution legs. The shaft furnace has three zones in which the process is carried out; a reduction zone, a transition zone and a cooling zone. A bustle (larger diameter section), is provided on the furnace which has ports opening into the bottom of the reduction zone through which the bustle gases are injected into the furnace to pass upward through a bed of iron ore in the reduction zone. The bustle gas is mainly the reformed gases (H.sub.2 and CO) plus CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and enrichment natural gas. A typical bustle gas composition is as follows: EQU CO.sub.2 =02.5% EQU CO=38.0% EQU H.sub.2 =56.0% EQU CH.sub.4 =02.0% EQU N.sub.2 =01.5%
The nitrogen is present due to air entering the process at various points, and also due to the fact that the natural gas used in the process may contain up to about 2% nitrogen. The typical bustle gas temperature is around 1650.degree. F. This temperature is achieved after the addition of enrichment natural gas to the reformed gas from the reformer.
The enrichment natural gas is added to provide a source of carbon in the reduction zone. This permits addition of carbon to iron in the reduction zone by the carburization reaction as follows: EQU 3Fe+CH.sub.4 .fwdarw.Fe.sub.3 C+2H.sub.2
This reaction is endothermic and reduces the iron oxide bed temperature. The amount of iron oxide feed, bustle gas temperature, H.sub.2 /CO ratio and the amount of reformed gas CO.sub.2 are largely controlled by the plant operation control loop. The most effective carbon-controlling techniques currently practiced involve adding controlled amounts of natural gas to the bustle gas. Many plants operate at about 2.5% to about 3.5% CH.sub.4 in the reducing zone from the bustle gas and about 20.0% to about 50.0% CH.sub.4 in the cooling zone. However, the addition of the CH.sub.4 as the enrichment gas to the reformed gases entering the bustle tends to reduce the bustle gas temperature making control of the bustle gas temperature more difficult.
The traditional reformed gas-making process for DRI plants is carried out in a reformer where a hydrocarbon feed gas such as natural gas, methane, propane and the like is reacted with H.sub.2 O and CO.sub.2 (at approximately about 1900.degree. F. to about 2000.degree. F.) in the presence of a catalyst to produce the reductants CO and H.sub.2.
The central piece of equipment is a furnace consisting of a refractory-line shell containing catalyst-filled reforming tubes. Fuel is burned in the shell at slightly over atmospheric pressure, while a mixture of natural gas, H.sub.2 O and CO.sub.2 are passed through tubes containing catalyst pellets made from such material as nickel or alumina nickel. The reforming reactions are characterized by being endothermic (requiring heat input) and by requiring a catalyst to accelerate the reforming reactions. Accordingly, multiple burners are fired in the shell to provide the necessary heat input.
The feed gas (natural gas, methane or propane) is fed to the reforming tubes from an external source while CO.sub.2 is provided to the reforming tubes in the form of exiting furnace gas from the shaft furnace. The necessary water (H.sub.2 O) is added prior to the gaseous mixture entering the reforming tubes. The feed gas and the H.sub.2 O and CO.sub.2 are mixed and heated in the catalyst-filled reforming tubes to cause the following two reforming reactions to occur in the reforming tubes: EQU CH.sub.4 +CO.sub.2 .fwdarw.2CO+2H.sub.2,
and EQU CH.sub.4 +H.sub.2 O.fwdarw.CO+3H.sub.2.
A typical reformed gas leaving the reformer gas tubes may have a temperature of about 1700.degree. F. and the following composition (on a dry basis): H.sub.2 =58.0%; CO=38.0%; CO.sub.2 =2.5%: CH.sub.4 =0.5%; and N.sub.2 =1.0%. The quality of the reformed gas is defined by the reductants (H.sub.2 +CO) to oxidants (CO.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O) ratio, the higher being the better. A typical value for the reductants-to-oxidants ratio is about 12 with a H.sub.2 /CO ratio of 1.5 to 1.
Various factors affect the quality and the reformed gas flow rate. Such factors include the reformer output, reformer tube temperature and reformer burner size. If the reformer output (reformed gas flow rate) is increased beyond the reformer design capacity, the heat load supplied by the reformer burners also increases. As the heat load increases, the catalyst in the center of the reformer tubes gets colder due to the increased heat removal rate through the tubes. The colder catalyst tends to increase the potential of undesirable carbon deposits in the tube, thus reducing the overall reforming performance. Both quality (composition) and flow rate of the reformed gas would be seriously affected due to operating above the designed capacity.
An increase in reformer temperature will also increase the reformer tube temperature. This may set up thermal stresses and possible distortion and damage to the reformer tube material (typically silicon carbide). A damaged reformer tube could cause a complete plant shutdown and loss of production.
The reform burners are sized for a certain firing capacity and flame characteristics. The firing beyond the reformer design capacity would provide an unacceptable temperature profile along the reformer tube length and a potential overheating of the reformer furnace shell refractory. A 2200.degree. F. limit is typical for the reformer. An unacceptable temperature profile along the reformer tube length could affect the catalyst activity and reforming action within the tube, and result in a deterioration of the reformed gas quality. This could result in lower metallization rates by the shaft furnace and/or the production of poor quality reduced iron.
Because of the above, most direct reduction plants are unable to increase their capacity of the reformed gases at will from the reformer beyond the capacity of the reformer. On the other hand, the shaft furnace is generally capable of increased throughput of 20% to 30% of the reduced iron if additional reformed gases could be supplied for the metallization reactions inside the furnace. If a plant desires increased output from its shaft furnace, the options left for the plant are to either install a new bank of reformer tubes and a reformer furnace or purchase the reduced iron from another supplier. Neither of these options are cost-effective. The cost of a new bank of reformer tubes and a reformer furnace requires a capital expense of millions of dollars and such new reformer tubes may not be necessary at all times due to market demand and overall flexibility in the production cycle. The purchase of the reduced iron from another supplier is subject to changing market pricing and availability and also does not present a satisfactory solution to increasing output of the reduced iron.
In view of the above, it is desirable that a relatively low-cost option be provided that would increase the availability of reform gases upon demand to permit an increase in the production of reduced iron when market conditions demand, and which can be cut back to the original capacity of the existing reformer when market conditions dictate a reduced output.

Oxygen-fuel boost reformer process and apparatus

Spectrum Design & Consulting International, Inc.

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A method for capturing hyperspectral images using a regular color camera. In the method, the camera takes multiple images of a scene, with the camera oriented differently for each image. For a camera carried by an aircraft or spacecraft, this allows hyperspectral imaging without the cost or weight of a hyperspectral camera.

This disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for spectral analysis and, more particularly, to systems and methods for hyperspectral imaging.
Hyperspectral images are a category of digital color images. A digital image is represented in a computer by a two-dimensional array of elements. For a monochrome image, each element is a scalar representing intensity of light. For a color image, each element is a vector of two or more scalar values representing intensity at various wavelengths of light. In the color images used in common computer systems and cameras, each element has three scalar values of intensity: one each for red, green, and blue wavelengths (see FIG. 1A) or one each for cyan, yellow, and magenta wavelengths. In a hyperspectral image, each element has more than three values—sometimes many more (see FIG. 1B). Such an image provides fine-grained spectral data that can be useful in quality control (especially of paint coatings), agriculture, oceanography, oil and mineral prospecting, pollution tracking, medical diagnostics, and military surveillance.
One reason hyperspectral images are not used more often is that these images are typically created using hyperspectral cameras. Unlike a conventional color camera which applies three filter colors to each pixel, a typical hyperspectral camera uses dozens of filter colors, or it uses a diffraction grating at each image location to scatter light of different colors onto dozens of separate elements of a charge coupled device (hereinafter "CCD image sensor"). There are many types of hyperspectral camera. In one type, a filter wheel is configured to position several narrow-band filters in front of a single camera. That filter wheel is positioned by an electromechanical actuator. Another type of hyperspectral camera includes a mechanically variable interferometer disposed in front of a single camera and an electromechanical actuator. A third type is a line-scan imaging spectrometer that uses a strip of diffraction grating (or prism) to scatter light from a slit aperture onto a two-dimensional array of sensor elements. The device must be scanned by rotation or translation to cover a spatial two-dimensional scene. It also contains an electromechanical actuator, which reduces the reliability of an aircraft mission system. Yet another type comprises multiple cameras facing the same direction, each with a different filter in front of it. The foregoing complications make hyperspectral cameras heavy, bulky, and expensive.
Without access to a hyperspectral camera, some systems rely on ordinary color cameras or even monochrome cameras. Data from these are supplemented by other systems, such as a thermal imaging camera, radar, or measurements involving physical contact. These other systems are typically heavy and expensive.
It would be advantageous if hyperspectral images could be acquired using a small, cheap camera, such as a conventional color camera, without the need for supplemental data from another system.

Hyperspectral resolution using three-color camera


In a method for quickly taking and evaluating X-ray pictures of an examination object imaged on a digital X-ray detector, the first step is for a partial imaging surface required for X-ray examination of the respective examination object to be automatically selected with reference to size and position from the entire imaging surface of the X-ray detector. After this, only the imaging data of the partial imaging surface that are compiled per examination are used as a basis for evaluation and/or display.

Known in X-ray imaging for the purpose of taking digital X-ray pictures of an examination object are X-ray detectors that are designed as flat image detectors. Further, X-radiation is converted into electric charge by a scintillator or a direct converter layer, and is subsequently read out electronically by way of active readout matrices. Subsequently, the imaging data representing the examination results are transmitted to an evaluation and display apparatus and further processed for the purpose of compiling images.
The readout matrices include a large number of pixel elements (article entitled "Flachbilddetektoren in der Röntgendiagnostik" ["Flat image detectors in X-ray diagnostics"] by M. Spahn, V. Heer, R. Freytag, published in the journal Radiologe 43, 2004, pages 340 to 350). Since these generally have to be read out, chiefly as regards dynamic X-ray systems, that is to say X-ray systems that compile a series of pictures, at a high frequency such as, for example, 30 images per second and with a high gray-scale resolution, large data quantities arise that are to be transmitted to the evaluation and display apparatus and are to be processed.
The large data quantities can lead to data bottlenecks that, in turn, reduce the rates at which the data are read out and transmitted. The use of more powerful electronic components is complicated and involves high volumes, and is attended by disadvantages such as, for example, high costs or increased production of heat. In order to limit the data quantities and raise the data transmission rates, there are also known X-ray detectors which have predefined zoom stages centered with reference to the imaging surface, and in the case of which only imaging data of the partial imaging surface that targeted in the zoom are transmitted to an evaluation and display apparatus.

Method and X-ray system for taking X-ray pictures of an examination object imaged on a digital X-ray detector


[PROBLEM] To provide a interlocking device and a packaging bag therewith wherein the interlocking device has sufficient heat stability against retort sterilization treatment and deformational change after said treatment small enough not to be impaired its reopenability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a interlocking device and a packaging bag therewith wherein the interlocking device has sufficient heat stability against retort sterilization treatment and dimensional change after said treatment small enough not to be impaired its reclosability.
2. Background of the Invention
A packaging bag which is made reclosable by attaching a interlocking device having a pair of male and female profiles at its opening (zippered bag) are widely used in a lot of fields such as food, medicine, and miscellaneous goods etc. Various methods are proposed as a process for the manufacture of the bag with an interlocking device. For example, a method to extrude a tubular film combined a pair of male and female profile on it with circular die, a method to attach the interlocking device extruding on to a film, a method to attach an interlocking device prepared beforehand on to a film substrate by heat sealing or setting with adhesives.
However, since the first and second methods have drawbacks such as the limitation of resin types applicable, difficulty to adopt them to multi-layered film substrate, limitation to deploy to various sizes, difficulty to print etc., it is commonly employed to attach an interlocking device prepared beforehand on to a film substrate by heat sealing.
As the materials for interlocking devices, polyethylene type resin and polypropylene type resin are widely adopted. In the case the heat-sealing part of interlocking device is polypropylene type resin, the following laminated film are used as a bag's body film substrate for heat sealing: OPP/CPP (oriented polypropylene/non-oriented polypropylene), ONy/CPP (oriented nylon/non-oriented polypropylene), PET/CPP (oriented polyester/non-oriented polypropylene), ONy/Al/CPP (oriented nylon/aluminum foil/non-oriented polypropylene), and PET/Al/CPP (oriented polyester/aluminum foil/non-oriented polypropylene) etc. In recent years, the improvement of film functionalities makes it easier to blocking microorganism completely by film packaging, and it is becoming more popular to transforming bottles and cans to retort pouches. With such transformation, an interlocking device is become required high heat resistance in addition to its original functionality of easy-reclosability.
The interlocking device made of polypropylene type resin used so far has good low temperature heat sealability to a film substrate, however, it has problems such that it is deformed, shrunk or melt bonded by the heat applied during the retort sterilization and loses not only its sealing tightness, but also its reclosability. Furthermore, those polypropylene type interlocking devices used so far usually have a single layer structure, not a multi layer structure so that the polypropylene type resin having high melting temperature shall be used to make the interlocking device which does not deform, shrink and melt bond by the heat applied during retort sterilization. This has a disadvantage that the heat sealing temperature must be increased. As therefore, there is no interlocking device having single layered structure with both low temperature heat sealability and heat stability sufficient to stand under retort sterilization.

Abstract: [SOLUTION MEANS] A interlocking device having a pair of male and female profiles wherein:                said male and female profiles have non-heat-sealing part to bag body and heat-sealing part to bag body; where                    said non-heat-sealing part consists of polypropylene type resin composition (A) having main melting peak temperature observed by differential scanning calorimetry less than 150 degree C. and the melt flow rate at 230 degree C. from 0.5 g/10 min to 20 g/10 min; and            said heat-sealing part consists of polypropylene type resin composition (B) having main melting peak temperature observed by DSC, not less than 140 degree C. and the melt flow rate at 230 degree C. from 0.1 g/10 min to 20 g/10 min; and                        the main melting peak temperature of polypropylene type resin composition (B) is at least 10 degree C. lower than that of polypropylene type resin composition (A), and a packaging bag with interlocking device wherein the aforesaid interlocking device is heat-sealed to the bag body via said heat sealing part.


An endoscope surgery system is provided, as a medical system, to be easily used by a user who is not used to the operation. An endoscope operation system includes a trolley and a remote controller. The trolley includes a plurality of medical devices (having a TV camera for an endoscope, a light source device, pneumoperitoneum equipment, an electric knife, and a VTR). Further, the trolley includes a system controller for radio communication with the medical devices, and an operation panel and a display panel for operating the system controller. The system controller detects operation states of the plurality of medical devices, determines the medical device to be operated next based on the detection result, and displays, on the operation panel or the display panel, an operation screen of the medical device or a screen for information on the operation state based on the determination result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical system, and more particularly, to a medical system such as an endoscope surgery system having a plurality of medical devices including an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, medical institutions use a system having a plurality of medical devices.
As one of the above-mentioned systems, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-114065 discloses an operation device controlling system which controls the medical devices by previously communicating with them.
In the operation device controlling system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-114065, a user operates the medical devices on an operation panel. In this case, first, the user selects the medical device to be operated by the operation panel. Next, the user selects a function after selecting the medical device. Sequentially, the user performs the operation of the selected function.
Thus, above three operation steps must be executed to perform a course of operations of the medical device.
Further, in the operation device controlling system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 6-114065, first of all, the user selects the medical device and, next, he selects the function. Hence, the user needs sufficient information of the medical devices.
In other words, the operation of the above-mentioned conventional operation device controlling system is extremely hard and complicated for the user who is not used to the system.


Methods and materials for culturing primate-derived primordial stem cells are described. In one embodiment, a cell culture medium for growing primate-derived primordial stem cells in a substantially undifferentiated state is provided which includes a low osmotic pressure, low endotoxin basic medium that is effective to support the growth of primate-derived primordial stem cells. The basic medium is combined with a nutrient serum effective to support the growth of primate-derived primordial stem cells and a substrate selected from feeder cells and an extracellular matrix component derived from feeder cells. The medium further includes non-essential amino acids, an anti-oxidant, and a first growth factor selected from nucleosides and a pyruvate salt.

1.1 Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of stem cell culture media and to methods for culturing such cells. More particularly, the present invention provides methods and materials for culturing primate-derived primordial stem cells in a substantially undifferentiated state with and without a feeder layer. The present invention has applications in the areas of cell culture, tissue transplantation, drug discovery, and gene therapy.
1.2 The Related Art
Stem cells are cells capable of differentiation into other cell types having a particular, specialized function ("fully differentiated" cells) or other types of stem cells which are capable of differentiation into a more narrow range of cell types ("pluripotent" cells). Stem cells having the ability to differentiate into any type of cell, i.e., pluripotent or fully differentiated, are called "totipotent". Such cells are also referred to as "primordial stem cells". There has been great interest in isolating and growing primordial stem cells from primates, especially from humans, as such primordial stem cells could provide a supply of readily available cells and tissues of all types for use in transplantation, drug discovery, and gene therapy in humans. Methods for isolating and growing primordial stem cells from primates have been described. Procedures for isolating and growing human primordial stem cells are described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/829,372. Procedures for obtaining Rhesus monkey and other non-human primate primordial stem cells are described in co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 08/376,327; 08/591,246; 08/665,217; and WO 96/22362. Each of these patent applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. In addition, methods for isolating Rhesus monkey primordial stem cells are described in Thomson et al. (1995 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:7844-7848) also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
Unfortunately, current methods for growing primordial stem cells derived from primates in culture have not been as clearly defined as, and are relatively inefficient compared with, methods for culturing primordial stem cells for other species such as mouse. For example, current methods of culturing primate-derived primordial stem cells require a feeder layer that complicates and slows the process of cell cultivation. In addition, the formulation of an optimal culture media for propagating undifferentiated totipotent primate-derived primordial stem cells remains to be determined.
In particular, it is desirable to maintain cultures of totipotent primordial stem cells for extended periods or indefinitely. The ability to maintain cultures of undifferentiated, totipotent, primate-derived primordial stem cells for long periods facilitates the use of such cells for therapeutic purposes. Moreover, it would be desirable to grow cultures of substantially undifferentiated primate-derived primordial stem cells for periods sufficient to allow the production of primate-derived primordial stem cells having multiple genetic modifications for the production of tissues and for gene therapy.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Feeder-free culture method for embryonic stem cells or primate primordial stem cells


A method to sequentially deduplicate data, wherein the method receives a plurality of computer files, wherein each of the plurality of computer files comprises a label comprising a file name, a file type, a version number, and file size, and stores that plurality of computer files in a deduplication queue. The method then identifies a subset of the plurality of computer files, wherein each file of the subset comprises the same file name but a different version number, and wherein the subset comprises a maximum count of version numbers, and wherein the subset comprises a portion of the plurality of computer files. The method deduplicates the subset using a hash algorithm, and removes the subset from said deduplication queue.

Computing systems generate information. It is known in the art to store such information using a plurality of data storage media. It is resource inefficient, however, to store redundant data.
Data deduplication, sometimes referred to as "intelligent compression" or "single-instance storage," is a method of reducing storage needs by eliminating redundant data. Only one unique instance of the data is actually retained on storage media, such as disk or tape. Redundant data is replaced with a pointer to the unique data copy. For example, a typical email system might contain 100 instances of the same one megabyte (MB) file attachment. If the email platform is backed up or archived, all 100 instances are saved, requiring 100 MB storage space. With data deduplication, only one instance of the attachment is actually stored; each subsequent instance is just referenced back to the one saved copy. In this example, a 100 MB storage demand could be reduced to only one MB.
Data deduplication offers other benefits. Lower storage space requirements will save money on disk expenditures. The more efficient use of disk space also allows for longer disk retention periods, which provides better recovery time objectives (RTO) for a longer time and reduces the need for tape backups. Data deduplication also reduces the data that must be sent across a WAN for remote backups, replication, and disaster recovery.

Apparatus and method to sequentially deduplicate data

International Busines Machines Corporation


The invention relates to the separation of at least one target from a sample composition using a naturally reversible reaction comprising the formation of at least one covalent bond. One embodiment of the invention is a chromatographic method in which the affinity of a stationary phase for at least one target is based on the equilibrium constant of such a naturally reversible reaction between the stationary phase and the target.

The purification of substances is one of the most commonly encountered difficulties in the chemical manufacturing industry. Purification may be necessary not only for the end product that is marketed to consumers, but may also be necessary for intermediates that are produced in the course of making the end product from simpler starting materials. As a result, the manner in which purifications are conducted, and their efficacy in accomplishing purification at satisfactory level, may have a substantial economic impact on the production of chemical substances. A diverse array of methods have been employed for this purpose.
Purification by Extraction
It is sometimes the case that the substance(s) of interest, i.e. target(s), in a separation may substantially differ in their solubility characteristics from the other, undesired substances present in the mixture i.e., interferents/impurities, to such a degree that they may be purified by simple extraction procedures. For example, a compound that is largely insoluble in water may be separated from water soluble interferents/impurities by shaking the mixture with water and a water immiscible solvent. After allowing the two immiscible phases to separate, the interferents/impurities will be in the aqueous phase, while target(s) will be in the water immiscible phase. Physical separation of the two phases and subsequent evaporation of the water immiscible solvent will yield the target(s).
In another example, target(s) that exhibit significant degrees of acid or basic properties can be separated in a variant of this procedure that involves the temporary modification of the charge state of a target(s) by appropriate modification of the pH of the aqueous phase. The change in charge state may convert neutral water insoluble target(s) to water soluble species that can be separated by extraction from neutral interferents/impurities. A subsequent change in the aqueous pH to return to neutral water insoluble target(s) allows their separation from water soluble interferents/impurities through an additional extractive procedure.
Though the extractive procedures described above are amongst the most powerful and inexpensive tools that may be used in the purification of substances they typically suffer from a lack of specificity. In particular, these extractive methods will not separate substances that share similar solubility properties. Thus, procedures of this type are often referred to as "group separations" in which groups of compounds having similar gross solubility properties are separated from other groups of compounds having differing gross solubility properties.
Purification of Substances by Distillation and Crystallization
Fractional or simple distillation are amongst the most effective and least expensive methods that can be employed for the purification of appropriate substances. However, this technique can not be employed for substances having low vapor pressures or that are thermally unstable. Many substances fall into this category, and so distillation is used primarily for the purification of the simple, low molecular substances that serve as the ultimate starting materials for the synthesis of compounds of greater economic interest.
Crystallization may also be an extremely effective method for purification of some substances. It is well suited to the purification of large amounts of material and can be easily performed. However, many substances do not crystallize readily. In many instances the crystallization of a substance may be adversely affected by the presence of significant quantities of interferents/impurities. Since this is a commonly encountered situation in many chemical syntheses, the use of crystallization in industrial operations, while extremely important for many chemical manufacturing processes, cannot be said to be of extremely broad utility and reliability.
Purification of Substances by Derivatization
One of the means by which difficulties in crystallization or separation by other means may be circumvented is the use of chemical derivatization. In this procedure, a target may be subjected to a chemical reaction with some co-reactant to convert it to new substance i.e., a derivative, that has substantially different physical properties. These different properties may be solubility, or susceptibility to crystallization, or some other property. After separation of a derivative from interferents/impurities, another chemical reaction is applied to the derivative to convert it back to the target.
Though occasionally employed, this procedure may suffer from disadvantages. For example, there are few chemical reactions that proceed in 100% yield. Since two chemical reactions are involved in this overall process (formation of a derivative and reconversion back to a target) decreases in overall yield of purified target are likely. The process may also be costly from a number of standpoints: the chemical reactions involved require some amount of time, and the reagents and derivatizing agents have associated expenses. The latter often represents a particular problem since it is rare that the process of returning to a target from a derivative yields the derivatizing agent in a form that can be reutilized directly for other purifications.
Purification of Substances by Chromatography
Probably the most versatile method for the purification of a wide variety of chemical substances is chromatography. Most chromatography methods separate substances on the basis of their differential affinities for a stationary phase and a mobile phase. These two phases may both be liquid (e.g., as for countercurrent chromatography), but the combinations in most common use are gas with liquid (gas liquid chromatography, GLC or GC) and liquid with solid. The latter category is that which is most commonly employed for the purification of significant quantities of substances. The basic principles of chromatography are the same for all of these methods.
In one version of liquid-solid chromatography, a mixture of substances is applied (often in the form of a solution) to the top of a column that contains a granular or powdered solid adsorbent (e.g., silica gel, alumina). The mixture is then eluted by passing an appropriate solvent (the eluent) through the column and collecting it in portions at the bottom of the column. It is during the process of elution that separation of the substances occurs, and the cause of the separation is the differential affinities of the substances for the solid phase and the liquid phase (the eluent). For example, consider substances A and B. in which A has a much stronger affinity for the solid phase than the liquid phase, and B has a much stronger affinity for the liquid phase than the solid phase. As the eluent flows through the column, both substances will be in equilibrium between the solid phase and the liquid phase; that is, each substance will spend part of the time dissolved in the liquid phase and part of the time adsorbed onto the solid phase. In the example presented, A will spend most of its time adsorbed to the solid, while B will spend most of its time in the liquid. The solid is not moving through the column (i.e., is the stationary phase), and since A is usually (but not always) adsorbed to the solid, it will move through the column very slowly. On the other hand, B will move through the column very rapidly, since it will generally be in the mobile liquid phase. Because of their different rates of travel through the column, A and B will thus be physically separated.
Since it is the differences in affinities that substances have for the solid and liquid phases that is responsible for their different rates of travel through a column (and hence their separation), it is clear that the nature of these affinities is critical to the separation process. Typically, the affinity of a substance for a solid or liquid phase is due to the sum of a large number of weak intermolecular forces. These may include ion-dipole interactions (amongst the strongest of which is hydrogen bonding), charge-charge interactions, and hydrophobic interactions. The three dimensional disposition of functional groups in a molecule, along with the propensity of each of these functional groups to engage in these types of interactions with either the stationary or mobile phases are what determine the rate of travel in the elution process.
Problems with Chromatography
There are, however, some practical problems with the chromatographic separation of substances that arise as a consequence of the presence of interferents/impurities. The two general classes of interferents/impurities that may rise to problems in chromatographic separations are those that are difficult to elute and those that elute at a rate similar to a target.
Difficultly eluted interferents may, for example, be a problem when there is a desire to reuse the stationary phase for repeated separations. Stationary phases can be quite expensive, and the ability to use the column for multiple purifications may lead to a significant cost savings. For example, in order to take advantage of the reusability of a stationary phase it may be necessary that a majority of the substances in a sample applied to the column be eluted prior to applying a second batch of sample. Otherwise, more slowly moving substances from the first chromatography may elute in conjunction with a target in the second chromatography. Additionally, if difficultly eluted interferents are present in a sample, then large volumes of eluent may be necessary to remove them, which may result in higher costs associated with eluent purchase. In some cases, interferents may be irreversibly adsorbed to the column. In this case, it may be necessary to perform sample pretreatment to remove these irreversibly adsorbing interferents prior to loading on the column. Alternatively, a sacrificial pre-column can be placed in front of the true separation column, and then discarded when it is saturated with irreversibly adsorbing interferents. Both of these solutions, however, may be undesirable due to the costs in materials and time they entail.
Eluents that elute at a similar rate to the target may pose a more subtle problem in some circumstances. Chromatography may be performed in what has been termed the "analytical regime" or the "overload regime." In the analytical regime, the proportions of the substances being separated to the amount of stationary phase is such that a true equilibrium between the mobile and stationary phases may be established. Within the analytical regime, the time it takes a substance to elute will not be substantially affected by amount loaded onto the column. In the overload regime, a much larger amount of the substance is applied to the column. In this case, there is not sufficient stationary phase to fully adsorb the substances present, and a true equilibrium does not exist. The result is that sample bands move faster, and they broaden, which may decrease the resolution of the separation. In other words, substances that might be separated readily with low sample loading (in the analytical regime) may not separate well when higher loading levels are employed (in the overload regime).
The change in retention behavior associated with different loading levels may not be desirable. For example, loading in the analytical range may utilize weight ratios of sample to stationary phase on the order of 1:100 or much higher, whereas the overload regime might utilize only a 1:10 ratio. Thus, in this example, for a given amount of stationary phase, one may perform a chromatography one time in the overload regime versus ten times in the analytical regime. Since roughly the same quantities of eluent are required in each case, the analytical regime separation may require a higher cost. Separations in an overload mode may therefore be desirable in some applications. For example, this may only be carried out if a good enough separation has been achieved that the band broadening and increased rate of travel associated with this process does not result in overlapping of elution bands.

Purification of substances by reaction affinity chromatography


A vacuum carrier can be employed to provide a partial vacuum on a back side surface of a substrate thereby holding the substrate flat against a rigid surface of the carrier throughout the duration of a bonding process. The magnitude of vacuum can be optimized to limit the warping of the substrate during and after bonding with another substrate, and to limit the mechanical stress induced in the solder balls during cooling. The vacuum carrier can include a base plate, a seal plate with at least one opening configured to accommodate at least one substrate, and vacuum seal elements configured to create a vacuum environment that pushes the substrate against the base plate when the vacuum carrier is under vacuum. The configuration of the vacuum carrier is chosen to avoid distortion of the substrate due to the vacuum seal elements, while allowing adjustment of the magnitude of the partial vacuum.

The present disclosure relates to bonding substrates, and particularly, to a method of bonding substrates while minimizing substrate warping, a vacuum carrier for effecting the same, and a structure for implementing the same.
Substrate warping poses a challenge for the attachment of a semiconductor chip to a packaging substrate. A large substrate warp at reflow is a cause for unreliable C4 bonding, leading to potential non-wets or unequal C4 solder heights. Even for a population of substrates having a nominal mean warp, there is usually a large variation (sigma) in the warp which can be a problem during bond and assembly. The thermal warp, i.e., the change in warp with temperature, is another undesirable problem for bond and assembly. A large thermal warp means that the packaging substrate changes shape during the critical cool down period after the reflow of solder balls. Such change in the shape of the solder balls could lead to defects in the solder ball joints such as hot tears.


There is provided fiber optic local convergence points that provide preconnectorized functionality to eliminate all or most of the splicing associated with local convergence points in fiber optic distribution networks. The local convergence points provide a plurality of preconnectorized multi-fiber ports adapted to receive a preconnectorized end of a distribution cable within the enclosure of the local convergence point, on the enclosure itself, or outside the enclosure. For example, the local convergence point may provide preconnectorized multi-fiber ports outside the enclosure with an accumulator optically connected to the interior of the local convergence with an accumulator cable, wherein the accumulator comprises the plurality of preconnectorized multi-fiber ports.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to fiber optic networks, and more particularly, to fiber optic local convergence points having preconnectorized connections.
2. Description of Related Art
Fiber optic distribution networks typically include a central office from which optical signals originate and are transmitted to a number of subscribers via the network. Feeder cables usually extend from the central office to one or more local convergence points. At the local convergence point the optical signals from the central office are often split from each of the optical fibers of the feeder cable to a plurality (such as 16, 32, or 64) of optical fibers of a distribution cable. The optical fibers of the distribution cable are then routed to a network access point where the optical fibers are connected, spliced, or otherwise placed in optical communication with drop cables that typically are routed to a subscriber's premises, such as a home or business. In addition to providing a splitter in the local convergence point ("LCP"), LCPs often include a subscriber termination field comprising a plurality of adapters to selectively connect a pigtail extending from a splitter to an optical fiber of the distribution cable, thereby enabling a technician to selectively activate a subscriber by simply plugging a pigtail into a particular adapter (and selectively deactivate a subscriber by removing the pigtail).
Installation of such LCPs is often very time-consuming given the number of splices a technician must perform when optically connecting the LCP to the feeder cable and/or distribution cable. For example, an LCP having 432 distribution outputs requires splicing of all 432 fibers of the distribution cable(s), which may take a technician over twenty-two hours to splice. Even if optical fiber ribbon cable is utilized, it may take a technician over eight hours to splice the 432 fibers of the distribution cable. FIG. 1 provides a schematic representation of a conventional LCP 10 having a feeder cable 12 enter the enclosure 14 of the LCP and a distribution cable 16 exit the LCP. Within the LCP, each optical fiber 18 of the feeder cable 12 is connected to a splitter input 20 of a splitter 22. The fourteen optical fibers 18 are split into 432 optical fibers of a distribution cable 16 (thirteen optical fibers are split into thirty-two (1×32) and one optical fiber is split into sixteen (1×16) to provide the 432 distribution fibers). The splitter outputs 26 are selectively connected to the optical fibers 28 of the distribution cable using a subscriber termination field 30 (represented by the gap between the connectors of the splitter outputs 26 and the connectors of the optical fibers 28). However, the distribution cable 16 requires splicing of the distribution optical fibers 28 to one or more distribution cables 32, which in this exemplary embodiment are six distribution cables of 72 fibers each. Not only do the splices 34 require a significant amount of labor, as described above, but additional equipment is needed to provide the actual splice and to store the splices (such as a below grade handhole or other closure 36).
The LCP of FIG. 1 is illustrated again in FIGS. 2 and 3 with additional components of the fiber optic distribution network shown. The feeder cable 12 typically must be spliced 40 prior to entering the enclosure 14 of the LCP 10, just as the distribution cable 16 is spliced 34 after exiting the enclosure of the LCP. This enables the LCPs 10 to be shipped into the field with stub feeder cable 12 and stub distribution cable 16 that are already routed, connected, and/or connectorized within the LCP. As shown in FIG. 2, the distribution cable 16 is spliced 34 into distribution cables 32 that define a plurality of network access points 42 to which drop cables (not shown) may be optically connected. FIG. 3 represents a fiber optic distribution network wherein the network access points 42 must be located a relatively far distance from the LCP, thus requiring an additional distribution cable 44 to provide the additional length. The additional distribution cable 44 also requires additional splices 46.
Therefore, a need exists for improved LCPs and fiber optic distribution networks that do not require splicing of the distribution cable and/or feeder cable. Elimination of such splicing would reduce the time, skill level, and expense of performing a large number of splices and eliminate the equipment needed for such splicing.

Preconnectorized fiber optic local convergence points


The invention relates to a microprocessor device and to a branch prediction method that determines which of a plurality of predetermined branch classes a respective branch instruction to be executed is assigned to, and determines whether the branch is likely to be taken or not, depending on the branch class determined. Advantageously, a respective adaptive branch prediction device assigned to the determined branch class is used for determining whether the branch is likely to be taken or not.

In the case of conventional microprocessor devices, appropriate machine instructions are read out from a central memory and are then processed by an interpreter, are in particular interpreted into a sequence of executable micro operations.
To increase the performance of microprocessor devices, they may have a so-called "pipeline" structure: Here, one or a plurality of operations, e.g. the operation "interpret machine instruction", may be subdivided into a plurality of partial steps (e.g. into the partial steps "Instruction Fetch", and/or "Instruction Decoding", and/or "Address Generation", and/or "Operand Fetch", and/or "Execute", and/or "Store Result", and/or "Update Program Counter", etc., etc.), wherein each partial step is processed by a separate processing unit ("step").
The individual processing units or steps may be connected with each other via appropriate latches, data and control paths such that a parallel, sequential processing of a plurality of different machine instructions is possible (wherein, at a particular time, each step in parallel processes respectively different instructions).
An "Instruction Fetch" step may, for instance, continually sequentially load machine instructions from the central memory which are stored in succession. In an "Instruction Decoding" step, a corresponding instruction taken from the "Instruction Fetch" step is decoded while the "Instruction Fetch" step already transfers the next instruction from the memory to the processor. An "Address Generation" step receives the instruction part and appropriate control information required for addressing (e.g. the type of addressing) from the "Instruction Decoding" step and calculates the operand addresses that are transmitted to an "Operand Fetch" step (while—in parallel—the "Instruction Fetch" step already loads a further machine instruction from the central memory, and, in the "Instruction Decoding" step, the instruction that has last been loaded by the "Instruction Fetch" step is decoded, etc., etc.)
The pipelining concept requires a special architecture that has to be designed such that the individual steps are adapted to actually process different instructions in parallel and, in so doing, influence each other as little as possible.
Since the "Instruction Fetch" step fetches—as explained above—the instructions as a rule sequentially from the central memory, irrelevant instructions that are not to be executed at the moment may be loaded into the pipeline in the case of (conditional or unconditional) jump instructions or branches and/or subroutine calls, which results in substantial performance loss.
Unconditional jumps (and subroutine calls) may be detected early by means of specific control mechanisms, whereupon there may be induced that the "Instruction Fetch" step continues at the new position in the program even before the PC (Program Counter) has been modified correspondingly by the "Update Program Counter" step.
Contrary to that, the target of conditional jumps can be detected only on evaluation of the respective condition, e.g. only by the "Execute" step. Possibly, the entire content of the pipeline may have to be rejected then—in correspondence with the respective condition.
This may, for instance, be prevented in that the pipeline mechanism is stopped as soon as the "Instruction Decoding" step recognizes a conditional jump instruction. The pipeline is released only if the target address of the jump has been determined, or if the PC has been updated, respectively. This procedure that results in a "gap" in the pipeline and thus in a performance loss is referred to as "Interlocking".
In order to avoid or minimize the performance loss occurring with an "Interlocking", so-called—static or dynamic—branch prediction methods may be used.
In so doing, one tries to predict whether a conditional jump is likely to be taken (prediction: "taken"), or not prediction: "not taken").
A simple example are jump operation instructions whose target is indicated relative to the PC (i.e. in which an addressing related to the program counter is used): If the displacement is negative in the case of such jump instructions ("backward" jump), it may be assumed that it is the matter of a loop end. Since a loop is more likely run through than left, it may thus be assumed as a prediction for such a jump instruction that the jump will be taken (prediction: "taken").
If it is predicted that a jump will be taken, it can be induced that the "Instruction Fetch" step breaks through the sequential order during the loading of the machine instructions from the central memory.
To increase the probability of hitting of the predictions, a table may be used in which the target addresses that have been calculated last are entered for as many jumps as possible which have already been taken in a program (so-called jump target cache). The table is managed by the processor and comprises the "history" of the instructions ("Branch History").
Different static and dynamic branch prediction methods are, for instance, described in the book "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" by Hennessy and Patterson.

System and method for classifying branch instructions into multiple classes for branch prediction


A system that detects audio including speech using a spherical sensor array estimates a direction of arrival of the speech using a Kalman filter. To improve the estimates of the Kalman filter, the system estimates a noise covariance matrix, representing noise detected by the array. The structure of the noise covariance matrix is determined, using an assumption of spherically isotropic diffuse noise. The intensity of the noise covariance matrix is estimated based on the intensity of audio detected by the array.

Computing devices routinely employ techniques to identify the words spoken by a human user based on the various qualities of a received audio input. Such techniques are called speech recognition or automatic speech recognition (ASR). Speech recognition combined with natural language processing (NLP) techniques may allow a user to control a computing device to perform tasks based on the user's spoken commands. ASR and NLP may together be considered types of speech processing.

Determining speaker direction using a spherical microphone array


A hydrogen-containing composition for ingestion or topical use and method of producing the hydrogen-containing composition are provided. The composition includes a carrier liquid and molecular hydrogen. The concentration of molecular hydrogen in the carrier liquid is greater than 3 ppm.

Recently, antioxidants received a lot of attention because of the reported health benefits achieved by ingesting and topically applying anti-oxidants to skin. Many food, beverage, and skin care products in the marketplace have been extolled for their antioxidant properties.
Hydrogen is a strong antioxidant. Compositions, such as water containing hydrogen at the low ppm level, have been introduced. However, it has not been possible to increase the amount of hydrogen in water and beverage compositions to greater than 3.0 ppm. In addition, because hydrogen is a volatile gas, it rapidly evaporates from the hydrogen-containing compositions.
Oxidation in the body is natural for normal cellular function. Normal cell functions produce a small percentage of free radicals, but those free radicals are generally not a big problem. They are kept under control by antioxidants that a healthy body produces naturally.
What are problematic are external toxins, second hand cigarette smoke and air pollution. The latter are free radical generators. Food and water also harbor free radicals in the form of pesticides and other food additive toxins. Stress, lack of sleep, and excessive exercise all generate free radicals.
The saying that food is the best medicine no longer holds true. Humans used to receive many different and effective antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes. Over the years these antioxidants or phytonutrients have been reduced by the food industry as a byproduct of making food taste better, have a greater shelf life, and better physical appearance. While agricultural land is diminishing, farmers are pressured to generate fruits and vegetables with less phytonutrients
A consumer in the USA who wanted to easily purchase packaged water that gives some additional health benefits can purchase natural spring water or synthetically derived spring water (ionized water). The latter has not had any medical evaluation to confirm significant health benefits. A hydrogen stick that contains magnesium which gives off dilute hydrogen gas, but leaves magnesium and calcium byproducts in the water could also be used.
Some commercially available water from Asian countries contain low amounts of hydrogen, however, the water loses significant hydrogen because of the way it is packaged to the consumer.
Compositions for ingestion or topical use containing hydrogen in an increased concentration, and in which the hydrogen is held in the composition for a longer period of time, thereby providing a longer shelf life, is needed. A method for producing compositions with increased concentrations of hydrogen is needed.


A stylet assembly and method of forming an in vivo image acquiring stylet assembly. The stylet assembly includes an elongate flexible body and an image acquiring device that is supported at a location that is offset from an in vivo facing terminal end of the stylet assembly. A terminal end portion of the stylet assembly is defined by a manipulator that is oriented to extend in a crossing direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate body. The terminal end portion of the stylet assembly is steerable relative to the elongate body and is operable to manipulate positions or adjacent anatomy and/or effectuate guidance of the imaging device relative thereto during use.

The present application relates generally to in vivo imaging, and more particularly, to an assembly and method of providing an imaging stylet assembly having an in vivo end whose shape or configuration can be manipulated when located within a subject to manipulate adjacent anatomy and to guide the imaging acquiring device toward areas of the anatomy desired to be inspected.
During various medical procedures, it is occasionally desirable or even necessary to visually inspect areas, anatomy, or passageways of a subject that are not ordinarily readily available or sufficiently accessible to accommodate visual inspection from anatomical openings, in vitro locations or locations elsewhere outside of an organism, living or deceased, and/or with the aid of generally non-intrusive medical diagnostic tools such as otoscopes, ophthalmoscopes, bronchoscopes, imaging laryngoscopes, or the like.
To aid in such inspection and diagnosis, stylets are commonly employed to facilitate the visual inspection, whether via optical eyepiece or electronic image acquiring devices such as cameras or the like, and/or manipulation of internal anatomy and/or placement of medicinals and/or ancillary devices wherein such inspection, treatment, and/or manipulation is not readily available or accessible by less intrusive methodologies or methodologies that are otherwise external to or in vitro to the subject. Although any anatomic or surgically created openings are suitable for interaction with such devices, many consider the in vivo introduction of such appliances via the respiration passage of the subject and associated with endotracheal intubation to be the least intrusive methodology where the anatomy associated with the desired inspection is accessible therethrough.
During endotracheal intubation procedures, a rigid laryngoscope is commonly inserted through the mouth of a subject and an intubation tube is passed via the mouth or nasal passages through the pharynx, past the tongue and epiglottis, through the vocal cords, and into the trachea. The endotracheal intubation device is commonly removed upon the desired placement of the intubation tube and/or other tube whose placement is guided via cooperation with intubation device. This tube is then used to maintain the airway and support ventilation of the lungs, a critical life support function. Using a straight or curved blade with a light along its length, the tongue and epiglottis are lifted out of the way allowing direct visualization of the vocal cords such that an endotracheal tube can be advanced into the trachea.
Periodically, various anatomical features or patient specific anatomy, which is commonly dynamic or ever changing in nature rather that static, can detrimentally affect visual inspection of, or interaction with, anatomy associated with the desired placement of the endotracheal tube and/or interaction and/or visual inspective at locations that are further in vivo of the subject larynx opening. Video or imaging stylets are frequently employed to facilitate inspection, manipulation, treatment, sectioning, and/or other interactions with anatomy that is positioned further in vivo than the larynx opening when inspection via the oral opening is employed. It is appreciated that such application is one of many uses associated with application of imaging or other stylet configurations.
Although helpful for in vivo inspection and manipulation of anatomy, whether oral, anal, or surgical application, available imaging stylets suffer from various drawbacks. Commonly, such devices include an image acquiring device that is disposed at the distal in vivo directed end of the appliance. Many such devices are flexible along the longitudinal length of the stylet assembly and still others are equipped with adjustment mechanisms that can be employed to manipulate the relative elongate configuration of the assembly. Rotation and/or operation of an operator relative to the patient can be employed to manipulate the relative position, configuration, or orientation of the in vivo end of the stylet assembly relative to anatomy proximate thereto to facilitate the desired positioning of the imaging device.
Unfortunately, the proximity of the image capturing device relative to the in vivo distal end of the assembly frustrates the ability of a user to manipulate subject anatomy or the configuration of the stylet assembly in a manner that accommodates both visual inspection of obstructing structures or anatomy and manipulation of the relative position and/or configuration of the stylet assembly relative thereto. That is, commonly, the only remediation available to use of such assemblies and to further the introduction of the assembly along an intended or desired path, depth, or position relative to the patient is to manipulate the relative rotational orientation of the assembly and/or interact the control arrangement to manipulate the presentation angle associated with the terminal end of the assembly and reattempt the progression of the introduction of the device beyond a respective obstruction. Visual inspection associated with the progressing interaction of the distal end of the assembly is commonly unavailable as the obstructing anatomy or structures obstruct the image capturing device as the same is introduced thereto. Such configurations require the user to repeatedly introduce and retract the stylet assembly until such time as the obstructing structures can be avoided and the in vivo end of the stylet assembly is allowed to pass thereby.
Still further, in applications where anatomy or obstructing structures are disposed in close or overlapping orientations relative to a desired area of inspection, the ability of the user to inspect areas of interest located closely therebehind can be rendered difficult if even possible with known stylet assemblies. That is, instances of close proximity between areas of interest and obstructing structures can require the introduction of additional assemblies in parallel with the stylet assembly to facilitate translation of obstructing structures or anatomy such that areas of interest disposed therebehind can be inspected via exposure to the field of view associated with the image capturing device.
Accordingly, there is a need for an stylet assembly that can be economically produced and which is operable to facilitate visual inspection of in vivo anatomy and features from locations in vitro relative to the patient or subject and which is constructed to facilitate translation of obstructing structures and features and does so in a manner that accommodates visual inspection of the translation operation. In a preferred aspect, the stylet assembly is constructed to facilitate in vivo visual inspection of both the translation operation as well as a manipulator defined by the stylet assembly and constructed to accommodate the translation operation.


A light-emitting keyboard includes a keycap, a frame and a solid-state lighting source. The keycap has a light-entrance portion formed on the periphery thereof, and a touch surface for pressing by user. The keycap is made of light-guiding material and defines a light-guiding path from the light entrance portion to the touch surface. The frame is arranged adjacent to the keycap and surrounds the periphery of the keycap. The frame is made of light-guiding material and forms at least one light-outputting surface. The at least one light-outputting surface is contiguous to the light-entrance portion. The solid-state lighting source is fixed to the frame and emits light from the light-outputting surface into the light-entrance portion by the light-guiding path, and exits from the touch surface of the keycap. The instant disclosure also provides an illuminating structure of the keyboard, and a keycap thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a light-emitting keyboard, an illuminating structure thereof, and a keycap thereof; in particular, to a keyboard providing lighting to illuminate the keycap.
2. Description of Related Art
Light-emitting keyboards which allow electronic devices having keyboards to be used under different lighting conditions have been disclosed. Conventional light-emitting keyboards mainly use backlight modules as light source. The backlight module is positioned behind the keys, including a light-guiding plate and a light source positioned on one side of the light-guiding plate, e.g. a light-emitting diode (LED) or an electroluminescent (EL) light source. The light-guiding plate guides incident light toward the backside of the key. The bottom portion of the light-guiding plate has a reflector plate for reflecting light back into the light-guiding plate. Then, a microstructure on the front side of the light-guiding plate emits light toward the underside of the key.
A disadvantage of the conventional method described above is that the light source must pass through the light-guiding plate, be emitted from the microstructure on the top face of the light-guiding plate, pass through a bridge board of a scissors-type mechanism, and travel a distance before reaching the underside of the key. Therefore not only is much of the light source wasted and ineffectively used, but also leaked from the gaps between keys creating undesired lighting thereat.
Moreover, the biggest disadvantage of the conventional light-emitting keyboard is the increased height of the overall keyboard. Neither the light-guiding plate nor light-emitting diodes arranged in array is able to prevent the thickening of the keyboard.
Hence, the present inventor believes the above mentioned disadvantages can be overcome, and through devoted research combined with application of theory, finally proposes the present disclosure which has a reasonable design and effectively improves upon the above mentioned disadvantages.

Light-emitting keyboard, illuminating structure thereof, and keycap thereof


A spinning machine, preferably an open end spinning machine, having a conduit associated therewith for distributing a flow of conditioned air along a predetermined flow path in which the conditioned air is caused to flow in a direction directly toward and across the rapidly rotating, heat-generating element (e.g., a rotor disposed in a spin box), with a portion of the conditioned air flowing in and around the rapidly rotating element to absorb heat from the same, and with another portion of the conditioned air flowing across the length of fibers fed to the spinning machine and across the yarn produced at the spinning machine to moisturize the length of fibers and yarn. A return duct is located above the spinning machine and has a negative pressure created therein for causing the conditioned air, after it has absorbed heat from the rotating element and conditioned the length of fibers and the yarn, to flow upwardly from the spinning machine and entrain microdust and similar particulate matter therein and the conditioned air is then received by the return duct.

In modern textile yarn forming operations, it is well known that the quality of the yarn produced is dependent to a large extent on the condition of the ambient air in which the yarn is formed. For example, in textile yarn spinning machines, both open end and ring spinning machines, the humidity and temperature of the ambient air must be carefully controlled within predetermined limits to improve the quality of the yarn and reduce the tendency of the yarn to break in subsequent processing steps such as knitting and weaving operation.
One conventional method of dealing with this problem is to carefully monitor and control the temperature and humidity of the air that is circulated through the entire area in which the textile equipment is operating, such as a spinning room in which a large number of spinning machines are operating. While this method of circulating conditioned air serves to improve the quality of the yarn, it is relatively inefficient because the entire volume of air in a large room must pass through air conditioning equipment having high energy operating demands.
It is also known to introduce the conditioned air at a point beneath a weaving machine rather than generally to the weaving room itself. For example, in Bachmann U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,682, conditioned air is introduced into the weaving room through small apertures so that thin and gentle jets of conditioned air are freely directed into the space beneath the weaving machines and in Jassniker U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,278, conditioned air is introduced into the weaving room through a first opening in a duct extending along the floor of the weaving room and through a second duct opening directing the conditioned air into the interior of the weaving machine below the weaving plane. This patent also indicates that some of conditioned air may be withdrawn through a return duct disposed within the weaving machine itself or through an additional conditioning faculty disposed in the ceiling of the weaving room.
However, spinning machines as compared to weaving machines, present a somewhat different problem, namely, dissipating the substantial quantity of heat that is generated by the spinning apparatus itself. Thus, in open end spinning machines, a rapidly rotatable rotor housed in a spin box is provided, and a continuous length of fiber is introduced and broken down into individual fibers so that the fibers can be formed into a length of yarn by the rotor, and the yarn is then directed to a cone or spool for collection thereon. As open end spinning machine technology advances, the rotating speed of the rotor increases and the frictional and operational heat generated thereby also increases. Similarly, in ring spinning machines, the increasing rotational speeds of the spindles and the traveler generate increased heat which creates problems if it is not properly dealt with.

Method and apparatus for directing conditioned air to a spinning machine


The present invention pertains a fluoropolymer [polymer (F)] comprising: —recurring units derived from at least one ethylenically unsaturated fluorinated monomer [monomer (FM)]; —from 5% to 60% by moles [with respect to the total moles of recurring units of polymer (F)] of recurring units derived at least one ethylenically unsaturated fluorinated monomer containing at least one —SO2F functional group [monomer (IO)]; and —from 0.01% to 10% by moles [with respect to the total moles of recurring units of polymer (F)] of recurring units derived from at least one monomer comprising an azide group [monomer (Az)], to a process for its manufacture, to a cross-linkable composition comprising the same, to a process for cross-linking the same and to articles comprising the cross-linked polymer.

Fluorinated polymers containing sulfonic acid functional groups, due to their ion conducting properties, have found widespread use in the manufacture of electrolyte membranes for electrochemical devices such as electrolysis cells and fuel cells. Notable examples are for instance proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells which employ hydrogen as the fuel and oxygen or air as the oxidant.
Fluorinated polymers containing sulfonic acid functional groups have also been known to provide hydrophilic fluorinated surfaces due to the presence of the sulfonic acid groups.
To provide a high proton transport capability to an electrolyte membrane or to efficiently interact with water in a hydrophilic fluorinated surface polymers having a high number of sulfonic acid groups are required, which however are generally provided with reduced mechanical and physical resistance with consequent negative effects on the duration of the articles obtained therefrom.
The use of cross-linking to improve the physical resistance of membranes made from fluorinated polymers containing sulfonic acid functional groups has been previously disclosed. For instance, EP 1238999 A (SOLVAY SOLEXIS SPA) 11 Sep. 2002 and EP 1239000 A (SOLVAY SOLEXIS SPA) 11 Sep. 2002 disclose hydrophilic membranes comprising cross-linkable sulfonic fluorinated polymers comprising: monomeric units deriving from tetrafluoroethylene, fluorinated monomeric units containing sulfonyl groups —SO2F, and from 0.01% to 5% by moles of monomeric units deriving from a bis-olefin of formula R1R2C═CH—(CF2)m—CH═CR5R6 (wherein m=2-10, R1, R2, R5, R6, equal to or different from each other, are H or C1-C5 alkyl groups). The membranes are obtained by cross-linking of the sulfonic fluorinated polymer, the cross-linking involving the backbone of the polymer. The membranes are suitable both for use as ion conducting membranes in electrochemical cells as well as filtration membranes.
The use of bis-olefins of formula R1R2C═CH—(CF2)m—CH═CR5R6 suffers however from the drawback that, due to the low boiling temperature of the bis-olefin, fractions of the bis-olefin are lost by evaporation during the manufacturing steps of the membrane reducing the effectiveness of the cross-linking process.
Thus the need still exist for providing articles, in particular membranes, with improved physical and mechanical resistance by the cross-linking of fluorinated polymers comprising sulfonic acid functional groups without affecting the ion conducting capability and hydrophilicity of the polymer and with a process having improved efficiency.
It has now been found that the incorporation of azide-containing monomers into the fluorinated polymers comprising sulfonic acid functional groups provides a solution to the limitations of the prior art process.
The incorporation of azide-containing monomers in fluoropolymer chain has been described in the art, in particular for fluoroelastomers.
Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,693 (DUPONT DOW ELASTOMERS LLC) 2 Apr. 2002 discloses the incorporation of compounds of formula:CX1X2═CX—(O)p—Rf—(CH2)n—S(O)qN3 wherein: X, X1 and X2 are independently H or F, p is 0 or 1, n is 0-4, q is 1 or 2, Rf is a perfluoroalkyl or a perfluoroalkoxy group, as cure-site monomers in copolymers of fluorinated monomers, at least one of them being selected from VDF, TFE and chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE).
Similarly, US 2010324222 (DUPONT PERFORMANCE ELASTOMERS L.L.C.) 23 Dec. 2010 discloses a fluoroelastomer comprising copolymerized units of:                a first monomer selected from vinylidene fluoride and tetrafluoroethylene, and        a cure site monomer having a cure site selected from azide, sulfonyl azide and carbonyl azide groups.
WO 2010/021962 A (3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY) 25 Feb. 2010 discloses fluoropolymers containing one or more azide groups different from sulfonyl-azide groups.
None of these documents however disclose fluorinated polymers comprising sulfonic acid functional groups as well as azide functional groups.
US 2010093878 (E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY) 15 Apr. 2010 relates to crosslinkable fluoropolymers, crosslinked fluoropolymers and crosslinked fluoropolymer membranes. In greater detail, the crosslinkable fluoropolymers disclosed in this document comprise:                from 70% to 95% by moles of recurring units derived from CR2═CF2 monomers, wherein R is H or F;        from 10% to 30% by moles of recurring units derived from CR′2═CR′—(O)q—RFSO2F monomers, wherein R′ is H or F, q is 0 r 1, with the proviso that when R′ is F then q is 1 and RF is a linear or branched C1-C20 perfluoroalkylene group, optionally containing oxygen or chlorine, and        from 1% to 8% by moles of recurring units derived from monomers having a vinyl ether end group, said monomers having formula CF2═CF—OR′F—(CH2)p—Z, wherein R′F is a linear or branched C1-C20 perfluoroalkylene group, optionally containing oxygen or chlorine, p is 0 or 1 and Z is selected from SO2N3, OCN and CN. Non-limitative examples of monomers of formula CF2═CF—OR′F—(CH2)p—Z include CF2═CF—OR′F—CH2—SO2N3, in particular CF2═CF—O—CF2CF(CF3)—O—CF2CF2—SO2N3. This document does not disclose or suggest sulfonyl azide- or azide-containing monomers having end groups other than vinyl ether end groups.

Cross-linkable polymers comprising sulfonic acid functional groups


Machines, systems and methods of uploading data files, the method comprising a first client machine dividing a first file into N data chunks to be uploaded to a server, wherein the N data chunks are of size kX, where k is an integer and X is size of a minimal size data chunk, wherein X is known by the server and by at least a second client machine used for uploading a second file to the server in data chunks of size k′X; and uploading the first file to the server, wherein a first unique signature is calculated for the first file based on applying a signature function to a collection of signatures calculated for the minimal size data chunks of size X that make up the data chunks of size kX in the first file, wherein the uploading of the first file is accomplished by uploading the data chunks of size kX to the server in any order.

Data deduplication is a data management technique for eliminating the need for storing duplicate copies of data stored on a data storage medium. Data deduplication involves scanning data units (e.g., data chunks) on a target storage medium, identifying a data chunk with duplicate copies, maintaining a single copy of the data chunk and eliminating the duplicate copies by replacing the duplicate copies with a reference (i.e., a pointer) to the first data chunk. Data deduplication can be performed at the file level in a similar manner as done at the chunk level. Data file deduplication involves calculating a signature for a target data file based on the content of the data file, detecting duplicate copies of the target data file by comparing the signature of the target data file with other files, and deduplicating the duplicate copies.
In a distributed storage system, a data file may be uploaded from a client machine to a storage server. Typically, the client machine first breaks down the large data file into multiple data chunks and then uploads the multiple data chunks individually to the storage server over a network connection. Once the individual data chunks are received by the storage server, the data chunks have to be reconstructed to build the data file. In a rudimentary scenario, the file is reconstructed from the multiple data chunks in a first phase, and then a signature is calculated for the entire file in a second phase. A more efficient option would be to calculate the signatures for the multiple data chunks separately as the data chunks are received by the server and then calculate a signature for the file based on the collective signatures of the multiple data chunks.
The latter option works well in a data storage system in which deduplication is performed across the files uploaded by the same client machine that uses equal-size data chunks for the purpose of uploading all the files. However, in a data storage network where different client machines use different data chunk sizes to upload the files, the signature value calculated for two identical files may not be the same. This is because the size of the data chunk affects the signature value calculated for the data chunk. As such, the signature value for identical files calculated based on the collective signatures of multiple data chunks of different sizes will not be the same. In such a scenario, deduplication cannot be correctly performed, because a signature match will not be detected between two identical files that are uploaded in different-size data chunks.

Efficient data deduplication in a data storage network

International Business Machines Corporation


A system to attach seats, in particular rows of lightweight seats to the light gauge deck of a high passenger marine craft. Horizontal flanges of aluminum angles (23) form a T-shaped foot locking within cavity (35) of track (29) fixed to the deck. High tensile tie straps (27a, 27b) are held between the vertical webs of the angles (23) by pins (69). A tubular pedestal (25) has upper recesses (49) which mate with a box beam supporting the seats. Threaded studs (73)of the tie straps (27a, 27b) are bolted to the box beam so that inertial forces arising in the event of an impact of the craft will be uniformly distributed by the pedestal, tie straps (27a, 27b), and angles (23), to the track for dissipation over an extended length of track, thus reducing the effects of localized shear. On assembly of the system, the angles (23) need not to be slid along the track but may be inserted individually being later spaced apart by insertion of tie straps (27a, 27b) so as to laterally the cavity (35).

In recent times, and with the application of new technologies, large passenger carrying marine craft are achieving speeds of a magnitude normally experienced in motor vehicles and so are capable of subjecting passengers seated within them to high lateral forces which can cause serious injury if the motion of the vessel is suddenly impeded.
One of the problems with designing leg attachment systems for seating in marine vessels, and which does not present itself to the same degree in relation to land based vehicles, is the weight consideration which seriously affects the design of the particular leg attachment system that is adopted. Moreover, in order to achieve high speeds, passenger ferry craft are required to be light weight, whereby the weight of the vessel directly affects the maximum speed that can be obtained by the vessel. Consequently, passenger ferry craft these days are constructed with decks of extremely light gauge material, for example aluminium sheeting which can reach thicknesses of down to 2 mm. Consequently, the leg attachment systems that have previously been designed for seating to attach to decks of such light gauge material have similarly been of light weight design and hence have skimped on meeting minimum safety standards for resisting laterally applied impact forces.
An immediate solution to the problem would be to make leg attachment systems of heavier gauge material, however the inherent problem with this is that this would considerably add to the weight of the vessel.
A further problem is that the beam of marine craft is not limited to the same extent as the breadth of land based vehicles and hence there is much more flexibility in the positioning and the number of seats that are able to be mounted upon a deck than is the case with land based motor vehicles. Hence, the ability to position seats easily and removably is also an important design consideration which detracts from having permanent fixed point anchoring systems for leg attachment systems, which are easier to design for meeting high loading requirements than is the case of impermanent anchoring points and fixtures.
Present types of anchoring techniques for leg attachment systems are basically divided into three classes. The first is the flange or base plate anchoring system as shown in FIG. 1A of the accompanying drawings, the second is the block mounted anchoring system as shown in FIG. 1B of the drawings, and the third is the track mounted anchoring system using either diamond or T-head bolts (not shown) or angle bolts shown in FIG. 1C.
As shown in FIG. 1C, this system uses an interlocking angle `a` to which tie bolts `b` are fixedly mounted to fixedly retain a seat pedestal leg `c` to a track `d`. The track `d` itself is permanently fixed to the deck and is formed with a longitudinally extending cavity, centrally disposed within and circumscribed by a C-shaped channel portion `e`. Such an arrangement has the advantage that the interlocking angle can be positioned close to the installation site without having to be slid along the entire length of deck track, which would otherwise be the case if a captive T-head section was used. Although a T-head section would provide greater locking ability and hence strength, as lengths of track can be as long as 50 m or more along a deck, such a system is impractical to use.
The first two of these systems falls into the category of permanent affixture anchoring points and is not attractive to the industry due to the inability to change the fixing position of the leg attachment for the seats, once it is fixed in position. A further problem is that almost all of the impact force is directly transferred to the deck of the vessel at the fixing point of the bolts, in the case of the flange or base plate arrangement, and the blocks, in the block mounted arrangement. Such forces consequently impose considerable shear upon the deck itself and in the case of lightweight thin gauge deck construction, the anchoring systems are able to pull out directly from the deck at relatively low impact forces, causing permanent damage to the deck itself.
The track arrangement, however, is generally accepted as the industry standard, whereby the track system allows for easy and impermanent positioning of the anchoring means therealong, whilst causing the impact forces to be applied to the track itself rather than the deck. Accordingly, the track system allows the leg attachments for seats to be easily slid into position, and the track itself can be attached to the deck using various fixing systems, including rivet and nut inserts which allow forces transmitted to the track to be more uniformly spread along the deck, reducing shear. In addition, the track provides a continuous attachment method for the leg attachments of the seats to the deck, where the leg attachments can be adjustably positioned at any time by sliding the legs in the track to the correct position.
Notwithstanding this improved arrangement, the two types of anchoring systems used with the track arrangement, namely the diamond or T-head bolt anchoring system or the angle bolt anchoring system, have been found to be limited with respect to the size of the impact force that can be accommodated and fall short of the standards recently set by the International Maritime Organisation which are applicable to high speed passenger carrying vessels.
Moreover, in the case of the diamond or T-head bolt arrangements, impact forces are still transmitted by the anchoring system to the track at point locations, consequently causing shearing of the anchoring means from the track at these points. In the case of the angle bolt attachment system, although impact forces are applied more uniformly along the angle, due to the limited ability of the angle to lock into the cavity of the C-shaped channel design of the track, the angle itself has a tendency to pull out or shear from the track by the impact force, creating a bending moment around the flange or lip `f` of the track which engages the flange of the angle.
Safety standards imposed by the International Maritime Organisation are calculated in accordance with a vessel's "G" rating. Moreover, each type of vessel has a "G" rating associated therewith which equates to the likely inertial forces that may be applied to passengers, having regard to the vessel size, its speed and weight.
"G" ratings for most large passenger carrying marine craft require leg attachment systems to resist impact forces in the region of 600 kg. With respect to the previously described prior art leg attachment systems, impact force resistance of only 300 kg to 400 kg can be achieved before experiencing vertical separation of the leg attachment from the deck or the track.

Leg attachment system and method for seats