The present invention is directed to methods for readily propagating somatic hair follicle stem cells or melanocyte stem cells. The methods comprise enhancing guanine nucleotide (GNP) biosynthesis, thereby expanding guanine nucleotide pools. This in turn conditionally suppresses asymmetric cell kinetics in the explanted cells. The methods of the invention include pharmacological methods and genetic methods. For example, the resulting cultured somatic hair follicle stem cells can be used for a variety of applications including cell replacement therapies such as hair transplants, gene therapies, and tissue engineering applications, such as the generation of artificial skin and skin regeneration strategies including skin grafts.

Stem cells have the ability to differentiate into a variety of cells and tissues. Thus, considerable attention has focused on stem cells and their uses in a multitude of applications, including tissue engineering, tissue regeneration, and gene therapy. Stem cells have been isolated from both embryonic and adult tissues. Somatic stem cells that are derived from adult tissue still have the ability to renew adult tissues (Fuchs and Segre, 2000). Thus, in light of the ongoing controversies surrounding the use of embryonic stem cells, the use of somatic stem cells are a particularly attractive alternative.
The presence of stem cells in somatic tissues has been well established using functional tissue cell transplantation assays (Reisner et al., 1978). However, isolation and propagation of somatic stem cells has proven difficult. Methods to isolate and expand stem cells from somatic tissue, particularly without significant differentiation, are highly desirable. There have been some questions raised regarding how multi-potent adult stem cells are related to embryonic stem cells. Thus, it is important to be able to obtain and cultivate many different types of somatic stem cells. In particular, the availability of a method for producing hair follicle stem cells and melanocyte stem cells from adult tissues would greatly contribute to cell replacement therapies and tissue engineering. For example, hair follicle stem cells have the ability to produce hair, sweat glands, sebaceous glands and skin cells (Oshima et al., 2001). One of the problems encountered with artificial skin is that it does not have sweat glands or sebaceous glands, leading to problems with thermo-regulation and dryness, respectively, when large segments are grafted. It would be desirable to have other cells that could be used in tissue engineering applications, such as in the generation of functional skin grafts.
There has been considerable difficulty encountered in obtaining human somatic hair follicle stem cells that can be propagated and cultured ex vivo. One factor is the predominant way somatic stem cells divide is by asymmetric cell kinetics. During asymmetric kinetics, one daughter cell divides with the same kinetics as its stem cell parent, while the second daughter gives rise to a differentiating non-dividing cell lineage. The second daughter may differentiate immediately; or, depending on the tissue, it may undergo a finite number of successive symmetric divisions to give rise to a larger pool of differentiating cells.
Such asymmetric cell kinetics are a major obstacle to somatic cell expansion in vitro (Merok and Sherley, 2001; Rambhatla et al., 2001; Sherley, 2002). In culture, continued asymmetric cell kinetics results in dilution and loss of an initial relatively fixed number of stem cells by the accumulation of much greater numbers of their terminally differentiating progeny. If a sample includes both exponentially growing cells as well as somatic stem cells, the growth of the exponentially growing cells will rapidly overwhelm the somatic stem cells, leading to their dilution. Even in instances where it is possible to select for relatively purer populations, for example by cell sorting, asymmetric cell kinetics prevent expansion.
Another factor is that during the hair growth cycle, the cells are believed to migrate from the bulge region to a place at the base of the hair follicle known as the bulb (Fuchs, 2001). These migratory patterns and the general difficulty of dissecting these regions from hair follicles have foiled attempts to establish hair follicle stem cell lines.
Thus, despite the need for methods to isolate such stem cells from an individual and expand them ex vivo, it has not been possible to do so.

Methods for ex vivo propagation of somatic hair follicle stem cells


Methods and systems for conference call buffering are disclosed. Methods and systems consistent with the present invention record a conference call between a plurality of users. A service center in conjunction with a conference bridge and conference server establishes a conference call between a plurality of users. The service center may also ascertain the identities of a plurality of destination devices for an audio stream corresponding to the conference call, where the destination devices corresponding to the plurality of users. An audio streaming server provides the audio stream to the plurality of destination devices. Memory located centrally and/or local to the destination devices stores the audio stream. A user of one of the destination devices may choose to replay a selected portion of the audio stream.

A wide variety of means exist for communication between users. For example, a user may conduct phone calls via a home phone, work phone, and mobile phone. In addition, users may also communicate using devices such as PC's, PDA's, pagers, etc. using manners of communicating such as email and instant messaging.
Unfortunately, managing such a wide variety of communication means can be difficult. In particular, as a user changes location, communication with the user may vary. For example, while on travel, it may only be possible to reach a user by mobile phone. However, the user may best be reached by email while at work. Also, the user may wish to implement various rules for receiving and controlling communications. For example, to be reached at home, the user may want the home phone to ring three times before forwarding the call to a mobile phone. As another example, the user may wish to be paged each time an email is received from a particular person while away from the office.
A user may also wish to treat a phone call differently dependent on who is calling the user. For example, if a user receives a call from a caller that the user does not want to speak to at the moment, the user may want to send that call directly to voice mail. Also, if a user receives a call from a number that displays no caller ID information or that the user otherwise does not recognize, the user may wish to somehow specially treat the call because the caller is a potential telemarketer.
Further relating to communication between users, a wide variety of means also exist for establishing a conference call between three or more users. For example, one method for establishing a conference call involves having one user call other users (e.g., conference users) and bridging each user onto the conference call. This method requires that the initiating user individually call each conference user.
Another method for establishing a conference call involves using a conference telephone number to which conference users dial in to join the conference call. This method requires that each participant know of the conference call beforehand and requires that a dial-number and access code be assigned to the conference call beforehand.
Yet another method for establishing a conference call involves establishing a predetermined list of conference users and initiating a conference call to the list of participants at the request of an initiating user. The voice network bridges calls to the conference users to establish the conference call.
Problems often arise during conference calls when one or more of the conference users joins the conference call late, needs to take a break from the conference call, or otherwise misses part of the conference call. Namely, a conference user is not aware of what was discussed while the user was absent.


An electrical connector can includes a connector housing that includes a housing body and further includes at least one fulcrum supported by the housing body. The electrical connector further includes at least one electrical contact supported by the connector housing, the at least one electrical contact configured to mate with a complementary electrical contact of a complementary electrical connector. The electrical connector further includes a latch assembly. The latch assembly can include an actuator and a latch. The actuator can have an actuator portion, an attachment portion, and at least one arm that extends between the actuator portion and the attachment portion. The latch can have a latch body that defines an attachment portion that is configured to be attached to the attachment portion of the actuator, such that movement of the actuator in a predetermined direction causes the pivot member to ride along the fulcrum, thereby pivoting the latch from a latched position to an unlatched position.

Electrical connectors include a connector housing that carries a plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically connect a pair of electrical components. For instance, the electrical contacts can electrically connect to a cable at one end, and can mate with a complementary electrical connector at a mating end, thereby placing the complementary electrical connector in electrical communication with the cable. In some instances, for example when the complementary electrical connector is mounted onto a printed circuit board or backpanel, conventional electrical connectors include a latch that is coupled to the connector housing, and configured to removably secure the electrical connector to the complementary electrical connector so as to prevent the electrical connectors from inadvertently becoming unmated.

Electrical connector including latch assembly with pull tab


This invention relates to an electrical plug and receptacle assembly and in particular to one including a housing divided into two separate chambers each having a slot, a pair of conducting clamps each fixedly mounted in one of the chambers of the housing and normally kept at a constant distance from the main conducting plates, a pair of main conducting plates each pivotally mounted in one of the chambers of the housing in such a way that each of the main conducting plates will contact a corresponding one of the conducting clamps when forced to turn outwardly, a pair of insulators each fixedly connected with an end of one of the conducting plates and just disposed against the slot of the housing, a pair of resilient members each urging one of the conducting plates inwardly against the central portion of the housing, a plug body having two blades, and a U-shaped sleeve with two prongs each having a longitudinal hole through which a corresponding one of the two blades of the plug body extends partially out of the sleeve when the plug body is inserted into the sleeve, and an inclined surface having a raised portion for engaging with a corresponding one of the insulators, whereby the electrical plug and receptacle assembly may provide greatest safety for the user.

It has been found that the prior art electrical plug and receptacle assembly has the following drawbacks:
1. The blades of the plug are often incompletely inserted into the receptacle thereby making it easier to be shocked by electricity.
2. Sparks will be produced by the breaking of an electric current when the plug is pulled out of the receptacle hence liably causing fire accident.
3. The plug cannot be firmly engaged with the receptacle and may be easier detached therefrom when subjected to an external force.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical plug and receptacle assembly which may obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.


Various methods and systems are provided for tracking a biopsy target across one or more images. In one example, a method includes determining a position of a biopsy target in a selected image of a patient based on an image registration process with a reference image of the patient, and displaying a graphical representation of the position of the biopsy target on the selected image.

Mammography is a medical imaging procedure for detecting one or more tumors of a breast. Based on mammography imaging, a breast biopsy procedure may be performed to obtain a biopsy sample of the concerned breast tissue for further analysis. During a breast biopsy procedure, the breast is compressed with a compression paddle, and is positioned in either a mediolateral or craniocaudal position, depending on whether the biopsy is performed in a horizontal approach, where the needle is inserted into the tissue along a mediolateral plane parallel to the detector, or a vertical approach, where the needle is inserted vertically along a craniocaudal plane. Location of a target tissue (e.g., lesion, microcalcification, etc.) is then identified based on a mammography imaging procedure, such as digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). For example, during DBT, a scout image (where x-ray tube is in a midline position perpendicular to the detector) and a plurality of stereo images (where the x-ray tube moves in an arc at various angles within a set degree from the midline in both the positive and negative directions) are obtained. The target location within a region of interest (ROI) may be selected based on the acquired images. Upon selecting the target, a needle is inserted into the breast using a biopsy tool, and a portion of the target tissue is excised with the needle to obtain the biopsy sample.

Methods and systems for digital mammography imaging


A sheet feeding device for picking up and feeding sheets accommodated in an accommodating portion by movable suction disks. The accommodating portion has concave portion on the bottom so that the suction disks are inserted thereto and retracted therefrom, and a cleaning member is arranged within the concave portion to clean the suction disks when no sheet is present in the accommodating portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding device for feeding, supporting, and transporting sheets by means of suction disks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Well known conventional sheet feeding devices used in image forming apparatus and the like generally use suction disks to pick up a single uppermost sheet from a stack containing a plurality of sheets, and transport said sheet to an image forming section. Such sheet feeding devices are advantageous in that they seldom damage the fed sheet, and suppress the generation of paper dust. However, in such sheet feeding devices, there is some paper dust generated from the sheets, as well as dust, dirt, soiling and the like generated in sections other than the sheet feeding device. Such paper dust, dirt and the like adheres to and accumulates on the suction disks of the sheet feeding device, thereby reducing the suction power of the suction disks and eventually rendering them ineffective such that sheets cannot be fed. Accordingly, the suction disks must be cleaned at regular intervals to prevent paper feeding insufficiency.
Generally, the user must be advised beforehand of the necessity of cleaning the suction disks at regular intervals, the user must open the apparatus in accordance with the need for such cleaning and manually clean the suction disks. This cleaning operation is quite a nuisance from the perspective of the user. When the image forming apparatus is a compact printer and the like, or when a photosensitive type sheet is used such that the apparatus must be opened without allowing light to enter into the interior thereof, the apparatus cannot be opened sufficiently so that the cleaning operation is very cramped. Thus, the cleaning operation becomes quite difficult to perform and poses a serious problem.
Alternatively, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 3-8136 discloses an arrangement whereby a sheet coated by a sticky cleaning material is suctioned by the suction disks so as to be picked up thereby and clean said suction disks, and thus render the manual cleaning operation by an operator unnecessary. However, when material having a high degree of stickiness is used for the cleaning material, the suctioned sheet coated by the sticky material is difficult to separate from the suction disks, which leads to the fear of paper feeding insufficiency. On the other hand, when material having a low degree of stickiness is used for the cleaning material, the suction disks are not adequately cleaned. Furthermore, in such apparatus, when a sheet coated by a cleaning material is loaded in the paper accommodating portion such that the sheet coated by the cleaning material comes into contact with a sheet used for printing, the sheet used for printing may undergo a change of properties and may be damaged so as to cause sheet feeding insufficiency.


An implantable medical device delivers augmentation therapy to intervene in a pattern of sleep-disordered breathing. Augmentation therapy includes the delivery of electrical stimulation to cardiac tissue above and/or below a capture threshold. PESP and NES/CCM are possible augmentation therapies that are used alone or in combination. In addition, augmentation therapies can be used with other pacing therapies such as atrial overdrive pacing and atrial coordinated pacing as a therapy for sleep-disordered breathing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to implantable medical devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to implantable medical devices that deliver therapy to intervene in sleep-disordered breathing cycles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sleep-disordered breathing encompasses a variety of conditions including, for example, central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. In both instances, a cessation of breathing (apnea) and/or shallow or slow breathing (hypopnea), occurs on an intermittent or periodic basis. The apnea is generally terminated by an arousal from sleep leading to a disturbance of the sleep pattern. Such interrupted sleep often causes excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, irritability, memory impairment, and headaches. In addition, sleep-disordered breathing can be life threatening and an increasing correlation between sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension, diabetes, stroke, arrhythmia, heart failure and heart attacks is being established.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the result of a blockage of a portion of the upper airway, usually associated with a relaxation in muscle tone and/or a reduction in the size of the airway due to, for example, excessive fatty tissue. This mechanical blockage creates a pressure differential that further facilitates the apnea.
Central sleep apnea is a neurological disorder, wherein normal breathing patterns are interrupted due to a failure of the brain to generate the proper muscle stimulation pulses. Once initiated, the resultant apnea is terminated with a resumption of respiration. Central sleep apnea can precede obstructive sleep apnea and this combination is referred to as mixed sleep apnea.
One particular variant of central sleep apnea that is often associated with patients suffering from chronic heart failure is Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Cheyne-Stokes respiration is a pattern of breathing characterized by a waxing and waning of tidal volume with complete cessation of breathing. Typically, a cycle of Cheyne-Stokes respiration lasts about 30–90 seconds. The cycle then repeats itself.
There are a variety of treatment options available for addressing sleep-disordered breathing. The most common treatment is the use of CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). The patient generally wears an appliance such as a full facemask or more typically a nose covering mask or nasal inserts that deliver pressurized air into the airway to maintain the airway in an open state. The therapy is effectively a pneumatic stent. CPAP is generally effective at treating both central and obstructive apnea; however, many patients do not tolerate the therapy and discontinue its use.
Another method used to address sleep-disordered breathing involves atrial overdrive pacing (AOP). That is, an implantable medical device (IMD) is implanted to pace the heart. The pacing rate is elevated from a normal resting or sleeping rate (e.g., normal nocturnal intrinsic rate or a normal paced sleeping rate). For example, such techniques are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,611, assigned to Medtronic, Inc., which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
There are several timing scenarios for initiating AOP. For example, AOP can be delivered anytime a sleep state is detected or at predetermined intervals during sleep. Alternatively, AOP can be delivered when apnea is detected.
Similarly, there are various mechanisms for delivering specific AOP therapies. For example, once initiated the overdrive pacing can be set to a given higher rate, such as for example 3–5 beats/minute above normal, 10–12 beats/minute above normal, or even higher rates such as 30 beats/minute above normal. Alternatively, AOP can be initiated at a lower level above normal and gradually increased.
The use of AOP to address sleep-disordered breathing and its exact mechanisms are currently being investigated. The elevated pacing rate may lead to arousal such that apnea is terminated; however, it is believed more likely that the maintenance of heart rate and the increase in cardiac output achieved via AOP may positively affect autonomic tone sufficiently to reduce the overall number of apneas. While promising, the use of AOP does not always provide a successful therapy for sleep-disordered breathing.

Implantable medical device and method for delivering therapy for sleep-disordered breathing


The present invention relates to water-soluble high-molecular-weight polymer drug carriers and their conjugates with drugs, derived from dendrimers of the amidoamine and 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propanoic types, the amino and hydroxy end groups of which are attached to semitelechelic copolymers of N-(2 hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) through biodegradable spacers. The polymer carriers and conjugates enable targeted transport notably of anticancer drugs into solid tumors in which biodegradation, the associated controlled drug release and subsequent elimination of polymer carrier from the organism are provided. The polymer carrier conjugated with a cancerostatic for use in targeted therapy of human tumors.

Recently the drug development has been more and more aimed at search for drug forms enabling targeted action of active substance primarily at the site of the required therapeutic effect. The targeted active forms of drug find application with the substances whose side effects may lead to damage of healthy parts of the organism. The most topical concern is the danger of damaging healthy tissues and organs, endangering patients treated with cytostatics. The utilization of polymer materials, in particular water-soluble polymers as carriers for targeted transport of drugs is one of the significant possibilities of solution to the mentioned problem. Attachment of a cytostatic to water-soluble polymer with a covalent bond makes it possible to significantly enhance the solubility of drugs poorly soluble in water and to reduce pronouncedly their toxicity. The molecular weights of polymer-drug conjugates prevents rapid elimination of the drug from the organism by glomerular filtration, thus prolonging significantly its time of circulation in blood and also its total dwell time in the organism thus leading to enhanced biological utilizability of the drug. In addition, high molecular weight of the polymer conjugate leads to its higher accumulation in solid tumours due to the effect of enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) [Maeda 2000].
If a cancerostatic is attached to polymer carrier, this effect can be utilized for its targeted accumulation in tumour. In the last two decades, a number of systems have been developed that are based on utilization of the EPR effect for targeting drugs such as polymer micelles, liposomes or water-soluble polymer conjugates. Polymer micelles, in contrast to soluble polymer systems, are usually prepared by assembling amphiphilic diblock copolymers into HMW structures forming colloid solutions. The drug is attached to micelles mostly in their hydrophobic cores by physical (hydrophobic) interactions or covalent bonds [Kataoka 2001, Bae 2003, Bronich 1999]. In contrast to micelles of soluble systems accumulating in solid tumours, polymers are dispersed molecularly in aqueous media, adopting usually a shape of random coil, in which the drug is in contact with hydrophilic polymer. Many types of conjugates of cancerostatics with soluble polymers were studied, in which the drug was attached by hydrolytically labile ionic bonds or covalent bonds prone to enzymatic or common chemical hydrolysis. The mentioned systems can release the cancerostatic in its active form in tumor tissue or also in a specific way directly in the tumour cell. Among water-soluble systems, polymer conjugates prepared on the basis of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers belong to the most important. A number of them are actively directed into tumours by an attached targeting structure (antibodies, hormones and oligopeptides). [Duncan 1985, {hacek over (R)}íhová 2000, Kope{hacek over (c)}ek 2001, Mrkvan 2005].
One of the main drawbacks preventing the use of HPMA copolymers as drug carriers in human medicine is their non-cleavable carbon chain and the associated limits of molecular weights utilizable for preparation of polymer carriers of molecular weights to those lower than 40,000-50,000 (below the renal threshold of the organism). Polymers of high molecular weights are not eliminated from the organism effectively and sufficiently and hence their use as drugs would lead to their accumulation in the organism. If a pronounced EPR effect, i.e. significant accumulation in solid tumours, it is necessary to work with polymers, including HPMA copolymers, with molecular weights highly above the exclusion limits [Seymour 1995, Noguchi 1998]. Therefore, it is important that the molecular weight of polymer carrier is sufficiently high, but the polymer can be degraded, after release of the active component, to fragments, which can be eliminated from the organism, e.g., by glomerular filtration. Recently, we have patented structures and biological activities of drugs using HPMA polymers and their associates with molecular weights above the limit of renal filtration. These were graft polymer carriers [Etrych patent CZ 298 945 B6, Etrych 2008] and polymer micelles [Chytil patent CZ PV 2006-207] based on HPMA copolymers, in which a cancerostatic was attached to polymers with covalent bonds, which are enzymatically or just hydrolytically labile, and, possibly, polymer chains were linked to graft structures through biodegradable, enzymatically and/or reductively cleavable spacers, namely oligopeptide GlyPheLeuGly or a disulfide bridge. An advantage of the systems containing cancerostatic doxorubicin (Dox) as active component was an enhanced antitumour activity verified in mouse models compared with original polymer systems containing the same drug. A disadvantage of the mentioned systems is a relatively broad distribution of molecular weights (polydispersity index In ranging from 3 to 4), hence a not well defined system with a limited possibility of obtaining high molecular weights exceeding 200,000 g/mol. The subject of the invention is the structure and synthesis of a new HMW polymer drug with a narrow distribution of molecular weights (In˜1.5−2.5) and with a defined biodegradable skeleton characterized by enhanced accumulation of the cytostatic in tumour and, also, after intracellular degradation, by elimination of the polymer carrier from the organism. Their structure emanates from a dendritic central part, bearing on dendritic branches polymer grafts containing a covalently attached drug. By choice of the number of grafts and their size, it is possible to obtain high molecular weights of the polymer (up to 1,400,000 g/mol). Similar systems were described previously [Wang 2000], a principial difference between the described system and that of the subject of the invention and the previously published systems consists in that the previously described systems do not have a simply degradable polymer skeleton and the drug is attached only through the enzymatically degradable GlyPheLeuGly oligopeptide sequence. For modification of dendrimer branch ends, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) [Gajbhiye 2009, Bai 2009] was often used. The main task of PEG in these systems was hindering potentially toxic amino groups of dendrimers; PEG does not serve here as a carrier of biologically active molecules. Similarly to the preceding case, the systems are not biodegradable. If they should not accumulate in the organism, their utilization is limited to low molecular weights up to 50,000 g/mol.
Use of dendrimers with other, often biodegradable polymers has been mentioned in the patent literature. Poly(amino acid)s were used for preparation of dendrimer-poly(amino acid) conjugates [Li patent WO03055935], where the conjugate was prepared by polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides of a-amino acids with dendrimer initiators. In this case, the poly(amino acid) grafts bear a significant negative charge (poly(glutamic acid) and poly(aspartic acid)), a positive charge (polyarginine, polyhistidine, polylysine) or are hydrophobic and hence insoluble in body fluids. A drug, e.g. paclitaxel, is bound to the polymer through a covalent ester bond. Due to a high charge density on the system surface or its considerable hydrophobicity and insolubility, undesirable interactions with various tissues and accumulation in the organism (e.g. kidneys) may occur as it is typical, e.g., of negatively charged poly(amino acid)s [Rypá{hacek over (c)}ek 1982]. Nor attachment of a drug to the polymer with a covalent ester bond without a biodegradable spacer guarantees the release of the drug in its original active form. In systems utilizing poly(amino acid) grafts, only partial degradation of poly(glutamic acid) is proved, in which cleavage of a broad spectrum of low-molecular-weight fragments and amino acid derivatives of the drug, which are not necessarily biologically active, happens. Degradation of such systems is documented in literature only in a model system containing cathepsin B and the data on their degradation in vivo are incomplete.
An advantage of the system according to the present invention are the polymer grafts formed by an inert, uncharged, water-soluble polymer, non-interacting with the organism, based on HPMA copolymer, to which the drug is attached through intracellularly degradable spacers enabling controlled release of active drug in target cells and tissues. Another advantage of the system according to the invention is the unequivocally proved intracellular reductive or enzymatic degradation of the carrier skeleton to polymer products of inert water-soluble HPMA copolymer which can be eliminated from the organism by glomerular filtration. Thus the elimination of HMW polymer carrier from the organism, after transporting a cancerostatic to the tumour site is guaranteed.
In literature, other systems are described, in which hydrophilic chains of poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide], poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone), poly(ethylene glycol methacrylate, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), polyacrylic acid, poly(methacrylic acid, poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate], poly[N-(3-aminopropyl)methacrylamide], and poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] were attached to linear or star poly(E-caprolactone), poly(L-lactide), poly(D-lactide), poly(DL-lactide), and poly(glycolic acid) [Lele patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,018,655]. The authors show that the thus prepared systems form HMW systems are utilizable in drug transport. The systems form micelles or nanoparticles in solution thanks to the amphiphilic nature of their structure, containing, e.g., hydrophobic poly(ε-caprolactone) and a HPMA-based polymer. The drug in these systems is then sorbed by hydrophobic interaction, on the hydrophobic core of the system, which does not enable controlled release of the drug in dependence on external conditions and cannot prevent the drug release in the course of transport. Moreover, this system is in most cases loaded with problems similar to those of the system described in a patent [Li patent WO03055935], i.e. a surface charge and undesirable interactions in the organism.
In contrast to the above-mentioned system, that is, according to the invention, soluble in water and body fluids, without a possibility of aggregation, bearing a drug attached through a biodegradable spacer, which enables controlled release of the drug in target cells or tumour tissue.
In literature, also the systems are described utilizing poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers as carriers, e.g. for anti-inflammation drugs [Kurtoglu 2009], in which the drug (N-acetylcysteine) is bound to a dendrimer through a reductively cleavable disulfide bridge. In this system, PAMAM dendrimer serves as a carrier. Hence, due to the PAMAM, it is difficult to obtain a high molecular weight, which is important for passive targeting into the tumour tissue.

Dendritic high-molecular-weight polymer drug carriers and their conjugates with drugs especially for treatment of solid tumours

USTAV MAKROMOLEKULARNI CHEMIE AV CR, V.V.I.


An example, overvoltage protection device includes a switch and a surge protection device that is selectively activated by actuating the switch. The switch is actuated in response to a voltage. An example method of absorbing an overvoltage includes sensing a voltage, and selectively activating a surge protection device in response to the sensed voltage.

This disclosure is related to electrical power generation, and more particularly, to overvoltage protection in an electrical power generation system.
Electrical power generating systems are well known. Electrical power generating systems produce electrical energy that is supplied to various loads. Some electrical power generating systems generate power using a generator. In aircraft electrical power generating systems, variable frequency generators are often used to supply power. Turbine engines drive the variable frequency generators.
Under some conditions, an electrical power generating system may experience an overvoltage (or voltage spike). The overvoltage can damage components powered by the electrical power generating system. Example conditions that may cause the overvoltage include suddenly removing a load, or an arc fault within the electrical power generating system. There are many strategies for limiting or containing overvoltages, but desirable overvoltage protection remains lacking.
For example, a typical overvoltage management strategy adjusts a generator exciter field current to adjust the output voltage if an overvoltage is detected. This control strategy however reacts very slow, and thus may be suboptimal if implemented. The overvoltage may cause damage due to the relatively slow and/or delayed reaction.

Overvoltage protection method and device


A flow cytometry method and system to regulate both the sheath and sample streams during the period of sample injection. The period of turbulence between the streams is reduced to approximately 100 milliseconds thereby allowing for focused measurement of cell associated fluorescence.

The invention relates to flow cytometers which are valuable tools for mechanistic studies of molecular interactions, such as cell function.
Flow cytometry allows particle associated fluorescence to be measured in comparison to fluorescence from the surrounding media which contributes very little to the measured signal. Cell associated fluorescence can be measured in a background of free fluorescent indicator. This is a valuable feature when determining ligand or dissociation kinetics where the cells must exist in a fluorescent milieu during analysis. In addition, flow cytometry allows for the examination of individual cells for kinetic analysis of selected populations in an heterogeneous mixture of cells. Bulk technologies such as fluorometry measure population average fluorescence and do not always distinguish free from bound fluorescence.
Early time measurements in conventional flow cytometers are limited by the time required to remove the sample tube from the instrument, inject reagent, manually mix the components return the sample tube and re-establish flow. This sequence usually requires a minimum of 7-10 seconds. Because of this limitation, the use of flow cytometry in the acquisition of kinetic data has been limited to processes with relatively slow kinetics. Many of the biological and biophysical processes of interest occur in less than five seconds. For example, in the study of receptor-ligand interactions, ligand binding affinity is calculated in part by determining the disassociation kinetics of the ligand. When the Kd of binding is in the microM range, off rates are sufficiently fast that they often cannot be measured by traditional flow cytometry.
Previously, sample handling systems designed to shorten this delay, have been explored (see FIGS. 1 and 2). These systems can be broadly classified into two groups: "time-window" and "time-zero" devices. Time-window systems continually analyze cells at a single time point after reagent mixing. To achieve a kinetic sequence, many individual measurements must be made, adjusting the sample delivery apparatus between measurements. The first such system was built around a simple mixing "T". The sample was injected from one side of the "T" and reagent from the other. Both sample and reagent were delivered at a constant slow rate, which together provided sample to the flow cell at a rate slow enough to allow stable laminar flow. The time point being measured was a function of the distance between the "T" and the laser interrogation point. Another approach using coaxial mixing has recently been reported. Coaxial mixing is a system in which sample is injected into the middle of a flowing stream of reagent. Once again, the time point measured is a function of the distance of the sample insertion tube from the laser interrogation point. These systems are useful when collecting large amounts of data at a single time point. However, they suffer when attempting to analyze a dynamic sequence of events.
Time-zero devices, on the other hand, mix sample and reagent at a single time point and follow the sequence of events over time. A stir-bar based sample mixing and injection system has been used by several groups. Stir-bar based systems employ a sample tube containing the cell suspension. Reagent is injected into the tube, mixed with a magnetic stir-bar and pushed to the flow cytometer laser interrogation point. Although one-second delivery times have been reported, it remains to be demonstrated that cells and reagent can be thoroughly mixed before arrival at the laser interrogation point. Mixing is more difficult in these systems because of the relatively large volumes used.
More recently, a syringe driven system has been described, in a published article, that has been shown to thoroughly mix small volumes in a reaction "T" and deliver the mixed sample to the laser in 300 mSec ("Rapid Mix Flow Cytometry with Subsecond Kinetic Resolution", Nolan et al., Cytometry 21, pp. 223-229, 1995.) Two features of this system significantly enhanced its ability to acquire data at very early time points. First, a valve is positioned proximal to the flow-cell sample input port. This allowed large volumes of mixed sample to be pushed quickly to that valve while shunting the excess volume to waste. The valve port is then changed directing the mixed sample to the flow cell at a much slower rate, easily accommodated by the flow cell orifice. Second, stable fluorescence measurements were improved by eliminating events that did not flow through the laser focal point by gating only on those events with an optimal forward light scatter signal. As seen in FIG. 2, cells not flowing through the center of the laser will receive less illumination, because of the gaussian intensity profile of a focused laser and because of the shorter distance across the beam when off-center. Therefore, cells forced outside the center of the laser beam by turbulent flow will have both a reduced light scatter signal as well as reduced fluorescence.
It is an object of the present invention to produce a syringe driven system without the interference of turbulent flow.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated sample delivery system yielding maximum flexibility to accommodate a variety of applications.
It is a further object of the present invention to obtain particles in focus at the earliest time after the sample has been injected.
It is a further object of the present invention to control sheath flow in a flow cytometer to enhance and clarify particle analysis.

Controlled sheath flow injection cytometry


The present invention provides a power unit of an underwater vehicle, which allows reduction in size and weight of a transformer for stepping down a power voltage of a power supply to increase a loading amount of a variety of devices with respect to the underwater vehicle, so as to obtain a favorable operating environment. The power unit is connected to the power supply through a cable and receives power through the cable. Further, the power unit comprises an electronic transformer having: a rectifier for rectifying a high-voltage alternate current power of the power supply into a direct current; a high-frequency converter for converting an output of the rectifier into a high-frequency alternate current; a transformer for stepping down an output voltage of the high-frequency converter; a rectifier for rectifying an output of the transformer into a direct current; and a control circuit for controlling the high-frequency converter.

The present invention relates to a power unit of an underwater vehicle.
Underwater vehicles used for investigation, search and the like in the sea and water are broadly classified into an untethered type underwater vehicle which operates automatically and a tethered type underwater vehicle connected with a mother vessel which conveys and operates the underwater vehicle through a cable as disclosed for example in JP-A-H09-272494. Each of the underwater vehicles is used in a scene according to its characteristic.
Out of those underwater vehicles, the cable type underwater vehicle has the advantage of being capable of easily performing power supply and information communication through a cable since it is connected with the mother vessel through the cable.
However, in recent years, the development is underway on an underwater vehicle which enables search at a depth as great as about 10 km, and the like. Such an underwater vehicle requires a cable about twice as long as the depth in consideration of water flow and the like. When power is supplied using such a long cable, electric resistance is naturally large, and hence a high voltage power supply is installed on the mother vessel so as to reduce voltage drop (power loss).
When the high voltage power supply is used, it is necessary on the underwater vehicle side to decrease the voltage according to devices loaded thereon, and for this reason, a transformer is loaded on the underwater vehicle.
A transformer loaded on a conventional underwater vehicle is a so-called winding transformer. This winding transformer has the property of increasing in size and weight in proportion to an increase in power consumption.
Meanwhile, on the underwater vehicle, a propeller such as a thruster, observation devices such as an underwater camera and sonar, and an operational device such as a manipulator, and the like, are loaded. It is preferable in terms of obtaining a favorable operating environment to increase a loading amount and variety of those devices since it leads to enhancement of searching performance and the like.
However, there is a limit (payload limit) to weight of devices loadable on the underwater vehicle, including the winding transformer. When the number of loaded devices increases, not only the weight but also power consumption increases. With that increase, the winding transformer is increased in size and weight. It is therefore practically difficult to increase the loading amount of the devices within the payload limit range.

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology


A remote control system (10) for a locomotive (16) includes a sensor (e.g. 15) on-board the locomotive for providing locomotive information. The system also includes a transmitter (13) for transmitting the locomotive information from the locomotive to an operator control unit (OCU) (12) off-board the locomotive. A graphical display (24) is associated with the OCU for displaying the locomotive information in a graphical format to an operator of the OCU. A locomotive control unit (LCU) (14) in communication with the OCU is operable to control the locomotive in response to a manipulation of the OCU by the operator.

It is known to remotely control locomotives in a switchyard using remote radio transmitting devices controlled by rail yard personnel. Modern remote control systems allow yard operators to control driverless, microprocessor-equipped switching locomotives controlled by an on-board Locomotive Control Unit (LCU) using a battery-powered portable Operator Control Unit (OCU) to be carried by an operator located adjacent to but off-board of the locomotive to be controlled. Two-way wireless communication is established between the OCU and the LCU. The operator controls the movement of the locomotive, while locomotive operating data and warnings are returned from the locomotive to the OCU. Locomotive data, such as speed and brake system pressure, and warnings are displayed to the operator via a two-line text message display included in the OCU.


A treatment tool for endoscope includes a pair of forceps members supported so as to be relatively movable by a rotation shaft, an operation section for performing opening/close operations of the forceps members, and an operation wire for connecting the forceps members to the operation section, wherein the operation section has an operation section main body, a first operation member to which the operation wire is connected and which is slideably attached to the operation section main body, a second operation member which is slideably attached to the first operation member, a force adjustment member which is attached to the second operation member and is compressed by the second operation member is slid to the first operation member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a treatment tool for endoscope that is used by being endoscopically inserted into a body cavity.
2. Description of Related Art
In the related art, a forceps having a pair of forceps members supported so as to be relatively rotatable to each other via a rotation shaft is known as a treatment tool for endoscope (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "treatment tool") which has a flexible sheath and is used by being endoscopically inserted into a body cavity.
The pair of forceps members is connected to an operation section of a hand side by an operation wire. The pair of forceps members has a configuration that is relatively rotated around the rotation shaft, and is opened and closed, by the operation wire being advanced and retreated in an axial direction via the operation section.
In such a forceps, if the operation wire is continuously retreated even after the pair of forceps members is closed, a large amount of force is acted by the forceps members. For this reason, when the operation wire is further retreated in a state in which a tissue or the like is grasped by the forceps members, the force grasping the tissue becomes excessively large, and thus a burden is applied to the grasped tissue.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. H10-290803 suggests a treatment tool including display means which detects and displays an amount of force acted on a treatment section such as the forceps member accompanied by the operation of an operation slider for advancing and retreating the operation wire advanced and retreat using an amount of deflection of an elastic body. An operator is able to adjust the amount of force acted on the treatment section by detecting the amount of force acted on the treatment section using the display means and adjusting an amount of operation of the operation slider.
Most of the treatment tools are inserted through a channel of the endoscope, and are inserted into a body cavity. However, the endoscope can easily move erratically within a body, and in that case, the sheath inserted through the channel also expands and contracts along with the erratic movement of the endoscope. When the sheath expands and contracts, a relationship between the amount of operation of the operation section and the amount of force acted on the treatment section is changed.


A nano graphene-enhanced particulate for use as a lithium-ion battery anode active material, wherein the particulate is formed of a single sheet of graphene or a plurality of graphene sheets and a plurality of fine anode active material particles with a size smaller than 10 μm. The graphene sheets and the particles are mutually bonded or agglomerated into the particulate with at least a graphene sheet embracing the anode active material particles. The amount of graphene is at least 0.01% by weight and the amount of the anode active material is at least 0.1% by weight, all based on the total weight of the particulate. A lithium-ion battery having an anode containing these graphene-enhanced particulates exhibits a stable charge and discharge cycling response, a high specific capacity per unit mass, a high first-cycle efficiency, a high capacity per electrode volume, and a long cycle life.

The discussion of prior art is primarily based on the references listed at the end of this "Background" section.
The most commonly used anode materials for lithium-ion batteries are natural graphite and synthetic graphite (artificial graphite) that can be intercalated with lithium and the resulting graphite intercalation compound (GIC) may be expressed as LixC6, where x is typically less than 1. The maximum amount of lithium that can be reversibly intercalated into the interstices between graphene planes of a perfect graphite crystal corresponds to x=1, defining a theoretical specific capacity of 372 mAh/g.
Graphite or carbon anodes can have a long cycle life due to the presence of a protective surface-electrolyte interface layer (SEI), which results from the reaction between lithium and the electrolyte (or between lithium and the anode surface/edge atoms or functional groups) during the first several charge-discharge cycles. The lithium in this reaction comes from some of the lithium ions originally intended for the charge transfer purpose. As the SEI is formed, the lithium ions become part of the inert SEI layer and become irreversible, i.e. they can no longer be the active element for charge transfer. Therefore, it is desirable to use a minimum amount of lithium for the formation of an effective SEI layer. In addition to SEI formation, the irreversible capacity loss Qir can also be attributed to graphite exfoliation caused by electrolyte/solvent co-intercalation and other side reactions.
In addition to carbon- or graphite-based anode materials, other inorganic materials that have been evaluated for potential anode applications include metal oxides, metal nitrides, metal sulfides, and the like, and a range of metals, metal alloys, and intermetallic compounds that can accommodate lithium atoms/ions or react with lithium. Among these materials, lithium alloys having a composition formula of LiaA (A is a metal such as Al, and "a" satisfies 0<a≦5) are of great interest due to their high theoretical capacity, e.g., Li4Si (3,829 mAh/g), Li4.4Si (4,200 mAh/g), Li4.4Ge (1,623 mAh/g), Li4.4Sn (993 mAh/g), Li3Cd (715 mAh/g), Li3Sb (660 mAh/g), Li4.4Pb (569 mAh/g), LiZn (410 mAh/g), and Li3Bi (385 mAh/g). However, in the anodes composed of these materials, severe pulverization (fragmentation of the alloy particles) occurs during the charge and discharge cycles due to expansion and contraction of the anode active material induced by the insertion and extraction of the lithium ions in and out of the anode active material. The expansion and contraction, and the resulting pulverization of active material particles lead to loss of contacts between active particles and conductive additives and loss of contacts between the anode active material and its current collector. This degradation phenomenon is illustrated in FIG. 1. These adverse effects result in a significantly shortened charge-discharge cycle life.
To overcome the problems associated with such mechanical degradation, three technical approaches have been followed:    (1) reducing the size of the active material particle, presumably for the purpose of reducing the strain energy that can be stored in a particle, which is a driving force for crack formation in the particle. However, a reduced particle size implies a higher surface area available for potentially reacting with the liquid electrolyte. Such a reaction is undesirable since it is a source of irreversible capacity loss.    (2) depositing the electrode active material in a thin film form directly onto a current collector, such as a copper foil. However, such a thin film structure with an extremely small thickness-direction dimension (typically much smaller than 500 nm) implies that only a small amount of active material can be incorporated in an electrode (given the same electrode or current collector surface area), providing a low total lithium storage capacity (even though the capacity per unit mass can be large).    (3) using a composite composed of small electrode active particles supported with or protected by a less active or non-active matrix, e.g., carbon-coated Si particles [Refs. 1-3], sol gel graphite-protected Si, metal oxide-coated Si or Sn [Ref. 4], and monomer-coated Sn nano particles [Ref 5]. Presumably, the protective matrix provides a cushioning effect for particle expansion or shrinkage, and prevents the electrolyte from contacting and reacting with the electrode active material. Examples of anode active particles are Si, Sn, and SnO2. However, most of prior art composite electrodes have deficiencies in some ways, e.g., in most cases, less than satisfactory reversible capacity, poor cycling stability, high irreversible capacity, ineffectiveness in reducing the internal stress or strain during the lithium ion insertion and extraction steps, and other undesirable side effects.
It may be further noted that the coating or matrix materials used to protect active particles (such as Si and Sn) are carbon, sol gel graphite, metal oxide, monomer, ceramic, and lithium oxide. These protective materials are all very brittle, weak (of low strength), and/or non-conducting (e.g., ceramic or oxide coating). Ideally, the protective material should meet the following requirements: (a) The coating or matrix material should be of high strength and stiffness so that it can help to refrain the electrode active material particles, when lithiated, from expanding to an excessive extent. (b) The protective material should also have high fracture toughness or high resistance to crack formation to avoid disintegration during repeated cycling. (c) The protective material must be inert (inactive) with respect to the electrolyte, but be a good lithium ion conductor. (d) The protective material must not provide any significant amount of defect sites that irreversibly trap lithium ions. The prior art protective materials all fall short of these requirements. Hence, it was not surprising to observe that the resulting anode typically shows a reversible specific capacity much lower than expected. In many cases, the first-cycle efficiency is extremely low (mostly lower than 80% and some even lower than 60%). Furthermore, in most cases, the electrode was not capable of operating for a large number of cycles. Additionally, most of these electrodes are not high-rate capable, exhibiting unacceptably low capacity at a high discharge rate.
Complex composite particles of particular interest are a mixture of separate Si and graphite particles dispersed in a carbon matrix prepared by J. Yang, et al. [Ref. 6], Wen, et al [Ref. 7] and by Mao, et al. [Ref. 8], carbon matrix containing complex nano Si (protected by oxide) and graphite particles dispersed therein [Ref. 9], and carbon-coated Si particles distributed on a surface of graphite particles [Ref. 10]. Again, these complex composite particles led to a low specific capacity or for up to a small number of cycles only. It appears that carbon by itself is relatively weak and brittle and the presence of micron-sized graphite particles does not improve the mechanical integrity of carbon since graphite particles are themselves relatively weak. Graphite was used in these cases presumably for the purpose of improving the electrical conductivity of the anode material. Furthermore, polymeric carbon, amorphous carbon, or pre-graphitic carbon may have too many lithium-trapping sites that irreversibly capture lithium during the first few cycles, resulting in excessive irreversibility.
In summary, the prior art has not demonstrated a composite material that has all or most of the properties desired for use as an anode material in a lithium-ion battery. Thus, there is an urgent and continuing need for a new anode for the lithium-ion battery that has a high cycle life, high reversible capacity, low irreversible capacity, small particle sizes (for high-rate capacity), and compatibility with commonly used electrolytes. There is also a need for a method of readily or easily producing such a material in large quantities.
In response to these needs, one of our earlier applications [14] discloses a nano-scaled graphene platelet-based composite composition for use as a lithium ion battery anode. This composition comprises: (a) micron- or nanometer-scaled particles or coating of an anode active material; and (b) a plurality of nano-scaled graphene platelets (NGPs), wherein a platelet comprises a graphene sheet or a stack of graphene sheets having a platelet thickness less than 100 nm and wherein the particles or coating are physically attached or chemically bonded to NGPs. Nano graphene platelets (NGPs) are individual graphene sheets (individual basal planes of carbon atoms isolated from a graphite crystal) or stacks of multiple graphene planes bonded together in the thickness direction. The NGPs have a thickness less than 100 nm and a length, width, or diameter that can be greater or less than 10 μm. The thickness is more preferably less than 10 nm and most preferably less than 1 nm.
Disclosed in another patent application of ours [15] is a more specific composition, which is composed of a 3-D network of NGPs and/or other conductive filaments and select anode active material particles that are bonded to these NGPs or filaments through a conductive binder. Yet another application [16], as schematically shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B), provides a nano graphene-reinforced nanocomposite solid particle composition containing NGPs and electrode active material particles, which are both dispersed in a protective matrix (e.g. a carbon matrix).
After our discovery of graphene providing an outstanding support for anode active materials [14-16], many subsequent studies by others [e.g. 17-21] have confirmed the effectiveness of this approach. For instance, Wang, et al. [17] investigated self-assembled TiO2-graphene hybrid nanostructures for enhanced Li-ion insertion. The results indicate that, as compared with the pure TiO2 phase, the specific capacity of the hybrid was more than doubled at high charge rates. The improved capacity at a high charge-discharge rate was attributed to increased electrode conductivity afforded by a percolated graphene network embedded into the metal oxide electrodes. However, all these earlier studies were focused solely on providing a network of electron-conducting paths for the anode active material particles and failed to address other critical issues, such as ease of anode material processing, electrode processability, electrode tap density (the ability to pack a dense mass into a given volume), and long-term cycling stability. For instance, the method of preparing self-assembled hybrid nanostructures [17] is not amenable to mass production. The anode material particle-coated graphene sheets alone are not suitable for electrode fabrication (due to the difficulty in coating the materials onto a current collector), and the resulting electrodes are typically too low in the tap density. Paper-based composite structures [21] are not compatible with current lithium-ion battery production equipment. These are all critically important issues that must be addressed in a real battery manufacturing environment.
Herein reported is a further improved anode composition that provides not only a robust 3-D network of electron-conducting paths and high conductivity, but also enables the anode materials to be readily made into electrodes with a high electrode tap density and long-term cycling stability. Both the reversible capacity and the first-cycle efficiency are also significantly improved over those of state-of-the-art anode materials.

Graphene-enhanced anode particulates for lithium ion batteries


A dental ramus implant consisting of a clamping device which can be used with little or no bone surgery in both a unilateral or bilateral fashion to secure either a fixed or removable prosthesis. The ramus clamp is semi-adjustable and attaches to an intermediate member or meso structure supported by two anterior endosseous fixtures. The overlying teeth are secured by conventional prosthodontic means.. A method of designing this implant for several types of applications and a surgical method of use are outlined.

The present invention relates to dental prosthetics, and more particularly to dental implant reconstruction.
In Disclosure Document No. 298011, submitted to the PTO on Dec. 17, 1991 there appears much of the material in this specification.
Contemporary implant dentistry makes many attempts to aid the "dental cripple" by utilizing a variety of implant modalities. When dealing specifically with the lower jaw, attempts at reconstruction will usually fall into the following two categories: (1) Endosseous anchorage by either a straight line plate, endosseous cylinders or a ramus frame, and (2) Subperiosteal supporting frameworks which lie on top of the bone. Both of the previously mentioned techniques have serious drawbacks which the present invention strives to overcome.
In the first example, contemporary implant reconstruction suggests at least a three-month healing period before prosthodontic reconstruction can commence. It is an object of the present invention to start and finish both the implantation procedure and dental reconstruction in less than four hours. Limitations in the human anatomy often limit the amount of posterior loading that can be accomplished in the posterior area of the mouth where the greatest chewing forces occur. In some circumstances, no appreciable loading can occur beyond the second premolar. Once the implants have healed sufficiently to begin reconstruction, complex and custom made laboratory procedures must be undertaken in order to complete the reconstruction.
Note that the anterior supporting framework 46 is shown in dashed lines to indicate that it is not part of this invention, may take any of several forms, and is shown to illustrate one embodiment of the method of this invention.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate the need for custom-made prosthodontic bridges or retaining bars and their overlying dentures.
Still another object of the present invention is to utilize pre-fabricated prosthetics whenever possible, making implant-retained prosthetics affordable for the masses.
In the second example mentioned above, the much maligned subperiosteal implant requires extensive laboratory procedures to construct. For a predictably excellent fit, two surgical procedures are required. It is an object of the present invention to allow the clinician to complete the dental reconstruction the patient from start to finish in one sitting.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a clamp which does not interfere with the route of the neurovascular bundle.
It is also possible to apply this invention in the replacement of the condylar process, as outlined in principle in FIG. 8. And, of course, it may be applied in other defective condylar processes, elsewhere in the human anatomy, for which this construction is suitable.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings.


An eccentric gear mechanism, comprising an input drive having a centric portion rotated about an axis and an eccentric portion; a movable inner ring gear having outer circumferential gear teeth, so that said centric portion and said eccentric portion of said input drive turn in one direction against said movable inner ring gear, said inner ring gear being configured in such a way that it allows an eccentric movement by said inner ring gear and transfers a given turning force derived by said inner ring gear in an opposite direction to said one direction; an outer ring gear having inner circumferential gear teeth partially engaged with said outer circumferential gear teeth of said inner ring gear, so that when said given turning force is derived by said inner gear ring in said opposite direction said outer ring gear rotates around said axis, and said outer ring gear transfers said given turning force in said one direction outwardly along said axis.

The present invention relates to eccentric gear mechanisms, and methods of transferring turning forces thereby.
Eccentric gear mechanisms are known in the art. An eccentric gear mechanism is known which includes an inner ring gear with outer gear teeth provided on its outer circumference, an outer ring gear with inner gear teeth provided on its inner circumference and engaging with the outer gear teeth of the inner ring gear, and means for generating an eccentric movement between the gears.
The known eccentric gear mechanisms usually have some disadvantages. In particular, they create unwanted vibrations at high speed. The known eccentric gear mechanism turns an inner ring gear, which moves against the outer, centrally located ring gear, so that the outer ring gear turns in the same direction as the eccentric sun drive and the inner ring gear in the opposite direction unlike planet gears. This means that action and reaction are reversed. While this is not a problem with a tool having just a single eccentric gear mechanism as the direction of the input drive can be switched, it is a problem when two or more eccentric gear mechanisms are placed on top of each other or one eccentric gear mechanism is placed on top of planetary gear stages to obtain a high ratio, because unlike the planetary gear mechanism, the eccentric gear mechanism can not use in its outer, centrally located ring gear as the reaction absorbing part, because it would decrease the total ratio by the ratio of the eccentric gear mechanism. It is known that sliding motion is roughly ten times higher than turning friction, and if anything moving eccentric needs to transmit a central force until now the sliding motion was required in the existing eccentric gear mechanisms.
It is therefore believed that the existing gear mechanisms can be further improved.

Eccentric gear mechanism and method of transfering turning force thereby


Described is a method and system for power management of mobile computer displays, in which areas of the screen are selectively controlled to consume less power than other areas. For example, a foreground window having focus may receive normal brightness, while background areas are dimmed. To this end, the pixels of selected areas are controlled to vary color depth, resolution, refresh rate, brightness and/or the on/off state for any part of the display. Power settings for parts of the display not corresponding to a focused window can be gradually reduced over time. Power policy may determine which areas are given reduced power, and external mechanisms provide information useful in the determination, such as when the user last interacted with a window, where the mouse is hovering, explicit user instructions as to how to power manage a window, and sensors that detect where the user is likely to want more power.

One of the fastest growing markets in contemporary computing is in mobile computing devices, such as laptop computers. When selecting a mobile computing device, many consumers consider the weight and battery life to be very important criteria. To an extent, the weight and battery life are traded off; e.g., the larger the device, the larger the battery that is needed to power it, and more than one battery is often carried with the device to prolong its usability between recharges.
In general, when choosing a mobile device, the more efficient the power management, the longer the battery life will be relative to overall weight and/or system performance. As a result, device manufacturers are continually seeking ways to more efficiently manage power consumption.
The display on a mobile personal computer (PC) is one of the significant areas of power consumption, however the ability to control the power consumed by the display has heretofore been limited. Indeed, the power management methods that modern displays employ are essentially still rooted in technology related to the foundation of computer displays, the CRT. For example, for mobile PCs, users can set the backlight level, and set an inactivity timer to turn off the display when the system is not being used for a user-specified duration. This works because the backlight is a large power user. However, the user can only adjust the backlight level so much, based on the current surrounding environment, and the inactivity timer does not apply when the user is working on the computing device.
More recently, profiles have been added to allow the user to have different settings for various characteristics, including backlight settings and inactivity timer settings, for different modes of use, with a relatively easy way to switch between the predefined modes. For example, a user can set up and select one profile for a plugged-in state, another profile for normal use when on battery, another (maximum battery life) profile for times when battery life needs to be conserved, and so forth. However, even when running with a reduced power profile, when the device is in use the inactivity timer is irrelevant, and the user has to tolerate the lowered backlight level to conserve power, or if not able to because of the current environment, raise the backlight level but then lose the power savings.
What is needed is a way to provide improved battery life for mobile computing devices, including mobile PCs. In particular, the overall power consumption of device displays needs to be addressed in an advanced way.

Advanced power management for computer displays


A polyvinyl alcohol-based hollow fiber membrane having a ratio between the size of particles of 90% rejection and that of particles of 10% rejection of not more than 5, thus proving to have a sharp fractionating property, is produced by a process which comprises, on producing a polyvinyl alcohol-based hollow fiber membrane by dry-jet wet spinning or wet spinning, using a spinneret having heat insulating structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polyvinyl alcohol-based hollow fiber membrane and a process for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a polyvinyl alcohol-based hollow fiber membrane having a sharp fractionating capability, with which the ratio between the size of particles of 90% rejection and that of particles of 10% rejection is not more than 5, and to a process for producing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hollow fiber membranes from polyvinyl alcohol (herein-after referred to as PVA), which is representative of hydrophilic polymers, are widely put in actual uses as various separation membranes. PVA-based hollow fiber membranes are produced by, for example, a process which comprises extruding an aqueous solution of a vinyl alcohol-based polymer into an aqueous solution of a dehydrating agent such as sodium sulfate, a process which comprises extruding an aqueous solution of a vinyl alcohol-based polymer into an aqueous solution of an alkali such as sodium hydroxide and a process which comprises extruding an aqueous solution of a vinyl alcohol-based polymer containing boric acid or a borate into an aqueous alkaline solution of a dehydrating salt, such as an aqueous mixed solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfate. See, for example, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 15268/1979 and 40654/1979.
There has been in recent years an increasing demand for a separation membrane having sharp fractionating capability that can separate substances having only slightly different particle sizes. Intensive studies have been made to obtain a PVA-based hollow fiber membrane meeting this demand. However, it is difficult to obtain, by the above disclosed processes, a PVA-based hollow fiber membrane that is satisfactory in the fractionating capability. At present, membranes with unsatisfactory fractionating capability are therefore being used as they are. On the other hand, the objects to be separated by membrane separation become more sophisticated year by year, thereby requiring a membrane having sharper fractionating capability.

Polyvinyl alcohol-based hollow fiber membrane and process for producing the same


A system and method for data storage and removal includes providing databases and providing encryption keys. Each database is associated with a database time period and each encryption key is associated with an encryption time period. Data items are received and each data item is encrypted using the encryption key associated with the encryption time period that corresponds to a time associated with the data item. Each encrypted data item is stored in the database associated with the database time period that corresponds to the time associated with the data item. Each encryption key is deactivated at a predetermined time after the associated encryption time period ends. Each database is made irretrievable upon a determination that all of the encryption keys associated with the data items stored in that database have been deactivated.

Computer systems often perform data storage and data removal by independent processes. Data may be stored in databases by writing the data to the databases as the data is input to the system. In order to reduce the aggregated amount of storage space being used to store data, a portion of the data may be periodically removed or expired using purging processes known as "reaper processes" or "garbage collectors." One exemplary method iterates or searches through the database to determine which data, such as older data, to purge from the database.


A matted film is disclosed which includes a synthetic resin film, and a mat layer provided over at least one surface of the film and containing a matting agent which is a mixture of 50-95% by weight of an organic filler having an average particle size of 10 .mu.m or less and 5-50% by weight of an inorganic filler having an average particle size of 10 .mu.m and selected from sericite, calcined sericite, kaolin minerals, calcined kaolin minerals, pyrophyllite, calcined pyrophyllite and mixtures thereof.

This invention relates generally to a composite material and, more specifically, to a matted film having improved pencil and ink receptivity.
Matted films are known which include a transparent plastic film having coated thereon a mat layer containing a binder and finely divided inorganic particles (Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 60-88037). Because of the presence of the fine particles, the surface of the mat layer is slightly roughened. As a result, the matted film is writable with a pencil, a liquid ink pen (e.g. drawing pen) or a ball-point pen and permits a photosensitive coating to be provided thereon. Thus, such a matted film is widely utilized in many applications, for example, as tracing films for drawing and as image transfer sheets for PPC (plain paper copy).
The known matted films have a problem that tips of pens are abraded during use due to the presence of inorganic particles in the mat layer. Another problem of the conventional matted films is that they are not of a general-use type. Thus, there have been no matted films suited for being written on with any writing instrument.

Matted film containing a matting agent consisting of an organic filler and an inorganic filler


A surgical guide and its use in medical procedures such as to treat female urinary incontinence are provided. The guide preferably includes a stem portion having a proximal end and a distal end and a cross-sectional shape having a recess therein along its length and first and second extension portions extending outwardly from opposites sides of the distal end of the stem portion. Each of said first and second extension portions further include a stationary portion that is fixedly coupled to the stem portion and a movable portion that is movably coupled to the stationary portion. The movable portions are movable relative to the respective stationary portions between a first position wherein the stem portions extends beyond the extension portions by a first distance and a second position wherein the stem portion extends beyond the extension portions by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for the treatment of female urinary incontinence, and more particularly, to a guide to be used in conjunction with such devices and methods.
2. Background Discussion
Women account for more than 11 million of incontinence cases. Moreover, a majority of women with incontinence suffer from stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Women with SUI involuntarily lose urine during normal daily activities and movements, such as laughing, coughing, sneezing and regular exercise.
SUI may be caused by a functional defect of the tissue or ligaments connecting the vaginal wall with the pelvic muscles and pubic bone. Common causes include repetitive straining of the pelvic muscles, childbirth, loss of pelvic muscle tone, and estrogen loss. Such a defect results in an improperly functioning urethra. Unlike other types of incontinence, SUI is not a problem of the bladder.
Normally, the urethra, when properly supported by strong pelvic floor muscles and healthy connective tissue, maintains a tight seal to prevent involuntary loss of urine. When a woman suffers from the most common form of SUI, however, weakened muscle and pelvic tissues are unable to adequately support the urethra in its correct position. As a result, during normal movements when pressure is exerted on the bladder from the diaphragm, the urethra cannot retain its seal, permitting urine to escape. Because SUI is both embarrassing and unpredictable, many women with SUI avoid an active lifestyle and shy away from social situations.
One device and method for treating female urinary stress incontinence is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,909, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This patent discloses a surgical instrument comprising a shank having a handle at one end and connecting means at the other end to receive, one at a time, two curved needle-like elements which are connected at one end to one end of a mesh intended to be implanted into the body. In practice, the mesh is passed into the body via the vagina first at one end and then at the other end, at one side and the other, respectively, of the urethra to form a loop around the urethra, located between the urethra and vaginal wall. The mesh is extended over the pubis and through the abdominal wall and is tightened. The mesh ends are cut at the abdominal wall, and the mesh is left implanted in the body. This trans-vaginal procedure is exemplified by the TVT product sold by the Gynecare franchise of Ethicon Inc., a Johnson & Johnson Company, of Somerville, N.J., USA. In this procedure two 5 mm needles pass a PROLENE mesh trans-vaginally and through the abdomen to create a tension-free support around the mid urethra.
Sub-urethral slings have also been place by a different approach, wherein a needle is passed first though the abdominal wall, along the same path as described above, and eventually exiting through the vaginal incision. The tape is then coupled to the needle in some manner, and pulled back through the body from the vaginal incision and out through the abdominal incision. The chosen approach, vaginal or abdominal, will often depend on the preferences of the surgeon.
Yet another approach for implanting a sub-urethral sling has also been recently developed, wherein the implanted sling extends from beneath the urethra, and out through the obturator hole on either side. This "transobturator" procedure may involve inserting an appropriately configured needle from a vaginal incision and subsequently out through the obturator hole, or vice versa. The former technique (an "inside-out" approach) is described in further detail below. With these techniques, it has been found to be desirable to provide some sort of guide element to facilitate the path of the needle and to ensure that the needle does not nick or otherwise injure organs or nerves that are in the vicinity of the passageway of the needle. To this end, known guide elements have consisted simply of a small stainless steel tube, a portion of which has been removed to leave a straight, but C-shaped element. Such guide elements have proven less than optimal, however, as they are difficult to maintain in place without slipping, and don't provide protection against over-insertion which can lead to damage to surrounding tissues and organs. The present invention provides an improved guide device that can be used in conjunction with a transobturator approach for placing a sub-urethral sling.

Guide for surgical device for the treatment of urinary incontinence


The new and distinct cultivar of Digitalis interspecific hybrid plant named ‘Berry Canary’ is characterized by sturdy, upright and dense habit with dark-green, mostly-basal, serrate foliage and many-branched, large-flowered, open-faced, campanulate, self-cleaning, purplish rose flowers with light yellow throats and burgundy spotting over a long period. The flowers produce an abundance of nectar and are attractive to hummingbirds in the landscape.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid plant, botanically known as Digitalis×valinii. The new Digitalis×valinii 'Berry Canary' is the product of a planned natural line breeding program conducted by Hans A. Hansen at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA. The objective of the breeding program was to create novel interspecific hybrid cultivars between Digitalis purpurea and Digitalis canariensis with excellent flowers, foliage and habit.
The new interspecific Digitalis×hybrid was a planned cross between a proprietary selection of purple spotted Digitalis purpurea 'Foxy' (not patented) as the female or seed parent times a proprietary selection of Digitalis canariensis (not patented) as the male or pollen parent in late winter of 2012 and later assigned the breeder code of H12-03-03. After further evaluation 'Berry Canary' was selected as a single plant from among several hundred crosses between various forms of such Digitalis hybrids and first asexually propagated by shoot tip cuttings in the summer of 2013 at the same wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich. The new plant has since also been successfully asexually propagated by sterile shoot tip tissue culture. All of the resultant asexually propagated plants by cuttings and tissue culture have remained stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


In one embodiment, a service classifies a device in a network as human-controlled or self-controlled. The service also classifies an online resource as designed for access by human-controlled devices or by self-controlled devices. The service obtains traffic data regarding an attempt by the device to access the online resource via the network. The service determines that the attempt by the device to access the online resource is a security violation, based on the classifications of the device and the online resource. The service initiates a mitigation action in the network for the security violation.

Enterprise networks are carrying a very fast growing volume of both business and non-business critical traffic. Often, business applications such as video collaboration, cloud applications, etc., use the same hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and/or HTTP secure (HTTPS) techniques that are used by non-business critical web traffic.
Beyond the various types of legitimate application traffic in a network, some network traffic may also be malicious. For example, some traffic may seek to overwhelm a service by sending a large number of requests to the service. Such attacks are also sometimes known as denial of service (DoS) attacks. Other forms of malicious traffic may seek to exfiltrate sensitive information from a network, such as credit card numbers, trade secrets, and the like. Typically, such traffic is generated by a client that has been infected with malware. Thus, further types of malicious network traffic includes network traffic that propagates the malware itself and network traffic that passes control commands to already infected devices. However, many instances of malware now also use encryption, to conceal their network activity from detection.

Network security indicator of compromise based on human control classifications


An output buffer circuit has a variable output drive strength, depending on a buffer enable signal. Multiple output buffer circuits have a variable combined output drive strength, depending on a set of buffer enable signals.

1. Field of the Invention
This technology relates to an output buffer circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
Prior output buffer circuits are either on or off, forcing a "one size fits all" design for the output drive strength.
An alternative approach customizes each and every output buffer circuit, so that each and every output buffer circuit has an appropriate drive strength depending on its purpose and the subsequently coupled circuits. Yet this enormously complicates design.

Output buffer circuit with variable drive strength


Embodiments of the present systems and methods may provide an intelligent systems framework for analysis of user-generated content from various capture points to determine user intent. For example, a method may be implemented in a computer system comprising a processor, memory accessible by the processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor, the method may comprise receiving, at the computer system, data relating to a plurality of aspects of at least one person, including data from at least one of physical or physiological sensors and communicatively connected devices, extracting, at the computer system, from the received data, features relevant to events relating to at least one person, extracting, at the computer system, at least one intent of at least one event relating to at least one person, and performing, at the computer system, an action based on the extracted at least one intent.

The present invention relates to techniques that provide an intelligent systems framework that may facilitate the analysis of user-generated content from various capture points to determine user intent
Intelligent systems have been used in multiple scenarios and proved as efficacious instruments for determining results where uncertainties and unknown situations are dominant. User intent identification becomes significantly important with the increase in technology, the expansion of digital economies and products and diversity in user preferences, which positions a user as a key actor in a system of decisions. Interpretation of such decisions or intent inferring may lead to a more open, organized, and optimized society where products and services can be easily adapted and offered based on a forecast of user intent and preferences (recommendation system). Likewise, crime and social decay may be prevented using data and intent analysis (prevention system), and the common good may be pursued by optimizing every valuable aspect of user's dynamic lifestyle (lifestyle optimization system). These goals may be achieved both at the level of the community and of the individual.
In order to attain these goals, a need arises for techniques that may facilitate the analysis of user-generated content from various capture points to determine user intent.

Intelligent reasoning framework for user intent extraction


A tape loading device capable of obtaining sufficient information in a region of a tape necessary for recording and reproduction. The tape loading device being provided with two guide assemblies (38) and (47) for wrapping a magnetic tape (6) drawn from a supply reel and a take-up reel, respectively, around an outer circumferential surface of a head drum (1). The guide assemblies (38) and (47) respectively including sliders (39) and (48) movable between a tape loading start position and a tape loading end position, and holders (40) and (49) rotatably supported on the sliders (39) and (48) for respectively holding inclined guides (40a) and (49a). Rotational centers (O.sub.1) and (O.sub.2) of the holders (40) and (49) being positioned so that a distance (S) between the inclined guide (40a) and the outer circumferential surface of the head drum (1) and a distance (T) between the inclined guide (49a) and the outer circumferential surface of the head drum (1) can be varied by rotation of the holders (40) and (49). With this construction, a wrapping quantity of the magnetic tape (6) wrapped around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum (1) at the tape loading end position can be adjusted by varying the distances (S) and (T).

The present invention relates to a tape loading device to be suitably used in a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder.
In recent years, a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder (which will be hereinafter referred to as "VTR") has been remarkably spread, and a VTR has accordingly become familiar.
In such a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, there is provided a known tape loading device as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 by way of example. A schematic construction of the tape loading device as illustrated will now be described. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, reference numeral 1 designates a head drum having two upper and lower drum members (not shown) and a rotary head chip (not shown) provided between the upper and lower drum members so as to project in a radial direction of the head drum 1. A rail 2 is provided so as to surround the head drum 1, and it has two guide slots 2a and 2b extending along the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1. Two guide assemblies 3 and 4 are movably mounted on the rail 2 so as to be guided by the two guide slots 2a and 2b, respectively. The guide assembly 3 on the supply side has a roller guide 3a and an inclined guide 3b for drawing a magnetic tape 6 accommodated in a tape cassette 5 and wrapping the magnetic tape 6 around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1. Similarly, the guide assembly 4 on the take-up side has a roller guide 4a and an inclined guide 4b for drawing the magnetic tape 6 accommodated in the tape cassette 5 and wrapping the magnetic tape 6 around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1.
Referring to FIG. 8, a tape travelling system in the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a pinch roller 7, capstan 8, full erasing head 9, channel erasing head 10, recording/reproducing fixed head 11, tape guide 12 as a tension regulator, tape guides 13 to 17 on the supply side, and tape guides 18 to 20 on the take-up side.
In the tape loading device as constructed above, a loading operation of the magnetic tape 6 is performed by moving the guide assemblies 3 and 4 along the guide slots 2a and 2b, respectively. That is, the guide assembly 3 on the supply side and the guide assembly 4 on the take-up side are moved in opposite directions with respect to the head drum 1, thereby drawing the magnetic tape 6 out of the tape cassette 5 and spirally wrapping the magnetic tape 6 around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1.
In such a tape loading device, as shown in FIG. 10, a wrapping quantity of the magnetic tape 6 around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1 is normally set to a sufficient wrapping quantity c obtained by adding an overwrapping quantity b to a wrapping quantity a necessary for recording and reproduction. In FIG. 10, reference character d denotes a wrapping quantity suppressing the occurrence of bouncing of a signal waveform, and reference numerals e and f denote a rotational direction of a head chip 1a and a travelling direction of the magnetic tape 6 in recording and reproduction respectively. Further, reference character O denotes the center of the head drum 1.
However, the prior art tape loading device does not have a function of adjusting a wrapping quantity of the magnetic tape 6 around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1. Accordingly, even when the magnetic tape 6 is overwrapped with the quantity c around the outer circumferential surface of the head drum 1, there occurs a problem such that as shown in FIG. 11, an upper edge 6a and a lower edge 6b of the magnetic tape 6 at opposite wrapping end portions A and B shown in FIG. 10 enter a circumferential groove 1b of the head drum 1 or approach the same as close as possible, owing to the structure of the head drum 1, causing a reduction in contact pressure of the magnetic tape 6 against the head drum 1 at the portions A and B under the influence of an air flow generated during rotation of the rotary head chip 1a. As a result, referring to FIG. 12, there occurs bouncing of a signal waveform at starting or ending of contact of the head chip 1a with the magnetic tape 6 at the portions A and B, so that sufficient information cannot be obtained in a region necessary for recording and reproduction.