This invention relates to methods of treating and ameliorating congenital and neonatal hyperinsulinism and post-prandial hypoglycemia, comprising the step of administering an antagonist of the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor, e.g. a GLP-1 fragment or analogue thereof.

Congenital hyperinsulinism (HI) is a genetic disorder of pancreatic 3-cell function characterized by failure to suppress insulin secretion in the presence of hypoglycemia, resulting in brain damage or death if inadequately treated. Germline mutations in five genes have been associated with HI: the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR-1, encoded by ABCC8), an inward rectifying potassium channel (Kir6.2, encoded by KCNJII), glucokinase (GCK), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLUD-1), and short-chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA (SCHAD, encoded by HADSC). Loss-of-function mutations in the KATP channel (composed by two subunits: Kir6.2 and SUR-1) are responsible for the most common and severe form of HI (KATP HI), with many patients requiring near total pancreatectomy to control hypoglycemia, leading to long hospital stays and life threatening complications.
Post-prandial hypoglycemia is a frequent complication of Nissen fundoplication (e.g. in children), a procedure commonly performed to treat severe gastroesophageal reflux. Up to 30% of patients undergoing this procedure develop dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome is characterized by early symptoms or "early dumping" due to the fluid shifts provoked by the osmotic load in the small bowel and "late dumping" or post-prandial hypoglycemia. Post-prandial hypoglycemia can also be caused by gastric bypass surgery for obesity.
Effective treatments for congenital HI and post-prandial hypoglycemia are urgently needed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and compositions for treating hypoglycemic disorders

THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA


The present invention relates to a system (1) and method (100) for resolution enhancement which enables the depth resolution to be enhanced without using gimbal, performs depth description independent from lighting conditions and camera parameters in high resolution.

Structure from motion technique which deals with object motion analysis is frequently used in acquiring depth information. The aforementioned technique is based on performing depth analysis by associating images taken from different angles. However, point association is a cumbersome task in textureless regions and is a time consuming task.
State of art reconstruction techniques such as structured lightening, stereo vision and laser scanning involve several parts or moving gimbals which complicate the deployment of the system they are used. Demand for time of flight (ToF) camera systems which are compact than aforementioned systems is gradually increasing. Although there has been progress in depth imaging and reconstruction techniques, existing systems can only acquire limited part of the depth within the working volume with limited resolution. However the systems to be used are expected to perform depth descriptions independent from the lighting conditions and camera parameters and produce high resolution output.
United States patent document no U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,566, an application known in the state of the art, discloses a method and apparatus for processing signal for the laser radar receivers. The said apparatus comprises comparators which compares the output of the photo-detector with an adjustable threshold level.
United States patent document no U.S. Pat. No. 7,511,801, an application known in the state of the art, discloses a system or method for automatic gain control of sensors in time-of-flight systems. In the said method, the overexposed and underexposed pixels are compared, and accordingly the light reaching the pixels is adjusted by changing at least one parameter.
United States patent document no US2009073419, an application known in the state of the art, discloses a dual resolution, dual range sensor system and a method. It is disclosed in the said document that in an operation mode of the system, a low resolution profile of the region wanted to be scanned is developed and high resolution scanning is performed using this profile.

System and method for resolution enhancement

ASELSAN ELEKTRONIK SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI


A brake hub assembly for coupling to a wheel rim includes a hub body and a brake disk coupled to the hub body. The hub body and brake disk are shaped to allow maximum airflow through the brake disk during operation of the vehicle.

Commercial trucking companies are under enormous pressures to stay financially healthy and need to find new ways to increase the efficiency of their fleet. One way to increase fleet efficiency is to reduce the weight of the wheel hubs in the trucks by creating them from lightweight materials such as aluminum. The high cost of lightweight aluminum hubs relative to conventional cast iron hubs can be offset in a relatively short time by fuel savings and increased cargo capacity. The lightweight and ease of processing makes aluminum an attractive material in weight sensitive systems, but aluminum also has a few drawbacks, namely its ability to easily conduct heat, and the fact that it loses strength rapidly at temperatures over 350 degrees. Not all vehicles are suitable for aluminum wheel hubs, however, so it would also be useful to design a wheel hub composed of iron or other metals that avoids the thermal and strength problems of current disk brake hub assemblies.
Over 95 percent of the semi-tucks and trailers on the road in the United States use drum brake systems. Market and regulatory forces are driving an increase in demand for disk brake systems despite their past reputation as being heavier and more expensive than drum systems. Furthermore, disk brake systems encounter thermal problems. The disks or rotors are the heat sink for a vehicle's kinetic energy that is converted to thermal energy during the braking process. Truck rotors routinely reach temperatures of over 900 degrees and that can cause thermal distortion of the rotors and brake failure. The thermal induced distortion effects need to be considered when designing the rotor mount system.
Simply bolting a flat disk or rotor to a rigid hub exacerbates the rotor's thermal distortion. The mounting bolts constrain the inside diameter of the rotor while the outside diameter is free to grow as the rotor heats up. Having the bolts attached to only one friction face, as in some designs, magnifies the constrained rotor's tendency to distort into a cone shape as it heats up. Excessively coned rotors cause excess wear on the brake pads in addition to accelerating the formation and growth of fatigue cracks in the rotors.


Highly fluorinated epoxides are reacted with dihalogens in the presence of metal and metal containing reaction promoters to give dihalofluoromethanes and their homologues.

Dihaloperfluoroalkanes, which may be represented by X(CF.sub.2).sub.n Y, where n is 1 to 7, are useful for making functional fluoromonomers and other useful organofluoromaterials. The diiodoperfluoroalkanes are also useful as chain transfer reagents for fluoroelastomers and in the free radical polymerization of fluorinated vinyl monomers. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,243,770 and 4,361,678, which are incorporated herein by reference.
CF.sub.2 I.sub.2 is a useful starting material for making organofluoromaterials and as a chain transfer agent for fluoroelastomers, but preparation methods have been shown to have low yields. The reaction of hexafluorocyclopropylene oxide (HFPO) with iodine in a stainless steel vessel has been reported (see John, E. O., et al., Inorg. Chem. 1992, 31, pp. 329-331) but the yield was reported to be 15-30%. Reaction of difluorocarbene with iodine gives less than a 20% yield of CF.sub.2 I.sub.2 as reported by Mitsh, R. A. J., Heterocyl. Chem. 1964, I, p. 233, and others.
SU-A- 1 297 411 teaches a preparation of difluorodibromomethane by reaction of bromine with hexafluoropropylene oxide, without catalyst.

Process for making dihalodifluoromethanes and their homologues


Embodiments of the invention provide a way to accurately detect the position of a spindle motor. In a spindle motor startup process according to one embodiment, a parameter setup section acquires from a parameter table a sense time value corresponding to an input voltage that is acquired from an ADC. The parameter setup section sets the sense time value in a register. A position determination section, which is within an SPM driver, performs an induced voltage detection process for rotor position detection purposes during the time corresponding to the sense time value that is set in the register. Even when the input voltage is decreased, rotor position detection can be properly achieved by changing the sense time value in accordance with a change in the input voltage.

The present invention relates to a data storage device and motor control method, and more particularly to a data storage device and motor control method for detecting the rotor position at motor startup.
It is known that information recording/playback devices use various types of media such as optical disks and magnetic tapes. Among others, hard disk drives are widely used as a computer's storage device and recognized as being essential to the present-day computer systems. Owing to their excellent characteristics, the hard disk drives have found increasingly wide applications including computers, motion picture storage/playback devices, car navigation systems, and removable memories for use, for instance, in digital cameras.
A hard disk drive comprises a magnetic disk for storing data, a spindle motor for rotating the magnetic disk, a magnetic head for reading data stored on the magnetic disk and/or writing data onto the magnetic disk, and an actuator to which the magnetic head is fastened. The actuator is driven by a voice coil motor (VCM). The actuator swings on a pivot to move the magnetic head. To read/write data, the actuator moves the magnetic head to a data area on a rotating surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head has a recording/playback thin-film device and a slider. The pressure produced by the viscosity of the air between the slider's ABS (Air Bearing Surface), which faces the magnetic disk, and the rotating magnetic disk properly balances with the pressure applied toward the magnetic disk by the actuator. As a result, the magnetic head floats above the magnetic disk with a fixed air gap.
The spindle motor is subject to drive control by a spindle motor driver (SPM driver). The SPM driver provides control over spindle motor startup and rotation. When the spindle motor at a standstill starts rotating, the SPM driver performs a predefined startup process. Since the startup process inhibits the spindle motor from rotating in a reverse direction or in some other improper manner, the SPM driver detects the rotor position of the spindle motor. When the rotor position is accurately detected, it is possible to avoid a startup failure of the spindle motor. However, the rotor position is not detected accurately at all times.
Upon rotor position detection, the SPM driver supplies a drive current to the spindle motor's stator coil in accordance with the detection result. If the SPM driver detects the spindle motor's rotation failure, it stops supplying the drive current and performs a retry process. In the retry process, the startup process is repeated beginning with the first rotor position detection sequence. The time interval between the instant at which the startup process begins and the instant at which the spindle motor begins its steady-state rotation is referred to as the spin-up time. When the retry process is performed, the spin-up time is extended. Since the retry process is performed in the event of a startup process failure, the spin-up time varies with the retry count. It is therefore desired that the rotor position be accurately detected to minimize the retry count.
The technology for accurately detecting the rotor position to avoid a startup failure is disclosed, for instance, by Japanese Patent JP-A No. 305892/2002. According to this reference, in a motor drive device that achieves rotor position detection by detecting the back electromotive force of rotor rotation, the reference potential to be compared against the back electromotive force for position detection purposes is varied with the input voltage so as to properly output a position-indicating signal from the back electromotive force. The back electromotive force has a relatively great peak value when the input voltage is high and a relatively small peak value when the input voltage is low. If the comparator's reference voltage is maintained at a constant potential difference from the input voltage without regard to the magnitude of the input voltage when the electromotive force peak value is rendered great or small due to a change in the input voltage, the rotor's rotary position cannot be properly detected even if the back electromotive force generated on the stator coil is entered into the comparator. The technology disclosed by this reference makes it possible to properly detect the rotor's rotary position by setting the reference voltage in such a manner that the potential difference from the input voltage varies with the magnitude of the input voltage.

Data storage device, motor control device, and motor control method

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A polishing pad includes polishing elements interdigitated with one another over a surface of the polishing pad. Each of the polishing elements is secured so as to restrict lateral movement thereof with respect to others of the polishing elements, but remains moveable in an axis normal to a polishing surface of the polishing elements. Different densities of the polishing elements may be positioned within different areas of the surface of the polishing pad.

In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/697,622, filed 6 Apr. 2007 (hereinafter the "'622 Application"), which application is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference, an improved polishing pad for CM P and other applications was described. The polishing pad described in the '622 Application, embodiments of which are illustrated as pad 300 in FIGS. 1A-1B, includes a guide plate 308 having affixed thereto a compressible under-layer 316. An optional porous slurry distribution layer 304 may be affixed to the other side of the guide plate. A plurality of polishing elements 306 protrude through the guide plate 308 so as to be maintained in planar orientation with respect to one another and the guide plate.
The polishing elements 306 are affixed to the compressible under-layer 316 (or to a housing), with each polishing element protruding In use, the polishing pad 300 is placed on top of the polish table 318, which rotates relative to the wafer being polished, and the polishing elements of the polishing pad make contact (typically under pressure) with a wafer 320 at a contact surface. If used, slurry distribution material 304 provides flow control in the slurry pathways between polishing elements 306.
The foundation of the polishing pad described in the '622 Application is the guide plate 308, which provides lateral support for the polishing elements 306. The guide plate includes holes to accommodate each of the polishing elements 306, thus leaving the polishing elements free to move in a vertical direction with respect to their long axis.


Systems and methods for increasing driver power dissipation efficiency in a low noise current supply utilizing a power supply and a voltage regulator to power an output current regulator. An analog processing circuit adjusts the voltage drop on the voltage regulator, to make it equal with the voltage drop on current regulator.

Devices such as laser diode drivers, thermoelectric cooler (TEC) controllers and the like, need a source of AC or DC current with an acceptable level of stability and noise. Low noise current sources generally need to deliver AC or DC current, based on an input signal, with an acceptable level of stability and noise. Such current sources typically require the use of a current regulator, which may be a transistor. Depending on the output current and voltage drop across the current regulator, there may be significant heat generated by the current regulator which must then be dissipated by a heat sink or other suitable device. In addition, for applications where the output current must have low noise, a voltage regulator may be required in the current source to reject or otherwise suppress the power supply ripple. The voltage regulator may also have a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by a voltage drop across the voltage regulator.
One conventional way to design a current source uses an unregulated power supply connected to a voltage regulator which is in turn coupled to a current regulator. Both the voltage regulator and the current regulator may be transistors. In such a system, power dissipates independently, and typically, unevenly on the heat sinks of the voltage regulator and current regulator, making the power dissipation inefficient. Another conventional design for a current source uses an unregulated power supply to provide power to a transistor that is used for a current regulator without the use of a voltage regulator. However, this system has only one heat sink for heat dissipation which is coupled to the current regulator. In addition, the voltage drop on the current regulator must be high enough to reduce the ripple noise of the input power, and this leads to more power dissipation in the single heat sink. These factors may also result in an inefficient dissipation of excess power in the current source.
Some other methods use a switching power supply to power the current regulator. Sometimes the switching power supply is adjusted by software or calibration to maintain the minimum voltage drop on the current regulator and minimize dissipation. The heat is then at least partially dissipated in the switching power supply. The disadvantage of using a switching power supply that supplies power directly to the current regulator is the noise that is produced in the output current. The prior art systems and methods either produce uneven power dissipation between the various components, or produce noise in the regulated current. What has been needed is a low noise current supply with efficient heat dissipation.

Methods and devices for low noise current source with dynamic power distribution


To enable usage of content at a receiver which does not have a copying function even if copyright protection is provided. Model names of receivers not having a copying funtion are held in an authentication processing circuit of a transmitter. When a model name obtained from a connected receiver is held, regardless of whether the content is copyright protected, a signal selection circuit selects a terminal a side, a switch is turned on, and an unencrypted signal is transmitted. When a change of the receiver is detected by a hot plug detection or plug and play function at a processing circuit during the signal transfer of copyright protected content without providing copyright protection, the selection circuit selects a terminal b side or the switch is turned off to suspend the transfer of the non-copyright protected signal. The information indicating the receiver is held in a tamper-proof updateable manner.

In the past, a computer system etc. has converted a digital image signal to an analog image signal and supplied the same to a display device by analog transmission. However, along with the spread of display devices for driving displays by using a digital signal, for example, liquid crystal displays, the method of digitally transferring a digital image signal without converting the same to an analog signal for preventing degradation of the quality of the image or reducing costs has been standardized. For example, the DDWG (Digital Display Working Group) is formulating a DVI (Digital Visual Interface, Version 1.0) specification. This DVI specification uses a TMDS (transition minimized differential signal) channel developed by Silicon Image Corp. of the U.S. to serially transfer a digital three-primary color image signal by the baseband for every color.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual view of a signal transfer system for transferring a digital image signal of content by using a channel of the DVI specification. A transmitter (for example a computer system or set top box) 20 for transmitting the image signal and a receiver (display device, television system, etc.) 50 for receiving the image signal and displaying the image are connected via channels 30 of the DVI specification. In a DVI specification channel, not only is a TMDS channel for transferring a digital image signal used as mentioned above, but also a bi-directional channel (I2C bus or the like) used for information transfer in a DDC (display data channel) specification relating to plug and play established by VESA (Video Electronics Standard Association) is provided.
Here, if a transmission controller 25 of the transmitter 20 detects that the receiver 50 has been connected, the transmission controller 25 communicates with a reception controller 53 of the receiver 50 according to the DDC protocol, controls an image signal generator 21 based on receiver information obtained from the reception controller 53, for example, information of a model name and resolution of the receiver 50, and generates a digital three-primary color image signal optimum for the receiver 50. The three-primary color image signal DG is supplied to a transmission processor 22 comprised by using a TMDS transmission circuit. The transmission processor 22 generates a baseband serial transfer signal SD from the supplied three-primary color image signal DG and supplies it to the receiver 50 from a connector 27 via the channel 30. The receiver 50 supplies the serial transfer signal SD supplied via a connector 51 to a reception processor 52. The reception processor 52 is comprised by using a TMDS reception circuit and generates the digital three-primary color image signal DS from the serial transfer signal SD and supplies it to an image display 54. For this reason, the image display 54 can optimize and display an image of the content based on the three-primary color image signal DS.
Since the content transferred via the channel 30 of TMDS is converted to the digital signal, a perfect copy can be prepared easily and limitlessly. This is a great advantage for the user, but a problem in terms of protecting the rights of the side providing a movie or other work. For this reason, a proposal referred to as "DVI-CP (Content Protection)" using encryption technology for copyright protection when transferring a digital signal of content by using a DVI specification channel has been made by Intel Corporation of the U.S.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual view of a signal transfer system for transferring a signal of content compatible with the DVI-CP specification. The image signal generator 21 of a transmitter 20a has a protection information detector 23 connected to it. This protection information detector 23 decides the digital three-primary color image signal DG to be transferred includes protection information indicating that the signal is one of content to be copyright protected. When this protection information detector 23 detects the protection information (when it is decided that the content is to be copyright protected), an encryption circuit 221 provided in a transmission processor 22a encrypts the three-primary color image signal DG and provides this encrypted signal, that is, the three-primary color image signal DGE, to the TMDS signal circuit 222, to generate the serial transfer signal SD.
Also, a reception processor 52a of a receiver 50a is comprised by using not only a TMDS reception circuit 521, but also a decryption circuit 522. The TMDS reception circuit 521 receives the serial transfer signal SD, generates a three-primary color image signal, and supplies it to the decryption circuit 522 for the decryption processing. Here, a transmission controller 25a of the transmitter 20a and a reception controller 53a of the receiver 50a perform processing for mutual authentication according to the DDC protocol and, when deciding that a correct party is connected, supply the encryption key DC used for the encryption of the three-primary color image signal DG to the decryption circuit 522 to enable the decryption circuit 522 to correctly decrypt the encrypted three-primary color image signal. The digital three-primary color image signal DG obtained at this decryption circuit 522 is supplied to the image display 54. Even if the three-primary color image signal DG is transferred encrypted, the image of content can be correctly optimized and displayed on an image display 3.
Also, since the serial transfer signal SD is generated based on the encrypted three-primary color image signal DGE, the unencrypted three-primary color image signal DS cannot be obtained just by receiving the serial transfer signal SD, so the content can be prevented from being digitally copied as it is.
If, however, encryption technology for copyright protection is added to this DVI specification and becomes standard after use of receivers 50 based on the above DVI specification starts, when a transmitter 20a based on the new specification encrypts and outputs a digital image signal, a prior DVI specification receiver 50 sometimes will not be able to display the image since it does not have the function of decrypting an encrypted digital image signal.
For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when outputting a digital image signal from a transmitter 20 based on the conventional DVI specification as a serial transfer signal SD, both a receiver 50 based on the conventional DVI specification or a receiver 50a based on the new specification including the encryption technology can display the image of the content. Also, when outputting a digital image signal from a transmitter 20a based on the new specification including the encryption technology as the serial transfer signal SD, a receiver 50a having the function of decrypting an encrypted digital image signal can display the image of the content. Since the receiver 50 does not have a decryption function however, sometimes the receiver 50 cannot be used for copying content without inviting degradation of the quality of the image etc., for example, it does not have the function of outputting the supplied digital three-primary color image signal or converting the three-primary color image signal to for example an NTSC system video signal for output and therefore cannot display the image of the content even if it is clear that copyright protection is possible.

Transmitter, signal transmitting method, and data distributing system for transferring a content signal or processing copyright protection on a content signal


According to one embodiment, a high-definition and decolorable image is formed. A method for producing a colorable material according to an embodiment includes supplying a first solution containing a color developable agent and a first solvent to a color developing agent in the form of a powder which is insoluble in the first solvent so that a first mixture of the first solution and the color developing agent maintains the powder state, and removing the first solvent from the first mixture, thereby obtaining a powder of colorable particles containing the color developable agent and the color developing agent.

There is a technique for reusing a recording medium such as a paper by erasing an image formed thereon. Such a technique is very effective in terms of environmental protection and economic efficiency due to reduction in the used amount of the recording medium.
There are various methods for decoloring an image. Among these, many methods use a leuco dye as a color developable agent.


An integrated gaming and services system is disclosed. The system includes a gaming terminal and a server system. The gaming terminal may include a reader system connected to the gaming terminal, the reader system configured to read identification information of a player. The gaming terminal may further include an input/output system including one or more input components that permit a player to input at least voice commands to the gaming terminal, and one or more output components that output gaming and services information to the player in response to the voice commands. The gaming terminal may additionally include a communication interface connecting the gaming terminal to a communication network. The server system communicates with the gaming terminal via the communication interface, and provides enhanced services to the player based at least on the identification information of the player.

Most resort venues (e.g. hotel, restaurant, gaming tables) are employee-staffed and offer clear opportunities for staff/guest interaction. In order to differentiate and improve the resort casino customer gaming experience and increase utilization of all resort casino offerings by as many guests as possible, resort personnel must recognize, reach out to, and personalize their service to all guests at all points of contact. However, the nature of gaming (e.g., slot) machines and player terminals, where guests typically interact directly with a machine, limits the opportunities for personalized service. Given the inherent personalized nature of account-based gaming and the potential of applying technology to the gaming floor, including Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and other graphical display technologies, on-board Network Interface Controllers, and high speed Local Area Network infrastructures (e.g., switches, routers, and CAT5/6 wiring), it is possible to offer enhanced gaming and services to the customer, achieve a greater degree of personalized service, and extend the resort to the customer on the gaming floor.
Furthermore, in order to maintain operation of a gaming terminal by a resort, a gaming terminal typically includes an interface that provides resort personnel access to terminal settings and other information associated with the terminal. For example, resort personnel may disable the terminal, reset the terminal, access play history, change terminal configuration, review terminal accounting data, etc. In many instances terminal access is provided directly from the main screen of the gaming terminal, or through a user interface on a player tracking module screen or a combination of player tracking screen with a keypad that is integrated into the player tracking module.
When a resort employee uses such a user interface, any information displayed on the main screen or the player tracking screen may be visible to bystanders. As a result, players may be able to view proprietary resort information (e.g., hold percentages of the gaming terminal, the amount of net revenue the terminal is earning, etc.). The small screen size and limited keyboard functionality of the player tracking module may additionally restrict the type of interface that can be provided. Furthermore, a player may be positioned in front of the player tracking module or may be using the terminal, which may prevent resort personnel from accessing the terminal.
An alternative approach to an interface for accessing the gaming terminal is a remote access to the terminal through a back office console. This addresses some of the problems discussed above, but additionally requires an employee at the terminal to communicate back to the employee in the back office.
The disclosed systems and methods are directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.

Integrated gaming and services system and method


One or more random access-type storage devices comprise a volume group and a journal volume. The volume group contains a volume pair configured from a primary volume and a secondary volume. Whenever data is received from a host device, this received data is written in the primary volume, a journal containing the write sequence of the data and the data is produced, and the journal is written in a journal volume. A plurality of journals accumulated in a journal volume are written in a sequential access-type storage device. Based on the write sequence recorded in each of the plurality of journals recorded in the sequential access-type storage device, the data of the journals is restored to the primary volume for storing the data and to a secondary volume from which the volume pair is configured.

The present invention relates to techniques for data backup and recovery.
Known storage system backup/recovery methods include a method referred to as CDP (Continuous Data Protection). In this method, data history is accumulated as a series of journals and, when recovery becomes necessary as a result of malfunction or operation failure, the accumulated journals can be employed to perform restore operation resulting in a data image of any point in time.
For example, cited reference 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-252686) discloses a system that actualizes CDP. When data update from a host is performed, a storage system acquires update data and pre-update data to a journal volume of a disk and, furthermore, creates an association between a data set and an identifier. When restore is performed, the identifier associated with the data is employed to facilitate restore to a specified point in time. As the result, restore that does not substantially load the resources of the host can be performed.
There has been a dramatic increase in the use of electronic data that must be kept for a long period and, of the forensic-related data thereof, very complete journal data must be recorded. A problem inherent to conventional disk-based CDP is the excessive capacity and related cost created by the continuous acquisition of complete journal data to disks. Furthermore, because the disk capacity is limited, when an overflow of acquired data occurs, previous journal data must be deleted. Accordingly, there is a problem whereby only short-period segments of data can be kept.
A method based on the storing of journal data in a tape by a host has also been developed. However, this method suffers from a drawback in that a large load is placed on the host that leads to a lowering of host performance. In addition, this method gives no consideration at all to restore efficiency from the tape. The application of this method is not restricted to tapes and it may be similarly implemented in other types of sequential access-type storage device (storage devices of a type in which high-speed sequential access processing is possible but high-speed random access processing is not possible).

Storage subsystem and back-up/recovery method


A cell includes an element portion including a first electrode layer, a solid electrolyte layer that contains Zr and that is located above the first electrode layer, an intermediate layer that contains CeO2 containing a rare earth element other than Ce and that is located above the solid electrolyte layer, and a second electrode layer located above the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer includes a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer that contains Zr and Ce and that is located at at least a portion between the first intermediate layer and the solid electrolyte layer. In a plan view from the second electrode layer, the second intermediate layer located at an outer peripheral portion of the intermediate layer includes a portion with a thickness greater than the second intermediate layer overlapping a center of the second electrode layer. A cell stack device, a module, and a module housing device include a plurality of the cells.

In recent years, fuel cells have been proposed as next-generation energy sources. A fuel cell is a type of cell capable of obtaining power using a fuel gas such as a hydrogen-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas such as air.
A fuel cell includes, for example, a conductive support body, a fuel electrode layer that is provided above the electrically conductive support body and that contains Ni and ZrO2 solid solution containing a rare earth element, a solid electrolyte layer that is provided above the fuel electrode layer and that contains a ZrO2 solid solution containing a rare earth element, and an air electrode layer that is provided above the solid electrolyte layer and that contains a perovskite composite oxide containing Sr.
For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a fuel cell in which an intermediate layer of a CeO2 solid solution containing a rare earth element other than Ce is provided between a solid electrolyte layer and an air electrode layer.

Cell, cell stack device, module, and module housing device


In one embodiment, a printed circuit board (PCB) has a first central processing unit (CPU) socket and a second CPU socket substantially in line with the first CPU socket, and also has a first plurality of dual in-line memory module (DIMM) sockets interconnected with the first CPU socket and a second plurality of DIMM sockets interconnected with the second CPU socket (in a direction parallel to the first plurality of DIMM sockets). The first plurality of DIMM sockets are arranged on the PCB in at least a first column and a second column of DIMM sockets, and the second plurality of DIMM sockets are arranged on the PCB in at least the second column and a third column of DIMM sockets, such that the second column of DIMM sockets contains interleaved DIMM sockets from each of the first plurality of DIMM sockets and the second plurality of DIMM sockets.

Data centers use servers to provide computing resources (e.g., processing, memory space, network and disk I/O, etc.) that workloads need to function. As workloads proliferate and computing demands increase, server resources need to be expanded, or "scaled" to meet the increasing demands. There are two ways to scale server resources in a data center. The first is to add more servers or "scale-out." For example, assume an enterprise has a virtual server running five applications and using 80% of the physical server's computing capacity. If the enterprise needs to deploy more workloads and the physical server lacks sufficient computing capacity to support the additional workloads, the enterprise may need to deploy an additional server to support the new workloads. Scale-out architecture also refers to clustered or disturbed computing approaches in which multiple small servers share the computing load for a single application. For example, a mission-critical workload may be deployed on two or more servers, with the processing being shard across those servers such that if one server fails, the other can take over and maintain the application's availability. The cluster can be scaled out with additional server nodes if more redundancy is needed.
Advances in technology, as well as server computing power, have increased the amount of resources that may be provided by a single server. Today's servers have far more processing, memory, and I/O capability than previous models within a similarly sized chassis. This approach is referred to as "scale-up" because the physical server can handle more and/or larger workloads. Referring again to the example set forth above, using a scale-up approach, it is possible to deploy a new server in the next technology refresh cycle with far more computing resources, migrate all of the workloads from the old server to the new one, take the old server out of service or allocate it to other tasks and be left with significantly more available resources to tackle additional production workloads without adding significantly to data center space or energy requirements.
As one particular example, server memory demand has been increasing over time and CPU suppliers are adding more and more memory channels to address this need. However, it may not be possible to use the extra memory channels unless there is space (or "real estate") available on the printed circuit board (PCB) to accommodate additional memory slots, such as for dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs). This is particularly more difficult where smaller PCBs are used, such as for half-width form factor processor blades.

Multi-column interleaved DIMM placement and routing topology


The invention relates to Factor H gene polymorphisms and haplotypes associated with an elevated or a reduced risk of AMD. The invention provides methods and reagents for diagnosis and treatment of AMD.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the developed world (for reviews see Zarbin, 1998, 2004; Klein et al., 2004; Ambati et al., 2003; de Jong, 2004; van Leeuwen et al., 2003) affecting approximately 15% of individuals over the age of 60. An estimated 600 million individuals are in this age demographic. The prevalence of AMD increases with age; mild, or early forms occur in nearly 30%, and advanced forms in about 7%, of the population that is 75 years and older (Klein et al., 1992; Vingerling et al., 1995a, 1995b). Clinically, AMD is characterized by a progressive loss of central vision attributable to degenerative changes that occur in the macula, a specialized region of the neural retina and underlying tissues. In the most severe, or exudative, form of the disease neovascular fronds derived from the choroidal vasculature breach Bruch's membrane and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) typically leading to detachment and subsequent degeneration of the retina.
AMD, a late-onset complex disorder, appears to be caused and/or modulated by a combination of genetic and environmental factors (Seddon and Chen, 2004; Tuo et al., 2004; Klein and Francis, 2003). Familial aggregation studies have estimated the genetic component to be primarily involved in as much as 25% of the disorder (Klaver et al., 1998a). According to the prevailing hypothesis, the majority of AMD cases is not a collection of multiple single-gene disorders, but instead represents a quantitative phenotype, an expression of interaction of multiple susceptibility loci. The number of loci involved, the attributable risk conferred, and the interactions between various loci remain obscure.
Linkage and candidate gene screening analyses have provided limited insight into the genetics of AMD. Reliable association of one gene with increased risk, ABCA4 (Allikmets et al., 1997) and one gene with decreased risk, ApoE4 (Klaver et al., 1998b, Souied et al., 1998) for AMD have been reported. In addition, several groups have reported results of genome-wide linkage analyses (reviewed in Tuo et al., 2004; Weeks et al., 2004). Linkage of one family with AMD phenotype to a specific chromosomal region, 1q25-q31 (ARMD1) has been documented (Klein et al., 1998). HEMICENTIN-1 has been suggested to be the causal gene (Schultz et al., 2003) although its role has not been reliably confirmed. The identification of overlapping loci on chromosome 1q in several studies (Weeks et al., 2001; Iyengar et al., 2003; Weeks et al., 2004) suggests that this locus may harbor AMD-associated gene(s).
Recent studies of drusen, the hallmark ocular lesions associated with the onset of AMD, have implicated a role for inflammation and other immune-mediated processes, in particular complement activation, in the etiology of early and late forms of AMD (Hageman et al., 1999, 2001; Mullins et al., 2000, 2001; Russell et al., 2000; Anderson et al., 2002, 2004; Johnson et al., 2000, 2001; Crabb et al., 2002; Ambati et al., 2003; Penfold et al., 2001; Espinosa-Heidman et al., 2003). These studies have revealed the terminal pathway complement components (C5, C6, C7, C8 and C9) and activation-specific complement protein fragments of the terminal pathway (C3b, iC3b, C3dg and C5b-9) as well as various complement pathway regulators and inhibitors (including Factor H, Factor I, Factor D, CD55 and CD59) within drusen, along Bruch's membrane (an extracellular layer comprised of elastin and collagen that separates the RPE and the choroid) and within RPE cells overlying drusen (Johnson et al., 2000, 2001; Mullins et al. 2000, 2001; Crabb et al., 2002). Many of these drusen-associated molecules are circulating plasma proteins previously thought to be synthesized primarily by the liver. Interestingly, many also appear to be synthesized locally by RPE and/or choroidal cells.
Activation of the complement system plays a key role in normal host defense and in the response to injury (Kinoshita, 1991). Inappropriate activation and/or control of this system, often caused by mutations in specific complement-associated genes, can contribute to autoimmune sequelae and local tissue destruction (Holers, 2003; Liszewski and Atkinson, 1991; Morgan and Walport, 1991; Shen and Meri, 2003), as has been shown in atherosclerosis (Torzewski et al., 1997; Niculescu et al., 1999), Alzheimer's disease (Akiyama et al., 2000) and glomerulonephritis (Schwertz et al., 2001).
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type 2 (MPGN II) is a rare disease that is associated with uncontrolled systemic activation of the alternative pathway of the complement cascade. The disease is characterized by the deposition of abnormal electron-dense material comprised of C3 and C3c, proteins involved in the alternative pathway of complement, within the renal glomerular basement membrane, which eventually leads to renal failure. Interestingly, many patients with MPGNII develop macular drusen, RPE detachments and choroidal neovascular membranes that are clinically and compositionally indistinguishable from those that form in AMD, although they are often detected in the second decade of life (Mullins et al., 2001; O'Brien et al., 1993; Huang et al., 2003; Colville et al., 2003; Duvall-Young et al., 1989a, 1989b; Raines et al., 1989; Leys et al., 1990; McAvoy and Silvestri, 2004; Bennett et al., 1989; Orth and Ritz, 1998; Habib et al., 1975).
In most patients with MPGNII, the inability to regulate the complement cascade is mediated by an autoantibody directed against C3bBb. Other MPGN II patients, however, harbor mutations in Factor H (Ault et al., 1997; Dragon-Durey et al., 2004) a major inhibitor of the alternative complement pathway. A point mutation in Factor H (I1166R) causes MPGNII in the Yorkshire pig (Jansen et al., 1998) and Factor H deficient mice develop severe glomerulonephritis (Pickering et al., 2002). Moreover, affected individuals within some extended families with MPGNIII, a related disorder, show linkage to chromosome 1q31-32 (Neary et al., 2002) a region that overlaps a locus that has been identified in genome-wide linkage studies for AMD (see above). This particular locus contains a number of complement pathway-associated genes. One group of these genes, referred to as the regulators of complement activation (RCA) gene cluster, contains the genes that encode Factor H, five Factor H-related genes (CFHR1, CFHR2, CFHR3, CFHR4 and CFHR5), and the beta subunit of coagulation factor XIII. A second cluster of complement pathway-associated genes, including C4BPA, C4BPB, C4BPAL2, DAF (CD55) CR1, CR2, CR1L and MCP (CD46) lies immediately adjacent to the 1q25-31 locus.

Methods for treatment of age-related macular degeneration


Two vats are arranged vertically within an occupied area for a single vat, and any of the upper and lower vats can implement washing works at the same time. The upper and lower vats are used simultaneously according to the object of washing, enabling the apparatus to implement quick washing works of articles to be washed within the compact space. An upper vat (15) capable of containing the articles (12) is formed above the lower vat (10) capable of containing the articles (12). A loading and unloading space (14) for articles (12) is formed between the upper and lower vats (15), (10). This apparatus is formed with a lower vertical mover (19) for loading and unloading the articles (12) in and out of the lower vat (10) and an upper vertical mover (18) for loading and unloading the articles (12) in and out of the upper vat (15). The articles (12) are contained in the upper and lower vats (15), (10) at the same time, thereby enabling the apparatus to implement washing related works at the same time.

Articles subject to washing are conventionally washed by being dipped in a washing liquid, spraying washing liquid toward the articles in a showery manner, or steaming the articles to render the articles wet. Those articles are also subject to drying after washing. Such washing related works are generally constituted of several combined works to perform washing.
When an article is subject to different washing related works of multiple types, a washing apparatus is conventionally used in which washing processing vats (1) such as a dip washing vat, a shower washing vat, a steam washing vat, a drying vat, etc. are laterally placed in series to wash the articles (2) by conveying the articles sequentially. This apparatus becomes extremely large and needs a larger occupied area, and therefore, requires larger size factory facilities, which are not favorable for users.
To overcome such difficulties, an apparatus is formed to place, vertically of washing vats, locations for different washing related works. For example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Hei 3-58,789 is an invention in which a dip washing vat filled with washing liquid is formed at a lower end and a steam washing vat is formed above the dip washing vat. Thus, dip washing and steam washing can be performed within a single occupied area of a washing-processing vat by transferring the articles vertically, where washing related works of different types are done at locations vertically apart from each other. This method advantageously makes the washing area smaller.
The method to place the washing vats vertically has an advantage that the articles can be washed without a larger area. However, when articles to be washed are loaded in the dip washing vat, steam washing cannot be performed; when the articles are loaded in the steam washing vat, the dip washing vat cannot contain the articles. Therefore, though the apparatus advantageously makes the volume of the washing vats smaller, washing time is not less than the washing time of a prior art washing machine having laterally placed vats in no series.
In particular, since usage of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, fluorocarbon, etc. is restricted these days, petrolic washing liquid, alcoholic washing liquid, washing water, etc. are used frequently. Those washing liquids, however, require more time to do washing related works such as washing, drying, etc. Apparatuses for such washing processes therefore become larger in comparison with conventional washing vats for 1,1,1-trichloroethane, fluorocarbon, etc. and become unfavorable for users.


A system for and method of mitigating pedestrian impact utilizing an energy absorption member, such as an expandable honeycomb celled matrix, and at least one tether disposed within a recessed formation defined by the vehicle and interconnected to the member and a drive mechanism, wherein the member is selectively caused to extend and be spaced from an exterior surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to active energy absorption systems and methods of use; and more particularly to a selectively modifiable system/assembly that utilizes tethers disposed within recessed formations to drive an energy absorption member, such as an expandable honeycomb celled matrix, and to methods of absorbing energy by extending the member from the protected surface so as to intercept a projectile path prior to engaging the surface.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Mitigating the frequency and consequences of pedestrian impact is of concern, especially when navigating urban thoroughfares and roadways with a vehicle. In the event that frontal impact with a pedestrian occurs, the upper torso and head of the pedestrian may rotate sufficiently to strike the hood and deform it sufficiently so that it may contact underlying structure proximate to the hood. An analytical simulation of force/acceleration as would occur before, during, and after a pedestrian headform strikes a vehicle hood, in accordance with IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) testing standards and procedures, is generally provided in hidden-line type at prior art FIG. 1.
Energy absorption systems have been developed to minimize the effect of a crash event, and include both passive and active (i.e., the selective modification of the crash energy absorption characteristics of a component, assembly, or region, such as the hood) operation. Contrary to passive structures/systems, which occupy a maximum volume in the uncrushed/unstroked initial state, active systems generally expand, move, or otherwise reconfigure in response to a triggering event so as to facilitate storage in the stowed condition.
One category of active energy absorbing/occupant protection systems employs an open-celled planar member. For example, a selectively expandable honeycomb celled matrix, such as disclosed in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,231, has been developed for use within the vehicle environment to provide impact energy management and/or occupant protection (through force and deceleration limiting) substantially parallel to the cellular axis both within and with respect to the external structure of the vehicle. These systems provide energy absorption when the vehicle encounters a projectile. With respect to pedestrian impact, for example, FIG. 1 further shows in continuous-line type a prediction from an analytical simulation of the force/acceleration experienced by a pedestrian headform, again in accordance with IIHS testing standards, when a honeycomb celled matrix is first overlaid upon the hood, so as to initially engage and absorb energy from the headform. As reflected in the graph, the matrix reduced the peak force experienced by the headform in comparison to that predicted by the analytical simulation for the case of no matrix shown in hidden-line type.
However, due to packaging concerns caused by the crowded spaces underneath the hood and more importantly the fact that analytical simulations suggest that filling empty regions under the hood would not be effective in mitigating the consequences of pedestrian impact, such measures have not been implemented with respect to the under hood region and pedestrian impact. There remains a need in the art for an improved method of implementing an active energy absorption system relative and exterior to the hood.

Pedestrian impact mitigation system and method of use


An attachment with a back support frame adaptable for use with a variety of loaders for use in tree removal and field reclamation. The back support frame has a curved front wall serving as a moldboard and a bottom wall with a cutting edge for grading dirt. A stationary lower jaw generally trapezoidal in plan is attached to the back support frame and is made of a plurality of cross braced blades forming a see-through grid through which dirt may be sifted with spade-tipped teeth at a distal end for digging and replaceable strips of saw teeth on the outer blades for ripping tree roots. A movable upper jaw with obliquely mounted grapple arms is mounted on the back support frame and is independently movable towards and away from the stationary lower jaw for applying three-point pressure to a root ball or tree trunk.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment for a loader for use in uprooting trees, stacking them, backfilling the root holes and grading the area.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Small earth moving loaders such as skid loaders, track loaders, front loaders and so forth are in common use and many contractors currently own one or more. Such machines are also available for rental. As currently practiced, the clearing of trees and brush with a loader requires a variety of implements. For example, a pushing device may be used for knocking trees over, a grapple for picking them up and a blade to back fill the root ball holes and grade the area. Maintaining an inventory of attachments is expensive, as is transporting them to a job site. Numerous changeovers from one attachment to another is labor intensive, and therefore also costly. What is needed is a single attachment that can perform multiple ground clearing operations with a loader that the user already has or can readily obtain.

Tree removal—field reclamation attachment


A method for continuously producing a twisted yarn with minimal curling tendency includes the steps of spinning a yarn and directly thereafter, within a time period of less than one second, twisting the yarn. The yarn tension at the end of the spinning step can be adjusted to be essentially the same as the yarn tension at the end of the twisting step, or, in the alternative, the yarn tension at the end of the twisting step is greater than 70% of the yarn tension at the end of the spinning step.

The present invention relates to a method for continuously manufacturing a yarn with minimal curling tendency.
Staple fiber yarns are produced of individual fibers of a certain staple fiber length which are arranged in parallel and are bundled. These fibers are usually natural fibers, for example, wool or cotton. However, they can also be produced of synthetic fibers. For this purpose, endless filaments are cut to the required staple fiber length of natural fibers.
In order to produce a mechanically strong yarn from a bundle of staple fibers, a certain twist must be imparted to the fiber bundles that have been stretched to the desired degree of fineness. This is carried out in the spinning process which increases the fiber-to-fiber friction.
The result is a yarn with greatly improved dynamo metric properties. The greater the twist applied to the yarn under consideration of the breaking tenacity, the greater the strength of the produced yarn.
The fiber bundle, but also the individual fibers within the bundle, receives the imprinted twist (torque) only against the resistance of the inner forces of the individual fibers. Only after a certain time has passed with simultaneous release of the yarn tension, a so-called relaxation in the twisted fiber strand occurs, i.e., an equilibrium state of the inner fiber forces results, i.e., the shaping imparted by the spinning process is "frozen" or set.
When a freshly spun yarn, after completion of the spinning process, is released, i.e., is allowed to freely assume its desired orientation, the fiber bundle and the embedded individual fibers follow the so-called memory effect and will turn in the opposite direction. This results in a curled yarn. This behavior of the twisted fiber strand or fiber bundle can only be counteracted by a ripening process, i.e., a fiber-specific time period for relaxation, or by artificial fixation, for example, by a moisture/heat treatment.
For producing a twisted yarn of staple fibers, at least two spun fibers or yarns are required which are twisted about their common axis, preferably counter to the rotational direction of the spinning process. The fiber strands (spun yarns) twisted in the previous spinning process and the individual fibers within the spun yarn are subjected to a return twist which, in certain situations, can be of such magnitude that the twist generated during the spinning process is cancelled.
Due to the spinning process, the spun yarns have a shape memory that counteracts during the twisting process the imprint of the twist. Accordingly, in the twisted yarn an uneven distribution between the forces imparted by the twisting process and the forces of the return twist of the spun fibers and the individual fibers may result. This produces a twisted yarn that has a great tendency to curl whereby the magnitude of the curl tendency is a direct function of the twist of the spun yarns imparted during the spinning process, on the one hand, and the degree of twist of the twisted yarn, on the other hand.
This curling tendency of the twisted yarn can only be counteracted, as in the spun yarns, by a ripening process or artificial fixation, i.e., a moisture/heat treatment.
A multitude of different combined or integrated spinning and twisting processes have been suggested in the prior art in which directly after the spinning process the twisting process is performed.
From printed documents FR 15 52 320 and DD 78 710, dating from 1969, respectively, 1970, as well as German patent 44 31 830 and German patent 44 30 917 methods and devices are known in which with two open end spinning devices, arranged above or adjacent to one another, individual spun yarns are produced which after the spinning process are combined and subjected to a twisting process.
While the printed document DD 78 710 discloses a combined spinning and twisting process only in general terms without providing a constructive solution, German patent 44 30 917 provides a constructive solution for performing an integrated spinning and twisting process. Here, the loose individual fibers are guided into at least two open end spinning devices, positioned on a common rotor and arranged within a double twisting spindle, such that the spun yarns produced in the open end spinning devices are directly after completion of spinning twisted in the double twisting process to form a twisted yarn.
According to French printed document 15 52 320 a down twisting device (cap yarn twister) is arranged downstream of at least two stationary open end spinning rotors supported on a common machine frame. It is questionable whether, due to the different machining speeds of the open end spinning rotors, on the one hand, and the ring twisting device on the other hand this method is feasible.
According to German patent 44 30 917 the loose individual fibers are guided through the rotor axis of two open end spinning devices supported in a common rotor and the spun yarns exiting from the spinning devices are directly subjected to a single twisting process.
In order to provide a combined and continuous spinning, spooling, and twisting method, it is known to place onto a hollow spindle a yarn bobbin that has been produced in a conventional ring spindle. A roving coming, for example, from a creel, passes through a conventional stretching device and is then introduced together with the spun yarn of the yarn bobbin, placed onto the hollow spindle, into the hollow spindle axle. The yarn of the bobbin is then removed by the spindle rotation and enters together with the stretched roving through the hollow spindle to a winding device, as disclosed, for example in, "eine neue Spinn-Zwirnmachine" published in "Melliand-Textilberichte", December 1966, pages 1354 and 1355.
In a method disclosed in German patent 44 28 780 a twisted yarn is produced in a first method step by removing two rovings from two roving supplies and guiding them through a stretching device. Thereafter, they are independently spun by a ring spinning process and then wound onto two bobbins permanently placed onto hollow spindles arranged on top of one another in order to produce to spun yarn bobbins. In a second process step, the spun yarns wound onto the spun yarn bobbins are then removed by forming a yarn balloon from the bobbins and guided through the hollow axles of the respective hollow spindles, while at the same time guiding the yarn of the upper hollow spindle also through the lower hollow spindle axle, and toward a winding device positioned below the lower hollow spindle. The hollow spindles are rotated as a function of the removal speed of the winding device such that the twist of the two spun yarns is partially cancelled.
In the two latter systems, ring spinning spindles are used whose yarns are subsequently guided to the twisting device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a twisted yarn with reduced curling tendency and reduced twisting moment (torque) which can be directly processed further without requiring ripening times or additional fixation methods as discussed above.

Method for continuosly producing a twisted yard with minimal curling tendency


A method of removing an implantable electronic microdevice by an integral removal loop or circumferential ring to facilitate removal of the implanted microdevice without additional surgery. The device is removed by pulling it along the surgically created implantation path. Optionally a radio-opaque tether provides a method of locating the implantable microdevice without additional surgery and attachment of one end of the tether to a radio-opaque marker provides a method of locating the end of the tether to facilitate removal of the implantable microdevice from living tissue.

Microstimulators are small, surgically implantable electrical microdevices that pass a small electrical signal to living tissue in order to elicit a response from a nerve or muscle. Microsensors are similar electrical microdevices except that they detect electrical and other signals that are generated by living tissue. The term microstimulator is intended to apply equally to both microstimulators and microsensors. The use of microstimulators or microsensors which are implanted in living tissue to stimulate a muscle function by either stimulating a nerve or the muscle itself are well known. The microstimulators receive power and control signals by inductive coupling of magnetic fields generated by an extracorporeal antenna rather than requiring any electrical leads. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,193,539; 5,193,540; 5,324,316; 5,405,367; 6,175,764; 6,181,965; 6,185,452; 6,185,455; 6,208,894; 6,214,032; and 6,315,721, each of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. These microstimulators are particularly advantageous because they can be manufactured inexpensively and can be implanted by minimally invasive injection. Additionally, each implanted microstimulator can be commanded, at will, to produce a well-localized electrical current pulse of a prescribed magnitude, duration and/or repetition rate sufficient to cause a smoothly graded contraction of the muscle in which the microstimulator is implanted.
Microdevices, as exemplified by the BION® of Advanced Bionics Corporation, are typically elongated devices with metallic electrodes at each end that deliver electrical current to the immediately surrounding living tissues. The electronic circuitry and inductive coils that control the electrical current applied to the electrodes are protected from the body fluids by a hermetically sealed capsule. This capsule is typically made of a rigid dielectric material, such as glass or ceramic, which transmits magnetic fields but is impermeable to water.
Often, while placing the miniature microstimulator in living tissue, the orientation of the microstimulator changes slightly such that the microstimulator is not in fact in electrical contact with the nerve, requiring reorientation of the microstimulator. The microstimulator may move at any point in the surgical implantation procedure. If the microstimulator has moved, it may be at a significant distance from the nerve that is to be stimulated. Consequently, more energy is needed from the microstimulator to stimulate the nerve, unless the microstimulator is repositioned closer to the nerve. While such microstimulators may be injected, the actual placement requires first locating the desired end point at a nerve or in a muscle. The method of placement involves locating the nerve with an electric probe, placing a hollow implantation tool over the electric probe and removing the electric probe to allow the microstimulator to be passed down the length of the hollow implantation tool. The implantation tool is then removed, leaving the microstimulator implanted at or near the desired location. If there is a problem with the function or location of the microstimulator, then additional surgery must be performed to remove or relocate the microstimulator, imposing risk, discomfort and potential tissue damage to the patient.
Therefore, it is desired to have a method of implantation that allows removal of the microstimulator post-implantation to allow it to be surgically re-implanted with minimal tissue disruption during its removal.

Method for removing surgically implanted devices

Alfred E. Mann Foundation For Scientific Research


A method of manufacturing a solar cell, including: forming a first conductivity type semiconductor layer extending along a predetermined direction on aback surface of a semiconductor substrate that has a light-receiving surface and the back surface opposite to the light-receiving surface, the first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer being divided into plural island-shaped sections arranged side by side in the predetermined direction; forming a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type in the predetermined direction on the back surface; and forming conductive layers respectively on the first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the second-conductivity-type semiconductor layer by using a conductive paste, the conductive layer to be formed on the first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer being formed by a printing method such that the conductive layer to be formed on the first-conductivity-type semiconductor layer extends on a line of the plural island-shaped sections to bridge adjacent two of the plural island-shaped sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to aback junction solar cell and a method of manufacturing the solar cell.
2. Description of Related Art
Solar cells are now expected to be a new energy source because of their capability to convert sunlight, which is clean and in unlimited supply, directly into electricity. The output of a single solar cell is only several watts. Accordingly, if solar cells are used as an electric-power source (energy source) for a house, building or the like, a solar cell module is used in which multiple solar cells are electrically connected together to increase the output.
There has been known a so-called back junction solar cell in which, for the purpose of expanding the light-receiving area, multiple lines of n type regions and multiple lines of p type regions are formed alternately on a back surface of a semiconductor substrate. A collecting electrode including a transparent conductive layer and a conductive layer is formed on each n type semiconductor region. This collecting electrode collects carriers (electrons) from the n type semiconductor region. Likewise, a collecting electrode including a transparent conductive layer and a conductive layer is formed on each p type region. This collecting electrode collects carriers (positive holes or acceptors) from the p type semiconductor region.
In general, each of the n type semiconductor region, the p type semiconductor region and the transparent conductive layer can be formed in a predetermined pattern by means of a metal mask (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-101427). The use of metal masks has an advantage because high positional accuracy of the predetermined pattern can be achieved. Note that the conductive layer can be formed by a printing method or a sputtering method.
To improve the efficiency of collecting carriers, it is preferable to narrow the distance between each n type semiconductor region and the adjacent p type semiconductor region. To this end, slits are formed in the metal mask more densely. However, the metal mask with such a structure has a lower strength, and thus tends to have some portions broken or bent (raised). This may cause a problem of damaging the surface of the semiconductor substrate or misaligning the pattern. For this reason, there is a limitation to a microscopic formation of n type semiconductor regions and p type semiconductor regions by means of metal masks.
The invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances and aims to provide a solar cell in which n type semiconductor regions and p type semiconductor regions are densely, microscopically formed, and to provide a method of manufacturing the solar cell.

Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A method, apparatus and system for applying bio-resorbable membranes or plates to bone for internal fixation of bone defects is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to medical devices and bio-resorbable plates and membranes and, more particularly, to tools for applying these plates and membranes to defected bone to splint, contain and provide support for the bone to heal.
2. Description of Related Art
A resorbable plate or membrane is typically manufactured with one or more apertures through which the surgeon can affix the plate or membrane to bone. A widely used technique for fixating a defected bone includes affixing a bio-resorbable internal fixation device over a defected bone segment or other bone defect to provide support while the bone defect heals. The internal fixation device, such as a plate or membrane, is affixed to the damaged bone about the bone defect. The bio-resorbable plate or membrane may be first heated, causing it to become malleable. Once malleable, the bio-resorbable plate or membrane is molded to conform to the contour of the bone area, and subsequently affixed over that area by, for example, screws to fixate the membrane to the bone. This general technique is set forth, for example, in Lemperle et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,234 entitled RESORBABLE, MACRO-POROUS, NON-COLLAPSING AND FLEXIBLE MEMBRANE BARRIER FOR SKELETAL REPAIR AND REGENERATION, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. During the application process the plate or membrane hardens as it cools, which may leave, for example, imperfectly seated portions of the plate or membrane that have been placed prior to the plate or membrane hardening. In some instances, the surgeon must then remove the membrane, heat it, and attempt to position the membrane over the bone defect once again. Moreover, additional time and inconvenience is required for the positioning and securing of the screws into the plates or membranes. Neuro-surgeons, for example, would generally prefer to not be bothered with threading of an aperture drilled in a bone via the use of a tapping device, with the positioning of a screw properly so that the threads are engaged but not crossed and, subsequently, with the threading of the screw into the threaded aperture to the proper tightness so that the screw is not too loose and yet is not damaged by over-tightening.

Heating pen, tack seating device, and tap and surgical implantation methods using same


A light emitting diode chip including a substrate and a light emitting diode element layer is provided. The substrate has a growth surface and a plurality of microstructures on the growth surface, wherein an area of the growth surface occupied by the microstructures is A1 and an area of the growth surface not occupied by the micro-structures is A2, wherein A1 and A2 satisfies the relation of 0.1≦A2/(A1+A2)≦0.5. The light emitting diode element layer is disposed on the growth surface of the substrate.

Along with the advancement of the semiconductor technology, light emitting diodes now have the advantages of high brightness output, low power consumption, compactness, low driving voltage, mercury free. Therefore, the LED has been extensively applied in the field of displays and illumination.
A light emitting diode structure includes a light emitting diode chip and a peripheral wiring, wherein the light emitting diode chip includes a growth substrate and a semiconductor element layer. In general, the light emitting efficiency and the light extraction efficiency of a light emitting diode chip are related.
Currently, the light emitting efficiency is enhanced by improving the light extracting efficiency of the semiconductor element layer according to the existing techniques. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,053,420 discloses forming concaves and convexes on a growth substrate to increase the probability of light scattering and U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,085 discloses the increase the probability of light scattering via the formation of protrusions and depressions on the growth substrate. Apparently, to elevate the light efficiency is the attention focus and the research subject for researchers and the industry.

Light emitting diode chip having multi microstructure substrate surface

Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology


A pneumatic tire comprises at least one carcass ply of steel cords, in which a wrap part wound on a bead core along its outer peripheral face is disposed in a turnup portion of the carcass ply and at least one wire chafer wound around the bead core from a main body portion of the carcass ply toward the turnup portion thereof in a widthwise direction is embedded in the bead portion or the main body portion of the carcass ply is adequately regulated so as to enhance lateral stiffness of the bead portion.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pneumatic tires, particularly a pneumatic tire having an excellent bead portion durability. More particularly, it relates to a pneumatic tire capable of preventing pulling-out of a ply cord and occurrence of separation failure at an end position of a turnup portion of a carcass ply and also effectively controlling failure of a bead portion due to bending deformation of the bead portion around a rim flange under an action of a high loading to improve the bead portion durability. The invention is favorably applied to so-called heavy duty pneumatic radial tires used under conditions of a high load and a high internal pressure such as trucks, buses and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to prevent pulling-out of a ply cord during the running of the pneumatic tire under loading, as shown in FIG. 1a, a carcass ply 100 is usually wound around a bead core 102 of a bead portion 101 from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof in a widthwise direction and a turnup portion 103 thereof is embedded and fixed in rubber.
In the conventional tire having such a bead portion structure, however, a sidewall portion 104 is subjected to a large bending deformation during the running of the tire under loading, particularly under an action of a large loading and hence pulling force F is applied to the carcass ply 100 in a direction shown by an arrow in FIG. 1a, while a step difference in stiffness is caused on inside and outside of the tire in a radial direction thereof about an end position 105 of the turnup portion 103 of the carcass ply 100 and also stress concentration is repeatedly caused in the end position 105 and a neighborhood thereof. As a result, there is a problem that separation failure of the ply cord from rubber is apt to be caused and results in the occurrence of crack Cr in the bead portion as shown in FIG. 1b.
As means for preventing such a separation failure to improve the bead portion durability, there are various proposals that it is useful to render a turnup portion 107 of a carcass ply 106 into a wrap part 109 winding on the bead core along its peripheral face as shown in FIG. 2a.
However, when a reinforcing layer such as a wire chafer or the like is not arranged in the bead portion, a large bending deformation is created in a direction shown by an arrow A about a rim flange 110 as shown by a phantom line in FIG. 2b. As a result, crack is apt to be created in the bead portion of the tire contacting with the rim flange by repeating such a bending deformation and in the worst case, there is a risk of causing the bead portion failure by the growth of such a crack.
As means for improving the bead portion durability of the tire having the above bead portion structure, it is useful that at least one reinforcing layer 112 wound around a bead core 111 from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof in a widthwise direction at a position outside the carcass ply 110 is arranged in the bead portion to control the bending deformation of the bead portion under the action of high loading applied to the tire as shown in FIG. 3a.
As shown in FIG. 3b, however, stress concentrates in an end position 113 of the reinforcing layer 112 and there is caused a fear of creating troubles such as crack Cr of bead portion and the like in such a position 113. As a result, such a means can not effectively improve the bead portion durability.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a pneumatic tire capable of preventing pulling-out of a ply cord and occurrence of separation failure at an end position of a turnup portion of a carcass ply and also effectively controlling failure of a bead portion due to bending deformation of the bead portion around a rim flange under an action of a high loading to improve the bead portion durability.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is the provision of a pneumatic tire comprising at least one carcass ply of steel cords constituted with a main body portion toroidally extending from a tread portion through a sidewall portion to a bead portion and a turnup portion wound around a bead core embedded in the bead portion, in which a wrap part wound on the bead core along its outer peripheral face is disposed in the turnup portion of the carcass ply and at least one wire chafer wound around the bead core from the main body portion of the carcass ply toward the turnup portion thereof in a widthwise direction is embedded in the bead portion, and a shortest distance of a start end of the wire chafer located at the side of the main body portion of the carcass ply as measured outward from a normal line drawn to an outer face of the bead portion at a first rim line position in the radial direction of the tire is located to be within a range of 15-25 mm and a terminal end of the wire chafer located at the side of the turnup portion of the carcass ply is arranged within a range defined between a vertical line drawn from an outermost end position of the bead core in the radial direction to the outer face of the bead portion and the above normal line.
The term xe2x80x9cfirst rim line positionxe2x80x9d used herein means an outermost end in the radial direction of that portion of an outer face of the tire which contacts with a rim when the tire is mounted onto an approved rim and applied under a maximum air pressure and a maximum load capacity.
In this case, the terms xe2x80x9cmaximum air pressurexe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cmaximum load capacityxe2x80x9d used herein are defined according to xe2x80x9cYear Book of The Tire and Rim Association Inc.xe2x80x9d in USA, xe2x80x9cStandard Manual of The European Tire and Rim Technical Organizationxe2x80x9d in Europe or xe2x80x9cJATMA Year Bookxe2x80x9d in Japan.
And also, the term xe2x80x9cturnup portion of carcass plyxe2x80x9d used herein includes a case that the carcass ply is wound around the bead core from an outside of the tire toward an inside thereof in the widthwise direction in addition to a case that the carcass ply is wound around the bead core from an inside of the tire toward an outside thereof in the widthwise direction.
In addition, the carcass ply is a ply wherein many steel cords each having both cut ends are arranged substantially in the radial direction but also includes a ply wherein a single steel cord is folded at a position corresponding to the turnup portion of the carcass ply and continuously extended while detouring in a circumferential direction of the tire.
When it is required to more control the occurrence of separation failure at the terminal end position of the wire chafer, it is favorable to arrange at least one organic fiber chafer covering the terminal end of the wire chafer at the side of the turnup portion of the carcass ply, and in this case the organic fiber cords in the organic fiber chafer are preferable to be arranged at an angle of 15xc2x0-75xc2x0 with respect to an arranging direction of the steel cord in the wire chafer.
When it is required to more control separation failure at the start end position of the wire chafer, it is favorable to arrange a cushion rubber layer between the main body portion of the carcass ply and the start end portion of the wire chafer, and in this case a rubber thickness of the cushion rubber layer at the start end position of the wire chafer is preferable to be 1.5-2.0 mm at a section in the widthwise direction of the tire.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is the provision of a pneumatic tire comprising at least one carcass ply of steel cords constituted with a main body portion toroidally extending from a tread portion through a sidewall portion to a bead portion and a turnup portion wound around a bead core embedded in the bead portion, a part or whole of which turnup portion being a wrap part wound along a peripheral face of the bead core, in which the main body portion of the carcass ply has a convexly curved shape toward an outer face of the tire or a combined shape of the curve and straight line at a section in a widthwise direction of the tire when the tire is mounted onto an approved rim and inflated at a maximum air pressure under no load, and a straight line or a chord connecting both ends of an arc drawn by the main body portion of the carcass ply over a zone ranging from a turning point of the main body portion on the bead core to any point in a region corresponding to 15-35% of a length in the radial direction of the tire defined between a standard line passing through an axial center of the bead core and drawn in parallel to a rotating axis of the tire and an outermost side of the main body portion in the radial direction and separated from the standard line is inclined at an angle of 45xc2x0-65xc2x0 with respect to an equatorial plane of the tire.
In a preferable embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, the main body portion of the carcass ply has an arc shape convexly extending toward the outer surface of the tire over a zone ranging from the turning point of the main body on the bead core to any point in a region corresponding to 17-25% of the length in the radial direction of the tire separated from the standard line.
In another preferable embodiment, a maximum length of a vertical line drawn from the arc to a chord connecting both ends of the arc is not less than 2 mm.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the occurrence of separation failure at the turnup end of the carcass ply can be prevented by wrapping the turnup portion of the carcass ply on the peripheral face of the bead core, while the shape of the main body portion of the carcass ply in the bead portion is regulated to increase lateral stiffness of the bead portion, whereby outward fall-down deformation of the bead portion in the widthwise direction during the running of the tire under loading or the like can effectively be controlled to sufficiently prevent the occurrence of fatigue breakage in the bead portion contacting with a rim flange or the like.

Pneumatic tire with turnup portion wrapped along outer peripheral face of bead core


Edible containers suitable for containing frozen confections (e.g., ice cream, frozen yogurt and the like) and other food products are made by initially baking a dough which consists essentially of sugar, oil and flour between a pair of heated platens to achieve a de-watered initially baked edible sheet. The initially baked sheet is then moisturized (e.g., by spraying water onto one or both surfaces of the sheet) to increase the moisture content of the sheet preferably to between 10 to 15 wt. %. The moisturized and initially baked edible sheet may then be packaged either singly or in a stack (e.g., 10 or more such sheets) within a non-water-absorptive packaging material. If packaged in a stack, a non-stick peelable sheet (e.g., silicone-coated paper) is interposed between adjacent edible sheets in the stack. The package may be opened at the point of sale and subjected to final baking and forming. In this connection, immediately after the final baking step, the finally baked sheet retains sufficient flexibility for forming into cup-shaped, dish-shaped and cone-shaped containers. Upon cooling, the edible containers will be crispy.

Edible containers and sheet-like edible base materials are sold in a form suitable to contain frozen confections and desserts, such as ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt and the like. These edible containers and sheet-like edible base materials are typically delivered to the retail establishments where the frozen desserts are sold by their respective manufacturers.
Typical edible containers consist of sheet-like containers in which a large amount of water is blended with raw ingredients, such as wheat flour, cooking oil, sugar and the like, and then kneaded to form a dough that is baked on a high-temperature heated platen. The containers may take a variety of shapes and/or forms, such as waffle cones and cup-shaped waffle cups in which the sheet-like baked dough is formed into the shape of a cone and cup, respectively, as well as dish-shaped edible containers adapted to contain tart confections and the like.
Waffles, wafers, waffle cups and edible dishes for frozen desserts and/or tart confections are characteristically crispy and, since they are brittle, are susceptible to breakage during storage and transport prior to use. There are numerous difficulties encountered in the handling of such edible containers during shipment from the factory following baking as well as after shipment during delivery to ice cream and confection stores. In order to eliminate these problems, one method of producing an edible container has been previously developed by the present applicant and is described in Japanese Published Application No. 4-148638.
However, according to the technique disclosed in such Japanese published application, the moisturized molded sheets discharged from the moisturizing process will have a sticky surface. As a result, they cannot be sent to the final heating step without first having been individually spread out and dried. As such, a long period of time (e.g. on the order of roughly six hours) is required in order for the above-mentioned drying step to be accomplished. Additional problems include the formation of mold or excessive drying resulting in breakage due to considerable changes in the moisture content attributable to atmosphere changes during drying.
Broadly, the present invention relates to a method of producing a shallow dish-shaped, cup-shaped or cone-shaped edible container in which frozen confections, such as soft or hard ice cream, ice milk tart confections and like types of food products are placed. More particularly, this invention relates to an edible porous food container having a small apparent specific gravity which is lightweight and preferably exhibits a crispy texture when eaten.
In order to eliminate the problems noted previously, the present invention is especially characterized by sealing each of the moisturized molded sheets in a moisture-proof state for shipment. When a large number of moisturized sheets is required, the sheets are stacked and collectively sealed within a moisture-proof package in an integrated form to thereby prevent product contamination by microbes and loss due to breakage during the distribution and storage process. Preferably, non-water-absorptive peelable sheets are interposed between individual moisturized molded sheets in the stack during shipment. The sanitary edible containers are thus delivered to the point of use and are then formed and solidified into dishes, cup-shaped and cone-shaped edible containers after being subjected to a baking and softening step using a relatively low amount of energy.
Further aspects and advantages of this invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof.


The present invention relates to a thermal reactor apparatus used to treat industrial effluent fluids, for example waste effluent produced in semiconductor and liquid crystal display manufacturing processes. Specifically, the present invention relates to improved monitoring and control features for the thermal reactor apparatus, including a flame sensing device, an intrinsically safe flammable gas sensing device, and a sequential mode of operation having built-in safety redundancy. The improved monitoring and control features ensure the safe and efficient abatement of waste effluent within the thermal reactor apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal reactor apparatus used to treat industrial effluent fluids, for example effluent gases produced in semiconductor and liquid crystal display manufacturing processes. Specifically, the present invention relates to improved safety, reliability, monitoring and control features and components for said thermal reactor apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The gaseous effluents from the manufacturing of semiconductor materials, devices, products and memory articles involve a wide variety of chemical compounds used and produced in the process facility. These compounds include inorganic and organic compounds, oxidizers, breakdown products of photo-resist and other reagents, and a wide variety of other gases and suspended particulates that must be removed from the effluent streams before being vented from the process facility into the atmosphere.
Semiconductor manufacturing processes utilize a variety of chemicals, many of which have extremely low human tolerance levels. Such materials include, but are not limited to: gaseous hydrides of antimony, arsenic, boron, germanium, nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, and selenium; silane; silane mixtures; hydrogen; organosilanes; halosilanes; halogens; acid gases; organometallics; oxidizers such as O3, NF3 and ClF3; and other organic compounds such as alcohols.
A significant problem of the semiconductor industry has been the consistent and effective removal of these materials from the effluent streams. While virtually all U.S. semiconductor manufacturing facilities utilize scrubbers or similar means for treatment of their effluent streams, the technology employed in these facilities is subject to failure and inefficiencies and as such, not all toxic or otherwise unacceptable impurities are removed.
Point-of-use abatement systems add a level of redundancy, reliability, and capability by removing pollutants from an effluent stream before the effluent is diluted in a house scrubber system. Combining and diluting effluent streams in the house system is disadvantageous for several reasons including, but not limited to, decreasing abatement efficiency due to the large, diluted volumes that must be treated, and increasing risk of unwanted side reactions, particle formation, and corrosion in a house scrubber duct system. Further, failures of the house scrubbing technology present substantial safety hazards to the personnel, facility, and the environment. The, point-of-use abatement systems combined with the house scrubbing system adds a level of redundancy and reliability consistent with critical safety standards practices of the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
Thermal reactors are increasingly being used to process effluent waste streams to decompose the toxic materials, converting them to less toxic forms. For example, the improved thermal reaction unit disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/987,921, filed Nov. 12, 2004 in the name of Ho-Man Rodney Chiu et al., and entitled "Reactor Design to Reduce Particle Deposition During Process Abatement,"abates at least 95%, preferably at least 99%, of waste effluent components including, but not limited to, CF4, C2F6, SF6, C3F8, C4F8, C4F8O, SiF4, BF3, BH3, B2H6, B5H9, NH3, PH3, SiH4, SeH2, F2, Cl2, HCl, HF, HBr, WF6, H2, Al(CH3)3, alcohols, oxidizers such as O3, NF3 and ClF3, primary and secondary amines, acid gases, organosilanes, organometallics, and halosilanes. Importantly, the decomposition removal efficiency (DRE) of the improved thermal reaction unit is greater than 99% and it is designed to reduce the deposition of unwanted reaction products, such as silicon oxides, within the thermal reaction unit.
As the art of thermal abatement develops, so has the necessity for developing safety, reliability, monitoring and control features for said thermal reactors. Safety features are especially important because the abatement of effluent waste streams in thermal reactors is facilitated by the introduction of fuels, e.g., methane, natural gas and/or hydrogen, to the thermal reactors for combustion and oxidation therein. The high temperature generated by the combustion of said fuels assists in decomposing the toxic materials of the effluent stream therein. Clearly, monitoring and control components are necessary to minimize the risk of ignition and deflagration within the reactor or reactor housing due to fuel leaks, as well as making sure the reactor efficiently abates the effluent waste stream.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide improved safety, monitoring and control features for thermal reactors to ensure personnel safety and improve the efficiency of the abatement process.

Safety, monitoring and control features for thermal abatement reactor


A structure having an optical slit therein. The structure includes a substrate having an opening therethrough and a metal layer disposed on the substrate, such metal layer having a photolithographically formed slit therein, such slit being narrower than the opening and being disposed over the opening, portions of the metal layer disposed adjacent the slit being suspended over the opening and other portions of the metal layer being supported by the substrate.

As is known in the art, air slits have a wide range of use in optics. One such use is in hyper spectral imaging system where such systems are used to collect and process information from across the electromagnetic spectrum that can extend beyond the visible band.
As is also known, techniques used to faun air optical slits include the use of laser cutting, photolithography, Electro Discharge Machining (EDM), thin film deposition, e-beam lithography, RF/DC & reactive sputtering, Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD). Chemical wet etch, electroplating, electro etching, spotter etching and ion milling.

Optical air slit and method for manufacturing optical air slits