A device for treatment of nosebleeds having an elongated body configured to be positioned between the upper gum and the portion of the face below the nose and above the top lip of a human. When so positioned intra-orally, the device exerts pressure on an area of nasal vascularization of the human. Also, a nosebleed package having a sterile inside environment and a nosebleed device packaged therein, and a box containing a plurality of nosebleed packages.

Nosebleeds are a common non-physiological cause of bleeding. The majority of nosebleeds in humans occur as a result of hypertension, long-term infection, leukemia, vitamin K deficiency, blows to the nose, sneezing, nasal drug abuse, allergic rhinitis, use of blood thinners or children picking their noses with sharp fingernails. Nosebleeds often occur without warning and can be extremely dangerous if not controlled promptly and properly. Excessive loss of blood may result in unconsciousness and death. Children and the elderly are particularly susceptible to serious, acute nosebleeds.
To the best of applicant's knowledge, the most pertinent of all the prior art methods for control of nosebleeds is disclosed in "Nosebleeds in Pediatrics", which is a chapter written by Carol Berkowitz in a book entitled Primary Care Approach (published 2000) by Stanley H. Inkelis, M.D. This reference discloses that children who are actively bleeding through the nose should be positioned sitting upright while leaning forward slightly and that direct pressure should be applied and that a cotton dental roll may be placed under the upper lip to compress the labial artery in older children for whom concern about displacement and possible aspiration of the cotton is minimal.
General background information relevant to attempts to control nosebleeds can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,899,918; 3,884,241; 4,457,756; 4,646,739; 5,383,891; 5,584,822; 5,584,827; 5,391,179; and 5,011,474. These patents describe devices and methods for controlling nosebleeds that involve pinching the nose with external or internal clips, packing the nasal cavity with absorbent tampons, or using special hemostatic devices that require skilled medical training. However, these devices and methods suffer from numerous disadvantages.
More specifically, the described methods of pinching the nose seek to control nosebleeds by applying pressure to an area of the septum known as Kiesselbach's plexus (also called Little's area). However, pinching the nose is not only uncomfortable but also is difficult for small children to administer to themselves.
Likewise, the described tampons for packing the nasal cavity seek to control nosebleeds by applying pressure to Kiesselbach's plexus, and such tampons are both uncomfortable and difficult to administer. Moreover, the tampons can damage the nasal passageway due to necrosis from undue pressure or overpacking. Also, prolapse of the tampon into the pharynx is a dangerous risk. Hence, use of nasal tampons in small children and the elderly must be continually monitored. Additionally, the tampon may dry out and stick to the delicate nasal mucosa, making removal of the packing painful and presenting a risk of the bleeding recurring.
Furthermore, both pinching the nose with the fingers or other device and packing the nose with a tampon interfere with normal nasal breathing. Consequently, the patient must breath through the mouth, which may result in uncomfortable drying of the mouth, throat irritation, and middle-ear complications.
With regard to the number of sophisticated hemostatic devices to control nosebleeds on the market, such sophisticated devices are not only time-consuming to administer but also require the skills of a physician or other trained medical personnel in a medical treatment facility, such as a hospital. Thus, these devices are unsuitable for the prompt treatment of the vast majority of nosebleeds that happen in the home, office, or school. Nevertheless, home remedies, such as tilting the head, applying cold compresses to the nose or manually compressing the nose, typically are ineffective in stopping nosebleeds promptly.
Hence, a long felt need still exists for a readily available device and method for treating nosebleeds that can be effectively used by untrained laypersons away from medical treatment facilities.


A method is provided for closing a puncture in a wall of an artery made for the purpose of moving an elongated catheter into the artery in which an exterior guide tube is extended through the adjacent skin area through the body containing the artery, through the puncture in the wall of the artery and into the artery so as to enable the catheter to be guidingly moved through the guide tube and into the artery. The method includes the steps of withdrawing the catheter from the guide tube, extending a plug having a removable guide wire extending longitudinally therethrough into the guide tube so that the guide wire extends from the plug through the puncture, moving the guide tube outwardly so that it no longer extends within the puncture and leaves the guide wire extending through the puncture, moving the plug inwardly along the guide wire into blocking relation with the puncture, and withdrawing the guide wire from the plug so as to leave the plug sealed in blocking relation with the puncture. A device is also provided to employ the method.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical devices and more particularly to a method for percutaneously sealing a puncture in an artery without the need for prolonged manual pressure and without impeding blood flow within the lumen of the artery. A device is also provided to employ the sealing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many therapeutic procedures, especially those pertaining to the treatment of atherosclerotic coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease involve percutaneous entry into blood vessels using catheters, guide wires and other devices passed through vascular sheaths. Once the procedure is terminated and the catheters and sheaths removed, adequate hemostasis usually requires direct manual pressure over the arterial puncture site for a duration of 20 to 40 minutes, following which, the patient must remain immobile for an additional 2 to 6 hours. Patient motion during this time and/or inadequate hemostasis may result in serious bleeding complications such as hematoma or pseudoaneurysm formation, which may require surgical repair.
With the increasing utilization of outpatient catheterization procedures, aggressive anticoagulation regimens and larger intraluminal devices, an effective, simple and rapid method of arterial puncture site hemostasis would decrease hospital costs by the more efficient utilization of health care personnel and by shortening the length of hospital stay.
Conventional devices have been developed to close a puncture in a blood vessel, duct or lumen without the need to apply prolonged, direct manual pressure thereto. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,852,568; 4,890,612; and 4,744,364 to Kensey disclose hemostatic plug devices which are inserted through an arterial sheath into the lumen of the artery prior to removal of the sheath. These plug devices are then pulled back into the arterial puncture site by an attached suture to occlude the puncture site as the arterial sheath is removed. The plug devices are made of bio-absorbable material and have an enlarged head portion which, when pulled back, seals the luminal surface of the puncture site. However, such devices present numerous disadvantages. For example, it is difficult to advance the device into atherosclerotic arteries and locate the puncture site to effectively dispose the plug therein, without the use of a guide wire. There is also a potential for the intraluminal head portion of the device to occlude blood flow or cause thrombosis in vessels whose luminal diameter is severely narrowed. Finally, there is a potential for the intraluminal portion of the device to embolize distally as it is bio-degraded.
European Patent Application No. 476,178A1 discloses a device for placing styptic material on perforated blood vessels. The device uses a guide wire to locate the puncture site. A dilator is pushed along the guide wire. A tube is guided along the dilator to the puncture site. The dilator and guide wire are then removed from the tube. A plug is then pushed through the tube to block the puncture site. However, since the guide wire is removed prior to inserting the plug, it cannot be assured that the plug is in a position so as to properly block the puncture site.
A need therefore exists to provide a method for closing a puncture in a lumen which utilizes a guide wire for disposing a plug in blocking relation with the puncture. A need exists to assure the plug does not occlude blood flow in vessels of narrow luminal diameters.

Methods and device for percutanceous sealing of arterial puncture sites


A bus bar is made by punching a single metal plate and by folding two-dot chain line portions. The bus bar includes: a power input portion into which the power is inputted; a tuning-fork-shaped terminal into which a relay terminal is inserted; a plurality of substrate connecting portions soldered to a printed circuit board; and a routing portion. The routing portion includes: a trunk portion extended in a band shape from the power input portion; a plurality of branch portions branching off from the trunk portion to the tuning-fork-shaped terminal and the substrate connecting portions. A width of the trunk portion is formed gradually narrower as extending away from the power input portion. Namely, widths of the trunk portion further away from the power input portion than the branch portion are formed narrower than a width from the power input portion to the branch portion.

FIG. 7 is a development view showing a conventional bus bar. A bus bar 330 shown in FIG. 7 is used as a power distribution member in an on-vehicle electrical junction box. This electrical junction box includes: the bus bar 330; a printed circuit board; electronic components such as fuse and fusible link; and a housing receiving them (see PTL 1).
The bus bar 330 is made by punching a single metal plate 330′ and folding two-dot chain line portions. This bus bar 330 includes: a power input portion 301 to which a connector and a fusible link are connected, and the power is inputted; a plurality of substrate connecting portions 303, 304, 305 soldered to the printed circuit board; and a routing portion 336 routed from the power input portion 301 to the plurality of substrate connecting portions 303, 304, 305. Further, the routing portion 336 includes: a trunk portion 331 extended straight from the power input portion 301; and a plurality of branch portions 333, 334, 335 branching off from the trunk portion 331 to the substrate connecting portions 303, 304, 305. Such a bus bar 330 distributes the power inputted from the power input portion 301 to the printed circuit board via the substrate connecting portions 303, 304, 305.

Bus bar and electrical junction box having the same


In a lithium secondary battery of this invention, the negative electrode uses, as an active material, an alloy including an A phase of a first intermetallic compound (A), and a B phase of a second intermetallic compound (B) having the same constituent elements as and a different composition from the first intermetallic compound (A) and/or a C phase consisting of one of the constituent elements of the first intermetallic compound (A), and at least one of the A phase, the B phase and the C phase is capable of electrochemically absorbing and discharging lithium ions. Thus, the lithium secondary battery can exhibit good charge-discharge cycle performance.

This application claims the Paris convention priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-294477/1999 filed on Oct. 15, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a lithium secondary battery, and more particularly, it relates to improvement of a negative electrode active material for the purpose of improving the charge-discharge cycle performance of a lithium secondary battery.
In a lithium secondary battery, the battery characteristics such as the charge-discharge voltage, the charge-discharge cycle performance and the storage characteristic are greatly varied depending upon active materials used in its positive and negative electrodes.
As an active material of the negative electrode, metallic lithium is well known. In a lithium secondary battery using metallic lithium, lithium is deposited from the electrolyte during charge and is dissolved into the electrolyte during discharge. Although the lithium secondary battery can attain a high energy density per unit weight and unit volume by using metallic lithium, there arises a problem that lithium is deposited in the form of dendrite on the negative electrode during charge, resulting in causing internal short-circuit.
In order to overcome this problem, metallic aluminum has been proposed as a negative electrode active material usable instead of metallic lithium (Journal of Power Sources, 12 (1984), pp. 145-153). In a lithium secondary battery using metallic aluminum, lithium is inserted into the metallic aluminum during charge and is released from the metallic aluminum during discharge. Differently from the use of metallic lithium where lithium is dissolved and deposited, the metallic aluminum merely serves as a host for absorbing and discharging lithium. Accordingly, there is no fear of the deposition, during charge, of dendritic lithium causing internal short-circuit.
Metallic aluminum, however, largely expands by absorbing lithium and largely shrinks by discharging lithium. In other words, the volume is largely and repeatedly changed during charge-discharge cycles. As a result, the metallic aluminum is changed into a fine powder and its current collecting property is degraded, resulting in degrading the charge-discharge cycle performance. This is the reason why a lithium secondary battery using metallic aluminum as the negative electrode active material is practically used as a backup battery for a memory merely at a small depth of charge-discharge of approximately several percentages in spite of its theoretical capacity (i.e., 992 mAh/g) much larger than that of graphite (i.e., 372 mAh/g).
Accordingly, an object of the invention is providing a lithium secondary battery exhibiting good charge-discharge cycle performance by using a negative electrode active material with small volume change during charge and discharge.
The lithium secondary battery of this invention (present battery) comprises a positive electrode; a negative electrode; and a nonaqueous electrolyte, and the negative electrode uses an active material formed from an alloy including an A phase of a first intermetallic compound (A), and a B phase of a second intermetallic compound (B) having the same constituent elements as and a different composition from the first intermetallic compound (A) and/or a C phase consisting of one of the constituent elements of the first intermetallic compound (A), and at least one of the A phase, the B phase and the C phase is capable of electrochemically absorbing and discharging lithium ions.
As a result, the lithium secondary battery of this invention can exhibit good charge-discharge cycle performance.


Shrub rose plant having bright yellow flowers of informal form, dark green foliage resistant to rust and powdery mildew, moderately spicy scent and an ability to root easily.

Rosa hybrida.
JACsalps.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of rose plant of the shrub class which was originated by me by crossing the variety JACyim, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,127, with the variety POULsun, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,716.
The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a new rose variety having the vigorous growth, dark foliage and bright yellow flower color of the female parent combined with the larger flower size and informal flower form of the male parent.
The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in the new variety and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties of which I am aware:
1. Bright yellow flower color;
2. Informal flower form;
3. Dark green foliage;
4. Resistance to rust and powdery mildew;
5. Moderately spicy scent; and
6. Ability to own root easily.
Asexual reproduction of this new variety by cuttings, as performed at Wasco, Calif., shows that the foregoing and all other characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations.
The female parent, JACyim, has smaller flowers than JACsalps whereas the male parent has larger flowers than JACsalps.
JACyelsh, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,283, a similar miniature variety, has a smaller, more compact plant with flowers of twenty petals as compared to the seventy to eighty petals of JACsalps flowers.

Shrub rose plant named xe2x80x98JACsalpsxe2x80x99


A textile machine for processing sliver includes a plurality of work stations disposed side by side. Each of the work stations has a respective fixedly assigned parking place. Sliver cans are each disposed on a respective one of the parking places behind one another in at least two rows for supplying the work stations with sliver. An automatic can changer replaces any of the sliver cans that have become empty with filled sliver cans. A device monitors contents of the sliver cans and recognizes a sliver interruption when the sliver cans are still partly full. The work stations have sliver delivery devices and the work stations include given work stations. The sliver delivery devices of the given work stations each have a device for permitting sliver supply to a respective one of the given work stations only from a sliver can located on the fixedly assigned parking place of the respective one given work station.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a textile machine, preferably an open-end spinning machine, that processes sliver from sliver cans, including an automatic can changer for replacing cans that have become empty with filled cans, a device for monitoring the sliver can contents and for recognizing a break in the sliver if the sliver cans are still partly full, and a number of work stations disposed side by side, the sliver cans being disposed in at least two rows one behind the other, for supplying the side-by-side work stations.
In open-end spinning machines in which the sliver is delivered to the spinning stations from cans, as a rule the cans have larger dimensions than the width of a corresponding spinning station. That means that in order to utilize the space under the spinning stations, the cans typically have to be disposed in at least two rows, one behind the other. The association or assignment of the cans to the various spinning stations is defined precisely. Once set, the association of sliver cans must be strictly adhered to, especially if an automatic change of sliver cans at spinning machines is provided, otherwise proper can changing is impossible. As a rule, the slivers of the front cans and the slivers of the rear cans are delivered to the side-by-side spinning stations in alternation. Thus, as seen by looking toward the work station, the can associated with every other work station is disposed behind the cans of the adjacent work stations. The cans may be somewhat staggered behind one another, so that the rear cans are fitted into a gap between two front cans, in a super-tight packing. However, the cans may also each be disposed directly behind one another so that, for instance, two cans are located at the boundary of each of the abutting, associated spinning stations.
In order to enable initiation of an automatic can change, a sliver monitor is disposed on each spinning unit in order to issue a signal whenever there is no longer any sliver. A sliver counter is also provided, which counts backward as sliver is drawn off, for a given length of sliver. A can change is initiated automatically only when the sliver counter has run out and the sliver monitor signals an absence of sliver.
If a sliver should tear as it runs out of the can, only the sliver monitor issues a signal. The sliver counter has not yet run out, and therefore no can change is required. In that case, the operator of the machine has to intervene and put the sliver back in place.
For instance, if the sliver from a rear can has broken, then the front can first has to be moved out of the way, in order to gain access to the rear can to look for the sliver. The sliver is then picked up and introduced into the corresponding spinning station. Next, the cans have to be pushed back to their previous place. However, when the cans are returned to their previous place, the operator may transpose the positions of the cans. The can that at first was at the back may be pulled frontward, while the front can is pushed backward. The contents of the cans, each of which is ascertained by the sliver counters, will then no longer match the contents of the cans actually associated with them after the transposition has taken place. It is thus possible for the sliver counter at one spinning station to have run out while sliver is still present, since the can still contains enough sliver. On the other hand, a situation may ensue wherein the sliver has run out completely in the can while the sliver counter has not yet run down to zero. In both cases defects occur, which unnecessarily have to be taken care of by the operators. It is also possible for a can that is still sufficiently well filled with sliver to be replaced with a full can.

Sliver delivery system in textile machines that process sliver


A method and apparatus are provided for aligning optical elements or microbeads, wherein each microbead has an elongated body with a code embedded therein along a longitudinal axis thereof to be read by a code reading device. The microbeads are aligned with a positioning device so the longitudinal axis of the microbeads is positioned in a fixed orientation relative to the code reading device. The microbeads are typically cylindrically shaped glass beads between 25 and 250 microns (μm) in diameter and between 100 and 500 μm long, and have a holographic code embedded in the central region of the bead, which is used to identify it from the rest of the beads in a batch of beads with many different chemical probes. A cross reference is used to determine which probe is attached to which bead, thus allowing the researcher to correlate the chemical content on each bead with the measured fluorescence signal. Because the code consists of a diffraction grating typically disposed along an axis, there is a particular alignment required between the incident readout laser beam and the readout detector in two of the three rotational axes. The third axis, rotation about the center axis of the cylinder, is azimuthally symmetric and therefore does not require alignment.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for processing information contained on microbeads, each microbead having an elongated body with a code embedded therein along a longitudinal axis thereof to be read by a code reading device; and more particularly to a method and apparatus for aligning the microbeads so the longitudinal axis thereof is in a fixed orientation relative to the code reading or other device.
2. Description of Related Art
Many industries have a need for uniquely identifiable objects or for the ability to uniquely identify objects, for sorting, tracking, and/or identification/tagging. Existing technologies, such as bar codes, electronic microchips/transponders, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and fluorescence and other optical techniques, are often inadequate. For example, existing technologies may be too large for certain applications, may not provide enough different codes, or cannot withstand harsh temperature, chemical, nuclear and/or electromagnetic environments.
Therefore, it would be desirable to obtain a coding element or platform that provides the capability of providing many codes (e.g., greater than 1 million codes), that can be made very small and/or that can withstand harsh environments.
Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus to position and align such coding elements so as to better sense the chemical content and correlate it in relation to the code to determine information about the process.

Method and apparatus for aligning microbeads in order to interrogate the same


An impactor for a movable, deformable barrier, simulating an automobile, comprising an upright, solid backing support, a plurality of energy absorbing impact segments protruding from the support, each segment having an outer impact face and each comprising a plurality of layers of honeycomb having different crush strength characterized by increasing crush strength of successive layers from the outer impact face to the support, the layers being separated by and secured to perforate plates therebetween allowing air flow from a crushing layer to the succeeding layers when the layers are successively crushed and each impact segment having a thin vent layer of noncrushing slotted honeycomb adjacent the support for discharge of air from all of the segments as they are successively crushed. The layers in each segment are of essentially the same width and height. The layers in each segment, except for the vent layer, are individually precrushed sufficient to eliminate the initial compression load spike, and portions of the precrushed faces of the honeycomb layers have recesses resulting in reduced physical face area. The recesses are preferably formed by precrushing.

This invention relates to a movable, deformable barrier simulating the front end of an automobile for crash safety evaluation.
A movable deformable barrier (MDB), i.e., impactor, is known to be used to simulate the front end of an automobile for the purpose of crash safety evaluation. The manner of usage of the MDB is to propel the MDB into an actual automobile, typically into the side of the automobile, to impact test the side of the actual automobile for safety evaluation. The MDB must first be certified as satisfactorily simulating the front end of an actual automobile. To do this, the MDB is first mounted on a mobile sled and propelled at a predetermined specified speed for impact against a solid wall having load cells thereon. The load cells and accompanying accelerometers detect the energy absorbed by each of the segments of the MDB as it crushes, and detect the total energy absorbed by the MDB by all of its segments. If the MDB meets the predetermined specified energy absorption criteria, it is certified, then duplicates of the MDB can be used for tests. I.e., the MDB is mounted on the mobile sled and used to simulate the front end of an automobile in a crash against an actual automobile. Thus, an actual automobile to be tested is substituted for the solid wall, and the MDB crashed into the actual automobile, typically into the side thereof, to test the safety characteristics of the side doors, etc. of the automobile. To make a meaningful crash test, the MDB must have load deflection characteristics that are reasonably consistent with those of a standard size automobile. For automobiles in Europe, these characteristics have been previously determined by a European governing body and are indicated in published specifications (see FIGS. 3a-3d). The specified load deflection characteristics of the MDB have also been broken down into six segments, three in a lower row and three above them in an upper row.
During certification action, the load cell wall has specific load cell zones to measure the load generated by each corresponding section of the MDB. Thus, the load cell wall is also divided into a plurality of areas, typically six areas, with independent load cells in these areas. The energy absorption data for each load cell area must fall within the maximum and minimum boundaries of the graphical representation of the limits specified by the governing body for these areas (FIGS. 3a-3d), and the energy absorption data for the total of these load cell areas must fall within the maximum and minimum boundaries of the graph specified for the total (FIG. 3).
MDB's have been known to be made of honeycomb material. The use of honeycomb as an energy absorbing material is well known because of its uniform, consistent and predictable crush characteristics. The load deflection curve of honeycomb is actually flat after the initial deformation spike. That is to say that the resultant force generated by a section of honeycomb will remain basically constant over the entire distance of crush, as shown in FIG. 2. However, the load deflection curve specified for the MDB is not flat. Instead it ramps up at a constant rate, then levels off (FIGS. 3a-3d and 3). A known method for generating this type of force deflection curve is to shape the core to varying dimensions such that the area being crushed is proportional to the force desired by providing a pyramid shaped section of honeycomb as shown in FIG. 4. While this may generally accomplish objectives of the governmental specifications, it also generates problems. Firstly, since the load is only generated at the point of contact between the shaped honeycomb and the barrier wall, there are some areas where the local crush load may be undesirably high so as to be outside of the specifications for the individual segments (FIGS. 3a-3d). This is so even though the average over the load cell wall sections may be within the "total" force specifications limits (FIG. 3). Automobiles, however, are not homogeneous structures. There are various hard spots and soft spots in an automobile structure. Depending on where the MDB with the prior art shaped honeycomb strikes the vehicle, therefore, there can be a variety of different results. If a hard spot of the MDB were to strike a soft part of the automobile, there might be considerable penetration into the vehicle. If a hard spot on the MDB were to come into contact with a hard spot on the car, the distortion might be minimal. Secondly, the side loads generated during the impact may tend to shear the prior art core because of its small cross sectional area, resulting in unpredictable crush values.
Another prior art device is an element consisting of six single blocks of polyurethane foam with different densities. To obtain desired force to deflection characteristic, parts of the material were cut out at the rear side (barrier side) as shown in FIG. 4a.
The invention described and claimed in parent application Ser. No. 08/536,058 provides significant functional improvement over the known prior art devices. In some situations, however, the test results have shown an errant curve that briefly extends outside the specified limits. More specifically, the theoretical pattern in FIG. 9a is expected to result in the actual pattern in FIG. 9c, but might result in the pattern in FIG. 9b where a small portion of the curve is shown to extend slightly above the upper limit boundary. This has been found to potentially occur at the beginning of crush of a layer.


Letting core-loss energy of an objective element be E.sub.c, and width of the energy selection slit be .DELTA.E. Initially, a pre-edge image obtained by increasing an acceleration voltage of an electron gun by E.sub.c -.DELTA.E and a pre-pre-edge image obtained by increasing an acceleration voltage by E.sub.c -.DELTA.E are taken with the same exposure time, and an intensity ratio R of the pre-edge image to the pre-pre-edge image is calculated. Next, a post-edge image obtained by increasing an acceleration voltage by E.sub.c is taken with an exposure time t.sub.pre, and a pre-edge image is taken with an exposure time R.times.t.sub.pre. An element distribution image of the objective element can be obtained by simply performing image subtraction of the pre-edge image from the post-edge image in a computer.

The present invention relates to a transmission electron microscope, and more particularly to a transmission electron microscope which has an energy filter capable of obtaining an element distribution image in a small region by forming an image by separating electrons having a specified energy from an electron beam transmitted a sample, and a method of observing element distribution using the transmission electron microscope.
A transmission electron microscope is an apparatus for magnifying and observing an image of a sample using an electron beam and electron lenses, and used for identifying a fine structure of the sample. An energy filter is an apparatus for extracting only electrons having a specified energy by separating the electron beam into a spectrum. By combining the both, electrons having a specified energy can be obtained.
In an electron microscope having an energy filter completed adjustment of the optical axis, an electron microscope image formed only by elastic scattered electrons (zero-loss image) can be obtained by inserting an energy selection slit on the optical axis. When observation is performed by increasing an acceleration voltage of the incident electron beam by .delta.E, electrons lost energy by .delta.E in a sample pass through the energy filter and then pass through the energy selection slit. Therefore, an energy filter image obtained by the electrons lost energy by .delta.E can be obtained by increasing their energy by .delta.E when the zero-loss image is formed.
The electrons transmitted through the sample are lost energy by non-elastic scattering such as plasmon loss core loss, and have energy spectrums. Among the losses, the core loss energy is a value inherent to element composing the sample, and a transmission electron microscope image obtained by electrons affected by a specified energy loss shows two-dimensional distribution corresponding to the element composing the sample. However, energy loss by the non-elastic scattering is broadened over a wide range, and information of the other elements is overlapped on it as a background. A true image cannot be obtained until the background is separated and removed. As the methods of obtaining a specified element distribution image by separating and removing the background, there are proposed the following three kinds of methods.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first method is a method which uses two images, that is, the method uses an energy filter image (post-edge image) B obtained by providing an energy window in a region including core loss energy, and an energy filter image (pre-edge image) A obtained by providing an energy window just before the core loss energy so as to prevent core loss electrons from entering. Initially, these two images A, B are input to a computer using a camera apparatus such as a TV camera. Then, by regarding the pre-edge image A as a background of the post-edge image B, and image subtracting is performed by subtracting the pre-edge image A from the post-edge image B in the computer, and thus a two-dimensional distribution image of a specified element is obtained by separating and removing the background.
As shown in FIG. 3, the second method is a method which uses three images, that is, in addition to the two energy filter images B and C+D used in the first method, the method uses an energy filter image (pre-pre-edge image) A obtained by an energy window in a region not including core loss electrons and an energy region different from in the first method. Similar to the first method, initially, these three images A, B. C+D are input to a computer using a camera apparatus such as a TV camera. Change in a background intensity to energy change is obtained for all pixels from the pre-edge image B and the pre-pre-edge image A using the computer, and an accurate background intensity C of the post-edge image (C+D) is calculated for all pixels over the image. By subtracting the background intensity C obtained in such a manner, a two-dimensional distribution image D of a specified element is obtained by separating and removing the background.
As shown in FIG. 4, the third method is a method which uses two energy filter images as the same as the first method, that is, the method uses a post-edge image B and a pre-edge image A. It can be assumed that in a region where the specified element does not exist, the image intensity decreases at a constant rate as the core loss energy varies. However, in a region where the specified element exists, the ratio of image intensities of the post-edge image and the pre-edge image increases by an amount existing the core loss electrons. Therefore, a two-dimensional distribution image of a specified element is obtained by calculating the ratio of image intensities in each pixel to all pixels over the image and display the calculated ratio of image intensities as a two-dimensional image.
In the first method described above, there is difference between the background intensity used for calculation and the actual background. Therefore, although the calculation process is simple, there is a problem in that the method lacks in quantitative validity.
On the other hand, in the second method, although the actual background can be accurately obtained by using two images, the processing time becomes long because three images are necessary and calculation is performed for all pixels over the images. It is reported that the calculation requires approximately one minutes at minimum (Hiroji Kimoto, Tatsumi Hirano, Katsuhisa Usami, Shigeto Isakozawa, Toshimutsu Taya: The Electron Microscope Society of Japan, the 50.sup.th Scientific Conference Proceeding (1994) 76). Since the series of processes takes a long time, the processed results cannot be fed back during testing.
The third method has an advantage in that it is simple because only two images are required as the same as in the first method, and the processed result cannot be affected by special contrast such as diffract contrast, and artifact due to erroneous processing of background does not exist. However, there is a problem in that it is possible to perform only qualitative evaluation because of lack of quantitative validity.
Although the first method and the third method are short in calculation time compared to the second method, they are difficult to be applied to a sample in which the element distribution is continuously varying with time or a sample which is gradually deforming. When the sample is drifting, calculation such as operation of additionally performing positioning is required. Further, it is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of cost to introduce a high performance computer.
Position and width of the energy window are important factors for image quality of a final image and evaluation of quantitative validity of an element distribution image, and are required to be set to the optimum condition during testing. When real-time processing is impossible, such optimum condition setting cannot help depending on experience of an operator and is technical difficulty. Further, there is a problem in that an error occurs between pixels during calculating background due to noise contained in an image to reduce the S/N ratio.
A method of rapidly displaying an image obtained from the above-mentioned method is proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.8-222169. In this method, a post-edge image and a pre-edge image are alternatively obtained in synchronism with an image recording signal of a camera means such as a TV camera or a SSCCD (slow scan CCD) camera. These images are periodically stored in two frame memory. Image calculation is performed to the two frame memory every pixel, but the calculation result is directly output as a new image signal. The first method or the third method can be realized depending on selecting subtracting process or dividing process in calculation process, and the second method can be realized by multiplying the image intensity by a predetermined constant and performing subtracting process. By these method, a two-dimensional distribution of a specified element can be observed in real-time since the processes can be periodically and continuously performed.
The technology in regard to the element distribution rapid display is one of the methods to solve the aforementioned problems, but it is necessary to provide a means for varying an image intensity at a constant ratio. Further, the image processing is also performed on read-out noise that must have a common average intensity to all images, which becomes a cause to generate artifact. The read-out noise is of a constant noise level not depending on brightness of an image nor exposure time at taking the image. Therefore, there remains noise level which must be eliminated when the inter-image calculation, particularly when inter-image subtraction is performed.

Transmission electron microscope and method of observing element distribution


Provided is a transmitter for a multi-input multi-output system including: a memory for storing a modulation system and power allocation coefficient for each antenna; a modulating unit for modulating data to be transmitted using the modulation system for each antenna stored in the memory when the data to be transmitted is input; and a power adjusting unit for adjusting the power according to the power allocation coefficient for each antenna stored in the memory to transmit the data to be transmitted, modulated at the modulating unit, via a corresponding antenna. A higher performance gain can be provided compared to a conventional open loop V-BLAST system by using a different modulation system and power for each antenna of a transmitter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmitter for a multi-input multi-output system and a method for transmitting data using the transmitter.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A radio channel having a multi-path is known to have high channel capacity, and it is expected that multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems will be widely used in the future. In an MIMO system, proper space-time processing provides ample multi-path scattering on a communication channel, as is already known.
The Diagonal-Bell Labs Layered Space-Time (D-BLAST) system was introduced by Foschini in 1996. Here, when several antennas for a transmitter and a receiver and a diagonal arrangement of codes are used for communication, respective code blocks are propagated while being diagonally crossed in time and space. In this case, if a channel environment is a Rayleigh scattering environment and a transmitter and a receiver have the same number of antennas, a transfer rate linearly increases with the number of antennas, eventually approaching 90% of Shannon's channel capacity. This system, however, is complex and thus difficult to implement.
Meanwhile, the Vertical-Bell Labs Layered Space-Time (V-BLAST) system was suggested by Wolniansky in 1998. This system simplifies a conventional D-BLAST system by means of hardware implementation, but cannot accomplish maximum diversity and thus has deteriorated performance.
FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic configuration of a conventional MIMO communication system using V-BLAST;
Referring to FIG. 1, a MIMO communication system using V-BLAST includes a transmitter 100 and a receiver 110.
The transmitter 100 includes a modulating unit 102 for modulating data to be transmitted using the same modulation system by applying the same modulation system to respective antennas, and the antennas for transmitting the data, modulated at the modulating unit 102, via channels.
The receiver 110 includes antennas for receiving symbols r via the channels, a first multiplying unit 112 for multiplying the symbols r received via the antennas by a Hermitian matrix Q, a decision feedback (DF) detecting unit 114 for performing decision feedback on a signal output from the first multiplying unit 112 to detect a transmitting vector, and a demodulating unit 116 for demodulating the transmitting vector output from the DF detecting unit 114 based on the system used for modulation at the modulating unit 102.
The DF detecting unit 114 detects a signal allowing a maximum signal-to-noise ratio among the signals received via the transmitting antennas and detects the transmitting vector by removing previous-stage interference at each stage. The DF detecting unit 114 then inputs the detected transmitting vector to the demodulator 116, which demodulates the transmitting vector received from the DF detecting unit 114.
As described above, in the V-BLAST system, data is transmitted using the same modulation system and power for each transmitting antenna.
In the conventional V-BLAST system, a transmitter and a receiver may have a simpler structure than in a D-BLAST system. In order to achieve high performance, however, the receiver becomes structurally complex.
When the system has a DF based receiver, it exhibits very low performance. Thus, it is difficult to apply to an actual system.

Apparatus and method for transmitting data in multi-input multi-output system

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present disclosure provides the use of two very long chain ceramides for determining the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the developed world. Clinical manifestations of CVD include myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, sudden death, angina, and heart failure (HF). Epidemiological studies have identified risk factors for CVD, including hypercholesterolemia, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and positive family history of early myocardial infarction. Nonetheless, cardiovascular events can occur in patients without these risk factors, and cardiovascular events can occur in patients who are aggressively treated for established CVD. Because CVD can be fatal upon first presentation, effective primary prevention of CVD requires identification of significant risk factors, followed by intervention to modify risk. This strategy has been very effective with respect to hypercholesterolemia, which can be detected by a blood test—a fasting lipid profile. The risk can be mitigated by employing drug therapy with a cholesterol-lowering agent, such as a statin.
In addition to cholesterol other lipids have been proposed to lead to cardiac dysfunction. One lipid class proposed to be toxic are ceramides, which have been implicated in inflammatory (Chavez and Summers 2012) and apoptosis pathways (Drostos and Schulze). Several previous studies have observed increased incidence of adverse events with increasing ceramide levels (Saleem et al., Ichi et al.). Previous studies have examined ceramide levels by determining the ratios of specific ceramides to other ceramides, their sphingolipid precursors, or other serum lipids (see Ichi et al., Tarasov et al., published US application 2011/0034419 of Argraves et al., or published PCT application WO 2013/068373 of Zora Biosciences OY).
There are contributors to CVD independent of traditional risk factors. Cardiovascular events can occur in patients without traditional risk factors, and cardiovascular events can occur in patients who are aggressively treated for established CVD risk factors. Thus, new prognostic indicators are needed.

Ceramides for evaluating risk of cardiovascular disease


A system and method is provided for imaging a region of interest (“ROI”) including a breast having received a reduced dose of radionuclide using an imaging system including at least two gamma detectors. The acquired imaging data is analyzed respect to an energy characteristic and divided into subsets of data based on the analysis. A plurality of images is generated using the subsets of data, wherein the plurality of images include a primary image corresponding to subsets of data having energy including the energy characteristic and multiple secondary images corresponding to subsets of data having energy not including the energy characteristic. Each of the plurality of images is processed using energy information associated with each of the plurality of images and the processed plurality of images is combined to form a composite image of the ROI.

Screening mammography has been the gold standard for breast cancer detection for over 30 years. However, the sensitivity of screening mammography varies considerably. The most important factor in the failure of mammography to detect breast cancer is radiographic breast density. In studies examining the sensitivity of mammography as a function of breast density, it has been determined that the sensitivity of mammography falls from 87-97 percent in women with fatty breasts to 48-63 percent in women with extremely dense breasts.
Diagnostic alternatives to mammography include ultrasound and MRI. The effectiveness of whole-breast ultrasound as a screening technique does not appear to be significantly different from mammography. MRI has a high sensitivity for the detection for breast cancer and is not affected by breast density. However, since bilateral breast MRI is currently approximately 20 times more expensive than mammography, it is not in widespread use as a screening technique.
Another prior-art technology is positron emission mammography (PEM). This uses two, small, opposing PET detectors to image the breast. The PEM technology offers excellent resolution; however, the currently available radiotracer (F-18 Fluoro deoxyglucose) requires that a patient fast overnight, the patient must have low blood levels (this is often a problem for diabetics), and after injection, the patient must wait 1-2 hours for optimum uptake of F-18FDG in the tumor. The high cost of these PET procedures coupled with the long patient preparation time reduces the usefulness of this procedure and makes it difficult to employ for routine breast evaluation.
Radionuclide imaging of the breast (scintimammography) with Tc-99m sestamibi was developed in the 1990s and has been the subject of considerable investigation over the last 10-15 years. This functional method is not dependent upon breast density. Large multi-center studies have shown the sensitivity and specificity of scintimammography in the detection of malignant breast tumors to be approximately 85 percent. However, these results only hold for large tumors and several studies have shown that the sensitivity falls significantly with tumor size. The reported sensitivity for lesions less than 10-15 mm in size was approximately 50 percent. This limitation is particularly important in light of the finding that up to a third of breast cancers detected by screening mammography are smaller than 10 mm. Prognosis depends on early detection of the primary tumor. Spread of a cancer beyond the primary site occurs in approximately 20-30 percent of tumors 15 mm or less in size. However, as tumor size grows beyond 15 mm, there is an increasing incidence of node positive disease, with approximately 40 percent of patients having positive nodes for breast tumors 2 cm in diameter. Hence, for a nuclear medicine technique to be of value in the primary diagnosis of breast cancer, it must be able to reliably detect tumors that are less than 15 mm in diameter. The failure of conventional scintimammography to meet this limit led to its abandonment as a useful technique in the United States.
In an attempt to overcome the limitation of conventional scintimammography, several small field-of-view gamma cameras have been developed that permit the breast to be imaging in a similar manner and orientation to conventional mammography. One commercial system for single photon imaging that is currently available is that manufactured by Dilon Technologies of Newport News, Va. Using a small detector and compression paddle, they reported a sensitivity of 67 percent for the detection of sub-10 mm lesions.
These systems employ a small gamma-ray camera that is attached to a mammography unit or to a stand-alone system in such a way that the gamma-ray camera is proximate to or in direct contact with a breast compression system. The system includes two identical opposing CZT detectors and performs planar imaging of the breast under compression. Recent clinical studies with the dual-head system have shown an increase in sensitivity to nearly 90 percent for lesions less than 10 mm.
Despite this improved percentage of success, the failure to identify lesions of any size can have significant consequences. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method to provide additional information to aid in the process of diagnosis, analysis, and treatment planning.
To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies, a molecular breast imaging ("MBI") system was introduced by providing a system for performing quantitative tumor analysis using information acquired with a dual-headed molecular breast imaging system. Specifically, the MBI system utilize the information available in planar dedicated breast imaging to provide previously unavailable information sets to aid in the diagnosis and biopsy of the site. MBI system can accurately determine the size, depth to the collimator, and relative tracer uptake of a tumor. The MBI system employs two small opposing gamma camera detectors. The breast is compressed between the two gamma cameras and radiation emitted by single-photon radiopharmaceuticals, such as Tc-99m sestamibi, is detected by collimation.
Although multiple possible radiotracers are available for breast imaging with MBI, Tc-99m Sestamibi is FDA approved and is the most widely used tracer. Because MBI involves intravenous injections of the radiotracer, it poses a very different type of radiation risk than x-ray mammography. The radiotracer distributes throughout the body, exposing many organs and tissues to radiation, in contrast to mammography, in which the only organ affected by radiation is the breast. So, even though the radiation dose to breast tissue is low with MBI, the dose to other organs, and the consequential radiation risk, can be higher than desired. Current techniques employ an administered dose of 20-30 mCi Tc-99m sestamibi that results in an effective dose to the body of 6.5-10 millisievert (mSv). This is about 2-3 times the annual exposure from natural background radiation in the U.S. (˜3 mSv) and is ˜7-10 times that of mammography. Thus, there is a need to substantially reduce the radiation dose from MBI (by a factor of 5-10), so that this technology can compete against mammography in a screening environment. However simply reducing the administered dose of Tc-99m sestamibi is not possible as the increased noise level in the resulting images significantly degrades image quality. Hence, both hardware and software enhancements need to be made to the technology in order to achieve this level of dose reduction while maintaining image quality.
With that said, the MBI system has been shown to have a relatively high sensitivity (>90%) for the detection of sub-10 mm lesions. In addition, studies have shown that MBI detected 3 times as many cancers as digital and analog mammography in asymptomatic women at increased risk of breast cancer. More recent studies have found the sensitivity of MBI to be comparable to that of MRI. Hence, MBI appears to be a very attractive alternative to mammography, particularly in women at increased risk of breast cancer and in women with dense breast tissue on this mammogram.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a method that can obtain satisfactory images with MBI for both the diagnosis and screening of breast cancer by using a reduced radiotracer dose.

System and method for molecular breast imaging energy spectrum imaging and analysis

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


A system and method for wirelessly communicating between a host bus of a spacecraft and a secondary payload. In one configuration, the host bus and secondary payload each include a wireless interface for establishing a radio or optical communications link thereby allowing for the elimination of a complex wiring harness connected between the host bus and the secondary payload.

Commercial and government entities increasingly consider alternative means of getting payloads to orbit in order to save time and money. Hosted payloads are used by those seeking to have capabilities in orbit without having to pay the cost of building and launching an entire spacecraft. A hosted secondary payload is a module with mission-specific circuitry attached to the spacecraft, which operates independent of the spacecraft's primary payload, but shares the spacecraft's resources such as a power supply. This concept is sometimes referred to as "piggy backing" and can reduce both the expense and time required to get capabilities into space.
The spacecraft typically includes a host bus housing the primary payload, such as a communications satellite, and a propulsion system. The secondary payload is then mechanically and electrically connected to the host bus with a complex wiring harness. The resources of the host bus are therefore shared between the primary and secondary payloads. However, the host bus and the secondary payload are typically manufactured by different entities. Therefore, the wired harness results in numerous customized connections that not only add weight to the spacecraft but also add time and expense to the manufacturing and launching of the spacecraft.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure herein is presented.

Near-field connectivity for hosted payloads


An integrated circuit includes at least one interconnection level and an acoustic resonator provided with an active element and a support. The includes at least one bilayer assembly having a layer of high acoustic impedance material and a layer of low acoustic impedance material. The support further includes a protruding element arranged on a metallization level of the interconnection level, making it possible to produce an electrical contact between an interconnection level and the active element of the acoustic resonator.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuits, and more particularly integrated circuits comprising one or more acoustic resonators, preferably piezoelectric acoustic resonators, which can be used in signal processing applications, for example being used in a filtering function.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the prior art to produce acoustic or piezoelectric resonators arranged on interconnection levels or in interconnection levels. Conventionally, the acoustic resonators generally comprise an active element and a support which constitutes an acoustic mirror. Such resonators are thus secured to the integrated circuit while having to be acoustically or mechanically insulated from it. To this end, the supports for acoustic resonators make it possible to produce this insulation. In order to produce such insulation, a plurality of structures of a support for acoustic resonators have thus been envisaged.
In particular, one of these structures consists in producing a support comprising at least one bilayer assembly comprising a layer of high acoustic impedance material and a layer of low acoustic impedance material produced with the aid of a material with low electrical permittivity, as described in published PCT Patent Application WO 2004/051848, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In this way, the greater the difference in acoustic impedance is between the materials of the layers of the support, the more the acoustic waves liable to propagate in the integrated circuit will be reflected. The propagation of these waves is thus minimized in the integrated circuit.
Another possible structure consists in producing a support comprising an alternating sequence of at least two insulating layers with low acoustic impedance and at least two metal layers with high acoustic impedance stacked on one another on a substrate, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,054, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The metal layers are contained in auxiliary layers in order to avoid covering all the surface of the insulating layers, so as to obtain a support which has a planar surface. No indication is given about producing the connection of such an acoustic resonator within the integrated circuit.
Another of these structures consists in producing a certain number of acoustic resonators connected together via their electrodes as well as via a conductive layer in order to improve the filtering function of an integrated circuit, as described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0124952, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. This conductive layer acts so as to electrically couple the entire architecture. No indication is given about producing the connection of such an acoustic resonator within the integrated circuit.
Another structure which is also possible consists in producing an acoustic resonator support which consists of stacking an air-filled cavity, which may be obtained by chemical or plasma etching, and a silicon nitride membrane which is arranged on such a cavity. The silicon nitride layer thus surrounds the entire air-filled cavity and lies directly in contact with the active element of the acoustic resonator. The air-filled cavity may be supported by a silicon oxide layer. In other words, this cavity is sandwiched between a silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride membrane. There is also a passivation layer consisting of a dielectric material on top of the acoustic resonator, which is used to adjust the resonant frequencies of the acoustic resonators.
In particular, the resonant frequencies of the acoustic resonators are adjusted to the same frequency by a step of thinning this passivation layer, in order to obtain a satisfactory filtering function of the integrated circuit. This thinning step consists in abrading the surface of the passivation layer. Problems of bonding the membrane to the air-filled cavity may arise during this method, however, thus making the resonator non-functional. In general, such an architecture makes it difficult to carry out a method involving all sorts of liquids because of the membrane bonding problems. This architecture therefore makes it difficult to adjust the resonant frequencies of the acoustic resonators, and likewise does not make it possible to produce a solid membrane.
In order to produce such an architecture, it is a furthermore preferable to planarize the walls of the air-filled cavity in order to avoid the formation of a slot within the piezoelectric layer.
Such an architecture is described particularly in the scientific articles: "Integration of Bulk Acoustic Wave Filters: Concept and Trends," by L. Elbrecht, R. Aigner et al., and "Integration of High-Q BAW Resonators and Filters Above IC," by Marc-Alexandre Dubois et al., the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference
In view of the preceding, there is a need in the art to produce an acoustic resonator which is connected to the rest of the integrated circuit and whose architecture has minimal roughness and makes a thinning step possible for adjusting the resonant frequencies of the acoustic resonator.

Support for acoustic resonator and corresponding integrated circuit


A cleaning appliance includes a main body, a handle assembly and a hose. The handle assembly includes a tube and a gripping portion fixedly attached thereto. The hose has one end attached to the main body. The tube is movable relative to the main body between a stored position in which at least a part of the tube lies within the hose and an extended position in which the gripping portion can be used to manipulate the cleaning appliance in use. By providing such an arrangement, the handle assembly and the hose can be stored compactly. When the user wishes to store the cleaning appliance, the tube can be retracted inside the hose for storage. When the tube is extended, the gripping portion is at a convenient height to be manipulated by a user.

Upright vacuum cleaners are well known. Further, upright vacuum cleaners that can be converted from a floor cleaning mode into an "above-the-floor" cleaning mode are also well known. In order to carry out both of these cleaning modes, it is common for an upright vacuum cleaner to incorporate a handle assembly which can be used when required for above-the-floor cleaning. A known arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,113. In this arrangement, the handle assembly includes a handle and a wand which are attached to the cleaner head such that they form part of the airflow path within the vacuum cleaner when the machine is used in the floor cleaning mode. The handle and a wand are releasable from the cleaner head when above-the-floor cleaning is required. Whilst this arrangement is simple to implement, the air has to travel through the wand and hose when the machine is used in the floor cleaning mode. This increases losses within the vacuum cleaner. Further, when the machine is used in the floor cleaning mode, the hose hangs behind the handle and wand. This is cumbersome and frustrating for a user, and requires extra storage space.
Another known type of handle assembly forming part of a vacuum cleaner is shown in EP 1 265 519. In this arrangement, a handle and wand are releasably attached to a main body of the vacuum cleaner by a catch. A hose is stored around a part of the wand. The handle and wand can be released from the upper end of the hose, turned around and reconnected. In this way, when the handle assembly is to be used for above-the-floor cleaning, the hose is attached to the handle portion with the wand then projecting away from the hose. This arrangement includes a changeover valve which selectively directs incoming air either through the cleaner head or through the hose. Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner is used for above-the-floor cleaning, no air is drawn through the cleaner head.
A further variation of handle assembly is shown in WO 2006/008444. In this arrangement, the illustrated vacuum cleaner has a handle assembly comprising a hose and a tubular wand which is slideable between a stowed and an extended position with respect to a handle of the vacuum cleaner. The handle assembly is releasable from the remainder of the vacuum cleaner. When attached to the vacuum cleaner, the handle is fixed with respect to the main body.
It is also known to provide an extendible handle on a vacuum cleaner in order to reduce the size of the vacuum cleaner when stored. Such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,457. In this arrangement, a wand forms part of a handle assembly of the vacuum cleaner shown therein. The wand is extendible to provide a handle which can be gripped by a user. The wand can also be removed from the remainder of the vacuum cleaner and reattached to a hose located at the front of the vacuum cleaner for above-the-floor cleaning purposes. However, this arrangement requires separate storage of a hose, which is inconvenient for a user and adds to the overall size of the appliance.


A radiocontrast agent for tau protein is provided. The agent is selectively and strongly bound to tau protein and its tangle found in brain diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). The agent is especially suitable to be used in PET imaging for brain diseases. Or, the agent can be used to inhibit tau protein overexpressive and, thus, stop the proceeding of brain disease.

AD is a drifting brain degenerative disease, also known as a degenerative senile dementia, which is one of the most common and incurable dementia. AD occurs in the elderly, where older people have higher opportunities to get sick and people older than 85 years old have a 30˜35% prevalence rate. This progressive disease has its main clinical manifestations of degradation in three areas, including cognition, behavior and mental state. It has a special change in neuropathology, where some phenomena can be seen with naked eyes, like atrophy on appearance of cerebral cortex, widening of brain's back groove, and ventricular enlargement. Among them, most important pathological diagnostic indicators for AD are neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and senile plaques (SP), which are widely distributed in neocortex. NFT is a result of windings of paired helical filaments of abnormal phosphorylated tau protein, which causes the formation of neurofibrillary tangles inside nerve cells. SPs are compositions of amyloid, where fibril deposits of Aβ protein are formed outside of nerve cells.
In recent researches, many small round precipitations or plaques are found in brains of AD patients. These spider web-like tangles of proteins are Aβ protein, which has become the focus on discussing AD mechanisms and treatments.
In prior studies, biological flags of AD can be divided into three categories, namely styrlbenzenes, like X-34, ISB, BSB, SB13 and IMSB; aminonaphthalene, like FDDNP and FENE; and thioflavin-S(TF-S), like 6-OH-BTA-1, TZDM and IMPY. Therein, FDDNP of aminonaphthalene is labeled with radioisotope fluorine(F)-18 to become F-18-FDDNP to be used as a contrast agent for positron emission tomography (PET).
In recent years, an increasing number of radiopharmaceuticals for Aβ protein plaques in positron CT scan have been developed and proven the feasibility of application on human body imaging. The use of the radiopharmaceuticals for tracing Aβ protein plaques can effectively assist in diagnosis of AD and related brain diseases, and can be used to evaluate effectiveness of the treatment drug for reducing accumulation of Aβ protein plaque in brain. But, a radiocontrast agent selectively and strongly bound to Aβ protein plaques to be used in PET imaging for AD and related brain diseases; or, to inhibit Aβ protein plaques for stopping the proceeding of AD and related brain disease, is still not found.
Hence, the prior arts do not fulfill all users' requests on actual use.

Compound of radiocontrast agent for tau protein

INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH, ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.


A method and apparatus for regulating the temperature in end areas of a roll mantle of a variable-crown roll provided with glide bearings and/or for compensating for an error in the diameter of the roll arising from thermal expansion. The roll mantle of the roll is supported adjustably on the roll axle by hydraulic loading elements loaded by a pressure medium and acting upon the inner face of the roll mantle at least in the direction of the nip plane. Further, the roll mantle is supported on the roll axle by hydraulic glide-bearing elements loaded by a pressure medium and arranged in the areas of the ends of the roll mantle. A fluid is supplied into the end areas of the roll and has a regulated temperature and/or flow so that it is possible to keep the temperature in the end areas of the roll mantle at a desired level, for example, substantially at the same level as the temperature in the middle area of the roll.

Variable-crown rolls are needed and used in paper machines, for example, in presses and in calenders, and, further, such rolls are used in paper finishing devices, such as supercalenders. Thus, it is almost an essential feature of such variable-crown rolls that the roll forms a nip with a backup roll whereby a paper web is passed through the nip, e.g., to be dewatered. The roll is provided with necessary crown variation means, by whose means the roll mantle is loaded in the direction of the nip plane and by whose means the nip profile is controlled.
In the past, it was the most common construction in variable-crown rolls to mount the tubular roll mantle of the roll from its ends on the roll axle by means of roller bearings. Such a conventional mode of journalling also had its advantages, for example, the journalling can be accomplished in a rather simple manner and so far the cost of this construction has been considered to be relatively reasonable. Such a conventional mode of journalling, in which the roll mantle is mounted from its ends stationarily on the axle, is however not totally suitable for even nearly all applications in paper machines. From variable-crown rolls which are in nip contact with a backup roll, quite often such a property is required that the roll mantle must be able to move in the radial direction in relation to the roll axle. In view of regulating the profile of linear load across the entire axial length of the roll, the roll ends must also be able to move in the radial direction in relation to the axle. For this reason, rolls have been developed in which this property has been accomplished so that the end bearings of the roll mantle have been mounted on separate annular parts, which can move radially in relation to the roll axle. One such roll is described, for example, in European Patent No. 0,332,594.
Mounting of a roll by means of roller bearings has, however, caused a number of drawbacks and problems for the manufacture and operation of the roll. These drawbacks include the numerous machinings required by the roller bearings, the problems arising from wear of the bearings, limitations imposed by the roller bearings in respect of the oil used in the roll, limitations on the web running speeds with roller bearings, and accuracy of rolling of the bearings. For these reasons, there has been a desire to abandon the roller bearings, and in recent years variable-crown rolls have been developed in which the journalling of the roll mantle has been accomplished by means of glide bearings. Such rolls with glide bearings have been described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,060,357 and 5,111,563 and in Finnish Patent Application Nos. 941107 (which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,883, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein), 941991, 944272 and 950814 (which corresponds to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/411,439, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein). It is however a problem in rolls with glide bearings that the end areas of the roll may be heated excessively, which has a highly detrimental effect on the nip profile. Heating of the end areas is, of course, a problem also in variable-crown rolls of other types which form a nip with a backup roll through which a fibrous web runs. One important factor in the excessive heating of the end areas is, among other things, the fact that in the middle area of the roll the heat can be conducted away from the roll through the paper web which runs over the middle area of the roll, whereas the ends are heated, because the web is often substantially narrower than the roll mantle. Thus, there is no medium such as a moving web to convey heat from the ends of the roll.
In a roll with glide bearings, the risk of heating of the end areas can be even higher because the generation of heat in a glide bearing is higher than in a roller bearing. The generation of heat in the ends in a roll with glide bearings is a particular problem also because several glide bearing elements are effective at the same location on the inner circumference of the roll mantle. Part of the heat that is generated is, of course, carried away from the areas of the ends along with the oil flowing through the glide bearing, but in normal cases the quantity of oil is not sufficiently large to carry away the required quantity of heat.

Method and apparatus for regulating the temperature in end areas of a roll mantle of a variable-crown roll having glide bearings


A topical pharmaceutical formulation, useful as a vehicle for E-type prostaglandins and in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, is described.

Prostaglandins are a group of cyclic fatty acids that possess diverse and potent biologic activities affecting cellular function in every organ system. The parent compound, prostanoic acid, contains a 20 carbon chain with a cyclopentane ring. ##STR1## Variations in the number and position of the double bonds and hydroxyl groups determine the physiologic activities of the various prostaglandins.
Conventionally, prostaglandins are divided into types E, F, A, B, C and D based on functions in the cyclopentane ring. Numerical subscripts refer to the number of unsaturations in the side chains-and .alpha. or .beta. subscripts refer to the configuration of the substituents in the ring. The naturally occurring prostaglandins are types E, F, A and B. All naturally occurring prostaglandins have a trans 13,14 position bond and an hydroxyl group at C.sub.15.
The E- and F-type prostaglandins possess an additional hydroxyl at C.sub.11. At C.sub.9, E-type prostaglandins have a carbonyl function while F-type prostaglandins have an hydroxyl. In general, A- and B-type prostaglandins may be regarded as dehydration products of E- type prostaglandins; i.e., the removal of the C.sub.11 hydroxyl and the formation of a double bond in the cyclopentane ring.
The known biologic activities of prostaglandins of the E-type include activities as hypotensive agents, bronchodilators, and gastric acid secretion inhibition agents. [Bergstrom, et al., PHARMACOL. , REV. , 20:1 (1968) ]. However, pharmaceutical use of E-type prostaglandins has been impeded by their instability. E-type prostaglandins generally decompose slowly at room temperature and above, which decomposition is accelerated in the presence of small amounts of acid or base. Accordingly, E-type prostaglandins are unstable in pharmaceutical formulations containing water or hydroxylic compounds. Even in neutral, aqueous solution or in neat state there is a gradual decomposition of E-type prostaglandins to A- and B-type prostaglandins.
Good stability of the E-type prostaglandins has been observed in some solutions and in pure form at temperatures of -20.degree. C. or lower. However, storage at such temperatures is impractical. Some success at stabilization at room temperature has been reported when non-alcoholic compounds such as ethyl acetate and chloroform are employed as solvents for E-type prostaglandins. Such solvents, however, are unsuitable for pharmaceutical dosage applications.
More recently, good stability of E-type prostaglandins was reported with use of triethyl citrate as a solvent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,793) and with use of hydroxylated derivatives of fatty acids (U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,833).
Although hair serves no vital function in humans, the psychological impact from excess hair growth or loss of hair can be enormous. For some men in particular, as a result of aging and predisposing genetic factors, scalp baldness occurs in stages often resulting in a complete loss of scalp hair. This baldness is known as male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. It is believed that an accumulation of 5-.alpha.-dihydro testosterone, a tissue-active androgen, in some scalp hair follicles over time causes the regression of hair growth in such follicles. However, androgen production is no higher in men with androgenetic alopecia than in those with full scalps of hair.
There is no effective treatment for androgenetic alopecia at the present time. There have been some reports that minoxidil, a potent vasodilator, has been effective in causing scalp hair growth in patients with androgenetic alopecia. However, contrary to some popular belief, there is no evidence of a vascular deficit to the scalp in patients with androgenetic alopecia.

Vehicle for optical application of pharmaceuticals


The method and apparatus for processing pixel output signals from column lines in an imager having an array of pixels in rows and columns uses a sigma-delta type analog-to-digital converter to convert the output signals on each column line to digital signals and feeding them to a digital signal processor. The converter is monitored to stop sampling of a pixel with the detection of pixel saturation, which is carried out by counting a predetermined number of consecutive zeros in the converted signal. In addition, the next pixel in a column may be controlled to be read with the saturation of the previous pixel, and the next row of pixels may be controlled to be read with the saturation of the pixels in the previous row. Further, sets of a predetermined number of converter output samples are condensed by a decimator into binary numbers of predetermined bit length. The outputs of the decimators may be fed directly to the digital signal processor or they may be multiplexed to provide one or more inputs to the digital signal processor.

Currently, CMOS imagers are well known in the art and are implemented in many different applications. One of the primary areas that CMOS imagers can be found is in portable applications such as digital cameras that use battery power. It is therefore very desirable to have a CMOS imager that is powered with a low supply voltage, for example one volt (1V).
Having a voltage this low, however, leads to a number of problems. For one, the quantization values of an imager become very small. For example, a typical CMOS imager might use 8 bits of resolution and have a supply voltage of 3.3 volts. This leads to a quantization level of 3.3V/256=12.9 mV. If an imager is implemented with a one volt supply and 8 bits of resolution then the quantization level is 1V/256=3.9 mV. The proportion of noise relative to this low quantization value becomes very large and has a greater impact on the output.
Another problem involves the pixel structure that is used in most CMOS imagers, namely using 3 n-type MOS transistors with a photodiode. The pixel consists of a precharge transistor, a source follower amplifying transistor and an access transistor. When the pixel is precharged to the supply voltage, one threshold voltage, Vt, is lost through the precharge transistor. Once the pixel is exposed to light and the output is being read out to the column, another Vt is lost through the source follower amplifying transistor. A typical Vt for MOS transistors is 0.07 V, leaving a maximum voltage output to the column of 0.86V (1V-2*0.07V), further limiting the quantization levels. FIG. 1 illustrates column voltage output from a typical 3-transistor CMOS pixel versus integration time. The maximum voltage that can be red out to the column is Vsupply-2*Vt. During the integration time tint, if the light on the pixel is sufficiently intense, the photodiode saturates and the voltage on the column is goes to zero.
Quantizing the output from the pixels into digital data for the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) may be carried out in a number of known ways. Correlated Double Sampling (CDS) quantizes the output of the column signal twice, once at the beginning of the integration period and once at the end. From these two samples the DSP calculates the slope of the pixel output to determine the brightness of the pixel. This method is highly susceptible to noise and as a result of the high noise to quantization level ratio can be very inaccurate in a low voltage CMOS imager. Also, by using only two points to calculate the slope of the pixel output there is no accounting for a saturated pixel. Any pixels that saturate at different times in the integration period are all calculated as having the same slope, and thus all those pixels are considered to have the same value.
Successive approximation is another method of converting the analog output from the pixel into a digital signal. In this system the output at the end of the integration period is successively compared to different threshold levels, each representing one bit of resolution of the final output. The thresholds are created through capacitors that must be sized in precise ratios (C, ½C, ¼C, etc.) which is both difficult to implement and also occupies a large amount of space. Also, the capacitors on every column across the array must be matched with one another for consistent results, which is not always attainable due to process impurities. The problem of noise is a large factor in successive approximation, as both the small quantization levels to noise ratio as well as capacitance noise, which is larger in small capacitors, will accumulate to yield inaccurate results. Successive approximation also does not directly account for the problem of threshold voltage loss through the pixel transistors. Finally, successive approximation takes a single sample at the end of the integration period and therefore, has no way of differentiating between pixels that saturate at different times throughout the integration period.
Therefore, there is a need for an efficient method and apparatus that is suited to low voltage imagers for processing the pixel output signals at the column level.


A method and system that creates and maintains lock properties for a resource or object in a distributed environment. The lock properties provide other client computer systems limited availability to the locked resource. Limited availability relates to being able to only read, write or delete the resource, or any combination thereof. Additionally, these lock properties allow other client computer systems to simultaneously hold or share equivalent locks. Other lock properties relate to advisory or mandatory status for the lock. Advisory locks may be honored or ignored by other client computer systems.

Distributed computer environments, such as computer networks, provide significant advantages to multiple computer clients or users. In particular, distributed environments allow multiple clients to actually share many different computer resources including both hardware and software resources. Sharing software-related resources provides many known benefits, such as the fact that only one such resource needs to be created, updated and maintained.
The Internet is one particular example of a distributed environment that provides access to a considerable number of software resources, which are available to practically any client computer system having Internet capabilities. One portion of the Internet is known as the World Wide Web which is a generally a system of Internet servers that house software related resources that are formatted in a particular manner, such as with HTML (HyperText Markup Language). The protocol for accessing these particular resources is known as the HyperText Transfer Protocol or HTTP. It should be noted however that not all Internet servers are part of the World Wide Web.
Historically, most resources on the Internet corresponded to web page files that included only static HTML code, and thus were only available for display. However, recent advances are being made in the representative functionality provided to client systems to provide more interaction between the client and server systems. For instance, clients may effectively author resources on a server system from client systems over distributed networks, including the Internet. Indeed, much time and effort has been spent on the development of a WebDAV protocol or standard, which stands for the World Wide Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning standard, referred to herein as simply "DAV." DAV provides a set of headers and methods which extend HTTP to provide capabilities for managing properties, namespace and other items from a client system in order to allow client computer systems to access server-side resources for the purpose of editing those resources. Proposed Standard RFC 2518, which is a document written by the IETF and approved by the IESG, published February 1999, describes DAV in more detail.
As part of the DAV standard, server computer systems provide various services in managing the various access requests made by clients. One particular service relates to controlling when a resource is available for use by a client. That is, DAV provides methods that allow a client to lock a resource when using that resource so that subsequent users may not access that resource during that time. This locking scheme helps prevent the "lost update" problem associated with two or more users modifying a resource simultaneously such that editions are inadvertently lost. Unfortunately however, the DAV protocol only provides two types of locks, an exclusive write lock and a shared write lock.
Although the exclusive and shared write locks are helpful in preventing the lost update problem, DAV does not support open sharing modes found in existing platforms, such as the Win32® platform. For example, if a client is not concerned with whether others edit or delete a resource it is using, but wants to prevent others from reading that resource while it is being used, the Win32® platform supports such a lock, but there is no method to support this lock function in DAV. Similarly, if a user wants to prevent others from deleting a resource, but is not concerned with whether others read a resource, the Win32® platform supports this function but there is no method to support this function in DAV.
The inability to provide these types of sharing procedures raises significant compatibility issues since many existing applications, such as word processing applications, utilize these open sharing modes. Consequently, when those applications are used over the Internet in combination with the DAV protocol, the open sharing modes are not supported. Therefore, much of the functionality is not available and may even cause errors to occur when attempting to use these unsupported methods.
Another drawback associated with the limited locking scheme relates to the fact that the locks are mandatory in the DAV protocol. That is, the DAV protocol cannot express advisory locks, which are well known in the UNIX platform. In the UNIX platform, cooperating applications can check for the presence of advisory locks that conflict with the attempted operation and honor that advisory lock, but there is no requirement to honor the lock. An application is therefore allowed to access a resource and edit that resource even when such access conflicts with an advisory lock. Although this scheme is prevalent in UNIX applications, there is no mechanism in DAV to create a lock that is advisory. Consequently, many Unix applications are incompatible with the DAV protocol.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.

Method and system for locking resources in a distributed environment


A grip handle at a passenger seat in an automobile includes an instrument panel having at least one hole formed therethrough in front of the passenger seat, a core, made of hard plastic, including at least one insert hole formed therethrough, into which an insert bolt fixed to the hole of the instrument panel is inserted, such that the core is formed integrally with the insert bolt by insert molding, and a plurality of contraction prevention grooves formed in the front surface thereof in a longitudinal direction, and a skin, made of soft plastic, formed outside the core by double insert molding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grip handle at a passenger seat in an automobile, and more particularly to a grip handle, installed on an instrument panel at a passenger seat in an automobile, which is formed by double injection molding so as to prevent external damage thereof generated due to contraction after molding.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an automobile travels on a rough road surface, passengers cannot keep their balance due to the shaking of a frame of the automobile. In this case, in order to allow a passenger at a passenger seat to support his/her body moving due to the shaking of the frame of the automobile, a grip handle 1 is installed on an instrument panel 2 located at a front portion of an indoor space of the automobile, as shown in FIG. 1.
The conventional grip handle 1 comprises insert bolts 3a and 3b formed on both ends thereof, and is fixed to the instrument panel 2 by inserting the insert bolts 3a and 3b into holes 4a and 4b, which are formed through both sides of an upper surface of the instrument panel 2 in front of the passenger seat, and then fastening the insert bolts 3a and 3b to the holes 4a and 4b using nuts inside the instrument panel 2.
However, since the insert bolts 3a and 3b, which are made of steel, are integrated with a main body of the above conventional grip handle 1, which is made of plastic, by insert molding, the grip handle 1 is physically damaged or broken due to a difference of degrees of thermal contraction between the two materials.

Grip handle at passenger seat in automobile


Apparatus and process for producing foam formed fibrous web in which the furnish is made up by mixing a thin water slurry of fibers at a consistency in the range of from about 0.5 to about 7 weight percent fibers with sufficient aqueous foam containing a surfactant and having an air content in the range of from about 55 to about 80 percent by volume to form a foamed fiber furnish containing from about 0.1 to about 3 weight percent fibers which is supplied directly to the forming felt or wire of a twin wire papermaking machine, adding makeup surfactant and discarding excess aqueous foam from the process as required to maintain the desired volume of foamed liquid therein.

This invention relates to an improved foam forming process and apparatus for the manufacture of high quality fibrous webs. In one of its more specific aspects it relates to an improved method and apparatus for preparing low basis weight webs of exceptionally high uniformity, particularly tissue suitable for use as facial tissue and bathroom tissue, and in personal hygiene products.
Foam forming processes for tissue manufacture are known in the art. Among the prior art processes for producing webs by various foam forming methods are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,716,449; 3,938,782; 3,871,952; and 3,837,999. These prior art patents have in common the teaching of separate foamed liquid generating systems wherein liquid containing a surface active agent is subjected to turbulence in the presence of air to create foamed liquid as carrier fluid for making up a foamed fiber furnish.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,876,498; 3,846,232; 4,062,721; and 3,746,613, and 4,543,156 incorporated herein by reference, disclose preferred papermaking machines useful in the process of this invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fibrous web forming apparatus is either a papermaking machine known in the art as a crescent former or one of the twin wire type, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,156 wherein one of the forming wires acts as a turbulence generator producing the foamed liquid in which fibers are dispersed to make up the foamed fiber furnish. In these machines, foamed liquid is generated at the forming wire without the need for separate turbulence generating devices. Control of the foamed liquid as to desired air content, viscosity, specific gravity, and related characteristics is accomplished without the need for special foam generators.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,443,299 and 4,543,156, incorporated herein by reference, disclose processes for foam forming fibrous webs in which the foamed liquid is produced on the forming wires, stored in a silo, and totally recycled to minimize loss of surfactant from the system. In order to achieve this objective, it is necessary to dewater the wet feed pulp to a consistency in the range of 8 to 50 weight percent fiber, preferably in the range of 15 to 35 weight percent fiber, prior to formation of the desired foam and fiber furnish. Dispersion of the high consistency stock in foam in prior art has required a separate foam loop which has mixing equipment capable of relatively high shear mixing to form the desired foamed liquid and fiber furnish, also referred to herein as foamed fiber furnish. This foamed fiber furnish is very difficult to meter accurately on a dry fiber basis before it is added to the forming loop.
In the process of this invention, the foamed fiber furnish is made up from an aqueous slurry of natural or synthetic fibers or mixtures of fibers and foamed liquid carrier just prior to its introduction to the headbox. The pulp slurry supplied to the system has a consistency in the range of only about 0.5 to about 7 weight percent fibers, preferably in the range of from about 2.5 to about 4.5 weight percent. The pulp slurry is added to a foamed liquid comprising water, air and surfactant containing 55 to 80 percent air by volume forming a foamed fiber furnish having a consistency in the range of from about 0.1 to about 3 weight percent fiber by simple mixing from natural turbulence and mixing inherent in the process elements. The addition of the pulp as a low consistency slurry results in excess foamed liquid recovered from the forming wires. The excess foamed liquid is discharged from the system and may be used elsewhere or treated for recovery of surfactant therefrom by the method disclosed in a coassigned, copending patent application of Dinesh Bhat filed concurrently herewith.