A method for high pressure, high shear homogenization of a tomato-based product, such as a ketchup or a sauce, is provided to increase the product's viscosity without significant loss of other important product characteristics, such as liquid retention, color, texture, etc. The method also provides for a homogenized tomato-based product with a significantly reduced tomato solid content, without loss of other important product characteristics. In one embodiment, a slurry of, among other components, a tomato paste, puree, juice or mixture of tomato solids, which may be blended and cooked at elevated temperatures, is introduced into a high pressure, high shear homogenizer and is homogenized at pressures from about 5,000 psi (345 bar) to in excess of about 14,500 psi (1000 bar) and is transferred to an appropriate dispensing container. In other embodiments, the tomato mixture may be blended with a food grade acid such as acetic acid (in the form of vinegar); and may include 4% corn syrup or 1% starch to increase or stabilize the viscosity of the product.

Many tomato-based products such as tomato ketchups, barbecue sauces, pizza sauces and other similar condiments are made using slurries of tomato pastes, tomato purees, tomato juices or similar compositions that contain substantial amounts of tomato solids. As used herein, sources of tomato solids generally comprise, but are not limited to, concentrates of one or a combination of the liquid obtained from mature tomato fruit (such as the fruit of Lycopersilum esculentum P. Mill); the liquid obtained from the residue from preparing tomatoes for canning; and the liquid obtained from the residue from the partial extraction of juice from tomatoes.
Tomato pastes, as used herein, refers to concentrates having a net total tomato solids content of at least about 24% by weight or more, or such other solids content generally recognized in the art as sufficient for a tomato paste. Tomato pastes intended for further processing into other food products generally contain about 30% to about 32% net total tomato solids. As referred to herein, a product's net total tomato solids content is typically determined by evaporative methods known to the art, such as microwave moisture analysis or evaporative oven analysis techniques.
Tomato puree, as used herein, refers to concentrates or products (if not concentrated) containing between about 8% to about 24% by weight tomato solids or such other solids content recognized as sufficient for tomato puree. Tomato juice, as used herein, refers to a concentrate or product (if not concentrated) having between about 5% to about 8% by weight tomato solids, or such other solids content recognized as sufficient for tomato juice. Such pastes, purees, sauces and juices may also contain salts, spices, sugars, thickeners, coloring and other such additives. Unless otherwise specifically identified, the above mentioned tomato products may be collectively referred to herein as "tomato sauces" or "tomato slurries".
The tomato solids in such tomato sauces or slurries typically include tomato pulp, comprising primarily water-insoluble tomato particles, tomato seeds and portions of tomato skins; tomato fibers which comprise the bulk of the tomato fruit; and pectin, a naturally occurring polysaccharide found in the tomato fruit. Each of these components affect the appearance, flavor and sensory appeal of tomato-based food products.
For example, the carotene pigment that gives tomato sauce its characteristic red color is found primarily in chromoplasts within the tomato pulp and tomato fiber. Hence, the amount and distribution of the pulp and fiber will determine whether the tomato sauce will have an overall, even desirable color. In addition, the size and distribution of the tomato pulp particles may also affect the texture of such tomato- based products. Large, unevenly distributed pulp particles will tend to produce a lumpy product, while extremely finely divided pulp particles will tend to produce a smooth textured product.
Similarly, the tomato fibers tend to link together and intertwine to form a lattice network or fibrous matrix that provides body and viscosity to tomato-based products and further traps free liquid which would otherwise "weep", i.e. separate, from the product. The liquid typically consists primarily of water and may also include other tomato fluids, and additives to the product. When present in sufficient concentrations, the pectin in tomato-based products forms a gel that also acts to bind free liquid in the products and to increase the products' viscosity.
In addition, tomato pastes, as well as other tomato-based products, may be identified by their "screen size". This is an indication of the average maximum size of particulate matter in the product such as tomato fibers, skin sections, and seeds. For example, a 0.060 screen tomato paste refers to a paste that was passed through a screen with 0.060 inch diameter openings, and a 0.045 screen tomato paste refers to a paste passed through a screen with 0.045 inch diameter opening.
It is known to modify the physical properties of the tomato solids in tomato sauces and slurries using various techniques, including homogenization of the products. The treatment of tomato slurries with homogenizers was known to affect the size and distribution of tomato pulp particles, the nature of the fibrous materials in the tomato solids, and the amount of pectin released from the tomato solids. For example, when properly applied, homogenization may finely divide, break down and disperse pulp particles through out a slurry to produce products with acceptable colors and textures.
It further was recognized that homogenization of the products affects the matrix or lattice network created by the interlinking of tomato fibers. As with other types of processing, homogenization tends to reduce the length of individual tomato fibers and to fray or fibrillate the ends of those fibers. Under the proper conditions, homogenization will sufficiently fibrillate the tomato fibers to permit the frayed ends of those fibers to absorb and hold greater amounts of liquid in the product and to prevent weeping of liquid from the product.
It also was recognized that homogenization of a tomato slurry may release additional pectin from the tomato pulp and fibers and more evenly distribute that gel-forming compound throughout the product. This typically increased the viscosity of the product and the amount of serum retained by the product. Thus, it was recognized that when homogenized under the proper conditions, tomato sauces could attain viscosities equal to that of unhomogenized products containing 10-15% more net total tomato solids.
However, it was recognized that the homogenization conditions must be carefully balanced to avoid undesirable side effects. Such side effects include overprocessing the tomato sauce or slurry so that it loses its desirable texture and becomes too smooth. Overprocessing with a homogenizer further reduces the length of the fibrous materials within a tomato-based product to the point where those fibers cannot effectively form a lattice network in the product. This may result in an unacceptable color, texture and appearance, and a failure of the product to trap and hold significant amounts of tomato liquid.
Hence, the homogenization conditions, particularly homogenization pressures, were carefully controlled to balance the advantages of increased uniformity and increased viscosity with the potential for overprocessing and damage to the viscosity enhancing elements of the tomato solids. When preparing tomato-based products, the generally recommended maximum homogenization pressures were typically from about 2,500 psi (172 bar) to about 3,000 psi (207 bar), and it was believed that homogenization at pressures greater than about 3,000 psi (207 bar) should be avoided. (All references to pressure herein are to gauge). Homogenization at higher pressures was believed to provide some increase in the viscosity of the tomato-based products, but also produced unacceptable degradation of other important product properties, such as those mentioned above. Other alternative processing steps were used to supplement the effects of homogenization, including the additional steps of milling the products or using of vacuum expansion chambers to increase viscosity and improve the color of the products. In addition, food grade acetic acids and citric acids were sometimes used as pretreatment additives to improve the viscosity of such tomato sauces.
As discussed below, the present invention provides a method for high pressure, high shear homogenization of tomato sauces at pressures well in excess of the previously recommended maximum of about 3,000 psi (207 bar). The invention provides tomato-based products with viscosities in excess of products with similar tomato solids content homogenized at lower pressures, and without the deleterious effects described by others in the art. Furthermore, the invention is capable of providing a product with a reduced tomato solids content but with a viscosity, and other physical characteristics comparable to products with a significantly higher tomato solids content.

Method for improving the texture of tomato paste products


Devices, methods, and systems for cavity-enhanced spectroscopy are described herein. One system includes an optical frequency comb (OFC) coupled to a laser source, and a cavity coupled to the OFC comprising a number of mirrors, wherein at least one of the number of mirrors is coupled to a piezo-transducer configured to alter a position of the at least one of the number of mirrors.

A spectrometer can be utilized to identify an unknown substance by determining the absorption spectrum (e.g., spectral content) of the substance. For example, previous spectrometry may use broadband blackbody light sources (e.g., having a temperature of approximately 1500 Kelvins) and infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy to determine the absorption spectrum of an unknown substance.
The blackbody light sources of such previous spectrometers, however, may have a low radiation, which can limit the performance of the spectrometer. For example, previous spectrometers may not be able to effectively determine the absorption spectrum of an unknown substance, and accordingly may not be able to accurately identify the unknown substance, as a result of the low radiation of their blackbody light sources.


A semiconductor device includes an electrode including a plurality of pillars, a semiconductor element configured to be electrically-connected with the electrode, a substrate having electrode patterns, and a conductive adhesive layer located between the substrate and the electrode, the conductive adhesive layer including conductive substances configured to electrically-connect the pillars and the electrode patterns to each other, and including a body which encloses the conductive substances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electrical connection between a circuit board and a microchip using a semiconductor mounting technique may be made by an anisotropic conductive film (ACF). The anisotropic conductive film is an interconnecting material used when a circuit board and a microchip cannot be attached to each other by soldering due to a specific material of the circuit board, or due to a fine pitch of a signal line. That is, an electrode of the microchip and an electrode of the circuit board are formed to have a minute pitch interval therebetween. This may cause difficulty in attaching the microchip and the circuit board by soldering, etc. Accordingly, an anisotropic conductive film (ACF), which is configured to electrically-connect a circuit board and a microchip of a semiconductor device to each other, has been used.
Such ACF is configured as a thin film, which has the same area as an adhesive layer, and is formed on one surface or two surfaces of the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is formed as an adhesive, which is hardened by heat, and is mixed with conductive balls. Once pressure of a high temperature is applied to the adhesive layer, the conductive balls of the adhesive layer, which correspond to part to which a pad of a circuit board has contacted, are destroyed. The destroyed conductive balls serve to conduct pads, e.g., an ITO electrode of an LCD panel and an electrode of an FPC. The rest adhesive is filled and hardened in concavo-convex parts rather than the pads, thereby adhering the LCD panel and the FPC to each other in an insulated state.
Recently, the ACF is being widely used as an interconnecting material of an LCD panel. Further, the ACF is being widely used in mounting technique for connecting a driver IC chip for an LCD device used in a portable phone or a computer, with an LCD panel.

Semiconductor device having electrode interconnections within a conductive adhesive


A digital copy machine with a memory feature can have a plurality of jobs registered in a memory to execute the registered jobs in order. When the content of a job already registered in the memory is corrected, the time required for the job prior to correction and after correction is calculated. When the required time of the job is prolonged by the correction, execution of that job is deferred for a later execution. Thus, unexpected delay in processing another job can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image formation apparatuses, and more particularly, to an image formation apparatus employed as a copy machine, a facsimile apparatus, or a composite machine thereof
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional digital copy machines with a memory function (one type of an image formation apparatus) is known. The memory function is provided to store read image data and task contents (number of copies, copy magnification rate and the like). By virtue of the memory function, input of image data and contents of a task and output of an image (copy output) can be carried out independently. One task is referred to as one job. A copy machine that has a plurality of jobs registered and executed in order is called a multi job copy machine.
In the case where a multi job copy machine is commonly used by a plurality of users, the person to register a new job can identify the time required until that newly registered job will be executed from the data amount of unprocessed job remaining in the memory.
In a multi job copy machine, the content (number of copies, magnification rate and the like) of a job registered in the memory and not yet processed may be corrected and modified. For example, when the number of copies to be taken is to be increased by correction, the time required for executing the job will be prolonged than the time prior to correction.
This means that the starting and ending time of a subsequent job will be delayed. Inconvenience will be caused to other users if the starting time and ending time of a job input by another user is delayed.

Image formation apparatus executing plurality registered jobs in order


A method and system for efficiently directing interrupts is disclosed. In a computer system having multiple processors, a computer implemented method, upon detecting an interrupt directed to one of the processors, determines a policy for efficiently handling the interrupt. Upon invoking the policy, the interrupt is redirected according thereto to a second processor for handling. The policies include an I/O affinity policy, a local memory policy, and a reduced I/O intension policy. In a multiple processor environment, a computer based system efficiently handles an interrupt directed to one of the processors. The system includes an interrupt dispatching module for redirecting the interrupt from that processor to another processor, where the interrupt is handled. The system also includes an interrupt redirection policy module associated with the interrupt dispatching module. The policy module provides a policy for controlling interrupt redirection, which promotes efficient operation.

During operation of a computer system, a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) is prompted and notified when an input/output (I/O) function is needed. This prompting is typically known as an interrupt. Upon prompting by an interrupt, control is transferred to an operating system (OS), which determines an action to be taken and prioritizes the action, along with other functions.
Modern computer systems may use a conventional fixed mode to deliver interrupts. In the fixed mode, interrupts from a device are delivered to one fixed, interrupt handling CPU. However, corresponding requests to the device may proceed from another CPU or from several other CPUs. Although this is a simple way to handle interrupts, it can be somewhat inefficient as applied to some modern computer systems.
For instance, on some computers, such as those characterized by the UltraSPARC architecture, the interrupt-handling CPU is fixed in booting. Upon fixing this CPU to handle interrupts, the computer system is constrained to handle interrupts on that CPU. Constraining the computer system to using the one fixed CPU to handle interrupts can impede system performance, because another processor may be able to handle a particular interrupt more efficiently than the fixed interrupt handling processor.
The conventional fixed mode of interrupt delivery can also be inefficient because the interrupt-handling CPU, CPU-X can become saturated when many interrupts occur in too short of a time period for CPU-X to process them completely and correctly. Further, access to memory and to cache may tend to be biased in computer systems that employ the fixed mode of interrupt delivery, which can cause further delay and also hinder efficiency.
This inefficiency can affect advanced systems. Besides the NUMA system discussed above, some of the advanced systems whose performance and efficiency can be affected include some I/O intensive systems and some advanced I/O adapters. Such advanced I/O adapters can include the Fire PCI-Express adapter and the fibre-channel card, among others.

Method and system for efficiently directing interrupts


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for a system for distributing user requests. The system may comprise a memory storing instructions and at least one processor configured to execute instructions to perform operations. These operations may comprise receiving from a local network device, without requesting, a data randomization scheme determining a test dataset from among a plurality of test datasets for deployment at a client device; based on the received data randomization scheme, determining test participation data for transmitting to a plurality of client devices; transmitting the test participation data to the plurality of client devices; transmitting, to the plurality of client devices, datasets configured for deployment by the plurality of client devices according to the test participation data; and receiving, from at least one of the plurality of client devices, interaction data associated with one of the datasets deployed by the at least one client device according to the test participation data.

Conventional data testing systems typically rely on a format for distributing datasets to be tested at devices of users. Often, ways of distributing these datasets are determined by a server, which can strain the computing resources of the server and delay the transmission of datasets to user devices, leading to low throughput. In many cases, these conventional techniques use REST API calls between client-facing and non-client-facing services to assign a user to a particular test group. These constant API calls require considerable bandwidth and can further delay throughput of feedback to the testing service device.
Moreover, in some situations, current systems send testing data to irrelevant devices. For example, testing data for changing one aspect of a user interface may be sent to a user device when earlier testing data already removed that aspect entirely. This can lead to a waste of network resources for transmitting and receiving obsolete testing data, as well as a waste of storage space on a user device that stores it. In some cases, software crashes could also happen as a result. Finally, some conventional techniques involve sending testing data to very large numbers of devices and in some cases a vast majority of available testable devices. This can lead to fewer options of user devices to which subsequent test data can be sent, if such test data would be irrelevant or obsolete. In some cases, a rollback of test data may be necessary, further consuming network resources.
In view of these deficiencies of conventional user interface systems, there is a need for improved systems and methods for distributing test data. The disclosed system and methods address one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the prior art.

Systems and methods for local randomization distribution of test datasets


A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed that is arranged to receive a tape cassette accommodating a tape recording medium that is selectively loaded thereto. The loaded tape cassette is selected from plural types of tape cassettes accommodating tape recording media with differing widths. The magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a rotating drum unit with a rotating head, and a loading mechanism that pulls the tape recording medium of the loaded tape cassette out of the loaded tape cassette, winds the tape recording medium of the loaded tape cassette around the rotating drum unit over a winding angle, and forms a tape path. The loading mechanism adjusts the winding angle for winding the tape recording medium of the loaded tape cassette according to the width of the tape recording medium of the loaded tape cassette.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus such as a streamer device that is used as a peripheral storage device of a computer. The present invention particularly relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus using a tape cassette and including a rotation drum and a tape loading mechanism, which magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is capable of selectively loading a first tape cassette that accommodates a first magnetic tape having a first width W1 or a second tape cassette that accommodates a second magnetic tape having a second width W2 that is twice the first width W1 of the first magnetic tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one type of magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus that is used as a peripheral storage device of a computer, a streamer device using a tape cassette and including a rotating drum and a tape loading mechanism like the VTR is being commercialized.
The storage capacity of a conventional streamer device is relatively large at around 72 GB in compression mode, for example. Yet, there is a market demand for a streamer device with a larger storage capacity, and in turn, various manufacturers are developing new techniques for improving the streamer device.
As one way of increasing the storage capacity of the streamer device, a new tape cassette that accommodates a magnetic tape having a tape width that is wider than the tape width of the magnetic tape of the conventional tape cassette may be used.


Disclosed herein is a video decoding system of a mobile broadcasting receiver. The video decoding system of a mobile broadcasting receiver for decoding a compression-coded video signal includes: at least one buffer memory for performing video decoding; a plurality of coprocessors including a data processing unit partitioned into one or more hardware blocks, wherein the data processing unit performs actual video decoding via data input/output from/to the buffer memory; and a DMA (Direct Memory Access) coprocessor for performing a direct access operation to an external memory, wherein, the at least one buffer memory, the plurality of coprocessors and the DMA coprocessor take the form of hardware, and operations thereof are controlled via software in a processor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile broadcasting receiver, and more particularly to a video decoding system of a mobile broadcasting receiver.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Recently, operations of multimedia-related chips are processed by software (S/W) using a processor such as a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) with the increasing development of high-integration technology. As compared with hardware (H/W) processing, S/W processing has advantages in that Time-to-Market is fast, debugging is easy, and also Revision time and cost is low. Meanwhile, a video decoder standard of a Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) receiver among mobile broadcasting receivers is an H.264 standard which has received a great deal of attention recently.
The H.264 standard as the next generation MPEG-4 standard technology is generally referred to as Advanced Video Coding (AVC) (also called MPEG-4 Part 10 or MPEG-4 AVC). In addition, the H.264 standard relates to a compression method applied to the mobile broadcasting receiver such as the DMB, etc., or to the next generation DVD.
Herein, since the DMB receiver is a system for receiving and displaying the broadcasting while the receiver is in motion, the DMB receiver requires low power consumption. In a case where the H.264 video decoder employs only the above S/W design, since it requires a high clock frequency, power consumption is higher. Even though an entire H.264 algorithm adopts only the hardware design, it has disadvantages in that it has low flexibility, increases design time, requires difficult debugging, and is expensive to Revision, etc.
When the H.264 algorithm is employed in the H/W design and the S/W design, advantages and disadvantages thereof are shown in the table below.
AdvantagesDisadvantagesH/WLow Clock FrequencyHard Implementationdesign ofLow Power ConsumptionIncreased Design TimeH.264Difficult to DebugdecodingExpensive to RevisionLow FlexibilityDifficult to extend DesignS/WEasy ImplementationHigh Clock Frequencydesign ofFast Time-to-MarketHigh Power ConsumptionH.264Easy DebuggingdecodingEasy RevisionHigh FlexibilityEasy to extend Design

Parallel processing architecture for video decompression


There is disclosed a method for treating skin along with a novel skin care composition comprising the following components in a suitable carrier:. (a) from about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a cyclodextrin material; and PA1 (b) from about 1 to about 15 weight percent of an acid material selected from:. alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, alpha keto acids, beta keto acids, and combinations thereof.. The skin care composition includes a cyclodextrin material to reduce the irritation and stinging caused by the presence of the aforementioned acid materials.

Alpha and beta hydroxy (and keto) acids have been used in a wide variety of skin care compositions to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin and to assist in skin moisturization. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,879,537, 3,920,835, 3,984,566, 4,105,783, 4,197,316, 4,234,599, 4,380,549, and 5,091,171. Also see Smith, W. P., "Hydroxy Acids and Skin Aging," Cosmetics & Toiletries, Vol. 109, pp. 41-48 (September, 1994). Such acids are of interest in skin care compositions because of the demand for products that diminish the appearance of fine lines on the face and improve the appearance of flaking or dry skin. Although such acid materials offer a number of advantages, they also commonly cause skin irritation and stinging, particularly when used in effective concentrations, i.e. greater than about 1 weight percent, and more commonly around 3 to about 15 weight percent. The irritation caused by such acid materials is most noticeable in applications of skin care compositions to sensitive skin areas, e.g facial application. As such, the application such skin care compositions are often limited.

Skin care composition including cyclodextrin materials and method for treating skin therewith


Disclosed is an electric machine (1) comprising a stator (2) that encompasses a winding system (10) with three winding branches, and a certain number of effective pole pairs. Each winding branch is provided with at least one coil group, each of which contains an even number of serially connected individual coils (11) that generate an individual magnetic field, respectively. Two respective individual coils (11) of a coil group are offset relative to each other in a circumferential direction of the stator (2) in such a way that the associated individual magnetic fields are provided with an offset electrical angle relative to one another at the sixth harmonic of the number of effective pole pairs, said offset electrical angle being equal to an odd multiple of 180°.

The invention relates to an electrical machine with a stator, which comprises a winding system with three winding phases, and with a pole pair number.
Such an electrical machine, which is in particular in the form of a permanent magnet synchronous machine, often has a certain degree of torque ripple during operation. In order to reduce this torque ripple, various measures are known.
DE 199 61 760 A1 has disclosed that special winding factors of the winding system arranged in slots of the stator and skewing of the slots result in a reduction in the torque ripple.
Furthermore, DE 101 14 014 A1 has disclosed a permanent magnet polyphase machine, whose stator has skewed slots for accommodating the winding system. The special embodiment of the stator and the winding system results in extensive suppression of the cogging and the fifth harmonic.
Despite these known measures, there is a need to further reduce the torque ripple. This is particularly the case when the electrical machine is intended to be produced very cost-effectively.

Electrical machine comprising a winding system with coil groups


The present invention relates to controls for a multi-zone reflow oven. In the present invention a plurality of infra red thermal scanners are located at critical points along the path which a substrate passes in a reflow oven so as to generate an actual solder paste time/temperature profile as a substrate passes through the zones of the reflow oven. The actual temperature of the solder paste is determined at critical zones for generating feedback control signals. The time/temperature profile is stored for transfer to a different reflow oven so as to effect the identical solder paste time/temperature curve on the same or a different oven. Temperature deviations from the points on the solder paste time/temperature curve are calculated and control signals are generated for producing feedback signals that are applied to the controllers of the belt drive motor, the convection fan motors as well as the heating elements in the heating blocks of the vertical zone heaters to control and effect an actual and desired optimum solder paste time/temperature profile.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved temperature control system for existing reflow ovens of the type used to make solder connection between surface mounted components that are positioned on a substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to modification of controls on such reflow ovens which may be incorporated into some existing reflow ovens as well as being fitted into new ovens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently, there are a large number of manufacturers of reflow ovens. The best and latest available reflow ovens, such as the Quad Profile Models designated High Thruput (HTP) have a plurality of heating zones. Each vertical zone is provided with an upper and a lower independent heating element juxtaposed each other through which passes a moving belt adapted to carry or move component populated substrates through the ovens and make solder connection of the components to the substrate, typically a printed circuit board, plastic or ceramic carrier.
When the components to be connected to the substrate are provided with leads or fingers they are inserted into vias in the substrate and may be soldered to the substrate using wave solder technique. However, when the components are to be connected using surface mounting technology (SMT), the components are not provided with leads or fingers, but are accurately placed on a conductive pattern on the substrate which has solder paste applied to pads where the electrodes, bumps or lead out terminals of the components are to be connected to the substrate.
One purpose of the reflow oven is to preheat the components and solder paste to a temperature that activates the flux in the solder paste preparing all connections for a condition that enhances making of solder connections. This stage is called preflow since it occurs prior to liquification of the micro miniature solder particles in the solder paste. If the time is too long or too short the optimum condition is not obtained. The temperature in the preflow zones is usually specified within a .+-. temperature range which is presently controlled by heater threshold setting and maintainable by on-off controllers.
Another purpose of the reflow oven is to heat the components and solder paste after being preheated to reflow temperature to effect melting and liquification of the solder particles remaining after the flux is driven off in the preheat stage. This stage is the most critical stage in a reflow oven in that the oven must have enough capacity to raise the temperature of the solder particles to a liquid state for a short predetermined critical time that may vary from a few seconds up to over one minute. The time-temperature in the reflow stage is dependent on the specification of the solder paste. There are a large number of manufacturers of a solder paste each of which sell a larger number of solder paste, each designed to produce an optimum condition for different devices and metallizations. If the temperature is raised too high, the components and the solder connection can be affected. If the time in the liquification state is too short, the quality of the solder connection is affected. If the time of liquification is too long, the lead/tin alloy begins to decompose.
So many factors are to be considered when designing a solder paste temperature profile that users of such paste have very little leeway other than to follow the advice of the paste manufacturer or obtain a second opinion which produces more desirable results.
Oven operators first set a belt speed and a manually set desired temperatures for the heat blocks according to empirical data and the solder paste manufacturers requirements. Once the heat blocks in the oven stabilize with the pre-selected threshold temperature, the substrate may be run only if the data previously accumulated contains information on the same solder paste previously run for an identical part or parts. However, the prior art reflow ovens have no way of determining if the oven or the solder paste has changed or will actually perform the same as previously.
It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for determining the solder paste temperature of a production component populated substrate during production in order to control a time/temperature profile which is related to obtaining optimum solder connections and yields.

Method and apparatus for controlling a time/temperature profile inside of a reflow oven


A bias generation circuit for biasing a differential amplifier is disclosed. The bias generation circuit is coupled to the differential amplifier. After determining a common-mode voltage of a pair of differential outputs from the differential amplifier, the bias generation circuit generates a bias voltage, which is proportional to the determined common-mode voltage, to the differential amplifier such that the common-mode input voltage range of the differential amplifier is extended to as far as the rail-to-rail voltage.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to differential amplifiers in general, and in particular to complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) differential amplifiers. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for biasing a CMOS differential amplifier.
2. Description of Related Art
Differential amplifiers are commonly employed in various electronics applications for providing an output in response to a pair of differential inputs. Differential amplifiers can also be readily adapted to function as an operational amplifier, a sense amplifier, a comparator, etc. Basically, differential amplifiers are utilized where linear amplifications with minimum distortions are desired.
However, differential amplifiers typically can only operate over a relatively narrow range of common-mode input voltages. As a differential amplifier is forced to extend beyond the range of common-mode input voltages, the differential-mode gain drops off sharply.
There are prior art techniques for improving the common-mode input voltage range of differential amplifiers, but such techniques use biasing schemes that are uncompensated for variations in common-mode voltage, supply voltage, temperature, and process. Because of the lack of compensation, the practical common-mode range of the differential inputs is somewhat less than the full rail-to-rail range. In addition, some of the prior art techniques rely on the usage of saturated current sources for biasing differential amplifiers, which can result in a reduction of the bandwidth of the differential amplifiers.
Consequently, it would be desirable to provide an improved apparatus for biasing a differential amplifier such that its common-mode input voltage range can be extended to as far as the rail-to-rail voltage, while maintaining the differential-mode gain of the differential amplifier at a high level.

Apparatus for biasing a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor differential amplifier

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


A method and apparatus for detecting anomalous cords in reinforced composites uses means to deform and/or vibrate the composite and detect the vibration signature of the composite. Broken or frayed reinforcement cords in a reinforced composite cause changes in the vibration signature of the composite, and the apparatus used in the method of the invention employs a low damping material which is used in proximal contact to all the reinforcement cords in the reinforced composite, and one or more sensors to detect said changes. The apparatus may also include a computer for collating data, analyzing data, and providing a signal when an anomalous cord is recognized.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting frayed or broken reinforcement cords in a reinforced composite such as a tire.
Using a pneumatic tire for the purposes of illustration, when a tire goes flat, is run long periods of time underinflated, or hits road objects, the reinforcement cords in the carcass ply are sometimes frayed or broken without any visible change in the tire.
Unseen cord breaks are particularly a problem when retreading tires, because the expense and time needed to retread a defective carcass is wasted.
Although some experienced individuals have acquired the ability to recognize such sidewall defects with good precision on observation, such individuals are scarce, and it is important that a correct diagnosis be made each time a tire carcass is inspected prior to retreading.
X-ray inspection has been used in retreading operations, but x-ray equipment is expensive, requires extra safety precautions to use, and some breaks, where the broken ends are not displaced, may not be observable on the x-ray screen.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reliable, inexpensive method of detecting frayed or broken cords in a reinforced composite, and to provide an apparatus to be used in the method. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

Method and apparatus for detecting cords in composites


Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a policy and charging rules node (PCRN) of updating a policy and charging control (PCC) rule. The method includes: receiving a filter update request comprising a new filter and a reference filter; matching the reference filter with a previously requested PCC rule; determining a set of filters associated with the service data flow; determining whether any filter of the set of filters is removed; and authorizing quality of service (QoS) information based on the remaining filters of the set of filters. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a processor for performing the method.

As the demand increases for varying types of applications within mobile telecommunications networks, service providers must constantly upgrade their systems in order to reliably provide this expanded functionality. What was once a system designed simply for voice communication has grown into an all-purpose network access point, providing access to a myriad of applications including text messaging, multimedia streaming, and general Internet access. As seen in second and third generation networks, voice services must be carried over dedicated voice channels and directed toward a circuit-switched core, while other service communications are transmitted according to the Internet Protocol (IP) and directed toward a different, packet-switched core. This led to unique problems regarding application provision, metering and charging, and quality of experience (QoE) assurance.
In an effort to simplify the dual core approach of the second and third generations, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has recommended a new network scheme it terms "Long Term Evolution" (LTE). In an LTE network, all communications are carried over an IP channel from user equipment (UE) to an all-IP core called the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). The EPC then provides gateway access to other networks while ensuring an acceptable QoE and charging a subscriber for their particular network activity.
The 3GPP generally describes the components of the EPC and their interactions with each other in a number of technical specifications. Specifically, 3GPP TS 29.212, 3GPP TS 29.213, and 3GPP TS 29.214 describe the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF), and Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF) of the EPC. These specifications further provide some guidance as to how these elements interact in order to provide reliable data services and charge subscribers for use thereof.
For example, 3GPP TS 29.212, 29.213, and 29.214 specifications provide some guidance on generating policy and charging control (PCC) rules. 3GPP TS 29.212 describes the steps taken by a PCRF when it receives requests for PCC rules from the PCEF or requests for quality of service (QoS) rules from the BBERF. 3GPP TS 29.213 describes QoS authorization based on requested QoS for service data flows (SDF). 3GPP TS 29.214 describes the steps taken by a PCRF when it receives request for PCC rules from an application function (AF).
The specifications, however, do not provide for determining QoS information when sessions are updated with new filters. More specifically, the specifications do not handle updates of PCC rules where QoS information is combined for multiple filters including removed filters.

PCC QoS authorization based on rule split and flow direction


Techniques for cross-selling keywords among keyword bidding entities (e.g., advertisers) based upon bidding patterns are provided. Utilizing a keyword suggestion tool in accordance with one embodiment, upon receipt of a first keyword, may examine all additional keywords that have been paired with the first keyword in the bidding patterns of other bidding entities and recommend one or more of the paired keywords to the bidding entity for consideration. In another embodiment, a keyword suggestion tool, upon receipt of a keyword from a first bidding entity, may examine the bidding pattern of the first bidding entity in comparison to the bidding patterns of other bidding entities to identify bidding entities that are similar to the bidding entity. Recommendations may then be made to the first bidding entity based upon keywords that the identified similar bidding entities have bid.

In the paid search advertising industry, content and context are the primary criteria utilized to measure similarity between keywords. As such, these two measures are commonly used in keyword suggestion tools, that is, tools that suggest to an entity (e.g., an advertiser) upon receipt of a first keyword, one or more additional keywords upon which it may want to consider placing a bid as well. For example, if an advertiser places a bid on the keyword "vehicle", a keyword suggestion tool may also suggest words having similar meaning, e.g., "automobile", "motorcycle", "bus", and the like.
While additional keyword suggestion is beneficial to advertisers seeking to place keywords, content and/or context similarity keyword suggestions provide an advertiser with fairly limited information from which to evaluate their keyword bidding strategies. Additionally, referring back to the above examples the suggested keywords are often words or terms that the advertiser likely could have formulated on their own, simply by being intimately involved in their specific industry.

Recommending keywords based on bidding patterns


A garage door opening module is disclosed, the module comprises a power unit having a rotatable output drive, an endless transmission drive adapted to transfer movement from the rotatable output drive to a door drive, and a sensor mechanism positioned along the endless transmission drive and adapted to sense a transmission drive slack, the sensor mechanism adapted to stop the power unit when a transmission drive slack displacement threshold is reached. A method for actuating a garage door and a sensor module for preventing movements of an assisted garage door are also disclosed.

Assisted garage door opening mechanisms are used to automatically open a garage door without human intervention. They help to assist opening/closing garage doors or simply allow remote actuation of a garage door (e.g. from inside the car with a wireless transmitter).
The assisted garage door opening mechanism is commonly installed inside the garage and is mechanically connected to the garage door to alternatively move the garage door up and down.
A locking mechanism is usually installed on the garage door to manually lock the garage door in a closed position and secure the goods stored in the garage. The locking mechanism can be a simple steel rod secured to the garage door and selectively engaging an associated opening in a garage doorframe thus preventing the garage door from opening.
The locking mechanism, when engaged, prevents people outside the garage to open the door but also prevents the assisted garage door opening mechanism to open the garage door. The assisted garage door opening mechanism will force against the locking mechanism if the assisted garage door opening mechanism is activated when the garage door is locked. This happens because the assisted garage door opening mechanism cannot make the difference between a locked and unlocked garage door.
Known assisted garage door opening mechanisms can be equipped with end-of-travel sensors. An end-of-travel sensor senses when the garage door reaches its opened position and another end-of-travel sensor senses when the garage door reaches its closed position. The opened position end-of-travel sensor sends a signal to the assisted garage door opening mechanism to stop opening the garage door. In contrast, the closed position end-of-travel sensor sends a signal to the assisted garage door opening mechanism to stop closing the garage door. In both situations the movement of the garage door is stopped because it has reached its desired position. Unfortunately, these end-of-travel sensors are not helpful in preventing the assisted garage door opening mechanism to try to open a locked garage door because the garage door is already in its closed position. The closed position end-of-travel sensor being already activated and the open position end-of-travel sensor being not activated the assisted garage door opening mechanism infers it can move the garage door upward despite the garage door might be locked.
Therefore, a need has been found for an improved garage door opening mechanism. Similarly, a need has arisen for an improved garage door opening mechanism that will not enable to move a locked garage door or a garage door that is blocked. There is also a need for a retrofit module that can be added to a garage door opening mechanism to prevent the garage door to open a locked garage door.

Sensing mechanism for an assisted garage door


An organic electroluminescence display device is disclosed wherein plural organic electroluminescence elements each having an anode, a cathode and an organic layer sandwiched in between the anode and the cathode, the plural organic electroluminescence elements including organic electroluminescence elements developing different colors in a row direction, and at least one of the organic layers having an outer edge of a conic section at an end portion in a column direction thereof, the outer edge of the conic section becoming narrower gradually in its width in a row direction of vapor deposition thereof toward an extreme end at an end portion in a column direction thereof. The organic electroluminescence display device can improve the vapor deposition accuracy and the degree of design freedom.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vapor deposition area of an organic layer in an organic electroluminescence (EL) display device.
(2) Description of the Related Art
As methods for forming a film of an organic layer of an organic EL display device there are known a printing method and a vapor deposition method. It is mainly the vapor deposition method that is practically applied to an organic EL display device using a low molecular organic material. Also as to an upper electrode, a film is formed mainly by vapor deposition.
A laminate structure of a conventional organic film is composed of an anode electrode as a lower electrode, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and a cathode electrode as a combined upper electrode and electron injection layer of LiF/Al.
In case of adopting a distinctive coating method which affords light emitting layers different pixel by pixel, it is also known to form the anode electrode, hole injection layer, hole transport layer and cathode electrode as a continuous film common to all pixels and effect coating distinctively pixel by pixel causing the electron transport layer and the light emitting layer to emit light.
The present inventor has been studying the structure of a bottom emission active matrix type organic EL display device. According to this structure now under study, the metal of a cathode serving as an upper electrode is formed as a film just above an organic film and, for the supply of voltage to the cathode, the cathode is connected through a bank contact hole to an electrode (cathode contact) provided on a circuit board wiring.
Heretofore, contact holes for cathode contacts have not been disposed near pixels because of a poor deposition accuracy using a vapor deposition mask. In the sense of preventing a lowering of cathode voltage it is preferable that the number of cathode contacts be as large as possible and be positioned near pixels. When the degree of design freedom is taken into account, it is preferable that the number of areas where cathode contacts can be disposed be as large as possible.
A conventional vapor deposition mask is poor in vapor deposition accuracy particularly at an opening end thereof and, when it is intended to form a uniform film including display pixels, it has heretofore been required to vapor-deposit an organic layer up to an area going largely over a display pixel area and a dummy pixel area.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an organic EL display device which is high vapor deposition accuracy even if the vapor deposition area located outside display pixels and dummy pixels is small and which can improve the degree of design freedom.

Organic electroluminescence display device


Rulers and templates that are used to create several connected picots (or prairie points) made from a single piece of material, as well as methods for making and using such rulers, are described in this application. The rulers described in this application have a plurality of evenly spaced, alternating slots formed or cut in opposite, parallel edges of a substrate, resulting in evenly spaced, alternating tabs located on the opposite, parallel edges of the substrate. The ruler may be used to cut or mark material into connected squares that may be folded to make picots. The resulting picots are of uniform size and spacing, and are connected as a unitary piece of material.

Often, making quilts can involve tedious tasks such as cutting multiple pieces of fabric to be used in a quilt. Many times, these multiple pieces of fabric must be equal sizes to create patterns in the quilt. One such pattern involves making picot or prairie points, which are often used in borders. Picot borders are overlapping triangles on the edges of sewn items such as quilts, baby blankets, clothing, etc. Picots are usually evenly spaced along an edge of a quilt or blanket such that the edge has a saw-tooth effect.
As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, to make traditional picots 10, the edge 22 of the project 20 to be covered with picots 10 is measured and the number of picots 10 needed is determined based on the amount of overlap of the picots desired, the desired size of picots, and the linear measurement of the edges 22 to be decorated with picots. One square 10 is then cut out of fabric for each picot 10 needed. Each of the squares must be the same size and be square, such that all four sides have the same measurement. Measuring, marking, and cutting each picot square 10 using a traditional ruler, marking tool and cutter, such as a rotary cutter or scissors, is time consuming and difficult due to the repetition and precision required.
Each square 10 is then folded in half to create a triangle (FIG. 1A), and then folded in half again to form a smaller triangle (FIG. 1B). After folding, each of the cut edges of the fabric square are together on one edge of the triangle. The triangle 10 is then stitched 12 or glued at the cut edges to hold the triangle 10 in place, making a picot 10. Alternatively, the picot 10 may be pinned or taped to hold the triangular shape.
The steps are repeated for each of the needed picots 10 in the project 20. The picots 10 are then lined up along the edge 22 of the project 20 to be decorated with picots 10 and sewn into place (FIG. 1D). Precise placement of the picots 10 is necessary to achieve an evenly spaced and aligned picot border. Each step in creating a picot border is time consuming and requires precision to ensure a desirable outcome. Because of the time consuming nature and requirement of a highly skilled person to create the picot border, quilts, blankets, and other projects with picot borders are highly desirable. Similarly, people desiring to make a project with a picot border do not undertake the project lightly due to the time and skill required.


Various aspects of a system, a method, and a computer program product for determining a distance to the object on a road are disclosed herein. In accordance with an embodiment, the system includes a memory and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive visual data, location data and motion data of the vehicle corresponding to the first instance in time, and map data corresponding to the location data. The processor may be configured to calculate a distance of the vehicle from the object based on the visual data. The processor may be further configured to validate the location data, the motion data, and the calculated distance of the vehicle from the object, based on the map data. The processor may be further configured to generate output data corresponding to the object, based on the validated location data, the validated motion data, and the validated distance of the vehicle from the object.

Recent developments in smart phone applications have been popularly used by drivers of vehicles for navigation, such as, tracking any location, person, and vehicle to navigating around in unknown territory. Further, driving a vehicle may demand a high attention of a driver and any distraction that may pull a driver's attention away from the road, may result in endangering the driver, passengers, and bystanders.
In certain scenarios, the driver may use one or more applications on a smart phone for navigation from one location to another location. In such scenarios, the driver may have to activate and interact with the smart phone application, such as, a built-in car-media-center application. In certain scenarios, the driver may miss presence of an obstacle, such as a traffic pole on the road, during use of a smart phone application that may potentially cause an accident. In some scenarios, the driver may miss a demand, such as signaling from a potential customer to stop the vehicle. In other scenarios, the driver may wrongly estimate a distance of an object, such as, the obstacle ahead of the vehicle because of the distraction while using the smart phone application. The existing systems that calculate the distance between the vehicle and the object may be expensive, inaccurate and require careful installation of hardware.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of described systems with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawings.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method for determining distance to object on road


Generation of dark current due to emission of back lighting to radiation image detectors is sufficiently suppressed. A radiation image detecting apparatus includes a radiation image detector and a light emitting section. A biasing electrode to which a biasing voltage is applied, a photoconductive layer for generating electric charges when irradiated with recording electromagnetic waves bearing a radiation image, a substrate side charge transport layer for transporting the electric charges which are generated in the photoconductive layer, and an active matrix substrate provided with a plurality of charge collecting electrodes for collecting the electric charges which are generated in the photoconductive layer, are laminated in this order to form the radiation image detector. The light emitting section emits light onto the radiation image detector at least during irradiation of the recording electromagnetic waves. The average composition of the substrate side charge transport layer is SbxS100-x (41≦x≦60).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a radiation image detecting apparatus equipped with a radiation image detector that records radiation images, by generating electric charges when irradiated by recording electromagnetic waves that bear radiation images, and accumulating the generated electric charges. The present invention is particularly related to a radiation image detecting apparatus which is further equipped with a light emitting means for emitting light onto the radiation image detector during irradiation of the recording electromagnetic waves.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of radiation image detectors that record radiation images of subjects when irradiated by radiation which has passed through the subjects have been proposed and are in practical use, in the field of medicine and the like.
There are radiation image detectors that utilize amorphous selenium that generate electric charges when irradiated by radiation. Radiation image detectors of this type that employ the TFT readout method have been proposed.
A radiation image detector that employs the TFT readout method and is constituted by: a biasing electrode, to which a biasing voltage is applied; a photoconductive layer for generating electric charges when irradiated with radiation; and an active matrix substrate, in which a great number of pixels that include charge collecting electrodes for collecting the electric charges, which are generated in the photoconductive layer, accumulating capacitors for accumulating the electric charges collected by the charge collecting electrodes, and TFT switches for reading out the electric charges, which are accumulated in the accumulating capacitors, are arranged two dimensionally, are laminated, for example, has been proposed.
In the TFT readout type radiation image detector having the construction described above, radiation which has passed through a subject and bears a radiation image is irradiated onto the radiation image detector from the side of the biasing electrode, in a state during which a positive voltage is being applied to the biasing electrode from a voltage source, to record the radiation image.
The radiation which is irradiated onto the radiation image detector passes through the biasing electrode, and is enters the photoconductive layer. The radiation causes charge pairs to be generated in the photoconductive layer. Among the generated charge pairs, negative electric charges combine with the positive electric charges which are charged in the biasing electrode, and disappear. Meanwhile, positive electric charges from among the generated charge are collected by the charge collecting electrodes of each pixel of the active matrix substrate, accumulated in the accumulating capacitors, and recorded as a radiation image.
The TFT switches of the active matrix substrate are turned ON according to control signals output from a gate driver, to read out the electric charges which are accumulated in the accumulating capacitors. The electric charges are amplified as charge signals by a charge amplifier and detected, to read out image signals corresponding to the radiation image.
In radiation image detectors that employ active matrix substrates as described above, no electrodes for discharging electric charges are provided in the spaces among the charge collecting electrodes which are divided for each pixel. Therefore, the electric charges which are generated due to the irradiation of radiation tend to accumulate within these spaces. As a result, the electric fields which are formed within the photoconductive layer become distorted, causing the problems that the sensitive area of the photoconductive layer changes, and that the sensitivity thereof varies. In addition, there is a problem that the electric charges which have accumulated in the spaces among the charge collecting electrode leak out during readout of charge signals after irradiation of radiation is ceased. The leaked electric charges are output as residual images, causing residual image properties (lag properties) to deteriorate.
To address the above problems, radiation image detecting apparatuses equipped with light sources for emitting back light from the active matrix substrate side of radiation image detectors has been proposed (refer to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,995,375, and 7,034,312, for example). Electric charges can be accumulated in the spaces among charge collecting electrodes in advance by emitting the back light onto the radiation image detector during irradiation of radiation. Thereby, electric fields which are formed within a photoconductive layer can be distorted in advance. Accordingly, the electric charges which are generated due to the irradiation of the radiation do not accumulate within the aforementioned spaces, move along the electric fields which are distorted in advance, and are collected by the charge collecting electrodes. That is, change in the sensitive area of the photoconductive layer, and the variation in the sensitivity thereof can be suppressed. In addition, the electric charges that leak out from the spaces among the charge collecting electrodes can be prevented from being output as residual images, by continuing to emit the back light after irradiation of the radiation has ceased.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,995,375, and 7,034,312, also proposes a radiation image detector provided with an intermediate layer formed by Sb2S3 between the photoconductive layer and the active matrix substrate. The amount of back light which is emitted into the photoconductive layer can be decreased by providing the intermediate layer, thereby suppressing generation of dark current within the photoconductive layer.
However, an intermediate layer formed by Sb2S3 cannot sufficiently absorb back light, and generation of dark current within the photoconductive layer due to emission of the back light thereon remains a problem.


An external fixator for securing a first bone portion in a position relative to a second bone portion. The fixator includes a first clamping assembly for receiving a first bone screw connected to the first bone portion and a second clamping assembly for receiving a second bone screw connected to the second bone portion. The first and second clamping assemblies are interconnected by a main body which includes a plurality of serrated joints. Each serrated joint preferably includes first and second overlapping flanges which carry cooperating serrated surfaces adapted to selectively interlock. Each joint includes a fastener defining a pivot axis, the fasteners being operative to mechanically separate the cooperating serrated surfaces upon rotation in a first direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to orthopedic surgical procedures, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for external fixation of bones.
2. Description of the Related Art
In various orthopedic surgical procedures, it is desired to secure two or more portions of bone in a relatively fixed relationship to each other. This need is often a result of a fracture which has occurred to the bone. To ensure that the bone can properly regenerate and fuse the fractures of the bone, it is important that the various bone portions be fixed at desired positions during bone regeneration. Often, the bone portions can be held in their desired positions with a cast.
Various external fixation devices for the repair of traumatized bone are also known. For example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,442 to Bailey et al. discloses an apparatus for the external fixation of small bones. The apparatus is illustrated to generally include a bone screw clamp for receiving a first bone screw which is connected to a first bone portion. The external fixator further includes a bone screw clamp which is operable to receive a second bone screw connected to the second bone portion. The first and second bone screw clamps include a spherical portion. The external fixator further includes a connection member for securing the spherical portions of the bone screw clamps. The connection member defines a radiographic window to permit radiographic examination of the bone fracture without removing the apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,442 is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
While known fixators, including the type described above, have proven to be commercially acceptable for certain applications, they nevertheless can be the subject of improvements.

Method and apparatus for external bone fixator


A CVD-coated cutting tool insert with a TiCxNy-layer with a low tensile stress level of 10-300 MPa and an α-Al2O3-layer with a high surface smoothness of <0.1 μm as measured by AFM-technique is disclosed. This is obtained by subjecting the coating to a first intensive wet blasting operation with a slurry of F80 grits of Al2O3 followed by a second wet blasting treatment with a slurry of F320 grits of Al2O3.

The present invention relates to a CVD coated cutting tool insert suitable for machining of metals by turning, milling, drilling or by similar chip forming machining methods. The coated tool insert shows improved toughness behavior when used in interrupted cutting operations.
Modern high productivity chip forming machining of metals requires reliable tool inserts with high wear resistance, good toughness properties and excellent resistance to plastic deformation.
This has been achieved so far by employing a cemented carbide insert coated with a wear resistant coating. The cemented carbide insert is generally in the shape of an indexable insert clamped in a tool holder, but can also be in the form of a solid carbide drill or a milling cutter. Cemented carbide cutting tool inserts coated with various types of hard layers like TiC, TiCxNy, TiN, TiCxNyOz and Al2O3 have been commercially available for many years. Several hard layers in a multilayer structure generally build up such coatings. The sequence and the thickness of the individual layers are carefully chosen to suit different cutting application areas and work-piece materials.
The coatings are most frequently deposited by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) or Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques. In some rare cases Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition (PACVD) has also been practiced.
The CVD-technique is often preferred over PVD as it has several advantages. It allows larger coating batches, produces coatings with good coating thickness distribution on complex shaped inserts, has a high throwing power, can be used to deposit electrical non-conducting layers like Al2O3 and ZrO2. Many different materials can be deposited in the same coating run like, e. g., Al2O3, TiC, TiCxNy, TiN, TiCxNyOz, ZrCxNy and ZrO2.
The CVD technique is conducted at a rather high temperature range, from about 950 to about 1050° C. Due to this high deposition temperature and to a mismatch in thermal coefficient of expansion between the deposited coating materials and the cemented carbide tool insert, CVD produces coatings with cooling cracks and tensile stresses.
PVD processes run at a significantly lower temperature, from about 450 to about 650° C. and are performed under strong ion bombardment which leads to crack free layers with high compressive stresses. The high compressive stresses and the absence of cooling cracks make PVD coated tool inserts much tougher than CVD-coated tool inserts and are therefore often preferred in interrupted cutting operations like in milling.
A noticeable improvement in performance of CVD-coated tool inserts came about when the MTCVD (Moderate Temperature CVD)-technique begun to come into the tool industry about 5-10 years ago. An improvement in the toughness properties of the cutting tool insert was obtained. Today, the majority of tool producers use this technique. Unfortunately, the MTCVD technique is limited only to fabrication of TiCxNy-layers with x being greater than about 0.5, but less than about 0.7 and y being greater than about 0.3 but less than about 0.5 and x+y equal or close to 1. The deposition process here takes place at temperatures in the range from about 700 to about 930° C. It uses a gas mixture of CH3CN, TiCl4 and H2. Today's modern coatings also include at least one layer of Al2O3 in order to achieve high crater wear resistance.
A further improvement in the toughness properties could be obtained when also the deposition temperature for the α-Al2O3 process became possible as disclosed in patent application EP-A-1464727.
Post treatment of coated cutting inserts by brushing or by wet blasting is disclosed in several patents. The purpose is to achieve a smooth cutting edge and/or to expose the Al2O3 along the edge line as, e. g., disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,687 and in EP 603 144 or to obtain the Al2O3 as the top layer also on the rake face in those cases when TiN is used as a wear detection layer at the flank face as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,210. Every treatment technique that exposes a surface like, e. g., a coating surface for an impact force such as does, e. g., wet- or dry blasting or ultra sonic shock waves, will have some influence on the stress state (σ) of the coating. However, to considerably relieve tensile stresses in all layers in a CVD-coating structure an intensive surface treatment is required. However, such a treatment may even lead to a too big change in the stress state, e. g., from highly tensile to highly compressive as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,884,496, in which a dry blasting technique is used.
For the wet blasting technique, the blasting media, usually Al2O3 grits and water, have to strike the coating surface with a high impulse. The impact force can be controlled by, e. g., the blasting pulp pressure, the distance between blasting nozzle and coating surface, grain size of the blasting media, the concentration of the blasting media and the impact angle of the blasting jet.
Despite these progresses further improvements in toughness properties of CVD-coated tool inserts are very desirable.


A process for producing fine particles of polyamide-imide resin includes a dissolution step and a precipitation step wherein the dissolution step is selected from steps (a1) and (b1); (a1) polyamide-imide resin is dissolved in an organic solvent to prepare a polyamide-imide resin solution A1 having a polyamide-imide resin content of less than 5 mass %; and (b1) polyamide-imide resin is dissolved in an organic solvent to prepare a polyamide-imide resin solution B1 having a polyamide-imide resin content of less than 10 mass %, and the precipitation step is selected from (a2) the polyamide-imide resin solution A1 is added to a solvent that is virtually free from surface active agents and able to precipitate fine particles of the polyamide-imide resin to cause precipitation of fine particles of the polyamide-imide resin, and (b2) the polyamide-imide resin solution B1 is subjected to flash crystallization to cause precipitation of fine particles of the polyamide-imide resin.

Polyamide-imide resin is high in heat resistance, chemical resistance, wear resistant, etc., and has been used in producing industrial machine parts, films, electric/electronic parts, automobile parts, and aerospace related components. When polyamide-imide is used for a coating, it is commonly dissolved in an organic solvent and applied as varnish. In recent years, however, reduction in volatility organic compounds (VOCs) has become an important issue and there is a strong call to minimize VOC consumption. A solution is to use polyamide-imide in the form of fine powder. Fine powder can be directly sprayed on a component, or coating can be conducted by preparing an aqueous dispersion and spreading it on a component followed by removing water. Furthermore, fine particles of polyamide-imide resin may be added to other resins or composite materials to develop thixotropy or enhance impact resistance, or may be mixed with other resins to provide materials for shims of disk brakes or the like.
In this way, fine particles of polyamide-imide resin have been used in many application fields and expected to find many new uses in the future. However, they should be dispersed uniformly in water or resin if good properties of polyamide-imide resin are to be drawn on by mixing it with water or resin. To this end, it is preferable that these fine particles have an average primary particle diameter of 300 nm or less, and it is particularly preferable that they have a uniform diameter of 200 nm or less.
A known method to synthesize fine particles of polyamide-imide resin is subjecting a first solution containing an acid chloride such as trimellitic anhydride chloride and a second solution containing a diamine compound such as 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether to ultrasonic agitation in the presence of a solvent soluble in both the first and second solutions to produce fine particles of polyamide-imide resin (Japanese Patent No. 4304434, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. 2005-97370 and 2006-257345). This method, however, requires a special apparatus to generate ultrasonic waves and has many disadvantages in producing fine polyamide-imide particles industrially. These publications, furthermore, only address, as a specific example, production of fine polyamide particles from dicarboxylic acid chloride, used as acid chloride, and disclose no examples of producing fine particles of polyamide-imide resin.
Elsewhere, a method for producing fine particles of polyamide-imide resin by spray drying has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. HEI-4-285660. In that method, polyamide-imide resin dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone is spray-dried using a Mobile Minor type spray drier to produce fine polyamide-imide particles with an average particle diameter of 4.5 μm. Some studies have disclosed methods for producing, for instance, fine particles of polyamide-imide resin with an average particle diameter of 3 μm through polymerization of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and trimellitic anhydride (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) Nos. HEI-11-246759 and 2000-17073). It is impossible for these methods, however, to produce fine particles of polyamide-imide resin of 1 μm or less.
In another disclosed method, polyamide-imide resin dissolved in 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone is added to an aqueous solution of a surface active agent having a phenyl group, followed by precipitating fine particles of the polyamide-imide resin (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2009-067880). Although able to produce fine particles of polyamide-imide resin of 1 μM or less, this method is low in reproducibility because the particle diameter varies largely depending on the concentration of the surface active agent, the rotating speed of the stirrer, and the time elapsing before the start of dripping of the solution of polyamide-imide resin into the aqueous solution of a surface active agent. As a result, it is not always possible to obtain fine particles of polyamide-imide resin of 1 μm or less. In addition, that method is limited to 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone as the solvent to dissolve the PAI resin and requires high speed stirring at 1,000 to 4,000 rpm, leading to various problems in developing industrial production processes.
Under such circumstances, there is now a strong call for development of a process that can perform mass production with a high reproducibility of highly uniform fine particles of polyamide-imide resin with an average primary particle diameter of 300 nm or less, preferably 200 nm or less.
Thus, it could be helpful to provide a process to produce fine particles of polyamide-imide resin (hereinafter, "polyamide-imide" may be abbreviated as PAI) that can be carried out industrially by simple operations.

Process for production of polyamideimide resin microparticles, and polyamideimide resin microparticles


Provided is a methanol production process from hydrocarbon which lessens generation of waste water and reduces boiler water. Specifically, there are provided a methanol production process comprising the steps of (a) reacting hydrocarbon with steam to generate a synthesis gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as main components, (b) reacting the synthesis gas on a methanol synthesis catalyst and recovering crude liquid methanol, and (c) distilling the recovered crude methanol into refined methanol and waste water, wherein the hydrocarbon comes in contact with the waste water neutralized with alkali metal salt or the like at the step (c) so as to be humidified, and comes in contact with condensed water separated from the synthetic gas obtained at the step (a) so as to be further humidified, and is then supplied to the step (a).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a methanol production process starting from hydrocarbon, and more particularly to an improved methanol production process which lessens generation of waste water and saves the amount of boiler feed water.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 1-180841/1989 discloses that a process for producing methanol from hydrocarbon, generally consists of the following steps:
(1) a synthesis gas preparation step wherein steam is reacted with gaseous hydrocarbon or vaporized hydrocarbon liquid on a nickel-based catalyst at a temperature of 800 to 1000.degree. C. in a reforming furnace, thereby preparing synthetic gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as main components; PA1 (2) a synthesizing step wherein the synthesis gas is reacted on a copper-based catalyst at a pressure of 50 to 150 atm and a temperature of 200 to 300.degree. C., and the resulting crude liquid methanol is separated from the reacted gas; and PA1 (3) a distilling step wherein the crude liquid methanol is distilled through one or more distillation columns, thereby separating refined methanol from waste water containing one or more organic compounds having lower boiling points than that of methanol (hereinafter referred to as lower b.p. organic compounds), and one or more organic acids as well as one or more organic compounds having higher boiling points than that of the methanol (hereinafter referred to as higher b.p. organic compounds). PA1 (a) a large number of higher b.p. organic compounds. For example, higher alcohol having a carbon number of 2 or more and paraffins having a carbon number of 14 to 60. PA1 (b) organic acid salt and ester such as those of formic acid. PA1 (c) alkali metal salt. PA1 (1) a process for producing methanol from hydrocarbon comprising the steps of (a) reacting hydrocarbon with steam to generate synthesis gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as main components, (b) reacting the synthesis gas on a catalyst for methanol synthesis and recovering crude liquid methanol from the reacted gas, and (c) distilling the crude methanol into refined methanol and waste water containing lower b.p. organic compounds, higher b.p. organic compounds and organic acids, wherein the hydrocarbon comes in contact with the waste water which has been neutralized with alkali metal salt or hydroxide in the step (c) so as to be humidified, and comes in contact with condensed water separated from the synthesis gas obtained in the step (a) so as to be further humidified, and is then supplied to the step (a); and PA1 (2) As one of the preferred embodiments for (1), the process for preparing methanol synthesis gas from hydrocarbon, wherein when the hydrocarbon comes in contact with the waste water which has been neutralized with the alkali metal salt or hydroxide at the step (c) so as to be humidified, the hydrocarbon preheated to a temperature of 250 to 430.degree. C. adiabatically comes in contact with the waste water so as to be humidified.
In the synthesis gas preparation step, usually, it is necessary to supply steam having the three times moles of the number of carbons of hydrocarbon used as a starting material. For example, 3 m.sup.3 of H.sub.2 O is added for 1 m.sup.3 of CH.sub.4. Thus, a large amount of steam is required for preparing methanol synthesis gas. By utilizing heat generated at each preparation step, steam is recovered from water having a high purity so as to be used for a process.
In the synthesizing step, methanol is produced from carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the synthesis gas, while methanol and water are generated from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The water and some impurities are contained, together with the methanol, in the crude liquid methanol, and are separated at the next distillation step. The separated water is discharged from the system without being utilized further.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publications Nos. 51-115505/1976, 55-139492/1980, 60-245997/1985, 57-18640/1982, and 1-180841/1989 disclose process for reducing the amount of steam required for the conventional synthesis gas preparation process.
In the methanol production process described above, a large amount of expensive water with high quality is needed as boiler water. Since the water separated in the distillation step contains the following components and can be hardly utilized, it is discarded as it is.
The organic acid salt and ester have high acidity and corrosivity. For this reason, for example, alkali metal hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide, or carbonate such as sodium carbonate is added for neutralization. Consequently, alkali metal salt is contained in waste water in the distillation step as described in the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 57-18640/1982.
It is extremely difficult to remove these impurities from the waste water obtained in the distillation step, and a great deal of cost is required to utilize the waste water as boiler water for a methanol production process. Therefore, the waste water is discarded without being further utilized.
Furthermore, since the waste water contains the said components, it is hazardous to the public and needs to be subjected to a waste water treatment such as a biological treatment.
Thus, the waste water obtained in the distillation step contains a large number of organic compounds and the like and should be subjected to the waste water treatment. For this reason, a great deal of cost is required. If the waste water can be utilized for the process, the required amount of the expensive boiler water can be reduced. Therefore, it has been desired that the waste water should be recycled.
The present inventors disclose a process for process steam reduction, being performed at a process in which an alkali metal compound is not added in the distillation step as described in the Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 1-180841/1989. In this process, stainless materials having nickel and chromium are placed for materials of a distillation column and a hydrocarbon humidifier. The amount of waste water to be supplied is set to 1/10 to 1/20 as much as that for a conventional process in order to prevent the concentration of organic acid from increasing in the humidifier. Thus, corrosion of the material caused by the organic acid can be avoided and the waste water can be utilized.
According to the above-mentioned process, while the amount of the waste water can be decreased and the boiler water can be reduced, cost is increased because stainless steel having a higher grade than carbon steel is used for materials of the humidifier and the distillation column.


A novel human GTPase polypeptide intracellular molecular switch is described. A full length cDNA which encodes the signal transduction polypeptide is disclosed as well as the interior structural region and the amino acid residue sequence of the human GTPase. Methods are provided to identify compounds that modulate the biological activity of the native signal switch biomolecule and hence regulate cellular and tissue physiology.

G proteins function as cellular biological switches, which effectively determine when and for how long signal transduction pathways are activated. The biological switch is activated when GTP (guanosine triphosphate) is bound, and inactivated when GTP is hydrolyzed to GDP (guanosine diphosphate). The rate of hydrolysis determines the duration between biological activation of the signal pathway and deactivation. G protein signal transducers form a superfamily of GTPases. GTPase family members, most notably the products of ras genes, regulate the rate of cell division. Linder, M. E., et al., Scientific American, 56:56 (1992).
Many important cell-surface receptors for hormones and sensory stimuli, for example, transduce extracellular stimuli into cellular responses by promoting formation of the GTP-bound state of their GTPase targets. Each protein in the family is a precisely engineered molecular switch that can change its affinities for other macromolecules. Turned on by binding GTP and off by hydrolysing GTP to GDP, the switch mechanism is remarkably versatile, enabling different GTPases to sort and amplify transmembrane signals, direct the synthesis and translocation of proteins, guide vesicular traffic through the cytoplasm, and control proliferation and differentiation of cells. As targets of mutation and microbial toxins, GTPases have pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of cancer and infectious diseases. Bourne, H. R., et al., Nature, 349:117 (1991).
Ras is a small guanine nucleotide binding GTPase that transduces biological information from the cell surface to the nucleus. Its ability to transfer growth signals from receptor tyrosine kinases to a mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade puts it in the heart of signaling pathways that cause proliferation in normal cells and uncontrolled growth in cancer cells. Indeed, mutations that lock Ras in its active, GTP-bound state lead to malignant transformation and are among the most frequently identified mutations in human cancers. Barbacid, M., Annu. Rev. Biochem., 56:779 (1987); McCormick, F., Nature, 363:15-16 (1993). The Ras family of low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins has been implicated in a wide range of cellular processes, including cell growth and differentiation, intracellular vesicular trafficking, nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cytoskeletonal reorganization. Bourne, H. R., et al., Nature, 348:125 (1990); Zerial, M., et al., Guidebook to the Small GTPases, Oxford University Press, New York (1995).
A newly described subfamily of Ras-like GTPases composed of the Rad, Kir, and Gem proteins is now apparent. Finlin, B. S., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:35, 21982 (1997). The members of this Ras subfamily are subject to transcriptional regulation. Rad is overexpressed in muscle of type II diabetes patients and Kir/Gem expression is induced by oncogenic kinases (reviewed infra). Kahn, C. R., et al., Science, 262:1441 (1993); Cohen, L. et al., Transcriptional Activation of a Ras-like Gene (Kir) by Oncogenic Tyrosine Kinases, PNAS, 91:12448 (1994). Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, or Type II diabetes) is among the most common metabolic disorders, affecting up to 6% of the population of the United States. The high incidence of diabetes in certain populations and among first-degree relatives of Type II diabetic patients, as well as the high concordance in identical twins, provide strong evidence that genetic factors underlie susceptibility to this disease. Reynet, C., et al., Rad: A Member of the Ras Family Overexpressed in Muscle of Type II Diabetic Humans, Science, 262:1441 (1993). Rad has also been shown to associate with skeletal muscle .beta.-tropomyosin and the cytoskeleton of muscle cells and to inhibit insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in a variety of cultured cell lines. Zhu, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271:2, 768 (1996); Moyers, J. S., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 271:23111 (1996).
The mRNA levels of both Kir and Gem are transcriptionally induced in activated T-lymphocytes. lymphocytes. Finlin, B. S., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:35, 21982 (1997). Murine Kir and Gem nucleotide sequences are 98.4% identical in their coding sequence and most likely encode the same protein or very highly related proteins, referred to as Kir/Gem. Cohen, L. et al., Transcriptional Activation of a Ras-like Gene (Kir) by Oncogenic Tyrosine Kinases, PNAS, 91:12448 (1994). Gem, shares significant sequence homology with Rad and is a mitogen-induced immediate early gene product in T lymphocytes. Zhu, J., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 271:2, 768 (1996). Moreover, deregulated expression of Gem has been demonstrated to prevent proliferation of normal and transformed 3T3 cells, clearly suggesting that Gem is involved in regulating signaling pathways that influence cell growth. Maguire, J., et al., Science. 265:241 (1994). Furthermore, cellular levels of Kir are dramatically increased in pre-B cells transformed by a set of abl tyrosine kinase oncogenes. Cohen, L. et al., PNAS, 91:12448 (1994). The correlation between Kir expression and the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of BCL/ABL and v-ABL transformed cells suggests that Kir participates in the processes of metastasis. Genetic analysis moreover suggests that Kir acts upstream of the STE20 kinase and results in the activation of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascasde. Doreen, D. et al., Oncogene, 11:2267 (1995). These results are consistent with an increasingly accepted model in which members of the Kir/Gem and Rad subfamily, regulate growth-related cellular signaling cascades by controlling the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Finlin, B. S., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:35, 21982 (1997); Fischer, R., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 271:41, 25067 (1996).
Evidence has demonstrated that MAPK and stress activated protein kinase (SAPK) signal transduction pathways are responsible for triggering biological effects across a wide variety of pathophysiological conditions including conditions manifested by dysfunctional leukocytes, T-lymphocytes, acute and chronic inflammatory disease, auto-immune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, transplant rejection, macrophage regulation, endothelial cell regulation, angiogenesis, atherosclerosis, fibroblasts regulation, pathological fibrosis, asthma, allergic response, ARDS, atheroma, osteoarthritis, heart failure, cancer, diabetes, obeisity, cachexia, Alzheimers disease, sepsis, and neurodegeneration. As MAP kinases play a central role in signaling events which mediate cellular responses, controlling the activity of MAPK is key to the attenuation of the response. N. J. Holbrook, et al., Stress-Inducible Cellular Responses, 273, Feige, U., et al., Eds., Birkhauser Verlag (1996).
Angiogenic response of vascular endothelium, endothelial cell proliferation, is one of the first steps in angiogenesis. VEGF, bFGF, and EGF all upregulate MAP kinase in HUVEC cells. The establishment and remodeling of blood vessels is controlled by paracrine signals, many of which are protein ligands that bind and modulate the activity of transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The basic view of RTK signaling has come from studies (performed largely in fibroblasts) of ligand-dependent autophosphorylation and activation of the branched Ras pathways. Results suggest that most RTKs are similarly coupled into the intracellular signal transduction cascade and are capable of inudcing endothelial cell proliferation. Hanahan, D., Signaling Vascular Morphogenesis and Maintenance, =l Science, 227:48 (1997).
Finlin et al. recently reported the cDNA cloning and characterization of a murine GTP-binding protein, Rem (for Rad and Gem-related). Alignment of the full-length open reading frame of mouse Rem revealed the encoded protein to be 47% identical to the Rad, Gem, and Kir proteins. The distinct structural features of the Rad, Gem, and Kir subfamily are maintained including a series of nonconservative amino acid substitutions at positions important for GTPase activity and a unique sequence motif thought to direct membrane association. Recombinant Rem is reported to bind GTP in a specific and saturable manner. The administration of LPS (lipopolysaccharide) to mice, a potent activator of the inflammatory and immune systems, results in the general repression of Rem mRNA levels in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The unique structure of Rem, its enrichment in tissues with a large number of vascular endothelial cells, its ability to specifically bind GTP, and its regulation by LPS suggest that it may control cellular pathways in endothelial cells. Finlin, B. S., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 272:35, 21982 (1997). Finlin, B. S., et al., Rem is a New Member of the Rad- and Gem/Kir Ras-Related GTP-Binding Protein Family Repressed by Lipopolysaccharide Stimulation, J. Biol. Chem., 272:35, 21982 (1997). See also, regarding hypertension, Iiri, T., et al., Nature Genetics, 18:8, et seq (1998).
Compounds which are able to modulate the activity of specific signal transduction molecules integral to specific intracellular pathways are expected to have significant potential for the ability to control or attenuate downstream physiological responses. Unfortunately, in spite of the introduction of numerous new drugs during the last three decades, there is a need for new, more efficient and less toxic compounds. Accordingly, the ability to identify such compounds is of paramount importance.
Rem is an exemplary biological candidate of the newly described subfamily of Ras-like GTPases for angiogenesis regulation as well as regulation of functional physiology in endothelial and smooth muscle cells, rates of cell division, differentiation, as well as peripheral vascular disease, inflammation, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, pathogenesis of cancer and infectious diseases, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), leukocyte physiology, T-lymphocyte activity, diabetes, as well as cell activation, shape, and motility, inter alia. However, the previously reported Rem GTPase is a murine isolate. The availability of a functional human homolog will be ideal for such drug screening as well as diagnosis, study, prevention, and treatment of pathophysiological disorders related to the biological molecule.


The reference signal sending method includes: determining, by a first sending device, a first reference signal and a first code resource, where the first code resource is orthogonal to a second code resource, the second code resource is used to transmit a second reference signal; and sending, by the first sending device, the first reference signal by using the first code resource, where the first reference signal is carried on at least one first time-frequency resource group, a value of a quantity of resource elements (REs) occupied by each of the at least one first time-frequency resource group is the same as a value of a length of the first code resource, and the first reference signal and the second reference signal are multiplexed on a time-frequency resource occupied by the at least one first time-frequency resource group, based on the first code resource and the second code resource.

With development of communications technologies, a reference signal (RS) or a pilot signal is widely applied.
From the perspective of a function or a corresponding channel, reference signals may be classified into a plurality of different types. Currently, reference signals of different types use different time-frequency patterns. To be specific, time-frequency resources carrying reference signals of different types are at different locations of system time-frequency resources, or reference signals of different types need to be transmitted by using different time-frequency resources. Consequently, overheads of the system time-frequency resources are relatively high.

Reference signal sending method and reference signal sending apparatus