Notification devices and methods for configuring a secure element incorporated into a terminal connected to a network are disclosed. The devices and methods may perform steps implemented by an application of the secure element, such as obtaining at least one item of information that can be used to configure the secure element stored in a memory of the terminal outside the secure element, sending the item of information and an identifier of the secure element to a configuration system, and obtaining configuration data originating from the configuration system, the configuration data being supplied to the secure element depending on the item of information.

The present invention relates to the field of configuration of a secure element incorporated into a terminal.
In particular and in a non-limiting manner, the invention applies to secure elements of "UICC" ("Universal Integrated Circuit Card") and "eUICC" ("embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card") type.
For more information on "UICC" and "eUICC" secure elements, those skilled in the art will refer to the "ETSI 102.221" standard and to the "ETSI TS 103 383" specifications respectively.
In this document, the concept of "personalization profile" must be interpreted in the wider sense, namely as a set of at least one file and/or data item. A personalization profile in the sense of the invention can in particular comprise at least one element out of:                a standard file as defined by the 3GPP or ETSI specifications for UICC and their applications and particularly by the 3GPP 31.102 and ETSI 102.221 standards;        a proprietary file;        a configuration file of an operating system;        a Java Card application and associated personalization elements;        data such as transport protocol keys, authentication algorithm parameters, etc.
The personalization profile is used by a task application to communicate with entities outside the terminal.
In a known manner, when an operator wishes to install a new personalization profile in a secure element, this operator uses a configuration module of a remote server. This configuration module is able to send data to the secure element according to a secure transport protocol, the exchanges being made secure by means of a key shared by these two entities. The operator also sends data including an installation script of the profile, which is then executed in order to install the profile in the secure element.
However, the loaded profile, chosen by the operator, is not always the profile that will allow optimal use of the terminal.
One of the purposes of the invention is to solve such a problem.
More generally, the invention is aimed at mechanisms for facilitating the configuration of an incorporated secure element of a terminal.

Notification method for configuring a secure element


The present invention relates to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) mutant strains having increased stability; compositions containing the strains or antigens derived therefrom; vaccines containing the strains, including killed, attenuated or subunit vaccines; nucleic acids encoding PRRSV polypeptides, polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acids, including antigenic fragments thereof; antibodies which specifically bind to said polypeptides, and methods making and using thereof.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) compositions and associated methods.
B. Description of the Related Art
The swine industry continues to experience major economic losses due to PRRSV despite major efforts aimed at pathogen elimination and control strategies. PRRSV is an enveloped single-strand positive sense RNA virus classified under the order Nidovirales, family Arteriviridae and genus Arterivirus. The virus causes Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and has also been known as the Mystery Swine Disease and SIR. The symptoms of PRRS include reproductive failure in breeding females and respiratory disease in growing swine. The reproductive failure is associated with mid to late term abortions, increased numbers of mummified fetuses and weak born piglets and fewer healthy born piglets. PRRSV is also characterized by anorexia, fever and respiratory disease typically seen microscopically as interstitial pneumonia. Thus infection with PRRSV can have a significant negative effect on the productivity of a herd. It has been estimated that PRRSV costs the US swine industry around 560 million U.S. dollars a year. Compounding the situation is the fact that PRRSV is endemic in most swine producing countries and has a similar economic effect elsewhere.
Current control strategies to prevent the spread of the virus within and between herds include: the proper management of breeding animals, removal of infected individuals, strict biosecurity measures including air filtration systems, serum inoculation, and the use of vaccines. Both inactivated and modified (attenuated) live vaccines are commercially available. Inactivated vaccines produce a high level of safety but are generally considered as ineffective or as conveying a very limited degree of efficacy. Attenuated live vaccines have been widely used to reduce the transmission and clinical disease cause by wild type PRRS viruses. While modified live vaccine efficacy may vary against heterologous isolates, they remain the best vaccination option available to combat the disease.
Attenuated vaccines do carry some risk as several instances of suspected reversion to virulence have been reported. Therefore, new vaccines need to be capable of providing sufficient immunological protection to reduce transmission and clinical disease while also exhibiting a high degree of safety and resistance to genetic changes.
To increase genetic stability, viruses with cell passaged derived deletions in the nsp2 (nonstructural protein 2) region have been developed. The nsp2 protein is the largest PRRSV protein, is highly antigenic and possesses the highest genetic diversity of the PRRSV genome. The value of deletion mutants stems from the increased stability they confer. Shorter sequences result in less potential for reversion to virulence. Deleted portions would require insertions to revert back to its original state which is much less likely to occur than a simple substitution back to the original virulent form.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, compositions, vaccine and methods of use


Implementations are provided herein for systems, methods, and a non-transitory computer product configured to use predictive analysis of quantifiable parameters associated with individual files stored on a distributed file storage system. In some embodiments, parameters are analyzed by machine learning so that scheduled antivirus scanning can be intelligently conducted. We teach creating a sequential order for scheduled antivirus scanning such that the files most likely to be accessed or needed by users in the future will be scanned for viruses before those files less likely to be accessed. Our teachings encompass the use of heuristic data compiled and analyzed on a per-file basis. We enable system administrators to determine which parameters to prioritize and to set thresholds for antivirus scanning such as time limits.

Distributed file systems offer many compelling advantages in establishing high performance computing environments. One example is the ability to easily expand, even at large scale. Another example is the ability to support multiple unique network protocols. In one example, a distributed file system can operate under a cluster of nodes topology, whereby clients can connect to any node among the cluster of nodes to perform file system activity. Individual nodes among the cluster of nodes each can contain their own processor(s), storage drives, memory and the like. Operating together in a cluster, the nodes can respond to client requests, store data, mirror data, and accomplish all the tasks of a modern file system. A cluster of nodes, in some cases, can provide easy scalability by providing for new nodes to be added to the cluster of nodes to increase the amount of storage space within the distributed file system and/or to meet other needs of the users of the distributed file system.
In terms of protecting data stored within a distributed file system from unwanted outside attacks, such as viruses, Trojan horses, worms, and the like, most file storage systems employ anti-virus ("AV") features. Anti-virus software is most frequently used at one of two points in time—either before reading a file or after closing a file. In the situation where a client's requests read access to a file, a storage node determines whether that file has been scanned for viruses before allowing access to the file. Storage nodes typically track when a file was last scanned for viruses or whether the virus definitions have been updated since the file of interest was last scanned. If it has been scanned, and it has not changed since it was last scanned, access is immediately granted. If however, the file has changed since it was last scanned, the file is sent for anti-viruses scanning, which is typically performed by anti-virus software stored on a server communicatively coupled to the distributed file system. After the file has been completely scanned, the client will be allowed access to the file. The time that it takes for the AV software to scan the file before allowing the client to access the file creates unwanted latency in access to the file.
AV scanning can also be performed when a client closes a file. From the client's perspective, file access in this situation is not slowed down. AV scanning each file individually upon closure, however, does consume compute resources.
In terms of background AV scanning, systems administrators typically schedule AV scans for all files housed within the file storage system on a periodic basis. Sometimes a system administrator limits the timeframe within which, or the duration for which, an AV scan will be performed. These limitations are designed to try to minimize the impact upon users that will be felt when a significant percentage of the system's processing resources will be devoted to AV activities. Ideally, a systems administrator may schedule an anti-virus scan of all files within a data storage system to run during evening hours for a limited duration.
Finding the optimal window within which to schedule background anti-virus scanning can be challenging however for large file storage systems because performing a complete AV scan on large file storage systems takes a significant amount of time. What typically happens in this situation is, an administrator will limit the duration for the AV scan to a few hours during the evening or on a weekend.
Often, the AV scanning software will only be able to scan a portion of the data files stored in the storage system because of the extensive amount of time required to scan an entire distributed file storage system. Compounding the problem, most AV programs typically perform anti-virus scanning blindly, that is, without paying heed to file heuristics such as frequency of use by clients of the files being scanned. The files that are successfully scanned during a scheduled AV scan, therefore, may or may not be important files from a client's perspective.
The end result of this is background AV scanning is precious compute resources are being wasted because the files that clear AV scanning are not correlated to client's behavior patterns with regard to stored data files. Worse yet, for those important files that are accessed frequently, they will have to be scanned for viruses in real-time before access can be granted, thus injecting file access latency. There is therefore a need for a more intelligent and selective way to perform anti-virus scanning in distributed file systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Predictive scheduled anti-virus scanning


A developing device includes a cabinet, a developer carrier, a transport member rotating around a transport member shaft, and a developer cartridge attachable to and detachable from the cabinet. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge side first opening and a cartridge side second opening. The cabinet includes a cabinet side first opening located in a position opposed to the cartridge side first opening and a cabinet side second opening located in a position opposed to the cartridge side second opening. The cartridge side first opening, the cartridge side second opening, the cabinet side first opening and the cabinet side second opening extend in a vertical direction. The transport member transports a developer from the cabinet side first opening to the cabinet side second opening. A lower end of the cabinet side second opening is located upper than a center of the transport member shaft in the vertical direction.

There has been proposed an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer that includes a developing device for circulating developer between a toner cartridge for accommodating the developer and a frame to which the toner cartridge is detachably attached.
For example, JP-A-9-319202 discloses a developing device including a toner cartridge and a frame, in which a toner supply port for mutually communicating the inside of the frame to the inside of the toner cartridge is formed in a position corresponding to substantially center of the toner cartridge, and a pair of toner suction ports are formed in both sides of the toner supply port.
The developing device includes a developing roller, and an auger roller for rotating around a shaft extending along a longitudinal direction of the developing roller.
In this developing device, toner inside of the toner cartridge is supplied to the auger roller through the toner supply port, and the toner is supplied to the side of the developing roller while the toner being transported toward both ends in a direction (i.e., longitudinal direction of the developing roller) of the shaft by the auger roller. Then, the toner which has not been supplied to the side of the developing roller is circulated between the toner cartridge and the frame by being returned from each of the toner suction ports to the toner cartridge.
In this developing device disclosed in JP-A-9-319202, each of the toner suction ports is arranged between both ends of the shaft direction of the auger roller. Thus, the toner supplied from the toner supply port to the auger roller may be returned from each of the toner suction ports to the toner cartridge in the process of being transported to both ends of the shaft direction of the auger roller. In this case, the toner is not transported to both ends of the shaft direction of the auger roller. Thus, the toner may not be sufficiently supplied to both ends of the longitudinal direction of the developing roller.

Developing device with detachable toner cartridge and image forming apparatus having the same


A method and system for enabling a user to authorize a client, acting under the directed of a first resource, to access a second resource. Before the client accesses the second resource, client programming, that is autonomous of the first and second resources, redirects the client to an authorization service that is also autonomous of the first and second resource. The authorization service authenticates the user, identifies policy data, if any, associated with the user and the first resource, and then returns to the client an interface generated according to the identified policy data, if any, enabling the user to grant or deny authorization. Where policy data does not exist, the authorization service returns an interface to the client enabling the user to set policy data.

In a basic desktop computing environment, a computer, accessing data from its hard drive, performs a specified function such as word processing, displaying information on a screen, and, when requested, producing a document on a connected printer. In a distributed computing environment, the resources found in the desktop environment are spread across any number of interconnected devices. For example, a client accesses a resource over the Internet. Accessing data provided by the client or located and retrieved from another device, the resource performs specified tasks. These tasks include, among a multitude of others, manipulating the data as instructed, returning the data for use by the client, and/or sending the data to a printer for production.
The following provides a more specific example of a distributed computing system utilized to print documents. A client computer, utilizing a web browser and the Internet, accesses a web server providing a document printing resource. The web server may be running on a device connected to or networked with one or more printers. Alternatively, the web server may be embedded in the printer itself. The printing resource locates available printers and a data resource managing electronic documents. The printing service then returns to the browser a graphical interface containing user accessible controls for selecting a document from the data resource as well as controls for selecting a printer and any production options. Selections made through the interface are returned to the printing resource. Accessing the data resource, the printing resource retrieves and/or sends the selected document to the selected printer for production.
Accessing distributed resources raises a number of security considerations. Access to a resource may be limited for commercial or privacy purposes. Using the example above, a user may be a paid subscriber enabling access to the printing resource. The user may pay a flat rate or may pay for each use. For commercial security, the user may be required to present credentials such as a user name and password in order to access the printing resource. The same may be true for the data resource. However, presenting credentials to the data resource also promotes user privacy. A user may store documents on the data resource that the user desires to keep private and secure.
In the example above, a user is required to present one set of credentials to access the printing resource and a second set of credentials to access the data resource. It is often difficult for a user to keep track of more than one set of credentials. The printing and data resources are each responsible for and include programming for authenticating the credentials presented to authorize use. While this authorization programming may not be located on the same computing device as the particular resource, it is still centralized effectively operating and located on the same site. This centralized approach to authorization can lead to network communication "bottlenecks" and decreased performance. Additionally, the centralized approach creates security risks providing a single point of attack for an unscrupulous third party.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


There is provided a thermal printer for performing a printing operation by way of heat. This printer comprises a casing, drum means provided within the casing for rolling up a paper to be printed, and a thermal head unit provided within the casing for producing a heat for the printing operation. In detail, the thermal head unit has a pair of brackets provided on the opposite sides thereof, each of the two brackets being formed at one end thereof with an elongated hole into which a fixed shaft is to be inserted, and being supported at the other end thereof on the main body of the thermal head unit, such that the thermal head unit is pivotable only in a direction perpendicular to a printing direction.

This invention relates to a printer, particularly to a thermal printer adapted to print characters or a picture by generating a heat from a thermal head.
Usually, a thermal printer has a thermal head which comprises a large number of exothermic resistors arranged on an insulating base. By selectively supplying electric current to the exothermic resistors, a Joule heat is generated which is applied to a thermosensible paper or an ink film so as to print characters or a picture.
FIG. 7 shows the basic construction of a conventional thermal printer comprising a drum 3, an ink film 4 and a thermal head 2. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a paper 1 is clamped to the drum 3 using a clamping means (not shown) so as to be positioned between the drum 3 and the ink film 4. The thermal head 2 is caused to press the ink film 4 against the paper 1, thereby printing characters or pictures on the paper 1 using the heat from the thermal head 2.
FIG. 8 shows in detail an example of the thermal head 2. Referring to FIG. 8, the thermal head 2 comprises an aluminum base 5. Provided under the aluminum base 5 is a ceramic base 6 having a number of exothermic members, a substrate member 7 for exothermic member driving circuit, a protection cover 8 for covering the substrate member 7. Further, a plurality of heat radiation fins 11 are integrally formed on the aluminum base 5.
FIG. 9 shows in detail an example of a clamping means 20 generally used in the above conventional thermal printer. Referring to FIG. 9, the clamping means 20 has a plurality of pressing members 21 which are provided so as to easily get contact with the drum 3 or leave therefrom. In use, the paper 1 is fed inwardly until it gets to a stopper member 22, thus the front portion of the paper 1 will be clamped to the drum 3 by virtue of the pressing members 21. Then, with the proceeding of the operation, the drum 3 is rotated to cause the paper 1 to be rolled gradually around the outer periphery of the drum 3. Further, with the use of pressing rollers 23, the paper 1 is pressed against the drum 3 so that it gets tight contact with the outer periphery of the drum 3.
When the printing operation is performed, the thermal head 2 is caused to press the ink film 4 against the paper 1, thereby printing characters or pictures on the paper 1, using the heat from the thermal head 2. During the printing operation, the drum 3 is rotated at a speed corresponding to a printing speed of the thermal head 2, whilst the ink film 4 is moved at a speed corresponding to the drum speed.
The ink film 4 includes four color areas (for example, yellow, magenta, cyanogen, black) which are arranged successively and in a manner such that the four color areas appear repeatedly on the ink film 4 along the entire length thereof. As soon as the printing of a first color (yellow) is finished, the drum 3 is rotated to return to its home position, so that the front portion of the same paper 1 is caused to be coincident with that of a second color (magenta) area of the ink film 4. In the same manner, a third color (cyanogen) and a fourth color (black) may be printed on the paper 1 so as to obtain a completed color picture.
The thermal head 2 used in the above thermal printer is pivotably supported on the printer cover member through appropriate bracket means, such that the thermal head 2. can easily get contact with the drum 3 and easily leave therefrom. When the paper 1 is being clamped around the drum 3 or is being discharged therefrom, the thermal head 2 can leave from the drum 3 when the drum rotates, so that the thermal head 2 is prevented from any possible damage due to a friction with the drum 3.
However, in the above thermal printer, since it is impossible for the thermal head 2 to absorb a possible thickness difference in a single piece of paper, the thermal head 2 fails to get uniform contact with the paper 1, resulting in a problem such as irregular color printing.
Moreover, in the above thermal printer, since the thermal head 2 receives a vibration from the drum 3 while the drum rotates, the relative position of the thermal head 2 with respect to the drum 3 will gradually change with the passing of time, rendering the thermal printer to be unreliable in actual use.

Thermal printer having a pivotal thermal head unit


A quilt system having an alarm for indicating when it has slipped off a user is provided. The system includes a quilt having arranged on an inside surface thereof, a plurality of rubber conductors coupled to form two groups of alternating conductors, and a belly-band having a conductive rubber layer disposed on an outside surface thereof. An integrated circuit chip is provided in the quilt and coupled to the rubber conductors thereof for sensing electrical contact between the quilt and the belly-band conductor. A buzzer is coupled to the integrated circuit for indicating a loss of contact between the conductors of the quilt with the belly-band conductor. When the quilt is in contact with the belly-band, the buzzer or oscillator of the integrated circuit chip is kept in its normal inactive state. However, if the quilt moves, and no longer contacts the belly-band, the circuitry of the integrated circuit chip will act as an open-circuit detector, enabling the buzzer to sound, or having a radio emitter circuit transmit a signal to a portable receiver to alert a remotely located person.

Conventionally, parents often have babies or children wear a belly-band of proper size when they go to sleep to avoid getting a cold due to a quilt slipping off. Although this method is partially effective in protection, it cannot eliminate the possibility of catching cold because temperature drops in the night. Moreover, nowadays many children sleep in their own bedrooms, not with their parents together, so getting cold due to a quilt slipping off is almost inevitable.

Alarm apparatus for a quilt slipping off


A loudspeaker includes a frame, a diaphragm and an electric driving arrangement for moving the diaphragm along an axis with respect to the frame. The diaphragm includes an outer conical first diaphragm body and an inner conical second diaphragm body invertedly oriented with respect to and positioned inside the first diaphragm body. The first and second diaphragm bodies each have a base portion and a top portion, the top portion of the first diaphragm body and the base portion of the second diaphragm body being interconnected. The diaphragm is suspended from the frame by a first flexible suspension member extending between the base portion of the first diaphragm body and the frame, and a second flexible suspension member extending between the top portion of the first diaphragm body and the frame. The top portion of the second diaphragm body is attached to a movable part of the driving arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a loudspeaker provided with a frame, a diaphragm and an electric driving means for moving the diaphragm along an axis of translation with respect to the frame, said diaphragm running round the axis of translation and including an outer conical first diaphragm body and an inner conical second diaphragm body which is invertedly oriented with respect to and positioned inside the first diaphragm body, each body having a base portion and a top portion, the top portion of the first diaphragm body and the base portion of the second diaphragm body being interconnected, and said electric driving means including a stationary part connected to the frame and a movable part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A 0 820 52 83 discloses a loudspeaker having a diaphragm including an outside cone part and an inverted inside cone part coupled in a coupling part to the outside cone part. A voice coil bobbin is joined to the inside cone part. The diaphragm is suspended from a frame by means of a flexible suspension ring fixed to the largest circumferential rim of the outside cone part and the frame and a flexible centering element attached to the frame and a middle portion of the voice coil bobbin. Although due to the applied diaphragm the height of the known loudspeaker may be smaller than the height of generally known loudspeakers provided with single conical diaphragms, this known speaker has still a relatively large height owing to the required relatively long voice coil bobbin.

Loudspeaker with a first and a second diaphragm body


A stepped reflector for being illuminated by at least one multiple-band feed is provided. The reflector includes a central region and a first annular region with an annular width of w. The first annular region is axially stepped a height h above the central region, where h is approximately equal to

Dual-band antenna systems, operating simultaneously at both uplink and downlink frequencies of a multiple beam communication satellite, have the advantage of using half the number of reflectors and half the number of feed horns, when compared with a conventional multiple beam antenna ("MBA") with a separate set of reflector antennas for each uplink and downlink band. Moreover, such dual-band antenna systems can increase usable space on the spacecraft for other payloads and cost less than conventional MBAs.
Although this type of antenna system is significantly better than conventional MBA systems, the receive ("Rx") beams suffer from large peak-to-edge gain variations due to an electrically larger reflector size. For example, the reflector is about 50% larger for Rx beams when the reflector is sized for transmit ("Tx") beams. One approach to compensate for this involves shaping the reflector surface such that it is heavily optimized for Rx frequencies and less optimized for Tx frequencies. Even with this compensation, such a dual-band antenna system suffers from peak-to-edge gain variation of about 5.0 dB to 7.0 dB at the Rx band with 1.0 dB to 2.0 dB gain loss due to pointing error and about 0.5 dB lower gain at the Tx band.
It is therefore considered highly desirable to provide for an antenna system which overcomes the deficiencies discussed above. In particular, it is desirable to provide an improved reflector antenna and to provide a novel MBA system that produces "flat top" Rx beams and more efficient Gaussian transmit beams.

Stepped-reflector antenna for satellite communication payloads

Abstract: m    ×          [              Φ        ±                  (                                    ϕ                                            (                                  Θ                  =                  0                                )                                      -                          ϕ                                            (                                  Θ                  =                                      Θ                    0                                                  )                                              )                    ]        ×          π      180        ×          λ              2                π              ×          1      2        ,where m is a positive odd integer, Φ is a desired amount of phase shift of an outer region of a phase front for reflecting off of the reflector, φ is a feed phase contribution for an angle Θ, and Θ0 is an angle formed between an axis of the at least one feed and a line connecting a phase center of the at least one feed and an inner edge of the at least one annular region.

Abstract: The central region and the annular region of the reflector may be parabolically curved or may alternately be shaped. The reflector may be fed by one or more multiple-band horn antennas.


A die casting machine is provided with a movable platen for holding a movable mold, a stationary platen for holding a stationary mold, and tie bars inserted into insertion holes provided in the movable platen and the stationary platen, the movable platen being arranged so as to be capable of advancing to and retreating from the fixed platen along the tie bars. A hollow section is provided in at least one of the movable platen and the stationary platen.

When producing castings made of an aluminum alloy, frequent use is made of a die casting machine performing a method of filling a casting mold with a molten material (molten metal) under pressure. A die casting machine fills molten metal placed in an injection sleeve into a casting mold at a high speed, so is good in productivity and enables castings of large size, thin products. Further, it has the advantage of being able to produce products with a high dimensional accuracy, fine microstructure, and beautiful casting surface. On the other hand, since it charges the molten metal at a high speed, it has the shortcoming of easy entrainment of air and susceptibility to formation of shrinkage defects in the final solidified parts.
In recent years, for die casting machines, it has become necessary to cast large, thin products. So-called "high speed injection" increasing the injection speed has become more frequent. However, if performing high speed injection, the air inside the injection sleeve or at the cavity or the gas generated from a release agent etc. can become entrained and cause casting defects in the products. For this reason, it has become necessary to discharge the air in the injection sleeve or cavity and the generated gas to create a vacuum. In the prior art such as PTL 1, a vacuum tank has been installed in the vicinity of the die casting machine as a separate device from the die casting machine and a vacuum valve etc. has been used to suck out the air in the injection sleeve and cavity. However, since the die casting machine and vacuum tank are separated from each other, the vacuum degree inside the injection sleeve and inside the cavity could not be sufficiently raised.
FIG. 15 is a graph showing the relationship between the distance between a die casting machine and vacuum tank and a pressure reduction curve. Note that, atmospheric pressure is 101.3 kPa. The length of the hose (inside diameter 2 inches) connecting the die casting machine and the vacuum tank is changed to 0.5 m, 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m for analysis to find the pressure reduction curve. As shown in this graph, it is learned that if the distance from the vacuum tank is long, the vacuum degree does not easily rise.


The present invention provides protein-based biomarkers and biomarker combinations that are useful in qualifying Chagas disease status in a patient. In particular, the biomarkers of this invention are useful to classify a subject sample as infected with Chagas disease or non-infected. The biomarkers can be detected by SELDI mass spectrometry.

American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) is a protozoan infection caused by the flagellate Trypanosoma (Schizotrypanum) cruzi, widespread in the Americas, and endemic to Central and South America. Chagas disease can be quickly fatal, especially in children, or it can be carried asymptomatically for decades. Between 10-30% of infected people eventually develop severe cardiac or digestive chronic involvement as late manifestations of Chagas disease. These complications are usually fatal. In the Americas, approximately 16-18 million people are estimated to be infected by the parasite. This estimate does not include Mexico and Nicaragua, for which accurate public health data are not available.
Due to recent patterns of urbanization and immigration, Chagas disease is no longer a unique problem for Latin American countries. Estimates a decade ago suggested that approximately 300,000 infected individuals were living in the city of São Paulo, and more than 200,000 in Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. In addition, Chagasic patients with chronic and asymptomatic forms of the disease are immigrating northward to the USA and Canada, and even eastward to Europe. Several years ago it was estimated that around 100,000 infected individuals were already living in the USA, most of them having immigrated from Mexico and Central America. Many of these immigrants are unaware that they have contracted Chagas disease and continue to donate infected blood. Controlling "transfusional" Chagas disease is therefore of paramount importance in preventing infection in the USA and Canada.
Chagas disease may also be transmitted congenitally. Several American families never exposed by travel to endemic areas were congenitally infected by parents or grandparents from Central or South America. Programs in Central and South America are presently engaged in attempting to screen pregnant women and newborns to reduce the rate of congenital chagas.
Presently, no optimal test is available for the diagnosis of chronic-stage Chagas Disease. The most straightforward available method of excluding potentially infected donors from the blood pool is to ask questions about immigration and travel involving Central and South America. These geographic exclusions are somewhat insensitive and subject to the reliability of the potential donor. As a result, a large number of willing and healthy donors are inappropriately excluded, thus contributing to a blood donor shortage in Canada and the US. A quick, accurate, and inexpensive screening test is therefore needed to provide a rapid diagnosis of Chagas disease and to ensure the safety of blood supplies.


Mobile units in a multicarrier, multidimensional communications system can assess their own channel coherence time attributes (base stations can also access such dynamics for mobile units as well). This information is utilized (either by the mobile unit itself or by an infrastructure component such as a base site) to determine a level of trustworthiness for other channel quality data as might be measured by the mobile unit. Different modulation and coding schemes, along with responsive frequency and time diversity resource allocations, are adaptively selected as a function of this level of trustworthiness.

Wireless communications systems of various kinds are well understood in the art. Some systems utilize frequency diversity to facilitate such communications. Multicarrier communication, such as orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a particular way to support high data rate broadband systems that operate in a multipath environment. Generally, a multicarrier system can transmit on multiple carriers, and each of these carriers may also be referred to as a subcarrier. The OFDM approach divides a radio frequency channel into several narrower bandwidth subcarriers and transmits data simultaneously on each subcarrier.
Mobile reception over multipath channels is known to create variations in signal quality in both the time and frequency dimensions. For example, the root mean squared delay spread of the multipath channel strongly influences the coherence bandwidth of the channel, and the maximum Doppler spread (which is related to the mobile velocity) strongly influences the coherence time of the channel. Therefore, in a multicarrier communication system such as OFDM, the signal quality generally varies in two dimensions: time and frequency. Variation in frequency implies that different subcarriers may experience different signal qualities at the same time. Variation in time means that a particular subcarrier may experience different signal qualities at different times. The amount of change in signal quality between adjacent subcarriers is characterized by the subcarrier frequency spacing and the delay spread characteristics of the channel, while the amount of change in signal quality between adjacent OFDM symbol intervals is characterized by the OFDM symbol duration and the Doppler spread of the channel.
Multipath reception conditions are known to impact reception accuracy. Generally speaking, the more intense the multipath effect, the worse the reception conditions (though since this effect is frequency dependent, not all subcarriers of a multicarrier system are similarly affected). The multipath effect can result from a variety of causes. It is also known that with a moving context (i.e., when the transmitter, reception target, and/or target's environment is moving), the multipath effect can change very quickly. Hence, it becomes increasingly difficult with increasing speed of the target to have both the transmitting radio and the receiving target getting a reliable estimate of the instantaneous channel response. Also, at a given instant, the multipath effect can be very intense, resulting in a very complex channel frequency response.
To illustrate these points, consider the power versus time versus frequency graph presented in FIG. 1 (this figure depicts these parameters in a relative sense as between subcarriers and not as an absolute channel response; in terms of delay profile, it represents a "bad urban" channel with two clusters, each having a root mean squared delay spread of 1.2 μs). This data represents received power over time and over a number of subcarrier frequencies for a receiver moving at 27 kilometers per hour. Though signal perturbations in time do occur, for any given frequency these perturbations are relatively slow to occur. Referring now to FIG. 2, a similar graph is presented depicting data generated for a vehicle moving at 81 kilometers per hour. The perturbations in time are seen to occur more frequently. Similarly, and referring now to FIG. 3, the perturbations in time occur with even greater frequency for a vehicle moving at 135 kilometers per hour. In general, the rate of change of the channel power as a function of frequency is not significantly different with respect to the velocity because all of the examples have the same root mean square delay spread. If, however, the delay spread of the channel was increased, a corresponding increase in the rate of channel perturbations would be observed in the frequency dimension.
As noted, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing is a particularly apt choice for systems that must support communications in a harsh wireless communications environment. Consequently this approach finds use in, for example, cellular telephony systems. Generally, such a system is designed to accommodate mobile users in vehicles that are potentially moving at significant speed with respect to the transmission source. Some studies indicate, however, that in such a system, in fact a majority of the users at any given moment are not moving at a significant speed, especially in an urban environment. As a result, communications in support of a majority of the users will generally not experience a fast-varying channel in the time domain. This means that the overall system, optimized as it is to facilitate robust performance in a harsh environment for individual users, will actually exhibit an overall impairment of data system throughput when viewed with respect to all users because the system must accommodate some users in particularly difficult reception circumstances.
Adaptive modulation and coding schemes (where different modulation and/or coding schemes are selected to accommodate different situations) are also known and utilized to at least attempt to optimize data throughput as between a transmission source and a transmission target.
Such techniques have found use in the time dimension of wireless communications systems (for example, with code division multiple access systems or with time division multiple access systems). Unfortunately, use of such techniques in the time dimension lack the frequency domain aspects of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. Consequently, such techniques may not be optimal for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. (For example, using the same modulation on all subcarriers and adapting the modulation occasionally in the time dimension ignores the variability of the channel quality in the frequency dimension.)
Adaptive modulation and coding techniques have also been applied to the frequency dimension, for example, in Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) systems. However, the adaptive modulation and coding approach typically used in ADSL systems is only updated in time relatively infrequently because the channel between the transmission source and the transmission target remains almost constant over time (and also in part because of the considerable overhead that the technique imposes upon the system). Such a slowly adapting technique is not always applicable in a wireless cellular environment where the channel can change rapidly over time and frequency.
A need therefore exists for a way to improve upon overall system data throughput for a multicarrier communications systems such as a wireless orthogonal frequency division multiplexed communications system. Preferably any such improvement should not present a significant or undue loading requirement upon the system itself. Also, such a solution should not unduly delay the transmission of data in favor of overall improvement throughput. Further, any such improvement should be efficient in operation, relatively inexpensive, and effective.


A control valve has a valve body and a flow control element preferably in the form of a disc, the valve body defining at least one inlet passage, the inlet passage culminating in an opening which is surrounded at least partially by a flow control surface, and the flow control element is so arranged as to be able to pass close to the flow control surface and across the opening to adjust the flow rate of at least one fluid which is caused to pass through the valve body, wherein the flow control element is constrained within the valve body by a stopping member, the stopping member being adapted to allow a positive clearance to exist between the flow control element and the flow control surface. The stopping member is preferably adjustable, allowing the positive clearance to be adjusted.

Many industrial processes require the flow rates of fluids to be controlled, or different fluids to be mixed to achieve a desired output parameter. For example, many industrial applications require a flow of water at a particular temperature, and this is often achieved by mixing a flow of hot water with a flow of cold water to achieve a flow at the desired temperature. These processes can typically operate throughout the working day, and in some cases would operate around the clock.
Control valves that are used to control flow rates or fluid mixing in these industrial processes are often required to operate continuously, frequently adjusting the position of valve components to ensure that the desired output parameter is maintained.
Most valves are manufactured to have very close tolerances between the sealing surfaces of the valve components to minimize leakage. Such close tolerances can produce appreciable friction between the sealing surfaces of the valve components, and the friction causes drag when the valve components move relative to one another.
The combination of close tolerances, the associated friction and continuous operation with frequent valve position changes can produce unacceptable levels of wear in the valve components and in the actuators and any gearboxes or mechanisms used to move the valve components.
The drag caused by friction between the valve components can mean that the actuators of the control valves need to be relatively powerful, especially in cases where it is important to control the fluid flow or mixing ratios to a close tolerance and where rapid valve adjustments are required. Similarly gearboxes or other mechanisms used to move the valve components need to be robust to ensure reliability.
Frictional drag can also slow down the response time of a control valve. And similarly the friction and/or "stiction" can reduce the accuracy in positioning the valve's moving components.
Water mixers for hand-basins, showers or baths can also experience these problems.
These factors mean that control valves are often relatively expensive, and they can require maintenance or overhauls at frequencies that are too often. Also, the control valves can have response times that are too slow, and their accuracy as flow controllers or mixing valves can be poor.


Systems and methods receive input from a flexible display. A flexible display displays an image with at least one graphical user interface element and receives input from a user by flexing of the flexible display. At least one flexing sensor characterizes a flexing of the flexible display, and a user input controller receives a characterization of an initial flexing of the flexible display, determines, as an initial determination, that the initial flexing is a bending of the flexible display along a first line that is located within a first threshold distance from a proximate graphical user interface element, and provides, based on the initial determination, a user selection corresponding to the proximate graphical user interface element.

Flexible or bendable electronic displays provide a user with many techniques for interacting with electronic devices. For example, users are able to provide input to an electronic device based upon flexing, such as by bending, folding, or bending and folding, the flexible display. Flexible displays are also able to be flexed due to intended flexing by a user or by unintended flexing due to other forces on the flexible display. Distinguishing flexings of a flexible display that are intended to indicate a user's input from unintended flexings often limits the design of flexible displays or includes additional user steps beyond simply flexing the display to provide an input to an electronic device.
Therefore, flexible displays are limited by current techniques used to prevent inadvertent activations of functions by unintentional flexing of the flexible display.

Multi-bend display activation adaptation


A user location system (ULS) can use images, such as video or still images, captured from at least one camera of an electronic device, such as a mobile device, to determine, via at least edge detection and image uniformity analysis, location of a user in an environment, such as in a cabin of a vehicle. The determined location of the user can then be used as an input to control at least one aspect of the environment. In the case of a vehicle, such input may be used to facilitate control of speed, safety features, climate, and/or audio playback, for example.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to user location systems that locate users of electronic devices, such as mobile devices, based at least on mobile device captured images.
2. Related Art
A user location system (ULS) can use images of a user of an electronic device to determine the location of the user in a known environment. For example, a ULS, such as a mobile ULS, may be used to locate mobile device users in an environment, such as inside a vehicle. In one known example, a ULS can use an image captured by a mobile device of a passenger, to determine whether the passenger is a driver of a vehicle.

HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED


A knitting method for knitting a knitted fabric having a half cardigan knitting structure of well-balanced loops without getting out of loop shape. The half cardigan knitting structure comprises first wale in which knitted loops and tuck loops are formed and second wale in which only the knitted loops are formed are formed alternately with alternate needles. The knitted loops of the first wale are supplied to a front needle bed (FB), and the knitted loops of the second wale are supplied to a back needle bed (BB). The knitted loops of the first wale are transferred to confronting empty needles of the back needle bed (BB). Then, the loops of the second wale are formed on the back needle bed (BB), while the tuck loops are formed on the needles of the front needle bed (FB) which confront the needles of the back needle bed (BB) hooking the knitted loops of the first wale and also the knitting yarn is temporarily held on adjoining needles to that needle. Then, the temporarily-held knitting yarn is released. Then, the knitted loops of the first wale hooked by the back needle bed (BB) are transferred to the needles of the front needle bed (FB) hooking the tuck loops thereon.

A knitted fabric having a half cardigan loop structure is illustrated in FIG. 5 in an understandable way. FIG. 5 shows a front side of the half cardigan knitting structure wherein first wale "a" formed by back stitches of tuck loops and knitted loops and second wale "b" formed by front stitches of knitted loops are alternately formed.
In FIG. 5, a knitted loop of the first wale "a" has a height corresponding to two courses of knitted loops of the second wale "b". In the first wale "a", the knitted loops and the tuck loops are in the state of being overlapped with each other.
A coarse-knitting-gauge knitted fabric having the half cardigan knitting structure can be knitted by the knitting method for providing roughened loops using alternate needles of needle beds of a knitting machine. Take a 5-gauge knitting machine designed for providing five-gauge texture for the knitted fabric, for instance, it can also provide a coarse-textured knitted fabric by knitting with alternate needles. The method for providing a coarse knitting gauge for the knitted fabric using alternate needles is described, for example, by JP Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publication No. Hei 11-189954.
When this half gauge knitting is used to provide the coarse loops for the knitted fabric, a thicker yarn can be used for the same knitting machine, and as such can provide texture differences for the knitted fabric of the same half cardigan structure.
There is proposed a knitting technique to allow the loops formed during the course knitting to be roughened by using empty needles located between adjoining loops and not involved in knitting during the formation of the loops. In this knitting technique, during the course knitting, knitted loops are formed with and the knitting yarn is temporarily held on the empty needles and, thereafter, the temporarily held loops are knocked over from the empty needles. This knitting technique is commonly called "drop knitting". When this drop knitting is used in combination with the half gauge knitting using alternate needles, the loops knitted can be roughened further.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a knitting method for knitting the half cardigan knitting structure by combination of the half gauge knitting using alternate needles and the drop knitting. The front side of the knitted fabric produced by this knitting method takes the form of the back side of the knitted fabric of FIG. 5.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show the knitting process drawings showing the knitting steps of knitting a knitted fabric into tubular form by using a flat knitting machine having a front needle bed FB and a back needle bed BB. In this knitting process, a front knitted fabric part having a half cardigan structure is knitted on the front needle bed FB and back knitted fabric part of the half cardigan structure is knitted on the back needle bed BB.
FIG. 6(1) shows the state that knitted loops of the front knitted fabric part are hooked by knitting needles of the front needle bed FB, and knitted loops of the back knitted fabric part are hooked by knitting needles of the back needle bed BB. The front knitted fabric part is knitted by one course from this state, first. Of the loops hooked by the knitting needles of the front needle bed FB, the knitted loops to form the second wale of FIG. 5 are transferred to empty needles of the back needle bed BB, as shown in FIG. 6(2). At this time, the knitted loops to form the first wale of FIG. 5 are left on the front needle bed FB.
Then, at the same time that tuck loops of the first wale are formed with knitting needles B of the front needle bed FB, the knitting yarn is temporarily held on the empty needles A located at both lateral sides of the needles B and, then, knitted loops of the second wale are formed with needles C by which the knitted loops transferred to the back needle bed BB are hooked (FIG. 6(3)). Then, after the knitting yarn temporarily held on the empty needles A at the both lateral sides of the needles B is released in the state of FIG. 6(3) (FIG. 6(4)), the knitted loops hooked by the needles C of the back needle bed BB are transferred back to the needles of the front needle bed FB to produce the state of FIG. 6(5).
Then, the back knitted fabric part is knitted one course. Of the knitted loops hooked by the knitting needles of the back needle bed BB, the knitted loops to form the second wale of FIG. 5 are transferred to empty needles of the front needle bed FB, as shown in FIG. 6(6). At this time, the knitted loops to form the first wale of FIG. 5 are left on the back needle bed BB.
Then, at the same time that tuck loops of the first wale are formed with knitting needles E of the back needle bed BB, the knitting yarn is temporarily held on empty needles C, D located at both lateral sides of the needles E and, then, knitted loops of the second wale are formed with needles A in which the knitted loops transferred to the front needle bed FB are hooked (FIG. 6(7)). After the knitted loops held by the empty needles C, D at the both lateral sides of the needles E are released in the state of FIG. 6(7) (FIG. 6(8)), the knitted loops hooked by the needles A of the front needle bed FB are transferred back to the needles of the back needle bed BB to produce the state of FIG. 6(9).
Then, the knitting of the front knitted fabric part proceeds. As shown in FIG. 7(10), after the knitted loops of the second wale on the front needle bed FB are transferred to empty needles C of the back needle bed BB, the knitted loops are formed with these needles C. In parallel with this, the knitted loops of the first wale of the front knitted fabric part are formed with the needles B and also the knitting yarn is temporarily held on the empty needles A at both lateral sides of the needles B.
Then, as shown in FIG. 7(11), after the knitted loops held on the empty needles A are released therefrom, the knitted loops hooked in the needles C of the back needle bed BB are transferred to the knitting needles of the front needle bed FB to produce the state of FIG. 7(12).
Then, the knitting of the back knitted fabric part proceeds. As shown in FIG. 7(13), after the knitted loops of the second wale on the back needle bed BB are transferred to empty needles A of the front needle bed FB, the knitted loops are formed with these needles A. In parallel with this, the knitted loops of the first wale of the back knitted fabric part are knitted with the needles E and also the knitting yarn is temporarily held on the empty needles C, D at both lateral sides of the needles E.
Then, as shown in FIG. 7(14), after the knitting yarn temporarily held on the empty needles C, D are released therefrom, the knitted loops hooked in the needles A of the front needle bed FB are transferred to the knitting needles of the back needle bed BB to produce the state of FIG. 7(15).
By repetition of the knitting steps illustrated in FIG. 6(1) through FIG. 7(15), the half cardigan knitting structure shown in FIG. 5 can be knitted with roughened loops. In this half cardigan knitting structure, the knitting yarn temporarily held on the empty needles shown in FIG. 6(3)(7) and FIG. 7(10)(13) serve as a drop portion or a length adjusting portion for the knitted loops and the tuck loops to be increased in size. The knitting yarn temporarily held on the empty needles can allow the tuck loops and the knitted loops knitted to increase in loop length.
Incidentally, in the conventional knitting method for knitting the half cardigan knitting structure illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the tuck loops are formed, the tuck loops are put in the state of being overlapped with the knitted loops of the first wale formed with and held on the needles B in the previous knitting step. In addition, the temporarily-held knitting yarn is continuous with the tuck loops of the first wale and the knitted loops of the second wale.
Due to this, when the knitting yarn temporarily held when the tuck loops are formed is released, the knitting yarn continuous with the tuck loops which are in contact with the knitted loops does not slip smoothly, due to which it becomes hard for the knitting yarn dropped to be absorbed in the loops around.
This can provide an undesirable result that sinker loops between the first wale and the second wale are elongated partly, so that the respective loops are badly balanced to prevent symmetric formation of the knitted fabric. This can also provide the disadvantage of making it hard to do the loop transference and the knitting.
Particularly when the knitting yarn is temporarily held on only a single needle, or when the knitting yarn is temporarily held on only the empty needle at one lateral side of the needle used to form the tuck loop and is not held on the empty needle at the other lateral side thereof, the knitted fabric becomes badly balanced further.
In the light of the disadvantages mentioned above, the present invention has been developed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a knitting method for knitting a knitted fabric according to which even when a knitted fabric of a half cardigan knitting structure is knitted by the half gauge knitting combined with the knitting technique of temporarily holding the knitting yarn on the needles, the loops of the knitted fabric can be prevented from getting out of shape to provide a knitted fabric of well-balanced loops.


The architecture and design method of an application specific processor having an instruction set which is matched to the needs of a specific application is provided. The application specific processor design method is based on using a library of pre-designed function blocks (111-113). These pre-designed function blocks encapsulate complex processing functions most commonly used by a specific application. Each of the pre-designed application specific function blocks is designed such that values of certain parameters of the encapsulated processing algorithm are implemented using registers which can be programmed with any desired value. Each of the pre-designed application specific function blocks is designed such that it can interface with a multi-purpose bus (110) through which the function block can accept invocation, reconfiguration, and data input/output routing commands.

This invention relates generally to complex application specific integrated circuits and more particularly to a distributed parallel processor architecture and design method which allows such complex integrated circuits to be easily designed.
Integrated circuit technology has advanced in the integration of gates from a small number (fewer that one hundred transistors) to a very large number (millions of transistors). As a result, it is possible to make integrated circuits (ICs) which perform increasingly complex functions and thereby to replace a large number of discrete components, with commensurate benefits in size, cost, and reliability. However, the complexity of the circuits and the large number of available transistors make designing ICs more difficult. Consequently, tools have been developed to help IC designers to design ICs in a more efficient manner. The aim of such tools is to make it easier for the designer to synthesize the target logic without the need to manipulate transistors or gates.
In general purpose processor architecture, primitive low-level instructions (such as add, multiply, compare, etc.) are implemented in hardware which can be sequenced into a programmed set of instructions to implement a complex function. Such an architecture is limited by the throughput achievable by the central processing unit (CPU) which must meet the peak throughput needs for a series of operations. Such a limitation often places a great demand on the hardware and results in inefficiencies in the utilization of designed hardware. In addition, power management of such a centrally controlled architecture is normally difficult.
In order to meet the design throughput goals with an efficient hardware implementation, designers often opt to use application specific integrated circuits design techniques at the cost of sacrificing the system design flexibility offered by post-synthesis programmability.
In general, two approaches have been developed to help IC designers--"standard cell" and "gate array" technologies. These technologies are discussed generally in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,119,314 (Hotta et al.), 5,173,864 (Watanabe et al.), 5,197,016 (Sugimoto et al.), and 5,283,753 (Schucker et al.). In the standard cell approach, commonly used logic blocks are carefully designed and stored in a cell library. Designers can retrieve and interconnect appropriate logic blocks so as to provide desired functions. Typically, these blocks are primitive logic structures, such as NAND or NOR gates, or other simple logic blocks, such as an adder or multiplier. Logic blocks can be interconnected by routing conductors between the appropriate input/output terminals of the blocks.
Gate array technology involves the fabrication of a large number of base wafers containing identical integrated circuit elements (gates) up to but not including the first level of conductive interconnect. IC designers "customize" the gate array by specifying only the conductive patterns used to interconnect the pre-fabricated gates.
One of the problems with both these approaches is that it is difficult to use them to design ICs which perform complicated functions. This is because the standard cells and gate arrays are primitive or simple logic blocks for all types of applications. Consequently, it takes a lot of time, skill, and effort to integrate these basic building blocks into useful application specific integrated circuits. In addition, the layout and timing constraints and the design effort required to interconnect these logic blocks normally limit the designers freedom and increase the design time.
As an example, circuits used for communication applications typically perform complex signal processing operations. Examples of such circuits are finite impulse response filters, infinite impulse response filters, demodulators, and correlators. These circuits incorporate complicated mathematical algorithms which could be understood and designed only by extremely skilled engineers. Consequently, it is very tedious to implement these circuits using the primitive building blocks available with standard cell and gate array technologies.
Some of the layout constraints associated with the design of complex integrated circuits using standard cells and gate array design methods are dealt with in Schucker et al. The block architectured integrated circuit design approach described therein allows for re-use of earlier developed logic blocks, but it does not address the complexity of interconnecting the various logic blocks. In addition, the described integrated circuit design approach does not provide for power management, which is an important factor for complex ICs incorporating a large number of gates.
Some electronic system manufacturers take a completely different strategy to solve the aforementioned problem. Instead of relying on custom designed ICs, they use general purpose ICs, such as microcontrollers and digital signal processors. These ICs are able to execute a large number of instructions per second. Typically, software is used to customize the function of these ICs.
One of the problems of using these general purpose ICs is that they cannot attain throughput comparable to that of an application specific IC. In many applications where processing speed is a crucial factor, such as high speed communication systems, the performance of general purpose ICs is not acceptable. Further, the use of software does not change the requirement that extremely skilled engineers are needed to implement the complicated processing algorithm.
Sugimoto et al. discloses a computer-aided system and method for designing application specific integrated circuits incorporating a general purpose processor and a plurality of logic blocks connected together on a multiplicity of data, address, and control busses. This design approach suffers from several drawbacks. First, it lacks the ability to perform post-synthesis programming for the logic blocks synthesized by the integrated silicon-software compiler into hardware blocks; namely the primitive support functions, such as comparators, adders, multipliers, and counters, which are incorporated to enhance the system throughput. In addition, the processing needs of complex algorithms are still implemented in software and thus require a skilled designer for a complex system. In addition, the integrated circuit design approach described in Sugimoto et al. does not incorporate provision for power management.
Hence, a need exists for a block architectured application specific integrated circuit and design method that allows effective encapsulation of complex application specific processing into function blocks which can be re-used from one design to another, but can be post-synthesis programmed to meet the evolution enhancement and upgrade needs of the specific application with power efficient integrated circuit design.

Application specific processor and design method for same

International Business Machines Corporation


Electrochemical devices for converting carbon dioxide to useful reaction products include a solid or a liquid with a specific pH and/or water content. Chemical processes using the devices are also disclosed, including processes to produce CO, HCO−, H2CO, (HCO2)−, H2CO2, CH3OH, CH4, C2H4, CH3CH2OH, CH3COO−, CH3COOH, C2H6, (COOH)2, (COO−)2, acrylic acid, diphenyl carbonate, other carbonates, other organic acids and synthetic fuels. The electrochemical device can be a CO2 sensor.

There is a present need to decrease carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial facilities. Over the years, a number of electrochemical processes have been suggested for the conversion of CO2 into useful products. Processes for CO2 conversion and the catalysts for them are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,959,094, 4,240,882, 4,349,464, 4,523,981, 4,545,872, 4,595,465, 4,608,132, 4,608,133, 4,609,440, 4,609,441, 4,609,451, 4,620,906, 4,668,349, 4,673,473, 4,711,708, 4,756,807, 4,818,353, 5,064,733, 5,284,563, 5,382,332, 5,457,079, 5,709,789, 5,928,806, 5,952,540, 6,024,855, 6,660,680, 6,664,207, 6,987,134 (the '134 patent), 7,157,404, 7,378,561, 7,479,570, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0223727 (the '727 application) and papers reviewed by Hori (Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry, 42, pages 89-189, 2008) ("the Hori Review"), Gattrell, et al. (Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 594, pages 1-19, 2006) ("the Gattrell review"), and DuBois (Encyclopedia of Electrochemistry, 7a, pages 202-225, 2006) ("the DuBois review").
Generally an electrochemical cell contains an anode 50, a cathode 51 and an electrolyte 53 as indicated in FIG. 1. Catalysts are placed on the anode, and/or cathode, and/or in the electrolyte to promote desired chemical reactions. During operation, reactants or a solution containing reactants is fed into the cell. Then a voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode, to promote an electrochemical reaction.
When an electrochemical cell is used as a CO2 conversion system, a reactant comprising CO2, carbonate or bicarbonate is fed into the cell. A voltage is applied to the cell, and the CO2 reacts to form new chemical compounds. Examples of cathode reactions in the Hori Review includeCO2+2e−+2H+→CO+H2O2CO2+2e−→CO+CO32−CO2+H2O+2e−→CO+2OH−CO2+2H2O+4e−→HCO−+3OH−CO2+2H2O+2e−→H2CO+2OH−CO2+H2O+2e−→(HCO2)−+OH−CO2+2H2O+2e−→H2CO2+2OH—CO2+5H2O+6e−→CH3OH+6OH−CO2+6H2O+8e−→CH4+8OH−2CO2+8H2O+12e−→C2H4+12OH−2CO2+9H2O+12e−→CH3CH2OH+12OH−2CO2+6H2O+8e−→CH3COOH+8OH−2CO2+5H2O+8e−→CH3COO−+7OH−2CO2+10H2O+14e−→C2H6+14OH−CO2+2H++2e−→CO+H2O, acetic acid, oxalic acid, oxylateCO2+4H++4e−→CH4+O2 where e− is an electron. The examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible cathode reactions.
Examples of reactions on the anode mentioned in the Hori Review include:2O2−→O2+4e−2CO32−→O2+2CO2+4e−4OH−→O2+2H2O+4e−2H2O→O2+4H++4e−The examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible anode reactions.
In the previous literature, catalysts comprising one or more of V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Sn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, Al, Si, In, Sn, Tl, Pb, Bi, Sb, Te, U, Sm, Tb, La, Ce, and Nd have all shown activity for CO2 conversion. Reviews include Hori (Modern Aspects of Electrochemistry, 42, pages 89-189, 2008) ("the Hori Review"), Gattrell, et al. (Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 594, pages 1-19, 2006) ("the Gattrell review"), DuBois (Encyclopedia of Electrochemistry, 7a, pages 202-225, 2006) ("the DuBois review"), and the papers Li, et al. (Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 36, pages 1105-1115, 2006, Li, et al. (Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 37, pages 1107-1117, 2007) and Oloman, et al. (ChemSusChem, 1, pages 385-391, 2008) ("the Li and Oloman papers"), and references therein.
The results in the Hori Review show that the conversion of CO2 is only mildly affected by solvent unless the solvent also acts as a reactant. Water can act like a reactant, so reactions in water are different than reactions in non-aqueous solutions. But the reactions are the same in most non-aqueous solvents, and importantly, the overpotentials are almost the same in water and in the non-aqueous solvents.
The catalysts have been in the form of either bulk materials, supported particles, collections of particles, small metal ions or organometallics.
Co-owned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/830,338 and 13/174,365, as well as International Application Nos. PCT/US2011/030098 and PCT/US2011/042809, disclose a catalyst mixture comprising an active metal and a Helper Catalyst capable of catalyzing CO2 conversions with low overpotential and high electron conversion efficiency. However, the catalysts disclosed in these patent applications showed a lower activity than was desired.
The examples above consider applications for CO2 conversion, but the present electrochemical device overcomes limitations of other systems. For example, some commercial CO2 sensors use an electrochemical reaction to detect the presence of CO2. At present, these sensors require over 1-5 watts of power, which is too high for portable sensing applications.

Devices and processes for carbon dioxide conversion into useful fuels and chemicals


A remote control system for providing information to an electronic apparatus such as a PC, Net computer or video game. The system includes a remote controller for generating an IR signal containing information usable by the apparatus, including cursor position information, select commands and other information. The system also includes a primary controller that is connected to the electronic apparatus typically, but not necessarily, by a cable. The primary controller includes a secondary controller having a movable element. The secondary controller generates relative position information based on the position of the movable element. The primary controller also receives the IR signal from the remote controller, converts this signal into electronic form, and then provides this signal to the electronic apparatus. The primary controller, in one embodiment, allocates control between the secondary controller and the remote controller such that the electronic apparatus receives information from only one of the secondary controller and remote controller at a given time.

Remote control devices such as a mouse, a trackball and a joystick are widely used to control PCs, Net computers, video games and other electronic apparatus. These devices convert relative movement of a movable element, e.g., the ball projecting from the bottom of a mouse, into an electronic signal containing relative position information. This information is then conveyed via a cable to the electronic apparatus for use in controlling cursor position, selecting a graphical image such as icon or hypertext link or otherwise controlling the operation of the electronic apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,590 discloses multiple game controllers for controlling an electronic computer game device, wherein the controller are connected in a series by a wire to one another and also connected by wire to a computer.
It is also known in the art of electronics to control electronic apparatus remotely via a controller having an IR transmitter that transmits information encoded onto an IR light beam to an IR receiver that is connected to or is integral with the electronic apparatus. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,268 to Mori discloses a "wireless mouse," i.e., a controller for a computer that moves over a surface and allows for the user to control certain functions of the computer by pressing one or more keys. U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,630 discloses a hand-held IR remote mouse controller which sends an IR signal to a mouse receiver, the signal containing information regarding standard mouse operations, such as "clicking" and "clicking and dragging."
Furthermore, it is known that data can be transferred back and forth between a remote control unit and an electronic apparatus, where each has an IR transmitter and receiver capable of transmitting and receiving an encoded IR light beam. Such two-way IR signal transmission may be used for "absolute" position control, as may be achieved using devices of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,045,843 and 5,359,348 and in Reexamination Certificate B1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,843.
One of the main shortcomings of the above-cited U.S. patents for remotely and wirelessly controlling electronic devices is that the remote controller must communicate directly with a receiver or a transmitter/receiver connected with or integral to the electronic device. The need to use such a separate receiver or transmitter/receiver can be annoying to the user and unsightly. In addition, such separate device adds to the cost of the remote control system.


The present invention relates to automated methods for isolating fetal cells from a sample, such as a blood sample, derived from a pregnant woman. The isolated fetal cells can be used for identifying genetic abnormalities in the fetal DNA.

During pregnancy fetal cells from the placenta can invade the maternal blood circulation. Most of these fetal cells originate from the placenta, and are trophoblasts, endovascular trophoblasts or extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). These fetal cells that invade the maternal circulation display both endothelial and epithelial characteristics. The process by which epithelial trophoblasts change characteristics and invade the maternal circulation is called Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT).
EMT is a process by which epithelial cells gradually lose their epithelial characteristics and acquire a mesenchymal-like phenotype. EMT has been described in early embryogenesis where migration and transient dedifferentiation of embryonic epithelial cells are required for the formation of e.g. the neural tube.
By utilizing a mesoderm marker (i.e. an endothelial marker) as a positive selection marker the fetal cells present in a very low number in a maternal blood sample are enriched together with some maternal cells. Positive identification of the fetal cells is subsequently done by contacting the enriched cells with an epithelial marker thereby utilizing the EMT phenomenon. None of the normal maternal cells present in a blood sample is expressing any epithelial markers.
In prior art methods as illustrated in FIG. 2A, maternal blood samples have been subjected to processing followed by enrichment to get rid of the majority of maternal cells. Subsequently, cells have been stained with fluorescently labelled maternal and fetal markers and scanned on a slide. The latter process is tedious and time-consuming considering the extremely low frequency of fetal cells in a maternal blood sample.


A process for increasing a granular particle density of a polymeric product using at least one particle density promoting agent is described. The process includes passing a gaseous stream comprising at least one monomer through a fluidized bed reactor in the presence of a catalyst to form a polymeric product having a first granular particle density of less than or equal to about 850 kg/m3, contacting the polymeric product with at least one particle density promoting agent to increase the granular particle density of the polymeric product by at least 2%, withdrawing the polymeric product having an increased granular particle density and a recycle stream comprised of unreacted monomers, and cooling and reintroducing the recycle stream into the fluidized bed reactor with sufficient additional monomer to replace the monomer polymerized and withdrawn as the polymeric product.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a process for polyolefin manufacturing in gas-phase fluidized bed polymerization reactors.
2. Background Art
Gas phase fluidized bed reactors for the production of olefin polymers are well known in the art. Gas phase processes successfully allow for production of a vast array of polymers, while reducing energy requirements and capital investments required to run the gas phase processes as compared to other polymerization processes.
Gas phase polymerization processes typically run a continuous cycle of a gaseous stream through the reactor. Generally, the stream contains one or more monomers. The stream is continuously passed through the fluidized bed under reactive conditions in the presence of a catalyst. The stream is withdrawn from the fluidized bed and recycled back into the reactor. Simultaneously, polymer products are withdrawn from the reactor and additional monomer is added to the stream to replace the polymerized monomer. In gas phase fluidized bed polymerizations, the polymer products are discharged from the reactor in a granular form. As compared with the polymer products from other types of reactors (e.g., slurry reactor, solution reactor), dry granular particles advantageously allow for easy flow and transportation, without need for removal of solvents and/or catalysts.
By continuously flowing the stream of monomers through the reactor under reactive conditions, thereby exposing the monomers to catalysts present in the reactor, polymerization of the monomers occurs. The polymer products result from the formation of "micro-particle clusters" on the activation sites of the catalyst particles. As the micro-particle clusters develop, spaces are often present between the clusters. These spaces lead to voids of space in the polymer granular particles as the micro-particle clusters grow and develop into granular polymer "macro-particles." For example, in polyethylene particles made in a gas phase reactor, there may often exist a void of 10 to 25 percent by volume.
The size of voids present in a granular polymer particle may partially depend upon the activity of the catalysts in the fluidized bed reactor. A sudden halt of catalytic activity may contribute to the existence of voids. Such a halt may result for example from a rise in temperature such that the temperature exceeds the catalyst's threshold temperature for activity. Such heat may be generated from the polymerization process itself. Inadequate removal of this heat generated from the polymerization process may further result in temperature gradients within the growing polymer particle. See S. Floyd, et al., "Polymerization of Olefins through Heterogeneous Catalysis III. Polymer Particle Modelling with an Analysis of Intraparticle Heat and Mass Transfer Effects," J. App. Polymer Sci, vol. 32, 2935-60 (1986). W. H. Ray, et al., "Polymerizaton of Olefins through Heterogeneous Catalysis X: Modeling of Particle Growth and Morphology," J. App. Polymer Sci., vol. 44, 1389-1414 (1992) also teaches that greater heat and mass transfer resistance may lead to higher internal voids within granular polymer particles. Significant polymer particle overheating has also been hypothesized as a cause for particle sticking and agglomeration problems in gas phase polymerizations.
The existence of the voids in the polymer often necessitates that the polymer granules undergo a high-energy consumption pelleting procedure, whereby the granular particles are melted to produce pellets having a density similar to that of the polymer density and a desired size. When there is no void in polymer pellets, the density of the pellets will be identical to the polymer density. Such pellets are often desired by customers as they allow for efficiency in transportation and handling. The pelleting procedure, however, contributes significantly to manufacturing and operating costs.
When the granular particle density of the polymer granules discharged from the reactor is relatively similar to the polymer density, the pelleting procedure can be eliminated. Granular particles that are discharged with the proper particle size and/or particle size distribution can be delivered directly to the customers after purging out residual hydrocarbons.
Minimization of void space and thus maximization of bulk density or granular particle density may allow for an increase in reactor inventory, in which case a given reactor would be equivalent to a larger reactor having a higher production capacity, with fewer costs and time associated with a pelleting procedure that can either be improved or eliminated. Accordingly, there exists a need for a polymerization process by which polymer particles having a less void and a greater granular particle density may be achieved.

Gas-phase polymerization process to achieve a high particle density


A sensor system and method are provided that are capable of the real-time detection of target live microorganisms, such as biological warfare agents. The sensor system includes a highly-sensitive, highly-selective sensor cell that comprises a single-stranded oligonucleic acid sequence that is complementary to a portion of the DNA of a target live microorganism, the oligonucleic acid having been modified with the covalent attachment of electron donor and acceptor moieties. In the presence of the targeted microorganism, hybridization occurs between the modified oligonucleic acid and the microorganism's DNA, such that the electron conductance between the electron transfer moieties greatly increases, thereby providing a means of detecting the presence of the target live microorganism. Aside from the sensor cell, the sensor system also includes an inlet port in the sensor cell wall by which to introduce a sample from the fluid environment into the sensor cell; a cell wall disrupter to release the nucleic acid of the fluid sample into the sensor cell; an electron transfer rate measuring system to gauge the electron transfer rate between the electron transfer moieties of the modified oligonucleic acid; a power source; a microcontroller to analyze the measured electron transfer rate for evidence of hybridization; and a communication system for relaying information regarding the presence or absence of the target live microorganism to the user of the sensor system. It is contemplated that the sensor system, exclusive of a battery and pump pack, will be only slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes and light enough to be comfortably worn and carried by personnel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sensors for specific nucleic acid sequences. More particularly, the present invention relates to a real-time sensor system for the detection of target live agent deoxyribonucleic acid, such as would be useful in the detection of biological warfare agents.
2. Description of Related Art
The detection of bacteria and viruses that pose a threat to human populations is an invaluable capability. With early detection of a harmful microorganism, persons located in the vicinity of an infected area may be notified so that they might take necessary precautions for their protection, such as fleeing to a safe haven, consuming appropriate antibiotics, or donning protective gear.
While the proliferation of harmful air-borne or water-borne microorganisms in an area might be a natural occurrence or, at least, an unintended result of human interference (e.g., the contamination of bodies of water by raw sewage), the potential for rogue governments and terrorists to employ biological warfare agents (BWA's) against troops and civilian populations is an increasing concern that makes the need for sensor systems for harmful microorganisms all the more urgent. The sheer variety of BWA's that might be employed requires that a sensor system should be highly sensitive and highly selective with regard to target live agents. Examples of potential BWA's include anthrax, typhoid fever, smallpox, and valley fever. Given the speed with which BWA's might adversely affect a population, it would be highly desirable that the sensor system offer real-time detection.
There are available methods by which harmful microorganisms might be detected, such as antibody-based techniques and gene-probe assays. However, antibody-based techniques suffer from poor specificity and are not adaptable to field applications. Gene-probe assays have been considered a better alternative to antibody-based techniques alone, but gene-probe assays have been known to require numerous time-consuming steps which are difficult to automate. Neither antibody-based techniques nor traditional gene-probe assays offer the real-time sensor capabilities and the specificities needed to detect harmful microorganisms such as BWA's.
Recently, techniques have been developed which enable the highly specific and sensitive detection of live agents by addressing the genetic material of the biological warfare agent itself. These techniques are disclosed in (1) a patent application having International Publication Number WO 95/15971 (entitled "Nucleic Acid Mediated Electron Transfer"), naming Thomas J. Meade and Jon F. Kayyem as inventors and having been assigned on its face to California Institute of Technology; and (2) a publication entitled "Electron Transfer through DNA: Site-Specific Modification of Duplex DNA with Ruthenium Donors and Acceptors" (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl., Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 352-354 (1995)), written by Thomas J. Meade and Jon F. Kayyem.
The method developed by Meade and Kayyem (hereinafter Meade et al) provides for the site-selective modification of nucleic acids with redox active moieties such as transition metal complexes. Specifically, Meade et al demonstrate the placement of ruthenium-containing electron donor and electron acceptor groups onto the ribose backbone of a single strand of DNA, allowing the placement of a ruthenium atom at or near each end of a single strand of DNA. The significance of this feat lies in the electrical conductance differential between ruthenium-doped single strands of DNA compared to that of a double helix comprising one such single strand and a non-doped complementary strand. In general, a double strand of polynucleotide is about one million times more electrically conductive than a single strand. When a ruthenium-doped single strand is combined with its non-doped complementary strand, one of the ruthenium-containing groups serves as an electron source and the other as an electron sink, such that electrons flow back and forth between these two groups. Thus, the double helix creates a highly conductive path along its molecular axis between the electron donor and the electron acceptor that does not exist in a single strand of DNA. In addition to serving as electrical connectors into and out of the molecule, ruthenium atoms have the added virtue of neither disrupting nor distorting the overall shape of the DNA backbone.
Prior to the method of Meade et al, the long range transference of electrons in a DNA matrix was hindered by such factors as (1) the random distribution and mobility of the electron donor and the electron acceptor pairs; (2) the potential short distances between the donor and acceptor; and (3) the loose and reversible association of donors and acceptors. Meade et al overcome these obstacles by teaching a method directed to the modification of nucleic acids with electron transfer moieties covalently attached to specific sites of nucleic acids on a single strand of DNA in a way that creates no stearic hindrance to hybridization to form a duplexed strand pair. The resulting doped DNA strand is capable of hybridizing to a complementary target sequence in a single stranded nucleic acid and thereafter rapidly transferring electrons between the donor and acceptor.
The method of Meade et al specifically involves the synthesis of two sets of complementary oligonucleotide strands modified first with a terminal aminoribose and then covalently modified with electron donor and acceptor moieties, such as redoxactive ruthenium complexes. Since the ruthenium complexes will react with the heterocyclic nitrogen atoms of the bases, the bases are protected by employing an unmodified complementary strand as a large hydrogen-bonded blocking group. After reaction with the ruthenium complex, the complementary strand is removed and the modified oligonucleotide is purified in accordance with known procedures.
By employing the methods of Meade et al, one may discriminate between DNA strands that are identical to the original and those that differ by, for example, one base pair out of fifteen pairs (i.e. a match of 14 of the 15 base pairs in a strand), or by more than one base pair, by observing the electrical conductivity of an oligonucleotide. Meade et al have thus developed an electrical method of distinguishing between different sequences of DNA. Meade et al expressly contemplate employing their method of DNA strand detection in the creation of bioconductors and diagnostic probes, such as for medical applications.
A need remains for a real-time sensor system for harmful microorganisms that offers highly sensitive and highly selective characteristics; that may be employed for environmental sampling in the field, such as air and water sampling; and that is capable of alerting both those in its immediate vicinity as well as those at remote locations of the presence and type of microorganisms detected. Further, the sensor should be conveniently sized for use in the field and should be relatively inexpensive to produce and operate.

Biological warfare agent sensor system employing ruthenium-terminated oligonucleotides complementary to target live agent DNA sequences