An impulse sequence of a pitch frequency is detected from a phase-equalized prediction residual of an input speech signal, and a quasi-periodic impulse sequence is obtained by processing the impulse sequence so that a fluctuation in its pitch frequency is within an allowed limit range. The magnitudes of the quasi-periodic impulse sequence are so determined as to minimize an error between the waveform of a synthesized speech obtainable by exciting an all-pole filter with the quasi-periodic impulse sequence and the waveform of a phase-equalized speech obtainable by applying the input speech signal to a phase equalizing filter. Preferably, the quasi-periodic impulse sequence is supplied to the all-pole filter after being applied to a zero filter in which it is given features of the prediction residual of the speech. Coefficients of the zero filter are also determined so that the error of the waveforms of the synthesized speech and the phase-equalized speech is minimum.

The present invention relates to a speech analysis-synthesis method and apparatus in which a linear filter representing the spectral envelope characteristic of a speech is excited by an excitation signal to synthesize a speech signal.
Heretofore, linear predictive vocoder and multipulse predictive coding have been proposed for use in speech analysis-synthesis systems of this kind. The linear predictive vocoder is now widely used for speech coding in a low bit rate region below 4.8 kb/s and this system includes a PARCOR system and a line spectrum pair (LSP) system. These systems are described in detail in Saito and Nakata, "Fundamentals of Speech Signal Processing," ACADEMIC PRESS, INC., 1985, for instance. The linear predictive vocoder is made up of an all-pole filter representing the spectral envelope characteristic of a speech and an excitation signal generating part for generating a signal for exciting the all-pole filter. The excitation signal is a pitch frequency impulse sequence for a voiced sound and a white noise for an unvoiced sound. Excitation parameters are the distinction between voiced and unvoiced sounds, the pitch frequency and the magnitude of the excitation signal. These parameters are extracted as average features of the speech signal in an analysis window about 30 msec. In the linear predictive vocoder, since speech feature parameters extracted for each analysis window as mentioned above are interpolated temporarily to synthesize a speech, features of its waveform cannot be reproduced with sufficient accuracy when the pitch frequency, magnitude and spectrum characteristic of the speech undergo rapid changes. Furthermore, since the excitation signal composed of the pitch frequency impulse sequence and the white noise is insufficient for reproducing features of various speech waveforms, it is difficult to produce highly natural-sounding synthesized speech. To improve the quality of the synthesized speech in the linear predictive vocoder, it is considered in the art to use excitation which permits more accurate reproduction of features of the speech waveform.
On the other hand, multipulse predictive coding is a method that uses excitation of higher producibility than in the conventional vocoder. With this method, the excitation signal is expressed using a plurality of impulses and two all-pole filters representing proximity correlation and pitch correlation characteristics of speech are excited by the excitation signal to synthesize the speech. The temporal positions and magnitudes of the impulses are selected such that an error between input original and synthesized speech waveforms is minimized. This is described in detail in B. S. Atal, "A New Model of LPC Excitation for Producing Natural-Sounding Speech at Low Bit Rates," IEEE Int. Conf on ASSP, pp 614-617, 1982. With the multipulse predictive coding, the speech quality can be enhanced by increasing the number of impulses used, but when the bit rate is low, the number of impulses is limited, and consequently, reproducibility of the speech waveform is impaired and no sufficient speech quality can be obtained. It is considered in the art that an amount of information of about 8 kb/s is needed to produce high speech quality.
In multipulse predictive coding, excitation is determined so that the input speech waveform itself is reproduced. On the other hand, there has also been proposed a method in which a phase-equalized speech signal resulting from equalization of a phase component of the speech waveform to a certain phase is subjected to multiphase predictive coding, as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,022 issued to the inventor of this application. This method improves the speech quality at low bit rates, because the number of impulses for reproducing the excitation signal can be reduced by removing from the speech waveform the phase component of a speech which is dull in terms of human hearing. With this method, however, when the bit rate drops to 4.8 kb/s or so, the number of impulses becomes insufficient for reproducing features of the speech waveform with high accuracy and no high quality speech can be produced, either.

Speech analysis-synthesis method and apparatus therefor

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


An absorbent article is provided comprising flocked fibers adhered to one or more internal surfaces of an absorbent article comprising a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet, such as the internal surface of the cover, either surface of the absorbent core, or the internal surface of the backsheet.

The present invention relates to an absorbent article, such as a sanitary napkin or pantiliner comprising a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet. The absorbent article comprises flocked fibers adhered to an internal surface of the absorbent article, such as the absorbent core-facing surface of the cover, either surface of the absorbent core, or the absorbent core-facing surface of the backsheet.
Absorbent articles may take many forms, such as sanitary napkins, pantiliners, diapers, incontinence pads, and interlabial articles. In such articles, it is often desirable to incorporate fibers for a variety of purposes. For example, fibers of superabsorbent polymer may be added to increase the absorbency of the articles. Unfortunately, fibers of superabsorbent polymers are often brittle and it is usually difficult to incorporate fibers of superabsorbent polymers into absorbent articles using known manufacturing techniques. In particular, when fibers of superabsorbent polymers are dispersed into an air laid-type matrix using special handling equipment, they become compressed by adjacent superabsorbent polymer fibers and other fibers in the matrix. When compressed, fibers of superabsorbent polymer cannot fully swell as they absorb fluids, and their absorbent capacity is underutilized.
Flocking is a technique by which fibers are fixed in a vertical position on a substrate, and is primarily used in the fabric industry. However, EP 0 737 462 A1 discloses a laminated material to cover the outside of an absorbent product, characterized in that at least one portion of the surface of the laminated material bears a layer of fibers applied by flocking. The flocked fibers are thereby located on the external surface of the absorbent product in order to give the absorbent product improved tactile properties over products that employ plastic films against the skin.
Applicant has now discovered that flocked fibers may advantageously be applied to one or more of the internal surfaces of an absorbent article. In an absorbent article comprising a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet, for example, the flocked fibers may be applied to the absorbent core-facing surface of the cover, the cover-facing surface of the absorbent core, the backsheet-facing surface of the absorbent core, or the absorbent core-facing surface of the backsheet. The fibers are preferably selected from superabsorbent polymers and other hydrophilic materials, hydrophobic materials, and mixtures thereof, so as to provide an absorbent article with improved absorbent capacity and physical integrity.
The present invention provides an absorbent article having a body-facing surface and a garment-facing surface and comprising in sequence a cover, an absorbent core, and a backsheet, wherein the absorbent article comprises flocked fibers, said flocked fibers not being adhered to the body-facing surface or the garment-facing surface of the absorbent article.

Absorbent article comprising flocked fibers


The invention relates to the field of radio-ecological monitoring, in particular to a method for measuring the content of radionuclides in components of the environment. The technical result is enhancement of the sensitivity of liquid scintillation analysis of radionuclides with low activity in the presence of radionuclides with high activity. Selection and preparation of a sample for measurements are carried out, the spectrum of the sample is measured and recorded, the measured spectrum Pi is grouped, model spectrum Mi=xcexa3cj Mij, wherein cj designates relative contributions of base spectra of radionuclides in the model spectrum, is created on the basis of a library of base spectra of radionuclides Mij, where i is the No. of the group, j is the index of the radionuclide, and the content of the radionuclides in the sample is determined, minimizing the deviation of the model spectrum Mi from the measured spectrum Pi in accordance with the expression                     ∑        i                                    (                                                    P                i                            -                              M                i                                                                    min                                                  (                                                            P                      i                                        ,                                          M                      i                                                        )                                            +              δ                                )                2              ->    min    ,

The invention relates to the field of radio-ecological monitoring and may be used to measure the content of radionuclides in different components of the environment, during the processing of results of measurement in a hardware-software complex, making it possible to deal with large masses of radio-ecological information. Furthermore, the invention may be used in the accumulation, storage, renewal and transmission of radio-ecological data with subsequent mathematical processing with the use of computer display of the results on an electronic cartographic base. More concretely, the claimed method may be used to determine the activity of beta/alpha radiating radionuclides, such as H-3, C-14, Co-60, Ni-63, Sr-90, Cs-137, U-236, Pu-239, Am-241 and others, in prepared liquid samples by processing apparatus spectra with the use of a liquid scintillation counter.
A method for measuring the activity of samples comprising several radionuclides with the use of a liquid scintillation counter is known (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,310, IPC G 01 T 1/204). For the presumed N radionuclides at least N+1 windows of a pulse height analyzer are selected and the number of pulses in each window is counted. Then for the presumed quench level, earlier obtained efficiencies of registration of separate radionuclides are selected for each window and N+1 equations are made, from which the true values of the activities of separate radionuclides are determined by the method of least squares. Then another quench level is selected, and the values of activity are calculated for it. This cycle is repeated until the minimum deviation of the sum of these activities from the measured activity is reached.
A method is known in which the spectrum of the sample being assayed is measured by means of a multichannel amplitude analyzer which is connected to an analog-to-digital converter. Its quench level is determined, the normalized spectra of separate radionuclides are calculated for this quench level, and, using the method of least squares, it is determined by which multipliers should the spectra of separate samples be multiplied in order to obtain a sum spectrum that is closest to the one being assayed, wherein the aforesaid multipliers are proportional to the true content of the radionuclides in the sample (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,294, IPC G 01 T 1/204).
The method which is most similar to the claimed method in respect to technical essence and achieved effect is the method for identifying radionuclides in a liquid scintillation sample (see PCT application No. PCT/FI90/00016, IPC G 01 T 1/204), in which the spectrum of the sample being assayed is measured, after which for a corresponding quench level, normalized model spectra of separate radionuclides are determined from a library of base spectra of separate radionuclides for different quench levels by the method of interpolation and extrapolation. Then the method of least squares is used to minimize the difference between the spectrum of a sample Pi and the sum of model spectra of separate radionuclides Mij, multiplied by the coefficients cj determining the activity of separate radionuclides. The expression being minimized is as follows:                     F        =                                            ∑              i                                                                  (                                                      P                    i                                    -                                                            ∑                      j                                                                                c                        j                                                                                M                        ij                                                                                )                            2                                =          min                                    (        1        )
where i is the No. of the analyzer channel, j is the index of a radionuclide.
However, the known methods do not make it possible to identify radionuclides that have low activity when there are radionuclides with high activity present in the sample. This is due to the fact that because of the static character of the value of Pi, the square of deviation of each addend in the sum (1) has a static spread of values of about xcx9cPi. Accordingly, during minimization, only the addend with a large value of the analyzer count of Pi will affect the expression F being minimized, while the addend with the small value of Pi will be xe2x80x9cabsorbedxe2x80x9d because of the aforesaid spread. This results in that identification of the radionuclides is carried out almost only according to the xe2x80x9cpeaksxe2x80x9d of the spectra, without taking into account the additional information which may be provided by the weakly active sections.
Furthermore, the known methods do not make it possible to identify alpha-active radionuclides on a liquid scintillation counter. This is due to the fact that the alpha spectra of different radioisotopes when measured on a liquid scintillation counter have spectra which are very close in shape and almost completely overlap. The spectrum of a sample, which consists of several alpha-active nuclides, in shape hardly differs at all from the spectrum of a separate radionuclide, in view of which existing methods are not capable of distinguishing the contributions of different alpha-emitters. This results in that existing methods are only used for monitoring the presence of alpha-active radionuclides, without determining the radioisotope makeup.
The object of the invention is to create a method for identifying radionuclides in samples, which ensures enhancement of the sensitivity of liquid scintillation analysis to radionuclides having low activity, where there are radionuclides having high activity in the samples.
Furthermore, an object of the invention is to create a method for identifying radionuclides in samples, which ensures an increase in the reliability of measurement and the possibility for carrying out liquid scintillation analysis of alpha-emitting radionuclides in the case where there are interfering radionuclides in the samples.
The indicated technical result is achieved in a method for identifying radionuclides in samples with the use of a liquid scintillation counter, the method comprising selecting a sample of the environment or a technological sample, preparing the sample for measurement on a liquid scintillation counter, measuring and recording the spectrum of the sample, grouping the measured spectrum of the sample, creating a model spectrum on the basis of a library of base spectra of radionuclides and determining the content of the radionuclides in the sample by minimizing the deviation of the model spectrum from the measured spectrum of the sample, in that in accordance with the invention, determination of the content of radionuclides in the sample is carried out, minimizing the deviation of the model spectrum from the measured spectrum of the sample according to the expression                     ∑        i                                    (                                                    P                i                            -                              M                i                                                                    min                                                  (                                                            P                      i                                        ,                                          M                      i                                                        )                                            +              δ                                )                2              ->    min    ,
where Pi is the measured spectrum of the sample,
xcex4 is a coefficient, on the value of which the stability of the minimization process depends (xcex4 greater than 0),       M    i    =            ∑      j                          c        j                          M        ij
is a model spectrum,
i is the number of a group,
j is the index of a radionuclide,
Mij are normalized spectra of separate radionuclides from the library of base spectra,
cj designates relative contributions of base spectra of radionuclides to a model spectrum, by varying the values of these contributions cj, after which the obtained values of relative contributions of base spectra of radionuclides cj are recalculated into values of absolute activities (Aj) of radionuclides in a sample according to the equation:
Aj=cj*P/Ej,
where   P  =            ∑      i                  P      i
is the integral count of the sample,
Ej is the efficiency of registration for the j isotope.
Wherein when the measured spectrum of the sample is grouped, the boundary values of the groups Ni are preferably determined in accordance with the recurrent relationship:
Ni+1=Ni+[(i+1)/m],
where
i=1, 2, . . . , n,
n is the number of groups,
m is an integer depending on the number of channels of the amplitude analyzer of the liquid scintillation counter and on the necessary number of groups,
[(i+1)/m] is a sign for an integer part of the expression.
Wherein, it is preferable that minimization of the deviation of a model spectrum from the measured spectrum of a sample be carried out in several steps. Wherein, in the initial step a value of xcex4 not less than max (Pi, Mi) for any i, and zero values of relative contributions of base spectra of radionuclides to the model spectrum (cj) are selected. Varying the value of cj, the minimum is found, and at each following step xcex4 is reduced, repeating the process of minimization, wherein the results of calculation obtained at the preceding step are the initial meanings of the contributions cj for each following step of minimization.
Furthermore, it is preferable that determination of the content of radionuclides in a sample with use of step-by-step minimization of the deviation of a model spectrum from the measured spectrum of a sample be terminated when the process of minimization becomes unstable, i.e. when small changes in the meanings of relative contributions of base spectra of radionuclides in the model spectrum cj will result in a substantial change in the expression being minimized.
It is also preferable that in the case of a solid sample, when it is being prepared for measurement on a liquid scintillation counter, in order to reduce the effects of luminescence and quenching, annealing of the sample is carried out, acidic breaking up is carried out with the aid of concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide, the sample is concentrated by evaporation to a state of moist salts, the moist residue is converted into a hydrochloride solution by adding a hot solution of hydrochloric acid and is concentrated by evaporation with the periodic addition, at least twice, of distilled water, then, after cooling to room temperature, concentrated orthophosphoric acid is added to the obtained concentrated solution, it is concentrated by evaporation with the periodic addition, at least twice, of concentrated hydrogen peroxide and hot distilled water to the formation of a colorless viscous solution which is a mixture of pyrophosphate complexes of cations of the main components of the solid sample, the solution is cooled to room temperature, a saturated solution of a bivalent lead chloride is added thereto and carried into a scintillation cocktail, adding an emulsifier, and the mixture is thoroughly mixed, obtaining a countable sample prepared for spectrometric analysis.

Method for identifying radionuclides in probes using a liquid scintillation sensor

Abstract: where xcex4 is a coefficient determining stability of the minimization process.

Moskovskoe Gosudarstvennoe Predpriyatie-Obiedinenny Ekologo-Tekhnologichesky I Nauchno-Issledovatelsky Tsentr Po Obezvrezhivaniju Radioaktivnykh Otkhodov I Okhrane Okruzhajuschei Sredy (Mosnpo xe2x80x9cRad


Techniques for distributed storage using a plurality of computing devices connected to a network can include storing an electronic file in a local storage layer of one of the computing devices. The stored electronic file can be asymmetrically transmitted, in portions, over the network to other computing devices to store the file across the other computing devices in a distributed storage layer. The electronic file can be asynchronously transmitted over the network to a cloud storage layer such that the electronic file is mirrored in the cloud storage layer. The local storage layer of each computing device can store, for each electronic file stored in the distributed storage layer, metadata having pointers to locations of the portions the electronic files stored in the local storage layer and distributed storage layer. The electronic files stored in the distributed storage layer can be displayed as stored in a single logical drive.

The disclosed subject matter relates to techniques for distributed storage, including a local storage layer, a distributed storage layer, and a cloud storage layer.
Certain conventional secure data storage solutions can be difficult to use and difficult to maintain. IT hardware and staff can be expensive and fail regularly, and such failures can result in the loss of data. In connection with certain data storage solutions, data can be difficult or impossible to access remotely.
Conventional data storage products can be categorized into "Local Storage." "Network Storage Servers," "Web-Based Storage Services," and "Distributed Storage Systems." Each category can have relative benefits and drawbacks with regard to providing reliable, scalable, secure and fault-tolerant storage for small- to medium-sized office environments. Local hard disk drives in desktop computers are a common place to store a file. Local storage can provide high performance read/write times and a sense of tangible security, but if a disk fails, is destroyed, or data is accidentally or maliciously overwritten, the data no longer exists. Moreover, when hard drives fill up, users may attempt to manually manage storage space, deleting files or attempting to transfer them to another machine—a process requiring both time and expertise. Manually sharing files with colleagues can create multiple incoherent versions and emailing files can be insecure.
Network storage servers can be used to provide shared storage space for users in an organization. Commercially available network storage servers range from low- to mid-range 'box in the closet' approaches (called 'Network Attached Storage' or NAS) to high-end, fiber-channel Storage Area Networks (SANs) packed with blade servers and redundant disk arrays (e.g. RAID). Network storage servers can provide high-capacity storage for users to share, but nevertheless can suffer from a number of well-known problems of centralized storage: servers can be broken, tampered with, hacked, and stolen; they can be destroyed in a fire or ruined by coffee; users can still over-write or delete files by accident, and all data is saved in the same way as on a desktop's hard-drive.
While certain techniques are known for ameliorating these problems, including replicating data in a remote location, utilizing redundant disk arrays, and encryption, such techniques can still include various drawbacks, including increased locations from which unauthorized access may occur, increased expense and complication, and reduced speed and convenience. Additionally, although network storage servers provide file sharing and high-capacity storage, they can be expensive to maintain and administer.
Web-based data storage services provide inexpensive means of backing up and storing data over the internet. Services like Amazon S3, Apple iDisk, EMC Mozy, and Pro SoftNet iDrive are examples of such services. Some users may, however, be wary of routinely sending their sensitive information over the Internet, for example due to perceived weaker protection from digital search and seizure for data stored with a third party. While web-based storage can generally serve as a reliable backup service, it can require a constant, fast internet connection, and can be too slow to be considered a realistic alternative for day-to-day file access and storage.
Distributed storage techniques can include storing a file multiple times on multiple machines will spread the burden and the risk of data storage: the more copies of a file exist the less likely it is to be lost. More copies, however, means more places to steal from, so encryption systems can be required for sensitive data or environments. Moreover, certain existing distributed storage systems can provide low levels of reliability and performance.
Accordingly, there is a need for enhanced techniques for distributed storage.

Systems and methods for distributed storage


A plurality of sensor packages (4) are fixed to a circuit assembly board (47) and placed on a lower mold die (56) of a transfer molding apparatus (54). Attached inside a cavity (58a) of an upper mold die (58) is a protection sheet (65), which will make contact with the upper face of a cover glass (6) of each sensor package (4). When the upper mold die (58) meshes with the lower mold die (56), the upper face of the cover glass (6) is tightly covered with the protection sheet (65). A plunger (62) is activated to fill the cavities (56a, 58a) with sealing resin (7). The upper face of the cover glass (6) is not stained or damaged when the peripheries of the sensor packages (4) are sealed.

Digital cameras and video cameras with a solid state imaging device of either CCD type or CMOS type are in widespread use. Often, the solid state imaging device, together with a memory device, is incorporated in electrical equipments such as personal computers, mobile phones, and personal digital assistances to provide them with an image capturing function. An increasing demand for the solid state imaging devices is downsizing so that it does not affect the size of the electrical equipments greatly.
Solid state imaging device of chip scale package type (hereinafter "CSP") are known in the art. The CSP type solid state imaging device is composed of, for example, an imaging chip provided with both an image sensor (such as CCD) and input/output pads on the upper surface, a cover glass (i.e. cover) attached on the upper surface of the imaging chip through a spacer for sealing the imaging sensor, and external electrodes for connection to external devices. The CSP type solid state imaging device is packaged in approximately the size of the imaging chip, which is very small (see, for example, the Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2001-257334).
Generally, the CSP type solid state imaging device is made in the following procedure:
1. forming a plurality of the image sensors (each with a photoelectric conversion section and a charge transfer section) and the corresponding input/output pads on the upper surface of a silicon wafer.
2. forming the spacers atop of the silicon wafer to enclose the image sensors individually.
3. attaching a glass substrate, i.e. a base material of the cover glass, to the silicon wafer through the spacer to seal each of the image sensors.
4. forming on the silicon wafer the external electrodes that correspond to the image sensors.
5. dicing the silicon wafer and the glass substrate into individual image sensors.
Since the CSP type solid state imaging device is as small as the imaging chip, the external electrodes are usually formed on the lower surface of the imaging chip. Therefore, with the conventional technique, the external electrodes on the lower surface are connected to the input/output pads on the upper surface of the image sensor in the formation process of the external electrodes. Concretely, they are connected either by through wirings that pass through the imaging chip or side wirings formed on the side faces of the imaging chip.
The external electrode with the through wiring may be formed in the following procedure (see, for example, "Press release, a next generation packaging method with a through electrode on a semiconductor chip is established at practical level" from Association of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies, searched on Feb. 15, 2005, via the Internet, <URL:http://www.aset.or.jp/press_release/si—20040218/si—20040218.html>):
1. forming the through holes on the silicon wafer to extend from the lower surface to the input/output pads.
2. forming insulating thin layer on the inner walls of the through holes.
3. forming the through wirings of copper plate in the through holes.
4. forming, on the lower surface of the silicon wafer, secondary wirings to be connected with the through wirings.
5. forming solder balls on the secondary wirings.
On the other hand, the external electrode with the side wiring may be formed in the following procedure (see, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,777,767 B2):
1. attaching a reinforcing board to the lower surface of the silicon wafer.
2. forming secondary wirings on the lower surface of the reinforcing board.
3. forming cutouts, which pass through between the lower surface of the reinforcing board and the input/output pads, at the portions that would become the side faces of the solid state imaging device.
4. forming conductive films inside the cutouts to connect the input/output pads and the secondary wirings.
5. forming solder balls on the secondary wirings.
When the silicon wafer is diced, the conductive films appear on the side faces of the solid state imaging device and become the side wirings.
Forming of the above through wirings requires a large number of processes, such as etching, film formation, and plating. Moreover, certain dedicated machines (for example, the etcher, the CVD machine, the plating machine) are required, which will raise the cost. Also required is much time for listing and evaluating the conditions, such as the shape of the through hole, the thickness of the insulating film and a conductive paste and so force, in order to ensure a certain level of the electric property and the reliability.
For the same reason, forming of the side wirings also raises the cost. Moreover, the side wirings cause to enlarge the solid state imaging device because the input/output pads have to be spaced at no less than 350 μm interval for the wires passing through the side faces to the lower surface. When it is enlarged, fewer solid state imaging devices can be produced from a single silicon wafer and the cost will be raised.
The Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2001-257334 discloses a packaging method of the CSP type solid state imaging device. This method begins by fixing a sensor package (composed of an imaging chip and its cover glass) without external electrodes onto a circuit board made from a glass epoxy substrate. Then, input/output pads of the sensor package and conductive pads of the circuit board are joined by bonding wires. Finally, the periphery of the sensor package is sealed with sealing resin. This packaging method enables to use the conventional post-process technique and facilities for semiconductor devices.
Although it becomes somewhat large, this kind of resin sealed package enables to produce the reliable solid state imaging devices at low cost, and solve the above mentioned drawbacks of the through wirings and the side wirings as well. In addition, the sealing resin seals a cavity enclosed by the imaging chip, the spacer, and cover glass, preventing electrical problems in the image sensor.
However, the Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2001-257334 is silent about how to protect the upper face of the cover glass in the sealing process. If the upper face of the cover glass is overlaid, stained, or damaged by the resin, the yield is decreased and the cost is raised. Therefore, a development of an effective resin sealing method able to protect the upper surface of the cover glass is highly demanded.
In the meanwhile, one of the interests of the art is a so-called "system-in-package" (hereinafter "SIP"), which packs a plurality of IC chips, normally mounted separate on the circuit board, into a single package as a system. For the SIP of a CPU and memories, there is no need to expose the IC chips. In contrast, when the above sensor package is packed in the SIP, the cover glass has to be exposed and, therefore, care must be taken for arrangement of the sensor package.
While the resin sealed sensor packages have been used in various semiconductor devices, they are known for a problem of moisture absorption by the sealing resin. This problem occurs when the semiconductor device in the resin seal package is soldered by a solder reflow machine. The moisture in the sealing resin is heated and causes a steam explosion, which makes some cracks in the sealing resin or at the boundary of the sealing resin and the sensor package. Therefore, the sealing resin peels off from the sensor package or the circuit board.
If this problem occurs in the solid state imaging device of the Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2001-257334, the cracks or the peeling off of the sealing resin lead to remove the bonding wires connected to the input/output pads and the conductive pads. At the end, the solid state imaging device becomes inoperative. In addition, the moisture in the sealing resin dissolves ionic impurities out of the sealing resin, and an electrochemical decomposition reaction is thereby stimulated to possibly corrode the aluminum-made input/output pads. Furthermore, when the sealing resin peels off from the sensor package or the circuit board, the spacer and the cover glass may also come off, along with the sealing resin, from the imaging chip. This will cause other problems, such as fog on the cover glass and electrical malfunctions of the image sensor.
Despite the fact that the moisture absorption of the sealing resin causes various problems to the solid state imaging devices as described above, the Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2001-257334 is silent about a solution to the moisture related problems. Therefore, a proper countermeasure to the moisture of the solid state imaging devices is highly demanded.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method of the solid state imaging device that enables to seal the sensor package with resin while effectively protecting the cover glass for the image sensor. This manufacturing method of the solid state imaging device can also prevent negative effects of moisture. The resulting solid state imaging devices are also within the scope of the present invention.

Solid state imaging device and manufacturing method thereof


A composite composition is disclosed that comprises the reaction product of a mixture of a styrenic polymer, as defined herein, a polar component having nucleophilic functional groups, and from 0.5 to 10 wt % of a compatibilizer having the formula:Ry(I)-(styrene)n-[(styrene)m(X)]p—I(Ry)wherein:                R is the residue of a nitroxide used to regulate the polymerization of the compatibilizer;        I is the residue of a radical initiator used to initiate polymerization of the compatibilizer;        n is an integer from 50 to 750;        m is an integer from 0 to 10;        p is an integer from 1 to 50; and        y is an integer from 0 to 1; and        X is any polymerized monomeric moiety having at least one functional group capable of reacting with the nucleophilic functional groups present in the polar component of the composite at the temperature at which the composite components are mixed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to composite materials comprising at least one styrenic polymer, as defined herein, e.g., polystyrene or polymers completely miscible with polystyrene, and minerals, and/or an organic filler, and/or glass fiber, and/or thermoplastics.
2. Description of Related Art
For the past two decades very few new thermoplastic polymers have been developed. Instead, new materials have been created as alloys, blends, and composites of existing thermoplastic polymer materials, either in combination with each other or with inorganic reinforcing materials, such as minerals or glass fiber.
Generally, thermoplastics are divided into two groups. The first group comprises simple hydrocarbon polymers, e.g., polyolefins and styrenics typified by polypropylene and polystyrene. They have relatively modest physical properties, such as heat distortion, impact resistance, and the like, but are relatively simple to manufacture, easy to process, and have no reactive functional groups, and are thus resistant to humidity, aggressive chemicals, and the like.
The second group of thermoplastics, the so-called engineering resins, owe their superior physical properties, such as high strength and high heat stability, to the presence of highly polarized functional groups whose strong dipolar interactions lead to crystallinity and high melting points, but make them difficult to process and susceptible to hydrolysis and chemical degradation. Polyamides (Nylons), inter alia, typify this class of materials.
Thus, it has been an objective in polymer development to take advantage of the ease of manufacture, chemical stability, and ease of processing of the simple polyolefin and styrenic polymers, while imbuing them with improved physical properties by creating composite materials that are alloys or blends of them with glass and/or other reinforcing minerals and/or with polymers representing the engineering resins. Unfortunately, because the simple hydrocarbon polymers of the first type are non-polar, and engineering resins, minerals, and glass fibers are highly polar, it is not possible to obtain composites having desirable properties simply by blending the desired materials together. What results are materials exhibiting poor physical properties owing to irregular macro-phase separation and poor adhesion between the phases.
In order to solve this problem an additional component must be added, typically referred to as a compatibilizer, which must exhibit two properties to be successful. Analogous to a detergent dispersing oil in water, the compatibilizer must reduce the surface energy between the polar and non-polar phases of the composite, but it must also link the two phases of the composite together in order to give strength to the composite. Thus, a successful compatibilizer must have a polymeric architecture that provides two distinct domains. One domain must be compatible with the non-polar polymer material of the composite, and the other domain must be compatible with the polar phase of the composite, and, additionally, the non-polar domain of the compatibilizer must be sufficiently long to entangle its chains with the chains of the non-polar phase of the composite, and the polar domain of the compatibilizer must be either reactive with nucleophilic functional groups present in the polar phase of the composite so as to chemically bond it to that phase, or the polar domain of the compatibilizer must be sufficiently long to entangle its chains into the polar phase of the composite. Such compatibilizers allow both the formation of a uniform micro-phase dispersion of one composite component into the other and a strong linkage between the two phases.
The successful development of compatibilizers that permit composites of polyolefins (e.g., polypropylene) and minerals, glass, and/or polar thermoplastics, having excellent physical properties was rapid. For example, by the early 1970's compatibilizers based on maleated polypropylene were available for the manufacture of polyolefin based composite materials. Such compatibilizers are commercially available, such as those sold by Crompton Corporation under the trademark Polybond. The maleic anhydride domain of these compatibilizers is reacted with the nucleophilic amines and hydroxy functional groups in polyamides, polyesters, and polycarbonates, and with the amino silanes used to modify the surface of glass fibers and other mineral fillers. The architecture of maleated polypropylene is not random, but, rather, the maleic anhydride graft occurs naturally on the ends of the polypropylene chain. Thus, it meets both criteria for a successful compatibilizer: the maleated ends are reactive with and compatible with the polar phase of the composite, and the polyolefin domain is compatible with and sufficiently long to chain entangle with the polyolefin phase of the composite material.
The addition of two or three percent of such compatibilizer to an alloy of polypropylene with glass or polar thermoplastic polymer yields composites with fine dispersion and excellent physical properties. The same composites without the compatibilizer exhibit non-uniform macro-phase separation and poor physical properties.
Attempts to apply the analogous solution to the other major hydrocarbon polymer group, styrenics, have been without success. Maleation of polystyrene is random along the polystyrene chain and is not located on the ends of the chain, as is the case for polypropylene. Similarly, copolymerization of styrene monomer and maleic anhydride yields an alternating copolymer, and copolymerization of styrene with other nucleophile reactive monomers is random along the polystyrene chain.
Such candidate compatibilizers contain functional groups that are reactive with the nucleophiles present in the polar thermoplastics and amine modified fillers and therefore interact with the polar phase of the composites (e.g., glass, minerals, and or polar thermoplastic polymers), yielding in some cases more uniform dispersions of the one material in the other. However, because the architecture of these candidate compatibilizers is random, there are no separate domains, and, therefore, no domain that is compatible with the polystyrene phase of the composite and sufficiently long to chain entangle with the polystyrene in the composite. As a result, even with improved dispersion of one phase in the other, the required improvement in the physical properties of the alloy material is not achieved, and, indeed, sometimes there is even a degradation of physical properties compared to the same alloy without the candidate compatibilizer.
This success of the strategy with polyolefin composites and failure in polystyrene composites was studied and reported by Ide et al., J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 18(4):963–74 (1974), and the poor results in polystyrene composites using this strategy with a wide range of reactive monomer copolymerized with styrene or grafted randomly onto styrene has been widely reported throughout the polymer literature. See, for example, Park et al., Polymer, 37(14):3055–3063 (1996), Chang et al., Polymer Engineering and Science, 31(21): 1509–1519 (1991), and Jannasch et al., Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 58:753–770 (1995).
Subsequently, researchers recognized that the presence of reactive functional groups like maleic anhydride were necessary, but not sufficient for good compatibilization of polystyrene with polar materials. In addition to this, the placement of the nucleophile reactive functional groups within the compatibilizer polymer architecture must be non-random. With this understanding, better, but still insufficient, solutions were proposed. These solutions met both the criteria of dispersing one phase in the other and of creating links between the two phases in the composite, but at the price of complex methods of manufacture and, more seriously, the introduction into the polystyrene composite of extraneous materials that altered and partially degraded the intended physical and chemical property advantages of the alloy.
A maleate-grafted derivative of the well-known anionically produced tri-block copolymer polystyrene-polybutadiene-polystyrene is commercially available from Shell Chemical under the trade designation Kraton FX1901. Here, because polybutadiene is selectively maleated over polystyrene, only the polybutadiene block is maleated. This compatibilizer then meets both criteria. The center maleated butadiene block is reactive with the polar phase of the alloy, and the styrene blocks are compatible with and sufficiently long to chain entangle the polystyrene phase of the alloy. This compatibilizer has found application in certain cases wherein the introduction of a third rubbery phase is feasible. See, for example, Park et al., Polymer, 42:7465–7475 (2002). However, this compatibilizer's introduction to the alloy of an additional rubbery polybutadiene phase with low Tg and very poor oxidative stability is generally undesirable. The latter deficiency can be reduced in part by hydrogenation of the unsaturation in the polybutadiene, but this involves extra steps and still incorporates an extraneous polymer with lower physical properties into the composite.
Braat et al., WO 0046274 A1, observed that polyphenyleneoxide (PPO), which is thermodynamically compatible with styrene and has terminal phenol groups, may be maleated to produce PPO with terminal succinic anhydride groups. This compatibilizer meets both criteria for a successful compatibilizer in that the terminal succinic anhydride groups are reactive with the nucleophiles present in the polar phase of the composite and the PPO segment is compatible with the polystyrene phase of the composite and sufficiently long to chain entangle it. See, for example, Bank et al. WO 059197 A2. However, this compatibilizer also necessitates the introduction into the composite of an extraneous polymer (PPO) with different chemical and physical properties. For example, phenolics are well known to degrade in sunlight and oxygen to form highly colored quinones.
Koulouri et al., Macromolecules, 32:6242–6248 (1999) overcame the need to introduce an extraneous polymer into the alloy by carrying out atom-transfer-addition of maleic anhydride to the ends of alpha,omega-dibromopolystyrene. The resulting polystyrene is terminated by bromosuccinic anhydride. This compatibilizer is only polystyrene bearing nucleophile reactive end groups and the material was demonstrated to form excellent alloys with polyamides. Both dispersion and physical properties were significantly improved. However, the presence of bromosuccinic anhydride makes this compatibilizer impractical to use owing to the unstable carbon/bromine bond present in the bromosuccinic anhydride end groups, which is well known to release corrosive hydrobromic acid under mild conditions of for example, heat and/or humidity.
Thus, a need remains in the art for a means to produce an alloy between styrenic polymers and polar materials, such as glass, minerals, or polar thermoplastics, having both good phase separation/dispersion and good physical properties without the simultaneous inclusion of corrosive functional groups or extraneous polymeric materials with undesirable properties.


Microphone is arranged at an evaluation point at the front seat; a signal for controlling vibration noise at this position is sent out from speaker at the front seat; secondary sound for canceling an influence of secondary sound at the front seat on the rear seat is sent out from speaker at the rear seat; microphone is arranged at an evaluation point at the rear seat; a signal for controlling vibration noise at this position is sent out from speaker; and secondary sound for canceling an influence of secondary sound at the rear seat on the front seat is sent out from speaker at the front seat.

Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2005-084500 discloses a conventional active vibration noise controller that is equipped with multiple speakers as a secondary sound generator, and microphones as an error signal detector, in an enclosed space such as in an automobile cabin; and suppresses noise at a position spaced from the microphones, using a compensating filter to actively reduce noise at a simulated evaluation point.
The conventional apparatus uses multiple speakers 11, 12 as a secondary sound generator, as shown in FIG. 4. The filter coefficient of adaptive filter 14 is successively updated so as to minimize an error signal detected by microphone 13 as an evaluation point, owing to the secondary sound from speaker 11 at the front seat and from speaker 12 at the rear seat, allowing optimal performance of vibration noise suppression to be achieved at an evaluation point.
Further, the filter coefficient of compensating filter 15 is determined according to the ratio of the transmission characteristic from speaker 11 at the front seat to a simulated evaluation point positioned where is spaced from microphone 13; to the transmission characteristic from speaker 12 at the rear seat to the simulated evaluation point. Consequently, at the simulated evaluation point at the rear seat, secondary sound from speaker 11 at the front seat can be cancelled by that from speaker 12 at the rear seat, and thus speaker 11 at the front seat suppresses vibration or noise occurring at the simulated evaluation point at the rear seat.
However, secondary sound supplied from speaker 12 at the rear seat through compensating filter 15 only cancels the effect of an output signal from speaker 11 at the front seat on the simulated evaluation point, at the simulated evaluation point. That is, at the simulated evaluation point, residual vibration noise, namely an error signal, is not detected due to absence of an error signal detector such as a microphone, and thus noise change is not followed at the simulated evaluation point. Consequently, effective noise reduction is not achieved at the simulated evaluation point when the transmission characteristic from the speaker to the simulated evaluation point changes due to changes of the speaker characteristic or to opening/closing of a window.


A lifting system is provided for lifting a person who is incapacitated, where the lifting system includes a torso enclosure that may encase a substantial portion of the person's torso without requiring the person to slip one or both of their arms through the enclosure, and orthogonally-aligned structural straps positioned on the enclosure to stabilize and strengthen the enclosure during use, where portions of the straps are detached between two respective junction points to permit grasping of such straps by others when attempting to lift the incapacitated person.

The embodiments herein relate generally to devices for assisting the lifting of persons who are temporarily or permanently incapacitated, and must be moved from a prone or sitting position to an upright or higher elevation. In that regard, harnesses have been used for years to lift persons as well as animals. Harnesses generally consist of one or more straps that may be placed around the person or animal and secured in place to "lift" the person or animal from one position to another.
Other harness-related devices have been disclosed as well. For example, the reader is directed to such prior references as U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,324, entitled Patient lifting harness and method of use; U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,378, entitled Invalid support belt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,859, entitled Transfer belt, U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,778, entitled Lift vest, U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,222, entitled Lifting sling, U.S. Pat. No. 7,627,912 entitled Portable patient transfer system, U.S. Pat. No. 7,945,975, entitled Patient assistance device, and Design Pat. No. D636,964, entitled Patient assistance vest. It is not known whether any of these devices have been commercialized or to any level of success.
A search of the internet has revealed devices being commercialized by Kendrick, known as the Kendrick Extrication Device, and a device by Smart Life Systems. None of these devices, including those disclosed in the references cites above, work as efficiently or as effectively as they should for various reasons. Indeed, emergency medical personnel have commented at the time of this application on the lack of adequate patient lifting devices in the marketplace given the variety of circumstances encountered by EMTs. Embodiments of the present invention address at least some of the disadvantages of the prior devices.


A turbine casing for an axial-throughflow gas turbine surrounds at least one hot-gas space between a compressor stage and a turbine stage and has an outer shell as an external boundary and also an inner shell which is provided separately from the outer shell and which separates the hot-gas space from the outer shell via an annular space. The inner shell is connected to the outer shell via two axial interfaces, in such a way that the annular space is sealed off relative to the hot-gas space. The turbine casing withstands higher compressor final pressures and temperatures and can be produced cost-effectively.

The present invention relates to gas turbine, and more specifically to casings surrounding at least one hot-gas space between a compressor stage and a turbine stage.
In the case of axial-throughflow gas turbines, as a rule, the one or more compressor stages and the one or more turbine stages are arranged on a single shaft. The highly compressed and heated air flowing out of the compressor is supplied to a combustion chamber located within the turbine casing between the compressor stage and turbine stage. Due to the high pressure values and temperatures occurring in this region, the turbine casing is exposed to high load.
The development of high-compression compressors with rising compressor final temperatures leads to increasingly more stringent requirements for the mechanical and thermal stability of the turbine casing. High-grade materials having improved properties must be found and used for the thermal and mechanical loading which increases with a rising pressure ratio. At the same time, ever larger separating-flange screw connections of the turbine casing have to be provided, in order to withstand these loads. Both of these factors increase the cost of the turbine power plants considerably.
Another limiting factor is the manufacturing methods which are employed in the field of industrial gas turbines and in which the outer shells forming the turbine casing are cast. Due to the system employed, however, the mechanical and thermal load-bearing capacity of turbine casings produced by casting methods of this kind is limited.
The present invention provides a turbine casing for an axial-throughflow gas turbine, which turbine casing can be produced cost-effectively and withstands very high pressures and temperatures. Thus, the turbine casing is capable of being operated without difficulty in the region of a compressor final pressure of more than 30 bar at temperatures of 550 to 570xc2x0 C.
The turbine casing according to the invention surrounds at least one hot-gas space between a compressor stage and a turbine stage. The casing is provided with an outer shell as an external boundary, and an inner component, which is provided separately from the outer shell and which separates the hot-gas space from the outer shell with an intermediate space defined between the outer shell and the inner component. The inner component is connected to the outer shell by two axial interfaces, in such a way that the intermediate space is sealed off relative to the hot-gas space.
The turbine casing according to the invention is thus composed of an outer shell and of an inner component. As a result of the arrangement of the two integral parts, the intermediate space formed between the inner component and the outer shell has a lower pressure and a lower temperature than the hot-gas space surrounded by the inner component. This is made possible, in particular, by the intermediate space being sealed off from the hot-gas space. A predetermined pressure can be set in this intermediate space by suitable feeds to the intermediate space.
The division of the turbine casing according to the invention into an outer shell and an inner component enables the thermal and mechanical loads occurring during operation to be apportioned to the two components. In this case, the inner component, also referred to as the hot-gas component, is designed in such a way that it withstands both the circumferential stresses caused by the pressure difference between the hot-gas space and the intermediate space, and the high temperature prevailing in the hot-gas space. This hot-gas component is therefore manufactured preferably from a high-grade material.
The outer shell must have a sufficiently rigid design to be capable of transmitting the static forces of the gas turbine and of withstanding the pressure difference between the intermediate space and the ambient atmosphere. The temperature which acts on the outer shell is markedly reduced because of the separation from the hot-gas space by the inner component and the intermediate space. This thermal load may be additionally counteracted by suitable cooling-air routed to the intermediate space formed between the inner component and the outer shell. This also reduces the phenomenon of xe2x80x9cbowingxe2x80x9d which can occur in steam and gas turbines and is caused as a rule by deformation of the stator.
A turbine casing constructed in accordance with the invention can be operated at compressor final pressures of more than 30 bar and the associated high temperatures. As a result of the outer shell only having to meet reduced requirements from those of conventional turbine casings, the outer shell can be produced by means of conventional casting methods and simple materials, while high-grade materials are necessary only for the inner component exposed to the high temperature and pressure ranges.
In one advantageous embodiment of the turbine casing according to the invention, the inner component is connected to the outer shell by means of surface pressure acting in the axial direction. The axial direction is a direction parallel to the central axis of the turbine casing. In this case, the outer shell has preferably two inwardly continuous projections or webs that form axial interfaces between which the inner component is placed. The inner component has sufficient flexibility in the axial direction such that it maintains a tight seal against the axial interfaces with the outer shell over the entire operating cycle of the gas turbine. The sealing effect is achieved preferably by metallic surfaces. The axial interfaces of the outer shell and the surfaces of the inner component which come into contact with the axial interfaces are provided with metallic sealing surfaces. The outer shell and webs forming the axial interfaces must have a sufficiently rigid design to absorb the axial forces that result from the surface pressure created during metallic sealing. As a result of this refinement, the turbine casing according to the invention is easily produced.
In a further refinement of the turbine casing, the materials for the outer shell and for the inner component are selected such that, during operation, there is sufficient surface pressure between the interfaces of the components to achieve a good seal. The thermal longitudinal expansion coefficient of the material for the inner component is preferably selected to be lower than that for the outer shell. Different thermal expansions resulting from the different temperatures acting on the two components can be compensated for in this manner. The materials are selected in such a way that the sealing effect between the inner component and the outer shell does not decrease during operation.
A medium can be supplied under pressure into the intermediate space between the inner component and outer shell, for example, a pressure of 16 bar can be maintained in the intermediate space in the case of a pressure of 32 bar in the hot-gas space. In this case, the inner component and the outer shell only have to be capable in each case of withstanding a pressure difference of 16 bar.
The turbine casing according to the invention also makes it possible so that, even under high pressure conditions of the compressor and with large diameters of the components, smaller separating-flange screw connections and simpler materials and geometries can be selected for the outer shell and the inner component. This, too, leads to a reduction in the costs for producing a turbine casing of this type.
A further advantage of the present invention is the simple production of the casing, in which the inner component merely has to be clamped between the two axial interfaces. There is no need, in this case, for further connection techniques which could lead to thermal stresses or cracking.

Turbine casing for an axial-throughflow gas turbine


A method and an X-ray apparatus for imaging anatomical parts of the human anatomy, in particular for imaging the human spine. In order to improve the quality and the diagnostic value of projection images of the anatomical parts the invention acquires at least one initial projection image of at least the region of interest of the anatomy, to determine the positions and/or orientations of the anatomical parts in the region of interest from the at least one initial projection image and/or from other sources of information, to determine the optimum imaging parameters for the anatomical parts from their positions and/or orientations, and to acquire images of the anatomical parts while using the optimum imaging parameters. The complexity of the scene and the mixture of over-projecting structures limiting the diagnostic reliability of the projection images are thus taken into account. In a preferred embodiment a scanning trajectory is determined while using the information of the at least one initial projection image along which the source-detector unit is moved while acquiring the projection images of the spine.

A method for imaging the human spine by means of a CT system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,370. Therein two-dimensional data from CT scout images are combined with three-dimensional information from CT scans using simple modelling of vertebrae. It is often, however, preferred to image the spine of the patient in an upright position. A CT system cannot be used in such a case.
In digital X-ray imaging a composition of an image from sub-images is generally used to form a composite image of an elongate scene which is too long to be reproduced in one operation. In medical X-ray diagnostics such a situation occurs notably when an image of the spinal column is made. Using a contemporary digital X-ray examination apparatus it is difficult or even impossible to form an X-ray image of the complete region of the spinal column of the patient to be examined in one exposure. A number of successive X-ray images of portions of the region to be examined are formed, which images together cover the entire region. A method of this kind is also called the translation reconstruction technique and is known from EP 0 655 861 A1. Such a technique can also be used for imaging other parts of the human anatomy.
Due to the complexity of the scene (around the spinal column there are located other portions of the body like the thorax, rib cage, abdomen, head and neck which are also imaged when imaging the spine) and due to the mixture of over-projecting structures, projection images are often of low quality and limit the diagnostic reliability. Even when a normal-curved spine is imaged there are portions of the spine where neighbouring vertebrae may overlap each other in projection images. Furthermore, when the spine of a patient shows an abnormal curvature, e.g. an exagerated forward curvature (lordosis), an exagerated backward curvature (kyphosis) or a lateral curvature (scoliosis), such overlapping structures occur even more in the curved portions of the spine, thus reducing the quality of the projection images further. Another problem arises when the vertebrae of the spine exhibit an axial rotation. Consecutive projection images taken from the same direction will then show axially rotated vertebrae from different angles, thus reducing the diagnostic value of these images.
The translation reconstruction technique gives easy access to digital overview images of a large part of the human anatomy like the spine. Additionally, fluoroscopy can be used for optimum positioning of the patient and the collimators of the X-ray apparatus. However, much of the information contained in this fluoroscopy data currently is not used for the planning and optimizing of the real acquisition of images of the anatomical parts.

Method and X-ray apparatus for optimally imaging anatomical parts of the human anatomy


The present disclosure provides antibodies or antibody fragments specific for GPVI. In particular, it relates to antibodies or antibody fragments that have combined beneficial properties and are therefore useful for the treatment or prophylaxis of GPVI related disorders or conditions, such as for example thrombotic or vascular disorders.

Platelet activation is of fundamental importance in the development of arterial thrombosis and cardiovascular disorders. Patients suffering from such disorders are commonly treated with antiplatelet drugs which interfere with thrombus formation through targeting late events in this process. A serious side effect of these drugs is prolonged bleeding which limits their use.
GPVI is a major collagen receptor expressed exclusively on platelets and megakaryocytes. Binding of GPVI to collagen (which is one of the most important thrombogenic components of the subendothelial matrix (Lockyer S. et al, Thromb Res. 2006; 1 18(3):371-80)) induces receptor clustering and subsequent platelet activation. As such, GPVI is of central importance in early events of platelet activation, and therefore a major target for the interference with this mechanism (Nieswandt B and Watson S P, Blood. 2003 Jul. 15; 102(2):449-61).
The antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects of GPVI have been described in in vitro and in vivo studies, using platelets from mice and human. For instance, GPVI deficient platelets does not respond to collagen. Moreover, mouse deficient for GPVI revealed an effective inhibition of arterial thrombus formation at the damaged vessel wall without increasing the susceptibility to spontaneous bleeding. All these data indicate that GPVI is an effective and safe target for the treatment of thrombotic and vascular disorders in human.
Inhibitory or neutralizing monoclonal antibodies directed against GPVI being able to interfere with GPVI—collagen interaction has been described in the prior art. See e.g. EP1224942 (EP1228768) (Nieswandt, Bernhard), WO2001/000810 (MILLENNIUM PHARMACEUTICALS), WO2003/054020A3 (CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL SERVICES LTD, GB), EP1538165A1 (Procorde GmbH/GSF-Forschungszentrum für Umwelt and Gesundheit GmbH), WO2005/111083 (EP1745076B1) (OTSUKA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.), WO2006/118350 (EP1876240) (MOCHIDA PHARMACEUTICAL CO. LTD., JP), WO2008/049928 (INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE (INSERM), FR), WO2011/073954 (SANOFI).
However, the majority of the reported GPVI specific antibodies seems to be not suited for the clinical development and therapeutic use in human, especially due to their animal origin (which makes them immunogenic in human patients), lack of cross-reactivity to relevant animal species, their considerably weak affinity, their short half-life or because of unfavorable functional properties, such as inducing GPVI depletion from the surface of platelets. GPVI depletion can be indicative for receptor activation and since it cannot be controlled and is irreversible it should be avoided.
Currently, only one GPVI specific monoclonal Fab antibody ACT-017 (see WO2017/021539) seems to be under clinical development for the treatment of ischemic stroke. However, this antibody is a humanized version of the earlier disclosed antibody 9012.2 (see WO 2001000810) and as such lacks cross-reactivity to rodent GPVI, which are commonly used relevant models for in vivo studies. In addition, ACT-017 bears the risk of being recognized by anti-Fab antibodies present in a patient's serum, due to its structure at the C-terminus of the Fab heavy chain. Such immune response could result in an undesired restoration of bivalent GPVI binding and GPVI activation in platelets.
There is thus a need for further improved antibodies or antibody fragments specific for GPVI suited for clinical development and therapeutic use showing better affinity, efficacy and safety profiles in human as compared to the neutralizing antibodies of the prior art.
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides novel antibodies and antibody fragments (in particular Fab fragments) which are superior to the GPVI specific antibodies known from the prior art. In particular, the antibodies of the present disclosure are human antibodies or antibody fragments which also binds to non-human primate (such as cynomolgus monkey) as well as rodent (such as rat and/or mouse) GPVI, display high affinities and combine favorable functional and safety properties never have been observed before.
In this respect, the GPVI specific antibody fragments of the present disclosure may also comprise a modification at the C-terminus of the Fab heavy chain (e.g. a modified heavy chain constant region). The inventors of the present application demonstrated that such modification can further reduce the ability of the Fab to induce platelet activation via cross-linking of GPVI on the surface of platelets by preventing the recognition of the Fab by (pre-existing) anti-Fab antibodies present in a patient' serum. As outlined above, such recognition may result in the restoration of bivalent or multivalent GPVI-binding, leading to GPVI clustering on the surface of platelets, similar to the activity of its natural agonist ligands, such as collagen.
Accordingly, the GPVI specific antibodies of the present disclosure offer a particular safe treatment of ischemic events.
These features makes the antibodies and antibody fragments of the present disclosure highly desirable for therapeutic use such as for preventing and/or treating thrombotic and vascular disorders.


A memory chip includes a data processing block suitable for serial-parallel converting data inputted and for parallel-serial converting data to be outputted, a write data transmitting unit suitable for transmitting the data serial-parallel converted by the data processing block to a write data interlayer channel, a write data receiving unit suitable for receiving data from the write data interlayer channel, the data to be written to a core area, a read data receiving unit suitable for receiving data from a read data interlayer channel, the data to be parallel-serial converted by the data processing block, and a read data transmitting unit suitable for transmitting data read from the core area to the read data interlayer channel.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a memory chip and a semiconductor package including a plurality of memory chips.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to the recent trend, the capacity and speed of a semiconductor memory used as a memory device in most electronic systems have been increasing. Furthermore, various attempts have been made to mount a memory with a larger capacity in a smaller area and to effectively drive the memory.
In order to increase the integration degree of a memory, a three-dimensional (3D) structure including a plurality of memory chips stacked therein started to be applied instead of an existing two-dimensional (2D) structure. As memories with a high integration degree and a high capacity are needed, a 3D stacked structure of a memory chip may be used to increase a capacity and reduce a semiconductor chip size, thereby improving an integration degree.
As the 3D stacked structure, a through-silicon via (TSV) structure may be applied. The TSV structure is considered as an alternative for overcoming the reduction of transmission speed depending on a distance from a controller on a module, the vulnerability of data bandwidth, and the degradation of transmission speed depending on variables on a package. The TSV structure includes a path formed through a plurality of memory chips and an electrode formed in the path to perform communication between the stacked chips.

Memory chip and semiconductor package including the same


Each camera comprises an image generation unit for generating an image by capturing the image, a moving object detection unit for detecting a moving object from the image and transmitting information on the position of the moving object to the server, and an image transmission unit for, when the camera is selected by the server, transmitting an image. The server comprises an image delivery camera selection unit for selecting some cameras as image delivery cameras from among the cameras based on the information on the position of the moving object transmitted from each of the cameras, an image delivery camera notification unit for notifying the selection result to the cameras, and an image input unit for inputting the images transmitted from the image delivery cameras.

Conventionally, in an image capturing system used as a monitor system, a plurality of cameras are provided at higher positions than a target to be monitored, and the cameras are connected to a camera control device. The images captured by the cameras are transmitted to the camera control device. The camera control device is provided with a monitor and the monitor displays the images captured by the cameras thereon. In such a monitor system, a plurality of cameras may be installed to mutually overlap in their image-capturing ranges. In this case, the camera control device can select and display optimum images suitable for display from among the images captured by the cameras.
Patent Literature 1 discloses the image capturing system therein. In Patent Literature 1, the camera control device acquires images from a plurality of cameras connected thereto, and selects a camera which captures an image in which a person faces front among the images of the cameras. Then, a signal for controlling an image capturing direction is transmitted to the selected camera in order to enable the selected image to be enlarged for display or to enable the selected camera to shoot persons.
On the other hand, an all-around camera for capturing all-around images by use of a fish-eye lens is used as a monitor camera. Since the all-around camera uses a fish-eye lens so that circular or donut-shaped images can be obtained and distortions occur in the captured images, when a captured image is displayed, a predetermined range is cut out to be subjected to distortion correction, thereby being displayed as a plan image. The all-around camera has a horizontal angle of 360 degrees and a vertical angle of about 180 degrees thereby to capture images in a wide range, and thus is used as a monitor camera in many cases.

Image capturing system, camera control device for use therein, image capturing method, camera control method, and computer program

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A heat development apparatus for heat developing a heat-developable recording material from one surface side by a heating unit, while transporting the heat-developable recording material by a transportation unit, the apparatus comprising: an inversion processing mechanism for inverting the heat-developable recording material discharged from a heating region in which the heat developing is made by the heating unit, and returning it to the heating region; and a transportation route switching unit for selectively switching a route of the heat-developable recording material discharged from the heating region to a side of the inversion processing mechanism or a discharge-side transportation route.

As an image recording apparatus for recording a medical image, such as a digital radiographic system, CT, or MR, a wet system in which an image is photographed or recorded on a silver salt photographic light-sensitive material, and then wet processed to obtain a reproduced image, has been conventionally used. In contrast, in recent years, a recording apparatus by a dry system using a photothermographic material (heat development recording apparatus) has attracted attention.
FIG. 7 shows a conventional example of this kind of a heat development recording apparatus.
The heat development recording apparatus 100 includes: a recoding material supply unit A accommodating sheet-like heat-developable recording materials 21; an image exposure unit B for performing an exposure processing based on image data on the heat-developable recording material 21 supplied from the recording material supply unit A; a heat development unit C for performing a heat development processing by a prescribed heating on the heat-developable recording material 21 which has gone through the exposure processing at the image exposure unit B; a cooling unit D for cooling and discharging the heat-developable recording material 21 which has gone through the heat development processing; a power source/control unit E for supplying a power to the respective units and controlling the operations of the respective units; and a transportation unit for feeding the heat-developable recording material 21 at the recording material supply unit A to the cooling unit D via the image exposure unit B and the heat development unit C sequentially (e.g., see, JP-A-2000-98576).
The heat-developable recording material 21 is prepared by providing a recording layer having light sensitivity and heat sensitivity on one side of a base film. Specifically, a photothermographic material or a light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material is used according to the features of the recording layer.
The recording layer of the photothermographic material is a recording material which records an image thereon as a latent image by exposure with a light beam (e.g., a laser beam), and is allowed to develop its color by heat development.
On the other hand, the recording layer of the light-sensitive heat-sensitive recording material records an image as a latent image thereon by exposure with a light beam, and then is heat developed and is allowed to develop its color, or records an image thereon by a heat mode (heat) of a laser beam, and simultaneously therewith, is allowed to develop its color, followed by image fixing thereon through light exposure.
In the recording material supply unit A of the examples shown, recording material accommodating cases (magazines) 15a, 15b, and 15c are disposed vertically at three stages. The respective recording paper accommodating cases 15a, 15b, and 15c are each capable of accommodating a large number (e.g., 150 sheets) of the sheet-like heat-developable recording materials 21 in stacked form. Then, feed roller pairs 13a, 13b, and 13c for feeding out and transporting the heat developable recording materials 21 in the cases, one by one, are provided at the outlet side of the respective recording paper accommodating cases 15a, 15b, and 15c, respectively.
The heat-developable recording materials 21 fed out from the respective recording paper accommodating cases 15a, 15b, and 15c by the feed roller pairs 13a, 13b, and 13c, respectively are fed to the image exposure unit B by a transportation unit provided on the top end thereof.
The image exposure unit B includes: a transportation unit 27 having driving rollers 31 and 33 and a guide plate 35, and transporting the heat-developable recording materials 21 supplied from the recording material supply unit A at a prescribed speed; and a beam emission means 29 for performing scanning by a light beam (laser beam) 28 in a direction orthogonal to the transportation direction on the heat-developable recording materials 21 transported by the transportation unit 27. The scanning direction by the beam emission means 29 is set as a main scanning direction, and the transportation direction of the transportation unit 27 is set as a sub-scanning direction. Thus, the image exposure unit B performs main/sub-scanning by the light beam 28 on the recording layer of the heat-developable recording material 21 based on the recording image data supplied from an image information source such as CT or MR, thereby performing an exposure processing in accordance with an image to be recorded, and recording a latent image on the recording layer of the heat-developable recording material 21.
The heat development unit C is configured to include: a transportation unit 36 for transporting the heat-developable recording material 21 subjected to the exposure processing at the image exposure unit B through an arc-like path; and a heating unit 37 provided along the transportation path by the transportation unit 36, for performing a prescribed heat processing on the recording layer of the heat-developable recording material 21 being transported by the transportation unit 36.
The transportation unit 36 transports the heat-developable recording material 21 through the arc-like path by a plurality of presser rollers 41 driven in rotation following a gear 43, and a supply roller pair 39 disposed closer to the image exposure unit B.
The heating unit 37 is configured to include a plurality of plate heaters 37a, 37b, and 37c arranged along the arc-like transportation path of the transportation unit 36. The heat-developable recording material 21 is transported with the recording layer facing the side of the plate heaters 37a, 37b, and 37c.
The foregoing heating unit 37 increases the temperature the recording layer of the heat-developable recording material 21 to a prescribed heat development temperature (e.g., 120° C.), thereby to develop/fix the latent image recorded on the heat-developable recording material 21 as a visible image with a prescribed concentration.
The cooling unit D receives the heat-developable recording material 21 which has gone through the development processing via a delivery roller 45. Then, it cools the heat-developable recording material 21 by heat dissipation during transportation by means of an appropriate number of cooling roller pairs 47 to an appropriate temperature such as ordinary temperature.
The cooled heat-developable material 21 is discharged to a discharge tray 17 via an inducing path by a guide plate 49 and a transportation roller pair 51.


A microfluidic test device has a body, a first chamber having an outlet provided with a first valve and holding a first buffer having a first buffer volume, a primary reaction chamber, a sample inlet for receiving and feeding a sample having a sample volume, into the microfluidic test device, a first fluid path connecting the outlet of the first chamber and the sample inlet, a second fluid path connecting the sample inlet and the primary reaction chamber, a primary test part having a primary test chamber, a third primary fluid path connecting the primary reaction chamber and the primary test part, a primary valve arranged in the third primary fluid path, a flow driving device configured to move fluid from the primary reaction chamber to the primary test part, and a heating assembly configured to heat a reaction fluid in the primary reaction chamber.

Microfluidic flow cells are being used increasingly as "minilabs" for the analysis, especially in the field of diagnostics. These medical test devices may contain reactive substances in liquid and/or solid form, which are introduced into the flow cells during the production of the cells. Dehydration is known to preserve the function of enzymes during storage above freezing, but the art is highly unpredictable.
Lyophilisation or freeze-drying is a well-known technique for preserving a wide range of moieties including chemicals, bio-chemicals and biological samples. It is also well known that these moieties need to be mixed with reagents such as stabilisers. A variety of stabilisers are known, and these are required to ensure that during the freeze-drying process, the moieties retain their structure and function.
To introduce a dry reagent, one of the assembly steps may involve applying a reagent liquid, that is, a carrier liquid in which a reagent is dissolved or suspended and which is later to be dried, to the area intended to hold the dry reagent inside the flow cell, e.g., a channel or a chamber, while that area is still accessible.
After that, the entire flow cell component, only part of which has been wetted with the reagent, is subjected to a drying process before the further assembly steps are carried out. This drying step may be associated with a heat treatment to accelerate the process, or it may take the form of a freeze-drying process to protect the reagents and ensure the stability and re-suspendability properties of the reagent.
A method for introducing a dry substance into a flow cell as described above is explained in, for example, EP2198964 and US2016167047.
US 2009/0286327 disclose a microfluidic device having a different order of the flow path, wherein a reagent is lyophilized in the third chamber.

Lamp component distribution in a microfluid cell


The invention relates to a method to generate computer instructions to control a representation of one or more objects, said representation being defined at least by attributes of said one or more objects, said method comprising: representing, in a graphical form, a source attribute of an object, possible values of the source attribute and one or more target attributes of said one or more objects; allowing a user to select a subset of the possible values of the source attribute; allowing a user to define a rule of transformation of the subset of the possible values of said source attribute into values of target attributes of said one or more objects; generating computer instructions configured to cause a processor to execute the rule of transformation.

When developing a software application, or designing an animation for a portable device, a developer often wishes to offer the user of the application an interactive experience, wherein inputs of the user have a direct impact on the representation of the application. The representation of the application may be for example a visual and/or an auditory output, although other outputs are possible on some platforms (olfactory outputs, touch outputs such as vibrations, or any other output type through the use of actuating devices such as motors etc . . . ).
On a digital device, such as a smart phone or a tablet, the inputs of the user are usually detected by sensors connected to the device, and converted into software events, which are associated to input variables. For example, if a user moves around a portable device equipped with a gyroscope, the change of orientation of the portable device can be sensed by a gyroscope, and transformed by the operating system and made available to applications as an "orientation" event, having therewith associated an input value representative of the orientation of the device.
On the other hand, an output of an application is often defined by attributes of a plurality of objects that define a visual scene. For example, the scene of an application may contain a ball, having as attributes a color, a size, and/or a horizontal position and/or a vertical position. A rendering engine is responsible for the conversion of objects and attributes into values of intensity of pixels, which define the display which is directly seen by the user. The representation of an application may also contain other types of outputs. For example, the frequency and intensity of a sound may be set and the corresponding sound be played by speakers of the portable device.
A desirable property of an interactive application is to have outputs that evolve in a logical and user-friendly way in accordance to inputs. For example, the vertical position of a ball may evolve according to the horizontal position of a finger on the tactile surface of a tablet. Thus, when the user moves his/her finger left and right on the surface, the ball may move up and down, according to a position of the finger. It is also possible to synchronize a plurality of elements of the representation. For example, when the user moves his/her finger left or right, the ball may go up or down but may also, at the same time, have its size increase or diminish, while the frequency of a sound emitted by the device increases or decreases, etc. The definition of an output of a device according to an input of the user, and the synchronization of a plurality of outputs according to an input of the user, allow the creation of a friendly and reactive application that is intuitive for a user to manipulate.
A straightforward solution to build an interactive application that manages the outputs of a device based on the inputs of a user, another device or parameters of the device in an intuitive way is to code all correspondences between inputs and outputs. This consists in writing lines of code to capture events, retrieve corresponding input values, and assign a corresponding value to attributes of objects that will be rendered by a rendering engine. However this solution is often cumbersome, difficult to achieve and subject to many coding errors. Moreover, it is difficult to maintain. For example, if one wishes to modify a correspondence between input values and attributes of objects or add a further attribute to modify, one would have to modify lines of codes at a plurality of different locations in the program. This is a major issue at the design stage of an interactive application, when a developer may wish to iteratively modify a number of times the correspondences between inputs and outputs to test and improve the set of interactions with short cycles of development.
The Adobe Flash® Builder software discloses a graphical interface for synchronizing elements of a Flash animation. In this interface a timeline, disposed on top of the programming application, represents the elapsed time, starting from the launch of the animation. It is also possible to have a timeline specific to each component. Then, a designer of the animation can design, for different states of an object, a time-based animation. It is also possible, within the animation, to define the state of an object at a given time. For example, when starting the animation, the object takes successive states, as defined by the correspondence between the timeline and the state in the Adobe Flash Builder. This builder allows a rapid creation and modification of an animation, without major risk of errors. It also allows the designer of the animation to capture at a glance the successive states of an object, thus allowing an intuitive design of the animation.
However Flash Builder has major limitations. It is only able to define the behavior of an animation according to time. Meanwhile, the state of the object is only chosen amongst predefined states. The Adobe Flash® Builder software is thus unable to synchronize a plurality of objects and representations according to an input value other than the elapsing time.
There is therefore the need for a method and development tools to easily define and modify a correspondence between an input and one or more outputs of an application, while letting the developer choose a plurality of inputs and generating values of output which are not restricted to predefined states.

Graphical interface to generate instructions to control a representation by an output interface of one or more objects


The present invention provides highly purified omega-3 fatty acid formulations. Certain formulations provided herein have contain greater than 85% omega-3 fatty acids by weight. Certain other formulations provided herein contain EPA and DHA in a ratio of from about 4.01:1 to about 5:1. The invention also provides methods of using the dosage forms to treat a variety of cardiovascular, autoimmune, inflammatory, and central nervous system disorders by administering a formulation of the invention to a patient in need thereof.

Omega-3 fatty acids are often referred to as "essential" fatty acids (EFAs) because they are needed for human health but are not sufficiently produced by the body alone. The two major health promoting omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are naturally found in certain cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. They can also be derived in the body from alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega-3 fatty acid found in certain seeds and plant-based oils. However, the body is very inefficient at converting ALA into EPA and DHA.
The modern diet is typically deficient in omega-3 essential fatty acids and has become overloaded with pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid. This heavy imbalance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the modern diet is thought to lead to an overall inflammatory state that contributes to certain diseases. The increased consumption of vegetable oils and shortenings, beef, and dairy is one of the major reasons for the high amount of omega-6 fatty acids in the diet and the imbalance between omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. The North American population, in particular, has among the lowest dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids found in the world and the highest amount of the pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids.
Recent scientific developments have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids, in particular EPA and DHA, play a vital role in central nervous system, cognitive, cardiovascular, joint, immune and metabolic function. EPA and DHA not only protect good overall physical and emotional health, but also can reduce the risk of cardiac disease and exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects that can help treat certain diseases. The benefits of EPA and DHA have been studied across a wide range of illnesses, including, but not limited to heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis, psoriasis, lupus, Crohn's Disease, back pain, dry eyes, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and stress-related disorders. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to be important in pregnant women and infants, where their depletion may lead to visual or central nervous system problems.
Adequate amounts of omega 3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA can be obtained in the diet from cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. However larger fish species may contain high levels of mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins or other contaminants. Thus achieving an optimal amount of omega-3 fatty acids through the intake of fish alone raises a number of safety concerns. Fatty acids supplements are available. However, conventional over-the-counter omega-3 fatty acid supplements contain relatively impure material and are typically only about 30% omega 3 fatty acids. This low purity leads to inadequate dosing of essential fatty acids unless a large number of dosage units are consumed each day. Additionally research suggests that the EPA:DHA ratio is important for efficacy. Currently available omega 3 fatty acid preparations, such as the prescription omega-3 medication OMACOR are formulated for cardiovascular use and contain approximately EPA and DHA in an approximately 3:2 ratio. Other omega-3 formulations are intended primarily for treatment of mental health disorders and very high levels of EPA and little or no DHA. The EPA:DHA ratios for these omega-3 formulations is 7:1 or higher. An intermediate ratio EPA:DHA ratio is considered ideal for treatment of a broad range of cardiovascular, autoimmune, inflammatory, and central nervous system disorders. There remains a need for a highly purified omega-3 dosage form having an EPA:DHA ratio of greater than 3:2 and less than 7:1. The present invention fulfills this need and provides related advantages, which are described herein.


A battery pack for a camera includes a main housing for containing one or more batteries. An adaptor electrically connected to the one or more batteries protrudes from the main housing and is configured for electrical engagement with a camera supported on the main housing. The battery pack optionally includes one or more of the following: a display screen on the main housing for displaying system functions or images and videos captured by the camera; a wireless transmission device in the main housing for transmitting images captured by the camera to a remote receiver; one or more memory unit housings in the main housing for receiving one or more memory units.

Battery packs for cameras, such as digital cameras, are commonly used for supporting and providing power to cameras, particularly to cameras used by professional photographers. These battery packs typically include a housing for containing one or more batteries, and may include one or more buttons, switches, knobs, or the like for controlling various functions (e.g., zoom) of a camera mounted on and electrically connected to the battery pack. While existing battery packs have effectively functioned as power sources for cameras, they typically have not included many features.