A network operating system agent can operate to facilitate communications to a network device and a managing server of self-organizing network devices to exchange contexts between an application managed by a user equipment device and the network device. Relationships between self-organizing devices and applications of a user equipment device can be extended so that the network devices are context aware of the application settings. In response to detecting the user equipment device communicating via the network devices, a set of user equipment device parameters and a set of application settings of the application can be communicated to the network devices. The application settings can be modified according to the a set of radio network performance settings of the self-organizing network devices with the user equipment device based on the set of user equipment device parameters and the set of application settings of the application.

The use of mobile devices and the resulting mobile traffic continues growing at a very fast pace and the trend shows no signs of stopping. To meet the mobile traffic growth and improve the end user experience, mobile service providers are actively looking for mechanisms to improve network efficiency, system capacity, and end user experience by cost effectively leveraging all radio network technologies, including cellular and Wi-Fi technologies. The routing of network traffic to a Wi-Fi radio and to a cellular radio, for example, can affect the user experience. For example, if the network traffic is routed to a network that is not appropriate for that network traffic, it can result in loss of the communication (e.g., dropped calls), poor services, and other negative impacts to the user experience.
To ensure customer satisfaction, wireless service providers aim to deliver a high quality service at any location, to facilitate reliable and efficient mobile communications. Consumers can access a growing number of networks using a mobile device. These networks include, for example, 3G networks, 4G networks, long-term evolution networks and Wi-Fi networks. These networks allow consumers to communicate voice, text, multimedia, and other data to and from other network entities, such as servers and other mobile devices.

Network operating system client architecture for mobile user equipment


A seat buckle sensor system is provided that provides an output representative of a lock condition of a seat belt buckle. The system includes a magnet on an end of a seat buckle lock pin and a Hall device. The lock pin, and magnet on the end thereof, move between a locked position and an unlocked position relative to the Hall device. The magnet imparts a first magnetic flux on the Hall device in the locked position causing the Hall device to produce a first output. The magnet imparts a second magnetic flux on the Hall device in the unlocked position causing the Hall device to produce a second output.

Seat belt buckle sensors are used in vehicle systems for a variety of purposes, such as for providing a safety warning to the vehicle occupants, and setting an air bag system at a proper deployment force associated with a particular seat occupant. Seat belt buckle sensors generally provide an output indicating whether the buckle tongue attached to the seat belt webbing is engaged with the seat belt buckle in a locked condition. This output may be combined with information from other sensors, e.g. a seat belt tension sensor, a weight sensor and/or seat position sensor, to determine whether and to what extent an air bag should be deployed in the event of an accident.
There is a need, however, for a seat buckle sensor that provides accurate and reliable sensing of the buckle condition, while allowing cost-effective manufacture an installation.


In a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multicarrier communication system, a mobile station sends a quantized time-domain representation of the channel transfer function to a base station for use by the base station in generating beamforming coefficients for use in subsequent transmissions to the mobile station. In some embodiments, the quantized time-domain representation of the channel transfer function may be generated from selected most significant rays of an initial estimated sampled channel impulse response. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Many wireless communication systems use feedback to allow a transmitting station to adapt its transmissions to changing channel conditions. One problem with multicarrier communication systems that use many subcarriers, such as systems employing orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signals, is that the channel conditions may be different for each of the subcarriers or groups of the subcarriers. The amount of feedback to adapt to changing channel conditions may be significant; consuming bandwidth as well as using additional energy. This is especially a concern when multiple antennas are used to communicate additional data streams over the same subcarriers, as in the case of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) systems. In battery-powered mobile units, this processing reduces battery life as well as increases the complexity of the mobile unit.

Multiple antenna multicarrier communication system and method with reduced mobile-station processing


Techniques are described for wireless communication. A first method includes inserting channel or interference estimation modulation symbols into a sequence of data modulation symbols; performing a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) on a group of modulation symbols in the sequence of data modulation symbols, the group of modulation symbols including at least one of the channel or interference estimation modulation symbols; and generating a single-carrier frequency domain modulated (SC-FDM) symbol stream based at least in part on an output of the DFT. A second method includes performing an IDFT on a tone-demapped output of a DFT for each of at least one SC-FDM symbol stream, to recover a plurality of data modulation symbols and channel or interference estimation modulation symbols for each of the at least one SC-FDM symbol stream; estimating interference based at least in part on the channel or interference estimation modulation symbols; and decoding the data modulation symbols based at least in part on the estimated interference.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure, for example, relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly to techniques for estimating interference associated with single-carrier frequency-division modulated (SC-FDM) symbol streams.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). Examples of such multiple-access systems include code-division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time-division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) systems, single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems (i.e., systems in different devices transmit different SC-FDM symbol streams over different orthogonal resources), and orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) systems.
By way of example, a wireless multiple-access communication system may include a number of base stations, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, otherwise known as user equipment (UEs). A base station may communicate with UEs on downlink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a base station to a UE) and uplink channels (e.g., for transmissions from a UE to a base station).
Some modes of communication may enable communication between a base station and a UE over a shared radio frequency spectrum, or over different radio frequency spectrums (e.g., a dedicated radio frequency spectrum and a shared radio frequency spectrum) of a cellular network. With increasing data traffic in cellular networks that use a dedicated (e.g., licensed) radio frequency spectrum, offloading of at least some data traffic to a shared radio frequency spectrum may provide a cellular operator with opportunities for enhanced data transmission capacity. A shared radio frequency spectrum may also provide service in areas where access to a dedicated radio frequency spectrum is unavailable.

Channel or interference estimation for SC-FDM symbol streams


An optical amplifying apparatus of the present invention has an optical amplifier for directly amplifying an input signal, and an optical splitter for reflecting a noise light which occurs in the amplifier and is supplied backward therefrom. An amount of the backward noise light is used to detect an S/N ratio of an output light or the like.

An optical amplifying apparatus for directly amplifying a light signal has been now developed in a variety of technical fields such as an optical communication system. Recently, an optical amplifying apparatus using an optical fiber amplifier, in which rare-earth element or the like is doped to an optical fiber, has been proposed. The optical fiber amplifier amplifies a light signal when a predetermined excitation light is supplied thereto. One kind of such an optical amplifying apparatus is described in UK Patent Publication "GB-2175766A".
In such an optical amplifying apparatus, a noise light occurs in an optical direct amplifier because of the amplifying theory of the amplifier, the structural reason and the like. For the purpose of monitoring operating condition of the optical amplifier, a conventional optical amplifying apparatus is provided with a detector for detecting noise occurring in the amplifier.
A conventional optical amplifying apparatus includes an optical direct amplifier for amplifying an input signal light directly, an optical (or beam) splitter for splitting the amplified light, and an optical filter for detecting a noise light occurring in the optical amplifier. The optical filter has a bandstop function in that a signal light having a narrow wavelength band is attenuated thereat and a noise light having a relatively wide wavelength band passes therethrough.
In the conventional optical amplifying apparatus, an S/N ratio of an output signal is determined in accordance with an amount of the detected noise light.
According to the conventional optical amplifying apparatus, however, there is a disadvantage in that the optical filter must have high performance, because it is required to detect only a noise light with high precision.


A data writing method for writing data to a flash memory includes writing an initial value to the data storage area, determining whether or not the writing of the initial value is performed normally based on a write flag, writing data to the data storage area when the writing is performed normally, and erasing a block including the data storage area when the writing is not performed normally. An initial value is written to the data storage area before writing data, so that whether or not an error correction code storage area contains the initial value may be confirmed. An erase operation of the block is performed only when the error correction code storage area does not contain the initial value, so that the number of times of erasure of the block may be reduced and the life of the product may be increased.

In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, such as a flash memory, an error correction code is stored along with data, so that the reliability of data may be improved. The reliability of data may be further improved if the data of a block, in which an error has been corrected, is rewritten to other block. A related art is discussed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-108722.
The error correction code is automatically generated by a memory control circuit or the like based on write data. For this reason, a data processing unit which writes data to a flash memory may not directly read the error correction code. Usually, in the flash memory, it is not possible to perform the rewriting from the logic "0" indicative of the write state to the logic "1" indicative of the erase state. For this reason, for example, when there is a bit with the logic "0" in an error correction code storage area, in a state of a data storage area being erased, an error correction code generated based on write data may not be correctly written to the error correction code storage area. At this time, it is not possible to determine whether this is a problem due to the life of the flash memory or a problem due to the fact that the error correction code storage area has not been erased. In order to prevent this problem, an erase operation needs to be performed every time before initially writing data for each block which is the unit of erasure. This increases the number of times of erasure and shortens the life of the product.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided by the present invention is a chimeric antigen receptor comprising a co-stimulatory receptor, the chimeric antigen receptor having a structure of scFv(X)-(Y)CD3zeta-2A-(Z); X comprises a tumortargeting antibody or a ligand or receptor capable of specifically binding to a tumor; Y is an intracellular region of the co-stimulatory receptor, and Z is a co-stimulatory receptor that is selected from among ICOS, CD28, CD27, HVEM, LIGHT, CD40L, 4-1BB, OX40, DR3, GITR, CD30, TIMI, SLAM, CD2, CD226. Further provided by the present invention are CAR-T cells that are constructed by means of a recombinant expression vector of the described chimeric antigen receptor, a preparation method therefor and an application thereof. The CAR-T cells described in the present invention significantly improve the tumor-killing abilities and amplification abilities thereof.

The use of immunological therapy for overcoming tumors has always been an important direction in the application of immunology in translational medicine. With the development of various omics (genomics, proteomics, etc.), tumor cells have been widely recognized due to their immunogenicity caused by mutations, which lays a theoretical foundation for tumor immunotherapy. At the same time, with the accumulation of tumor immunology research itself, tumor immunotherapy has recently made a great progress, and a series of new immunotherapy methods have gradually entered into the clinic. The current tumor immunology research has established the central position of T cell killing in tumor immunotherapy, and the chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T cell) is a tumor-killing cell which has combined the targeted recognition of antibody and the tumor-killing function of T cell, and been generated by artificial modification.
The concept of chimeric antigen receptor T cell was first proposed by Gross, Waks and Eshhar in 1989. They expressed TNP-recognizing antibodies on T cells, achieving antigen-specific, non-MHC-restricted T cell activation and enhanced effect, and proposed the concept of the application of CAR-T technology in tumor treatment. According to this principle, tumor-specific antibodies are embedded into T cells, which will give T cells new tumor-killing capabilities. After that, CAR-T technology was introduced into anti-tumor clinical trials, but the final clinical results of early CAR-T cells are not ideal since their intracellular signal transmission domain contains only the first signal, and the selected tumor type is a solid tumor. In 2008, the Fred Hutchison Cancer Institute and other institutions used CAR-T to treat B cell lymphoma, although the treatment results are not ideal, the key to this clinical trial is to demonstrate that CAR-T treatment with CD20-expressing B cells as the target is relatively safe. Subsequently, in 2010, NCI reported a case of successful treatment of B-cell lymphoma, using CAR-T targeting CD19, the patient's lymphoma was controlled, normal B cells were also eliminated, and serum Ig was significantly reduced, providing a theoretical and practical support for the effectiveness of CAR-T in the treatment of B cell-derived lymphomas. In 2011, a team led by Dr. Carl June of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States used CAR-T that specifically recognizes CD19 for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia derived from B cells, showing a "cure" effect. After that, clinical trials have also been launched in relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic cell leukemia, and good results have also been achieved. Due to this breakthrough progress and the development of other immune regulation methods, Science magazine ranked tumor immunotherapy as the number one scientific and technological breakthrough in 2013. This success has caused widespread influence in countries around the world, and countries have begun to carry out a large number of CAR-T-based scientific research and clinical trials of tumor treatment.
The structure of CAR consists of an extracellular antigen recognition domain, an extracellular hinge region, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular signal transduction domain. The extracellular antigen recognition domain generally consists of a single-chain antibody, which specifically recognizes membrane surface molecules of the tumor cell, or can be a ligand or receptor of certain tumor-specific antigens, etc. The extracellular hinge region is a spatial structure that separates the antigen recognition domain from the transmembrane domain, and its purpose is to provide a suitable spatial position, so that the extracellular antigen recognition domain can maintain the correct structure and transmit the intracellular signals before and after recognizing the antigen. The transmembrane domain is a domain for ensuring the positioning of the CAR molecule on the membrane surface. The intracellular signal transduction domain is a key part of mediating the CAR signal transduction, and is usually a combination of one or several first signals (for the recognition of TCR and MHC-I-peptide complex) and second signals (for the recognition of costimulatory receptor and costimulatory ligand). The first-generation CAR contains only the first signal, the second-generation CAR has one first signal and one second signal, and the third-generation CAR has one first signal and two second signal domains. Although CAR-T has achieved a great success in the treatment of leukemia derived from B cell, its relatively high recurrence rate and low effectiveness for solid tumors are important challenges currently. Therefore, there is an urgent clinic need of developing a new generation of high-efficiency CAR-T currently. In addition to the third-generation CAR-T, there are currently other new CAR-T design strategies, that is, new regulatory molecules independent of CAR are introduced on the basis of the second-generation CAR-T to further enhance the function of CAR-T.
The application of CAR-T targeting the B cell surface targeting molecules CD19 and CD20 prepared from the patient's own blood cells in the treatment of B cell leukemia has been relatively mature, but there are a large number of recurrences, even though the response rate is high. In addition, the treatment efficiency for solid lymphoma is relatively low, which is related to the immunosuppressive microenvironment in solid tumors.
In solid tumors, there are a variety of immune cells, tumor cells and stromal cells, which together constitute the tumor microenvironment. The tumor microenvironment is usually immunosuppressive, and can inhibit endogenous anti-tumor T cell responses or adoptive T cells (such as CAR-T) at multiple levels, for example, leading to exhaustion of T cells and loss of tumor killing function, and eventually leading to the clearance of T cells. How to enhance the activation ability of CAR-T in solid tumors so that CAR-T can fight against the immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment is an important idea and direction for expanding CAR-T to solid tumor treatment.
However, the current CAR-T domains in clinical use still have insufficient tumor killing and expansion abilities, and have poor efficacy in controlling solid tumors/metastasis. Some CAR-T use novel regulatory molecules such as IL-12, 4-1BBL, etc. These molecules will also produce non-specific activation effects on other non-CAR-T cells in addition to affecting the CAR-T, which may cause immune side effects.

Chimeric antigen receptor comprising co-stimulatory receptor and application thereof

Shanghai Longyao Biotechnology Inc., Ltd.


A method is provided for grasping randomly sized and randomly located objects. The method may include assigning a score associated with the likelihood of successfully grasping an object. Other features of the method may include orientation of the end effector, a reachability check, and crash recovery.

The present inventions relate generally to robots, and more particularly, to a system of grasping an object from an area containing multiple objects.
Robots are used to perform a variety of tasks in high volume, repetitive applications. Commonly, robots are used in highly controlled environments where there is limited variability in the workspace. That is, each of the objects that a robot interacts with often has a predefined shape and size. The objects are also typically presented to the robot in a predefined location and orientation. Thus, the algorithm employed by the robot involves repetitive movements and actions that involve minimal variation.
However, there may be a desire to use robots in work environments with greater variation in the types of objects encountered by a robot. Methods to expand the environments in which robots can be used would be desirable for a number of applications.


The present disclosure provides computerized, automated real estate valuation systems and methods that take into account subjective factors of the property like curb appeal and property condition. In preferred embodiments, the valuation system uses image recognition of images (photos and/or videos) associated with the property to automatically identify which comparable properties to include and to exclude in determining the value of the property.

The present subject matter relates generally to systems and methods for real estate inspections and systems and methods for real estate valuations. It is contemplated that each system may be implemented separately or, in some instances, that a single real estate platform may encompass the features and functions of each system.
Both appraisals (i.e., valuations) and inspections of real estate are commonly in real estate transactions, whether in the construction industry, public safety actions, public health operations, national borders customs enforcement, military settings, real estate sales, market research, scientific investigations, and marketing and behavioral studies.
First addressing valuations, many factors influence the value of a parcel of real estate, from the readily quantifiable attributes of a piece of property (e.g., the square footage, number of bathrooms, etc.) to more subjective and/or fluid factors which influence real estate values (e.g., sale prices of other homes in a given area, construction of new amenities near-by, the housing market as a whole, etc.).
In many ways, computerized systems are uniquely capable of accounting for the wealth of information which influences the calculation of real estate values. Prior computerized real estate valuation systems excelled at accounting for the physical dimensions of a property, its fixtures and features, as well as its close by amenities. However, these factors leave out what, according to many industry guides and websites, are perhaps two of the most important factors which impacts property value—curb appeal and property condition.
Curb appeal is typically understood as the attractiveness of a property and its surroundings when viewed from the street. Factors such as the quality of the property's landscaping, the appearance of the front entrance, and the condition of the paint and/or siding can have large impacts on curb appeal. Prior appraisal systems rarely accounted for such information.
Property condition generally includes levels of deferred maintenance and updating or modernization which has occurred. Again, prior appraisal systems rarely accounted for such information.
Most valuation systems required a professional appraiser to evaluate the condition and appearance of a property in person to determine its true value. This adds to the expense and may cause delays in coordinating the evaluation by the professional appraiser.
The previous software systems that accounted in some manner for curb appeal and/or property condition factors did so in less than optimal ways. For example, some prior systems allowed for the addition of photos, etc. to aid in property valuation, but required a professional appraiser to view the information and assign the information a value, which added cost to the home valuation process and provided little to no advantages over a traditional appraisal.
Further, none of the systems mentioned above account for real-time factors that might influence property values, such as other valuations of homes by computerized systems or feedback from actual home buyers.
Accordingly, there is a need for a computerized, automated, real estate valuation systems and methods that more accurately and efficiently account for curb appeal and condition and provide the ability to account for real-time valuation factors.
In addition to valuations, real estate transactions often require, or otherwise benefit from, an inspection. Typically, as inspection requires physical and visual documentation of the premise with exact measurements and evidencing the condition of the property. Such inspections are conventionally performed by licensed or unlicensed home inspectors, realtors, appraisers, and/or otherwise trained inspectors. In most instances, both inspectors and appraisers are required to be independent, i.e., have no personal or business interest in the property or transaction.
Inspections can substantiate or add value to other methods of valuation, such as, for example, Automated Valuation Models, Evaluations, and Desk-top Appraisals. An appraiser may visit the property and make the inspection and take photographs directly or supervise another appraiser or trainee who performs the inspection in the presence of the appraiser. Similarly, a real estate broker may conduct an in-person inspection in developing a broker price opinion (BPO). An appraiser, bank officer, or other qualified person for conducting an evaluation may also need to physically inspect the property. By their nature, Desk-top Appraisals and AVMs are typically developed without physical inspection or by engaging a third-party to conduct an inspection.
When someone other than the professional who is developing the appraisal or valuation inspects the property, there is a need to obtain verification that the inspection was properly conducted, documented, and that all submitted photographs fairly represent the characteristics and condition of the property. Typically, the production of a valuation and/or inspection may be time-sensitive. For example, certain valuations and inspections need to be completed timely in order to close a loan based on the valuation. In some instances, there is a need to confirm the condition of a property as of a specific date (e.g., for other real estate owned portfolio valuation). Further, inspections and valuations have become increasingly difficult and expensive as a consequence of demographic changes among the available real estate appraisers and shortages of appraisers.
Accordingly, there is a need for inspection systems and methods that enable the completion of an independent inspection without the appraiser, bank officer, or realtor being physically present at the property.

Systems and methods for remote real estate inspections and valuations


An absorbent article (40) such as a labial pad configured for disposition within the vestibule (42) of a female wearer. The absorbent article (40) may be worn by females for catamenial purposes, incontinence protection or both. The absorbent article (40) has an absorbent (66) which may include one of various means formed on at least the upper surface thereof.

The present invention relates generally to absorbent articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to absorbent articles such as labial pads configured for disposition within the vestibule of a female wearer.
A broad manner and wide variety of absorbent articles configured for the absorption of bodily exudates such as menstrual fluid are, of course, well known. With respect to feminine hygiene, the art has offered two basic types of feminine hygiene protection: sanitary napkins, developed for external wear about the pudendal region, and tampons, developed for residence within the vaginal cavity and interruption of menstrual flow therefrom. Hybrid feminine hygiene protection devices, attempting to merge the structural features of both within a single type of device, have also been proposed, but have not seen a meaningful measure of acceptance insofar as the effort to appropriate advantages has been overshadowed by the more demonstrable perpetuation of structural and anatomically functional disadvantages. Other less intrusive devices, known as labial or interlabial devices and characterized as having a portion which at least partially resides external of the wearer's vestibule, have also been proposed.
Many of these prior devices have not fully satisfied the demand of consumers for even smaller devices that may be worn interlabially by female wearers. In response thereto, several manufacturers have produced labial pads that are quite small in size in comparison to the prior devices described above. However, the construction of many of these devices appears to fail to recognize the significance of anatomical cooperation with the female wearer. For example, the obtrusive geometries of many of these devices result in structural elements coming into irritating contact with highly sensitive portions of the female anatomy such as the floor of the vestibule. In addition, the construction of many of the relatively small devices fails to accommodate excess bodily exudates during times of medium to heavy flow.


Disclosed is a heterodimeric T lymphocyte receptor subunit. The subunit consists of a signal peptide, variable, joining, constant, transmembrane, and cytoplasmic regions.. The structure, amino acid, and nucleotide sequence of the lymphocyte receptor subunit were determined using cDNA clones derived from a functional murine cytotoxic T lymphocyte clone. The genes corresponding to these cDNA are expressed and rearranged specifically in T cells and have significant sequence homologies to immunoglobulin V and C genes.. T cell receptor subunits may be produced from the cDNA clones. The protein molecules may be further used for the production of T-cell clone specific antibodies.

The vertebrate immune system is characterized by its ability to respond to an enormously diverse set of antigenic determinants. This capability is due to the synthesis by the body of a set of glycoproteins whose specificity for a single antigen is determined by a variable sequence of amino acids which binds to the antigen. The glycopcoteins, which recognize and bind free antigens, are produced by B cells and are called immunoglobulins (Ig).
Each B cell, or bone marrow-derived lymphocyte, produces antibody specific for only one antigen. It has been theorized that the type of immunoglobulin which is produced by the B cell is generated by a series of gene rearrangements and RNA splicing events that result in polypeptide chains consisting of variable and constant regions. These regions can be subdivided into domains held together by interchain and intrachain disulfide bridges situated at the same relative positions. The characteristic primary and secondary structure is made up of heavy and light chains which begin with a leader peptide of 17-29 residues, followed by a variable (V) region of 94-97 residues, then a joining region of 13-17 residues (J), then a constant region (C). The domains of the constant regions of the immunoglobulins are encoded by separate exons from those for the variable region and do not appear to rearrange during development.
T cells or thymus derived lymphocytes, like B cells, are capable of recognizing a wide range of different antigens. The ability to recognize a given antigen is also fixed in any particular clonal line of T cell. T cells, however, recognize only antigens located on the surfaces of cells in the specific, molecular context of self major histocompatability complex (MHC) gene products, not freely circulating antigens. T cell receptors recognize foreign antigens (such as viral antigens) in the molecular context of the T cell host's self-MHC gene products or recognize foreign MHC gene products. Cell surface antigens include tumor cell and viral antigens. The ability to recognize cell-bound antigens is acquired when the T cells differentiate in the host thymus.
Effective antisera and monoclonal antibodies have now been developed which recognize and precipitate clone-specific proteins on the surface of functional T cell clones, hybridomas or T cell tumors. Studies using these antibodies have suggested that the specificity--determining portion of a T cell receptor is a heterodimeric glycoprotein of about 90,000 daltons and consisting of an alpha subunit and a beta subunit held together by an inter-chain disulphide bond(s). Peptide fingerprint analysis of alpha and beta chains from several T-cell lines suggest that both subunits are composed of variable (V) and constant (C) regions.
Three groups of workers have since succeeded in isolating T cell-specific cDNA (complementary DNA) clones of mouse or human origin which act homologous to immunoglobulin genes. S. M. Hedrick, E. A. Nielsen, J. Kevaler, D. I. Cohen, and M. M. Davis, as reported in Nature, 308, 153-158 (1984), using a mouse, antigen specific, MHC-restricted T helper hybridoma TM86, demonstrated that the cDNA encded a pcotein composed of an amino-terminal variable and a carboxy-terminal constant region. They also showed that the corresponding genomic DNA sequences had undergone clone-specific somatic rearrangements in various T cell lines.
Y. Yanagi, Y. Yoshikai, K. Leggett, S. P. Clark, I. Aleksander, and T. W. Mak, in Nature, 308, 145-149 (1984), reported the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone YT35 derived from the human leukaemic T cell line, MOLT-3. The predicted amino acid sequence encoded bay the human cDNA clone of Yanagi et al. is highly homologous in the constant region to the cDNA clone isolated by Hedrick et al.
We recently reported in Nature, 309, 757-762 (1984) the cloning and sequencing of two related but distinct cDNA clones pHDS4/203 and pHDS11 from a functional murine cytolytic T lymphocyte clone, 2C, the teachings of which are incorporated herein. The genes corresponding to these cDNA clones are rearranged and expressed in T cells (and not in other cells that have been examined such as B cells, kidney cells, etc.) and also have significant sequence homologies to immunoglobulin V and C genes. The amino acid sequence encoded by clone pHDS11 corresponds to the same T-cell receptor genes as those isolated by Hedrick et al and Yanagi et al.
A second cDNA clone pHDS4/203 was identified as the gene coding for the alpha chain of the T cell antigen ceceptor. However, subsequent studies have shown that this clone lacks sequences that correspond to sites for N-linked glycosylation and it has recently been shown that both the alpha and beta chains of the T cell receptor are N-glycosylated. Despite the fact that the four clones: YT35, isolated by Yanagi et al, TM86, isolated by Hedrick et al, and pHDS11 and pHDS4/203, isolated by Saito et al, share several common properties, it is unlikely that the clone pHDS4/203 encodes for the alpha subunit of the T cell receptor protein comprising the beta subunit encoded by the genes YT35, TM86, and pHDS11. These four cDNA clones share the following common properties. They are expressed in T cells but not in B cells. The corresponding genes are rearranged in T cells and not in B cells. In the encoded proteins, there are distinctive regions that, proceeding from amino- to carboxy-terminus, correspond to a signal peptide, two immunoglobulin-like domains, a transmembrane peptide rich in hydrophobic amino acids, and a short cytoplasmic peptide. Their deduced amino acid sequences have low but significant homology to those of immunoglobulin-chains. Each gene is composed of separate V, J and C gene segments. In the cases of YT35 and TM86, the corresponding genes have also been shown to have D segments. Their V, (D), and J segments have characteristic signal sequences foc gene rearrangement (heptamer and nonamer separated by either 12 or 23 base pairs).
Due to the substantial homology between the sequences of TM86, YT35 and pHDS11, it is likely that they represent the beta subunit of the T cell receptor.
Due to the absence of N-glycosylation sites on the gene PHDS4/203 Saito et al, it is unlikely that this gene represents the alpha subunit of the T-cell receptor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a T-cell receptor gene or nucleotide sequence which codes for both subunits of the T-cell receptor.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide murine cDNA clones which code for either the alpha or beta subunit of the T cell receptor.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide hybridization probes for identifying and isolating the T cell receptor genes and subunits of the T cell receptor genes of other, non-mouse species, including the human specie.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the protein or amino acid sequence of a murine alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocyte receptor, including both of its subunits.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide specific antibodies to the T cell receptor and subunits of the T cell receptor which are useful for identification, isolation, and in other methods for which antibodies are useful such as in delivering antibody bound drugs to a specific cell.


A method and a system for providing snippets of source documents of an answer to a fact query are disclosed. Snippets of source documents may be provided in response to a user request for the source documents from which the fact answer to a fact query was extracted. The snippets include the terms of the fact query and terms of the answer. The snippets may be displayed along with Uniform Resource Locators (URL's) of the source documents.

The World Wide Web (also known as the "Web") and the web pages within the Web are a vast source of factual information. Users may look to web pages to get answers to factual questions, such as "what is the capital of Poland" or "what is the birth date of George Washington." Web search engines, however, may be unhelpful to users in this regard, as they generally do not provide a simple, succinct answer to factual queries such as the ones described above. Rather, Web search engines provide a list of Web pages that are determined to match the query to the user, and the user has to sort through the matching Web pages to find the answer.
Attempts that have been made to build search engines that can provide quick answers to factual questions have their own shortcomings. For example, some search engines draw their facts from a single source, such as a particular encyclopedia. This limits the types of questions that these engines can answer. For instance, a search engine based on an encyclopedia is unlikely to be able to answer many questions concerning popular culture, such as questions about movies, songs or the like, and is also unlikely to be able to answer many questions about products, services, retail and wholesale businesses and so on. If the set of sources used by such a search engine were to be expanded, however, such expansion might introduce the possibility of multiple possible answers to a factual query, some of which might be contradictory or ambiguous. Furthermore, as the universe of sources expands, information may be drawn from untrustworthy sources or sources of unknown reliability.

User interface for facts query engine with snippets from information sources that include query terms and answer terms


Enhanced passgate structures for use in low-voltage systems are presented in which the influence of Vt on the range of signals passed by single-transistor passgates is reduced. In one arrangement, the VGATE−Vt limit for signals propagated through NMOS passgates is raised by applying a higher VGATE; in another arrangement, the Vt is lowered. The use of CMOS passgates in applications where single-transistor passgates have traditionally been used is also presented.

This invention relates to integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to the pass-gate structures which may be used in such devices.
One of the most ubiquitous structures within an integrated circuit device is the single-transistor passgate, which is commonly used to implement (either singly or in combination with other circuits) switches, multiplexers, logic functions (e.g., pass transistor logic), and gating mechanisms for tristatable circuits (e.g., buffers and drivers). In some integrated circuit devices, single-transistor passgate structures may account for a significant portion of the circuitry; for example, in the case of programmable logic devices, single-transistor passgates are used extensively throughout the device as part of the programmable interconnection circuitry.
The operation of a typical single-transistor passgate may be succinctly illustrated by a description of an NMOS passgate (analogous principles of operation, as understood by one skilled in the art, would apply for a PMOS passgate). Depending on whether the potential difference between its gate terminal, VGATE, and its source terminal, VSOURCE, exceeds the threshold voltage, Vt, an NMOS passgate acts as an "open" or a "closed" switch. (As is well-known in the art, there is no physical difference between the "source" and "drain" terminals of an MOS device; the source terminal of an NMOS transistor is the terminal having the lower voltage.) When VGATE−VSOURCE is less than Vt, the NMOS passgate is in the "cutoff" state, thereby acting as an "open" switch; when VGATE−VSOURCE is greater than Vt, the NMOS passgate is in the conduction state, thereby acting as a "closed" switch.
Accordingly, a ceiling is imposed on the output of an NMOS passgate in that it cannot exceed VGATE−Vt (since the NMOS passgate starts to enter the "cutoff" mode when VGATE−VSOURCE approaches Vt). For example, when VGATE and a logic HIGH signal to be passed by an NMOS passgate both correspond to the positive supply level, VDD, the signal that may be passed to the output of the NMOS passgate is limited to VDD−Vt. Extending the analysis to the case of PMOS passgates, a lower limit equal to |Vt| is imposed on logic LOW signals that may be passed. (As is well-known in the art, Vt is not a discrete value for an MOS transistor; it may be considered a range of values that is influenced by a variety of second-order effects, such as substrate bias and subthreshold conduction. However, in order to simplify the illustration of the principles of the present invention, Vt will be discussed herein as if it is a discrete value rather than a range of values.)
With the current trend in scaling down device geometries and the consequent use of ever-lower operating voltages (e.g., supply voltages, bias voltages, etc.), which are nearing levels comparable to Vt, the ability of single-transistor passgate structures to reliably pass recognizable logic levels will become more difficult in view of the influence Vt exerts on the logic levels that may be propagated (i.e., the VGATE−Vt ceiling imposed on the logic HIGH voltage levels that are passed by NMOS passgates, and the |Vt| lower limit on the logic LOW signals that are passed by PMOS passgates).

Passage structures for use in low-voltage applications


For control about a remote center of motion (RCM) of a surgical robotic system, possible configurations of a robotic manipulator are searched to find the configuration providing a greatest overlap of the workspace of the surgical instrument with the target anatomy. The force at the RCM may be measured, such as with one or more sensors on the cannula or in an adaptor connecting the robotic manipulator to the cannula. The measured force is used to determine a change in the RCM to minimize the force exerted on the patient at the RCM. Given this change, the configuration of the robotic manipulator may be dynamically updated. Various aspects of this RCM control may be used alone or in combination, such as to optimize the alignment of workspace to the target anatomy, to minimize force at the RCM, and/or to dynamically control the robotic manipulator configuration based on workspace alignment and force measurement.

The present embodiments relate to robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). MIS may be performed with robotic systems that include one or more robotic manipulators for manipulating surgical tools based on commands from a remote operator. A robotic manipulator may, for example, support at its distal end various surgical instruments and devices, including scalpels, clamps, scissors, and imaging devices (e.g., endoscope). Using the robotic system, the surgeon controls the robotic manipulators in teleoperation during MIS.
The surgical instruments and devices are inserted into the body of the patient via cannulas. By hardware or software design, the robotic manipulator has a remote center of motion (RCM) that is stationary relative to the base of the robotic manipulator and thus to the patient. To avoid injury to the patient, the RCM is aligned with the insertion point on the cannula. The robotic manipulator has a confined workspace, which describes the patient volume inside which the surgical instrument tip can reach and operate. Using a redundant robotic manipulator (e.g., more than 6 joints), there exist several different configurations in which the robotic manipulator can be docked to a cannula. As the configuration of the robot arm changes while maintaining the RCM, the workspace also moves. Among these configurations, one may be preferable over the others to ensure that most or all of the target anatomy falls within the operable workspace. Unnecessary trauma may be caused to a patient should it be discovered after cannula placement that the instrument does not reach the target anatomy. It is important to bring the robotic manipulator(s) to a proper configuration where the target anatomy is within reach of the surgical instrument in the shortest possible time and not extend the patient's time under anesthesia.
Once docked to the cannula, the robotic manipulator is not necessarily at an "optimal" configuration ensuring that the target anatomy is in its workspace. The "non-optimal" configuration of the robotic manipulator relative to the target anatomy may be due to the docking process. The target anatomy may also be redefined during the operation. Under these circumstances, the robotic manipulator may need to be reconfigured to align the workspace with the target anatomy. The reconfiguration may be by moving various joints of the manipulator around the fixed insertion port to coincide the workspace with the target anatomy. Manually reconfiguring (1) takes significant mental effort to visualize the shape and motion of the workspace as the arms are moved and (2) takes physical effort as multiple joints of the robotic manipulator may need to be moved one-by-one. Multiple adjustments may be needed due to complex mechanical structure before reaching the desired configuration, all of which expend valuable intraoperative time. In a complex robotic system with several degrees of freedom, it is difficult to visualize the workspace of the robot, especially exactly how the configuration determines the workspace.

Remote center of motion control for a surgical robot


There is provided a baby wipes warmer comprising a housing which defines an upper housing wall. It also comprises a liquid tank assembly that has an upper tank surface defining at least one vapor aperture therethrough. The tank assembly is disposed within the hosing in a manner as to form an inside compartment between the upper housing wall and the upper tank surface. The warmer further comprises a heating element which is disposed within the housing to provide heat to the tank assembly. In this regard, a portion of liquid within the tank assembly transitions into vapors when heated by the heating element and flow to the inside compartment through the vapor aperture(s). By providing the vapors, the moisture and coloration of the baby wipes supported therein can be maintained while warming them.

The present invention relates generally to baby wipes warmers, and more particularly to an improved baby wipes warmer having a liquid tank located therewithin which provides heated liquid vapors to the baby wipes for maintaining moisture and coloration of the baby wipes.
Baby wipes have been marketed in the United States for many years. Essentially, baby wipes are small pre-moistened paper or synthetic (non-woven) towelettes and are typically available in packages to the consuming public. They are primarily used to cleanse the skin of infants and small children. The wipe-fluid content for these pre-moistened wipes is generally comprised of cleansers, lotions and preservatives.
A few years after the baby wipes were introduced into the marketplace, various products for warming the wipes were made available to the public. Such products have been devised to comfort the baby wipe users from the inherent "chill" given off by the contact of the moistened wipes. For example, it is now a common practice for parents to employ the use of warm baby wipes on their children.
These warming products are generally electric operated and come in two distinct styles. One is an "electric blanket" style which is sized to wrap around the external surfaces of a plastic baby wipes container. The other is a self-contained plastic "appliance" style which warms the accommodated baby wipes with its internally positioned heating element. Though such currently known and available baby wipes warming products achieve their primary objective of warming baby wipes, they possess certain deficiencies which detract from their overall utility.
Perhaps the two greatest deficiencies of the prior art baby wipes warming products are the inabilities to sustain the moisture content and coloration of the baby wipes. More specifically, drying of the baby wipes occurs due to heating of their moisture which accelerates dehydration. Further, discoloration of the same appears to be inevitable because of a reaction of various chemicals in the wipes to heating. As such, even though these existing products may adequately warm the baby wipes, they cannot, however, seem to avoid the undesirable effects of dehydration and discoloration when warming them.
Thus, there exists a substantial need in the industry, and in the infant products manufacturing business in particular, for a baby wipes warming product that can effectively provide warmth to the baby wipes without dehydrating and/or discoloring them. Further, there exists a need for a baby wipes warming product which can achieve these objectives in a user-friendly and time-efficient manner.

Baby wipes warmer for maintaining moisture and coloration of baby wipes contained therein


A composite powder is provided. The composite powder comprises 80-97 wt % of carbide and 3-20 wt % of blending metal powder comprising cobalt and a first metal powder, wherein the first metal powder is formed of one of aluminum, titanium, iron, nickel, or a combination thereof, and the amount of cobalt is 90-99% of total blending metal powder.

Knives, molds, and workpieces are essential tools for mass production, and product upgrade in the industries, such as electronics, communication, optoelectronics, precision machinery and transport, all relies on the elevation in the technological capacity of the industries of knives, molds, and workpieces. Also, facing the competition pressure of globalization and rapid change of the environment, the industries of knives and molds are crucial to promote industrial upgrade and are very important to industrial development.
However, the hardness, abrasion resistance and temperature resistance of knives, molds, and workpieces directly affect the lifespan of molds and accordingly affect the quality and function of back-end products, and the manufacturing process, materials and cost of knives, molds, and workpieces further affect product competiveness. Therefore, how to improve the hardness, abrasion resistance, temperature resistance of knives, molds and parts and the processing and manufacturing process for workpieces with complicated shapes have become prominent tasks for the industries.

Composite powder of carbide/blending metal

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE


An improved disk drive system using a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant is disclosed. In the disk drive system, there is a plurality of critically spaced magnetic disks rotated by a disk motor. A spindle shaft, which is retained by the spindle sleeve, couples to the disk motor and to the plurality of magnetic disks for rotation. The spindle shaft and spindle sleeve uses a bearing, which is lubricated by a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant. The lubricant is used to prevent electrostatic charge build up during operation of the disk drive system. The lubricant may be either a non-polar oil or a ball bearing grease and further having either a metal caged fullerenes compound, STADIS-450, ASA-3, or Polyfloe 130. One particular type of lubricant is an emeraldine salt of polyanilin produced according to the steps of first reacting a solution of HCL and ammonium persulfate into a solution of HCL and analine to form a polymer. Next, the polymer is mixed with ammonium hydroxide and then is prepared to have a molecular weight of 1,000-20,000. Finally, the polymer is mixed with dodecyl benzylsulfonc acid or camphor sulfonic acid until the emeraldine salt is formed.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to spindle motors for disk drives, and, more specifically, to ball bearings and oil bearings for such spindle motors. More specifically, the present invention relates to disk drive ball bearing and oil bearing spindles containing antistatic additives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer disk drives, such as hard disk drives, use a motor to turn a magnetic platter at high speeds. The motor typically includes a spindle, which is made of a number of metallic materials, plastics and elastomers, that requires lubrication during operation. One solution is to use oil bearings. These oil bearings typically include a pair of magnetic fluid seals, several capillary holes or channels, and a magnetic fluid for lubrication, which flows within these capillary channels and is held in place by the magnetic fluid seals. An alternative spindle bearing system uses grooved hydrodynamic bearings lubricated by a low viscosity hydrocarbon fluid. The more conventional spindle designs utilize two ball bearings usually straddled across either side of the motor stator that is press fit onto the shaft Unfortunately, the fluids usually lack adequate conductive properties and static charge typically builds up that can ruin the head disk assembly, or read or write heads used in the hard disk devices.
For example, a voltage difference between the heads and disks can provide a potential energy that can harm the sensitive components in the disk drive assembly, such as the magneto resistive (MR) heads and the disk media itself. Although the initial voltage differences can be kept to near zero, certain charging mechanisms inside the head disk assembly (HDA) allow voltage differences to build up.
One example of static build up occurs at two important interfaces inside the HDA. The first interface is between the heads and the disk. The second interface is between the moving and stationary parts of the spindle bearing system itself. When surfaces rub against each other in a bearing, some electron and ion exchange or charge separation is expected. This is known as tribocharging. Even occasional contact of asperities on the heads and disks can generate this tribocharge. Due to the very close proximity of surfaces in a disk drive platter, even a small charge imbalance forms potential differences on the order of volts, which is sufficient enough to destroy the HDA.
Additional methods by which damaging overcharge occurs is by the shearing of air molecules in the boundary layer adjacent to the rotating surfaces. Bonds are broken at the lubricated interfaces in the spindle bearing system, which is further degraded by the continuous charge separation occurring inside the HDA. From a design standpoint, charging rate and the impedance across the bearings, both head-disk air bearing and the spindle bearing, govern the system performance. A high charging rate is dangerous when the impedance is high because of build up that is sufficient in its potential difference to ruin the HDA. Accordingly, it is known to keep the impedances as low as possible when designing the spindle bearings.
The grease and the oil used in the bearings typically are dielectric. Due to the charging that takes place as described above, charge accumulation takes place at the heads, or spindle, and disk platters, which generates an electrical potential difference between the heads and the disk platters. The air gap between the head and disk platter is on the order of tens of nanometers, so a small electrical potential difference results in a significant electric field gradient. When a sufficient electric field gradient exists, the charge dissipates across the air gap between the head and the disk. The discharge damages the read/write electronics.
In the case of an oil bearing spindle design, one solution to provide protection against the static build up is to have separate electrically conductive ferrofluid seals, in which the fluid is electrically conductive. Unfortunately, the ferrofluid seals require a considerable amount of space in the spindle cavity and do not provide reliable low spindle resistance. Additionally, as the form factor size of disk drive systems gets smaller and smaller, the technology reaches the limitations of the ferrofluid seal solution and so an alternative solution is necessary.
Accordingly, what is needed is a spindle motor assembly that uses an oil bearing having sufficient antistatic properties so as to provide sufficient conductivity for dissipating the charge through the oil rather than through the head disk interface. What is also needed is a method of overcoming the problems inherent with the ferrofluid bearing solution. Alternatively, what is needed is a spindle motor assembly that uses a ball bearing with sufficiently enhanced conductivity by virtue of using grease having sufficient antistatic properties.

Conductive lubricant for magnetic disk drives

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to self-assembling microparticles comprising a solid matrix and probiotic bacteria, wherein the solid matrix comprises soybean protein and a divalent or trivalent metal, and wherein the probiotic bacteria are distributed throughout the solid matrix; said matrix protects said probiotic bacteria during processing, storage, as well as during transit through the gastrointestinal tract, thus prolonging their lifetime and facilitating release into the intestine and improving their probiotic effect. The present invention also relates to the method for obtaining the self-assembling microparticles and to the products and compositions incorporating them.

The intestinal microbiota of a healthy adult is relatively stable and contains various beneficial bacterial populations made up primarily of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species playing an important role in host health. Beneficial colonic microbiota imbalance can contribute to the development of different disorders, such as gastrointestinal tract infections, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, heart diseases and colon cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of the therapeutic and prophylactic potential of beneficial microorganisms or probiotics to prevent these risks.
Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which provide health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts (FAO/WHO. Report of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Evaluation of Health and Nutritional Properties of Probiotics in Food Including Powder Milk with Live Lactic Acid Bacteria, Córdoba, Argentina 2001). Several studies have reported the beneficial effects of probiotics on human health, including reduction of lactose intolerance, resistance to enteric pathogens, prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and gastrointestinal disorders, and modulation of host immune response. Additionally, the possible role of probiotics in dental caries prevention is under research.
Probiotics exhibit their beneficial effects when they are alive and contain an adequate number of bacteria. A daily dose of at least 106-107 living cells has been suggested to assure health-relevant effects following the consumption of probiotic products.
There are four basic ways for consuming probiotics: as a concentrated culture added to a drink (e.g., fruit juice, etc.), inoculated in prebiotic fibers, as a dietary supplement in lyophilized cell dosage forms (e.g., powder, capsules, tablets, etc.) and inoculated in milk-based foods.
However, probiotics, such as those belonging to the genus of Lactobacillus, face challenges from the extreme gastrointestinal environment which reduces the survival rate of the probiotics reaching the small intestine. To overcome these problems, many methods have been developed to protect the probiotics from being destroyed, such as drying techniques or microencapsulation.
Spray-drying has been used for the preservation of probiotic bacteria due to the easy availability of the process as well as to low cost, however, it gives rise to a high bacterial mortality rate as a result of the simultaneous dehydration and thermal inactivation process of the microorganisms.
Microencapsulation is considered the preferred method as it allows bacteria to be entrapped or contained in microcapsules, protecting them from the acidic environment of the stomach and from the destructive effects of bile fluid in the upper part of the intestine. In consideration of these conditions, bowel soluble microcapsules must be resistant to pH levels in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 in the gastric fluid and then disintegrate in the duodenum or the first half of the small intestine.
Methods of encapsulation include chemical, physical and mechanical processes, such as interfacial polymerization, in situ polymerization, chemical radiation, coacervation and extrusion.
The materials used for microencapsulation are typically natural polysaccharides and proteins because they often lack cytotoxicity and have safe biodegradation products and they do not require the use of organic solvents for preparing microcapsules. Alginate-based microencapsulation has been widely described to test the bacterial survival in acidic and bile conditions, but some studies revealed that alginate was not always successful as a protectant of probiotic bacteria (Dianawati, D. et al, Journal of Food Science, 2011, 76(9), M592-599; Krasaekoopt, W. et al., International Dairy Journal, 2004, 14(8), 737-743).
The use of carbohydrates, such as guar gum, locust beam gum or waxy maize starch was also not effective in protecting probiotic bacteria upon exposure to very low pH (Ding, W. K. et al., Journal of Food Science, 2009, 74(2), M100-M107; O'Riordan, K. et al., Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2001, 91, 1059-1066).
Over the past few years, proteins, as novel wall materials, have become a popular choice for the encapsulation of probiotics.
One of the proteins used for encapsulating probiotic bacteria is casein, a conjugated protein making up about 80% of total milk proteins. Studies have been developed using this protein alone or in combination with other polymers, including polysaccharides, for encapsulating probiotic bacteria (Heidebach, T. et al., International Dairy Journal, 2009, 19, 77-84; Heidebach et al., Journal of Food Engineering, 2010, 98, 309-316; Oliveira et al., Journal of Microencapsulation, 2007, 24, 673-81). Good encapsulation efficiency results were being obtained without compromising bacterial viability. Studies on the resistance to acidic pH conducted in the three identified papers clearly show that the microcapsules protect the bacteria from acidity. However, none of said papers conducts the study using pepsin to reproduce the actual gastric conditions which are more aggressive than mere acidic pH (the enzyme may degrade the protein and increase the bacterial exposure to the medium). Only a significant improvement in the protection of the probiotic bacteria from being inactivated by external agents during processing and storage and from the acidic-peptidic conditions of the upper gastrointestinal tract has been obtained when combining casein with chitosan as microparticles-forming material (WO2014/006261).
Soybean protein has also been used to encapsulate probiotics. Dianawati, D. et al. (Food Research International, 2013, 51, 503-509) describes the microencapsulation of Bifidobacterium longum by means of a w/o emulsion followed by pasteurization, incorporation of bacteria and freeze-drying. A combination of a protein, such as sodium caseinate, whey protein concentrate, soybean protein isolate or skim milk with sugars (glycerol, mannitol or maltodextrin) was used as microcapsule-forming materials, stating that milk proteins are more effective than soybean protein isolate.
The protecting mechanism of soybean protein isolate (SPI) on Bifidobacterium has been studied by Pan et al. (Food Research International, 2014, 64, 323-328) in a system wherein Bifidobacterium longum is localized in the microcapsule core and SPI acts as a wall-coating material. The use of SPI is postulated as a food ingredient in protecting probiotics but no data regarding the stability under storage or gastrointestinal resistance have been provided.
Sun et al. (Food Science & Technology, 2014, 49, 1287-1293) describe the use of SPI with high methoxy pectin (HMP) as encapsulating materials for probiotic bacteria stating that the complex SPI:HMP with a particular volume ratio 7:1 can increase the number of alive bacteria when compared to naked bacteria.
Document WO2008/076975 discloses the preparation of a cross-linked gel based on a polysaccharide and a protein, such as soybean protein, which is further lyophilized, ground and sieved to form a dried microsized structure to protect probiotic bacteria from high temperatures and humidity conditions.
WO2005/032568 describes a powdery fermented product obtained by fermenting soy milk in the presence of lactic acid bacteria and yeast, neutralizing the fermented liquid product obtained with a calcium compound, and subsequent drying and pulverization to give the fermented product in powder form.
Cold-set particulate hydrogels made from soy protein have also been described in the prior art to incorporate heat-labile compounds or probiotics during the gelation step (Speroni, F. et al., Food Hydrocolloids, 2013, 33, 85-91) and as controlled delivery devices for nutraceutical compounds such as riboflavin (Maltais, A., Food Hydrocolloids, 2009, 23, 1647-53). These hydrogels are obtained by denaturing the soy protein and subsequent re-arrangement in a three-dimensional network stabilized by non-covalent interactions, with calcium ions interspersed within the denatured protein structure. However, it should be pointed out that said hydrogels may not be considered in any case as comprising individual microparticles of a solid self-assembling soybean-containing matrix.
In spite of the encapsulating systems described in the prior art, the benefits obtained can still be improved and therefore, there is still a need to develop systems which enhance the protection of the probiotic bacteria through the gastrointestinal tract that can be obtained by means of easily available processes and thus be implemented at industrial scale.

Microparticles for encapsulating probiotics, obtaining said microparticles and uses thereof

CENTRO NACIONAL DE TECNOLOGIA Y SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA


The present invention provides a semicondctor device that includes a conductor comprised of first and second layers of perovskite that have different stoichiometric compositions. The conductors provide a good template for the formation of dielectric layers thereon and are resistant to oxidizing environments used in semiconductor processing.

There is increased interest in using perovskite materials as device components in semiconductor structures, instead of, or in addition to, more conventional materials such as silicon or gallium arsenide. Perovskites are transition metal oxides capable of forming a cubic lattice structure and have a general chemical formula of ABO3 where A and B are cations, and the atoms of A-type cations have a larger diameter than the atoms of the B-type cations. The unit cell of the cubic structure for perovskites have oxygen atoms located at the faces of the cube, a first cation type (e.g., A-type atoms) located at the corners of the cube and a second cation type located (e.g., B-type atoms) in the center of the cube. The chemical structure of perovskites are well known to those skilled in the art and therefore need not be described in further detail.
Certain types of perovskites have been used in nonvolatile memory cells where the perovskite material serves as a polarizable ferroelectric material situated between two conducting plates. Information may be stored in the memory cell by passing an electric current through the conducting plates to generate an electrical field to change the internal polarization of the ferroelectric perovskite material.
There are problems, however, in using ferroelectric perovskites to form such semiconductor structures. For instance, the use of ordered ferroelectric perovskite material in memory cells is desirable because such material has a larger net electric dipole than amorphous ferroelectric perovskite materials. However, conducting plates made of conventional metals, such as platinum, are not conducive to the fabrication of ferroelectric perovskites that have an ordered crystal structure. Moreover it is difficult to grow ordered ferroelectric perovskite crystals on a template comprised of such metals because the metals have a polycrystalline or substantially amorphous structure. As a result, the ferroelectric perovskites formed thereon do not have a sufficiently large net electric dipole for efficient storage of information. Moreover, memory cells having such ferroelectric perovskite materials deposited on a metal plate have a high fatigue factor, meaning that they rapidly lose their ability to be polarized after a few cycles of exposures to alternating electrical fields.
It has also proven difficult to prepare ordered conductive perovskite materials that could be used as a conductive plate instead of conventional metals. In particular, previous preparations of conductive perovskite materials do not provide a smooth ordered layer to serve as a template for the deposition of an ordered perovskite ferroelectric. As a result, similar to that discussed above for metal conductive plates, the perovskite ferroelectric material does not have a sufficiently large net polarization to efficiently store information.
Strontium ruthenate (SrRuO3) perovskites while being good conductors, degrade during subsequent steps in the preparation of the memory cell, such as steps involving exposure to high temperatures (e.g., greater than about 500° C.). In particular, because the Ru atoms are volatile, the SrRuO3 perovskite becomes depleted of Ru, thereby losing its conductive properties. In addition, it has proven difficult to grow a uniform ordered layer of SrRuO3 perovskites.
Another example of a conductive perovskite is lanthanum-doped strontium titanate (SrTiO3), where the lanthanum atoms partially replace the A-type cations in a random fashion, to give an intermixed Lax-1SrxTiO3 perovskite. The conductivity of such perovskites in thin film form, however, is rapidly lost when the Lax-1SrxTiO3 perovskite is exposed to processing steps involving high temperatures and high oxygen partial pressure (e.g., about one Torr).
Accordingly, an objective of the invention is to produce conductive perovskite material that is resistant to oxidation and therefore suitable for use in semiconductor structures without encountering the above-mentioned difficulties.


A fault resilient airborne network includes a plurality of aircraft system components installed within an aircraft and at least one agent in communication with the plurality of aircraft system components during in-flight operation of the aircraft. The at least one agent is configured to monitor an aircraft system component for a fault, observe a fault within the aircraft system component, and provide reconfiguration instructions to the aircraft system component in response to the observed fault. The at least one agent is further configured to predict a life expectancy of the aircraft system component using machine learning models while monitoring the aircraft system component for a fault, and provide reconfiguration instructions to the aircraft system component when the life expectancy of the aircraft system component meets a threshold. The reconfiguration instructions are configured to cause an adjustment in at least some of the plurality of aircraft system components.

Airborne networks are prone to failures or faults. These failures or faults may include, but are not limited to, single event upsets, power transients, and extreme environmental variables (e.g., thermal-based environmental variables, physical shock-based environmental variables, electrical shock-based environmental variables, or the like).
Airborne networks with constrained input/output (I/O) communications may have a reduced capability to troubleshoot. For example, the failures or faults may be difficult to troubleshoot when it happens in an environment different from where the device is analyzed (e.g., a failure or fault occurring during airborne operation, versus a failure or fault occurring while grounded). This reduced capability may increase maintenance downtime, and/or may decrease the likelihood of troubleshooting occurring.
Increasing the capacity to detect, troubleshoot, and/or isolate failures or faults may come with increased costs, while running the risk that the detecting, troubleshooting, and/or isolating the failures or faults may not prevent such from occurring. This may result in increased maintenance downtime and/or scrapped flight plans even after a failure or fault is isolated, as maintenance still needs to occur.


A method is provided for bonding a ceramic thermal barrier coating to a nickel or cobalt based superalloy substrate for use in high temperature applications such as gas turbine engines. The method comprises roughening the superalloy substrate itself to produce a surface roughness, preferably from 100 to 350 microinches Roughness Average (RA). The roughened surface of the substrate is treated with a diffusion coating, preferably aluminide or platinum-aluminide to provide oxidation and hot corrosion resistance, while substantially preserving the micro-topography of the roughened surface. A ceramic thermal barrier coating is applied directly to the diffusion treated surface, preferably using an air plasma spray. The surface roughness, which is left substantially undisturbed by the diffusion coating treatment, is altered by the air plasma sprayed ceramic to form a series of interlocking microstructures that firmly attach the ceramic thermal barrier coating to the diffusion treated superalloy substrate. The method creates an inexorable bond between the ceramic thermal barrier coating and the substrate without the need for costly Low Pressure Plasma Sprayed MCrAlY bond coats or costly Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposited ceramic.

This invention relates to application of a thermal barrier coating to the metallic components used in the construction of gas turbine engines, specifically to application of a ceramic-based thermal barrier coating to an oxidation/sulfidation resistant diffusion coating over a nickel or cobalt-based superalloy substrate.
It is well known that the thermodynamic efficiency of gas turbine engines increases with the temperature at which the turbine is operated and, therefore, that it is desirable to operate a gas turbine engine at the highest practical temperature. It is also well known that most gas turbine engines must operate in the ambient environment where the high temperature engine components are exposed to the oxidizing and corrosive effects of the ingested constituents of the ambient air and fuel. Accordingly, materials used to fabricate gas turbine components ideally should have both good high temperature mechanical properties and should exhibit a high degree of resistance to surface degradation such as by oxidation or sulfidation (hot corrosion) at high temperature. Nickel and cobalt-based superalloys possess exceptional high temperature mechanical properties, however, they are prone to degradation from the oxidizing and corrosive effects of the environment. As is well-known in the art, nickel and cobalt-based superalloys are superalloys in which nickel and cobalt, respectively, are the single greatest constituent by weight.
Oxidation and sulfidation (hot corrosion) resistant coatings have been applied to turbine hot-section components for many years with positive results. A popular oxidation/sulfidation resistant coating is a metallic diffusion coating, typically an aluminide, however, metallic diffusion coatings may also contain a variety of other protective elements including chromium, nickel, cobalt, silicon, and platinum-group metals (i.e. platinum, palladium, and rhodium) plus lesser amounts of strong oxide forming elements such as tantalum, hafnium and yttrium. The term "metallic diffusion coating" is well-known in the art and is described in the patent literature including in U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,398 to Stueber et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,360 to Levine. "Metallic diffusion coating" defines a class of coatings that are applied by exposing the article to be coated to a halide vapor carrying the coating material (typically an aluminide) in an inert or reducing atmosphere. As used herein, the term "metallic diffusion coating" specifically excludes MCrAlY coatings, which are members of the class of coatings known in the art alternatively as "overlay coatings" or "bond coatings."
As demands for ever increasing fuel efficiency mount, however, engineers are designing turbine engines to operate at temperatures that approach or even exceed the melting point of even the highest temperature superalloys. Accordingly, in addition to the oxidation/sulfidation resistant coating (hereinafter "diffusion coating"), many engine designs now require a second thermal barrier coating ("TBC") to reduce the surface temperature of the superalloy substrate. Typical TBCs include ceramics such as yttria-stabilized zirconia.
Methods for bonding the ceramic TBC to the superalloy substrate have been the subject of numerous patents. Because the ceramic TBC is relatively stable and non-reactive, chemical adherence of the TBC to most materials is poor. Additionally, the difference in thermal coefficients of expansion between the substrate and the TBC generate stress that tends to cause spallation of the TBC from the surface. Accordingly, most investigation and patents relating to bonding TBCs to substrates has focused on improving the weak chemical adherence of the TBC through the use of bond coatings and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,32)1311 to Strangman discloses a bond coating comprising a layer of MCrAlY (where M is an element chosen from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, or Co or alloys thereof, Cr is chromium, Al is aluminum and Y is yttrium) deposited onto the superalloy substrate. The bond coating is deposited preferably by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition (EBPVD). After the MCrAlY bond coating is aluminized, a ceramic TBC is applied also preferably by EBPVD to produce a columnar grain structure. The ceramic TBC is stated to have some degree of solid solubility in the aluminized MCrAlY, which is the basis for the chemical adherence of the TBC to the MCrAlY.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,199 to McGill, et al. discloses a substantially pure platinum bond coat applied between the substrate and the ceramic TBC.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,752 to Duderstadt, et al. discloses a nickel aluminide bond coating onto which the ceramic TBC is deposited, preferably by EBPVD.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,262,245 to Ulion, et al. discloses a new superalloy having the capability of forming a thermally grown alumina scale on its outer surface onto which a ceramic TBC is deposited directly, preferably by EBPVD.
Receiving substantially less attention has been the development of methods to improve the mechanical bonding of the TBC to the substrate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,745 to Gupta, et al. discloses an air plasma sprayed bond coat that is applied to the substrate to produce a surface roughness of preferably 200-600 microinches RA. The patent teaches that the bond coat is thereafter aluminized to improve the chemical bonding of the TBC to the bond coat while maintaining the surface roughness.
None of the prior art, however, discloses or suggests mechanical treatment of the substrate itself to eliminate the bond coating, while maintaining a suitable bond between the ceramic TBC and the diffusion coated substrate.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a ceramic TBC that is mechanically bonded to a diffusion coated superalloy substrate without the need for a bond coating.

Method for bonding thermal barrier coatings to superalloy substrates


A coil integrated semi-conductor device and method of making the same is disclosed. First to third metal layers are in sequence formed on a semi-conductor device. The first and third metal layers of equal width are connected to each other through contact holes, to define a hollow region which is filled with the second metal layer disposed centrally therein and a circumferential region surrounding the second metal layer. The first and third metal layers are used as a coil and the second metal layer is used as a core of magnetic material. The circumferential region surrounding the second metal layer is filled with different dielectric layers. According to the invention, a coil capable of exerting the magnetic field effect can be integrated in a semiconductor chip. This makes it possible contemplation of compactness, integration and preciseness of devices in the form that the coil is wound around the care. Therefore, the present invention is applicable to various systems in which the magnetic field caused by the current and the current induced by the magnetic field are utilized respectively. More particularly, the present invention is applicable to an oscillator, a small capacity motor, a magnetic field sensor and the like, as the form of the semi-conductor device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a coil integrated semi-conductor device and method of making the same, and more particularly to a semi-conductor device and method of making the same, wherein a coil is integrated in the semi-conductor device by using a technique of making a semi-conductor integrated circuit having a multi-layer wired structure, so that electric and magnetic fields caused by current are applicable to both internal and external elements of the semi-conductor device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there have not been proposed any semi-conductor devices applicable to various circuits in which a magnetic field caused by current and current induced by a magnetic field are utilized respectively.

Coil integrated semi-conductor device and method of making the same


A system and method is disclosed for handling a credit dispute via an Internet connection. The system includes one or more terminals linked to a communication channel for fast Internet access, and a server having an associated web site for displaying a plurality of dispute handling forms. A party in dispute may access the web site from a terminal, choose an appropriate dispute handling form, provide data in the requested fields on the form, and transmit the form over the Internet connection to the server for processing. The server accepts a User ID and password from a user, retrieves and displays a set of dispute handling forms, receives input entered on the forms, routes the forms to a second user in dispute, and makes the forms available for viewing to the second user. The program may further index the data entered on the forms using a code-based method.

With increasing popularity, consumers worldwide are purchasing goods and services on credit. For many purchasers, the most convenient form of payment is a plastic card with a magnetic stripe, an embossed account number and/or a smart chip called a credit card (hereafter "card" or "cards").
Cards may be used at service establishments (S/Es) (e.g., automated teller machines (ATM), point of sale (POS), and instances when no card is required during the transaction such as purchases over the Internet) that have entered into agreements with an Acquirer for the S/E to accept cards from cardmembers to charge purchases of goods and services or for cash access. An Acquirer may be, for example, a nonfinancial or financial entity that specializes in the marketing, installation and support of POS card acceptance at S/Es. Acquirers generally negotiate a contract with the S/E to accept a brand of cards (e.g., AMERICAN EXPRESS®, VISA®, MasterCard®, DISCOVER CARD®.
Card Issuers are typically banks and other financial organizations (e.g., Bank of America®, Citibank®, MBNA America®, Chase Manhattan Bank®) operating under the regulations of a card issuing association or entity. The cardmember enters into an agreement and establishes a card account with the Issuer. The Issuer's name generally appears on the card and cardmember's payments are typically sent to that Issuer.
Occasionally cardmembers may receive unsatisfactory goods or services from the S/E, be involved with a dispute over price with the S/E, or the S/E may have failed to comply with the regulations and/or terms of its card acceptance agreement with the Acquirer. Typically the cardmember then notifies the Issuer about the dispute with the S/E, which prompts the Issuer to begin a dispute resolution process with the Acquirer on behalf of the cardmember.
In order to substantiate the dispute claim of the cardmember, the Issuer may first make a "retrieval request" to the Acquirer. The receipt for a cardmember's purchase or credit transaction containing the details of any transaction carried out at the S/E is called the record of charge (ROC). A retrieval request may include a request for either an original ROC, a legible reproduction of the ROC, or any other transactional documentation from the Acquirer. The documentation supplied by the Acquirer in reply to a retrieval request is called "fulfillment."
A typical "chargeback" is a reversal of a credit transaction which is "charged-back" to the Acquirer from the Issuer. The Acquirer may refute the chargeback and process a "second presentment" to the Issuer with additional documentation. A "final chargeback" by the Issuer to the Acquirer occurs if the Issuer refutes the "second presentment" by providing additional documentation.
The aforementioned dispute handling process between Issuers and Acquirers is largely a manual documentation gathering process. Each step, beginning with the retrieval request, requires copying, mailing or faxing documentation. Communication between the Issuer and Acquirer is on-going until the dispute is settled. The entire manual process may consume valuable employee time and resources. Further, while the dispute is being settled, the charge remains pending on either the cardmembers account or on unreconciled billings.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a credit dispute system and method that increases the efficiency of the process. More particularly, there is a need for a system and method of processing a credit dispute that allows an initiator (such as an Issuer) to begin a dispute process by, for example, initiating a retrieval request to a responder (such as an Acquirer), then allowing the responder to fulfill the request in a real-time processing environment.

System and method for facilitating the handling of a dispute

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.


An emotive lighting system creates volumetric lighting effects with a plurality of point light sources. The plurality of point light sources may be disposed on a plane and are viewable through a lenticular lens disposed a different, non-parallel plane.

Wagering game machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. In addition to the game play features provided by the wagering game machines, the audio presentation, sound effects, and visual characteristics of the game and the game machine may play a significant role in attracting and holding the attention of players in a casino or other gaming establishment. The desirable elements of such presentational aspects is a complex calculation—it goes well beyond "bigger, brighter, louder"—as a cacophony of lights and sounds may tend to overwhelm the sensibilities of the players within the confines of a wagering environment. Also, the sheer magnitude of display size and sound system wattage taxes the power capacities of the gaming machines and the utility budget of the operators. As a result, there is also a continual need and interest in systems that provide maximum visual and audio punch yet consume minimal energy.

Emotive lighting with volumetric lighting effects


Moulding material that includes a layer of fibrous reinforcing material having one surface on which a first layer of a resin partially impregnates the fibrous material and a further resin layer located on the opposite surface which retains in position surface fibers of the fibrous material. The further resin layer is of lower weight than the first layer and is formed as an openwork structure with a solid part and spaces through which the fibrous material is exposed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to composite moulding materials or pre-forms of resin and reinforcement fiber in which the resin is only partially impregnated into the fiber.
2. Description of Related Art
Such pre-forms are normally supplied in a continuous roll but may also be provided as pre-cut sheets. In either case the material may be laid up in multiple layers on a shaped moulding surface, alone or in combination with further resin, and then processed (e.g., by application of heat and pressure) to form strong, lightweight structures, e.g., for use in forming panels or body sections or components in aerospace, automotive, wind energy or other contexts.
The fibrous reinforcing material may be partially or substantially fully impregnated with the resin in the pre-form, resulting in a so-called semi-preg or pre-preg. The fibrous material advantageously may comprise tows with fibers which are unidirectional, i.e., which extend predominantly in a common direction, since this facilitates manufacture of strong laminates of high mechanical integrity suited to the production of relatively long, large and thick structures such as wind energy blades.
Semi-pregs in which the fibrous material is only partially resin-impregnated so as to leave a 'dry' outer surface, i.e., a surface having free fibers not impregnated by resin, can advantageously facilitate ready release of trapped air during processing which minimizes void content and consequent mechanical weakening in the finished product. However, there is the problem that a unidirectional alignment of the exposed dry fibers on the outer surface tends to become disrupted during handling, cutting and laying-up with consequent reduction in mechanical integrity of the finished product. Moreover, contaminant fibrous debris may be produced.
Disruption of fiber alignment can be avoided with conventional pre-pregs due to the full resin impregnation of the fibrous material, but with these materials, problems of handling and void content can arise particularly when using heavy fiber bundles.
WO 00/27632 provides an example disclosure of a semi-preg which has exposed dry fibers and which would therefore exhibit the above mentioned fiber-disruption problem.
EP 0583090 A describes sandwiching of fibrous material between resin films. The fibrous material is impregnated by the resin matrix which would prevent surface disruption of fibers. However, this technique, particularly if used with substantial unidirectional fiber tows, would tend to give only partial impregnation thereby leading to air entrapment in the dry fibers in the center of the pre-form causing voids and consequent poor mechanical strength in the finished product.
With a view to improving mechanical integrity, it is known to cross-stitch unidirectional fiber tows. This is described in WO98/34979 in the context of a semi-preg. However, loose or broken filaments from the stitching process can cause performance deterioration in the laminate and also does not necessarily solve the handling problems associated with unidirectional tows.
Warp fiber bundles can be held together in pre-forms with thermoplastic stabilizing yarns. However, if the melting point of the thermoplastic is higher than the processing temperature of the pre-form resin matrix, the yarns can give rise to fiber distortion, and hence poor mechanical properties, where the weft yarns are crimped over the warp. If the thermoplastic has a lower melting point than the resin matrix processing temperature, the thermoplastic melts and flows into the resin matrix producing voids in the finished product.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,669 describes the formation of a pre-form obtained by sandwiching unidirectional fiber tows between resin films which are in the form of openwork diamond-pattern grids. The grids act to hold the fibers in position but are relatively insubstantial and a resin matrix is introduced externally by penetration through the grids using a conventional so-called resin transfer moulding process. Such processes are used for production of relatively small, short length structures and are not appropriate for larger, longer length structures, where adequate resin flow along the fiber pre-form cannot be ensured.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,930 describes the use of a gravure roll to apply small amounts of resin to the surface of a pre-preg to improve surface tack on a fully impregnated pre-form.


Ammonium carbamate, in solution with urea, water and ammonia and under high temperature and pressure is cooled to below its crystallization temperature while being subjected to an elevated pressure. The crystallized substance formed is then dried, crushed, and pelletized with the aid of a binding agent to produce pellets having substantial strength and stability, and having particular utility as a deicer for roadways.

Ammonium carbamate is not an available commercial product. It occurs as an intermediate product in the production of urea, and apparently it has never been separated and removed from urea plants due to the lack of any market.
A patent for using ammonium carbamate as a deicer was issued to Hansen as U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,173 on Oct. 6, 1987. This deicer does not corrode steel or aluminum, and instead of being toxic to plant life as are commonly used highway deicers, the contained nitrogen actually promotes plant growth. Tests at the Utah Department of Transportation also demonstrated that an ammonium carbamate deicer dramatically reduced the freezing damage to concrete. In 1976, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the use of nine million tons of salt per year as a deicer, costs the public about five billion dollars per year at a cost of about $555 per ton. With the potential money to be saved by using a deicer of moderate price and which does not damage the environment, and with a potential market of about nine million tons per year, it became evident to the present inventor that there would be numerous benefits if the ammonium carbamate could be commercially produced. Furthermore, urea production plants are a logical available source of ammonium carbamate.
The process of removing ammonium carbamate from a urea plant presented several problems, however. One of the principle problems was that it existed in the urea production plant under high temperature and pressure. A method had to be devised for removing the ammonium carbamate from the water and ammonia solvents it is in solution with and converting it to a useable state, which is crystalline in this case.
A second problem to be solved was to devise a method of making the ammonium carbamate crystals into granules or pellets which can be distributed on roads. In attempting to solve this problem, the present inventor discovered that the crystals produced contained too much moisture to be pelletized or granulated and so a method had to be devised to remove the water from the crystals. In addition, after learning how to remove the water from the crystals, a method of granulating or pelletizing the crystals had to be devised. Finally, a binder that would hold the pellets together, as well as a technique to keep the pellets stable for subsequent use, were also needed.

Method for processing crystalline ammonium carbamate