A host implement a method for controlling a dynamic transition of the host from a current operation mode to a target operation mode. The method involves the host receiving an operation mode transition request to transition a logical representation of a storage subsystem as maintained by the host from the current operation mode to the target operation mode, and the host reconfiguring the logical representation of the storage subsystem to the target operation mode based on the operation mode transition request exclusive of a re-IPLing of an operating system of the host.

FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of host 10 (e.g., mainframes, a personal computers, or a workstations) connected to a storage subsystem 20, which in turn is connected to a storage subsystem 40, and connected to a storage subsystem 30, which in turn is connected to a storage subsystem 50 (e.g., storage systems may be automated media libraries). Each host 10 employs an operating system 11 (e.g., a IBM MVS operating system) and a storage manager 12 whereby operating system 11 initializes an initial operation mode of storage manager 12 in controlling I/O operations to a parallel access volume ("PAV") of base logical volume(s) 21 and logical alias(es) 22 residing on storage subsystem 20, to a PAV of base logical volume(s) 31 and a logical alias(es) 32 residing on storage subsystem 30, to a PAV of a base logical volume(s) 41 and a logical alias(es) 42 residing on storage subsystem 40, and to a PAV of a base logical volume(s) 51 and a logical alias(es) 52 residing on storage subsystem 50.
Currently, a reconfiguration of each host 10 from an initial operation mode (e.g., a base PAV operation mode) to a new target operation mode (e.g., a HyperPAV operation mode) requires a re-IPLing of operating system 11 (e.g., a reloading of initial programs by operating system 11), which is impractical for a twenty-four (24) hours a day/seven (7) days a week/twelve (12) months a year host access of storage subsystems 20, 30, 40, 50. Thus, there is a need for a technique for reconfiguring host 10 to a new target operation mode exclusive of a re-IPLing of operating system 11.

Dynamic operation mode transition of a storage subsystem


An image pickup apparatus of the present invention includes a clipping circuit that clips the voltage of an input node of an amplifying unit in a pixel. The clipping circuit can operate at least in a time period in which a charge is transferred from a photoelectric conversion unit to the input node of the amplifying unit, and can switch among multiple clipping voltages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image pickup apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique is known in which, when a portion of an image pickup area is irradiated with intense light, the voltage of the output node of an amplifying unit in a pixel is clipped so that an influence is not exerted on the area surrounding the portion. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-230974, a configuration is disclosed in which the voltage of the input node of an amplifying unit in a pixel is clipped (for example, see the sixth embodiment).
Through studies carried out by the inventors, a new issue has been found in a configuration for clipping the voltage of the input node of an amplifying unit in a pixel. Specifically, for example, it has been found that, in the case where a reset transistor in a pixel is used to clip the voltage of the input node of an amplifying unit, the degree of crosstalk of signals which occurs between pixel lines is variable depending on the voltage supplied to the gate of the reset transistor upon clipping. In the case where the reset transistor is an N-transistor, the voltage supplied to the gate of the reset transistor is set to be high, enabling the crosstalk of signals which occurs between pixel lines to be reduced. However, when the voltage supplied to the gate of the reset transistor is simply set to be high for a clipping operation, the signal saturation in a pixel may be restricted. In other words, the dynamic range of a signal of a pixel may be narrowed. That is, in the case where only one value of the voltage supplied to the gate of the reset transistor for clipping is used, only one of the following choices is to be selected: a choice of making an image pickup apparatus operate so as to suppress the crosstalk of signals which occurs between pixel lines, and a choice of making an image pickup apparatus operate so as to maintain the dynamic range of a pixel.

Image pickup apparatus with pixels that include an amplifier and method for driving the same


An illuminating arrangement (1) includes a main lamp (7) and a reserve lamp (9) mounted on a lamp carrier (5). The lamp carrier (5) can be moved between a base position wherein the main lamp (7) provides illumination and a reserve position wherein the reserve lamp (9) provides illumination. When there is a failure of the main lamp (7), a position change mechanism (15, 19, 21) automatically pivots the lamp carrier (5) out of its base position into the reserve position.

An illuminating arrangement of this kind having a main lamp and a reserve lamp is disclosed in German patent publication 3,813,035. The main lamp and reserve lamp are mounted on a lamp carrier which is movable between a base position wherein the main lamp illuminates and a reserve position wherein the reserve lamp illuminates. The lamp carrier described in German patent publication 3,813,035 is a sled guided on a guide rail. The lamp carrier is automatically moved out of the base position into the reserve position by a position change mechanism when the main lamp becomes defective.
An illuminating arrangement is also known from German patent publication 3,218,699 wherein a lamp carrier is displaced out of the base position into the reserve position with the aid of a motor. The lamp carrier here is likewise configured as a sled. The motor is coupled to the lamp carrier via a transmission including several intermediate elements.


A method of sequentially transporting a first and a second fluid at a volumetric flow rate through a conduit having a cross-section, wherein the first and second fluids have different densities, which method comprises the steps of estimating a critical stratification condition for a fluid density profile along the conduit, which condition takes into account the densities of the first and second fluids, the cross-section of the conduit and the volumetric flow rate, and wherein violating the critical stratification condition likely results in stratification of fluids to occur; and feeding sequentially only first fluid, a buffer fluid and only second fluid into the conduit, wherein the buffer fluid has a density between the densities of the first and second fluids, such that a density profile of fluid along the conduit is provided, which does not violate the critical stratification condition.

The present invention relates to a method of sequentially transporting a first and a second fluid through a conduit.
Sequential transporting of two fluids through a conduit is frequently encountered in the process industry, e.g. around refineries, petrochemical and chemical plants. Multi-product pipeline conduits are used to transport fluids over short distances, such as on a plant site between one unit or tank and another, but also over long distances, for tens, hundreds or more kilometers. The fluids can be liquids, in the case of a refinery for example mogas, gasoil, kerosene or other refinery streams of different product qualities and grades. The fluids can also be gases such as natural gas and nitrogen, for example in cases where nitrogen is occasionally used for purging a natural gas pipeline.
A problem that is commonly encountered when transporting different fluids sequentially through a pipeline is mixing between the tail end of the first fluid batch and the front end of the second fluid. If the transport takes place over long distances, the length of pipeline containing both first and second fluid can be substantial, several hundreds or even thousands of meters long. Generally one obtains large amounts of off-spec material in this way, which has to be downgraded or is even wasted.
Several effects contribute to this. Mixing of fluids at a microscopic level takes place due to diffusion, turbulent dispersion and residence time distribution effects at the interface. Macroscopically, a particularly serious problem is encountered in non-vertical, in particular (nearly) horizontal conduits, when the fluids happen to stratify in the conduit, due to a density difference between the fluids. For example, when the second fluid that is fed into the pipeline after the first fluid, is lighter than the first fluid, the second fluid may not fully displace the first fluid from the full cross-section of the pipeline but may float over the first fluid so that two moving layers of fluid are obtained. A heavier second fluid can also shift under a lighter first fluid. It is particularly in such a case of stratification that very long lengths of pipeline are filled with both fluids. In many cases only limited actual microscopic mixing between the fluids at the nearly horizontal interface is observed.
This problem is currently dealt with in various ways. If the pipeline is short, one may simply accept the situation and dispose of the off-spec material obtained. A common way to prevent mixing and stratification is to use a mechanical separation by separating plugs, such as spheres from a flexible material, often referred to as "pigs". A problem associated with these plugs is that they can get stuck along the pipeline, and that they may also cause unsafe situations particularly at the end of the pipeline where they have to be separated from the fluids. Also, a launch facility for the plugs at the pipeline inlet is needed. An alternative for a flexible sphere is to use a plug of gel ("gel pigs"). Contrary to fluids, a gel exhibits a finite yield stress which is the stress at which the gel begins to flow. Below the yield stress, the gel behaves essentially as a flexible solid, and it is in this regime that gel pigs are operated. Gel pigs are however generally rather expensive since relatively large amounts of chemicals are required to fill a sufficiently long length of pipeline. Gel pigs also introduce substances different from the process fluids to be transported into the pipeline, and are therefore a cause of contamination.
International Patent Application Publication No. WO 95/12741 discloses a method for displacing fluid from and cleaning a wellbore space of a vertical subterranean well. In the known method a sequence of different fluids is circulated into the well, first a displacement fluid, then a drive fluid, followed by a buffer fluid and a wash fluid. A viscous gel solution is used as drive fluid, to obtain "piston-like" characteristic for displacing displacement fluid without substantial mixing. Chloride brine or seawater buffer fluid is used between the drive and the wash fluid because it is expected that mixing with the drive fluid occurs, and can be provided in a density so as to mitigate large density differentials.


A bollard with connecting mechanism for connecting railings, comprising: a bollard body which is provided with at least two receiving parts concave inwardly on each of opposite surfaces thereof; at least two connectors, each of which includes a base and an ear extending from the base and having a connecting hole thereon for connecting the railing; wherein the base is accommodated in the receiving part, and the ear is selectively accommodated in the receiving part or exposed out of the receiving part according to whether railings need to be connected.

Bollards, particularly traffic bollards come in a variety of shapes and size. Some are permanently erected in the road, others are temporarily put out into the ground for example when road works in progress. To facilitate the safe and smooth movement of crowds, railings (also known as rails, gates, barriers or fences) are always required to be connected to bollards (also known as posts, poles or columns).
In order to connect the railing to the bollard, three types of mechanisms are generally adopted, i.e., a connecting mechanism of bollard suitable for particular used railings, a connecting mechanism of railing suitable for particular used bollards, or an additional connecting device used for connecting a bollard with a particular railing.
However, if use additional connecting device, various additional connecting devices have to be designed and produced for the various existing bollards and railings. This is discommodious and expensive. There are many known bollards provided with a connecting mechanism on the bollard body but such a bollard meets problems, for example, it is complicated to be produced or inconvenient for using. Above all, connecting mechanisms of the bollards generally include parts protruding from the bollards for connecting the railing to the bollard. When no railing is connected on it, such protruding parts always pose a safety hazard as well as inconvenience to the public.
There is therefore a need for a bollard with connecting mechanism which overcomes the above defects of the known additional connecting device and the known bollard with connecting mechanism.

Bollard with connecting mechanisms for connecting railings


The present invention relates to a universal H5N1 vaccine. More specifically, the present invention relates to the identification of three H5N1 strains which cover the entire variants in the neutralizing epitopes of hemagglutinin among most H5N1 lineages. The present invention further relates a universal H5N1 vaccine that comprises the three H5N1 strains or that comprises hemagglutinin peptides of each of these three strains.

The present invention relates to a universal H5N1 vaccine. More specifically, the present invention relates to the identification of three H5N1 strains which cover the entire variants in the neutralizing epitopes of hemagglutinin among most H5N1 lineages. The present invention further relates a universal H5N1 vaccine that comprises the three H5N1 strains or that comprises hemagglutinin peptides of each of these three strains.
The publications and other materials used herein to illuminate the background of the invention or provide additional details respecting the practice, are incorporated by reference, and for convenience are respectively grouped in the Bibliography.
Influenza virus evades immune system by randomly changing the antigenic determinants, such as the major neutralizing epitopes, present in the globular head region of hemagglutinin. Upon infection, host response is mainly characterized by the induction of antibodies against such neutralizing epitopes, which blocks the attachment of viral hemagglutinin to the target cell receptor. However, considerable amino acid variations within these neutralizing epitopes of HA lead to the emergence of antigenically distinct influenza H5N1 viruses. In fact, it has been reported that seasonal influenza viruses were able to efficiently escape from vaccine-induced immunity in human population through antigenic drift. Moreover, mutation of a few key amino acids in HA1 variable regions is sufficient to allow viral escape from vaccine-induced antibody responses. Previous attempts to identify the amino acid substitutions within HA sequences of variants escaped from neutralization by monoclonal antibodies has revealed neutralizing epitope sites of HA (Kaverin et al., 2002; Kaverin et al., 2007).
The nature of influenza virus to randomly mutate and evolve into new types with diverse antigenic determinants is an important challenge in the control of influenza infection (Plotkin et al., 2002). This has been evidently recognized by the recent outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu and the current pandemic situation with H1N1 swine-origin influenza A virus (S-OIV). In fact, it has been well documented in literature that H5N1 had acquired the ability to infect human tissues due mainly to the occurrence of mutation events (Ayora-Talayera et al., 2009). Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 are antigenically distinguishable owing to the differences in the hemagglutinin (HA) sequences, the principal determinant of immunity to influenza, resulting in different lineages or clades of H5N1 (Lam et al., 2008; WHO, 2005). Control of infection with current H5N1 vaccines does not appear to be effective against heterologous strains or phylogenetically variant clades of H5N1 in part due to the variation in the HA sequences, particularly within the neutralizing epitope region. Since present vaccines are solely based on the induction of neutralizing antibodies against these epitopes, differences in these sequences may render the current vaccines unqualified for prevention of influenza globally. In fact, current H5N1 vaccine candidates continue to provide good antigenic coverage of most isolates within corresponding clades, it has been recently recognized that some viruses within clades 1, 2.2 and 2.3 itself shows evidence of antigenic heterogeneity.
To overcome such limitations and to completely realize the potential of vaccines worldwide, the concept of universal vaccines based on conserved viral proteins has been recently proposed. Highly conserved ion channel protein (M2) or the nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza virus has been evaluated for the induction of cross-protective cellular immunity and viral clearance (Wu et al., 2007; Chen and Subbarao, 2009). A similar approach with conserved fusion peptide of the hemagglutinin is another option to inhibit the fusion of the virus to the host cell membrane (Gerhard et al., 2006). Antibodies generated against these conserved proteins may reduce viral spread and accelerate recovery from influenza. However, antibodies specific to these proteins are poorly immunogenic and found to be infection permissive. Thus, development of vaccine based on the influenza virus hemagglutinin appears to be the only viable option to prevent infections by HPAI such as H5N1. Nevertheless, amino acid variations within the major antigenic neutralizing epitope region among the H5 subtype restricts the development of such universal vaccines against different H5N1 lineages.
Therefore, it is desired to develop a universal vaccine that provides some degree of protective immunity against different H5N1 lineages.

TEMASEK LIFE SCIENCES LABORATORY LIMITED


A method of ranking a plurality of linked documents. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of documents, and determining a rank of each document. The rank of each document is generally a function of a rank of all other documents in the plurality of documents which point to the document and is determined by solving, by equation-solving methods (including Gauss-Seidel iteration and partitioning) of a set of equations wherein:

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the analysis of data on the worldwide web (Internet) and in particular to a web-scale analysis of structured data.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
The explosive growth of the web, and the difficulty of performing complex data analysis tasks on unstructured data, has led to interest in providing relational views of certain types of web-wide information. A number of approaches have emerged for specifying these relational views, and addressing the resulting performance questions.
The most direct line of research focuses on applying traditional relational approaches to the web, by defining a set of useful relations, such as the HTML "points to" relation, and allowing users to define queries over these relations using a structured query language. These approaches provide a great deal of power and generality, but at a cost in efficiency, for two reasons. First, the particular algorithms of interest in this domain may have efficient special-purpose solutions that even the most sophisticated query optimizers cannot hope to recognize. Second, the general set of neighborhood-type queries that can be phrased using the HTML "points to" relation in particular represent a large set of graph-theoretic problems that can in general be intractable. However, the relation is not arbitrary—the underlying structure of the web graph contains a number of regularities that can be exploited by particular algorithms, but are not apparent to a generic engine that treats "points to" as an arbitrary binary relation.
Thus, a second line of research focuses on solving particular web-scale analysis problems without invoking the machinery of a generic query language. Such approaches are numerous. To date, one of the most successful instances of this line of research focuses specifically on the "points to" relation on web pages. All of these examples can be implemented as sequences of "joins across relations" derived from "points-to," but all give more efficient specific algorithms drawn from graph theory or numerical computation.
PageRank™ is a static ranking of web pages initially presented in, and used as the core of the Google™ search engine (http://www.google.com). It is the most visible link-based analysis scheme, and its success has caused virtually every popular search engine to incorporate link-based components into their ranking functions.
The convergence rate of the traditional iterative approach to PageRank™ computation, for various parameters is slow enough to cast doubt on this well-established technique. After performing a fairly significant number of iterations of this computationally intensive operation, the average error per page is roughly 50% of the value of that page. The reason for the slow convergence yields a characterization of the repetitive small-scale structure in the web graph. Web sites have connectivity properties with other web sites that allow fast convergence of PageRank™-style algorithms, and the network of linkages between sites is in some sense optimized for effective browsing. On the other hand, the structure within individual web sites is limiting from the perspective of PageRank™, as well as from the perspective of an individual attempting to browse and discover the pages on the site.

System and method for rapid computation of PageRank

Abstract: x      i        =                  (                  1          -          α                )            +              α                                      ∑            j                                                                                a              ij                                                  x              j                                            ,where xi is the rank of the page indexed by i, α is a number strictly between 0 and 1.0, the summation is over all indices j such that page j points to page i, and aij is defined to be the reciprocal of the number of links pointing out from page j (denoted dj) if page j points to page i, and zero otherwise.

International Business Machines Corporation


A computer device and method are provided to handle COM objects. A COM creating unit intercepts a request for creation of an elevated COM object by a first user process, determines whether the first user process is entitled to access the COM object, and creates the COM object without elevated privileges. A COM implementing unit intercepts a second user process that implements the COM object, confirms that the second user process is entitled to access the COM object and elevates the privilege level of the second user process to implement the elevated COM object.

1. Technical Field
The present inventive concept relates generally to the field of computers and computer devices. More particularly, the present inventive concept relates to a method and apparatus for controlling access to component object model (COM) objects by providing an improved COM object handling mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
The component object model (COM) allows different software components to interact with each other. COM is a widely used technology and allows, for example, a spreadsheet created by Microsoft™ EXCEL™ to be embedded within a document in Microsoft™ WORD™. As a platform-independent, distributed, object-oriented system, COM is a useful tool for creating binary software components that can interact. In particular, COM is a foundation for Microsoft's OLE technology with respect to compound documents (like the WORD and EXCEL example above) and for ActiveX technology for Internet-enabled components.
In Microsoft™ Windows™, like many operating systems, the security model applies the access privileges based on the user's account. The operating system may define privilege levels appropriate to different classes, or groups, of users, and then apply the privileges of the relevant class or group to the particular logged-in user (e.g., ordinary user, super-user, local administrator, system administrator and so on). The user is authenticated by logging in to the computer device, and the user, via their previously prepared security account, acts as a security principal in the security model. The operating system then grants appropriate privileges to processes which execute in that user's security context.
It is desirable to implement a least-privilege access model, whereby each user is granted the minimal set of access privileges which is just sufficient for the user's desired processes to operate on the computer device. However, in practice, many application programs require a relatively high privilege level, such as the local administrator level, in order to install and operate correctly. Hence, there is a widespread tendency to grant additional privilege rights, such as the local administrator level, and thus user processes gain greater access to the resources of the computer device than is desirable or appropriate from a security viewpoint. For example, these additional privilege rights may then enable accidental tampering with key resources of the computer device, leading to errors or corruption within the device. Further, a particular user process (e.g. an infection or malware) may maliciously access key resources of the computer device with the deliberate intention of subverting security or causing damage.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a mechanism which allows the least-privilege principle to be implemented while still enabling the desired, legitimate, processes to execute on the computer device by accessing COM objects created under the component object model. In particular, there is a need to enable effective, higher-level access rights, such as would be equivalent to local administrator rights, but without compromising security of the computer device.
The example embodiments have been provided with a view to addressing at least some of the difficulties that are encountered in current computer devices, whether those difficulties have been specifically mentioned above or will otherwise be appreciated from the discussion herein.

Method and computer device for handling COM objects having elevated privileges


A process includes the following steps: a) converting a solid material containing hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin, by: (i) hydrolyzing at least part of the hemicellulose of the solid material with a first aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, yielding a remaining solid material and a hydrochloric acid-containing, aqueous, first hydrolysate product solution; (ii) hydrolyzing at least part of the cellulose of the remaining solid material with a second aqueous hydrochloric acid solution, yielding a residue and a hydrochloric acid-containing, aqueous, second hydrolysate product solution; (b) forwarding to step (c) a, hydrochloric acid-containing, aqueous intermediate product solution comprising: a part of or the whole of the hydrochloric acid-containing, aqueous first and/or second hydrolysate product solution of step (a); and (c) heating at least part of the hydrochloric acid-containing, aqueous intermediate product solution to yield a product solution containing 5-(chloromethyl)furfural, and extracting the 5-(chloromethyl)furfural from the product solution into an extraction solvent.

In recent times use of sustainable resources, such as biomass, is becoming increasingly important for the production of compounds for fuel and chemical applications. Such bio-derived fuels and chemicals are also sometimes referred to as "biofuels" and "biochemicals". One of the advantages of using sustainable biomass resources is that the CO2 balance is more favorable as compared with a conventional feedstock of a mineral source. The production of biofuels and biochemicals from a non-edible sustainable resource, such as solid lignocellulosic material, is preferred, as such non-edible solid lignocellulosic material does not compete with food production.
5-(Chloromethyl)furfural (CMF) is a valuable intermediate in the production of biofuels and biochemicals. It can be used as an intermediate in the production of, for example, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), 5-(alkoxymethyl)furfural and/or 2,5 di-formylfuran (DFF), also referred to as 2,5-furandicarbaldehyde.
2,5-Di-formylfuran may serve as a monomer or cross-linking agent in the preparation of polymers, but can also be used as a binding agent, as a corrosion-inhibiting agent or as a surface treatment agent for certain metals. It can also be used as a precursor for 2,5-furan-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a monomer building block for the production of bio-based polyethylenefuranoate (PEF). 2,5-Di-formylfuran can be produced from 5-(chloromethyl)furfural as described, for example, in French patent application no. FR3008409. The oxidation of 5-chloromethylfurfural to 2,5-diformylfuran is described in the article of Vicente et al., titled "Oxidation of 5-chloromethylfurfural to 2,5-diformylfuran", published in Molecules (2017) vol. 22, page 329 and following.
5-(Alkoxymethyl)furfural compounds are interesting both for fuel (additives) and chemical applications. For example, 5-(ethoxymethyl) furfural (EMF) is an interesting diesel fuel additive. Further, for example 5-(methoxymethyl)furfural (MMF) is an important intermediate in the production of 2,5-furan-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). Estonian patent application EE2013/0003A describes a method for the preparation of 5-(alkoxymethyl)furfurals from 5-(chloromethyl)furfural or 5-(bromomethyl)furfural.
It is therefore desirable to have a process that would allow one to produce 5-(chloromethyl)furfural from a solid lignocellulosic material.
The article by Mascal et al. titled "Dramatic Advancements in the Saccharide to 5-(Chloromethyl)furfural Conversion Reaction", published in ChemSusChem (2009), vol 2, pages 859-861, describes a process for the conversion of corn stover into 5-(chloromethyl)furfural in a biphasic reactor, for example by heating powdered corn stover, concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) and 1,2-dichloroethane with vigorous stirring at 80° C.
The process as described by Mascal has as disadvantage that, when a solid lignocellulosic material is used as a feedstock, not only the cellulose fraction, which is the main CMF precursor, is heated in concentrated HCl, but also fractions that may not yield CMF.
Solid lignocellulosic materials contain not only cellulose, but also contain hemicellulose and lignin. Under the conditions of the above Mascal process the hemicellulose is converted into various pentoses (C5-saccharides) and hexoses (C6 saccharides). Such pentoses and hexoses can react further with various reactivities to a variety of side-products, such as furfural, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, levulinic acid, formic acid and humins. In addition, such pentoses and hexoses and/or these side-products can in turn react with lignin in various types of reactions resulting in further, non-profitable, side-products and/or contaminants. Depending on market demand, the production of some side-products such as furfural, can be economically interesting. The production of non-profitable side-products and/or contaminants is, however, not desired.
Different types of solid lignocellulosic materials can vary greatly in their composition and structure. For example, paper waste will have a different composition than agricultural waste, which in its turn will have a different composition than forestry products and/or forestry residues such as wood and wood-related materials. Hardwoods may for example have greater amounts of cellulose whereas a solid lignocellulosic material such as wheat straw has more hemicellulose. Softwoods tend to contain more lignin (usually about 27-29 wt %, based on the total weight of the softwood) than hardwoods (usually about 22 wt %, based on the total weight of the hardwood). Lignocellulosic materials may further vary in particle size and brittleness. In addition the structure and/or composition of a lignocellulosic material may vary with part of the plant (e.g. bark, root or branches), age, stage of growth or other conditions in the plant's life.
For a hydrolysis process, the differences in the hemicellulose composition are most important. Hardwood hemicellulose may contain mainly xylose (a furfural precursor) while softwood hemicellulose hardly contains any xylose. A complete hydrolysis of these wood types may therefore yield large amounts of furfural in case of a hardwood feedstock and hardly any furfural in case of a softwood feedstock.
Further, different types of wood may contain different amounts of cellulose and hemicellulose. In addition, as illustrated in Table 5-1 of Fengel & Wegener in their handbook titled "Wood: Chemistry, ultrastructure, reactions," (1984) published by Walter De Gruyter, Berlin-New York, different types of wood may contain different types and amounts of non-glucosic units in the hemicellulose fraction. Non-glucosic units are monomer units other than glucose-based monomer units.
On the one hand, some non-glucosic units that can be present in a hemicellulose fraction of a solid lignocellulosic material, such as mannose, fructose and sorbose, can be reacted to produce 5-(chloromethyl)furfural. (see for example the article of Gao et al., titled "Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of 5-Chloromethylfurfural (CMF) from Carbohydrates in Mild Biphasic Systems" published in Molecules (2013), vol. 18(7), pages 7675-7685.). On the other hand, other non-glucosic units that can be present in a hemicellulose fraction of a solid lignocellulosic material can react with various reactivities to a variety of side-products. Depending on the market demand for such side-products, such as furfural, such side-production may or may not be desirable.
The availability of different types of lignocellulosic materials may vary from country to country and even between regions within the same country. In addition the availability of the types of lignocellulosic materials may vary during the year from season to season. The process as described by Mascal lacks flexibility in respect of the type of solid lignocellulosic material used as a feedstock. No matter which solid lignocellulosic material is used as a feedstock, all fractions of the lignocellulosic material are heated at a high temperature in the presence of the concentrated hydrochloric acid as described above. Even if such solid lignocellulosic material contains a large hemicellulosic fraction and/or a large lignin fraction that may lead to substantial production of non-profitable side products.
When converting a whole solid lignocellulosic material in a process as described by Mascal, valuable energy, reactants and reactor volume is spent on producing non-profitable side-products. In a commercial-scale process such non-profitable side-products would further have to be repeatedly removed, making the overall process complex, expensive and economically unattractive. In addition, some of these side products can have a similar solubility as 5-(chloromethyl)furfural in the solvent such as 1,2-dichloroethane as used in the Mascal process, further complicating the isolation and purification of the 5-(chloromethyl)furfural and further decreasing the economical attractiveness of the process.
The residual lignin produced in a Mascal process is also disadvantageous. Residual lignin from a biomass-degradation process is normally incinerated. However, any residual lignin obtained after treatment with concentrated hydrochloric acid at high temperatures in a process as described by Mascal can contain high concentrations of covalently bound chlorine. This makes such residual lignin produced in a Mascal process less interesting for incineration.
Further the Mascal process requires powdering of the solid lignocellulosic feedstock and very vigorous stirring of the reaction mixture. The reduction of the particle size of a solid lignocellulosic feedstock to a powder and vigorous stirring of a reaction mixture may be handled relatively easy at laboratory scale but can be very cumbersome and energy-consuming when handling large amounts of feedstock at a commercial scale, especially when stirring under the highly corrosive conditions of concentrated hydrochloric acid at elevated temperature.
WO2014/066746 describes methods to produce 5-(halomethyl)furfural, including 5- (chloromethyl)furfural, by acid-catalyzed conversion of biomass. It is described that the biomass may be pretreated to help make the sugars in the biomass more accessible, by disrupting the crystalline structures of cellulose and hemicellulose and breaking down the lignin structure (if present). Common pretreatments mentioned include mechanical treatment (e.g., shredding, pulverizing, grinding), concentrated acid and dilute acid. In the exemplified process a biomass containing cellulose and/or hemicellulose is added to a reactor and contacted with solvent and aqueous hydrochloric acid. Reaction temperatures between 30° C. and 300° C. are mentioned. However, also in this process, all of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin are present as part of the feedstock. Commercialization of this process thus suffers from the same disadvantages and complications as the Mascal process.
It would be an advancement in the art to provide a process suitable for the conversion of a solid lignocellulosic material to 5-(chloromethyl)furfural, that is flexible in its production of a side-products, such as furfural, for example depending on market demand. Such flexibility can also allow one to ensure that the highest efficiency can be obtained on the basis of the available amount of wood. In addition, it can be advantageous if such a process could be operated in a continuous or semi-continuous manner and/or could be operated at a commercial-scale in an economically attractive manner.

Process for the conversion of a solid lignocellulosic material


Provided herein is an apparatus, including a chassis defining a storage compartment; a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is substantially parallel to a floor of the storage compartment; and a number of connectors mounted on the printed circuit board, wherein the number of connectors are configured to respectively connect to a number of digital data storage devices oriented substantially parallel to the printed circuit board.

A rack-mounted storage system may utilize a number of digital data storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives) in an array for a large data storage capacity. While sizeable data storage capacities have been realized for rack-mounted storage systems, such rack-mounted storage systems fail to achieve arrays of digital data storage devices that are both cost-effective and easily serviced. Difficulties in servicing digital data storage devices in rack-mounted storage systems may cause excessive downtime during service, such as when one or more digital data storage devices of an array fail and need replacement. The excessive downtime may degrade the usefulness of the rack-mounted storage system to the operator and may cause an inconvenience to the operator and/or end users who desire access to digital data stored on the rack-mounted storage system.


A method for controlling fraud using a personal hybrid card and a verification process is disclosed. The method includes registering personal information of an individual in a database forming a registered account for the individual, and assigning a personal hybrid card to the individual with the registered account. The personal hybrid card includes a data storage and a copy of the personal information, including first biometric data stored in the data storage. The method continues by verifying, at an access point, that the individual with the personal hybrid card matches the first biometric data of the individual, that is stored on the personal hybrid card. Next, the individual's personal information is transmitted from the access point to the database for requesting verification of the individual to use the personal hybrid card, and receiving eligibility verification or denial of the individual for accessing services, benefits, programs, and combinations thereof.

Publicly and privately sponsored providers of benefits, services, and other programs have concerns wherein individuals can fraudulently access and use the provider's programs. These concerns regarding fraudulent access and use, such as individuals receiving benefits or funds belonging to another individual or accessing a facility or highly secured area by fraudulently using another's access card, can create confusion and render a magnitude of costs for the provider in correcting and managing the fraudulent acts.
Improvements regarding security access of public and private facilities and agencies, such as airports, educational institutions, and other secured facilities can be accomplished through the use of smart cards for accessing databases, which can identify and verify that certain individuals are who they claim to be. Similar mechanisms regarding identity and verification of identity can be used by the banking industry for financial transactions.
A need exists for a method that provides control and management of fraudulent access and use of private and public programs, services, benefits, funding, secured areas, secured facilities, and secured entries by using a personal hybrid card for a verification process involving an individual's identity authentication and an individual's eligibility to use the personal hybrid card for accessing the programs, services, benefits, secured areas, secured facilities, and secured entries, and providing privacy.
A need exists for a method that can enhance security and privacy and reduce the magnitude of costs involved in reviewing and determining requests for access or use of a private program, a public program, a benefit, a service, a facility, a secured area, or a secured entry.
The embodiments meet these needs.

Method for controlling fraud and enhancing security and privacy by using personal hybrid card


A charger of the present invention includes a plurality of battery connection parts to which battery packs can be connected to charge, with each battery connection part having an indicator. The indicators can be configured such that when charging is expected to be completed more quickly in a first battery connection part compared to a second battery connection part, the indicator of the first battery connection part is displayed differently from the indicator of the second battery connection part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charger that has a plurality of battery connection parts and is configured so as to be able to charge a battery pack by connecting the battery pack to each battery connection part.
2. Description of the Related Art
A charger of the related art is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H05-207667. The charger disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H05-207667 is configured to include three sets of charging units, and each charging unit is configured to include a power supply part and two charging circuits. The power supply part can be connected to one of the two charging circuits by a switching means.
According to the above charging unit, when a first battery pack is being charged by a first charging circuit and a second battery pack is inserted into a second charging circuit, charging of the second battery pack will start only after the charging of the first battery pack is completed. After the first battery is charged, the switching means connects the second battery pack to the second charging circuit. Therefore, in the case where quick charging of the second battery pack is needed, it is preferable to connect the second battery pack to the second charging unit in which charging is not performed.
Further, a charger disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-224933 is configured to include a plurality of battery connection parts, and each battery connection part can be connected to a battery pack. Further, each battery connection part is configured to separately include an independent charging circuit. For this reason, should one of the battery connection parts breaks down, charging of the battery pack can be performed by use of a battery connection part that corresponds to another charging circuit.


The shelf life of a meat product derived from an animal selected from the group consisting of ruminant mammals, swine and fish is extended by feeding to the animal a diet of feed comprising a substituted 1,2-dihydroquinoline compound, the diet being continued for a period of time, and the feed comprising the substituted 1,2-dihydroquinoline compound in an amount, sufficient to increase the shelf life of the meat product.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques for improving the quality of meat products derived from certain animals, namely ruminant mammals, swine and fish, and more particularly to extending the shelf life of such products by supplementing the diets of such animals.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Many meat products derived from ruminant mammals (such as, cattle and sheep), swine and fish have very limited shelf lives. After a relatively short period of time, the meat may turn color and become rancid (that is, develop an unacceptable smell or flavor or both). In short, it spoils. Shelf life for beef is typically measured as the length of time for the meat, in plastic trays, overwrapped with an oxygen-permeable polyvinyl chloride film, and displayed under fluorescent lighting (150 foot candles) at 4.degree. C., to discolor; to turn brown or grey. This definition will be used herein to apply to other meat products as well.
By this measure, shelf life for beef, even if sealed from exposure to air, is about seven days from slaughter, after which it may turn from red to brown or grey and spoil. And, as limited as this shelf life is, because of shipping delays, less than ideal storage conditions and increased surface area resulting from cutting the meat into steaks, the typical marketable life of steak in the display case is substantially shorter--closer to twelve hours. Moreover, while the quality and freshness of steak or other meat is commonly evaluated by the color of the meat, color is not a reliable indicator of quality or freshness. Meat can turn brown or grey significantly prior to spoilage. Thus, large quantities of high quality, fresh meat becomes unmarketable and thus is wasted because of deceptively premature color change.
The resulting food waste and loss from spoilage associated with shelf life limitations amounts to billions of dollars in the U.S. alone. In fact, it has been estimated that increasing shelf life of beef in the supermarket by just two days could save the U.S. beef industry up to $175 million through increased beef sales. See Schaefer et al., Proc. Holstein Beef Prod. Symposium (1991), p. 175. The total value to the U.S. beef industry of increasing the shelf life of beef by just one to two days has been estimated at $1 billion. Hill, Ga. Stocker-Finnisher Conference (1992).
Thus, many efforts have been made toward increasing the shelf life of beef. Often the efforts have involved direct treatment of the beef, for example, with preservatives.
Other efforts, however, have been directed to treatment of the cattle themselves, such as supplementing their diets with chemical additives. With respect to cattle treatment by dietary intervention, research from the Universities of Wisconsin and Georgia indicates that adding 1200 to 1300 IU Vitamin E daily (100 ppm alpha-tocopherol acetate in the feed) to the diet of feedlot cattle extends the shelf life of several cuts of beef from a maximum of about seven days to about fourteen days or more. Williams et al., California Nutrition Conference (1993), pp. 23-42. It is believed that the Vitamin E increases the shelf life of beef--that is, maintains the meat color--by retarding the aging process by which metmyoglobin gradually replaces the red oxymyoglobin, causing the meat to become brown. However, the cost of this Vitamin E supplement is about 1.5 cents per animal a day, or $2.50 additional cost per animal. Because this cost is not recovered directly by the producer, it can be prohibitive. Nevertheless, completely satisfactory alternative dietary supplements are unknown. In fact, dietary techniques face long odds of success, at least in part with respect to ruminant mammals because many dietary ingredients are extensively destroyed during passage through the rumen. Even measurements with various commercial sources of Vitamin E indicated that intestinal availability was only 36 to 52% of that being fed. Shin and Owens, Ok. State Univ. Animal Research Report, 154-158 (1990). Because shelf life extenders are so beneficial and alternatives are so limited, the use of Vitamin E is increasing dramatically despite its cost.
Although the addition of 6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydro-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline (commonly referred to as "ethoxyquin") to animal feeds as a dietary supplement to improve the shelf life of food products derived from animals consuming the feeds has nowhere even been suggested in the current art, its use as a feed ingredient for various reasons is well known. For example, because ethoxyquin is an antioxidant, it has been added to certain animal feeds to preserve the feed itself; that is, to prevent the feed constituents from spoiling. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,066,498 and 5,000,964, both to McCauley, III, which teach the use of up to 1.5% Santoquin.RTM. (an ethoxyquin composition sold by Monsanto, Co.) to prevent oxidation and breakdown of certain components of a horse feed composition designed for treatment of the horsels hooves and coat. However, it is not clear that this use in feeds has resulted in ingestion of the ethoxyquin by the animals. It is reported in the background section of U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,996 to Barlow et al., that although ethoxyquin has been widely approved for use in animal feed and is the most commonly used anti-oxidant in fish meal intended for that use, within hours of the addition of the ethoxyquin to the feed, analyses of the feed no longer detect any trace of ethoxyquin. On the other hand, when ethoxyquin is ingested, tissue levels of ethoxyquin have been found to be similar whether calves had developed their rumen or not. deMille et al., Can. J. Anim. Sci. 52:351-361 (1972). Thus, even though many dietary ingredients are extensively destroyed during passage through the rumen, research to date suggests that ethoxyquin is not destroyed in the rumen. Indeed, it has been reported that addition of ethoxyquin to diets of dairy cattle has resulted in the appearance of ethoxyquin in the fat of the resulting milk. Dunkley et al., Supplementing Rations with Tocopherol and Ethoxyquin to Increase Oxidative Stability of Milk, J. Dairy Sci., Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 492-499 (1967); Dunkley et al., Compounds in Milk Accompanying Feeding of Ethoxyquin, J. Dairy Sci., Vol. 51, No. 8, pp. 1215-1218 (1968).
Ethoxyquin also has been reported to have been used in a concentration of 0.05 to 0.1% (500-1,000 ppm) in a feed composition for breeding cattle with N3 fatty acid-accumulated beef. See Canadian Patent No. 2,087,792. According to page 10 of that Canadian patent, the ethoxyquin is used as an anti-oxidant and "also plays an anti-oxidation activity in the cattle's body, as well as in the feed composition, to prevent the oxidative decomposition of N3 fatty acid in spoilage of feed during long-term storage." And, in U.K., Patent No. 144,024, the possible candidacy of ethoxyquin as an anti-oxidant component of a food or feed supplement to prevent the occurrence of or to retard cancer is reported. It is suggested there that the ethoxyquin concentration should be sufficient for the daily consumption to be about 0.01 to 500 mg.
Dietary ethoxyquin also has been applied to animals other than cattle. For example, it has been reported to reduce or to prevent certain maladies associated with a deficiency of Vitamin E, in particular, encephalomalacia, exudative diathesis in chicks, muscular dystrophy in chicks and lambs and fetal resorption in rats. It is unclear whether these effects have been direct effects on the target tissues or indirect effects through preventing lipid oxidation and reducing Vitamin E usage or by preventing Vitamin E destruction in the diet or the gut. Miller and White, Nutr. Rep. Int. 12:245-252 (1975); Whanger et al., Nutr. Rep. Inst. 13:159-173 (1976). However, dietary ethoxyquin has been reported to prevent lipid oxidation in muscle tissues in broilers and layers. Bartov and Bornstein, Br. Poultry Sci. 18:59-68 (1977); Combs and Regenstein, Poultry Sci. 59:347-351 (1980). The ethoxyquin concentration in the feed in the broiler study was 75 to 150 ppm by weight, and 150 ppm of ethoxyquin was found to be as effective as about 15 ppm alpha-tocopherol acetate. In the layer study, the ethoxyquin concentration was 500 ppm. Ethoxyquin was detected in the muscle tissue of poultry and lambs, suggesting that the effect is directly in the tissue. demille et al., Can. J. Anim. Sci. 52:351-361 (1972).
Despite these reports of uses of ethoxyquin in feed, there is no indication that the ethoxyquin has had any effect on the shelf life of meat products derived from the animals. In fact, ethoxyquin has been reported to be a direct food additive, but even that has been for purposes other than to increase shelf life of the food. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,153 to Coleman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,561 to Bharucha and Coleman and U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,793 to Bharucha, Rubin and Cross disclose methods for reducing formation of nitrosamines by applying ethoxyquin directly to the meat.
Thus, the livestock industry and particularly the cattle industry, is still searching for inexpensive and simple techniques for extending the shelf life of animal-derived food products, such as beef and milk.
Moreover, it is noteworthy that these industries encounter several other problems as well and if a further benefit of the shelf life treatment is to alleviate some of these problems as well, the value of the treatment would be enhanced even more. Among these problems may be noted the offensive odor associated with animal waste (e.g., cattle manure). In addition, cattle and sheep, in particular, have been afflicted with high rates of liver abscesses. Commercially, about 15-30% of livers from feedlot cattle are discarded, primarily due to presence of abscesses. Thus, a method that reduces the incidence of liver abscesses or lessens their severity also would be beneficial. In fact, it has been reported that in a small study 2,000 ppm ethoxyquin appeared to increase rate of liver regeneration in rats by 26 to 34%. See Gavino et al., Life Sci. 36:1771-1777 (1985). Also, meat from younger animals is typically more desirable than that from older animals. Therefore, a technique that can delay the maturity of an animal or at least the apparent maturity, would be desirable as well. In addition, a certain percentage of beef is dark in color initially and therefore becomes unmarketable regardless of its age. As a result, that percentage is simply waste. Thus, methods for reducing the incident of dark color beef would be desired as well. Finally, of course, faster and more efficient weight gain rates are always desirable.

Use of dihydroxyquinoline compounds to extend the shelf life of products of mammals and fish


A tray assembly which may include a single well or a plurality of wells that will contain specimens for cryo-preservation, freezing, thawing, or warming. The assembly will include a structure whereby a sequence of different media solutions can be introduced into a well or wells in the assembly without the need to move the specimens and without disturbing an overlying oil layer which floats on top of the media solutions. The media solutions will be introduced into the specimen wells through adjunct passages which communicate with the interior of the wells. The adjunct passages will preferably be integral with the wells and will be formed at the same time the wells are formed. Thus manufacturing the assembly of this invention will be inexpensive and repetitive. The adjunct passages can be used to infuse different media solutions into the wells at different stages of the protocols in question. The wells can be inverted cones or pyramids in shape. This shape allows the infusion of sequential media solutions beneath the overlying oil layer, without disturbing the specimen and without significantly elevating the solution level in the wells. The conical or pyramidal shapes also enable the user to readily locate and handle the specimens because the specimens will always gravitate to the nadir of the conical or pyramidal bottom of the wells. This shape also allows the user to see any media level indices placed on the side walls of the wells.

Biological organisms such as stem cells, tissues, including, but not limited to, immature oocytes, gametes, zygotes, embryos, cleavage stage embryos, blastocyst stage embryos, and the like, are commonly cultured, grown, and may be preserved by freezing and/or vitrification. Petri dishes are generally designed for use by the individual technician for use in a broad range of procedures and applications. Currently there is no Petri dish or similar device that is specifically designed for use during the preparation of the specimens for specimen culture and freezing and/or for thawing the specimens. More specifically, there is no dish or other device that is designed to be used for the multi step preparation of human or animal specimens in the specimen culturing and cryo-preservation and thawing processes.
Currently, there are two methods used for the cryo-preservation of the aforesaid types of specimens, the first of which is referred to as conventional cryo-preservation, and second of which is referred to as vitrification.
The conventional cryo-preservation method refers to the forming of ice crystals during the freezing process and the removal of such ice crystals during the thawing process.
The conventional vitrification method refers to the solidification of the specimens in a solution of reduced and lowered temperature, not by ice crystallization formation, but by extreme elevation of sample viscosity during cooling. Then the specimens are warmed as opposed to thawed. The amounts of specific materials, such as cryo-preservatives and culture medium may vary between the methods.
We will refer herein to these two different methods as being interchangeable, although they may vary in the number of steps, materials and terminologies used when performing certain different procedures or protocols. Therefore, for the purpose of describing procedures, steps or protocols herein, we will refer to "freeze" or "vitrification" when the specimen is being prepared for either of the procedures of cryopreservation, or being prepared for storage, and "thaw" when the specimen is subjected to warming or being taken out of the cryopreservation state.
The problems posed by the current methodology is that technicians are relying on common Petri dishes in these types of specimen procedures in the preparation of human and animal specimens for cryo-preservation and thawing. These dishes are not well suited for these procedures since they may not contain a desired number of wells, are not configured to facilitate these types of processes, and do not allow the technician to readily a fixed set of protocols or procedures each time.
Currently, common Petri dishes used to freeze and thaw the specimens may have flat bottoms, may be with or without molded integral multiple wells, and most will not contain the number of wells needed to complete the desired tasks. For those dishes without wells, the technician may simply create a droplet or a micro-droplet of the solution to be used and then put the specimen into those drops. When the dishes have wells, they may have a single well or up to four wells.
The use of micro-droplets also extends the setup time (which may be up to one hour), the time for performing the steps and procedures, and also may put the specimens at risk, by the possibility of the droplets collapsing thereby exposing the specimens to oil, air, and permanent damage. The specimens must also be handled a number of times which puts the specimens at risk of damage.
Additional problems faced by use of these common Petri dishes is that the procedures in question utilize several different media solutions and the technician must use dishes that may not adapt well to the task, or the technician may try to adapt his or her procedures, steps or protocols, and the timing of the steps, to comply with the restrictions imposed by the dishes used. The result is an ineffective performance of the procedures to be followed and thus poor results. The reduced number of wells may also force the individual technicians to use more than one dish adding to the confusion, creating possible errors, and complicating the performance of the procedures.
In these procedures, the use of multiple vials and different types of medium solutions within these vials, which may contain different concentrations of ingredients or greater of lesser amounts of a particular ingredient, will occur.
An example of the above can be where Vial #1 is a washing solution, and is used in the beginning of preparation of human oocytes. The washing solution is a base media and does not contain any cryo-preservatives; a Vial #2 contains the same base media along with 1,2-propanediol (PrOH), ethylene glycol, glycol, as a cryo-preservative; and a Vial #3 contains the same media as Vial #2 plus a small amount of sucrose.
The solutions used for the cryo-preservation procedures may also contain the ingredients in various levels and may use up to five different vials. An example of this is: Vial #1 may contain 100% base media; Vial #2 may contain 90% media and 10% PrOH; Vial #3 may contain 80% media and 20% PrOH; Vial #4 may contain 70% media and 30% PrOH; and Vial #5 may contain 60% media and 40% PrOH. Thus each of the successive step vials contains a solution in which a specimen is to be immersed, with each of the solutions containing progressively less media and progressively more of the cryo-protectant. The successive specimen treatment steps are timed steps, with the time specimen immersion time for each step being from five to ten minutes, depending on the established protocol in use. Certain protocols in thawing currently use seven different solutions in seven separate vials. These protocols take at least thirty five minutes to complete. The specimens are transferred from one solution to the next during the protocol. Transferring the specimens puts them at risk of damage. Thus, the present protocols which require transferring the specimens from one solution to another are labor intensive, equipment intensive, and present a risk of damage to the specimens during the treatment protocol.
The above-noted protocols for specimen treatment also require that the media and cryo-protectant solutions be overlain in the dish wells with a mineral or paraffin oil to prevent the solutions from evaporating during the treatment steps. The mineral or paraffin oil covers complicate the procedure since the technician must not pick up the oil in the micro tools used to transfer the specimens from one solution to the next. Thus, in order to perform the present protocols, the vials must be placed in the proper order or sequence, to properly prepare the specimens for cryo-preservation or thawing.
Current dishes require the technician to move the specimens from one solution to the next by the use of micro tools and microscopes to find and move the specimens. This is very time and equipment consuming, and the multiple handling of the specimens can also contribute to the problem of growing and survival of the specimens during the protocol in question.
Currently, researchers in stem cell work utilize a series of media solutions, adding ingredients or additional media at specified time intervals and may at times add supplements such as growth hormones and proteins. The cells being grown remain in the desired dish or apparatus for several days, or even for up to two-three weeks. In this procedure, it would be desirable to add additional medium ingredients or additives without having to move the cells, and to be able to change the overall concentrations of certain ingredients by adding ingredients at various times.
It would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method for performing multi-step protocols for preparing specimens for cryo-preservation and/or thawing which does not require multiple vials for containing varying solution concentrations, and which does not require physically transferring specimens being treated in the protocol from one solution vial to another.
It would be highly desirable to provide an apparatus which will promote the growth of stem cells or cells and the changing of the ingredient concentrations without moving the specimens and by adding or withdrawing medium and other components.

Flooding dish and method for changing media in the dish in the preparation of mammalian specimen culture and for cryo-preservation, freezing, vitrification and the thawing and warming of such specimens


A nutating slice CT image reconstruction apparatus and method generates a set of projection data using helical cone-beam scanning. The three-dimensional projection data is used to reconstruct a series of planar image slices. The slices are selected such that they define a tilt angle and a rotation angle with respect to the longitudinal axes of the object being scanned. Successive slices have equal tilt angles but changing rotation angles such that normal axes of successive slices define a nutation and precession about the longitudinal axis of the object. Projection data for the tilted slices are formed of selected one-dimensional fan-beam data. As such, the projection data can be applied to conventional two-dimensional reconstruction approaches to generate an image. The projection data can also be used to generate two-dimensional projection images at one or more stationary projection angles through an object being scanned. The nutation or tilt of image volume elements can be compensated for to provide a more accurate image and more accurate target assessment such as accurate total mass determination. A parallel processing architecture can be used to generate and process the nutated slices with improved efficiency.

FIG. 1 is a schematic axial view of a typical conventional CT scanner 10 which includes an x-ray source 12 and an x-ray detector system 14 secured to diametrically opposite sides of an annular shaped disk 16. The disk 16 is rotatably mounted within a gantry support (not shown), so that during a scan the disk 16 continuously rotates about a z-axis while x-rays pass from the source 12 through an object, such as a patient 20 positioned on a patient table 56 within the opening of the disk 16. The z-axis is normal to the plane of the page in FIG. 1 and intersects the scanning plane at the mechanical center of rotation 18 of the disk 16. The mechanical center of rotation 18 of the disk corresponds to the "isocenter" of the reconstructed image.
In one conventional system, the detector system 14 includes an array of individual detectors 22 disposed in a single row in a shape of an arc having a center of curvature at the point 24, referred to as the "focal spot," where the radiation emanates from the x-ray source 12. The source 12 and array of detectors 22 are positioned so that the x-ray paths between the source and each detector all lie in a "scanning plane" that is normal to the z-axis. Since the x-ray paths originate from what is substantially a point source and extend at different angles to the detectors, the x-ray paths form a "fan beam" 26 that is incident on the detector array 14 in the form of one-dimensional linear projection. The x-rays incident on a single detector at a measuring instant during a scan are commonly referred to as a "ray," and each detector generates an output signal indicative of the intensity of its corresponding ray. Since each ray is partially attenuated by all the mass in its path, the output signal generated by each detector is representative of the attenuation of all the mass disposed between that detector and the X-ray source, i.e., the attenuation of the mass lying in the detector's corresponding ray path.
The output signals generated by the X-ray detectors are normally processed by a signal processing portion (not shown) of the CT system. The signal processing portion generally includes a data acquisition system (DAS) which filters the output signals generated by the X-ray detectors to improve their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The output signals generated by the DAS during a measuring interval are commonly referred to as a "projection" or "view" and the angular orientation of the disk 16, source 12 and detector system 14 corresponding to a particular projection is referred to as the "projection angle."
FIG. 2 illustrates the orientation of the disk 16, X-ray source 12 and detector system 14 for generation of a fan beam data point P.sub.f (.beta.,.gamma.) at a projection angle .beta. and a detector angle .gamma.. A center line 40, which is used to define reference orientations, extends from the focal spot of the X-ray source 12 through the z-axis at the mechanical center of rotation 18. The projection angle .beta. is defined as the angle between a vertical axis and the center line 40. Each individual detector in system 14 has an associated detector angle .gamma. that is also defined with respect to the center line 40. By definition, the center line 40 intersects the detector system 14 at a reference detector angle .gamma. of 0.degree..
A symmetric detector system 14 as shown in FIG. 2 extends from a detector angle of -.delta. to +.delta., where .delta. is one-half the fan angle. A fan beam view or projection P.sub.f (.beta.,.gamma.) generated by symmetric detector system 14 includes a set of data points P.sub.f (.beta.,.gamma.), generated by all the detectors at the detector angles from -.delta. to +.delta. for the projection angle .beta.. Asymmetric detector systems are also well known.
During a scan, the disk 16 rotates smoothly and continuously around the object being scanned, allowing the scanner 10 to generate a set of projections P.sub.f (.beta.,.gamma.) at the corresponding set of projection angles .beta.. In a conventional scan, the patient remains at the constant z-axis position during the scan. When obtaining multiple scans, the patient is stepped along the z-axis between scans. These processes are commonly referred to as "step-and-shoot" scanning or "constant-z-axis" (CZA) scanning. Using well-known algorithms, such as the inverse Radon transform, a tomogram may be generated from a set of projections that all share the same scanning plane normal to the z-axis. This common scanning plane is typically referred to as the "slice plane."
A tomogram is a representation of the density of a two-dimensional slice along the slice plane of the object being scanned. The process of generating a tomogram from the projections is commonly referred to as "reconstruction," since the tomogram may be thought of as being reconstructed from the projection data. The reconstruction process can include several steps including convolution to deblur the data, rebinning to form parallel-ray data from the fan-beam-ray data and back projection in which image data for each image pixel is generated from the projection data. In CZA scanning, for a particular image slice, all the projections share a common scanning plane, so these projections may be applied directly to the back projector for generation of a tomogram.
The step-and-shoot CZA scanning approach can be a slow process. During this time consuming approach, the patient can be exposed to high amounts of X-ray radiation. Also, as the scanning table is moved between each scan, patient motion can result, causing motion and misregistration artifacts which result in reduced image quality.
Several approaches have been developed to decrease the time required to obtain a full scan of an object. One of these approaches is helical or spiral scanning in which the object being scanned is translated along the z-axis while the disk 16 with source 12 and linear detector array 14 are rotated about the patient. In helical scanning, the projections P.sub.f (.beta., .gamma.) are normally acquired such that z is linearly related to the view angle .beta. so that z(.beta.)=c.beta., where c is a constant. This form of helical scanning is commonly referred to as constant-speed-helical (CSH) scanning.
FIG. 3A illustrates the data collected during a conventional CZA scan, and FIG. 3B illustrates the data collected during a CSH scan. As shown in FIG. 3A, if the X-ray source 12 and the detector system 14 are rotated about the object 20 while the object remains at a fixed z-axis location, the scanning planes associated with all the projections collected by the detector system 14 will all lie in a common slice plane 50. As shown in FIG. 3B, if the object 20 is continuously translated in the direction of the z-axis while the disk is rotated about the object 20, none of the scanning planes will be co-planar. Rather, the scanning plane associated with each projection will lie at a unique position along the z-axis at a locus point on a helical set of loci. FIG. 3B illustrates the z-axis coordinate of the scanning planes corresponding to helical projection angles in the interval (0, 10.pi.). Since the value of each projection depends on the z-axis location of the patient, each projection may be considered a function of two variables .beta. and z.
In CZA scanning, all the projections share a common scanning plane, so these projections may be applied directly to the back projector to generate a tomogram. In CSH scanning however, each projection has a unique scanning plane located at a unique z-axis coordinate, so CSH projections may not be applied directly to a back projector. However, the data collected during a CSH scan can be interpolated in various fashions to generate a set of interpolated projections that do all share a common scanning plane extending normal to the z-axis. Each interpolated projection, for example, may be generated by combining two projections taken at equivalent projection angles and at different z-axis positions. These interpolated projections may be treated as CZA data and applied to a back projector to generate a tomogram.
CSH scanning requires some form of interpolation to generate a tomogram, and tomograms generated by CSH scanning therefore tend to be characterized by image artifacts. Also, since the CSH scan projection data, which are collected over an interval of z-axis locations, are combined to generate the interpolated CZA scan data, tomograms generated during CSH scanning have a wider effective slice plane width and, therefore, lower z-axis resolution, than tomograms generated by CZA scanning. However, helical scanning advantageously permits rapid scanning of a large volume of a patient. For example, in a time interval short enough to permit a patient comfortably to hold his or her breath (and thereby remain relatively motionless), a helical scan can collect enough data to fully scan an entire organ such as a kidney.
Another approach to decreasing scan time over CZA scanning is commonly referred to as "cone-beam scanning," in which a three-dimensional volume of the object or patient is scanned at once. In cone-beam scanning, the detection system includes a two-dimensional array of detectors instead of the one-dimensional array used in conventional scanning. The X-ray output from the source diverges in two dimensions to produce the equivalent of multiple fan beams along the z-axis dimension which illuminate multiple rows of plural detectors and therefore form a two-dimensional projection on the array.
In one form of a cone-beam system, the patient or object is maintained in a stationary z-axis position while the source and two-dimensional detector array are rotated around the patient or object. The patient is then moved to a new z-axis position, and the scan is repeated. In this type of step-and-shoot or "stationary cone beam" system, rather than sweeping out a plane, a volume of the object is scanned. After one volume is scanned, the source and detector are stepped along the z-axis to scan the next volume. Still another approach used to decrease scan time is helical cone-beam (HCB) scanning, in which a cone-beam configuration, i.e., a source and two-dimensional detector array, are rotated around the patient while the patient is continuously translated in the z-direction.
Standard two-dimensional reconstruction techniques, such as 2D filtered back projection (FBP), are used to reconstruct CZA and interpolated CSH data in non-cone-beam systems. FBP requires that the set of projections used for reconstruction lie in the same plane. This condition is satisfied in CZA scanning, and interpolation is used in CSH scanning to produce a set of interpolated or simulated linear projections which effectively meet this requirement. In either case, 2D FBP is an efficient means of producing image data from the 1D fan-beam projection data.
In cone-beam geometry, the required condition is only satisfied for a detector row coplanar with the source in a plane perpendicular to the z-axis, i.e., the center detector row. In stationary cone-beam CT, a 1D projection defined by the source and a given detector row will intersect a different slice in the object as the gantry rotates. Conventional 2D FBP can be used to reconstruct cone-beam data by treating each row as an independent 1D projection. This approximation ignores the cone-beam geometry and results in image artifacts such as streaks and lowering of the reconstructed density. A better approximate method used to reconstruct cone-beam data is known as the Feldkamp algorithm and is described in L. A. Feldkamp, et al., "Practical cone-beam algorithm," J. Opt. Soc. Am. 1, pp. 612-619, (1984).
In the Feldkamp algorithm, the rays are back projected in the three-dimensional cone. Algorithms such as Feldkamp, which attempt to incorporate the true cone-beam geometry of the data, are referred to as three-dimensional filtered back projection (3D-FBP) algorithms. Three-dimensional algorithms reconstructing HCB data have also been developed. Examples of these algorithms are described in the following papers.
1. H. Kudo and T. Saito, "Three-dimensional helical-scan computed tomography using cone-beam projections," Journal of Electronics, Information, and Communication Society, J74-D-II, 1108-1114, (1991). PA1 2. D. X. Yan and R. Leahy, "Cone-beam tomography with circular, elliptical and spiral orbits," Phys. Med. Biol. 37, 493-506, (1992). PA1 3. S. Schaller, T. Flohr and P. Steffen,"New efficient Fourier reconstruction method for approximate image reconstruction in spiral cone-beam, CT at small cone angles," SPIE International Symposium on Medical Imaging, February, 1997. PA1 4. G. Wang, T-H Lin, P. Cheng and D. M. Shinozaki, "a general cone beam algorithm," IEEE Trans. Med. Imag. 12, 486-496, (1993).
A disadvantage of 3D reconstruction algorithms is that they cannot be used with common 2D reconstruction hardware, and, consequently, custom 3D back projection hardware must be built to accommodate them.
In many CT scanning applications, it is desirable to pre-screen a region before performing reconstruction. For example, certain suspect objects, such as tumors, may be identified by a pre-screening process for further closer examination during medical CT imaging. Also, CT scanning is applicable to identification of contraband items, such as weapons and explosives in baggage being carried or loaded onto commercial aircraft. It is often desirable to pre-screen baggage to identify suspect bags which can then be subject to full CT image reconstruction if the pre-screening process identifies a suspect target. In one prior art approach to pre-screening, a separate line scanner is used to generate a two-dimensional projection through the object being scanned, e.g., patient baggage, to identify suspect areas. Where a suspect target is identified, the object can then be subjected to full CT scanning and reconstruction. This process can be time consuming and, in the baggage scanning application, can be impractical, considering the rate at which bags must be screened at a commercial airport.

Parallel processing architecture for computed tomography scanning system using non-parallel slices


Techniques are described for automating animation of fonts. In certain embodiments, segments of a glyph that symbolizes a font character are accessed. Sub-segments are then generated for the glyph by applying an automated segmenting function to the segments. Glyph points are then determined for the glyph based on the generated sub-segments of the glyph. For a glyph point in the glyph points, positions for the glyph point are computed at time points by, for each time point of the time points, applying an effect function to the glyph point. Keyframes are generated corresponding to the time points, wherein each keyframe in the keyframes corresponds to a respective time point in the time points and includes an animation effect generated for the glyph based on respective positions computed for the glyph points at the time point. A font animation is provided based on the keyframes.

Animation is a process of manipulating images to create moving images. In traditional animation, a series of frames is shown at an appropriate rate to enable a viewer to see a smooth progression in the movement of objects across frames. Some software applications exist to generate animations based on keyframes, which are frames that indicate significant moments in an animation, such as the first appearance of an object. In that case, a user trying to generate an animation is required to provide at least the keyframes.
In many cases, a user may wish to animate text. For instance, when making a video for personal or commercial reasons, the user may wish the video to include text that is animated in a way that is customized or grabs the interest of the viewer. For another example, a user may desire to use text animation as a form of expression for personal use, such as in text or email communication with friends or colleagues. A user may also wish to create a document with fonts that are animated.
Although some applications include tools that can be used to generate animations of text. These tools are difficult to use and require expertise on the part of the user. For instance, in some tools, a user has to convert text to an outline and then manually add points to the outline to enable the text to be animated. The user then has to move those points manually to indicate how the text should change across keyframes during an animation. Certain animation effects, such as a fire effect, require the user to manually add textures or gradients on top of the text, which requires locating appropriate textures or gradients in addition to the manual cost of placing the textures or gradients. These manual manipulations are difficult to execute and require user expertise. As a result, these effects are outside the scope of a typical user.


A double-sided emission type display device includes a first substrate having a first connection and a first protruded portion extending in a first direction; a first display unit at the first substrate; a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, comprising a second connection and a second protruded portion extending in the first direction; a second display unit at the second substrate; and a first flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) including a first connecting portion coupled to the first connection and a second connecting portion coupled to the second connection.

1. Field
The present invention relates to a double-sided emission type display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel display devices are being used as display devices instead of cathode-ray tube display devices due to their properties such as light weight and thin profile. Representative examples of such flat panel display devices include a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display device. The OLED display device has advantages that it has excellent brightness and viewing angle properties, compared to the LCD device, and it may be implemented as a super-thin type of display device because it does not require a backlight.
The OLED display device is a display device that forms excitons through the recombining of holes and electrons, respectively, injected through a cathode and an anode on an organic thin film and uses a phenomenon in which light with a specific wavelength is generated by energy from the formed excitons.
The OLED display device is classified into a passive matrix type and an active matrix type according to a driving type, wherein the active matrix type of display device has a circuit that uses a thin film transistor (TFT). The passive matrix type of display device has an advantage of being easier to manufacture because a display area primarily includes a matrix of crossing cathodes and anodes to form pixels. The use of passive matrix display devices, however, tends to be limited to low-resolution images and small-sized displays, and passive matrix displays typically require a higher driving voltage, and have a lower material life. The active matrix type of display device may have a more stable brightness, because each pixel of the display area has a TFT and constant current is supplied to each pixel. In addition, the active matrix type of display device typically has a lower power consumption than the passive matrix type of display device, which is an important factor for implementing high-resolution and large displays.
An OLED display device may display images on both sides. In double-sided emission type OLED display devices, a backside emission type of organic light-emitting elements may be located in each of a first substrate and a second substrate, and the first and second substrates may be arranged to face each other. In this case, TFTs for controlling the driving of the organic light-emitting elements are located on the substrates in which the organic light-emitting elements are located. The backside emission type means that light from an organic light-emitting layer is emitted to the outside through a TFT.

Double-sided emission type display device