Techniques are provided for a dynamic adaptive streaming proxy for unicast or broadcast/multicast service. For example, a method for controlling an encoding format of multimedia content for a multimedia client of a wireless communications network (WCN) includes modifying, at a proxy component of the WCN network entity, a data structure that associates one or more different locators for multimedia content with respective different encoding formats for the multimedia content, to obtain a modified data structure. The method may include controlling an encoding format for the multimedia content provided to at least one multimedia client, at least in part by the modified data structure.

Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, etc. These wireless networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available network resources. Examples of such multiple-access networks include Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) networks, Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) networks, Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA) networks, and Single-Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA) networks.
A wireless communication network may include a number of base stations that can support communication for a number of user equipments (UEs), also referred to as mobile devices or mobile entities. A UE may communicate with a base station via a downlink and an uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the base station to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the base station. As used herein, a "base station" means an eNode B (eNB), a Node B, a Home Node B, or similar network component of a wireless communications system.
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) represents a major advance in cellular technology as an evolution of Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). The LTE physical layer (PHY) provides a highly efficient way to convey both data and control information between base stations, such as an evolved Node Bs (eNBs), and mobile devices, such as UEs. In prior applications, a method for facilitating high bandwidth communication for multimedia has been single frequency network (SFN) operation. SFNs utilize radio transmitters, such as, for example, eNBs, to communicate with subscriber UEs. In unicast operation, each eNB is controlled so as to transmit signals carrying information directed to one or more particular subscriber UEs. The specificity of unicast signaling enables person-to-person services such as, for example, voice calling, text messaging, or video calling.
In broadcast operation, several eNBs in a broadcast area broadcast signals in a synchronized fashion, carrying information that can be received and accessed by any subscriber UE in the broadcast area. The generality of broadcast operation enables greater efficiency in transmitting information of general public interest, for example, multimedia broadcasts and multimedia unicast services providing various types of audio-video content to the end user. As the demand and system capability for multimedia content has increased, system operators are in need of tools to control use of radio resources for multimedia content, in a flexible and adaptive fashion.

Dynamic adaptive streaming proxy for unicast or broadcast/multicast services


The subject disclosure relates to methods and systems for identifying and classifying electric-vehicle (EV) owners. Methods of the subject technology can include steps for generating an initial model based on a plurality of load-curve characteristics, and training the initial model using a training data set to produce a configured model. In some implementations, the methods can also include steps for determining a probabilistic classification for each of a second plurality of users by analyzing load-curve data associated with the second plurality of users using the configured model. Systems and computer readable media are also provided.

1. Technical Field
The subject technology relates to methods and systems for disaggregating electric-vehicle (EV) consumption from other types of power consumption and in particular, for discriminating between EV owners and non-EV owners using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data.
2. Introduction
Recent advancements in certain industries, such as the electric automobile industry, are increasing demand on the power grid due to the significant energy requirements of battery charging. As a result, one trend in electricity consumption for electric-vehicle owners is that power consumption can shift dramatically at unpredictable times throughout the day, e.g., whenever automobiles are plugged in for charging.


Various arrangements of location-based in-vehicle restaurant menu systems are presented. In some embodiments, a location sensor that determines a global location of a vehicle is present. An in-vehicle display incorporated as part of the vehicle may be present. A location of the vehicle may be determined to correspond to a location-specific menu based on data received from the location sensor. A location-specific menu may be retrieved for the available restaurant location in response to determining the location of the vehicle. The location-specific menu may be output for presentation to the in-vehicle display, allowing a user to decide on his order before approaching an intercom system.

Ordering food and drink items using a drive-through can be a slow and frustrating process, both for customers and restaurants. Typically, customers remain within their vehicles in a queue until approaching a menu display and bidirectional intercom system. Until approaching the menu display, it may not be possible for customers to be aware of the exact items available for purchase at the location and the prices at which such items are offered. Further, while some items may be standardized across multiple restaurant locations, limited-time offers and available promotions may vary from location to location.
When a customer approaches the menu display, the customer may need several minutes to review the menu display and make a final decision on what items that the customer wishes to purchase. This delay at the menu display may result in a frustrating time delay for other customers who are behind the currently-ordering customer in the vehicular queue. Further, this delay may cause a lower customer throughput than would be possible if the customers were able to provide their orders in a more timely fashion.

Location-based in-vehicle restaurant menu


A method for post processing and displaying a three-dimensional angiography image data set of a blood vessel tree of a patient, wherein two-dimensional display images are rendered from the angiography image data set and displayed, wherein two display images are rendered from the angiography image data set using viewing directions forming an angle suited for stereoscopic perception of the display images and both display images are simultaneously displayed on a display screen in a display presentation that causes each display image to be viewed by one eye of a person viewing the display screen.

The present disclosure concerns a method for post processing and displaying a three-dimensional angiography image data set of a blood vessel tree of a patient, wherein two-dimensional display images are rendered from the angiography image data set and displayed. The disclosure also concerns a presentation device, a computer program and an electronically readable storage medium.
Angiography is a well-known medical imaging technique used to visualise blood vessels inside the body of a patient. Three-dimensional angiography image data sets may be acquired using X-ray imaging devices, wherein a contrast agent is injected into the patient to allow contrasting blood vessels with regard to other anatomical structures. It has, however, also been proposed to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to image blood vessels of a patient, for example to diagnose stenosis, occlusions or aneurysms. In any case, the result of the acquisition is a three-dimensional angiography image data set describing an acquired part of the blood vessel tree of the patient which has to be visualised, in particular presented to a diagnosing/reviewing physician.
Rendering techniques are commonly used to calculate two-dimensional images which can be displayed as representations of a volumetric data set. Rendering techniques have also already been employed with regard to angiography. A widespread used variant of rendering in angiography is the so-called maximum intensity projection (MIP). In MIP, each voxel along a line from the viewer's eye or along parallel lines in a viewing direction through the volume of data is evaluated and the maximum voxel value is then used as the displayed value. MIP has proven to be particularly useful in creating angiographic display images from computed tomography and magnetic resonance image data sets. The usability of MIP as a rendering technique as well as variance and embodiments have been discussed across the literature in an extensive way. For example, it is referred to P. S. Calhoun et al., "Three-dimensional Volume Rendering of Spiral CGT Data: Theory and Method", RadioGraphics 19 (1999) 745-764, and Elliot K. Fishman et al., "Volume Rendering versus Maximum Intensity Projection in CT Angiography: What Works Best, When, and Why", RadioGraphics 26 (2006) 905-922. However, MIP has certain drawbacks, since this rendering technique does not incorporate the actual 3D relationship of the structures leading to a loss of information and the delineation of individual structures is aggravated through the overlaid high intensity voxels. More precisely, crossing and overlapping of vessel structures severely impair the ability for diagnosis and result in a cumbersome "browsing-technique" by the radiographer, i.e. stepping through the stack of slices forth and back trying to distinguish fine structures. This results in a significant lengthening of the review workflow for three-dimensional angiography image data sets. Many of these or comparable problems also apply to other volume rendering techniques.
To overcome these problems, some methods have already been proposed in the state of the art. For example, as display images, so-called depth-enhanced MIPs could be used, which, however, requires a second ray casting and is consequently computationally complex. Using other volumetric rendering techniques as alternative visualisations often leads to less detailed display images as a result of a more complex computation. Additionally, perspective projections can lead to an unsteady and high frequent visualisation of structures farther away from the viewpoint. It has also been proposed to use so-called 3D monitors, which, however, require a special environment and are very expensive. Furthermore, such 3D monitors are influenced by ambient light. In another approach, a sophisticated visualisation of depth information, e.g. by using colors, has been proposed, which, however, may be difficult to interpret.
To facilitate the depth interpretation of rendered display images, it has also been proposed to render up to three display images, in particular using maximum intensity projection, having orthogonal image planes, which are simultaneously displayed. This visualisation, however, requires a high degree of spatial sense on the side of the user.

Post processing and displaying a three-dimensional angiography image data set


There is provided a dried L-glutamate oxidase composition containing an L-glutamate oxidase, which is stable even if it is stored for such a long term as one year or longer. The composition is a dried composition, preferably lyophilized product, containing an L-glutamate oxidase and a disaccharide. A preferred example of the disaccharide is lactose. Content of the disaccharide per 100 U of the L-glutamate oxidase is preferably 0.5 to 50 mg.

L-Glutamic acid is known as one of "umami" ingredients, and sodium L-glutamate as sodium salt thereof is used as a main ingredient of umami seasonings. L-Glutamic acid is also functioning as an excitatory neurotransmitter that causes neural transmission via the glutamate receptor in the bodies of animals. Therefore, detection and quantification of L-glutamic acid are extremely important in the fields of food science and biochemistry.
The applicants of the present application already found in 1983 through search and researches of oxidase enzymes of amino acids that one species of bacterium of the genus Streptomyces produces an L-glutamate oxidase that acts in an L-glutamic acid-specific manner (Non-patent document 1), and succeeded in commercial production thereof as a reagent for research. They further developed a method enabling easy measurement of L-glutamic acid using this enzyme, and put an L-glutamic acid measurement kit based on the method on the market (Non-patent documents 2 and 3). They also introduced an L-glutamic acid sensor using the L-glutamate oxidase immobilized on an oxygen electrode (Non-patent document 4). Thanks to these product developments and researches, colorimetric measurement kits and biosensors using L-glutamate oxidase have come to be widely used, and L-glutamate oxidase has come to have extremely high industrial value.
Raw material enzymes used for the kits or sensors are generally distributed as dried compositions in many cases. This is because they have advantages that, for example, the products are light and have a small volume, therefore they are suitable for storage and transportation, there is no risk about decomposition thereof by microbial contamination, dissolution concentration or type of buffer used at the time of dissolution thereof can be freely chosen according to the purpose of use, and they are more stable compared with a solution.
In the meantime, some enzymes have a problem that the activities thereof are reduced if they are in a state of low concentration solution or in the presence of high concentration of coenzyme, and means for stabilizing such enzymes have been examined. For example, there is an example that a saccharide or sugar alcohol is added to β-D-galactosidase (Patent document 1). In Patent document 1, a stability test of lyophilized products containing 18 kinds of saccharides or sugar alcohols is carried out, and it is described that residual activities of the enzyme observed after leaving the lyophilized products for two weeks at room temperature were around 85%. There are also known, for example, addition of (1) α-ketoglutaric acid, and/or L-glutamic acid, and/or (2) one or two or more kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting of a saccharide, a sugar alcohol, an amino acid or a salt thereof, and an organic acid or a salt thereof to a glutamate dehydrogenase in the presence of NADH or NADPH (Patent document 2), addition of one or more kinds of compounds selected from the group consisting of a saccharide, a sugar alcohol, an amino acid, an oligopeptide, and a protein, and/or a surfactant to a lactate oxidase (Patent document 3), addition of at least one kind of compound selected from the group consisting of bovine serum albumin, a saccharide, and an amino acid to a cholesterol oxidase (Patent document 4), and so forth.


An electrochemical sensor is provided on a substrate whereby a precious metal layer is arranged in an inner region under an electrolyte layer that is surrounded by a polyimide structure. A hydrophobic layer is surrounded by an outer polyimide structure and further is located on top of the electrolyte layer and extends laterally beyond the electrolyte layer. A lead for electrical connection of the precious metal layer extends under the hydrophobic layer laterally from the electrolyte layer is sealed from the hydrophobic layer by a protective layer. The protective layer prevents the penetration of analysis fluid into the gap between the hydrophobic layer and the surrounding polyimide structure into the inner region of the sensor. The material of the protective layer is preferably a double layer of PECVD oxide and PECVD nitride.

The present invention is directed to an electrochemical sensor that can be employed for the determination of the concentrations of gases such as, O.sub.2 or CO.sub.2.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,255 discloses a gas sensor wherein an electrochemical sensor is fashioned on a planar substrate of semiconductor material such as silicon. This sensor comprises a pH-sensitive electrode such as IrO.sub.2, or a pH-sensitive ISFET (ion-selective field effect transistor). Independently of the sensor, which is matched to the gas (O.sub.2, CO.sub.2) to be defined, a reference electrode preferably composed of a precious metal is present in such a sensor. For example, this precious metal is platinum. In potentiometric sensors, however, silver, silver chloride electrodes are present.
The sensor and reference electrode are covered with an electrolyte layer. This electrolyte layer is surrounded on all sides by an annular structure of polyimide or some other polymer such as, for example, polybenzoxazole. A hydrophobic layer is applied over the electrolyte layer and laterally relative thereto. The hydrophobic layer being in turn surrounded by a second or outer polymer structure. The outer annular polymer structure is higher than the inner polymer structure that encloses the electrolyte layer.
The problem arises with this arrangement is that there is an inadequate adhesion between the hydrophobic layer, which is usually polysiloxane, and the polyimide structure. A crack is therefore formed between the hydrophobic layer and the framing. Due to the slight thickness of the hydrophobic layer, approximately 20 .mu.m through 30 .mu.m, this crack formation results therein that an analysis fluid (electrolyte solution or blood) to be examined can enter the crack and short-circuits the electrode of precious metal with a cooperating electrode of the sensor or electrically conductive regions of the sensor base structure. The fluid penetration can also result in corrosion of one or both of the electrodes.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved electrochemical sensor with a structure that is not prone to cracking or to fluid leakage which can result in a short circuiting or corrosion of the sensor.


A vascular stent comprising a drug-eluting outer layer of a porous sputtered columnar metal having each column capped with a biocompatible carbon-containing material is described. This is done by placing the stent over a close-fitting mandrel and rotating the assembly in a sputter flux. The result is a coating that is evenly distributed over the outward-facing side of the stent's wire mesh while preventing the sputtered columnar coating from reaching the inward facing side where a smooth hemocompatible surface is required. The stent is then removed from the mandrel, exposing all surfaces, and finally coated with a layer of carbon such as amorphous carbon or diamond-like carbon. The carbonaceous coating enhances biocompatibility without preventing elutriation of a therapeutic drug provided in the porosity formed between the columnar structures. The result is a stent that is adapted to both the hemodynamic and the immune response requirements of its vascular environment.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stents provided with coatings for eluting medication to prevent or lessen the severity of restenosis.
2. Prior Art
In order to minimize the response of surrounding tissue to the trauma of stent insertion and expansion, stent coatings must be biocompatible. A further requirement is that a stent coating must adhere to a substrate undergoing plastic deformation. This occurs during insertion and expansion of the stent into the vasculature system. Plastic deformation involves grain rotation and elongation, and intersection of slip planes with the substrate surface. The result is that on a scale below the grain size of the substrate, deformation is highly non-uniform, with some areas undergoing little or no deformation and others extreme deformation with associated increase in surface roughness and irregularity. Therefore, coating adhesion must be preserved through the deformation process.
Conventional stent coatings can be classified as being either passive or active. Passive coatings rely on biocompatible materials to minimize the body's response to placement of the stent into the vasculature. Generally recognized "passive" coating materials include carbon, iridium oxide, titanium, and the like, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,056 to Rosenberg. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,951 to Davidson discloses coatings of zirconium oxide or zirconium nitride.
Drug eluting or "active" coatings have proven more effective for the prevention of restenosis. Such stents generally comprise a surface polymer containing a therapeutic drug for timed release. A second coating may be added to extend the period of effectiveness by limiting the rate of drug diffusion from the first, drug-containing coating. This second coating may be a polymer, or a sputtered coating as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,444 to Castro et al.
However, polymeric drug eluting coatings suffer from a number of disadvantages. First, they can have poor adhesion to the stent, especially while undergoing plastic deformation during insertion and expansion of the stent into the vasculature. Secondly, due to biocompatibility/hemocompatibility issues some polymers actually contribute to restenosis. Finally, that part of the coating facing the inside of the vasculature lumen loses its medication content to the bloodstream with little beneficial effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,898 to Wu et al. attempted to overcome adhesion problems by introducing roughness to the vasculature-facing portion of the stent while leaving the blood-facing side in a polished condition for better hemocompatibility. Surface roughness was increased by means of grit blasting, sputtering, and the like. Not only did augmenting surface roughness improve adhesion between the polymer and the stent, it also allowed for a thicker polymer coating to be applied. However, the final stent configuration still had eluting polymer in contact with body tissue, allowing biocompatibility issues to persist.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,463 to Schwartz et al. carried out experiments in which it was shown that tissue response to polymers could be reduced by means of a barrier layer of tantalum and niobium thin films on the exposed polymer surfaces. Specifically, in vivo tests showed an absence of thrombosis, inflammatory response, or neointimal proliferation when a thin tantalum or niobium barrier layer covered a polymer. However, in the case of a drug eluting polymer, these coatings detrimentally isolated the drug from the tissue as well.
U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0172124 to Vallana et al. optimized the coating configuration by limiting the drug-eluting material to only that portion of the stent surface in contact with the vasculature. This was done by confining the drug eluting polymer to outward facing channels which were micro-machined into the stent mesh elements. All other stent surfaces were coated with hemocompatible carbon. Thus, the use of a biocompatible-problematic carrier polymer was minimized, but not eliminated.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,676 to Palmaz shows that, independent of the stent's surface composition, the surface texture of the stent or coating has an effect on the ability of proteins to adsorb into the stent surface, ultimately allowing thrombosis formation. It was shown that the surface texture can be controlled by grain size and other means to prevent protein adsorption and subsequent thrombosis.
Thus, even though much work has been done to develop stent systems comprising drug eluting polymers while minimizing, and even eliminating, thrombosis, inflammatory response and neointimal proliferation, further improvements are required to fully realize these goals. The present stent coating is believed to accomplish just that.


According to the present invention, there is provided a wasp repellent device comprising a suspension member operatively connected to a closed end of a nest mimic The nest mimic has a skirt extending from the closed end of the nest mimic to a mouth of the nest mimic, with a drawstring for contracting the mouth of the nest mimic to give the nest mimic the approximate shape of slightly tapered inverted cone. The exterior of the nest mimic is provided with irregular and uneven striated pattern and, in use, the nest mimic imitates the appearance of a natural wasp nest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wasp repellent device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wasps are often attracted to kitchens, rooms and other indoor locations and to tents, picnics or other outdoor locations in search of food, thereby becoming a nuisance to the people in those locations. It is therefore desirable to be able to repel wasps from such locations. It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved wasp repellent device.


A shaped body is molded from fine particles such as powder, whiskers and short fibers, by preparing a slurry consisting of the fine particles and a supercritical fluid containing a small amount of binder dissolved therein, and supplying the slurry into a mold cavity through an inlet port, so that the fine particles suspended in the supercritical fluid are stacked in the cavity to form a layer as the supercritical fluid is exhausted out of the mold cavity through an outlet port.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a shaped body from fine particles such as powder, whiskers and short fibers, and more particularly, to a method of forming a shaped body from fine particles by employing a supercritical fluid and a binder which is soluble in the supercritical fluid.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is described in, for example, an extra issue entitled "Engineering Ceramics" of a periodical named "Nikkei Mechanical" published by Nikkei-McGraw Hill Co. in 1987, it is conventionally known in the field of manufacture of ceramic or metal parts by the sintering to form a shaped body f rom a mixture of a powder material and a fluid binder (fluid in a narrow sense or fluidal material in a broad sense), wherein the mixture is injected into an injection mold or the like, and the molded body is treated by a degreasing process to remove the binder, whereby a shaped body of the powder material remains as a product.
However, in such a conventional powder molding method, since the binder must work as a means to hold the shape of a shaped body as well as a solvent to provide a powder material with a fluidity, a relatively large amount of binder is required due to the requirement for the generation of fluidity, whereby such problems are caused that the molded body has a defective portion like a weld line generated during the injection process, the molded body contracts too much during the degreasing process, and a void or an abnormally contracted portion is generated due to a local concentration of the binder.
Further, in the conventional powder molding method, the mixture of a powder material and a fluid binder must be thoroughly agitated to produce a uniform mixture prior to the injection thereof into the mold. However, it requires a long time to mix fine particles with a fluid binder, generally having a high viscosity, into a uniform mixture.
Still further, in order to remove a large amount of binder from the molded body, the degreasing process, which is a process of heating the molded body at a controlled temperature, requires a long time such as tens of hours or several days, and if such a long time degreasing process is not properly carried out, a cracking, a contraction, or other failure is ready to occur.

Method of forming shaped body from fine particles


A tire or tire tread incorporating an elastomeric composition having improved vulcanization kinetics, based on at least a diene elastomer, a reinforcing inorganic filler and, as (inorganic filler/elastomer) coupling agent, a bis-alkoxysilane tetrasulfide of the formula:

The present invention relates to tires and to treads for tires incorporating diene elastomer compositions reinforced with a white or inorganic filler.
It relates in particular to the coupling agents used for coupling reinforcing inorganic fillers and diene elastomers in such tires or tire treads.
It is known that generally, in order to obtain the optimum reinforcement properties imparted by a filler in a tire, in particular in a tread of such a tire, the filler should be present in the elastomeric matrix in a final form which is both as finely divided as possible and distributed as homogenously as possible. Now, such conditions may only be obtained insofar as the filler has a very good ability firstly to be incorporated into the matrix during mixing with the elastomer and to disagglomerate, and secondly to be dispersed homogenously in this matrix.
It is fully known that carbon black has such abilities, which is generally not true of inorganic fillers, because, for reasons of mutual attraction, the inorganic filler particles have an irritating tendency to agglomerate together within the elastomeric matrix. These interactions have the harmful consequence of limiting the dispersion of the filler and hence the reinforcing properties to a substantially lower level than that which it would be theoretically possible to achieve if all the (inorganic filler/elastomer) bonds that could be created during the mixing operation were in fact obtained; these interactions furthermore tend to increase the consistency of the rubber compositions in the uncured state and therefore to make them more difficult to work ("processability") than in the presence of carbon black.
Since fuel economies and the need to protect the environment have become priorities, it has however proved necessary to produce tires having reduced rolling resistance, without adversely affecting their wear resistance.
This has been made possible in particular due to the use, in tires or treads for these tires, of new rubber compositions reinforced with specific inorganic fillers referred to as "reinforcing" fillers, which are capable of rivalling a conventional tire-grade carbon black from the reinforcing point of view. At the same time, these compositions offer a lower hysteresis, which is synonymous with less rolling resistance for the tires comprising them, and also improved grip on wet, snow-covered or icy ground.
Tires or treads for tires incorporating rubber compositions reinforced with reinforcing inorganic fillers of the siliceous or aluminous type have in particular been described in patents or patent applications EP-A-501 227 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,425, EP-A-735 088 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,099, EP-A-810 258 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,449, WO 99/02590, WO 00/05300, WO 00/05301 and WO 02/10269.
Mention will be made in particular of documents EP-A-501 227 and EP-A-735 088, which disclose tires or tire treads incorporating diene rubber compositions reinforced with precipitated silicas of high dispersibility, having a low hysteresis and a distinctly reduced rolling resistance, without other properties, in particular those of grip, endurance and above all of wear resistance, being adversely affected. Tires or treads having such a compromise of contradictory properties are also described in application EP-A-810 258, with specific aluminas of high dispersibility as reinforcing inorganic fillers.
Although the use of these specific inorganic fillers as reinforcing fillers has reduced the difficulties of processing the rubber compositions that contain them, they are still more difficult to process than for rubber compositions filled conventionally with carbon black.
In particular, it is necessary to use a coupling agent, also referred to as bonding agent, the function of which is to provide the connection or bond between the surface of the particles of inorganic filler and the elastomer, while facilitating the dispersion of this inorganic filler within the elastomeric matrix.
It will be recalled that here that (inorganic filler/elastomer) "coupling agent" is to be understood to mean, in known manner, an agent capable of establishing a sufficient chemical and/or physical bond between the inorganic filler and the diene elastomer; such a coupling agent, which is at least bifunctional, has, for example, the simplified general formula "Y-A-X", in which:                Y represents a functional group ("Y" function) which is capable of bonding physically and/or chemically with the inorganic filler, such a bond being able to be established, for example, between a silicon atom of the coupling agent and the surface hydroxyl (OH) groups of the inorganic filler (for example, surface silanols in the case of silica);        X represents a functional group ("X" function) which is capable of bonding physically and/or chemically with the diene elastomer, for example by means of a sulfur atom;        A represents a divalent group making it possible to link Y and X.
The coupling agents must particularly not be confused with simple agents for covering the inorganic filler which, in known manner, may comprise the "Y" function which is active with respect to the inorganic filler but are devoid of the "X" function which is active with respect to the diene elastomer.
Coupling agents, in particular (silica/diene elastomer) coupling agents, have been described in a large number of documents, the best known being bifunctional organosilanes bearing alkoxyl functions (that is to say, by definition, "alkoxysilanes") as "Y" functions and, as "X" functions, functions capable of reacting with the diene elastomer, such as, for example, sulfur functions (i.e. comprising sulfur).
Thus, it was proposed in patent applications FR-A-2 094 859 or GB-A-1 310 379 to use a mercaptoalkoxysilane coupling agent for manufacturing treads for tires. It was quickly shown, and is today well known, that such mercaptosilanes are capable of giving excellent silica/elastomer coupling properties, but that these coupling agents cannot be used industrially because of the very high reactivity of the thiol-type sulfur functions —SH ("X" functions), which very rapidly results, during the preparation of the rubber compositions, in an internal mixer, in premature vulcanization, this also being known as "scorching", in very high viscosities in the uncured state, and, finally, in rubber compositions which are virtually impossible to work and process industrially. To illustrate this problem, mention may be made for example of documents FR-A-2 206 330, U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,489 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,594.
To overcome this drawback, it was then proposed to replace these mercaptoalkoxysilanes by polysulfurized alkoxysilanes, in particular bis-(alkoxysilylalkyl) polysulfides such as described in very large numbers of documents (see for example FR-A-2 149 339, FR-A-2 206 330, U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,111, U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,489 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,581).
Among all these polysulfides, mention must be made in particular of bis-(trialkoxysilylpropyl) polysulfides, most particularly bis-3-triethoxysilylpropyl tetrasulfide (abbreviated to TESPT).
It will be recalled that TESPT, of the formula [(C2H5O)3Si(CH2)3S2]2, is sold in particular by Degussa under the name Si69 (or X50S when it is supported to 50% by weight on carbon black), or alternatively by Osi Specialties under the name Silquest A1289 (in both cases, in the form of a commercial mixture of polysulfides Sx having an average value of x which is close to 4).
This polysulfurized alkoxysilane TESPT is today considered as being the product providing, for tires or tire treads reinforced by a reinforcing inorganic filler such as silica, the best compromise in terms of resistance to scorching, hysteresis and reinforcing ability. It is therefore the coupling agent of reference for the person skilled in the art for tires filled with silica of low rolling resistance, sometimes referred to as "Green Tires" because of the energy saving offered (or "energy-saving Green Tires"). To be convinced of this, it is enough to consult the very large numbers of publications relating to these tires based on silica and TESPT.
The elastomeric compositions based on reinforcing inorganic filler such as silica and polysulfurized alkoxysilane coupling agent such as TESPT however have the known drawback of having very substantially slower vulcanization kinetics, as a general rule by a factor of two to three, compared with the conventional compositions filled with carbon black.
It is known that the longer curing times which result adversely affect the industrial processing of tires or treads for tires based on reinforcing inorganic fillers.

Tire and tread comprising a bis-alkoxysilane tetrasulfide as coupling agent

Abstract: in which:                the symbols R1, which may be identical or different, each represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group selected from among the group consisting of alkyls, whether straight-chain or branched, having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and alkoxyalkyls, whether straight-chain or branched, having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms;        R2 and R3, which may be identical or different, each represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group selected from among the group consisting of alkyls, whether straight-chain or branched, having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and the phenyl radical; and        x is between about 3 and about 5.


An interior configuration for an aircraft including a longitudinal aisle and rows of passenger seats, wherein a row of the passenger seats is disposed in a flexible use space adjacent the aisle and a bulkhead, and wherein the flexible use space includes a floor pallet and attendant seats equipped with flip-up seat bottoms such that the flexible use space can be configured for passenger seating or to provide securement space within the flexible use space for securing items such as a wheelchair, pet carrier, large items and items of value.

The present disclosure is generally directed to an aircraft interior configuration including flexible use space, and more particularly, flexible use space in the main cabin reconfigurable to accommodate conventional traveling passengers or those requiring securement space for a wheelchair or other items.
Conventional traveling passengers are typically able to board a plane on their own and make use of standard aircraft passenger seats. Passengers confined to a wheelchair cannot, and thus require special boarding procedures and accommodations. Part of the special boarding procedures involves transferring a passenger from their own personal wheelchair to a transfer wheelchair able to traverse a narrow aircraft aisle. Such transfer is not only disruptive to the passenger, but transfer wheelchairs are not catered to specific passenger needs and cannot be used for seating during flight. Thus, the passenger must be transferred a second time from the transfer wheelchair to a standard passenger seat, further disrupting the passenger.
To minimize disruption and better cater to passenger needs, it would be desirable to allow a wheelchair user to remain in their own personal wheelchair during boarding and flight. One obstacle is that aircraft aisles are typically too narrow to accommodate a standard width wheelchair. Another obstacle involves creating space in the main cabin to accommodate and secure a wheelchair. While the first obstacle can potentially be overcome by creating a certified wheelchair having a narrow width, the second obstacle requires an interior cabin configuration able to accommodate and secure in place a wheelchair without abandoning a traditional passenger seating arrangement, and without sacrificing seating density.
Accordingly, what is needed is an aircraft interior configuration having a flexible use space that can easily be reconfigured to accommodate conventional traveling passengers or wheelchair users, as well as other provide other uses such as care giver seating, storing pet crates, and storing large objects or objects of value.

Aircraft interior configuration with flexible use space


The present invention relates to materials and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia, and more particularly to the role of P-type inositolphosphoglycans (IPGs) in the occurrence of pre-eclampsia. Methods of diagnosing pre-eclampsia by determining the level of P-type IPGs and uses of antagonists of P-type IPGs in the treatment of pre-eclampsia are disclosed, together with a method for screening for P-type IPG antagonists.

This Application is a 35 USC 371 of PCT/GB97/02523, filed Sep. 11, 1997.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to materials and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia and diabetes, and more particularly to the role of P-type inositolphosphoglycans (IPGs) in the occurrence of pre-eclampsia, methods of diagnosing pre-eclampsia and uses of antagonists of P-type IPGs in the treatment of pre-eclampsia.
2. Background of the Invention
Pre-eclampsia is a placental disease [1] characterised by insufficiency of the uteroplacental circulation [2], and which affects 10-12% of all pregnancies and is a major factor in the perinatal mortality rate. There is evidence that one or more placentally-derived factors are released into the maternal circulation which either directly or indirectly cause maternal endothelial dysfunction and ensuing maternal problems with activation of the clotting system increased vascular permeability and ischaemia in maternal organs secondary to vasoconstriction [3].
The present invention arises from investigations to determine whether there is a correlation between pre-eclampsia and its degree of severity and the profile of inositol phosphoglycans (IPGs) in the pre-eclamptic subjects and their normal age and parity-matched controls. In order to gain information on the significance of the disordered carbohydrate metabolism in the placenta in pre-eclampsia, as previously revealed by the massive increase in glycogen accumulation [4], comparison has been made with diabetic pregnant women in which placental glycogen accumulation is also a prominent feature [4,5], although not accompanied by the same degree of the life-threatening sequelae of pre-eclampsia.
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides the use of a P-type inositolphosphoglycan (IPG) antagonist in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of pre-eclampsia.
In further aspect, the present invention provides a method of treating pre-eclampsia in a patient, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a P-type IPG antagonist to a patient.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a P-type antagonist in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
P-type IPGs and method for isolating them from human tissue are described below. This in turn allows those of ordinary skill in the art to prepare P-type IPG antagonists.
In the present invention, xe2x80x9cP-type IPG antagonistsxe2x80x9d includes substances which have one or more of the following properties:
(a) inhibiting the release of P-type IPG from placenta;
(b) reducing the levels of placenta derived P-type IPG via an IPG binding substance (e.g. an antibody or a specific binding protein) against the placental derived TPG; and/or,
(c) reducing the effects of placenta derived P-type IPG.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of screening for P-type IPG antagonists, the method comprising:
(a) contacting a candidate antagonist and a P-type IPG in an assay for a biological property of the P-type IPG under conditions in which the P-type IPG and the candidate antagonist can compete;
(b) measuring the biological property of the P-type IPG; and,
(c) selecting candidate antagonists which reduce the biological activity of the P-type IPG.
Some of the biological properties of P-type IPGs and assays to determine these properties that can be used in the above screening method are set out in the description below. The techniques of combinatorial chemistry are particularly suited to the production of large numbers of synthetic candidate antagonists, which can be screened for activity in the above method.
The particular emphasis placed upon the determination of the output of IPGs in both pre-eclamptic and diabetic pregnant women relates to the known fundamental importance of the class of compound in regulation key sites in metabolic pathways, resulting, in different tissues, in the direction of carbohydrates towards oxidation and glycogen synthesis in the case of the IPG P-type, or towards lipogenesis in the case of the IPG A-type; this regulation being both organ and inter-organ related [6, 9].
In copending applications claiming priority from GB-A-9618934.5, we report on the urinary content of IPGs in diabetic patients, from which evidence has been adduced for a critical role of altered inositol phosphoglycan profiles in relation to parameters linked to syndrome X, such as insulin resistance, obesity and high blood pressure. There are similarities between the metabolic changes in pre-eclampsia and syndrome X [10].
The results of our investigations described below indicate the following:
(a) The 24 hour output of IPG P-type in urine in pre-eclamptic women is significantly higher (2- to 3-fold) than in pregnant control subjects matched for age, parity and stage of gestation.
(b) Diabetic pregnant women do not show any significant change in urinary output of IPG P-type relative to pregnant control subjects matched for age, parity and gestational stage.
(c) Pregnancy itself is associated with an increased urinary output of IPG P-type relative to non-pregnant controls matched for age.
(d) No significant changes were found in the daily output of IPG A-type in pre-eclamptic or diabetic groups, with the exception of an increase in the IPG A-type in the pre-eclamptic group when the results were expressed as units per mmole creatinine.
(e) Urinary excretion of IPG P-type correlated with markers of the severity of pre-eclampsia, plasma alanine aspartate transaminase, degree of proteinuria and with platelet counts.
(f) Human placenta contained very high concentrations of IPG-P type, some 100xc3x97greater than either human or rat liver. It also appears to contain an inhibitor of IPG-P-ype activity as evidenced by a calculated decrease in activity when increasing the volume of the same preparation tested in the PDH phosphatase system (FIG. 7). Pre-eclamptic placenta contains approximately twice as much IPG-P type as does placenta from normal pregnant subjects. The IPG-A (pH 1.3 fraction) isolated from placenta showed no activity when tested for its ability to stimulate lipogenesis in rat adipocytes.
(g) Evidence has been found suggesting that the use of contraceptive pills may be related to an increase in IPG P-type in urine of normal women. (5 values only in each group).
(h) After storage for 10 months at xe2x88x928xc2x0 C., urine from pre-eclamptic women showed increased P-type activity (FIG. 8A) indicating that the urine initially contained a labile inhibitor. The yield of the IPG A-type isolated from the same urines decreased in activity (FIG. 8B).
(i) Significant differences were found between the ratios of IPG P-type and IPG A-type in non-pregnant women and normal male subjects; while the IPG P-type was similar in both groups, the IPG A-type was 5- to 6-fold higher in women.
(j) There is a 2.7 fold increase in IPG P-type in the urine of pre-eclamptic women, compared to normal pregnant subjects. There is a 2.7 fold increase in placenta-derived P-type mediators from pre-eclamptic women compared to normal pregnant subjects (See Table 5).
(k) The high urinary excretion IPG P-type in pre-eclampsia reflects high placental and circulating levels and is directly related to the accumulation of glycogen in the placenta in this condition, because IPG P-type activates glycogen synthase phosphatase.
(l) The concentration of P-type mediators in the urine of pre-eclamptic women returns baseline in post natal sample, (See FIG. 6) confirms that the source of the relevant P-type mediator in pre-eclamptic women is the placenta.
(m) A high circulating level of IPG P-type originating in the placenta may have paradrine effects, eg: in stimulating other endocrine glands, and/or affecting endothelial cells which could contribute to the pathogenesis of the pre-eclampsia syndrome.
The present invention provides, inter alia, a therapeutic treatment of pre-eclampsia:
(1) to inhibit the release of P-type mediator from placenta;
(2) to reduce the levels of placenta derived P-type IPG via antibody against the placental derived IPG;
(3) to reduce the effects of placenta derived P-type IPG via P-type antagonist.
The substance can be administered as the sole active substance, or as an adjunct to other forms of treatment. Because of their small molecular weight and heat and acid stability, IPGs should be suitable for oral administration, but other forms of administration are also contemplated. In the case of antibodies, or other proteins or substances which may not be suitable for oral administration, other methods such as parenteral administration may be used. Antibodies for administration are preferably human or xe2x80x9chumanisedxe2x80x9d according to known techniques. This is discussed further below.
The invention also contemplates measurement of P-type IPG in blood or urine as a diagnostic for pre-eclampsia. Thus, in a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of diagnosing pre-eclampsia in a patient, the method comprising determining the level of P-type IPGs in a biological sample: obtained from the patient. Thus, a diagnosis can then be made by correlating this level with known levels of the P-type IPGS.
In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of:
(a) contacting a biological sample obtained from the patient with a solid support having immobilised thereon binding agent having binding sites specific for one or more P-type IPGs;
(b) contacting the solid support with a labelled developing agent capable of binding to unoccupied binding sites, bound P-type IPGs or occupied binding sites; and,
(c) detecting the label of the developing agent specifically binding in step (b) to obtain a value representative of the level of the P-type IPGs in the sample.
As set out below, in this aspect of the invention, the level of the P-type IPGs can be further confirmed using a marker which correlates with the level of the P-type IPGs.
The present invention will now be described by way of example and not limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Materials and methods relating to the diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia and diabetes


Disclosed herein are computer-implemented methods, computer-implemented systems, and non-transitory, computer-readable media for evaluating performance of an object detection model. One computer-implemented method includes generating a predicted bounding box representing an object based on the object detection model, where the object is positioned proximate to one or more adjacent objects. An area of intersection is determined between the predicted bounding box and a groundtruth bounding box of the object. A modified area of union is determined between the predicted bounding box and the groundtruth bounding box of the object. A score equal to the area of intersection between the predicted bounding box and the groundtruth bounding box of the object divided by the modified area of union is determined, where the score represents the performance of the object detection model.

Optical character recognition (OCR) is the mechanical or electronic conversion of images of typed, handwritten or printed text into machine-encoded text, whether from a scanned document, a photo of a document, a scene-photo or from subtitle text superimposed on an image, etc. To recognise the text, the first step is to detect bounding boxes of each text segment. Algorithms for detection of text belong to a field named object detection in computer vision.
In object detection, intersection over union (IoU) is a common standard metric used to evaluate the accuracy of a detector and model selection. The traditional IoU formula is defined as "area of intersection between predicted bounding box and groundtruth bounding box divided by area of union between predicted bounding box and groundtruth bounding box". This formula works well for most cases. However, in the case of text detection, the traditional IoU may fail to select the best models/parameters and thus using the traditional IoU may significantly reduce the final accuracy of text recognition.
For example, the traditional IoU formula fails to consider at least two conditions, namely, (1) both a smaller intersection and a greater union lead to a similarly smaller IoU; however, for text detection a smaller intersection is worse than a greater union because it may cause some regions of text to be lost and affect the following OCR result, and (2) the traditional IoU does not consider the intersection between a predicted textbox and other groundtruth textboxes. Without considering these two conditions, a higher IoU value may not necessarily indicate a better model.
A need therefore exists to provide methods and devices that can improve the evaluation of object detection models for text detection.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for evaluating an object detection model


Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for controlled delivery of a therapy, such as a stimulant, to a mouth of a subject via an oral device positioned in a secured configuration in the mouth. At least one of a tongue position stimulator (TST) and tongue position sensor (TSE) is provided, according to certain aspects. According to another aspect, a stimulus is delivered to the mouth and/or tongue via a mouthpiece secured to the subject's teeth. In another regard, a stimulus is delivered that generates a natural response to eliminate or reduce sleep disorders, such as for example at least one of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to methods, devices, and/or systems for delivering therapies and sensing biologic activities via oral appliances in the mouth, in particular for stimulating and sensing tongue activity during sleep, and including in particular for treating sleep disorder breathing, including but not limited conditions of obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, or mild sleep apnea.
2. Background and Description of Related Art
Snoring, which is very common among humans, is a noise produced while breathing during sleep as a result of certain conditions within the body. In most cases, snoring results from vibration of the soft palate and uvula. Snoring often involves a displacement of the tongue from its rest position as well as breathing through the mouth resulting from the abnormal positioning and functioning of the tongue. Snoring can be reduced if the tongue is drawn forward to a more normal position (e.g., in contact with the anatomical folds or wrinkles (rugae) or the mucosa of the anterior palatal region of the mouth. When in an abnormal position, the tongue leaves a space for the passage of air between the hard palate and the top of the tongue and over the soft palate. The passage of air over the soft palate can cause vibrations which are the source behind the snoring sound.
While some degree of snoring is tolerable and has no significant adverse consequence, a common problem is that, on its own, snoring can disturb the sleep of others near the snoring individual. As a result, snoring can result in a diminished ability to remain attentive on both the individual snoring as well as others whose sleep might be adversely affected by the snoring party. As a result, even moderate snoring can result in a reduction in work efficiency and lead to a higher risk of industrial and driving accidents.
A more serious sleep disorder can result from symptomatic, repeated upper airway obstruction during sleep, commonly referred to as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). "Apnea" is a Greek word meaning without breath. Individual suffering from sleep apnea literally stop breathing in their sleep. It is not uncommon for the incidence of apnea events to occur hundreds of times during the night.
In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses or "apneic events" could be as high as 20 to 60 or more per hour. These breathing pauses are almost always accompanied by snoring between apnea episodes. Sleep apnea can also be characterized by choking sensations. Ingestion of alcohol and sleeping pills increases the frequency and duration of breathing pauses in people with sleep apnea.
30-40% of OSA patients cannot tolerate first-line treatment (such as continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP. Accordingly individuals may consider other options including oral appliances and surgery. Mandibular repositioning appliances and surgery can offer benefit for selected patients, but such conventional remedies can carry risks such as temporomandibular joint disturbance, changes in dental occlusion, or tooth pain for the former and a wide spectrum of potential complications that includes dysphagia or serious perioperative events including myocardial infarction and death in the latter.
The importance of the tongue in OSA and snoring has been recognized for 30 years, as evidenced by the numerous attempts designed to prevent the tongue from falling backwards or to move it forward actively or passively. Oral appliances and multiple tongue-directed surgeries show some promise, but these remedies carry significant risks and side effects, in addition to potential significant bleeding and impairments of taste, swallowing, or speech. Because of the limitations of available passive treatments, active tongue neuromuscular stimulation techniques were attempted to implant wire electrodes, surface stimulating electrodes and hypoglossal nerve stimulation.
A number of factors contribute to OSA, including dilator muscle activation, pharyngeal anatomy, lung volume, arousal threshold, and ventilatory control, with the former two playing critical roles for most individuals. Upper airway patency relies on pharyngeal dilator muscle tone and changes in lung volume that counteract collapsing forces, principally intraluminal negative pressure generated during inspiration and anatomical narrowing of the airway. Individuals with OSA maintain pharyngeal patency with greater dilator muscle tone (principally demonstrated in the genioglossus muscle, the primary muscle within the tongue) during wakefulness; however, sleep onset results in marked decreases in muscle tone due to the loss of the wakefulness stimulus, in addition to decreases in negative pressure reflex activity and lung volume. The effect of decreased muscle tone is magnified in the presence of tongue enlargement, an anatomical abnormality often seen in OSA, perhaps related to an increase in fat deposition within the tongue base in individuals with greater body mass index.
Additional risk factors for sleep apnea include a family history of sleep apnea, excess weight, a large neck, a recessed chin, male gender, abnormalities in the structure of the upper airway, smoking, and alcohol use. Yet sleep apnea can affect both males and females of all ages, including children and any weight. Sleep apnea disturbs the their normal sleep patterns and people with sleep apnea often feel very sleepy during the day and their concentration and daytime performance suffer. The consequences of sleep apnea range from annoying to life-threatening. They include symptoms suggesting depression, irritability, sexual dysfunction, learning and memory difficulties, and falling asleep while at work, on the phone, or driving.
Conventional treatment with oral appliances and tongue-directed surgical procedures are based on tongue repositioning and/or size reduction. Novel tongue-directed therapies utilizing direct neuromuscular stimulation and oropharyngeal exercises have demonstrated encouraging initial results, but these approaches continue to be limited by cost, invasiveness, compliance, and/or limited effectiveness.
Untreated sleep apnea patients are 3 times (or more) likely to have automobile accidents. It has been estimated that up to 50 percent of sleep apnea patients have high blood pressure. It has recently been shown that sleep apnea contributes to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease. Risk for heart attack and stroke may also increase in those with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that affects millions of men, women and children and is often undiagnosed. It is estimated that at least ten million Americans have unrecognized sleep apnea
Polysomnography is a test that records a variety of body functions during sleep, such as the electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow, and blood oxygen levels. These tests are used both to diagnose sleep apnea and to determine its severity. The specific therapy for sleep apnea is tailored to the individual patient based on medical history, physical examination, and the results of polysomnography. Traditionally, a therapy for sleep apnea is tailored to the individual patient based on medical history, physical examination, and the results of polysomnography.
Medications are generally not effective in the treatment of sleep apnea. While oxygen is sometimes used in patients with central apnea caused by heart failure, it is not used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Some of the therapies include the use of Provent®, Breatherite® strip, Oral appliances that advance the mandible, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or maxillomandibular advancement surgery, etc. However, some therapies may be partially or completely ineffective in addressing both snoring and/or OSA.
Recently Inspire Medical, Imthera Medical, Apnex Medical and others have been exploring ways of stimulating tongue, tongue muscle or nerves that control the tongue by implanting electrodes in the tongue to deliver electrical signals for stimulation. However, titrating safe levels of stimulation that does not disturb sleep for each patient is a challenge. Others have explored ways of stimulating the tongue base by making the patients wear oral devices. The challenge has been the same.
Given the limitations of current therapies, there is an enormous unmet need for effective, well-tolerated, safe, and minimally invasive OSA treatments. There also remains a need for reducing the incidence of snoring and/or sleep apena that does not require significant physical and/or surgical intervention on the patient. In the article "Impaired swallowing reflex in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome" by Teramoto et al, published (CHEST 1999; 116:17-21) their findings in twenty (20) patients with obstructive sleep apnea that they also have their swallowing function compromised due to reduced upper airway muscle functions. From this study, one can conclude that increasing the swallowing frequency during sleep could result in increased upper airway muscle functions, and thus potentially reduce or eliminate snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
In view of the above, there remains a need for an effective, safe, and noninvasive device, for use by itself or during administration of CPAP. The devices, methods and procedures described herein induce a biological response within a mouth, such as promoting tongue neuromuscular activation and anterior tongue displacement to reduce airway obstruction. Additional variations of methods, devices, and systems described herein can also increase salivation and reduce or eliminate snoring and obstructive sleep apnea by one or more of the following: stimulating swallowing, improving muscle tone and increasing frequency of swallowing.

System and method for delivering a therapy and sensing a biological activity in the mouth


A method and device for producing thermodynamically free iodine in which a source material containing thermodynamically free iodine is introduced to one side of an iodine solving solid barrier through which the thermodynamically free iodine passes by dispersion to the other side of the solid barrier until an equilibrium of thermodynamically free iodine vapor pressure is reached across the barrier. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the degree to which the thermodynamically free iodine disperses to the other side of the iodine solving barrier may be controlled by means which reduce the vapor pressure of thermodynamically free iodine such as the variation of temperature of the iodine source material or of the other side of the barrier as well as the use of an iodine complexing compound or in combination with the source material.

Iodine (for example in the form of Lugol's solution or tincture of iodine) has long been recognized as an effective biocide. U.S. Pharmacopoeia and other similar publications in many countries have documented this property of iodine since 1830. Iodophores have been noted for their similar properties since 1960.
These iodines have been recognized for their bioactivity in man, animals, and in types of bacteria in plants and their seeds. In fact, a deficiency of iodine has been shown to prevent the attainment of maximum health, growth, and reproductive success.
It has been recently shown that the active component in all biocidal iodines is thermodynamically free iodine, which is uncomplexed or pure elemental iodine (I.sub.2), as described in the Schmidt and Winicov article "Detergent/Iodine Systems" in Soap and Chemical Specialties, August 1967. It has also been recently shown that thermodynamically free iodine when fed to a mammal has a much decreased effect upon the thyroid compared to iodide, or iodine/iodide mixtures or mixtures of polyhalides (see Thrall and Bull in their article "Differences in the Distribution of Iodine and Iodide in the Sprague--Dawley Rat" in Fundamental and Applied Toxicology, 15, 75-81 (1990)).
The term thermodynamically free iodine describes iodine that is free from complexing. Thermodynamically free iodine in aqueous solution may dissociate into many hydrolyzed forms, depending upon concentration and/or pH, for example HIO (or also known as HOI), some of which are biocidal in nature. If a solution of aqueous iodine (I.sub.2 +hydrolyzed biocidal forms where appropriate) could be reliably generated at any concentration of thermodynamically free iodine less than supersaturation, and remain stable at that level, it would allow the manufacture of many devices useful in water treatment, instrument sterilization, use as a source of nutritional iodine, plus other medicinal uses including the treatment of IDDs (Iodine Deficiency Disorders), chemical uses, and catalytic uses. For example, if a device could reliably produce a desired concentration of thermodynamically free iodine into a pH buffered fluid such that the thermodynamically free iodine remained unhydrolyzed and of known concentration despite moderate changes in ambient temperature, it would allow the treatment of many non-thyroidal IDDs and other medical conditions known to respond to treatment with iodine, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,255 of Ghent, with a much reduced toxicity (toxicity meaning thyroid complication found with other forms of iodine, iodides, iodine/iodide mixtures or polyhalides).
In an effort to produce biocidal iodine compounds, many methods, both chemical and mechanical in nature, have been devised. To date, however, these methods have had limited use and commercial success for reasons attributable to iodine's chemical and physical properties such as low solubility in H.sub.2 O, reactivity, easy contamination or the production of poly-halides and iodides and other potentially noxious adjuvants which inhibit the presence of thermodynamically free iodine, or its use in some applications.
Thermodynamically free iodine in all biocidal iodine solutions, whether alcohol/water, surfactant/water or other complexing agent/water, is confined to the water phase. Further, thermodynamically free iodine is usually found in solution in concentrations less than that of the total titratable iodine of the solution. For example, Lugol's solution, where potassium iodide (KI) is used to create a reservoir of iodine as I.sub.3.sup.- through the relationship I.sub.2 +nI.sup.- I-+I.sub.n, the solubility of elemental iodine is, increased to, for example, 1% (w/v); however, the amount of thermodynamically free iodine detectable is only circa 0.018% (w/v) or 180 ppm.
The germicidal capacity of these iodine formulations is dependent upon the continued release of thermodynamically free iodine from the reservoir of titratable iodine, as the thermodynamically free iodine in solution is depleted through dilution, contamination or biocidal activity. It has therefore been the goal of researchers to develop a practical means of creating this reservoir from which pure thermodynamically free iodine may be released alone, with no other adjuvants, into water in a controlled fashion.
Attempts have been made to develop a means to mechanically contain an amount of metallic elemental iodine in contact with water, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,295 issued Oct. 29, 1968 in the name of John A. Vaichulis and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,960 issued May 24, 1983 in the name of Richard D. Polley. These methods, however, have not been totally effective in restraining micro-particles (and sometimes macro-particles) of iodine crystals from being carried away by the water flow. Further, these methods cannot prevent the contamination of the iodine reservoir by undesirable substances which may reduce the effectiveness of the reservoir, or facilitate the release of unwanted contaminants into the product stream containing the wanted thermodynamically free iodine and still further cannot provide stable levels of thermodynamically free iodine below the saturation level for iodine in a fluid in contact with the iodine.
Attempts have also been made to develop a chemical means of providing a reliable supply of thermodynamically free iodine. The chief fault of such systems (for example Lugol's solution, tincture of iodine, iodophores) is that a loss of solvent (i.e. water lost through evaporation) increases the total percentage of iodine in a volume and therefore, given iodine's relative insolubility, increases the toxic effect of the remaining solution (through recrystallization of elemental iodine) and subsequently reduces the availability of thermodynamically free iodine.
Another problem is that by chemical means, the level of thermodynamically free iodine in water is usually restricted to about 60% of the maximum solubility of thermodynamically free iodine in water (which is circa 0.03%). This is about 180 ppm (0.018%), and is usually found to be much less than that. For example, an iodophore of 3.75% titratable iodine may achieve maximum strength of less than 40 ppm of thermodynamically free iodine after dilution while having 75 ppm of titratable iodine. This discrepancy between the level of thermodynamically free iodine and the amount of titratable iodine makes the field testing for iodine concentration very cumbersome.
Where chemical adjuvants are used to increase the reservoir of titratable iodine, the adjuvants may act as an unwanted toxicant. There are many applications for the use of iodine in the medical field (i.e. the irrigation of wounds or incisions during surgery) and one adjuvant mixture used for this purpose was P.V.P.I. (poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)-iodine). Eventually it was realized that the P.V.P. (poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)) macro molecule tended to lodge in the lymph glands of a patient, causing problems with the function of the gland. This is one example of adjuvants causing undesirable side effects.
Finally, the thermodynamically free iodine should be as pure as practically and economically obtainable, for the end uses to which it is to be put. Any existing chemical means of releasing thermodynamically free iodine will likely release undesirable contaminants into the final product.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a reliable method of obtaining pure thermodynamically free iodine.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for obtaining pure thermodynamically free iodine.
It is a further object of this invention to show a method of, and a device for, obtaining thermodynamically free iodine in any predetermined concentration.

Method and device for producing pure elemental iodine


An embroidery frame includes a holding member configured to hold a sewing workpiece, an attaching member connected to the holding member and is detachably supported in a specified mounting position in relation to a frame support member provided in a sewing machine, and a positioning member mounted on the attaching member and including second engaging portions and displaceable portions. When, in the specified mounting position, the second engaging portion is engaged with first engaging portion, horizontal movement of the attaching member is restricted. When the displaceable portion is positioned in a first position, the horizontal movement of the attaching member is restricted by the engaging of the second engaging portion with the first engaging portion provided on the frame support member, and when the displaceable portion is positioned in a second position, the restricting of the horizontal movement of the attaching member is undone.

The present disclosure relates to an embroidery frame and to a sewing machine in which the embroidery frame can be mounted.
A sewing machine is known that can perform embroidery sewing on a sewing workpiece that is held in an embroidery frame. In the sewing machine, the embroidery frame is supported by a frame holder of the sewing machine such that it can be mounted and removed. When mounting the embroidery frame in the frame holder, a user holds the embroidery frame such that its front side is tilted slightly upward, then moves left and right arms of the embroidery frame between flat springs and arms on the left and right sides of the frame holder, respectively. Once the user has moved the left and right arms of the embroidery frame to specified mounting positions, the user puts the embroidery frame into a horizontal orientation and causes engaging pins that are provided on the left and right arms of the embroidery frame to engage with engaging holes in the frame holder.


Method of dividing data to be stored in storage device into data fragments; recording the data by using configurations of divided data fragments; judging whether identical data fragments exist in data fragments; when it is judged that identical data fragments exist, storing one of the identical data fragments in storage area of the storage device, and generating and recording data-fragment attribute information indicating an attribute unique to the data fragment stored; upon receipt of request to read data stored in the storage area of the storage device, acquiring the configurations of the data fragments forming the read-target data, reading the corresponding data fragments from the storage area of the storage device, and restoring the data; acquiring and coupling the recorded data fragments to generate concatenation target data targeted for judgment on whether chunk concatenation is possible or not, and detecting whether the concatenation target data has a repeated data pattern.

The quantity of digital data produced by companies and the like are increasing year after year. With this, storage capacity necessary for storing the digital data has been increased, causing escalation of data management costs. Against such a background, storage products and techniques with a data reduction function called "deduplication" are drawing attention.
General duplication processing is performed through the following three processes.
(1) Chunking Process: Divide data stored in a storage device into data fragments called chunks.
(2) Duplication Judgment Process: Judge whether the storage device has the same chunk as any of the chunks newly created (whether data are stored in a duplicated manner).
(3) Metadata Creation Process: Store only a non-duplicate chunk out of the newly-created chunks in the storage device, and create information (called "metadata" hereinbelow) to be used in the duplication judgment processing and in restoration of original data from the stored chunk data.
In the above processing, for multiple duplicate chunks, only one piece of real data is stored in the storage device. Thus, considerable data reduction can be expected in a case where approximately the same data appear many times, such as a case of backup data.
In such deduplication processing, a chunking method is an important factor that determines the performance. Generally, the smaller the chunk size of each created chunk, the higher the rate of real data that can be reduced (deduplication rate). However, too small chunk size leads to a problem of increasing the amount of metadata necessary for management of chunks as well as the amount of time required for restoration of original data from the chunks. Conversely, large chunk size can decrease the amount of metadata on chunks as well as the amount of time required for data restoration, but leads to a problem of lowering the deduplication rate.
As a countermeasure against this dilemma regarding chunk size, a technique is known which applies multiple chunk sizes according to data on which to perform deduplication processing (see, for example, Patent Literatures 1 and 2). Patent Literature 1 discloses a method of performing chunking by using a small chunk size first, then detecting a largest sequence of repeated chunks contained in chunks created, and newly outputting chunks having a chunk size larger than an initial value. Moreover, Patent Literature 2 discloses a method of performing chunking on chunking-processing target data to be stored, by using a large chunk size for long stretches of duplicate data and long stretches of non-duplicate data and using a small size for data near the border between the duplicate data and the non-duplicate data.

Stored data deduplication method, stored data deduplication apparatus, and deduplication program


A molecular quantum interference device for use in molecular electronics. In one embodiment, the device includes a molecular quantum interference unit having a first terminal group and a second terminal group between which quantum interference affects electrical conduction, a molecular spacer having a first terminal group and a second terminal group and coupled to the molecular quantum interference unit through a chemical bonding between the first terminal group of the molecular spacer and the second terminal group of the molecular quantum interference unit, a first electrode electrically coupled to the molecular quantum interference unit and configured to supply charge carriers to or receive charge carriers from the molecular quantum interference unit, and a second electrode electrically coupled to the molecular spacer and configured to receive charge carriers from or supply charge carriers to the molecular spacer.

Recent technology developments have resulted in miniaturization of electronic devices. Further miniaturization of electronic devices, however, will require fundamental advances in people's approach to building and designing electronic components. Molecular electronics provides such a frontier and is partly driven by the goal of producing active electronic elements that rival the performance of their solid-state counterparts, but on a much smaller size scale. Electron transfer1-3 is of fundamental importance in broad areas of research encompassing both natural4 and artificial systems.5 Using molecules as discrete electronic elements was initiated by the proposal of a single molecule rectifier.6 Since this proposal, a number of single molecule electronic devices have been constructed with varied behavior7 including switching,8 rectification,9-11 coulomb blockade,12 Kondo resonance,12 negative differential resistance (NDR),13 and memory elements.14 A number of measurements have established single molecule transistor behavior in UHV conditions,15-19 as well as using electrochemical gate control.20-24 For single molecule switches, there are a number of theoretical studies on how molecular conformational change can lead to large conductance changes,25,26 including measurements using photochromic molecules.27 Many methods for creating molecular switches rely on, or result in, conformational change to the molecule of interest.28-30 For fast and reproducible switching, and integration in useful devices, switching should not result in conformational change. Recent work has highlighted how this can be accomplished with hydrogen transfer in a naphthalocyanine molecule at low temperature, resulting in an on/off ratio of 2.8
All of the molecular devices proposed and measured to date hint at the wide variety of electronic functions that can be completed within a single molecule.31 Major drawbacks in comparison with solid state devices include the low dynamic range in transport through single molecules and in the vibronic mechanisms29 that result in slow switching speed. A recent proposed molecular-based device attempts to reducing destructive quantum interference, which however is a much desired feature for a wide range of molecular devices such as molecular-based insulator, molecular-based rectifier, etc.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.

Molecular quantum interference apparatus and applications of same


A circuit board is provided with a metal wiring layer 12 on at least one principal surface of a ceramic sintered body 11, wherein the above-described metal wiring layer includes a first region 12a which is in contact with the principal surface and which contains a glass component and a second region 12b which is located on the first region 12a and which does not contain a glass component, the thickness of the first region 12a is 35% or more and 70% or less of the thickness of the metal wiring layer 12, and the average grain size in the first region 12a is smaller than the average grain size in the second region 12b.

A circuit board used for mounting various electronic components, e.g., a semiconductor element, a heater element, or a Peltier element, is provided with a metal wiring layer on at least one principal surface of a ceramic sintered body. An electronic apparatus in which an electronic component is mounted on the metal wiring layer in the circuit board with an electrode pad or the like therebetween has been used in various apparatuses.
Meanwhile, with respect to such a circuit board, for the purpose of suppressing peeling of the metal wiring layer from the ceramic sintered body because of the heat generated during operation of the electronic component mounted on the circuit board, development of a material for a paste serving as the metal wiring layer and studies on a method for forming the metal wiring layer have been performed to enhance the adhesion strength to the ceramic sintered body.
For example, PTL 1 proposes a method for manufacturing a thick film circuit board by using a copper conductor paste. In the method for manufacturing a thick film circuit board by printing the copper conductor paste on a substrate and forming a copper film through firing, a first layer is formed by printing the copper conductor paste containing glass frit on a ceramic substrate and performing drying and, subsequently, at least one layer is formed thereon by printing the copper conductor paste not containing glass frit and performing drying, followed by firing to form a thick copper film.

Circuit board and electronic apparatus provided with the same


A tape laminate comprising an internally separable layer having first and second opposite major anchor surfaces, which separable layer has an internal static shear strength in a direction parallel to its anchor surfaces that allows it to support a significant weight (e.g., at least 6 pounds per square inch), and has an internal dynamic tensile strength in a direction generally normal to its anchor surfaces of no greater than 40 pounds per square inch. The major anchor surfaces of the separable layer are bonded to the opposed surfaces of objects (which bonding can be done with strips of stretch release adhesive) so that the laminate can support one object from the other against a static force generally parallel to said anchor surfaces of at least 6 pounds per square inch, whereas the separable layer can be internally separated by a dynamic separating force normal to said anchor surfaces of no greater than about 40 pounds per square inch to separate the objects.

Laminated tape structures including a central layer of polymeric film or foam with layers of adhesive on its opposite major surfaces (e.g., Wallsaver (t.m.) Removable poster tape, 3M (t.m.) Automotive attachment Tape, or 3M (t.m.) Acrylic Foam Tape, all available from; Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn.) have been used to bond the opposed surfaces of two objects together, such as to bond a wall hanging such as a poster, plaque, or a picture to a wall. When such a tape structure in which the adhesive is a high tack pressure sensitive adhesive (e.g., the 3M (t.m.) Acrylic Foam Tape) is used for that purpose, it is often difficult to later separate the objects. The tape structure is positioned in a very narrow area between the objects where it is not readily accessible, particularly when the tape structure is between a rigid wall hanging and a wall. Typically, an attempt is made to either cut the tape structure in half with a knife or similar implement poked between the objects, or one object (e.g., a wall hanging) is twisted on or pulled from the other object (e.g., a wall), often resulting in damage to one or both of the objects.
Laminated structures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,137 (Frye) that include outer attachment layers having opposite major surfaces defined by pressure sensitive adhesive that can be adhered to the opposed surfaces of closely spaced objects so that the laminated structures support one object from the other, and a separable layer of non-fusible porous material such as tissue paper between the outer attachment layers that can be separated by an outward exertion on one of the outer attachment layers away from the other.
Strips having opposite major surfaces at least partially defined by pressure sensitive adhesive have been developed that can be used to bond objects together, and can subsequently be stretched by pulling on tab portions at ends of the strips to cleanly separate the adhesive bonds between the strips and the objects they had previously joined (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,189 (Luhmann), U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,464 (Hammerski et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,58(Kreckel et al), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/308,937 (Bries et al). While such stretch releasable strips work well, the tab portion at the end of such a strip joining two or more objects should be positioned where it can be engaged by a person who later wishes to separate the objects. One of the objects can be specially made with a removable portion that covers that tab portion (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,464, Hammerski et al), or, if one of the objects is flexible, that flexible object may be bent to afford access to that tab portion. In many instances where rigid objects are joined, however, it may be necessary to allow the tab portion to project from between the joined objects to afford such engagement with that tab portion to remove the stretchable strip from between the objects. Such a projecting tab portion can be aesthetically objectionable.


Embodiments relate to using flux or underfill as a trapping layer for temporarily attaching light emitting diodes (LEDs) to a substrate and heating to simultaneously bond multiple LEDs onto the substrate. The flux or underfill may be selectively coated at the ends of electrodes of the LEDs prior to placing the LEDs on the substrate. Due to adhesive properties of the flux or underfill, multiple LEDs can be placed on and attached to the substrate prior to performing the bonding process. Once LEDs are placed on the substrate, the flux or underfill facilitates formation of metallic contacts between electrodes of the LED and contacts of the substrate during the bonding process. By using the flux or underfill, the formation of metallic contacts can be performed even without applying pressure.

The present disclosure relates to placing and bonding light emitting diodes (LEDs) on a substrate, and specifically, to applying a flux or underfill between the LEDs and substrate to promote the placing and bonding processes.
In display fabrication, LEDs may be moved from one substrate to another. For example, micro-LEDs (μLEDs) for emitting different colors of light may be transferred from native substrates (on which the micro-LEDs) are fabricated or carrier substrates to a display substrate including control circuits for the μLEDs to manufacture an electronic display. As the form factor of LEDs decreases, the placing of LEDs into desired arrangements without damaging the LED dies becomes increasingly difficult.
Furthermore, LEDs are bonded to a substrate by thermocompression (TC) bonding to form metallic contacts between the LED and substrate. TC bonding forms metallic contacts between two metals by simultaneously applying force and heat. To ensure each LED is bonded correctly, the placing and bonding process is applied to one LED at a time. Specifically, once an LED is placed on a substrate, it is bonded to the substrate before another LED is placed on the substrate. As a result, the substrate and previously bonded LEDs undergo multiple heating cycles. Repeated high temperature heating cycles is time consuming, increases the risk of damaging LEDs, and can lead to the formation of oxide layers at the metallic contacts.

Using underfill or flux to promote placing and parallel bonding of light emitting diodes