An improved simple, efficient, safe, economical, and fast transmembrane ling procedure for efficient active loading of weak amphiphatic drugs into liposomes using the transmembrane gradient. The resulting liposomes loaded with the amphiphatic drug are stable and safe. A storagable form of loadable liposomes has extended period of stability. The reversed procedure is applicable for sustained release of liposome encapsulated drugs from ammonium liposomes.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a simple, efficient, safe, economical, fast and improved transmembrane loading procedure for efficient loading of amphiphatic drugs and chemicals into liposomes using the transmembrane gradient. The resulting liposomes loaded with the amphiphatic drug are stable and safe. The procedure is equally applicable for sustained release of liposome encapsulated drugs.
2. Related Disclosures
In recent years the pharmaceutical sciences discovered liposomes, lipid based carrier vehicles as a new formulating entity. Currently, both conventional or nonphospholipid liposomes are rapidly becoming accepted as pharmaceutical agents which improve the therapeutic activity of a wide variety of compounds and provide a convenient drug delivery system. Liposome drug delivery systems are reviewed in detail in Cancer Res., 43:4730 (1983), Pharmacol. Rev., 36:277-336 (1984), Liposomes as Drug Carriers, Gregoriadis, G. Ed., Wiley, New York (1988).
Liposomes are suitable delivery vehicles for parenteral, peroral, topical and inhalation administration of drugs. Liposomes improve formulability, provide prolonged release, improve the therapeutic ratio, prolong the therapeutic activity after each administration and reduce the need for frequent administration, reduce the amount of drug needed and/or absorbed by the mucosal or other tissue.
Loading of the drugs into liposomes has proved to be a measure of their utility. If there is a poor loading, there is a great loss of the active drug and the use of liposomes as the pharmaceutical vehicle becomes uneconomical. In recent years considerable effort has been dedicated to development of systems for various methods of loading of drugs and biological materials into liposomes. Pharmacol. Rev., 36: 277-336 (1984). Liposomes as Drug Carriers, Gregoriadis, G. ed. Wiley, New York, (1988).
So far, several methods have been developed for liposome drug loading. The simplest method of drug loading is a passive entrapment of water soluble drug in the dry lipid film by hydration of lipid components. The loading efficiency of this method is generally low because it depends on the entrapping volume of the liposomes and on the amount of lipids used to prepare them. Chem. Phys. Lipids, 40:333-345 (1986), and Methods in Biochemical Analysis, 33:337 (1988). Disadvantages of this method are the low entrapment, heterogeneous size and the need for secondary processing steps such as extrusion or sonication. Improved passive entrapment of a drug into liposomes has been achieved by using dehydration-rehydration method where preformed liposomes are added to an aqueous solution of the drug and the mixture is dehydrated either by lyophilization, evaporation, or by freeze-thaw processing method involving repeated freezing and thawing of multilamellar vesicles which improves the hydration and hence increases a loading. Disadvantages of these methods are heterogeneous size, difficult standardization and low reproducibility.
Higher efficiency of drug entrapment into liposomes may be achieved by using high lipid concentration or by specific combination of lipid components. For example, an amphiphatic amine doxorubicin may be encapsulated more efficiently into liposome membranes containing negative charge. Cancer Res., 42: 4734-4739 (1982). However, in general the drug loading remains a problematic issue.
The efficiency of drug loading into liposomes depends also on chemical properties of the drug. In general, water soluble or lipid soluble drugs are easier to deal with since the lipid soluble compounds easily incorporate into the lipid bilayer during the liposome formation and the water soluble compounds interact with the polar head group of phospholipids facing inside of liposome and are therefore sequestered inside the liposomes. Amphiphatic compounds, on the other hand, are the most difficult to retain inside the liposomes as they can rapidly permeate through and do not bind to lipid bilayers.
One proposed method of loading amphiphatic molecules into liposomes, described in Chem. Phys. Lipids, 40:333-345 (1986), is drug loading in response to the ion pH gradient by an accumulation of the amphiphatic drug into liposomes when their internal pH is lower than the external medium pH.
PCT/US 87/01401, filed Jun. 16, 1986 describes asymmetrical liposome vesicles containing ionizable lipids or ionizable proteins made in an aqueous environment of controlled pH, then exposed to a bathing medium of a relatively more acidic or relatively more basic pH.
Loading of amphiphatic drugs into the liposomes, described in the J. Biol. Chem., 260:802-808 (1985), utilizes the transmembrane Na.sup.+ /K.sup.+ gradients. Improved loading of local anesthetic dibucaine was observed only when both sodium and potassium ions were used and up to about 52% loading was achieved when the sodium/potassium gradient was used in combination with valinomycin. Valinomycin is known insecticide, nematocide and bactericide as well as ionophore and is thus not desirable additive to pharmaceutical formulations. The method of passive entrapment of the antineoplastic drugs into the liposomal vesicles, described in Biochim. Bioshys. Acta, 816:294-302 (1985) uses the uptake of the drugs into the vesicles in response to a valinomycin-dependent K.sup.+ diffusion potential.
Another method of loading of amphiphatic drug adriamycin into liposomal vesicles, described in Biochime Biophys. Acta, 857:123-126 (1986), is an uptake of the drug into the liposomes in response to the pH gradient. This method would seem to be a reasonably efficient for loading if not for the fact that it is performed in unphysiologically acidic pH and in the presence of the strong base KOH, both of which cause the lipid hydrolysis. Also, the obtained liposome-drug vesicles are unstable and around 24 hours suffer from a substantial leakage of the drug.
PCT/US85/01501 filed on Aug. 7, 1985, describes encapsulation of antineoplastic agents into liposomes by passive loading, via transmembrane potential , of lipophilic ionizable antineoplastic drugs which can exist in a charged state when dissolved in an aqueous medium. The proton gradient is established by first trapping (passively) a low pH buffer and then raising the external pH by adding the base. The transmembrane potential is achieved by sodium/potassium chemical gradient in the presence of valinomycin. The loading is temperature dependent and the best results are achieved at the temperature of 600.degree. C.
A high encapsulation of method for loading water soluble drugs in liposomes has recently been described in U.S. Patent 4,752,425. However, the disadvantage of this method is that it is based on passive entrapment at high lipid concentration.
There are several major disadvantages connected with the previously known methods. First, there is a prolonged exposure of the liposomal lipids to a low acidic pH environment of about pH 4 which leads to lipid hydrolysis and a drug leakage from liposomes. Second, these methods require very high lipid concentration. Third, long periods of time and elevated temperatures are required for loading which leads to lipid hydrolysis and/or drug deactivation. Finally, there are stability Problems connected with these methods.
The current invention provides simple, fast, stable, economical, safe, and efficient system for active liposome drug loading and controlled sustained time release by creating an ammonium (NH.sub.4.sup.+) gradient between two sides of a liposome vesicle membrane. The system may be actively manipulated by diluting, removing or exchanging outside ammonia medium to achieve faster or slower, larger or smaller drug loading. The system is not method dependent, i.e. all methods of liposome preparation and all types of liposomes may be used in practicing this invention. The system is also useful for ultrasound imaging by using ammonium gradient in liposomes as a source of hyperechogenic CO.sub.2 which enhances ultrasound imaging.

Method of amphiphatic drug loading in liposomes by ammonium ion gradient

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem


Methods for extraction, isolation, and purification of therapeutically useful compounds from Tripterygium wilfordii are described. Extraction steps employing aqueous base and a hydrocarbon solvent, respectively, are found to increase the efficiency of the process and reduce the amount of material that must be removed by chromatography.

Compounds derived from the Chinese medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii (TW) have been identified as having useful therapeutic properties, particularly immunosuppressive activity and anticancer activity. These compounds include triptolide, tripdiolide and 16-hydroxy triptolide. Synthetic derivatives and prodrugs of these compounds have also shown therapeutic activity, often in combination with improved pharmacological properties. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,772 (Tripterinin compound and method), U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,376 (Immunosuppressant diterpene compound), U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,335 (Immunosuppressive compounds and methods), U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,550 (Method for suppressing xenograft rejection), U.S. Pat. No. 5,843,452 (Immunotherapy composition and method), U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,516 (Immunosuppressive compounds and methods), U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,539 (Triptolide prodrugs having high aqueous solubility), U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,546 (Uses of diterpenoid triepoxides as an antiproliferative agent), U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,984 (Uses of diterpenoid triepoxides as an antiproliferative agent), U.S. Pat. No. 6,548,537 (Triptolide prodrugs having high aqueous solubility), U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,893 (Amino acid derivatives of triptolide compounds as immune modulators and anticancer agents), U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,499 (Uses of diterpenoid triepoxides as an antiproliferative agent), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,843 (Anticancer treatment using triptolide prodrugs), each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Isolation of the native compounds from the plant material has, to date, typically required laborious extraction and purification procedures. Kupchan et al. (1972, 1977) describe a method in which the root material is extracted with ethanol, the solid extract is dissolved in ethyl acetate and partitioned with water, and the ethyl acetate fraction is chromatographed on silica gel. Cheng et al. (1993) describe a method in which the first extraction employs hot water, followed by addition of ethanol, filtration, removal of the ethanol, partitioning with chloroform, and chromatography on silica gel. The method described by Lipsky et al. (1996) employs subsequent extractions with chloroform, methanol, and toluene, with removal of solvent between each extraction, followed by chromatography on alumina and then on silica gel. Wiedmann et al. (1998) describe a method in which the root material is extracted with refluxing aqueous ethanol, the solid extract is partitioned between dichloromethane and water, and the dichloromethane phase is concentrated and chromatographed on silica gel. Ken et al. (2004) describe a method in which the root is extracted repeatedly with ethanol, and the extracts are concentrated and extracted repeatedly with chloroform, followed by chromatographic purification.
In isolation methods to date, the extraction steps generally produce an extract which retains large quantities of undesired materials, which then must be removed chromatographically, requiring large investments of time and materials. In view of the therapeutic utility of these compounds, higher efficiency methods for isolation and purification are desired.

Methods for isolation of triptolide compounds from


Systems and methods for detecting udder disease based on machine learning methods and complementary supporting techniques are presented. Included are methods for assembling time sequences of images of each animal of a herd or set for subsequent use in per-animal image analysis for disease detection. Methods presented also include image pre-processing methods used prior to image analysis, resulting in contrast and resolution optimization such as appropriate image intensity level adjust wilt and resolution down sampling for more rapid and more accurate disease detection. Combinatorial techniques for compositing whole-udder images or udder-quarter images from partial images captures are described. Methods are provided for power usage optimization in regard to computing resources used in the computing-intensive AI analysis methods. Location-based and animal history-based detection refinements are incorporated into described systems. Further presented are methods for multi-modal and multi-factor detection of udder disease, as well as methods for infection type classification.

The health of the animals in a domestic herd affects their well-being, and can impact that of the consumers of products derived from the herd animals. Specific aspects of animal health, such as udder condition and the presence of udder disease (in the case of dairy animals), directly impact farm productivity, ultimately affecting the availability and cost of dairy-derived foods.
Significant advances have been made in recent years in the area of technology called artificial intelligence (AI), also known as machine learning, in regard to the expression and solution of complex, difficult-to-describe problems. Candidate problems typically involve large data sets having significant sample-to-sample variability and noise, and the solution may require the identification of one or more trends, or the extraction of one or more feature types, from the data.
For these reasons, effective, rapid animal condition assessment and early and reliable detection of disease is vitally important in animal farming operations of all scales. In addition, with the growth and increasing overall wealth of the human population, demands have increased for the production of high-value food by farms. Additionally, there are substantial benefits to be gained from innovations that lead to increased farm productivity.
Examples of related art are described below:
U.S. Pat. No. 7,277,744 generally describes a method for the detection of inflammation in animals using infrared thermography. The patent also provides a method for the detection of diseases or disorders that induce inflammation using infrared thermography. The present invention further provides a method for the detection of infections in animals using infrared thermography.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,399,220 generally describes a method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the frill carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end-product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,789,494 generally describes an apparatus for monitoring a milking animal during milking of the animal. The apparatus includes a number of productivity sensors, each measuring at least one indicator of productivity of the animal. A number of temperature sensors, including at least two thermographic cameras, measure heat output from different processing areas of the milking animal. A processor receives the heat outputs and productivity indicators, and uses a combination of these to determine a condition of the milking animal. The condition is then indicated in real time at the monitoring apparatus.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0257748 generally describes a method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs. The apparatus of the invention includes a plurality of strategically positioned cameras that are used to obtain data concerning volumetric, curvilinear (surface) and linear measurements of livestock animals such as cattle and hogs and the full carcasses thereof. In accordance with the method of the invention, the data is analyzed to provide information that substantially assists the commercial producer of livestock animals in producing a high-quality end-product for the consumer while adding profitability to the enterprise.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0319336 generally describes an apparatus for monitoring a milking animal during milking of the animal. The apparatus includes a number of productivity sensors, each measuring at least one indicator of productivity of the animal. A number of temperature sensors, including at least two thermographic cameras, measure heat output from different processing areas of the milking animal. A processor receives the heat outputs and productivity indicators, and uses a combination of these to determine a condition of the milking animal. The condition is then indicated in real time at the monitoring apparatus.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0006838 generally describes A system for locating the position of at least one animal within a predetermined region of space. The system includes at least one identification means configured to transmit at least one identification signal associated with said at least one animal; at least one locating means configured to generate at least one location signal associated with said at least one animal; and, a data processing system in communication with said at least one identification means and said at least one location means, configured to analyze said signals, said analyzed signals comprising the position within said predetermined region of space of said at least one animal as a function of time; wherein said data processing system is configured to integrate over time multiple readings from said at least one first animal to make a reliable estimation of said location of said animal within said predetermined region of space.
None of the art described above addresses all of the issues that the present invention does.

System for high performance, AI-based dairy herd management and disease detection


A method and system for controlling a horizontal directional drilling machine having a boring tool. A rate of rotation and a rate of thrust are selected by an operator. Controls allow an automatic boring operation mode to be initiated to maintain the selected rate of rotation and thrust without further input from the operator. Periodically, when the rotation and thrust are interrupted, such as to modify the drill string, the automatic boring operation mode is interrupted. The automatic boring operation mode may be resumed without requiring the operator to select the rate of rotation and rate of thrust. The rate of rotation is resumed before the rate of thrust to reduce drill string shock loads and increase drilling performance.

Utility lines for water, electricity, gas, telephone and cable television are often run underground for reasons of safety and aesthetics. Sometimes, the underground utilities are buried in a trench that is then back filled. However, trenching can be time consuming and can cause substantial damage to existing structures or roadways. Consequently, alternative techniques such as horizontal directional drilling ("HDD") are becoming increasingly popular.
A typical horizontal directional drilling machine includes a frame on which is mounted a rotational drive mechanism that can be slidably moved along the longitudinal axis of the frame, to rotate a drill string about its longitudinal axis while sliding along the frame to advance the drill sting into, or withdraw it from, the ground. The drill string comprises one or more drill rods attached together in a string.
A boring tool is installed onto the end of the drill string furthest away from the horizontal HDD machine. For example, a drill bit is used when the drill string is being advanced into the ground where there is no existing hole. Similarly, a back reamer is used to enlarge a bored hole and is used when the drill string is being withdrawn after a hole is cut. These boring tools may include a wide variety of soil cutting devices tailored for specific formations. Examples include cutting edges that shear the soil and compression elements that concentrate longitudinal force from the drill string onto a concentrated area to fracture the ground when boring in rock conditions. In either case, the operation of the boring tools includes both rotational and longitudinal (or thrust) motion.
Boring machines include controls that allow the operator to control both the rotational movement and the longitudinal movement, also referred to as thrust, of the drill string and consequently of the boring tool. Typically, the magnitude of the rotational movement and thrust movement are proportional to the position of the controls. The optimum setting of rotational movement and thrust movement depends on various factors such as the soil conditions, the formation, and the type of boring tool. It is therefore necessary for the operator to establish the optimum setting based on each unique boring situation. However, in some situations the soil conditions can change rapidly, particularly as the boring tool advances through the soil and encounters soils of different densities and types, such as clay soil and rocks. Under these circumstances, an operator may be not be able to adjust the settings quickly enough to compensate for these variations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,278, to Bischel, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a control system that automatically adjusts the rotational movement and thrust movement settings, independently from the inputs of the operator.
In some conditions, the boring process requires maintaining consistent values of the rotational and thrust movement settings, which in turn requires the operator to maintain the controls in the appropriate position for relatively long periods of time. It can be difficult, however, for the operator to accurately maintain the positions of the controls for relatively long periods of time without becoming fatigued or losing attentiveness. In these conditions, the control system can be set to automatically maintain the boring parameters once the operator has determined the optimum levels of rotation and thrust. A control system configured in this way allows the operator to first manually set the desired rotational movement and thrust movement parameters, and then to maintain this state by depressing a separate control (such as a switch) that causes the control system to maintain these settings when the operator lets go of the controls. Although the controls typically return to their neutral positions (the position where the rotational and thrust movement are set to zero), the rotation and thrust movement settings are maintained automatically at the preferred operating state.
The boring operation must generally, however, be periodically interrupted, such as when a drill rod needs to be added to the drill string during boring or when a drill rod needs to be removed from the drill string during backreaming. When the boring process is resumed, the drill bit must be transitioned from a stationary state to a drilling state. A drilling state may generally be defined as including rotation and thrust against the soil. To accomplish this, the control system may further be configured to resume the rotational movement and thrust movement parameters that were present before the boring operation was interrupted. However, when the control system attempts to quickly resume the rotational and thrust movement settings, high loads can be encountered in the boring tool and drill string. These high loads can damage the boring tool and drill string and lead to poor drilling performance. Therefore, there is a need for an optimized boring resumption process and an apparatus for implementing the same.

Underground boring machine and method for controlling underground boring


Three or more portable generators are linked for synchronized operation. Power cables link each generator to a linkage box which connects the power in parallel and connects an outlet thereto. Communication cables link a software module in each generator with the linkage box. The modules vary the generator operation to generate a voltage amplitude and phase matching that of the first generator that is connected to the box that begins power generation, so that all generators share the load equally until their power output limits are reached.

This invention relates to a portable, engine driven generators, and more particularly to a portable generator which automatically adapts itself to parallel operation of three or more portable generators connected in parallel with each other by automatically synchronizing the phases of outputs of the generators.
Because of manufacturing and operational inconsistencies, each portable, engine driven generator produces electricity at a slightly different voltage and frequency and with a different phase between the voltage and current. When two or more portable generators are connected in parallel with each other in operation, then if the phases or amplitudes of the output voltages from the generators are not synchronous, it will causes electric current to flow from one generator into another generator, which can result in the damage of component parts of one or more of the generators. Therefore, it is desirable to synchronize the phases and amplitudes of the output voltages from each of the joined generators.
To this end, even in the case of parallel operation of identically-constructed portable generators, the prior art has provided ways to try and synchronize generators. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,700 generates a target output sine waveform with a frequency based on phase differences among the joined generators and uses the switching control of the inverters adjust each generator's output to match the target signal. This patent also refers to Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 56-20782 which uses an automatic synchronizing device and means for producing an operating point at which the electrical phases of two plural generators coincide with each other in order to cause the automatic synchronizing device to operate promptly and reliably. U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,700 also refers to Japanese Provisional Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 62-145440 uses a special adaptor for parallel operation of two portable generators, with one of them serving as a master generator while the other serves as a slave generator.


Apparatus, systems and techniques for capturing, processing and generating digital ophthalmic images using conventional ophthalmic lenses. Certain embodiments processor implemented gesture-based control methods that provide for an eye care specialist to use a gesture-based imaging trigger to capture images of selected ocular structures through a traditional ophthalmic lens.

One aspect of a traditional ophthalmic examination consists of the visual inspection of the patient's retina by an ophthalmologist, optometrist or another trained technician (collectively referred to herein as "eye care specialists"). In many cases, the patient's retina (or other selected ocular structure) is examined by the eye care specialist using a handheld ophthalmic lens. Eye care specialists have therefore become quite comfortable and skilled using handheld lenses as part of their examination routine.
Recently, it has become common for eye care specialists to attempt to take digital photographs of a patient's retina or another ocular structure using a smartphone having a built-in digital camera, or using a video-enabled ophthalmic headset. These ocular images can be taken through specialized imaging lens sets which are attached directly to a phone or video headset using appropriate adapters. Alternatively, retinal images can be captured manually using traditional handheld ophthalmic lenses. In certain instances a traditional ophthalmic lens designed for handheld use can be attached to an imaging device using an adapter. As used herein, the process of capturing a retinal image through a traditional ophthalmic lens designed for handheld use is referred to as the "manual" capture of an image whether or not the ophthalmic lens is actually handheld, or is alternatively connected to the imaging device using an adapter.
During the manual capture process, an eye care specialist might hold a smartphone in one hand and an ophthalmic lens in the other hand. Unfortunately, the requirement to hold the ophthalmic lens and smart phone separately makes it very difficult or impossible to trigger the phone's virtual shutter button using the camera software provided with a typical smart phone. This is true even if the ophthalmic lens is attached to the smart phone using an adapter. In instances where the eye care specialist uses a video-enabled headset, a similar problem may be encountered since the specialist may need to trigger image or video stream capture using the computer keyboard or mouse, while also holding the ophthalmic lens in the proper position with one hand. In summary, it is very difficult for an eye care specialist to manipulate a virtual or real "shutter" button on a smartphone screen, keyboard or mouse while also manipulating the ophthalmic lens into the optimal position for photographing the retina or another ocular structure.
The embodiments disclosed herein are directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems noted above.

Ophthalmic image capture systems and methods


A gas laser system including: a laser oscillator; a power supply unit for supplying power to the laser oscillator; a power storage unit for storing the power supplied from the power supply unit; a power reduction detection unit for detecting a power reduction state where a value of the power supplied from the power supply unit falls below a power value enabling the laser oscillator to normally operate; and a control unit for controlling the gas supply and discharge unit by using the power stored in the power storage unit so as to seal the gas flow path, when the power reduction detection unit detects the power reduction state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas laser system capable of maintaining a laser gas state when a power failure or the like causes cutting-off of power supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a gas laser oscillator is activated after laser gas in the laser oscillator is exchanged. Contrastingly, in order to shorten time for activating a laser oscillator, there is known an apparatus configured to omit a part of a laser gas exchanging process at the time of activation under certain conditions. This apparatus is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2737177 (JP2737177B). In the apparatus described in JP2737177B, when operation stop time of the laser oscillator is within predetermined time period or a gas temperature in the laser oscillator is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature after a stop operation of the laser oscillator is performed, a part of the laser gas exchanging process is omitted.
However, in the apparatus described in JP2737177B, for example, when the power failure or the like causes cutting-off of the power, the stop operation of the laser oscillator may not be normally performed, and which may lead a difficulty of omission of a part of the laser gas exchanging process at the time of reactivation of the laser oscillator.

Gas laser system capable of maintaining laser gas state during power supply cutoff


An electrical connector is disclosed comprising: an insulating main body provided with a first fixture block and a second fixture block on two ends of its side; and a metal housing disposed on the exterior of the insulating main body and provided with a first through hole and a second through hole corresponding to the first fixture block and the second fixture block to interfere one another, such that a clasping structure with at least two opposite clasping directions is formed.

For an electrical connector, especially the electrical connector in the field of high frequency communication, metal housing is usually used to secure the insulating main body inside an electrical connector. Consequently, the metal housing can shield the insulating main body and thus accommodate some electrical terminals inside the insulating main body so as to reduce the influence of the electromagnetic interference (EMI) on the signals transmitted in the electrical connector. The metal housing is usually made from pressing and bending of a metal sheet. A plurality of through holes are provided on its side, and a plurality of bumps are provided on the insulating main body corresponding to the through holes on the metal housing. The bumps are accommodated in the corresponding through holes such that the insulating main body can be secured in the metal housing. Because there are cracks present in the metal housing, the bumps tend to come off when the metal housing on the insulating main body is subjected to force such that the metal housing and the insulating main body cannot be secured together.
Consequently, it is necessary to design a new type of electrical connector to overcome the shortcoming described above.


A method and apparatus for calibrating a PET scanner is provided. First phantom sinogram data is acquired from a scan of a solid cylinder phantom within a PET scanner imaging FOV; second phantom sinogram data is acquired from a scan of a second solid plane or scanning line phantom within the PET scanner imaging FOV; and a PET scanner detector component scanner efficiency normalization is determined from at least one of the first and second sinogram data. In one aspect a crystal determining efficiency factor is determined as a function of phantom sinogram data without a solid angle correction, and a detector geometry factor is determined as a function of the crystal efficiency factor and phantom sinogram data. In one aspect a smoothed crystal efficiency normalization factor is determined from a noisy crystal efficiency factor through an iterative smoothing technique.

The present invention relates to the field of positron imaging, and more particularly to positron emission tomography detector efficiency normalization.
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a branch of nuclear medicine in which a positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical such as 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is introduced into the body of a patient. As the radiopharmaceutical decays, positrons are generated. More specifically, each of a plurality of positrons reacts with an electron in what is known as a positron annihilation event, thereby generating a coincident pair of 511 keV gamma rays which travel in opposite directions along a line of response (LOR).
A PET scanner is used to detect the positron annihilation events and generate an image of at least portions of the patient from a plurality of detected events. The PET scanner comprises a plurality of radiation-sensitive PET detectors arrayed about an examination region through which a patient is conveyed. The PET detectors typically comprise crystals and photomultiplier tubes (PMT's), wherein the detector crystals, referred to as scintillators, convert the energy of a gamma ray into a flash of light that is sensed by the detector PMT. In coincidence mode a gamma ray pair detected within a coincidence time by a pair of PET detectors is recorded by the PET scanner as an annihilation event; in an alternative singles mode technique a gamma ray detected by a single PET detector may be recorded as an annihilation event. During a patient scan hundreds of million of events are typically detected and recorded. The observed events are typically sorted and organized with respect to each of a plurality of projection rays, wherein all events occurring along each projection ray are organized into one bin of a three-dimensional sinogram array, the array typically stored in a computer-readable memory media. The sinogram data is then processed to reconstruct an image of the patient.
Prior to image reconstruction, efficiency normalization techniques are used to correct the sinogram data for non-uniform PET detector responses due to PET scanner geometry, detector crystal non-uniformity, and gain variation in detector PMT's. Efficiency normalization is generally accomplished through direct or component techniques. In direct efficiency normalization, sinogram data acquired from the scan of a special geometry phantom object (such as a cylinder, a rotating plane source, or a rotating line source) is inverted to calibrate a normalization factor directly, after removing known effects of source geometry, attenuation, random and scatter. However, statistical accuracy concerns proscribe direct efficiency normalization for large sinogram sizes.
Component efficiency normalization is generally preferred as better accommodating statistical noise and phantom geometry issues for large sinogram sizes. Component efficiency normalization is categorized by the decomposition of detector normalization into discrete factors (or components) wherein each factor may be calibrated separately. Component efficiency normalization is first approached as two-dimensional and modeled by two categories of factors: detector geometry factors and crystal efficiency factors. Detector geometry factors comprise circular detector geometry and solid angle, gamma ray incident angle and crystal depth of interaction. Crystal efficiency normalization is necessitated by the non-uniform response of detector crystals and their related PMTs. Crystal efficiency factors comprise intrinsic efficiency and deadtime effect. See M. Casey, H. Gadagkar and D. Newport in "A Component Based Method for Normalization in Volume PET", 1995 International Meeting on Fully Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine.
Two-dimensional component efficiency normalization may be extended to three dimensions (3D) and be made more complex by recognizing and calculating additional component factors. In one technique for block-detector PET scanners a detector block crystal interference pattern factor is added into the detector geometry term, and the normalization is extended from 2D to 3D; See P. Kinahan, D. Townsend, D. Bailey, D. Sashin, F. Jadali and M. Mintun in "Efficiency Normalization Technique for 3D PET Data", IEEE NSS & MIC Record, Vol. 2, October 1995. In another technique a time-window alignment factor is added into the model; See R. Badawi, N. Ferreira, S Kohlmyer, M. Dahlbom, P. Marsden and T. Lewellen, "A comparison of normalization effects on three whole-body cylindrical 3D PET systems", Phys. Med. Biol., Vol. 45, 2000.
However, adding additional factors to provide 3D detector efficiency normalization necessarily adds complexity to the normalization model. Moreover, some factors may not be applicable to the efficiency normalization of all PET scanners. For example, some non-block design PET scanners incorporate a pixilated detector module design wherein detector PMT edge rows are shared by neighboring detector modules and controlled by overlapping trigger channels: this type of design enables detector efficiency normalization independent of detector block crystal interference pattern factors.
What is needed is a method and system for 3D component efficiency normalization that provides for a reduced number of component factors and that will provide for efficient 3D PET scanner detector calibration.

Component method and system for PET detector efficiency normalization


A method and system for performing reliability analysis of disk drive failure mechanisms is provided. The information for performing the analysis is obtained in accordance with the invention from a database generated from identification information stored about individual drives, and drive families, that are deployed in the field. An error database stores error codes that are issued by a disk drive upon a particular event. These error codes are reported to a storage system administrator and recorded in the error database. The disk drive information and the error codes are mapped, and error codes are translated into failure mechanisms for a particular drive family. An analysis is performed whereby a hazard rate plot is provided for either all failure indicators or selected failure indicators or subpopulations for a particular drive family over a given time.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to networked data storage systems, and more particularly, to reliability analysis of failures in disk drives used in such systems.
2. Background Information
A storage system is a computer that provides storage service relating to the or ganization of information on writable persistent storage devices, such as memories, tapes or disks. The storage system is commonly deployed within a storage area network (SAN) or a network attached storage (NAS) environment. When used within a NAS environment, the storage system may be embodied as a file server including an operating system that implements a file system to logically organize the information as a hierarchical structure of directories and files on, e.g. the disks. Each "on-disk" file may be implemented as a set of data structures, e.g., disk blocks, configured to store information, such as the actual data for the file. A directory, on the other hand, may be implemented as a specially formatted file in which information about other files and directories are stored.
In the client/server model, the client may comprise an application executing on a computer that "connects" to the filer over a computer network, such as a point-to-point link, shared local area network, wide area network or virtual private network implemented over a public network, such as the Internet. NAS systems generally utilize filebased access protocols; therefore, each client may request the services of the filer by issuing file system protocol messages (in the form of packets) to the file system over the network. By supporting a plurality of file system protocols, such as the conventional Common Internet File System (CIFS), the Network File System (NFS) and the Direct Access File System (DAFS) protocols, the utility of the filer may be enhanced for networking clients.
A SAN is a high-speed network that enables establishment of direct connections between a storage system and its storage devices. The SAN may thus be viewed as an extension to a storage bus and, as such, an operating system of the storage system (a storage operating system, as hereinafter defined) enables access to stored information using block-based access protocols over the "extended bus." In this context, the extended bus is typically embodied as Fibre Channel (FC) or Ethernet media (i.e., network) adapted to operate with block access protocols, such as Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) protocol encapsulation over FC or TCP/IP/Ethernet.
A SAN arrangement or deployment allows decoupling of storage from the storage system, such as an application server, and placing of that storage on a network. However, the SAN storage system typically manages specifically assigned storage resources. Although storage can be grouped (or pooled) into zones (e.g., through conventional logical unit number or "lun" zoning, masking and management techniques), the storage devices are still pre-assigned by a user, (e.g., a storage system administrator, as defined hereinafter) to the storage system.
Thus, the file server, as used herein, may operate in any type of storage system configuration including a NAS arrangement, a SAN arrangement, or a hybrid storage system that incorporates both NAS and SAN aspects of storage.
A file server's access to disks is governed by an associated "storage operating system," which generally refers to the computer-executable code operable on a storage system that manages data access, and in the case of filers, implements file system semantics. In this sense, the NetApp® Data ONTAP™ operating system available from Network Appliance, Inc., of Sunnyvale, Calif. that implements the Write Anywhere File Layout (WAFL™) file system is an example of such a storage operating system implemented as a microkernel. The storage operating system can also be implemented as an application program operating over a general-purpose operating system, such as UNIX® or Windows NT®, or as a general-purpose operating system with configurable functionality, which is configured for storage applications as described herein.
The storage devices in a file server environment are typically disk drives organized as a disk array, wherein the term "disk" commonly described a self-contained rotating magnetic media storage devices. These include hard disk drives (HDD), direct access storage devices (DASD) or logical unit number (lun) storage devices. Disk storage is typically implemented as one or more storage "volumes" that comprise physical storage disks, defining an overall logical arrangement of storage space. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the rotating magnetic media storage devices contain one or more disk platters that are accessed for read/write operations by a magnetic read/write head that is operated electromechanically by a mechanism that includes hardware such as motors, bearings and the like, as well as firmware and software, which provide supervisory instructions to the hardware mechanisms. This assembly as a whole is referred to herein as a "disk drive."
In a typical file server implementation, a plurality (e.g., hundreds) of individual disk drives are arrayed in a field installation to provide storage organized as a set of volumes or similar multi-drive arrangements. The disk drives are manufactured and shipped for use in NAS, SAN or hybrid environments. These storage environments incorporate multiple disk drives from the world's leading manufacturers into storage systems that are deployed in either a central location or which may be geographically dispersed. The entity that designs and implements the storage system is referred to herein as the "storage network provider." The customer who purchases the storage system from the storage network provider, and makes storage services available via a client/server model or otherwise through the storage system, whether it is in the NAS or SAN configuration, is referred to herein for simplicity as a "user." An individual entity that makes requests via the NAS or SAN in order to access data contained therein is referred to herein as a "client." Either the storage network provider, or the user, or both of these entities may from time to time provide overall supervision and maintenance (e.g., software updates, etc.) and may provide reliability analysis and other controls, as discussed herein, with respect to the storage system. That person or entity that is providing configuration, supervision, maintenance and/or reliability assistance for a storage system is referred to herein as a "storage system administrator."
As noted, the storage network providers order disk drives for a field installation from third party manufacturers. Thus, a field installation can contain disk drives from several different disk drive manufacturers. Moreover, disk drive manufacturers often create what are known as drive "families." Within a drive family, the drives are nearly identical, except for the number of disks and read/write heads. Drive families are used to maximize commonality between products thereby reducing design and manufacturing costs, while addressing the market's need for multiple capacity points such as 18 gigabytes (GB), 36 GB and 72 GB. Each family of drives typically goes through its own unique design and manufacturing process.
As also noted, each SAN or file server implementation incorporates a large field installation base including hundreds of disk drives for each drive family from each manufacturer. Given the large number of disk drives in a typical implementation, there is a reasonable likelihood that one or more disk drives will experience an operational problem that either degrades drive read-write performance or causes a drive failure. This is because disk drives are complex electromechanical systems. Sophisticated firmware and software are required for the drive to operate with other components in the storage system. The drives further incorporate moving parts and magnetic heads which are sensitive to particulate contamination, and electrostatic discharge (ESD). There can be defects in the media, rotational vibration effects, failures relating to the motors and bearings, and other hardware components or connections. Some problems arise with respect to drive firmware or drive circuitry. Environmental factors such as temperature and altitude can also affect the performance of the disk drive.
Thus, drives can fail and the failure can be significant if there is a nonperformance of the drive. Therefore, it is important for a storage system administrator to understand the mechanisms by which disk drive errors occur, especially those errors that could ultimately result in a drive failure. To that end, error information such as error codes may be useful in determining whether there are any conclusions to be drawn about a particular drive family from a particular drive manufacturer so that the manufacturer can be notified of performance issues that arise in the field.
However, even though most disk drives incorporate an error code reporting capability, simply recording error codes does not provide enough information to fully evaluate the underlying reason for the error code having been generated. Error codes are typically reported by an individual drive, and global studies of drive families by SCSI error codes have not been available.
In the past, reliability analysis has been confined to predicting the time at which a predetermined percentage of components can be expected to have failed. This utilizes field failure data and combines such data to predict the probability of failure in a particular device over time. These studies are typically top level analyses which statistically predict a failure rate of a particular type of drive or a drive family, and have not been directed to specific underlying symptoms or causes. More specifically, error codes usually identify a physical symptom of an error, such as a loose connection or an open circuit. This symptom is known as a "failure mode." The underlying cause of the symptom, such as the physics that results in the failure may be a phenomenon such as "corrosion," (in that corrosion can lead to an incomplete or loose wire connection, etc.). This is known as a "failure mechanism." Studies have not been available which evaluate failure modes and failure mechanisms and how these may change during the operating life of a disk drive, or in a family of disk drives.
Studies have been performed which compute either an annual or an annualized failure rate, which is a rolling three month average that assumes a constant failure rate for all drives. This type of study further assumes that the probability of failure is equally likely in any fixed period of time. This, however, is rarely true as set forth in IDEMA Standards, "Specification of Hard Disk Drive Reliability," document number R2-98. This procedure does not account for the changing failure rate nature of disk drives and the fact that some failure mechanisms contribute to failure rates at one point in the life of a drive, whereas other failure mechanisms dominate at subsequent points in the operation of a drive.
In addition, there is typically no mapping of error codes to specific failure mechanisms for specific drive families. Thus, the typical top level analysis does not provide an accurate picture of the overall rates of change of failure mechanisms over time for drive families.
There remains a need, therefore, for an improved method of performing reliability analysis of disk drive failures that can take into account how different failure modes and/or failure mechanisms can contribute to an overall failure rate over the course of the life of disk drives. There remains a further need for a method of reliability analysis which can be focused on a particular drive family from particular third party manufacturers so that failure mechanisms that frequently occur with respect to that drive family can be identified and addressed.

Method and system for reliability analysis of disk drive failures


A manipulation and force measuring device includes an elongate body having a first end and a second end, and at least one force sensor extending outwardly from the elongate body. A protective material surrounds the at least one force sensor. A first loop extends from the first end of the body and a second loop extends from the second end of the body. A processor is attached to the body, proximate to the first loop and is electronically connected to the at least one force sensor. A method of using the device is also disclosed.

Presently, when a healthcare provider, such as a chiropractor, a physical therapist, or a physician, applies a force to a region on a patient's body, the provider has no clear indication of how much force is actually being applied. If the provider applies too much force, the provider may inadvertently aggravate the patient's symptoms or cause bodily harm. Currently, healthcare providers use subjective terms such as mild or moderate when measuring force. It would be beneficial to provide a device that provides real time objective information and stored data to be analyzed and documented later about the amount of force that is being applied to the patient by the health care provider.


A housing structure of an in-wheel motor, the housing structure being formed by combining a plurality of divided housings, the housing structure receiving at least an electric motor for revolving a wheel, the housing structure includes a suspension side divided housing having a fixing boss for fixing the housing structure to a suspension system, and a connection side divided housing connecting to the suspension side divided housing and having a connection boss formed in a position corresponding to a position where the fixing boss is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to housing structures of in-wheel motors and more particularly, to a housing structure of an in-wheel motor whereby an in-wheel motor can be securely attached to a suspension system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, electric motors have been used as a driving source of vehicles and will come to be used more. More specifically, an in-wheel motor where the electric motor is directly installed inside of a wheel as a driving wheel is made practicable. The in-wheel motor generally has a structure where the electric motor, a reduction mechanism, a control circuit, and the like are received in a unified housing. This housing is connected to a strut of a suspension system or the like.
From the perspective of productivity or assemble-ability, a housing receiving a component, such as the housing of the in-wheel motor, may be formed by plural divided housings. For example, the housing receiving the component may be formed by a box-shaped divided housing having an opening part and a cover type divided housing covering the opening part. The housing receiving the component may be formed by fitting opening parts of two box-shaped divided housings to each other. Structures of these housings are completed by installing the electric motor or a reduction gear into the box-shaped divided housing and then substantially sealing a space where the electric motor or a reduction gear is installed by another box-shaped or cover type divided housing.
In a case where the housing formed by combining such divided housings is connected and fixed to the suspension system or the like, a fixing boss is projected from one of the divided housings so as to be fastened to a bracket part of the suspension system. See Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-338446.
However, in the above-discussed structure, the weight of the vehicle supported by the wheel is concentrated on a connection part of the divided housings. It is preferable that the weight of a part below a spring of the suspension system be made light in order to sufficiently bring the capability of the suspension system into full play. Because of this, it is not preferable to extremely increase the thickness of the divided housing or the area of the connection part. Rather, various measurements are required such that a member is made thick enough to obtain sufficient strength or rigidity of the connection part.


In a networked environment, where multiple Internet Service Providers and multi-vendor equipment are involved in e-Business services and applications offering, the risk of overloading the Internet devices are real and security management is a challenge. Internet device traffic overloads could result from spoof attacks, (Denial-of-Service (DoS) or Distributed DoS (DDoS) attacks), device failures, special events, or widespread loads above engineered levels. To solve the problem of Internet security management for integrated optical and wireless devices, a new apparatus and functions running on IP devices are defined in this invention. Each Internet device includes counters and thresholding feature to manage the security attacks and prevent failure of the device being attacked.

This invention relates generally to telecommunications networks and, in particular, to security management and controls for broadband switching nodes, gateway devices, routers, and multimedia applications servers in an Internet.
As is known in the art, the Internet is a huge collection of globally interconnected computers networks. The computer networks include Internet devices such as switching nodes, gateways, servers or routers. Networks are interconnected by routers that route traffic from a source device (e.g., switching node) to a destination device (e.g., services server) passing through some number of intervening networks. The Internet devices have computing abilities and utilize protocols conforming to the open system interconnection (OSI) model of which the transmission control protocol over Internet protocol (TCP/IP) is a widespread implementation. All information transported over the Internet is parcelled into TCP/IP packets, which are routed to an intended destination.
Because of the low-cost, global access provided by the Internet, one desired use is in electronic business (e-Business) services and applications. For the purposes of this application, e-business services and applications shall be any type of process, communication or transaction that may be undertaken in a revenue generating business. Such service and applications include, but are not limited to telephony, facsimile, electronic-mail, data transfer, electronic-commerce, e-mobile, video-on-demand, remote access to business services (including Business-to-Business and Business-to-Consumer), and any kind of transactions that are used to access digitized information.
Electronic business (e-Business) services are increasing rapidly for businesses and consumers. But without security and trust, there wouldn't be a notable shift towards commercial and financial transactions on the Internet. As e-Business consumers take advantage of the permanent broadband access and connections to the Internet, they will face security challenges
In today's network, security incidents with dialup access are limited because consumers dial-up for a service and then terminate the connection. Further, most digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable subscribers are permanently connected to the Internet without firewalls and they are vulnerable to security breaches.
The growth in public Internet use and the security concerns that exist created a strong demand for firewalls and other security capabilities for all broadband technologies including DSL, cable, and fixed and mobile wireless.
In the Internet, the traffic flows from multiple subscribers get aggregated over high-speed connections to backbone or core routers that transport such aggregated traffic over high-speed backbones. In this environment, service provider lacks the visibility into each individual subscriber's traffic flows. For example, while edge devices with Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) provide service providers complete knowledge, control, and visibility of the subscriber and their traffic flows. Visibility of subscriber's traffic flows is not complete at other devices in the Internet, (e.g., services servers).
For Internet security management, edge device firewalls work as a form of perimeter defense to allow acceptable traffic, as defined by the service provider, and drops all other traffic before it enters the network. Firewalls perform this defensive function by monitoring packets and sessions, making decisions based on the established rules in order to determine the appropriate action to take.
There are various firewall products for enterprise, small, medium, large service providers, and also for personal computer (PC) users. These overlaid firewalls solutions complicate the service provider's network by increasing the cost of subscription per user, software updates, or network complexity. In a scenario in which the provider does not offer the firewall as part of their service offer, it is highly unlikely that the provider can support trouble calls nor validate whether the source of subscriber problems is due to network problems or the subscriber firewall configuration. In a scenario in which a service provider does provide personal firewalls, the provider will need to maintain records on individual firewalls and will be responsible for the software update, as appropriate.
In addition to the fact that the management and maintenance of firewalls in the Internet can be difficult, they often cannot protect the Internet against so-called "spoof" attacks. Spoof attacks involve sending traffic that appears to be a legitimate source IP address and therefore acceptable to the firewall, but the source address has been hijacked and used illegitimately. Even the most advanced firewalls can and have been spoofed by the serious hacker.
In today's network, providers use identity verification in order to validate users requesting access to their networks. The authentication mechanisms will take many forms and identification information will typically reside in a Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) or other Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server.
Spoof attacks typically take advantage of the authentication mechanisms in order to cripple the server. The Internet Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks prevent a target services device (or victim server) from performing its normal functions through the use of flooding of or irregular sizes of certain types of protocols, such as "Ping" requests aimed at the "victim" server. The DoS attacks are launched from a single machine to a specific server to overload the processor or monopolize the bandwidth for that server so that legitimate users cannot use the resource. Another type of spoof attack takes advantage of the Distributed DoS (DDoS) in much the same way, however, they are launched from multiple machines for the same intentions. Most of the DDoS attacks are done through propositioned code on the offending machine, also known as a "slave", so that the remote or "master" machine can command the "slave" to launch the attack at any time.
Because many attacks are bandwidth attacks, very few solutions are available to avoid such an attack. The attacks continue until all bandwidth or server resources are monopolized and no further traffic is permitted through. For broadband edge device, it is difficult for such attacks to quickly consume the entire bandwidth. Other devices in the Internet, including services servers will be victimized by the DoS and DDoS attacks and the device will fail.
Currently there is no way any device can entirely defend against DoS and DDoS attacks. Here, attacks come from thousands of computers fooled into launching the attacks on the services server.

Method and apparatus for security management in a networked environment


Methods for protecting a peritoneum or other tissue during a surgical procedure are disclosed. In some embodiments, a protective lining is applied to the peritoneum or other tissue before an active surgical intervention, such as before tissue dissection, tissue approximation, and/or other surgical act. In some embodiments, the protective lining includes a protective film applied to the peritoneum or other tissue via a delivery balloon or via a spray instrument.

The peritoneum is a relatively flimsy lining of the abdominal cavity that is susceptible to inadvertent tearing and other injury during a surgical procedure in the abdominal cavity and/or through the abdominal wall. It is known to apply a film-type barrier to the peritoneum to prevent formation of post-operative surgical adhesions, but such film-type barriers are applied only after the surgical intervention.

Method of protecting the peritoneum against tearing and other injury before an active surgical intervention at or near the peritoneum


This invention relates to capturing and displaying images and/or data received from a manned, or, more typically, an unmanned aerial drone. More particularly, the invention relates to a system of sensors mounted on an aerial drone and display systems in addition to transmission and reception components associated with the sensors and display systems respectively whereby images and/or data captured by the sensors can be transmitted to, received by, and viewed on single and multiple monitor display systems.

Operators of single lens, conventionally configured camera and monitoring device combinations for aerial photography on manned or unmanned aerial vehicles experience limited field of view issues. Using a single lens, conventionally-configured camera and monitor combination creates a relatively narrow perspective that may hinder a pilot's ability to ascertain an object's true location and proximity to the vehicle due to a lack of ambient visual cues. Thus, pilots or operators cannot make the accurate attitude and control adjustments necessary to capture the desired images.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Image monitoring and display from unmanned vehicle


A surgical method for assisting cardiac function utilizes a pair of inflatable balloons initially in collapsed configurations. The balloons are inserted into an intrapericardial space about a patient's heart. One of the balloons is disposed about one portion of the patient's heart and the other of the balloons about another portion of the patient's heart. The method further includes differentially inflating the balloons in the intrapericardial space to differentially compress the one portion and the another portion of the patient's heart.

This invention relates to an intrapericardial assist device. This invention also relates to a method for assisting a patient's heart in its pumping function.
When a patient's heart stops, for example, in the operating room, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required. In that procedure the chest is violently pounded at the region of the sternum to compress the chest and thereby compress the heart between the sternum and the spine. This compression forces blood out of the ventricles through the one-way valves of the heart. When the pressure on the heart is released, the heart expands and blood is sucked into the heart.
For all its violence, CPR is a delicate procedure in that it must be performed correctly in order to have the desired result of starting the stopped heart. A problem with CPR is that, whether or not it is performed correctly, CPR invariably results in cracked ribs, a fractured sternum and destroyed costochondral (cartilage) junctions. Thus even if a patient survives CPR, he is usually injured.
Another serious cardiac condition arises in people who have experienced heart attacks. In such persons, a portion of the heart muscle is frequently destroyed by the attack. Although nerves passing through the damaged heart tissue are not destroyed to the point of ceasing function, the operation of the nerves may be significantly impaired. Conduction of nerve impulses may be delayed. This delay in signal transmission over the impaired nerves results in a delay in heart muscle contraction in those parts of the heart controlled by the impaired nerves. This condition is observed as a "bundle branch block" in an electrocariogram.
Another abnormal and detrimental cardiac condition is a hypertrophy of the left ventricular muscle owing to a sticky heart valve or aortic stenosis. The increase in left ventricular pressure resulting from increased resistance to blood flow out of the left ventricle gradually induces an increase in the size of the myocardium about the left ventricle. This left ventricular hypertrophy is a dangerous condition, particularly where the individual suffers from coronary artery disease. The larger heart muscle requires greater blood flow and is therefore more sensitive to even temporary reductions in that flow. Such a reduction in blood flow occurs, for example, when the afflicted individual exercises.

Intrapericardial assist device and associated method


A method for characterizing one or more properties of a geological formation including brine, the method including inputting at least one first property of the geological formation into an equation of state (EOS) model, the EOS model accounting for a high temperature effect on the brine; solving the EOS model to determine at least one second property of the geological formation; and outputting the at least one second property to a display device.

In accordance with known interpretation techniques, one or more types of porosity-related measurements is combined with measurements of electrical resistivity, or its inverse, electrical conductivity, to infer the character of the fluid content within the pore spaces of a geological formation. Assuming the porous rock matrix is non-conductive, it has been theorized the electrical properties depend only upon the brine or connate water contained in the pores of the rock and the geometry of the pores. The conductivity of a fluid-saturated rock is due to the ions of the dissolved salt that make up the brine and the magnitude of the electrical conductivity has been presumed to be primarily a function of the brine content of the reservoir fluid. Pioneer work in the field was performed by G. E. Archie as set forth in his paper "The Electrical Resistivity Log As An Aid In Determining Some Reservoir Characteristics", Trans. AIME, v. 146, 1942, PP. 54-62.
As is known in the art, the value of the resistivity of a rock which is completely saturated with brine of a given concentration at a specific temperature was defined by Archie as follows:F=Ro/Rw=Φ−m where F is the formation resistivity factor; Ro is the resistivity of rock 100 percent saturated with brine expressed in ohm-meters; Rw, is resistivity of brine expressed in ohm-meters; Φ is the porosity and m is an empirical constant. Resistivities of oil field brines have been investigated and values published for a small range of relatively low temperatures historically encountered during drilling.
Current modeling techniques utilize this information in algorithms to relate the water conductivity to brine salinity, and to use this information to infer the amount of brine present in the reservoir fluid, and thus the hydrocarbon content of the reservoir.

Device and method to determine conductivity for high pressure-high temperature service


A catalytic converter has a catalyst support that is heated due to supply of electricity, and a pair of electrodes that are disposed so as to contact an outer periphery of the catalyst support as seen in an orthogonal cross-section that is orthogonal to a direction in which exhaust flows. By making a volume resistivity of the electrodes be higher than that of electricity supplying portions of external cables that are connected to the electrodes respectively and are for supplying current to the electrodes, heat generated at the electrodes is provided to the catalyst support, and a generated heat amount of the catalyst support in vicinities of the electrodes is made to be large as compared with a generated heat amount at an inner portion of the catalyst support.

In a catalytic converter that is provided at an exhaust pipe in order to purify the exhaust generated at an internal combustion engine, it is desirable to supply electricity to a catalyst support, that is formed of metal and supports a catalyst, and raise the temperature of the catalyst support so as to obtain a sufficient catalytic effect. For example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-280086) discloses a honeycomb monolithic heater that has square cells (through-holes) whose cross-sectional shapes are square, and that obtains a uniform heat generating ability due to a pair of electrode plates being disposed such that the angles that are formed with the walls of these through-holes are acute angles.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-280086


An output driver circuit of a DRAM is wired in a push-pull arrangement. A CMOS transistor arrangement provides a strong output signal. This transistor arrangement comprises the pull-up transistor circuit of the push-pull arrangement. A bootstrap circuit gates the NMOS of the CMOS causing an incremental increase in CMOS drain current.

A (DRAM) stores digital data in an array of memory cells. Each memory cell has a specific address which is essentially the intersection formed by a wordline and a digit line. Once an individual cell has been selected, its true data is amplified and latched onto its digit line by a sense amp. The same sense amp also amplifies and latches the cell's complementary data onto another digit line. Thus, one digit line is high, usually approaching V.sub.cc, and the other digit line is low, 0 volts.
It is necessary to transfer the data from the digit lines to the output. This data transfer is accomplished by incorporating an output driver circuit into the DRAM. The output driver normally consists of two serially connected NMOS transistors wired in a push-pull arrangement as in FIG. 1A, where A is the data and B is A's complement. C is a control signal. The drain of the pull-up transistor 1 is connected to V.sub.cc, the source of the pull-down transistor 2 is connected to ground with the output pad 3 connected in parallel from the serial connection 4 to ground. The push-pull arrangement is conducive to low distortion, large load power and high efficiency. A second option for a push-pull circuit configuration is the three serially connected NMOS transistor arrangement shown in FIG. 1B. In this case the output pad 3 remains in parallel with the grounded pull-down transistor 2 and the two upper transistors 5 constitute the pull-up transistor. There are problems encountered in either arrangement. First it is necessary to use large pull up transistors for a total size in the range of 4500 microns. These large transistors require more space. Further, the use of NMOS transistors makes the circuit subject to negative input injection. Large initial drain currents in an ouput driver circuit are also noise conducive.

CMOS bootstrapped output driver method and circuit


A remote control unit for an entertainment system comprising a television or other display device, and a plurality of peripheral devices connected to the televisions. The remote control unit is adapted to send and receive information signals to and from the television and to the peripheral devices to control the devices. The television and remote control unit both preferably includes a receiver and transmitter and appropriate memory and logic coupled to the transmitter and receiver. Alternatively, the remote control unit preferably includes a receiver and transmitter and a repeater coupled to the receiver and the transmitter. In operation, the remote control unit sends commands to the television, which responds by sending information or a specific command back to the remote control unit. The remote control unit then retrieves and sends a specific command or repeats and sends the command received from the television to the appropriate peripheral device.

Controlling and switching between peripheral devices, such as VCRs, DVDs, A/V receivers, and the like, connected to a television is often fraught with difficulty as the consumer typically switches between multiple remote control units or switches between multiple layers on a universal remote control unit. In an alternative method to switching between multiple remote control units or between control layers on a universal remote control unit to control peripheral devices, the television is used to convert generic command codes received from a remote control unit to device specific command codes and directs the command codes to connected peripherals by directing signals to emitters connected to the ends of long cables and placed in front of the devices' receivers. See, e.g., U.S. application Ser. No. 10/138,702, entitled "Control System and User Interface for Network of Input Devices," filed May 2, 2002, which is incorporated by reference. As depicted in FIG. 1, generic IR control signals 12 are received by the television 10, or other displace device, from a remote control unit 11 and, in response, a television 10 sends device specific IR signals down IR blaster cables 18 to emitters 17 connected to the ends of the cable 18. The signals 16 are broadcast from the emitters 17 to peripheral devices such as, e.g., a VCR 15, DVD 14 and the like, which are connected to the television 10 or other display device over media signal cables 13.
The use of blaster cables, however, increases the cost of the base television. In addition, the blaster cables increase the complexity of the installation of the peripheral devices as the end user must string the cables to each peripheral and locate the emitter in front of the IR receiver of each device.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a remote control unit that facilitates the control of peripheral devices connected to a television set.

Mitsubishi Electric Visual Solutions America, Inc.


Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a mold open/close cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a mold open/close piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. A first drive gear in the cylinder housing is coupled to the gear rack and a drive shaft extends from the first drive gear and the cylinder housing into the gearbox. A second drive gear is disposed in the gearbox and coupled to the drive shaft. Laterally spaced operating shafts extend upwardly from within the gearbox. Means including an idler gear couple the second drive gear to the operating shafts such that the operating shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by the cylinder, the gear rack, the first and second drive gears and the idler gear. In exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the means include driven gears or connecting links coupling the second drive gear and the idler gear to the operating shafts. Linkages couple the operating shafts to the mold arms of the glassware forming machine.

Glassware forming machines, including particularly individual section glassware forming machines, include one or more blank molds for forming molten glass gobs into glass parisons, blow molds for blowing the glass parisons into articles of glassware such as glass containers, and transfer mechanisms for transferring the glass parisons from the blank molds to the blow molds and for transferring the articles of glassware from the blow molds. The blank molds and the blow molds typically are formed by mold halves mounted on mold arms for opening and closing the molds. A general object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for opening and closing the blank molds and/or the blow molds of a glassware forming machine, which is easily serviced and thereby reduces machine downtime for maintenance and repair.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a mold open/close cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a mold open/close piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. A first drive gear in the cylinder housing is coupled to the gear rack and a drive shaft extends from the first drive gear and the cylinder housing into the gearbox. A second drive gear is disposed in the gearbox and coupled to the drive shaft. Laterally spaced operating shafts extend upwardly from within the gearbox. Means including an idler gear couple the second drive gear to the operating shafts such that the operating shafts are rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by the mold open/close cylinder, the gear rack, the first and second drive gears and the idler gear. In exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the means include driven gears or connecting links coupling the second drive gear and the idler gear to the operating shafts. Linkages couple the operating shafts to the mold arms of the glassware forming machine.
Apparatus for opening and closing mold arms in a glassware forming machine, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, includes a gearbox for mounting on a glassware machine frame, a cylinder housing suspended beneath the gearbox, and a mold open/close cylinder disposed within the cylinder housing. The cylinder has a mold open/close piston with an extending piston rod and a gear rack machined or otherwise formed in the piston rod. Drive gears couple the gear rack to operating shafts on which the mold arms are mounted for moving the mold arms between open and closed positions. A mold close boost cylinder within the cylinder housing has a mold close boost piston operatively coupled to the piston rod and the gear rack. A mold close boost air supply on the cylinder housing supplies air to the boost cylinder and functions through the mold close boost piston, the piston rod and the gear rack to assist the mold open/close cylinder in holding the mold arms in the closed position. The mold close boost air supply preferably includes an exhaust valve for rapidly exhausting air from the mold close boost cylinder when the mold open/close cylinder moves the mold arms toward the open position. The mold close boost piston preferably is mounted on and end of the piston rod remote from the mold open/close piston.

Apparatus for opening and closing molds in a glassware forming machine


A method and apparatus of atomic emission spectrometry includes confining a solution within an emission chamber for on-line analysis or individual sample analysis. An electrical discharge created within the liquid to directly excite an internal portion of the liquid within the liquid solution. The atomic emission is totally enclosed within a liquid solution pocket. A fiber optic probe is connected directly to the excited internal portion within the liquid and to a suitable analyzer which analyzes the atomic spectral lines to determine the atomic elements within the liquid solution. The system can be used for individual element analysis or a multiple element analysis by use of an array spectrometer, with a simultaneous display of the complete atomic spectrum of multiple elements in a liquid solution, all in less than a period of one second. In an on-line system, the liquid sample flows through the emission chamber with the electrical discharge created as time spaced discharges which are subsequently integrated by the analyzer to produce individual element related signals.

This invention relates to atomic emission spectrometry and particularly to a system adapted for on-line analysis using atomic spectrometry.
Various analytical instrumentations have been developed and suggested for analyzing of solids and liquids. Generally, prior art systems of atomic emission spectrometry require an input of energy for the conversion of the material into a gaseous state. A detailed discussion of the prior art appear in Spectrochemical Analysis Published by Prentice Hall and particularly Chapter 9, "Arc and Spark Emission Spectrometry". The materials to be analyzed are in the form of solids or solutions in which the elements being monitored are bonded to other elements. In order to provide for atomic spectrometry analysis, the individual bond must be broken. The atomic elements will emit light in the ultraviolet visible, or near infrared spectral region in response to an appropriate input energy to the element. In addition, each element response is a particular unique element-related frequency. Generally, the input energy has been applied through a plurality of well known different energy sources including 1) flame; 2) electrothermal through the use of a graphite furnace; 3) electric arc; 4) electric sparks and 5) inductively coupled plasma using a radio frequency field. In all instances, the product is converted to a gaseous or plasma condition and the converted gas or plasma is exposed and directly analyzed on a sample-by-sample basis. Each gas or plasma sample is analyzed through light absorption or emission analyses. With atomic absorption, the system measures the light absorbed in the energized atom cell. In atomic emission processes, the light emitted from the energized atom cell is monitored. In atomic fluorescent procedures, the fluorescent light emitted from the energized atom cell is monitored.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,198 which issued Dec. 9, 1980 discloses a system for analyzing liquid samples for total inorganic sulfur. The patented system takes a sample of the material and converts it to a volatile H.sub.2 S sample which is carried into a plasma chamber using a suitably inert gas. The emitted light of the evolved H.sub.2 S is analyzed to determine the total inorganic sulfur concentration within the sample.
Although such methods have been used for atomic emission analysis, the prior art has been significantly limited by the use of sampling procedures including the necessity of converting each sample to a gaseous state and then analyzing of the gaseous product in a separate analysis unit. There is a significant demand for a more direct method for elemental analysis of a liquid solutions, and particularly with a continuous or on-line procedure which eliminates the requirement for sampling.