An absorbent, low-linting fibrous structure comprising an entangled web of synthetic fibers, wherein fibers of at least one of said top surface and said bottom surface are surface bonded, such as by thermal or adhesive bonding. The web is absorbent, has low density, is resistant to linting, and can retain structural integrity at high temperatures. The structure can be made by forming a web of synthetic fibers, entangling the fibers of the web, such as by needling or hydroentangling, and bonding the fibers at the surface of the web by thermal or adhesive bonding.

Fibrous webs for absorbing a wide variety of liquids are widely used for a variety of purposes. Fibrous webs are made from a plurality of individual fibers which are bonded to one another to provide the web some degree of structural integrity, so that it can retain its shape during manufacture, handling, and/or use. Void volume within the web provides capacity for absorbing and retaining liquids. One of the disadvantages of fibrous webs is that individual fibers incorporated into the web, especially at the surface of the web, can become loose and separate from the web. This is referred to as linting.
In many applications, the web is enclosed within a confined volume by one or more liquid permeable sheets. For example, diapers have an absorbent web enclosed within a nonpermeable backsheet layer and a liquid permeable topsheet layer. The topsheet and backsheets contain any lint that may separate from the web. The fibers of some webs are bonded to one another to reduce linting.
One method of bonding the fibers is to thermally bond them together with polymeric bonding materials, such as but not limited to polypropylene, polyethylene, and other polyolefins. Other bonding technologies frequently used include adhesive agents and polymeric resins. Still other webs are made from polymeric fibers which, when heated to a high enough temperature, become partially molten or flowable. When the web is cooled, those synthetic fibers in sufficient proximity to one another to cause the molten polymer for adjacent polymers to contact one another become thermally bonded as temperature falls below the melting or glass transition point of the polymer. A disadvantage of these types of bonding methods is that the bonding agents added to the web can adversely affect absorbency and softness of the web. Another disadvantage of thermally bonded webs is that they do not retain structural integrity at temperatures above the melting temperature or glass transition temperature of the polymer used to thermally bond the fibers. Thus, webs relying upon thermal bonding to control lint would not be useful for applications in which they are exposed to high temperatures, such as when used as heat insulators, for example in a pot holder or for industrial or construction purposes. Another application wherein the webs may be exposed to high temperatures is absorption of oils from food during cooking. If stable at temperature, such webs may be contacted with foods during cooking, or even intermixed in the food, to absorb fats and oils. Typical temperatures experience during stove-top cooking, for example, can range from about 120 C to about 175 C.
Another method of bonding fibers together is known as entangling. Entangling the fibers entails mechanical interlocking of the fibers to one another. One commonly known method for entanglement is needling (also referred to as felting), wherein a barbed needle is inserted into the web and then removed, causing entanglement at the point of insertion. Another method of entanglement is hydroentanglement, wherein narrow jets of water are directed at the web to cause the fibers to become entangled. Although needling can introduce significant improvements in structural integrity to the web, such webs having high levels of absorbency typically suffer from relatively high levels of lint. When entanglement is increased sufficiently to reduce lint, the web typically suffers from reduced absorbency. It is also known to thermally bond synthetic fibers of non-woven webs by calendar rolls or other compressive means, such as is in the manufacture of inexpensive non-woven fabrics used to make disposable clothing, e.g., surgical gowns. These types of materials are generally thin and would have poor absorbency.
British Patent 1,124,482, granted Sep. 21, 1965, Ludlow Corporation, discloses a process for manufacturing polyolefin fiber-containing non-woven fabric in which one surface is heated to fuse the thermoplastic fibers. A thermo-responsive resin then added to the web melted by hot air. This product would not have good high temperature stability once exposed to a high enough temperature to melt the thermo-responsive resin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,315, issued Mar. 7, 1989, A. A. Zufang and R. A. M. J. Fabrie, discloses a method for making a web of plastic material having a base layer of plastic fibers which are heat treated at one surface. A second layer of plastic material, having a higher plasticizing temperature than the base layer, is then laminated to the heated surface of the base layer. The resulting web is said to retain porosity. However the lamination process described therein would not reduce Tinting of the resulting product, particularly at the exterior surfaces of the product.
It is an object of this invention to provide fibrous webs that are both absorbent and have low levels lint.
It is a further object of this invention to provide fibrous webs that are absorbent and retain structural integrity upon exposure to relatively high temperatures during use.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide fibrous webs that are absorbent, have low levels of lint, and retain structural integrity upon exposure to relatively high temperatures during use.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a method for making fibrous webs that meet the above objects.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide methods of using such fibrous webs.
These and other object and benefits of the invention may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art may be achieved as a result of the invention as described in the specification and defined in the claims which follow.
All percentages are by weight of the total composition or product unless otherwise indicated. All averages are weight averages unless otherwise indicated. All products or processes that comprise one or more elements disclosed or claimed herein may alternately consist of or consist essentially of any elements disclosed or claimed herein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Surface bonded entangled fibrous web and method of making and using


A charge-coupled device (CCD) used as a demodulator and a correlator in the receiver of a spread spectrum radio system. The device implements both functions in the charge domain, thereby avoiding unnecessary conversions between voltage and charge that would normally be required if the functions were separately implemented. In its preferred form, the demodulator and correlator include an in-phase filter (170), a quadrature filter (172), delay circuits (174, 176), decimation circuits (181-184), correlators (191-194), and signal combiners (200, 202). The delay circuits are used in the preferred embodiment to compensate a time shift between the in-phase and quadrature channels that result from the minimum shift keying modulation used, but would not necessarily be required for other types of modulation. The decimation circuits match the data rate of the in-phase and quadrature filters to the data rate used by the correlators, which is determined as a function of chip rate used to spread the data. Each of the in-phase and quadrature channels are implemented in a CCD, which includes a "pipe organ" filter structure to implement the respective filters that process the analog input signal for each channel. Storage sites are configured as delay lines in the device.

In a spread spectrum system, a transmitted signal is spread over a frequency band that is much wider than the bandwidth of the information being transmitted. One technique commonly used in spread spectrum systems is direct sequence (DS) modulation. In DS modulation, each bit of an information-bearing signal is modulated by a higher frequency, binary, pseudorandom code signal. This DS modulation step may simply comprise producing the code signal itself when the information bit is one, and inverting the code signal when the information bit is zero. Each bit of the code signal, and each bit of the DS modulated signal obtained by modulating the information-bearing signal with the code signal, is referred to as a "chip."
Once the DS modulated signal has been produced, it is applied to modulate an intermediate frequency (IF) carrier using any one of several phase or frequency shift keying techniques, e.g., quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), minimum shift keying (MSK), and bi-phase phase shift keying (BPSK). The IF modulated signal is then up-converted to RF and transmitted. At the receiver, the received signal is first down-converted to an IF signal, and the IF signal is then input to a demodulator that recovers the DS modulated signal. The DS modulated signal is input to a correlator, which "despreads" the DS modulated signal using the same pseudorandom code signal that was used in the transmitter during the DS modulation step. This correlation step permits extraction of the transmitted information-bearing signal, even in the presence of noise or jamming.
Since most DS spread spectrum signals have a very low input signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the demodulation and correlation are carried out non-coherently. A typical approach is to provide quadrature demodulation of the IF signal, followed by quadrature correlation. In the prior art, a quadrature demodulator is typically followed by a separate and fully independent quadrature correlator circuit.
There are several well known techniques for implementing quadrature demodulators. A common analog quadrature demodulator is configured using mixers and one or more low pass filters. Another approach (usually implemented digitally), is to perform a Hilbert transform to obtain the quadrature component of the signal being demodulated. The advantage of using a Hilbert transform to perform the quadrature demodulator function is that better amplitude and phase match between two channels can be achieved without requiring adjustment of the circuit.
The Hilbert transform can easily be implemented in a finite impulse response (FIR) filter structure. FIR filters have previously been provided using charge-coupled devices (CCDs), for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,858. In this reference, an input signal to the CCD is either a voltage or current that is converted to charge for internal storage; the filter function is implemented by converting the charge information to a voltage or current for output from the device.
Correlators have also been implemented in CCDs. As in the CCD filter discussed above, the input signal to the correlator is a voltage or current that is converted to charge for storage in the device.
In a conventional DS receiver in which both the demodulator and correlator are implemented in separate CCDs, it has in the past been necessary to convert the charge at the output of the CCD demodulator to a voltage, and then reconvert this voltage back to a packet of charge for processing by the CCD correlator. These conversion steps introduce errors and unnecessary complexities into the system. Accordingly, it would be desirable to implement the demodulator and correlator in an integral device that avoids unnecessary conversions between voltage and charge, thereby minimizing distortion and losses.


A memory system has an array of split gate non-volatile NVM cells that are in program sectors and the program sectors make up one or more erase sectors. The control gate of cells in a program sector are physically connected. A program/erase circuit programs a selected program sector by applying a programming signal to the control gates of the split gate memory cells of the selected program sector while applying a non-programming signal to the control gates of program sectors not selected for programming, that erases an erase sector comprising a plurality of the program sectors by contemporaneously applying an erase voltage to the control gates of the split gate NVM cells of the erase sector, wherein during the applying the programming signal, the program/erase circuit applies a source voltage to the sources of each of the split gate NVM cells of the erase sector.

Field
This disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit devices, and more specifically, to driver circuitry of memory arrays.
Related Art
Many integrated circuit devices include memory devices to store data, where a memory device includes a number of memory cells. Driver circuitry is used to select memory cells in the memory device during read, program, and erase operations. Generally, as memory cells scale with technology, high voltage drivers take a larger proportion of the memory area, making it difficult to build memory devices while minimizing area overhead.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements, unless otherwise noted. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

Common source architecture for split gate memory


The performance of a bandgap reference circuit is improved by increasing the ΔVBE, and thereby correspondingly decreasing the input sensitivity of the error amplifier in the control loop. The ΔVBE can be increased by presenting stacked diode configurations at the amplifier inputs, by increasing the diode ratio presented at the amplifier inputs, and by providing a higher current in the CTAT leg than in the PTAT leg. The stacked diode configuration is achieved by producing isolated diodes with a triple well CMOS process. The stacked diode configuration and the triple well CMOS process also permit the input stage of the amplifier to use N-channel transistors operating in the threshold region.

Virtually all systems that manipulate analog, digital or mixed signals utilize at least one reference voltage as a basis for other operations in the system. The reference voltage should be reproducible every time the circuit is powered up, and must remain relatively unchanged over process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variations. A well known conventional technique for producing a reference voltage is the semiconductor bandgap reference circuit, also referred to as a bandgap reference. A bandgap reference circuit relies on the bandgap energy of the underlying semiconductor material. Such bandgap reference circuits are well known in the art. Conventional examples of such bandgap reference circuits can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,075,407 and 6,281,743, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to the aforementioned requirement that bandgap reference circuits provide adequate performance over PVT variations, many applications also require the bandgap reference circuit to operate at vary low supply currents, and to be as small as possible.
One factor that can significantly impact the performance of a bandgap reference circuit is the input offset of the control loop amplifier (error amplifier). The offset is typically multiplied by approximately 10 in most bandgap designs. This multiplication factor can translate a relatively small offset error at the amplifier input into a relatively large error at the amplifier output. Trimming can provide a limited solution to the offset problem, but usually only at a single nominal temperature, not across the entire operating temperature range. Choppers have is also been conventionally utilized to solve offset problems, but they are not particularly effective in some applications, for example, low drop out amplifiers (LDOs) and switched power supplies.
It is desirable in view of the foregoing to provide bandgap reference circuit designs which provide adequate performance over PVT variations, operate at low currents, produce a relatively compact circuit footprint, and overcome offset problems.

Bandgap reference designs with stacked diodes, integrated current source and integrated sub-bandgap reference


A fixing latch member for heat radiating board of CPU, including two latch boards, two linking levers and a controlling lever. Two ends of each latch board are respectively formed with a first and a second latch sections. The linking lever is passed through the latch board. A first end of the linking lever is hooked with the first latch section of the latch board. A second end thereof is formed with a connecting plate section having a locating hole and passed through the second latch section. Each end of the controlling lever is formed with an outward extending driving section fitted in the locating hole of the linking lever. The second latch section of the latch board resiliently abuts against the bottom of the driving section. By means of rotating the controlling lever, the driving sections thereof are rotated within the locating holes of the linking levers. At this time, the driving sections simultaneously downward press the second latch sections and lift the linking levers and drivingly lift the first latch sections, whereby the first and second latch sections are inward retracted toward each other so as to tightly latch the heat radiating board on the CPU.

The present invention relates to a fixing latch member for heat radiating board of Central Process Unit (CPU), and more particularly to a fixing latch member for heat radiating board of Pentium II CPU produced by Intel (Intel is a trade mark of Intel Corporation.)
It is known that the old CPU has been replaced by the Pentium II CPU developed by Intel. The electronic chips in the CPU often suffer high temperature after a period of execution. This will affect the processing speed of CPU or even lead to damage thereof. In order to obviate this problem, a heat radiating board is mounted on a lateral side of Pentium II CPU and a radiating fan is installed on the heat radiating board so as to enhance the heat radiating efficiency of the CPU. The heat radiating board is generally installed in such a manner that two metal latch plates made by integral punching are used to secure the heat radiating board on the CPU. Such measure has several shortcomings as follows:
1. The two metal latch plates are separate components so that it is necessary to secure the latch plates one by one. PA1 2. The metal latch plate has great resilient strength and narrow width so that it is strength-consuming to secure the latch plate on the CPU. Also, in installation, the user often has a painful feeling at his fingers. PA1 3. When unlatching the latch plate from the CPU, a tool such as screwdriver must be used to pry up one side of the latch plate. This often results in injury of the user. PA1 4. The metal latch plate often drops down due to shocking force in transferring.

Fixing latch member for heat radiating board of central process unit


The present invention relates to a polynucleotide construct encoding a fusion protein consisting of a domain which binds the immunoglobulin Fc region, genetically fused to a truncated form of Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE). In particular, the invention discloses the fusion protein, ZZ-PE38, and further provides immunotoxins, formed from complexes of the fusion protein with antibodies for targeted cell killing.

The aim of drug targeting is to kill target cells such as cancer cells, while leaving normal tissues unharmed. Immunotoxins combine the selectivity of an antibody moiety with the potency of a toxin moiety. Such agents kill target cells via a process which involves specific binding to a cell surface antigen preferentially expressed on the cells, such as a tumor-associated antigen, internalization and delivery of the toxic moiety to the cytosol, where a critical cell function is inhibited, leading to cell death. A decisive breakthrough in immunotoxin development was the advent of hybridoma technology, making monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) available in limitless supply. The "first generation" of immunotoxins, for example as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,985, were chemically linked conjugates of mAbs or Fab′ fragments capable of binding cancer cell antigens, and potent protein toxins derived from plants or bacteria such as ricin, abrin, saporin, Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin (PE), cholera toxin (CT) and Diphtheria toxin (DT). Such early immunotoxins showed impressive results in vitro but in most cases displayed poor anti-tumor effects in animals or humans, and often with excessive toxicity.
The "second generation" of immunotoxins were generally fully recombinant antibody-toxin chimeric molecules, usually in the form of a single-chain antibody genetically fused to a truncated version of either DT or PE, such as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,405.
Over the years, a large number of antibodies that bind tumor-associated antigens have been isolated. Early on, the need for a rapid screening approach to assess the potential of such antibodies was recognized, since internalization is a pre-requisite for most drug delivery approaches (Casalini et al 1993, Cancer Immunol Immunother 37, 54-60). An undisputed proof of internalization can be provided by linking the antibody to a cytotoxic cargo (such as a drug or a toxin) and testing the ability of the antibody to deliver the cargo into a target cell. The first generation of immunotoxins could provide such a tool, but some antibodies are not readily conjugated. While use of second generation recombinant immunotoxins for screening purposes is technically feasible, it is extremely labor intensive.
Some agents that could potentially link any IgG to a toxin have been disclosed, for example in Kim and Weaver 1998, Gene 68, 315-21; O'Hare et al 1990, FEBS Lett 273, 200-4; Madshus et al 1991, J Biol Chem 266, 17446-53; Tonevitskii et al 1991, Mol Biol (Mosk) 25, 1188-96, but none of these disclosures show an agent effective in target cell killing.
The immunoglobulin Fc-binding protein denoted ZZ is a recombinant tandem repeated, mutated form of domain B of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus which has been used in a variety of biotechnological applications (Nilsson et al 1987, Protein Eng. 1, 107-13; Nilsson et al 1996, Protein Eng. 1, 107-13).
Fusion proteins composed of protein ZZ and diphtheria toxin, either the full-length toxin or fragment B thereof, have been disclosed (Madshus et al 1991, supra; Nizard et al 1998, FEBS Lett 433, 83-8). A chimeric protein composed of S. aureus protein A fragments and Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A has been disclosed (Tonevitskii et al 1991, supra). While the chimeric protein was shown to be capable of ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2 and binding to immunoglobulin, evaluation of its cytotoxic properties in two model systems showed only a slight inhibition of target cell growth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,026 discloses DNA sequences encoding fusion proteins comprising a first segment which encodes a native or mutant subunit of a bacterial toxin that confers enzymatic ADP-ribosylating activity inter alia Pseudomonas toxin, and a second segment which encodes a peptide which confers water solubility on the fusion protein and targets the fusion protein to a specific cell receptor different from receptors binding to the native toxin, and can thereby mediate intracellular uptake of at least the toxin subunit. According to the disclosure, the receptor may be one present on B lymphocytes and the peptide may be inter alia S. aureus protein A or a fragment thereof in single or multiple copies. The only fusion proteins specifically disclosed are those composed of cholera toxin subunit A1 linked to DD, the latter being a dimer of the D-region of protein A, and such fusions are described as being non-toxic in vivo and capable of enhancing immune effects of B and T cells. According to the disclosure, the intended use of the fusion protein is for potentiating immune responses.
There remains a need for effective immunotoxins and recombinant reagents for screening of antibodies for their potential as components of such immunotoxins, in particular the ability to be internalized within target cells.

Recombinant fusion protein and polynucleotide construct for immunotoxin production


A viewpoint detection unit detects a user viewing a stereoscopic image, including a parallax image of a subject as viewed from a predetermined position defined as a reference view position, and tracks a viewpoint of the detected user. A motion parallax correction unit determines, if a speed of movement of the viewpoint becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined level, an amount of motion parallax correction for the parallax image, on the basis of an amount of movement of the viewpoint, so as to generate a stereoscopic image corrected for motion parallax, generates, if the speed of movement of the viewpoint subsequently becomes lower than a predetermined level, a stereoscopic image by changing the amount of motion parallax correction in steps until the parallax image return to parallax images as seen from the reference view position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image displaying device, an image display method, and an image correction method, and, more particularly, to display and correction of stereoscopic images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, 3-dimensional display devices like three dimensional (3D) television sets capable of presenting stereoscopic images are becoming available to ordinary users. Mobile devices such as cell phones and mobile game devices capable of presenting images stereoscopically are also available on a growing scale so that opportunities have increased for ordinary users to enjoy stereoscopic images.
Meanwhile, explosive popularity of cell phones with a built-in camera initiated an increase in the number of information terminals built with small-sized camera modules. Many mobile devices such as notebook personal computers, tablet PCs, mobile game devices as well as smartphones are now built with camera modules. In particular, many cell phones and mobile game devices are provided with camera modules capable of not only taking pictures but also capturing an image of a user for image-based communication. Many desktop PCs and game devices built with camera modules also allow users to capture images of their faces and use the image for mutual communication.
In this situation, we have become aware that, with mobile devices capable of presenting stereoscopic images and provided with a camera module for capturing an image of the face of a user, it is possible to use information obtained from the face of the user captured in an image to control presentation of stereoscopic images.

Image display device, image display method, and image correction method


An apparatus and method for collecting, sorting and storing samples from multiple batches of copper cathode is disclosed. Samples are collected at a sampling station and transferred to a collection container. The samples are then transferred to a sorting container by way of chutes forming a continuous path from the collection container to the sorting container. The sorting container is affixed on the top surface of an automated carousel having a plurality of sorting containers for sorting samples from multiple batches. Samples in the sorting containers are recovered into storage containers through an access door panel and a funnel placed beneath the access door.

Copper cathode is produced by an electrolytic refining process of dissolving copper from copper anodes that are about 98-99% copper by weight. By virtue of placing the impure copper anode into an electrolyte solution under the influence of a pre-determined current density, copper ions from the anode migrate to a cathode which is normally made of a stainless steel starter sheet. Such a migration of the copper ions selectively plates the dissolved copper in "pure" form onto the stainless steel cathode, the thickness of which increases as the electrolytic refining process proceeds. Furthermore, metals that are more electropositive than copper tend to remain insoluble and separate out as impurities collecting at the bottom of the cell as a slime. The deposited copper on the cathode is approximately 99.99% pure copper. However, due to a variety of factors, such as variation in current density, minor quantities of impurities including, for example, bismuth, arsenic and antimony, can be trapped in the deposited copper.
The presence of such impurities can be highly undesirable, especially in specialty applications like manufacturing of integrated circuits where the effectiveness of the circuits is sensitive to any increase in impurity. Therefore, samples are frequently taken for conducting purity analysis of the manufactured copper cathode. The typical sample is a quarter-size disk of ½ to one inch in thickness punched from a copper cathode sheet. The sample is collected in a bucket or similar container. However, the operation of the production line is often disrupted either to empty the collection bucket between different batches of copper cathode to prevent mixing of samples from different batches or simply to replace a full bucket with an empty bucket. Such disruptions can accumulate over extended periods of time to the extent that a full day's production can be lost over the period of a month. This, in turn, can result in significant monetary losses to the manufacturer. Moreover, present sampling techniques require constant supervision of the sampling process to replace, sort, store and track the samples and buckets. Productivity can further be limited by the size of the sampling regime, i.e., the more cathode copper sampled, the more production disruptions and the more supervision of the sampling operation is required.
In consideration of the above problems, manufacturers of copper cathode have an interest in a system that continuously collects, sorts and stores copper cathode samples without disrupting the progress of the production line. Advantageous of such a system would include minimum supervision; the collection, sorting and storage of samples from different batches; and infrequent and easy maintenance of the equipment.


A hollow inner cylinder is provided in a lead end portion of a casing, and a pen shaft is inserted into the inner cylinder. The inner cylinder is connected to the casing through a partition wall having communication holes formed herein. In an annular space defined between the inner cylinder and the casing and located below the partition wall is filled an impregnation receptacle holding a dry preventing agent for preventing a nib from getting dried. The liquid applicator thus constructed is capable of effectively suppressing the drying of the nib without affecting the performance of liquid to be applied.

This invention relates liquid applicators including felt pens, paint markers, and ball-point pens.
Generally, when a liquid applicator containing, in a casing thereof, liquid to be applied, for example, a ball-point pen containing ink therein, is left uncapped for a long time, volatile components of the ink introduced to a nib of the applicator evaporate into the air and the ink is condensed and solidified at the nib, thereafter becoming a hindrance to ink flow during writing. Thus, the above liquid applicator suffers from the so-called scratching phenomenon problem.
In view of this problem, it has been conventionally attempted to suppress the condensation and solidification of the ink by adding wetting agents such as ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, thereby preventing the nib from drying.
In general, since wetting agents added to ink cause blotting in one's hands, reduction in the density of written lines, stenographic performance and ink flow, their use is subject to limitation. Accordingly, it cannot be expected that addition of wetting agents to ink will bring about remarkable effects. In recent years, pigment ink which has excellent light, water, and chemical resistance has been frequently used in the above liquid applicator. However, the nib of the liquid applicator is particularly liable to dry with the pigment ink. Thus, it is expected to provide a means capable of effectively preventing the nib from drying.

Liquid applicator with drying prevention agent


Methods for treating male sub-fertility by administering a pharmaceutical composition to a subject in need thereof are provided. The pharmaceutical compositions include an agent that causes a reduction in an effect of extracellular DNA on sperm cells. The agent may be, for example, an enzyme that degrades DNA such as DNase, a substance that blocks the interaction between cell free DNA and sperm cell surface receptors, a substance that binds to DNA, a substance that inhibits endogenous sperm cell DNase, a substance that inhibits a member of a signal transduction pathway mediated by DNA binding to sperm cell surface receptors, or an agent that stimulates production of an endogenous substance that causes a reduction in an antifertility effect of cell free DNA on sperm cells.

Today, in the western world about one couple out of five is sub-fertile. Sub-fertility is defined as a failure to conceive after 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse. In about half of all sub-fertile couples, male sub-fertility is observed, and in almost 40% of such couples the sub-fertility is solely due to male factors.
Male fertility status is evaluated by a semen analysis. The most common analysis, known as "routine semen analysis", provides information on the number of spermatozoa present in the ejaculate, the proportion of motile (and/or progressively motile) sperm cells and the percentage of cells that are morphologically normal. Male sub-fertility is usually associated with one or more of low sperm production (oligozoospermia), poor sperm motility (asthenozoospermia) and abnormal sperm morphology (teratozoospermia). The combination of all three of these defects ("oligoasthenoteratozoospermia", OTA) is the most common cause of male sub-fertility. The probability of conception increases with increased sperm concentration, motility and normal morphology. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed guidelines specifying threshold values for these parameters for classifying semen samples as normal or abnormal (10).
Routine semen analysis, however, has many limitations resulting in a significant proportion of patients exhibiting unexplained sub-fertility. To refine the diagnosis, additional tests have been developed that provide more information on the fertilization potential of human semen. These tests include various sperm cell functional tests (11), functional morphology tests as the "motile sperm organelle morphology examination" (MSOME, 12) and tests examining the extent of DNA damage in sperm cells, for example, the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA, 11).
In some cases, the cause of male sub-fertility is known. These include varicocele, hormonal disorders, infections, immunological infertility, obstructions of the male genital tract and cryptorchidism. Current medical and surgical therapies are available for these conditions (1). However in a large number of cases of male sub-fertility, the cause is not known. In these cases, various treatments may be applied to sub-fertile men, often on an ad hoc basis. These treatments include antiestrogens, aromatase inhibitors, androgens, FSH, pentoxyphylline, arginine, carnitine, glutathione, vitamins (A, C and E), and oligominerals (zinc, selenium) (1).
When a treatment of male infertility does not lead to a pregnancy after a reasonable period of time or if the diagnostic measures show that no improvement in fertility status is possible, then assisted reproduction techniques (ART) may be considered. The various assisted reproduction procedures enhance the sperm fertilization potential by bypassing some or all migration barriers of the lower and upper female genital tract as well as the ovum investments. ART procedures that are common today include intrauterine insemination (IUI, 2, 3), classic in vitro fertilization (IVF, 4, 5) and IVF-Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI, 6). An improvement in ICSI is a technique known as "intracytoplasmic morphologically selected injection" (IMSI, 7-9) in which the fine morphology of motile spermatozoa is examined by high power microscopy and the spermatozoa exhibiting the best morphology of the nuclei are selected for ICSI.
Sperm cells from a variety of species have been shown In vitro to bind and take up exogenous DNA (13). DNA binding is mediated at least in part by CD4 and MHCII molecules present on the surface of sperm cells and is antagonized by the glycoprotein IF-1, present in the seminal fluid. Sperm interaction with extracellular cell free DNA activates intracellular nucleases such as DNase that cleave the sperm genomic DNA, eventually leading to a cell death process which resembles apoptosis.
Bovine DNase I has been used clinically since 1965. It is used in the former Soviet countries to treat infections caused by DNA viruses such as Herpes and adenovirus. It is believed that DNase degrades the viral DNA to mono and oligo nucleotides. This medication is usually used to treat Herpes simplex type 2 (genital herpes) infections, Herpetic eye infections caused by Herpes simplex, Herpes zoster infections, inflammation of the respiratory track as bronchitis and pneumonia and tuberculosis. For these applications it is administered either by intramuscular injections, inhalation or as eye drops. Recombinant human DNase I is another clinically used DNase I. It is an FDA approved medicine administrated by inhalation to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In these patients retention of viscous purulent secretions in the airways contributes both to reduced pulmonary function and to exacerbation of infections. Purulent pulmonary secretions contain very high concentrations of extracellular DNA released by degenerating leukocytes that accumulate in response to infection. DNase I hydrolyzes the DNA in sputum of CF patients and reduces sputum viscoelasticity (14).

Method and pharmacological composition for the diagnosis and treatment of male sub-fertility


A retainer for movably securing a valve member within a fluid bore of a pump comprises a retainer head which includes at least one peripheral groove and a retainer hub which is connected to or formed integrally with the retainer head. The valve member is movably coupled to the retainer hub, and the retainer head is movable to position the groove over a radial protrusion in the fluid bore. In this position, the retainer is secured to the pump and the valve member is accordingly movably secured within the fluid bore.

The present invention relates to reciprocating plunger and piston-type pumps which are used, for example, in oilfield operations. In particular, the invention is related to an improved valve retainer for supporting a suction valve within the suction bore of the pump.
Plunger pumps for the oilfield industry generally include a plunger which is positioned in a plunger bore, a suction valve which is positioned in a suction bore and a discharge valve which is positioned in a discharge bore. In operation, the plunger is reciprocated in the plunger bore to alternately draw fluid into the pump through the suction valve and then force the fluid out of the pump through the discharge valve.
Prior art plunger pumps typically include a valve retainer for supporting and guiding the suction valve within the suction bore. Without this valve retainer, the suction valve and its corresponding parts would be free to rise into the path of the plunger and thereby damage the plunger or other parts of the pump. In some pumps the suction valve and the retainer comprise a single assembly. In other pumps, especially larger pumps, the valve retainer is installed separately from the suction valve.
In these later types of pumps, various means are used to mount the valve retainer within the plunger bore or the suction bore. One example of a prior art valve retainer is the "longhorn" style valve retainer. These valve retainers comprise a hub within which the stem of the suction valve is slidably received and two diametrically opposed "horns" which are rotated into corresponding grooves formed in the suction bore to thereby secure the hub in place. However, these grooves create stress concentrations within the suction bore which can reduce the serviceable life of the pump.


A method for treating process material using a plurality of autoclaves, wherein each of the plurality of autoclaves cycles through the following: introducing steam from one or more of the plurality of autoclaves into an interior of a vessel; increasing the temperature within the vessel by adding heat to the interior of the vessel using an indirect heat source; reducing the temperature and pressure within the vessel by flashing a portion of the steam within the interior of the vessel to another one of the plurality autoclaves; increasing the temperature within the vessel by continuing to add heat to the interior of the vessel using the indirect heat source; and reducing a moisture content of the process material in the interior of vessel to a predetermined value by venting a remaining portion of the steam to another one of the plurality of autoclaves.

Landfills are commonly used to dispose of waste materials of many different types. These waste materials can include paper products, food scraps, yard waste, metal, glass, plastic and a host of other materials. In an attempt to reduce the amount of waste material that is deposited in landfills, source separating efforts in the form of recycling programs have been instituted. To the extent they are used, such recycling programs help reduce landfill dependence. However, it has been found that such recycling programs only result in the removal of a relatively small percentage of the total waste material. In the case of at least some material, such as paper products and others, the relatively small recovery rate can be attributed at least in part to the fact that a large percentage of the products are food-contaminated and thus quite difficult to separate and recycle.
Various proposals have been made in the past to treat waste material prior to its introduction into a landfill in an attempt to recover portions of the material and thereby reduce landfill dependence. However, generally speaking, those proposals have not been well received, as they are not particularly suited for efficiently and effectively treating different types of waste materials such as those commonly found in municipal solid waste (MSW). Municipal solid waste is generally the most complex and mixed material occurring in waste streams. Thus, systems for effectively and efficiently treating municipal solid waste must be capable of treating and breaking down a wide range of different materials.
In addition to being not well suited for handling a wide range of materials, past proposals for treating waste material also suffer from other disadvantages and drawbacks. For example, some proposals require a supply of heated boiler quality water for heating the treated material. However, the need for water of that quality significantly increases the cost and complexity of the treating facility. Moreover, the use of boiler quality water is not needed since the water immediately becomes contaminated once it is introduced into the treated material.
In addition, in situations in which the material being treated has been heated and saturated with hot water for purposes of breaking down the waste material, steam is employed in an attempt to dry the material to a specified degree. However, as might be expected, steam is not very well suited as a drying mechanism since it tends to introduce additional moisture into the material. Thus, past proposals have not been well suited to allowing the material to be dried to any desired degree. Moreover, little effort has been made to recover the heat that is generated during the treatment process.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an automated apparatus and system, which is designed to treat municipal solid waste (MSW), and more particularly an automated system, which is designed to treat municipal solid waste (MSW) with wastewater from waste activated sludge (WAS) treatment facility.

Method and system for treating municipal solid waste


Systems and methods of operating a wireless communication system are provided. A network node can receive a request from the wireless device to establish communication with the first access node. A network node can receive an indication from an authorization node that a wireless device is not authorized to communicate with a first access node. The network node can transmit a message denying the request to establish communication with the first access node to the wireless device based on the indication from the authorization node. The network node can receive a request from the wireless device to establish communication with a second access node. The network node can determine that the wireless device is authorized to establish communication with the second access node. The network node can transmit a message granting the request to establish communication with the second access node to the wireless device.

A wireless communication network can include a plurality of access points or access nodes. An access node can be controlled by a single network operator or shared by two or more network operators. When an access node is shared by two or more different network operators, one access node can be associated with a plurality of network identifiers. For example, the access node can advertise a plurality of public land mobile network identifiers (PLMN-IDs).
A wireless device can initiate communication with an access node through automatic PLMN selection mode or manual PLMN selection mode. In an automatic PLMN selection mode, a wireless device can maintain a list of approved PLMN-IDs where the list can rank the PLMN-IDs based on priority criteria. During automatic PLMN selection mode, the wireless device can continually monitor for available PLMN-IDs and automatically select to initiate communication with an access node based on the list of PLMN-IDs stored at the wireless device. In a manual PLMN selection mode, a list of currently available PLMN-IDs can be displayed at the wireless device and a user may select one of the PLMN-IDs from the presented list to initiate communication with the access node associated with the selected PLMN-ID. During manual PLMN selection mode, the wireless device can continue to communicate with the access node associated with the selected PLMN-ID even though PLMN-IDs having a higher priority than the selected PLMN-ID may be available from the list stored at the wireless device.

Restricting communication using operator determined barring


In a method of driving an x-ray detector having a switching device connected to a light detecting pixel comprising a photodiode which detects an x-ray emitted from an x-ray generator and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the x-ray, the method includes: receiving an x-ray with the photodiode during an x-ray detecting period to generate the electrical signal corresponding to the x-ray; turning on the switching device using a gate signal during a first gate turn-on period to transmit the electrical signal to an external component; providing a light to the photodiode during a first flash period of an offset control period; and turning on the switching device during a second gate turn-on period of the offset control period during which the light is not provided to the photodiode to maintain an electric potential at a coupling node disposed between the photodiode and the switching device at a predetermined level.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of driving an x-ray detector and an x-ray detector using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to an x-ray detector and a method of driving the x-ray detector in which image distortion caused by an offset voltage deviation is substantially reduced and/or effectively prevented.
2. Description of the Related Art
An x-ray detector is used, for example, as a medical diagnosis device which detects an x-ray image of an object photographed by an x-ray generator, to provide the x-ray image to a display device.
Recently, a flat panel detector which utilizes a digital radiography ("DR") method has been widely used as an x-ray detector, since the DR method does not require film. A flat panel x-ray detector using the DR method typically includes a plurality of light detecting pixels in the flat panel detector to detect an x-ray incident thereon. Each light detecting pixel of the plurality of light detecting pixels includes a photodiode. The photodiode detects an x-ray emitted from an x-ray generator and outputs an electrical signal proportional to the x-ray. The light detecting pixel further includes a switching device which transmits the electrical signal output from the photodiode to a readout integrated circuit of the flat panel x-ray detector.
The readout integrated circuit reads out, e.g., receives, the electrical signal from the flat panel detector. Specifically, the readout integrated circuit reads out the electrical signal based on a gate voltage provided from a gate driver which sequentially turns on switching devices of associated light detecting pixels arranged in a row direction. Thus, the readout integrated circuit sequentially reads out electrical signals on a row basis.
The electrical signal is thereafter output from the readout integrated circuit and is processed in a controller, typically disposed on a main board. The electrical signal is thereafter converted to an image signal and transmitted to a display device to display the x-ray image thereon.
In general, when the x-ray is not provided to the flat panel from the x-ray generator, an electric potential at a coupling node (e.g., a node at which the photodiode and the switching device of a given light detecting pixel are connected) gradually changes based on a changing offset voltage of the photodiode. Further, when an input interval, e.g., a duty cycle, of the x-supplied ray from the x-ray generator is varied, an operation timing of the photo diode changes and, as a result, the offset voltage at the coupling node further varies.
As a result of the varying offset voltage at the coupling node, the electrical signal output from the photodiode is adversely affected. For example, a distortion in which the offset voltage is added to the electrical signal when the switching device is turned on may occur. To mitigate this problem, an offset compensation method which detects the offset voltage of the signal output from the switching device to remove the offset voltage from the electrical signal has been suggested. However, in the offset compensation method of the prior art, when the offset voltage varies based on the operation timing of the photo diode, as described above, it is difficult to perform the offset compensation method. As a result, a distorted image, caused by an offset voltage deviation based on the operation timing of the photo diode, is displayed on the display device of the x-ray detector of the prior art.

Method of driving x-ray detector and x-ray detector using the same


A communications apparatus used in a wireless full duplex system is disclosed. The communications apparatus includes a receiver chain connected to an antenna and an interference cancelling chain. One or more cancellation signals generated by the interference cancelling chain are fed back to the receiver chain prior to the first baseband amplifier which uses the first automatic gain control and the second automatic gain controller. Other methods and systems also are disclosed.

The present invention relates to wireless full-duplex communications and more particularly to interference cancellation for full-duplex communications.
We consider the problem of canceling self-interference received by a wireless node from the transmitted signal from the same node. The self-interference signal is partly known to the transmitter with the exception of the channel gain and multipath effect. We investigate the limitation of digital cancellation in solving the problem of self-interference cancellation and seek efficient algorithms that can be used in wideband and frequency selective channels as well as the narrowband and frequency flat channels. We show that limitations of analog to digital converters (ADC) such as the dynamic range and quantization resolution are the main obstacle in restricting the isolation levels of the self-interference signal that can be achieved by employing digital cancelation. We provide design guidelines and a specific digital cancelation system with an enhanced effective resolution and larger dynamic range by feeding back the canceling signal prior to analog to digital conversion. We also address the problem of wideband digital cancellation by using the theory of sparse signal recovery.
The transmission and reception in the current commercial wireless communication systems occurs in orthogonal resource blocks (RB) where a resource block indicates a particular division of space, frequency, and time. In particular, the cellular systems are designed such that uplink and downlink transmissions work in orthogonal time, i.e., time division duplex (TDD) systems, or frequency division duplex (FDD) systems. Due to the orthogonality constraint between the resource blocks for transmission and reception from any network terminals, e.g., the base stations or relays, the system works in so called half duplex (HD) mode. A full-duplex wireless device is one that can transmit and receive at the same time in the same frequency band and typically requires at least one Tx and one Rx antenna. The key challenge in realizing such a device lies in the Self-Interference (SI) generated by the Tx antenna at the Rx antenna. As an example, consider a WiFi signal with a transmit power of 20 dBm. A Tx-Rx antenna separation of about 6-8 inches results in a path loss of about 40 dB (depending on channel characteristics), resulting in a self-interference of at least −20 dBm. With a noise floor around −93 dBm, one would further require a self-interference cancellation of at least 73 dB to be able to decode the desired received signal. While one can solely employ digital interference cancellation techniques, current analog to digital converters (ADC's) do not have a resolution to pass a received signal which is 73 dB less than the noise floor. Hence, several practical full duplex (FD) systems [1, 2, 3] have been proposed that couple RF cancellation along with digital cancellation to achieve the desired level of SI suppression.
Digital noise cancellation has been vastly addressed in the literature in the context of active noise cancellation where it is particularly designed for reducing the acoustic noise by generating interfering signals that enables cancellation of an unwanted signal at a particular location. In spite of the similarity of active noise cancellation and self-interference cancellation for the purpose of wireless full duplex communication there are subtle differences between the two problems:
Firstly, in the problem of active noise cancellation, the unwanted signal is not known and only a statistical model of the signal is assumed to be known. An example of such signals is the noise generated by the propeller of an airplane or helicopter, the noise generated by the engine of the airplane or a car in steady motion, etc. The road noise in an automobile generated by the tires is also another example of such signal.
The second difference is that the signal has to be generated and then propagated in the air to reach the desired location where the null is intended. Therefore, due to the considerable delay in propagation of acoustic signals over the distance, it is required that the future value of a signal be predicted rather than the current value of the signal. In contrast, in self-interference cancellation the interfering signal is known and given the fast propagation of the electromagnetic signals, prediction of its future value is not an issue in this context. However, the power of self interference is comparable or much higher than (say 10 dB to 40 dB) that of the intended signal. Moreover, the intended signal has the same carrier frequency and therefore it is not practical to null a particular frequency. For example, consider a narrow band system with 10 kHz bandwidth at a center frequency of 2.4 GHz. At the receiver, the self-interference signal could be a modulated cosine wave with phase difference Φ1 and amplitude A1 while the intended signal is different only in phase and amplitude, say Φ2 and A2, respectively. Therefore by considering only a narrowband signal it is impossible to figure out the self-interference component from the received signal unless if the phase and amplitude of the self-interference is available a priori. However, for a wideband system the situation is different and the signature of the self-interference signal over different tones may be used for resolving this issue.
RF cancellation can include a combination of antenna cancellation and analog cancellation. In [1], antenna cancellation was achieved by placing two Tx antennas asymmetrically at l and l+(λ/2) distance from the Rx antenna, thereby allowing the transmit signals to add π out of phase and hence cancel each other. On the other hand, analog cancellation involves generation of the π phase shift internally, coupled with the estimation and compensation of the SI channel [2, 3]. This allows for it phase shifters with a better frequency response over a wide-band channel (e.g., BALUN in [3]) to be employed, in contrast to the strong dependence on frequency (λ) posed by the antenna cancellation in [1]. While the existing schemes employ at least two antennas, one can also envision FD with a single antenna [5], where a circulator is used to isolate the Tx and Rx signals. However, owing to the lack of path loss attenuation and the lack of contribution from RF cancellation, the required level of SI cancellation is significantly higher and hence hard to realize.
Current work on self-interference cancellation have considered four types of cancellations (i) Active noise cancellation in the air for example by using transmit antenna cancellation [1], (ii) Active noise cancellation in RF circuits and transmission lines for example by using receive antenna cancellation [4], (iii) Passive noise cancellation with analog noise canceler circuits [5], and (iv) Passive noise cancellation with digital noise canceler algorithms [2].
[1] J. Choi, M. Jain, K. Srinivasan, P. Levis, and S. Katti. Achieving single channel, full duplex wireless communication. In Proceedings of ACM MobiCom, September 2010.
[2] M. Duarte, C. Dick, and A. Sabharwal. Experiment-driven characterization of full-duplex wireless systems. Avaiable at: http://warp.rice.edu/trac/wiki/TransWireless2011_FullDuplex.
[3] M. Jain, T. M. Kim, D. Bharadia, S. Seth, K. Srinivasan, P. Levis, S. Katti, and P. Sinha. Practical, real-time, full duplex wireless. In Proceedings of ACM MobiCom, September 2011.
[4] M. A. Khojastepour, K. Sundaresan, S. Rangarajan, X. Zhang, and S. Barghi. The case for antenna cancellation for scalable full duplex wireless communications. Tenth ACM Workshop on Hot Topics in Networks (HotNets-X) November 14-15, Cambridge, Mass.
[5] M. Knox. Self-jamming Cancellation Networks for Full Duplex Communication. PHD Thesis, Polytechnic University, 2008.
We address the problem of digital cancelation of self-interference signal. While digital cancellation alone cannot provide the required isolation for the self-interference between the transmit to the receive RF chains, it is essential component and plays a unique role in enabling full-duplex systems. The problem with multipath and wideband signals is very hard to address in analog domain mainly due to the fact that wideband RF components are very hard to design, and design of multi stage cancelation circuits to cancel out the effect of different signal paths would be very expensive to build and hard to adjust. However, in digital domain, the main requirement is the resolution and dynamic range of ADC; processing in digital domain in order to generate wideband canceling signal is much simpler, less expensive, and efficient. We apply the theory of compressed sensing in order to find the solution to the problem of sparse channel impulse recovery for the purpose of self-interference cancelation.
We provide design guidelines as how to adjust or choose ADC parameters in order to meet particular SINR in the digital domain. We also provide efficient designs and algorithms that can be used in wideband and frequency selective channels as well as the narrowband and frequency flat channels. We show that limitations of analog to digital converters (ADC) such as the dynamic range and quantization resolution are the main obstacle in restricting the isolation levels of the self-interference signal that can be achieved by employing digital cancelation. We provide particular cancellation scenarios and system block diagrams with an enhanced effective resolution and larger dynamic range by feeding back the canceling signal prior to analog to digital conversion. We also provide new scheme for solving the problem of wideband digital cancellation by employing ideas from the theory of sparse signal recovery.
The "DETAILED DESCRIPTION" is organized as follows. In Section 1, we discuss the limits of digital noise cancellation due to the performance limitation of ADC. In Section 2, we discuss the problem of self-interference cancellation and the approach we take to solve this problem. In Section 3, we explain the channel estimation problem for the purpose of digital noise cancellation. We describe the relation between the channel estimation and sparse signal recovery problems in Section 4. We provide specific algorithms for channel estimation based on the compressed sensing algorithm in Section 5. We discuss the generation of the self-cancelation signals under different scenarios in Section 6. We provide further simulation results in Section 7. Finally, conclusion is described in Section 8.

Interference cancellation for full-duplex communications


A method for loadbalancing in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a request from an end user for a communication session at a central node. The method further includes identifying a selected one of a plurality of network nodes to facilitate the communication session for the end user based on feedback information provided by the selected network node. The feedback information is communicated from the selected network node and processed before making a decision to establish the communication session between the selected network node and the end user.

Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communications environments. In addition, the augmentation of clients or end users wishing to communicate in a network environment has caused many networking configurations and systems to respond by adding elements to accommodate the increase in networking traffic. Communication tunnels or links may be used in order to establish or to gain access to a network, whereby an end user or an object may initiate a tunneling protocol by invoking a selected location or a network node. The network node or selected location may then provide a platform that the end user may use to conduct a communication session.
As the subscriber base of end users increases, proper routing and efficient management of communication sessions and data flows becomes even more critical. Having access to, or being aware of, network node capabilities and/or current activity is important for executing proper loadbalancing techniques. In cases where improper loadbalancing protocols are executed, certain network components may be overwhelmed while other (potentially more capable) network resources remain unavailable and untapped. Such an imbalanced scenario may decrease throughput and inhibit the flow of network traffic: causing congestion or bottlenecks in the system. In a worst-case scenario, a requested communication session fails because a central node is unable to assess which nodes are actually capable of accommodating a session or a flow.

System and method for loadbalancing in a network environment using feedback information


The invention concerns a detent escapement for a timepiece including an escape wheel fitted with teeth, a balance onto whose staff there is secured at least one roller 4 including an impulse pallet-stone and in the circular periphery of which a notch is made, and a blocking member in the form of a lever hinged on a pin, said blocking member carrying means for locking the escape wheel, a control finger-piece and a follower ending in a beak arranged for cooperating with the notch of said roller, characterized in that said roller further includes a safety finger-piece arranged for cooperating with the teeth of the escape wheel and locking the latter when the impulse pallet-stone is accidentally unlocked from the toothing of the escape wheel.

A detent escapement answering the above description has already been proposed in Swiss Patent Application No. CH 641/75. Timepieces comprising detent escapements are highly prized for their precision. Detent escapements have, however, an important defect in that they are very sensitive to shocks. Consequently, they are reputed to be unsuitable for wristwatches. Indeed, when the watch is subjected to a shock in which the impulse pallet-stone receives an impulse from the escape wheel, the shock can cause a reverse rotation of the roller and unlock the escape wheel from the impulse pallet-stone which unlocks said wheel, which can then rotate freely and damage the drive train and the escapement.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art by providing a detent escapement with improved shock resistance allowing it, in particular, to be easily integrated into a wristwatch.


A method and system for evaluating the sample coverage of ultrasonic or radiography (UT/RT) measurements of pipeline wall thickness for statistical validity. A data library contains distributions of in-line inspection (ILI) measurements for other pipelines, calibrated to correspond to UT/RT measurements as needed. The data library for these ILI-measured pipelines also includes statistics generated from Monte Carlo simulation, by way of which various sample coverage levels sample the ILI measurements, for determining whether a measurement exceeds a given threshold or meets another premise related to determining the extreme wall loss measurement for the pipeline. A pipeline with sampled UT/RT measurements is used to identify one or more ILI-measured pipeline datasets that are most similar, and the statistics from those most similar pipeline datasets determine whether the sample coverage of the UT/RT measurements is sufficient to draw conclusions about the extreme value of wall loss in the sampled pipeline.

This invention is in the field of pipeline inspection, and is more specifically directed to the evaluation of the amount of pipeline inspection that is necessary to ensure pipeline integrity.
Maintaining the integrity of pipelines is a fundamental function in maintaining the economic success and minimizing the environmental impact of modern oil and gas production fields and systems. In addition, pipeline integrity is also of concern in other applications, including factory piping systems, municipal water and sewer systems, and the like. Similar concerns exist in the context of other applications, such as production casing of oil and gas wells. As is well known in the field of pipeline maintenance, corrosion and ablation of pipeline material, from the fluids flowing through the pipeline, will reduce the thickness of pipeline walls over time. In order to prevent pipeline failure, it is of course important to monitor the extent to which pipeline wall thickness has been reduced, so that timely repairs can be made.
The direct physical measurement of pipeline wall thickness is of course not practical because of the necessarily destructive nature of such measurement. Accordingly, various indirect pipeline wall thickness measurement techniques have been developed over the years. The most widely used measurement technologies acquire measurements of thickness at selected locations along a producing pipeline, such locations either randomly selected or specifically selected based on models or other assumptions of the most vulnerable locations to loss of wall thickness. These measurement technologies include ultrasonic measurement, and imaging by way of x-rays or radiography (RT), each of which examine pipeline walls from the exterior at specific locations (e.g., over a one foot section). It is typically costly, from the standpoint of labor and equipment cost, to measure wall thickness using these methods, especially in extreme environments such as the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and its feeder lines where thermal insulation must be removed to access the pipeline for measurement, and then replaced. In addition, because the exterior of the pipeline must be directly accessed to obtain these measurements, excavation is required to obtain measurements of those portions of pipelines that are underground.
In the context of pipeline integrity, it is of course the extreme value of minimum wall thickness (maximum wall thickness loss) that is of concern. Accordingly, sampled measurement approaches are useful only to the extent that the sample measurements lend insight into the extreme minimum value. Fundamental statistical theory can provide such insight, under the assumption that the population of wall thickness measurements along the entire length of the pipeline (e.g., a measurement taken in each one-foot section along the pipeline length) follows a known statistical distribution. In other words, assuming a statistical distribution of wall thicknesses along the length of the pipeline, a reasonable sample size of measurements can then provide an indication of the minimum wall thickness to a certain confidence level. Unfortunately, it has been observed that measurements of wall thickness along the length of an actual pipeline do not typically follow a well-behaved statistical distribution. Worse yet, it has been observed that wall thickness measurement distributions vary widely from pipeline to pipeline. As a result, it is difficult to know whether the number of sampled measurements of pipeline thickness taken for a given pipeline is sufficient to characterize the extreme value of minimum wall thickness for that pipeline, to any reasonable confidence level.
Another pipeline wall thickness measurement technology is referred to as "in-line inspection" (ILI). According to this technology, a vehicle commonly referred to as a "pig" travels in the interior of the pipeline along its length, propelled by the production fluid itself or otherwise towed through the pipeline. The pig includes transducers that indirectly measure the wall thickness of the pipeline repeatedly along the pipeline length as the pig travels. Measurement technologies used in ILI include magnetic flux leakage techniques that measure the extent to which a magnetic field can be induced into the pipeline wall is measured, from which the wall thickness can be inferred. ILI inspection can also be carried out using ultrasonic energy, as well-known in the art. Unfortunately, ILI monitoring cannot be applied to all pipelines, because of their construction or geometry. Sampled measurements must therefore be used on a substantial number of pipelines in modern production fields and pipeline systems.
A known approach to the characterization of pipeline integrity applies sample thickness measurements to a predictive model of the pipeline. Known models apply parameters such as properties of the fluid carried by the pipeline, pressure, temperature, flow rate, and the like, such that a minimum wall thickness can be calculated given sample measurements of the wall thickness. The accuracy of such computer simulations in characterizing the minimum wall thickness of course depends on the accuracy with which the model corresponds to the true behavior of the pipeline. And, in turn, the accuracy of the model depends on the accuracy of the assumptions underlying the model to the actual pipeline. But in practice, as known in the art, real-world pipelines vary widely from one another in corrosion behavior, due to structural and environmental variations that are not contemplated by the model or its underlying assumptions. As more complicated models are derived to include the effects of these variations, the resulting computations will of course also become more complicated.
By way of further background, it is known to evaluate equipment reliability by selecting a statistical distribution, and applying Monte Carlo simulations to that statistical distribution, to plan a reliability evaluation.

Rapid data-based data adequacy procedure for pipeline integrity assessment

BP Exploration Operating Company Limited


By treating the silicon-oxide insulating layer of a semiconductor device with an aqueous metal-salt solution of a metal of an ion radius of less than 0.110 nm, for example, Sc, La or Zr, before a platinum electrode layer is provided on the insulating layer, the platinum layer shows excellent adhesive properties.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a semiconducting contact layer and a silicon oxide insulating layer which is located thereon and which has at least one aperture, as well as an electrode layer of platinum which is located on the insulating layer and which is in ohmic contact with the contact layer via said aperture and to such a semiconductor device, in particular a semiconductor laser.
Examples of the intended semiconductor devices are lasers, LEDs, integrated ferroelectric memories and microwave field effect transistors.
In European Patent Application EP-A-413491, a description is given of such a semiconductor device in the form of a semiconductor laser. The laser is built up of a number of layers of semiconducting material which contain InP or GaAs. One of said layers is the active layer which is bounded on both sides by, respectively, an n-type and a p-type cladding layer. One of said cladding layers carries a semiconducting contact or cap layer on which an insulating layer of silicon oxide is provided. Said insulating layer has one or more slit-shaped apertures on the inside of which a platinum electrode layer is in ohmic contact with the contact layer. The platinum layer extends over the insulating layer and is covered by a gold layer.
In the manufacture of such a semiconductor laser, use is made of a wafer of (mostly n-type) InP or GaAs on which the layers are provided by means of well-known techniques. Subsequently the wafer is cleaved (also termed dicing) to form laser chips. In this process the platinum layer may become completely or partly detached from the insulating layer, thereby rendering a part of the laser chips useless. In the above-mentioned Patent Application it is stated that a titanium layer having a thickness of 50 nm is located between the platinum layer and the silicon oxide layer. It is known per se that an intermediate layer of titanium may improve the adhesion of noble metals such as platinum to an oxidic substrate. Experiments carried out by Applicants have shown that in many cases the adhesion of a platinum layer to a silicon oxide surface, using an intermediate layer of titanium, is insufficient.

Structure comprising platinum layer bound to a surface of a silicon oxide layer


To visualize and analyze data, selection of at least one focus area in a visualization of a data set is received. Based on characteristics of the selected at least one focus area, using at least one analytic technique to mine relationships between data items and at least one attribute in the selected at least one focus area and data items and at least one attribute in remaining portions of the data set. At least one visual representation is generated to show mining results produced from selected data items and one or more attributes in the selected at least one focus area and the remaining portions of the data set, where the generated visual representation is composed to have an order and layout to represent the mined results.

Various techniques can be used for visualizing data sets, including large multi-dimensional data sets (which contain multiple dimensions or attributes). Examples of techniques of visualizing data sets include graphs, bar charts, pixel bar charts (in which pixels represent corresponding transaction records and are assigned colors based on values of attributes), pie charts, and so forth.
When large data sets are visualized, especially large multi-dimensional data sets, manually finding similar patterns occurring somewhere in a data set can be difficult, time-consuming, and impractical.

Generating a visualization to show mining results produced from selected data items and attribute(s) in a selected focus area and other portions of a data set

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A suspension connector system configured for use with suspended scaffold systems and related methods of installation, assembly and use are disclosed herein. In accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, methods of using a suspension connector system, for example, in relation to a structure, is disclosed. Suspension connector systems, as disclosed herein, can be affixed or otherwise connected to a structure so as to permit hanging of a suspended scaffold system, which can include work platform assemblies and access systems. Further in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, a plurality of suspension connector systems can be connected to a structure, for example, in a predetermined pattern or an array, to support, or be combined with, a suspended scaffold system of the kinds disclosed.

Scaffold systems, including work platform assemblies, are commonly suspended or hung when utilized for personnel to access a structure for erection, repair, inspection, and the like. Such scaffolding systems are commonly referred to as "suspended scaffold systems" or "hung scaffold systems" (or, more simply, suspended or hung scaffolds or scaffolding) and include scaffold systems that are both entirely and solely suspended and scaffold systems that are partially supported by a support structure (e.g., hung supported scaffold systems). The structures with respect to which scaffolds are suspended or hung often take the form of a steel structure or vessel with exposed structural members, such as steel I-beams. These exposed structural members typically are connected to and extend from the structure or vessel hull and facilitate attachment and suspension of suspended scaffolds.
However, some such structures, such as some types of offshore oil drilling and pumping platforms have flat, or at least generally flat, hulls or hull surfaces with few, if any, exposed structural members that can be used to secure or suspend a scaffold system. FIG. 8 provides an illustrative example of such structures. Currently, there are believed to be hundreds of "jack up" oil drilling rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico alone. These structures are ocean going vessels with smooth steel hulls. These vessels generate significant oil revenue when in operation.
Due to environmental and other conditions, and as referenced above, these structures require periodic, if not frequent inspections, cleanings, and repairs. For example, to repair worn hull surfaces, walls gathering or collecting debris, or to perform other spot repairs, and/or to repair equipment mounted with respect to the structure. Moreover, often the height of structures with respect to which scaffolds might be suspended can be quite large. For example, some offshore platform structures are on the order of 50 to more than 100 feet above a surface of the water.
For these and other applications, one solution that has been attempted involves installing welded connections, such as plate eyes (also referred to as "eye plates"), or pad eyes. Still, connections such as plate eyes and pad eyes are less than ideal for a variety of reasons. For instance, when a vessel or other structure is placed in dry dock for repairs, the plate eyes or pad eyes that are welded to the structure may puncture the vessel hull due to the small projected area of the component. In addition, rigging connections added subsequent to construction of the vessel represent a potential hazard during rigging and hoisting operations in that they can be used for purposes other than as initially intended. Still further, plate eyes and pad eyes extend from a vessel, allowing them to be susceptible to collecting any debris or material (e.g., marine growth) that can become attached or embedded in the structures. Thus, the plate eye and pad eye structures, along with collected material, can increase propulsion resistance during transport of the vessel (or other structure) from one location to another. Lastly, plate eyes and pad eyes, which are not generally designed for hung-supported scaffolding applications, do not facilitate connection of such scaffolding from a vessel or other structure in a readily usable manner. More generally, due to the inability to suitably secure suspended or hung scaffolds from these structures, the structures must be removed from service for access to their hulls for inspection, refurbishment or repair, resulting in down time and in loss of revenue.
For at least these reasons, therefore, it would be advantageous if a new or improved suspension connector system, particularly one that that can be used to suspend or hang scaffolding from a structure (e.g., an offshore platform) and/or method(s) of use could be developed that addressed one or more of the above-described concerns.

Suspension connector system configured for use with suspended scaffolding, and related methods


Technology for use by a human user in a viewing environment that includes a plurality of Internet of Things (IoT) light sources. Responsive to a voice command from a human user, machine logic determines which Internet of Things (IoT) light sources (for example, fixed brightness lamps, adjustable brightness lamps, windows with adjustable covers or shades) are causing glare problem by simulating a voice command throughout the entirety of a viewing environment. Once the problem light source(s) are determined, then the lighting is automatically adjusted to fix the glare problem.

The present invention relates generally to the field of voice commands used to direct the operations of computers (for example, smart devices).
The Wikipedia entry for "voice user interface" (as of Jul. 13, 2021) states, in part, as follows: "A voice-user interface (VUI) makes spoken human interaction with computers possible, using speech recognition to understand spoken commands and answer questions, and typically text to speech to play a reply. A voice command device (VCD) is a device controlled with a voice user interface. Voice user interfaces have been added to automobiles, home automation systems, computer operating systems, home appliances like washing machines and microwave ovens, and television remote controls. They are the primary way of interacting with virtual assistants on smartphones and smart speakers. Older automated attendants (which route phone calls to the correct extension) and interactive voice response systems (which conduct more complicated transactions over the phone) can respond to the pressing of keypad buttons via DTMF tones, but those with a full voice user interface allow callers to speak requests and responses without having to press any buttons. Newer VCDs are speaker-independent, so they can respond to multiple voices, regardless of accent or dialectal influences. They are also capable of responding to several commands at once, separating vocal messages, and providing appropriate feedback, accurately imitating a natural conversation . . . . Numerous challenges would have to be overcome, however, for such developments to occur. First, the VUI would have to be sophisticated enough to distinguish between input, such as commands, and background conversation; otherwise, false input would be registered and the connected device would behave erratically." (footnote(s) omitted)

Computerized adjustment of lighting to address a glare problem

International Business Machines Corporation


The current invention provides a kit of parts for producing an emulsifiable pesticide solution comprising: (a) a water miscible organic solvent selected from the list of a glycol ether, a glycerol formal, dimethylsulfoxide, gamma-butyrolactone or mixtures thereof, (b) an alkoxylated alcohol with an average of 6 to 80 moles of ethylene oxide and 2 to 60 moles of propylene oxide per mole of alcohol; and (c) a pesticidal active ingredient. The invention further provides a composition for producing an emulsifiable pesticide solution, a method for producing such a composition and a method for treating an agricultural crop. In addition the invention provides some advantageous pesticidal compositions.

Agrochemical formulations are designed to make the product practical in use and to obtain an evenly distribution of a small amount of active substance across a wide area for treatment of an agricultural crop. When developing a formulation, a number of factors need to be taken into account: the type of application, the crop to be treated, regional variation in agronomical practice, and last but not least physical-chemical properties of the active substance, including melting point, solubility and chemical stability.
Liquid formulations are preferred by the farmer for preparing spray solutions for several reasons. They can be measured volumetrically, are easy to handle, spontaneously form stable emulsions or dispersions and, given appropriate container design, are usually easy to rinse out of the packaging. They are also easy to handle in bulk handling systems and generally do not cause application problems.
An emulsifiable concentrate consists of an active ingredient dissolved in an organic solvent, with sufficient emulsifier added to create and oil-in-water emulsion after addition of water to the emulsifiable concentrate. An emulsion is a mixture in which one liquid is suspended in another liquid. In an agrochemical emulsion, water is often the continuous phase (carrier) while oil droplets consisting of solvent plus agrochemical active ingredient, are dispersed in it.
WO 2007/017501 discloses emulsifiable concentrate formulations comprising a pesticide active ingredient multicomponent solvent system and multicomponent emulsifying system. All examples comprise an aromatic hydrocarbon mixture.
The solvent for use in an emulsifiable concentrate is selected according to its capability of solubilizing a selected active ingredient. This requirement is often fulfilled by aromatic and isoparaffinic solvents. However, the use of solvents with low flash points is becoming increasingly restricted as governmental regulations are tightening their transportation and handling. Hence, there is a need to avoid the use of flammable solvents for the solubilization of active ingredient, especially for pesticidal active ingredients.
In order produce a concentrated emulsion, the emulsifier must be carefully selected to obtain a formulation in which a selected agrochemical active ingredient is optimally distributed. To form stable concentrated emulsions, irreversible anchoring in the oil droplet and strong steric repulsion between particles are required. Irreversible flocculation, or coalescence, of the emulsions is to be prevented by creating an energy barrier that is sufficient to prevent the droplets from approaching each other closely. Steric stabilization can be produced using surfactants.
The demanding requirements outlined above result in products being developed for a specific active ingredient. This results in a large range of products in storage at a formulation plant. Whereas product development for a new formulation takes a long period of time, demand for just-in-time delivery in response to the onset diseases plant is increasing. Formulators of agrochemicals are one the one hand faced with increasing costs for raw materials and storage space, and on the other hand with increasing complexity of agrochemical formulations.
EP 1625791 discloses a liquid insecticidal composition comprising a mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide, gamma-butyrolactone and a propylene oxide/ethylene oxide block copolymer surfactant in combination with a chloronicotinyl compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,861 discloses a mothproofing formulation for application to keratinous materials comprising cypermethrin, a barbituric acid, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, amine or amide surfactant, and a block copolymer of propylene glycol and ethylene oxide.
WO 2007/017501 discloses an emulsifiable concentrate comprising a phenylsimicarbazone, a solvent system, one or more emulsifiers and optionally further formulation additives for use against insect pests.
For none of the above formulations it was disclosed whether the solvent/surfactant pair is compatible with other active ingredients, in particular with a large number of diverse pesticidal active ingredients.
There remains a need in the art for improving the manufacturing process of agrochemical products and for emulsifiable pesticide solutions, in particular for products with an improved environmental profile, that are easy to manufacture, store and use, and are economically interesting to produce.
The present invention aims to resolve or ameliorate at least some of the problems mentioned above. In particular, the invention thereto aims to provide emulsifiable pesticide solutions that are capable of reducing warehouse costs whilst not restricting the formulator of providing farmers with a broad product range of emulsifiable concentrates. The emulsifiable concentrates are capable of providing good emulsion stability over an extended period at both elevated and freezing temperatures. In addition the agrochemical formulations have a lower environmental impact and are safer in use.

Method for producing emulsifiable pesticide solutions


An engraving sheet structure suitable for use as sheets of, for example, a passport or a bankbook has a substrate made of a plastic sheet made of, for example, a bi-axially orientated high-density polyethylene sheet having an opacity degree not greater than 70%, and an engraving layer formed on the substrate and having an opacity not less than 40% and made of a material which contains a cross-linkable binder. The opacity of the substrate is lower than that of the engraving layer, the difference in the opacity being not less than 30. The engraving layer being adapted to be engraved to form an image from its surface down to the level of said substrate. One or more colored layer may be provided between the substrate and the engraving layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engraving plastic sheet which is to be engraved by a suitable engraving means to present desired patterns or images and which is difficult to tamper, and hence, is suitable for use as a material of, for example, various types of cards, passport and bankbook.
2. Description of Related Art
Engraved plastic sheets having various patterns engraved therein have been known and used as, for example, ID cards which enable identification of individual persons. In recent years, passports made of such engraved sheets are used. Checking of examination of such engraved sheets are done by means of light reflected from the sheet and, hence, it is not easy to find any tamper of the sheets. Various types of sheets have been proposed to obviate this drawback but all these proposed sheets are still unsatisfactory.


Exemplary power systems for dynamically controlling a dispenser drive motor for dispensing soap, sanitizing or lotion. An exemplary soap, sanitizing or lotion dispenser includes a housing, a receptacle for receiving a container for holding a soap, sanitizing or lotion, a container of soap, sanitizing or lotion and a pump secured to the container. The exemplary soap, sanitizing or lotion dispenser includes a power source, a motor and an actuator that couples the motor to the pump. In addition, the exemplary soap, sanitizing or lotion dispenser includes pulse width modulation circuitry in circuit communication with the power source and the motor. Movement of the actuator one actuation cycle dispenses a dose of soap, sanitizing or lotion. The pulse width modulation circuitry provides a plurality of voltage pulses to the motor to move the actuator one actuation cycle.

In hands-free (or touch-free) dispensers, a liquid or foam pump is typically activated by an actuator that drives the pump through a drive cycle to dispense a dose of fluid. The liquid pumps and foam pumps primarily used in today's soap and sanitizer dispensers are dome pumps and piston pumps. A few dispensers utilized rotary displacement pumps.
Rotary displacement pumps, which are pumps that have a plurality of rollers on a wheel that rotate and compress a dispense tube (these pumps are often used in devices such as, for example, intravenous drip systems) have fairly precise dose sizes, however the dispense speeds are not practical for dispensing a dose of soap or sanitizer. In addition, creating foam soap or sanitizer with a rotary displacement pump is not feasible due to the speed of dispense required.
Some prior art dispensers deliver a dose of fluid based on time, such as, for example, 1 second of "on time" results in the dose dispensed. As a result, the battery voltage in the dispenser has an impact on the amount of fluid dispensed. As the battery voltage drops, the pump motor does not rotate as fast and accordingly, less fluid is dispensed as the batteries age.
Most prior art dispensers dispense a single "shot" of liquid and/or a single shot of liquid and a single shot that are mixed together to form a foam. In other words, a single liquid pump chamber is filled with liquid and dispensed for each dose of soap or sanitizer in a liquid format or a foam format. A single liquid pump chamber may not completely fill or completely empty when the dispenser dispenses a dose of soap or sanitizer. Accordingly, a single liquid pump chamber that dispenses a single shot of liquid often has inconsistent liquid dispense dose sizes.
In the prior art dispensers, the "average dose" size dispensed over a number of dispenses for these pumps may be fairly consistent, however, the individual volume or dose size of each individual dispense often varies. For example, the average dispense dose volume, may be, for example, 1.2 milliliters per dispense over ten dispenses, however, the individual dose volumes that make up that average may vary from, for example, 1.0 to 1.4 milliliters per dispense dose. There are various factors that lead to dose inconsistency, such as, for example, different vacuum pressures within the container holding the fluid, the pumps not fully priming, manufacturing variances between individual pumps, the level of fluid in the refills, the amount of time between dispenses, motor overrun, battery charge, pump life cycle, etc.
In order to overcome dosing inconsistencies, one may decide to set the dispense volume to a higher dispense volume to ensure that at least a selected minimum volume is dispensed each time. This practice typically results in dispensing more fluid than is actually required during many of the individual dispense cycles. This practice may be referred to as overdosing. Overdosing results in a fewer number of dispenses per refill unit (or per container fill-up), which increases operating costs and costs associated with replacing the refills or refilling containers. In addition, many people cause dispensers to dispense multiple dispenses of fluid per use, which further results in increased costs and more frequent replacement of refill units. Therefore, a need exists for a dispenser that has a more accurately or precisely controlled dispense volume and dispenses that selected volume of fluid in a short period of time.

Dispensers and dispenser systems for precisely controlled output dosing of soap or sanitizer


The present invention relates to tools, for example, hexagonal drivers and bits adapted to engage fasteners. The tool includes an external geometry that is adapted to engage internal walls or flats of a fastener with a larger area compared the prior designs that use a point type of contact. This reduces the stress exerted on the fastener and damage or deformation to the internal walls of the fastener.

A variety of wrenches and tools are commonly used to apply torque to a work piece, such as a threaded fastener. The work piece may be any number of different sizes and shapes and fitments. Accordingly, many tools include a driver adapted to engage and rotate the different work pieces. For example, for a typical bolt or screw having an internal hex head, exterior walls of a hexagonally shaped driver engage the internal hex walls of the fastener in a point contact, thereby allowing the tool to impart torque to the work piece. However, due to this point contact engagement, the fastener may become pre-maturely fatigued, stripped, and fail due to high stress concentrations being placed on the internal hex walls of the fastener at the points of contact.