A support structure for auxiliary machinery in a seagoing vessel, the support structure comprising a trussed frame supporting a mounting plate at an elevated height above the bottom or deck of the vessel, the mounting plate being adapted to support auxiliary machinery, the trussed frame comprising beams arranged in triangles along the sides and ends of the frame, whereby the frame elevates the machinery and provides ready access to the underside of the machinery.

Sea going vessels are usually propelled by large diesel engines that are housed within the hull of the vessel to drive one or more propulsion systems at the stern of the vessel via drive shafts that are located in housings that extend from the engine or engines. Such vessels also have a requirement for auxiliary machinery, that is machinery that is driven off the internal combustion engines or turbines to power generators, pumps and a variety of other componentry that is conventional in vessels of this kind.
Because this auxiliary machinery is driven by, for example, diesel engines and there is a considerable transfer of force from the diesel engines to the auxiliary machinery and this force requires a substantial support structure there is a need for means to reduce or eliminate vibration which is highly undesirable as it can resonate through the hull of the vessel. One means of reducing vibration is to further increase the size of the support structure and this can be a particular problem where the ship is constructed of aluminum in order to obtain light weight. The support structure that is thus used to support auxiliary machinery usually limits access to the machinery especially access to the machinery services that are frequently located on the underside of the machinery such as electrical cabling, cooling water and fuel supplies. Furthermore, access to the mounting bolts and the machines themselves can be difficult because of the substantial nature of the support structure.
On high speed light weight craft engine rooms are usually congested because the need for high speed results in very large power units and thus physically large engines and associated transmission systems. In multi hulled vessels this is a particular problem due to the narrowness of the hulls and yet the need for an engine room that can house a power unit of substantial size.
It is these issues that have brought about the present invention.


A flash memory fabrication method includes: providing a substrate having a plurality of floating gate structures separated by trenches, which includes at least a source trench and a drain trench, and source/drain regions; forming a metal film on the substrate and on the floating gate structures; performing a thermal annealing process on the metal film to form a first silicide layer on the source regions and a second silicide layer on the drain regions; removing portions of the metal film to form a metal layer on the bottom and lower sidewalls of the source trench and contacting with the first silicide layer, and forming a dielectric layer on the substrate and the floating gate structures, covering the source trench and the drain trench. Further, the method includes forming a first conducting structure and one or more second conducting structures in the dielectric layer. The first conducting structure is on the metal layer in the source trench, the second conducting structures are on the second silicide layer, and adjacent first conducting structure and second conducting structure have a predetermined distance.

In current semiconductor industry, IC products may be classified into three categories: analog circuits, digital circuits, and digital/analog hybrid circuits. Memory device is an important type of the digital circuits. In recent years, memory device especially the flash memory is developed very fast. The main feature of the flash memory is its nonvolatile property where data may be stored for a long time without a power supply. As a result, the flash memory is widely used in areas where dada needs to be kept during a power off state, and/or where dada needs to be read/written frequently. Besides, the flash memory has the advantages such as high degree of integration, fast reading and writing speed, ease of erasing and rewriting, etc. Thus, the flash memory is often extensively used in microprocessor and electronic systems and automation industries. Thereby, it is important to improve the performance and to reduce the cost of the flash memory.
EPROM Tunnel Oxide (ETOX) NOR flash memory is a high performance flash memory. A cell of the NOR flash memory often includes a floating gate structure on top of a substrate, a source region located on one side of the floating gate structure, and a drain region located on the other side of the floating gate structure. Further, the floating gate structure includes a tunnel oxide layer formed on the top of the substrate, a floating gate layer formed on the surface of the tunnel oxide layer, an insulation layer formed on the surface of the floating gate layer, and a control gate layer formed on the surface of the insulation layer.
As the development of high density flash memory, which is being used as the storage media in portable electronics such as digital cameras, laptops, and tablets, performance of the portable electronics increases significantly. Reducing flash memory's cost by shrinking the feature size of the flash units is a trend in the current flash memory technologies. Currently, for the ETOX NOR flash memory, the conducting structures on the surface of the source and drain regions may be formed by a self-aligned contact process, thus to satisfy the needs of making even smaller sized flash memory.
However, the conducting structures formed on the surface of the source and drain regions through the self-aligned process may still possibly cause the flash memory to have poor performance and low reliability and stability. The disclosed methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems.

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


In a method for displaying images on a display device having a predetermined size, m.times.n frames of matrix-like subset images including at least a single desired image, the subset images being among a plurality of images in a set of control format images, which are to be displayed on the display device and in which the plurality of the images are arrayed in a matrix-like form comprising M.times.N frames, wherein M>m and N>n, are enlarged with a scale of enlargement such that the subset images may be displayed simultaneously with a maximum possible size on the display device. The enlarged subset images are simultaneously displayed on the display device. The desired image is thereby displayed legibly such that it can be used as an effective tool in, particularly, the accurate and efficient diagnosis of an illness.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image displaying method and apparatus for reproducing visible images from image signals and displaying them. This invention particularly relates to an image displaying method and apparatus for displaying control format images, in which a plurality of images are arrayed in a desired display form, as visible images.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Techniques for utilizing filing systems have heretofore been carried out. With the techniques, a plurality of image signals representing a plurality of images are stored in a filing system, which is provided with a storage medium, such as an optical disk. When necessary, a desired image signal is read from the filing system, and a visible image is reproduced from the image signal.
In the filing systems, a plurality of image signals representing a plurality of images of a single object, such as a patient, which images are related to one another, are often stored on the storage medium. Examples of the plurality of images, which are related to one another, include a plurality of tomographic images of a single object, such as a human body, which are recorded successively, e.g. computed tomography (CT) images and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, and a plurality of contrasted images, which are obtained by recording the images of different portions of a single object such that, for example, as in a gastric examination, the state of movement of swallowed barium from the esophagus to the stomach can be viewed. When the plurality of images, which are related to one another, are to be viewed, necessary operations have heretofore been carried out by a person, who view the images, such that the images may be reproduced from the corresponding image signals and may be displayed in a desired display form on an image reproducing means, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device. For example, in cases where the number of the images, which are related to one another, is 12, they are displayed as control format images, in which the 12 images are arrayed in a matrix-like form comprising 3.times.4 frames.
Also, it is often carried out that a plurality of images arrayed in a display form are recorded on a single sheet of film, and a diagnosis, or the like, is made by viewing the film, on which the images are recorded. However, in cases where the control format images are displayed on a display means, such as a CRT display device, it often occurs that each of the frame images becomes small, depending upon the size of the display surface of the CRT display device, and becomes illegible such that the images displayed on the CRT display device cannot be used as an effective tool in, particularly, the accurate and efficient diagnosis of an illness.
In such cases, it is considered to enlarge the control format images and to display the enlarged images on the display means. However, with such a method, it often occurs that each frame image is limited by the size of the display means (e.g., the size of the display surface of the CRT display device) and is interrupted, depending upon the scale of enlargement. If the interrupted frame image is the one which is to be used, the enlarged control format images must be scrolled and moved such that the entire area of the image to be used may be displayed on the display means. Therefore, the operation for viewing a desired image cannot be kept simple.


The invention relates to a color toner composition comprising at least a binder resin and a colorant, and further comprising at least two charge control agents, wherein at least one of said charge control agents is a boron-containing compound, and at least two post-additive compounds used to treat the surface of said color toner.

Present day toners are formulated from a range of potential components. Most toner compositions include at least a polymeric binder material and a colorant. Other commonly used components include black and colored magnetic oxides, charge control agents, internal additives to augment toner properties, such as aiding in deagglomeration and homogeneous distribution of the colorant in the toner composition, and external additives, to aid in the proper function of the toner. The components used in a particular toner formulation are dependent on the requirements of the machine in which the toner will be used. For instance, the toner formulation must take into account such parameters as image quality, reliability, carrier life, toner shelf life, etc., all of which are intricately involved with the mechanical capability and design of the hardware of the machine. Often, there is more than one component of a toner formulation which performs to eradicate certain undesirable properties of the toner. These same components may however, also contribute to other problems, or the combination of two or more components which affect the same toner properties may result in over-correction of a trouble area in the toner performance. Therefore, the combination of components selected to comprise a given toner composition must be carefully balanced, taking into account the full range of properties contributed by each component and the interaction of each component with every other component of the toner composition. The choice of components is further influenced by cost and other practical considerations.
The bulk polymeric material of the toner generally functions as the binder for the colorants included in the toner formulation, but also affects many of the other toner functions, such as charging, electrical resistivity, and mechanical integrity, to name a few. Therefore, often times a combination of resins is used to achieve the desired performance. Polymers used in toner may be linear, branched or cross linked, and are chosen for their properties with respect to: thermal performance, i.e., glass transition temperature, melt viscosity, blocking temperature, and thermal integrity; mechanical properties, i.e., impact strength, adhesive/cohesive strength, and surface energy; electrical traits, i.e., triboelectric charge function, resistivity, and dielectric constant; and other miscellaneous features, such as moisture resistivity, % volatility, molecular weight, colorlessness, and pigment compatibility.
Among the most popular resins from which the toner resin may be selected are: acrylic resins, epoxy resins, polyamide resins, polyester resins, polyethylene resins, polystyrene resins, styrene-acrylic copolymer resins, and styrene-butadiene resins.
Dispersed in the binder resin are the colorants used in the toner formulation. In monocomponent toners, magnetic oxide pigments are used for the purpose of enhancing the magnetic attraction between the toner and the developer roll assembly. Carbon black has historically been the most popular colorant used in black toners, as it strongly influences the triboelectric charging capability of the toner. However, more recent toners employ charge control agents to achieve and control this toner feature, thus allowing the use of more easily dispersed black colorants. The black colorant may also affect the flow characteristics of the toner and, therefore, is sometimes added in incremental amounts to the toner surface.
The use of charge control agents to affect charging and development has been known. Originally, the agents of choice were those comprising metal dye complexes. These materials, however, are high in cost, color, and often times may exhibit unacceptable toxicity levels. Charge reversal agents, most of which are negatively charged, became popular with use of the organic photoreceptor. The negative charge imparted generated a need to balance the overall charge on the toner/system. This need was addressed by the development of coated carrier materials, such as fluorocarbon-coated ferrite carriers. Also, and in combination with the coated carrier, it has been popular to use nitrogen containing nigrosine dyes. These dyes, however, not unlike the metal dye complexes, are highly colored and contribute to a host of other problems relating to uniformity and reproducibility in print, carrier contamination, and quality consistency. No one charge control agent is known which is suited for all machines, and in choosing an agent the technician must consider machine hardware, the carrier component characteristics, the polymer material characteristics, the colorants, and processing conditions. As was noted earlier, it is necessary to balance the properties of the various toner components when addressing these considerations.
Most toner formulations also include any one or more of a number of materials known commonly in the industry as additives. These are generally fine particles which are physically blended with the toner at up to about 3% of the composition. They may be attached to the toner by electrical means, mechanical means, or by mere physical mixing, though this is not generally the manner of choice. These additives may be added to influence flow control, charge control, cleaning, fixing, offset prevention, transfer, conductivity control, humidity sensitivity control, and carrier life stability. Common additive materials include silica, metal oxides, metal stearates, fluoro polymer powders, fine polymer powders, rare earth oxides, waxes, conductive particulates, magnetite, carbon, and titanates. Choice of additives is critical, however, given that many of the additives affect more than a single property.
Clearly, given the vast number of components available in the industry for use in toner compositions, and given the propensity for many of the components to enhance some properties and at the same time to deleteriously affect others, choice of components is clearly not a routine matter.
For example, it is known, as was set forth earlier, to produce toner compositions which include charge control agents, and even to produce toner compositions which include a combination of charge control agents. Further it is known to use agents which are metal complexes of certain acids. These compositions do not always, however, impart to the toner composition the appropriate or necessary charge level. It has remained for the current inventors to develop a toner composition including a charge control agent combination which desirably affects the resulting toner as it relates to performance in the machine in which it is intended to be used.
Also of concern, has been the choice of post additives used in toner formulations. The current inventors have also developed a combination of post additives, to be used as a surface treatment for toner compositions, which results in desirable toner performance.
The combination of these discoveries, though each alone is found to result in unexpected performance advantages, results in even greater benefits in use than the components impart individually.

International Communication Materials, Inc.


A facility for presenting a visual user interface for guiding the performance of a process relating to a patient localization and tracking system is described. The facility displays the user interface in a first state that corresponds to a first process task in an ordered sequence of process tasks. Each time the process task to which the displayed state of the user interface corresponds is completed, the facility redisplays the user interface in a state corresponding to a process task following the process task to which the displayed state of the user interface corresponds.

Radiation therapy can be used to treat localized cancer. In a typical application, a radiation delivery system has an ionizing radiation device mounted to a movable gantry. The radiation delivery system controls the motion of the radiation device to direct an ionizing radiation beam to a specific point in space commonly referred to as the "machine isocenter." One aspect of radiation therapy is positioning a patient so that the patient's tumor is located at the machine isocenter throughout treatment. Patient positioning systems use various technologies to locate the tumor, including optically locating visual markers applied to the patient's skin, or using X-ray analysis to locate metal fiducials subcutaneously implanted in the patient.
It is typical for attendants such as radiation therapists to perform tasks relating to radiation treatment, such as positioning the patient for treatment, setting up aspects of the patient positioning system, and monitoring the output of the patient positioning system to ensure that the patient remains properly positioned throughout treatment.
A patient positioning system that provided information likely to assist the attendants in their tasks in a manner that is clear and easy to understand would have significant utility.

User interface for guided radiation therapy


In an embodiment, a method is provided for tracking a test. In this method, a test session identifier is transmitted to a test system. The test session identifier identifies a particular test session. A test of a component is triggered at the test system, and this test provides test results, which are received from the test system. The test results include the test session identifier, which allows the tests to be associated with the particular test session.

Many applications are based in a distributed environment where an assignment of tasks to multiple software components (and hardware components) enables, for example, creation of business applications through composition. An example of a composed business application includes business processes and composite applications based on enterprise compound services, process components, and user-interface applications using core services.
Tests may be executed on such a distributed environment to verify that each component works as expected concerning, for example, functional correctness and performance. To test a particular component, most existing test techniques involve the insertion of specialized test code into production code. However, such test techniques can be inefficient because, for example, every new component requires the creation of new test code. Furthermore, it can be extremely difficult to coordinate between all the different test codes within the distributed environment.


A saw blade includes left and right set teeth which are set in a lateral direction, as viewed in a cuffing direction of cutting teeth. The left and right set teeth include dovetail shaped set teeth, each having a tooth tip formed into a dovetail shape gradually enlarged in the lateral direction, respectively; and a straight tooth, which is not set. The straight tooth includes a dovetail shaped straight tooth having a tooth tip formed into a dovetail shape gradually enlarged in the lateral direction. In the straight tooth, inclinations are formed on both of left and right ends at the tooth tip, which is formed into the dovetail shape gradually enlarged in the lateral direction.

In conventional manner, in the case where a metallic workpiece, for example, is cut, saws such as a circular saw and a band saw have been widely used in the prior art. A saw blade serving as a cutting tool for use in the above-described saw is configured such that numerous cutting teeth for cutting the workpiece are arranged at appropriate pitches. Exemplary types of saw blades include a so-called set tooth type and a dovetail shaped set tooth type.
The above-described set tooth is provided with a straight tooth, as viewed in a cutting direction of the cutting teeth, and left and right set teeth whose tooth tips are set in a lateral direction in order to perform a setting work in the lateral direction. Chattering vibration, noise or the like generated during a cutting work of the workpiece has been coped with by designing an arrangement pattern of the appropriate number of straight teeth and the plurality of left and right set teeth in any one of various kinds of patterns such as a raker set, a wave set and a straight set or arranging the cutting teeth at unequal pitches.
The above-described dovetail shaped set tooth type is not provided with left and right set teeth which are set in the lateral direction, but is provided at each of the cutting teeth with a dovetail shaped chip which is gradually enlarged in the lateral direction on a tooth tip side, wherein the chip may have various shapes and dimensions, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 10-193219 and 2000-317729.
As shown in FIGS. 10A to 10C, a conventional saw blade 101 of the set type includes a blade base 103, which is provided with a straight tooth 105 without setting in a lateral direction, as viewed in a cutting direction of a workpiece W by means of the saw blade 101, and left and right set teeth 107 and 109, which are set in the lateral direction. With the above-described configuration, the thicknesses of the straight tooth 105 and the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 are equal to the thickness of the blade base 103.
If a setting quantity, that is, a scarf width S of the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 is small in the above-described saw blade 101, an inclination angle θ of each of the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 becomes small in a vertical direction. Therefore, if respective outside corners 107C and 109C of the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 are finely abraded in a horizontal direction, a vertical dimension H at the abraded portion becomes relatively larger than an abrasion quantity in the horizontal direction. An inner surface F of a cutting groove formed at the workpiece W is brought into larger contact with the abraded portion at the left or right set tooth 107 or 109.
When the workpiece W is cut by the saw blade 101, the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 are elastically deformed in the lateral direction with the application of partial force in the lateral direction. As described above, when the inner surface F of the cutting groove formed at the workpiece is brought into larger contact with the abraded portion at the left or right set tooth 107 or 109, cutting resistance becomes larger, and further, the partial force in the lateral direction exerted on the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 becomes larger. As a consequence, the saw blade 101 is turned into an unstable state, thereby inducing breakage or bending.
In view of this, if the inclination angle θ of each of the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 is to be increased by making constant the scarf width S, i.e., a cutting margin in cutting the workpiece W, a bending position P, at which the left and right set teeth 107 and 109 are bent in the lateral direction, undesirably approaches the tooth tips. In this case, since a fine portion in the vicinity of the tip of the cutting tooth in the saw blade 101 is deformed in the lateral direction with application of lateral large force, the tip of the cutting tooth is largely deformed, i.e., crushed, thereby raising a problem.
In the meantime, the saw blade of the dovetail shaped set tooth type is not provided with left and right set teeth, which are set in a lateral direction, but it is generally configured such that a chip having a trapezoidal shape (i.e., a dovetail shape) in cross section is joined to a tip of a straight tooth without setting in the lateral direction. Here, if an inclination angle of a side surface of the chip portion is to be increased, the bottom side of the trapezoid becomes longer, thereby providing an undesirable configuration in which the chip becomes larger and cutting resistance becomes larger.
The invention has been accomplished to solve the above-described problems experienced in the prior art. Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a saw blade in which a vertical dimension can be suppressed to a low level in view of a horizontal abrasion quantity at an outside corner of each of left and right set teeth.


A video correction apparatus for a camcorder comprising a filter for removing a noise component from digital input video data, a mask processor for calculating a difference between a pixel value of the resultant video data from the filter and each of adjacent vertical and horizontal pixel values, taking absolute values of the calculated differences and adding the taken absolute values, to detect edge data for selection of an accurate characteristic point of the video data from the filter, a representative point determination circuit for selecting a maximum value in each motion vector detection region every field in response to the edge data from the mask processor and determining positions of the selected maximum values as representative point data, and a correlation calculator for inputting the edge data from the mask processor and the representative point data from the representative point determination circuit and calculating a correlation of the inputted data in a search region of a desired range.

The present invention relates in general to camcorders, and more particularly to a video correction apparatus for a camcorder in which representative points are selected for calculation of a correlation in detecting a motion vector which is necessary to correction of a video shake resulting from a tremble of the user's hands.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating conventional motion vector detection regions and representative points in each of the motion vector detection regions. As shown in this drawing, an input video is divided into 4 equal motion vector detection regions for detection of a motion vector. Each of the divided 4 equal motion vector detection regions has 30 representative points which are set in fixed and uniform positions.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional motion vector detector. As shown in this drawing, the conventional motion vector detector comprises a filter 1 for removing noise and high frequency components from a digital input video signal. An output signal from the filter 1 is applied to a representative point memory 2 and a correlation calculator 3.
The representative point memory 2 stores 30 pixel values which are set in fixed and uniform positions of each of the 4 motion vector detection regions. Namely stored as the representative points in the representative point memory 2 are 120 pixel values of the input video of one field. The 120 representative points from the representative point memory 2 are applied to the correlation calculator 3. The correlation calculator 3 calculates correlations of the 120 representative points from the representative point memory 2 to the surrounding pixel values. A maximum correlation detector 4 is adapted to detect a maximum one of the correlations calculated by the correlation calculator 3.
However, the conventional motion vector detector has a disadvantage in that it can not sufficiently utilize video data information which can make a picture comparison accurate, because it select the representative point data in the fixed positions. Also, the representative points required in obtaining the motion vector accurately are large in number. This results in complexity in the calculation and in a construction.

Video correction apparatus for camcorder


The apparatus, which is used with a vehicle, comprises a breath alcohol sensor and a computing device. The computing device is operatively coupled in use to the sensor and the vehicle and configured to record data: which provides information indicative of the likelihood that the vehicle has been operated in circumstances wherein a breath sample has not been delivered to the sensor within a predetermined period preceding the commencement of said operation; and associated with the delivery of breath samples to the sensor that contain alcohol in excess of a predetermined threshold.

It is well-known to secure a motor vehicle against operation by a person who has consumed alcohol by installing in said vehicle a breath alcohol tester. A typical arrangement, known as an ignition interlock device (IID), involves a relay between the breath tester and the starter motor, pursuant to which the starter motor cannot be engaged until a satisfactory breath sample has been given. In this regard, a 'satisfactory' gas sample is conventionally understood to be one that (I) is of sufficient volume and pressure to permit alcohol analysis; (II) has alcohol concentration below a predetermined limit; and (III) appears to have originated from the exhaled breath of a human being. Criterion (III) is often assessed through measurements of pressure, humidity and temperature, but various other techniques such as hum recognition sensors are occasionally used. In some jurisdictions, a person convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol may be required by law to have a device of this type installed as a condition associated with the extension of driving privileges.

Apparatus for assessing or mitigating insurance risk

Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (International) Inc.


Software at an online game website assigns to a player game tasks in a conditional series of game tasks based at least in part on a measure of difficulty associated with the each game task. The measure of difficulty of each game task depends on a profile associated with the player. At least one of the game tasks in the conditional series of game tasks is a social game task. Then the software provides a reward to the player upon termination of the conditional series of game tasks. The reward depends at least in part on the game tasks in the conditional series of game tasks that are completed by the player.

A massively multiplayer online (MMO) game is capable of supporting thousands of players simultaneously. Typically, such games involve video. A social MMO game is a MMO that leverages an online social graph (or network) to make an MMO game more interesting to its players. Often social graphs are maintained by social networking websites such as Facebook or social media websites such as MySpace. But one might think of a contact list, buddy list, or another similar access control list (ACL) as also being a social graph.
Keeping players engaged in social MMO games is important to revenue generation, e.g., from the purchase of virtual goods or from third-party advertisements. If players are assigned game tasks that are too difficult for them to accomplish, players tend to become discouraged and withdraw from the game, leading to a reduction in revenue. But player attrition can also occur, if players are assigned game tasks that are too easy and become bored. Consequently, finding the "sweet spot" in terms of difficulty for game tasks continues to be an ongoing area of research and experimentation for the designers of social MMO games.

Adaptive task assignment for online games that uses player profiles


A nail for fixing a shoe to a hoof includes a head, and a shank extending from the head generally along a centerline and terminating in a tip. A reaction region is formed in the shank adjacent the tip and has a flattened profile having front and rear surfaces interconnected by respective edge surfaces. In the reaction region the front surface is convexly curved to incline the front surface relative to the centreline of tho shark The edge surfaces converge relative to each other towards the tip, whereby, on forcing the nail into the hoof, the reaction region is adapted to produce a resultant force on the nail. The resultant force is caused by engagement of the reaction with the hoof. The resultant force is adapted to predispose the nail to bend about the rear surface of the reaction region Also disclosed are processes for forming a horseshoe nail.

Horseshoe nails are specifically designed to bend as they are driven into a hoof. Typically a farrier drives the horseshoe nail into the bottom of the hoof through a slot in the shoe and as the nail is driven into the hoof, it bends so that the tip is caused to pass out the side of the hoof. Once in this position, the farrier removes the tip of the nail, either by cutting or ringing it off, and drives the remaining shank downwards against the hoof. This secures the nail, and therefore the shoe, in place.
A typical horseshoe nail includes a shank of generally rectangular cross section, and a head located at one end of the shank. The shank has a front and a rear surface interconnected by opposing edge surfaces, the edge surfaces being flat and nearly parallel but slightly tapered along a major part of the shank. In the end quarter of the shank remote from the head the edge surfaces converge together to form the tip. The rear surface of the shank is substantially flat, whereas the front surface of the shank is also flat along the major part of the shank except adjacent the tip where the front surface is angled to converge towards the rear surface at the tip. This angled portion is designed to cause the nail to bend as it is driven into the hoof.
It is desirable that the nail exit the hoof at a particular distance from the shoe. A well shot horse will have a ring of horseshoe nails spaced around the hoof all exiting the hoof at approximately the same distance from the bottom of the hoof. If a nail bends too sharply, it can fracture off an edge of the hoof. If a nail does not bend sufficiently or bends the wrong way, it cannot be secured in place and, moreover, can lame the horse.
In analysing the way a horseshoe nail bends when it is being driven into a hoof, it is considered that whilst the loading to cause bending is initially induced on the angled portion or reaction region adjacent the tip, as the nail beings to bend this loading is transferred along the shank towards the head. As a result, the part of the shank which extends from the angled portion towards the head is the main part of the nail which bends and throughout the specification, reference to the "bending region" of the nail refers to this part of the shank.
Horseshoe nails have generally been formed from a slug of metal cut from wire or rod of a gauge similar to the intended mean diameter of the nail head. This slug is drawn or rolled out, typically by air hammers, to form the head and to reduce its cross-section while forming the characteristic rectangular shank profile. To reduce work hardening, the nail undergoes one or two annealing treatments during or following shaping. Once fully shaped, the shank is then sheared to form the tip.
A problem with previous horseshoe nails is that they do not bend in a consistent manner. A broad reason is a lack of uniformity in the structure and bending properties of the nails, despite a seemingly uniform method of formation. One common cause of non-uniformity is the presence of flaws formed in the nails during their manufacture. These flaws are a consequence of the complexity in the nail forming operation and are often present as surface defects, such as dimples, or inconsistencies within the microstructure of the nail. As a result of the flaws, the nails will often have a weakened area which may cause the nail to bend the wrong way, or, in the case of flaws occurring in the microstructure, the nails may have an area of increased hardness in the nail shank which may cause the nail to drive straight or not bend sufficiently. Surface defects can have marked effects on the bending performance of the nail particularly when they are located in the tip or reaction region, whereas flaws in the microstructure cause particular problems when they occur in the bending region of the shank.
While a farrier is able to detect surface defects on a visual inspection of the nail, it is not practical for the farrier to examine the nail to determine if there are flaws in the microstructure. Typically the only way the farrier detects these flaws in the microstructure is by the feel of the nail, in particular as the nail is being driven into the hoof and this usually can only be done by experience farriers.
Another known cause of inconsistent bending is the presence of a region of increased resistance within the hoof which causes the nail to be deflected from its optimal path.

Horseshoe nail and horseshoe nail forming process


A method of initializing speed sensors in a rotational system is used determine a sensor spacing. An indexing feature is identified at each of two locations on an outer circumference of a wheel path corresponding to two speed sensors, as well as the speed of the wheel. The spacing of the sensors is then determined.

Speed sensors are commonly used to determine the rotational velocity of components in a gas turbine engine. For example, speed sensors can be used to determine the rotational velocity of a fan section. In addition, speed sensors can be used to determine rotational position of rotating components. Speed sensors can be built into a shroud or support surrounding the fan section. Replacing speed sensors is a time-intensive process, and can result in significant costs and delays.
Speed sensors can be used in combination with vibration sensors, such as accelerometers, to determine the position of imbalances on the rotating component being observed. For example, a speed sensor can be used to calculate the rotational position of the component while an accelerometer senses imbalances. By combining these data, appropriate action may be undertaken to properly balance the rotating load.


The present invention is a mouth guard which is worn to protect a person's teeth when the person is engaged in a sports activity such as football. A strap which has a quick release mating member at each end interconnects the mouth guard with a bar on a helmet worn by the person. One quick release mating member is removably connected to a bar on the helmet and the other quick release mating member is removably connected to a receiving member in the mouth guard. In the event of a collision between participants in the sport which results in the helmet flying off the person's head, one or both of the quick release members will disengage the strap from either the bar on the helmet, the mouth guard, or both to thereby avoid damage to the person's teeth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of devices which protect an athlete's teeth while the athlete is engaged in a sporting activity such as playing football.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, there are many devices known in the prior art which are used to protect an athlete or a person while the athlete or person is engaged in a sporting activity. In one sporting activity such as football, the person engaged in playing football wears many protective devices to protect various body parts of the person such as shoulder pads, leg guards, and a helmet which has bars in front to protect the person's face during physical contact while playing football.
One of the most sensitive parts of a person's body are the person's teeth. There frequently are violent collisions between persons engaged in the game of football, such as a running back being tackled by a defensive player or a wide receiver being hit by a defensive player. During these collisions, it is very easy for one or more teeth to be knocked out or otherwise damaged such as being chipped or cracked. To help protect teeth and reduce the occurrence of damage to teeth, devices such as mouth guards have been developed. In the prior art, one type of mouth guard is a dental tray which is conformed to the shaped of a person's upper teeth and is worn in the mouth to protect the upper teeth. The mouth guard rests against the person's lower teeth to also protect the person's lower teeth. Many mouth guards are separate pieces which are taken out of the person's mouth after a play is run and either carried in the person's hand or pressed into a portion of the helmet worn by the person and is then reinserted into the mouth immediately prior to the beginning of the next play. One problem with a hand held mouth guard is that holding it in the person's hand or retaining it on the person's helmet leads to many germs coming in contact with the mouth guard which is then placed into a person's mouth where the germs come in direct contact with the person's teeth ands gums and can create an infection and disease in the person.
To avoid the above problem, mouth guards have been designed which are attached to a strap. The strap is attached to the mouth guard at one end and attached to a bar of the football helmet at the other end. This design eliminates the problem of having to carry the mouth guard in the person's hand or squeezing it into a portion of the helmet because the person does not have to carry the mouth guard after a play and the mouth guard hangs down from the strap. However, while solving one problem, this strap design presents a possibly even greater problem. During the violent collisions which occur when football is played, a person's helmet can be knocked off. With the strap attached to a bar of the helmet and to the mouth guard, when the helmet is knocked off the person's head, the strap and mouth guard are forced to travel with the helmet. Since the mouth guard is carried in the person's mouth during this activity, there is a significant risk that when the mouth guard and strap go flying with the football helmet, the person's teeth can be severely damaged or knocked out.
Therefore, there is a significant need for a mouth guard which protects a person's teeth and eliminates the problem of having to carry the mouth guard in the person's hand between football plays and at the same time reduces the problem associated with a mouth guard attached to a strap and a football helmet where a person's teeth can be knocked out if the helmet goes flying off the person's head during a collision.

Double quick release mouth guard assembly


The present invention discloses a preparation process of food-grade potassium dihydrogen phosphate, wherein phosphoric acid prepared from wet-process phosphoric acid is used for the preparation of high-purity potassium dihydrogen phosphate. The preparation process of food-grade potassium dihydrogen phosphate provided in the present invention effectively reduces the preparation cost of the high-purity potassium dihydrogen phosphate and has the advantage of high process controllability, and by such a process, high-purity potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals that meet the food-grade requirements can be produced, which crystals have uniform particle size distribution and comprises few fine powder, having a very high market value.

Potassium dihydrogen phosphate is one of the important products in the phosphate industry and is widely used in modern industry, food, medicine, farming and animal husbandry, and other fields. Among them, high-purity potassium dihydrogen phosphate is an important raw material for manufacturing potassium metaphosphate, potassium pyrophosphate, other edible potassium salts, and medical potassium salts. Currently, the preparation process of potassium dihydrogen phosphate generally used includes mainly a neutralization method, a double decomposition method, etc.
In the neutralization method, potassium dihydrogen phosphate is generally prepared by a neutralization reaction using thermal-process phosphoric acid as a raw material. However, this method requires the use of the thermal-process phosphoric acid as the raw material, and the thermal-process phosphoric acid has a strict requirement on the phosphate ore resources. Therefore, although the purity of the phosphoric acid prepared is relatively high, the cost thereof is relatively high. Further, the neutralization reaction of the wet-process phosphoric acid widely used in China currently is not easy to control, and other impurities are easily introduced, resulting in degradation of the purity, which cannot meet requirements for the use of high-purity phosphate such as industrial-grade potassium dihydrogen phosphate and food-grade potassium dihydrogen phosphate.

Preparation process of food-grade potassium dihydrogen phosphate


A fuser unit of this disclosure includes: an endless belt; a nip member; a belt guide; a stay; a first member; a second member; and a backup member, wherein the belt guide, which is configured to guide the endless belt, has: a first surface, which faces in a direction from a second end portion towards a first end portion of the endless belt; a second surface, which faces in a direction from the first end portion towards the second end portion of the endless belt; a third surface, which faces in a direction from the stay towards the nip member; a fourth surface, which faces in a direction from the nip member towards the stay; a fifth surface and a sixth surface, which face in the conveyance direction and is arranged to be in contact with the first member.

In a background fuser unit that is used for an image forming apparatus, a fuser unit configured to fix a toner image on a sheet conveyed between a heating roller and a pressing belt has been known.
As the fuser unit, a fuser unit including a belt guide having an inner surface guide configured to guide an inner surface of the pressing belt and a restraining part configured to contact an end surface of the pressing belt and a pressing arm disposed at a outer side of the belt guide in a first direction of the pressing belt has been known.
In the fuser unit, the belt guide is fitted to a pressing stay with a gap, to which the pressing belt is wound, and the pressing arm is fitted to the pressing stay. A protrusion protruding outwards from the belt guide in the first direction is contacted to the pressing arm, so that the belt guide swings with respect to the pressing arm. Therefore, a fuser unit of which the pressing belt is bent and contacted to the restraining part to disperse the corresponding force has been known


The present invention discloses a novel XRF analyzer capable of simultaneously identifying the presence of a marking composition in a plurality of objects by modulating/varying the intensity of the excitation beam on the different objects and measuring the secondary radiation thereof. The XRF analyzer comprises a radiation emitter assembly adapted for emitting at least one X-Ray or Gamma-Ray excitation radiation beam having a spatial intensity distribution for simultaneously irradiating the plurality of objects; a radiation detector for detecting secondary radiation X-Ray signals arriving from a plurality of objects in response to irradiation of the objects by X-Ray or Gamma-Ray radiation, and providing data indicative of spatial intensity distribution of the detected data X-Ray signals on the plurality of objects; and a signal reading processor in communication with the detector, the processor being adapted for receiving and processing the detected response X-Ray signals to verify presence of the marking composition included at least one surface of each object of the plurality objects.

References considered to be relevant as background to the presently disclosed subject matter are listed below:
PCT publication number WO 1997/025692
US patent application publication number US 2011/222654
US patent application publication number US 2001/045378
Acknowledgement of the above references herein is not to be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter.

XRF analyzer for identifying a plurality of solid objects, a sorting system and a sorting method thereof


An image transmitting system is provided, wherein the system includes: a first image storing module storing a plurality of images included in a first electronic album; a second image storing module storing a plurality of images included in a second electronic album; a feature extracting module for extracting a feature amount of an object included in each of the plurality of images stored in the second image storing module; an image selecting module for selecting an image including an object showing correspondence with the object included in the image stored in the second image storing module, which is higher than a predetermined reference value, out of the plurality of images stored in the first image storing module on the basis of the extracted feature amount; and an image transmitting module for retrieving the selected image from the first image storing module and storing the image in the second image storing module to transmit the image from the first image storing module to the image storing module.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image transmitting system, an image transmitting method, and a machine readable medium storing thereon a computer program for transmitting images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, an image acquiring method for acquiring images which have been stored in another apparatus via network to store them in an image management apparatus of a user is known as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-218436.
In this image acquiring method, it is possible for the user to acquire images the user wants by sending information showing an object of images which the user wants to acquire to another apparatus via network.
However, since the image acquiring method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-218436 requires sending information showing an object of which image has been captured whenever the image is acquired, there is a problem that it is difficult to acquire images of various objects and a large number of images efficiently.
Further, an image acquiring method where a thumb-nail image of each of a plurality of images stored in another apparatus is received via network and a user browses the thumb-nail images to select an image which he wants to acquire also has a problem that working intensity for selecting an image which the user wants to acquire grows as the number of images stored in another apparatus and thus it is difficult to acquire the image efficiently.

Image transmitting system, an image transmitting method, and a machine readable medium storing thereon a computer program for transmitting images


A hand-mountable apparatus for collecting spent bullet casings ejected from a firearm. The apparatus comprises a hand-engaging member for engaging a hand of a user, and a spent casing collection apparatus for catching ejected casings and attached to the hand-engaging member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearm accessories, and more particularly relates to a hand mountable apparatus for catching, collecting and storing spent round casings without requiring modification of the firearm or requiring the use of structures that substantially interfere with the firearm's mobility.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those persons who engage in the sports or activities involving firearms typically seek to garner experience that improves their shooting skills. Such experience is typically obtained by discharging a large number of bullets directed to practice targets.
Semiautomatic firearms are popular because of their ability to automatically prepare themselves for the next shot after each discharge. Though various types of semiautomatic mechanisms are in use, all of these mechanisms eject an exhausted round casing prior to loading a subsequent round. These casings are typically thrown from the side of the firearm to the ground. At the conclusion of shooting practice, the user can chose to leave the casings on the ground or, more desirably, to pick up the casings for proper disposal or refilling.
The problem of collecting spent round casings has been addressed in the prior art. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,475 to Trostel shows a shell catching device that is mountable on the forearm of the user. It appears that this forearm-mounted device limits the lateral movement of the user's wrist, restricting the ability of the shooter to have a free range of motion when aiming.
U.S. Des. Pat. No. 382,624 to Benson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,834 to Dobson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,334,375 to Olson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,787 to Riddle et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,169 to Griffin each show various types of casing collection devices for physical attachment to a firearm. These devices require the user to modify each weapon from which he or she intends to collect spent casings. Additionally, these attachments alter the weight distribution and structure of the firearm. Any modification made to the firearm during practice sessions is likely to change the structure and feel of the weapon—the user is essentially practicing technique and improving skill on a modified weapon. When the shell-catching device is later removed so that the weapon can be used in an actual situation, the weapon may handle differently because of the change.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,607 to Castaldo; U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,035 to Niebuhr et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,565 to Jaffin et al.; 3,658,241 to Pistocchi; U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,716 to Ellzey; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,727 to Beall each show various free-standing devices for catching shells. These devices require placement proximate to the shooter, necessitating extra effort when shooting moving targets, or when practicing with different firearms, each of which may eject the casings different distances, requiring movement of the devices when changing firearms.
While these devices offer various solutions to the broad issue of casing collection, no device exists in the prior art which allows the user to catch casings from multiple weapons without modifying each weapon to include a casing catching assembly, and without employing a cumbersome bracket worn on the arm that prohibits free movement and tends to distract the user, or without assembling a free-standing catching device and taking care to keep the firearm in close enough proximity so that the ejected shells will reach the catching device.

Hand mountable casing collection apparatus


A connection of steel pipes for conveying solid materials, particularly for conveying gravel, includes radially directed coupling flanges which extend circumferentially at the ends of the steel pipes. The coupling flanges have receiving bores for the coupling bolts, wherein the receiving bores extend parallel to the longitudinal axes of the steel pipes and are arranged on a pitch circle. At least one wear ring is inserted between the end faces of the steel pipes which face each other. The wear ring is of a material which has a greater resistance to wear than the material of the steel pipes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection of steel pipes for conveying solid materials, particularly for conveying gravel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solid materials, for example, gravel or sand, or also washery refuse and construction materials, are conveyed or transported in strands of pipes which are composed of several steel pipes that are releasably connected to each other. Depending on the type of use, the pipe strands remain placed in one place for a longer period time. However, in other cases, it may be necessary to place the strand at a different location or to extend or shorten the strands within certain time intervals, possibly short intervals.
Because of the high mechanical stresses to which the steel pipes are subjected by the conveyance of solid materials, the pipes are subjected to a high wear essentially over the entire axial length. Consequently, it must be possible to manufacture the steel pipes inexpensively. Moreover, since not all steel pipes which form the strands of pipes wear on the inside thereof as a result of the conveyed solids and since the steel pipes may additionally be subjected to different stresses from the outside, it is also necessary to be able to easily and quickly remove individual steel pipes from an otherwise closed permanent strand of pipes and to be able to insert new steel pipes into the strand without problems.
Consequently, for replacing the pipes and to make it possible to easily place the pipes at a different location, two successive steel pipes in a strand of pipes abut each other in an uncentered manner. Centering means which engage into each other are not provided because this would mean that substantial operations would be required for radially removing a steel pipe from a strand of pipes as well as for inserting a new steel pipe into the strand. This is because several successive steel pipes would have to be separated from each other at the joints and would have to be displaced in axial direction in order to provide sufficient room at the locations of the two joints at the end faces of the steel pipe to be replaced, so that this steel pipe can be removed radially from the strand of pipes and a new steel pipe can be inserted. Subsequently, all axially displaced steel pipes would have to be returned into the original position and would have to be coupled to each other again in a tight manner. In addition, it must be taken into consideration that for each joint it is necessary to remove several coupling bolts which are located on a pitch circle and to return the coupling bolts into the properly oriented positions.
Because two successive steel pipes are joined together uncentered and due to the great tolerances which inevitably occur because of manufacturing reasons of the positions of the receiving bores in the coupling flanges relative to the longitudinal axes of the steel pipes, impact edges may be formed in the interior of the steel pipes in the area of the joint between two steel pipes. Even if the impact edges are small, this has the result that the solid particles being conveyed in the steel pipes are deflected and swirled at the impact edges and hurled against the inner wall surfaces of the steel pipes. This leads to substantial wear phenomena at these locations. These phenomena can be observed especially at the inlet sides of the steel pipes.
In this connection, it must be taken into consideration that the impact area between two steel pipes is not only subjected to wear, but also to a bouncing load resulting from the impinging solid particles.
The steel pipes may be single-layer pipes, or multiple-layer pipes.

Connection of steel pipes for conveying solid materials


A process for producing porous structures for use in molten carbonate fuel cells in which a powder comprising at least one of a non-alloyed metal powder and a metal oxide powder, and a ceramic oxide powder is mixed, formed into a desired shape and sintered in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature between 900.degree. C. and about 1400.degree. C. via reactive oxidation to form a sintered oxide structure, which is then cooled to 700.degree. C. to 1100.degree. C. and treated in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic structure with the non-reducible oxide dispersed within the metal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for producing high-strength, high-porosity structures for use as components of molten carbonate fuel cells, having good in-cell performing properties without the use of expensive alloys and/or alloying elements. In particular, this invention relates to a process for producing porous structures, such as electrodes and bubble barriers in molten carbonate fuel cells using low cost metal powders and/or metal oxide powders and ceramic oxide powders.
2. Description of Prior Art
Porous structures suitable for use in molten carbonate fuel cells made from metal alloys are well known in the prior art. Common among such structures are structures made from nickel/aluminum alloys, nickel/chromium alloys, and nickel/copper alloys. U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,155 teaches a method for forming porous oxide dispersion strengthened molten carbonate fuel cell anodes in which an alloy comprising a base metal and an alloying metal is formed, preferably in powder form, and sintered to form a porous anode structure in a reducing environment. The resulting structure is subsequently subjected to conditions in which the base metal is reduced and the alloying metal is oxidized, thereby causing internal oxidization of the alloying metal. Sintering is carried out at a temperature in the range of 500.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere comprised of nitrogen, argon, helium, or alternatively, in a vacuum or gas-tight container. The base metal is selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, and cobalt. The alloying metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, aluminum, titanium, silicon, beryllium, magnesium, thorium, and yttrium. U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,159 similarly teaches a nickel/aluminum alloy which is simultaneously oxidized and sintered at temperatures of 800.degree.-1100.degree. C. in an atmosphere in which the alloying material (aluminum) is exclusively substantially internally oxidized forming a sintered porous plaque containing nickel metal and oxidized alloying material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,558 teaches a process for producing nickel aluminide, Ni.sub.3 Al, in which a mixture of elemental nickel powder and elemental aluminum powder are sintered in a vacuum or dry inert atmosphere at a temperature of 500.degree.-750.degree. C. U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,111 teaches a porous sintered cathode for a molten carbonate fuel cell formed from a metal oxide and lithium manganate or lithium ferrite at a temperature up to 950.degree. C.
The preparation of sintered structures also is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,022 in which a process for producing a sintered body in which one or more metal powder particles are mixed with an organic binder and formed into a predetermined shape is disclosed. After removing the binder from the "green" body by preheating the "green" body in an inert gas atmosphere at a temperature up to about 800.degree. C., the resulting porous body is sintered at a temperature up to about 1200.degree. C. U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,233 similarly teaches a process for sintering alloys of metal powders, preferably aluminum and iron powders, into structures in which the metal powders are prefired at a temperature of 500.degree.-650.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere followed by sintering in an inert or reducing atmosphere at a temperature of about 1275.degree.-1450.degree. C. U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,195 teaches a method for fabricating ribbed electrodes by depositing a composition of nickel, copper, and mixtures thereof and chromium onto a ribbed mold, pre-firing the molded composition in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures of 650.degree.-900.degree. C. and subsequently sintering the resulting electrode in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures of 1050.degree.-1450.degree. C. And, U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,607 teaches a process for preparing a porous sintered lithiated nickel oxide plaque in which a finely divided particulate oxide material is blended with a binder to form a solid mass which is subsequently sintered at a temperature of about 1000.degree.-1200.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,968 teaches a composite matrix material for molten carbonate fuel cells having a matrix tape portion and a bubble barrier portion, the matrix tape portion comprising a sheet of a mixture of ceramic particles, particles inert to the molten carbonate environment and an organic polymer binder which burns off or volatilizes under fuel cell operating conditions. The bubble barrier portion is a fine pore, ion permeable sheet of material which is bonded to the matrix tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,775 teaches a process for producing structures from metallic (alloy) powders, such as high speed steel alloy powders and certain high alloy ferrous powders, in which the powder is formed into the desired shape and sintered at a temperature of about 1200.degree.-1250.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere or a vacuum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,040 teaches a process for producing a lithiated nickel oxide (lithium doped nickel oxide) cathode for a molten carbonate fuel cell in which a "green" body consisting of a mixture of nickel powder and lithium oxide is fired in air at temperatures of about 600.degree.-1000.degree. C. producing a fired body of Li.sub.x Ni.sub.(1-x) O and having a porosity of at least about 50% by volume of the total volume of the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,344 teaches an electrode having a porous nickel surface formed from a paste consisting of a powder mixture of NiAl.sub.3 and Ni.sub.3 B which is pre-fired at a temperature of about 450.degree.-650.degree. C. in air and subsequently sintered in a nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature of about 800.degree.-900.degree. C. followed by removal of the intermetallic aluminum, boron and boron oxide by dissolution with sodium hydroxide, forming the electrode. U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,071 teaches a process for producing a base metal thin film for use as an electrode using a printing technique in which a thin layer of a base metal oxide is formed on a substrate and sintered at temperatures of 600.degree. C. and below in a reducing atmosphere. U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,496 teaches a process for making a fuel cell electrode in which a metal powder of nickel, cobalt, copper, chromium and iron, and mixtures or alloys thereof, is mixed with an organic binder and water to form a paste, dried at room temperature and fired in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature of about 750.degree.-1000.degree. C. After impregnating one surface with a water repellent solution, the other surface is treated with a ceramic oxide precursor solution and then, the electrode is fired in a reducing atmosphere. This process is carried out in a reducing atmosphere and as such does not utilize a reactive oxide method which is carried out in air or an oxygen containing gas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,587 teaches an anode for a molten carbonate fuel cell prepared from base materials of metal and metal oxides including nickel, chromium and cobalt and chromium oxide in which the mixture of base metals is sintered, with chromium being selectively oxidized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,917 and related U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,052 teach a process for producing molten carbonate fuel cell cathodes from metal oxides including nickel powders which are pre-fired at temperatures of 600.degree.-1000.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere, formed into the desired electrode shape, and sintered at a temperature of 850.degree.-1250.degree. C. in an oxidizing atmosphere. U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,428 teaches a process for sintering chromium-alumina metal ceramics in which the powders are formed into a desired shape and sintered at a temperature of about 1500.degree.-1900.degree. C. in an inert, reducing, or non-oxidizing atmosphere, or in a vacuum. U.S. Pat. No. 3,607,433 teaches a method for preparing electrodes from metals or metal oxides in which the starting material is connected to a porous surface of an electrolyte and heated at temperatures from 1190.degree. C. to 1800.degree. C., depending on the oxide used as a starting material, in an inert atmosphere. The resulting electrode is cooled below 1000.degree. C. and reduced in a furnace or in-situ in a fuel cell. U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,036 teaches a process for strengthening metals and alloys in which a base metal powder containing oxygen is blended with a reactive metal powder, pressed, sintered, densified and held below the sintering temperature of about 1500.degree. -2400.degree. C. to form an ultra-fine dispersion reactive metal oxide throughout the base metal. U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,386, U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,237 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,794 generally teach electrodes having a base material of metal and/or metal oxides.
The use of alloyed metals for producing components of molten carbonate fuel cells is also taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,557 which teaches sintering of nickel and chrome molded articles; U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,604 which utilizes nickel or cobalt alloyed with up to 20% chromium; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,379 which utilizes nickel/aluminum alloys to produce molten carbonate fuel cell anodes by first partially oxidizing the powder so that the exterior of the material is a nickel oxide layer and the interior of the material is a nickel metal throughout which is dispersed the oxide of the alloying material.
Other prior art references teaching methods for preparing molten carbonate fuel cell components are U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,866 which utilizes a ceria anode; U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,960 which utilizes a nickel or copper coated ceramic powder encapsulated by a metal component; U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,379 which adds an alkali hydroxide or alkali hydroxide mixed with a ceramic constituent to a preexisting nickel, nickel-cobalt, or nickel-chromium porous structure; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,500 which teaches deposition of a stabilizing agent into a preexisting structure of nickel, cobalt, copper and mixture and alloys thereof by dipping the structure into precursor aqueous solutions of the desired agent.
A major disadvantage of known methods of preparing porous metallic structures having ceramic oxides dispersion strengthening agents inside the metal grain is their use of expensive metal alloy powders made of a base metal and an alloying metal element or mixtures of metal powders made of a base metal and an alloying metal element. If alloys are used, the oxide of the alloying element if formed prior to, during or after sintering; and, if mixtures of metal powders are used, they are sintered first to form an alloy and then the alloying element is oxidized. In either case, the cost for preparing porous metallic structures using metal alloys is substantial due to the high cost of metal alloys.

Porous structures from solid solutions of reduced oxides


Biomarkers of anthracycline cardiotoxicity are provided. In certain aspects, methods are provided for determining whether a subject will develop cardiotoxicity upon treatment with an anthracycline, such as doxorubicin, by measuring the level of Top2b expression in the subject. In further aspects, methods of a treating a subjects with anthracycline therapeutics and cardioprotective agents are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology, toxicology and oncology. More particularly, it concerns methods for predicting anthracycline cardiotoxicity in patients.
2. Description of Related Art
Anthracyclines, such as Doxorubicin, are still widely used in modern cancer treatments, despite the advent of targeted therapies (Yeh et al., 2009, Force et al., 2011). However, a dose-dependent cardiotoxicity often limits their clinical use. Doxorubicin's cellular target is Topoisomerase II (Top2) (Tewey et al., 1984). It binds both DNA and Top2 to form the ternary Top2-doxorubicin-DNA cleavage complex, which triggers cell death. There are two Top2 enzymes, Top2a and Top2b. Top2a, a known marker of cell proliferation, is over-expressed in tumors but not detectable in quiescent tissues (Capranico et al., 1992, Lyu et al., 2006). Thus, Top2a is thought to be the molecular basis of doxorubicin's anticancer activity.
Doxorubicin was postulated to induce cardiotoxicity through redox-cycling and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Singal et al., 1998). The ROS hypothesis, however, has been tempered by a series of studies in which ROS scavenger treatment failed to prevent cardiac toxicity caused by doxorubicin (Myers et al., 1983, Martin et al., 2009). Thus, the mechanism cardiotoxicity caused by anthracyclines, such as doxorubicin, has remained elusive and to date there is no method available to predict whether a patient will develop heart damage as a result of an anthracycline-based therapy.

Topoisomerase 2b as a predictor of susceptibility to anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System


Systems and methods of controlling the touch sensitivity of a projected capacitive touch detection system are provided. The temperature that is at least representative of the touch sensitive region temperature is sensed. Based on the sensed temperature, the numbers of the capacitive touch sensors that have different strength electric fields applied thereto are varied and/or the relative magnitudes of the different electric fields are varied. When installed in a vehicle, the operational state of the vehicle may also impact this operation.

Touch screens as user interfaces are enjoying widespread commercial success, and are implemented in numerous devices. These devices include, for example, cellular telephones, tablet computer devices, digital music players, and point of sale equipment, just to name a few. The ubiquitous presence and user familiarity of touch screens make this technology a natural candidate for use in aircraft cockpit displays. However, a vast majority of touch screen user interfaces are implemented using capacitive touch detection systems. These systems, when implemented in cockpit displays, can exhibit certain undesirable performance issues. For example, capacitive touch detection systems can be difficult to use when a user is wearing gloves. These systems are also susceptible to false touch detection when exposed to fluid spills or condensing moisture on the touch sensor surface.
Capacitive touch detection systems rely on an applied electric field that is scanned to detect changes in the field caused by a touch event. Thus, if the electric field strength is increased, it becomes feasible to use gloves to activate a touch event. Moreover, by adjusting the field strength, it is also possible to change the sensitivity to any liquids that may be on the sensor surface. Unfortunately, in the context of commercial aircraft, the relatively strong electric field that may be needed to implement gloved operation or to overcome the impact of fluids can increase radiated emissions from the touch sensor, thereby complicating qualification and certification activities.
Hence, there is a need for a capacitive touch detection system and method that implements touch sensitivity control without adjustability without unduly increasing radiated emissions therefrom. The present invention addresses at least this need.

Automatic and dynamic sensitivity control of projected capacitive touch sensitive detection systems


Approaches for analyzing driver pattern deviations and reproducing the pattern deviations in a user interface or a driving simulator are provided. A computer-implemented method includes: collecting, by a server, data from plural vehicles; determining, by the server, a baseline for a driving action based on the data from the plural vehicles; identifying, by the server, a problem action for a driver based on the baseline; and generating, by the server, an interface to display the problem action.

The present invention relates generally to driver training and, more particularly, to analyzing driver pattern deviations and reproducing the pattern deviations in a user interface or a driving simulator.
Different drivers have different levels of skill. At times, almost all drivers perform a driving action that they feel could have been performed better. Some driver monitoring systems send an alert to a user, who is not in a vehicle, when certain actions occur while the vehicle is being driven. For example, one system sends an alert to user when the vehicle goes over a designated speed or one of plural safety systems (e.g., antilock brakes) is activated. Another system analyzes driving data and assigns a daily score to driving habits, and shows the number of speeding, acceleration, and harsh braking events that occurred while a vehicle was being driven.

Analyzing driver pattern deviations for training

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A fastening system for a wearing article comprising a pair of hook carrying side edge portions with a hook component and a pair of loop carrying side edge portions with a loop component adapted to be detachably engaged with each other. Each of the hook carrying side edge portions comprises a first sheet section extending outward from each of the transversely opposite side edges of the wearing article, a second sheet section being contiguous to an outer side edge of the first sheet section so as to extend toward the transverse side edge, a joining area extending in parallel to and spaced from the outer side edge so as to join the first and second sheet section to each other, and a non-joining area surrounded by the joining area, the first and second sheet sections and the outer side edge, and the hook component has first and second edges extending in parallel to the outer side edge and is secured to the hook carrying side edge portion in such a manner that the first side edge lies in the joining area while the second side edge lies in the non-joining area.

The present invention relates generally to a fastening system for a wearing article and particularly to such a fastening system for a disposable diaper.
There are well known fastening systems for connect front and rear waist regions of a wearing article by means of a mechanical fastener comprising a hook component and a loop component detachably engageable with the hook component. For example, National Publication of translated version No. 2002-532147 (hereinafter referred to as "Reference 1") discloses a diaper adapted to be fastened around a diaper wearer's body by means of the mechanical fasteners respectively provided on transversely opposite side edges of the diaper. The diaper disclosed therein adopts the fastening system having the hook component 107 provided on an outer side of the diaper as illustrated in FIG. 5A in the accompanying drawing of the present specification, taking account of a possibility that it might create a feeling of discomfort against the wearer if the hook component 107 come in contact with the wearer's skin.
However, even in the case of such a fastening system having the hook element 107 protruding outward with respect to the wearer's body, it is likely that the hook component 107 might be curled as illustrated in FIG. 5B and irritate the wearer' skin if a force F functioning to disengage the hook component 107 from the loop component is exerted on a free end 113 of a attachment sheet 120 carrying the hook component 107.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 1997-191908 (hereinafter referred to as "Reference 2") discloses a fastening system having a construction as illustrated in FIG. 5C, wherein the hook component 107 is bonded to the attachment sheet 120 through the intermediary of a base sheet 105 which is, in turn, provided on its rear surface with a joining area 114 and a non-joining area 115 to the diaper, and the non-joining area 115 is located aside toward the free end 11 of the hook component 107. With this fastening system, it is unlikely that the hook component 107 might be easily disengaged from the loop component 108 even if the hook component 107 is moved so as to be vertically spaced from the loop component 108.
In the case of the fastening system disclosed in Reference 2, the base sheet 105 is provided on its rear side with the joining area 114 and the non-joining area 115 to the attachment sheet 120. Such an arrangement certainly ensure that a section of the attachment sheet 120 extending from a border 127 between the joining area 114 and the non-joining area 115 to the free end 113 is deformed, as illustrated in FIG. 5C, in response to the force F oriented to disengage the hook component 107 from the loop component 108 and thereby the hook component 107 is protected from being easily curled.
With the fastening system disclosed in Reference 2, however, should an engagement strength between the hook component 107 and the loop component 108 is higher than tear strength of the base sheet 105, it is likely that the hook component 107 could not be disengaged from the loop component 108 in the non-joining area 115 and, as a result, the base sheet 105 might be torn apart along the border 127 between the joining area 114 and the non-joining area 115.


Systems and methods for providing trading using an eVWAP price in an illiquid market are provided. In an illiquid market there may be little or no actual trades. During a trading period, the eVWAP price is therefore determined from not only trades, but also unmatched bids and offers. The eVWAP price is determined when new information becomes available or at a specified time interval. The final eVWAP price is determined when the sampling period ends. Once the final eVWAP price is determined, the value of the final eVWAP price is published for use as a price to settle a contract.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for calculating an enhanced volume-weighted average price, and more particularly to trading systems that allow traders to place orders on average price contracts based on trades, bids, and offers.
Electronically based trading systems have gained widespread popularity over the years. Such trading systems are frequently used for trading items ranging from financial instruments (such as stocks, bonds, currency, futures, contracts, etc.) to used household goods (such as old records, baseball cards, antiques, etc.). In many of these trading systems, bid/offer-hit/lift processes are used to negotiate a sale of a given item. In connection with such processes, bids and/or offers for items are entered into a trading system and a hit or lift is submitted in response to a bid or offer, respectively, to agree to a sale, or a purchase.
Historically, traders use benchmarks to evaluate their trades. Determining the volume-weighted average price (hereinafter the "VWAP") is one of the most common trade evaluation benchmarks. Traders, brokers, institutional investors, and managers determine the quality of their trades by calculating the VWAP and comparing the VWAP to the prices of which their trades were executed. For example, if a trader purchased a stock today at a price lower than the current cumulative VWAP, the trader bought the stock at a good price—i.e., better than the average buyer of the stock. On the other hand, if the trader bought the stock at a price higher than the VWAP, then the trader overpaid for the stock relative to other buyers of the day. Traders often monitor the VWAP to, for example, predict when short term buying and selling opportunities may arise.
There are markets that provide trading data such that the VWAP may be calculated. One embodiment of an interactive trading system that allows traders to trade on the VWAP is described in co-pending, commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/678,582, filed Oct. 2, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/415,843, filed Oct. 2, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. Trading on the VWAP may provide an opportunity for buyers and sellers to buy or sell items at a price that is the VWAP price or at a price that closely tracks the VWAP price.
However, the conventional VWAP may not be calculated for an illiquid market or a temporarily illiquid market which has little or no volume of trades. Illiquid markets and temporarily illiquid markets that have little or no volume of trades do not allow traders to buy and sell items without causing a significant and possibly disproportionate price change.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide traders with an opportunity to evaluate instruments traded in illiquid markets or temporarily illiquid markets using an approach for calculating an enhanced VWAP price. It would also be desirable to provide an enhanced VWAP price, for an instrument, that may be used as a basis for trading derivatives of that instrument (i.e., the enhanced VWAP price may be used to mark a closing price for which derivative contracts may settle).

Systems and methods for providing enhanced volume-weighted average price trading


A flange adaptor assembly for coupling a waveguide to any number of flange interfaces, wherein the assembly includes a flange adaptor having a predetermined flange coupling interface. The flange adaptor of the present invention is constructed for engaging the common adaptor side of a number of waveguide flanges, while being semi-permanently secured to the end of a waveguide. The flange interface side of the waveguide flanges varies in accordance with the flange interface to which the waveguide is to be connected In this manner, a single waveguide can be manufactured and assembled for use with multiple waveguide flanges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to waveguides, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a method of and apparatus for coupling a waveguide flange assembly to a waveguide.
2. Description of Related Art
Waveguides are commonly used for transmitting electromagnetic wave energy from one point to another. One of the more extensive commercial uses of waveguides is the transmission of electromagnetic signals from transmitting or receiving equipment. This transmission may occur, for example, between an equipment shelter and an antenna, often mounted on a tall tower. In general, the waveguide consists of a hollow metallic tube of defined cross-section, uniform in extent in the direction of propagation. Within the hollow tube, the electric and magnetic fields are confined, and, since the tubes are normally filled with air, dielectric losses are minimal. Commercially available waveguides may be either of the rigid wall or flexible variety and their cross sectional shapes may be rectangular, circular and elliptical. Such waveguide shapes are, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,822,411 to Merle and 4,047,133 to Merle.
It is generally necessary for waveguides to be coupled to transmitting or receiving equipment at some point. Both the design of the waveguide, as well as coupling systems for use therewith, are critical to the efficiency of the overall system and thus certain design parameters must be applied For example, it is well known to preclude the generation of field variations with height and their attendant unwanted modes. It is similarly well-known to securely mount a waveguide within a waveguide flange connector in order to prevent reflection losses and impendence mismatches. Reliable and secure mountings are not, however, always easy to accomplish. It is for this reason that waveguide flange and coupling assemblies have been designed and implemented for connecting waveguides one to the other as well as to receiving or transmitting equipment, Due to the variety of applications and variations in the design of such transmitting and receiving equipment as well as variations in the designs of waveguides, the waveguide flange and coupling assembly has become an area of intense design focus. Not the least of the reasons for the above referenced focus is the functional efficiency of the waveguide flange and coupling assembly. It is well known that trouble may occur either between the waveguide and its flange or between the two mating flanges of coupled waveguides as well as between a waveguide and equipment being connected thereto. Possible problems which may be encountered include reflected power, high VSWR (voltage standing wave ratio), power leakage and arcing. It is thus critical to provide the appropriate coupling mechanism and methods of assembly for use therewith when linking waveguides to one another or to transmitting or receiving equipment.
Waveguide connectors including flange and coupling assemblies exemplifying prior designs are set forth and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,374,450 to Stewart (the '450 patent) as well as U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,264 to Floyd (the '264 patent). The '450 patent discloses a waveguide flange and coupling assembly and outlines various aspects of waveguide connection construction. A plurality of clamping elements including a collar and flange member permit waveguide sections to be more easily assembled one to the other and both rigid and flexible waveguides are addressed. Likewise the '264 patent entitled "Connections Means For Waveguide Means" also discloses a method of and apparatus for connecting together sections of waveguides without soldering. U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,670 assigned to Hughes Aircraft Company discloses a "universal type of waveguide flange" aligning and quick release assembly for coupling and decoupling abutting waveguide flanges. The above-referenced functional efficiency and substantially loss free connection aspects are similarly addressed in this reference.
The above-referenced patents address in particular the connection of waveguides one to the other. It is also important to provide an appropriate coupling mechanism with waveguides connected to transmitting and receiving equipment. In that regard, it is typical in the industry to manufacture waveguides, whether rigid or flexible, in standard lengths and shapes. Flanges are generally permanently mounted at one or both ends to allow for attachment to other waveguide sections or telecommunications equipment. Such waveguide flange and coupling assemblies are generally necessary in order to assemble the waveguide sections into a desired array and/or to desired equipment in order to transmit the electromagnetic wave energy between select points. The design of the waveguide flange for the waveguide flange coupling assemblies is thus critical in this aspect.
As stated above, not all transmitting and receiving equipment and not all waveguide sections are manufactured under the same design specifications. It has thus been common to manufacture and stock waveguide sections having different waveguide flange and coupling assemblies permanently affixed on the ends thereof. Certain applications will specify one kind of waveguide flange coupling assembly while another application may specify another. These variations in waveguide couplings can produce both manufacturing and inventorying problems because virtually identical sections of waveguides may be manufactured and then inventoried with different waveguide flange and coupling assemblies on the ends thereof. Some waveguide and flange assemblies will be immediately utilized while others remain in inventory until a particular demand arises. From a commercial efficiency standpoint, this is not a cost-effective approach.
Waveguide and waveguide flange coupling assemblies are critical to the telecommunication industry and necessitate similar production planning and inventory considerations relating to that of other telecommunications equipment. Parts must be kept in stock for particular applications despite the frequency of use. In a competitive economic environment it is, however, incumbent upon manufacturers and suppliers of equipment such as waveguides and waveguides flange adaptors for the telecommunication industry to be able to provide the requisite parts in a relatively short period of time. One approach to reducing inventory capital is to manufacture fewer parts having unique applications. The present invention provides such an approach by utilizing a waveguide flange adaptor capable of multiple applications.


An engine controller is proposed which facilitates an operation at start of a vehicle without forcing mental strain to a rider to cancel start control. An engine controller includes a start determinator for determining start of a vehicle, an elapsed time after start timer for counting elapsed time Tp since start of the vehicle is determined by the start determinator, and a start controller for adjusting an output of an engine until the elapsed time Tp counted by the elapsed time after start timer reaches a predetermined control time Tr determined in advance if the start of the vehicle is determined by the start determinator.

An engine controller is known in which, when two conditions, that is, a throttle opening degree of an engine and a gear position of a transmission connected to the engine are in a start running state determined in advance, and when a start switch is operated to be switched on, ignition timing of the engine is delayed and gripping performances of a tire at start of a vehicle is improved (see Patent Document 1).