According to one embodiment, an oxide superconductor includes an oriented superconductor layer and an oxide layer. The oriented superconductor layer contains fluorine at 2.0×1016-5.0×1019 atoms/cc and carbon at 1.0×1018-5.0×1020 atoms/cc. The superconductor layer contains in 90% or more a portion oriented along c-axis with an in-plane orientation degree (Δφ) of 10 degrees or less, and contains a LnBa2Cu3O7-x superconductor material (Ln being yttrium or a lanthanoid except cerium, praseodymium, promethium, and lutetium). The oxide layer is provided in contact with a lower surface of the superconductor layer and oriented with an in-plane orientation degree (Δφ) of 10 degrees or less with respect to one crystal axis of the superconductor layer. Area of a portion of the lower surface of the superconductor layer in contact with the oxide layer is 0.3 or less of area of a region directly below the superconductor layer.

A device may include a physical phenomenon detector. The physical phenomenon detector may detect a physical phenomenon related to the device. In response to detecting the physical phenomenon, the device may record audio data that includes speech. The speech may be transcribed with a speech recognition engine. The speech recognition engine may be included in the device, or may be included with a remote computing device with which the device may communicate.

A method of signal processing according to one embodiment includes calculating an envelope of a first signal that is based on a low-frequency portion of a speech signal, calculating an envelope of a second signal that is based on a high-frequency portion of the speech signal, and calculating a plurality of gain factor values according to a time-varying relation between the envelopes of the first and second signal. The method includes attenuating, based on a variation over time of a relation between the envelopes of the first and second signals, at least one of the plurality of gain factor values. In one example, the variation over time of a relation between the envelopes is indicated by at least one distance among the plurality of gain factor values.

The amount of propionic acid produced in the process of oxidizing propane to acrylic acid is reduced by using a reactor with a length/diameter ratio >10 and/or maintaining the difference between the target reaction temperature and the peak temperature within the reactor to less than 20° C.

Disclosed herein are methods and reagents for determining the responsiveness of cancer to an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting treatment. The detection of these mutations will allow for the administration of gefitinib, erlotinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors to those patients most likely to respond to the drug.

Apparatus and methods are described including acquiring a first set of extraluminal images of a lumen, using an extraluminal imaging device. At least one of the first set of images is designated as a roadmap image. While an endoluminal device is being moved through the lumen, a second set of extraluminal images is acquired. A plurality of features that are visible within images belonging to the second set of extraluminal images are identified. In response to the identified features in the images belonging to the second set of extraluminal images, a plurality of local calibration factors associated with respective portions of the roadmap image are determined. Other applications are also described.

Provided is a method of producing an organic transistor, including collectively forming a gate insulating film and an organic semiconductor film by applying, onto a gate electrode, a solution including a polymer and at least one of compounds represented by General Formulas 1 to 4 and 5 to 7, a compound having a structure represented by General Formula 4, a compound having a structure represented by General Formula 5 or 6, and forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the organic semiconductor film. (where R is a linear or branched alkyl group) (where R is an alkyl group) (where R is an alkyl group) (where A1 and A2 are represented by Formula 8) (where R is an alkyl group or another substituent).

A system for testing a plurality of transistors on a wafer having a storage device or personal computer connected via a bus to a plurality of drivers. Each of the voltage drivers having a microcontroller adapted to receive test parameters and provide test data from a plurality of voltage drivers. By utilizing a bus structure, the personal computer can look on one bus for flags indicating test data is available from a driver and receive the data. In addition a bus may be used to provide test parameters to the drivers. In this manner, multiple drivers may be run at the same time incorporating multiple tests. When data is available it is transferred to the personal computer, for providing test parameters to a plurality of drivers, and connected via a second bus for receiving test results from the plurality of drivers.

This invention is related to a pharmaceutical combination that contains a Casein kinase 2 (CK2) peptide inhibitor (termed P15) along with the standard chemotherapeutic drugs used in cancer treatment and which are administered together, separated or sequentially. The chemotherapeutic drugs include cisplatin, taxol, alkaloids from Vinca, 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, mitomicin C, imatinib, iressa and velcade (vortezomib). The synergism between the P15 peptide and the anticancer drugs achieves an efficient concentration of each cytostatic drug in the combination which is from 10- to 100-fold lower than that for each cytostatic drug alone. The pharmaceutical combination described in this invention exhibits lower toxicity compared to that reported by the anticancer therapeutics and therefore, it represents a crucial advantage for its use in cancer therapy. Furthermore, the sequential administration of this pharmaceutical combination through the pretreatment with the P15 peptide leads to the chemo sensibilization of refractory tumors to the anticancer therapeutics.

The invention discloses an improved multistage fischer tropsch process scheme for the production of hydrocarbon fuels comprising feeding gaseous phase syngas and liquid stream hydrocarbons in a counter current manner such as herein described into the reaction vessel at a number of stages containing reaction catalysts; wherein fresh syngas enters into the stage where the product liquid stream leaves and the fresh liquid stream enters into the stage where the unreacted syngas leaves; wherein further the temperature of each stage can be controlled independently. More particularly the invention relates to improving the heat release in different reactors, product selectivity and reactor productivity of FT reactors.

Disclosed is a process for converting a reactant composition comprising H2 and CO to a product comprising at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon having at least about 5 carbon atoms, the process comprising: flowing the reactant composition through a microchannel reactor in contact with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst to convert the reactant composition to the product, the microchannel reactor comprising a plurality of process microchannels containing the catalyst; transferring heat from the process microchannels to a heat exchanger; and removing the product from the microchannel reactor; the process producing at least about 0.5 gram of aliphatic hydrocarbon having at least about 5 carbon atoms per gram of catalyst per hour; the selectivity to methane in the product being less than about 25%. Also disclosed is a supported catalyst comprising Co, and a microchannel reactor comprising at least one process microchannel and at least one adjacent heat exchange zone.

A synthesis gas conversion process and system are disclosed. Fresh syngas from a methane reformer is used as a sweep zone gas feed which is caused to flow across a water permselective membrane in a membrane reactor. The water permselective membrane is adjacent a synthesis gas conversion reaction zone in which synthesis gas is contacted with a catalyst and converted to effluent including water. Water is removed from the reaction zone through the membrane and passes out of the reactor with the sweep zone gas. The water is then removed from the sweep zone gas forming a modified gas feed which is fed to the reaction zone. The modified gas feed has a preferred H2/CO ratio to feed into the reaction zone.

Disclosed herein is a method for determining a trajectory for a transfer of a spacecraft from a starting space body to a target space body with respect to a given central space body, wherein the determined trajectory is optimal with respect to a given space mission requirement to be met by the transfer of the spacecraft. The method comprises providing, according to the Pontryagin maximum principle, a physical-mathematical model relating model quantities and physical quantities representing the transfer of the spacecraft with respect to the given central space body.

Disclosed are polysulfone-based materials that can be used as active and/or passive components in various electronic, optical, and optoelectronic devices, particularly, metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. For example, various metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors can include a dielectric layer and/or a passivation layer prepared from such polysulfone-based materials and exhibit good device performance.

An injection molding machine includes an ejector unit configured to eject a molding product from a mold and a mold release force sensor configured to detect a force to release the molding product from the mold.

An apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor package may include a mold and a molding plate. The mold may define a mold cavity with the mold being configured to receive a circuit board in the mold cavity, and the circuit board may include a semiconductor chip mounted thereon. A molding plate may be moveable in the mold cavity with the molding plate being configured to adjust a volume of the mold cavity. Related methods are also discussed.

Disclosed is a positive photosensitive resin composition that includes (A) an alkali soluble resin prepared by a phosphorous-containing diamine represented by the following Chemical Formula 1, (B) a photosensitive diazoquinone compound, and (C) a solvent. A photosensitive resin film prepared using the same and a semiconductor device including the photosensitive resin film are also disclosed. In Chemical Formula 1, each substituent is the same as defined in the detailed description.

To provide an amine compound, represented by General Formula (I) below: [In General Formula (I), R1 and R2 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, which may be identical or different; m and n are an integer of 1 or 0; Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group; Ar2 and Ar3 represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group; and Ar1 and Ar2 or Ar2 and Ar3 may bind to each other to form a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group including a nitrogen atom.]

A method for forming patterns of a semiconductor device includes providing a photomask that includes an array of contact holes in an active region, a plurality of first dummy contact holes for restricting pattern distortion of the contact holes in an area outside of the array of the contact holes, a plurality of first assist features for restricting pattern distortion of the first dummy contact holes disposed inside a corresponding one of the first dummy contact holes, and an array of second assist features for additionally restricting pattern distortion of the first dummy contact holes. The array of second assist features is disposed outside of the first dummy contact holes. The method also includes forming an array of contact holes and first dummy contact holes on a wafer by using the photomask as an exposure mask.

A mask blank for use in the manufacture of a binary mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light has, on a transparent substrate, a light-shielding film for forming a transfer pattern. The light-shielding film has a laminated structure of a lower layer and an upper layer and has an optical density of 2.8 or more for exposure light and a thickness of 45 nm or less. The lower layer is made of a material in which the total content of a transition metal and silicon is 90 at % or more, and has a thickness of 30 nm or more. The upper layer has a thickness of 3 nm or more and 6 nm or less. The phase difference between exposure light transmitted through the light-shielding film and exposure light transmitted in air for a distance equal to the thickness of the light-shielding film is 30 degrees or less.

A chain ring protector having a substantially planar mounting bracket operably secured to the bottom bracket sleeve of a vehicle with a durable semi-circumferential guard extending therefrom is disclosed. The durable guard has a substantially arcuate outer edge sized to approximate the outer diameter of a chain ring, and it is operably secured to the planar mounting bracket such that the outer edge extends slightly beyond the outer diameter of the portion of the chain ring extending below the bottom bracket sleeve.

A polishing pad, having a polishing layer comprising a thermoset polyurethane foam, wherein the polishing layer has an in-plane variation of 12 or less in microrubber A hardness, the variation being obtained by measuring the polishing layer from a polishing surface side of the layer, the thermoset polyurethane foam contains, as raw material components, an isocyanate component and active-hydrogen-containing compounds, and the active-hydrogen-containing compounds comprise a trifunctional polyol having at least one terminated hydroxyl group that is a secondary hydroxyl group, and having a hydroxyl group value of 150 to 1,000 mg KOH/g in an amount of 10 to 50 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the active-hydrogen-containing compounds.

A fiber optic connector fiber stub remover and method for automated fiber stub removal. The device has a top plate with a platen opening, and a platen with a well that carries a polishing film over the well. An air pocket is formed between the polishing film and the well. The platen is positioned with a top surface of the polishing film accessible via the platen opening. A fixture holds connector ends of fiber optic cables with fiber stubs extending therefrom, and a weight biases the fiber stubs into contact with the polishing film. A motor is controlled by a motor control unit to control a ramp up time and final speed of movement of the platen over a timespan. Each connector ends moves independently relative to the polishing film. The air pocket provides shock absorption of the polishing film so that an ideal pressure is exerted on each fiber stub during stub removal.

A combination trimming/flame treatment end effector adapted for mounting to the end of a robotic arm. A trimming blade extends from a main body portion of the end effector for performing a trimming operation. The trimming blade may be mounted in an exchangeable cartridge to facilitate blade changing. Also extending from the main body portion is a flame treatment element for performing a flame treatment operation. The flame treatment element generally comprises a torch or burner. Because both the trimming blade and the flame treatment element are part of the same end effector, the robot simply manipulates the end effector such that the desired one of the trimming blade or the flame treatment element is properly positioned for use. As such, a tooling change can be avoided. While not restricted thereto, it is contemplated that an end effector of the present invention may be used to process vehicle bumper fascias.

A device and method for adjusting the magnetic strength of a magnetic end effector for lift systems is described. The magnetic end effector is capable of lifting discriminate payloads by selectively varying the strength of the magnetic forces output by the magnetic end effector. An actuator can be operatively coupled to the variable strength magnet end effector, wherein the actuator is selectively actuatable to control the adjustment of the variable strength magnet. The actuator may also be configured to maintain the variable strength magnet at a desired magnetic force output strength once achieved for any given amount of time.

Techniques are provided describing a first connector unit that receives first data from a first transceiver and a second connector unit that receives second data from a second transceiver. A switch unit is configured to receive first switch data from the first connector unit at a first data rate and second switch data from the second connector unit at the first data rate. A third connector unit receives the first switch or the second switch data from the switch unit and a second portion of the second data from the second connector unit. The third connector unit also sends the first switch data to a host port when the first connector unit receives the first data and to send the second switch data and the second portion of the second data to the host port when the second connector unit receives the second data.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a time-domain reflectometer having a transmitter configured to apply, to a system under test (SUT), an intensity-modulated probe signal generated based on a periodic pseudo-random bit sequence. The reflectometer further has a receiver configured to receive, back from the SUT, a reflected signal corresponding to the probe signal. The receiver converts the received reflected signal into a binary bit sequence using a relatively simple slicer circuit, and without the use of complex analog circuits and/or multi-bit analog-to-digital converters. The binary bit sequence is then compared with the original pseudo-random bit sequence to obtain a measure of the impulse response of the SUT. In some embodiments, the reflectometer has a controllable noise generator that can be used, e.g., to optimize the obtained measure for the detection of multiple SUT defects having significantly differing reflection characteristics.

A slurry bubble column reactor with a gas distribution arrangement comprising an upper sparger, a lower sparger, and an open-ended tube. Gas from the lower sparger enters the tube and lowers the density of slurry in the tube. The difference in slurry density causes the slurry in the tube to rise, causing slurry outside the tube to move down, maintaining circulation and flushing catalyst from the vessel wall.

A steam cooled chemical reactor (1) comprising a vertical vessel (2), a plate heat exchanger embedded in a catalytic bed, to cool the catalytic bed by evaporation of a cooling water flow, wherein a water inlet and a steam outlet are located underneath the heat exchanger, and the plates and related piping are arranged so that the path of the cooling flow comprises a first ascending path from bottom to top of the catalytic bed, and a second descending path from top to the bottom of catalytic bed, and wherein internal evaporation channels of the plates provide the second descending or the first ascending path, and water upcomers or respectively steam downcomers provide the other of said first and second path.

A pattern projector, comprising a light source, configured to emit a beam of light. A transparent substrate, which has a pair of mutually-opposed planar surfaces is configured to receive and propagate the beam within the substrate by total internal reflection between the planar surfaces. The transparent substrate comprises a diffractive structure that is formed on one of the planar surfaces and is configured to direct at least a part of the beam to propagate out of the substrate in a direction that is angled away from the surface and to create a pattern comprising multiple interleaved light and dark areas.

Provided is a configuration in which it is possible to mount an applied voltage suppression circuit configured to prevent voltage breakdown of a semiconductor switching element, and a set voltage thereof can be inspected without damaging an IC or the like of a peripheral circuit. In a power converter having a semiconductor switching element, an applied voltage suppression circuit configured to suppress a voltage applied to the semiconductor switching element and at least one component of constituent components of a driving circuit which causes the semiconductor switching element to be turned off if the component is absent are transferred to and disposed on a slave substrate (separate unit) which is divided from and electrically connected to a master substrate including the semiconductor switching element, the driving circuit, a control circuit, and the like mounted thereon.

A semiconductor device of a three-level inverter circuit with a reduced number of power supplies for driving IGBTs. The semiconductor device includes a series-connected circuit of IGBTs between P and N of a DC power supply and an AC switch element that is connected between a series connection point of the series-connected circuit and a neutral point of the DC power supply. The series-connected circuit and the AC switch element are integrated into one module. The AC switch element is formed by connecting a collector of a first IGBT to which a diode is connected in reverse parallel and a collector of a second IGBT to which a diode is connected in reverse parallel, and an intermediate terminal is provided at a connection point between the collectors.

Methods and systems for managing link voltages in a power converter, where single phase, three phase or universal systems can be used. Common mode management refers to shifting of voltages in a particular direction to perform transition between input and output ports, in addition to maintaining soft switching property. Voltages in power converters can be freely increasing and decreasing, and thus damage to the circuit can be caused if these voltages change are not controlled.

A voltage regulator coupled to an unregulated DC input voltage source by an input terminal, and to a load by an output terminal is disclosed. The voltage regulator converts an input voltage at the input terminal to an output voltage at the output terminal. The voltage regulator includes one or more slaves, and each slave includes a switching circuit which serves as a power switch for alternately coupling and decoupling the input terminal to an intermediate node. The voltage regulator also includes a filter coupled to the slaves, the filter including one or more inductor banks each of which having a predetermined number of inductors.

A servo processor for an optical disk drive is provided that includes: an analog-to-digital converter for converting versions of photodetector output signals into digital signals; and a digital signal processor configured to receive the digital signals, the digital signal processor being further configured to determine a focus error signal (FES) and a tracking error signal (TES) from the digital signals, the digital signal processor being further configured to process TES and FES through servo algorithms to produce tracking and focus control signals.

Metallurgical reactors having cooling capability and electrode feed capability are disclosed. The reactors may include a shell having a sidewall and a bottom, where the shell is adapted to contain a molten material. The reactors may include at least one consumable electrode protruding through an opening of the shell and into the molten material. The reactors may include a current contact clamp configured to conduct operating current to the electrode, where the current clamp is in contact with the electrode, and where the current clamp comprises at least one internal channel, wherein the internal channel is configured to circulate a cooling medium. The reactors may include an electric isolation ring disposed between the electrode and the opening of the shell, wherein the electric isolation ring is configured to sealingly engage the electrode and the opening so as to restrict flow of the molten material out of the shell.

A low temperature melting furnace using an external cooling passage includes a wall including a plurality of metal sectors, each metal sector including a cooling passage formed along a longitudinal direction thereof, and an extension tube provided outwardly from the wall and connected to the cooling passage.

The present invention relates to an electric channel inductor assembly and method of forming an electric channel inductor assembly. A nonremovable, hollow, nonmagnetic channel mold is used to form the one or more flow channels of the assembly. A heated fluid medium is circulated in the hollow interior of the mold after the mold is situated in the assembly to heat treat the refractory surrounding the exterior walls of the mold. After heat treatment a liquid is supplied to the hollow interior of the mold to chemically dissolve the mold.

A method of controlling an operation of a robotically-controlled surgical instrument can include receiving a first input signal at a controller indicative of a user's readiness to actuate the surgical instrument to perform a surgical procedure, outputting an output signal from the controller to provide feedback to the user in response to the received first input signal, receiving a second input signal at the controller confirming the user's readiness to actuate the surgical instrument, outputting an actuation signal from the controller in response to receiving the second input signal, and actuating the surgical instrument to perform the surgical procedure based on the actuation signal.

Porphyrin compounds are provided. The compounds may further comprise a fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon or a fused heterocyclic aromatic. Fused polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon s and fused heterocyclic aromatics may extend and broaden absorption, and modify the solubility, crystallinity, and film-forming properties of the porphyrin compounds. Additionally, devices comprising porphyrin compounds are also provided. The porphyrin compounds may be used in a donor/acceptor configuration with compounds, such as C60.

The present disclosure relates to an azoquinone compound represented by formula (1) below. In formula (1), R1 to R4 are identical or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C6 alkyl group or a C6 to C12 aryl group, and Ar represents a C6 to C12 aryl group.

Illustrative embodiments provide a nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system.

A reactor installation tool and method for installing a reactor unit in a reactor tube. A reactor installation tool including a movable assembly and a fixed assembly linked together such that the movable assembly can be adjusted relative to the fixed assembly. The movable assembly including a reactor sleeve attachment means for releasably securing a reactor sleeve loaded with a reactor unit to the tool. The fixed assembly including an expandable clamping unit for releasably securing the tool to a reactor tube. A reactor unit can be installed in the reactor tube by adjusting the movable assembly to extract the reactor unit from the reactor sleeve as the fixed assembly is rigidly secured to the reactor tube. The fixed assembly can be released from the reactor tube and the reactor installation tool can be removed from the reactor tube.

A method for design of a fuel assembly for nuclear reactors, including structural components made from zirconium alloy: the mean uniaxial tensile or compressive stress to which the components are subjected during the assembly life is calculated, the zirconium alloy of which the components are made is selected according to the following criteria: those components subjected to an axial or transverse compressive stress of between −10 et −20 MPa are made from an alloy with a content of Sn between Sn=(=0.025σ−0.25)% and Sn=−0.05σ%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 et −10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=traces and Sn=(0.05σ+1)%: those components subjected to such a stress of between 0 and +10 MPa are made from an alloy the Sn content of which is between Sn=0.05% and Sn=(0.07σ+1)%: and those components subjected to such a stress of between +10 and +20 MPa are made from an alloy the content of SN of which is between 0.05% and 1.70%. A fuel assembly made according to the method.

Illustrative embodiments provide a nuclear fission reactor, a vented nuclear fission fuel module, methods therefor and a vented nuclear fission fuel module system.

A reactor installation tool and method for installing a reactor unit in a reactor tube. A reactor installation tool including a movable assembly and a fixed assembly linked together such that the movable assembly can be adjusted relative to the fixed assembly. The movable assembly including a reactor sleeve attachment means for releasably securing a reactor sleeve loaded with a reactor unit to the tool. The fixed assembly including an expandable clamping unit for releasably securing the tool to a reactor tube. A reactor unit can be installed in the reactor tube by adjusting the movable assembly to extract the reactor unit from the reactor sleeve as the fixed assembly is rigidly secured to the reactor tube. The fixed assembly can be released from the reactor tube and the reactor installation tool can be removed from the reactor tube.

A method for measuring the neutron flux in the core of a nuclear reactor, the method including several steps recurrently performed at instants separated by a period, the method comprising at each given instant the following steps: acquiring a total signal by a cobalt neutron detector placed inside the core of the reactor; assessing a calibration factor representative of the delayed component of the total signal due to the presence of cobalt 60 in the neutron detector; assessing a corrected signal representative of the neutron flux at the detector from the total signal and from the calibration factor; assessing a slope representative of the time-dependent change of the calibration factor between the preceding instant and the given instant; the calibration factor at the given instant being assessed as a function of the calibration factor assessed at the preceding instant, of the slope, and of the time period separating the given instant from the preceding instant.

Disclosed embodiments include methods of assembling a vented nuclear fission fuel module. Given by way of non-limiting example and not of limitation, an illustrative method of assembling a vented nuclear fission fuel module includes receiving a nuclear fission fuel element capable of generating a gaseous fission product. A valve body is coupled to the nuclear fission fuel element, and the valve body defines a plenum therein for receiving the gaseous fission product. A valve is disposed in communication with the plenum for controllably venting the gaseous fission product from the plenum. A flexible diaphragm is coupled to the valve for moving the valve. A cap is mounted on the valve, and a manipulator extendable to the cap for manipulating the cap is received.

The present invention relates to isolation of whey proteins and the preparation of a whey product and a whey isolate. In particular the present invention relates to the isolation of a β-lactoglobulin product and the isolation of an α-enriched whey protein isolate from whey obtained from an animal. The α-enriched whey protein isolate provided by the present invention is besides from being low in β-lactoglobulin also high in α-lactalbumin and immunoglobulin G.

The present invention relates to a compound which is a polysaccharide derivative of GCSF, or of a GCSF like protein, wherein the polysaccharide is anionic and comprises between 2 and 200 saccharide units. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel compounds, and methods for making the novel compounds.