A belt unit includes an endless belt member, a first roller provided on an inner circumferential surface side of the belt member, and a stretching member provided on the inner circumferential surface side of the belt member. The stretching member is configured to stretch the belt member. A circumferential length of the belt member at a center portion in a widthwise direction of the belt member is shorter than a circumferential length of the belt member at an end portion in the widthwise direction of the belt member.

A method and apparatus for mixing fluids, such as beverage syrup and water, uses countercurrent injection to improve blending of the fluids. A mixing chamber has a first inlet through which a first fluid is fed to the mixing chamber, and a second inlet through which a countercurrent injection nozzle extends and is operative to inject a second fluid into a stream of the first fluid. The countercurrent injection nozzle is equipped with a check valve to control the flow of fluid into the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber may include additional inlets that may be fitted with countercurrent injection nozzles to permit the countercurrent injection of other fluid, such as flavorings, into the stream of the first fluid.

A cartridge for squeezing-out a cartridge content, like a cement, or a medical cement, having a cylindrical hollow space bordered by a cartridge wall, a feed plunger arranged in the hollow space to be mobile along the cylinder axis of the hollow space and abutting the cartridge wall, and at least one snap-in means for locking the feed plunger in place at the cartridge wall, to a locking device arranged on the feed plunger and comprises at least a snap-in means which is accessible from outside when the feed plunger is locked. The invention also provides a cartridge system with a cartridge for squeezing out content and a method for dispensing such cartridge content, preferably a cement, through the use of a cartridge of said type.

A method of mixing together liquids or liquid/solid combinations, and mixing apparatus/universal combine utilizing a vertical spinning container or vessel having a rib, or a cross rib in its bottom wall. The container is spun about a vertical axis with no wobbling component to the motion. Meshed elements are used for high shear mixing. Start/stop routines, and variable acceleration/speed values are used, to facilitate complete mixing. Use of ‘impeller’ blade stirrers is completely eliminated.

A method and devices comprise a low frequency high energy ultrasound system having at least one sonotrode projecting into a reactor vessel through which the liquid passes via at least one inlet orifice and at least one outlet orifice. To avoid cavitation at the sonotrode, in a close region of the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface a pressure/amplitude combination close to or above the pressure-amplitude characteristic line is generated at which considerably reduced or no cavitation occurs and in the adjacent region in the vessel at least in a region and at least at times a pressure/amplitude combination is maintained below the pressure-amplitude characteristic line at which cavitation is generated. A device has an inlet orifice arranged such that the liquid impacts directly onto the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface, and is shaped that in the close region of the oscillation-transducing sonotrode surface a pressure close to or above the pressure-amplitude characteristic line prevails.

Mixer for biphasic compounds, including a chamber for containing a solid phase and a cartridge containing a phial of a liquid phase, said chamber and said cartridge being able to communicate through respective channels, wherein said cartridge includes an external casing made in a deformable material and said phial is of the breakable type.

A mixing and kneading machine (1) for continual compounding comprises a screw shaft (3) rotating in a casing (2) and simultaneously moving axially translationally. To sustainably enhance the efficiency of the machine as regards its material thruput per unit of time the screw shaft (3) comprises at least four groups of radial screw vanes (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) evenly distributed circumferentially, each group consisting of a plurality of screw vanes in axial sequence. The outer diameter (Da) of the screw shaft ranges from 400 to 800 millimeters. The rotary speed of the screw shaft (3) ranges from 30 to 80 rpm. A mixing and kneading machine (1) engineered as such is particularly suitable for compounding an anodic mass in the production of electrodes—anodes—for the aluminum industry.

The present invention relates to the field of organic chemistry and in particular to organic free radicals used as polarizing agents in the technique of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), which involves transferring the polarization of electron spins to the nuclei of a compound whose Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is being observed. It concerns Dinitroxide-type Biradical polarizing agents characterized by a rigid linkage between the aminoxyl groups of said nitroxide units. This particular structure enables, at low temperatures and high fields, optimal transfer of polarization and optimal enhancement of NMR/MAS signals of the polarized nuclei of the compound studied.

There are provided compounds represented by the following general formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts of thereof, which have a superior monoacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 inhibitory action: wherein Ring A represents a partially saturated heteroaryl group, an aryl group or a heteroaryl group,RB represents a C4-18 alkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, a partially saturated aryl group, an aryl group, or the following formula (II): wherein V represents the formula —CR11R12—, —CO—, —CO—O—, or —CO—NH—,W represents a single bond or a C1-3 alkylene group, andRing B represents a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkenyl group, a partially saturated heteroaryl group, a saturated heterocyclyl group, an aryl group, or a heteroaryl group,Y represents a nitrogen atom or the formula N+(RF),RF represents a C1-4 alkyl group, andm and n, which may be the same or different, each represent an integer of 0 or 1.

A process for preparing the compound of the following formula (E): wherein Bn represents a benzyl group, and tBu represents a tert-butyl group, the process including: (a) subjecting the following compound (B) to trifluoroacetylation, wherein tBu represents a tert-butyl group to produce the following compound (C): wherein tBu represents a tert-butyl group, and TFA represents a trifluoroacetyl group; (b) reacting the compound (C) with benzyloxyamine in the presence of a hydroxyl group activating agent to produce the following compound (D): wherein Bn represents a benzyl group, tBu represents a tert-butyl group, and TFA represents a trifluoroacetyl group; and (c) subjecting the compound (D) to detrifluoroacetylation.

This invention relates to novel compounds which are inhibitors of the Rearranged during Transfection (RET) kinase, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation, and to their use in therapy, alone or in combination, for the normalization of gastrointestinal sensitivity, motility and/or secretion and/or abdominal disorders or diseases and/or treatment related to diseases related to RET dysfunction or where modulation of RET activity may have therapeutic benefit including but not limited to all classifications of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) including diarrhea-predominant, constipation-predominant or alternating stool pattern, functional bloating, functional constipation, functional diarrhea, unspecified functional bowel disorder, functional abdominal pain syndrome, chronic idiopathic constipation, functional esophageal disorders, functional gastroduodenal disorders, functional anorectal pain, inflammatory bowel disease, proliferative diseases such as non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, follicular thyroid cancer, anaplastic thyroid cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, brain tumors, peritoneal cavity cancer, solid tumors, other lung cancer, head and neck cancer, gliomas, neuroblastomas, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome and kidney tumors, breast cancer, fallopian tube cancer, ovarian cancer, transitional cell cancer, prostate cancer, cancer of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction, biliary cancer, adenocarcinoma, and any malignancy with increased RET kinase activity.

The present invention is directed to ethanamine compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, and methods of treating depression by administering the ethanamine compound.

The present disclosure relates to Oxime-Substituted Quinoxaline-Type Piperidine Compounds, such as those of Formula (I): and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R20, R21, Q, Y1, Z, A, B, and a are as defined herein; compositions comprising an effective amount of an Oxime-Substituted Quinoxaline-Type Piperidine Compound, and methods to treat or prevent a condition, such as pain, comprising administering to an animal in need thereof an effective amount of an Oxime-Substituted Quinoxaline-Type Piperidine Compound.

The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I or II, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which relates to mophinan compounds useful as μ, δ and/or κ receptor opioid compounds and pharmaceuticals containing same that may be useful for mediating analgesia, combating drug addiction, alcohol addiction, drug overdose, mental illness, bladder dysfunctions, neurogenic bladder, interstitial cystitis, urinary incontinence, premature ejaculation, inflammatory pain, peripherally mediated and neuropathic pain, cough, lung edema, diarrhea, cardiac disorders, cardioprotection, depression, and cognitive, respiratory, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and gastro-intestinal disorders, immunomodulation, and anti-tumor agents.

The present invention provides a process for the synthesis of substituted phenoxymethylpropionic acid and related compounds. The compounds are useful for inhibiting the formation of AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products).

The present invention provides compounds having the general structural formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof, as described generally and in classes and subclasses herein, and additionally provides pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods for the use thereof for the treatment of any of a number of conditions or diseases involving abnormal or excessive fibrosis.

Cyanine dye compounds having a substituted methine moiety that are nucleic acid stains, particularly for fluorescent staining of RNA, including compounds having the formula where R1 is a C1-C6 alkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl or C1-C6 alkoxy; each R2 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, fused benzo, trifluoromethyl, amino, sulfo, carboxy and halogen, that is optionally further substituted; at least one of R3, R4, and R5 is an alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cyclic, or heterocyclic moiety that is optionally substituted by alkyl, amino, aminoalkyl, carboxy, nitro, or halogen; and the remaining R3, R4 or R5 are hydrogen; X is S, O, or Se; and D is a substituted or unsubstituted pyridinium, quinolinium or benzazolium moiety.

The invention provides a chemical entity of Formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, Y and Z have any of the values described herein, and compositions comprising such chemical entities; methods of making them; and their use in a wide range of methods, including metabolic and reaction kinetic studies, detection and imaging techniques, and radioactive treatments; and therapies, including inhibiting PDE4, enhancing neuronal plasticity, treating neurological disorders, providing neuroprotection, treating a cognitive impairment associated with a CNS disorder, enhancing the efficiency of cognitive and motor training, providing neurorecovery and neurorehabilitation, enhancing the efficiency of non-human animal training protocols, and treating peripheral disorders, including inflammatory and renal disorders.

The present invention provides processes for the preparation of saturated ketone morphinan compounds. In particular, the invention provides processes for the conversion of a morphinan comprising an allyl alcohol ring moiety into a morphinan comprising a saturated ketone ring moiety by an isomerization reaction catalyzed by an inorganic salt of a late transition metal.

A compound of formula (I) wherein R1 to R4 are, for example, each hydrogen, R5 is pyridyl, which has two or more substituents selected, for example, from halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, and cyano; R6 is, for example, hydrogen; R7 is, for example, hydrogen, cyano, hydroxyl, formyl, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C2-C4-alkenyl, or C2-C4-alkynyl; and A1 to A5 are, independently selected, from, for example, N, and C—H; and its use as a pesticidal agent.

The present invention relates to a novel method for producing a pyridazinone compound and an intermediate thereof as shown in the following scheme: wherein the symbols are as defined in the specification.

Disclosed are compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL proteins, compositions containing the compounds and methods of treating diseases during which are expressed anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein.

The invention provides a chemical entity of Formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, Y, and n have any of the values described herein and compositions comprising such chemical entities; methods of making them; and their use in a wide range of methods, including metabolic and reaction kinetic studies, detection and imaging techniques, and radioactive treatments; and therapies, including inhibiting MAO, and MAO-B selectively, enhancing neuronal plasticity, treating neurological disorders, providing neuroprotection, treating a cognitive impairment associated with a CNS disorder, enhancing the efficiency of cognitive and motor training, providing neurorecovery and neurorehabilitation, enhancing the efficiency of non-human animal training protocols, and treating treating peripheral disorders (including obesity, diabetes, and cardiometabolic disorders) and their associated co-morbidities.

A fastening assembly includes a connecting member, a mounting member mounted to the connecting member, and a sliding member. The mounting member includes a first fixing portion. The sliding member is slidably received in the mounting member and the connecting member. The sliding member includes a first end exposed out of the first fixing portion, and a second end slidably received in the connecting member. The second end of the sliding member is operable to be extended out of or substantially coplanar with an end of the connecting member. The fastening assembly can be utilized to mount a heat sink to a board.

A rolling machine comprises parallel guides delimiting a workpiece conveying channel extending from a plurality of per se known rolling tools to a machined workpiece unloading arrangement, wherein, upstream of the workpiece unloading arrangement, one of the channel delimiting guides is operatively coupled to a structural element swingably supported by a pivot pin, the structural element being integral with the piston rod of a cylinder-piston unit slidably driving the structural element together with the channel delimiting guide, thereby providing a side unloading opening for the workpiece.

A run-off securing device, in particular a run-off securing device of a handheld power tool, is configured to avoid running off of a clamping element and/or a tool from a spindle. The device has at least one transmission unit, which is removably coupled to the spindle and has at least one first transmission element and at least one second transmission element. The at least one second transmission element is movable in relation to the at least one first transmission element. The transmission unit has at least one movement changing unit, which at least partially transforms a first relative movement between the at least one first transmission element and the at least one second transmission element into a second relative movement in a braking mode.

This invention relates to terpene derived compounds and farnesene derived compounds, and to the use of such terpene derived compounds and farnesene derived compounds in lubricants, detergents, dispersants, functional fluids, fuels, polymer compositions, cold flow improvers, and the like.

The invention provides a grease composition for a hub unit bearing employing an angular contact ball bearing, containing (a) as a thickener a mixture of diurea compounds represented by formula (I): R1—NHCONH—R2—NHCONH—R1, formula (II): R1—NHCONH—R2—NHCONH—R3, and formula (III): R3—NHCONH—R2—NHCONH—R3 wherein R1 is cyclohexyl group, R2 is a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, R3 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 12 to 20 carbon atoms, and (R1/(R1+R3))×100=85 to 95 mol %; (b) a base oil; (c) a molybdenum dialkyldithiocarbamate; and (d) a calcium sulfonate. The grease composition of the invention, when used in the hub unit bearing, shows minimum leakage, excellent anti-flaking properties and satisfactory bearing lubrication life.

Lubrication additives of the current invention require formation of emulsions in base lubricants, created with an aqueous salt solution plus a single-phase compound such that partitioning within the resulting emulsion provides thermodynamically targeted compounds for boundary layer organization thus establishing anti-friction and/or anti-wear. The single-phase compound is termed “boundary layer organizer”, abbreviated BLO. These emulsion-contained compounds energetically favor association with tribologic surfaces in accord with the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and will organize boundary layers on those surfaces in ways specific to the chemistry of the salt and BLO additives. In this way friction modifications may be provided by BLOs targeted to boundary layers via emulsions within lubricating fluids, wherein those lubricating fluids may be water-based or oil-based.

Various esterified alkyl ketal ester or hydroxyalkyl ketal ester products are useful as components of organic polymer compositions. The ketal esters are produced in certain transesterifications between alkyl ketal esters and/or hydroxyalkyl ketal esters and polyols, aminoalcohols, polyamines, and/or polycarboxylic acids. The products are excellent plasticizers for a variety of organic polymers, notable poly(vinyl chloride) plastisols. The products are also very good lubricants for many lubrication applications.

It is known by the inventor that a universal synthetic lubricant additive that can greatly enhance the performance standards of existing lubricants, petroleum based or synthetic, imparts a new and desirable property not originally present in the existing oil or it reinforces a desirable property already possessed in some degree can greatly benefit the consumer. Although additives of many diverse types have been developed to meet special lubrication needs, their principal functions are relatively few in number. This universal synthetic lubricant additive (invention) with micro lubrication technology, when used as directed will reduce the oxidative or thermal degradation of the host oil, substantially reduce the deposition of harmful deposits in lubricated parts, minimize rust and corrosion, control frictional properties, reduce wear, temperature, sludge, varnishes and prevent destructive metal-to-metal contact, reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions while improving performance through increased horsepower and torque.

A system for loading/unloading sheets is disclosed, some of which also being of metal, and handling method thereof, serving a laser cutting center. The system includes a pair of rails (1, 2), supported at a preset height above a feeding tray (T) of the cutting center, whereon at least one Cartesian robotized hand is movably mounted, capable of moving along horizontal axes X and Y as well as along a vertical axis Z, mutually orthogonal, and including at least two bridge cranes (3, 4) sliding along the rails (1, 2) each of which supports at least one pair of robotized hands (5-8), and the robotized hands (5-8) have an electromagnetic pick-up head which may be coupled with a suction-cup device (103). Feeding tray (T) consists of bars whereon small tesserae (204) of ceramic material are fitted.

There is provided a component mounting apparatus, which includes: a nozzle which sucks a component; a nozzle supporting member, on which the nozzle is installed, which moves in a vertical direction with respect to an upper surface of a substrate on which the component sucked at the nozzle is mounted; an optical system which captures an image of a leading edge portion of the nozzle where the component is sucked in a component mounting operation, from a side direction, such that an optical axis of the optical system is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a sucking surface of the nozzle; and an analyzer which analyzes the image of the leading edge portion to determine whether a sucking state of the component sucked by the nozzle is normal or abnormal.

A combination component handling and connecting device connectable to a multi-axis robot for use in moving and connecting components and subassemblies includes a housing and an actuator fixedly connected to the housing. The actuator includes an actuating link movable from a first position to a second position. Connected to the actuating link is an end effector for concurrent movement with the actuating link. The component handling and connecting device includes a clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw. The second jaw is connected to the actuating link for selectively moving the second jaw toward the first jaw operative to engage a component.

Exemplary systems and methods for testing communication media and devices are disclosed herein. An exemplary system may include a transmitting media support and a receiving media support, each including a plurality of communication media. The system may further include a movement support configured to selectively translate the receiving media support relative to the transmitting media support between a transmission position and a free position. In the transmission position, a receiving media may be engaged with the transmitting media to receive an initiated signal from the transmitting media. In the free position, a first end face of the receiving media may be spaced apart from a second end face of the transmitting media, thereby preventing contact between the first and second end faces. The movement support may be further configured to align the at least one of the receiving media with the transmitting media.

A multi-channel optoelectronic device is configured to establish a redundant status link with a remote device. The optoelectronic device can transmit N transmit optical signals to the remote device over a plurality of transmit channels and receive N receive optical signals from the remote device over a plurality of receive channels. The optoelectronic device includes one or more spare transmit and receive channels. When used with a remote device having spare transmit and receive channels, each device can establish a status link with the other and use the status link to switch out transmit and/or receive channels to identify and permanently switch out the worst transmit and/or receive channels. Alternately, the device can interoperate with a non-status-link enabled remote device by determining that the remote device is not status-link enabled, transitioning to a low transmit power mode, and transmitting and receiving over a plurality of default transmit and receive channels.

An optical communication system includes an optical-signal transmission unit transmitting an existing optical signal and a low-rate-signal superimposition unit superimposing a low-rate signal on the existing optical signal by intensity modulation. It further includes: a low-rate-signal extraction unit that extracts the low-rate signal from the existing optical signal on which the low-rate signal is superimposed and converts the extracted low-rate signal into a low-rate electric signal; an add-on optical-signal transmission unit that transmits an add-on optical signal; a low-rate-signal superimposition unit that superimposes a low-rate signal on the add-on optical signal by the intensity modulation based on the low-rate electric signal; and a repeater that repeats the add-on optical signal on which the low-rate signal is superimposed, to a transmission destination.

An undersea long-haul transmission system includes an optical fiber transmission span and a coherent detection and digital signal processing module for providing dispersion compensation. The transmission span includes at least one fiber pair comprising substantially equal lengths of a positive-dispersion first fiber and a negative-dispersion second fiber that are configured to provide a signal output at transmission distances greater than 10,000 km, in which the combined accumulated dispersion across the operating bandwidth does not exceed the dispersion-compensating capacity of the coherent detection and digital signal processing module. Further described is a fiber for use in an undersea long-haul transmission span. At a transmission wavelength of 1550 nm, the fiber has a dispersion coefficient in the range of −16 to −25 ps/nm·km, and a dispersion slope in the range of 0.04 to 0.02 ps/nm2·km.

A fiber optic data transmission system includes an optical fiber and a data transmitter having a first laser having a first wavelength, a first phase modulator for phase modulating light from the first laser as a function of a first data input stream so as to create a first phase-modulated output data stream, a second laser having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a second phase modulator for phase modulating light from the second laser as a function of a second data input stream so as to create a second phase-modulated output data stream. The transmitter also includes a combiner combining the first and second output data streams into a phase-modulated optical signal for transmission over the optical fiber.

Methods and apparatus related to the detection of low-rate visible light communication (VLC) signals and the recovery of information communicated by the VLC signals are described. Various methods and apparatus are well suited for embodiments in which a device, e.g., a smartphone, including a camera which uses a rolling shutter. The rolling shutter facilitates the collection of different time snapshots of a received low rate time varying VLC signal with different pixel rows in the image sensor of a frame corresponding to different time snapshots. In some embodiments, demodulation is used to recover and identify a single tone being communicated in a frame from among a plurality of possible alternative tones that may be communicated, each different tone corresponding to a different set of information bits.

Optical fiber-based distributed communications systems that provide and support both RF communication services and digital data services are disclosed herein. The RF communication services and digital data services can be distributed over optical fiber to client devices, such as remote antenna units for example. In certain embodiments, digital data services can be distributed over optical fiber separate from optical fiber distributing RF communication services. In other embodiments, digital data services can be distributed over common optical fiber with RF communication services. For example, digital data services can be distributed over common optical fiber with RF communication services at different wavelengths through wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) and/or at different frequencies through frequency-division multiplexing (FDM). Power distributed in the optical fiber-based distributed communications system to provide power to remote antenna units can also be accessed to provide power to digital data service components.

A laser relay module for free space optical communications including an optical telescope for receiving and transmitting optical beams; an optical diplexer for separating transmitting and received optical beams; an optical amplifier; a modulated beacon laser for line of sight control of a plurality of communicating remote network nodes; a beacon beam detector for detecting an incoming beacon optical beam for line of sight control of the optical telescope and receiving data from other network nodes; and means for inserting an output of the modulated beacon laser into the optical telescope for transmission to another network node, and for transporting the incoming beacon optical beam to the beacon detector.

An optical transceiver of one embodiment includes a transmitter optical subassembly to transmit an optical signal, a receiver optical subassembly to receive an optical signal, a mother board, a daughter board, and a housing. The mother board mounts electronic circuits that electrically communicate with the optical transmitter optical subassembly and the receiver optical subassembly. The daughter board mounts other electronic circuits that electrically communicate with the optical transmitter optical subassembly and the receiver optical subassembly. The daughter board has an extra area mounting a portion of the other electronic circuits. The housing defines a space for installing the optical transmitter optical subassembly, the receiver optical subassembly, the mother board, and the daughter board. The extra area is disposed outside the space.

Intrapersonal communication systems and methods that provide an optical digital signal link between two or more local devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes a first signal converter disposed at a first end of the optical digital signal link and configured to convert between electrical digital signals from a first local device and optical digital signals from the optical digital signal link. The system can include an optical connector having a non-contact portion configured to couple optical digital signals between the first signal converter and the optical digital signal link across a gap. The system can include a second signal converter disposed at a second end of the optical digital signal link and configured to convert between electrical digital signals from the second local device and optical digital signals from the optical digital signal link.

In the present invention, wasted power consumption caused when a clock and data recovery unit in an optical network unit in a PON system is activated from a power-saving state is reduced and rapid, secure communication is performed. A clock and data recovery unit includes a phase-locked loop that can be set to normal mode or power-saving mode and that includes a voltage-controlled oscillator and recovers a clock signal and a data signal from input signals. The clock and data recovery unit includes a reference clock multiplier circuit that multiplies a reference clock signal and outputs the multiplied reference clock signal; and a frequency training loop that includes the same voltage-controlled oscillator and performs synchronous oscillation training by the voltage-controlled oscillator using the reference clock multiplier circuit before the phase-locked loop transitions from power-saving mode to normal mode.

An approach for IR-based metrology for detecting stress and/or defects around TSVs of semiconductor devices is provided. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, a beam of IR light will be emitted from an IR light source through the material around the TSV. Once the beam of IR light has passed through the material around the TSV, the beam will be analyzed using one or more algorithms to determine information about TSV stress and/or defects such as imbedded cracking, etc. In one embodiment, the beam of IR light may be split into a first portion and a second portion. The first portion will be passed through the material around the TSV while the second portion is routed around the TSV. After the first portion has passed through the material around the TSV, the two portions may then be recombined, and the resulting beam may be analyzed as indicated above.

A system and method for mounting a section onto a substrate, the system comprising: a fluid channel including: a fluid channel inlet that receives the section, processed from a bulk embedded sample by a sample sectioning module positioned proximal the fluid channel inlet, a section-mounting region downstream of the fluid channel inlet, and a fluid channel outlet downstream of the section-mounting region; a reservoir in fluid communication with the fluid channel outlet; and a manifold, fluidly coupled to the reservoir, that delivers fluid from the reservoir to the fluid channel inlet, thereby transmitting fluid flow that drives delivery of the section from the fluid channel inlet toward the section-mounting region.

A biochip for the integration of all steps in a complex process from the insertion of a sample to the generation of a result, performed without operator intervention includes microfluidic and macrofluidic features that are acted on by instrument subsystems in a series of scripted processing steps. Methods for fabricating these complex biochips of high feature density by injection molding are also provided.

A ring binder has an elongate body and rings. Each ring includes ring members moveable between open and closed positions. The ring members and body can suitably formed together as one piece from a moldable polymeric material. The binder suitably includes a retaining system operable to selectively and releasably hold the ring members in the closed position. When the ring members are in their open position, loose-leaf pages can be added or removed from the rings. Loose-leaf pages can also be moved from one ring member to another when the ring members are in their open position.

In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a compound power converter in which the majority of power passes from input to output through only a single stage of power conversion. At least one embodiment includes a main converter with an auxiliary output. The auxiliary output energizes a reservoir that provides input power for a supplemental converter capable supplying the main output. The supplemental converter improves regulation and can provide holdover power for Power Factor Correction (PFC) or Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) operation.