Disclosed are polyvalent macromolecules, compositions comprising the macromolecules, and methods of use. The polyvalent macromolecules have a polymer backbone and pendent groups attached to the polymer backbone. Some or all of the pendent groups have optionally a linker, a surface-seeking group capable of binding strongly to a metal surface, and a spectroscopically detectable chromophore detectable.

A gaming machine with more gaming excitement is provided. The gaming machine includes: a cabinet; an upper image display panel which is provided on the cabinet and displays an effect image concerning a game; a lamp body unit which includes a lamp body which is a formed object and a sensor configured to detect the player's gesture with respect to the lamp body and is provided at a position different from the upper image display panel when viewed from the front surface of the cabinet; and a controller used to start the game, and the controller detects the player's gesture by the sensor at a timing corresponding to the state of the game and displays an effect image corresponding to the detected player's gesture on the upper image display panel.

This invention provides a biomolecule modifying substrate comprising biomolecules selectively fixed to given regions thereon. The biomolecule modifying substrate comprises: a substrate at least comprising a first surface and a second surface; a first linker molecule comprising a hydrocarbon chain and a functional group capable of selectively binding to the first surface at one end of the hydrocarbon chain, which is bound to the first surface via such functional group; a second linker molecule comprising a reactive group capable of binding to the hydrocarbon chain of the first linker molecule, which is bound to the first linker molecule via a bond between the reactive group and the hydrocarbon chain; and a biomolecule bound thereto via the second linker molecule.

The present invention relates to a high-temperature furnace for T(O)C measurement of a sample, which has a furnace housing which bounds a vaporization space and has a sample opening for the dropwise introduction of the sample and at least one flushing opening for introduction of a flushing liquid. According to the invention, the furnace housing is lined with a spinel ceramic on an inner side facing the vaporization space. By means of the spinel ceramic, the vaporization space is lined with a material which allows particularly high temperatures within the vaporization space and thus very complete combustion and is at the same time very resistant to temperature changes. This allows cleaning with a flushing liquid at essentially the operating temperature of the vaporization space and removal of deposited salts, in particular recrystallized organic salts, from the vaporization space in the flushing liquid in dissolved or undissolved form. Aging of the high-temperature furnace by deposited salts can thereby be avoided or at least significantly retarded.

A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.

A detachable motor-powered surgical instrument is disclosed. The instrument may include a housing that includes at least one engagement member for removably attaching the housing to an actuator arrangement. A motor is supported within the housing for supplying actuation motions to various portions of a surgical end effector coupled to the housing. The housing may include a contact arrangement that is configured to permit power to be supplied to the motor only when the housing is operably attached to the actuator arrangement.

One exemplary process for manufacturing a surgical apparatus may include providing a flat, generally-planar strip of biocompatible material; cutting the strip to produce a feeder belt with at least one lateral edge, and staples affixed to the feeder belt in proximity to at least one lateral edge, where the staples and feeder belt are substantially aligned along a first plane; and bending at least one staple out of the first plane, while the feeder belt remains in the first plane. Another exemplary process for manufacturing a surgical apparatus may include providing a flat, generally-planar strip of biocompatible material; cutting that strip to produce a feeder belt with edges, and staples affixed to different edges of the feeder belt; and coining at least one staple after the cutting.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a spontaneous joining unit and a deformative joining unit. The spontaneous joining unit overlaps a first substrate and a second substrate and spontaneously joins mutual center portions of respective joint faces of the first substrate and the second substrate. The deformative joining unit deforms at least one peripheral portion of the respective joint faces of the first substrate and second substrate joined by the spontaneous joining unit toward the other peripheral portion and joins the mutual peripheral portions of the respective joint faces.

A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly.

A corner device (10) having a main body (12) for carrying information or an ornamental pattern on an upper surface and locating formation (14) extending from one end of the main body. The locating formation locates and aligns the corner device with respect to an article before attaching the corner device to the article. The locating formation is shaped to receive the legs of a staple on either side thereof. The device also includes a folding area adapted to allow the main body to be folded over the locating formation once the corner device has been attached to the article, thereby to display the information or ornamental pattern.

A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly.

A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly.

One example of a surgical apparatus may include a feeder belt, a plurality of staples frangibly connected to the feeder belt, and at least one pull tab extending laterally from the feeder belt. An example of a surgical method of treating tissue within the body of a patient may include providing at least one feeder belt and staples frangibly connected thereto, and at least one wedge movable relative to the feeder belt; moving at least one wedge in a first direction to contact and thereby form and shear at least one staple from at least one feeder belt; and moving at least one wedge in a second direction to engage and advance the feeder belt.

A method is provided for producing a fiber-reinforced material which is composed, at least in a region of a surface layer, of a ceramic composite and has carbon-containing fibers reaction-bonded to a matrix containing the elements Si and C. In particular a method of producing fiber-reinforced silicon carbide is provided in which a structure of a matrix contains cracks and/or pores, at least at ambient temperature, because of a high thermal expansion coefficient compared with that of the fibers. Metals are selectively electrodeposited in the open pores and cracks of the matrix and, in particular, in a region of the electrically conductive reinforcing fibers. As a result, the open pores and cracks are filled and, in addition, metallic top layers are optionally formed that are firmly keyed to the ceramic composite and that may serve as an interlayer for glass top layers or ceramic top layers. A fiber-reinforced composite material, as well as moldings, in particular brake discs, brake linings or clutch plates, composed of such a composite material, are also provided.

Sliding element for seals includes 25 to 75 weight % carbonaceous impalpable powdery aggregate of non-graphitizing carbon and/or graphitizing carbon and 20 to 50 weight % synthetic resin as binder. The sliding element is blended with the range of 5 to 25 weight % carbonaceous carbon fibers without surface treatment and inside the carbon matrix, the carbon fibers are randomly scattered.

A method by which a halogen atom of a halogen compound can be efficiently replaced with an electrophilic group. Also provided are: a reagent for converting a functional group through a halogen-metal exchange reaction, characterized by comprising either a mixture of a magnesium compound represented by the formula R1—Mg—X (I) (wherein R1 represents a halogen atom or an optionally substituted hydrocarbon residue; and X1 represents a halogen atom) and an organolithium compound represented by the formula R2—Li (II)(wherein R2 represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbon residue) or a product of the reaction of the magnesium compound with the organolithium compound; and a process for producing with the reagent a compound in which a halogen atom of a halogen compound has been replaced with an electrophilic group.

A punching machine comprising at least one punching head including a support body having a first end delimiting a peripheral shoulder, a second end, and at least two parallel seats being angularly spaced from one another and extending through said support body from said first end to said second end; a punching tool holder slibably mounted in at least one of said seats; a multiplicity of removable resilient means angularly spaced from one another, each having a first end resting on said peripheral shoulder and a second end facing away from said peripheral shoulder; an annular cap member arranged in front and spaced from said peripheral shoulder and designed to abut against said second end of said resilient means; a rotor member mounted for rotation on said annular cap member and having an inner face thereof facing towards said punching tool holder; a sliding member projecting from said inner face and arranged to slide onto said punching tool holder when said rotor member rotates; and driving means designed to stepwise drive said rotor member, whereby locating said sliding member onto a pre-selected punching tool holder.

A stack of alternating sheets includes repeating diecuts offset among the sheets. The sheets may be made from a continuous web using a die to cut the repeating diecuts along the running axis of the web. Individual sheets are cut from the web and stacked with the diecuts offset from each other in turn. The stack of sheets may be loaded into a printer and fed individually therethrough, with the offset diecuts preventing interlocking therebetween.

An improved manufacturing method for the hole-punching assembly of a hole-punching unit is disclosed. The method of the present invention comprises the following steps: (1) forming a plurality of aluminum balancing pieces with a rectangular shape by extrusion, and forming an indentation area on one side of each balancing piece; (2) forming an elongated slot by an application of stamping on the indentation area of each balancing piece; (3) obtaining a plurality of rectangular pieces (the number of which equals that of the balancing pieces), made of iron, and forming a row of holes by a single application of stamping on each rectangular piece; and (4) fitting each of the rectangular pieces onto the indentation area of a balancing piece, and connecting the balancing pieces together by screws or bolts. The manufacturing method can lower the production cost and simplify the production process of the hole-punching assembly.

A tool selection method, for a machine tool, comprising the steps of identifying the maximum tip distance (D2) of a currently selected tool (141), a next designated tool (142) and an intermediate tool (143) disposed therebetween; moving a tool rest (10) in the +(plus)X-axis direction after a machining by the currently selected tool (141) is completed until the tip of the currently selected tool (141) is spaced from a workpiece (W) along the X-axis by a distance provided by adding a clearance distance (E) to a difference between the maximum tip distance (D2) and the tip distance (D3) of the currently selected tool (141); moving the tool rest (10) in the +(plus)Y-axis direction until the tip of the next designated tool (142) is aligned with the rotation center axis (12a) of the workpiece (W) in the X-axis direction; and moving the tool rest (10) in the −(minus)X-axis direction.

A dual function binding machine for making journal notebooks at home includes a hole punching mechanism and a binding mechanism. A punch die includes a plurality of rectangular punch teeth in a graduated configuration to minimize the amount of force required to penetrate through the journal book materials. A guide provides different positions for punching through covers, inner pages and continuous punching of both. This allows the perfect alignment and fit of the outside covers with the inside pages. A spring biased lever operates the punch die in a horizontal direction. The binding mechanism included in the same machine has a vertical outer vise wall that is horizontally movable to compress the binding material to the pages and covers of the journal notebook.

A multiple punch and multiple die assembly has a workpiece protector which is a punch lifter that is operatively associated with each punch for supporting each of the punches in an inactive position as an active punch is moved by the ram to the active, i.e. operating position to thereby eliminate scoring or marking of the sheet material or other workpiece that is being punched. To eliminate the need for hand tools and hand assembly or disassembly, a manually moveable retainer on the punch assembly is provided that can be moved by hand between a punch-releasing and punch-retaining position for holding the punches within the multi-punch assembly during operation. To prevent stress fractures that formerly occurred in die carriers, support of each die is distributed between two different die components thereby reducing impact stress on the carrier as the ram drives the punch through the workpiece.

A tool selection method, for a machine tool, comprising the steps of identifying the maximum tip distance (D2) of a currently selected tool (141), a next designated tool (142) and an intermediate tool (143) disposed therebetween; moving a tool rest (10) in the +(plus)X-axis direction after a machining by the currently selected tool (141) is completed until the tip of the currently selected tool (141) is spaced from a workpiece (W) along the X-axis by a distance provided by adding a clearance distance (E) to a difference between the maximum tip distance (D2) and the tip distance (D3) of the currently selected tool (141); moving the tool rest (10) in the +(plus)Y-axis direction until the tip of the next designated tool (142) is aligned with the rotation center axis (12a) of the workpiece (W) in the X-axis direction; and moving the tool rest (10) in the −(minus)X-axis direction.

A multiple punch and multiple die assembly has a workpiece protector as a punch lifter that is operatively associated with each punch for supporting each of the punches in an inactive position as an active punch is moved by the ram to the active, i.e. operating position to thereby eliminate scoring or marking of the sheet material or other workpiece that is being punched. To eliminate the need for hand tools and hand assembly or disassembly, a manually moveable retainer on the punch assembly is provided that can be moved by hand between a punch-releasing and punch-retaining position for holding the punches within the multi-punch assembly during operation. To prevent stress fractures that formerly occurred in die carriers, support of each die is distributed between two different die components thereby reducing impact stress on the carrier as the ram drives the punch through the workpiece.

A multiple punch and multiple die assembly has a workpiece protector as a punch lifter that is operatively associated with each punch for supporting each of the punches in an inactive position as an active punch is moved by the ram to the active, i.e. operating position to thereby eliminate scoring or marking of the sheet material or other workpiece that is being punched. To eliminate the need for hand tools and hand assembly or disassembly, a manually moveable retainer on the punch assembly is provided that can be moved by hand between a punch-releasing and punch-retaining position for holding the punches within the multi-punch assembly during operation. To prevent stress fractures that formerly occurred in die carriers, support of each die is distributed between two different die components thereby reducing impact stress on the carrier as the ram drives the punch through the workpiece.

A sheet metal blanking die has a lower and an upper part and guide columns for maintaining the parts aligned. The upper part presents a plurality of punches which project downwards from it, when the die is closed by a press. Recesses are present on the flat lower portion to receive the respective punches at the moment of blanking. For one punch a rapid replacement device can be provided, including a chamber within which a loader can move presenting two cavities of vertical axis to receive relative punches. By moving the loader a punch can be selected for transfer from a rest position to an operative blanking position.

A punch assembly for a turret punch press having a two piece reciprocally movable punch member that has a punch point insert removably attached to a punch driver that allows replacement of the punch point insert without the need to extract the punch member from its punch guide. A locking assembly having four vertical guideways containing slider strips for coupling the punch point insert to the punch driver ensures precision registration of the punch point insert with its driver.

The instant invention is the storage of Type II collagen containing tissue in carbonated water. Such Type II collagen is useful for alleviating the symptoms of arthritis in mammals as well as the treatment of arthritis in mammals. Such Type II collagen is also useful for the prevention of arthritis in mammals. The instant invention is also a method for the preparation of a nutritional supplement that includes the steps of: (a) separating water-insoluble undenatured Type II collagen containing animal tissue from animal tissue not containing Type II collagen; (b) subdividing and sterilizing said tissue under conditions which do not change the original structure of the Type II collagen to produce a subdivided and sterilized product; (c) packaging the subdivided and sterilized product in carbonated water.

Gum manufacturing machinery and method of manufacturing gum is illustrated in which a gum loafing machine generates loaves of finished gum that are then subsequently run through a gum conditioner to more uniformly set the temperature and viscosity of the gum material prior to further processing. Upon achieving the appropriate conditioning level, a further forming extruder may be used to generate a continuous gum ribbon for subsequent rolling and scoring operations. The gum conditioner may include vertically stacked conveyors that have different operational modes including a first mode that provides a serpentine path for a long residence time and a second mode that provides a cascading path that avoids or bypasses much of the length of some of the conveyors to provide a shorter residence time. The gum manufacturing machinery may be used in an adjustable manner so as to accommodate difference gum recipes for different batches of gum product.

A method of preparing soybean mixed powder comprising a soybean powder having properties wherein formation of agglomerate is small when the powder is added to water and then heated with stirring to dissolve the powder.

The present invention provides protein hydrolysate compositions, processes for making protein hydrolysate compositions, and food products comprising protein hydrolysate compositions. The protein hydrolysate compositions generally comprise polypeptide fragments having primarily either an arginine residue or a lysine residue at each carboxyl terminus.

A yeast extract containing a peptide, such as γ-Glu-X and γ-Glu-X-Gly, wherein X can represent an amino acid or an amino acid derivative other than Cys and derivatives thereof, is prepared by culturing a yeast in a medium containing a peptide such as γ-Glu-X, γ-Glu-X-Gly and X-Gly, and preparing a yeast extract from the obtained cells.

A method and an installation are provided for preserving desired seasoning flavour profiles during the manufacturing of food-seasoning sheets. The method includes the steps of; laying a thin layer of adhesive on a base sheet; removing air from the adhesive prior to the step of laying; reducing free moisture from the adhesive during the step of laying, and depositing food-seasoning ingredients onto the thin layer of adhesive. The installation for manufacturing food-seasoning sheets includes an adhesive dispenser having a reservoir and a delivery slot communicating with the reservoir for dispensing adhesive. The dispenser has a heating element mounted thereto for heating the adhesive. The adhesive is made under a partial vacuum and it is conveyed to the dispenser in a partial vacuum.

Atmosphere control members (ACMs) are used in various ways. In one aspect, at least one of the atmospheres in contact with the ACM is cause to flow over the surface of the ACM. In another aspect, the ACM is an internal ACM which does not form part of the exterior surface of a container. In another aspect, the ACM forms part of a reusable module. In another aspect, a plurality of sealed containers, each including an ACM, are stored in an outer container also including an ACM. FIGS. 3-5 illustrate a shipping container (11) comprising an internal ACM (3) having one surface which is exposed to the packaging atmosphere within the shipping container and an opposite surface which is part of a closed chamber (2) to which gases can be supplied in a controlled fashion.

The present invention relates to a process of synthesis of α-sialyl oligosaccharides and in particular of 6'-sialyllactose and its salts comprising a step of coupling by Koenigs-Knorr reaction under conditions that allow its use on an industrial scale.

The present invention is directed to a soybean plant with mutations in FAD2-1A and FAD2-1B. Moreover, the present invention is directed to seeds from said plants with altered ratios of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. In particular, the present invention is directed to plants where the plants exhibit elevated levels of oleic acid.

The present invention relates to a method for detoxification of feed products contaminated by the mycotoxin zearalenone.

The present disclosure relates to a Bacillus subtilis alpha-amylase (AmyE) or its variants thereof. AmyE or its variants thereof may be used to more efficiently produce fermentable sugars from starch. Also disclosed are a composition comprising a glucoamylase and AmyE or variant thereof and a method of processing starch utilizing the described enzyme composition.

Disclosed are nutritional formulations including predigested fats that can be administered to preterm infants, infants, toddlers, and children for improving tolerance, digestion, and absorption of nutrients and for reducing the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, colic, and short bowel syndrome. The predigested fats include fatty acid-containing monoglycerides and/or a fatty acid component.

In order to solve the numerous problems with existing steam, vacuum, and hot water heating systems, presented are novel systems and methods of vapor vacuum heating having several improvements over the prior art, including: condensate return which can operate without steam traps; naturally-induced vacuum; improved vacuum pump operation for sustaining vacuum in such systems; liquid lift apparatus for use with such systems; and other improvements. All innovations presented herein make vapor vacuum heating more efficient and economical for industrial, commercial, and home applications. A field test conducted with these innovations show results of about 26-50% reduced energy usage, implying significant energy savings from the use of the present invention over current heating systems.

A displacement control system (A) of a variable displacement compressor sets a target for pressure in an intake chamber or a crank chamber, on the basis of a detected evaporator-outlet air temperature and a target for evaporator-outlet air temperature. The pressure of a refrigerant in a high-pressure section is detected, and a regulating current is supplied to a solenoid (316) of a displacement control valve, on the basis of the pressure of the refrigerant in the high-pressure section and the target for pressure.

An exemplary center housing rotating assembly includes a turbine wheel (260); a compressor wheel (240); a center housing (210) that includes a through bore (215), extending from a compressor end to a turbine end along a bore axis, and a recess (217), adjacent the bore, in a plane orthogonal to the bore axis; a bearing assembly (230) positioned in the bore that includes a keyway (233); and an anti-rotation component (280) seated in the recess and at least partially in the keyway to restrict rotation of the bearing assembly in the bore. Various other exemplary devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

A centrifugal blower in a cooling system of an electronic device having asymmetrical blade spacing with acceptable balance. The asymmetrical blade spacing is determined according to a set of desired acoustic artifacts that are favorable and balance that is similar to that found with equal fan blade spacing. In one embodiment, the fan impeller can include thirty one fan blades. The perceived sound quality from the fan is improved with essentially no effect on the thermal performance of the fan.

An actuator is provided for driving a camera module to perform a focusing operation. The actuator includes a carrier part, a base, a driving module, and plural balls. The carrier part is used for supporting the camera module and the plural balls. The base is used for accommodating the carrier part. The driving module is used for driving movement of the carrier part. The driving module is located at a corner of the carrier part. The plural balls are located at other corners of the carrier part. The carrier part is guided by the plural balls to be moved in a direction parallel with an optical axis of the camera module.

An actuator includes a stator and a movable component movably mounted in the stator. The stator includes a yoke, a printed circuit board disposed at one axial end of the yoke, a bobbin mounted inside the yoke, windings wound about the bobbin; and multiple terminals mounted to the bobbin to electrically connect the windings ends to the printed circuit board. The bobbin includes a plurality of spaced extending portions extending towards the printed circuit board. The terminals are mounted to a respective end of the extending portions of the bobbin that face the printed circuit board. The terminals are spaced from the yoke. A free length of the terminal between the bobbin and the printed circuit board is short enough to avoid bending which may result in a short circuit between the terminals and the yoke.

In an embodiment, a transmit controller compatible with an auxiliary user interface device is provided. The transmit controller has a memory with operational parameters, a control user interface, an auxiliary user interface connector, and a transmit controller processor. The transmit controller processor is configured to transmit the operational parameters to the auxiliary user interface device and modify the operational parameters in accordance with a parameter instruction from the auxiliary user interface device. The transmit controller processor is further configured to receive a control instruction from the control user interface, determine an output signal based on the control instruction and the one or more operational parameters, and transmit the output signal to the model vehicle.

A balloon assembly including a balloon pedestal having a cup attached to a collar and an air tube that can be fixedly attached to a one-way balloon valve. The balloon cup is configured with a plurality of creases that allow it to be folded or otherwise reduced in shape for more economical packaging. The collar and air stem are also oval in shape to further reduce the overall volume of the balloon assembly. The balloon cup can be placed over and secured to the air tube, with the cup supporting the base of the balloon. A rod or similar support can also be placed in the end of the air tube to allow the balloon to be more visible.

A developmental toy for infants including an infant support surface having an open and a folded operative orientation, a first pair of circumferential elements associated therewith and having an open and a folded operative orientation and a second pair of elements, generally similar in configuration to the first pair of circumferential elements, arranged to support toy objects above the infant support surface and having an open and a folded operative orientation and a locking assembly for selectably locking the first and second pairs of circumferential elements in their respective open operative orientations, the open operative orientation of the infant support surface being an angular separation of 180 degrees, the open operative orientation of the first pair of circumferential elements being an angular separation of 180 degrees and the open operative orientation of the first pair of circumferential elements being an angular separation of substantially less than 180 degrees.

A simplified modularized contact type of conductive building block includes: a brick, at least one pair of conductive pieces, a circuit board and a base. The brick includes at least one pair of studs projected from a top thereof. The conductive piece has an insertion electrode and a connection electrode respectively disposed at two ends thereof and a contact electrode disposed between the insertion electrode and the connection electrode. The conductive pieces are inserted through the insertion through holes of the circuit board. The circuit board includes a positive electrode circuit and a negative electrode circuit respectively contacted with the at least one pair of the conductive pieces. The conductive pieces are further inserted through the through holes of the base. The circuit board and the base are fixed in the brick.

An interlocking toy block set may include at least two blocks with at least one constraining groove formed in a surface of each of the at least two blocks. At least one connector may have at least two attachment members formed thereon. The attachment members may have a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the constraining grooves.