最新美国发明专利第2014-09-02期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08822451B2	Modulators of ATP-binding cassette transporters 4-amido-pyrimidine compounds, derivatives and compositions thereof, and synthetic methods described herein are useful for modulating ATP-Binding Cassette (“ABC”) transporters or fragments thereof, including Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (“CFTR”). The present invention also relates to methods of treating ABC transporter mediated diseases using such modulators.
US08822450B2	1,6-diazabicyclo [3,2,1] octan-7-one derivatives and their use in the treatment of bacterial infections Compounds of Formula (I), their preparation and use in preventing or treating bacterial infection is disclosed.
US08822444B2	Hepatitis C virus inhibitors This disclosure concerns novel compounds of Formula (I) as defined in the specification and compositions comprising such novel compounds. These compounds are useful antiviral agents, especially in inhibiting the function of the NS5A protein encoded by Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Thus, the disclosure also concerns a method of treating HCV related diseases or conditions by use of these novel compounds or a composition comprising such novel compounds.
US08822442B2	Somatostatin-dopamine chimeric analogs The invention features somatostatin-dopamine chimeric analogs and methods relating to their therapeutic use for the treatment of neoplasia, acromegaly, and other conditions.
US08822441B2	Ecdysterone synthesis derivative, preparation method and use thereof This invention discloses a novel compound with the structure of formula I, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates thereof. In addition, the invention further discloses a method for preparing the compound, a pharmaceutical composition containing the compound, and use thereof in the preparation of a hypoglycemic medicament.
US08822437B2	Cerebral nerve cell neogenesis agent An objective of the present invention is to provide a new substance having a cerebral nerve cell neogenesis effect. Another objective is to provide a cerebral nerve cell neogenesis agent that is effective in treating and/or preventing neurological disorders utilizing the substance. With the present invention, a cerebral nerve cell neogenesis agent containing a plasmalogen as an active ingredient is provided. In particular, a preferable cerebral nerve cell neogenesis agent contains, as an active ingredient, a biological tissue (preferably, an avian tissue) extracted plasmalogen mainly including an ethanolamine plasmalogen and a choline plasmalogen.
US08822427B2	Methods and compositions to protect aquatic invertebrates from disease Compositions and methods of protecting aquatic invertebrates from disease is shown. In one embodiment, dsRNA or antisense RNA to a nucleic acid molecule of the disease-causing microorganism is prepared and delivered to the animal. In another embodiment, a nucleic acid molecule of the disease-causing microorganism is delivered to the animal. In another embodiment, the RNA or nucleic acid molecule is delivered to the animal by replicon particle. In a further embodiment, the protective molecule is delivered to the digestive tract of the animal. Protection from disease is obtained.
US08822423B2	Affinity peptides toward infliximab We have disclosed affinity peptides toward infliximab. More specifically we have disclosed an affinity biomatrix where the affinity peptide is covalently attached to a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer. The affinity biomatrix is useful in preparing controlled release devices for infliximab.
US08822421B2	E2F as a target of hormone refractory prostate cancer The instant invention provides amino acid sequences competing with E2F for DNA binding. Methods of using said amino acid sequences for treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer are also provided.
US08822420B2	Peptides and aptamers thereof as specific modulators of mutant p53 function In the present application isolated peptides and aptamers thereof able to interact with structural and conformational p53 mutants within the region of the wild-type p53 DNA binding core domain comprised from amino acids 74 to amino acids 298 using the yeast two-hybrid method are disclosed. These PAs are able to efficiently recognize several different p53 point mutants but not wild-type p53. Therefore the peptides and aptamers identified can be useful as inhibitors of mutant p53-associated pro-oncogenic functions for anticancer therapy or as diagnostic tools for mut-p53 or wild-type p53 or as template for designing new peptido-mimetic drugs able to specifically target tumor cells.
US08822414B2	Heterocyclic compounds suitable for the treatment of dyslipidemia The present invention relates to compounds of the general formula (I), their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, methods for their preparation, use of these compounds in medicine and the intermediates involved in their preparation. The present invention is directed towards compounds which can be used to treat diseases such as Hyperlipidemia and also have a beneficial effect on cholesterol.
US08822411B2	Truncated activin type II receptor and methods of use The present invention provides a substantially purified growth differentiation factor (GDF) receptor, including a GDF-8 (myostatin) receptor, as well as functional peptide portions thereof. In addition, the invention provides a virtual representation of a GDF receptor or a functional peptide portion thereof. The present invention also provides a method of modulating an effect of myostatin on a cell by contacting the cell with an agent that affects myostatin signal transduction in the cell. In addition, the invention provides a method of ameliorating the severity of a pathologic condition, which is characterized, at least in part, by an abnormal amount, development or metabolic activity of muscle or adipose tissue in a subject, by modulating myostatin signal transduction in a muscle cell or an adipose tissue cell in the subject. The invention also provides a method of modulating the growth of muscle tissue or adipose tissue in a eukaryotic organism by administering an agent that affects myostatin signal transduction to the organism.
US08822409B2	Compositions and uses thereof for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and clinical disorders associated with therewith Polypeptides are identified through an assay based on inhibiting AP-I signalling activity and others to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and clinical disorders associated with the development of ARDS.
US08822402B2	Encapsulates The present application relates to encapsulated, solid, water soluble benefit agents and products comprising such encapsulates, as well as processes for making and using such encapsulates and products comprising such encapsulates. In one aspect, the present application relates to a melamine formaldehyde and/or urea formaldehyde encapsulation process that offers as solution to the dissolution of solid, water soluble benefit agents during the process's emulsification step.
US08822401B2	Water-soluble surfactant composition, ink formulation and paper coating formulation A water-soluble surfactant composition is provided comprising (A) a glycidyl ether-capped acetylenic diol ethoxylate and (B) a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether having an HLB of 8-18. When compounded in inks and paper coatings, the surfactant composition exerts improved foam controlling, dispersing, wetting and penetrating capabilities, is water soluble, and complies with high-speed printing and application conditions.
US08822394B2	Lubricating grease compositions Use of a lubricating grease composition in a mass flywheel application wherein the lubricating grease composition comprises: (i) a base oil having a density in the range of from 800 to 1000 Kg/m3; and (ii) a urea compound having a density in the range of from 850 to 1050 Kg/m3; wherein the difference in the densities of the base oil (i) and the urea compound (ii) is less than 50 Kg/m3. The lubricating grease compositions according to the present invention are particularly useful for reducing oil bleeding and for improving shear stability properties in a dual mass flywheel application.
US08822392B1	Friction modifiers for lubricating oils A lubricating oil comprising a major amount of a base oil and a minor amount of an additive package, and the additive package comprises at least one friction modifier selected from compounds of the formulae II, III and IV, and carboxylate salts thereof: wherein R is a linear or branched, saturated, unsaturated, or partially saturated hydrocarbyl having about 8 to about 28 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1; and the carboxylate salts have a cation that is an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, group IIB metal, or ammonium cation. Methods of using the engine oil to improve thin film and/or boundary layer friction in an engine are also provided.
US08822386B2	Nanofluids and methods of use for drilling and completion fluids Nanomaterial compositions are useful for applications in drilling and completion fluids as enhancers of electrical and thermal conductivity, emulsion stabilizers, wellbore strength improvers, drag reduction agents, wettability changers, corrosion coating compositions and the like. These nanomaterials may be dispersed in the liquid phase in low volumetric fraction, particularly as compared to corresponding agents of larger size. Nanofluids (fluids containing nano-sized particles) may be used to drill at least part of the wellbore. Nanofluids for drilling and completion applications may be designed including nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes. These fluids containing nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, meet the required rheological and filtration properties for application in challenging HPHT drilling and completions operations.
US08822385B2	Nanoemulsions Nanoemulsions have been discovered to be useful to the oil field. More particularly water-in-oil (W/O), oil-in-water (O/W) and other classes of nanoemulsions have found beneficial application in drilling, completion, well remediation and other oil and gas industry related operations. Additionally, nanoemulsions may reduce friction pressure losses, as well as reduce subsidence of solid weight material during oil and gas operations. New preparation methods for nanoemulsions have also been discovered.
US08822381B2	Uses of thaxtomin and thaxtomin compositions as herbicides There is a need for a selective, low-risk herbicide that can be used to control weeds in cereal cultures and turf. The present invention discloses that a bacterial secondary metabolite, thaxtomin and optionally another herbicide is an effective herbicide on broadleaved, sedge and grass weeds. Thaxtomin A and structurally similar compounds can be used as natural herbicides to control the germination and growth of weeds in cereal, turf grass, Timothy grass and pasture grass cultures with no phytotoxicity to these crops. As a natural, non-toxic compound, thaxtomin can be used as a safe alternative for weed control in both conventional and organic farming and gardening systems.
US08822376B2	Thermal transfer sheet There is provided a thermal transfer sheet including a base sheet, and a dye receiving layer formed on the base sheet and containing a mixture of copolymer A including styrene and acrylonitrile as monomers and a copolymer B including 2-phenoxyethyl methacrylate and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate as monomers.
US08822373B2	Particulate water absorbing agent and production method thereof A particulate water absorbing agent includes a polyacrylic acid and/or a salt thereof water absorbent resin as a main component, wherein the water absorbent resin includes α-hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a salt thereof, and the absorbing agent satisfies a specific particle size distribution and a specific water absorbing performance, thereby solving the conventional problems. Further, a production method of the water absorbing agent is characterized in that α-hydroxycarboxylic acid and/or a salt thereof is added to (a) a monomer aqueous solution whose main component is acrylic acid and/or a salt thereof and which is being cross-linked and polymerized or (b) a hydrogel polymer after the polymerization. As a result, in the particulate water absorbing agent containing the water absorbent resin as a main component, it is possible to realize both excellent water absorbing performance and excellent coloring prevention effect. Further, it is possible to provide an absorbing article particulate water absorbing agent which is suitable for practical use.
US08822371B2	Process for producing geometric shaped catalyst bodies A process for producing geometric shaped catalyst bodies K whose active material is a multielement oxide of stoichiometry [Bi1WbOx]a[Mo12Z1cZ2dFeeZ3fZ4gZ5nOy]1, in which a finely divided oxide Bi1WbOx with the particle size d50A1 and, formed from element sources, a finely divided intimate mixture of stoichiometry Mo12Z1cZ2dFeeZ3fZ4gZ5h with the particle size d50A2 are mixed in a ratio of a:1, this mixture is used to form shaped bodies and these are treated thermally, where (d50A1)0.7·(d90A1)1.5·(a)−1≧820.
US08822369B2	Method for producing hydrocarbon-producing catalyst, hydrocarbon-producing catalyst, and method for producing hydrocarbon The present invention relates to a method for producing a hydrocarbon-producing catalyst for producing a hydrocarbon from a mixed gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen and provides a method for producing, with stability and at high productivity, a hydrocarbon-producing catalyst with which the rate of conversion of carbon monoxide to hydrocarbon is high, the methane selectivity is low, the high activity can be maintained over a long period, the desorption of the active metal is unlikely to occur, and the durability is excellent. The method includes a precursor film forming step of putting a sol solution of an active metal compound and a metal oxide precursor in contact with a heated catalyst carrier 2 to form a precursor film on a surface of the catalyst carrier 2, and a hydrolysis step of gelling the precursor film by hydrolysis to form a metal oxide gel film 4, with the active metal 6 dispersed uniformly, on the surface of the catalyst carrier 2.
US08822362B2	Refractory product having high zirconia content The present invention relates to a molten, fluid refractory product comprising, in weight percentages on the basis of the oxides and for a total of 100% of the oxides: ZrO2+Hf2O: remainder to 100% 4.0%
US08822356B2	Fire resistant composite material and fabrics made therefrom The present invention relates to fire resistant composite materials and to fire resistant fabric materials and mattresses made therefrom. The composite materials include (a) a substrate selected from the group consisting of cotton, rayon, lyocell and blends thereof; and (b) a coating consisting essentially of water, ammonium polyphosphate, binder material, cross-linking material, aluminum trihydrate, prefarbricated microcells, thickener material, a surfactant, surfactant-generated microcells and a catalyst. The binder material bonds the ammonium polyphosphate, cross-linking material, aluminum trihydrate, prefarbricated microcells, thickener material, surfactant, surfactant-generated microcells and catalyst together and to the substrate such that the substrate is coated with the coating.
US08822354B2	Coated fabrics A coated fabric having a base fabric and an auxiliary layer laminated thereto, wherein the exposed face of the auxiliary layer is coated with a coating composition.
US08822353B2	Systems and methods for forming a time-averaged line image Systems and methods for forming a time-averaged line image having a relatively high amount of intensity uniformity along its length is disclosed. The method includes forming at an image plane a line image having a first amount of intensity non-uniformity in a long-axis direction and forming a secondary image that at least partially overlaps the primary image. The method also includes scanning the secondary image over at least a portion of the primary image and in the long-axis direction according to a scan profile to form a time-average modified line image having a second amount of intensity non-uniformity in the long-axis direction that is less than the first amount. For laser annealing a semiconductor wafer, the amount of line-image overlap for adjacent scans of a wafer scan path is substantially reduced, thereby increasing wafer throughput.
US08822349B1	Oxide formation in a plasma process A method of making a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes forming a dielectric layer using a high density plasma oxidation process. The dielectric layer is on a storage layer and the thickness of the storage layer is reduced during the high density plasma oxidation process.
US08822344B1	Method of etching an etch layer A method for etching an etch layer is provided. A glue layer having metallizable terminations is formed over the etch layer. The glue layer is exposed to a patterned light, wherein the metallizable terminations of the glue layer illuminated by the patterned light become unmetallizable. A metal deposition layer is formed on the glue layer, wherein the metal deposition layer only deposits on areas of the glue layer with metallizable terminations of the glue layer. The etch layer is etched through portions of the glue layer without the metal deposition layer.
US08822341B2	Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices A first gas for plasma etch and a second gas for plasma deposition are introduced onto a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including a mask pattern. A flow rate of the first and second gases is periodically changed within a range of flow rates during a process cycle, such that a plasma etch process and a plasma deposition process are performed together to form an opening in the semiconductor substrate.
US08822340B2	Abrasive compositions for chemical mechanical polishing and methods for using same A colloidal dispersion for chemical mechanical polishing comprising: (a) an abrasive component; and (b) from about 0.05% to about 10% by weight of the abrasive component, a water-soluble amphoteric polymer comprising at least one macromolecular chain B and a part A bonded to a single end of the at least one macromolecular chain B, wherein the macromolecular chain B is derived from one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having quaternary ammonium groups or inium groups, and wherein the part A is a polymeric or nonpolymeric group comprising at least one anionic group; wherein the dispersion has a pH of between about 1.5 and about 6. The colloidal dispersion is capable of polishing a substrate comprising silicon nitride and silicon oxide with a reverse selectivity ratio of at least about 27, typically at least 50 the reverse selectivity ratio being the ratio of the rate of removal of the silicon nitride to the rate of removal of the silicon oxide.
US08822337B2	Two-sided semiconductor structure Deep via trenches and deep marker trenches are formed in a bulk substrate and filled with a conductive material to form deep conductive vias and deep marker vias. At least one first semiconductor device is formed on the first surface of the bulk substrate. A disposable dielectric capping layer and a disposable material layer are formed over the first surface of the bulk substrate. The second surface, located on the opposite side of the first surface, of the bulk substrate is polished to expose and planarize the deep conductive vias and deep marker vias, which become through-substrate vias and through-substrate alignment markers, respectively. At least one second semiconductor device and second metal interconnect structures are formed on the second surface of the bulk substrate. The disposable material layer and the disposable dielectric capping layer are removed and first metal interconnect structures are formed on the first surface.
US08822332B2	Method for forming gate, source, and drain contacts on a MOS transistor A method for forming gate, source, and drain contacts on a MOS transistor having an insulated gate including polysilicon covered with a metal gate silicide, this gate being surrounded with at least one spacer made of a first insulating material, the method including the steps of a) covering the structure with a second insulating material and leveling the second insulating material to reach the gate silicide; b) oxidizing the gate so that the gate silicide buries and covers the a silicon oxide; c) selectively removing the second insulating material; and d) covering the structure with a first conductive material and leveling the first conductive material all the way to a lower level at the top of the spacer.
US08822329B2	Method for making conductive interconnects One or more embodiments relate to a method for making a semiconductor structure, the method including: forming a first conductive interconnect at least partially through the substrate; and forming a second conductive interconnect over the substrate, wherein the first conductive interconnect and the second conductive interconnect are formed at least partially simultaneously.
US08822328B1	Method for patterning semiconductor structure A method for patterning a semiconductor structure is provided. The method comprises following steps. A first mask defining a first pattern in a first region and a second pattern in a second region adjacent to the first region is provided. The first pattern defined by the first mask is transferred to a first film structure in the first region, and the second pattern defined by the first mask is transferred to the first film structure in the second region. A second film structure is formed on the first film structure. A second mask defining a third pattern in the first region is provided. At least 50% of a part of the first region occupied by the first pattern defined by the first mask is identical with a part of the first region occupied by the third pattern defined by the second mask.
US08822327B2	Contact pads with sidewall spacers and method of making contact pads with sidewall spacers A chip contact pad and a method of making a chip contact pad are disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention includes forming a plurality of contact pads over a workpiece, each contact pad having lower sidewalls and upper sidewalls and reducing a lower width of each contact pad so that an upper width of each contact pad is larger than the lower width. The method further includes forming a photoresist over the plurality of contact pads and removing portions of the photoresist thereby forming sidewall spacers along the lower sidewalls.
US08822326B2	Method for manufacturing Sn alloy bump Provided is a method for manufacturing an Sn alloy bump, wherein composition of the Sn alloy bump can be readily controlled. The method for manufacturing an Sn alloy bump formed of an alloy composed of Sn and other one or more types of metals has a step of forming an Sn layer on an electrode pad in a resist opening formed on a substrate by electrolytic plating; a step of laminating Sn and an alloy layer on the Sn layer by electrolytic plating; and a step of forming an Sn alloy bump by melting the Sn layer and the laminated alloy layer after removal of a resist.
US08822325B2	Chip package and fabrication method thereof A chip package and a fabrication method thereof are provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The chip package includes a semiconductor substrate containing a chip and having a device area and a peripheral bonding pad area. A plurality of conductive pads is disposed at the peripheral bonding pad area and a passivation layer is formed over the semiconductor substrate to expose the conductive pads. An insulating protective layer is formed on the passivation layer at the device area. A packaging layer is disposed over the insulating protective layer to expose the conductive pads and the passivation layer at the peripheral bonding pad area. The method includes forming an insulating protective layer to cover a plurality of conductive pads during a cutting process and removing the insulating protective layer on the conductive pads through an opening of a packaging layer.
US08822323B2	Semiconductor element, method of manufacturing semiconductor element, multi-layer printed circuit board, and method of manufacturing multi-layer printed circuit board A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a transition layer, including (a) forming a wiring and a die pad on a wafer, (b) forming a thin film layer on an entire surface of the wafer obtained in the step (a), (c) forming a resist layer on the thin film layer, and forming a thickening layer on a resist layer unformed section, (d) peeling the resist layer, (e) removing the thin film layer by etching, and (f) dividing the wafer to thereby form semiconductor devices.
US08822321B2	Pattern forming method According to one embodiment, an opening pattern is formed in the core film above a processing target, and a mask film is conformally formed above the processing target. Next, etch-back of the mask film is performed so that the mask film remains on a side surface of the core film. After that, line-and-space shaped core patterns, made of the core film, is formed in an area other than an area forming the opening pattern. Next, sidewall patterns are formed around the core patterns, and the core patterns are removed. Next, the processing target is patterned by using the mask film and the sidewall patterns.
US08822311B2	Method of fabricating a GaN P-i-N diode using implantation A III-nitride semiconductor device includes an active region for supporting current flow during forward-biased operation of the III-nitride semiconductor device. The active region includes a first III-nitride epitaxial material having a first conductivity type, and a second III-nitride epitaxial material having a second conductivity type. The III-nitride semiconductor device further includes an edge-termination region physically adjacent to the active region and including an implanted region comprising a portion of the first III-nitride epitaxial material. The implanted region of the first III-nitride epitaxial material has a reduced electrical conductivity in relation to portions of the first III-nitride epitaxial material adjacent to the implanted region.
US08822309B2	Heterogeneous integration process incorporating layer transfer in epitaxy level packaging Methods and structures for heterogeneous integration of diverse material systems and device technologies onto a single substrate incorporate layer transfer techniques into an epitaxy level packaging process. A planar substrate surface of multiple epitaxial areas of different materials can be heterogeneously integrated with a substrate material. Complex assembly and lattice engineering is significantly reduced. Microsystems of different circuits made from different materials can be built from a single wafer Fab line employing the claimed processes.
US08822304B2	Isolation structure profile for gap filing An trench isolation structure and method for manufacturing the trench isolation structure are disclosed. An exemplary trench isolation structure includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends from a surface of a semiconductor substrate to a first depth in the semiconductor substrate, and has a width that tapers from a first width at the surface of the semiconductor substrate to a second width at the first depth, the first width being greater than the second width. The second portion extends from the first depth to a second depth in the semiconductor substrate, and has substantially the second width from the first depth to the second depth.
US08822300B2	Low capacitance transient voltage suppressor (TVS) with reduced clamping voltage A low capacitance transient voltage suppressor with reduced clamping voltage includes an n+ type substrate, a first epitaxial layer on the substrate, a buried layer formed within the first epitaxial layer, a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, and an implant layer formed within the first epitaxial layer below the buried layer. The implant layer extends beyond the buried layer. A first trench is at an edge of the buried layer and an edge of the implant layer. A second trench is at another edge of the buried layer and extends into the implant layer. A third trench is at another edge of the implant layer. Each trench is lined with a dielectric layer. A set of source regions is formed within a top surface of the second epitaxial layer. The trenches and source regions alternate. A pair of implant regions is formed in the second epitaxial layer.
US08822299B2	Method of fabricating semiconductor device A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a gate dielectric layer comprising an oxide, and at least one conductive layer on a substrate, forming a mask on the conductive layer and patterning the at least one conductive layer by etching the at least one conductive layer using the mask as an etch mask to thereby form a gate electrode, wherein the oxide of the gate dielectric layer and the material of the at least one conductive layer are selected such that a byproduct of the etching of the at least one conductive layer, formed on the mask during the etching of the at least one conductive layer, comprises an oxide having a higher etch rate with respect to an etchant than the oxide of the gate dielectric layer.
US08822298B2	Performance enhancement in transistors by reducing the recessing of active regions and removing spacers Sophisticated transistors for semiconductor devices may be formed on the basis of a superior process sequence in which an increased space between closely spaced gate electrode structures may be obtained in combination with a reduced material loss in the active regions. To this end, an offset spacer conventionally used for laterally profiling the drain and source extension regions is omitted and the spacer for the deep drain and source areas may be completely removed.
US08822296B2	Use of plate oxide layers to increase bulk oxide thickness in semiconductor devices Semiconductor devices and methods for making such devices are described. The semiconductor devices are made by providing a semiconductor substrate with an active region, providing a bulk oxide layer in a non-active portion of the substrate, the bulk oxide layer having a first thickness in a protected area of the device, providing a plate oxide layer over the bulk oxide layer and over the substrate in the active region, forming a gate structure on the active region of the substrate, and forming a self-aligned silicide layer on a portion of the substrate and the gate structure, wherein the final thickness of the bulk oxide layer in the protected area after these processes remains substantially the same as the first thickness. The thickness of the bulk oxide layer can be increased without any additional processing steps or any additional processing cost. Other embodiments are described.
US08822281B2	Semiconductor device and method of forming TMV and TSV in WLCSP using same carrier A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die mounted over a carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and carrier. An insulating layer is formed over the semiconductor die and encapsulant. A plurality of first vias is formed through the insulating layer and semiconductor die while mounted to the carrier. A plurality of second vias is formed through the insulating layer and encapsulant in the same direction as the first vias while the semiconductor die is mounted to the carrier. An electrically conductive material is deposited in the first vias to form conductive TSV and in the second vias to form conductive TMV. A first interconnect structure is formed over the insulating layer and electrically connected to the TSV and TMV. The carrier is removed. A second interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die and encapsulant and electrically connected to the TSV and TMV.
US08822280B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device A first transistor includes a first impurity layer of a first conduction type formed in a first region of a semiconductor substrate, a first epitaxial semiconductor layer formed above the first impurity layer, a first gate insulating film formed above the first epitaxial semiconductor layer, a first gate electrode formed above the first gate insulating film, and first source/drain regions of a second conduction type formed in the first epitaxial semiconductor layer and in the semiconductor substrate in the first region. A second transistor includes a second impurity layer of the first conduction type formed in a second region of the semiconductor substrate, a second epitaxial semiconductor layer formed above the second impurity layer and being thinner than the first epitaxial semiconductor layer, a second gate insulating film formed above the second epitaxial semiconductor layer, a second gate electrode formed above the second gate insulating film, and second source/drain regions of the second conduction type formed in the second epitaxial semiconductor layer and in the semiconductor substrate in the second region.
US08822279B2	Thin film transistor display panel and manufacturing method thereof A thin film transistor display panel includes a substrate, a gate wire on the substrate and including a gate line and a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer on the gate wire; a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; a data wire including a source electrode on the semiconductor layer, a drain electrode opposing the source electrode with respect to the gate electrode, and a data line; a passivation layer on the data wire having a contact hole exposing the drain electrode; and a pixel electrode on the passivation layer and connected to the drain electrode through the contact hole. The gate wire has a first region and second region where the gate line and the gate electrode are positioned, respectively. The thickness of the gate wire in the first region is greater than the thickness of the gate wire in the second region.
US08822275B2	Composite wafer including a molded wafer and a second wafer A composite wafer includes a molded wafer and a second wafer. The molded wafer includes a plurality of first components, and the second wafer includes a plurality of second components. The second wafer is combined with the molded wafer to form the composite wafer. At least one of the first components is aligned with at least one of the second components to form a multi-component element. The multi-component element is singulatable from the composite wafer.
US08822271B2	Method and apparatus for manufacturing chip package There are proposed a method and apparatus for manufacturing a chip package in which bonding wires are coupled with contact pads in which an overhang holder holds and fixes portions of a surface adjacent to portions where the contact pads are located.
US08822266B2	Integrated circuit micro-module Various apparatuses and methods for forming integrated circuit packages are described. One aspect of the invention pertains to an integrated circuit package in which one or more integrated circuits are embedded in a substrate and covered with a layer of photo-imageable epoxy. The substrate can be made of various materials, including silicon, quartz and glass. An integrated circuit is positioned within a cavity in the top surface of the substrate. The epoxy layer is formed over the top surface of the substrate and the active face of the integrated circuit. An interconnect layer is formed over the epoxy layer and is electrically coupled with the integrated circuit.
US08822265B2	Method for reducing forming voltage in resistive random access memory Methods for producing RRAM resistive switching elements having reduced forming voltage include preventing formation of interfacial layers, and creating electronic defects in a dielectric film. Suppressing interfacial layers in an electrode reduces forming voltage. Electronic defects in a dielectric film foster formation of conductive pathways.
US08822264B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device An object is to provide favorable interface characteristics of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer without mixing of an impurity such as moisture. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor having excellent electric characteristics and high reliability, and a method by which a semiconductor device can be manufactured with high productivity. A main point is to perform oxygen radical treatment on a surface of a gate insulating layer. Accordingly, there is a peak of the oxygen concentration at an interface between the gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer, and the oxygen concentration of the gate insulating layer has a concentration gradient. The oxygen concentration is increased toward the interface between the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer.
US08822262B2	Fabricating solar cells with silicon nanoparticles A laser contact process is employed to form contact holes to emitters of a solar cell. Doped silicon nanoparticles are formed over a substrate of the solar cell. The surface of individual or clusters of silicon nanoparticles is coated with a nanoparticle passivation film. Contact holes to emitters of the solar cell are formed by impinging a laser beam on the passivated silicon nanoparticles. For example, the laser contact process may be a laser ablation process. In that case, the emitters may be formed by diffusing dopants from the silicon nanoparticles prior to forming the contact holes to the emitters. As another example, the laser contact process may be a laser melting process whereby portions of the silicon nanoparticles are melted to form the emitters and contact holes to the emitters.
US08822253B2	Semiconductor housing and method for the production of a semiconductor housing A semiconductor housing is provided that includes a metal support and a semiconductor body, a bottom side thereof being connected to the metal support. The semiconductor body has metal surfaces that are connected to pins by bond wires and a plastic compound, which completely surrounds the bond wires and partially surrounds the semiconductor body. The plastic compound has an opening on the top side of the semiconductor body, and a barrier is formed on the top side of the semiconductor body. The barrier has a top area and a base area spaced from the edges of the semiconductor body and an internal clearance of the barrier determines a size of the opening. Whereby, a portion of the plastic compound has a height greater than the barrier, and a fixing layer is formed between the base area of the barrier and the top side of the semiconductor body.
US08822249B2	Light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same A light-emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The light-emitting device includes a compound semiconductor structure having a first N-type compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a P-type compound semiconductor layer, a P-type electrode layer that is disposed on the P-type compound semiconductor layer and electrically connects with the P-type compound semiconductor layer, a plurality of insulation walls disposed at two sides of the compound semiconductor structure and the P-type electrode layer, a plurality of N-type electrode layers penetrating the plurality of insulation walls, and a conductive substrate on which a plurality of N-type electrode connecting layers respectively corresponding to a plurality of N-type electrode layers are separated from a P-type electrode connecting layer corresponding to the P-type electrode layer.
US08822247B2	Optical semiconductor element and manufacturing method of the same An optical semiconductor element and a manufacturing method thereof that can improve the light extraction efficiency with maintaining the yield. The manufacturing method includes forming a plurality of recesses arranged at equal intervals along a crystal axis of a semiconductor film in a surface of the semiconductor film; and performing an etching process on the surface of the semiconductor film, thereby forming a plurality of protrusions arranged according to the arrangement form of the plurality of recesses and deriving from the crystal structure of the semiconductor film in the surface of the semiconductor film.
US08822245B2	Packaged semiconductor light emitting devices having multiple optical elements and methods of forming the same Methods of packaging a semiconductor light emitting device include providing a substrate having the semiconductor light emitting device on a front face thereof. A first optical element is formed from a first material on the front face proximate the semiconductor light emitting device but not covering the semiconductor light emitting device and a second optical element is formed from a second material, different from the first material, over the semiconductor light emitting device and the first optical element. Packaged semiconductor light emitting devices are also provided.
US08822242B2	Methods for monitoring the amount of metal contamination in a process Methods are disclosed for monitoring the amount of metal contamination imparted during wafer processing operations such as polishing and cleaning. The methods include subjecting a silicon-on-insulator structure to the semiconductor process, precipitating metal contamination in the structure and delineating the metal contaminants.
US08822241B2	Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which includes the steps of: (a) preparing a processing target including a wafer (21) and a protective member (24) formed on the wafer (21); (b) measuring a thickness of the protective member (24) at a plurality of points; and (c) setting a desired value of a total thickness of the wafer (21) and the protective member (24) based on measurement results at the plurality of points to grind the wafer (21) in accordance with the desired value.
US08822238B2	Apparatus and method for predetermined component placement to a target platform A method for placing a component on a target platform includes providing component alignment marks, target platform reference marks, a first multiple-sensor probe including first sensors, and a second multiple-sensor probe including third sensors. The method further includes determining second sensors included in the first sensors, and sensing a first signal from a first one of the alignment marks by at least one of the second sensors. The method further includes determining fourth sensors included in the third sensors. The method further includes sensing a second signal from a second one of the alignment marks by at least one of the fourth sensors, and detecting a deviation of the component from the target platform associated with a first position of one of the second sensors that sense the first signal and a second position of one of the fourth sensors that sense the second signal.
US08822233B2	Ultra-sensitive chemiluminescent substrates for enzymes and their conjugates New chemiluminescent compounds, stable in aqueous buffers, for use in biological assaying include acridane-based compounds and 1,2-dioxetanes. Among the new acridane-based compounds are water-soluble acridanes, enhancer coupled acridanes, bis and tris-acridanes as well as acridane-1,2-dioxetanes. Among the new 1,2-dioxetanes are electron deficient group-containing dioxetanes and tethered bis-1,2-dioxetanes. The 1,2-dioxetanes are useful as substrates for various enzymes. The acridanes can be admixed with an oxidizing agent. an aqueous buffer and, optionally, a stabilizer to form a substrate or reagent formulation useful for assaying, inter alia, HRP.
US08822229B2	Method for assaying keratan sulfate, assay kit therefor and method for detecting joint disease by using the same The inventions provides a method for immunologically determining a keratan sulfate level which method includes bringing an anti-keratan sulfate monoclonal antibody into contact with a biological sample, the anti-keratan sulfate monoclonal antibody exhibiting a relative reaction specificity between keratan sulfate-I and keratan sulfate-II represented by IC50KS-I/KS-II of 0.4 to 5, to thereby provide a signal; and detecting keratan sulfate contained in the biological sample from the signal. On the basis of the method, the invention also provides a joint disease detection method and a method for assessing the effect of a remedy for a joint disease and a candidate substance therefor. Through these methods, a very small amount of keratan sulfate contained in a sample, can be determined. Particularly, these methods can determine, at high-sensitivity and high-specificity, the total keratan sulfate including keratan sulfate-I, which have been difficult to determine through a conventional technique. The methods also enables detect a joint disease and assess the effect of a remedy for a joint disease or a candidate substance therefor.
US08822226B2	Method for quick and simultaneous determination of 16 inorganic anions and organic acids in tobacco The present invention discloses a method for quick and simultaneous determination of 16 inorganic anions and organic acids in tobacco by ion chromatography The retention behavior of inorganic anions and organic acids on the anion exchange column was investigated using potassium hydroxide produced by EGC-II KOH eluent autogenerator as eluent. The optimized gradient elution condition was obtained. The samples were prepared through extraction, filtration and dilution before analysis. The separation was performed on an anion exchange column. The time of the gradient elution program was 50 mins. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration of peak area for all the analytes were linear in the ranges of 105. The method in the present invention has the advantages of simplicity, rapidity and accuracy, and is able to simultaneously determine 16 inorganic anions and organic acids in tobacco by one single time of injection.
US08822222B2	Apparatus for generating electrical pulses and methods of using same A method and apparatus are provided for delivering an agent into a cell through the application of nanosecond pulse electric fields (“nsPEF's”). The method includes circuitry for delivery of an agent into a cell via known methods followed by the application of nanosecond pulse electric fields to said cell in order to facilitate entry of the agent into the nucleus of the cell. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method of enhancing gene expression in a cell comprising the application of nanosecond pulse electric fields to said cell. An apparatus for generating long and short pulses according to the present invention is also provided. The apparatus includes a pulse generator capable of producing a first pulse having a long duration and low voltage amplitude and a second pulse having a short duration and high voltage amplitude.
US08822220B2	Media, kits, systems and methods for the micropropagation of bamboo Disclosed herein are media, kits, systems and methods for achieving micropropagation of bamboo on a commercially-relevant scale.
US08822219B2	Method for preparing biological tissues for use in biological prostheses A method of treating a biological tissue for biological prostheses includes steps of fixation of the biological tissue via a fixing solution including glutaraldehyde and detoxification of the fixed biological tissue via treatment with a detoxifying solution. The detoxification step includes one or both of eliminating phospholipids via treatment with an elimination solution and a treatment with a detoxifying solution. The elimination solution includes 1,2-octanediol and ethanol. The detoxifying solution includes taurine or homocysteic acid.
US08822218B2	Method of generating natural killer cells and dendritic cells from human embryonic stem cell-derived hemangioblasts This invention provides methods of generating natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DCs). The methods utilize human hemangioblasts as intermediate cells to generate the NK cells and DCs. In various embodiments, the methods do not require the use of stromal feeder layers.
US08822215B2	Differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into fibroblasts, compositions comprising mesenchymal stem cell-derived fibroblasts, and methods of using the same Methods and compositions are provided for the differentiation and characterization of mammalian fibroblast from mesenchymal stem cells. The methods of the invention provide a means to obtain mesenchymal stem cell-derived fibroblast populations, e.g., seeded on a scaffold, which may be used in wound healing.
US08822212B2	Methods for forming tooth root and periodontal tissue unit, and regenerated tooth A method for forming at least a tooth root in a tooth containing a tooth crown, including: forming a culture core containing the tooth and a cell-containing base material, the tooth being wrapped with the cell-containing base material, and culturing the culture core in a medium to form at least the tooth root in the tooth contained therein, wherein the cell-containing base material contains at least one kind of cells selected from periodontal ligament-derived cells, bone marrow-derived cells, dental follicle-derived cells, dental pulp-derived cells and dental papilla-derived cells, and the medium contains a component contained in a conditioned medium of a serum-free-cultured cell line of a human uterocervical squamous carcinoma cell line; an additive containing at least one selected from IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-9, EGF, IGF-I, GH, PDGF-AB, VEGF, LIF, HGF, FGF-2, FGF-1, BMP-2, BMP-4, M-CSF, dexamethasone, insulin, thyroxine, thyrocalcitonin, ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate; or both of them.
US08822211B2	Device and method for concentrating and detecting pathogenic microbes from blood products and/or their derivatives The invention concerns a device and a method for concentrating pathogenic germs potentially present in blood products or derivatives and for detecting said germs comprising the following steps: (a) subjecting a sample of said blood product to a blood cell aggregating treatment, (b) eliminating the aggregates formed at step (a) by passing the treated sample over a first filter allowing through the contaminating germs but not the cell aggregates, (c) selectively lyzing the residual cells of the filtrate obtained at step (b), (d) recuperating the contaminating germs by passing the lysate of step (c) over a second filter to detect the contaminating germs possibly trapped.
US08822201B2	Method for recovering oil from plant seeds The invention relates to a method for recovering of oil from plant seeds characterized in that a) an aqueous solution containing one or more cellulolytic and/or lipolytic and/or pectinolytic and/or proteolytic enzyme(s) and/or phytase is sprayed onto the seed, b) the thus obtained seed is directly supplied to a one-stage or multistage pressing in a way known per se, optionally coupled to an extraction, and c) the oil is recovered in a way known per se and optionally further processed, and the use of the method, particularly in the production of edible oil or biodiesel.
US08822199B2	Reaction jacket for a photosynthetic reactor and related photosynthetic reactor Reaction jacket for a photosynthetic reactor, configured to float on an expanse of water and to define a gas/liquid culture medium diphasic flow path between first and second openings of the reaction jacket, the jacket including two sheaths, outer and inner, respectively, at least partially made from a material transparent to light radiation, the inner sheath extending inside the outer sheath such that these sheaths define an inter-sheath space between them in fluid connection with the first opening of the jacket, where the outer sheath has an open proximal end and a closed distal end, and the inner sheath has an open proximal end in fluid connection with the second opening of the jacket and a distal end provided with at least one communication orifice between the inside of the inner sheath and the inter-sheath space.
US08822196B2	Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 chimeric antigen receptors and use of same for the treatment of cancer The invention provides chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) comprising an antigen binding domain of a KDR-1121 or DC101 antibody, an extracellular hinge domain, a T cell receptor transmembrane domain, and an intracellular domain T cell receptor signaling domain. Nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of cells, antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions relating to the CARs are disclosed. Methods of detecting the presence of cancer in a host and methods of treating or preventing cancer in a host are also disclosed.
US08822195B2	Polypeptide having D-lactate dehydrogenase activity, polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide, and process for production of D-lactic acid Highly productive D-lactic acid fermentation uses a transformant obtained by introducing into a host cell a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide according to any one of the following (A) to (C) in such a manner that the polypeptide is expressed, which polypeptide has a D-lactate dehydrogenase activity higher than those of conventional polypeptides: (A) a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1 or 2; (B) a polypeptide having the same amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:1 or 2 except that one or several amino acids are substituted, deleted, inserted and/or added, which polypeptide has a D-lactate dehydrogenase activity; and (C) a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which has a sequence identity of not less than 80% to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1 or 2, which polypeptide has a D-lactate dehydrogenase activity.
US08822193B2	Isolated bacterial strain of the genus Burkholderia and pesticidal metabolites therefrom A species of Burkholderia sp with no known pathogenicity to vertebrates but with pesticidal activity (e.g., plants, insects, fungi, weeds and nematodes) is provided. Also provided are natural products derived from a culture of said species and methods of controlling pests using said natural products.
US08822192B2	Human rotavirus vaccine strains and diagnostics A vaccine composition and method of vaccination are provided useful for immunizing a subject against a rotavirus. The vaccines include rotavirus strains CDC-9 and CDC-66, fragments thereof, homologues thereof, or combinations thereof. Inventive vaccines may include a fragment of CDC-9, CDC-66, homologues thereof, or combinations thereof. Methods of inducing an immunological response are provided by administering an inventive vaccine.
US08822187B1	Polypeptides, nucleic acid molecules, and methods for synthesis of triterpenes This application relates to the polypeptides, nucleic acid molecules, vectors, transfected cells, and methods for synthesis of triterpenes, including botryococcene.
US08822186B2	Method for producing microbial fermentation product Disclosed is a method for producing 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,5,5,8a-tetramethyldecahydronaphthalene-2-ol represented by formula (2), wherein microbial conversion is carried out using a compound(s) represented by formula (1a) and/or (1b) as a substrate, the resulting culture product, in which microorganisms obtained by the microbial conversion are contained, and a solvent having an SP value within the range of 7.5 to 9.0 [(cal/cm3)1/2] are mixed together, and subsequently the aqueous phase is removed therefrom.
US08822184B2	Collective chirality of binary plasmonic nanoparticles Janus assemblies Multiple properties of plasmonic assemblies are determined by their geometrical organization. This patent focuses on the formation of Janus structure of the asymmetric assembly structure of the gold nanorods and gold nanoparticles. Chiral structure of gold nanorods and gold nanoparticles can be obtained through the characterization of optical spectra of the Janus structure. And it opens the door for the explanation of the mechanism of the chirality, plays a strong guiding role in the negative refractive material above and has good application prospects.
US08822181B2	Production of proteins A method for forming a fusion protein that is expressed as a recombinant protein body-like assembly in host eukaryotic cells and organisms other than higher plants as host systems is disclosed. More particularly, peptides and proteins are fused to protein sequences that mediate the induction of recombinant protein body-like assembly (RPBLA) formation, are stably expressed and accumulated in these host cells after transformation with an appropriate vector. Methods for preparing the fusion protein are also disclosed.
US08822178B2	Sweetener preparations and methods of use The present disclosure relates to codon-optimized brazzein coding sequences and the expression of brazzein and variants thereof using yeast expression systems. The disclosure also relates to methods of expression of proteins to enhance the sweetness taste profile of foods and/or beverages.
US08822177B2	Modified lipids produced from oil-bearing microbial biomass and oils Provided are methods for preparing chemically modified lipids. The lipids are obtained from heterotrophically cultured microalgae and are subjected to an epoxidation reaction. The microalgae include those from the genus Parachlorella, Prototheca, Chlorella, or strains having at least 85% nucleotide sequence identity in 23S rRNA sequences to a Parachlorella, Prototheca, or Chlorella strain that are cultured in a bioreactor substantially in the absence of light.
US08822176B2	Modified lipids produced from oil-bearing microbial biomass and oils Provided are methods for preparing chemically modified lipids. The lipids are obtained from heterotrophically cultured microalgae and are subjected to a transesterification or interesterification reaction. The microalgae include those from the genus Parachlorella, Prototheca, Chlorella, or strains having at least 85% nucleotide sequence identity in 23S rRNA sequences to a Parachlorella, Prototheca, or Chlorella strain that are cultured in a bioreactor substantially in the absence of light.
US08822175B2	Water monitoring systems The invention relates to a continuous water monitoring system, including components thereof, and a method relating thereto for continuously monitoring, in real-time, a water supply in order to detect contaminants therein. The system employs the use of a live culture of bioluminescent bacteria and suitable light detecting means.
US08822173B2	Wound dressing or swab for detecting infection The present invention relates to a wound dressing or a wound swab, which allows the detection of at least three enzymes selected from the group consisting of lysosyme, elastase, cathepsin G and myeloperoxidase using colored substrate agents for these enzymes. These enzyme substrates can be bound to medically acceptable polymers or fibers.
US08822167B2	Modular point-of-care devices, systems, and uses thereof The present invention provides devices and systems for use at the point of care. The methods devices of the invention are directed toward automatic detection of analytes in a bodily fluid. The components of the device are modular to allow for flexibility and robustness of use with the disclosed methods for a variety of medical applications.
US08822166B2	Stimulus-elicited genomic profile markers of alzheimer's disease The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) using PKC-elicited gene expression profiles. PKC-activation elicits different genomic profiles in AD cells, as compared with control cells, which can be used to diagnose AD and individuals at risk for developing AD.
US08822158B2	Miniaturized, high-throughput nucleic acid analysis The present invention is directed to method for analyzing multiple nucleic acid molecules of interest comprising in the steps of (i) providing a plurality of beads, characterized in that each bead comprises at least two sequence specific amplification primers, further characterized in that at least one of the primers is bound to the bead via a cleavable linker, (ii) capturing the nucleic acid molecules of interest from a sample, (iii) clonally isolating the plurality of beads, (iv) cleaving the at least one primer, (v) clonally amplifying the nucleic acid thereby creating multiple amplification products, and (vi) analyzing the amplification products.
US08822154B2	Method for synthesizing DNA strand The present invention provides a primer extension reaction method, such as a PCR method, for structure-independent amplification of DNA containing CG-rich repeat sequences wherein in the extension step the temperature fluctuates between a first extension temperature and a second extension temperature. The present invention also provides methods for diagnosing disorders. The present invention also provides a thermal cycler programmed to perform the method of the invention.
US08822153B2	Molecular diagnosis and typing of lung cancer variants Compositions and methods useful in determining the major morphological types of lung cancer are provided. The methods include detecting expression of at least one gene or biomarker in a sample. The expression of the gene or biomarker is indicative of the lung tumor subtype. The compositions include subsets of genes that are monitored for gene expression. The gene expression is capable of distinguishing between normal lung parenchyma and the major morphological types of lung cancer. The gene expression and somatic mutation data are useful in developing a complete classification of lung cancer that is prognostic and predictive for therapeutic response. The methods are suited for analysis of paraffin-embedded tissues. Methods of the invention include means for monitoring gene or biomarker expression including PCR and antibody-based detection. The biomarkers of the invention are genes and/or proteins that are selectively expressed at a high or low level in certain tumor subtypes. Biomarker expression can be assessed at the protein or nucleic acid level.
US08822151B2	Lateral flow nucleic acid detector Point-of-care binding assays include at least one target nucleic acid binding in a multiplex structure with at least one sequence in a partner nucleic acid associated with a label, due to complementary base pairings between at least one sequence in the target nucleic acid and at least one sequence in the partner nucleic acid. The assays overcome the inherent deficiencies of antibody-protein antigen assays. In a preferred embodiment, color tagged nucleic acid sequences are used to bind a complementary target nucleic acid. The tagged nucleic acid sequences are preferably made from deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, or peptide nucleotides.
US08822149B2	Prognosis prediction for melanoma cancer The invention relates to prognostic markers and prognostic signatures, and compositions and methods for determining the prognosis of cancer in a patient, particularly for melanoma. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of genetic and protein markers for the prediction of the risk of progression of a cancer, such as melanoma, based on markers and signatures of markers. In various aspects, the invention provides methods, compositions, kits, and devices based on prognostic cancer markers, specifically melanoma prognostic markers, to aid in the prognosis and treatment of cancer.
US08822148B2	Method of performing PCR reaction in continuously flowing microfluidic plugs The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.
US08822147B2	Sequential analysis of biological samples Methods for detecting multiple targets in a biological sample are provided. The methods includes contacting the sample with a first probe; physically binding the first probe to a first target; observing a first signal from the first probe; applying a chemical agent to modify the first signal; contacting the sample with a second probe; physically binding the second probe to a second target; and observing a second signal from the second probe. The methods disclosed herein also provide for multiple iterations of binding, observing, signal modification for deriving information about multiple targets in a single sample. An associated kit and device are also provided.
US08822138B2	Composition for forming resist underlayer film for lithography including resin containing alicyclic ring and aromatic ring There is provided a resist underlayer film having both heat resistance and etching selectivity. A composition for forming a resist underlayer film for lithography, comprising a reaction product (C) of an alicyclic epoxy polymer (A) with a condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid and monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B). The alicyclic epoxy polymer (A) may include a repeating structural unit of Formula (1): (T is a repeating unit structure containing an alicyclic ring in the polymer main chain; and E is an epoxy group or an organic group containing an epoxy group). The condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid and monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B) may include a condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid (B1) and a monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B2) in a molar ratio of B1:B2=3:7 to 7:3. The condensed-ring aromatic carboxylic acid (B1) may be 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid and the monocyclic aromatic carboxylic acid (B2) may be benzoic acid.
US08822135B2	Method for preparing a composite printing form The invention pertains to a method for preparing a composite printing form from a single precursor that is capable of forming a relief and a carrier. The single precursor can be a single photosensitive element or a single laser-engravable print element having a reinforced elastomeric layer. The single precursor has a size that is at least 70% of a size of the carrier. The single precursor is located on the carrier by approximately positioning the precursor on the carrier that has no registration markings. Precise registration of the single precursor is achieved by using digital information generated from a computer to create the registered image on the composite form. The method is particularly suited for preparing composite printing forms for relief printing, and in particular for preparing composite printing forms for flexographic printing of corrugated substrates.
US08822134B2	Resist developer, method for forming a resist pattern and method for manufacturing a mold The disclosed resist developer is used when developing by irradiating an energy beam onto a resist layer containing a polymer of α-chloromethacrylate and α-methylstyrene for rendering or exposure, and contains a fluorocarbon-containing solvent (A) and an alcohol solvent (B), the latter of which has higher solubility relative to the resist layer than the former.
US08822133B2	Underlayer composition and method of imaging underlayer A method of forming a pattern comprises diffusing an acid, generated by irradiating a portion of a photosensitive layer, into an underlayer comprising an acid sensitive copolymer comprising an acid decomposable group and an attachment group, to form an interpolymer crosslink and/or covalently bonded to the surface of the substrate. Diffusing comprises heating the underlayer and photosensitive layer. The acid sensitive group reacts with the diffused acid to form a polar region at the surface, in the shape of the pattern. The photosensitive layer is removed to forming a self-assembling layer comprising a block copolymer having a block with an affinity for the polar region, and a block having less affinity than the first. The first block forms a domain aligned to the polar region, and the second block forms a domain aligned to the first. Removing either the first or second domain exposes a portion of the underlayer.
US08822130B2	Self-assembled structures, method of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a graft block copolymer comprising a first block polymer; the first block polymer comprising a backbone polymer and a first graft polymer; where the first graft polymer comprises a surface energy reducing moiety; and a second block polymer; the second block polymer being covalently bonded to the first block; wherein the second block comprises the backbone polymer and a second graft polymer; where the second graft polymer comprises a functional group that is operative to crosslink the graft block copolymer; a photoacid generator; and a crosslinking agent.
US08822126B2	Resin composition for laser engraving, relief printing plate precursor for laser engraving, relief printing plate, and method of manufacturing relief printing plate The invention provides a resin composition for laser engraving, having a binder polymer containing at least one of a structure unit represented by the following Formula (I) or a structure unit represented by the following Formula (II). In the Formulae, Q represents a partial structure which provides an acid group having an acid dissociation constant pKa of 0 to 20 when it is in the form of -Q-H; R1 to R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group; and A and B each independently represent a bivalent organic connecting group. The invention further provides a relief printing plate precursor having a relief forming layer containing the resin composition, a method for manufacturing a relief printing plate having crosslinking components of the relief forming layer and laser engraving the relief forming layer, and a relief printing plate formed thereby.
US08822125B2	Composition for forming pattern and in-plane printing method using the same A composition for forming a pattern includes: about 1% to about 10% by weight of a liquid prepolymer, about 40% to about 60% by weight of an acrylate having a hydrophilic group, about 10% to about 20% by weight of a viscosity modifier, about 1% to about 5% by weight of a photoinitiator, and an additive.
US08822122B2	Image forming apparatus and image forming method The present application discloses an image forming apparatus which uses at least two types of liquid developer to form a plurality of images that are superimposed on a sheet to form an image. The image forming apparatus includes a transfer mechanism configured to transfer the image to the sheet, an image forming mechanism configured to make the transfer mechanism carry the image, and a rubbing mechanism configured to rub the image on the sheet. The at least two types of liquid developer have different fixing properties from each other. The transfer mechanism includes a carrying surface configured to carry the image from the image forming mechanism. One of the plurality of images between the carrying surface and another of the plurality of images has higher fixing properties than the liquid developer used for forming the other image among the plurality of images.
US08822119B2	Bicomponent developing agent A two-component developer including at least a toner and a carrier. The toner includes a coloring particle prepared by agglutinating and fusing a resin particle having colorants and a resin particle having wax, and 0.2-2.0 wt. % hydrophobic silica and 0.01-1.0 wt. % a hydrotalcite-like compound as external additives. A shape coefficient of the toner is 0.93-0.99. The carrier includes at least a magnetic particle coated with a silicone resin layer, with a volume average particle diameter of 20-100 μm.
US08822118B2	Toner, development agent, and image forming apparatus Toner containing a binder resin that contains at least one kind of resin having a crystalline polyester unit as its main component and a releasing agent containing a straight-chain mono ester having 48 or more carbon atoms accounting for 40% by weight or more of the releasing agent.
US08822116B2	Erasable electrophotographic toner containing organic white pigment and method of producing the same An erasable electrophotographic toner includes a binder resin, a near-infrared absorbing material, a decolorizing agent and an organic white pigment.
US08822112B2	Siloxane-based compound, photosensitive composition comprising the same and photosensitive material The present application relates to a siloxane-based compound, a photosensitive composition including the same, and a photosensitive material.
US08822111B2	Colored photosensitive composition, color filter and process for producing same, and liquid-crystal display device A colored photosensitive composition includes: (A) a dye represented by the following Formula (1); (B) a multifunctional thiol compound; (C) a photopolymerization initiator represented by the following Formula (2); and (D) a polymerizable compound. In Formula (1), each of A and B independently represents an organic group containing an aromatic ring or an organic group containing a heterocyclic ring. In Formula (2), each of C, D, and E independently represents a hydrogen atom or an organic group.
US08822106B2	Grid refinement method The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a method, for a lithography process for reducing a critical dimension (CD) by a factor n wherein n<1. The method includes providing a pattern generator having a first pixel size S1 to generate an alternating data grid having a second pixel size S2 that is
US08822105B2	Photomask and method for manufacturing the same The present invention provides a photo-mask and a method for manufacturing the same. The method for manufacturing the photo-mask comprising: forming a shading pattern layer on a substrate; forming a protecting layer covering the shading pattern layer and the substrate; and; forming a reduced reflection layer on the protecting layer, wherein a refractive index of the protecting layer is greater than a refractive index of the reduced reflection layer. The present invention can mitigate a light reflection problem of a substrate of the conventional photo-mask.
US08822102B2	Manifold device for tube type solid oxide fuel cell A manifold device for a tube type solid oxide fuel cell including a manifold body including at least one of a first opening for fluid inflow and a second opening for fluid outflow; at least one of a first manifold unit in the manifold body, the first manifold unit distributing fluid flowing in the first opening portion into channels, and a second manifold unit in the manifold body, the second manifold unit integrating fluid flowing in channels out to the second opening; and a plurality of tube type ports, each tube type port having a tube type body contacting and protruding from an outer surface of the manifold body, being connected to and in fluid communication with the channels, and including a heat interception unit in a portion of the tube type body.
US08822085B2	Non-aqueous electrolyte solution for lithium secondary battery and lithium secondary battery comprising the same A non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery includes a non-aqueous solvent and a lithium salt dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent. The lithium salt includes LiN(CF3SO2)2. The non-aqueous electrolyte solution further includes a sulfate-based compound and vinylene carbonate. A lithium secondary battery having the above non-aqueous electrolyte solution may keep overall high temperature performance in a high level and also improve low temperature power characteristics.
US08822081B2	Electrode structure and electrochemical cell using the same An electrode structure and an electrochemical cell including the electrode structure are provided. The electrode structure includes a porous three-dimensional (3D) outer net including an interconnected plurality of outer metal lines that define a plurality of outer holes between adjacent ones of the outer metal lines. The outer metal lines include a porous 3D inner net, a first layer coating the inner net, and a second layer coating the first layer. The inner net includes an interconnected plurality of inner metal lines that define a plurality of inner holes between adjacent ones of the inner metal lines. The inner metal lines include a first metal. The first layer includes a second metal. The second layer includes a third metal.
US08822079B2	Composite anode active material for lithium rechargeable battery, method of preparing the same and lithium rechargeable battery using the material A composite anode active material includes a first intermetallic compound, a second intermetallic compound, a metal that is incapable of alloy formation with lithium, and carbon. In the composite anode active material, an amorphous carbon is present between the first intermetallic compound and the second intermetallic compound, and the metal that is incapable of alloy formation with lithium is uniformly distributed throughout in the composite anode active material. The composite anode active material may be used as an anode of a lithium rechargeable battery.
US08822071B2	Active material for rechargeable battery A magnesium battery includes a first electrode including an active material and a second electrode. An electrolyte is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electrolyte includes a magnesium compound. The active material includes an inter-metallic compound of magnesium and bismuth.
US08822064B2	Modular battery with polymeric compression sealing A modular battery includes: a first battery cell having a first electrode surface; a second battery cell having a second electrode surface; a compressible interconnector connecting the first battery cell and the second battery cell; and a polymeric material holding the first battery cell against the second battery cell with the interconnector in a compressed state. A method is also provided.
US08822062B2	Power-supply device with terminal clipping pieces The power-supply device includes: a battery assembly composed of a plurality of batteries each having a positive electrode end and a negative electrode end, said batteries overlapped with each other in a manner that electrodes having the different polarities are adjacent to each other; a plurality of bus bars connecting the batteries in series by connecting the adjacent electrodes having the different polarities in the battery assembly; and a terminal having an electric contact part attached to each bus bar, and a wire connecting part continued to the electric contact part, and attached to an electric wire connected to a voltage measuring device for measuring a voltage of the battery. The electric contact part includes a pair of clipping pieces disposed with a gap from each other, and connected to the bus bar by press-inserting the bus bar into between the clipping pieces.
US08822054B2	Battery system for secondary battery comprising blended cathode material, and apparatus and method for managing the same Disclosed is a battery system for a secondary battery including a blended cathode material, and an apparatus and method for managing a secondary battery having a blended cathode material. The blended cathode material includes at least a first cathode material and a second cathode material. The first and second cathode materials have different operating voltage ranges. When the secondary battery comes to an idle state or a no-load state, the battery system detects a voltage relaxation occurring by the transfer of operating ions between the first and second cathode materials.
US08822053B2	Electrical energy storage device Provided is an electrical energy storage device including an electrode winding body, which includes a positive electrode generating electrons by oxidation and reduction, a negative electrode for absorbing the generated electrons, and separation layers for physically separating the negative electrode from the positive electrode, which are sequentially wound around a winding core, and an electrolyte provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the electrical energy storage device including: a terminal plate for connecting the electrode winding body to an external electrode interconnecting member such as an external resistor; a cylindrical can for accommodating the electrode winding body connected to the terminal plate; and a ring-shaped sealing member for closing an opening formed in the can; wherein the sealing member includes a vent part having a vent hole and integrally formed in the center of at least one side of the sealing member. According to the present invention, in which a porous membrane for closing the vent hole or the additional vent hole is expanded and burst in an accommodation hole of the can by an internal pressure of the can in the event that the internal pressure of the can is excessively increased by a long term use or an external factor, it is possible to prevent the can from being deformed or exploded.
US08822049B2	Battery unit and electrical device A battery unit provided with a flat battery and a substrate having a circuit formed thereon is provided in a compact form as a whole. The battery unit (1) includes a flat battery (2) in a flat shape having an upper surface and a bottom surface and a substrate (61) fixed to one surface of the flat battery (2). A circuit component (62) is mounted on a surface of the substrate (61) on a side of the flat battery (2), and a positive electrode terminal (68) (charging terminal) electrically connected to a positive electrode side of the flat battery (2) and a negative electrode terminal (66) (GND terminal) electrically connected to a negative electrode side of the flat battery (2) are formed on a surface of the substrate (61) on the opposite side to the flat battery (2).
US08822048B2	Paste composition and printed circuit board A conductor layer is formed on one surface of a base insulating layer. The conductor layer includes a collector portion, and a drawn-out conductor portion extending in an elongated shape from the collector portion. A cover layer is formed on the base insulating layer to cover a predetermined portion of the conductor layer. A material for the cover layer includes a paste composition containing a compound expressed by the formula (1).
US08822044B2	Ceramic material, method for the manufacture of a ceramic material and electroceramic component comprising the ceramic material Ceramic material of the general formula: [SE1-xMIIx][Cr1-y-zRyLz]O3, wherein SE stands for one or more rare earth metals, MII stands for one or more metals of the oxidation state +II, L stands for Al and/or Ga, R stands for one or more metals selected from Fe, Zn, Ge, Sn, and it holds that: 0
US08822038B2	Coated article and method for manufacturing coated article An coated article includes a substrate; and a coating deposited on the substrate, wherein the coating is a titanium layer mixed with a first element and a second element, M is at least one element selected from a group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, niobium, hafnium and tantalum; R is at least one element selected from a group consisting of scandium, yttrium and lanthanide.
US08822036B1	Sintered silver joints via controlled topography of electronic packaging subcomponents Disclosed are sintered silver bonded electronic package subcomponents and methods for making the same. Embodiments of the sintered silver bonded EPSs include topography modification of one or more metal surfaces of semiconductor devices bonded together by the sintered silver joint. The sintered silver bonded EPSs include a first semiconductor device having a first metal surface, the first metal surface having a modified topography that has been chemically etched, grit blasted, uniaxial ground and/or grid sliced connected to a second semiconductor device which may also include a first metal surface with a modified topography, a silver plating layer on the first metal surface of the first semiconductor device and a silver plating layer on the first metal surface of the second semiconductor device and a sintered silver joint between the silver plating layers of the first and second semiconductor devices which bonds the first semiconductor device to the second semiconductor device.
US08822035B1	Erucamide-coated paper for transfer of a slip agent An erucamide-coated paper and a methods of making the erucamide-coated paper are disclosed.
US08822034B2	Film-forming composition, diffusing agent composition, method for manufacturing film-forming composition, and method for manufacturing diffusing agent composition A film-forming composition according to one embodiment includes a siloxane polymer (A) containing a condensation product (A1) and a condensation product (A2). In the (A), a contained amount of the (A1) is 75 percent or less by mass in terms of SiO2 with respect to the total of the (A1) and the (A2). The (A) has a weight-average molecular weight (MW) of 80 percent or greater of a molecular weight value M determined by expression (1) if RA1>RA2, expression (2) if RA1
US08822030B2	Nanoplatelet metal hydroxides and methods of preparing same Nanoplatelet forms of metal hydroxide and metal oxide are provided, as well as methods for preparing same. The nanoplatelets are suitable for use as fire retardants and as agents for chemical or biological decontamination.
US08822029B2	Polyacrylonitrile polymer, method of producing the same, method of producing precursor fiber used for producing carbon fiber, carbon fiber and method of producing the same A polyacrylonitrile-based polymer which satisfies at least one of [a] to [d]:[a] Z-average molecular weight (Mz) determined by gel-permeation chromatograph is 800,000 to 6,000,000 and degree of polydispersity (Mz/Mw) (Mw denotes weight average molecular weight) is 3.0 to 10.0;[b] Z+1-average molecular weight (Mz+1) determined by GPC method is 3,000,000 to 10,000,000 and degree of polydispersity (Mz+1/Mw) is 6.0 to 25.0;[c] Mzm determined by gel-permeation chromatograph multi-angle laserlight scattering photometry is 400,000 to 1,000,000 and degree of polydispersity (Mzm/Mwm) is 3.0 to 10.0; and[d] Z-average radius of gyration (Rz) determined by gel-permeation chromatograph multi-angle laserlight scattering photometry is 25 to 45 nm and its ratio to weight average radius of gyration (Rz/Rw) is 1.3 to 2.5.
US08822028B2	Acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive and method of preparing the same Provided is a removable acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive comprising (A) 70-96.5 weight % of (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer having C1-C14 alkyl group; (B) 0.5-27 weight % of one or more functional group containing monomers selected from the group consisting of carboxyl group containing monomer, hydroxyl group containing monomer, epoxy group containing monomer, vinyl ester group containing monomer and cyano group containing monomer; and (C) 0.6-3 weight % of a cross linking agent having 5-13 alkylene oxide groups and acrylate group or vinyl group in 100 weight % of the monomers and the cross linking agent, and the adhesive of the present invention is a water based adhesive and pro-environmental, and demonstrates excellent adhesiveness at room temperature and under aging atmosphere and excellent dimensional stability as well, so that it can be widely used for various pressure sensitive adhesive sheets for outdoor/indoor advertisement, automobile, printing, decorating, etc.
US08822027B2	Mold for plastic forming and a method for producing the same, and method for forging aluminum material A mold for plastic forming having excellent seizure resistance controlled by adjusting its surface properties. In addition, a process producing the mold, that includes: roughening a surface of a base material by a shot blast method to adjust its arithmetic averaged roughness Ra: higher than 1 μm but 2 μm or lower; polishing the surface of the base material to adjust its skewness Rsk to 0 or lower while retaining Ra: 0.3 μm or higher; and forming a hard film on the surface of the base material where the surface of the hard film has an arithmetic averaged roughness Ra: 0.3 μm or higher but 2 μm or lower and skewness Rsk: 0 or lower. Adjusting the surface of the mold to have a non-concave-biased configuration, limits the capacity for concaves to accumulate lubricant, such that the lubricant is sufficiently deposited on the surfaces of the convexes.
US08822024B2	Method of producing a self-healing membrane The invention relates to a membrane that heals on its own after being damaged mechanically as well as a method for producing said membrane which is used for pneumatic structures featuring an internal operating pressure of 10 mbar to 500 mbar. The inventive membrane is provided with a plastic layer on the pressure side, said plastic layer being interspersed with blisters that have a diameter ranging from 10μ to 200μ.
US08822023B2	Refractory metal ceramics and methods of making thereof A composition having nanoparticles of a refractory-metal carbide or refractory-metal nitride and a carbonaceous matrix. The composition is not in the form of a powder. A composition comprising a metal component and an organic component. The metal component is nanoparticles or particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of decomposing into refractory metal nanoparticles. The organic component is an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight or a thermoset made from the organic compound. A method of combining particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of reacting or decomposing into refractory-metal nanoparticles with an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight to form a precursor mixture.
US08822020B2	Molding composition composed of vinyl chloride polymer or polyvinylchloride film produced from the molding composition and process for production of a film or of a film web The invention relates to a molding mass made from vinyl chloride polymer or polyvinylchloride at 5 to 94 wt. % and a K value of 50 to 90 additives at 2 to 25 wt. % and a polymer, whereby the weight percentages relate to the total weight of the molding mass. The polymer is a semi-crystalline or amorphous polyester. The film is produced from the molding mass by plastifying and fusing the same and calendering or extruding the same to give a film with a thickness of 100 microns to 1 mm. By means of subsequent in-line or off-line method steps, the film, for example, by means of drawing with a drawing degree of 1.3 to 7, can be further processed to give a thin high-shrinkage film.
US08822008B2	Replaceable wear liner A replaceable wear liner pad assembly can be used to provide an array of tiles for lining a trough structure, the trough structure being made of a magnetically attractive material. The replaceable wear liner assembly includes magnetic members encapsulated within a resilient polymeric material, the polymeric material being transparent to magnetic fields. The polymeric material may have the general consistency of truck tire rubber. One side of the tile has a sheet or portion of a set gauge thickness such that in use the magnetic members are maintained at a set standoff distance from the underlying trough structure. The resilient material is far more flexible than the magnetic elements, such that the assembly can flex somewhat. The pad assembly is free of mechanical fasteners. Individual elements of the tile array may be replaced when worn, rather than the entire array. The underside of the pad assembly may provide a seal against the underlying trough structure to discourage leakage at the apertures formerly used for conventional wear liner stud assemblies.
US08822002B2	Fluorine-containing elastomer composition and molded article comprising the same An object of the present invention is to provide a fluorine-containing elastomer composition being flexible and having excellent fuel barrier property, heat resistance, chemical resistance and oil resistance. Another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing material, a molded article and a fuel hose obtained by crosslinking the fluorine-containing elastomer composition. The composition is a fluorine-containing elastomer composition comprising a polyol-crosslinkable fluorine-containing elastomer, a polyol crosslinking agent and a hydrotalcite, wherein an acid acceptor comprising only an oxide or hydroxide of a divalent metal is contained in an amount of not more than 2 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the fluorine-containing elastomer.
US08822001B2	Delamination resistant multilayer containers The present invention provides a multilayer plastic bottle comprising layers of PET and a polyamide such as, for example, MXD6, that is free from occurrence of delamination upon dropping or upon exposure to impact. The present inventors have found that when forming a barrier layer containing an adhesion promoting agent according to the present invention, an impact energy applied to the barrier layer is well reduced and the resultant multilayer bottle is improved in interlaminar bonding strength and prevented from suffering from delamination upon dropping, etc.
US08822000B2	Nanostructure and method for manufacturing the same The present invention provides a nanostructure on an upper surface of which a small-diameter carbon nanotube (CNT) is formed and which improves an adhesive strength between a substrate and the CNT while controlling an orientation of the CNT, and a method for manufacturing the nanostructure. The nanostructure includes a substrate 101, a porous layer 102 formed on the substrate 101 to have a fine pore, a fine pore diameter control layer 103 formed on the porous layer 102, and a carbon nanotube 701 formed to extend from the fine pore defined by the fine pore diameter control layer 103, and one end of the carbon nanotube is fixed by the fine pore diameter control layer 103. It is preferable that the substrate 101 and the fine pore diameter control layer 103 be electrically conductive. It is preferable that the porous layer 102 be an anode oxide film. It is preferable that a melting point of the fine pore diameter control layer 103 be 600° C. or higher.
US08821999B2	Vacuum-insulated glass windows with glass-bump spacers Vacuum-insulated glass (VIG) windows (10) that employ glass-bump spacers (50) and two or more glass panes (20) are disclosed. The glass-bump spacers are formed in the surface (24) of one of the glass panes (20) and consist of the glass material from the body portion (23) of the glass pane. Thus, the glass-bump spacers are integrally formed in the glass pane, as opposed to being discrete spacer elements that need to be added and fixed to the glass pane. Methods of forming VIG windows are also disclosed. The methods include forming the glass-bump spacers by irradiating a glass pane with a focused beam (112F) from a laser (110). Heating effects in the glass cause the glass to locally expand, thereby forming a glass-bump spacer. The process is repeated at different locations in the glass pane to form an array of glass-bump spacers. A second glass pane is brought into contact with the glass-bump spacers, and the edges (28F, 28B) sealed. The resulting sealed interior region (40) is then evacuated to a vacuum pressure of less than one atmosphere.
US08821998B2	Recording medium for inkjet printing An inkjet recording medium and a coating composition for forming an inkjet recording medium. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an inkjet recording medium is disclosed comprising an inkjet-receptive coating on a paper substrate. The inkjet-receptive coating contains a synergistic combination of pigments, binder and a multivalent metal salt such that the inkjet recording medium exhibits improved inkjet print properties, particularly when printed with a high speed inkjet printer using pigmented inks
US08821993B2	Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal composition has a negative dielectric anisotropy, and contains a specific bicyclic compound having a large optical anisotropy and a small viscosity as a first component and a specific compound having a large maximum temperature and a large dielectric anisotropy as a second component, and may contain a specific compound having a small viscosity as a third component, a specific compound having a large dielectric anisotropy as a fourth component and a specific compound having a large dielectric anisotropy as a fifth component, and a liquid crystal display device includes the composition.
US08821991B2	Process for preparing titanium carbide A process for preparing titanium carbide using a pigment formulation having at least one titanium compound and a carbon compound and/or elemental carbon, the pigment formulation reacting under laser irradiation to form TiC.
US08821990B2	DLC film-forming method and DLC film The present invention provides a DLC film that has good adhesiveness even in a low-temperature environment, and a DLC film-forming method capable of forming this DLC film. The present invention also provides a DLC film that has excellent initial compatibility, and a DLC film-forming method capable of forming this DLC film. In the present invention, a first opposing surface (31) that faces an inner clutch plate, of a substrate (30) of an outer clutch plate (15) is covered by a DLC film (26). Also, a treatment layer (33) is formed on a surface layer portion of the substrate (30). The treatment layer (33) is formed by applying direct-current pulse voltage to the substrate (30), and generating plasma in an atmosphere that contains argon gas and hydrogen gas.
US08821989B2	Method for manufacturing optical laminated body Provided is a method for manufacturing an optical laminated body having a substrate and a polarizing film that contains a lyotropic liquid crystal compound and is formed on the substrate. The method includes a step (A) of applying a coating liquid containing the lyotropic liquid crystal compound and a solvent onto the substrate and forming a coat film with the lyotropic liquid crystal compound orientated in one direction, and a step (B) of applying a magnetic field to the coat film in a direction substantially parallel to an orientation direction of the lyotropic liquid crystal compound.
US08821988B2	Method for modification of the surface and subsurface regions of metallic substrates A method for surface engineering a metal substrate involves mixing precursor powders with a polymer binder to create a coating mix and coating the substrate with the coating mix. The substrate is then heated via induction heating, with the frequency and duration of the heating being controlled so as to cause a reaction of the precursor powders to create one or more types of ceramics or intermetallics, evaporate the polymer binder, melt a portion of the substrate, and cause the synthesized compounds to mix with the substrate and form a compositionally graded surface modification. The compound(s) created by the reactions are mixed with molten portion of the substrate and upon re-solidification of the substrate, are distributed at decreasing percentages along a depth of the substrate so that their content varies from 100% at a surface of the substrate to 0% at a defined depth of the substrate.
US08821985B2	Method and apparatus for high-K gate performance improvement and combinatorial processing Methods and apparatuses for combinatorial processing are disclosed. Methods include introducing a substrate into a processing chamber. Methods further include forming a first film on a surface of a first site-isolated region on the substrate and forming a second film on a surface of a second site-isolated region on the substrate. The methods further include exposing the first film to a plasma having a first source gas to form a first treated film on the substrate and exposing the second film to a plasma having a second source gas to form a second treated film on the substrate without etching the first treated film in the processing chamber. In addition, methods include evaluating results of the treated films post processing.
US08821983B2	Ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersion and a continuous process for producing ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersions The instant invention is an ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersion, and a continuous process for producing ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersions. The ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersion includes the reaction product of: (1) a first component, wherein the first component is a first polyurethane prepolymer or a first polyurethane prepolymer emulsion; (2) a second component, wherein the second component is a second polyurethane prepolymer, a second polyurethane prepolymer emulsion, a low solid content polyurethane dispersion, a seed latex, or combinations thereof; (3) and a chain extender. The ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersion has a solid content of at least 60 percent by weight of the solid, based on the total weight of the ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersion, and a viscosity in the range of less than 5000 cps at 20 rpm at 21° C. using spindle #4 with Brookfield viscometer. The method for producing a high-solid content polyurethane dispersion includes the following steps: (1) providing a first stream, wherein said first stream comprising a first polyurethane prepolymer or a first polyurethane prepolymer emulsion; (2) providing a second stream, wherein said second stream being a media phase selected from the group consisting of a second polyurethane prepolymer, a second polyurethane prepolymer emulsion, a polyurethane prepolymer dispersion, a seed latex emulsion, or combinations thereof; (3) continuously merging said first stream with said second stream in the presence of a chain extender; and (4) thereby forming a polyurethane dispersion having a solid content of at least 60 percent by weight of the solid, based on the total weight of the ultra-high solid content polyurethane dispersion, and a viscosity in the range of less than 5000 cps at 20 rpm at 21° C. using spindle #4 with Brookfield viscometer.
US08821981B2	Polyurethane gaskets and process for forming same A method of forming a seal includes preparing a froth from a one component polyurethane precursor, applying the froth to a surface of an article, and simultaneously applying water with the froth, the froth curing to form a gasket having a density not greater than 350 kg/m3 bonded to the article.
US08821978B2	Methods of directed self-assembly and layered structures formed therefrom A method of forming a layered structure comprising a domain pattern of a self-assembled material utilizes a negative-tone patterned photoresist layer comprising non-crosslinked developed photoresist. The developed photoresist is not soluble in an organic casting solvent for a material capable of self-assembly. The developed photoresist is soluble in an aqueous alkaline developer and/or a second organic solvent. A solution comprising the material capable of self-assembly and the organic casting solvent is casted on the patterned photoresist layer. Upon removal of the organic casting solvent, the material self-assembles, thereby forming the layered structure.
US08821975B2	Method for making branched carbon nanotubes A method for making a branched carbon nanotube structure includes steps, as follows: providing a substrate and forming a buffer layer on a surface of the substrate; depositing a catalyst layer on the surface of the buffer layer; putting the substrate into a reactive device; and forming the branched carbon nanotubes on the surface of the buffer layer and along the surface of the buffer layer by a chemical vapor deposition method. The material of the catalyst layer is non-wetting with the material of the buffer layer at a temperature that the branched carbon nanotube are formed. A yield of the branched carbon nanotubes in the structure can reach about 50%.
US08821972B2	Method and apparatus for applying cushion gum to a tire casing Methods, computer programs, and apparatus for applying a layer of cushion gum to a tire casing in preparation for the retreading of the tire casing, the steps of the methods including selecting one of a plurality recipes for applying cushion gum based on one of a size, model and shape of the tire casing; pressurizing the tire casing to a predetermined pressure based on the recipe; crushing the tire casing by an extruder head a predetermined percentage of the tire casing radius or a predetermined distance, the predetermined percentage based on the recipe; and extruding the cushion gum from the extruder head. The extruder head may be translatable by way of a screw drive.
US08821967B2	Method for manufacturing an oxide thin film A method for manufacturing an oxide thin film comprises: providing a coating material composed of a first precursor material, a fuel material and a solvent; coating the coating material on a substrate; and annealing the coated coating material on the substrate to convert the coated coating material into an oxide thin film.
US08821964B1	Method for manufacture of semiconductor bearing thin film material A method for forming a semiconductor bearing thin film material. The method includes providing a metal precursor and a chalcogene precursor. The method forms a mixture of material comprising the metal precursor, the chalcogene precursor and a solvent material. The mixture of material is deposited overlying a surface region of a substrate member. In a specific embodiment, the method maintains the substrate member including the mixture of material in an inert environment and subjects the mixture of material to a first thermal process to cause a reaction between the metal precursor and the chalcogene material to form a semiconductor metal chalcogenide bearing material overlying the substrate member. The method then performs a second thermal process to remove any residual solvent and forms a substantially pure semiconductor metal chalcogenide thin film material overlying the substrate member.
US08821959B2	Method for applying liquid material, device therefor, and program therefor A method for applying a liquid material in a specific application amount includes an initial parameter setting step of specifying, as a total pulse number, the number of times both ejection pulse signals and pause pulse signals are sent, specifying the number of ejection pulse signals in the total pulse number, which is needed to achieve the specific application amount, and specifying the remainder of the total pulse number as the pause pulse signals; a correction amount calculation step of measuring, per preset correction period, an ejection amount from the nozzle at the timing of the correction period, and calculating a correction amount for the ejection amount; and an ejection amount correction step of adjusting the number of ejection pulse signals and the number of pause pulse signals on the basis of the correction amount calculated in the correction amount calculation step.
US08821958B2	Method for electrostatic coating of a stent A method for electrostatic coating of medical devices such as stents and balloons is described. The method includes applying a composition to a polymeric component of a medical device which has little or no conductivity. The polymeric component could be a material from which the body or a strut of the stent is made or could be a polymeric coating pre-applied on the stent. The polymeric component could be the balloon wall. A charge can then be applied to the polymeric component or the polymeric component can be grounded. Charged particles of drugs, polymers, biobeneficial agents, or any combination of these can then be electrostatically deposited on the medical device or the coating on the medical device. One example of the composition is iodine, iodine, iodide, iodate, a complex or salt thereof which can also impart imaging capabilities to the medical device.
US08821956B2	Non-astringent protein products The invention relates to a protein that can be added to a food product or beverage without thereby providing the food product or beverage with a strong astringent taste, an undesirable colouring and/or an off-taste. More in particular, the invention relates to a potato protein glycated with a reducing sugar, wherein the reducing sugar is preferably chosen from the group consisting of reducing monosaccharides, reducing disaccharides, dextran and combinations thereof.
US08821954B2	Process for the production of refined whole wheat flour with low coloration A whitish whole-wheat flour and a process for producing the flour are described wherein the wheat bran is separated into a fine bran and a coarse bran fraction and the course bran is pulverized to a smaller size and mixed into the flour.
US08821948B2	Therapeutic, bio-affecting and body treating composition A medicinal composition comprising an apportioned combination of at least eight essential oils selected from the group consisting of calophyllum inophyllum, citrus aurantium, eucalyptus globulublus, eugenia caryophyllata, foeniculum vulgare, helichrysum angustifolia, juniperus virginiana, lavendula officinalis, muristica fragrans, ocimum basilicim, pinus sylvestrius, piper nigrum, rosemarinus officinalis, salvia officinalis lamiacae, salvia sclarea and zingiber officinale. When configured for topical dermal application, this composition has been shown to be therapeutically effective at relieving pain.
US08821946B2	Calcium carbonate granulation Highly compactable granulations and methods for preparing highly compactable granulations are disclosed. More particularly, highly compactable calcium carbonate granulations are disclosed. The granulations comprise powdered materials such as calcium carbonate that have small median particle sizes. The disclosed granulations are useful in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical tableting and provide smaller tablet sizes upon compression than previously available.
US08821942B1	Highly compressible, low density ground calcium carbonate granulation and a related method of preparation A calcium carbonate granulation and a method for preparing a calcium carbonate granulation are provided. The method includes applying an atomized binder to powdered calcium carbonate in a fluid bed granulator at a relatively high atomization pressure to achieve a reduced binder droplet size, and drying the resulting composition at elevated temperatures in a fluidized bed dryer. The resulting granulation include porous granules having a lower density and reduced mean particle size with improved compressibility. In addition, the resulting granulation can be compacted into tablets having a hardness 50% greater than the hardness of tablets formed from commercially available granulations.
US08821941B2	Hair removal with nanoparticles Provided are nanoparticles and formulations which are useful for cosmetic, diagnostic and therapeutic applications to mammals such as humans.
US08821940B2	Thermal treatment of the skin surface with nanoparticles Provided are nanoparticles and formulations which are useful for cosmetic, diagnostic and therapeutic applications to mammals such as humans.
US08821939B2	Bioactive agent delivery particles The invention provides compositions and methods for delivery of a bioactive agent to an individual. Delivery vehicles are provided that include a bioactive agent in disc shaped particles that include one or more lipid binding polypeptides circumscribing the perimeter of a lipid bilayer in which the bioactive agent is localized. Chimeric lipid binding polypeptides are also provided and may be used to add additional functional properties to the delivery particles.
US08821937B2	Methods of treating cardiovascular disorders associated with atherosclerosis Layered phyllosilicates are useful for adsorbing and/or binding to cholesterol and, thereby, reducing blood cholesterol in a patient. Accordingly, provided herein is a method of reducing hypercholesteremia in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal a protonated and at least partially exfoliated layered phyllosilicate material alone and in combination with other cholesterol-reducing agents in an amount effective to reduce hypercholesteremia in the mammal. Also provided are methods of treating a cardiovascular disorder associated with atherosclerosis in a mammalian subject comprising administering to the subject a layered phyllosilicate material in an amount effective to reduce atherosclerotic lesion formation in the subject.
US08821934B2	Pullulan-containing powder, process for producing the same and use thereof The object of the present invention is to overcome conventional demerits of pullulan powders prepared by conventional techniques, i.e., they could not be homogeneously mixed with non-reducing saccharides composed of glucose units when mixed together, and the resulting mixtures do not easily dissolve in water; and to provide a pullulan-containing powder with an improved rate of water dissolution, as well as to provide preparations and uses thereof. The present invention solves the above object by providing a pullulan-containing powder which uniformly comprises pullulan as a main ingredient and a non-reducing saccharide, and their process and uses; wherein the pullulan-containing powder is prepared by the steps of preparing a solution dissolving pullulan and a non-reducing saccharide homogeneously, pulverizing the solution, and collecting the resulting pullulan-containing powder. The powder has an improved rate of water dissolution, while retaining satisfactory resistance to humidity without fear of causing separation between the pullulan and the non-reducing saccharide.
US08821932B2	Pharmaceutical compositions A process for the production of a composition comprising a water-insoluble statin which comprises the steps of: a) providing a mixture comprising: i) a water-insoluble statin ii) a water soluble carrier, iii) a solvent for each of the statin and the carrier, and b) spray-drying the mixture to remove the or each solvent and obtain a substantially solvent-free nano-dispersion of the statin in the carrier.
US08821929B2	Tamper resistant dosage forms The present invention relates to pharmaceutical dosage forms, for example to a tamper resistant dosage form including an opioid analgesic, and processes of manufacture, uses, and methods of treatment thereof.
US08821927B2	Pharmaceutical composition Oral pharmaceutical formulations containing ditosylate salts of 4-quinazolineamines are described as well as methods of using the same in the treatment of disorders characterized by aberrant erbB family PTK activity.
US08821926B2	Tablet containing hardly soluble active ingredient A tablet showing regulated variation in dissolution from lot to lot which contains from about 3 to about 50% by weight (w/w), based on the whole tablet, of (S)—N-[2-(1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-indeno[5,4-b]furan-8-yl)ethyl]propionamide, magnesium stearate and hydroxypropylcellulose having a viscosity of about 1 to about 4 mPa·s.
US08821925B2	Ubiquinol and alpha lipoic acid compositions The present invention is directed to compositions and methods of delivery of CoQ that is reduced in the presence of lipoic acid and, optionally a fatty acid and/or optionally in a monoterpene. The compositions that include the reduced CoQ can be formulated in soft gel capsules.
US08821924B2	Rhein or diacerein compositions The invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising rhein or diacerein or salts or esters or prodrugs thereof, optionally with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. The invention also relates to the methods for preparing such compositions.
US08821922B2	Compositions and methods for polymer-caged liposomes The present invention provides liposomal compositions and methods of using such compositions in vitro and in vivo. In particular, the present invention provides stable, polymer-caged liposomes comprising a pH responsive delivery mechanism for delivery of nucleic acids, peptides, small molecules, drugs, etc. in vitro and in vivo.
US08821917B2	Biopolymeric membranes This invention relates to a sheet membrane for repairing a damaged tissue. The membrane includes an isotropic layer of cross-linked biopolymeric fibers in which the fibers are 10 to 1,000 cm in length. This invention also relates to a method of making an isotropic layer of cross-linked biopolymeric fibers. The method includes: (1) coacervating biopolymeric fibers (e.g., collagen-based fibers) having lengths of less than 1 cm dispersed in an aqueous solution to obtain coacervated biopolymeric fibers having lengths of 10 to 1,000 cm; (2) flattening the coacervated biopolymeric fibers into a layer; (3) drying the layer; and (4) cross-linking the biopolymeric.
US08821916B2	Medical dressing comprising an antimicrobial silver compound A medical dressing comprising a complex of silver and being capable of releasing antimicrobial silver ion activity, said complex comprising silver and a transition element of Group IV of the periodic system of elements enables a controlled release of silver ion activity to a wound bed.
US08821915B2	Therapeutic process for the treatment of the metabolic syndrome and associated metabolic disorders The present invention is directed to a method of treating a patient suffering from the metabolic syndrome and/or related disorders including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, pro-inflammatory state, and pro-coagulative state, and comprising the steps of (a) providing to the patient a dietary regimen that decreases overactive CNS noradrenergic tone; followed by (b) providing to the patient a dietary regimen that increases dopaminergic tone while maintaining the above decreased overactive CNS noradrenergic tone. The present invention is also directed to food products useful in implementing the dietary regimens.
US08821914B2	Non-abusable pharmaceutical composition comprising opioids There is provided pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of pain comprising a pharmacologically-effective amount of an opioid analgesic, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, presented in particulate form upon the surfaces of carrier particles comprising a pharmacologically-effective amount of an opioid antagonist, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, which carrier particles are larger in size than the particles of the opioid analgesic. The compositions are also useful in prevention of opioid abuse by addicts.
US08821913B2	Controlled releases system containing temozolomide The present invention relates to a controlled release system, in particular to a controlled release system containing temozolomide.
US08821912B2	Method of manufacturing antimicrobial implants of polyetheretherketone Methods of fabricating implantable medical devices, preferably with PEEK, having antimicrobial properties, are disclosed. The antimicrobial effect is produced by incorporating ceramic particles containing antimicrobial metal cations into molten PEEK resin, which is subsequently allowed to cool and set in its final shape achieved by injection molding, cutting and machining or other techniques.
US08821903B2	Method for producing a vesicle composition The present invention is a method for producing a vesicle composition having an aqueous phase as a continuous phase, the method including a step of dissolving an oil phase containing component (A) a branched fatty acid having a predetermined structure; component (B) a tertiary amine having a predetermined structure; and component (C) an organic acid having 1 to 10 carbon atoms at a temperature that is equal to or higher than a melting point of the oil phase, and a step of carrying out mixing while adding the aqueous phase to the oil phase which is dissolved.
US08821902B2	Powdery emulsifying composition of alkyl polyglycosides, use thereof for preparing cosmetic emulsions, and method for preparing same A powdery composition C1 contains for 100% of the mass: 5 to 70 mass % and more particularly 10 to 50 mass % of at least one compound of formula (I): R—O-(G)x-H, wherein R is a linear saturated aliphatic radical including 12 to 22 carbon atoms, G is the remainder of a reducing sugar selected from the group including glucose, xylose and arabinose, and x is a decimal number greater than or equal to 1 and lower than or equal to 10; 95 to 30 mass % and more particularly 90 to 50 mass % of one or more alcohols of formula (II): R′—OH, wherein R′ is a linear saturated aliphatic radical including 12 to 22 carbon atoms identical to or different from R as defined in formula (I), wherein at least 90 vol % of the particles have a diameter lower than or equal to 250 micrometers, more particularly a diameter lower than or equal to 150 micrometers.
US08821900B2	Anti-adhesion material An object of the present invention is to provide an anti-adhesion material having sufficient in vivo degradability and excellent anti-adhesion characteristics, and also superior to conventional ones in terms of handling properties under wet conditions. The anti-adhesion material (1) of the present invention has a sheet-like base layer (10) containing a water soluble polymer (e.g., pullulan), a first cover layer (20) placed on a surface on one side of the base layer (10) and containing an aliphatic ester, and a second cover layer (30) placed on a surface on the other side of the base layer (10) and containing an aliphatic ester. The optical thickness of each of the first cover layer (20) and the second cover layer (30) is set to be 27 nm or greater and smaller than 160 nm.
US08821897B2	Viral adjuvants The present invention provides viral adjuvants for enhancing an immune response to an immunogen. In particular embodiments, the viral adjuvant is an alphavirus adjuvant or a Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viral adjuvant. Also provided are compositions comprising the viral adjuvant and an immunogen, and pharmaceutical formulations comprising the viral adjuvant or compositions of the invention in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Further provided are methods of producing an immune response against an immunogen in a subject comprising administering the immunogen and a viral adjuvant of the invention to the subject.
US08821896B2	Purified Plasmodium and vaccine composition Disclosed are substantially purified Plasmodium sporozoites and preparations of Plasmodium sporozoites substantially separated from attendant non-sporozoite material, where the preparations of Plasmodium sporozoites have increasing levels of purity. Vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions comprising purified Plasmodium sporozoites are likewise provided. Methods of purifying preparations of Plasmodium sporozoites are also provided.
US08821892B2	Yeast-based therapeutic for chronic hepatitis C infection Disclosed are compositions, including vaccines, and methods for vaccinating an animal against hepatitis C virus (HCV) and for treating or preventing hepatitis C viral infection in an animal. The invention includes a variety of novel HCV fusion proteins that can be used directly as a vaccine or in conjunction with a yeast-based vaccine vehicle to elicit an immune response against HCV in an animal. The invention also includes the use of the HCV fusion gene and protein described herein in any diagnostic or therapeutic protocol for the detection and/or treatment or prevention of HCV infection.
US08821888B2	Xylogone ganodermophthora strain with antifungal activity, and composition including same for preventing plant diseases A novel ascomycetous Xylogone ganodermophthora strain has antifungal activity. A composition includes the strain as an active ingredient for preventing plant diseases. The strain suppresses the growth of pathogenic fungi, including Phytophthora capsici, in plants. Therefore, the composition containing the strain, or a culture or extract thereof, as an active ingredient for preventing plant diseases has excellent antifungal activity and can thus be used as an environmentally friendly and pollution-free pesticide.
US08821885B2	Immunogenic compositions and methods The invention is directed to immunogenic compositions, and methods for their use in the formulation and administration of therapeutic and prophylactic pharmaceutical agents. In particular, the invention provides immunogenic compositions and methods for preventing, treating, and/or ameliorating microbial infection, including, for example, influenza, or one or more symptoms thereof.
US08821882B2	Vaccine preparation for neospora caninum infection A vaccine preparation characterized in that Neospora caninum-derived dense granule protein 7 or apical membrane antigen 1 or an immunologically active variant or derivative thereof is included in liposomes each having an oligosaccharide capable of binding to a carbohydrate recognition molecule on the surface of antigen-presenting cells on the surface of the liposome.
US08821881B2	Quil A fraction with low toxicity and use thereof Fraction A of Quil A can be used together with at least one other adjuvant for the preparation of an adjuvant composition, where the included adjuvant components act synergistically to enhance level of immune response and have synergistic immunomodulating activity on the co-administered antigens or immunogens.Other adjuvants can comprise saponins, naturally occurring, synthetic or semisynthetic saponin molecules; e.g. saponins and saponin fractions from Quil A, cell wall skeleton, blockpolymers, TDM, lipopeptides, LPS and LPS-derivatives, Lipid A from different bacterial species and derivatives thereof, e.g., monophosphoryl lipid A. CpG variants, CT and LT or fractions thereof.
US08821879B2	Anti-botulism antibody coformulations This invention relates to stable formulations of multiple antibodies comprising a plurality of anti-botulism antibodies and an effective amount of a succinate buffer, an effective amount of arginine, wherein the antibodies are present in substantially equal concentrations and the pH of the formulation is between about 5 and about 6.5.
US08821876B2	Methods of identifying infectious disease and assays for identifying infectious disease Methods of identifying infectious disease infection prior to presentation of symptoms, assays for identifying genomic markers of infectious disease, and methods for diagnosing the underlying etiology of infectious disease.
US08821875B2	Pharmaceutical composition comprising antibodies against catalase and superoxide dismutase for tumor therapy The present invention is based on the unexpected finding that, in addition to catalase, SOD is also involved in protecting tumor cells, wherein the inhibition effects of the two protective enzymes support one another in a complementary manner. The invention thus relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing at least two antibodies or the biologically active fragments thereof, wherein the one antibody is directed against the catalase and the other antibody is directed against the superoxide dismutase, as well as their use for treating a tumor disease.
US08821870B2	Method for treating atrophic age related macular degeneration Compositions and methods for treating dry age related macular degeneration (dry AMD) by administration to an intraocular location of an anti-neovascular agent (such as bevacizumab) in either a liquid or solid polymeric vehicle (or both), such as a biodegradable hyaluronic acid or PLGA (or PLA).
US08821869B2	Treatment methods using c-Met antibodies The present invention relates to antibodies including human antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that specifically bind to c-Met, preferably human c-Met, and that function to inhibit c-Met. The invention also relates to human anti-c-Met antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof. The invention also relates to antibodies that are chimeric, bispecific, derivatized, single chain antibodies or portions of fusion proteins. The invention also relates to isolated heavy and light chain immunoglobulins derived from human anti-c-Met antibodies and nucleic acid molecules encoding such immunoglobulins. The present invention also relates to methods of making human anti-c-Met antibodies, compositions comprising these antibodies and methods of using the antibodies and compositions for diagnosis and treatment. The invention also provides gene therapy methods using nucleic acid molecules encoding the heavy and/or light immunoglobulin molecules that comprise the human anti-c-Met antibodies. The invention also relates to transgenic animals or plants comprising nucleic acid molecules of the present invention.
US08821864B2	Compounds and methods useful for detection and treatment of cancer The present invention relates to compounds and methods useful for the detection and treatment of disorders associated with frameshift mutations in coding microsatellite regions. The compounds and methods are applicable in cancers, especially of DNA mismatch repair deficient (MMR) sporadic tumors and HNPCC associated tumors. The compounds are useful for detection of disorders and in therapy such as immuno-therapy. The diagnostic methods relate to diagnosis and prognostic assessment of disorders associated with frameshift polypeptides originating from frameshift mutations in coding microsatellite regions of genes based on the detection of immunological entities directed against said frameshift polypeptides in body fluids. With respect to the treatment of cancer, the invention pertains to methods which use immuno therapy with combinatorial mixtures of tumor specific frameshift peptides to elicit a cytotoxic T-cell response specifically directed against tumor cells for prevention and curative treatment of cancers and precancers.
US08821863B2	Humanized anti-α 9 integrin antibodies and the uses thereof The present invention provides humanized antibodies that immunospecifically recognize human α9 integrin. Some of these antibodies inhibit the biological functions of the α9 integrin, thereby exhibiting therapeutic effects on various disorders or diseases that are associated with α9 integrin, including cancer, e.g., the growth and metastasis of a cancer cell, and inflammatory diseases, e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, hepatitis, bronchial asthma, fibrosis, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, granuloma, an inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), an autoimmune disease, and so forth.
US08821860B2	Targeted antimicrobials and related compositions, methods and systems Targeted antimicrobials are described and related, compositions, methods and systems.
US08821859B2	Methods and articles for the delivery of therapeutic agents Articles and methods for the delivery of drugs and/or nucleic acids. Articles including a nanoparticle are provided that may be used for the delivery of a drug, a nucleic acid, or both, to a subject. The articles may be of polymeric material and may self-assemble.
US08821858B2	Lyophilized platelet rich plasma for the use in wound healing (chronic or acute) and bone or tissue grafts or repair This invention relates to an improved Lyophilized platelet rich plasma used to make a platelet gel wound healant, and methods of preparation and use thereof for healing wounds are disclosed. The improved wound healant comprises therapeutically effective amounts of activated growth factors, platelet ghost, plasma (know as the plasma back bone), white blood cells with optional none, one or more additional anti-oxidant such as vitamin A and/or C and/or E, and/or none one or more antibiotics and/or GHK-Cu (produced by ProCyte Inc.)
US08821853B2	Anti-fatty liver agent An anti-fatty liver agent containing a cell and/or a culture of the lactic acid bacterium Latobacillus gasseri as an active ingredient is provided. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical agent having an anti-fatty liver activity or an anti-fatty liver beverage or food containing a cell and/or a culture of the lactic acid bacterium Latobacillus gasseri as an active ingredient. Methods of treating fatty liver in a subject by administering a cell and/or a culture of the lactic acid bacterium Latobacillus gasseri are also provided.
US08821851B2	Inflammation-inhibitory serum factors and uses thereof Disclosed are methods of purifying compounds that reduce or prevent an inflammatory response in a mammal, use of such compounds in treating a mammal having or being at risk of developing inflammation, as well as serum containing such purified compounds. Also disclosed are animal models that are more representative of humans in the study of inflammatory responses or as screening tools for discovering or developing new therapeutics or lead candidate compounds for inhibition of an inflammatory response.
US08821844B2	Poly-α-olefin-containing cosmetic composition The invention is directed to a cosmetic composition which contains at least one poly-α-olefin produced by subjecting at least one primary alcohol to dehydrating polymerization at a temperature of 60° C. to 340° C. in the presence of acidic alumino layer silicates. The primary alcohol is an alcohol from the group of unsaturated monofunctional alcohols, branched monofunctional alcohols and difunctional alcohols. The poly-α-olefin is a high-spreading oil component which imparts an almost instantaneous and relatively long-lasting feeling of smoothness to the skin and has good dermatological compatibility.
US08821843B2	Rheology modifying and setting polymer, composition thereof and method for making it The invention relates to a polymer suited for modifying the styling performance and the rheology of a cosmetic preparation, a composition thereof, a method of making it as well as the use of said polymer and the composition respectively. The copolymer comprises at least one non-ionic ethylenically unsaturated C1-C4 (meth)acrylate as monomer A; an ethylenically unsaturated monomer B having as hydrogen bond donor an amide group, said ethylenically unsaturated monomer B being an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a cyclic amide moiety, as monomer B1 and/or, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having an acyclic amide group, as monomer B2; at least one ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid as monomer C; a macromonomer D; optionally at least one cross-linker E; and optionally at least one further monomer F.
US08821839B2	Compositions and methods for imparting a sunless tan with a vicinal diamine A composition and method for imparting a sunless tan to skin is described. The composition and method makes use of a sunless tanning agent like dihydroxyacetone in combination with an adjuvant which is a vicinal diamine.
US08821838B2	Nanoparticulate compositions for diagnostic imaging The present invention provides a trialkoxysilane having structure I wherein R1 is independently at each occurrence a C1-C3 alkyl group; R3 is independently at each occurrence a hydrogen or a C1-C3 alkyl group; R4 is a C1-C5 aliphatic radical, a C7-C12 aromatic radical, or a C5-C10 cycloaliphatic group; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; q is 1, 2 or 3; t is 0, 1 or 2; and X− represents a charge balancing counterion. The trialkoxysilanes are useful for the preparation of nanoparticulate diagnostic imaging agent compositions.
US08821833B2	Water gas shift reaction process A process for increasing the hydrogen content of a synthesis gas including hydrogen and carbon oxides and having a carbon monoxide content≧45 mole % on a dry-gas basis, including the steps of: (i) combining the synthesis gas with steam to form a steam-enriched feed gas mixture (ii) passing the feed gas mixture at an inlet temperature in the range 220-370° C. over an iron-based water-gas shift catalyst to form a hydrogen-enriched shifted gas mixture having a carbon monoxide content≦10 mole % on a dry gas basis, and (iii) recovering the hydrogen-enriched shifted gas mixture, where a portion of the hydrogen-enriched shifted gas mixture is recycled to the feed gas mixture.
US08821832B2	Fuel processor for use with portable fuel cells The invention relates to a fuel processor that produces hydrogen from a fuel. The fuel processor comprises a reformer and a heater. The reformer includes a catalyst that facilitates the production of hydrogen from the fuel; the heater provides heat to the reformer. Multipass reformer and heater chambers are described that reduce fuel processor size. Single layer fuel processors include reformer and heater chambers in a compact form factor that is well suited for portable applications. Some fuel processors described herein place an electrically resistive material in contact with a thermally conductive material to heat fuel entering the fuel processor. This is particularly useful during start-up of the fuel processor. Fuel processors described may also include features that facilitate assembly.
US08821828B2	Method for generating nitric oxide The invention relates to a method for generating nitric oxide, in particular for therapeutic applications, which comprises the steps of: guiding a process gas into a reaction chamber 3, wherein the process gas comprises nitrogen and oxygen, heating the process gas to a temperature which is sufficiently high to enable a reaction of oxygen and nitrogen to form nitric oxide, thereby forming a gas which comprises nitric oxide, and extracting the nitric oxide comprising gas from the reaction chamber 3, wherein oxygen is present in the process gas in the reaction chamber in an amount of <5 vol-%.
US08821826B2	Method for regenerating silicon from silicon waste and silicon manufactured using the same A method for regenerating silicon from silicon waste includes: placing and mixing silicon waste, a solvent having pH of approximately 5 to approximately 6, and a surfactant within a container; and injecting air into the container to separate floating matters and precipitates. Accordingly, since silicon is easily separated from the silicon waste, the regeneration yield of silicon is increased. Since the regenerated silicon is recyclable, it may be possible to obtain important substitution effect of high-purity silicon the entire amount of which depends on import. Moreover, environmental pollution may be reduced because the amount of the silicon waste disposed of by burial is decreased.
US08821821B2	Method for the purification of fluorine Elemental fluorine is often manufactured electrochemically from a solution of KF in hydrogen fluoride and contains varying amounts of entrained electrolyte salt in solid form as impurity. The invention concerns a process for the purification of such impure elemental fluorine by contact with liquid hydrogen fluoride, e.g., in a jet gas scrubber or by bubbling the raw fluorine through liquid hydrogen fluoride. After this purification step, any entrained hydrogen fluoride is removed by adsorption, condensing it out or both. After passing through a filter with very small pores, the purified fluorine is especially suited for the semiconductor industry as etching gas or as chamber cleaning gas in the manufacture of semiconductors, TFTs and solar cells, or for the manufacture of micro-electromechanical systems (“MEMS”).
US08821820B2	Copper/chabazite-based catalyst with improved catalytic activity for reduction of nitrogen oxides A process for improving catalytic activity of a copper-promoted zeolitic catalyst with a chabazite structure, the copper-promoted zeolitic catalyst having a temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) signal in a temperature range from 230° C. to 240° C. as examined in a TPR with a test gas having a hydrogen content of 5% by volume, a heating rate of 10 K/min, and a catalyst sample weight containing from 3 to 8 milligrams of copper calculated as metal.
US08821819B2	Sorbents for the oxidation and removal of mercury A promoted activated carbon sorbent is described that is highly effective for the removal of mercury from flue gas streams. The sorbent comprises a new modified carbon form containing reactive forms of halogen and halides. Optional components may be added to increase reactivity and mercury capacity. These may be added directly with the sorbent, or to the flue gas to enhance sorbent performance and/or mercury capture. Mercury removal efficiencies obtained exceed conventional methods. The sorbent can be regenerated and reused. Sorbent treatment and preparation methods are also described. New methods for in-flight preparation, introduction, and control of the active sorbent into the mercury contaminated gas stream are described.
US08821818B1	Cleaning stack gas A method and apparatus for cleaning carbon oxides, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, from stack gas, from combustion of coal, combustion of natural gas or propane, or from a cement kiln by reaction using calcium zeolite and sodium zeolite catalysts. The method also includes cleaning the catalytic beds with nitrogen to remove the collected reactants and recover a fertilizer product and the catalysts for reusable.
US08821817B2	Rare earth recovery from phosphor A method is described to produce high purity rare earth oxides of the elements La, Ce, Tb, Eu and Y from phosphor, such as waste phosphor powders originating in various consumer products. One approach involves leaching the powder in two stages and converting to two groups of relatively high purity mixed rare earth oxides. The first group containing Eu and Y is initially separated by solvent extraction. Once separated, Eu is purified using Zn reduction with custom apparatus. Y is purified by running another solvent extraction process using tricaprylmethylammonium chloride. Ce is separated from the second group of oxides, containing La, Ce and Tb by using solvent extraction. Subsequently, La and Tb are separated from each other and converted to pure oxides by using solvent extraction processes. A one-stage leaching process, wherein all rare earths get leached into the solution and subsequently processed, is also described.
US08821813B2	Liquid-feeding chip and analysis method A liquid-feeding chip for feeding a liquid utilizing the action of centrifugal force and gravity by rotating the chip around an axis of rotation, includes a first storage tank (1-1) into which the liquid can be introduced when rotation of the chip is stopped, and two or more liquid-feeding units arranged in a plurality of levels adjacent to each other, each liquid-feeding unit (U-1, U-2, U-3) being composed of a first holding tank (10-1, 20-1, 30-1), a second holding tank (10-2, 20-2, 30-2) positioned in the direction of gravity with respect to the first holding tank, and a channel B (B-1, B-2, B-3) which extends from the first holding tank in the direction of gravity and which connects the first holding tank and the second holding tank, the first holding tank at a first level being connected with a channel A (A-1) which extends from the first storage tank toward an outer circumferential side. In the liquid-feeding chip, the adjacent liquid-feeding units are connected by a channel C (C-1, C-2) which extends from the second holding tank of the liquid-feeding unit at an upper level to an outer circumferential side during rotation, and which is in communication with the first holding tank of the liquid-feeding unit at a lower level.
US08821810B2	Devices and methods for multiplexed assays The disclosure provides low cost, portable three-dimensional devices for performing multiplexed assays. The devices comprise at least two substantially planar layers disposed in parallel planes, wherein one of the layers is movable relative to each other parallel to the planes to permit the establishment of fluid flow communication serially between the two layers.
US08821806B2	Pyrolysis reactor materials and methods In one aspect, the invention includes a reactor apparatus for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock, the apparatus including: a reactor component comprising a refractory material in oxide form, the refractory material having a melting point of at least 2060° C. and which remains in oxide form when exposed to a gas having an oxygen partial pressure of 10−15 bar, a carbon partial pressure above the carbon partial pressure of the zirconium carbide and zirconium oxide phase transition at the same temperature, and at temperatures below the temperature of the zirconium triple point at the oxygen partial pressure of 10−15 bar; and ii) when exposed to a gas having an oxygen partial pressure of 10−15 bar and at temperatures above the zirconium triple point at the oxygen partial pressure of 10−15 bar. In some embodiments, the reactor comprises a regenerative pyrolysis reactor apparatus and in other embodiments it includes a reverse flow regenerative reactor apparatus. In other aspects, this invention includes a method for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock using a pyrolysis reactor system comprising the step of providing in a heated region of a pyrolysis reactor system for pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon feedstock, apparatus comprising the above refractory material.
US08821804B2	Use of particle filters for limiting catalyst deactivation The invention relates to the use of monoliths as particle filters for limiting the deactivation of catalysts during catalytic reactions in multi-tubular reactors. The invention is particularly well-suited for catalytic oxidation reactions in the gaseous phase. The invention also relates to multi-tubular reactors including monoliths as particle filters.
US08821798B2	Titanium nitride as sensing layer for microwell structure A method of fabricating a microwell in an array structure is disclosed herein. The array structure can include a plurality of field effect transistors (FETs), where each FET has a gate structure. The method can include disposing a titanium nitride (TiN) layer on at least one conductive layer coupled to the gate structure of at least one FET. A insulation layer can also be disposed on the array structure, where the insulation layer lies above the TiN layer. Further, an opening above the gate structure of the at least one FET can be etched to remove the insulation layer above the gate structure and to expose the TiN layer. A microwell with at least one sidewall formed from the insulation layer and with a bottom surface formed from the TiN layer is a result of the etching process.
US08821796B2	Scanning probe with twin-nanopore or a-single-nanopore biomolecules A mechanism is provided for sensing molecules. A twin-nanopore probe includes a first channel and a second channel. A first pressure-controlled reservoir is connected to the first channel to generate a positive pressure. A second pressure-controlled reservoir is connected to the second channel to generate a negative pressure. A container includes ionic solvent with molecules, and a tip of the twin-nanopore probe is submerged in the container of the ionic fluid with the molecules. The first channel, the second channel, the first pressure-controlled reservoir, and the second pressure-controlled reservoir are filled with the ionic fluid. The first pressure-controlled reservoir drives the ionic fluid out of the first channel and the second pressure-controlled reservoir draws in the ionic fluid with the molecules and solvent through the second channel. A flow of ionic current in the twin-nanopore probe is measured to differentiate the molecules that flow through the second channel.
US08821793B2	Sensor substrate and method of fabricating same A substrate with hermetically sealed vias extending from one side of the substrate to another and a method for fabricating same. The vias may be filled with a conductive material such as, for example, a fritless ink. The conductive path formed by the conductive material aids in sealing one side of the substrate from another. One side of the substrate may include a sensing element and another side of the substrate may include sensing electronics.
US08821792B2	System for managing treatment of a particular health condition A system for managing treatment of a particular health condition afflicting a patient includes a health management application program that prompts a user for entry of health condition data, including patient physiological data, subjective patient health condition data, and medication delivery data, compiles the health condition data into a data summary, and transmits the data summary through a communication unit. A drop-down list related to subjective symptoms is provided, which includes stress and depression. A touch screen is provided for a graphical user interface. The health management program also provides prompts for the entry of diet data, and further displays drop-down lists related to daily activities and alerts for medication delivery.
US08821791B2	Monitoring method, monitoring apparatus and liquid sample analyzer A liquid sample is aspirated using an aspirating tube provided with a flow path extending lengthwise in the interior of the tube, and an aspiration orifice for aspirating the liquid sample formed near the tip of the tube. The aspiration of the liquid sample to the aspirating tube is monitored during aspiration. Liquid sample is aspirated by the aspirating tube, and the collected material in the aspirating tube in the region at the tip side from the region containing the liquid sample to be used for measurement is delivered to a detecting part provided externally to the aspirating tube, and whether or not liquid sample is contained in the collected material is detected in the detecting part.
US08821787B2	Catalytic composition having a corrosion-inhibiting effect, method for inhibiting corrosion and use of same A catalytic composition with a corrosion-inhibiting effect on metal surfaces is described. Also described, is a corrosion-inhibiting process and use of a corrosion inhibitor. Further, the catalytic composition can have a corrosion-inhibiting effect on metal surfaces in contact with an esterification medium comprising a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, wherein the composition comprises as a catalyst, a strong protonic acid and, as corrosion inhibitor, an iron(III) carboxylate.
US08821782B2	Method and apparatus for manufacturing tire A rim 58, 83 of a post cure inflator 60 can be changed in an easy and safety manner, while the amount of energy consumption is reduced.A inflator body 61 having the lower rim 58 can be located at a lower position, and the upper rim 83 can be moved downward to a lower position. Thus, the lower rim 58 and the upper rim 83 can be changed at the lower position in response to the change of the type of the tire to be manufactured, whereby the changing operation is made easy and safety. Further, the upper rim 83 moves upward. With this configuration, a vulcanized tire T having a heavy weight only moves in a front and rear direction while being supported by the inflator 61(lower rim 58), whereby the amount of energy consumption can be reduced easily.
US08821776B2	Process for the additivation of synthetic fibres, artificial fibres and polymers with special properties A process for the additivation of synthetic fibers, artificial fibers and polymers conferring special properties to them, the process comprising the following steps: the encapsulation of an additive in the pores of a porous material; the incorporation of particles of the porous material (capsules) into the polymer matrix of the fiber; and spinning of the fiber; the capsule withstanding the temperatures and other conditions of the different manufacturing processes which the fibers might undergo and the introduction of the additive into the polymer matrix thereof, characterised in that the porous material is a metal oxide, a zeolite, an aluminophosphate, clay, a carbon material, a hybrid organic-inorganic material or a porous polymer. The invention is an improvement in the additivation process of fibers and polymers in terms of the nature of the capsules used, the increase in the storage capacity of additives thereof, the process of incorporating the capsules into the polymer matrix of the fibers and the fact that the present invention refers to an industrial process.
US08821774B2	Method for manufacturing high molecular weight polyethylene fibers A process for manufacturing high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, including subjecting a polyethylene tape with a weight average molecular weight of at least 500,000 grams/mole, a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6, and a 200/110 uniplanar orientation parameter of at least 3 to a force in the direction of the thickness of the tape over the entire width of the tape. A polyethylene fiber having a Mw of at least 500 000 gram/mole, a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6, and a 020 uniplanar orientation value of at most 55°.
US08821764B2	Method of manufacturing conductive particle, anisotropic conductive adhesive having the same, and method of manufacturing display apparatus using the same In an anisotropic conductive adhesive containing a conductive particle, the conductive particle includes a resin particle that is provided with a cavity formed therein and a conductive layer surrounding a surface of the resin particle. The cavity is formed by mixing the resin particle with a reactant and partially removing the reactant from the resin particle. Thus, the conductive particle may readily absorb an external pressure, thereby providing an improved malleability to the conductive particle.
US08821763B2	Active material and method of manufacturing active material An active material capable of forming an electrochemical device excellent in its discharge capacity and rate characteristic is provided. The active material in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention comprises a compound particle containing a compound having a composition represented by the following chemical formula (1), a carbon layer covering the compound particle, and a carbon particle. The active material in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention comprises a carbon particle and a compound particle having an average primary particle size of 0.03 to 1.4 μm, being carried by the carbon particle, and containing a compound represented by the following chemical formula (1): LiaMXO4 (1) where a satisfies 0.9≦a≦2, M denotes one species selected from the group consisting of Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, and VO, and X denotes one species selected from the group consisting of P, Si, S, V, and Ti.
US08821760B2	Method and device for producing a raw synthesis gas A method and an apparatus for generating a gas containing hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), as a raw material for chemical utilization in, for example, synthesis processes based on export gas from a metallurgical process, are shown. Part of the export gas is subjected to CO conversion with the addition of water vapor, crude synthesis gas with a defined quantity ratio of H2 to CO being formed. Even the water vapor required for CO conversion can be at least partially generated in at least one steam generator in the method.
US08821759B2	Rare earth ion doped lanthanum gallate luminous material containing metal particles and preparation method thereof A rare earth ion doped lanthanum gallate luminous material containing metal particles and preparation method thereof are provided. The chemical formula of the lanthanum gallate luminous material is La1-xGaO3:Lnx,My, wherein Ln is one or more of Tm3+, Tb3+, Eu3+ and Sm3+, M is one of Ag, Au, Pt and Pd, the value range of x is 0.001 to 0.1, and the value range of y is 0.00002 to 0.01. The luminous performance of the lanthanum gallate luminous material can be greatly improved under the same excitation condition and the wavelength of emission light doesn't change, due to the introduction of metal particles into the rare earth ion doped lanthanum gallate luminous material. The lanthanum gallate luminous material has excellent luminous performance, and its emitting photochromic purity and light emitting luminance after excitation are high, so it can be used widely in various kinds of light emitting devices.
US08821755B2	Liquid composition containing liquid crystal polyester A liquid composition containing a liquid crystal polyester, comprising (1) 15 to 40% by weight of a liquid crystal polyester, and (2) 60 to 85% by weight of a solvent containing N-methylpyrrolidone, wherein the liquid composition has a viscosity of 1.5 Pa·s or larger measured at 23° C., and the total of the liquid crystal polyester and the solvent is 100% by weight.
US08821753B2	Etching Solutions The present invention provides an etching solution for silver or silver alloy comprising one at least ammonium compound represented by the formula (1), (2) or (3) below and an oxidant:
US08821748B1	High energy density shock discharge materials A ceramic or single crystal ferroelectric and a method of manufacture are disclosed. The ceramics and single crystals of the present disclosure are located near phase boundaries between ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases. These ceramics, single crystals, and composite may be used in pulsed power applications.
US08821745B2	High yield preparation of macroscopic graphene oxide membranes Disclosed are graphene oxide membrane materials of high surface area, which membranes suitably have a surface area of above about 200 μm and exhibit electrical conductivity in excess of about 200 S/m. Also provided are methods of synthesizing such membranes, as well as devices and sensors that incorporate these novel grapheme materials.
US08821743B2	Manufacturing method of grating The disclosure relates to a method for making a grating. The method includes the following steps. First, a substrate is provided. Second, a patterned mask layer is formed on a surface of the substrate. Third, the substrate with the patterned mask layer is placed in a microwave plasma system. Fourth, a plurality of etching gases are guided into the microwave plasma system simultaneously to etch the substrate through three stages. The etching gas includes carbon tetrafluoride (CF4), argon (Ar2), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). Finally, the patterned mask layer is removed.
US08821739B2	High temperature thermal annealing process A method for processing a substrate is provided; wherein the method comprises applying a film of a copolymer composition, comprising a poly(styrene)-b-poly(siloxane) block copolymer component; and, an antioxidant to a surface of the substrate; optionally, baking the film; subjecting the film to a high temperature annealing process under a gaseous atmosphere for a specified period of time; followed by a treatment of the annealed film to remove the poly(styrene) from the annealed film and to convert the poly(siloxane) in the annealed film to SiOx.
US08821731B1	Systems and methods for regenerating liquid solvents used in the removal of organic contaminants from gaseous mixtures A method is provided of regenerating solvents used to remove gaseous contaminants from gaseous mixtures of various compositions with significantly reduced energy required, where one exemplary method includes directing a solution with the solvents and the preferentially absorbed and/or dissolved gaseous contaminants through a filter comprising a membrane having pre-determined diffusion rates so that a substantial portion of the gaseous contaminants pass through the filter, permitting the passage of the gaseous contaminants through the membrane for further processing, and recirculating the separated solvent so that it may be used again to remove new gaseous contaminants. In some cases, it may be desired to permit some of the solvent to pass through the membrane along with the gaseous contaminant.
US08821729B2	Carrier element, biological water treatment system and their use, and method for biologically treating waste water The invention relates to a carrier element for an aerobic biological water treatment system. The carrier element has a first end and a second end at a distance from each other, the maximum diameter of the first end being larger than the maximum diameter of the second end. It also has biofilm growing surface structures that extend from the first end to the second end and from inner part of the element towards periphery of the element and at least two support structures that encircle the growing surface structures at the periphery of the element and connect the growing surface structures to each other. The support structures define the outer boundary surface of the carrier element, whereby the support structures are spaced from each other so that apertures allowing access to the biofilm growing surface structures are formed between the support structures. The invention relates also to a water treatment system employing the carrier elements.
US08821728B2	Systems, apparatuses and methods for treating waste water A system of treating high nitrogen content waste water is disclosed, where the system includes a precipitation and conditioning subsystem, an ammonia stripper subsystem, and a denitrification subsystem. The system is adapted to reduce nitrogen contamination to level below about 10 ppm and in certain embodiments below 3 ppm.
US08821727B2	Systems and methods for treating wastewater A wastewater treatment system includes one or more aeration tanks for receiving wastewater, a controller for controlling the amount of air delivered to each of the one or more aeration tanks by a blower assembly, and a sensor assembly for periodically measuring values corresponding to the amount of dissolved oxygen in at least one of the one or more aeration tanks. When the sensor assembly measures values that are less than a low setpoint value, the controller causes the blower assembly to incrementally deliver more air until the sensor assembly measures values that are not less than the low setpoint value. When the sensor assembly measures values that exceed the low setpoint value, the controller causes the blower assembly to incrementally deliver less air until either the sensor assembly measures values that are not greater than the low setpoint value, or the blower assembly reaches a preselected low operating threshold. When the blower assembly is operating at the preselected low operating threshold, and the sensor assembly measures values that exceed a high setpoint value for a first designated period of time, the controller causes the blower assembly to shut down for a second designated period of time.
US08821726B2	Submerged membrane separator A submerged membrane separator 31 includes: a casing 33 opened at the top; a plurality of flat membrane cartridges 34 arrayed at intervals in the casing 33; and an air diffuser 36 provided below the membrane cartridges 34. The membrane cartridges 34 are movably held in the up-down direction in the casing 33 while having a space α in the up-down direction. Lifting suppressing members 63a and 63b for restricting a lifting amount of the membrane cartridges 34 during filtration operation to be smaller than the space α in the up-down direction are provided in the casing 33.
US08821723B2	Photocatalytic reactor and method for treating gaseous pollutants using the same The present invention provides a photocatalytic reactor and a method for treating gaseous pollutants using the same, which can decompose and remove gaseous pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), odors, etc. as well as liquid pollutants using an environmentally friendly photocatalytic reaction. To this end, the present invention provides a photocatalytic reactor including: a solution tank to which a fluid containing gaseous pollutants to be treated is supplied through an inlet; a solution injector installed at the top of the inlet and injecting a gaseous pollutant solution into the fluid to be treated such that the gaseous pollutants of the fluid are dissolved; and a liquid photocatalytic treatment device receiving the gaseous pollutant solution, in which the gaseous pollutants of the fluid are dissolved and liquefied, from the solution tank and decomposing the liquefied gaseous pollutants of the fluid.
US08821720B2	Filtering apparatus for treating ballast water Disclosed herein is a filtering apparatus for treating ballast water. The apparatus is constructed so that a housing cover plate and an exhaust unit are removably coupled to each other at an upper position of a housing. The exhaust unit includes a base flange on a portion thereof coupled to the housing cover plate and the base flange includes a projecting step that projects to be inserted into a core through hole formed in the housing cover plate. A core serving as a discharge passage of foreign substances includes a shaft coupling unit on a portion thereof coupled to the driving shaft, and is coupled at the shaft coupling unit to the driving shaft via a coupling structure. The outer diameters of the coupling structure and the shaft coupling unit are formed to be smaller than the outer diameter of the core.
US08821712B2	Process for treating a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock and a product obtained therefrom A process for treating a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is disclosed. The process involves separating the feedstock into a residue component and a light component, the residue component having a lower API gravity than the light component and treating at least a portion of the light component to produce a synthetic transport diluent suitable for combining with at least a portion of the residue component to produce a product which meets applicable criteria for pipeline transport.
US08821708B2	Method of surface treatment for the inhibition of whiskers A surface treatment method of cladding a Sn or Sn alloy coating with one or more metals selected from among Mn, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Ga, In, Ti, Ge, Pb, Sb and Bi continuously or discontinuously in such a way as to make the Sn or Sn alloy coating partially exposed, which method makes it possible to inhibit the generation of whiskers in an Sn or Sn alloy coating formed on the surface of a substrate to which other member is pressure-welded or the joint surface to be soldered. Cladding an Sn or Sn alloy coating with a prescribed metal continuously or discontinuously in such a way as to make the coating partially exposed inhibits the generation of whiskers by contact pressure in pressure welding, and further inhibits the generation of whiskers without impairing the solder wettability of the coating even when the cladding is not followed by heat treatment or reflowing.
US08821701B2	Ion beam sputter target and method of manufacture A target for use in an ion beam sputtering apparatus made of at least two target tiles where at least two of the target tiles are made of different chemical compositions and are mounted on a main tile and geometrically arranged on the main tile to yield a desired chemical composition on a sputtered substrate. In an alternate embodiment, the tiles are of varied thickness according to the desired chemical properties of the sputtered film. In yet another alternate embodiment, the target is comprised of plugs pressed in a green state which are disposed in cavities formed in a main tile also formed in a green state and the assembly can then be compacted and then sintered.
US08821699B2	Continuous electrolytic surface finishing of bars An apparatus (1) for continuous electrolytic surface finishing of bars (2) is described, comprising at least one cathode (3), one electrolytic cell (4) containing an electrolyte (5) and comprising an inlet (6) and an outlet (7) for the bars (2), and at least one longitudinal anode (8) along the route of the bars (2) inside the electrolytic cell (4), and means (9) for feeding the bars (2) along the axis of the bars (2) for introducing the bars (2) into the cell (4). Said at least one cathode (3) consists of a plurality of sliding contacts (11), each of which is provided with a selectively and independently actuatable energetic source (30) thereof.
US08821696B2	Methods and extraction units employing vapor draw compositional analysis Embodiments of extraction unit and an analysis method are provided. In one embodiment, the analysis method includes the steps of providing a feed stream and a species-selective solvent to the distillation column, drawing a vapor sample from the distillation column, condensing the vapor sample, and analyzing at least a portion of the condensed vapor sample.
US08821692B2	Method for the rapid pyrolysis of lignocellulose Method for fast pyrolysis of lignocellulose including: mechanically comminuting the lignocellulose to lignocellulose particles; at least one of completely drying and preheating the lignocellulose particles; mixing the lignocellulose particles with heat transfer particles so as to provide a mixture; heating the heat transfer particles, prior to the mixing, to a temperature between 500° C. and 650° C.; and heating, in a pyrolysis reactor with oxygen excluded, the lignocellulose particles using the heat transfer particles so as to establish a temperature between 400° C. and 600° C. for 1 to 50 seconds and so as to react the lignocellulose particles so as to provide pyrolysis coke, pyrolysis condensate, and pyrolysis gas.
US08821688B2	Optical brightening compositions The instant invention relates to mixed salts of optical brighteners of formula (1), wherein M represents a mixture of Mg2+ with another cation, which provide for superior optical brightening effects when applied to the surface of paper.
US08821683B2	Substrate processing apparatus and method, and program and storage medium A substrate processing apparatus includes a plasma source facing a substrate, and a shielding member placed between the substrate and the plasma source. The plasma source diffuses a plasma radially and the shielding member has a through hole through which a part of the radially diffused plasma passes. A substrate processing method is used for performing a plasma processing on a substrate in a substrate processing apparatus including a plasma source facing the substrate and a shielding member placed between the plasma source and the substrate. The shielding member has a through hole. The method includes the step of diffusing a plasma radially by the plasma source.
US08821682B2	Electron induced chemical etching and deposition for local circuit repair Systems and methods of imaging and repairing defects on and below the surface of an integrated circuit (IC) are described. The method may be used in areas as small as one micron in diameter, and may remove the topmost material in the small spot, repeating with various layers, until a desired depth is obtained. An energetic beam, such as an electron beam, is directed at a selected surface location. The surface has an added layer of a solid, fluid or gaseous reactive material, such as a directed stream of a fluorocarbon, and the energetic beam disassociates the reactive material in the region of the beam into radicals that chemically attack the surface. After the defect location is exposed, the method uses the energetic beam to etch undesired materials, and deposit various appropriate materials to fill gaps, and restore the IC to an operational condition.
US08821676B2	Low temperature bonding material comprising coated metal nanoparticles, and bonding method A bonding material comprising metal particles coated with an organic substance having carbon atoms of 2 to 8, wherein the metal particles comprises first portion of 100 nm or less, and a second portion larger than 100 nm but not larger than 100 μm, each of the portions having at least peak of a particle distribution, based on a volumetric base. The disclosure is further concerned with a bonding method using the bonding material.
US08821672B2	Adhesive fastening elements for holding a workpiece and methods of de-bonding a workpiece from an adhesive fastening element An adhesive fastening element includes a first member and a second member adjacent to the first member and movable relative to the first member along a longitudinal axis of the adhesive fastening element, wherein a bond is formed by an adhesive between the workpiece and the first and second members of the adhesive fastening element. A method for de- bonding a workpiece from an adhesive fastening element includes moving the second member away from the workpiece and breaks the bond between the second member and the workpiece and moving the first and second members such that the second member moves towards the workpiece and applies a force to the workpiece so as to break the bond between the first member and the workpiece, and lo de-bond the workpiece from the adhesive fastening element.
US08821670B2	Method of manufacturing advanced grid structure, advanced grid structure, and space telescope using advanced grid structure Provided is an advanced grid structure manufactured by a lamination step of laminating a first tape prepreg group, a second tape prepreg group, and a third tape prepreg group repeatedly in the stated order on a forming die, in which grooves in a lattice shape are formed in three directions, so as to provide crossing regions in which two tape prepreg groups overlap each other, and a heating forming step of forming a laminate by heating under pressure. In the lamination step, the first tape prepreg group, the second tape prepreg group, and the third tape prepreg group are respectively laminated as one layer in crossing regions so that a tape width is maintained, and laminated in non-crossing regions in a state of being folded as two layers in a width direction thereof.
US08821669B2	Process and machine for water proofing semimanufactured footwear, clothing items and accessories, and semimanufactured products obtained with said process or machine Embodiments provide a process and machine for waterproofing semimanufactured footwear, clothing items, and accessories. Embodiments also provide semimanufactured products obtained with said process and/or machine. The semimanufactured product may have a three-dimensional conformation with an inner surface and an outer surface. A waterproofing sheath may be formed by superimposing two edges of a semi-permeable membrane, and welding the superimposed edges of the semi-permeable membrane to one another to form a strip and to give the waterproofing sheath a three-dimensional conformation. The semimanufactured product and three-dimensional waterproofing sheath may be arranged on a shaped support with an adhesive between the semimanufactured product and the waterproofing sheath. The semimanufactured product and/or waterproofing sheath may be pressed to bond the waterproofing sheath to the surface of the semimanufactured product.
US08821668B2	Tubular body manufacturing method and tubular body The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an FRP tubular body. The manufacturing method includes the steps of winding a fiber reinforced resin member containing a fiber and a matrix resin around a mandrel, thereby obtaining an intermediate formed body, winding a wrapping tape around an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate formed body (6) with an application of a tension, curing the matrix resin in the intermediate formed body having the wrapping tape wound therearound, and pulling the mandrel out and removing the wrapping tape after the curing step, thereby obtaining a cured tubular body. It is preferable that a fabric tape should be used as the wrapping tape. It is preferable that a tensile stress to be applied to the fabric tape (8) should be set to be equal to or higher than 5 (Mpa) and is equal to or smaller than 150 (Mpa) at the tape winding step. In the manufacturing method, the matrix resin can be effectively extracted at a subsequent step to the winding step.
US08821666B2	Production method for a workpiece composed of a fibre-composite material, and a fibre-composite component in the form of a profile with a profile cross section which varies over its length The present invention relates to a production method for a workpiece composed of a fiber-composite material, having the following steps: at least one support means is provided. A main material composed of a pre-impregnated fiber semi-finished product and/or of a secondary material are/is applied to the at least one support means in order to form at least two blank-mold areas, in such a manner that at least one of the at least two blank-mold areas has the main material, and at least one of the blank-mold areas has the secondary material. The blank-mold areas are pressure-bonded to one another to form a workpiece blank such that the at least one support means is provided on a surface of the workpiece blank. The at least one support means and the secondary material are removed from the workpiece blank in order to form the workpiece.
US08821663B2	Ballistic resilient run-flat tire, kit and method thereof A ballistic resilient run-flat tire device, kit and method for manufacturing the same are presented for providing a vehicle a capability of traveling for at least 30 miles at 30 miles per hour, after the device has been compromised as of result of exposure due to ballistic ordinance rifle shots such as 7.62×39 mm and 7.62×54 R or air loss from road hazard punctures. The device includes a tire carcass and a polyurethane inner coating inside the tire carcass that defines an inflatable hollow chamber within the ballistic resilient run-flat tire. The tire carcass has an annular tread, sidewalls, and beads. The polyurethane inner coating inside the tire carcass defining a hollow chamber provides additional protection along the sidewalls and tread of the tire carcass. The kit includes the un-interconnected elements of the device. The method includes the steps of curing, discharging, filling, injecting, introducing, mounting, obtaining, and preparing.
US08821662B2	Method for producing insulating glass that is filled with a gas that is different from air To fill insulating glass with a gas other than air, between the spacer (5) and the glass pane (3), an open space (15) for the entry of gas into the interior (7) of the insulating glass is ensured in that in the region of the cement strand (11), which is applied to the inside of the glass pane (3) or a side surface of the spacer (5), there are distance elements, for example in the form of projections (13) of the cement strand (11). These projections (13) are pressed into the cement strand (11) when the packet of panes consisting of (at least) two glass panes (3) with a spacer (5) inserted in between is being pressed to form an insulating glass blank (1), whereupon the insulating glass blank (1) is supplied to a sealing station for sealing.
US08821660B2	Method for manufacturing ecotypic artificial leather or leather-like and automated manufacturing line thereof A method for manufacturing ecotypic artificial leather or leather-like includes the following steps: a first step of forming a surface layer; a second step of spray foaming which is to coat the partly cured surface layer with a reactive solvent-free multicomponent polymer using a multicomponent reaction injection molding device and a spray gun; a third step of once-molding roller pressing which is to press the substrate, foaming layer, surface layer and release paper together between the multicomponent polymer foaming stage and curing stage using a roller press device; and a fourth step of maturing and stripping, in which the substrate, foaming layer, surface layer and release paper are heated up, and then are cooled down while the release paper is removed. The production process utilizing the manufacturing method described in this invention is totally environmentally friendly. The physical and chemical properties of the product are excellent. The equipment utilized has high degree of automation and is easy to industrialize.
US08821654B2	Pt metal modified γ-Ni+γ′-Ni3Al alloy compositions for high temperature degradation resistant structural alloys An alloy comprising 5 at %≦Al<16 at %, about 0.05 at % to 1 at % of a reactive element selected from the group consisting of Hf, Y, La, Ce, Zr, and combinations thereof, and Ni, wherein the alloy composition has a predominately γ-Ni+γ′-Ni3Al phase constitution.
US08821651B2	Method for surface treating a heat exchanger, hydrophilizing treatment agent, and aluminum heat exchanger A method for surface treating a heat exchanger, a hydrophilizing treatment agent used in this method, and an aluminum heat exchanger obtained from this method are provided that excel in the initial adherence, hydrophilicity, and odor suppressibility, and can maintain these abilities for an extended time, while having little burden on the environment and the human body. The method for surface treating an aluminum heat exchanger that is brazed includes (1) a pickling treatment step; (2) a chemical conversion treatment step; and (3) a hydrophilization treatment step, in which the acidic cleaning agent contains nitric acid and sulfuric acid and contains ferric salt in a predetermined amount, the hydrophilizing treatment agent contains silica grains coated with a vinyl alcohol polymer and a polyallylamine resin.
US08821650B2	Mechanical improvement of rare earth permanent magnets A process for mechanically strengthening a permanent magnet includes providing nanofibers or nanotubes, providing a ferromagnetic metal, defining a mixture by mixing the ferromagnetic metal with the nanofibers or nanotubes and sintering the mixture.
US08821648B2	Preparations for all-purpose cleaning compositions Multi-purpose cleaning compositions, in particular multi-purpose aqueous alkaline compositions for cleaning surfaces, and base preparations for this purpose. Such base preparations comprise one or more solvents that are at least partially water-miscible, one or more alkali metal salts of carboxylic acids, and water. Such multi-purpose cleaning compositions comprise at least such base preparation, a surfactant, a basifying agent, and water.
US08821647B2	Bulk dispense semi-manual cleaning system for an appliance Cleaning of a bulk dispense system of an appliance is provided. The appliance can include a user accessible compartment whereby the bulk dispense system is connected to a supply of a cleaning fluid. The appliance can be activated so as to flow the cleaning fluid through the bulk dispense system to help clean the system by e.g., removing particulates of detergent, fabric softener, and/or other undesirable matter that may be in the system.
US08821646B1	Compositions and methods for cleaning and preventing plugging in micro-irrigation systems An irrigation system cleaning formulation contains a sufficient concentration of a water-soluble organic acid which has a pK(1)a of less than about 4.0. A cleansing irrigation water contains a sufficient amount of such cleaning formulation, and a method of cleaning an irrigation system uses such cleaning formulation.
US08821644B2	Bevel/backside polymer removing method and device, substrate processing apparatus and storage medium A bevel/backside polymer removing method removes multi-layered bevel/backside polymers adhering to a bevel surface and a backside of a target substrate. The multi-layered bevel/backside polymers include an inorganic layer and an organic layer. The bevel/backside polymer removing method includes mechanically destroying the multi-layered bevel/backside polymers and heating residues of the multi-layered bevel/backside polymers mechanically destroyed.
US08821643B2	In-situ chamber cleaning for an RTP chamber A method of cleaning a chamber used for annealing doped wafer substrates. In one embodiment the method provides removing dopants deposited in an annealing chamber after an annealing process of a doped substrate by flowing one or more volatilizing gases into the annealing chamber, applying heat to volatilize the deposited dopants in the annealing chamber, and exhausting the chamber to remove volatilized dopants from the annealing chamber.
US08821635B2	Method for growing Si-Ge semiconductor materials and devices on substrates Si—Ge materials are grown on Si(100) with Ge-rich contents (Ge>50 at. %) and precise stoichiometries SiGe, SiGe2, SiGe3 and SiGe4. New hydrides with direct Si—Ge bonds derived from the family of compounds (H3Ge)xSiH4-x (x=1-4) are used to grow uniform, relaxed, and highly planar films with low defect densities at unprecedented low temperatures between about 300-450° C. At about 500-700° C., SiGex quantum dots are grown with narrow size distribution, defect-free microstructures and highly homogeneous elemental content at the atomic level. The method provides for precise control of morphology, composition, structure and strain. The grown materials possess the required characteristics for high frequency electronic and optical applications, and for templates and buffer layers for high mobility Si and Ge channel devices.
US08821631B1	Processed mineral additive for reducing concrete permeability and increasing strength A packaged concrete additive includes ground, expanded perlite with a volume weighted mean particle size of approximately 10-100 μm. The perlite optionally includes at least one additional component to improve workability and compensate for the natural tendency of expanded perlite to absorb water from the concrete mix. The additional component can include: water; a superplasticizer such as polycarboxylates, naphthalene sulfonate, and melamine sulfonate; or a hydrophobic compound, such as salts of fatty acids, fatty acids, silanes, and siloxanes. The additive is a flowable powder and for convenience of use it is packaged in a bag that can be directly added to the concrete batch and disappears on mixing. Concrete containing this additive displays superior properties to conventional concrete. Expanded perlite is a readily available raw material and the finished concrete is suitable where high strength structural concrete must withstand high temperatures.
US08821628B2	Method for improving opacity The present invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous suspension of dispersed calcium carbonate, wherein the resulting coating of said suspension provides opaque properties or has a specific light scattering coefficient S. The invention further relates to compositions of such suspensions of dispersed calcium carbonate and to its use in the field of paper coatings and paper mass fillings as well as paints and plastic coatings.
US08821625B2	Apparatus and method for re-circulating wash water used in manufacturing glass fiber products A method of re-circulating washwater used to clean production components for the manufacture of fibrous insulation, e.g. fiberglass is disclosed. The method includes providing a bulk washwater recovery loop to re-circulate washwater used to clean the downstream air components, as well as a separate hoodwall washwater recovery loop to re-circulate hoodwall washwater. Re-circulated hoodwall washwater may be used to clean the forming hood components and for preparation of binder dispersions. In the latter case, the pH of the hoodwall washwater is measured and the binder dispersion may be prepared with 100% hoodwall washwater, 100% makeup water, or a blend of each depending on and in response to the pH measurement.
US08821621B2	Filter systems including optical analyte sensors and optical readers A filter system includes a housing, a filter medium disposed within the housing and a optical analyte sensor also disposed within the housing in fluid communication with the filter medium. The optical analyte sensor includes a detection medium that changes at least one of its optical characteristics in response to an analyte. The filter system further includes an optical reader having at least one light source and at least one detector. The optical reader is attached to the housing such that at least a portion of light emitted by at least one light source is reflected from the optical analyte sensor and captured by at least one detector.
US08821617B2	Polyimide-co-polybenzoxazole copolymer, preparation method thereof, and gas separation membrane comprising the same Disclosed herein are a polyimide-polybenzoxazole copolymer, a method for preparing thereof and a gas separation membrane comprising the same. More specifically, provided are a polyimide-polybenzoxazole copolymer simply prepared through thermal-rearrangement performed by thermally treating a polyimide-poly (hydroxyimide) copolymer as a precursor, a method for preparing the same, and a gas separation membrane comprising the same. The copolymer shows superior gas permeability and gas selectivity, thus being suitable for use in gas separation membranes in various forms such as films, fibers or hollow fibers. The gas separation membrane thus prepared can advantageously endure even harsh conditions such as long operation time acidic conditions and high humidity due to the rigid polymer backbone present in the copolymer.
US08821612B2	Apparatus and methods for the production of metal compounds The present invention relates to a stepwise method for the production of titanium-aluminum compounds and some titanium alloys and titanium-aluminum inter-metallic compounds and alloys. In a first step an amount of aluminum is mixed with an amount of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and then an amount of titanium chloride (TiCl4) is added to the mixture. The mixture is heated to a temperature of less than 220° C. to form a product of TiCl3, aluminum and AlCl3. In a second step, more aluminum can be added if required, and the mixture heated again to a temperature above 900° C. to form titanium-aluminum compounds. This method results in the production of powdered forms of titanium-aluminum compounds with controllable composition. Suitable reactor apparatus is also described.
US08821609B2	Ceramic honeycomb filter and its production method A ceramic honeycomb filter comprising a ceramic honeycomb structure having large numbers of flow paths partitioned by porous cell walls, and plugs disposed in the flow paths alternately on the exhaust gas inlet or outlet side, to remove particulate matter from an exhaust gas passing through the porous cell walls; the porous cell walls having porosity of 45-75%, the median pore diameter A (μm) of the cell walls measured by mercury porosimetry, and the median pore diameter B (μm) of the cell walls measured by a bubble point method meeting the formula of 35<(A−B)/B×100≦70, and the maximum pore diameter of the cell walls measured by a bubble point method being 100 μm or less.
US08821606B2	Metal bonded grinding stone, and method of manufacturing the same A metal bonded grinding stone is manufactured by heating and pressurizing a material including abrasive grains, a cobalt, a tungsten disulfide and a copper tin alloy to obtain a sintered product, and rapid-cooling the sintered product.
US08821605B2	Sintered abrasive grain agglomerates The present invention relates to sintered abrasive grit agglomerates based on aluminum oxide, having homogeneously distributed nanoscale pores in the range of 100-300 nm, with a pore volume of at least 15%. The average diameter of primary particles of the aluminum oxide primary particles is less than 5 μm, wherein said primary particles are connected to each other without additional adhesive agent.
US08821601B2	Hydrogen generating element, hydrogen generation device, power generation device, and driving device A hydrogen generating element which can supply hydrogen efficiently and stably, is safe, and has low environmental load is provided. Further, a hydrogen generation device to which the hydrogen generating element is applied is provided. Furthermore, a power generation device and a driving device to each of which the hydrogen generation device is applied are provided. A hydrogen generating element in which a needle-like or dome-like silicon microstructure is formed over a base may be used and reacted with water, whereby hydrogen is efficiently generated. The hydrogen generating element may be applied to a hydrogen generation device. The hydrogen generation device may be applied to a power generation device and a driving device.
US08821597B1	Method and apparatus for increasing energy output of sugar bagasse The present invention relates to a method for and apparatus for processing sugar bagasse which produces a significantly increased level of thermal output. More specifically, the thermal output of the processing method and the apparatus used therefore produces far more energy for transfer to an electricity generating module of the plant for generating electricity.
US08821595B2	Biodiesel fuels This invention relates to alternative diesel fuels with improved cold flow properties. The alternative fuel may be a biodiesel which typically comprises fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters; or a diesel fuel blend including diesel fuel derived from a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reaction and possibly comprising or containing crude-derived diesel fuel and biodiesel. The cold flow properties are improved by adding a higher alcohol component which is not a naturally occurring component of the biodiesel, nor the diesel fuel.
US08821592B1	Oxidation dye precursors An agent for the oxidative dyeing of keratinous fibers is provided. The agent contains, as a developer-type oxidation dye precursor, a compound of Formula (I) that carries at least one cationic charge in Y.
US08821589B2	Joints for prosthetic, orthotic and/or robotic devices An artificial foot device may include a core, a talus body operatively coupled with the core by a first joint, and a toe operatively coupled with the core by a second joint. The first joint may provides for constrained relative movement between the talus body and the core. The second joint may provide for constrained relative movement between the core and the toe. In some embodiments, the core may include a core assembly including a core body, an Achilles sheave coupled with the core body and a toe bracket coupled with the core body. The toe bracket may be operatively coupled with the toe, and the Achilles sheave may be operatively coupled with the talus body. Constrained relative movement between the talus body and the core may substantially correspond to a coordinated movement of a first natural joint and a second natural joint during ambulation of a natural human foot.
US08821587B2	Apparatus for control of a prosthetic A prosthetic device control apparatus includes at least one sensor worn by a user. The sensor(s) determines a user's movement. A control module is in communication with the sensor(s). The control module communicates movement information to a prosthetic. A method for controlling a prosthetic device includes sensing a user's movement, communicating the movement through a control module to a prosthetic device; and controlling the movement of a prosthetic device.
US08821586B2	Porous implant grain or granule An implant with anti-inflammatory or antibacterial effects, or both, for implantation in a human or animal body, the implant having a set of porous grains or granules, wherein at least a plurality of the porous grains or granules include titanium, one or more titanium oxides or titanium alloy and have a titanium oxide layer on their surface and have a mean length from one side to the opposite side, through a geometrical center, of at least 200 μm and up to 5 mm and a mean specific surface area of at least 0.15 m2/g according to the BET method. Also featured is a population of grains or granules having anti-inflammatory or antibacterial effects, or both. Further featured is a method of producing an implant, a method for deriving a population of grains or granules, and a method for treating a condition with a porous grain or granule.
US08821585B2	Composite anisotropic tissue reinforcing implants having alignment markers and methods of manufacturing same A composite implant includes an anisotropic surgical mesh having more stretchability along a first axis and less stretchability along a second axis that traverses the first axis, and an alignment marker overlying a first major surface of the anisotropic mesh and extending along the first axis. The implant includes a first absorbable, anti-adhesion film overlying the alignment marker and the first major surface of the anisotropic mesh, and a second absorbable, anti-adhesion film overlying the second major surface of the biocompatible mesh. The alignment marker is disposed between the first and second absorbable films and the first and second absorbable films are laminated to the anisotropic mesh.
US08821584B2	Device for intermittently obstructing a gastric opening and method of use The present invention relates to a device for intermittently obstructing a bodily opening, such as a gastric opening, and includes a proximal member connected to a distal member by a tether. The proximal member includes an apron member surrounding a first occluding member, which is formable from an elongated and narrower configuration to a contracted or expanded but wider configuration. When employed in the stomach, the device of the present invention is arranged transluminally, with the distal member disposed in the duodenum and the proximal member disposed against the pyloric valve, intermittently occluding the pyloric valve and preventing or delaying the flow of gastric contents through the pyloric valve. In certain embodiments, a reservoir may be included for releasing a substance of interest, for example for releasing insulin from a reservoir disposed in the distal member. Sensors, actuators, and data transmission devices may also be included.
US08821579B2	Tibial component with flexible rim A tibial prosthesis including an articulating component and a tray component with a rim that extends proximally to support the articulating component, the tray component enabling flexion of the rim relative to a bone-contacting surface of the tray component.
US08821570B2	Adjustable annuloplasty ring with subcutaneous activation port Annuloplasty rings are employed to treat heart valve defects, such as regurgitation. Synching the heart tissue to the ring restores the valve opening to its approximate original size and operating efficiency. Adjustable annuloplasty rings allow for a proper degree of synching both during open heart surgery and over the patient's lifetime. A subcutaneous port may be coupled to an adjustable annuloplasty ring such that an external activation energy generator can be used to heat the adjustable annuloplasty ring and thereby adjust the size of the annuloplasty ring.
US08821569B2	Multiple component prosthetic heart valve assemblies and methods for delivering them Multiple component heart valves and apparatus and methods for implanting them are provided. The heart valve generally includes a first annular prosthesis and a second valve prosthesis. The first prosthesis includes an annular member compressible from a relaxed condition to a contracted condition to facilitate delivery into a biological annulus, the annular member being resiliently expandable towards the relaxed condition. The first prosthesis also includes guide rails extending therefrom. The second prosthesis includes an annular frame, valve elements, and receptacles for receiving respective guide rails therethrough when the second prosthesis is directed towards the first prosthesis. In addition, a valve holder may releasably carry the valve prosthesis that includes channels for receiving respective guide rails therethrough when the guide rails are received through the valve prosthesis. A delivery tool is also provided that includes an actuator for selectively compressing the annular member into the contracted condition.
US08821561B2	Marker arrangement for bifurcation catheter A catheter assembly and related methods include first and second catheter branches that are configured to travel over separate guidewires to a vessel bifurcation treatment site within a patient. The catheter branches can each include a plurality of markers. The position of markers on one catheter branch relative to the position of markers on the other catheter branch provide a visual indication of relative twist between the catheter branches, can help distinguish one catheter branch from the other, and help with visual alignment of the catheter branches relative to the vessel bifurcation.
US08821560B2	Optical stimulus probe structure with optical transmittable probe and manufacturing method thereof Disclosed are an optical stimulation probe structure having a probe body inserted into a subject, a fixing body that fixes the probe body and a light radiator that transmits an optical signal to the probe body, wherein the probe body is made of an optical transmission material capable of transmitting an optical signal, such that the optical signal transmitted from the light radiator is transmitted through the probe body to the subject, and a method for manufacturing the same.
US08821559B2	Light-based implants for treating Alzheimer's disease An intracranial, light-emitting implant for providing therapy to a patient having Alzheimer's Disease.
US08821554B2	Method, system, and apparatus for mammalian bony segment stabilization Embodiments of bony region stabilization are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08821553B2	Spinal fusion system utilizing an implant plate having at least one integral lock Spinal fusion system utilizing an implant plate having at least one integral lock.
US08821549B2	Methods and apparatus for anulus repair Apparatus, systems and methods are used to repair, reconstruct and/or replace spinal features. A flexible longitudinal fixation component such a suture is passed around or through a portion of a spine, with the end sections of the component either being attached to one another or coupled to at least one bone implant. The bone implant may be a bone anchor or may form part of a pedicle screw assembly. The flexible longitudinal fixation component may pass through an anulus fibrosis (AF) and at least one intra-aperture component situated within a void or defect in an AF. The intra-aperture component may be composed of a porous mesh, allograft tissue or xenograft tissue. The intra-aperture component preferably includes one or more proximal-to-distal channels facilitating the intentional initial passage of nucleus pulposis (NP) tissue while preventing the extrusion of the NP long term.
US08821548B2	Spine distraction implant and method A spine distraction implant alleviates pain associated with spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy by expanding the volume in the spine canal and/or neural foramen. The implant provides a spinal extension stop while allowing freedom of spinal flexion.
US08821547B2	Spinous process implant with a post and an enlarged boss A spinous process implant with two plates that are connected together with a post. The implant is configured for each plate to be positioned on outer lateral sides of spinous processes with the post extending through the interspinous space. One or both plates may be movable along the length of the post to accommodate different anatomies such as for relatively wide or thin spinous processes. The post includes an enlarged head at a first end to prevent the first plate from disassociating from the post in a first direction. The post also includes a boss at a second end to prevent the second plate from disassociating from the post in a second direction. Methods of attaching the implants to the spinous processes are also disclosed.
US08821544B2	Surgical filament snare assemblies A surgical filament snare assembly including an anchor capable of being fixated in bone and having a filament engagement feature. A first filament has a noose with first and second noose limbs connected, preferably slidably, to the filament engagement feature. The first and second noose limbs emerge from the anchor as first and second free filament limbs that are capable of being passed through tissue to be repaired and then passable through the noose. The noose is capable of receiving the free filament limbs and strangulating them when tension is applied to at least one of the free filament limbs and the noose to enable incremental tensioning of the tissue after anchor fixation. Preferably, the snare assembly further includes a flexible sleeve joining at least some portion of the first and second free filament limbs to facilitate passing of the free filament limbs as a single unit.
US08821542B2	Suture management system Assemblies, devices and methods are provided for suture management associated with surgical procedures for anchoring suture to bone. Suture elements mounted to suture anchors are terminated in suture loops or tags, and associated stop members that in combination with visual coding provide suture identification, prevent accidental unmounting of suture from suture anchors, and reduce the number of suture legs requiring active management during complex arthroscopic repairs. The present invention also provides exemplary drivers that can be used with the various methods and devices disclosed herein, or with other methods and devices known in the art.
US08821531B2	Treatment tool A treatment tool includes a long shaft member, a pair of grasping members installed at a distal end portion of the long shaft member, a driving force transmission member connected to the pair of grasping member, a driving manipulation member, and a switch unit having a first sliding section and a second sliding section, and configured to switch a ratio of a magnitude of a force for moving the driving force transmission member with respect to a magnitude of a force for moving the driving manipulation member when the driving manipulation member is manipulated to be moved by switching a position at which the driving manipulation member is slid between the first sliding section and the second sliding section.
US08821530B2	Vascular filter A vascular filter (1) comprises a proximal support hoop (3), a plurality of support struts (5), and a plurality of capture arms (6). The proximal support hoop (3) extends around the internal wall of the inferior vena cava in a wave pattern having six distal peaks (11) and six proximal peaks (11). The proximal support hoop (3) comprises an enlarged end element at each peak (11). The support struts (5) extend longitudinally along the internal wall of the inferior vena cava in a curve (14). Two capture arms (6) are connected to the proximal support hoop (3) at each distal peak (11). Each capture arm 6 extends from the distal peak (11) to an apex (7) in a curve (12, 13). The concave portion of the first curve (12) faces inwardly towards the concave portion of the second curve (13).
US08821528B2	Removable vein filter The present provides a removable vessel filter comprising a first and second filtering portion and a first and second anchoring portion, wherein a transverse dimension of the first filtering portion in an expanded configuration is less than a transverse dimension of the first anchoring portion in an expanded configuration, and a transverse dimension of the second filtering portion is less than a transverse dimension of the second anchoring portion. The first and second filtering portions are positioned closer to each other than the first and second anchoring portions, and the anchoring portions being formed on first and second opposite portions of the vessel filter. The vessel filter is removable from a vessel wall by engagement of either the first filtering portion or the second filtering portion.
US08821526B2	Trocar A trocar is described. The trocar is formed of a biocompatible material, such as but not limited to stainless steel. Accordingly, the trocar is reusable for a relatively large number of surgical procedures assuming conventional sterilization techniques are employed after each surgical procedure. Additionally, the trocar is provided with an angled blade design formed on a distal portion of the trocar shaft. More specifically, the blade design includes a first portion extending substantially co-planar to a proximal portion of the tip portion of the trocar shaft and a second portion extending angularly inwardly towards a distal portion of the tip portion of the trocar shaft.
US08821522B2	Hernia mesh tacks There are disclosed various embodiments of surgical tacks for use in surgical procedures. The tacks generally include a head and a barrel portion extending distally from the head. Preferably, the head and the barrel portion define a throughbore for receipt of a drive instrument. A thread on the head is provided to engage threads in the installation tool. A tissue thread is provided on the barrel portion to engage tissue. Distal and proximal surfaces of the tissue thread may be oriented at various angles relative to the barrel portion. There is also disclosed an insertion instrument to insert one or more tacks as well as a method of use. There is further disclosed a model device for use in explaining the operation of the instrument.
US08821512B2	Manipulator with manual hold and comfortable articulation A manipulator includes a control unit (1), with handle (4) and control buttons (4a-4d), and a connecting arm (2) which, at its proximal end (2a), carries the control unit (1) and, at its distal end (2b), carries a work unit (3). The handle (4) is articulated about at least one transverse articulation axis (4e), which is itself situated at an intermediate position along the handle (4). A particularly ergonomic manipulator is thus obtained which is easy to learn to use and which efficiently separates the stresses arising from movements of the tool support (5) and the stresses arising from holding and moving the manipulator itself.
US08821510B2	Flexible sheath with polymer coil A medical device including a tube having a coil fitted around at least a part of an inner liner, such as PTFE, and a braid extending over at least part of the coil. A polymeric layer is positioned over the braid to adhere to the inner liner. A portion of the coil advantageously comprises a polymer, such as PEEK, while the coil may also have a metal portion. The polymer coil may extend along at least at the proximal region of the tube, and the metal coil may extend along at least at the distal region of the tube. A polymer coil, a metal coil or any combination thereof can extend along the intermediate region of the tube. The polymer coil can be configured so that the tube is longitudinally splittable with a cutting instrument.
US08821507B2	Augmentation delivery device The tissue augment sheet delivery system includes a tube funnel adapter and a tissue augment sheet delivery instrument. The tube funnel adapter includes a oval/conical shaped funnel. The tissue augment sheet delivery instrument includes a handle. A cylindrical tube is connected to the handle. A wire is inserted in the tube. The wire is formed in a large loop with small loops formed in the large loop. A tissue augment sheet is attached to one side of the large loop using a monofilament. In use, the tube funnel adapter is inserted in body. The tissue augment sheet is placed in mouth of the oval/conical shaped funnel and gently moved down. While moving down, the tissue augment sheet conforms to the internal diameter of the tube funnel adapter. The handle is withdrawn to remove the large loop from the body leaving the tissue augment sheet in body.
US08821505B2	Minimally invasive cement delivery system retainer A system for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure comprises a cannula, a bone filler material delivery nozzle for performing the procedure through the cannula, and a retainer for securing the delivery nozzle relative to the cannula. The retainer eliminates the need to manually stabilize and position the delivery nozzle during the procedure, thereby allowing the physician to perform the procedure outside of the fluoroscopic radiation field used to visualize the procedure location. The retainer can be attached to the cannula, and can provide either selective or constant clamping force onto the delivery nozzle.
US08821501B2	Patella resectioning guide and assembly A patella resection assembly comprises a patella resection guide and a stylus. The patella resection guide has bone-gripping members on two movable arms and a saw guide surface. The stylus is pivotably mounted to the arms of the resection guide and has a free end received in the slot in the resection guide. The arms of the patella resection guide are movable to a variety of positions with different distances between the bone-gripping members while the stylus is in place.
US08821499B2	Positioning apparatus and method for a prosthetic implant A positioning apparatus for guiding resection of a patient tissue and guiding placement of a prosthetic implant component in a desired implant position with respect to the resected patient tissue and method of use are described. A locating block includes a mating surface contoured for mating contact with the patient tissue. A cutting plane indicator provides a physical indication of a desired cutting plane for the resection. A placement indicator is spaced apart from the locating block and includes a component-contacting feature. An elongate spacing arm is operative to space the placement indicator apart from the locating block. The spacing arm is configured to place the component-contacting feature of the placement indicator at a predetermined placement position in three-dimensional space relative to the patient tissue. The placement position predetermination is at least partially based upon pre-operative imaging of the patient tissue.
US08821496B2	Osteotomy protective cover A cover for use in protecting a resected surface of a long bone for use in joint arthroplasty is provided. The cover includes a generally planar portion having opposed generally parallel first and second surfaces defining a periphery extending from the first surface and the second surface. The cover also includes a lip extending from the first surface at the periphery of the planar portion in a direction not planar with the generally planar portion.
US08821491B2	Double action external fixation clamp An external fixation component includes a capture member defining opposing grooves on opposite lateral sides of the capture member for capture of an element of an orthopedic fixation system. The capture member includes a base and a head coupled to the base to define a component axis that extends through the base and through the head. The base and the head are coupled for relative lateral translation in opposing directions such that the element can be captured by the capture member in either of the opposing grooves.
US08821489B2	Systems, assemblies, and methods for treating a bronchial tree Systems, assemblies, and methods to treat pulmonary diseases are used to decrease nervous system input to distal regions of the bronchial tree within the lungs. Treatment systems damage nerve tissue to temporarily or permanently decrease nervous system input. The treatment systems are capable of heating nerve tissue, cooling the nerve tissue, delivering a flowable substance that cause trauma to the nerve tissue, puncturing the nerve tissue, tearing the nerve tissue, cutting the nerve tissue, applying pressure to the nerve tissue, applying ultrasound to the nerve tissue, applying ionizing radiation to the nerve tissue, disrupting cell membranes of nerve tissue with electrical energy, or delivering long acting nerve blocking chemicals to the nerve tissue.
US08821488B2	Tissue lesion evaluation Device, system and method for ablating tissue of a heart of a patient. The tissue is clamped between a pair of opposing jaws. A portion of the tissue is ablated at a first generally linear position on the tissue by applying ablative energy to two of a plurality of elongate electrodes, each of the two of the plurality of elongate electrodes being coupled in opposing relationship to each other and the pair of opposing jaws, respectively. An effectiveness of the ablation is sensed at a second generally linear position on the tissue with at least one of the plurality of elongate electrodes positioned on one of the pair of opposing jaws. The second linear position on the tissue is laterally distal to the first linear position on the tissue with respect to the atrium of the heart.
US08821485B2	Employing a secondary sheath with an ablation catheter A method of performing a catheter-based procedure can include introducing a delivery sheath inside a patient's body and advancing a secondary sheath through the delivery sheath, toward a treatment site inside the patient's body. The secondary sheath can be distinct from the delivery sheath, coaxial to the delivery sheath along at least a portion of a length of the delivery sheath, and can have a default linear shape that is substantially free of radial bias. The method can further include introducing a catheter through the delivery sheath and secondary sheath, to the treatment site, and performing a procedure at the treatment site with the catheter. Performing the procedure can include performing the procedure while maintaining at a relatively fixed position the secondary sheath.
US08821483B2	Initiation sequences for ramping-up pulse power in a medical laser having high-intensity leading subpulses A gradual ramp-up of output power in a medical laser prevents rapid temperature rise at a fiber tip of a laser handpiece when residual contamination from a prior medical procedure remains on the fiber tip after an extended cooling period. The gradual ramp-up eliminates effects of an acoustic shock wave resulting from the rapid temperature rise to prevent damage to fiber and optical components in the laser device.
US08821479B2	Medical device with an energy supply having at least two energy sources According to one embodiment, a medical device may include an energy supply. The energy supply may include a lithium-ion polymer battery including at least two battery stacks and a control unit. One of the at least two battery stacks may be a backup energy source. The control unit may monitor and control the energy supply such that when the control unit detects a fault in the at least two battery stacks, the control unit disconnects a faulty battery stack. The energy supply may be rechargeable. Each of the at least two battery stacks may include a positive potential terminal, a negative potential terminal and one or more battery cell.
US08821478B2	Catheter with variable stiffness Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include an elongate inner member having a guidewire lumen extending therethrough. An outer member may be disposed about the inner member. An inflation lumen may be formed between the inner member and the outer member. The medical device may be configured to have a first stiffness when the inflation lumen is free of inflation media and a second stiffness different from the first stiffness when inflation media is disposed within the inflation lumen. In addition, the inner member may include a collapsible region that is configured to deflect radially inward when inflation media is disposed within the inflation lumen.
US08821477B2	Alternative micromachined structures Medical devices and methods for making and using the same. An example medical device may include an elongate core member and a tubular member disposed about a portion of the core member. The tubular member may have a plurality of slots formed therein. The medical devices may be configured to have a preferential bending direction.
US08821461B2	Patient gown for a medical treatment facility A full coverage gown that is used in medical facilities is presented. The gown includes a urine catheter pocket affixed to the gown. The gown also includes a pair of ties affixed to the gown above the urine catheter pocket. The pair of ties is configured to loop and tie around a hook attached to a urine catheter bag to prevent a backflow of urine and to secure the urine catheter bag within the catheter pocket.
US08821460B1	Anti-channeling stool management system A stool management and collection system for acutely and chronically ill patients that prevents channeling which can quickly lead to the breakdown of patient skin, patient discomfort, and the spread of disease. Although several preferred embodiments are disclosed herein, each has an absorbent insert ring component with a waterproof interior that alone or in combination with other structure directs stool into an associated stool collection bag. Super absorbent polymer (SAP) resin may also employed as a part of the stool containment system structure. In addition, the system's stool collection bag isn't positioned on the patient's backside as in the prior art, instead being secured in approximately the same area where an incontinence pad is normally positioned, so that diarrhea is contained from start to finish.
US08821457B2	Punctal plug containing drug formulation Disclosed are lacrimal inserts and their method of use for delivery of medication to the eye. The plug includes a body portion sized to pass through a lacrimal punctum and be positioned within a lacrimal canaliculus of the eyelid. The plug may contain a core, or reservoir, at least partially within the body portion comprising a therapeutic agent that is configured to controlled release into the eye and is configured for release medication via a designated port, valve, or orifice in the insert housing and inhibits diffusion of medication via the housing itself.
US08821455B2	Antimicrobial coating for dermally invasive devices An antimicrobial coating applied to a transdermal surface of a catheter device. An antimicrobial coating applied to catheter device such that when the catheter device is fully inserted, the antimicrobial coating is interposed between the catheter device and the dermal layers of the patient.
US08821454B2	Apparatus for dispensing medicinal fluids and method of making same A dispensing device and the method of making same for dispensing medicaments to a patient that includes a housing, a first assembly connected to the first end of the housing that includes a body portion, and a penetrating sub-assembly. The first assembly also includes a rate control chip of novel construction that is connected to the penetrating sub-assembly and functions to control the rate of flow of medicinal fluid to the patient. Disposed within the housing is a second assembly that includes a shuttle, a collapsible container carried by the shuttle and a plurality of variable force springs that function to thrust the collapsible container into penetrating engagement with the penetrating member of the penetrating assembly and then to collapse the collapsible container to deliver the medicinal fluid to the patient. Connected to the second end of the housing is a novel third assembly that includes an operating member that is threadably connected to the shuttle. The operating member functions to controllably move the shuttle forwardly of the housing. The apparatus also includes a novel locking mechanism that releasably locks the operating member against rotation relative to the shuttle.
US08821451B2	Medicament delivery device The present invention relates to a medicament delivery device comprising a drive means configured to act on a medicament container for expelling a medicament; a holding means configured to hold said drive means in a pre-tensioned state; an activation means configured to interact with said holding means for releasing said drive means from the pre-tensioned state; wherein the device further comprises feedback means configured to interact both with said holding means and with said drive means for generating an audible and/or tactile and/or visual signal indicating that the medicament has been completely expelled.
US08821449B1	Feeding tube fastener One embodiment of a clear rubber base with two parallel grooves in it attached to a clear rubber lid by a clear rubber base/lid connector. The clear rubber lid has four complementary grooves in it so that when the fastener is closed the grooves from the base and lid line up forming a snug fit for the feeding tube. Attached to the lid and across from the base/lid connector is a clear rubber pull tab. Along the bottom portion of the base is a slit that goes around the entire circumference of the base allowing enough room for the adhesive strip to fit into the slit. With the adhesive strip in place the feeding tube fastener can be applied to the skin of the abdomen.
US08821445B2	Caged floating seal assembly A seal assembly establishes sealing engagement with a plurality of differently dimensioned instruments passing through a trocar. The seal assembly is a caged seal assembly movably disposed within the trocar and includes at least two seal segments disposable into and out of a sealing orientation relative to the instrument. A cage structure of the seal assembly includes at least two cage segments each connected to a seal segment, a biasing assembly connected to the cage structure and disposed and structured to normally bias the seal segments into sealing orientation.
US08821443B2	Multi-cartridge fluid delivery device A fluid delivery device for administering a first medicament and a second medicament includes a first fluid reservoir configured to contain the first medicament and a second fluid reservoir configured to contain the second medicament. The fluid delivery device may include one or more basal drive mechanisms to provide a basal delivery of one or more of the first and second medicaments. The fluid delivery device may further include one or more bolus drive mechanisms to provide a bolus delivery of one or more of the first and second medicaments.
US08821442B2	Infusion system Disclosed is an infusion system for administering a liquid medicament, particularly insulin. Said infusion system comprises a cannula support unit which is properly attached to a patient's body, an infusion cannula to be inserted into the patient's body, and a pump unit that can be connected to the cannula support unit and encompasses a pump, a battery for supplying power to the pump, and a storage volume for the medicament that is to be administered. The pump unit and the cannula support unit are adapted to one another in such a way that the pump unit rests against the cannula support unit once the pump unit has been connected to the cannula support unit. The disclosed infusion system also comprises a charging station for the pump unit in order to recharge the battery of the pump unit.
US08821432B2	Split and multiple air bubble sensors for automated infusion systems Systems and methods for sensing bubbles during fluid infusion are disclosed. An infusion device comprises a pathway, at least one pump adjacent the pathway, first and second bubble sensors positioned adjacent the pathway, and a processor. The pathway is adapted to receive tubing. The pump alters the pathway to pump fluid through the tubing when the tubing is received in the pathway. The second bubble sensor is spaced from the first bubble sensor. The first and second bubble sensors are configured to detect a bubble in the fluid being pumped through the tubing. The processor is programmed to determine that the first bubble sensor detects a bubble, determine whether the second bubble sensor detects a bubble, and to generate an alarm condition only when the first bubble sensor and the second bubble sensor detect the same bubble.
US08821424B2	Spinal orthosis to inhibit kyphosis and to minimize disk disease In one embodiment, a spinal orthosis includes a left shoulder portion and a right shoulder portion connected to a retracting device through a retractable connector. The retractable connector is connected, at a first end, to the left shoulder portion and the right shoulder portion and is connected at a second end to the retracting device. The retractable connector is configured to pull the left shoulder portion and the right shoulder portion so as to move the shoulders of a patient in a rearward direction. The retractable connector is further configured to release the left shoulder portion and the right shoulder portion, thereby allowing the shoulders of the patient to return to a relaxed position.
US08821420B1	Hand and wrist restorer A hand and wrist restorer and method of use having a cuff which is capable of grasping a portion of the outer skin of a limb and securing the fascia tissue thereunder together with a support which allows a user to provide a distal force upon the limb while rotating or moving the distal portion of the limb whereby a stretch of the fascia tissue occurs.
US08821419B1	Flexible interface external micro vacuum chamber tissue expander The present invention is a vacuum chamber tissue expander with a flexible sliding interface, which is applied externally over a specific region of tissue to apply a vacuum thereto so that the skin or other organ tissue can be expanded for treatments such as the subcutaneous grafting of fat cells. The flexible sliding interface accommodates and seals against flat or irregular tissue and slides along a mating groove in the vacuum chamber to provide an adjustable seal.
US08821417B2	Method of monitoring human body movement A method of monitoring human body movement includes measuring the motion of movable body parts using one or more measurement devices applied to the movable body parts during activity of the human body. A movement economy profile of the human body movement is calculated using the data from the measurement devices, where the movement economy includes determining movement relative to speed of the human body.
US08821413B2	System for withdrawing small amounts of body fluid A system is provided for withdrawing small amounts of body fluid from an animal or human. The system includes a holder and a disposable lancing unit attached to the holder. The lancing unit also includes an open capillary channel for transporting the body fluid and piercing the skin.
US08821411B2	Medical tool A medical tool for removing tissue includes a removing device for the mechanical removal of tissue, and a magnet for the magnetic attraction and collection of magnetic or magnetizable particles.
US08821410B2	Biopsy device A method is provided for calibrating a surgical biopsy system. The biopsy system includes a biopsy instrument and control unit. The biopsy instrument includes a piercer, rotatable cutter, and a port for receiving tissue samples. The method comprises the steps of translating the cutter distally until the translation of the cutter is stopped at an extended position and recording the extended position. The cutter is then translated from the extended position proximally until the translation of the cutter is stopped at a retracted position proximal to the extended position. The retracted position is recorded. The method further comprises the step of rotating the cutter to a rotation speed while the cutter is located at the retracted position and, if determined that the rotation speed is within a predetermined rotation speed range, a feedback signal is provided on the display allowing the operator to progress to the next procedural step.
US08821408B2	Data mining system for noninvasive intracranial pressure assessment Systems and methods are described for noninvasively assessing an intracranial pressure of a patient. Some embodiments include providing a simulation model with a measured arterial blood pressure of the patient. Some embodiments further include providing the simulation model with a measured cerebral blood flow velocity of the patient. The simulation model correlates arterial blood pressure values, cerebral blood flow velocity values, and intracranial pressure values. Some embodiments further includes determining an intracranial pressure of the patient based on the simulation model. Some embodiments further includes creating an output data set indicative of the determined intracranial pressure.
US08821406B2	Vascular introducer with temperature monitoring probe and systems for endovascular temperature control An introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly that is insertable into a blood vessel of a human or veterinary patent to measure the temperature of blood flowing through that blood vessel. The introducer sheath/temperature probe assembly may be used in conjunction with an indwelling heat exchange catheter system to warm or cool all or a portion of the patient's body to a desired target temperature and to maintain such target temperature for a desired period of time.
US08821405B2	Cable monitoring apparatus A cable monitoring apparatus includes a housing having an input interface adapted to electrically connect to one end of a medical cable and an output interface adapted to electrically connect to an electrical system. Signal processing circuitry is incorporated within the housing for receiving a medical signal from the medical cable via the input interface and for selectively passing the medical signal to the electrical system via the output interface when in a first mode of operation, and has application software for selectively testing functionality of the medical cable when in a second mode of operation. The medical signal may include at least one monitoring signal selected from a group consisting of fetal and maternal medical signals.
US08821402B2	Systems, devices and methods for noninvasive or minimally-invasive estimation of intracranial pressure and cerebrovascular autoregulation The systems, devices, and methods described herein provide for the estimation and monitoring of cerebrovascular system properties and intracranial pressure (ICP) from one or more measurements or measured signals. These measured signals may include central or peripheral arterial blood pressure (ABP), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) or cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV). The measured signals may be acquired noninvasively or minimally-invasively. The measured signals may be used to estimate parameters and variables of a computational model that is representative of the physiological relationships among the cerebral flows and pressures. The computational model may include at least one resistive element, at least one compliance element, and a representation of ICP.
US08821401B2	Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, doppler measurement apparatus, and Doppler measurement method According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a Doppler processing unit which generates a Doppler spectrum from an ultrasonic signal reflected from a predetermined region in a heart, a trace waveform generation unit which generates temporal changes in a predetermined spectrum component in the Doppler spectrum as a plurality of trace waveforms, a corrected trace waveform generation unit which generates a corrected trace waveform with the loss being interpolated by using a trace waveform, of the plurality of trace waveforms, which has a loss portion, and at least one estimation point input for the trace waveform, and an output unit which outputs a plurality of trace waveforms including the corrected trace waveform.
US08821400B2	Systems and methods for replacing signal artifacts in a glucose sensor data stream Systems and methods for minimizing or eliminating transient non-glucose related signal noise due to non-glucose rate limiting phenomenon such as ischemia, pH changes, temperatures changes, and the like. The system monitors a data stream from a glucose sensor and detects signal artifacts that have higher amplitude than electronic or diffusion-related system noise. The system replaces some or the entire data stream continually or intermittently including signal estimation methods that particularly address transient signal artifacts. The system is also capable of detecting the severity of the signal artifacts and selectively applying one or more signal estimation algorithm factors responsive to the severity of the signal artifacts, which includes selectively applying distinct sets of parameters to a signal estimation algorithm or selectively applying distinct signal estimation algorithms.
US08821386B2	Micro robot system and capsule endoscope system for examining a tubular digestive system A micro robot system movable on three dimensional space includes a micro robot unit including a magnet module having a certain magnetization direction and configured to rotate and proceed along a wall by a processional rotating magnetic field, and an electromagnetic field generation unit configured to set an alignment direction of the micro robot unit to have a certain angle with respect to the magnetization direction and configured to generate a magnetic field in the alignment direction to drive the micro robot unit.
US08821385B2	Endoscope and helical rotation member attached to insertion unit of this endoscope An insertion apparatus includes insertion unit, a rotation drive mechanism, a first rotation member which is arranged inside the insertion unit and rotates by the rotation drive mechanism, a second rotation member which is attached to an outer peripheral surface of the insertion unit and is adjacent to the first rotation member, and a helical rotation member which is rotatable in accordance with rotation of the second rotation member. The insertion apparatus include a magnetic force generation mechanism which generates a magnetic force that enables the first rotation member and the second rotation member to be attracted to and coupled and enables the second rotation member to rotate follow rotation of first rotation member. The magnetic force generation mechanism is arranged at a tubular end portion of the first rotation member and a tubular end portion of the second rotation member adjacent to the end portion.
US08821384B2	Attachment unit, endoscopic insertion section and endoscope An endoscope includes an attachment unit detachably attached to an outer peripheral direction side of an insertion section to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis with respect to an insertion main body, and including a gear portion formed over an all-round inner peripheral portion of the attachment unit, a rotary gear meshing with the gear portion to allow the attachment unit to be attached to the insertion section, and a base portion defining a gear arrangement portion where the rotary gear is arranged on an outer peripheral portion of the insertion section. In the endoscope, a channel, extended through an inside of an operation section and an inside of the insertion section from an outer surface of the operation section and opened to an outside of the insertion section in the gear arrangement portion, is defined.
US08821381B2	Electronic endoscope The present invention provides an electronic endoscope which enables the image pickup apparatus of the electronic endoscope to be easily replaced with image pickup apparatuses of different specifications. The electronic endoscope according to the present invention is configured by including a distal end member which is provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion of the electronic endoscope, and which includes an image pickup apparatus mounting hole as a housing portion for housing an image pickup apparatus; and an outer shape adjusting member as an adjusting member which is provided between the image pickup apparatus and the image pickup apparatus mounting hole, and which fixes the image pickup apparatus in the image pickup apparatus mounting hole.
US08821379B2	Industrial endoscope apparatus This endoscope apparatus includes: an insertion portion configured to include a bend portion; an image pickup portion configured to capture an image of an object to be inspected; an operation portion configured to perform a bending operation of the bend portion; a storage portion configured to store at least an image of the objected to be inspected as a recorded image; a display portion configured to display the image, and a display control portion configured to: determine a display orientation of a superimposition information; display the image captured by the image pickup portion without rotating the image; and display the superimposition information, the display control portion being further configured to: determine a display orientation of at least one of the recorded image and a Graphical User Interface; and display the at least one of the recorded image and the Graphical User Interface.
US08821364B2	Brachytherapy seed with fast dissolving matrix for optimal delivery of radionuclides to cancer tissue A system, method and device for treating tumor cells utilizing a resorbable therapy seed made up of microspheres containing a beta- or alpha-particle-emitting radiation source and a resorbable polymer matrix. These seeds are implanted within the tumor and then rapidly dissolved so as to release the microspheres from the polymer matrix. These microspheres then spread within a preselected target area and provide radiation therapy in a predetermined amount and at a preselected rate according the specific needs and necessities of the users. The configuration of the microspheres, the types of radiation provided and the location and use of these microspheres provides desired localized treatment to target cells while preferentially avoiding or minimizing undesired damage to surrounding tissue. The present invention provides a method for making the seeds, as well as a method for utilizing the seeds as a part of the treatment method.
US08821360B2	Method for manufacturing disposable worn article, and manufacturing apparatus therefor A method including: a step of carrying a continuous web; a cut-off step of cutting the continuous web into individual worn articles 1; a first folding step of folding the diaper body 2 so that a skin-contact surface of a front portion 20 and a skin-contact surface of a back portion 21 lie one each other; and a folding step of folding a pair of side panels 3, wherein in the folding step, the pair of side panels 3 are folded as second pads 32, which rotate in a folding direction in which the side panels 3 are folded with respect to a first pad 31, rotate in the folding direction, while the diaper body 2 is held on the first pad 31 and while the side panels 3 are held by the second pads 32.
US08821359B1	Anchor device An anchor device for elastic exercise bands mountable on a vertical support member (e.g., a door) and includes a vertically oriented strap member and a plurality of horizontal strap members attached to a front section of the vertically oriented strap member in vertically spaced relationship to each other. At least two, transversely spaced-apart loop members for receiving an elastic exercise band therethrough are attached to at least one of the plurality of horizontal strap members. At least two, transversely spaced-apart ring members are attached to at least one of the plurality of horizontal strap members for receiving one or more elastic exercise bands.
US08821358B1	Inertial exercise device This invention is for a starting apparatus for an inertial pendulum. The apparatus is provided with elastic strands twisted about each other and inelastic strands wound about the twisted strand and the ends of the strands are secured to each other so that when one end of the strands is attached to an inertial element and tension is applied to the other end the strands are caused to untwist and the inertial element caused to rotate.
US08821353B2	Swimming support structure The invention provides a mobile structure that can be used in any water body having a relatively uniform floor and a calm surface (i.e., beach, lake or pool). This structure has multiple hold and leaning surfaces and/or elements that lie flush and below the water level providing people with disabilities and older people a solid support structure to hold, sit, stand or lean while performing adapted swimming activities.
US08821351B2	Routine-based management of exercise equipment access A solution for managing access to exercise equipment in a fitness facility is provided. A planned exercise routine for a user, which includes data corresponding to a plurality of exercises desired to be performed by the user at the fitness facility is used for providing location information for presentation to the user. Each exercise can require use of an exercise apparatus. The exercise can be mapped to at least one exercise apparatus located at the fitness facility. A target exercise apparatus can be identified from the mapped exercise apparatus(es). Location information for one or more of the target exercise apparatuses can be provided for presentation to the user.
US08821349B2	Method and system for controlling engine air An engine with a fast vacuum recovery brake booster system is disclosed. In one example, an actuator is adjusted in response to a flow between the brake booster and an engine intake manifold. Operation of the engine and vehicle brakes may be improved especially when the engine is boosted.
US08821347B2	Vehicle control device and vehicle control method A vehicle control device includes: an erroneous operation determination unit that determines whether erroneous operation of an accelerator pedal is performed; an increase suppression unit that suppresses an increase in driving force of a vehicle in response to the erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal; a position measuring unit that measures the depressed position of a brake pedal; a tendency determination unit that determines a deviation tendency of the depressed position of the brake pedal; and a suppression amount varying unit that varies a suppression amount of the increase in the driving force on the basis of the deviation tendency.
US08821346B2	Clutch actuator unit A clutch actuator unit is provided that includes a housing having a mounting space and a penetration aperture for receiving an operating rod. A slide pad and slider are disposed along an inner side surface of the mounting space, and are configured to move back and forth within the housing. An operating rod that is connected to the slider through the penetration aperture is moved back and forth, along with the slider and slide pad, through the aperture via a drive portion. A stopper is also integrally formed along the front surface of the slide pad to limit the movement of the slider accordingly. In doing so, the disclosed actuator is able to dynamically locate certain stroke positions and provide an improved shifting operation.
US08821341B2	Output torque error mitigation for strong hybrid PRNDL neutral operation A powertrain system includes an internal combustion engine, at least one electric machine and an electro-mechanical transmission operative to transmit torque to a driveline. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes enabling neutral operation of the transmission in response to an operator input, activating a first clutch coupled to a first planetary gear set, the first planetary gear set which includes a first element, a second element and a third element. Torque commands are coordinated between the engine and a first electric machine to establish a net zero output torque condition. If a violation of the net zero output torque condition is present, slippage of the first clutch is allowed to dissipate net output torque from reacting with the driveline of the powertrain system.
US08821339B2	Power transmission device A sun gear member, planetary gear members, a first ring gear member, and a second ring gear member together form a paradox gear mechanism. A clutch mechanism is disposed between an input gear member and the first ring gear member. The clutch mechanism rotates the first ring gear member, when the input gear member rotates. The clutch mechanism disconnects transmission of the power to the input gear member when the first ring gear member rotates. The sun gear member and the first ring gear member are individual input elements. When one of the sun gear member and the first ring gear member exclusively rotates, the second ring gear member rotates in accordance with the rotation. The sun gear transmits power more reliably without increasing manufacturing cost and without thwarting downsizing of the product.
US08821337B2	Clutch assembly A clutch assembly for transmitting a first torque between a first member and a second member includes a first clutch and a one-way clutch assembly. The first clutch has at least one first clutch element rotatably coupled to the first member and at least one second clutch element rotatably coupled to the second member. The one-way clutch assembly is disposed in parallel with the first clutch between the first member and the second member. When the one-way clutch assembly is actuated torque is transmitted between the first member and the second member in a first rotational direction and the one-way clutch assembly does not transmit torque between the first member and the second member in a second rotational direction. When the one-way clutch assembly is not actuated then the one-way clutch assembly does not transmit torque in the first rotational direction or the second rotational direction.
US08821333B2	Planetary gear mechanism A planetary gear mechanism of the invention includes a housing, an input shaft that has an eccentric portion whose center lies on an eccentric axis that is displaced from an axis of input and output shafts, and is supported by the housing to be rotatable about the axis of the input and output shafts relative to the housing, an oscillating face plate that eccentrically oscillates via the eccentric portion, such that its rotation relative to the housing is restricted, and an output shaft to which an internally toothed gear that internally contacts and meshes with an externally toothed gear formed on the oscillating face plate is mounted, and which is rotatable about the axis of the input and output shafts relative to the housing. As the input shaft rotates, a circumferential position at which the externally toothed gear and the internally toothed gear mesh with each other changes, and rotation of the input shaft is delivered at a reduced speed to the output shaft. First pins that protrude from the oscillating face plate engage with insert holes formed in the housing, so that rotation of the oscillating face plate is restricted.
US08821332B2	Power transmission device In a power transmission device, a breather chamber having an opening on its one end side and extending coaxially with the countershaft is formed in a countershaft that transmits power from an output shaft of an automatic transmission to a differential mechanism. An inner end of a vent pipe placed so as to extend through a transmission case and that includes the inner end and an outer end each having an opening is inserted in the opening of the breather chamber. A plug, which closes a gap between an inner peripheral surface of the breather chamber and an outer peripheral surface of the inner end of the vent pipe so as to allow air to flow between the inside of the transmission case and the breather chamber and so as to restrict entrance of hydraulic oil into the breather chamber, is placed in the opening of the breather chamber.
US08821329B2	Bicycle chain rings with ramps Embodiments of the present invention include bicycle chain rings for bicycles having specially shaped ramps with lifting surfaces for improved up-shifting performance. Additional embodiments of the bicycle chain rings of the present invention may be configured with one or more additional features formed within the chain rings including a transition slide, a tapered ramp face, a ramp bridge, a ramp lead, a trailing transition slide and a wear pin.
US08821328B2	Belt tensioning device for being used with a starter generator A belt tensioning device for a belt drive which comprises a driving machine with a driving belt pulley drivable by a driveshaft around a driving axis, and a plurality of further belt pulleys and with an infinite belt which is wrapped around the driving belt pulley and the further belt pulleys wherein the belt tensioning device comprises a housing in which two tensioning arms are supported so as to be pivotable around a common pivot axis, in which tensioning arms there are supported tensioning rollers with axes of rotation extending parallel to the driving axis, wherein the tensioning arms are supported relative to one another by spring means, wherein, with the driving belt pulley mounted at the driving machine, the housing can be mounted in that, in an annular region surrounding the driveshaft of the driving belt pulley, the housing is contact-free relative to the driving machine.
US08821322B1	Adjustable batting tee having a removably attachable base mechanism An adjustable portable batting tee assembly for placement on to a horizontal support surface includes a first hollow tubular post having a lower end and an inner surface, a second tubular post telescopically engaging the first tubular post, a first felt piston wiper, a ball support coupled to the second tubular post, a post mount mechanism, and a base coupled to the mount mechanism. The first wiper is positioned between the first and second posts to enable adjustment of the height of the batting tee assembly between a lower and upper height limits. The mount mechanism includes a support body, an expansion plug and upper and lower fastening elements. The expansion plug and the upper fastening element are configured to be removably received within the lower end of the first tubular body. The expansion plug is configured to releasably engage the inner surface of the first tubular post.
US08821321B2	Club-swing practice apparatus A club-swing practice apparatus includes a tee and a bar assembled to the tee. The tee has a positioning portion and a ball supporter. The bar is assembled to the tee and has a coupling portion capable of being coupled with the ball supporter.
US08821320B2	Golf ball A golf ball includes a plurality of circular dimples formed on the surface thereof, each of the circular dimples having a flat bottom surface; and a plurality of noncircular dimples formed on the surface of the golf ball, at least about 10 percent of dimples of all the dimples on the surface being the noncircular dimples, wherein a boundary line between a land part of the golf ball and the noncircular dimples each comprise a curved line part and a straight line part. The plurality of noncircular dimples each having a flat bottom surface. The bottom surface of the noncircular dimple may has a planar shape approximately similar to the boundary line. The lift coefficient CL at Re 70000/2000 rpm may be at least about 70 percent of the lift coefficient CL at Re 80000/2000 rpm, and the drag coefficient CD at Re 180000/2520 rpm is up to about 0.225.
US08821317B2	Golf ball The present invention provides a golf ball composed of a core and a cover having an outside surface on which are formed a plurality of dimples. Letting BV and CV be the initial velocity (m/s) of, respectively, the ball and the core as measured by a method using an initial velocity measuring apparatus of the same type as a USGA drum rotation-type initial velocity instrument and letting BE and CE be the deflection (mm) of, respectively, the ball and the core when compressed under a final load of 1,275 N (130 kgf) from an initial load of 98 N (10 kgf), the core initial velocity CV is from 70.0 to 78.0 m/s and the ball satisfies the formula −1.0≦(BV/BE)−(CV/CE)≦3.0. The golf ball of the invention has a flight distance that can be reduced compared with official golf balls currently in use, yet has the same good feel on impact and excellent controllability, scuff resistance and durability to repeated impact as a game ball.
US08821316B2	Negative hardness gradient cores made of polyalkenamer rubber for golf balls Golf balls having cores with negative hardness gradients are provided. The cores are made of polyalkenamer rubber compositions that may further include other rubbers such as, for example, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber. In one version, a solid, single core having an outer surface and center is provided, wherein the outer surface has a hardness substantially the same or lower than the hardness of the center to define a zero or negative hardness gradient. Dual-cores having inner and outer cores can be made, wherein the inner core has a negative hardness gradient and the outer core has a positive or negative hardness gradient. The rubber composition helps improve resiliency of the core and provides the ball with a comfortable and soft feel.
US08821312B2	Golf club head having a stress reducing feature with aperture A hollow golf club incorporating a stress reducing feature including an aperture located on the crown or sole of the club head. The location and size of the stress reducing feature and aperture, and their relationship to one another, play a significant role in selectively increasing deflection of the face.
US08821306B2	Fitting system for a golf club A method relating to an improved swing characteristic capturing system that can be used for a golf club shaft fitting system is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention utilizes specific data gathered from the golfer's golf swing itself to determine the best performing golf club shaft for this particular golf swing. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to the utilization of cameras to record the location data of a plurality of markers located on a golf club shaft throughout a swing. The current inventive fitting methodology is preferred to the archaic fitting method of using data gathered from the result orientated ball flight data together with a tedious process of having to try numerous different shafts.
US08821304B2	Water eruption effect and interactive water play structure A participatory water play structure including a water eruption effect device. The water eruption effect device may include a water eruption jet, lighting devices, sound devices, light towers, mist or smoke devices and fountain devices. The water eruption effect device imitates a geyser, volcanic eruption, or large water spray, dousing play participants in a participatory play structure with a cool deluge of water. The water eruption effect may also be used as a show feature during night-time operation of the participatory play structure. Responsive water play devices may also be used, including RFID and motion sensor systems that respond to the presence of play participants and to identifying characteristics of the play participants.
US08821302B1	Rotatable amusement apparatus An amusement apparatus includes an elongate member having an upper extremity and a lower extremity with a pivot point. A self-contained child-supporting assembly is mounted to the elongate member between the upper and lower extremities for rotation and includes a seat to receive a child in a sitting position, handles to be taken up by hand by a child seated on the seat, and footrests to provide foot support for a child seated on the seat. A leveraging arm extends from the upper extremity of the elongate member to an outer end having an upright handle. The leveraging arm has a transverse handle between the upper extremity of the elongate member and the upright handle. The transverse and upright handles are available to be taken up by hand to reciprocally pivot the elongate member at the pivot point to impart rotation to the child-supporting assembly about the elongate member.
US08821301B2	Sliding ball type constant velocity joint for vehicle Provided is a sliding ball type constant velocity joint for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a sliding ball type constant velocity joint for a vehicle, which can absorb idle vibration generated from the vehicle during idling by creating a clearance between an outer spherical surface of an inner race and an inner spherical surface of a cage. The sliding ball type constant velocity joint includes a shaft which receives rotational power from an engine and rotates, an outer race which is installed at an end of the shaft and having grooves formed therein, an inner race installed in the outer race, a plurality of balls for transmitting the rotational power of the outer race to the inner race, and a cage for supporting the balls, wherein a center of a radius of an outer spherical surface of the inner race is formed at a different location from a center of a radius of an inner spherical surface of the cage.
US08821299B2	Protecting wagering game machines from electrostatic discharge Techniques for protecting wagering game machines from electrostatic discharge are described herein. In some embodiment, a wagering game machine includes a wagering game controller configured to present wagering games upon which monetary value can be wagered. The wagering game machine can also include a button panel that includes a first printed circuit board (PCB) connected to an electrical ground and a second PCB connected to the first PCB by a conductive connector. The button panel can also include a display device connected to the second PCB, an actuator connected to the second PCB, a cap in contact with the actuator, wherein the display device is visible through the cap, and a bezel to retain the cap, where the bezel is coupled to a panel.
US08821297B1	Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing game program, method, and server device A server device receives a request to start a game playable on the chat from the terminal of a chat participating user, asks other chat participating users participating in the chat for their wish to participate in the game requested to start, accepts participation of a chat participating user responding to the inquiry about the participation as a game participating user, and starts the game on the chat. The server device receives an instruction for a progress of the game from the terminal of a game participating user, and displays an image corresponding to the received instruction on the chat screen.
US08821295B2	User-controlled sweepstakes entries Provided are systems and methods for conducting sweepstakes, which can include a user controlled gaming award, wherein the user controlled gaming award includes entries in another game is provided. Entries into a sweepstakes game are associating with a unique identifier, which can be used to enter a plurality of sweepstakes games. A graphical user interface is configured to permit a player to assign awarded sweepstakes entries to at least one sweepstakes game, and further can be configured to permit the player to accumulate entries. The awarded entries can be configured as a form of currency redeemable for entry into at least one sweepstakes game. The methods and systems can permit the player to exchange any entry to into a sweepstakes game. According to another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises an act of permitting the player to exchange the custom currency. According to another embodiment, the method and systems are further configured to provide an exchange interface for trading of the custom currency.
US08821293B2	Location-based mobile gaming application and method for implementing the same using a scalable tiered geocast protocol A method is disclosed for initiating real-time geo-game using geocast messaging according to a scalable tiered geocast protocol. The method includes a first wireless terminal (WT), programmed with a geo-gaming application and the scalable tiered geocast protocol, geocasting a game declaration to a destination geocast region containing potential participants. The method also includes a second WT, of one of the potential participants, and programmed with the geo-gaming application and the scalable tiered geocast protocol, receiving the game declaration in the destination geocast region and responding by geocasting a response message indicating interest in participating in the real-time geo-game.
US08821290B2	Automatic movement of disconnected character in network game A player performs a player character registration operation to register a player character for enabling copying of the player character, and sets the player's own video game apparatus off-line. Another player who manipulates an on-line video game apparatus can generate a copy NPC from the player character of the off-line registered video game apparatus by performing a player character copying operation. A server apparatus decides the movement of the copy NPC based on an action log storing actions of the original player character of the copy.
US08821286B2	Wagering game system having motion sensing controllers A method includes receiving, by a motion sensing controller, two calibration wireless transmissions that were transmitted from two different wireless emitters that are fixedly positioned to two different components of a wagering game system during calibration. The method includes receiving, by the motion sensing controller, two gameplay wireless transmissions that was transmitted from the two different wireless emitters for tracking of the wagering game play of the wagering game. The method includes determining a calibration movement difference between the two calibration wireless transmissions and determining a gameplay movement difference between the two gameplay wireless transmissions. In response to the calibration movement difference and the gameplay movement difference being unequal, outputting an indicator of at least one of a component movement and distortion of one of the two different gameplay transmissions.
US08821285B2	Gaming interface techniques for media centers A media center may include an interface to receive video game information including first and second tags from a communication link. The media center may also include a module to separate the video game information based on the first and second tags. A first modulator may modulate first video game information corresponding to the first tag at a first frequency on a media communication link, and a second modulator may modulate second video game information corresponding to the second tag at a second frequency on the media communication link.
US08821281B2	Detection of an orientation of a game player relative to a screen Screen plane coordinates of a plane of a game display screen relative to a location of a game sensor are determined. A location of a user relative to the location of the game sensor is determined. An orientation of the user relative to the plane of the game display screen is calculated based upon the determined screen plane coordinates of the plane of the game display screen relative to the location of the game sensor and the determined location of the user relative to the location of the game sensor.
US08821275B2	Wagering game, gaming machine, gaming system and method with slow motion replay A wagering game, gaming machine, networked gaming system, and associated methods are disclosed including a bank of gaming machines connected to an overhead display enabling players at the respective gaming machines to qualify to play a community feature game displayed on the overhead display wherein each qualified player may view a slow motion finish and/or replay including a flash photograph-effect.
US08821270B2	Systems and methods for regulated hybrid gaming Systems and methods that regulate a hybrid game to detect and/or defeat unauthorized use of the hybrid game. One embodiment includes a method of detecting unauthorized operation of a hybrid gaming system that includes a gambling game and an entertainment game. In addition, the method can include collecting first game operating performance data (GOPD) from the entertainment game while the hybrid game is being played by a first player, generating a reference profile using the first GOPD, collecting second GOPD from the entertainment game while the hybrid game is being played by a second player, comparing the second GOPD to the reference profile to determine whether the second player is operating the hybrid game in an unauthorized manner, and generating a notification to an operator upon determination that the second player is operating the hybrid game in an unauthorized manner.
US08821268B2	Game transaction module interface to single port printer A gaming device includes a game module for presenting instances of a game title and a game transaction module for interfacing with a system controller of a game entertainment center. The gaming device further includes a printer for printing various items such as tickets, coupons, vouchers, and other promotional material. The gaming device further includes a printer manager for arbitrating print job conflicts.
US08821267B2	Controlling and configuring responsible gaming data A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include presenting wagering game content during a wagering game session via a wagering game machine, where the wagering game session is for a first player account. The operations can further include detecting an amount of money spent on gambling via the first player account during a time period. The operations can further include determining that a second player account, associated with the first player account, is configured to authorize presentation of an indication of the amount of money spent on gambling during the time period. The operations can further include presenting the indication of the amount of money spent during the time period in response to the determining that the second player account is configured to authorize presentation of the indication of the amount of money spent on gambling.
US08821266B2	Method and system for player linked audio A method of linking gaming machine audio content to a player and network-based gaming system are provided. The system may include a gaming machine, a database, and a server system configured to be coupled to the gaming machine and the database. The server system may be associated with a server-based network configured to associate a connection identification (ID) with a listening device, receive an identification of the listening device through the gaming machine, and transmit an audio content generated by the gaming machine to the identified listening device using the connection ID.
US08821265B2	Gaming system having improved progressive jackpots A method of operating a wagering game comprises receiving a primary wager, displaying a randomly selected outcome of a primary wagering game, and displaying at least one progressive jackpot. A first portion of the primary wager is allocated to fund the at least one progressive jackpot. An increment amount to be added to the at least one progressive jackpot is randomly determined, the at least one progressive jackpot is incremented by the increment amount, and in response to a triggering event, the at least one progressive jackpot is awarded. Alternatively, a random determination is made whether to increase the at least one progressive jackpot by a predetermined increment amount and, in response to a determination to increase the at least one progressive jackpot, the at least one progressive jackpot is incremented by the predetermined increment amount.
US08821257B2	System and method for operating a competitive sports market based on ranking A method of operating a market for a plurality of participants to invest in a plurality of competitors using a computer system includes: storing a plurality of share holdings of the participants in the computer system; storing a plurality of credit balances of the participants in the computer system; and redeeming shares at the conclusion of a period in the computer system, wherein redeeming shares includes: calculating an amount that the credit balance of each corresponding participant of the participants should be modified in accordance with a plurality of values of corresponding ones of the shares at the conclusion of the period and the share holdings of the corresponding participant, and determining the values of the shares based on a benchmark ranking of the competitors at the conclusion of the period.
US08821252B2	State-based power-ups Disclosed herein are techniques and equipment for providing state-based power-ups to a wagering game player. The state-based power-ups may be reused by the player until a game outcome condition is not met.
US08821245B2	Non chance-based game system The game system according to the present invention is a non chance-based game system, in which the winner is selected by and among the game participants, and the prize is awarded to the winner by the participants themselves through individual donations, voluntary and of moderate value, and in which a share of the prize may be donated to a charity or nonprofit organization associated with the winner.
US08821241B2	Method, apparatus, and computer readable storage for implementing a wager game A casino wagering game wherein a player makes a wager and then a dealer and the player are each dealt respective hands. The player and dealer split their respective hand into a high hand and a low hand. Each hand is evaluated to see if it contains a “lucky break” which is a predefined subset of all hands. If the player has a lucky break and the dealer does not, then the player wins. If the dealer has a lucky break and the player does not, then the player loses. If both the player and the dealer have lucky breaks then the wager is resolved based on a comparison of the hands. If neither the player nor the dealer have lucky breaks, then the wager is also resolved based on a comparison of the hands. In addition to physical playing cards, the game can be played using physical Mahjong tiles. The game can also be played in electronic form on a computer, video terminal, portable device, and at an online casino.
US08821239B1	Gaming table system allowing player choices and multiple outcomes thereby for a single game An electronic gaming table for hosting live table games involving wagers can include a physical surface, a dealer station, a plurality of player terminals, and a table controller. The physical surface permits the play of live table games with a live dealer and physical game components. The dealer station is situated proximate the physical surface and allows the presence of a live dealer who facilitates game play. Player terminals allow live players to play the games and include player terminal processors coupled to player interfaces having input and output devices. A table controller coupled to the player terminals controls various table functions and administers a live table game pitting a first hand against a second hand. Each of multiple live players can make different live game decisions independently based upon the same second hand, wherein resolution of the game varies by player depending upon the different live game decisions.
US08821236B2	Table game system A table game system includes a dealer's game table for performing a table game. A dealer terminal can input game result information of the table game performed on the dealer's game table. A valuable information reading device is provided at a position distant from the dealer's game table, can receive and eject a storage card, and can read and change valuable information stored in the storage card while receiving the storage card. A player terminal is provided to correspond to the valuable information reading device, and can input betting information through reading the valuable information by the valuable information reading device. An administrative server is connected to each of the dealer terminal, the valuable information reading device, and the player terminal via a communication line, and can receive each of the game result information inputted from the dealer terminal and the betting information inputted from the player terminal.
US08821230B2	Combine spreader arrangement having independently positionable spreader disks A spreader assembly for a combine harvester, the assembly including a pair of disks configured to be rotated such that chaff material dropped onto the disks is spread about the combine harvester, wherein each disk is operably connected to its own motor and a spreader frame assembly. The spreader frame assembly includes a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester, a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester, and at least one disk support configured to support at least one of the pair of disks. The spreader frame assembly further defines an opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with the flow of windrowing material.
US08821225B2	Vehicle instrument panel Condensation is suppressed from developing on a front face of an instrument panel main body. A instrument panel of the present invention is configured including: an instrument panel main body formed with a center air conditioning outlet and a center defroster outlet; a first panel that is joined to the instrument panel main body and is formed with a top side wall section that configures the vehicle top-bottom direction top side of a center air conditioning duct and a first wall section that configures part of a center defroster duct; and a second panel that is joined to the instrument panel main body and is formed with a bottom side wall section that configures the center air conditioning duct in combination with the top side wall section and a second wall section that configures the center defroster duct in combination with the first wall section.
US08821224B2	Shape memory alloy active hatch vent A vent assembly is disposed within an interior space of a vehicle for opening and closing fluid communication between the interior space and an exterior of the vehicle. The vent assembly includes a housing defining a plurality of openings and a plurality of vanes disposed in the openings. An actuator mechanism moves the vanes between an open position and a closed position, and includes a shaped memory alloy (SMA) member for actuating the vanes between the open and closed positions. The SMA member is activated when a hatch of the vehicle is open to move the vanes into the open position and thereby open fluid communication between the interior space and the exterior to alleviate excessive air pressure buildup during closure of the hatch.
US08821223B2	Fish filet gripper tool A gripper tool is employed for clamping the fish filet to facilitate the removal of skin from the filet. The gripper tool has a handle which is adapted to be gripped by the user and a gripping surface defined by a matrix of protrusions which clamp against the fish filet.
US08821222B2	Scraper head, device and method for cleaning the neck of poultry carcasses The invention relates to a scraper head for cleaning the neck of poultry carcasses. The invention also relates to a device for cleaning the neck of poultry carcasses provided with such a scraper head. Finally, the invention also relates to a method for cleaning the neck of poultry carcasses, wherein a scraper head is moved out of the chest cavity into the neck.
US08821221B1	Captive bolt tool system for use in humane dispatch of livestock A captive bolt tool system includes a tool housing with a working end and a moveable bolt having an end effector. Interchangeable subject adapters may be connected to the tool housing to alter the characteristics of the tool system. A two-stage end effector allows non-penetrating dispatch of livestock.
US08821219B2	Wafer unloading system and wafer processing equipment including the same A wafer unloading system and wafer processing equipment (system) including the same are disclosed. The wafer unloading system includes a fluid supply tube for supplying a fluid, a nozzle for injecting the supplied fluid, and an injection hole defined in a plate to allow the injected fluid to reach a space between a polishing pad and a wafer.
US08821217B2	Abrasive annular grinding wheel A flat or center depressed abrasive grinding wheel, comprising an abrasive discoidal element which is associable, substantially coaxially, with the free end of a rotating shaft of a grinder, having at least one substantially central through hole, a first face which can be arranged, in the assembly configuration, so as to be substantially directed toward the grinder and which forms the back of the discoidal element, and a second face, which is opposite to the first face. The discoidal element comprises at least one first layer of a discoidal abrasive mix defined at the first face and at least one second layer of discoidal abrasive mix defined at least one portion of the second face. The first and second layers of abrasive mix are mutually superimposed and jointly associated. The second layer of abrasive mix has an inside diameter that is substantially larger than the diameter of the through hole.
US08821213B2	Piercing and/or cutting devices for abrasive waterjet systems and associated systems and methods Embodiments of abrasive jet piercing and/or cutting devices are described herein. In some embodiments, a piercing device includes a holding or positioning device coupling a mixing tube to a secondary tube. The holding device has one or more passages extending to at least an intermediate portion of the piercing device. The one or more passages allow air to contact or mix with an abrasive waterjet as it travels through the piercing device. In some embodiments, a cutting device includes two plates configured so as to form a slot between the two plates. The cutting device can be placed directly on a workpiece, and an abrasive waterjet can be directed at the workpiece through the slot. An abrasive waterjet system utilizing the piercing and cutting devices disclosed herein can pierce holes and cut slots in materials that have reduced hole diameters and kerf widths, respectively.
US08821209B2	Interactive device with sound-based action synchronization An interactive amusement device and a method therefor are disclosed. The device plays a musical soundtrack in a first game iteration. A sequence of user input actions received during this learning mode is detected, and an output signal is generated in response. Timestamps for each of the user input actions is stored into memory. Additionally, the output signal is generated on at least one interval of the user input actions based on the stored timestamps, and is coordinated with the play back of a second musical soundtrack during a second game iteration.
US08821208B2	Apparatus, method and system for interacting amusement The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for interacting amusement. The apparatus includes an acoustic receiver, a decoder and an interaction generating apparatus. The acoustic receiver receives an external acoustic wave signal and transfers the external acoustic wave signal into an acoustic signal. The decoder receives the acoustic signal. When the external acoustic wave signal has a high-frequency modulation signal, the decoder decodes the high-frequency modulation signal into a complete packet message according to a specific decoding procedure. The interaction generating apparatus receives the complete packet message, and generates an interaction according to the message.
US08821202B2	Apparatus and method for exchanging a buoy bearing assembly A buoy includes a turret coupled to a buoyant body using a bearing assembly; a deckhouse disposed on the buoyant body; and a bearing retainer configured to retain the bearing assembly and to releasably attach to the turret. The buoy may also include a locking mechanism having an inner opening in the turret, an outer opening in the buoyant body, and a locking member configured for insertion through the inner and outer openings. In one embodiment, the inner opening is out of alignment with the outer opening during operation of the buoy. The buoy may further include a detachable cover on the deckhouse, wherein the cover is configured to attach to the bearing retainer.
US08821199B2	Multi-prong power tip adaptor Consolidated power tips allow a power adaptor to be connected to disparately sized input ports of electronic devices. The consolidated power tips may be sized to balance insertion and pull-out forces for the disparately sized input ports. Deformable members may be added to the consolidated power tips for more desirable insertion and pull-out forces and improved electrical contact. For input ports with different electrical requirements, a mode selector may be added to the consolidated power tip to select between the electrical requirements of the different input ports. The consolidated power tips may be combined into a multi-prong power tip. The multi-prong power tip allows users to interface with a large number of disparate devices without changing power tips.
US08821196B2	Socket contact A radio frequency (RF) socket contact is provided for mating with an RF mating pin. The RF socket contact includes a body having a base that extends a length along a central longitudinal axis. The body has an odd number of cantilevered deflectable beams that extend lengths outward from the base along the central longitudinal axis. The beams define a socket therebetween that is configured to receive the RF mating pin therein. The beams include a mating zone within the socket where the beams mate with the RF mating pin. The body of the socket contact is configured to conduct radio waves.
US08821193B2	Docking station for an electronic device having improved connector interface Disclosed is a docking station for attaching a plurality of external connectors to an electronic device, comprising a connector module for interfacing with the electronic device, a first plug on the connector module, a second plug on the connector module, a first port on the connector module electrically connected to the first plug, a second port on the connector module electrically connected to the second plug, a base member for holding the connector module, a first indexing member on the base member, and a second indexing member on the connector module.
US08821190B2	Fuse unit A fuse unit includes a first connection part to which power is fed and a second connection part to be connected with a mating terminal. The second connection part includes a bolt connection portion to which the mating terminal is connected by a bolt and a connecter connection portion to which the mating terminal is connected by a connector.
US08821189B2	Electrical connector and handheld electronic device An electrical connector including a body, an electrical contact and a microphone is provided. The body has a front part and a plug aperture on the front part. The electrical contact is disposed in the plug aperture. The microphone is disposed inside the body and connected to the outside of the body through an acoustic path provided by the body. The electrical connector is adapted to a handheld electronic device, such as a mobile phone, wherein a housing of the handheld electronic device can be provided without an independent sound input aperture for the microphone, to simplify the structural design of the housing. Furthermore, at least a through hole may be formed outside the plug aperture to form multiple acoustic paths.
US08821187B2	Board connector A board connector (10) includes a housing (20) made of resin and in which terminal fittings (80) connectable to conductive portions of a board (90) are to be mounted. Fixing members (60) fix the housing (20) on the board (90). Each fixing member (60) is made of metal and includes a housing mounting portion (61). The housing mounting plate (61) is to be mounted on a wall surface of the housing (20) by inserting front and rear ends of the housing mounting plate (61) in mounting grooves (26) formed in the wall surface of the housing (20). The housing mounting plate (61) has a first rib (71) extending in forward and backward directions, and a second rib (72) extending in forward and backward directions and arranged to fit within the height range of the first rib (71) with respect to a height direction perpendicular to forward and backward directions.
US08821186B2	Universal serial bus connector A universal serial bus connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals disposed to the insulating housing, a dielectric base, a first shielding shell surrounding the insulating housing, and a second shielding shell. Each of the terminals has a fastening portion, and a soldering portion slantwise extending upward and rearward from a rear end of the fastening portion to be exposed behind the insulating housing. The dielectric base disposed to a rear end of the insulating housing defines a plurality of rows of insertion slots and resisting surfaces exposed behind the insulating housing. The soldering portions are inserted into the insertion slots and abut against the resisting surfaces. The second shielding shell disposed to rear ends of the insulating housing and the first shielding shell includes a first main board and a second main board parallel with the soldering portions abutting against the resisting surfaces.
US08821184B2	Power connector for transmitting high current A power connector includes an insulative housing, a number of power contacts received in the insulative housing, a terminal contact assembled at a rear side of the insulative housing, a contact bus bar and a fastening member attached to the insulative housing. The contact bus bar and the fastening member connect the number of power contacts with the terminal contact.
US08821180B2	Plug-type connector having a radially acting latching device A plug-type connector having an external conductor part, at least one internal conductor part, and a housing, wherein a radially acting latching device for mechanically releaseably locking the plug-type connector in a plugged-in state is provided on an outer circumference of the housing, the latching device being produced from a spring-elastic material in the form of a ring which has a gap in the circumferential direction, wherein a bolt which can be moved between a locking position and a release position is arranged on the housing such that the bolt engages in the gap in the ring preventing radial compression of the ring in the locking position, and, in the release position, releases the gap in the ring so that the ring can be radially compressed when a stop edge runs onto one of the chamfers on the sides of the ring when the plug-connected state is established or released.
US08821170B1	Electrical contact having multiple cantilevered beams An electrical contact includes a first set of spaced apart cantilevered beams connected to a first rail, and a second set of cantilevered beams connected to a second rail. The first set of cantilevered beams project toward the second rail, and the second set of cantilevered beams project toward the first rail, wherein the first and second sets of cantilevered beams reside in alternating relationship. Each cantilevered beam is bowed and is outwardly tapered from its connected proximal to its unconnected distal end.
US08821166B2	Artificial lens for cataract surgery practice An object is to provide an artificial lens for use in an artificial eye device for cataract surgery practice. The artificial lens includes an artificial nucleus corresponding to a human eye lens nucleus and an artificial cortex corresponding to a human eye lens cortex. The artificial nucleus is formed of an agar gel of agar concentration 1.0 wt % to 5.0 wt %. The artificial cortex is formed of an agar gel of agar concentration 0.5 wt % to 1.5 wt % which is lower than the agar concentration of an agar gel forming the artificial nucleus. In another embodiment, an artificial lens includes an artificial nucleus corresponding to a human eye lens nucleus and an artificial cortex corresponding to a human eye lens cortex. The artificial nucleus is formed of cheese or a cheese-like substance, and the artificial cortex is formed of pulp fiber.
US08821163B2	Dental composites Colorless dental compositions for restoring the enamel layer of a tooth are disclosed. The colorless enamel compositions are combined with pigmented dentin compositions to provide a true color match and natural esthetics. Methods that utilize the compositions in placement/build-up techniques in direct restorations are also disclosed.
US08821159B2	Dental implant guiding device A dental implant guiding device is applied in guiding the drill of the drilling apparatus in different dimensions. The device includes a guiding module and a guiding seat. The guiding module contains at least one guiding unit where a sleeve with a cavity is disposed. A guiding hole and a guiding slot, where an opening at a fringe of the guiding unit is defined, are disposed at two sides of the sleeve. The guiding seat forms a first hole. At two sides of the first hole, a first guiding shank and a second guiding shank respectively corresponding to the guiding hole and the guiding slot are disposed. The second guiding shank slides into the guiding slot, which allows the first guiding shank inserting into the guiding hole for the drill to position at the center of the cavity of the sleeve, thereby achieving the fast positioning and friction reduction.
US08821157B2	Orthodontic adhesives An orthodontic adhesive includes a curable resin monomer component; a quaternary curing initiator system; and filler. Another orthodontic adhesive having a W/C ratio (working time to curing time ratio) of at least 10, 12, 14 or 20, includes a curable resin monomer component; a curing initiator system; and filler. The adhesives are suitable as light-curing and may include a colorant. Suitable colorants include reversible, thermochromic dyes. The adhesive may also include a resin toughening component.
US08821156B2	Expansion screw for regulating teeth An expansion screw for regulating teeth has two expansion-screw bodies, the spacing between which can be changed by means of a spindle, and has at least one guide pin which is aligned parallel to the spindle and engages in guide openings of the two expansion-screw bodies, the spindle having a first and a second threaded portion, each of which is connected to an expansion-screw body, and an actuating portion, with at least one point for application of a tool for rotating the spindle, and the expansion screw has a locking mechanism which interacts with the actuating portion in order to secure the spindle against unintended rotation. The locking mechanism has at least one locking element with a locking member which is disposed laterally alongside the actuating portion and subjects the actuating portion to an axial spring force when the spindle is rotated.
US08821155B2	Traction device and maxillary traction device A traction device includes an engaging assembly engaging with a mouthpiece to be attached to a maxilla inside a mouth of a human body and a support assembly supporting the engaging assembly in contact with a face of the human body, wherein the engaging assembly pulls the mouthpiece in an anterior direction of the human body. The support assembly includes an upper contact body configured to be in contact with a forehead of the face and a lower contact body configured to be in contact with an area of the face below the forehead and above a mandible.
US08821149B2	Web treatment apparatus having center bearer ring Apparatus for treating at least one web passing through the apparatus includes a first roller and a second roller positioned adjacent the first roller to define a nip for receiving the at least one web. The first roller has a pair of spaced apart ends, a length extending between the ends, a circumference, and at least one bearer ring extending around the circumference of the first roller generally at a center of the first roller.
US08821145B2	Die for coextruding a plurality of fluid layers A die for coextruding a plurality of fluid layers generally includes a primary forming stem, one or more distribution plates, and a microlayer assembly. The microlayer assembly includes a microlayer forming stem and a plurality of microlayer distribution plates.
US08821142B2	Pump or motor for liquid or gaseous media having an increased diameter shaft toward a slanted sliding plane A pump or motor for fluid or gaseous media comprising a shaft (4), which faces a working part (13) and has a common inclined sliding surface (14) with the same, whereby the working part (13) limiting the pump working spaces (12) wobbles in a positionally fixed housing (10).
US08821141B2	Positive displacement rotary pumps with improved cooling Various rotary pumps are disclosed that are designed to pump viscous fluids or slurries. Often, the seals of such pumps can become over heated. The disclosed pumps include slots disposed in the rotors and/or slots disposed in the openings through which the drive and driven shafts task so that some of the fluid being pumped through the pumping chamber can migrate through the proximal wall of the pump casing to the seal assemblies disposed on the other side of the proximal wall of the pump casing. Thus, the seal assemblies of the pumps are cooled without resorting to the use of a cooling jacket or other cooling mechanism.
US08821137B2	Modular down hole gauge for use in retrievable electric submersible pump systems with wet connect Systems and methods for employing gauge packages for use with a wet-connect ESPs. In one embodiment, a modular gauge package includes a body, a gauge electronics assembly housed within the body, and a pair of electrical connectors at the upper and lower ends of the body, where power is passed through the body from one connector to the other. The electrical connector at the top of the body engages a complementary electrical connector on the bottom of a pump motor. The electrical connector at the bottom of the body engages a complementary electrical connector at the end of a production conduit. The connector at the bottom of the body may be identically configured with the connector at the bottom of the pump motor, and the connector at the top of the body may be identically configured with the connector at the end of the production conduit.
US08821135B2	Devices and systems for medical fluid treatment The devices and systems are medical fluid treatment therapies. The device and systems are configured and capable of operating based on small volumes of fluids. The devices and systems include a pump configured for small volume of a fluid. The pump may include a first conduit configured for inflow of the fluid; a second conduit configured for outflow of the fluid; a fluid chamber configured to move the fluid through the pump; a diaphragm configured to force the fluid through the fluid chamber by indirectly exerting force on the fluid chamber; and a connector configured to removably attach the pump to a motor.
US08821128B2	Blade with adaptive twisting, and a rotor provided with such a blade A rotor blade (1) with adaptive twisting, the blade being provided with an outer covering (2) extending along a pitch variation axis (AY) from a first end zone (3) to a second end zone (4), the outer covering (2) defining an internal cavity (8). The blade includes a strip (10) extending inside said cavity (8) along said pitch variation axis (AY), said strip (10) comprising a composite material that is anisotropic so as to be suitable for twisting under the effect of centrifugal forces (F) directed parallel to said pitch variation axis (AY) when the blade (1) is in rotation, said strip (10) being fastened to said outer covering (2) via first and second fastener means (11, 12) in order to be capable of twisting said outer covering (2).
US08821127B1	Blade lock for compressor A blade assembly for a groove of a wheel of rotating machinery is described. The blade assembly includes, a blade root having two longitudinal sides, a base, and a roof, wherein the profile of the longitudinal sides includes a rounded surface, a blade connected to the roof of the blade root, and one or more keys juxtaposed along each longitudinal side of the blade root, each key having an inboard side and an outboard side, wherein the profile of the inboard side of each key is configured to mate with the profile of the blade root. The blade assembly allows replacement of a compressor blade without the need for unstacking the rotor to gain access to the damaged blade.
US08821126B2	Angled airfoil extension for fan blade An angled fan blade extension includes an attachment portion and an angled portion. The attachment portion is configured to facilitate securing the angled fan blade extension to the distal end of a fan blade. The angled portion is configured to extend from the distal end of the attachment portion, creating an angled extension relative to the fan blade. Adding angular fan blade extensions to fan blades may improve the airflow control, and thereby increase the utility and efficiencies of a fan.
US08821125B2	Turbine blade having improved flutter capability and increased turbine stage output A turbine blade, airfoil configuration, and rotor stage are disclosed in which through the airfoil profile disclosed in Table 1, a modification in airfoil flutter and swirl are achieved. Through the airfoil configuration, the swirl and improved platform sealing configuration, result in the turbine blades having the airfoil profile with an increased performance output from the turbine.
US08821124B2	Hybrid structure airfoil A hybrid airfoil for a gas turbine engine is provided that includes a body and a panel. The body has a first side and a second side orientated opposite the first side. The first and second sides extend between a tip, a base, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The body includes a plurality of cavities disposed in the first side of the body, which cavities extend inwardly toward the second side. The cavities collectively form an opening. At least one rib is disposed between the cavities. A shelf is disposed around the opening. The panel is attached to the shelf first mounting surface and to the rib, and is sized to enclose the opening. The panel is a load bearing structure operable to transfer loads to the body and receive loads from the body.
US08821122B2	Integrally bladed rotor disk for a turbine An integrally bladed rotor disk (20) for a turbine, including rotor blades (40), which are joined in a substance-to-substance bond to a disk element (30), and a sealing device (60) for preventing or reducing the extent to which cooling air is able to flow from a high-pressure side (12) of the rotor disk (20) through openings (24) on the rotor disk (20) to a low-pressure side (14) of the rotor disk (20).
US08821120B1	Wind energy conversion system A wind energy conversion system operable to convert wind energy into either mechanical or electrical energy. The wind energy conversion system further includes a first wind panel and a second wind panel having a plurality of pivotally mounted shutters. The first wind panel and second wind panel are operably coupled to a pivot bar and traverse in a reciprocating manner being driven by the altering of position of the plurality of shutters. A support platform is further included that has support rods laterally extending therefrom operable to provide support for the first wind panel and second wind panel. A power rod is included that is operably coupled to the pivot bar and transfers the reciprocal movement of the pivot bar into rotational movement to drive a gear mounted thereon. A directional vane orients the wind energy conversion system.
US08821116B2	Abradable coating system An abradable coating system (2-8) for a turbine or a compressor is proposed has at least one layer of woven or non-woven tissue (15) or foam made of: ceramic, glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic-metal composite and combinations thereof. A free-standing preformed element (18) has at least one layer of such a woven or non-woven tissue or foam is filled with fillers and/or binder. A method prepares such a system. Finally, a method for the repair of an abradable coating portion of a turbine or the compressor component (9) includes in a first optional step that the damaged portion is at least partly removed and/or cleaned and/or surface treated, and in a second step at least one free-standing preformed abradable coating element (18) or a complete abradable coating system is attached to the component (9), preferably by using a matrix, wherein for example only a center part (2) or a fraction of a center part (2) is replaced.
US08821110B2	Support arrangement for a steam turbine LP inner casing A support arrangement is provided for an inner casing of a turbine having an inner casing with upper and lower sections secured together along a first interface lying substantially in a horizontal plane containing a longitudinal centerline of a turbine rotor. An outer shell substantially encloses the inner casing, and in the inner casing is supported directly on an external foundation at a mounting location below the longitudinal centerline.
US08821107B2	Method of modifying a steam turbine A method of modifying a steam turbine to change from a first maximum thermal power of the steam generator to a second maximum thermal power of the steam generator. The method can include replacing, in the high-pressure module, at least one set of fixed blades sized for the first maximum thermal power by at least one set of fixed blades sized for the second maximum thermal power. The at least one set of moving blades are sized to operate at the first and second maximum thermal powers. The rotor and the at least one set of moving blades of the high-pressure module remain unchanged on changing from the first maximum thermal power to the second maximum thermal power.
US08821106B2	Rotor coupling guard The present application provides a rotor coupling guard for use with removing a flow of air about a rotor coupling of a turbo-machine. The rotor coupling guard may include an inner cover with a number of apertures surrounding the rotor coupling and an outer cover surrounding the inner cover. Rotation of the rotor coupling forces the flow of air through the apertures in the inner cover and away from the rotor coupling.
US08821105B2	Turbine with variable number of nozzles The nozzles include inlet ports circumferentially arranged into a group and an opening and closing valve disposed so as to be commonly functioned. This arrangement realizes a gas turbine with no deterioration of efficiency against fluctuation of gas inflow rate by only one heat-resistant moving component additionally installed. The variable nozzle number turbine according to this invention also realizes a turbine compressor with no surge limit when used as a regenerator. These turbines further realizes a small-sized gas turbine with improved fuel economy under partial load conditions and a turbocharger for regenerating electric power as well as improving efficiency of a displacement engine.
US08821102B1	Apparatus and method for a collapsible arched ramp An apparatus and method for a collapsible arched ramp includes an arched vertically extending middle ramp section, two arched vertically extending outer ramp sections, and two arched vertically extending connecting ramp sections. The connecting ramp sections connect the outer ramp sections to opposing vertical sides of the middle ramp section so that the outer ramp sections are substantially parallel and laterally spaced apart with the middle ramp section. The arches of the outer ramp sections arch in a same direction of the arch of the middle ramp section and arch in the opposite direction of the middle ramp section. When collapsing the ramp, the direction of the arched sections line up, allowing for a compact assembly that may be easily carried and stored. The method of extending and collapsing the ramp allows for a ramp that is rapidly and efficiently assembled.
US08821101B2	Automatic pallet exchange device An automatic pallet exchange device includes: a pallet magazine 1 that accommodates a plurality of pallets 3 respectively having a plurality of horizontally extending protrusions 16 so as to be taken in and out in horizontal directions; a pallet fixing part 23 that allows the plurality of protrusions 16 to be engaged with a plurality of depression parts 17 to horizontally fix the pallet 3 and a pallet fixing table 20 on which the pallet fixing part 23 is arranged. The pallet 3 horizontally fixed by the pallet fixing part 23 is horizontally turned and horizontally moved to exchange the pallets 3 between the pallet fixing table 20 and the pallet magazine 1.
US08821099B2	Load port module A substrate loading device having a frame, a cassette support, and a user interface. The frame is connected to a substrate processing apparatus. The frame has a transport opening through which substrates are transported between the device and processing apparatus. The cassette support is connected to the frame for holding at least one substrate holding cassette. The user interface is arranged for inputting information, and is mounted to the frame so that the user interface is integral with the frame.
US08821097B2	Laundry shuttle system A conveyor shuttle having a conveyor belt for conveying textiles across a wash alley from a washing machine (selected from among a plurality of washing machines) to a drying machine (selected from among a plurality of drying machines). The shuttle travels along the work alley among and between the washing machines and the drying machines. Some embodiments further include guide hardware to help guide soiled laundry into the washing machine. Some embodiments include an operator platform and an operator control system so that a human user can ride on the shuttle and help control various wash alley functions.
US08821089B2	Anchorage systems and devices Anchorage device for an anchorage system, especially for vehicle seats, using a floor track having a longitudinal channel whose opening has opposed lips with a series of periodic circular cut-outs, the anchorage device has enlarged slidable feet which are insertable into the opening of the track channel at the cut-outs, and when slid along are held captive beneath the lips of the track. A releasable locking mechanism is provided for locking the device longitudinally to the track, so that the feet can be held in the captive position. Preferably, the device has an elongate body, with the locking mechanism operated by a lever at one end. The top surfaces of at least some of the feet are longitudinally inclined relative to the longitudinal direction. When slid to the captive position they come into contact or near contact with the underside of the track lips, reducing or preventing rattle relative to the track.
US08821079B2	Cutting tool and cutting insert therefor An indexable cutting insert has opposing rhombus-shaped upper and lower surfaces and a peripheral side surface therebetween with alternating obtuse and acute corner surfaces. A nose cutting edge is formed at the intersection of the upper surface with each of the two acute corner surfaces. The lower surface includes a base surface from which a central boss and exactly two engagement ridges protrude. Each engagement ridge extends from the central boss to intersect with its respective acute corner surface, and the base surface is divided into two base sub-surfaces. The insert may be clamped against a seating surface of a tool holder pocket solely by the engagement ridge located closest to the operative nose cutting edge making contact with a corresponding single engagement groove, and the two base sub-surfaces making contact with two coplanar raised support surfaces.
US08821070B2	Method for constructing a riser assembly from a vessel and on a seabed A method for constructing a riser assembly (1) for transporting a fluid from a vessel and on a seabed includes providing an elongate frame (4) having a first frame end (5) and a second frame end (6), where the first frame end is connected to the seabed (3) and the second frame end is connected to a buoy (7), providing at least one riser (9) for transporting a fluid, and connecting the at least one riser to the second frame end and/or the buoy.
US08821068B2	Manhole liner and method of using the same A manhole liner and a method of using the same are provided. The manhole liner is sized substantially equally to the largest diameter of the manhole, so that the liner does not have to stretch to be pressed against the manhole wall. Additionally, the liner is impregnated with a resinous material capable of curing and hardening. A bladder, preferably stretchable circumferentially and having a diameter less than the smallest diameter of the manhole, is inserted into the liner. The bladder is expanded to press the liner against the wall of the manhole to dispense resinous material from the liner, while the liner is able to fold over itself in areas having a diameter less than the original diameter of the liner. Because the bladder stretches to produce a smooth outside surface, the resinous material will migrate to areas in the folds and will cure with a smooth interior surface.
US08821066B1	Shock mitigating universal launch and recovery system A universal launch and recovery system that may be used to launch or recover/receive water vessels. The launch and recovery system including a deployable ramp having a shock mitigating arrangement, including bumpers, fenders and a bow stopping guard arranged to accommodate vessels of different geometries.
US08821057B2	Packaging device having an adjustable magnetic closure system A packaging device having a magnetic closure system establishing a particular angular orientation between two elements of the device. The packaging device for a cosmetic product comprises a container to house the product. The container comprises a visual mark on a side surface thereof and a removable case including an internal cavity to receive the container which can slide inside the cavity until it is fully housed inside the case. The case comprises a side hole that opens into the internal cavity. The device comprises at least a first permanent magnet borne by the container and at least a second permanent magnet borne by the case. The magnets being configured such as to define the angular position of the container in relation to the second axis, such that the visual mark on the container is positioned in line with the hole in the case.
US08821051B2	Image forming apparatus with openings for receiving rolls An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet, disposed in an upper portion of the image forming apparatus; at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters provided one above the other below the image forming unit to support a sheet roll, the lower sheet roll supporter offset proximally toward a front surface of the image forming apparatus from the upper sheet roll supporter; and multiple openings provided in the front surface of the image forming apparatus for the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters through which the sheet roll is set to the at least upper and lower sheet roll supporters, an upper edge of the opening for the upper sheet roll supporter having a sloped portion tilting downward from the front surface to the back of the image forming apparatus.
US08821049B2	Electrically-assisted mechanical braille writer An electrically-assisted mechanical Braille writer includes a main solenoid to apply force to emboss Braille onto a printing medium, and advance an embossing mechanism to the next cell. A second solenoid engages a mechanical stop to prevent one or more embossing keys from being fully depressed, to prevent kickback from the keys mechanically coupling to the main solenoid. In unpowered operation, the mechanical stop is disengaged, and the embossing keys may be fully depressed to apply force to emboss Braille and advance the embossing mechanism. Accordingly, with electrical power, the user may supply a lesser amount of force and still fully emboss Braille cells, while without electrical power, the Braille writer remains fully operational.
US08821044B1	Clamping device for photographic equipment The invention is a clamping device for securing photographic equipment, which includes a mounting plate to a supporting structure, such as a tripod and or to a strap. The device includes a pair of opposed sliding clamps operably attached to a base. The clamp engages opposite sides of the base and may each be moved independently of one another to secure the supporting structure and to provide the capability to adjust to small variations in mounting plate sizes between equipment brands. The device has a loop to connect a strap or a strap connector.
US08821042B2	Optical module with lens assembly directly mounted on carrier by soldering and laser diode indirectly mounted on carrier through sub-mount An optical module is disclosed where the module includes an optical active device mounted on a carrier via a sub-mount, and a lens assembly mounted on the carrier and optically coupled with the device and an external fiber. A feature of the optical module is that the lens assembly has a metalized portion fixed to the carrier by the soldering.
US08821041B2	Fiber optic light supply system and connector A connector for connecting a fiber optic cable to a light source comprising a female adaptor having a receiving bore and a channel projecting into the receiving bore; a male ferrule, having a first portion insertable into at least part of the receiving bore, and a second portion defined at least partially by a tapered diameter region; and a compressible ring member disposed in the channel that engages the tapered portion when the male ferrule is inserted in the female adaptor in order to provide some resistance to removal of the male ferrule from the female adaptor.
US08821040B2	Interposer An interposer, comprising: (a) a planar substrate having top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface defining at least one ferrule alignment structure, and fiber bores, each bore hole being in a certain position relative to the ferrule alignment structure and adapted to receive a fiber; (b) at least one ferrule having an end face and comprising one or more fibers protruding from the end face, and at least one alignment feature cooperating with the ferrule alignment structure to position the ferrule precisely on the bottom surface such that the fibers are disposed in the fiber bores and protrude past the top surface; and (c) at least one optical component having one or more optical interfaces and being mounted on the top surface such that each of the optical interfaces is aligned with one of the fiber bores and is optically coupled with a fiber protruding from the fiber bores.
US08821037B2	Method for manufacturing pluggable optical transceiver A pluggable optical transceiver is disclosed. The transceiver comprises a plurality of OSAs, an optical member and a plurality of inner fibers to couple the optical member with OSAs. The inner fibers each provides an inner connector to couple with one of OSAs. The housing, which installs the OSAs, the optical member and the inner fiber, is made of metal and has a grooves into which the inner fibers is set so as to arrange them orderly.
US08821036B2	Optical module and optical system The present invention provides an optical module and an optical system that can form a two-way optical transmitting and receiving line with the same optical wiring configuration without using any special parts. The optical module includes a plurality of single-fiber optical adapters, a multi-fiber optical adapter, a plurality of single-fiber optical connectors mating with the respective single-fiber optical adapters, a multi-fiber optical connector mating with the multi-fiber optical adapter, and a plurality of optical fibers connecting the respective single-fiber optical connectors and the multi-fiber optical connector. Wiring of the optical fibers is configured to connect two single-fiber optical connectors inserted into adjacent single-fiber optical adapters and fiber holes in the upper tier and the lower tier in the same row of the multi-fiber optical connector.
US08821034B2	MPO type connector with reduced off-center loading This application describes an MPO type connector with an internal assembly having a pin clamp, ferrule, and fiber array. The pin clamp that has a pair of contact surfaces abutting the ferrule. The contact surfaces are located along the mid-point of the height of the ferrule on either side of and proximate to the fiber array.
US08821033B2	Optical connector An optical connector includes a connector plate having a connecting face operable to mate with a different connecting face on a different optical connector. A slot can be formed in a side of the connector plate and have a length (L) extending from the connecting face to an opposite face in a direction substantially perpendicular to the connecting face. A groove can be formed in a portion of the bottom wall of the slot and can extend at least partially along the length of the slot. The groove can receive an optical fiber. The optical connector can also include a retaining block shaped to fit between side walls of the slot and between the connecting face and the opposite face to retain the optical fiber within the groove.
US08821031B2	Optical fiber adapter with shutter member An optical fiber adapter according to the present disclosure includes a main body, an inner housing, a cover plate and an elastic shutter member. The optical fiber adapter of the present disclosure may obstruct the light beams emitted from an accommodation room of the main body thereby preventing the eyes from exposure to the light beams.
US08821030B2	High fiber count package foam insert Provided is a fiber packaging module that contains a plurality fiber optic connectors. The module includes an outer shell containing a plurality of fiber optic connectors connected to respective fiber optic cables. The module also includes a body comprised of a low density material disposed within the outer shell, the body having an outer side surface and an inner side surface. Also, a plurality of receiving portions are formed on the body to hold the fiber optic connectors.
US08821028B2	Axial bearing assembly An axial bearing assembly which essentially is formed of two axial rolling bearings (1, 2) between which a circular ring-shaped carrier component (3) is arranged. Each of the axial rolling bearings (1, 2) has a first ring-shaped bearing disk (6, 7) seated against one of the axial sides (4, 5) of the carrier component (3) and a second ring-shaped bearing disk (8, 9) for fastening to additional components of the surrounding construction which are arranged axially on both sides of the carrier component (3) and which each consist of a thin steel plate. A plurality of rolling elements (14, 15) arranged next to each other additionally roll between the axial inner sides (10, 11 and 12, 13) of the bearing discs (6, 7, 8, 9) and are held at a uniform spacing from each other by a respective bearing cage (16, 17) and together therewith form a needle roller and cage assembly (18, 19). Additional recesses (21) are arranged on the inside diameter (20) of the circular ring-shaped carrier component (3), and at the same time the first bearing discs (6, 7) of both axial rolling bearings (1, 2) are interconnected via a centering collar (22) guided through the inside diameter (20) of the carrier component (3) on the one first bearing disk (6), and via outward moldings (24) on the centering collar (22) of the one first bearing disk (6) which are complementary to the recesses (21) on the carrier component (3), and via inward moldings (26) on the inside diameter side (25) of the other first bearing disk (7) which are complementary to the outward moldings (24) on the centering collar (22), in a manner that prevents faulty assembly, and are secured to the carrier component (3) in a captive and rotationally fixed manner.
US08821025B2	Rolling bearing A rolling bearing includes an inner ring, an outer ring, and a plurality of rolling elements. A large number of inside dimples in which a liquid lubricant is retained and a large number of outside dimples in which a solid lubricant is retained are formed in at least one of an inner ring raceway surface and an outer ring raceway surface. The inside dimples are formed in a contact region at which the raceway surface contact the rolling elements or in a section of each non-contact region, the section being close to the contact region. The outside dimples are formed outside a portion in which the inside dimples are formed.
US08821022B2	Sliding bearing and construction machine provided with same Provided are a novel sliding bearing and a construction machine provided with same, the sliding bearing being capable of maintaining an excellent sliding performance over a long period of time and exhibiting an excellent strength. A sliding bearing includes at least a brush and a shaft part, the shaft part being provided with a grease feeding pathway for feeding grease from the exterior to the sliding surfaces of the shaft part and the bush, the bush being formed from a porous sintered metal, and a decomposition catalyst being adhered to the sliding surface of the bush.
US08821019B2	Seal for a hydrostatic linear guide A seal (1) for a hydrostatic linear guide with a given adjustment direction (5), with a longitudinal seal section (7, 7′) extending essentially parallel to the adjustment direction (5), and with a transverse seal section (8, 8′) extending essentially transverse to the adjustment direction (5), wherein a first lip seal with a projecting lip portion (12) extends along the longitudinal seal section and a second lip seal with a projecting lip portion (14) extends along the transverse seal section. A height of the projecting lip portion (12) of the first lip seal oscillates in a wave shape in the adjustment direction. With such a seal (1), both a high degree of static oil tightness and also a high degree of dynamic oil tightness are achieved for a hydrostatic linear guide.
US08821016B2	X-ray imaging system and positioning method of the same Disclosed are an X-ray imaging system and a positioning method of the same that automatically measure a relative positional relationship between devices. According to an aspect, an X-ray imaging system may include: a movable imaging device having a sensor; one or more beacons; a controller configured to analyze position information recognized by the sensor, to compare a relative position between the imaging device and the one or more beacons and to determine a position of the imaging device based on a positional error; and a drive device configured to move the imaging device to the position determined by the controller.
US08821015B2	Alignment apparatus for X-ray imaging system A method for aligning a radiation source with a portable image receiver in a radiographic imaging system generates a magnetic field with a predetermined field pattern and with a time-varying vector direction at a predetermined frequency from an emitter apparatus that is coupled to the radiation source, wherein the generated magnetic field further comprises a synchronization signal. Sensed signals from the magnetic field are obtained from a sensing apparatus that is coupled to the image receiver, wherein the sensing apparatus comprises three or more sensor elements, wherein at least two of the sensor elements are arranged at different angles relative to each other and are disposed outside the imaging area of the image receiver. An output signal is indicative of an alignment adjustment according to the amplitude and phase of the obtained sensed signals relative to the synchronization signal.
US08821013B2	Thermocouples with two tabs spaced apart along a transverse axis and methods Methods for determining a temperature of a portion of an electrically conductive substrate are provided wherein the substrate is heated by applying an electrical current flow through the substrate. The method for determining the temperature employs a thermocouple including a first tab element and a second tab element that are spaced apart from one another along an axis transverse to a direction of the current flow. In another example, an apparatus includes an electrically conductive substrate and a direct heating apparatus configured to heat the substrate with an electrical current flow through the substrate. The apparatus includes first and second coupling positions of a thermocouple that are spaced apart from one another along an axis transverse to a direction of the current flow.
US08821011B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring temperature of intravenously delivered fluids and other medical items An intravenous solution bag includes a temperature sensing device in the form of a temperature sensing strip. The strip includes a temperature scale and corresponding temperature sensitive substances that change color or illuminate the scale indicators to visually indicate solution temperature. The strip may be formed integral with the bag, may be attached to the bag exterior surface, may be laminated to the bag exterior surface or may be encased with the bag within a solution bag liner. Further, the temperature sensing strip may be affixed to bottles containing intravenous or other solutions, where the strip is attached to the bottle exterior surface or to a label affixed to the bottle to measure and indicate temperature of fluid contained therein as described above. Moreover, the temperature sensing strip may be employed by a receptacle or delivery tube of an infusion apparatus to measure and indicate solution temperature prior to or during infusion. In addition, the temperature sensing strip may be disposed within thermal treatment system compartments to measure and provide a visual indication of medical item temperatures. Alternatively, the strip may be employed by a stand, plate, receptacle or other structure receiving a medical item or container to provide a temperature measurement and indication as described above. The structure may be a stand-alone unit or may be attached to a thermal treatment or other system to facilitate temperature measurement.
US08821008B2	Simultaneous differential thermal analysis system A balance for a simultaneous differential thermal analysis instrument that combines gravimetric measurements with measurements that require propagation of electrical signals from the sample holder to an apparatus for recording the electrical signals. In one embodiment of the invention, conductive flat planar strip flexure pivots are used in a single-meter movement balance to mechanically and electrically couple the components of the balance mechanism to the apparatus that records the electrical signals.
US08821002B2	Light guide plate and backlight module The present invention provides a light guide plate and a backlight module. The backlight module comprises the light guide plate. The light guide plate comprises a plurality of elongated microstructures disposed on the light guide plate and parallel to a light-incident surface thereof. At least one curve parameter of profiles of the elongated microstructures is altered according to a position variation in an extending direction of the elongated microstructures, so as to adjust a brightness distribution in the extending direction of the elongated microstructures. The invention can improve a luminous efficiency of the light guide plate.
US08820999B2	Television and electronic apparatus having lightguide integrated as part of the housing and a method of making According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a panel, and a light source. The panel includes a display screen. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall includes an opening exposing the display screen. The second wall is opposite to the first wall. Light from the light source reaches the panel through the second wall.
US08820997B2	Light source device and display A light source device includes: a light guide plate having a first internal reflection face and a second internal reflection face, and having one or more side faces; one or more first light sources applying first illumination light into the light guide plate; and a second light source disposed to face a surface, of the light guide plate, corresponding to the second internal reflection face, the second light source externally applying second illumination light to the second internal reflection face. One or both of the first and second internal reflection faces each have scattering regions allowing the first illumination light from the first light source to be scattered and to exit from the first internal reflection face to outside the light guide plate, each of the scattering regions being provided with one or more pass-through regions each allowing the second illumination light from the second light source to pass therethrough.
US08820996B2	Illumination optical device and virtual image display An illumination optical device includes a light source, a light pipe guiding illumination light from the light source, a diffuser arranged on an emitting surface side of the light pipe. A width of the emitting surface of the light pipe in the horizontal direction is set greater than a width of an illuminated object, and a width of the emitting surface of the light pipe in the vertical direction is set smaller than a width of the illuminated object.
US08820992B2	Automotive headlamp assembly A headlamp assembly includes a bezel defining a first surface and a second surface inclined with respect to the first surface and located at an outboard periphery, a series of fingers separated by slots, each slot extending through the first surface and the second surface, light sources, and light guides, each light guide fitted into one of the slots, for transmitting light from one of the light sources, along and through one of the slots.
US08820987B2	Lighting device for mortorcycle A lighting device for a motorcycle includes a first lamp, a second lamp, a first outer proximate portion, and a first inner proximate portion. The first outer proximate portion is provided on one of first and second lenses and extends toward another of the first and second lenses along a surface of said one of the first and second lenses. The first inner proximate portion is provided on said one of the first and second lenses and extends toward said another of the first and second lenses. A first gap is provided between the first outer proximate portion and said another of the first and second lenses. A second gap is provided between the first inner proximate portion and said another of the first and second lenses. The second gap is smaller than the first gap.
US08820986B2	Control device for vehicle lamp, vehicle lamp, and method of controlling vehicle lamp There is provided a control device for controlling a vehicle lamp provided in a vehicle. The device includes: a receiver configured to receive an inclination angle of the vehicle with respect to a horizontal plane from an inclination detector; a controller configured to: i) generate a first control signal instructing the vehicle lamp to adjust an optical axis of the vehicle lamp in response to a change of the inclination angle, when the vehicle has already stopped; and ii) generate a second control signal instructing the vehicle lamp to maintain the optical axis of the vehicle lamp, when the vehicle is traveling on a road surface; and a transmitter configured to transmit the first control signal or the second control signal to an optical axis adjuster provided in the vehicle lamp.
US08820985B1	Adjustable support for lamps The adjustable device includes a bracket configured for connection to a substrate, a lamp housing configured for supporting a lamp, and an adjustment system adjustably coupling the lamp housing to the bracket, the adjustment system defining a plurality of different selectable positions of the lamp housing relative to the bracket. The adjustment system enables translation and rotation of the lamp housing relative to the bracket to move the lamp housing between the plurality of selectable positions relative to the bracket. The adjustment system includes a locking system to secure the lamp housing in each of the selectable positions relative to the bracket.
US08820981B2	Electrically controlled glass in a lamp An apparatus for generating light may be comprised of a light source with a lens interposed in a light path from the light source. The lens may be comprised of two or more sections wherein at least one section may be comprised of smart glass. Electrical circuitry may be configured to control a transparency state of the smart glass lens sections. Another embodiment may have two reflectors wherein one of the reflectors may be interposed between the light source and the other reflector and may be comprised of smart glass with a transparent state and a reflective state so that two different reflection patterns may be created. A method for illumination wherein at least one area's illumination is controlled by a section of smart glass is also disclosed.
US08820979B2	Asymmetric type lens and street lamp including the same A lens is provided in an asymmetric shape including at least two curved surfaces with different light distribution angles. Therefore, uniformity ratio of illuminance and coefficient of utilization (CU) may be increased while reducing dazzle. When a lighting apparatus including the lens is used as a street light, light directly incident to a driver is minimized, thereby reducing dazzle to the driver. During a night drive, brightness at a far forward position of the driver may be increased. In addition, light emitted toward a street may be increased while reducing light emitted toward a sidewalk. As a result, uniformity ratio of illuminance and coefficient of utilization (CU) may be increased. Also, light pollution may be reduced.
US08820976B2	Advanced cooling method and device for LED lighting A light emitting diode cooling device and method are disclosed for passively removing heat from the LED using liquid convection to cool the LED. The liquid convection cooling device operates to cool the LED by circulating a liquid cooling medium without consuming external power to move the medium.
US08820975B2	LED lighting device and streetlight device having same An LED lighting device includes: an LED module; a thermal base coupled with the LED module and configured to absorb heat; and a heat-pipe loop formed in a tubule shape and having working fluid injected thereinto and comprising a heat-absorption portion coupled with the thermal base and configured to absorb heat and a heat-dissipating portion configured to dissipate the heat absorbed by the heat-absorption portion, wherein each coil of the heat-pipe loop is formed in a thin and long shape, and one side of the thin-and-long coil is coupled to the thermal base, and the other side of the thin-and-long coil is protruded to an outside from an edge of the thermal base.
US08820972B2	LED-based luminaires for large-scale architectural illumination Disclosed herein are exterior architectural fixtures employing LED-based light sources that are capable of projecting light over long distances and providing a wide variety of lighting effects with high lumen output. These lighting fixtures have improved heat dissipation properties and are particularly suitable for large-scale façade washing and for illuminating large architectural structures, such as skyscrapers, casinos, and retail establishments, integrating efficient and compact power supply and control components for driving high-intensity LEDs to achieve a vast variety of lighting effects on a large scale.
US08820971B2	Decorative and functional light-emitting device lighting fixtures Lighting fixtures using light-emitting devices are disclosed with heat sinks that are both decorative and functional by providing heat dissipation for the light-emitting devices used therein. A luminaire can feature a base for attachment to a support and a driver positionable in the base. An electrical connector can extend downward from the base and have a proximal end and a distal end with the proximal end disposed in the base and engaging the driver. A heat sink can be disposed at the distal end of the electrical connector with the electrical connector extending through the heat sink. A light-emitting device can be attached to the heat sink and connect with the electrical connector such that the driver is electrically connected to the light-emitting device. A lamp shade can be secured to the heat sink proximal to the base with the light-emitting device disposed within the lamp shade and at least a portion of the body of the heat sink forming a decorative portion extending outward from the lamp shade.
US08820968B2	Wavelength conversion element, laser light source device, image display device, and method of manufacturing wavelength conversion element A method of manufacturing a wavelength conversion element can control a formation process of a polarization inversion structure with single crystalline magnesium-doped lithium niobate having a congruent composition, and can stably manufacture wavelength conversion elements having high conversion efficiency. The method involves forming periodic electrodes on the +z face of an MgLN substrate and forming an opposite electrode on the −z face of the MgLN substrate; heat-treating the substrate after forming the periodic electrodes and the opposite electrode; and applying a pulsed electric field between the periodic electrodes and the opposite electrode while holding the MgLN substrate at a temperature of 100° C. or higher. The wavelength conversion element has a polarization inversion structure formed by applying an electric field to a heat-treated MgLN substrate.
US08820967B2	Lighting apparatus The invention relates to a lighting apparatus comprising a laser (102) for emitting a first laser beam (103) and a diffractive reflective element (104). The first laser beam (103) is reflected by the diffractive reflective element (104) for generating a second laser beam (105) being the reflected first laser beam, wherein the diffractive reflective element (104) is adapted such that the effective surface area of the second laser beam (105) is larger than the effective surface area of the first laser beam (103). The second laser beam is supposed to be pointed directly or indirectly to the eyes of a person. Since the diffractive reflective element increases the effective surface area and is used in a reflective mode, i.e. the first laser beam will generally not directly meet the eye of the person, if the diffractive reflective element is damaged or displaced, the risk of eye damages can be reduced.
US08820966B2	LED light bulb The present invention provides a LED light bulb which is capable of providing the gorgeous and artistic impressions. The LED light bulb comprises a plurality of LED chips, a globe covering the LED chips and allowing the light emitted from the LED chips to penetrate, and a bulb connector, wherein at least one portion of the globe has a concave-convex part.
US08820965B2	Flexible trouble light A lighting device comprising a sealed transparent flexible outer tube having a handle at a first end. The handle includes a power source. Inside the tube is a flexible wire extending from and attached to the handle. The wire extending the length of the outer tube. Also inside the tube are multiple small lengths of inflexible interior tubing running at least a partial length of the flexible outer tube. Each interior tubing having at least one light emitting diode and at least one resistor inside. The resistors and diodes are connected electronically to a circuit board and the power source.
US08820959B2	Hybrid source lighting system A lighting fixture system, comprising a first illuminant, a secondary illuminant; and a sensor configured to detect a predetermined condition, the sensor being coupled to the first illuminant and the secondary illuminant, the first illuminant and the secondary illuminant comprising different light sources, the sensor configured to cause modulation of the first illuminant and the secondary illuminant in response to detection of the pre-determined condition.
US08820958B2	Lamp devices The exemplary lamp devices have polygon lamp devices, polygon-round lamp devices and round lamp devices which can be used indoor and outdoor for illumination of a surrounding area.
US08820957B1	Lighting device A lighting device for electronic equipment is provided. The electronic device has an outer casing. The lighting device comprises a light mounted to the casing of the electronic equipment wherein the light provides a directed illumination source. The light is recharged when the hand held electronic equipment device is being recharged at the same time using the same recharger.
US08820954B2	Liquid displacer in LED bulbs An LED bulb includes at least one LED mount disposed within a shell. At least one LED is attached to the at least one LED mount. A thermally conductive liquid is held within the shell. The LED and LED mount are immersed in the thermally conductive liquid. A liquid displacer is immersed in the thermally conductive liquid. The liquid displacer is configured to displace a predetermined amount of the thermally conductive liquid to reduce the amount of thermally conductive liquid held within the shell. The liquid displacer is also configured to be compressible, where the liquid displacer is compressed in response to expansion of the thermally conductive liquid.
US08820953B2	Backlight system The present invention provides a backlight system, which includes a light source, a first primary assembling piece, a second primary assembling piece, a third primary assembling piece, a fourth primary assembling piece, a fifth primary assembling piece, a sixth primary assembling piece, and at least one secondary assembling piece. The first primary assembling piece, the second primary assembling piece, the third primary assembling piece, and the fourth primary assembling piece are joined to form a main frame structure of the back frame of the backlight system. The secondary assembling piece is arranged inside the main frame structure and joined to the main frame structure. The light source is arranged on the second primary assembling piece and the fourth primary assembling piece. The fifth primary assembling piece, the first primary assembling piece, the sixth primary assembling piece, and the third primary assembling piece are joined to form a central frame of the backlight system. The backlight system of the present invention has a simple structure, saves the material for back frame, and thus lowers down the cost of flat panel display device.
US08820944B2	Selectable throw ratio image projection device A portable image projection device has a housing with first and second members pivotable between device folded and unfolded positions. First lens optics mounted within the first member are configured for projecting light modulated by a spatial light modulator along an optical axis through a first aperture with a first throw ratio with the device in the folded position. A second lens optics element movably mounted within the first member is configured for selective movement between positions of non-intersection and intersection with the optical axis. The second lens optics element is configured for cooperating with at least part of the first lens optics for projecting the light modulated by the spatial light modulator along the optical axis through a second aperture with a second throw ratio less than the first throw ratio with the device in the unfolded position.
US08820943B2	Projection apparatus and image display apparatus having a reflector and an optical system with a cut off portion A projection apparatus includes a first optical system, an aperture disposed on the light exiting-side of the first optical system, a second optical system disposed on the light exiting-side of the aperture, and a reflector disposed on the optical path between the first optical system and the second optical system, the reflector having a reflection surface that reflects the light having exited from the first optical system toward the second optical system. The optical axis of the second optical system is disposed along the optical axis of the first optical system. The reflection surface of the reflector is disposed along the optical axis of the first optical system. At least part of the first and second optical systems that is on the side opposite the reflection surface of the reflector is cut off.

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