Abstract: A fan assembly for creating an air current includes a bladeless fan assembly including a nozzle and a device for creating an air flow through the nozzle. The nozzle includes an interior passage and a mouth receiving the air flow from the interior passage. A Coanda surface located adjacent the mouth and over which the mouth is arranged to direct the air flow. The fan provides an arrangement producing an air current and a flow of cooling air created without requiring a bladed fan, that is, the air flow is created by a bladeless fan.

Abstract: In an optical pickup apparatus, a major part of an optical path of a laser beam emitted from a first semiconductor laser device and an optical path of a laser beam emitted from a second semiconductor laser device 3 are shared. The first laser beam is transmitted through a quarter wavelength plate and a second reflecting mirror and is reflected by a first reflecting mirror. With this structure, the number of parts of optical systems disposed in the optical pickup apparatus is reduced, an attachment operation of the parts becomes easier, and a time required for adjusting an optical axis is reduced. Thus, an operational efficiency is greatly improved.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for reducing the computational overhead incurred by a host processor during packet processing and improving network performance by adding additional functionality to a Network Interface Controller (NIC). Under certain circumstances the NIC coalesces multiple receive packets into a single coalesced packet stored within a coalesce buffer in host memory. The coalesced packet includes an Ethernet header, a coalesced Internet Protocol (IP) header, a coalesced Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) header, and a coalesced TCP payload containing the TCP payloads of the multiple receive packets. By coalescing received packets into fewer larger coalesced packets within the host memory, the host software needed to process a receive packet will be invoked less often, meaning that less processor overhead is incurred in the host.

Abstract: A blood pressure measurement bladder (50) has a predetermined amount of air introduced and sealed therein. A CPU (30) measures in advance the P-V property. The blood pressure measurement bladder (50) is wrapped around a measurement site. By exerting pressure from the outer side to the blood pressure measurement bladder (50), the internal pressure in the blood pressure measurement bladder (50) is increased to exert pressure on the blood vessel. During this process, the cuff pressure in the blood pressure measurement bladder (50) generated by volumetric change of the blood vessel by changing the pressure exerted from the outer side to the blood pressure measurement bladder (50), and the pressure pulse wave data are detected. By adding the cuff compliance property obtained by the P-V property that was measured in advance to the detected data as a correction value of the pressure pulse wave, blood pressure is calculated.

Abstract: A polishing pad has an excellent polishing rate and is superior in longevity without generating center slow. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with the polishing pad is also provided. The polishing pad has a polishing layer consisting of a polyurethane foam having fine cells, wherein a high-molecular-weight polyol component that is a starting component of the polyurethane foam contains a hydrophobic high-molecular-weight polyol A having a number-average molecular weight of 550 to 800 and a hydrophobic high-molecular-weight polyol B having a number-average molecular weight of 950 to 1300 in an A/B ratio of from 10/90 to 50/50 by weight.

Abstract: A screen displayed in response to the selection of a tag button is called a tag screen and groups of the tag screens corresponding to the tag buttons are called screen groups. One of the screen groups is assigned to a home button as a home screen group, and clicking this home button when an arbitrary screen is displayed causes a large display to display a setting screen belonging to the home screen group. Here, in each of the screen groups, the selected tag button, the position of a mouse cursor, and so on are saved, and when an original screen is switched to another screen during an adjustment work or the like and the original screen is thereafter displayed again, the adjustment work or the like that was executed in the original screen can be continued at once.

Abstract: A howling suppression apparatus suppresses a howling caused in an acoustic system including a sound collection device and a sound emission device. An estimation part generates an estimated signal by estimating a feedback sound reaching the sound collection device from the sound emission device. An adjustment part generates an estimated signal by adjusting the estimated signal. A spectrum subtraction part generates an acoustic signal using a result of subtracting a frequency spectrum of the estimated signal from a frequency spectrum of an acoustic signal. A filter part generates an acoustic signal by suppressing a component of a frequency band including a howling frequency F among the acoustic signal. An acoustic signal in which the acoustic signal is amplified by an amplifier is supplied to the sound emission device.

Abstract: To facilitate per-page setting for data to be printed in an MFP, a PC controlling the MFP includes a print instruction accepting portion to accept data including pages and page setting information having, for each page, a parameter set for a page setting item which can be set per page, an HDD which stores in advance setting information in which a first parameter which can be set for the page setting item is associated with a second parameter which can be set for a subordinate item selected from option items which can be set for printing in the MFP, and a command generating portion to generate, for each page, a command to cause the MFP to perform printing, based on the first parameter set for the page setting item in the accepted page setting information and the second parameter associated with that first parameter by the stored setting information.

Abstract: External cavity laser (ECL) systems and methods for measuring the wavelength of the ECL by using a portion of the positional light received by the position sensitive detector (PSD) to determine the position of a wavelength tuning element (such as a diffraction grating or an etalon), for determining the longitudinal laser mode or power output of the laser from a portion of the laser light received by a beam-shearing mode sensor, and by using a non-output beam(s) from a transmissive diffraction grating in the ECL to monitor the external cavity laser.

Abstract: A hand-held cleaning appliance includes a suction conduit having a longitudinal axis, an airflow generator generating an airflow along the suction conduit, a separating apparatus arranged in communication with the suction conduit for separating dirt and dust from the airflow, a power source supplying power to the airflow generator and an elongate handle disposed between the airflow generator and the power source. The elongate handle is dimensioned and arranged to be gripped by a user's hand and the elongate handle lies transverse to the longitudinal axis of the suction conduit. By providing a hand-held vacuum cleaner with such an arrangement, the hand-held vacuum cleaner is easier and more comfortable to manipulate in use.

Abstract: A polishing pad having excellent planarization performance and wear resistance includes a polishing layer including a polyurethane foam having fine cells. The polyurethane foam is a cured product of a reaction of (1) an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer (A) that is capable of reacting with 4,4?-methylenebis(o-chloroaniline) to form a non-foamed polyurethane having a tan ? peak temperature of 100° C. or more, (2) an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer (B) that is capable of reacting with 4,4?-methylenebis(o-chloroaniline) to form a non-foamed polyurethane having a tan ? peak temperature of 40° C. or less, and (3) 4,4?-methylenebis(o-chloroaniline), and the isocyanate-terminated prepolymers (A) and (B) are mixed in an (A)/(B) ratio of 50/50 to 90/10 (by wt%). The pad so made is used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Abstract: Simulating dynamics (e.g., physical effects of inertia, forces, wind) on strands (e.g., hair) during computer based animation requires quick and accurate approximations of mathematical curves. Each strand is initially represented as a B-spline curve. Line segments approximating the curve are created by using affine combinations based on the curve's control vertices. Dynamics simulation is performed on the line segment approximation. Once an approximated strand is simulated, it is converted back into a B-spine curve representation for downstream processes, such as rendering. The rendering process displays the simulated strand to the animator.

Abstract: An absorbent article in which a plurality of absorbent components is layered, and the absorbent component on top is peeled off after use. The article is configured to inhibit twisting or wrinkling during use. In the absorbent article, the upper absorbent component is layered on the skin-facing surface of the bottom absorbent component and peelably bonded by the temporal adhesive member. The bottom absorbent component has higher flexural rigidity than the upper absorbent component, and the compression recovery rate of the bottom absorbent component is also set so as to be higher than that of the upper absorbent component. It is thereby possible to prevent the bottom absorbent component from twisting and wrinkling when the upper absorbent component is placed against the discharge area, and after the upper absorbent component is peeled off, the volume of the bottom absorbent component is restored, and comfort during contact thereof with the discharge area is improved.

Abstract: A polishing pad generates very few scratches on a surface of a polishing object, and is excellent in planarization property. The polishing pad has a high polishing rate and is excellent in planarization property. The polishing pad grooves become very little clogged with abrasive grains or polishing swarf during polishing and, even when continuously used for a long period of time, the polishing rate is scarcely reduced.

Abstract: Metadata of the type for instance associated with television or video Electronic Programming Guides (EPG) or Interactive Programming Guides (IPG), is transported via a digital delivery network such as the Internet to a video receiving device such as a personal video recorder (PVR). The receiving device extracts the metadata for a purpose such as determining from the metadata programming of control signals. The PVR thereby reads or interprets control signals derived from the metadata provided via the digital delivery network so as to control subsequent video recording.

Abstract: The present invention relates to embodiments of: (1) a unitary holographic drive head assembly mounting structure; (2) an assembly comprising a unitary holographic drive head assembly mounting structure and a plurality of holographic drive head components and/or subassemblies; (3) a subassembly comprising a spatial light modulator, detector array, and a beam splitter; (4) a device comprising a spatial light modulator and a physical aperture positioned over or an imaged aperture projected onto the photoactive area of the spatial light modulator; (5) a system for optically aligning or pointing a laser in a holographic drive head assembly; (6) a light source subassembly comprising a laser, a fiber coupling lens; and an optical fiber having a fiber connector ready output end; and (7) a light source subsystem comprising a laser source, beam conditioning optics, fiber coupling optics for receiving the conditioned light beam, and a fiber optic connector for receiving the conditioned light beam from the fiber couplin

Abstract: A serially-connected diode pair made of diodes having a high withstand voltage and a low on-resistance is formed based on a high withstand voltage vertical PNP bipolar transistor process technology. Two of the diode pairs are connected in parallel to form a bridge so that there is formed a high-efficiency full-wave rectifier circuit that is free from a leakage current due to a parasitic transistor. The serially-connected diode pair is formed by connecting a diode composed of a P type semiconductor substrate, that makes an anode, and an N type buried layer, that makes a cathode, and a diode composed of a P+ type conductive layer, that makes an anode, and an N type epitaxial layer, that makes a cathode, in series with an electrode AC1.

Abstract: The writing tool 100 having an ink composition for a writing tool 12 in an ink holding tube 14, the ink composition for a writing tool 12 containing a metal powder, a gelling agent and spherical resin fine particles, wherein the viscosity (V1) at a shear rate of 1000 s?1 is no greater than 45 mPa·s and the viscosity (V2) at a shear rate of 0.01 s?1 is at least 100 Pa·s.

Abstract: The invention provides an isolated polypeptide comprising a variant amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or a fusion or derivative of said polypeptide, or a fusion of a said derivative thereof, wherein the polypeptide, fusion or derivative retains a biological activity of wild type IL-IRa. In one embodiment, the isolated polypeptide, fusion or derivative is or comprises a polypeptide variant of amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 1 comprising or consisting of substitutions at one or more of the following amino acid mutations of SEQ ID NO: 1: Q29K, P38Y, P38R, L42W, D47N, E52R, H54R, E90Y, Q129L, Q129N, M136N, M136D and Q149K. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions of the above polypeptide, fusion or derivative, as well as uses of the same for treating a disease or condition capable of being treated by an agent which inhibits the function of IL-1 receptors.

Abstract: The invention relates to analyte monitoring/drug (pharmaceutical agent) delivery device. The invention is suited for monitoring various blood constituents such as glucose. The device has a housing that at least partially encloses a plurality of microneedles disposed on a carrier and an electronics portion. Each microneedle is in fluid communication with a corresponding microchannel. Each microneedle is individually addressable. That is, each microneedle can be extended and retracted individually via an actuator. The electronics portion includes a processor and associated circuitry (e.g., memory, supporting electronics and the like), a motor or the like, a sensor, a power supply (e.g., battery) and optionally an interface. In general, the processor controls the operation of the device and is data communication with the actuator, motor, sensor and interface. The invention provides for autonomous operation, that is, without intervention of the user.