Abstract: An illumination apparatus to illuminate a sample surface with excellent illumination efficiency and a reflective characteristics measuring apparatus using the illumination apparatus. The illumination apparatus includes a plane light source positioned on a normal at a center of the sample surface and a mirror having an internal reflective surface positioned between the plane light source and the sample surface. The internal reflective surface has a circular or polygonal shape in a section perpendicular to the normal and the circular or polygonal shape substantially corresponds to an imaginary circle centered on the normal and having a radius equal to half a distance between the plane light source and the sample surface. In place of the mirror, a plurality of reflective faces may be positioned.

Abstract: A transducer assembly includes a first electroacoustic transducer and a second electroacoustic transducer. The first and the second electrostatic transducers include an electrode and a counter electrode. An inner circumference of an outer diaphragm section lying within an outer circumference forms the counter electrode of the first electroacoustic transducer. An inner diaphragm section that lies within the inner circumference of the outer diaphragm section forms the counter electrode of the second electroacoustic transducer.

Abstract: An OLED device is disclosed. The OLED device disposes a voltage divider and a switch unit in the output stage of a power supplier, thereby lowering the level of a supply voltage VDD, which is applied to a driver IC in an emission interval, below that of the supply voltage which is applied to the driver IC in a non-emission interval. Accordingly, the OLED device can reduce electric power consumption.

Abstract: An automated system for matching orders from a virtual trading crowd in an exchange configured for trading securities or derivatives is disclosed including an electronic trade engine operative to receive an order or a quote for a security or derivative at the exchange, the trade engine further operative to disseminate a request for a price message to a plurality of market makers quoting a class in response to receiving the order or the quote, an electronic book in communication with the electronic trade engine, the electronic book operative to store at least one order or quote received by the electronic trade engine, a database including an allocation algorithm, the database in communication with the electronic trade engine, and a trade processor in communication with the database, the trade processor operative to analyze and execute orders or quotes according to the allocation algorithm selected from the database.

Abstract: A powderous lithium transition metal oxide having a layered crystal structure Li1+aM1?aO2±bM?kSm with ?0.03<a<0.06, b?0, 0?m?0.6, m being expressed in mol %, M being a transition metal compound, consisting of at least 95% of either one or more elements of the group Ni, Mn, Co and Ti; M? being present on the surface of the powderous oxide, and consisting of either one or more elements of the group Ca, Sr, Y, La, Ce and Zr, wherein: either k=0 and M=Ni1?c?dMncCOd, with 0<c<1, and 0<d<1; or 0.015<k<0.15, k being expressed in wt % of said lithium transition metal oxide; characterized in that for said powderous oxide, the X-ray diffraction peak at 44.5±0.3 degree, having as index 104, measured with K alpha radiation, has a FWHM value of ?0.1 degree. By optimizing the sintering temperature of the metal oxide the FWHM value can be minimized.

Abstract: A method of determining a medical triage disposition for a person includes providing to a triage operator through a graphical user interface (GUI) of the computer: (i) a plurality of triage categories each including yes/no questions grouped into tiers that are ranked according to urgency and corresponding to a triage disposition; (ii) a selection of a relevant triage category based on a medical condition of the person; (iii) a quantification tool including follow-up questions related to symptoms, observations, and/or injury mechanisms, to enable the triage operator to quantify a level of severity of a symptom or injury related to yes/no questions of a subjective nature; wherein the triage operator determines a triage disposition for the person by providing triage to the person including: (i) asking, sequentially, the yes/no questions for the relevant triage category as displayed in the GUI; and (ii) asking follow-up questions from the quantification tool to determine whether a response to a yes/no question is

Abstract: A specimen processing device comprising: a specimen processing unit for processing specimens; a first conveyance mechanism for conveying specimens from a carry-in side towards a carry-out side on the opposite side of the carry-in side with respect to the specimen processing unit through a specimen supply position for supplying specimens to the specimen processing unit; a second conveyance mechanism for conveying specimens from the carry-in side towards the carry-out side without passing the specimen supply position; a first control device for controlling the first conveyance mechanism; and a second control device for controlling the second conveyance mechanism, is disclosed. A specimen conveyance device and a specimen conveyance method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coupling device (1) intended to connect first and second elements which are articulated with respect to one another, wherein the device includes a compression element (2) designed to allow a compressive force to pass from one element to another in a first state, and a tension element (3) designed to allow a tensile force to pass from one element to another in a second state, the compression element additionally forming a substitution tension element designed to allow a tensile force to pass from one element to another in a third state corresponding to the fracturing of the tension element.

Abstract: An array substrate for an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line disposed along a first direction on the substrate, a data line disposed along a second direction and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, pixel electrodes disposed in the pixel region and connected to the thin film transistor, common electrodes disposed in the pixel region and alternating with the pixel electrodes, a semiconductor layer underlying the data line and including a portion having a width greater than a width of the data line, and a first blocking pattern comprising an opaque material and disposed under the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A clutchless transmission apparatus and control method thereof. The transmission apparatus comprises a motor (10) and a transmission (20), said motor (10) is connected to said transmission (20) and supplies power to said transmission (20) via an input shaft of the transmission (20), wherein said apparatus further comprises a control device (30), which is electrically connected to said motor (10) and said transmission (20), wherein said control device (30) is configured to determine whether a gear-position shifting is required based on rotation speed of said transmission (20), if a gear-position shifting is required, regulates torque of said motor (10) to control said transmission (20) to disengage, and then regulates the rotation speed of said motor (10) based on the rotation speed of said transmission (20) to control said transmission (20) to engage for shifting gear-position.

Abstract: A biofilm-inhibiting medical product includes a carrier formed from a natural, bioremodelable material, whereby the carrier includes a biocidal bismuth thiol agent and/or one or more other biofilm-inhibiting or wound healing agents. A method for using the biofilm-inhibiting medical product to treat a wound or tissue defect in a patient's body is described.

Abstract: An electrostatic preventing device for light emitting diodes (LED), operative to backlight a liquid crystal display (LCD) device is disclosed. The device includes RGB assemblies installed on a flexible circuit board, and an electrostatic preventing circuit separately installed on the flexible circuit board. The device is adapted to protect RGB LED chips inside each RGB package for backlight, mounted in the RGB assemblies, from static electricity.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for controlling a motor for an electric vehicle. The method and apparatus calculates the current acceleration ? of the motor according to the detected rotor position values in real-time, and if the current acceleration ? is greater than a predetermined forward acceleration ?0, the output torque of the motor is decreased. If the acceleration ? is less than a predetermined backward acceleration ?1, then the output torque of the motor is decreased. Thus, when the vehicle travels from a normal road surface to a smooth road surface, the decrease or increase output torque may suppress the abrupt speed variations.

Abstract: A stapler for delivering a staple formed from a shape memory material is disclosed. The staple includes a first tine and a second tine connected by a bridge. The staple may be disposed within the stapler in an open position with the first tine distal of the second tine. The stapler is configured to sequentially deliver the first tine and the second tine, respectively, to opposing body tissues. The stapler includes an elongate shaft (e.g., a catheter) having a working lumen and a control mechanism for delivering the staple. A drive cable extends along the working lumen of the elongate shaft. Upon warming up to a temperature at or above a transformation temperature of the shape memory material, the staple may assume a closed position, thus drawing together opposing body tissues and closing an incision.

Abstract: The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I) that are useful for modulating the biological activity of the melanocortin-5 receptor (MC5R). Compounds of this invention can be used to treat diseases and/or conditions in which downregulation of MC5R is beneficial. Such diseases and/or conditions include, but are not limited to, acne, seborrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, cancer, and inflammatory diseases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing technology, and discloses an image stitching method and apparatus to solve the problem of severe ghosting of an image stitched in the prior art. In the embodiments of the present invention, the overlap region of two images is found, a depth image of the overlap region is obtained, and the two images are stitched together according to the depth image. In the stitching process, the 3-dimensional information of the images is obtained by using the depth image to deghost the image. The method and apparatus under the present invention are applicable to multi-scene videoconferences and the occasions of making wide-view images or videos.

Abstract: A method and system for automated manual transmission shift methodologies for coasting conditions are disclosed. A coast condition is detected in a vehicle having a transmission that couples prime mover power from a transmission input to a transmission output at a plurality of different gear ratios. A target gear ratio is selected based on the power loss attributes associated with each gear ratio. Each gear ratio is associated with a power loss attribute indicative of a power loss between the transmission input and transmission output when prime mover power is coupled from the transmission input to the transmission output using that gear ratio. The transmission is shifted from a current gear ratio to the target gear ratio if the target and current gear ratios differ. By selecting the target gear ratio, vehicle fuel efficiency is improved, while keeping the vehicle under constant prime mover braking or continuous prime mover control.

Abstract: A composite prosthesis (19, 99, 199) and method are disclosed herein. This endoluminal prosthesis is constructed by separately deploying a first prosthesis (9, 201) and a second prosthesis (14, 208), wherein the first prosthesis is deployed and secured to the interior surface of a body lumen (260). In a subsequent step, the second prosthesis is deployed substantially within and secured to the first prosthesis. Although additional prostheses may be deployed within the second prosthesis, in a preferred configuration the first and second prostheses combine to provide all of the necessary attributes associated with a functioning endoluminal prosthesis. Thus, one of the first and second prostheses is permeable to blood and exerts sufficient radial force to cause the composite prosthesis to securely engage an interior surface of the body lumen at one or both of the composite prosthesis's proximal and distal ends, while the other of the first and second prostheses is impermeable to blood flow.

Abstract: A phosphate and phosphonate-free gel automatic dishwashing detergent provides improved spotting and filming performance by including a spot reduction system that contains a combination of a polyacrylate and a carboxymethyl inulin. The gel detergent may also be free of a bleach ingredient (i.e., it does not contain either chlorine bleach or an oxygen bleach).

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a respiratory device with a patient is provided, including a breathing tube for insertion into a patient's trachea, an inflatable cuff positioned around the breathing tube, a connection tube connected to the cuff for providing inflating air flow thereto, a pressurized air reservoir, and a valve connected to the pressurized air reservoir and to the proximal end of the connection line. The valve includes an entry port associated with an entry differential force chamber, a first exit port associated with a first differential force chamber and coupled with the connection line, a second exit port associated with a second differential force chamber and coupled with the pressurized air reservoir, and a flexible membrane selectively sealingly separating the differential force chambers. The flexible membrane is configured to selectively connect the first and second differential force chambers to maintain a substantially constant air pressure in the cuff.