Abstract: A simplified perform handling device including an end-effector arranged to substantially conform, in use, to an end portion of a preform and to seal therewith. The device also includes an aligning jig to align the preform with the end-effector. The device provides improved preform thermal and angular orientation characteristics when used in a transfer apparatus of an injection blow molding system, or simplified end-of-arm tool for two-stage preform production. The device may also be operated to condition a preform retained on the injection mold core plate assembly of an injection mold.

Abstract: A balloon dilation catheter comprising a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end. An inflatable balloon is disposed at the distal end of the tubular member. A first lumen is disposed in the tubular member and in is communication with an interior of the inflatable balloon. A second lumen is disposed in the tubular member for receiving a guidewire substantially along a portion of its length. The second lumen has a first opening in the proximal region of the tubular member and a second opening at the distal region of the tubular member. A first slit is disposed longitudinally in the tubular member and extends along at least a portion of the tubular member, the first slit comprising a first pair of longitudinal edges in a side by side relationship.

Abstract: An ATM layer cell processing apparatus is provided with a plurality of cell processing sections, including a plurality of OAM cell processors provided with respect to each of OAM cell types, a cell identifying section outputting cell type information by decoding header information of an arrived cell, an OAM identifying section outputting OAM identification information including OAM type information identified based on OAM cell information of a payload and the cell type information, where the cell identifying section and the OAM identifying section are provided in common with respect to the plurality of cell processing sections including the plurality of OAM cell processors, and a mechanism sending the OAM ell type information and cell data of the arrived cell to a cell processing section which is to process the arrived cell at a subsequent stage, based on the OAM identification information output from the OAM identification section.

Abstract: A novel method of treating and preventing viral infection is provided. In particular a method of blocking viral infection facilitated by a serine proteolytic (SP) activity is disclosed, which consists of administering to a subject suffering or about to suffer from viral infection a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having a serine protease inhibitory or serpin activity. Among compounds are ?1-antitrypsin (AAT), peptide derivatives from the carboxyterminal end of AAT, and man-made, synthetic compounds mimicking the action of such compounds. The preferred viral infections include retroviral infection such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Abstract: An optical network unit and an optical line terminal which efficiently control the data receiving and dechurning processes in a passive optical network. In a churning parameter memory subsystem, a first memory bank stores churning parameters that are currently used, while a second memory bank stores updates made to the churning parameters. Under the control of the churning parameter memory subsystem, those first and second memory banks change their roles with each other at a churning key updating time point. A data dechurning unit receives a data stream consisting of a plurality of frames and dechurns the information contained in the data stream, according to the stored churning parameters. When an update is done to the parameters in a certain frame, the data dechurning unit makes the update effective at the next frame, thus starting data dechurning operations from the next frame.

Abstract: A flip chip semiconductor device has a cell forming layer assigned to macro-cells and input and output cells and a pad forming layer assigned to power supply pads for the macro-cells and input and output cells and signal pads for the input and output cells, and the signal pads are arranged outside of the power supply pads, whereby a package substrate to be assembled with the flip chip semiconductor device is simplified by virtue of the signal lines on a level with the signal pads, because any power supply pad is not an obstacle against the signal lines.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes (a) a plurality of reference cells, (b) a plurality of memory cells, data stored in a selected reference cell among the reference cells being compared to data stored in a selected memory cell among the memory cells, (c) an address transition detector for detecting transition in input of addresses by which a memory cell is selected among the memory cells, and transmitting an address transition detecting signal indicative of the detected transition, (d) a counter for counting the address transition detecting signals, and (e) a reference cell decoder for selecting a reference cell among the reference cells in accordance with an output transmitted from the counter.

Abstract: A semiconductor storage device and a method for correcting defects of memory cells, in which the semiconductor storage device has a memory cell array provided with a normal memory cell area and a redundant memory cell area. A test is conducted in the semiconductor storage device to check whether or not a defect of a memory cell exists in the normal memory cell area and/or redundant memory cell area and in which defective memory cell columns or defective memory cell rows in the normal memory cell area are replaced with redundant memory cell columns or redundant memory cell rows. In the semiconductor storage, in the test conducted on the redundant memory cell area, if redundant memory cell columns or redundant memory cell rows have already been replaced, judgment is made to exclude the redundant memory cell columns or redundant memory cell rows from the columns or rows respectively to be replaced.

Abstract: A data transmission system efficiently transmits data of high quality by accurately restoring the sequence of the transmitted data at a receiving circuit. The data transmission system includes a periodic data generating unit for generating periodic data, a parallel/serial converting unit for multiplexing parallel transmission data and the periodic data and converting multiplexed data into serial data, a serial data sending unit for sending the serial data, a serial data receiving unit for receiving the serial data, a serial/parallel converting unit for converting the serial data into parallel data, a periodic data string detecting unit for detecting a periodic data string from strings of the parallel data, and a transmission data restoring unit for restoring the transmission data based on the detected periodic data string.

Abstract: A collapsible container is provided, the container having a base and two pairs of opposed sidewalls pivotally attached to the base. A latch member is disposed at an end of one of the sidewalls and a latch is pivotally connected to a corresponding end of an adjacent sidewall. The latch has a body with a biasing means attached thereto, for releasably engaging the latch member when the sidewalls are in an assembled position.

Abstract: A method of verifying a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus includes (a) providing a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus including: a first transistor which has a floating gate in which a potential is floated and to which data is written; a second transistor which has a floating gate connected together with the floating gate and reads out the data written to the first transistor; and a control gate unit, which is coupled to the floating gate, controlling an operation of reading out the data of the second transistor; (b) comparing a first data outputted through the second transistor when a first potential is applied to the control gate unit with a second data outputted through the second transistor when a second potential is applied to the control gate unit to generate a comparison result; and (c) verifying the data written to the floating gate based on the comparison result.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having bonding pad electrode or electrodes of a multi-layer structure. The bonding pad electrode comprises a lower electrode layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a cover insulating film formed on the lower electrode layer. The cover insulating film has an opening for exposing at least a portion of the lower electrode layer. A step portion is provided at a side wall of the opening of the cover insulating film. The size of the opening at the upside portion of a step surface of the step portion is larger than the size of the opening at the downside portion of the step surface. The bonding pad electrode further comprises an upper electrode layer formed on the portion of the lower electrode layer exposed via the opening. The upper electrode layer is made of material having corrosion resistance against the substance which is corrosive to the lower electrode layer, and the upper electrode layer overlaps the step surface of the step portion.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material are provided. The process comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride, and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime; and regenerating HCl from a calcium chloride leach filtrate solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate gypsum. Related processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials and for recovering lead from residue by solubilizing lead chloride and precipitating it with lime are also provided.

Abstract: To provide an etching method for broadening a trench opening between patterns of an etching mask in a dry process. The etching method of a semiconductor substrate in which silicon and a silicon nitride film are exposed at least on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, comprises an oxidation step of oxidizing the silicon and the silicon nitride film from an exposed surface to a given film thickness by spraying the semiconductor substrate with substances excited by plasma discharge of O2 gas as a reaction gas, and an etching step of etching the semiconductor substrate oxidized in the oxidation step by plasma using a reaction gas comprising at least O2 gas and CH2F2 gas.

Abstract: The invention relates to a drum commutator comprising a cylinder-shaped support base (1) produced from an insulating pressed material, a plurality of metal conductor segments (3) with terminal lugs (8) disposed thereon and an equal amount of carbon segments (4) that are electrically connected to the conductor segments (3). The drum commutator, adjacent to the terminal lugs (8), further comprises an annular, closed substantially regularly cylindrical surface (19) with alternating pressed material zones and metal zones, as well as a metallized inner surface of the carbon segments (4) that communicates with the support base (1). When producing such a drum commutator, the conductor segments (3) are preferably first connected to a conductor blank via bridge portions which are removed once the conductor blank has been assembled with a carbon cylinder and the support base has been injection-molded onto it.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a protective coating with current applied on a metallic collector of an electrode. The protective coating comprises a mineral binder vitreous or partly vitreous and optionally an electronic conduction additive. This coating is applied in the form of a solution or dispersion on the collector of the electrode and dried, so that it coats and protects at least part of the surface of the metal of the collector to prevent the formation of passivation films generated by active species produced by other components of the generator.

Abstract: Heating/defrost constructions of a very low temperature refrigeration system having a defrost supply circuit and a defrost return bypass circuit optimizing the heating/defrost cycle, preventing overload (excessive pressure) of its refrigeration process and protecting components from damaging temperatures. The defrost cycle operates continuously, when required, and provides a shorter recovery period between heating/defrost and cooling operating modes. The rate of the temperature change during cool down or warm up is controlled in an open loop fashion by controlled refrigerant flow in bypass circuits.

Abstract: Sealing resin comprising a resin component and filler mixed in the resin component, the filler having grain size distribution with a plurality of grain size peaks. The complex internal structure can be filled with the sealing resin including the filler particles with the plurality of the filler distribution peaks.

Abstract: A balloon for preparing for and easing human birth, which balloon is located at least partly inside the vagina of the pregnant woman during application, has in the inflated condition an application region (P) between its outer end (A), which is provided with a fitting (1) for a flexible tube, and its vaginal portion with the largest diameter (D); the balloon is conically shaped in its application region (P); the application region (P) is disposed approximately within the middle third of the balloon length between an outer portion (a) and an inner portion (i) of the balloon; the cone angle ? in the application region is 25° or smaller.

Abstract: An xDSL transceiver comprising a transmission unit for transmitting a DMT-modulated signal through a subscriber line as a transmission path and a receiving unit for receiving the DMT-modulated signal from the subscriber line. The xDSL transceiver further comprises an echo signal suppression unit for suppressing the echo signal from the transmission unit to the receiving unit by matching the phase between the frame of the transmission signal and the frame of the receiving signal.