Abstract: It is provided a method for determining channel quality for a second channel, wherein, the second channel is overlapping with a first channel, the method comprising the steps of sending a request message through the first channel; receiving a response message on the second channel in response to the request message through the first channel; and determining the channel quality of the second channel based on the response message on the second channel. It can be used to determine the channel quality of at least one channel by sending a single message through the first channel.

Abstract: A method for reporting state information is provided. The receiver device receives a service, which is encoded in at least two layers over a communication channel, through a subset of said at least two layers; it measures a channel quality parameter; and in response to the channel quality parameter reaching a predetermined threshold value, it receives the service through a modified subset of the at least two layers as a function of the measured channel quality parameter and transmitting state information of the receiver device. Thus, the signal overhead is reduced.

Abstract: This invention puts forward a process of preparing butyl rubber. High gravity devices are used as polymerization reactor. The mixture of isomonoolefin and conjugated diolefin monomers and the diluent, and the mixture of the initiator and diluent are pumped at a certain ratio into a high-gravity reactor to conduct cationic polymerization in the high-gravity environment. After polymerization, the monomers and the diluent are removed from the product to obtain butyl rubber polymers with number-average molecular weight of 80000˜300000 and molecular weight distribution index of 1.9˜3.6. The high gravity polymerization method of this invention can tremendously intensify micro-mixing, mass transfer and heat transfer in the reaction. Compared to the conventional stirred polymerization method, this invention features small reactor volume, at least 30-fold shorter residence time of substances in the high gravity reactor, low cost, low energy consumption and high production efficiency.

Abstract: A process for preparation of particles of an inhalable drug is described. The process comprises combining a first liquid and a second liquid in a region of high shear, whereby the first liquid and the second liquid interact to form the particles of the drug. One of the first and second liquids comprises the drug or a precursor thereof. In the case where one of the liquids comprises the precursor, the other of the first and second liquids comprises a reagent which reacts with the precursor under high shear conditions to form particles of the drug. In the case where one of the liquids comprises the drug, the other of the first and second liquids comprises a liquid which, when mixed with the liquid containing the drug under high shear, forms particles of the drug.

Abstract: A versatile drug testing device (a lateral flow diagnostic testing device) includes a flat transparent carrier with a top and a bottom with the carrier having a series of independent parallel grooves formed therein running from adjacent to the top to adjacent to the bottom of the carrier, each groove having a first opening and a second opening above the first opening therein adjacent to the bottom of the carrier, at least one drug test strip installed in one of said grooves with its absorbent pad contiguous to the openings and a cover layer attached to the carrier operable to sealing close each of said grooves whereby the bottom of the device can be immersed in a specimen of “urine”, “body fluid” or “other biological specimen” to wet the pad of the at least one test strip though the ingress of the specimen though the associated openings and the test results on the test strip can be easily viewed through the transparent carrier.

Abstract: A process for the production of a microparticle or a nanoparticle of a chemical compound comprising the steps of providing a solution of said chemical compound in a first liquid; providing a second liquid in which said chemical compound is insoluble or substantially insoluble; combining said liquids in a region of high shear thereby causing formation of said particles; and isolating said particles of said compound. The processing time of a coacervation style process can be reduced and the yield can be substantially increased both by control of the precipitation step which allows for the desolvation step to be dispensed with leading to significant process time reduction. The invention also provides a molecular mixing unit comprising an outer body defining a mixing zone; a shear means to provide shear liquid in said mixing zone; at least one fluid inlet means for a first liquid; at least one fluid inlet means for a second liquid and a fluid outlet means.

Abstract: A user subscribes to desired information in an RSS gateway, and the RSS gateway aggregates the subscription requests from users before subscribing to requested multimedia content. The RSS gateway aggregates subscription requests from a plurality of users and subscribes to the requested RSS feeds on behalf of the users. The RSS gateway also receives RSS feeds from content servers and RSS web-sites and sends the received RSS feeds to subscribing users using SIP.

Abstract: An alternating scheduling algorithm is useful in a mesh network. Transmissions are scheduled along a branch in a tree structure such that simultaneous transmissions occur only in non-adjacent layers along the branch. In a disclosed example, every other layer is grouped into a set of layers such that the sets are mutually exclusive and the sets only include non-adjacent layers. One example includes designating one set of layers as the even layers and another set as odd layers. A scheduler schedules transmissions on the layers such that simultaneous transmissions along a branch occur only on layers within one of the sets while transmissions on the other set along the same branch are prevented. The sets of layers selected for transmission are alternated each subsequent scheduling window or frame.

Abstract: A method and system for quantification of strain imaging is disclosed. The method and system comprises performing a motion analysis on the at least two regions of interest. The method and system further includes providing a strain estimate for each of the at least two regions of interest and comparing the strain estimates of each of the at least two regions to quantify the strain for the at least two regions of interest. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides for strain quantification based on conventional B-mode images. Using this technique, the strain of regions of interest (ROI) defined by users can be determined and quantitative comparisons can be effectively made in real time. The strain quantification can be used to determine tissue's properties and can potentially be applied in breast imaging as well as cardiac imaging.

Abstract: Three or four-dimensional ultrasound data acquisition for extended field of view imaging is provided. Multiple volumes are registered with respect to each other and spliced together to form an extended volume. The extended volume is a contiguous volume larger than a volumetric region that a multi-dimensional or wobbler transducer array is capable of imaging without movement. Information representing different volumes is registered with respect to each other by sensing the transducer position associated with each of the different volumes. The position is sensed using a position sensing mechanism, such as magnetic optical or gyroscope measurements. Acoustic data may be used to determine decorrelation of speckle or correlation of features to sense position. After the volumes are registered, any overlapping regions are compounded. The resulting extended field of view volume is displayed and manipulated for viewing by the user.

Abstract: Medical imaging uses cyclical motion analysis. Phase and/or amplitude analysis of variation for spatial locations in a sequence of images over one or more heart cycles is performed. For phase analysis, selected phase information is cyclically isolated as a function of the heart cycle. For example, a sequence of three images is associated with three different times during the heart cycle. In one image, phases over one range are highlighted. In subsequent images, phases over different ranges are highlighted. By showing the sequence of images in a loop with the shifting phase throughout the sequence, wall contractions are easily visualized. For amplitude analysis, information associated with a selected frequency band, such as the constant and fundamental frequency bands, are isolated. Images are then generated in response to the isolated information. The images have reduced speckle content due to the lack of higher order frequency information.

Abstract: Three or four-dimensional ultrasound data acquisition for extended field of view imaging is provided. Multiple volumes are registered with respect to each other and spliced together to form an extended volume. The extended volume is a contiguous volume larger than a volumetric region that a multi-dimensional or wobbler transducer array is capable of imaging without movement. Information representing different volumes is registered with respect to each other by sensing the transducer position associated with each of the different volumes. The position is sensed using a position sensing mechanism, such as magnetic optical or gyroscope measurements. Acoustic data may be used to determine decorrelation of speckle or correlation of features to sense position. After the volumes are registered, any overlapping regions are compounded. The resulting extended field of view volume is displayed and manipulated for viewing by the user.

Abstract: A process for the production of a microparticle or a nanoparticle of a chemical compound comprising the steps of providing a solution of said chemical compound in a first liquid; providing a second liquid in which said chemical compound is insoluble or substantially insoluble; combining said liquids in a region of high shear thereby causing formation of said particles; and isolating said particles of said compound. The processing time of a coacervation style process can be reduced and the yield can be substantially increased both by control of the precipitation step which allows for desolvation step to be dispensed with leading to significant process time reduction. The invention also provides a molecular mixing unit comprising an outer body defining a mixing zone; a shear means to provide shear liquid in said mixing zone; at least one fluid inlet means for a first liquid; at least one fluid inlet means for a second liquid and a fluid outlet means.

Abstract: Method of dynamically measuring movement of objects is disclosed which uses image processing. In a first step a sequence of images is received and stored. Then, at least a first and second reference point within a first image is determined and identification areas around those reference points are defined. Within a sequential image a search area around the predefined reference points which best match the identification area is searched to determine the displacement of the reference point.

Abstract: A region of interest (ROI) of a patient's body is repeatedly scanned using an ultrasound transducer array. Data sets representing an image property, such as intensity, from portions of the ROI are used to calculate a representation of the displacement profile within the ROI at different stress levels. From the displacement profile, a function of strain is also preferably calculated. According to one aspect of the invention, a data set representing an estimate of the elasticity profile within the ROI is color-coded and is displayed along with a B-mode display in a single, overlaid display. According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, the display of elasticity is adaptively persisted as a function of, for example, a measure of image quality. The invention also provides an on-screen guide that indicates to a user a measure of quality of each of a series of estimated displacement data sets.

Abstract: A method and system for quantification of strain imaging is disclosed. The method and system comprises performing a motion analysis on the at least two regions of interest. The method and system further includes providing a strain estimate for each of the at least two regions of interest and comparing the strain estimates of each of the at least two regions to quantify the strain for the at least two regions of interest. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides for strain quantification based on conventional B-mode images. Using this technique, the strain of regions of interest (ROI) defined by users can be determined and quantitative comparisons can be effectively made in real time. The strain quantification can be used to determine tissue's properties and can potentially be applied in breast imaging as well as cardiac imaging.

Abstract: A 3-D region of interest (ROI) of a body is imaged, preferably using an ultrasound transducer. The intensity of an echo signal from each of a pattern of pixels within the ROI is measured and stored. The pixels are then grouped into pixel blocks, and the intensity values for the pixels in each sequentially selected current block are compiled in a current histogram. Each current histogram is compared with a reference histogram that corresponds to the distribution of echo signal intensities in a known region of speckle. A structure likelihood value is then computed based on the comparison, where the structure likelihood value indicates how likely it is that the current block corresponds to a structure of interest as opposed to noise. The intensity value for any pixel likely to be noise is preferably scaled down. The scaled intensity values are then projected, preferably using a maximum intensity projection, onto a 2-D display plane, a representation of which is then displayed for a user to see.

Abstract: A 3D image data set representing a volume of material such as human tissue is created using speckle decorrelation techniques to process successive 2D data slices from a moving, standard 1D or 1.5D ultrasound transducer. This permits the use of standard ultrasound machinery, without the use of additional slice-position hardware, to create 3D images without having to modify the machinery or its operation. Similar techniques can be used for special data processing within the imaging system as well to expedite the image acquisition process. Optionally, the image quality of 2D images can be enhanced through the use of multiple 3D data sets derived using the method.

Abstract: A system and method for 3-D ultrasound image registration and 3-D motion estimation. A calibrated 3-D speckle function is first pre-determined for the transducer and the tissue to be scanned. A series of image frames are identified and grouped into 3-D big and small blocks. Blocks representing speckle are identified and then, a full width half maximum value sum-absolute-difference technique is used to obtain an out-of-plane motion estimation based on decorrelation characteristics throughout the volume. For in-plane motion estimation, cross-correlation characteristics between pairs of frames are compared and, using a minimum sum absolute value technique, an estimate of in-plane motion is obtained. Fuzzy logic techniques are then used to obtain more accurate estimates. Finally, the out-of-plane motion estimate is updated based on decorrelation characteristics of the speckle frames used for the in-plane determination using a full width half maximum value technique.

Abstract: An ultrasound system (50) estimates the speed of sound in the tissue (60) under examination. The ultrasound system obtains a series of test images (150) using different estimates of the speed of sound in the body tissue. For each image produced, the ultrasound system computes a function that is indicative of image quality for one or more regions of interest (152) in the test image. The image quality function exhibits a minimum or maximum when computed for a region of interest obtained at a speed of sound substantially equal to a true speed of sound in the tissue. The ultrasound system selects the test image having the minimum or maximum function value and obtains subsequent images of the tissue using the speed of sound used to obtain the test image selected.