Author: claimsbot

1. An elastic device, comprising:
a first elastic supporter;
a second elastic supporter spaced from the first elastic supporter; and
a carbon nanotube film, a first side of the carbon nanotube film being fixed on the first elastic supporter, a second side of the carbon nanotube film, opposite to the first side, being fixed on the second elastic supporter, and a middle portion of the carbon nanotube film being suspended between the first elastic supporter and the second elastic supporter, the carbon nanotube film being entirely made of carbon nanotubes and comprising:
a plurality of first carbon nanotubes orientated primarily along a first direction; and
a plurality of second carbon nanotubes, at least one portion of each of the plurality of second carbon nanotubes being in contact with at least two adjacent of the first carbon nanotubes, wherein the plurality of second carbon nanotubes are uniformly dispersed and randomly oriented, and a mass ratio between the plurality of second carbon nanotubes and the carbon nanotube film is in a range from about 14% to about 33% so that the carbon nanotube film is elastically deformable to at least 300% along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
2. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of each of the plurality of second carbon nanotubes is attached to the at least two adjacent first carbon nanotubes by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.
3. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein one portion of the plurality of first carbon nanotubes are joined end-to-end substantially and are combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.
4. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the first elastic supporter and the second elastic supporter are elastically deformable along the second direction at least equal to the elastic deformation rate of the carbon nanotube film.
5. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein a distance between adjacent two of the first carbon nanotubes is adjustable.
6. The elastic device of claim 5, wherein the distance between adjacent two of the first carbon nanotubes is adjustable in a range from about 0 micrometers to 50 micrometers.
7. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first carbon nanotubes and the plurality of second carbon nanotubes are uniformly distributed in the carbon nanotube film.
8. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first carbon nanotubes and the plurality of second carbon nanotubes in the carbon nanotubes film form a grid like structure.
9. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube film is in a range from about 0.5 nanometers to about 1 millimeter.
10. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein a light transmittance of the carbon nanotube film is in a range from about 60% to about 95% for light having a wavelength ranging from about 190 nanometers to about 900 nanometers.
11. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube film is free-standing.
12. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the first elastic supporter and the second elastic supporter are parallel with each other and extend along the second direction.
13. The elastic device of claim 1, wherein the first elastic supporter and the second elastic supporter are elastic rubbers, springs, or elastic bands.
14. An elastic device, comprising:
a elastic supporter;
a carbon nanotube film located on and in contact with a surface of the elastic supporter, wherein the carbon nanotube film is entirely made of carbon nanotubes and comprises:
a plurality of first carbon nanotubes aligned substantially along a first direction; and
a plurality of second carbon nanotubes, at least one portion of each of the plurality of second carbon nanotubes being in contact with at least two adjacent of the first carbon nanotubes, wherein the plurality of second carbon nanotubes are uniformly dispersed and randomly oriented, and a mass ratio between the plurality of second carbon nanotubes and the carbon nanotube film is in a range from about 14% to about 33% so that the carbon nanotube film is elastically deformable to at least 300% along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
15. The elastic device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of first carbon nanotubes are substantially joined end-to-end and combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween.
16. The elastic device of claim 14, wherein a distance between adjacent two of the first carbon nanotubes is in a range from about 0 micrometers to 50 micrometers.
17. The elastic device of claim 14, wherein a thickness of the carbon nanotube film is in a range from about 0.5 nanometers to about 1 millimeter.
18. The elastic device of claim 14, wherein the carbon nanotube film is free-standing.
19. The elastic device of claim 14, wherein the elastic supporter is elastically deformable equal to or greater than a maximum elastic deformation rate of the carbon nanotube film along the second direction.
20. The elastic device of claim 14, wherein the elastic supporter is a planar structure or a curved structure.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus for tracking a phase of at least one electro-magnetic signal associated with at least one portion of a sample, comprising:
a) a detecting arrangement obtaining at least one first interferometric signal comprising a plurality of spectral bands separated from the at least one electro-magnetic signal;
b) a phase modulator driver having a modulating frequency, and configured to modulate the at least one first signal based on the modulating frequency so as to generate at least one second signal;
c) a mixer configured to mix the at least one first signal with the at least one second signal so as to generate a resultant signal; and
d) a processing arrangement configured to (i) generate an offset based on the resultant signal, (ii) control a phase of the at least one first signal based on the offset to generate further information, and (iii) generate an image based on at least a portion of the sample using the further information.
2. A software arrangement for tracking a phase of at least one electro-magnetic signal associated with at least one portion of a sample, which, when executed by a processing arrangement, configures the processing arrangement to execute the steps comprising of:
a. obtaining at least one first interferometric signal comprising a plurality of spectral bands separated from the at least one electro-magnetic signal;
b. modulating the at least one first signal based on a modulating frequency of a modulating arrangement so as to generate at least one second signal;
c. mixing the at least one first signal with the at least one second signal so as to generate a resultant signal
d. generating an offset based on the resultant signal;
e. controlling a phase of the at least one first signal based on the offset to generate further information; and
f. generating an image based on at least a portion of the sample using the further information.
3. A method for tracking a phase of at least one electro-magnetic signal associated with at least one portion of a sample, comprising the steps of:
a. obtaining at least one first interferometric signal comprising a plurality of spectral bands separated from the at least one electro-magnetic signal;
b. modulating the at least one first signal based on a modulating frequency of a modulating arrangement so as to generate at least one second signal;
c. mixing the at least one first signal with the at least one second signal so as to generate a resultant signal;
d. generating an offset based on the resultant signal;
e. controlling a phase of the at least one first signal based on the offset to generate further information; and
f. generating an image based on at least a portion of the sample using the further information.

1. A compound according to formula I:
wherein:
D represents oxygen or sulfur;
E represents a single bond, oxygen, sulfur, or NR1;
Ar1 is selected from an ortho-halo-substituted 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms, or selected from an ortho-halo-substituted 8-, 9- or 10-membered fused aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having 0, 1, 2 or 3 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms;
Ar2 is selected from a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms;
where Ar2 is unsubstituted or has 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from \u2014R2, \u2014C1-C6alkyl, \u2014C2-C6alkenyl, \u2014C2-C6alkynyl, halogen, \u2014CN, \u2014NO2, \u2014CF3, \u2014S(O)nR2, \u2014NR2R3, \u2014CH2NR2R3, \u2014OR2, \u2014CH2OR2 or \u2014CO2R4;
R2 and R3 are independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen, \u2014C1-C4alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, \u2014C(O)R4, \u2014C(O)NHR4, \u2014CO2R4 or \u2014SO2R4, or
R2 and R3 in combination is \u2014(CH2)jG(CH2)k\u2014 wherein G is oxygen, sulfur, NR4, or a bond;
j is 2, 3 or 4;
k is 0, 1 or 2;
n is 0, 1 or 2, and
R4 is independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen, \u2014C1-C4alkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, and
stereoisomers, enantiomers, in vivo-hydrolysable precursors and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.
2. A compound according to claim 1 being an R-isomer of a compound of formula I in accord with formula II,
wherein D, Ar1, E and Ar2 are as defined for compounds of formula I.
3. A compound according to claim 1, wherein:
D represents oxygen or sulfur;
E represents a single bond, oxygen, sulfur, or NR1;
Ar1 is selected from an ortho-fluoro-substituted 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms, or selected from an ortho-fluoro-substituted 8-, 9- or 10-membered fused aromatic or heteroaromatic ring system having 0, 1, 2 or 3 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms;
Ar2 is selected from a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms;
where Ar2 is unsubstituted or has 1, 2 or 3 substituents independently selected from \u2014R2, \u2014C1-C6alkyl, \u2014C2-C6alkenyl, \u2014C2-C6alkynyl, halogen, \u2014CN, \u2014NO2, \u2014CF3, \u2014S(O)nR2, \u2014NR2R3, \u2014CH2NR2R3, \u2014OR2, \u2014CH2OR2 or \u2014CO2R4;
R2 and R3 are independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen, \u2014C1-C4alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, \u2014C(O)R4, \u2014C(O)NHR4, \u2014CO2R4 or \u2014SO2R4, or
R2 and R3 in combination is \u2014(CH2)jG(CH2)k\u2014 wherein G is oxygen, sulfur, NR4, or a bond;
j is 2, 3 or 4;
k is 0, 1 or 2;
n is 0, 1 or 2, and
R4 is independently selected at each occurrence from hydrogen, \u2014C1-C4alkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl, and
stereoisomers, enantiomers, in vivo-hydrolysable precursors and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.
4. A compound according to claim 1, wherein:
D represents oxygen;
E represents a single bond;
Ar1 is selected from an ortho-fluoro-substituted 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atom;
Ar2 is selected from a 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atoms, and
stereoisomers, enantiomers, in vivo-hydrolysable precursors and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.
5. A compound according to claim 1, wherein:
D represents oxygen;
E represents a single bond;
Ar1 is selected from an ortho-fluoro-substituted 5- or 6-membered aromatic or heteroaromatic ring having 0, 1 or 2 nitrogen atoms, 0 or 1 oxygen atoms, and 0 or 1 sulfur atom;
Ar2 is selected from phenyl or pyridyl, and
stereoisomers, enantiomers, in vivo-hydrolysable precursors and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.
6. A compound according to claim 1, wherein:
D is O; or an enantiomer thereof, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof.
7. A compound according to claim 1, wherein:
Ar1 is selected from 2-fluoro-phenyl or 2-linked 3-fluoro-thiophenyl.
8. A compound according to claim 1, wherein:
Ar1 is selected from phenyl or thiophenyl and Ar2 is selected from phenyl, pyridyl, furanyl or thiophenyl having optional substituents as defined herein.
9. A compound according to claim 1 having a low P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux from the brain.
10. A method of treatment or prophylaxis of a disease or condition in which activation of the \u03b17 nicotinic receptor is beneficial which method comprises administering a therapeutically-effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 to a subject suffering from said disease or condition.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein said disease or condition is anxiety, schizophrenia, mania or manic depression.
12. A method of treatment or prophylaxis of neurological disorders, psychotic disorders or intellectual impairment disorders, which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said disorder is Alzheimer’s disease, learning deficit, cognition deficit, attention deficit, memory loss, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders in which there is loss of cholinergic synapses, jetlag, nicotine addiction, craving, pain, or ulcerative colitis.
14. A method for inducing the cessation of smoking comprising administering an effective amount of a compound according to claim 1.
15. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically-acceptable diluent, lubricant or carrier.
16. A method of treatment or prophylaxis of a disease or condition in which activation of the \u03b17 nicotinic receptor is beneficial which method comprises administering a therapeutically-effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 15 to a subject suffering from said disease or condition.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said disease or condition is anxiety, schizophrenia, mania or manic depression.
18. A method of treatment or prophylaxis of neurological disorders, psychotic disorders or intellectual impairment disorders, which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 15.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said disorder is Alzheimer’s disease, learning deficit, cognition deficit, attention deficit, memory loss, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders in which there is loss of cholinergic synapses, jetlag, nicotine addiction, craving, pain, and for ulcerative colitis.
20. A method for inducing the cessation of smoking comprising administering an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition according to claim 15.
21. (canceled)

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of heating at least a part of a subsurface hydro carbonaceous earth formation, comprising
forming a borehole into or adjacent to said formation,
placing elongated coaxial inner and outer conductors into the borehole with said inner and outer conductors electrically connected to each other at a depth below the top of said formation,
connecting an AC power source to at least said outer conductor to produce heat in at least one of said conductors, said AC output having a controlled frequency, said outer conductor comprising a standard oil well component made of a ferromagnetic material that conducts current from said AC power source in only a surface region of the conductor due to the skin effect phenomenon, and
dissipating more heat from portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation than from other portions of said conductors.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said outer conductor has a ratio of AC impedance to DC impedance that is at least about 3 to 1.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said ratio is at least about 10 to 1.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said outer conductor is a standard commercially available pipe for oil field applications.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation have a geometry that is different from that of said other portions of said conductors, to cause more heat to be dissipated from said portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation than from said other portions of said conductors.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation are made of a material that is different from that of said other portions of said conductors, to cause more heat to be dissipated from said portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation than from said other portions of said conductors.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein thermal insulation is provided around said portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation, to cause more heat to be dissipated from said portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation than from said other portions of said conductors.
8. The method of claim 7 which includes recovering reactive power dissipated from said ferromagnetic material.
9. The method of claim 8 in which said reactive power is determined from measurements of the applied voltage and the resulting current and the relationship between them.
10. The method of claim 7 which includes recovering energy dissipated from harmonics of said AC output.
11. The method of claim 1 which includes varying at least one of the amplitude and waveform of said AC output to control the input impedance presented by said conductors to said power supply, so that said input impedance is within the operating range of the currents and voltages of said power supply.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein liquid from said formation is withdrawn from said borehole through said tubular conductor.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein said outer conductor is directly adjacent the earth wall of said borehole.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein liquid from said formation is withdrawn from said borehole through said outer conductor.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said inner and outer conductors is made of standard carbon steel.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein longitudinal segments of at least one of said inner and outer conductors vary in at least one of geometry, chemical composition or heat treatment, and sequentially varying the amplitude and frequency of said AC output to preferentially heat selected ones f said longitudinal segments.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein longitudinal segments of at least one of said inner and outer conductors vary in at least one of geometry, chemical composition or heat treatment, and simultaneously using at least two frequencies in said AC output to preferentially heat selected ones f said longitudinal segments.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said inner and outer conductors is made of aluminum having an anodized surface to control corrosion.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said inner and outer conductors is made of aluminum, and electrolytic corrosion of said aluminum is controlled by using a capacitor to block DC current paths.
20. A method of heating at least a part of a subsurface hydro carbonaceous earth formation, comprising
forming a borehole into or adjacent to said formation,
placing elongated coaxial inner and outer conductors into the borehole with said inner and outer conductors electrically connected to each other at a depth below the top of said formation,
connecting an AC power source to at least said outer conductor to produce heat in at least one of said conductors, said AC output having a controlled frequency, said inner conductor comprising a standard tubular oil well component made of a ferromagnetic material that conducts current from said AC power source in only a surface region of the conductor due to the skin effect phenomenon, and
dissipating more heat from portions of said conductors that are within the depth range of said formation than from other portions of said conductors.