A multi-window viewing system according to an embodiment includes an editor for a reaction video and a player for reproducing the reaction video generated therefrom, in which the editor including a video image input unit that inputs a first video image for producing a reaction video, a video image information input unit that inputs video image information including an Internet address of a second video image intended to be inserted into the first video image, a setting information generation unit that generates setting information including coordinates of an area in which the second video image is to be inserted and reproduced in the first video image, and information on a reproduction start time and a reproduction end time of the second video image, and a reaction video generation unit that generates a reaction video by combining the first video image, the video image information, and the setting information.

In general, there are various media that can share moving video image content on the Internet, including YOUTUBE, VIMEO, METACAFE, CRACKLE, QUITETUBE2, and SYNCTUBE, and among these moving video image contents, a reaction video accounts for a significant portion and continues to grow.
In the conventional reaction video, a final reaction video is generated in such a way that a first reaction video image is generated by recording a process of a producer's reaction to the content such as a sound source and a music video, and after that, the content such as the sound source and the music video to which the producer has reacted is inserted into the reaction video image described above so that viewers can grasp what content to which the producer has reacted.
Meanwhile, since the reaction video is uploaded to the Internet by inserting the content such as the sound source or the music video to which the producer has reacted without permission, there is a problem in that an intellectual property rights problem such as copyright infringement occurs.
Such copyright infringement has been constantly occurring, starting with Viacom's 1 trillion-won lawsuit against YouTube for 10,000 contents in 2007, and in case of violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the reaction video may be deleted, as well as sanctions may be imposed on user accounts.
In addition, on sharing sites where reaction videos are uploaded, etc., the infringement of intellectual property rights of numerous contents including reaction videos should be monitored for infringement of intellectual property rights from time to time and when disputes related to intellectual property rights occur, they must be mediated or resolved, and thus there is a problem in that considerable cost and manpower are consumed.

Multi-window viewing system including editor for reaction video and method for producing reaction video by using same


There is provided a weather strip for a folding top of an open car installed in a divided manner both sides thereof in the proximity of divided rails. Each divided member comprises a hollow seal portion and a seal lip portion comprised for resilient contacts with a door glass. Each divided member comprises a die mold part in a front and a rear end portion. The seal lip portion of each divided member comprises a thick part. The thick part is formed thicker than a thin part. The thick part is provided with a thickness for a front end surface and a rear end surface of adjoining seal lip portions that are located next to each other to make a resilient contact with each other even if the seal lip portion is deformed in the folding top when the folding top is in a closed position.

This invention relates to a weather strip installed in a divided manner to both a left side and a right side of a folding top of an open car.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a prior art relating to the invention will be described. There has conventionally been an open car comprising a folding top 1 on the roof. This folding top 1 is provided with a plural number of divided rails 2 both in the left side and the right side of the open car, as well as a weather strip 20 which is also divided into a plural number of divided members 21, and each member is installed to a corresponding divided rail 2.
In this prior art, the weather strip 20 forms a roughly straight line where a front end surface 22a of a die mold part 50, formed in a front end portion and a rear end portion of each divided member 21, and a rear end surface 22b of an adjoining die mold part 50 make a resilient contact with each other when the folding top 1 is in a closed position.
This weather strip 20 comprises a hollow seal portion 12 which makes a resilient contact with an upper end portion of a door glass 3 to provide a sealing performance. Further, there is another type of weather strip which comprises a seal lip portion 22 besides the hollow seal portion 12, which also makes a resilient contact with the door glass 3.
The conventional weather strip 20 comprising the seal lip portion 22 besides the hollow seal portion 12 is superior in the sealing performance compared to the former one which comprises only the hollow seal portion 12 for a resilient contact with the door glass 3, since two members are comprised for the contact with the door glass 3.
However, according to this conventional weather strip 20, although both the front end and the rear end portions thereof are provided with a certain degree of hardness by forming them with die mold parts 50, 50, the seal lip portion 22 is formed in a lip shape, so that the seal lip portion 22 consequently lacks hardness and is easily deformed. Therefore, when the folding top 1 is in a closed position, adjoining seal lip portions 22, 22 that are located next to each other overlap with each other if the seal lip portion 22 is deformed, so that the front end portion and the rear end portion of the adjoining seal lip portions 22, 22 cannot make a resilient contact tightly. As a result, there arises a problem that rain water or washing water invades into an inside of an automobile through the unsuccessfully contacted area.


A miniature combo built-in antenna structure built in a personal navigation device (PND) includes a substrate, a first antenna unit and a second antenna unit. The first antenna unit is a signal receiving antenna of a global positioning system (GPS), and the second antenna unit is a signal receiving antenna of a traffic message channel (TMC) receiving module. The first and second antenna units are integrated into a substrate and built in the GPS, for receiving GPS signals as well as related information of road conditions and weather.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna, and more particular to a miniature combo built-in antenna structure.
2. Description of Prior Art
In a global positioning system (GPS), the time of transmitting a radio signal is used to measure distance by basic trigonometric positioning principles, and three or more GPS satellites are adopted for cross comparisons. By converting signal receiving speed and time to obtain the distance from the satellite as well as using an electronic map built in a GPS receiver, the position of an object or a person can be located or identified.
At present, automobile personal navigation devices (PND) become increasingly popular. To allow users to access current road conditions and weather reports while driving a motor vehicle, a traffic message channel (TMC) receiving module is usually built in the personal navigation device (PND). Since ground broadcasting uses a FM Radio Data System (RDS) to broadcast current traffic and weather information, and such communication application is generally called Radio Data System (RDS)/Traffic Message Channel (TMC) and provides three kinds of services as listed below:
1. The area, road section and direction affected by a recent car accident.
2. The time duration of a continuous traffic or weather condition.
3. The suggested driving route based on the aforementioned information. Traffic message is updated once every five minutes. The way for the RDS/TMC to collect traffic information is substantially the same as that of satellite broadcasting, and sensors and cameras installed at roadsides by local traffic departments are used for collecting information and statistics.
After a personal navigation device (PND) is built in a TMC receiving module, an antenna slot of a TMC receiving module is created on a housing of the personal navigation device (PND), so that users can plug an external earphone into the antenna slot and use it as a dedicated antenna or a TMC receiving module. The earphone is used as an antenna, and thus there is no issue of installing an antenna in a motor vehicle. As to drivers, it is not safe to listen to the road condition and weather report while driving a motor vehicle. However, the size of the dedicated antenna of a general TMC receiving module is large and uneasy-to-install, and thus causing tremendous inconvenience to users.

Miniature combo built-in antenna structure


Devices, systems, and techniques for analyzing video information to objectively identify patient behavior are disclosed. A system may analyze obtained video information of patient motion during a period of time to track one or more anatomical regions through a plurality of frames of the video information and calculate one or more movement parameters of the one or more anatomical regions. The system may also compare the one or more movement parameters to respective criteria for each of a plurality of predetermined patient behaviors and identify the patient behaviors that occurred during the period of time. In some examples, a device may control therapy delivery according to the identified patient behaviors and/or sensed parameters previously calibrated based on the identified patient behaviors.

Various diseases and conditions, such as movement disorders, can cause individuals to experience certain behaviors of movement. For example, a patient diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease may exhibit movement behaviors that may include one or more of tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and dyskinesia. Evaluation and identification of these patient behaviors is typically performed by a clinician viewing the movements of the patient. An example evaluation technique of Parkinson's Disease involves the use the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, motor scale (mUPDRS). During this test, the clinician asks the patient to perform a routine of passive and active motor tasks, and the clinician provides scores to characterize the movements of the patient during these tasks.
A clinician may also treat a patient with a movement disorder using one or more therapies. Oral medication may be prescribed for some patients. Patients may also or alternatively be treated using drug delivery therapy and/or electrical stimulation therapy. Electrical stimulation therapy may include deep brain stimulation (DBS), although other types of electrical stimulation therapy may be employed for some patients.

Patient motion analysis for behavior identification based on video frames with user selecting the head and torso from a frame


Methods of inhibiting the burning of natural fibers (e.g., wool, wool fibers, animal hair, cotton), synthetic fibers (e.g., acetate, nylon, polyester, viscose rayon), or blends thereof (e.g., wool/cotton blends), or fabrics or yarns composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or blends thereof, involving treating the fibers (or fabrics or yarns) with polyamic acid or at least one polyimidesiloxane (PISi) or mixtures of polyamic acid and at least one polyimidesiloxane. Also products produced by such methods.

The present invention concerns methods of inhibiting the burning of natural fibers (e.g., wool, wool fibers, animal hair, cotton), synthetic fibers (e.g., acetate, nylon, polyester, viscose rayon), or blends thereof (e.g., wool/cotton blends), or fabrics or yarns composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or blends thereof, involving treating the fibers (or fabrics or yarns) with polyamic acid or at least one polyimidesiloxane or mixtures of polyamic acid and at least one polyimidesiloxane. In addition, the present invention concerns products produced by such methods.
Wool is natural protein fiber that self-extinguishes when exposed to a flame. Hence wool can be used in applications that require flame-resistance. Wool is used in airplane interiors, such as seat covers, sidewall panels, and carpets, and fabrics used in pillow covers and blankets. Wool is also a preferred fiber for uniforms worn by military personnel because of its comfort properties such as high moisture regain.
Wool may have to be made flame proof to be used in certain applications such as protective clothing worn while handling molten metals, apparel worn by racecar drivers, and aircraft interiors. Wool fabrics can be made to resist burning by blending with fibers such as Aramid (Nomex™ and Kevlar™) or chemical treatment of wool. Disadvantages of blending with Aramid include poor abrasion resistance, difficulty in dyeing, poor UV and light resistance, higher rates of heat release, and higher cost. Conventional chemical treatments to confer flame resistance to wool include treatment with the flame retarding agents applied to cotton, such as salts of borate, phosphate, metals, and tetrakishydroxymethyl phosphonium, and titanium compounds. Zirconium complexes under the trademark Zirpro™, issued by the International Wool Secretariat, are one of the successful flame retardants for wool. Many modifications of the Zirpro™ process according to specific needs have been made. For example, tetrabromophthalic acid (TBPA) is used along with Zirpro™ to obtain low heat release wool. However, zirconium salts have the environmental disadvantage of zirconium being a heavy metal.
Properties of wool such as easy dyeability, inherent resistance to burning, warmth, and resilience make it a preferred fiber even today. Zirpro™ is the only commercially available flame retardant treatment method for wool. However, heavy metals salts are used in the process and not all compounds required for the treatment are easily available. Hence an alternative treatment to make wool flame proof is needed.

Method of inhibiting the burning of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof, or fabric or yarn composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof, and products produced by such methods

The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary of Agriculture


The lock container is connected to a reactor, which serves to gasify or to combust solid fuels. The lock container serves to remove ash from the reactor. A pressure of at least 2 bars prevails in the reactor. The lock container is pressurized and pressure-relieved in alternation. The pressure relief line communicates with a filter element, which is permeable to gas and substantially impermeable to solids and is disposed within the lock container. When the lock container is filled to the usual level during a pressure relief, at least one half of the filter element is surrounded by ash. The filter element may be tubular.

This invention relates to a lock container, which communicates with a reactor, which is operated under a pressure of at least 2 bars and serves to gasify or combust solid fuels, which container serves to remove ash from the reactor and is pressurized and is relieved from pressure via a pressure relief line. The term "ash" usually describes solid residues, which may also contain carbon.
Such a lock container is known and has been described, e.g., in Published German Application No. 33 33 870 and in the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,059. When the lock container has received ash from the reactor and must subsequently be relieved from pressure before it is emptied, considerable amounts of fine ash will be entrained by the gas flowing to a pressure relief. If a filter is incorporated in the pressure relief line, that filter will soon be clogged by the solids and will frequently have to be backpurged or replaced.

Apparatus for relieving a lock chamber for ash from pressure


In one embodiment, a computer accessible storage medium stores a plurality of instructions which, when executed: group a set of reconstructed three dimensional (3D) points derived from image data into a plurality of groups based on one or more attributes of the 3D points; select one or more groups from the plurality of groups; and sample data from the selected groups, wherein the sampled data is input to a consensus estimator to generate a model that describes a 3D model of a scene captured by the image data. Other embodiments may bias sampling into a consensus estimator for any data set, based on relative quality of the data set.

A common problem encountered when processing data that represents physical phenomena is computing a model of the phenomena from the data points, especially when the data points are corrupted with noise and other inaccuracies. For example, the phenomena can be a three dimensional physical scene that has been captured as one or more images from a camera that is in motion within the three dimensional physical scene. Other examples include any measurements of data from a physical system (e.g. data acquired via one or more sensors in a data acquisition system). One example includes seismic data captured in a system, where the seismic data can be processed to determine geological features underlying the surface.
Various methods for processing the data to compute the model often include statistical analysis of the data using a consensus estimator. The consensus estimator samples a minimal number of points from the data and attempts to compute a model that fits the sampled data. For example, a line model can be constructed from a sample of two or more points, and a plane model can be constructed from a sample of three or more points. The constructed model is then verified over all the data. Repeated sampling of the data and computing a best fit model may be performed, and the fit of the models to all of the data may be compared to select a best model out of the constructed models. Examples of such consensus estimators include RANSAC and some of its variants, such as progressive sample consensus (PROSAC), randomized RANSAC, progressive RANSAC, maximum likelihood estimation sample consensus (MLESAC or MAPSAC), N adjacent points random consensus (NAPSAC), importance sampling consensus (IMPSAC), and robust filtering by consensus (KALMANSAC).
The above methods may arrive at a solution given enough computational resources. However, when the inlier ratio is low (that is, the number of outliers is large compared to the number of inliers), the computational cost may be too high and a solution may not be achieved within a desired time frame.

Random sample consensus for groups of data


An optical device includes a lens holder that holds a lens and is movable in the optical-axis direction of the lens, and an actuator that moves the lens holder in the optical-axis direction. The actuator includes an actuator element composed of an electroactive polymer, an actuator-element holder that holds the actuator element, a mechanism that applies prestrain to the actuator element, and a connecting member that connects the lens holder and the actuator. Herein, a connecting portion of the connecting member is disposed adjacent to the side surface of the actuator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image-forming apparatuses such as video cameras and electronic still cameras, and in particular, relates to optical devices using electroactive polymer actuators.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been significant size reduction of video cameras and electronic still cameras in recent years. At the same time, ultrasmall camera units for cellular phones and the like have been developed in succession, and the demand for smaller image-capturing lens units is increasing.
To date, electromagnetic motors have been generally used as actuators for driving movable lenses and light-adjusting diaphragms for autofocusing, zooming, stabilizing images, and adjusting light amounts in video cameras and electronic still cameras. A plurality of electromagnetic motors are installed in a lens barrel, and a reduction in space occupied by the motors in the lens barrel is required as the lens becomes smaller with reduction in image size.
The electromagnetic motors include magnets and coils. Force that is generated by energizing the coils in magnetic fields in accordance with Fleming's rule and mutually acts on the magnets and coils is utilized as a driving force. In order to reduce the size of the actuators, the driving force per volume of the actuators needs to be increased. To that end, the current passing through the electromagnetic actuators and the magnetic fields generated by the magnets need to be increased.
Specifically, the wire diameter of the coils may be increased so as to allow passage of higher current, the winding number of the coils may be increased, or the size of the magnets may be increased so as to increase magnetic flux density. However, each measure may cause an increase in the size of the motors, and does not match the tendency toward smaller image-forming apparatuses in recent years.
When a large load is driven by a small driving force, both a decelerating mechanism and a mechanical lever are utilized in general. When a decelerating mechanism is employed, driving noise of the motor and noise of gears of the decelerating mechanism are disadvantageously generated since the motor drives at a speed higher than that of the load. Moreover, mechanical components added to the decelerating mechanism and the lever may prevent size reduction and low costs, and may impair durability due to mechanical sliding portions thereof.
Recently, research studies on high-polymer materials having large strain and output force per volume have been lively conducted with the aim of using such materials as artificial muscle and the like. Actuators utilizing these materials directly transmit the strain of the materials to loads so as to drive the loads by using the markedly large strain of the materials compared with that of known piezoelectric materials such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and do not require decelerating mechanisms or the like.
These materials include those in a category referred to as so-called electroactive polymers, which typically include dielectric elastomers, ferroelectric polymers, liquid-crystal elastomers, electrostrictive polymers, and the like (In Electro Active Polymers (EAP) as Artificial Muscles, Reality Potential and Challenges, 2nd ed.; Y. Bar-Cohen, Ed., SPIE Press: Bellingham, Wash., 2004; pp 22-31).
In these materials, dielectric elastomers include those of an acrylic type and of a silicone type. Some acrylic dielectric elastomers having a strain of 380% or more attract considerable attention. Moreover, since the dielectric elastomers have an output force per volume that is one to two orders of magnitude larger than that of known electromagnetic motors, the volume of the actuators is expected to be reduced to one tenth or less that of the electromagnetic motors. Due to the large output force and strain, the above-described decelerating mechanisms and mechanical levers are not required, and thus silent and durable actuators can be realized.
Operating principles of the dielectric elastomers will now be described by taking a flat dielectric elastomer film as an example (J. D. W. Madden; Artificial Muscle Technology: Physical Principles and Naval Prospects; IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering; July 2004, Vol. 29, No. 3).
A flat dielectric elastomer film interposed between two electrodes is compressed in the direction of an electric field by an electrostatic force between the electrodes generated when a voltage is applied to the electrodes (Maxwell's stress), and at the same time, is expanded in the direction perpendicular to the electric field so as to generate a pressure P. The pressure P can be represented by Expression 1 shown below (In Electro Active Polymers (EAP) as Artificial Muscles, Reality Potential and Challenges, 2nd ed.; Y. Bar-Cohen, Ed., SPIE Press: Bellingham, Wash., 2004; pp 535-538). The pressure P is utilized as the driving force of an actuator. As is clear from Expression 1, materials having a larger dielectric constant, a smaller gap between the electrodes, and a larger driving voltage can increase the driving force.P=∈r∈0(V/t)2  (1)
where, ∈r, ∈0, V, and t indicate the relative dielectric constant, the dielectric constant in a vacuum (8.85×10−12 F/m), the voltage between the electrodes, and the gap between the electrodes, respectively.
Moreover, the relationship between the displacement of the film and the load can be represented by Expression 2 shown below (In Electro Active Polymers (EAP) as Artificial Muscles, Reality Potential and Challenges, 2nd ed.; Y. Bar-Cohen, Ed., SPIE Press: Bellingham, Wash., 2004; pp 535-538).Δl=l(0.5P−F/wt)/Y  (2)
where, Δl, l, P, F, w, t, and Y indicate the displacement of the actuator in a direction along which the force is obtained (extension of the film), the initial length of the film, the generated pressure (Expression 1), the load, the width of the film, the thickness of the film, and Young's modulus, respectively.
The electrodes composed of an elastic material such as carbon are formed on the dielectric elastomer film. Acrylic dielectric elastomers (VHB4910 of 3M make, for example) and silicone dielectric elastomers are commercially available.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,317 discloses a cylindrical actuator including a thin film of such a dielectric elastomer wound around a helical compression spring. This circular actuator functions as a one-dimensional linear actuator that extends or contracts in the axial direction and also as a two-dimensional bending actuator whose top portion bends. Furthermore, a so-called push-pull actuator including two such cylindrical polymer actuators is described in Science American (October 2003, p 58). The helical compression spring applies a predetermined extension (prestrain) to the dielectric elastomer film in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction beforehand such that the electrostatic breakdown strength of the film is increased. Higher voltage can be applied to the film as the strength thereof is increased, and as a result, a small and reliable actuator having an increased driving force can be realized. The electrostatic breakdown strength is 110 to 350 MV/m for silicone dielectric elastomers, and 125 to 440 MV/m for acrylic dielectric elastomers (J. D. W. Madden; Artificial Muscle Technology: Physical Principles and Naval Prospects; IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering; July 2004, Vol. 29, No. 3).
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,462 discloses an application of a dielectric elastomer as a displacement-detecting sensor by detecting changes in electrical properties such as the capacitance and resistance of the elastomer caused by the deformation of the elastomer. However, methods for detecting changes in capacitance and the like are not limited to this, and other methods using, for example, high-frequency resonators of an RCA type are widely known. Moreover, changes in electrical properties including resistance can be detected using known detecting circuits. Furthermore, composites including actuators and sensors deposited on each other using piezoelectric elements are also widely known.
Application of the cylindrical actuator according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,317 to an actuator for driving a lens leads to the following problems:                1. Output can only be transmitted via the end portion of the cylinder.        2. The helical compression spring is disposed inside the cylindrical film.        3. No guiding mechanism in the direction along which the force is obtained is provided.
The first problem is that the layout of the actuator installed inside a lens barrel is performed with low flexibility. Moreover, when the lens is driven by the cylindrical actuator whose force is output from the end portion, a space is required on one side of the lens for the cylindrical actuator. Therefore, even when the size of the cylindrical actuator is reduced compared with electromagnetic actuators, the merit may not be utilized in terms of layout.
The second problem is that the dielectric elastomer film is disposed on the outer circumference of the spring, and the film is deformed along the outside shape of the spring due to the small stiffness of the film. Furthermore, the spring and the film relatively slide on each other when the film extends or contracts. The deformation and the sliding may exert detrimental effects on driving performance characteristics such as hysteresis and repeatability, durability, and reliability characteristics such as electrostatic breakdown strength.
Moreover, the total length of the rolled actuator is determined by the balance of the force between the spring and the film, and the tolerance and the temperature of the film and the spring have profound effects on the total length since the film and the spring are in contact with and slide on each other as described above. Thus, the control of tolerance of the total length becomes difficult. This means that characteristics such as strain and driving force may vary more widely with the variation of the total length.
The third problem is that driving force in a predetermined direction is not stabilized since no guiding mechanism in the direction along which the force is obtained is provided. This may also exert detrimental effects on the driving performance as in the second problem.


Phase shift masks for an extreme ultraviolet lithography process includes a substrate, a reflection layer on the substrate, a capping layer on the reflection layer, and phase shift patterns on the capping layer. Each of the phase shift patterns may include a lower absorption pattern on the capping layer and an upper absorption pattern on the lower absorption pattern. A refractive index of the upper absorption pattern may be higher than a refractive index of the lower absorption pattern, and a thickness of the upper absorption pattern is smaller than a thickness of the lower absorption pattern.

The present disclosure relates to a mask for an extreme ultraviolet lithography process, and in particular, to a phase shift mask for an extreme ultraviolet lithography process.
A reduction in size and design rule of a semiconductor device increases a demand for a technique to reduce a size of a pattern (e.g., elements in the semiconductor device). In order to meet such a demand, a light source, which is configured to emit light of a shorter wavelength, has been used in a lithography process. For example, light having wavelengths of about 436 nm ("g-line"), 365 nm ("i-line"), 248 nm (e.g., of KrF laser), and 193 nm (e.g., ArF laser) have been used as light sources in the lithography process. Recently, the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light having a wavelength of about 13.5 nm has been suggested as a light source for EUV lithography.
Because most of the EUV light is absorbed by refractive optical materials, a reflective optical system, instead of a refractive optical system, is used in the EUV lithography.

Phase shift masks for extreme ultraviolet lithography


The present invention is an apparatus and method for performing a coagulation time test on a sample of blood wherein the blood is deposited in a fluid reservoir and disposable cuvette. Within the cuvette is formed a capillary conduit have at least one restricted region. The cuvette is inserted into a testing machine which engages the cuvette and draws blood from the fluid reservoir into the capillary conduit. The blood is then caused to reciprocally move within the capillary conduit whereby the blood is forced to traverse the restricted region. The testing machine measures the time required each time the blood is caused to traverse the restrict region. When a measured time is a predetermined percentage longer than an immediately preceding time, coagulation is considered to have occured and the overall coagulation time is displayed to the operator.

The coagulation of blood is necessary to in order to stop both internal and external bleeding. However, it is often desirable to alter the natural coagulation characteristics of blood while performing certain medical procedures. For example, during such surgical procedures the uninhibited coagulation of the blood can cause blood clots which may result in severe medical complications to the patient. Thus, it is desirable to suppress the natural coagulation process during the surgical procedure. However, upon the completion of the surgical procedure, it is desirable for the patient's blood to regain its natural coagulation characteristics. As such, the blood will again be able to clot and heal incisions and stop any internal or external bleeding.
In an attempt to scientifically control the coagulation characteristics of a persons blood, pharmacological agents have been developed that modify the inherent ability for a patient's blood to clot. A common substance usd to prolong the clotting time of a patient's blood is heparin. Heparin is a naturally occurring polysaccharide sulfuric acid ester found especially in lung, liver and intestinal tissue and has the ability in certain circumstances to prolong the clotting time of blood. Commercially available heparin is derived from animal tissues principally porcine intestine or bovine lung. As presently understood, commercially processed heparin is complex substance and its pharmacological activity per unit weight may vary depending on the characteristics of a specific batch of material. Due to the inconsisting of commercially produced heparin, heparin is sold with its biological potency expressed in U.S.P. units, where U.S.P. units are related to the clot formation inhibition of heparin mixed with sheep plasma.
When the effects of heparin on a patient's blood is no longer desired, it is commonplace to administer a substance known as protamine to the heparinized patient. Protamines are simple strongly basic proteins of relatively low molecular weight. These proteins are water soluble, not coagulated by heat and yield only amino acids, chiefly arginine when hydrolyzed.
Protamine is a naturally occurring material and is commercially available to the medical profession as an extract from certain fish (salmon) tissue. The purity and therefore the physiological potency of commercial protamine preparations, for reasons not well understood, have been shown to vary from batch to batch. Protamine is dispersed on a weight basis. Protamine, while of different chemistry than heparin, also has the property of prolonging the blood clotting time in humans.
Heparin and protamine are reactive with each other on a stoichiometric basis. Heparin is an anionic substance and protamine is a cationic substance. When the two substance are mixed in blood (either in vivo or a test tube) they react quantitatively to form a neutral (and physiologically inactive) entity. Medical personnel therefore infuse protamine at the conclusion of a surgical procedure, to neutralize heparin in patient's blood and restore normal, baseline blood clotting ability.
Protamine, however, as previously discussed, is itself an anticoagulant and if excess protamine is infused, hemostasis will not be achieved. Further complications can result from the fact that protamine may be toxic to some individuals. Protamine is also reportedly capable of including an allergic response in certain patients.
Since the amount of heparin in a patient's blood is critical, and since heparin varies in potency from batch to batch and patient to patient, measuring an administered dosage is insufficient in predicting the clotability characteristics of a patient's blood caused by the heparin. Similarly, since the potency of protamine also varies from batch to batch and patient to patient, merely measuring the administered dosage does not predict the effectiveness of the protamine on a given patient. Consequently, since dosage measuring is inconclusive, the blood of a patient must be constantly monitored and tested in order to accurately determine the effects of administered heparin, protamine or like compounds on the coagulation characteristics of a patient's blood.
The prior art is replete with various apparatus and methods for measuring the coagulation time of blood samples. For example, a method and apparatus for detecting blood coagulation is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,797,369 which issued on Jan. 10, 1989, entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING A BLOOD CLOT to Michael Mintz, and assigned to the assignee herein. In that particular patent, there is disclosed the technique for measuring clot time whereby a sample of whole blood or blood plasma is dispersed into two or more zones. The zones are separated and brought together repeatedly, such that the blood sample is divided into multiple parts each associated with a zone. The parts are then rejoined into a single part and the process of separation and joining continues. During the process, a liquid bridge between the separated parties is initially supported by surface tension, but initially collapses at the point of maximum zonal separation. When a fibrin clot is entrained within the rejoined parts, it will align in a direction parallel to the direction of the relative motion between the zones. In this manner, a thread appears between the parts as they are being separated. This thread is indicative of a clot, which clot is capable of being detected by visual or electrical means.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,859 entitled BLOOD ANALYZING METHOD AND APPARATUS issued on Dec. 30, 1969 to R. Greiner et al. This patent depicts a blood analyzing method and apparatus including a double arm holder having blood liquid reactant chambers which communicate with each other via a small capillary conduit. An air pump is provided for applying pressure changes to one of the chambers to effect periodic mixing of the liquids via the capillary conduit. An indicator means are included to detect the progressive restriction of the capillary conduit upon coagulation of the blood.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,842 entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ANALYZING A LIQUID issued on Oct. 30,1972 to M. D. Mintz, and assigned to the assignee herein. The patent describes in detail a magnetically coupled mechanical blood clot detection system wherein a variable conductance device is disposed adjacent to a zone containing a liquid and member of ferromagnetic flux lines is formed between the zone and the member. A predetermined variation in the conductance of the device is detected upon change in the magnetic flux lines when the liquid transforms itself and the member is displaced. The signal is produced at the time the predetermined variation in conductance has been detected.
An improved system means for measuring clotting time is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,333 entitled "SYSTEM FOR TIMING THE COAGULATION OF BLOOD" issued to Michael D. Mintz, on Oct. 30, 1972 and assigned to International Technidyne Corporation, the assignee herein. An electromagnetic bias coil, which is wound around the reed switch, provides stead-state magnetic flux lines that supplement the flux lines provided by the permanent magnet. When the density of the flux lines passing through the reed switch decreases, as a result of the magnet being displaced, the reed switch opens. The bias coil also provides a magnetic pulse, which forces the reed switch to a closed state. This system is manufactured under the trademark HEMOCHRON by International Technidyne Corporation at Edison, N.J.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,890,098 entitle MACHINE FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PROTHROMBIN TIME AND P.T.T. issued on Jun. 17, 1975 to E. Moreno. This patent describes a reactive material which is placed in a cup which communicates with a second cup via a restricted orifice. Plasma is placed in the second cup and the reactive material and plasma are moved from cup to cup by a pump until coagulation of the plasma takes place. Means are then provided for stopping the motion of the mixture of reactive material and plasma. Other means are provided for measuring the time required for coagulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,606 entitled APPARATUS FOR PROTHROMBIN TESTING issued on Apr. 20, 1976 to R. Moyer et al. This patient shows manually operable, disposable device which can measure coagulation rates. The device is a tube of a uniform bore which can accommodate a sample and contains appropriate amounts of lyophilized reagents required to conduct individual tests such as that for prothrombin time. Calibration marks on the tube are correlated in terms of these times and the position in which a liquid sample becomes immobilized as it descends down the tube corresponds to the test time. The rate of descent of the liquid is controlled by a limiting orifice or constriction or by inclining the tube to the vertical axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,734 entitled APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING BLOOD CLOTTING TIME issued on Apr. 15, 1980 to A. Rosenberg. This patent describes an apparatus which is capable of determining the clotting time of blood. The apparatus includes a support frame which supports a syringe containing a blood sample and a turntable adapted to rotate at a normal rate of speed. Blood from the syringe drops onto the turntable where the clotting time is automatically and graphically depicted by a chart rotatively carried upon the turntable. The apparatus can also be employed to determine variations in the viscosity of blood plasma and other fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,554 entitled METHOD FOR MEASURING BLOOD COAGULATION TIME issued on Feb. 16, 1988 to K. Schildkenecht. This patent shows a method for measuring the coagulation time of a blood sample, in which a sample reagent mixture is formed by introducing the sample and at least one reagent into a cuvette. The sample reagent mixture is moved in a stationary cuvette so that the mixture flows back and forth around an edge projecting in to the cuvette whereby a clot forms and is detected on this edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,550 entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING BLOOD COAGULATION TIME is the parent of U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,554 and essentially describes the same system further utilizing photocell detectors to determine a clot formation.
As one can see from the above, there are may different types of systems all of which are operative to detect the formation of a clot and to provide an indication of coagulation time. However, many of the prior art devices are complicated and difficult to manufacture. As such, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a blood clot detection apparatus and method which is extremely simple to utilize and which is associated with a disposable covette to enable a plurality of such tests to be performed at low cost.

Blood coagulation time test apparatus and method


A multilayer electronic component includes an element body having an internal electrode layer and a dielectric layer. These are substantially parallel to a plane including a first axis and a second axis and are alternately laminated along a third axis direction. Side surfaces facing each other in the first axis direction are respectively equipped with an insulating layer. End surfaces facing each other in the second axis direction are respectively equipped with an external electrode. The insulating layer includes a glass component. A formula (1) of 0.25<α/β<1 is satisfied, where α denotes a thermal expansion coefficient of the insulating layer, and β denotes a thermal expansion coefficient of one of the internal electrode layer and the dielectric layer that is larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of the other layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer electronic component.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a demand for miniaturization of electronic parts associated with the high densification of electronic circuits used in digital electronic devices such as mobile phones has increased, and the miniaturization and capacity enlargement of multilayer electronic components constituting the circuits have been rapidly advanced.
For example, a plurality of internal electrodes is arranged in a ceramic sintered body in a multilayer electronic component such as multilayer ceramic capacitor.
To increase use efficiency of electrode materials, electrostatic capacity, accuracy, or the like, Patent Document 1 proposes a multilayer ceramic capacitor having no structure of side gaps. However, this capacitor has a problem in low voltage endurance, since internal electrodes are exposed to side surfaces of a ceramic sintered body.
Patent Document 2 proposes a structure capable of increasing voltage endurance. That is, a ceramic sintered body where internal electrodes are exposed to a pair of side surfaces is obtained, and side end edges of the internal electrodes are thereafter removed by a physical method such as etching and sandblasting. Then, synthetic resin, such as epoxy resin, is injected to the removed area to form insulating layers. This is how voltage endurance is improved.
However, if glass is used for the insulating layer, adhesion between the end surfaces where the internal electrodes are exposed and the glass tends to be weak. Thus, there is a problem in generation of cracks due to stress caused by differences in thermal expansion coefficient between the ceramic sintered body and the glass.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a method for manufacturing a ceramic sintered body coated with insulating layers whose main component is glass, which is deposited on outer surfaces of a ceramic sintered body because a ceramic component of the ceramic sintered body contains a glass component at a predetermined weight ratio.
In this method, however, a thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic sintered body is decreased, and almost no compression stress is applied to the insulating layer due to containment of glass as ceramic component. There is thus a problem that tensile stress from the ceramic sintered body to the insulating layer generated by thermal shock cannot be reduced and cracks are easy to be generated.
Patent Document 4 discloses a method for decreasing a thermal expansion coefficient of a non-capacitance portion containing barium titanate etc. by 4 to 10×10−7/K than a thermal expansion coefficient of a capacitance portion. This makes it possible to apply compression stress to the non-capacitance portion, reduce the tensile stress due to deflection, and enhance bending strength.
However, if glass is used for a non-capacitance portion, there is a problem that compression stress generated by the difference in thermal expansion coefficient is almost reduced due to low elastic modulus of glass, compression stress applied to the non-capacitance portion is not sufficient, and the effect of improving thermal shock resistance cannot be obtained.
In addition, there is a potential problem that thermal shock resistance glass is weak against tensile stress. For example, the following problem arises: If glass surface is scratched, tensile stress tends to concentrate on the scratched portion, and mechanical strength is decreased. Thus, the glass cannot bear thermal shock generated by soldering at the time of mounting, and cracks are easy to occur.
Also, there is a large problem in reliability because moisture resistance and withstand voltage may be decreased if cracks caused by stress of thermal shock are generated to not only a ceramic sintered body but also to glass of an insulating layer.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. H2-30570 B2
Patent Document 2: JP H3-82006 A
Patent Document 3: JP H11-340089 A
Patent Document 4: JP H11-340083 A


Disclosed are an infrared sensor assembly and a refrigerator having the infrared sensor, in which a location where a heat source is generated is precisely detected by narrowing a receiving angle of an infrared sensor. To this end, the infrared sensor assembly comprises: an infrared sensor fixed to a supporting frame for receiving infrared rays generated at a heat source; a case having the infrared sensor mounted therein and an infrared filter mounted at an upper surface thereof, the infrared filter transmits only the infrared rays; and a receiving range limiting means prolonged from an outer circumference surface of the case with a predetermined height for limiting a range of the infrared rays received into the infrared sensor so as to precisely detect a location of the heat source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an infrared sensor, and particularly, to an infrared sensor assembly for precisely detecting a location where a heat source is generated and a refrigerator having the infrared sensor.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, an infrared sensor detects physical quantity and chemical quantity such as a temperature, a pressure, and an intensity of radiation by using infrared rays having a wavelength which is longer than red light of visible rays and shorter than microwave among electromagentic waves, and converts the detected physical quantity and the chemical quantity into electricity quantity in which a signal process is possible, thereby outputting.
Especially, a thermopile infrared sensor is used as a non-contact far distance temperature measurement device which can measure a temperature of an object without directly contacting heat to the object.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the thermopile infrared sensor assembly in accordance with the conventional art.
The infrared sensor assembly according to the conventional art comprises: a supporting frame 102; an infrared sensor 104 fixed to the supporting frame 102 for detecting infrared rays radiated from an object; and a case 108 fixed to the supporting frame 102 and having an infrared filter 106 mounted at an upper surface thereof, the case for receiving the infrared sensor 104.
The infrared sensor 104 includes: a receiving portion 110 arranged at an upper surface thereof for detecting infrared rays radiated from the object; a fixation portion 112 for fixing the receiving portion to the supporting frame 102; and a terminal 116 connected with the receiving portion 110 by a lead line 114 for transmitting a signal value received from the receiving portion 110 to a control unit (not shown).
In the conventional infrared sensor assembly, if a heat source is generated at a predetermined point, the receiving portion 110 detects infrared rays radiated from the heat source and applies to the control unit. Then, the control unit determines a point where the heat source is generated and a temperature of the heat source. At this time, the infrared filter 106 transmits only the infrared rays, thereby measuring more precisely.
However, in the conventional infrared sensor assembly, since a receiving angle (xcex8) taken to the receiving portion is wide as approximately 60xc2x0, it is easy to detect whether the heat source is generated or not, but it is difficult to measure a precise point where the heat source is generated.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an infrared sensor assembly which can precisely measure a location of the heat source by narrowing a receiving range of the infrared sensor.
Also, another object of the present invention is to provide a refrigerator to which the infrared sensor is applied, in which a location where a high temperature load inside the refrigerator is generated is precisely detected by narrowing a receiving angle of the infrared sensor mounted in the refrigerator.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an infrared sensor assembly comprising: an infrared sensor fixed to a supporting frame for receiving infrared rays generated at a heat source; a case having the infrared sensor mounted therein and an infrared filter mounted at an upper surface thereof, the infrared filter transmits only the infrared rays; and a receiving range limiting means prolonged from an outer circumference surface of the case with a predetermined height for limiting a range of the infrared rays received into the infrared sensor so as to precisely detect a location of the heat source.
The receiving range limiting means includes: a housing mounted outside of the case and formed above an upper surface of the case with a predetermined height; and an infrared lens mounted at an upper surface of the housing for limiting a receiving range of the infrared rays generated at the heat source.
The housing of the receiving range limiting means formed as a cylindrical shape having a predetermined length includes a mounting groove to which an outer circumference surface of the supporting frame is fixed at a bottom inner circumference surface thereof; and the infrared lens mounted at an upper surface thereof.
A diameter of the infrared lens 24 of the receiving range limiting means is differently set according to a receiving range of the infrared rays generated from the heat source.
The infrared lens 24 of the receiving range limiting means is made of chalcogenide based glass.
The infrared lens 24 of the receiving range limiting means is formed to limit a receiving angle from the heat source as about 5xc2x0.
The infrared lens 24 of the receiving range limiting means is provided with a height control means for controlling a height of the housing divided into an upper housing and a lower housing.
The height control means includes a female thread formed at an inner circumference surface of the upper housing and a male thread formed at an outer circumference surface of the lower housing. At this time, the female thread and the male thread are engaged to rotate the upper housing, thereby controlling a height of the housing.
A refrigerator having the infrared sensor according to the present invention comprises: a body divided into a freezing chamber and a chilling chamber by a partition wall and having a predetermined space to store food; a fan attached to an upper portion of the freezing chamber for forcibly circulating cool air cooled by passing the freezing cycle; a cool air discharge duct for discharging cool air blown by the fan into the chilling chamber; infrared sensors mounted at an inner wall of the chilling chamber for detecting a temperature and a generation location of a high temperature load by receiving infrared rays generated at the high temperature load; and a receiving range limiting means mounted at an upper portion of the infrared sensor with a predetermined interval for limiting a receiving range of the infrared rays received into the infrared sensor so as to precisely detect a location where the high temperature load is generated.
The receiving range limiting means is mounted at an outer portion of the infrared sensor mounted at an inner wall of the chilling chamber, and includes a housing formed above the infrared sensor with a predetermined height; and an infrared lens mounted at an upper surface of the housing for limiting a receiving range of the infrared rays generated at the high temperature load.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Infrared sensor assembly and refrigerator having the infrared sensor


A method for supporting versions of a menu includes identifying menu items for an application. The menu items are in a first menu and have state data used by functions to perform operations. The method includes generating indices from the menu items, generating a first table that includes the indices and the functions, and generating a second table that includes a portion of the indices. The indices in the first table correspond to the functions, the portion defines a subset of menu items for a second menu, and the portion of the indices corresponds to a portion of the state data. When an operation is to be performed, an index for the subset of menu items is used to determine state data corresponding to the index in the second table, and the index is used to determine a function corresponding to the index in the first table.

Applications operable on computing devices include menus that provide user-selectable options for the applications. Stand-alone applications, web applications, and the like include the menus. A menu often includes a number of menu items, which are often located in a banner that is positioned across the top of a user interface for an application. Each menu item is associated with a number of sub-menu items. If a menu item is selected, the menu item's sub-menu items are displayed in the user interface in a drop-down menu. Selection of a sub-menu item may cause other sub-menu items to be displayed or may cause a function of the application to be performed. For example, a drawing application for drawing computer images on a user interface may include menu items for drawing, color, editing, view, etc. Sub-menu items for the drawing menu item might include line, square, circle, 3D, box, etc. Selection of one of the sub-menu items, such as the circle sub-menu item, causes the user interface to display a drawing pallet where the drawing pallet includes drawing options for drawing circles. The drawing pallet displays the function associated with the circle sub-menu item. Menu items and sub-menu items may also have associated state data. For example, for the circle sub-menu item, the state data includes a size of the drawing pallet, text in the drawing pallet, and an enablement state of the drawing pallet.
The application may display different sub-menu items on computing devices of different users. For example, a computing device that is using a free trial version of an application may display only a portion of the sub-menu items, whereas a computing device of a paying licensee of the application may display all of the sub-menu items available for the application. Considerations other than licensing rights of users' may also be used for controlling the sub-menu items of an application that the computing devices display.

Non-hierarchical multi-hash table model for menu data representation


A technique for maintaining synchronization between two arrays includes assigning one array to be a preferred array and the other array to be a non-preferred array. When write requests are received at the preferred array, the writes are applied locally first and then applied remotely. However, when write requests are received at the non-preferred array, such writes are applied remotely first and then applied locally. Thus, writes are applied first on the preferred array and then on the non-preferred array, regardless of whether the writes are initially received at the preferred array or the non-preferred array.

Data storage systems are arrangements of hardware and software in which storage processors are coupled to arrays of non-volatile storage devices, such as magnetic disk drives, electronic flash drives, and/or optical drives. The storage processors service storage requests, arriving from host machines ("hosts"), which specify blocks, files, and/or other data elements to be written, read, created, deleted, and so forth. Software running on the storage processors manages incoming storage requests and performs various data processing tasks to organize and secure the data elements on the non-volatile storage devices.
Some data storage systems, also called "arrays," arrange their data in metro clusters. "Metro clusters" are storage deployments in which two volumes hosted from respective arrays are synchronized and made to appear as a single volume to application hosts. Such volumes are sometimes referred to as "stretched" because they appear to extend between two arrays. Arrays participating in metro clusters can typically be separated by up to 100 km. Primary use cases for metro clusters include increased data availability, disaster avoidance, resource balancing across datacenters, and storage migration.
To ensure consistency between both sides of a stretched volume as write requests of data are received, arrays participating in a metro cluster may enforce a policy that defines which array writes the data first. In some arrangements, the array that receives the write request writes the data first locally and then replicates the data to the other array, where the data is written remotely. In other arrangements, the array that receives the write request forwards the data to the other array, which writes the data remotely first. Once the data are successfully written at the remote array, the local array that received the write request writes the data locally. In still other arrangements, the array that receives the data directs a simultaneous write of the data both locally and remotely.

Write first to winner in a metro cluster


The present invention relates to compounds represented by formula (I) or composition comprising at least one of such compounds, which are inhibitors of histone deacetylase. The detailed description of these compounds is disclosed in the Description. These compounds and the composition comprising the same may be useful as medicaments for the treatment of proliferative disorders as well as other diseases involving, relating to or associated with enzymes having histone deacetylase (HDAC) activities.

Abnormal expressions of genes are closely related to many human diseases, including malignant diseases, endocrine disturbance, immune system disorders, genetic and nervous system disorders, and neurodegenerative disease. The human genome is existed in the form of chromatin structure which is packaged in place by DNA, histones and non-histone proteins, and the chromatin structure plays an important role in determining whether a specific gene is expressive or not. In general, highly packed chromatin suppress transcription, while active expression occurs in those loosely areas of the chromatin.
Inside the nuclei of eukaryotic cells, a nucleosomal core particle is composed of a fragment of DNA (146 bp) wrapped around a histone octamer and the chromatin was formed by the four histone partners and the DNA wrapped around. Histone modifications play important roles in gene transcriptions, DNA replications and DNA repairs. These modifications include methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation of a histone. Among them, the dynamic acetylation level of a histone is catalytically maintained by a pair of enzymes named histone acetylases and histone deacetylases (HDAC). Recent studies revealed that small organic molecules could regulate the histone acetylation level by competitively inhibiting HDACs and thus may be useful in the treatment of carcinoma diseases, cardiac disorders and parasitic diseases, etc. HDACs are now promising targets for diverse drug discovery.
Several classes of HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) have been reported, including (1) short fatty acid, such as butylic acid and phenylbutylic acid; (2) hydroximates, e.g. suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and trichostatin A (TSA); (3) Cyclic Tetrapetides with 2-amino-8-oxo-9,10-epoxy-decanoyl, such as trapoxin and HC-toxon; (4) Cyclic Tetrapetides without 2-amino-8-oxo-9,10-epoxy-decanoyl, e.g. Apicidin and FK228; (5) Benzamides, such as MS-275 (EP 0847992, US 2002/0103192, WO 02/26696, WO 01/70675, WO 01/18171). Among them, SAHA was approved by FDA and launched in 2006 as Vorinostat (Zolinza), for the treatment of Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (George S. Mack: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2006; 98(20): 1443-1444).
WO 01/38322 discloses a HDAC inhibitor represented by the following formula (A):Cy-L1-Ar—Y1—C(O)—NH—Z  (A)
Wherein,
Cy is selected from a group consisting of cylcloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or heterocycloalkyl, each of them may be optionally substituted;
L1 is —(CH2)m—W—, m=0-4;
W is —C(O)NH— or —S(O)2NH—;
Ar is a substituted aryl;
Y1 is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain with or without substituents;
Z is selected from phenylamino, pyridinyl, thiadiazoyl, and —O-M, where M is H or a pharmaceutical acceptable cation ion.
WO 02/22577 discloses a HDAC inhibitor represented by the following formula (B):

Wherein,
R1 is selected from a group consisting of H, halogen, and linear C1-C6 alkyl;
R2 is selected from a group consisting of H, C1-C10 alkyl, C4-C9 cycloalkyl, C4-C9 heterocycloalkyl, C4-C9 heterocycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl alkyl and the like.
R3 and R4 are the same or different, and can be independently from each other selected from a group consisting of H, C1-C6 alkyl, acyl, acylamino; or
R3 and R4, together with the carbon atom to which they all combine, form a C═O, C═S or C═NR8; or
R2, together with the nitrogen to which R2 combines, and R3, together with the carbon to which R3 combines, form a C4-C9 heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, fused-ring heteroaryl, non-aryl fused-ring heterocyclyl or mixed aryls and non-aryl fused-ring heterocyclyls;
R5 is a H, C1-C6 alkyl, C4-C9 cycloalkyl, C4-C9 heterocycloalkyl, and the like;
n, m, p are the same or different, and can be independently from each other selected from 0-6; when n is 1-6, every carbon atom could be independently and optionally substituted by R3 and/or R4;
X and Y are the same or different and are independently from each other selected from a group consisting of H, halogen, C1-C4 alkyl, NO2, C(O)R1, OR9, SR9, CN and NR10R11;
US20060052599 discloses a HDAC inhibitor represented by the following formula (C):

Wherein,
R1 is a lower alkyl, higher alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower or higher alkynyl, lower cycloalkyl, higher cycloalkyl, lower cyclalkyl-lower alkyl, higher cycloalkyl-lower alkyl, lower cycloalkenyl-lower alkyl, aryl-lower cyclo alkyl, lower alkoxy, acyl, aryl, aryl-lower-alkoxy, lower heteroalkyl, amino, heteroaryl, heterocyclyl, and the like;
R2 is a H or lower alkyl; X is a aryl, heteroaryl, cycloaryl, etc: Y is a aryl or heteroaryl, etc; Z is a lower alkenyl, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,493 discloses another HDAC inhibitor shown by formula (D):

Wherein,
R1 is a N-containing heterocycloalkyl and it may be optionally substituted with one or more substituents;
R2 is a hydroxamate:
R3 is a H or a suitable substituent;
L1 is —(CH2)n—, n: 0-6: each of these residual may be substituted by one or more substituent.
L3 is a lower alkenyl.
However, there is still a need to provide further HDAC inhibitors that would be expected to be more effective, to have minimum side effects and more favourable pharmaceutical profiling.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors, process for preparation and uses thereof


A communication control device controls communication between a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller). The device includes a processor that performs a process of an OS (Operating System) and a process of the BIOS. When a communication request for communication with the BMC occurs from the BIOS or OS, the processor performs a process associated with the communication request by dividing it into a first process and a second process. The first process is configured to store contents of the communication request and make the OS restart a process without performing the communication between the BIOS and the BMC in response to the communication request. The second process is configured to actually perform the communication between the BIOS and the BMC in response to the stored communication request.

In a high-end server, in response to an instruction from an OS (Operating System) or as a result of judgment by the BIOS, the BIOS communicates with the BMC. Thanks to the communication, various kinds of platform management control, such as power control, dynamic configuration control or failure management, are performed. One example of a technique pertaining to such platform management control is disclosed in PTL 1. With the technique disclosed in PTL 1, when a recoverable error occurs, it is possible to make a log of information indicating a source of the error and the location of the source (see specification paragraph number [0010] to [0013] of PTL 1, for example).
For communication between the OS or BIOS and the BMC, industry standards have been put in place. The standards are disclosed in NPL 1. What is described in NPL 1 is several methods for the OS or BIOS to communicate with the BMC.

Device and method for controlling communication between BIOS and BMC


Methods and compositions are disclosed for inhibiting, deterring or preventing apoptosis of cardiac myocytes, transplanted stem cells, vascular stem cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells by means of expressing or synthesizing clusterin. Also disclosed are methods and compositions for producing recombinant clusterin, or its biologically active peptides, and for induction of clusterin-associated lipoproteins or enzymes for deterring or preventing inflammatory injury and apoptosis induced by oxLDL, oxysterols, cytokines, and Fas Ligand. Also disclosed is an induction method and composition for enhancing expression of ALDH and ALDH-associated enzymes or co-factors to prevent cytotoxicity or detoxification. Therapeutic methods providing new expression or overexpression of clusterin in vascular or cardiac tissue are expected to inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic lesions, stabilize existing atherosclerotic plaques, and repair failing or damaged cardiac tissue.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates cellular therapy and tissue engineering for treating atherosclerosis and heart failure, and more particularly to the synthesis and expression of clusterin (apolipoprotein-J) and its use in cellular therapy and tissue engineering, especially for protecting embryonic and adult stem cells against inflammatory injury and apoptosis.
2. Description of Related Art
Cellular therapy with multipotent stem cells for treatment of myocardial infarction and ischemic heart failure. During the development of ischemic heart failure caused by disruption of coronary circulation, progressive loss of functional myocytes occurs in the myocardium. Since adult mature myocytes do not proliferate, the damaged myocardium is replaced by connective tissue composed of non-cardiomyocytic cells and extracellular matrix and a scar surrounded by hypertrophied myocytes. By contrast, fetal cardiac myoblasts or stem cells can proliferate and differentiate into adult myocytes. Fetal myogenic stem cell proliferation remains active until the second week after birth. Recent studies have suggested that implantation of fetal cardiac or skeletal myoblasts1-4 may help heal an experimentally infarcted heart. These studies show that when implanted in the infarcted adult heart, embryonic myoblasts may survive, proliferate, and communicate with host cells in the myocardium. Using a swine model, van Meter, et al.6,7 reported that transplanted myoblasts formed close associations with host myocytes that resembled nascent intercalated disks on electron microscopy. These cells also contained myofibrils and other cell architecture resembling the transplanted cell lines, and they may exert an angiogenic influence resulting in the proliferation of the surrounding microvasculature.
In spite of the rapid progress in the studies of myocyte implantation, there is little information concerning the differentiation of the implanted fetal myocytes in the heart. The cell lineages in the heart, including cardiac myocytes, vascular cells and interstitial cells, are derived from embryonic stem cells. In addition to highly mature cardiac myocytes, some embryonic myoblasts, in particular those located in subepicardium, may differentiate into coronary arterial cells. It is now accepted that coronary arteries form originally in the subepicardial area and subsequently grow into the aorta. During embryonic development, the first signs of coronary vessel formation appear as blood island-like structures or endothelial tubes in the subepicardium.
In addition to fetal or embryonic tissues, adult or new-borne tissues may contain certain numbers of stem cells that differentiate into mature, functional cells in different organs. One of the major resources for adult stem cells is the bone marrow. Many studies recently have shown that stem cells from both human and animal bone marrows can differentiate into myocyte-like cells.1,4 Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells into the heart with experimental infarction leads to development of neomyocardial and neovascular tissues as well as improvement of heart function.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,860 (Alt) describes a process for repairing tissue of a patient's heart, which comprises delivering stem cells, preferably autologous stem cells, to the site of tissue to be repaired. The stem cells are injected through a catheter to invade the failing tissue at the site, while local forces at the site are quelled from disrupting migration of the stem cells into the failing tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,720 (Xiao, et al.) describes a therapeutic method for improving cardiac function after myocardial infarction using genetically altered mammalian embryonic stem cells. Exemplary cDNAs said to be useful for transfection are VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor); FGF1,2(fibroblast growth factor 1 and 2); TGF-α & β1-5 (transforming growth factor α & β1-5; IGF-1 & -2 (insulin-like growth factor 1 & 2); SERCA I & II (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase I & II); β2 (beta adrenergic receptor II); Gs-protein (stimulatory guanosine-binding protein); Ca.2+ channel (calcium channel); and telomerase.
Because of the limited supply of autologous stem cells, most studies use allogenic stem cells for transplantation. In general, stem cells are weak antigens that evoke little immune reaction. However, allogenic stem cells are transplanted frequently into the heart with infarction where they confront a very harsh environment. Local inflammation, oxidative stress and cytotoxic radicals and proteins may cause death of the transplanted cells primarily via an apoptotic mechanism. Even in the weak immune reaction to stem cells, long-term exposure to activate immune cells and their cytokine products may also trigger cell death by apoptosis. Apoptosis is a form of genetically programmed cell death that represents a major mechanism by which tissue removes unwanted, aged or damaged cells under both physiological and pathological conditions. Morphologically, apoptosis is characterized by chromatin compaction and margination, by nuclear condensation and fragmentation, and by cell shrinkage and blebbing.
Apoptosis may occur abnormally leading to accelerated cardiac cell death during heart failure, as demonstrated in animal models.8 During the development of atherosclerosis, accumulating free cholesterol undergoes oxidation, producing oxysterols with higher cytotoxicity to vascular cells. In vitro studies have shown that some oxysterols such as 7-ketocholesterol exerts potent apoptotic effects on stem cells. Oxysterols are considered to be major cytotoxic components of oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL). It has been shown that CD95 is present in human plaque, and it was proposed that activation of CD95 may mediate apoptosis of stem cells in the presence of IFNγ and TNFα. (Geng et al, Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. (1997) 17:2200-8). The role for apoptosis in the development of neocardiovascular tissues remains unclear, however.
Clusterin (Apolipoprotein-J)12 is a sulfated, heterodimeric glycoprotein containing two 40 kDa chains joined by a unique five disulfide bond motif, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. Encoded on a 2-kb mRNA, clusterin is transcribed from a single copy gene located on mouse chromosome 14.13 It contains several domains, such as amphipathic helix, heparin-binding domain, and lipid-binding domain. This protein was initially identified from ram rete testes fluid and named for its ability to elicit clustering of Sertoli cells supporting sperm maturation and development (NCBI/GenBank Accession No._NM—203339, NM—001831) Thereafter, species homologues have been isolated and cloned by a number of groups working in widely divergent areas, resulting in a number of synonyms including testosterone repressed prostate message-2 (TRPM-2), sulfated glycoprotein-2 (SGP-2), apolipoprotein-J (clusterin), SP-40, 40, complement cytolysis inhibitor (CLI), and dimeric acidic glycoprotein (DAG), gp 80, NA1/NA2, glycoprotein III, etc. Clusterin is constitutively expressed by various tissues and cells, in virtually all body fluids, and on the surface of cells lining body cavities. It circulates in blood with the high density lipoprotein (HDL) fractions, and thus considered as a component of HDL in which clusterin is associated with apolipoprotein-AI and paraoxonase (NCBI Accession No. NM—000446). The latter protein is one of the key enzymes with antioxidant property. Clusterin and its associated proteins are present at high levels in the lesions of patients with atherosclerosis.25 Clusterin is translated as a typical hydrophobic signal peptide with 21 amino acids in length.14 The biological functions of clusterin have not been completely known. Reported functions of clusterin include apoptosis regulation, complement defense, lipid recycling, membrane protection, and maintenance of cell-cell or cell-substratum contacts. It can effectively bind to lipids including both cholesterol and oxysterols, and has been shown to promote efflux of cholesterol and oxysterols from lipid-laden foam cells. This protein can also inhibit complement-mediated cell death, and promote cell aggregation and adhesion. Recently, clusterin has been found to be an anti-apoptotic protein. It has been reported that clusterin expression is induced and confers resistance to apoptotic cell death induced by heat shock and oxidative stress. High levels of clusterin have been shown in tissues with apoptosis. However, careful analysis of the producing cells revealed that clusterin expression is restricted to the vital cells adjacent to dead cells, suggesting that this molecule may act as a cell survival factor, which protects bystander cells. Recent studies have shown that clusterin is an anti-apoptotic protein.15
Developmental regulation of clusterin expression has been reported in many tissues including the heart, kidney, lung, and brain.16,17 In the heart, clusterin is found in both the atria and ventricles of the fetal mouse heart, but in the adult heart, only the atria show positive stains for clusterin.13 However, marked induction of clusterin can be detectable in the heart with acute infarction18, in particular the peri-infarct zone.19 Induction of clusterin is also observed in the myocardium with inflammation,20 suggesting a protective effect of clusterin in the inflammatory myocardium. Clusterin-deficient mice appear to be more sensitive to develop myocarditis than age-and sex-matched wild type controls. In the kidney, clusterin is expressed in the ureteric bud but not in surrounding mesenchyme.21 When the mesenchyme is induced to differentiate into renal epithelium, clusterin expression takes place and continues in developing tubules. In newborn mice, almost all the tubules express clusterin, but adult tubules rarely express clusterin. Similar to the time course in the heart and kidney, the developing fetal but not adult lung contains clusterin.
The temporal expression of clusterin during ontogeny and tissue injury implies a role for clusterin in organogenesis and tissue remodeling, perhaps through regulation of stem cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, and interactions with other cellular components or extracellular matrix.16 Little and Mirkes22 recently investigated the relationship between clusterin expression, normal programmed cell death (PCD) in the developing rat limb bud, and abnormal cell death induced by hyperthermia in day 11 rat embryos. They observed that clusterin mRNA and protein were expressed at high levels in the heart, a tissue that is completely resistant to the cytotoxic effects of hyperthermia. Similar finding occurs in the developing brain. Clusterin expression occurs in the earliest neurons of the cortical plate on embryonic day (E) 12, and can continue to increase in an age-dependent manner, with the greatest intensity of expression being found in the postnatal mature brain.23 Clusterin is also frequently found in neuron degenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.24
In order to better implement the full potential of stem cell transplantation for treatment of atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction and heart failure, new ways are needed to promote or enhance the success of cellular therapy, including improving the survival of transplanted cells.

Clusterin-mediated inhibition of apoptosis via stromal bone marrow cell delivery to a cardiac site

Board of Regents of the University of Texas System


In a wedge ring mechanism for providing a collet clamping force in a machine tool spindle, a sleeve member retains a plurality of steel balls. A mechanical advantage is realized as the balls are wedged between obliquely inclined surfaces. The sleeve member is provided with a plurality of cylindrical passageways so that positive control over the motion of the balls is maintained at all times during both engagement and release of the collet clamping force, thereby obviating the need to pinch out the balls during release.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of machine tools, and more particularly to a draw bar mechanism for operating a collet chuck.
2. Background Art
In an industrial machine tool having a rotating spindle, a cutting tool is generally retained in a collet chuck. A clamping force is commonly applied to the collet by a spring loaded draw bar. Due to design considerations such as bearing size and spindle loads, the spring size is subject to practical limitations. It becomes difficult to supply a sufficient collet clamping force and yet provide a reasonable service life. Therefore, in certain prior art draw bar spindles, the force of the spring is multiplied by means of a wedge ring mechanism. Such a mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,753. In this and similar devices, a number of steel balls are operatively engaged with bearing surfaces on the spindle, the draw bar and a sliding sleeve, respectively. The bearing surfaces are at relative angles of inclination such that a mechanical advantage is realized as the spring loaded sleeve causes the balls to be wedged between the bearing surfaces of the spindle and draw bar.
In the prior art wedge ring devices, a sleeve forces the balls to wedge between the spindle and the draw bar under the force of the spring, but upon release of the clamping force, the sleeve is no longer in positive contact with the balls. Therefore, in order to release the tool from the collet, a release force must be applied to the draw bar to "pinch" the balls out of position. The magnitude of the force that must be applied to the draw bar to pinch the balls out of position is a function of the relative angles of inclination between the bearing surfaces of the spindle and the draw bar, and can be a limiting factor in the design of the prior art devices.
Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a wedge ring mechanism in which positive control is maintained over the motion of the balls at all times during both engagement and release of the collet clamping force.


An ice-making machine comprises a housing, an evaporator connected to a freezing system, a base frame having a plurality of freezing cells for receiving water to be frozen, a freezing base plate on which the evaporator is disposed, the freezing base plate having a lower surface and freezing fingers formed thereon to be dipped into the water received by the freezing cells, and an air-removing means rocking the base frame to remove air bubbles from the water to be frozen. The air-removing means comprises a supporting frame for movably supporting the base frame and enabling it to rock upward and downward, a spring interposed between the base frame and the supporting frame, and a pressing means for repeatedly pressing the base frame, and the base frame being capable of rocking upward and downward due to the elastic recovering force of the spring and the pressure of the pressing means so that the water in the freezing cells are applied to the freezing fingers repeatedly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an ice-making machine, and more particularly, to an ice-making machine reducing ice making time and reducing the amount of water to be frozen from being wasted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An ice-making machine is used for freezing water to form pieces of ice. One proposal is for an ice-making machine capable of preventing opacification, which occurs as air bubbles inside the water are frozen. FIGS. 1 through 3 are views showing a conventional ice-making machine, such as that disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No.5,425,243.
As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, a conventional ice-making machine includes a housing 10, a freezing unit 20, an air-removing means 30, and a detecting means 40 for detecting completion of the ice formation operation.
The housing 10 has an ice bin 11 for storing therein ice pieces formed in the freezing unit 20. Under the ice bin 11 are disposed a compressor 12 and a condenser 13, together comprising a freezing system.
As shown in FIG. 2, the freezing unit 20 includes a water tray 21, a freezing base plate 22 having a lower surface, and an evaporator 23. The water tray 21 is filled with the water to be frozen. A plurality of freezing fingers 24 are formed on the lower surface of the freezing base plate 22 to be dipped into the water in the water tray 21. At a side of the water tray 21 is provided a pivoting means 25 to discharge unfrozen water in the water tray 21 by tilting the water tray 21. The evaporator 23 is disposed on the upper surface of the freezing base plate 22 and is connected to a freezing system 12,13. As the refrigerant flows inside the evaporator 23, the freezing base plate 22 and the freezing fingers 24 are cooled utilizing heat exchange of the refrigerant.
The air-removing means 30 removes the air bubbles inside the water to be frozen, thereby preventing opacification from occurring during ice formation. The air-removing means 30 includes a rocking plate 31 vertically rocking inside the water tray 21 and a rocking motor 32 for driving the rocking plate 31. An engagement piece 33 disposed adjacent the rocking motor 32 pushes an engagement pin 34 upwardly of the rocking plate 31 to thereby move the rocking plate 31. Due to the rocking movement of the rocking plate 31, the air bubbles float upwardly and outside the water and thus are removed from the frozen ice pieces.
The detecting means 40 for detecting completion of the ice forming operation, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a forefinger switch 41, on which a lever 42 is disposed, and an actuation piece 44, disposed on a metal fitting 43 to which the rocking motor 32 is attached. When the rocking plate 31 collides with the ice pieces being gradually formed around the freezing fingers 24, the shock of the rocking plate 31 is transferred to the rocking motor 32 through the engagement piece 33. At this time, the metal fitting 43 is rotated on a supporting pivot shaft 45, so that the actuation piece 44, disposed at the metal fitting 43, presses the lever 42 to thus operate the forefinger switch 41.
The conventional ice-making machine further includes a water supply pipe 14, a pivotal shaft 26, a water chute 27, and a water collecting section 15, all of which are not further described herein as they are known in the conventional devices.
Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional ice-making machine is described.
When water to be frozen is supplied to the water tray 21 through the water supply pipe 14, to thus immerse the freezing fingers 24 dipped in the water, the water starts to be frozen around the freezing fingers 24 that are cooled at the temperature of 0xc2x0 C. or lower by the heat exchange of the refrigerant flowing inside the evaporator 23. At the same time, the rocking motor 32 is activated to vertically rock the rocking plate 31 immersed in the water. Accordingly, the water is vertically rocked and thus the air bubbles inside the water are removed by floating upwardly. As a result, clear ice pieces are formed around the freezing fingers 24.
The ice pieces are gradually formed around the freezing fingers 24 to have a predetermined size, and the rocking plate 31 collides with the ice pieces so that the shock of the rocking plate 31 is transferred to the rocking motor 32 via the engagement piece 33. At this time, the metal fitting 43 to which the rocking motor 32 is attached is rotated on the supporting shaft 45 in a clockwise direction so that the actuation piece 44 presses the lever 42 of the forefinger switch 41. Accordingly, the time of completion of the ice forming operation is detected. When the ice formation is completed, the rocking plate 31 stops being rocked, hot gas is discharged from the compressor 12 and is supplied directly to the evaporator 23 without passing through the condenser 13 to temporarily heat the freezing fingers 24, and the water tray 21 pivots on the pivotal shaft 26 by the pivoting means 25 to thus be tilted. Accordingly, the formed ice pieces are separated from the freezing fingers 24 and are dropped into the ice bin 11. The unfrozen water that remains in the water tray 21 is guided by the water chute 27 and is discharged to the water collecting section 15.
Such conventional ice-making machines require an amount of water exceeding what is actually to be frozen as the water tray is designed to hold more than the amount of water necessary to make ice pieces, thereby wasting a lot of water.
Moreover, since the freezing fingers 24 cool not only the water around the freezing fingers 24 but also cool all of the water in the water tray 21, excessive energy is consumed and the growth rate of the ice pieces formed around the freezing fingers 24 is unnecessarily reduced.
The present invention has been developed in order to solve the above problems of the prior, art conventional ice-making machines. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ice-making machine reducing the amount of water to be frozen that is cooled by supplying a predetermined amount of water into a plurality of freezing chambers having a predetermined size, and shortening the time required to form ice pieces by increasing the freezing rate.
The above object is achieved by providing an ice-making machine comprising a housing, an evaporator connected to a freezing system, a base frame having a plurality of freezing cells for receiving water to be frozen, a freezing base plate on which the evaporator is disposed, the freezing base plate having a lower surface and freezing fingers formed thereon to be dipped into the water supplied to the freezing cells, and an air-removing means for rocking the base frame to remove air bubbles from the water to be frozen.
Preferably, the air-removing means comprises a supporting frame for movably supporting the base frame and enabling it to rock upward and downward, a spring interposed between the base frame and the supporting frame, and a pressing means for repeatedly pressing the base frame, and the base frame being capable of rocking upward and downward due to the elastic recovering force of the spring and the pressure of the pressing means so that the water in the freezing cells are applied to the freezing fingers repeatedly.
Also, it is preferred that the pressing means comprises a cam disposed for contact with the base frame and a cam motor for rotating the cam.
Also, it is preferred that the base frame has a sliding bar for being inserted into a sliding hole formed in the supporting frame.
Also, the ice making machine further comprises a detecting means for detecting completion of the ice forming operation by detecting a variation in the distance within which the base frame is being rocked, the variation depending on the sizes of the ice pieces formed around the freezing fingers.
Preferably, the detecting means comprises a magnetic sensor for sensing a variation in the magnetic force caused by the rocking base frame to detect when the ice pieces formed around the freezing fingers reach the predetermined sizes.
Preferably, a blocking segment moving vertically between both sensing portions of the magnetic sensor is movably provided at a side of the supporting frame, and the magnetic sensor is disposed at the base frame for detecting the variation in the magnetic force caused by the movement of the blocking segment when the base frame is rocked upward and downward.


An apparatus and method to identify devices including a first set of commands to identify devices in a first state and a second set of commands to identify devices in a second state, wherein devices identified in the first state are placed in the second state and devices identified in the second state are placed in the first state.

It is desirable to interrogate multiple wireless tags by sending from an interrogating transmitter a code and having information transmitted by the tag in response. This is commonly accomplished by having the tag listen for an interrogation message and for it to respond with a unique serial number and/or other information.
Since only one tag can be read at a time, some prior art devices and apparatuses have improved this interrogation and response process by utilizing a ready-quiet protocol. In the case of a ready-quiet protocol, the tags, once placed in the quiet state, must either timeout or be touched by a talk command before they can participate in an inventory. Several talk commands can be issued before an inventory, but there is no guarantee that multipath will be favourable, the frequency right, or even that a specific tag is physically close enough to the reader at that point in time. Any tags that miss the command or commands to wake up at the beginning of the inventory process will be missed, which is undesirable.
The use of a time-out for a persistent quiet is a conceptually simple alternative, but the manufacture of a tag that has a tightly controlled persistence time is difficult. Also, for example, 10 seconds might be too short a time to inventory a large number of tags, and yet 10 seconds might be long enough to interfere with multiple readers tracking an item on a trajectory or catching a shoplifter in the act of destroying a tag or putting the item into a shielded bag and walking away with an item.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatuses to identify devices


There are disclosed a new peptide .alpha.-hANP of the following structure: ##STR1## and acid addition salt thereof; a diuretic composition and a hypotensor composition containing the .alpha.-hANP or an acid addition salt thereof; and processes for the production thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel peptide, a process for the production thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the novel peptide as a diuretic or hypotensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A normal regulation of the blood pressure in a human body is important for the maintenance of personal health, and various physical and humoral factors contribute to this regulation of the blood pressure. The physical factors include, for example, output, and the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, etc. The humoral factors include, for example, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, catecholamines, prostaglandins, kinin-kallikrein system, and natriuretic hormones including ouabain-like substances. Herein the term "natriuretic" will denote selective excretion of sodium cation relating to potassium cation.
Granules morphologically similar to granules present in peptide hormone-producing cells are found in human atrium (J. D. Jamieson and G. E. Palade, J. Cell Biol., 23, 151, 1964). A homogenate of rat atrium and granules contained therein are known to show natriuretic action in rats (A. J. DeBold et. al., Life Science, 28, 89, 1981; R. Keeller, Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol., 60, 1078, 1982). Recently, Mark G., Currie S. et. al. suggested peptide-like substances with a molecular weight of 20,000 to 30,000, or not more than 10,000, present in atrium of humans, rabbits, swine, and rats, and having natriuretic action (Science, 221, 71-73, 1983).

An H-ANP peptide, pharmaceutical composition and method of use


The purpose of the invention is an article of funerary ornamentation, characterized in that it includes a receptacle adapted to receive mementos, which is of a combustible material and is covered by a display layer with personalized themes. In particular, the receptacle is composed of a box in two parts that enclose each other and the ornamental article includes a supporting device suitable for keeping the box in an inclined plane in relation to horizontal.

Participants in funeral ceremonies who wish to honor the deceased make use in burial ceremonies of plaques of stone, such as marble, or other commemorative articles on which inscriptions are engraved in memory of the deceased on which photos or funeral articles, such as crosses or flowers sculpted in metal or other materials, are placed. Such commemorative articles are left around the casket of the deceased and are then left on the grave of the deceased or in the burial vault into which the deceased is placed.
In funeral ceremonies followed by cremation, traditional commemorative articles cannot be used as they cannot accompany the coffin and the deceased at the time of cremation.

Incinerable article of funerary ornamentation