In a centrifugal fan, a casing includes: a top plate; a motor base configured to serve as a bottom plate; and a plurality of support members provided between the top plate and the motor base, wherein an opening functioning as an air outlet opening is formed at each side of the casing so as to be surrounded by adjacent support members, the top plate and the motor base, and an impeller, which is housed between the top plate and the motor base of the casing, includes: an annular shroud; and a plurality of blades arranged in the circumferential direction and provided under the shroud, wherein at least one part of each blade opposes directly the motor base of the casing, and wherein the motor base opposes the lower parts of the blades in the direction of a rotary shaft of the impeller with a predetermined air gap provided therebetween.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal fan, and particularly a centrifugal fan in which noises attributable to air blowing are reduced and also cost is reduced.
2. Description of the Related Art
A centrifugal fan is structured to include: a scroll casing which includes an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening; and an impeller which is housed in the scroll casing. The impeller is structured such that a number of blades are arranged around the circumference of a rotary shaft of a motor.
The centrifugal fan operates in such a manner that air is taken in through the air inlet opening of the scroll casing, moved from the center of the impeller through between the blades and then emitted in the radially outward direction of the impeller by hydrodynamic force generated by centrifugal action resulting from the rotation of the impeller. The air emitted out from the outer circumference of the impeller is caused to travel inside the scroll casing and is blown out through the air outlet opening as high-pressure air.
The centrifugal fan is widely used for cooling household electric appliances, office automation equipment or industrial equipment, for air ventilation or air conditioning, and is also used as an air blower for vehicles. The blast performance and noise level of the centrifugal fan are largely influenced by the blade shape of the impeller and the shape of the scroll casing (namely, the structure of the centrifugal fan).
Various approaches have conventionally been made for optimizing the impeller blade shape and the scroll casing structure for the purpose of reducing the noise level and enhancing the blast performance. In one conventional approach, a centrifugal fan is proposed in which the shape of impeller blades is optimized to thereby reduce noise level (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S63-289295).
FIG. 6 shows in plan a cutaway view of the aforementioned centrifugal fan disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S63-289295, and FIG. 7 shows perspectively an impeller of the centrifugal fan shown in FIG. 6.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, an impeller 120 of a centrifugal fan 100 includes a primary plate 121, a secondary plate 122, and a plurality of blades 123 arranged between the primary plate 121 and the secondary plate 122. When the impeller 120 rotates (in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 6), the outer circumferential portion of the blade 123 rotates behind the inner circumferential portion of the blade 123. The impeller 120 is attached inside a casing 127 having a scroll shape, and air is blown.
The air to be blown is taken in through an air inlet opening 140 and emitted from the outer circumference of the impeller 120 by hydrodynamic force generated by centrifugal action by means of the blades 123 of the impeller 120. The pressure of the air emitted out from the outer circumference of the impeller 120 is increased by means of the scroll-shaped casing 127 and then is blown out through an air outlet opening 141.
The impeller 120 thus has what is called a backward inclined blade structure in which, as described above, the outer circumferential portion of the blade 123 rotates behind the inner circumferential portion of the blade 123 with respect to the rotation direction of the impeller 120. Namely, as shown in FIG. 6, the blade 123 is curved to be inclined backward with respect to the rotation direction of the impeller 120. A centrifugal fan which is provided with the impeller blade structure described above is generally called a turbo-fan.
In the turbo-fan (centrifugal fan 100) shown in FIG. 6, the plurality of blades 123 are sandwiched between the primary plate 121 and the secondary plate 122 which has a diameter identical to the diameter of the primary plate 121.
The blade 123 has a trailing edge obliquely cut off so that a curved side 135 positioned at the primary plate 121 is shorter than a curved side 134 positioned at the secondary plate 122. As a result, a time lag is generated between a time when a trailing edge portion 131 positioned at the primary plate 121 passes by a casing tongue 129 and a time when a trailing edge portion 132 positioned at the secondary plate 122 passes by the casing tongue 129.
Consequently, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S63-289295, the pressure variation caused by the blade 123 passing by the casing tongue 129 can be temporally dispersed and so the energy to produce sound is dispersed thus reducing generation of noises.
In the above turbo-fan described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S63-289295, the shape of the blade 123 is optimally modified in order to reduce noises produced when air is blown. In the scroll-shaped casing 126, however, the casing tongue 129 is formed, and noises which are produced when the air emitted from the impeller hits the casing tongue 129 cannot be satisfactorily reduced.
Also, in the turbo-fan described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S63-289295, the air emitted from the outer circumference of the impeller 120 is caused to travel along the inner surface of the scroll-shaped casing 127 and to be blown out through the air outlet opening 141. Therefore, the air flow is likely to be disturbed at the inner surface of the scroll-shaped casing 127 and also near the air outlet opening, and the air flow disturbed there causes noise generation.
Further, recently, for the centrifugal fan used in an air blower for household electric appliances, office automation equipment or vehicles, cost reduction as well as noise reduction and miniaturization is strongly requested.
In the scroll-shaped casing 127 shown in FIG. 6, however, an air flow passage to conduct air to the air outlet opening 141 must be provided around the outer circumference of the impeller 120. Accordingly, the outer diameter of the scroll-shaped casing 127 has to be about twice as large as the outer diameter of the impeller 120, which, as a result, makes it difficult to downsize the turbo-fan.
The roll-scrolled casing 127 and the impeller 120 are generally made of synthetic resin, and due to the recent economic situation that the price of synthetic resin is increasing, there is a problem, in addition to the above described downsizing difficulty problem, that the cost of the centrifugal fan cannot be easily reduced.


Methods and apparatus for alternative billing of VoIP services are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving an indication at a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device that a call placed from the VoIP user device is blocked, and sending a VoIP protocol message containing billing information received at the VoIP user device to an alternative billing server. Another disclosed example method comprises determining at a VoIP call session control function (CSCF) server that a VoIP session is blocked, and providing a prompt at a VoIP user device to obtain billing information for the VoIP session.

In communication systems, such as voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, calls may be restricted (e.g., blocked) based upon what telephone numbers are being called and/or based upon the location(s) from which calls are being initiated. Such restrictions may be used, for example, by a VoIP subscriber and/or VoIP service provider to reduce the occurrence of unauthorized calls. For example, a VoIP phone and/or VoIP service in a hotel lobby may be provisioned and/or configured to restrict long distance calls, and/or calls placed to international destinations and/or pay-per-use numbers (e.g., 900/976 telephone number).

Methods and apparatus for alternative billing of voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services


Dual field oxide isolation (34 & 42) is formed by oxidizing through a portion (44) of a silicon nitride layer (30), through an exposed portion (43) of a remaining portion (18) of a masking layer (16), and through an exposed portion (42) of a buffer layer (28), all of which overlie isolation regions (22) of the silicon substrate (12). The different portions vary the diffusion rate of oxygen so that different field oxide thicknesses are created in a single field oxidation cycle. Therefore, integrated circuits having both low voltage densely packed devices and high voltage devices can be fabricated on the same circuit.

The combination of multiple functions on a single semiconductor chip is a growing trend in the development and manufacturing of advanced integrated circuits. For example, "Smart Power" applications involve the integration of power transistors with logic circuitry. A challenge with this approach is that the device requirements for power transistors are quite different as compared to the requirements for logic circuitry. Power transistors are relatively larger and operate at much higher voltages than transistors used in logic circuitry. In contrast, the logic devices are smaller and more densely packed. Hence, a semiconductor process allowing fabrication of both logic and power devices on the same integrated circuit is necessary. For example, the process needs to allow fabrication of different electrical isolation structures on the same chip.
Local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) is the most commonly used isolation technology for silicon integrated circuits. In a standard LOCOS process, a thin layer of pad oxide is thermally grown on the surface of a silicon wafer. A silicon nitride layer is then deposited onto the pad oxide layer. The silicon nitride layer is then photolithographically patterned and etched to define active regions and isolation regions. Field oxide is then grown in the isolation regions, while the active regions, which are masked by the patterned silicon nitride layer, are protected from the oxidation process.
Various other modified LOCOS processes have also been proposed to fabricate electrical isolation structures. One approach uses a conformal layer of polysilicon to fill a cavity created by undercutting pad oxide layer lying underneath the silicon nitride oxidation mask. A second approach fills the cavity with a conformal layer of silicon nitride, which is then anisotropically etched to form a sidewall spacer adjacent to the silicon nitride filled cavity.
The limitation of all LOCOS-based processes is that only one field oxide thickness can be fabricated across the integrated circuit during a single field oxidation cycle. However, integration of multiple functions on the same semiconductor device requires an isolation process for creating different field oxide thicknesses, which is typically achieved with at least two field oxidation cycles. A process which requires multiple field oxidation cycles is more costly due to added steps and longer processing time.

Method of forming dual field oxide isolation


In accordance with some embodiments, an exemplary process for dynamically controlling the size of a display based on a moving of a visual object meeting a criterion in a computer-generated reality (CGR) environment is described.

Computer-generated reality environments are environments where at least some objects displayed for a user's viewing are generated by a computer. In some uses, a user may interact with a representation of a physical display within the computer-generated reality environment. However, there is a lack of robust functionality for dynamically controlling the size of displays within computer-generated reality environments. In addition, there is a lack of functionality for controlling the display of representations within computer-generated reality environments.
Furthermore, in current systems, there is a lack of functionality for controlling a display of user interface elements based on a gaze within computer-generated reality environments. Further still, existing systems lack functionality for controlling the displaying of a virtual display window based on a hinge angle of a physical device within computer-generated reality environments.


A semiconductor thin film deposition apparatus having at least one reactor in which a wafer is received, a gas supply portion for supplying a reaction gas or inert gas to the reactor, and an exhaust pump for exhausting gas from the reactor, characterized in that the improvement comprises an ozone supply portion for generating ozone as a gas that reacts with the reaction gas, and for supplying the ozone to the reactor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film deposition apparatus for a semiconductor, and more particularly, to a semiconductor thin film deposition apparatus which can deposit a thin film, for example, an aluminum oxide film, on a wafer using ozone and also perform thermal treatment using ozone.
2. Description of the Related Art
General thin film deposition apparatuses for depositing a thin film on a wafer use deionized (DI) water vapor as a reaction gas for oxidation. For example, an aluminum oxide film can be formed at a thickness of an atomic layer by continuously introducing DI water vapor and TriMethylAluminum (TMA) gas into a reactor on which a wafer is loaded, and subsequently purging the introduced DI water vapor and TMA reaction gas.
However, when DI water vapor is used, an Oxe2x80x94H group exists within a thin film, for example, an aluminum oxide film, formed by a thin film deposition process or by thermal treatment, thus degrading the characteristics of the thin film. That is, H existing in the thin film causes damage to the thin film, thereby degrading the characteristics of the thin film.
To solve the above problem, an objective of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor thin film deposition apparatus in which the use of ozone as a reaction gas for oxidation prevents defects from being generated within a thin film deposited on a wafer.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a semiconductor thin film deposition apparatus having at least one reactor in which a wafer is received, a gas supply portion for supplying a reaction gas or inert gas to the reactor, and an exhaust pump for exhausting gas from the reactor, characterized in that the improvement comprises an ozone supply portion for generating ozone as a gas that reacts with the reaction gas, and for supplying the ozone to the reactor.

Thin film deposition apparatus for semiconductor


A displacement control device of a variable-displacement hydraulic pump which increases the response speed when the pump discharge pressure is low and suppresses increase of the response speed when the pump discharge pressure is high. The displacement control device has a variable-displacement piston 3 which activates a displacement control member 2 of the variable displacement hydraulic pump 1, a circuit 10 which provides a communication between a large-diameter pressure chamber 6 on the variable-displacement piston 3 and an output port 9 of the control valve 7, and a variable restriction valve 11 which is provided in the circuit 10. The restriction valve 11 increases and decreases its opening area when the pump discharge pressure is low and high, respectively. When the pump discharge pressure is low, the pump discharge pressure is smoothly introduced into the large-diameter pressure chamber 6 through the control valve 7, whereas, when the pump discharge pressure is high, the supply of the discharge pressure to the large-diameter pressure chamber is restricted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for controlling the displacement of a variable-displacement hydraulic pump by using the delivery pressure of the pump.
2. Description of Related Art
Various devices are known for controlling the displacement of a variable- displacement hydraulic pump, i.e., the amount of fluid discharged per revolution of the pump shaft.
An apparatus such as is shown in FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) controls displacement by using a discharge pressure of the pump. More specifically, a variable-displacement pump 1 has a displacement control member 2 which is connected to a variable-displacement piston 3. A pressure chamber 4 defined on the small-diameter end of the piston 3 communicates with a discharge passage 5 of the variable-displacement pump 1, while a pressure chamber 6 defined at a large-diameter end of the piston 3 communicates with the discharge passage 5 through a control valve 7. The control valve 7 is urged by the pressure in the discharge passage 5, i.e., the discharge pressure P1 of the pump, towards a communicating position A. At the same time, the control valve 7 is urged towards a drain position B by a pressure acting on the outlet side of an operation valve 8, i.e., by the load pressure P2. When there is a large difference between the discharge pressure P1 and the load pressure P2, the control valve 7 is urged to and held in the communicating position so that the discharge pressure is supplied to the large-diameter pressure chamber 6, whereby the variable displacement piston 3 is actuated towards the small-displacement side due to the difference in the area between the pressure chambers. Conversely, when the above-mentioned difference in the pressure between P1 and P2 is small, the control valve 7 is held in the drain position B so as to reduce the pressure in the large-diameter pressure chamber 6, whereby the variable-displacement piston 3 is urged towards the large-diameter side.
This known displacement control device, however, suffers from the problem that the velocity of movement of the variable-displacement piston 3, i.e., the response speed, varies depending on the rate of change in the pressure inside the large-diameter pressure chamber 6 on the variable-displacement pump 3. Consequently, the response speed is high or low, when the discharge pressure P1 is high or low, respectively. Therefore, if the pump is adjusted to obtain a sufficiently higher response speed when the discharge pressure P1 is low, the response speed is excessively increased when the discharge pressure P1 is high. Consequently, various problems arise such as damage to internal parts such as a swash plate due to collision with a stopper, or occurrence of cavitation due to a drastic reduction in the suction pressure caused by a rapid increase in the displacement.

Device for controlling displacement of variable displacement hydraulic pump


The invention relates to an electric power tool with a housing, in which a drive mechanism is received; the electric power tool includes a shaft, with a chuck (20) received in it, for receiving a tool insert (19). The chuck (20) is surrounded by an annular bearing face (9). The bearing face (8, 9) includes receiving elements that enable the guidance of the electric power tool on a guide rail (1, 35), such as receptacles (21, 22; 31, 32) and (33) for slip-on tools (25), such as templates, that can be received on the support (8, 9).

Electric power tools both for do-it-yourselfers and for craftsmen must be suitable for many different purposes, if they are to find enough customers. For the most various purposes of the electric power tool, retrofitting of the electric power tool may be needed from one intended use to another, and as much as possible such retrofitting should be feasible without an additional tool. Besides retrofitting that can be done quickly and simply on the tool and is preferably feasible via snap closures or bayonet mounts, there is a need on an electric power tool to be able to move the electric power tool along a guide as well, to enhance the quality of the work done, such as the course of a cut or the location of a milled opening.
Copying sleeves used until now, which can be used as slip-on tools on electric power tools, require a complicated receptacle on the bearing foot of the tool. If the slip-on tool for instance is copying sleeves, then when used in interior completion or renovation, they have to be changed oftenxe2x80x94for instance whenever single or multiple electrical outlets have to be installed in room walls or bearing building walls. The frequent change of vertical collar openings to be placed at different diameters in interior completion or renovation is time-consuming and tedious. A complicated receptacle demands additional time and when done often on the electric power tool is a weak point of the tool, which makes such an electric power tool combination more vulnerable to malfunction.
Electric power tools used in interior completion or renovation should, however, be sturdy in design and should have copying sleeve receptacles that are easy to change by simply being slipped onto the electric power tool.
The advantages associated with the embodiment of the invention are considered above all to be that the electric power tool can now be guided along a guide rail on a guide groove shaped out in the support foot or in the bearing face thereof on the workpiece.
The closing edge of the guide rail can function as a reference edge for longitudinal guidance of the tool or can serve to position the electric power tool, with a tool insert received in it, relative to the workpiece. To make longitudinal guidance along the guide rail easier, the groove provided in the support, represented for instance by two aligned notches on the circumference, can be let by positive engagement into a guide rib embodied on a guide rail, so that lateral displacement of the electric power tool along with the insert tool received on it is possible along the guide rib. The guide rail can be embodied as a universally usable tool with an integrated template function, by the provision of different templates of different diameters. With it, workpieces can be cut or milled flush, the workpieces comprising the most various materials, such as plaster, wood, wood materials, whether they invoke solid wood or particle boards or the like. The closing edge of the guide rail provided with a guide rib can advantageously serve as a reference edge. On the other hand, by means of a guide rail with an integrated template function, this can for instance serve as a milling template for vertical collar fittings to be provided in room wails or in bearing building walls. The usual mill opening diameters for vertical collar diameters can be provided on the template. Milling can now be done in a straight line along the guide rib of the guide rail by simply mounting the support of the electric power tool.
On the support foot of the tool configured according to the invention, a copying sleeve can be received in a simple way on detent means or encircling grooves provided there, which act as a receiving element for a slip-on-type tool attachment. The tool attachments that can be slipped on and locked on the bearing face in the manner of a bayonet mount can be rotated in the manner of a bayonet mount, after a slip-on motion done in the vertical direction, by a few degrees in the circumferential direction of the electric power tool and are reliably fixed directly in their working position.
The copying sleeves serving as slip-on tools are slip-on-type elements; they are preferably made from plastic, and on their circumference, in the region of a drive mechanism extending all the way around and beginning at the bottom face, they are provided with a number of detent tongues. The flexibility of the detent tongues on the drive mechanism of the slip-on tool can be enhanced by providing that the various detent tongues provided on the drive mechanism are surrounded on both sides by openings, so that the detent tongues per se, as plastic components, intrinsically have a certain amount of elasticity, which reinforces a snap-in motion. The detent tongues can for instance be oriented at an angle of 90xc2x0 from one another on the template-like top-mounted element, so that the slip-on element is fixed at four points along the circumference of the bearing face. The bottom region of the template-like slip-on element made from plastic can be adjusted variously, depending on the desired machining depth of the insert tool received in the chuck of the electric power tool. By way of the configuration of the bottom region, that is, the thickness of the bottom region of the template, the machining depth can be adjusted by the insert tool on the one hand; on the other hand, advantageously, a vertical adjuster is received on the side of the electric power tool. The vertical adjuster includes an attachment element, on which, with an opening, the annular support surrounding the tool receptacle is embodied.
On the vertical guide, a screw is provided, extending in a longitudinal groove and fixable with stool or via a capstan screw; the vertical guide is embodied as a groovelike profile. Thus the spacing of the electric power tool, or of the insert tool received in it, from the bearing face of the support can be adjusted, so that with the vertical adjuster, the machining depth by the tool insert is also adjustable.

Electric tool comprising a universal mounting for tool attachments


Medical systems are described herein. More particularly, the disclosure relates to medical systems, methods, and kits useful in providing the diameter of a balloon during the performance of a procedure. An exemplary medical system comprises a balloon catheter, an inflation device, and a measuring device having one or more indicia. Each indicium of the one or more indicia has a form that corresponds to the nominal value of a balloon diameter.

It is sometimes necessary or otherwise desirable to dilate a bodily passage, such as an airway, using a balloon catheter. For example, when an airway becomes narrowed, balloon dilation—the dilation of the airway using a balloon catheter—provides an alternative to radical surgical approaches for opening the airway. Conventional dilation procedures advance a balloon catheter over a previously-placed wire guide and move the balloon to an inflated configuration to effectuate dilation. However, these procedures are complicated by the need to determine the diameter of the balloon during the procedure, which can cause damage to the bodily passage if overinflated or fail to provide the necessary dilation if underinflated.
One method of determining the diameter of the balloon during treatment is to inflate the balloon with an inflation device containing a pressure gauge. However, this approach has significant drawbacks because it requires the use of a pressure gauge that provides a numerical value representing the pressure of a fluid disposed within the balloon. A user must observe the numerical value representing the pressure and subsequently reference the device labeling to determine the diameter of the balloon. This is accomplished, for example, by referencing a chart or table that correlates the numerical value representing the pressure with a diameter of the balloon. This increases the potential for human error during the conversion process between pressure and diameter and increases the time and complexity of the procedure.
Therefore, a need exists for improved systems, methods, and kits for providing the diameter of a balloon during treatment.

System, method, and kit for providing the diameter of a balloon during treatment


The present invention relates to a process for inexpensively and effectively recovering a high-purity organic acid, according to which a crude organic acid is subjected to extraction treatment with an organic solvent to obtain an organic solvent extract containing an organic acid; the organic solvent extract is mixed with a high-pressure gas to precipitate and separate impurities thereby obtaining a solution containing a high-purity organic acid; and the organic acid is separated from the solution to obtain a high-purity organic acid.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for recovering a high-purity organic acid.
2. Description of Prior Art
For separating an organic acid from a crude organic acid which mainly contains citric acid, produced by a fermentation method, and purifying the organic acid, the following process is conventionally known. That is, a metal hydroxide (e.g., calcium hydroxide) is added to an aqueous solution of an organic acid obtained by extraction of fermented koji (fermented grain) with hot water to precipitate a metal salt of the organic acid (e.g., calcium salt), and the mixture containing the precipitate is filtered to obtain the metal salt of the organic acid. Thereafter, the metal salt of the organic acid is suspended in water, and sulfuric acid is added to the suspension to obtain a free organic acid and a precipitate of a metal sulfate (e.g., calcium sulfate). Then, the mixture containing the precipitate is filtered to obtain a filtrate containing free organic acid. Thereafter, the filtrate is subjected to an ion-exchange treatment, treated with activated carbon, and concentrated. The concentrated filtrate was recrystallized several times, and the resultant crystal is dried to obtain the organic acid. However, this conventional process has problems in that (a) large amounts of reagents such as calcium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, etc., are required, (b) the steps are complicated and the treatments take a long period of time, and (c) the process is mainly carried out by means of batches and columns so that the process is not continuously operable. As a result, the cost for the recovery of an organic acid inevitably increases, and the continuous treatment of a large amount of a crude organic acid is impossible.

Process for recovering high-purity organic acid


Integrated protective mesh techniques are described herein. In one or more implementations, a computing device includes electronic components attached to circuitry for the computing device, such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC). The electronic components are sensitive devices such as audio components and other sensors that rely on exposure to environmental inputs for operation and that may be adversely impacted by external contaminants (water, dust, ferritic material, etc.). To provide for proper operation of the electronic components, a housing for the computing device includes a port for the electronic components that extends from outside of the housing to an interior of the housing to create a pathway through the housing. A protective mesh is assembled as an integrated component of the circuitry (e.g., FPC) and configured to align with the port to protect the electronic components from passage of contaminants through the pathway created by the port.

A variety of kinds of computing devices have been developed to provide computing functionality to users in different settings. For example, a user may interact with a mobile phone, tablet computer, wearable device or other computing device to check email, surf the web, compose texts, interact with applications, and so on. Operation of some electronic components included with computing devices may depend upon exposure of the components at least partially to exterior elements via ports (e.g., apertures) formed in housings of the computing devices. For example, audio components such as speakers and microphones may rely upon passage of sound waves through such ports and other types of sensors such as pressure sensors and photosensitive devices may also rely upon exposure to air, light, pressure, and other environmental inputs.
One challenge associated with such components is adequate sealing of the ports to prevent contaminants from reaching and degrading performance of the components. Traditionally, one or more sealing layers, barrier layers and/or cover layers that are separate from the electronic components and circuitry are employed. However, inclusion of these additional layers can increase material cost and add to the overall thickness of the device, which may be undesirable. Further, the use of multiple layers creates additional potential failure points for sealing, which makes control during assembly more difficult and can also adversely impact device performance and/or longevity.


A new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant named ‘Verspi 1’, characterized by its compact and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; yellow green and lighter bright yellow green variegated leaves; numerous white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant, botanically known as Spiraea nipponica and hereinafter referred to by the name 'Verspi 1'.
The new Spiraea plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Spiraea nipponica 'Halward's Silver', not patented. The new Spiraea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant within a population of plants of 'Halward's Silver' in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Hazerswoude-Dorp, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Spiraea plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hazerswoude-Dorp, The Netherlands has shown that the unique features of this new Spiraea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.


A kit, containing a blotter board or other paperboard, preferably cut to a particular design, capable of holding a fragrant material, so as to enhance the aroma of the area in which the freshener locates, with the blotter or paperboard having ample space to allow any youth to mark or decorate it for display.

Air fresheners have become widely popular in the last twenty years. They are produced in a wide range of fragrances and appealing and decorative designs. It is known that personal taste in air fresheners vary widely with some designs and fragrances appealing more to one group of the population than others. It would be desirable for an individual to be able to construct their own personalized air freshener with the fragrance and visual appeal meaningful to them. Most commercial air fresheners are made using toxic solvents and/or aerosols that are inappropriate for use in the home or by the average consumer. The average consumer, when provided with basic materials, that are non-toxic and easy to apply, will be able to construct a decorative air freshener with a fragrance, and visual design of their choosing. This is a new concept that brings and added dimension to air freshener with personalized decoration and fragrance. Children will especially appreciate the ability to make a functional and useful product that proudly displays their handiwork.


A tool body (32) has a forward cradle (34) that surroundingly receives a fastener collar (14). A slider (68) is slid in a cavity (40) in the body (32) by a lever (56) pivotably attached to the body (32). Cutting edges (70) on either side of a slot (74) in the slider (68) cut the collar (14). Spreading surfaces (72) adjacent to the edges (70) spread the collar material away from the fastener shaft. The lever (56) has cam surfaces (60, 62) that engage a hook (78) on the rear end of the slider (68) to move the slider (68) forward and back perpendicular to the fastener shaft axis (X).

In the aircraft and other industries, lock bolt type fasteners are often used in order to provide a tight and secure connection between two elements. Such fasteners commonly have a collar that is swaged onto the shaft of the fastener for permanent attachment thereto. The collar cannot be removed without destroying the collar. Thus, the tightness and security of the connection is greater than can be obtained by the use of other types of fasteners, such as threaded fasteners with nuts, that can be removed without destroying any part of the fastener.
A commonly used type of lock bolt is the type sold by Huck Manufacturing Company of Carson, Calif. under the trademark HUCK. An example of this type of fastener 6 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The fastener 6 has a head 8 formed at the outer end of a shaft portion, generally referred to as the "pin". The shaft portion extends along an axis X. At an axial midportion of the shaft or pin, a breakneck groove 13 is formed separating the permanent portion of the shaft from an inner breakoff portion 12. Parallel circumferential grooves 10 are formed on the shaft axially outwardly of the breakneck groove 13. The fastener 6 is held in position securing together two structures 2, 4 by a collar 14 made from aluminum or titanium. The portion of the collar 14 that abuts the inner surface of the structure 4 has a radial flange 16 formed thereon.
In order to install the fastener 6, the collar 14 is placed over the inner end of the pin 12 and is moved into position with the flange 16 abutting the inner surface of the structure 4. Then, a power operated tool pulls axially on the inner portion 12 of the pin to draw the structures 2, 4 together. As the pull on the pin 12 increases, an anvil portion of the tool swages the collar 14 into the circumferential locking grooves 10 to form a permanent lock. The tool continues to pull until the pin breaks at the breakneck groove 13 and the inner pin portion 12 is ejected. Finally, the tool anvil disengages from the swaged collar 14. The drawing together of the structures 2, 4 and the locking engagement of the collar material in the locking grooves 10 provide a tight and secure connection between the structures 2, 4. This connection is illustrated in FIG. 2.
The type of tight, secure connection provided by lock bolt fasteners, such as the fastener 6 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is required in a number of situations in the manufacture of aircraft. However, the illustrated fastening connection has the disadvantage of not being readily detachable when repair of one of the structures 2, 4 or adjacent components is required. The fastener 6 cannot be removed without removing the collar 14, and the collar 14 cannot be removed without destroying it. In some circumstances, the destruction of the collar 14 without damaging the structures 2, 4 is extremely difficult, if not impossible, using known methods. While, in most cases, damage to metallic structures is not a problem, structures made from other types of material are vulnerable to damage. One such type of material is fiber reinforced, resin matrix composite materials, such as graphite fiber reinforced epoxy resin plastics, which are being used increasingly in the manufacture of aircraft. Such materials are likely to be damaged if the collar 14 is subjected to an impact force sufficient to smash the collar 14 off the shaft of the fastener 6.
The applicants are aware of only four known methods of removing a collar 14 that comply with the high standards applicable to the manufacture and repair of aircraft. Two of these methods require access to the collar 14 from a vertical direction, i.e. from a direction parallel to the axis X of the fastener 6. One method is to use a bolt cutter which resembles hedge shears with short jaws and which cuts vertically along both sides of the collar 14 simultaneously. The other method uses an attachment to the type of tool used to install a lock bolt fastener, as described above, and has vertical blades which act in a manner similar to the bolt cutter blades. Both of these vertical methods may be used in situations in which the fastener 6 joins composite material structures. However, a major problem in many areas of an aircraft is the lack of space available, and the consequent lack of sufficient access to the collar 14 to approach it vertically. In such situations, a collar removing tool must engage the collar 14 in a horizontal direction, i.e. in a plane perpendicular to the axis X.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the only type of prior horizontal collar remover known to the applicants. The illustrated tool 20 has a forward end with end surfaces 24 on opposite sides of a slot 26. The slot 26 is sized to be very slightly wider than the diameter of the shaft of the fastener 6. In use, the front end surfaces 24 of the tool 20 are placed against the collar 14, as shown in FIG. 4. Then, the rear end 22 of the tool 20 is struck with a hammer to smash or shear the collar 14 off. The direction of the force of the hammer blow is essentially along the axis of the tool 20 and is indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4. The tool 20 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 works well to remove an aluminum or titanium collar 14 and is acceptable for use when the structures engaged by the fastener 6 are metallic. However, the hammer impact force required is of a magnitude unacceptable for composite material structures 2, 4.
Currently, collars are being removed from lock bolt fasteners in situations involving composite materials by drilling the collars off. This approach has proved less than satisfactory. One major drawback is that the drilling procedure is relatively tedious and time consuming. Another major drawback is that the drill tends to slip off the collar 14 and damage the composite material. This leads to a need for more extensive repairs than were originally required and further increases the amount of time required for the repairs. In addition, drilling the collar off from a horizontal direction is impractical, and therefore the drilling must generally be done in a vertical direction.
Because of the significant limitations of the known methods of removing collars from lock bolt type fasteners, there is currently a great need in the aircraft industry for a tool that will reliably and consistently remove collars from lock bolts in limited access areas without damaging composite material structures joined by the lock bolts.

Hand tool for removing collar from lock bolt


A movable seat such as for use with a gaming device is disclosed and described herein. An example chair includes a chair head assembly and a floorplate assembly. The example chair head assembly is movably affixed to a slide plate in the floorplate assembly to slide the chair head assembly along at least a portion of the floorplate assembly. An example floorplate assembly includes a slide plate and a floorplate. The example slide plate is arranged to receive a support member, and the example slide plate is movably affixed to the floorplate via a track opening along the floorplate.

Casino operators often desire chairs for gaming machines, such as, for example, slot machines, to be attached to the machine or to a location adjacent to the machine. This promotes a more orderly and safer casino by preventing inappropriate use or movement of casino chairs. Many jurisdictions require casino operators to use fixed or attached chairs. At the same time, casino chairs are often expected to be movable and/or otherwise adjustable with respect to a gaming machine to accommodate a variety of players and/or a variety of gaming machine configurations. However, stability, protection of cables and underlying electronics, and ease of movement/configurability can be a significant problem with movable chair design.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.


The present invention relates to methods of reducing cardiotoxicity and/or improving survival from treatment with anthracycline agents comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a vasopressin antagonist compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient, administered simultaneously or prior to the anthracycline administration.

Anthracycline agents are antineoplastic and used in chemotherapy for the treatment of a broad spectrum of hematogenous and solid human malignancies, including breast cancer and leukemia. However, the utility of anthracyclines such as doxorubicin (Adriamycin®) is limited by cumulative and dose-related myocardial damage that may lead to congestive heart failure (CHF).1,2 It has been estimated that up to 20% of the patients treated with doxorubicin may develop CHF.3
In addition to cumulative dose, age, combination therapy, hypertension, liver disease, chest-wall radiation from previous cancer treatment and preexisting cardiac disease are added risk factors for doxorubicin-induced CHF.4
Despite its known cardiotoxicity, doxorubicin is one of the most widely used chemotherapy agents due to its effectiveness to prolong the life of cancer patients. It has been estimated that more than 50% of long-term survivors of childhood cancer were treated with doxorubicin or another anthracycline.5 However, many of the survivors who were treated with doxorubicin have long-term problems, often manifested as cardiac diseases. They often present as EKG changes and arrhythmias, or as a cardiomyopathy leading to CHF, as well as an increased risk of sudden death and death from cardiac causes.6
Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is related to a patient's cumulative lifetime dose of doxorubicin. CHF is characterized by the reduced ability of the heart to pump blood, resulting in fluid retention and detrimental neuro-hormonal activation. Left untreated, CHF patients have a very high mortality rate. The underlying mechanism of this doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is not clear. The only effective strategy of reducing the doxorubicin cardiotoxicity is to limit the exposure of doxorubicin. But this also limits the effectiveness of doxorubicin for treating the cancer.
Dexrazoxane (Zinecard®) is currently the only approved drug treatment for reducing anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity with very limited benefits.6-8 Thus, there is an urgent and unmet medical need to develop treatments that are able to reduce doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Reducing the toxicity will also allow higher doses of doxorubicin to be safely administered to cancer patients.
Vasopressin (also known as antidiuretic hormone (ADH)) is a small nine-amino-acid peptide synthesized in the hypothalamus supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei and stored in the posterior pituitary. Its release is regulated by plasma osmolarity and blood volume/pressure.9 Vasopressin causes vasoconstriction via V1 receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells and water retention via V2 receptors in the kidney collecting ducts.10
Vasopressin levels are frequently elevated in cancer patients.11-14 Hyponatremia, due to abnormally high levels of vasopressin, is also very common in patients with cancer.12, 15 Furthermore, high serum vasopressin levels have been shown to be correlated to the low survival rate of small-cell lung cancer patients,16 indicating a detrimental role of vasopressin in cancer patients.
Studies have shown that doxorubicin may increase the level of vasopressin. In doxorubicin-treated rats, the expression of vasopressin and aquaporin-2 water channel, which transport water from a collecting duct in the kidney to the blood circulation, is elevated.17 Furthermore, doxorubicin-treated rabbits have an increased sensitivity to vasopressin.18
Accumulating evidence suggests that vasopressin may play an important role in the development and progression of CHF: vasopressin and aquaporin-2 water channel levels are increased in CHF19-22 and V2 antagonists have shown benefits in lessening congestion and improving symptoms in subjects with CHF.23, 24 Water retention and systemic edema are the hallmarks of CHF.
Previously, a few studies investigated the potential of vasopressin antagonists to reduce doxorubicin-induced cardiac injury and to promote survival in experimental animals. It was found that vasopressin antagonists may alleviate the symptoms of CHF18 caused by doxorubicin injection. However, in a previous study, OPC-31260, a vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, had a slight but not significant reduction of mortality rate in doxorubicin-treated rats.25 Thus, although these studies demonstrated benefits of vasopressin antagonists in treating doxorubicin-induced toxicity, the effects were not remarkable. In these previous studies, vasopressin antagonists were given several weeks after the administration of doxorubicin. Thus, permanent myocardial injury may have already occurred before the initiation of vasopressin antagonist therapy. Importantly, models in these previous studies may not faithfully reproduce an elevated vasopressin environment as often found in cancer patients since only normal healthy rats were used. An experimental model with elevated vasopressin may be ideal for the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of V2 antagonists.

Methods for using vasopressin antagonists with anthracycline chemotherapy agents to reduce cardiotoxicity and/or improve survival


Provided is an artificial retina system for improving contrast sensitivity. The artificial retina system includes an artificial retina which is installed under the retina and includes a plurality of photodiode cells and a microcomputer. The microcomputer compares, with at least one reference value, the magnitude of an electric signal outputted from a photodiode in each of the photodiode cells. The microcomputer controls to amplify or reduce the electric signal outputted by each of the photodiode cells according to the result of comparison. Visual cells corresponding to each of the photodiode cells can be stimulated with an electric signal controlled by the microcomputer.

The retina is an important neuronal tissue that converts the external image incoming through the cornea and lens into an electrical signal and transmits the electrical signal to the brain. The width of the retina is about 6.25 cm2, and there are about 100 million visual cells in the retina. The rod cells, which occupy the majority of the visual cells layer, convert the image into electric signals, and these electric signals enter the optic neuronal and are transmitted to the brain at a speed of about 480 km/h. The brain interprets the minute electrical signals, perceives images, and determines objects. The retina is one of the tissues with the largest blood supply per unit area and needs to be removed smoothly of wastes generated as a byproduct of the chemical action. For any reason, when abnormalities occur in the retinal blood vessels or choroidal blood vessels, an abnormality occurs in the retina, which causes various diseases.
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a retinal disease, is a progressive retinal degenerative disease caused by dysfunction of the photoreceptors distributed in the retina, and is characterized by the retinal photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium as the main lesion and an occurrence in both eyes. The prevalence rate of RP is reported to be 1 out of 5,000 worldwide. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is another type of retinal disease, is one of the three major blindness diseases, and is a trend in which the prevalence rate is rapidly increasing due to the rapid aging of the population. It has been reported that patients with AMD are more likely to have worsened vision in a relatively short period of time, unlike patients with low vision due to RP disease, and the degree of actual life impairment and psychological atrophy caused by the eye in patients with AMD is greater than those caused by other diseases.
In order to treat patients with blindness, various therapies such as gene therapy, stem cells, and drug therapy have been attempted. Meanwhile, most patients with blindness often have already damaged retinal visual cells layer and are most likely to be out of time for gene therapy or medication, in many cases. However, in the case of geriatric diseases such as RP and AMD, since only the visual cells layer, which is the outer layer of the retina, is damaged, there is a possibility of vision recovery if the function of the visual cells layer is replaced. Therefore, the artificial retina that induces electric stimulation to the visual cells layer of the retina to restore the vision for the patients with blindness is a promising new therapy.
Referring to FIG. 1, the artificial retina may be classified into epi-retinal and sub-retinal types depending on the locations of installation. The epi-retinal type is located in front of the retina and the sub-retinal is located on the visual cells layer behind the retina. The epi-retinal type artificial retina stimulates the ganglion cell layer among the retinal cells and the sub-retinal type artificial retina stimulates the bipolar cell layer in the posterior side. The epi-retinal type artificial retina has a neural cell stimulator located in front of the retina, and thus, the intermediate signal processing of neuronal cells in the inner retina is not carried out. Therefore, the epi-retinal type artificial retina is equipped with an external camera separately. The external camera is built in the glasses and provided, and the image information obtained from the camera reaches the intraocular microelectrode array wirelessly through the induction coil, and directly stimulates the retinal ganglion cells without intermediate signal processing of the neurons cells in the inner retina. Meanwhile, the threshold value for responding electric stimulation varies depending on the patient, and the magnitude of electric stimulation to be applied also varies according to the retinal cell damage region. The epi-retinal type artificial retina has a method of independently controlling the electrodes in the external image processor. Therefore, there is an advantage that the magnitude of the electric pulse may be freely changed according to the patient or the damaged region.
As a related art, in the case of Argus II product commercially available by Second Sight in the US, 64 electrodes can be independently controlled, and the magnitude of electrical stimulation generated from the electrodes is also controllable. However, in the case of the epi-retinal type artificial retina, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to affix the electrode considering that the retina is very thin and weak. In addition, being located inside the retina, it may be exposed to the vitreous body, and also, since it is surrounded by the fibrous tissue, there is a possibility that the electric stimulation is not transmitted. In addition, there is a disadvantage that, when electrical stimulation is applied on the upper side of the retina, it is difficult to improve the spatial resolution because the retinal neural fiber layer is stimulated, spreading the signals, or the cells of several layers of the retina are simulated at once. Since the epi-retinal type artificial retina may not utilize the signal processing within the retina, the shape of the stimulating electrode grid and the shape actually perceived by the patient may be different from each other, and this accordingly requires a customized image processing for each patient. Therefore, there is a disadvantage that a variety of components, and a signal transmission unit for connecting these are required compared to a sub-retinal type artificial retina.
In the sub-retinal type artificial retina, the photodiode array is located on the photoreceptor cell layer below the retinal cell layer. The sub-retinal type artificial retina was designed to simply replace the function of the photoreceptor, and the bipolar cell is the primary electrical stimulus target. To this end, the sub-retinal type artificial retina is designed to integrate photodiodes for sensing light and electrodes for stimulation, and stimulate the retinal neuronal cells by flowing the current from the photodiode directly toward the electrode. The photodiode array performs similar functions as a CMOS image sensor. The magnitude of the dark current generated in each photodiode cell varies depending on the intensity of the light, and this current is changed into a biphasic current pulse through the conversion circuit, to act as an active potential. The advantage of the sub-retinal type artificial retina is that it utilizes the existing visual transmission path through the information processing of the bipolar cell and the retinal inner layer, thereby giving the natural feeling in perceiving objects. In addition, the microelectrode array is inserted into the eyeball, allowing natural eye movement, which can be said to be advantageous in terms of physiological and natural manner, compared to a system with a compact camera built in glasses, which requires a user to turn his or her head, not the eyes, in the direction of an object in order to look and perceive the object. Further, since the greatest number of pixels are produced by the sub-retinal type stimulation method among artificial retinas created so far, this suggests a possibility of achieving high resolution.
As another related art, the Alpha IMS model, which was successfully commercialized by Retina Implant in Germany, has a 1500 photodiode array and a matched bi-phasic current generation array corresponding thereto, but it is reported that, according to clinical tests, the actual resolution is lower than the resolution of the 63 channel epi-retinal type artificial retina. When the epi-retinal type artificial retina is stimulated, an image captured by the camera is converted into a digital signal through image processing and then is converted into a serial digital signal through encoding to be transmitted the artificial retina.
Both of the above products currently available in surgery merely serve to convert the light on the visual cells into an electric signal to generate electric current and transmit the signal to the optic nerves using the existing living retinal structures. However, while RP or AMD is a disease from which primarily visual cell layers are lost and then the vision is lost, in many actual cases of patients with blindness, the remaining neural transmission layer in the retina, for example, bipolar cells, horizontal cells, and the like are also lost as the secondary changes. In FIG. 2, the horizontal cells do not directly transmit the current stimulus generated in the visual cells to the neuronal fiber layer of the retinal ganglion cell, but they serve to control the intensity of the current in the transmission process to help to more clearly distinguish the contrast of the object, and serve to increase the contrast sensitivity of the object in the brain. The reason why contrast sensitivity is important in vision is that it plays an important role in distinguishing and perceiving the shape (for example, two-dimensional information such as a face shape, or the like, a three-dimensional, stereoscopic shape including a shadow) of an object more clearly from the background. That is, there is a physiological circuit which, when the neuronal cells are excited, transmits the inhibitory neurotransmitter to the neighboring neuronal cells through the horizontal cells to make the neighboring neuronal cells to be less active, which is explained as a mechanism for clearly perceiving the boundary. This is referred to as lateral inhibition by the horizontal cells.
Referring to FIG. 2, the horizontal cell extends the process in the tangential plane of the retina side by side with the optic neuronal fibers. Thin and long dendrites are ends at the axon of rod cells and cone cells, and thin cell bodies are located in the inner granular layer.
Referring to FIG. 3A, a cone cell that does not receive the light of the surround is in a depolarized state as usual, and secretes glutamate, which excites the off ganglion cells in succession through the off bipolar cells to cause a person to feel that the surrounding area is dark. In this process, the depolarized visual cells in the surround excite horizontal cells in the area. The excited horizontal cells receiving adjacent light further hyperpolarize the already hyperpolarized center visual cells to inhibit the secretion of glutamate and excite the on ganglion cells in succession through the on bipolar cells to cause a person to feel that the corresponding central area is bright. Referring to FIG. 3B, when light enters the surround, the visual cells are hyperpolarized to inhibit the secretion of glutamate, and excite the on ganglion cell in succession through the connected on bipolar cells to cause a person to feel that the corresponding surrounding area is bright. In this process, the hyperpolarized visual cells of the surround cannot excite the horizontal cells of the surround, and the cone cells not receiving the light of the adjacent center are in the depolarized state as usual, and have no influence on the secretion of glutamate. That is, as the off ganglion cells are excited in succession through the connected off bipolar cells, a person feels that the central region is dark.
At present, the epi-retinal type artificial retina product that collects visual information from an artificial retina system with an external camera is able to independently adjust the intensity of the electric current stimulating the inside of the eye by processing information with a camera image analysis program, but with the sub-retinal type artificial retina or the like, which simply applies the output current to the visual cells using photodiodes, the difference in current generated in contrast to the contrast is not large enough for a patient to have the contrast sensitivity.

Artificial retina system for improving contrast sensitivity

GACHON UNIVERSITY OF INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION

KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION


A moving coil type pick up capsule having a body, cantilever having first and second ends, a stylus located at its first end and a coil located at its second end and, therebetween, a dampener having an opening therethrough. The cantilever passes through the dampener opening such that the stylus is on a first side of the dampener and the coil is on a second side of the dampener. First and second magnets or yokes are positioned within or proximate the capsule body and spaced from one another to create a gap, the dampener and coil being positioned within the gap such that the fulcrum is located between the stylus and coil and specifically at the dampener. A dampening fluid fills the gap to complete the assembly.

Moving coil cartridges have been used in high fidelity audio systems for translating information contained within grooves of a vinyl record by converting mechanical vibrational energy from a stylus tracking these grooves into an electrical signal that is subsequently amplified and converted to sound by a loudspeaker system.
In a typical moving coil design, a drag wire is included which, when the stylus is tracking the grooves of a moving record, acts as a spring that forces the assembly to return to center and also prevents the assembly from being pulled forward as a result of the friction imposed between the stylus and record surface. Static and dynamic forces imposed upon the stylus and its supporting cantilever act to transfer energy into the cartridge body. This energy is considered spurious and detrimental to that vibratory energy intended to be converted by the cartridge acting as a transducer. Some of this spurious energy is partially absorbed and some of it is partially transferred through the tone aim that supports the cartridge causing colorations that alter the signal.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a moving coil type pick up cartridge which significantly reduces the amount of spurious energy created in prior designs by eliminating drag wires and by dampening the fulcrum of the cantilever for improved sound reproduction.
These and further objects will be more readily appreciated when considering the following disclosure and appended claims.

Moving coil type pick up cartridge assembly


This application consists of a method for the synthesis of a type of FER/MOR composite molecular sieve. That method consisting of mixing FER seed crystals, MOR seed crystals, a silicon source, water and an acid or alkali, thus yielding a reaction mixture; by adjusting the proportions of the seed crystals added, the silicon-aluminium proportion, acidity/alkalinity and other reaction conditions, it is possible to obtain a dual phase composite molecular sieve within which the proportions of the crystal phases may be adjusted. In the synthesis process to which the method of this application relates, there is no need to add any organic template, thus reducing the cost of the reaction, in addition to reducing likely environmental pollution, thus having major potential applications.

FER molecular sieve is a type of laminar molecular sieve material that has a Ferrierite zeolite topographical structure (U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,245), which belongs to the orthorhombic crystals family and which possesses a perpendicularly intersecting two-dimensional channels system, having ten-membered channels being roughly 0.4×0.54 nm in size and eight-membered channels roughly 0.35×0.48 nm in size. Due to the suitability of the channels and its excellent thermal stability and acidity, it has been widely adopted in isomerization, polymerization, cracking and other such hydrocarbon conversion reaction processes. Traditional organic templates used in the synthesis of FER molecular sieves are mainly: ethylenediamine or pyrrolidine, butanediamine, 1,4-dimethyl-piperazine, hexamethyleneimine and cyclohexane.
MOR molecular sieve is a molecular sieve that has a Mordenite zeolite topographical structure, which has twelve-membered ring (around 0.67×0.70 nm) main channels which follow the C axis and parallel eight-membered ring (around 0.28×0.57 nm) side channels. Its excellent thermal stability and adjustable acidity has resulted in its wide adoption in the petrochemicals and fine chemicals fields.
The term composite molecular sieve refers to a co-crystallization product formed from two or more molecular sieves, being a composite crystal with the structural characteristics of two or more molecular sieves; this type of molecular sieve will generally exhibit characteristics that are different to those of single molecular sieves or the corresponding mechanically mixed materials. Due to composite molecular sieves having multiple structures and superimposed functions, the drawbacks of a single type of channel are overcome, making them advantageous in terms of molecular adsorption and diffusion and resulting in their having widespread potential applications in the refining catalysts field. Composite molecular sieves that have already been reported are MFI/MEL, BEA/MOR FAU/EMT, ST/SFF and OFF/ERI
But in industrial manufacturing of traditional molecular sieves it is necessary to use an organic template. The use of an organic template not only increases production costs, but also results in environmental pollution.
Apart from this, the activity of composite molecular sieve catalysts is closely connected with the ratio of the two phases, whilst different catalytic reactions have different optimum ratios of the two phases.
Due to this, there is an urgent need to develop a green method allowing synthesis of composite molecular sieves of which the ratio of the crystal phase can be controlled and do not require the use of an organic template.

Method for synthesizing a FER/MOR composite molecular sieve


A matrix of liquid crystal pixels (160) is provided. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) (150) is coupled to the matrix and produces an output voltage that can be applied to one or more pixels in the matrix. The DAC (150) receives a multi-bit digital input and generates its output voltage to correspond to the digital input. The conversion function of the DAC is adapted to have a higher resolution within a voltage range in which most grayshade changes of the LCD occur.

The present invention relates generally to liquid crystal display devices, and more particularly to a digital to analog converter for providing a voltage for driving a display screen of a liquid crystal display device pixels accurately shaded in correspondence with a digital or analog video signal.
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are commonly used in devices such as portable televisions, portable computers, control displays, and cellular phones to display information to a user. LCDs act in effect as a light valve, i.e., they allow transmission of light in one state, block the transmission of light in a second state, and some include several intermediate stages for partial transmission. When used as a high resolution information display, as in one embodiment of the present application, LCDs are typically arranged in a matrix configuration with independently controlled pixels. Each individual pixel is signaled to selectively transmit or block light from a backlight (transmission mode), from a reflector (reflective mode), or from a combination of the two (transflective mode).
An LCD pixel can control the transference for different wavelengths of light. For example, an LCD can have pixels that control the amount of transmission of red, green, and blue light independently. In some LCDs, voltages are applied to different portions of a pixel to control light passing through several portions of dyed glass. In other LCDs, different colors are projected onto the pixel sequentially in time. If the voltage is also changed sequentially in time, different intensities of different colors of light result. By quickly changing the wavelength of light to which the pixel is exposed an observer will see the combination of colors rather than sequential discrete colors. Several monochrome LCDs can also result in a color display. For example, a monochrome red LCD can project its image onto a screen. If a monochrome green and monochrome blue LCD are projected in alignment with the red, the combination will be full color.
The monochrome resolution of an LCD can be defined by the number of different levels of light transmission that each pixel can perform in response to a control signal. A second level is different from a first level when the user can tell the difference between the two. An LCD with greater monochrome resolution will look clearer to the user.
LCDs are actuated pixel-by-pixel, either one at a time or several simultaneously. A voltage is applied to each pixel and the liquid crystal responds to the voltage by transmitting a corresponding amount of light. In some LCDs an increase in the actuation voltage decreases transmission, while in others it increases transmission. When multiple colors are involved for each pixel, multiple voltages are applied to the pixel at different positions or times depending upon the LCD. Each voltage controls the transmission of a particular color. For example, one pixel can be actuated to allow only blue light to be transmitted while another allows only green. A greater number of different light levels available for each color results in a much greater number of possible color combination.
Converting a complex digital signal that represents an image or video into voltages to be applied to the pixels of an LCD involves circuitry that can limit the monochrome resolution. The signals necessary to drive a single color of an LCD are both digital and analog. It is digital in that each pixel requires a separate selection signal, but it is analog in that an actual voltage is applied to the pixel to determine light transmission. The conversion from a bit-representation of the desired light transmission, as communicated in the image or video signal, to an actual voltage that controls the light transmission can introduce errors that reduce the monochrome resolution of the LCD. For example, if a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) takes as an input a bit-representation of voltage that includes 1024 voltage levels and outputs voltages between 0 and 16 volts, the ideal output levels would differ by 16 millivolts (mV). However, the electro-optical curve (EO curve) has most of the gray shade changes occur in voltages about 1V to 2V on either side of the center voltage of the display. In other words, a linear increase of the voltage provided by the DAC does not necessarily reflect the same increase in gray shade. In the specific region mentioned above, the sensitivity preferably should be about 4 times higher, in the above mentioned example, about 4 mV.
The embodiments of the present application are directed to a system and method for providing a control voltage for driving a liquid crystal display.
In one embodiment of the present application, a matrix of liquid crystal pixels is provided. A digital-to-analog (DAC) converter is coupled to the matrix and produces an output voltage that can be applied to one or more pixels in the matrix. The DAC receives multi-bit digital input and generates an output voltage according to its conversion function corresponding to the digital input. The conversion function of the DAC is specifically adapted to provide an optimum resolution within a voltage range in which most of the gray changes on the LCD occur.
In another embodiment the DAC comprises a non-linear conversion function which, for example, can be divided into a plurality of linear sub-ranges. The transition from one sub-range to an adjacent sub-range is non-linear.
The DAC, as shown in one or more embodiments, can consist of a plurality of standard DACs and a control logic which switches between the DACs to provide the different sub-ranges. Two or more DAC, can also be combined according to another embodiment of the present application.
In yet another embodiment the DAC comprises a comparator and an inverter coupled with a digital signal. Furthermore, the first switching circuit is controlled by the comparator for selecting the digital signal or the inverted digital signal are provided. An adder for adding a constant coupled with the switching circuit and a first digital-to-analog converter being coupled with the adder are also provided. For generating a second resolution a second digital-to-analog converter is coupled with the first switching circuit and second switching circuit are controlled by the adder for selecting one of the digital-to-analog converters. An offset unit is coupled with the second switching circuit and third switching circuit are controlled by the comparator for selection between the second switching circuit and the offset unit.
Other technical advantages of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims. Various embodiments of the present application obtain only a subset of the advantages set forth. No one advantage is critical to the embodiments. For example, one embodiment of the present application may only provide the advantage of controlling the pixels of a liquid crystal display, while other embodiments may provide several of the specified and apparent advantages.

System and method for providing voltages for a liquid crystal display


An IC includes a first and second active areas (AA) with a second conductivity type, a source and drain region, and an LDD extension to the source and drain in the first AA having a first conductivity type. A first bent-gate transistor includes a first gate electrode over the first AA extending over the corresponding LDD. The first gate electrode includes an angled portion that crosses the first AA at an angle of 45° to 80°. A second transistor includes a second gate electrode over the second AA extending over the corresponding LDD including a second gate electrode that can cross an edge of the second AA at an angle of about 90°. A first pocket distribution of the second conductivity type provides a pocket region under the first gate electrode. A threshold voltage of the first bent-gate transistor is ≥30 mV lower as compared to the second transistor.

Some integrated circuits (ICs) may include both higher voltage transistors, such as double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) power transistors, as well as higher performance "core" transistors that are designed for higher speed and lower power. For example, for BiCMOS technologies, one specific example is for a linear bipolar process.
Higher performance for core transistors can be obtained by gate length (L) scaling to a shorter L to lower the gate capacitance and to increase the drive current of the transistor. However, the increase in performance resulting from gate length scaling is limited by two factors being (1) an increase in variability at a shorter L resulting in a lower weak corner drive current, and (2) degradation in hot carrier reliability which degrades the end of life performance of the transistor. To overcome these issues significant process modifications including one or more additional mask levels are needed which tend to increase the cost of the process. An alternative method to improve the performance of core transistors is to lower the threshold voltage selectively by implantation using additional masks. However, the implantation method is also expensive.


Provided is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus and a server. The server stores management data. The image forming apparatus accepts an instruction to print in a confidential mode. The image forming apparatus obtains a name of candidate receiver from the server. The image forming apparatus generates a code. The image forming apparatus prints a distribution material including the generated code and the name of candidate receiver corresponding to the generated code. The code is obtained by converting a URL of a site for receipt notification of the distribution material.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming system that prints a distribution material and manages whether or not the printed distribution material is received by a person who should receive it.
In events such as wedding ceremony, it is necessary to manage invitees and attendees. For example, an invitation card is sent to selected invitees. On the basis of attendance/absence replies to the invitation card, attendees are determined. On the day of the event, actual attendance of expected attendees is checked. There are many occasions in which attendance/absence is checked. Attendance/absence management work is complicated. Accordingly, the following technique for simplifying the event attendance/absence management work is known as an example.
Specifically, there is known an event information processing apparatus, which stores event identification information for identifying event and invitee information including at least invitee identification information for identifying invitees of each event in association with each other, issues attendance/absence identification information that can be read by predetermined reading means and includes invitee identification information and attendance identification information indicating intention to attend the event or absence identification information indicating intention to be absent, and prints the issued attendance/absence identification information on a post card to be sent to invitees. With this structure, it is intended to facilitate checking attendance/absence information of invitees.
Distribution material may be distributed via persons. For example, in a school, a distribution material (printed matter) is distributed to pupils. Communication matters and event information for guardians are described on the distribution material. The pupil who receives the distribution material hands (shows) the printed matter to his/her guardian after coming home.
There may be a case where some persons who should receive the distribution material do not receive the distribution material. For example, the distribution material (printed matter) may be lost. In another case, the distribution material may be thrown away by mistake. In another case, a person may forget to hand the distribution material to a person who should receive it. When the person to whom distributed is a child such as an elementary school pupil, there are not a few cases where the person forgets to hand the distribution material to his/her guardian. In this case, the communication or information is not given to the person who should receive. In some cases, a problem may occur.
It is desirable to enable to check whether or not the distribution material is received by the person who should receive it. However, the distributing party cannot know who has received the distribution material and who has not among persons who should receive. Therefore, in order to completely check reception status, it is necessary for the distributing party to directly inquire every person who should receive. For example, means such as telephone or electric mail are used. There is a problem that it requires large effort to confirm reception of the distribution material.
The known technique described above may simplify the attendance/absence check work of invitees of an event. However, it is not possible to check whether or not the distribution material is received by the person who should receive it. In addition, when there is no reply from the invitee, a case where the invitation card is not received and a case where the invitee forgets to reply cannot be distinguished from each other. Therefore, the above-mentioned problem cannot be solved.

Image forming system, image forming apparatus, and method for controlling image forming system


An optical laminate is applied to an interior surface of a window of a vehicle. The optical laminate includes a photochromic layer, a semi-reflective film comprised of a substrate coated with a reflective material, and a micro-lens array. The semi-reflective layer is disposed between the photochromic layer and the micro-lens array. The photochromic layer is disposed between the surface of the window and the semi-reflective film. A projected image comprised of incoherent light reflects from the optical laminate to a vehicle occupant.

Current systems and methods of displaying information to vehicle occupants are limited to electronic (e.g., LCD, LED) displays and heads-up displays, with electronic displays predominating. Commercially available electronic displays limit the amount and quality of the displayed content, limit visibility in bright daylight and typically block visibility through the display. Heads-up displays (HUDs) are rarely used in motor vehicles. Some vehicles equipped with a HUD require a combiner (e.g., a beam splitter) located directly in front of the viewer. The combiner redirects (i.e., reflects) towards the viewer some or all of the projected image from a projector. Usually the projector is located in a dashboard, aimed upwardly. The combiner is located in front of the driver. Even while the combiner reflects the projected image towards the viewer, the viewer may see through the combiner and the window behind the combiner. Other HUD systems omit the combiner, but require a specially coated window and laser projector. In such systems, a vehicle window is coated with transparent phosphors that react (i.e., fluoresce) when impinged by projected laser light. When the laser is off, the coated window is transparent. Many such systems require mirrors to project the images on the windshield.
By way of example, one vehicle manufacturer uses windshield glass coated with red-emitting and blue-emitting phosphors—a clear synthetic material that glows when it is excited by ultraviolet light. The phosphor display is activated by ultraviolet lasers bouncing off mirrors bundled near the windshield.
While prior art display systems are useful, they have shortcomings. First, prior art HUD systems cannot be applied directly to installed windows and require costly, complex laser projectors. Second, the various available electronic displays cannot be used over a window. Transparent electronic displays, such as OLEDs, are very costly, very difficult to see in bright sunny ambient conditions, would consume considerable power to "outshine" sunlight on a bright day, and require complex interfaced dedicated display drivers.
What is needed is a means for adapting a conventional vehicle window (e.g., side window or windshield) to display images from a conventional projector that emits incoherent (i.e., non-laser) visible light, while still allowing an occupant of the vehicle to see through the adapted window. The adaptation should be suitable for existing vehicle windows.
The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above.

Vehicle window adapted for augmented reality projection


The invention relates to the isolation, sequencing, and recombinant expression of genes encoding either a nitrile hydratase (NHase) or amidase (Am) from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D, where the NHase is useful for catalyzing the hydration of nitriles to the corresponding amides, and the amidase is useful for hydrolysis of amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Also provided are transformed host cells containing polynucleotides for expressing the nitrile hydratase or amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D.

Nitrile hydratases catalyze the addition of one molecule of water to the nitrile, resulting in the formation of the corresponding amide according to Reaction 1:R—CN+H2ORCONH2  Reaction 1
Similarly, methods for producing carboxylic acids are known and use microorganisms that produce an enzyme that possesses amidase (Am) activity. In general, amidases convert the amide product of Reaction 1 to the corresponding carboxylic acid plus ammonia according to Reaction 2:RCONH2RCOOH+NH3  Reaction 2
A wide variety of bacterial genera are known to possess a diverse spectrum of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities, including Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Arthrobacter, Bacillus, Bacteridium, Brevibacterium, Corynebacterium, and Micrococcus (Martinkova and Kren, Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, 20:73-93 (2002); Cowan et al., Extremophiles, 2:207-216 (1998)). For example, nitrile hydratase enzymes have been isolated from Pseudomonas chlororaphis B23 (Nishiyama et al., J. Bacteriol., 173:2465-2472 (1991)), Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1 (Kobayashi et al., Biochem. Biophys. Acta, 1129:23-33 (1991)), Brevibacterium sp. 312 (Mayaux et al., J. Bacteriol., 172:6764-6773 (1990)), Rhodococcus sp. N-774 (Ikehata et al., Eur. J. Biochem., 181:563-570 (1989)), and Pseudomonas putida 5B NRRL-18668 (Payne et al., Biochemistry, 36:5447-5454 (1997)).
Wild-type microorganisms known to possess nitrile hydratase activity have been used to convert nitrites to the corresponding amides. Nagasawa et al. (Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 40:189-195 (1993)) have compared three microbial nitrile hydratase catalysts which have been used for commercial production of acrylamide from acrylonitrile; the nitrile hydratase activities of Brevibacterium R312 and Pseudomonas chlororaphis B23 were not stable above 10° C., compared to the nitrile hydratase activity of Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1. Cowan et al. (supra) reported that many mesophilic nitrile hydratases are remarkably unstable, having very short enzyme activity half-lives in the growth temperature range of 20-35° C. In addition to temperature instability, microbial catalysts containing a nitrile hydratase can be susceptible to inactivation by high concentrations of certain substrates such as acrylonitrile. In commercial use, the concentration of acrylonitrile was maintained at 1.5-2 wt % when using Brevibacterium R312 and P. chlororaphis B23 catalysts, while a concentration of up to 7 wt % was used with R. rhodochrous J1 (Nagasawa et al., supra). Similarly, Padmakumar and Oriel (Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol., 77-79:671-679 (1999)) reported that Bacillus sp. BR449 expresses a thermostable nitrile hydratase, but when used for hydration of acrylonitrile to acrylamide, inactivation of the enzyme occurred at concentration of acrylonitrile of only 2 wt %, making this catalyst unsuitable for commercial applications. Webster et al. (Biotechnology Letters, 23:95-101 (2001)) compare two Rhodococcus isolates as catalysts for ammonium acrylate production (one with only a nitrilase activity, and one with only a combination of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities), and concluded that the catalyst having a combination of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities was less preferred due to (a) difficulty in inducing the two enzymes in the required ratio, (b) the susceptibility of the two enzymes (nitrile hydratase and amidase) to deactivation by acrylonitrile, and (c) inhibition of the two enzymes by the respective products.
The hydration of aromatic and heteroaromatic nitrites to the corresponding amides has been reported using the nitrile hydratase activity of Rhodococcus rhodochrous AJ270 (A. Meth-Cohn and M. Wang, J. Chem Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, (8):1099-1104 (1997)), where significant subsequent conversion of the amide to the corresponding acid by amidase was also observed. The nitrile hydratase activity of Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1 was used to convert a variety of aromatic and heteroaromatic nitrites to the corresponding amides with 100% molar conversion (J. Mauger et al., Tetrahedron, 45:1347-1354 (1989); J. Mauger et al., J. Biotechnol., 8:87-96 (1988)); an inhibitory affect of certain nitriles on the nitrile hydratase was overcome by maintaining a low concentration of the nitrile over the course of the reaction. U.S. 20040142447 describes the use of several Rhodococcus strains for the conversion of 3-cyanopyridine to nicotinamide, where the Rhodococcus strains were relatively stable and had a relatively low Km value for 3-cyanopyridine when compared to previously-reported microbial cell catalysts.
In addition to the use of wild-type organisms, recombinant organisms containing heterologous genes for the expression of nitrile hydratase are also known for the conversion of nitrites. For example, Cerebelaud et al. (WO 9504828) teach the isolation and expression in E. coli of nitrile hydratase genes isolated from C. testosteroni. The transformed hosts effectively convert nitrites to amides, including substrates which consist of one nitrile and one carboxylate group. Endo et al. disclose the production of an E. coli transformant which expresses the nitrile hydratase of Rhodococcus N-771 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,242 B1). Similarly, Beppu et al., (EP 5024576) disclose plasmids carrying both nitrile hydratase and amidase genes from Rhodococcus capable of transforming E. coli where the transformed host is then able to use isobutyronitrile and isobutyramide as enzymatic substrates. A stereoselective nitrile hydratase from Pseudomonas putida 5B has been overproduced in E. coli(Wu et al., Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 48:704-708 (1997); U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,286).
Genes encoding enzymes having amidase activity have also been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in recombinant organisms. For example, Azza et al., (FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 122:129 (1994)) disclose the cloning and over-expression in E. coli of an amidase gene from Brevibacterium sp. R312 under the control of the native promoter. Similarly, Kobayashi et al., (Eur. J. Biochem., 217:327 (1993)) teach the cloning of both a nitrile hydratase and amidase gene from R. rhodococcus J1 and their co-expression in E. coli. Wu et al. (DNA Cell Biol., 17:915-920 (1998); U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,650) report the cloning and overexpressing of a gene for amidase from Pseudomonas putida 5B in E. coli.
Applicants have previously isolated Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D (ATCC 55744; U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,736 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,589). Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D has been shown to contain thermally-stable, regiospecific nitrile hydratase (EC 220.127.116.11) and amidase (EC 220.127.116.11) activities useful in the conversion of a variety of nitriles to their corresponding amides and carboxylic acids. Methods illustrating the utility of the Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D nitrile hydratase and amidase activities have been described previously by the Applicants. These uses include regio-selective preparation of lactams from aliphatic α,ω-dinitriles (U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,736), bioconversion of 3-hydroxynitriles to 3-hydroxyacids (U.S. 2002/0039770 A1), and bioconversion of methacrylonitrile and acrylonitrile to their corresponding carboxylic acids (U.S. Ser. No. 10/067,652), hereby incorporated by reference. However, the isolation and recombinant expression of the nucleic acid fragments encoding the nitrile hydratase and amidase from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D has been elusive.
The problem to be solved is to provide the genes and encoding for the thermally-stable, regio-selective nitrile hydratase and amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D and to provide transformants expressing these catalysts.
Additionally, the development of industrial processes which employ microbial catalysts having nitrile hydratase/amidase activities to efficiently manufacture amides or carboxylic acids has proved difficult. Many methods using enzyme catalysts to prepare these products from the corresponding nitrites do not produce and accumulate the product at a sufficiently high concentration to meet commercial needs, or are subject to enzyme inactivation (requiring a low concentration of nitrile over the course of the reaction) or product inhibition during the course of the reaction.
The additional problem to be solved continues to be the lack of facile microbial catalysts to convert nitrites to the corresponding amides or acids in a process characterized by high yield, high concentration, and high selectivity, and with the added advantages of low temperature and energy requirements and low waste production when compared to known chemical methods of nitrile hydrolysis. Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D expresses a thermally-stable, regio-selective nitrile hydratase as well as a thermally-stable amidase. An enzyme catalyst having only the nitrile hydratase activity of Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D would be highly useful in applications where only the amide product from nitrile hydration is desired.

Nucleic acid fragments encoding nitrile hydratase and amidase enzymes from