A programmable rules-based interface between a patient and an electronic medical record EMR allows controlled patient access to the EMR allowing increased patient participation in the healthcare process.

Enlisting patients as active participants in their own healthcare can increase patient satisfaction and the quality of the healthcare experience while decreasing the cost of providing that care.
A number of healthcare organizations and other enterprises have used the Internet to provide basic information to patients allow the scheduling of appointments, and to provide interactive healthcare calculators and the like which allow patient-sourced data to be input and certain information to be returned. While these services allow more patient involvement in the healthcare process, the information provided by and to the patient is held separate from the centralized electronic medical record (EMR) that provides a cohesive repository of medical information for doctors and other healthcare providers.
This isolation of the patient from the EMR is done for good reason. Preventing patients from entering data into the EMR preserves the validity of the EMR data so that it may be relied upon by other healthcare professionals. Patients often unfamiliar with the data they are collecting are likely more prone to make significant mistakes in that data entry than a healthcare provider.
Further, the data in the EMR, intended for healthcare professionals, is often unintelligible by patients and some aspects of the data could be confusing or unnecessarily alarming to a layperson. The act of a healthcare professional entering medical information is often the juncture at which the data is reviewed or considered by the healthcare professional in detecting possible problems. Entry of data by patients eliminates this important juncture. Finally, issues of medical privacy make it desirable to limit to the extent possible, broad access to the electronic medical record. Medical privacy laws prohibit medical data from being made available to the parties not authorized by the patient and some medical data from being made available to the patient except in the presence of a qualified healthcare professional.
This need to separate the patient from the integrating features of the EMR limits the ability to which the patient may significantly contribute to his or her healthcare.

Interactive system for patient access to electronic medical records


An internally-constrained cyclic oligopeptide comprising a ring of at least six amino acids for specifically binding to a target ligand, wherein the ring comprises a plurality of amino acid domains, each domain comprising at least two epitope-forming amino acids, and two or more associating functional groups positioned so that they form one or more intra-cyclic associations; whereby the cyclic oligopeptide is constrained in a single conformation so that the epitope-forming amino acids form an epitope in each domain, each epitope being capable of specifically binding to a target ligand.

Protein receptors are known normally to bind to their target ligands via epitopes, combinations of amino acids, which constitute a small proportion of the total protein molecule.
Protein receptors on the surface of cells are often triggered to produce a signal within the cell as a result of binding to other proteins, termed protein ligands. The portion of the ligand which interacts with the receptor is termed an epitope, and usually constitutes a combination of a small number of amino acids in close proximity with each other, held on the backbone of the peptide chain. Examples of epitopes are those structures on the surface of proteins which interact with antibodies or T-cell receptors, but in fact any structure on the surface of a protein which is recognised specifically by another can fall within the definition of an epitope. Because the binding of a protein receptor with an epitope can be an important step in the etiology of a disease, or conversely, in the treatment of a disease condition, the identification of functional groups which form epitopes is a potentially fruitful avenue for development of new drugs, where the drug is an agent comprising an epitope which binds to the receptor.
Two challenges exist which hinder this approach to new drug development. One is the identification of epitopes which can be employed as drug molecules to bind to appropriate receptors in order to treat a disease. The second challenge is to design molecules which can hold and present the combination of amino acids forming the epitope such that a strong binding interaction with a cell receptor can be achieved.
Methods are known for identifying combination of amino acids which can form epitopes. In traditional combinatorial chemistry, the identification of the most favourable sequence for binding to a specific receptor must be carried out by synthesis of hundreds of possible combinations of different groups such as amino acids, in different orders, each one having to be tested for efficacy. This process is time-consuming, expensive and is limited by the nature of the chemistry which can be carried out in linking the different components together.
WO 01/01140 provides an improved way of identifying epitopes. A composition is provided for interacting with a ligand. The composition comprises a non-covalent assembly of a plurality of distinct conjugates each conjugate comprising a head group and a tail group. The tail groups of the conjugates form a hydrophobic aggregation and the conjugates have freedom of motion with respect to each other within the assembly so that, in the presence of a ligand, at least two of the head groups are appropriately positioned to form an epitope capable of interacting with the ligand more strongly than each of the head groups individually. The plurality of conjugates which has the desired biological activity may be identified by selecting a set of conjugates with an array of head groups, forming a non-covalent association therefrom, in which the tail groups aggregate hydrophobically and in which the conjugates exhibit freedom of motion with respect to one another and assaying for sufficient interaction between the non-covalent association and the ligand. This process may be repeated with a modified array of head groups in order to find sufficient interaction between the non-covalent association and the ligand. This process allows for the identification of the most favourable sequence for binding to a specific receptor by relying on the proximity of the head groups to provide association-derived epitopes without the need for the synthesis of hundreds of possible combinations of different groups using traditional combinatorial chemistry. The method simply relies upon proximity of the head groups to provide association-derived epitopes. Once a set of conjugates has been synthesised, no further synthetic chemistry is required, only simple mixing of the conjugates to form the different probes by non-covalent association.
Whilst this new composition and method have been successful for identifying the functional groups which form the epitope and bind to the target ligand, there is still a requirement to provide improved compositions which are capable of forming the desired epitope and interacting with improved stability and specificity with the target ligand to produce a biological response.
Attempts to produce an analogous peptide to the epitope constructed solely of the amino acids comprising the binding site often fail because these peptides do not possess the same biological activity as the protein receptor.
Where the binding site of a protein is constructed of oligo-peptides from different, non-contiguous parts of a protein chain, attempts to reconstruct the binding site by mixing isolated oligopeptides in free solution does not result in the active binding site.
Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide improved oligopeptides which are capable of forming a desired epitope, which can interact with improved stability and specificity with the target ligand to produce a biological response.

Cyclic oligopeptides for binding to a target ligand


A honeycomb body having intersecting porous walls and repeating structural units. Each repeating structural unit has a plurality of inlet channels and outlet channels that extend parallel to each other in an axial direction from an inlet face to an outlet face. Each of the repeating structural units has 2.0<I/O<3.0, wherein I/O is a ratio of a number of inlet channels to a number of the outlet channels, each of the inlet and outlet channels have a same cross-sectional size and shape, and each inlet channel of a particular repeating structural unit directly abuts an outlet channel of the particular repeating structural unit or an outlet channel of an adjacent repeating structural unit. Particulate filters including the honeycomb body, honeycomb extrusion dies, and methods of capturing soot in the honeycomb body are provided, as are other aspects.

Standard honeycomb particulate filters include a honeycomb body having a plurality of intersecting porous walls forming series of co-parallel, axially-extending channels. In a standard filter configuration, half of these channels are plugged on the inlet side in a checkerboard pattern with these same channels being unplugged on the outlet side, thus forming outlet channels. The other half of the axially-extending channels are plugged in a checkerboard pattern on the outlet side and unplugged on the inlet side, thus forming inlet channels. In use, engine exhaust flows through the porous walls of the honeycomb body and particles (soot, ash, and other inorganic particles) are filtered from the engine exhaust and remain in, and on, the porous wall. Over time, the soot will build up and from time-to-time may be regenerated wherein the soot is burned out. However, with continued use, ash can build up and to an increasing extent start to cause an appreciable pressure drop across the filter. Such pressure drop may possibly reduce the power of the vehicle and thus measures to better control such pressure drop increases are desired.
Honeycomb body designs having relatively high soot and ash carrying capability, improved pressure drop performance, and which are inexpensive to manufacture are sought.

High ash storage, pattern-plugged, honeycomb bodies and particulate filters


This disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for covering at least part of a mobile computing device having a touch screen display and a switch that is actuated by a motion that is at least in part lateral to a surface of a housing that houses the mobile computing device. The apparatus includes an encasement that enables operation of the touch screen display and covers at least part of the mobile computing device that includes the switch, the encasement having an outer surface and an inner surface. The apparatus further includes a switch mechanism including a switch actuator protruding from the outer surface of the encasement and covered by a flexible seal attached to the encasement. The switch mechanism includes a switch interface provided proximate the inner surface of the encasement to contact the switch, and is coupled with the switch actuator such that a movement of the switch actuator controls a movement of the switch interface to actuate the switch.

Rain, dirt, dust, mud, snow, and water in all of its forms can be damaging to various objects. Additionally, objects that are fragile or otherwise breakable can be damaged by mistreatment and/or other inappropriate handling, such as by dropping. It is, therefore, useful to have a housing within which an object in need of protection may be housed so as to protect it from inclement conditions, mistreatment, and/or inappropriate handling. Types of objects in need of such protection are electronic devices and/or the components thereof, precious items, perishable entities, and the like.
With respect to electronic devices, such devices are well known and widely used. For instance, a mobile telephone or tablet computer are electronic devices that are convenient tools that allow people to communicate with one another while on the go and away from traditional telephone landlines or internet connections. For instance, mobile devices allow people to communicate via voice, text message, short message service (SMS), instant messaging (IM), and the like. Other such portable devices include computers, personal digital assistants, electronic digital readers, electronic game devices, video recorders, cameras, and the like. While these devices may be portable and handy to use, they suffer from some drawbacks. For example, they are often expensive and contain fragile electronic components that make them prone to damage due to inclement weather and/or mishandling.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a mechanism whereby an object, such as a portable device, for instance, an electronic device and/or the components thereof, may be protected from inclement weather and/or errant handling and/or other damage that may result from contacting a fluid, such as water, dirt, dust, mud, snow, and the like. The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus and system for housing or encasing an object, such as a device and/or the components thereof, as well as methods for using the same, in a manner that offers protection for the device from adverse environmental conditions, inclement weather, mishandling and/or damage, such as from contacting a fluid, such as water. Systems for the same are also provided.

Housing encasing a device having a switch


A cowl box is provided in a vehicle body between a rear edge of an engine hood and a windshield. The front hood is mounted on the vehicle body to be swung open and closed about a hinge mounted on the vehicle body on the rear side of the rear edge of the front hood. The cowl cover is opened and closed by a driving mechanism comprising a four-bar link mechanism including first and second links each of which is pivoted at one end thereof on a member mounted on the front hood and at the other end on the lower surface of the cowl cover and which extend substantially in parallel spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, a driving motor and a connecting mechanism for transmitting the output power of the driving motor to the four-bar link mechanism.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a movable cowl cover for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been known a movable cowl cover for opening and closing a cowl box provided in front of the windshield. Wiper blades are housed in the cowl box when the wiper system is not in operation and the cowl cover is closed to improve the aerodynamic properties and the appearance of the vehicle, and when the wiper system is to be operated, the cowl cover is opened to permit the wiper blades to go outside the cowl box.
For example, in the movable cowl cover disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3694846, a slider of the cowl cover is mounted on the engine hood and the cowl cover is moved downward into the cowl box to open. In the cowl box disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57(1982)-158556, a link mechanism for driving the cowl cover is mounted on the vehicle body and the cowl cover is moved downward and forward into the cowl box to open. These types of the movable cowl box are disadvantageous in that the cowl box must be large in volume in order to accommodate the cowl cover when it is opened. In the movable cowl cover disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60(1985)-93555, a link mechanism for driving the cowl cover is mounted on the vehicle body and the cowl cover is moved upward to open. This type of the movable cowl cover is disadvantageous in that when the engine hood is opened with the cowl box being kept open, the engine hood interferes with the cowl cover, and accordingly, the engine hood must be opened after the wipers are stopped and the cowl cover is closed. Further, in the type in which the engine hood and the cowl cover are separately mounted on the vehicle body as those disclosed in the Japanese unexamined patent publications described above, it is difficult to position the rear edge of the engine hood and the front edge of the cowl cover with a high accuracy relative to each other, and at the same time, when a failure occurs in the driving mechanism of the cowl cover, the cowl cover must be removed for repair.


The present invention provides dose counter for displaying a count indication of the number or quantity of doses dispensed from or remaining in a container associated, in use, with the dose counter, comprising an indicator member comprising dose indicia and a priming indicator for prompting a user to carry out one or more priming actuations of the container. The priming indicator is initially arranged to at least partially overly the indicator member to thereby at least partially obscure viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member until the one or more priming actuations of the container have been completed. The priming indicator is movable after the one or more priming actuations have been completed into a disposition where it no longer obscures viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member. The invention also provides a dispensing apparatus comprising the dose counter.

It has been recognised in the past that there is a benefit in providing accurate information to a user of dispensing apparatus, such as pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs), concerning the quantity of doses delivered from, or remaining in, the dispensing apparatus. Without such information, there is a risk that a user may be unaware that the dispensing container of the dispensing apparatus is empty or close to empty. This is a particular problem where the dispensing apparatus is for use in delivering medicinal compounds for the treatment of chronic or acute symptoms, for example, as in the case of a pMDI used for treating conditions such as asthma.
A pMDI typically comprises a pressurised dispensing container that is received in an actuator housing. The actuator housing will comprise an outlet through which substance can be dispensed. The outlet will typically be adapted for oral, nasal or sub-lingual delivery of the substance. The pressurised dispensing container typically comprises a canister which defines a storage volume for the substance to be dispensed, wherein an open end of the canister is closed by means of a metering valve. The metering valve is designed to accurately and consistently dispense a predetermined volume of substance on each actuation of the pMDI. The substance to be dispensed may be one of a wide range of substances. Typically, the substance will include one or more active components (such as medicaments) and a propellant that is volatile at standard pressures and temperatures.
To prepare a pMDI (or other dispensing apparatus) for use, it may be necessary to prepare or "prime" the metering valve of the pMDI by carrying out one or more actuations of the pMDI (which are not administered to the user) before putting the pMDI to normal use. Such priming actuations are designed to ensure that the metering valve of the pMDI is properly charged with the substance to be dispensed—since a metering chamber of the metering valve may initially be wholly or partly empty immediately after assembly of the pMDI. Thus the priming actuations are carried out to ensure that a full dose is delivered on the first 'normal' actuation by the user where administration of the substance is desired.
It is preferred that the priming actuations are carried out by the user when they first receive the pMDI, for example from a doctor or pharmacy, so that the metering valve is not potentially left for a long time between priming and its first normal use. Thus, there is a need for the instructions for the priming of the pMDI to be clear to the user. It is also preferable for any dose counter, that is present in the pMDI, not to record the priming actuations as dispensed doses. Rather, it is preferred that the dose counter should indicate that the pMDI is 'full' or shows the first it its series of numerical or other indicia after the priming actuations are completed.
EP2514468 describes a dose counter for a pMDI which comprises a tape reel bearing dose indicia that is moved from a first shaft to a second shaft past a viewing window during use of the pMDI. Priming dots are provided at the start of the tape reel which are initially displayed to a user to prompt them to carry out three priming actuations wherein the tape reel then displays the start of the sequence of numerical count indicia. Each portion of the tape reel is only viewed once by the user as it transits past the viewing window.
However, the use of priming dots at the start of a tape reel as described in EP2514468 is not suitable for use with dose counters of the type having one or more rotatable indicator members, especially where one or more of the rotatable indicator members may need to complete more than one revolution during the life of the dispensing apparatus.
According to the present disclosure there is provided a dose counter for displaying a count indication of the number or quantity of doses dispensed from or remaining in a container associated, in use, with the dose counter,
the dose counter comprising:                an indicator member comprising dose indicia; and        a priming indicator for prompting a user to carry out one or more priming actuations of the container;
wherein the priming indicator is initially arranged to at least partially overlie the indicator member to thereby at least partially obscure viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member until the one or more priming actuations of the container have been completed;
wherein the priming indicator is movable after the one or more priming actuations have been completed into a disposition where it no longer obscures viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member.
Advantageously, by using a priming indicator that at least partially obscures viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member until the one or more priming actuations of the container have been completed, a simple and clear means of instructing the user to prime the dispensing apparatus is achieved. The use of the priming indicator does not negatively impact the readability of the dose indicia after the priming actuations have been completed. In addition, by making use of a priming indictor that at least partially overlies the indicator member the priming indicator finds use with a wide range of dose counter arrangements, especially those including one or more rotatable indicator members.
The priming indicator may be movable into the disposition where it no longer obscures viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member by movement of the indicator member itself. In such a case, a simpler construction of dose counter may be achieved as no separate means need be provided to provide a motive force for moving the priming indicator.
The priming indicator may be initially coupled to the indicator member to thereby be moved with the indicator member during the one or more priming actuations. Thus, the priming indicator and the indicator member may be arranged to move in-sync with one another during the one or more priming actuations. Advantageously, the mechanism of the dose counter provided to achieve movement of the indicator member (which may be any one of a number of possible mechanisms) may also be used to move the priming indicator—avoiding the need for any separate source of motive force.
In such a case, the priming indicator is preferably able to be decoupled from the indicator member after the one or more priming actuations have been completed. Thus, during the remainder of the life of the dispensing apparatus movement of the indicator member need not move the priming indicator.
There are a number of possible means for decoupling the priming indicator. One possibility is that the priming indicator is able to be decoupled from the indicator member by the action of gravity. This allows for a simple arrangement where, for example, the priming indicator drops out of its coupled configuration.
The indicator member may comprise a rotatable member. In one example the indicator member comprises an annular ring wherein the dose indicia may be arranged on an outer peripheral face of the annular ring.
The indicator member and the priming indicator may comprise co-operating formations for coupling the priming indicator to the indicator member.
There are a number of possible configurations of co-operating formations for coupling the priming indicator to the indicator member. One possibility is where the co-operating formations comprise one or more legs provided on the priming indicator and one or more apertures in the indicator member. The one or more apertures may, for example, comprise one or more notches or indentations in an edge of the indicator member. In such a case, coupling may be achieved when the one or more legs of the priming indicator are engaged in the one or more apertures and decoupling may be achieved when the one or more legs are allowed to disengage from the one or more apertures. Preferably, the dispensing apparatus would be provided to the user with the priming indicator initially coupled to the indicator member—in this example, therefore with the one or more legs initially engaged with the one or more apertures. The use of notches or indentations in the edge of the indicator member may have the advantage of allowing easier decoupling of the priming indicator since decoupling can be achieved with a greater degree of choice of the direction of movement of the priming indicator relative to the indicator member. For example, the one or more legs may be moved either perpendicularly or parallel to the plane of the indentation or notch.
The priming indicator may be movable after the one or more priming actuations have been completed into a disposition where it no longer overlies the indicator member. In this position the priming indicator may, for example, be parked for the remainder of the life of the dispensing apparatus.
In some examples, the indicator member may form a first indicator member of the dose counter and the dose counter may further comprise a second indicator member; the first and second indicator members acting in combination to display the count indication. The use of two (or more) indicator members in combination may be useful in a number of circumstances. In one example, the two indicator members can be used to display a greater number of dose indicia than would be possible on a single indicator member. In another example, the two indicator members could display different, for example associated, indicia—for example, with the first indicator member displaying a numerical count and the second indicator member displaying a colour indication.
In such a case, the first indicator member may, for example, be arranged to move on each actuation of the associated container and the second indicator member may be arranged to move after a predetermined number of incremental movements of the first indicator member. Such an arrangement may be used wherein the dose indicia of the first indicator member displays a 'units' numeral (or other suitable marking/colour/indicia) of the count indication and wherein the second indicator member comprises dose indicia which display a 'tens' numeral (or other suitable marking/colour/indicia) and, optionally additionally a 'hundreds' numeral (or other suitable marking/colour/indicia) of the count indication.
It may be advantageous for the first indicator member to comprise a plurality of sequentially arranged arrays of 'units' numerals, each array ranging from '9' to '0'. Thus one complete revolution of the first indicator member may be configured to increment the second indicator member a plurality of steps.
Where the dose counter comprises at least two indicator members, the priming indicator may be initially arranged to at least partially overlie the first indicator member and to at least partially overlie the second indicator member to thereby at least partially obscure viewing of the dose indicia of both the first and second indicator members. This helps to prevent any of the dose indicia being mistakenly read until the one or more priming actuations have been completed.
Where the dosage counter comprises first and second indicator members, the priming indicator may be initially coupled to the first indicator member to thereby be carried with the first indicator member and to be moved relative to the second indicator member during the one or more priming actuations. The priming indicator may be arranged to be decoupled from the first indicator member after the one or more priming actuations have been completed. Optionally, the priming indicator may be arranged to become coupled with the second indicator member on decoupling from the first indicator member. Optionally, after coupling of the priming indicator to the second indicator member, the priming indicator may be carried with the second indictor member during subsequent actuations of the associated container. In such a case, it is preferred that the second indicator member is configured to complete less than a complete revolution (in the case of the indicator members being rotatable indicator members) during the lifetime of the dispensing apparatus so as to prevent the priming indicator returning into a position where it again obscures viewing of the dose indicia.
The first indicator member and the second indicator member may both comprise a rotatable member. The first indicator member and the second indicator member may each comprise an annular ring having dose indicia arranged on an outer peripheral face of the annular ring. The first indicator member, the second indicator member and the priming indicator may comprise co-operating formations for coupling the priming indicator initially to the first indicator member and subsequently to the second indicator member. As described above, the co-operating formations may, by way of example, comprise one or more legs provided on the priming indicator and one or more apertures in the first and second indicator members. The one or more apertures may comprise one or more notches or indentations in an edge of the first and/or second indicator members.
As in the above example, the priming indicator may be movable after the one or more priming actuations have been completed into a disposition where it no longer overlies the first indicator member.
According to the present disclosure the priming indicator may be a separate component from the indicator member. For example, the priming indicator may be a relatively small shutter-like component. The priming indicator may be shaped to conform generally to the shape of the first and/or second indicator member. For example, where the indicator member(s) are annular rings the priming indicator may comprise a body that is generally curved to match the curvature of the annular rings.
The priming indicator may comprise priming indicia suitable for viewing in place of the dose indicia of the indicator member until the one or more priming actuations of the container have been completed.
The present disclosure also provides a dispensing apparatus comprising a dose counter as described above.
The dispensing apparatus may further comprise a container containing a quantity of substance to be dispensed.
The dispensing apparatus may comprise a viewing window for viewing the count indication of the dose counter, wherein the priming indicator is initially arranged at least partially inbetween the indicator member and the viewing window to thereby at least partially obscure viewing of the dose indicia of the indicator member until the one or more priming actuations of the container have been completed;
wherein the priming indicator is movable after the one or more priming actuations have been completed into a disposition where it is no longer inbetween the viewing window and the indicator member.
In one example, the dispensing apparatus is a pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI). Another example of a use of a suitable dispensing apparatus is a pump, for example a nasal, oral or sub-lingual pump device.
The dose indicia of the indicator member(s) may be of any suitable type for conveying the necessary information to the user. Examples include numbers, letter, colours and pictograms. Such indicia may be used in combination if desired. For example, number indicia may be used as the main indicia (for example counting down from '200' to '000' doses remaining) combined with a change of colour indicia as the empty point approaches (for example the 'tens' or 'hundreds' indicator member may be provided with a red zone at or near the empty point).
The priming indicia of the priming indicator may be of any suitable type for conveying the necessary information to the user. Examples include dots, numbers, colours or pictograms. Preferably a different style of indicia is chosen for the priming indicia compared to the dose indicia.
The dispensing apparatus may be a pharmaceutical dispensing apparatus, such as, for example, a pulmonary, nasal, or sub-lingual delivery device. A preferred use of the dispensing apparatus is as a pressurised metered dose inhaler device for delivering a pharmaceutical in an aerosol form. Another use of the dispensing apparatus is as a pump device. The term pharmaceutical, as used herein, is intended to encompass any pharmaceutical, compound, composition, medicament, agent or product which can be delivered or administered to a human being or animal, for example pharmaceuticals, drugs, biological and medicinal products. Examples include antiallergics, analgesics, bronchodilators, antihistamines, therapeutic proteins and peptides, antitussives, anginal preparations, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory preparations, hormones, or sulfonamides, such as, for example, a vasoconstrictive amine, an enzyme, an alkaloid, or a steroid, including combinations of two or more thereof. In particular, examples include isoproterenol [alpha-(isopropylaminomethyl) protocatechuyl alcohol], phenylephrine, phenylpropanolamine, glucagon, adrenochrome, trypsin, epinephrine, ephedrine, narcotine, codeine, atropine, heparin, morphine, dihydromorphinone, ergotamine, scopolamine, methapyrilene, cyanocobalamin, terbutaline, rimiterol, salbutamol, ipratropium bromide and salbutamol, flunisolide, colchicine, pirbuterol, beclomethasone, orciprenaline, fentanyl, and diamorphine, streptomycin, penicillin, procaine penicillin, tetracycline, chlorotetracycline and hydroxytetracycline, adrenocorticotropic hormone and adrenocortical hormones, such as cortisone, hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate and prednisolone, insulin, cromolyn sodium, and mometasone, including combinations of two or more thereof.
The pharmaceutical may be used as either the free base or as one or more salts conventional in the art, such as, for example, acetate, benzenesulphonate, benzoate, bircarbonate, bitartrate, bromide, calcium edetate, camsylate, carbonate, chloride, citrate, dihydrochloride, edetate, edisylate, estolate, esylate, fumarate, fluceptate, gluconate, glutamate, glycollylarsanilate, hexylresorcinate, hydrobromide, hydrochloride, hydroxynaphthoate, iodide, isethionate, lactate, lactobionate, malate, maleate, mandelate, mesylate, methylbromide, methylnitrate, methylsulphate, mucate, napsylate, nitrate, pamoate, (embonate), pantothenate, phosphate, diphosphate, polygalacturonate, salicylate, stearate, subacetate, succinate, sulphate, tannate, tartrate, and triethiodide, including combinations of two or more thereof. Cationic salts may also be used, for example the alkali metals, e.g. Na and K, and ammonium salts and salts of amines known in the art to be pharmaceutically acceptable, for example glycine, ethylene diamine, choline, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, octadecylamine, diethylamine, triethylamine, 1-amino-2-propanol-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diol, and 1-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2 isopropylaminoethanol.
The pharmaceutical will typically be one which is suitable for inhalation and may be provided in any suitable form for this purpose, for example as a solution or powder suspension in a solvent or carrier liquid, for example ethanol, or isopropyl alcohol. Typical propellants are HFA134a, HFA227 and di-methyl ether.
The pharmaceutical may, for example, be one which is suitable for the treatment of asthma. Examples include salbutamol, beclomethasone, salmeterol, fluticasone, formoterol, terbutaline, sodium chromoglycate, budesonide and flunisolide, and physiologically acceptable salts (for example salbutamol sulphate, salmeterol xinafoate, fluticasone propionate, beclomethasone dipropionate, and terbutaline sulphate), solvates and esters, including combinations of two or more thereof. Individual isomers such as, for example, R-salbutamol, may also be used. As will be appreciated, the pharmaceutical may comprise of one or more active ingredients, an example of which is flutiform, and may optionally be provided together with a suitable carrier, for example a liquid carrier. One or more surfactants may be included if desired.
Rigid components of the dispensing apparatus may be formed from, for example, from polyester, nylon, acetal or similar.


A system and computer implemented method for amplifying the online visibility and credibility of a user of an application platform is provided. The system includes an application platform for carrying out the method; a desired work related to a defined topic; a drafted work from a creator that is graded based on predetermined attributes; an automated reader configured to read, identify, and tag keywords; target websites having attributes associated with the defined topic or keywords; one or more accepted users for sponsoring the drafted work on a selected target website; a matching user to sponsor the drafted work; an enhanced work enhanced for the keywords and the matching user; a transmission of the enhanced work to a selected target website; a published work on target website; and a symbiotic sharing the work on one or more social media platforms selected by the matching user.

Internet search engines have three primary functions: crawling, i.e., scour the Internet for content, including looking through the code and/or content for each URL (uniform resource locator) that is found; indexing, i.e., storing and organizing the content found during the crawling process; and ranking, i.e., providing the most relevant content to respond to an online searcher's query. Content published online is worthless unless a search engine can find, index, and rank the website containing the published content so an interested searcher can find it. When content is found by an interested searcher, it may be shared with other people or referenced in other content, each of which increases the visibility and credibility of the content and the associated author or sponsor.
Existing methods and systems for facilitating the discovery, indexing, and ranking of content by search engine include inefficient and labor-intensive search engine optimization (SEO) functions, such as publishing manually written content (e.g., blogging), creating backlinks in the published content to other content or third-party websites, adding anchor tags or on-page links to specific locations on the webpage or another webpage within the website, or third-party websites and sharing content on various websites and social media platforms. Furthermore, existing methods and systems are user-specific, and each content creator is siloed without any ability to control how their content is shared or linked to by others. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a new method and system for efficiently amplifying a user's online visibility and credibility.

System for amplifying user online visibility and credibility


A temperature detecting device includes a temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of a member; a sheet covering the temperature detecting element and contactable to the member; wherein the sheet covering the temperature detecting element has a surface contactable to the member, the surface being of a glass fiber sheet coated with a resin material having a parting property.

The present invention relates to a temperature detecting apparatus for detecting the temperature of a target object. It also relates to a fixing apparatus for thermally fixing an unfixed toner image to recording medium, which uses a temperature detecting apparatus.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic view of a fixing roller 1 and a temperature sensor 6. As shown in FIG. 5, the temperature detection element 12 of the temperature sensor 6 is embedded in the temperature detection surface of the a protective member 13, which remains in contact with the fixing roller 1. The protective member 12 is generally formed of a spongy substance. In order to prevent the surface of the fixing roller 1 and the temperature detection element 12 of the temperature sensor 6 from being damaged by the friction resulting from the contact between the temperature sensor 6 and fixing roller 1, the surface of protective member 13, in which the temperature detection element 12 is embedded, and the surface of the temperature detection element 12, which faces the fixing roller 1, are covered with a piece of protective tape 14, which is formed of a highly lubricous substance. As for the conventional material for forming the protective tape 14, polyimide or the like has been used. The thickness of the spongy protective member 13 is 6 mm, and the thickness of the protective tape 14 is 20 xcexcm. The temperature of the surface of the fixing roller 1 is detected by the temperature sensor 6, and the length of the time a heater 5 within the fixing roller 1 is kept turned on is controlled in response to the detected temperature so that the surface temperature of the fixing roller 1 remains at a target level.
The fixing roller 1 and an unshown pressure roller are kept pressed upon each other, forming a nip portion. As a piece of recording medium, onto which an unfixed toner image has just been transferred, is passed through the nip portion, the unfixed toner image is thermally fixed to the recording medium surface, turning into a permanent image.
In recent years, however, an image forming apparatus has drastically increased in speed. The higher the operational speed of an image forming apparatus, the greater the amount by which the surface temperature of the fixing roller drops as a substantial number of recording medium are continuously passed through the fixing apparatus, failing to conduct heat to the toner on the recording medium by a sufficient amount. Therefore, the so-called offset, that is, the phenomenon that toner adheres to the fixing roller, is likely to occur.
In the past, the offset toner adhered to the protective tape, which covered the temperature detection surface of the thermistor, and collected thereon. As the amount of the offset toner, which had collected on the protective tape covering the temperature detection surface of the thermistor, exceeded a certain amount, the collected offset toner dislodged, all at once, from the protective tape of the thermistor, and re-adhered to the toner image bearing surface of the recording medium which happened to be passing through the nip between the pressure roller and fixing roller, contaminating the image on the recording medium.
Further, since the offset toner adhered to the protective tape on the temperature detection surface, and collected thereon, there was a possibility that the surface temperature of the fixing roller would be incorrectly detected.
As a means for preventing the offset toner from adhering to the temperature detection surface of the thermistor, it is possible to place the temperature detecting member outside the recording medium path. This method, however, has its own problem. That is, in a case that a recording medium of a large size is passed immediately after a recording medium with a smaller size is passed, it is difficult to accurately estimate the temperature of the center portion of the fixing roller based on the temperature detected at the edge portion of the fixing roller. It is also possible to employ a noncontact type temperature detecting member. This method, however, is also problematic in that not only is a noncontact type temperature detecting member difficult to control but also high in cost.
The primary object of the present invention is to prevent toner from adhering to the temperature detection surface of the temperature sensor of a fixing member, so that it becomes possible to provide a fixing apparatus which does not suffer from the problems that an image is contaminated by the toner which collected on the temperature detection surface of the temperature sensor, and/or that the temperature of the fixing roller is incorrectly detected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a temperature detecting apparatus, the temperature detection surface of which is covered with a glass fiber sheet coated with a sheet of resin film superior in releasing properties, across the surface which makes contact with an object, the temperature of which is to be detected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fixing apparatus comprising: a rotational member which makes contact with a sheet of recording medium bearing an unfixed image in order to fix the unfixed image to the recording medium: and a temperature sensor placed in contact with the rotational member to detect the temperature of the rotational member, wherein the surface of the temperature sensor, which faces the rotational member, is covered with a glass fiber sheet coated with a sheet of resin film superior in releasing properties, across the surface which faces the rotational member.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fixing apparatus having temperature detecting device


An image processing system for delivering real scene information to a data processor. The system includes the data processor, an image-delivery mechanism, an information delivery mechanism, and a graphic processor.

One may have to look quite far into the annals of history to find the first uses of maps. Maps generally provide information to alert a user to things that are not readily apparent from simple viewing of a real scene from the users location. For example, a user of a city road map may not be able to see a tunnel on Elm Street if the user is currently seven miles away on First Street and looking in the direction of the Elm Street tunnel. However, from the First Street location, the user could determine from a road map that there is a tunnel on Elm Street. He could learn that the tunnel is three miles long, starts on Eighth Street and ends on Eleventh Street. There may even be an indication of the size of the tunnel such that it could accommodate four traffic lanes and a bicycle lane.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to translate the information from a map to the real scene that the information represents as the scene is actually viewed. It is common for users of maps to attempt to align the map to reality to get a better "feel" of where things are in relation to the real world. Those who are familiar with maps can verify that the fact that maps are drawn with north being generally in the direction of the top of the map, is of little use when translating the information to the scene of interest. Regardless of where north is, one tends to turn the map so that the direction ahead of the user, or in the direction of travel, in a real scene matches that direction on the map. This may result in the condition of an "upside down" map that is quite difficult to read (the case when the user is traveling south). Although translating the directions of the map to reality is a formidable task, it is an even greater problem to translate the symbols on the map to those objects in reality which they represent. The tunnel symbol on the map does not show what the real tunnel actually looks like. The fact that the appearance of the tunnel from infinitely many points of view is prohibitively difficult to represent on a map accounts for the use of a simple symbol. Furthermore, the map does not have any indication from which point of view the user will first see the tunnel, nor any indication of the path which the user will take to approach the tunnel.
It is now possible to computerize city road map information and display the maps according to the path taken by a user. The map is updated in "real-time" according to the progress of the user through the city streets. It is therefore possible to relieve the problem of upside-down maps as the computer could re-draw the map with the text in correct orientation relative to the user even when one is traveling in a southerly direction. The computer generated map is displayed at a monitor that can be easily refreshed with new information as the user progresses along his journey. Maps of this type for automobiles are well known in the art. Even very sophisticated maps with computer generated indicia to assist the user in decision making are available and described in patents such as DeJong U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,398. This device can display a local scene as it may appear and superimpose onto the scene, symbolic information that suggests an action to be taken by the user. Even in these advanced systems, a high level of translation is required of the user. The computer generated map does not attempt to present an accurate alignment of displayed images to the real object which they represent.
Devices employing image supplementation are known and include Head Up Displays (HUDs) and Helmet Mounted Displays (HMDs). A HUD is a useful vision system which allows a user to view a real scene, usually through an optical image combiner such as a holographic mirror or a dichroic beamsplitter, and have superimposed thereon, navigational information for example symbols of real or imaginary objects, vehicle speed and altitude data, et cetera. It is a primary goal of the HUD to maximize the time that the user is looking into the scene of interest. For a fighter pilot, looking at a display device located nearby on an instrument panel, and changing the focus of ones' eyes to read that device, and to return to the scene of interest, requires a critically long time and could cause a fatal error. A HUD allows a fighter pilot to maintain continuous concentration on a scene at optical infinity while reading instruments that appear to the eye to also be located at optical infinity and thereby eliminating the need to refocus ones' eyes. A HUD allows a pilot to maintain a "head-up" position at all times. For the airline industry, HUDs have been used to land airplanes in low visibility conditions. HUDs are particularly useful in a landing situation where the boundaries of a runway are obscured in the pilots field of view by fog but artificial boundaries can be projected onto the optical combiner of the HUD system to show where in the user's vision field the real runway boundaries are. The virtual runway projection is positioned in the vision field according to data generated by communication between a computer with and the airport instrument landing system (ILS) which employs a VHF radio beam. The system provides the computer with two data figures. First a glide slope figure, and second, a localizer which is a lateral position figure. With these data, the computer is able to generate an optical image (photon) to be projected and combined with the real scene (photon) that passes through the combiner and thereby enhancing certain features of the real scene; for example runway boundaries. The positioning of the overlay depends on the accuracy of the airplane boresight being in alignment with the ILS beam and other physical limitations. The computer is not able to recognize images in the real scene and does not attempt to manipulate the real scene except for highlighting parts thereof. HUDs are particularly characterized in that they are an optical combination of two photon scenes. The combination being a first scene, one that is normally viewed by the users eyes passes through an optical combiner, and a second, computer generated photon image which is combined with the real image at an optical element. In a HUD device it is not possible for the computer to address objects of the real scene, for example to alter or delete them. The system only adds enhancement to a feature of the real image by drawing interesting features thereon. Finally, HUDs are very bulky and are typically mounted into an airplane or automobile and require a great deal of space and complex optics including holograms and specially designed lenses.
HMDs are similar to HUDs in that they also combine enhancement images with real scene photon images but they typically have very portable components. Micro CRTs and small combiners make the entire system helmet mountable. It is a complicated matter to align computer generated images to a real scene in relation to a fast moving helmet. HUDs can align the data generated image that is indexed to the slow moving airplane axis which moves slowly in relation to a runway. For this reason, HMDs generally display data that does not change with the pilots head movements such as altitude and airspeed. HMDs suffer the same limitation as the HUDs in that they do not provide the capacity to remove or augment elements of the real image.
Another related concept that has resulted in a rapidly developing field of computer assisted vision systems is known as virtual reality (VR). Probably best embodied in the fictional television program "Star Trek; The Next Generation", the "Holodeck" is a place where a user can go to have all of his surroundings generated by a computer so as to appear to the user to be another place or another place and time.
Virtual reality systems are useful in particular for a training means. For example in aircraft simulation devices. A student pilot can be surrounded by a virtual "cockpit" which is essentially a computer interface whereby the user "feels" the environment that may be present in a real aircraft, in a very real way and perhaps enhanced with computer generated sounds, images and even mechanical stimuli. Actions taken by the user may be interpreted by the computer and the computer can respond to those actions to control the stimuli that surround the user. VR machines can create an entire visual scene and there is no effort to superimpose a computer generated scene onto a real scene. A VR device generally does not have any communication between its actual location in reality and the stimuli being presented to the user. The location of the VR machine and the location of the scene being generated generally have no physical relationship.
VR systems can be used to visualize things that do not yet exist. For example, a home can be completely modeled with a computer so that a potential buyer can "walk-through" before it is even built. The buyer could enter the VR atmosphere and proceed through computer generated images and stimuli that accurately represent what a home would be like once it is built. In this way, one could know if a particular style of home is likable before the large cost of building the home is incurred. The VR machine being entirely programmed with information from a designer does not anticipate things that presently exist and there is no communication between the elements presented in the VR system to those elements existing in reality.
While the systems and inventions of the prior art are designed to achieve particular goals, features, advantages, and objectives, some of those being no less than remarkable, these systems and inventions have limitations and faults that prevent their use in ways that are only possible by way of the present invention. The prior art systems and inventions can not be used to realize the advantages and objectives of the present invention.


A game system includes a housing to be held by a player. The housing incorporates an XY-axis acceleration sensor to detect an acceleration in a X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction and a Z-axis contact switch to detect an acceleration in a Z-axis direction. The sensor and switch detect at least one of an amount (e.g. tilt amount, movement amount, impact amount or the like) and a direction (e.g. tilt direction, movement direction, impact direction or the like) of a change applied to the housing. A simulation program provides simulation such that a state of a game space is changed related to at least one of the amount and direction of the change applied to the housing.

1. Technical Field
The technology presented herein relates to a game system and game information storage medium used for same. More particularly, the technology relates to a game system and game information storage medium used for same, which detects a change amount and direction of a tilt, movement or impact applied to a housing of a portable game apparatus or to a controller of a video game apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In operating the conventional portable game apparatus, a player manipulates the operation switch, such as a direction instructing key joystick) or buttons while holding the video game machine's controller (controller housing) or portable game apparatus' housing by both hands. For example, if the player presses a direction instructing key at any one of up, down, left and right pressing points, a moving (player-controlled) character is moved in the pressed direction of up, down, left or right. If the action button is operated, the moving character is changed in its state of display, e.g. the moving character performs an action, such as jumping, as defined on the action button.
Also, in the conventional game apparatus or game software (game information storage medium), the player can operate the operation switch in order to change the motion of a moving (player-controlled) character acting as a player's other self on the screen. Consequently, it has been difficult for the player to change the game space (or background scene) freely through his or her manipulation.
In the conventional game operation method, the player has been required to remember the way to operate a game according to the suggestion given in the game-software instruction manuals. Furthermore, the use of a general-purpose operation switch has made it difficult to realize a change of the game space (or game scene) in a manner matching the player's feeling of manipulating the operation-switch, resulting in a mismatch between the player's feel of operation and the screen-display state. Under such situations, the player possibly encounters difficulty in concentrating on playing the game before mastering the way to manipulate the game, thus losing his or her interest.
Meanwhile, with the conventional game apparatus or game software, the game space (or background scene) could not have been changed by the player's operation, thus limiting the game space variation and hence amusement result therefrom.
Therefore, it is a primary feature of the example embodiments presented herein to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can change the state of a game space according to the operation by a player.
Another feature of the embodiments are to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can change the state of a game space through simple operation so that a player can concentrate on game play with enhanced enthusiasm without the necessity of skill on operation way.
Still another feature of the embodiments are to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can realize the change of a game scene matching an operation feeling through by matching the player's operation and the game-space change.
Yet another feature of the embodiments are to provide a game system and game information storage medium used for same which can change the state of a game space through the interaction with a plurality of portable game apparatuses to allow a plurality of players to cooperate or compete, thereby providing a variety of game-space change states, enhanced interest of game and virtual reality amusement.
A first exemplary embodiment is a game system having, in a related fashion, a game apparatus having game program storage means storing a game program and processing means for executing the game program, and display means to display an image based on a result of processing by the processing means. The game system includes a housing to be held by a player and change-state detecting means. The change-state detecting means is related to the housing so that it detects at least one of an amount (e.g. tilt amount, movement amount, impact amount or the like) and a direction (e.g. tilt direction, movement direction, impact direction or the like) of a change applied to the housing. The game program storage means stores game space data, a display control program and a simulation program.
The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. A display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. A simulation program simulates based on an output of the change-state detecting means such that a state of the game space is changed related to at least one of a change amount and a change direction applied to the housing.
Here, game space means a world of a game that the game is possible to play. The game space is different by game kind or genre, and is presented to a player through a display screen. For example, for an action or roll-playing game having a moving (player-controlled) character to move therein, game space may be a background, a maze or other maps. For a battle game, it may be a ring (in addition to this, the game space includes the space of the audience seats and the space above of ring). For a race game, it may be a space of a course for running the race and a periphery of the course. For a shooting game, a background scene such as a cosmic space for a background of a character (however, characters are not required, and a game space in which no character exists is contemplated). In a game using a tool, game space may be a scene to associate the use of a tool.
Simulation refers to game control for analogously representing a change caused in the actual space in a form of a game-space state change. The change caused in the actual space is based on at least one of an amount and a direction of a tilt, movement or impact applied to the housing. Game control includes the case of simulating a state change of the game space itself and the case of simulating an indirect effect upon another object caused by a change in state of the game space. The former is a case that simulation is made such that, when an impact is given to the housing, a land in the game space is transformed on an assumption that energy has been supplied to the game space. The latter is a case that simulation is made such that, when the housing is tilted, a ball existing on a maze plate rolls on an assumption that the maze plate as an example of the game space is tilted. Where simulating a state change of a game space, it is possible to consider varying a parameter such as a temperature rise in the game space, in addition to causing a change of display including land transformation.
A second exemplary embodiment is a game information storage medium storing a game program and being detachably loaded in a game system. The game system is structured by operating means having a related display means and including a housing to be held by a player, change-state detecting means related to the housing for detecting at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing, and processing means to display on the display means an image obtained by processing a program. The game information storage medium stores game space data, a display control program and a simulation program.
The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. A display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. A simulation program provides simulation based on an output of the change-state detecting means such that a state of the game space is changed related to at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing.
A third exemplary embodiment is a game information storage medium storing a game program and being detachably loaded in a portable game apparatus. The portable game apparatus includes a housing integrally having display means to be held by a player, and processing means to display on the display means an image obtained by processing a program. A change-state detecting means is provided which is related to one of the portable game apparatus and the game information storage medium for detecting at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to one of a housing of the portable game apparatus and the game information storage medium.
The game information storage medium stores game space data, a display control program and a simulation program. The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. A display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. A simulation program provides simulation based on an output of the change-state detecting means such that a state of the game space is changed related to at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing.
A fourth exemplary embodiment is a game system structured at least by two game apparatuses that interact with each other. The two game apparatuses each have game program storage means to store a program, processing means to execute a game program, and a housing to be held by a player, and in a related fashion display means to display an image based on a result of processing by the processing means. At least one of the two game apparatuses is related to its respective housing and has change-state detecting means to detect at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing. The game system further has data transmitting means connected to the two game apparatuses for transmitting mutually-related data to the game apparatus on the opposite side.
The respective game program storage means of the two game apparatuses store game space data and display control programs. The game space data includes image data to display a space for game play. The display control program causes the display means to display a game space based on the game space data. The game program storage means of at least the other of the two game apparatuses further includes a simulation program to provide simulation based on an output of the change-state detecting means of the one game apparatus transmitted through the data transmitting means such that a state of the game space of the other of the game apparatuses is changed related to at least one of an amount and a direction of a change applied to the housing of one of the game apparatuses.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a game system and game information storage medium used for same that can change a state of a game space.
Also, according to the embodiment, a game system and game information storage medium used for same is to be obtained which can change the state of a game space through simple operation so that a player can concentrate on game play with enhanced enthusiasm without the necessity of skill on operation ways.
Also, according to the embodiment, a game system and game information storage medium used for same is to be obtained which can realize the change of a game scene matched to an operation feeling through matching the player's operation and the game-space change.
Further, according to the embodiment, a game system and game information storage medium used for same is to be obtained which can change the state of a game space through the interaction with a plurality of portable game apparatuses to allow a plurality of players to cooperate or compete, thereby providing a variety of game-space change states, an enhanced interest in the game and virtual reality amusement.
The above described features, aspects and advantages of the present embodiment will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Game system and game information storage medium used for same


A surface-stabilized in-plane switching (SS-IPS) liquid crystal (LCD) cell includes a pair of spaced substrates that include alignment layers disposed thereon. The alignment layers are treated to define a first director orientation. Disposed between the alignment layers is a liquid crystal material that contains polymer fibrils that are disposed upon each of the alignment layers. The polymer fibrils serve to maintain the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules in the first director orientation when no voltage is applied to the LCD cell via interdigitated electrodes disposed upon the alignment layers, thus improving the dynamic response of the SS-IPS LCD cell.

In-plane switching (IPS) is a leading liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, which has as one of its main features the ability to align liquid crystals horizontally to increase their viewing angle while allowing the transmittance of the LCD to be changed. Due to this, IPS technology was unanimously adopted at its introduction by the LCD industry and was one of the first refinements to LCDs, to be incorporated. As a result, wide viewing angles and fast response characteristics were able to be achieved, thus overcoming the two main drawbacks of standard twisted nematic (TN) based LCDs.
After its introduction in 1996, IPS LCD technology evolved through several generations, beginning with IPS and advancing on to Super IPS, Advanced Super IPS (AS-IPS), and finally to IPS-Pro. In particular, Super IPS LCD technology was introduced to overcome color shift problems of the original IPS displays that were apparent at wide viewing angles. AS-IPS allowed opaque electrodes to be replaced with transparent electrodes, which considerably reduced the amount of power that is required for the backlight of an AS-IPS LCD to operate. In addition, AS-IPS also provided smoother pixels, which yielded a cleaner, crisper, and more continuous image at all viewing angles. Finally, because IPS-Pro based LCDs are highly complex, they are expensive to produce, and as such, they are used only in applications where image clarity and precision is considered critical, such as in the medical field, including surgical applications, as well as in advanced engineering and science applications.
In an IPS liquid crystal (LC) cell, the molecules of the LC are aligned horizontally with an angle of about 6˜12 degrees with respect to the direction of the LCD electrodes. As such, the LC molecules are kept parallel to the electrode pair and the glass substrate of the LCD screen. Thus, when the IPS LC cell is placed between a pair of polarizers that are crossed at 90 degrees with respect to each other, such that one of the polarizers is aligned with the average LC molecule orientation in the absence of an electric field, the IPS LC cell appears as a black image. In this state, the polarized light passes through the cell without interruption from the LC molecules and is blocked by the front polarizer. To produce an image, a voltage is applied across the electrodes of the IPS cell to form an electric field, referred to as a lateral electric field, which is applied between each end of the liquid crystal molecules. The application of the lateral electric field causes the nematic LC molecules to be reoriented or aligned at an angle between the electrodes, normally at a 45-degree angle between the pair of crossed polarizers. Because the liquid crystal molecules are weakly anchored to the lower glass substrate of the IPS LC cell, they move more freely into the desired alignment upon application of the electric field. In addition, because there is no twisted structure in an IPS LC cell, as in a twisted nematic (TN) cell, the applied electric field causes the LC molecules of the IPS LC cell to be simply switched between dark and bright states in the plane with a fast response or switching speed. Moreover, IPS considerably improves viewing angles of TFT (thin film transistor) based LCDs as compared to TN (twisted nematic) LCDs due to the characteristic symmetrical optical retardation of TNs that occurs at all viewing angles.
IPS technology produces LCDs with high optical contrast between bright and dark images, while allowing wide viewing angles because the blockage of light transmission is complete at the field-off state, allowing the viewer to see black from all viewing angles. The optical transmittance of the aligned nematic LC layer between the polarizers crossed at 90 degrees with respect to each other can be given as T=sin2(2φ(V)) sin2(πdΔn(V)/λ). As such, φ(V) is the voltage-dependent azimuthal component of the angle between the LC optic axis and the transmission axes of the crossed polarizers, πdΔn(V) is voltage-dependent retardation of the LC layer (where d is the thickness of LC layer, Δn is the birefringence value of LC layer), and λ is the wavelength of incident light. With an applied voltage, the homogeneously-aligned LC molecules are switched in a direction parallel to substrates, making conditions of φ(V)=π/4 and πdΔn(V)/λ=π/2 to maximize the light transmittance, that is, T=1. The switching times of turn-on (rise, τon) and turn-off (decay, τoff) can be described by the following equations: τon=(γ1d2/πKeff)(1/[(V/Vth)2−1)] and τoff=(γ1d2/πKeff), where γ1 is the rotational viscosity of LC molecule, Keff is the effective elastic constant (for IPS, the Keff is equal to K22), and V and Vth are the applied voltage and threshold voltage, respectively. However, due to the slow decay time, current IPS LCDs are unable to display moving images with high quality.
Therefore, there is a need for an IPS LCD that combines a small amount of polymer network in a liquid crystal to stabilize or otherwise modify the reorientation of the LC director in response to an applied electric field. In addition, there is a need for an IPS LCD that provides a surface-localized polymer in an LC that enables fast switching of LC molecules, so as to improve dynamic response times, allowing the SS-IPS LCD to display moving images with high quality.


A three-dimensional graphical user interface system comprises a media component configured to produce a signal comprising media content (e.g., a movie or television show being viewed by a user) and a three-dimensional graphical user interface (e.g., an interactive program guide). A display device communicatively coupled to the media component is configured to simultaneously display the three-dimensional graphical user interface and a media content image corresponding to the media content.

Three-dimensional (3D) display systems are increasingly used for viewing media in the context of home televisions, tablet computers, smartphones, personal computers, and the like. Such 3D display systems pose certain challenges, however, with respect to graphical user interfaces—i.e., how to provide the user with a graphical user interface that allows the user to easily interact with the media and/or the 3D display system itself. For example, conventional program guides are typically provided as two-dimensional images at the plane of the display unit, while the 3D content itself might appear "closer" to the viewer than the program guide, thereby partially or entirely occluding the program guide.
At the same time, consumers have expressed significant interest in "place shifting" devices that allow viewing of television or other media content at locations other than their primary television set. Placeshifting devices typically packetize media content that can be transmitted over a local or wide area network to a portable computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, remote television or other remote device capable of playing back the packetized media stream for the viewer. Placeshifting therefore allows consumers to view their media content from remote locations such as other rooms, hotels, offices, and/or any other locations where portable media player devices can gain access to a wireless or other communications network. Such placeshifting devices typically employ graphical user interfaces for selecting and viewing media content.
It is therefore desirable to create graphical user interfaces for selecting and otherwise interacting with media sources in the context of 3D display systems and placeshifting devices. These and other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background section.


A chip package assembly and method for fabricating the same are provided which utilize a plurality of electrically floating extra-die heat transfer posts for improved thermal management. In one example, a chip package assembly is provided that includes a substrate, a first integrated circuit (IC) die, and a first plurality of electrically floating extra-die conductive posts. The substrate has a first surface and an opposing second surface. The first integrated circuit (IC) die has a first surface and an opposing second surface. The second surface of the first IC die is mounted to the first surface of the substrate. The first plurality of electrically floating extra-die conductive posts extend from the first surface of the first IC die to provide a heat transfer path away from the first IC die.

Electronic devices, such as tablets, computers, copiers, digital cameras, smart phones, control systems and automated teller machines, among others, often employ electronic components which leverage chip package assemblies for increased functionality and higher component density. Conventional chip packaging schemes often utilize a package substrate, often in conjunction with a through-silicon-via (TSV) interposer, to enable a plurality of integrated circuit (IC) dies to be mounted to a single package substrate. The IC dies may include memory, logic or other IC devices.
In many chip package assemblies, providing adequate thermal management has become increasingly challenging. Failure to provide adequate cooling often results in diminished service life and even device failure. Thermal management is particularly problematic in applications where multiple dies are vertically stacked on a substrate in a single package assembly. In such applications, the IC dies that are located closer to the substrate often have poor heat transfer paths out of the package assembly. The lack of efficient paths to remove heat from these middle and lower positioned IC dies of the vertical IC stack often causes these dies to operate at temperatures very close to the thermal junction temperature limit. Thus, small fluctuations in ambient temperatures, such as by air conditioner failure, may quickly lead to the thermal junction temperature limit being exceeded, resulting in device failure or system shutdowns.
Therefore, a need exists for a chip package assembly having improved thermal management.

Stacked silicon package assembly having vertical thermal management


Some embodiments of the invention include a composition and method for treating dysbiosis in infants. The composition may include a mixture of activated bifidobacteria and a complex oligosaccharide wherein the complex oligosaccharide may be derived from a human or non-human source.

When a vaginally-delivered human infant is breast-fed he/she will have a gastrointestinal microbiome that is unique in composition and diversity compared to any other time in their life. The GI microbiome is dominated by a single organism which can be present at high concentrations (up to and over 70% of the total microbiome). However, the obstetric standard of care in a typical hospital today involves births from both Cesarean Section (C-section) and vaginal delivery, followed by human milk or infant formula feeding for the baby. The surgical suite and levels of cleanliness for the mother pre- and post-op in many modern hospital settings are such that in many cases the infant will not get seeded with bacteria normally found in the microbiome of the vagina or gastrointestinal tract of the mother, resulting in a dysbiosis in the baby whether delivered by C-Section or vaginal births or fed by mother's milk or infant formula. Furthermore, dysbiosis can also be caused by infants losing the beneficial Bifidobacterium as a result of illness or medical intervention (e.g., antibiotic treatment). The dysbiosis of the infant microbiome leads to increased gastrointestinal problems and delayed or altered immunological programming and tolerization. The consequences of early dysbiosis are considered to have an impact throughout the entire life of that individual.
Human milk contains a significant quantity of complex oligosaccharides (up to 15% of total dry mass) in a form that is not usable as an energy source for the baby nor for most of the microorganisms in the gut of that baby. Certain microorganisms such as Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis [B. infantis or BI] have the unique capability to consume the specific complex oligosaccharides such as those found in human or bovine milk (U.S. Pat. No. 8,198,872 and U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0195803, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). When B. infantis comes in contact with certain complex oligosaccharides a number of genes are specifically induced within the bacterium whose protein products as enzymes and binding proteins are responsible for the uptake and internal deconstruction of those complex oligosaccharides, and the individual sugar components are then catabolized to provide energy for the growth and reproduction of that organism (Sela et al, 2008, PNAS, 105(48): p. 18964-69).

Activated bifidobacteria and methods of use thereof


The present application relates to an apparatus and method for placing an element (14), such as a steel column or concrete section, into a pile shaft (1) during top-down construction techniques. The apparatus is provided with an upper and lower positioning means (2, 3) which allow the plan position of the element at upper and lower levels respectively to be adjusted.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the construction of structures below ground by means of a technique known as "top-down" construction. In particular, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for placing and positioning an element, such as a steel section or stanchion, within a pile shaft. Subsequently the element, which is generally positioned vertically above a load bearing pile, may be used to support loads from an above ground structure and to transmit load from ground level to the head of a load bearing pile.
2. Prior Art
Briefly, top-down construction involves the following steps:
i) construction of a perimeter wall which is installed from the prevailing ground level;
ii) installation of load-bearing piles within the curtilage of the perimeter wall. To construct each load bearing pile, a pile shaft of required depth is excavated and may be partially filled with concrete or grout. If the shaft is partially filled at this stage, the concrete of the pile is terminated at a distance below ground that generally corresponds to the level of the (future) basement slab;
iii) insertion and positioning of an element, which may be a steel column, hollow steel section, precast concrete, or any suitable member, into the 'empty' bore of the pile shaft, above the level of the concrete or "pile head". The element is designed to transmit load from ground level to the pile head. Generally the requirement is for the element to be positioned vertically, although other orientation requirements may be required for specific applications;
iv) Once the element has been positioned within the bore, it is either lowered onto the top of the set concrete in the pile, so that load transmission between the element and the pile is by end-bearing onto the concrete head, or it is plunged some distance into the concrete to become embedded in the pile before it sets.
As an alternative to the above method, it is possible for the element to be positioned within the excavated bore shaft before any concrete is placed. Once the element has been positioned within the shaft, concrete is placed to the base of the excavated shaft by means of a concrete supply pipe, and the bore filled to the required depth.
Several methods have been used in the past for positioning an element in a pile shaft during top-down construction techniques. For example, during the construction of a cast in place pile, a shaft lining tube of steel or reinforced concrete was installed and the bore was then partially filled with concrete. Once the concrete had set it was necessary for an operative to be lowered into the casing in order to clean the concrete surface and to fix a base plate or similar device to the head of the concrete. The element was then lowered into position and fixed to the base plate by the operative using surveying techniques to adjust the plan position of the element. Generally, the casing which was installed to ensure safety during the manned descent was left in place. The cost of the casings and the safety measures taken meant that the costs involved in the operation were substantial.
More recently, a variety of tools have been developed which allow the element to be positioned remotely, i.e. from ground level, by means of mechanical, electrical or hydraulic drive means.
When positioning an element within a bore hole it is important to be able to monitor and/or adjust the position of the element at or close to ground level, and also to have a knowledge of the position of the element at a lower level in the pile shaft, preferably at or near the head of the (future) concrete pile.
In EP 0302707, an apparatus for positioning a column in an underground pile shaft is described which comprises a locating frame having at least one pair of adjustable guide frames at either end of the frame. The frame is placed into a borehole so as to define an interior space through which the element is lowered, and is braced against the inner wall of a temporary casing which lines the pile shaft. The guide frames are remotely adjustable and can be operated to locate the column at that level. Once the guide frame at the upper level has been adjusted, the guide frame at the lower level is also adjusted so as to adjust the plan position of the column at the lower level.
There are a number of problems which have been encountered with the locating device described in EP 0302707. Firstly, the frames are inconvenient to store or handle due to their weight and size. Furthermore, the frame requires a temporary casing to be inserted into the bore to a depth of at least the length of the frame. The temporary casing is cumbersome and the process of installing it often time consuming.


Some embodiments include apparatus and methods using a first digital-to-time converter (DTC) circuit to receive an input clock signal and generate a first clock signal based on the input clock signal, a second DTC circuit to receive the input clock signal and generate a second clock signal based on the input clock signal, and an output circuit to receive the first and second clock signals to generate an output clock signal based on the first and second clock signals.

Many electronic devices perform their operations using timing of a clock signal (or multiple clock signals) generated by a clock generator included in the devices. Phase locked loop (PLL) clock generators are widely used to generate clock signals. A conventional PLL clock generator traditionally has a long frequency transition time when it switches from one frequency to the next during particular operations of the device. During such a frequency transition, the frequency behavior of the clock signal generated by the PLL clock generator is unpredictable. Thus, components in the device that use the clock signal for their operations may need to stop and wait until the PLL clock generator acquires the new frequency. This stop and wait action may hinder the performance of the device and waste device resources.

Scalable interleaved digital-to-time converter circuit for clock generation


The present invention provides a process for preparation of {(2E,4E,6E,8E)-9-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethyl)phenyl-3,7-dimethyl-nona-2,4,6,8}tetraenoate, an acitretin intermediate of formula (VI) with trans isomer ≥97%, comprising of reacting 3-formyl-crotonic acid butyl ester of formula (V), substantially free of impurities, with 5-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-penta-2,4-diene-1-triphenyl phosphonium bromide of formula (IV) and isolating resultant compound of formula (VI), treating the filtrate with iodine for isomerization of the undesired cis intermediate and finally obtaining acitretin (I), with desired trans isomer ≥97%.

Acitretin of formula (I), chemically known as (2E,4E,6E,8E)-9-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethyl)phenyl-3,7-dimethyl-nona-2,4,6,8-tetraenoic acid, is a second generation retinoid approved by USFDA in 1996, for the treatment of psoriasis.

The process for preparation of acitretin (I) was first disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,681 wherein the intermediate, 5-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-penta-2,4-diene-1-triphenyl phosphonium bromide was reacted with 3-formyl-crotonic acid butyl ester in presence of sodium hydride as base and dimethylformamide as solvent. The resultant ester derivative was obtained with a trans:cis (E/Z) ratio of around 55:45 which was subjected to hydrolysis in presence of potassium hydroxide and ethyl alcohol to obtain acitretin.
Use of hazardous, highly pyrophoric and moisture sensitive reagent like sodium hydride, along with cumbersome work-up and successive crystallizations to obtain the desired isomer rendered the process unviable for commercial scale.
Indian patent application 729/MUM/2012 discloses use of organic bases such as triethyl amine or pyridine for the reaction of 3-formyl-crotonic acid butyl ester and 5-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-penta-2,4-diene-1-triphenyl phosphonium bromide for the synthesis of acitretin. The process utilizes a large excess of the organic base (2.85:1.0) with respect to the reactant phosphonium bromide derivative. Further, there is no mention of the ratio of cis and trans geometric isomers of the product thus obtained either at the intermediate or final stage. The trans:cis (E/Z) ratio of the intermediate significantly impacts the final yield and purity of the product as several purifications and crystallizations are required to obtain the desired trans isomer.
The present inventors have experimentally observed that use of organic base in such large quantities severely hampers the removal of the undesired side product triphenyl phosphonium oxide formed in significant amounts. Also, the intermediate is obtained with a very modest trans:cis (E/Z) ratio.
WO2012/155796 discloses another method wherein alkali metal alkoxides are used as bases in the reaction of 5-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-penta-2,4-diene-1-triphenyl phosphonium bromide with 3-formyl-crotonic acid. The obtained reaction mass, after adjusting pH to 7-8 with acid, is directly subjected to catalytic isomerization using catalysts such as Pd(OAc)2 or Pd(NH3)2Cl2. The reaction mixture so obtained is quenched with water, neutralized and filtered to get the desired product, which is further recrystallized from ethyl acetate. Although this procedure avoids the hydrolysis step and attempts in-situ isomerization, however the use of expensive, soluble palladium catalyst which cannot be recycled from the reaction mass coupled with lengthy reaction time of 25-30 hours and large solvent volumes make the process unviable.
It may be noted that in the synthesis of acitretin, the key reaction of 5-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-penta-2,4-diene-1-triphenylphosphoniumbromide with 3-formyl crotonic acid or its ester in presence of either strong inorganic bases such as sodium hydride, alkali metal alkoxides or organic bases like triethylamine is common to almost all synthetic routes disclosed in the prior art. Hence, all these routes suffer from the inherent problems of formation of undesired impurities including cis-isomeric compounds and their separation from the desired all-trans product which necessitates various purification methods ranging from column chromatography, multiple crystallizations etc.
Thus, there still exists a need for a convenient, easy-to-scale up process for synthesis of acitretin (I) which avoids use of pyrophoric strong bases and provides a robust method which affords acitretin having desired isomeric purity in high yield.
The present inventors have developed a novel process for synthesis of acitretin (I) which not only avoids use of hazardous bases like sodium hydride but also provides a practical method comprising obtaining the ester intermediate (VI) with an enhanced E/Z ratio, and conversion of undesired cis-isomeric impurities into the desired all-trans isomer intermediate of acitretin, thereby increasing the overall yield of the final product (I).
In the present embodiment, 5-(4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenyl)-3-methyl-penta-2,4-diene-1-triphenyl phosphonium bromide of formula (IV) is reacted with 3-formyl-crotonic acid butyl ester (V) in presence of a mild inorganic base to give the corresponding ester intermediate (VI), which is isolated from the reaction mixture and the filtrate is treated with catalytic quantity of iodine, as a result of which the undesired cis isomeric impurities are converted to the desired all-trans ester derivative, butyl {(2E,4E,6E,8E)-9-(4-methoxy-2,3,6 trimethyl)phenyl-3,7-dimethyl-nona-2,4,6,8}tetraenoate of formula (VI). It should be noted that in the present invention, the undesired cis isomers of (VI), instead of being sent to effluent stream, are converted to the desired trans isomer to give the acitretin intermediate (VI) having the desired isomeric purity; resulting in significant yield enhancement. Further reaction of compound (VI) with alkali gives acitretin (I) of desired purity.