The present invention is directed to a preventive or therapeutic agent for a glomerular disease comprising as an active ingredient a compound represented by formula (1):

Glomerular diseases (primary glomerular nephritis), which develop in glomeruli of the kidneys, are clinically classified into seven types; i.e., acute nephritis after infection with hemolytic streptococcus, crescentic glomerulonephritis (rapidly progressive glomerulo nephritis), IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, membranous proliferative nephropathy, focal glomerulonephritis, and minimal change nephrotic syndrome. Of these, the diseases other than acute nephritis after infection with hemolytic streptococcus, crescentic of glomerulonephritis, and minimal change nephrotic syndrome are generally called "chronic glomerular nephritis," but it remains to be elucidated about the cause and time of the onset of chronic glomerular nephritis. In the lesion processes chronic glomerular nephritis, most of them are generally progressive, and often result in renal failure.
In many cases, chronic glomerular nephritis is often recognized by a lesion occurring in glomeruli. The lesion is thought to largely associate with proliferation of mensagial cells (i.e., a type of constituent cells of a glomerulus) and an increase in the amount of the mensagial matrix (i.e., the extra-mensagial-cellular matrix). Recent studies have suggested that cytokines/growth factors, such as PDGF-BB and TGF-β1, play an active role in causing a lesion in the mesangium (i.e., mesangial cells and the mesangial matrix). For example, PDGF-BB, which is produced from mesangial cells, is known to promote proliferation of the mesangial cells (Yoshimura A. et al, Kidney int., 40:470, 1991), and TGF-β1 is known to promote synthesis and secretion of the mesangial matrix (Border W A. et al, Nature., 346:371, 1990).
Therefore, suppressing the response of mesangial cells to PDGF-BB or TGF-β1 and inhibiting proliferation of mesangial cells and hyperplasia of the mensagial matrix are considered to be able to arrest the progress of a lesion occurring in the mensangium, and further to arrest the progress of a glomerular disease. Thus, a variety of such drugs (e.g., a mesangial cell proliferation inhibitor) have heretofore been investigated according to the pathological model (Fitner F. et al, Kidney int., 51(1)69, 1997).
However, an effective therapeutic agent for a glomerular disease has not been developed to date, and therefore, strong demand exists for the development of a novel drug exerting an excellent therapeutic effect on patients suffering from the aforementioned glomerular diseases.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a preventive or therapeutic agent for a glomerular disease involving a lesion occurring in a glomerulus, particularly caused by a lesion in the mesangium.

Therapeutic agent for glomerular disease

Abstract: or a salt thereof. The preventive or therapeutic agent for glomerular diseases is useful for preventing or treating a variety of glomerular diseases including chronic glomerular nephritis.


A duty cycle balance module (DCBM) for use with a switch mode power converter. One possible half-bridge converter embodiment includes a transformer driven to conduct current in first and second directions by first and second signals during and second half-cycles, respectively. A current limiting mechanism adjusts the duty cycles of the first and second signals when a sensed current exceeds a predetermined limit threshold. The DCBM receives signals representative of the duty cycles which would be used if there were no modification by the current limiting mechanism and signals Dact—1 and Dact—2 representative of the duty cycles that are actually used for the first and second signals, and outputs signals Dbl—1 and Dbl—2 which modify signals Dact—1 and Dact—2 as needed to dynamically balance the duty cycles of the first and second signals and thereby reduce flux imbalance in the transformer that might otherwise arise.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to switch mode power converters which include an electromagnetic component, and more particularly to techniques designed to maintain the flux balance in an electromagnetic component of such a converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a number of switch mode converter topologies which include an electromagnetic component such as a transformer or motor; examples include half-bridge, full-bridge, 4-switch buck-boost and push-pull topologies. In normal operation, the electromagnetic component conducts a current which periodically reverses direction. This results in a magnetic flux in the component which, if not kept balanced, can result in flux saturation and output voltage regulation failure.
The operation of such a converter 10 is illustrated with reference to FIG. 1, which depicts a half-bridge switch mode converter topology. On the primary side of the converter, a control unit 12 provides 'switch drive' signals 14 to switching elements Q1 and Q2 to control the direction of current through the primary winding of a transformer T1; the converter operates with an associated switching cycle, during which current flows through T1 in both positive and negative directions. A capacitor divider network consisting of capacitors C1 and C2 is connected as shown; ideally, C1 and C2 have the same capacitance value, and the average voltages across them in one switching period are equal. When this is the case, the voltage at central node B is Vin/2, where Vin is the DC input voltage. The secondary side of the converter includes the secondary winding of T1, synchronous rectifiers Q3 and Q4, and an output inductor and capacitor across which the converter's output voltage Vo is provided. The primary and secondary sides together are referred to herein as the 'main stage'.
One switching cycle can be divided into two half-cycles, during which switches Q1 and Q2 conduct alternatively. For example, in a first half-cycle, Q1 is turned on and Q2 is turned off, and C1 discharges through Q1 and T1 while C2 is charged. In a second half-cycle, Q1 is turned off and Q2 is turned on, C1 is charged by input voltage Vin, and C2 discharges through Q2 and T1. The ON time of Q1 or Q2 (or the duty cycle) in each half-cycle is controlled, typically using pulse-width (PWM) or pulse-frequency modulation (PFM), to regulate the output voltage Vo.
However, due to variations between, for example, the capacitances of C1 and C2 and the delay times for the switch drive signals, the voltage at center node B may drift up or down over time. However, when the converter employs "voltage-mode" control, the voltage drift at the center node B of the capacitor divider acts as negative feedback which prevents transformer T1 from becoming saturated.
But even with voltage-mode control, a magnetic flux balance problem can develop when a current in the main stage exceeds a predetermined limit threshold. A voltage-mode control system typically does not have a peak current limit function as is commonly found in a peak current-mode control system. This is usually remedied with the addition of an additional current limit module; one possible module is referred to herein as a "cycle-by-cycle limit module", which senses the real time current in the main stage and compares it with a reference limit signal. This module senses short circuit or over-current conditions, and responds by limiting the primary side or secondary side current in each half-cycle. Once this reference limit is reached or exceeded, an over-current flag may be generated to shut down the switch drive signals. Then, the system may enter a cycle-by-cycle limit mode during which the switch drive signals in the first and/or second half-cycles of a switching period are terminated whenever the sensed current reaches the reference limit.
However, as a result of the operation of a cycle-by-cycle limit module, the switch drive signals may be terminated such that they have different ON times in the two half-cycles. This is a duty cycle (or ON time) imbalance. As a result, the capacitor discharging during the half-cycle which has a longer ON time discharges more current than does the capacitor discharging in the half-cycle with the shorter ON time. This causes the voltage on the capacitor which discharges longer to be lower than the voltage on the other capacitor. It is known that if the voltage applied across the transformer in one half-cycle is different from the voltage applied in the other half-cycle, the rate at which the transformer current increases in one half-cycle will be different from the increase rate in the other half-cycle. As such, the current in the longer ON time half-cycle needs more time to reach the reference limit than does the current in the short ON time half-cycle. In fact, the other capacitor gets charged to a higher voltage and requires a shorter ON time to let the current hit the reference limit. Therefore, after a series of duty cycle (or ON time) imbalances over a number of half-cycles, the center node voltage of the capacitor divider can drift from Vin/2 towards either the ground or the input voltage. This simple cycle-by-cycle limit module always reinforces this trend, which can lead to flux saturation in the main transformer, output voltage regulation failure, and high voltage stress across the drain and source terminals of the synchronous rectifiers on the converter's secondary side.

Duty cycle balance module for switch mode power converter


Described herein is a neural network accelerator with a set of neural processing units and an instruction set for execution on the neural processing units. The instruction set is a compact instruction set including various compute and data move instructions for implementing a neural network. Among the compute instructions are an instruction for performing a fused operation comprising sequential computations, one of which involves matrix multiplication, and an instruction for performing an elementwise vector operation. The instructions in the instruction set are highly configurable and can handle data elements of variable size. The instructions also implement a synchronization mechanism that allows asynchronous execution of data move and compute operations across different components of the neural network accelerator as well as between multiple instances of the neural network accelerator.

Computer processors perform various operations on data, including arithmetic operations such as addition, multiplication, and division, and data move operations such as load or store. General purpose processors, such as the central processing unit (CPU) in modern computers, are not specifically designed for certain tasks. For example, the limitations of general purpose processors with respect to graphics computations led to the development of specialized graphics processing units (GPUs).
Neural networks are currently being developed for a wide variety of applications such as image or speech recognition. Neural networks can be executed on general purpose processors using program code written in a specialized programming language such as TensorFlow. The program code is converted into machine instructions by a compiler. In a neural network, the types of computations performed, and the data the computations are performed on, are very different from that used for other applications. For example, neural networks generally involve repeated manipulation of large quantities of data through matrix multiplication, application of a nonlinear function, and other matrix-related operations. General purpose processors are not optimized for performing such operations.

Neural network accelerator with compact instruct set


This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for wirelessly transferring power using parasitic resonators. In one aspect a wireless power receiver apparatus for powering or charging an electric vehicle is provided. The wireless power receiver apparatus includes a receive circuit including a first coil. The receive circuit is configured to wirelessly receive power so as to power or charge or power the electric vehicle. The wireless power receiver apparatus further includes a passive circuit including a second coil. The passive circuit is configured to wirelessly receive power from a transmit circuit including a third coil. The passive circuit is further configured to wirelessly retransmit power received from the transmit circuit to the receive circuit. The wireless power receiver apparatus further includes a controller configured to displace the second coil from the first coil is provided.

Remote systems, such as vehicles, have been introduced that include locomotion power derived from electricity received from an energy storage device such as a battery. For example, hybrid electric vehicles include on-board chargers that use power from vehicle braking and traditional motors to charge the vehicles. Vehicles that are solely electric generally receive the electricity for charging the batteries from other sources. Battery electric vehicles (electric vehicles) are often proposed to be charged through some type of wired alternating current (AC) such as household or commercial AC supply sources. The wired charging connections require cables or other similar connectors that are physically connected to a power supply. Cables and similar connectors may sometimes be inconvenient or cumbersome and have other drawbacks. Wireless charging systems that are capable of transferring power in free space (e.g., via a wireless field) to be used to charge electric vehicles may overcome some of the deficiencies of wired charging solutions. As such, wireless charging systems and methods that efficiently and safely transfer power for charging electric vehicles are desirable.

Wireless energy transfer via coupled parasitic resonators


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a well of the first conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate, a transistor formed in the well, a diffusion region of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to cover a lateral side and a bottom edge of the well, a terminal formed on the semiconductor substrate at an outside part of the diffusion region, and a conductive region contacting with the well, the well being in ohmic contact with the terminal via the conductive region and the semiconductor substrate, the conductive region having an impurity concentration level exceeding an impurity concentration level of the semiconductor substrate.

The present invention generally relates to semiconductor devices and fabrication process thereof and more particularly to a semiconductor device including a field effect transistor and fabrication process thereof.
With demand for improvement of performance in semiconductor devices in recent years, there is also a demand of improved performance in the field effect transistors (FET) such as a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor used in such semiconductor devices. Typically, a MOS transistor has a structure in which a source region and a drain regions are formed in a diffusion layer called well formed in a semiconductor substrate in the form of diffusion regions of opposite conductivity type.
In order to improve the resistance of such MOS transistors against noise, there is proposed the use of a so-called triple well structure in which a well used for a device region is formed in a substrate in a manner surrounded by an impurity diffusion region of opposite conductivity type. With such a structure, the well forming the device region is isolated from the influence of other circuits or the semiconductor substrate itself.
In this technology of triple well, it is proposed to provide a terminal outside the triple well and control the potential of the well inside the triple well via a conduction region formed so as to conduct the interior of the triple well with the external terminal (Patent Reference 1).

Semiconductor device and fabrication process thereof


A folding type portable radio machine, includes a chassis part formed by a first chassis and a second chassis, the second chassis being foldably connected to the first chassis. The chassis part includes a conductive part having conductivity whose full length is an approximately half wave length (λ/2) of a using frequency of the radio machine, and an electric notch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to folding type portable radio machines and chassis of the radio machines, and more particularly, to a folding type portable radio machine, which is folded at the time of being carried and unfolded at the time of being used for telephone calling or communicating, and a chassis for the phone.
2. Description of the Related Art
A folding type portable radio machine such as a folding type portable phone, including a chassis for the phone, is folded at the time of being carried. The radio machine is unfolded at the time of being used for telephone calling or communicating, and if necessary an antenna installed inside thereof is extended externally.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a related art folding type portable phone 10. Referring to FIG. 1, the related art folding type portable phone 10 includes a dial operations key side part 11 held by the hands of a user, a liquid crystal side part 12 which is folded and unfolded, a left hinge mechanism part 13a, a right hinge mechanism part 13b, and others.
The left hinge mechanism part 13a and the right hinge mechanism part 13b are respectively provided at left and right sides of the folding type portable phone 10 so as to connect the dial operations key side part 11 to the liquid crystal side part 12.
The dial operations key side part 11 is formed by combining a plate part 20 and a lower part housing 21. A lower part chassis 23 where a printed board module 22 is provided is installed inside of the dial operations key side part 11.
The liquid crystal side part 12 is formed by combing a plate part 30 and an upper housing 31. An upper part chassis 34 where a printed board module 32 is provided is installed inside of the liquid crystal side part 12.
The left hinge mechanism part 13a is covered with an arc part 23 projecting from an edge of the plate part 20 of the dial operations key side part 11. The right hinge mechanism part 13b is covered with an arc part 33 projecting from an edge of the plate part 30 of the liquid crystal side part 12.
Furthermore, the printed board module 22 of the dial operations key side part 11 and the printed board module 32 of the liquid crystal side part 12 are connected by a flexible printed board 40. The flexible printed board 40 forms a curl configuration at a designated position thereof. In addition, an antenna 45 is flexibly received in the lower part housing 21 of the dial operation key side part 11. A battery pack 46 is fitted on a lower surface of the lower part housing 21.
Meanwhile, the upper part chassis 34 and the lower part chassis 23 are molded articles which are made of resin and where metal is vaporized. Furthermore, metal is vaporized on both left hinge mechanism part 13a and the right hinge mechanism part 13b so that there is conductivity between the dial operation key side part 11 and the liquid crystal side part 12. Alternatively, metal is vaporized on neither left hinge mechanism part 13a nor the right hinge mechanism part 13b so that there is no conductivity between the dial operation key side part 11 and the liquid crystal side part 12.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the upper part chassis 34 and the lower part chassis 23 in a case where the related art folding type portable phone 10 is folded. More specifically, FIG. 2-(a) is a view seen in the X-Y plane of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2-(b) is a view seen in Y-Z plane of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, when the folding type portable phone is carried, the upper housing 31 where the upper part chassis 34 is provided inside is closed against the lower housing 21 where the lower part chassis 23 is provided inside. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, even if the antenna 45 is extended, the upper part chassis 34 is not an obstacle to transmission and receipt of the radio wave by the antenna 45.
For example, as shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-246821, in a conventional antenna for portable communication terminals, when a plate antenna is held so as to be separated from a human body by 20 mm, the gain of the plate antenna can be made higher by 2.5 dB or more over the entire frequency band (1,920-2,170 MHz), than the gain of a half-wave length dipole antenna.
Furthermore, as shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-216611, there is a conventional folding type mobile phone, wherein a monopole antenna is formed by first and second conductive films provided at first and second housings when the phone is unfolded, and the second conductive film acts like a grounding plane when the phone is folded.
As shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 11-317610, there is a conventional antenna of a folding type portable phone that functions as a monopole antenna in a normal operation state and as a slot antenna in a standby state.
Furthermore, as shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-77623, there is a small-sized antenna in a stack structure with sufficient passing band width achieved by eliminating mutual interference by coupling a resonance structure, which has a high center frequency ratio on both sides of a coupling layer made of a planar conductive layer, with an external processing unit via a slit formed in the coupling layer.
However, in a case where the folding type portable phone 10 is unfolded and the antenna 45 is extended in order to conduct communications and telephone calling, there might be the following problems with regard to transmission and receipt of the radio wave.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the upper part chassis 34 and the lower part chassis 23 in a case where the related art folding type portable phone 10 is unfolded. More specifically, FIG. 3-(a) is a view seen in the X-Y plane of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3-(b) is a view seen in the Y-Z plane of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, when the communicating or telephone calling is implemented, the upper housing 31 where the upper part chassis 34 is provided inside thereof is rotated against the lower housing 21 where the lower part chassis 23 is provided inside thereof so that the folding type portable phone 10 is unfolded and the antenna 45 is extended.
In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the upper part chassis 34 is situated right at the side of the antenna 45. Hence, the upper part chassis 34 is an obstacle for the antenna 45 to transmit and receive the radio wave.
Therefore, the gain of the antenna 45 is degraded so that an radiation efficiency is reduced. Because of this, it may be difficult to implement a high quality telephone call or communications by the related art folding type portable phone 10.
Furthermore, the conventional portable radio machine such as the folding type portable phone 10 shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 3 generally has an outside antenna such as a helical antenna or a monopole antenna, or an installed antenna such as chip antenna, a plate antenna, or a batch antenna.
In addition, in order to realize the portable radio machine being applied to Bluetooth or a radio LAN based on multi-functionalization of a recent communications developments, it is required for the portable radio machine to have antennas corresponding to respective frequencies of transmission.
Hence, spaces in which the respective antennas are to be provided is required in the portable radio machine. In addition, the folding portable radio machine is required to be further miniaturized and reduced in weight.
However, it is difficult for the related art portable radio machines to accomplish both multi-functionalization of the communications and miniaturization and weight savings of the radio machine.

Folding type portable radio machine and chassis of the radio machine


A compression connector for crimping and securing a tap wire of various sizes within a range of tap wire sizes to a main line wire. The compression connector has a body portion including a first hook and a first ramp extending from the compression connector body part. The space between the hook and the ramp comprises a first opening for insertion of a main line wire into contact with the hook and ramp prior to crimping. The body portion also includes a second hook and a second ramp forming a second opening defining an entrance to a tap wire port. The body portion defining the second opening includes nest portions adapted to receive and accommodate different sizes of tap wires prior to crimping, and to hold the tap wires in place during crimping. Each nest portion is in communication with the second opening that forms a single entrance to the tap wire port.

The present invention is directed to a compression connector and, more particularly, to a compression connector having a single tap wire port configuration that can accommodate several sizes of tap wires in one of a plurality of nests, each nest communicating with the single tap wire port formed in the connector.
Examples of compression connectors can be found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,036,164; 5,200,576; 6,452,103; 6,486,403; 6,846,989; 7,026,552; 7,053,307 and 7,183,489. However, none of these compression connectors have a body portion with a single opening forming a tap wire input port entrance, and a plurality of nests formed in the body portion, with each nest communicating with the single opening and adapted to receive the tap wire depending on the size of the tap wire. Furthermore, the previously disclosed compression connectors adapted to connect tap wires of varying sizes to a main line wire are relatively difficult to manufacture.

Compression connector with tap port configured to engage multiple sized tap wires in a single tap port


A gas turbine engine fuel delivery system which includes an external fuel manifold fastened to the outer surface of a casing surrounding the combustor of the engine and which includes a plurality of inlet manifold tubes circumferentially disposed in serial flow communication. A plurality of fuel nozzles are mounted to the casing and are axially spaced apart from the fuel manifold on the outer surface of the casing. A plurality of jumper tubes are disposed outside the casing and feed fuel flow from the fuel manifold to the fuel nozzles. The jumper tubes have a rigidity that is less than that of the inlet manifold tubes of the fuel manifold such that the jumper tubes elastically deflect under load.

Fuel supply assemblies for combustors of gas turbine engines are known to include an external fuel manifold extending around the combustor's outer casing to supply fuel to a plurality of fuel nozzles which extend into the combustor, through the outer casing, in order to injection fuel and/or air into the combustion chamber.
Fuel manifolds of this type may be assembled from a sequence of manifold adaptors and transfer tubes. The manifold adaptors support nozzles for injection of fuel into the combustor, and the transfer tubes interconnect the manifold adaptors, and form primary and secondary fuel-supply networks therewith, to supply the nozzles with fuel.
However, such external fuel manifolds are typically fastened in place with numerous brackets and clamp supports fixed to the casing, making assembly and/or removal of any individual fuel nozzles difficult in the field. Additionally, certain engine designs have fuel nozzles which are not aligned with engine axis, further complicating fuel manifold design and installation.


A nasal delivery device for and method of delivering a substance, preferably comprising oxytocin, non-peptide agonists thereof and antagonists thereof, preferably as one of a liquid, as a suspension or solution, or a powder to the nasal airway of a subject, preferably the posterior region of the nasal airway, and preferably the upper posterior region of the nasal airway which includes the olfactory bulb and the trigeminal nerve, and preferably in the treatment of neurological conditions and disorders.

The present invention relates to a nasal delivery device for and a method of delivering a substance comprising oxytocin, non-peptide agonists thereof and antagonists thereof, in particular as one of a liquid, as a suspension or solution, or a powder, to the nasal airway of a subject, in particular the posterior region of the nasal airway, and in particular the upper posterior region of the nasal airway, which includes the olfactory bulb and the trigeminal nerve, in particular in the treatment of neurological conditions and disorders.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, and 12, the nasal airway 1 comprises the two nasal cavities separated by the nasal septum, which airway 1 includes numerous ostia, such as the paranasal sinus ostia 3 and the tubal ostia 5, and olfactory cells, and is lined by the nasal mucosa. The nasal airway 1 can communicate with the nasopharynx 7, the oral cavity 9 and the lower airway 11, with the nasal airway 1 being in selective communication with the anterior region of the nasopharynx 7 and the oral cavity 9 by opening and closing of the oropharyngeal velum 13. The velum 13, which is often referred to as the soft palate, is illustrated in solid line in the closed position, as achieved by providing a certain positive pressure in the oral cavity 9, such as achieved on exhalation through the oral cavity 9, and in dashed line in the open position.
The posterior region of the nasal airway is that region which is posterior of the nasal valve NV, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The nasal valve comprises the anterior bony cavum which contains inferior turbinate erectile tissue and septal erectile tissue, which are supported respectively by compliant ala tissue and the rigid cartilaginous septum (Cole). These elements combine to form a dynamic valve, which extends over several millimeters, that adjusts nasal airflow, and is stabilized by cartilage and bone, modulated by voluntary muscle and regulated by erectile tissue. The lumen of the nasal valve is the section of narrowest cross-sectional area between the posterior and anterior regions of the nasal airway, and is much longer and narrower dorsally than ventrally, and this lumen defines a triangular entrance which extends to the piriform region of the bony cavum. The nasal valve is lined in its anterior part with transitional epithelium, with a gradual transition posterior to respiratory epithelium. The nasal valve and anterior vestibule define roughly the anterior one-third of the nose.
The posterior region of the nasal airway is that region which is lined with respiratory epithelium, which is ciliated, and olfactory epithelium, which comprises nerves which extend downwards through the cribiform plate CP from the olfactory bulb, whereas the anterior region of the nasal airway is that region which is lined with squamous epithelium, which is not ciliated, and transitional epithelium. The olfactory epithelium extends on both the lateral and medial sides of the nasal airway, and typically extends downwards about 1.5 to 2.5 cm.
The upper posterior region is the region above the inferior meatus IM, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and encompasses the middle turbinate, the middle meatus, the sinus ostia in infundibulum (ostia to maxillary, frontal and ethmoidal sinuses), the olfactory region, and the upper branches of the trigeminal nerve, and is that region which includes veins which drain to the venous sinuses that surround the brain.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the posterior region of the nasal airway is the nasal region posterior of an imaginary vertical plane VERT which is located at a position corresponding to the lower angle of the anterior nasal aperture (aperture piriformis), which corresponds substantially to one-quarter of the distance between the anterior nasal spine AnS, which is a pointed projection at the anterior extremity of the intermaxillary suture, and the posterior nasal spine PnS, which is the sharp posterior extremity of the nasal crest of the hard palate and represents the transition between the nose and the nasopharynx, which corresponds to a distance posterior of the anterior nasal spine AnS of between about 13 mm and about 14 mm (Rosenberger defines the distance between the anterior nasal spine AnS and the posterior nasal spine PnS as being 56 mm in eighteen year old boys and 53.3 mm in eighteen year old girls).
As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the upper region of the nasal airway is an upper segment of the nasal airway which is bounded by the cribiform plate CP and a horizontal plane HORIZ which is located at a position corresponding to one-third of the distance between the nasal floor NF of the nasal airway and the cribiform plate CP, which corresponds to a height of typically between about 13 and about 19 mm above the nasal floor NF (Zacharek et al define the distance from the nasal floor NF to the cribiform plate CP as 46+/−4 mm).
The upper posterior region is thus that upper posterior region which is bounded by the above-defined vertical and horizontal planes VERT, HORIZ.
The present invention is directed to the delivery of a substance, in particular one of a liquid, as a suspension, or solution, or a powder containing a medicament, especially a topical pharmaceutical, a cleansing agent, or an irrigating agent, as a liquid, preferably combined with a cleansing agent, to the nasal airway of a subject. The present invention relates to the delivery of medicament to and the irrigation of the nasal mucosa, the anterior region of nasopharynx, the paranasal sinus ostia, the tubal ostia of the auditory tubes, the sinus tubes, the auditory tubes, the tympanic cavities and the paranasal sinuses. The present invention relates particularly to the treatment of neurological conditions and disorders, using the delivery technique of WO-A-2000/051672 and WO-A-2003/000310, the contents of which are each herein incorporated by reference.
WO-A-2000/51672 and WO-A-2003/000310 disclose delivery devices for delivering a substance, in particular a medicament, in a bi-directional flow through the nasal cavities, that is, an air flow which passes into one nostril, around the posterior margin of the nasal septum and in the opposite direction out of the other nostril. This bi-directional air flow advantageously acts to stimulate the sensory nerves in tire nasal mucosa, thereby conditioning the subject for the delivery and providing a more comfortable delivery situation.
GB-A-408856 discloses a delivery device, which in one mode of use, apparently allows for the delivery of two separate air flows entraining medicament into respective ones of the nasal cavities of a subject. This delivery device comprises a chamber containing a sponge saturated with medicament, a mouthpiece connected to the chamber and first and second nosepieces connected to the chamber. In one mode of use, the mouthpiece is taken in the mouth of a subject and the nosepieces fitted into respective ones of the nostrils of the subject, and on exhalation through the mouthpiece separate air flows entraining medicament are apparently driven into the nasal cavities of the subject.
It is not seen, however, how this delivery device could function properly in this mode of use, since, as is now understood, the velum of the subject would close on exhalation through his or her mouth and hence close the nasal airway, thereby preventing any significant air flow into the nasal cavities.
WO-A-98/53869 discloses a delivery device, for delivering a powder containing a medicament to the nasal mucosa in one of the nasal cavities of a subject. This device comprises a tubular section which contains a metered dose of powdered medicament. In use, the ends of the tubular section are respectively located in the nostril of one of the nasal cavities and the mouth of a subject, and on exhalation by the subject through his or her mouth the exhaled air entrains the powdered medicament and delivers the same into the one nasal cavity, with the exhaled air backflowing out of the one nostril around the tubular section. In one embodiment the tubular section includes a flexible portion upstream of the dose of powdered medicament. The provision of this flexible portion allows the subject to close the tubular section at a point upstream of the medicament, such that, on release of the closed flexible portion during exhalation, a short explosive air flow entraining medicament is delivered into the one nasal cavity. In another embodiment the end of the tubular section located in the nostril can be shaped to act to locate the tubular section in a position in the nostril which allows for the deposition of the powdered medicament on the nasal mucosa.
Whilst this delivery device is simple in construction, the operation of the device still does not provide for the effective delivery of substances, in particular one of a liquid or powder containing medicament, to the posterior region of the nasal airway, since medicament is delivered separately to each of the nasal cavities and the air flow into and out of each nasal cavity is through tire same opening, namely the respective nostril, with the closed posterior region of the respective nasal cavity acting as a pressure reflecting surface which causes the exhaled air to backflow out of the one nostril before ever adequately reaching the posterior region of the respective nasal cavity. Further, in providing a short explosive burst of air flow into one of the nasal cavities, it is not possible to achieve a sustained and controlled bi-directional air flow through the nasal cavities which has been found necessary to deliver a substance effectively to the posterior region of the nasal airway.
For any substance to be delivered effectively to the nasal airway, it is highly desirable that the administration is efficient and simple. However, there can be problems in attempting to achieve this goal. In particular, the pathological changes observed with nasal inflammation make administration of substances, such as liquids or powders, tricky, particularly to the posterior region of the nasal airway and the posterior margins of the nasal structures. Indeed, as a consequence of the complex geometry of the narrow slit-like passages in the nasal airway, these passages become partially occluded when the nasal mucosa is inflamed and congested, making the distribution of topical pharmaceuticals to the nasal airway difficult.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide improved nasal delivery devices and nasal delivery methods for providing for the improved delivery of a substance to a nasal cavity of subject.


The formability of coiled and annealed (O-temper) magnesium alloy sheet material in high temperature forming operations is sometimes adversely affected by small amounts of cold work introduced into the fine grained material during handling of the coil and unwinding it to obtain blank workpieces for hot stamping, hot blow forming, or the like. When necessary, the formability of the sheet material with regions of hard worked microstructure may be improved by predetermining a recovery heat treatment using small portions of the material in formability tests. The recovery heat treatment, determined for the specific coiled stock, may then be applied to the material of the coil as it is used in making vehicle body panels or the like.

There is interest in forming relatively light-weight magnesium alloy sheet materials into, for example, automotive vehicle body panels. Such panels may be formed from initially flat, sheet metal blanks having nominal dimensions of, e.g., about 1000 mm×1500 mm×1-3 mm. So far, automotive manufacturing engineers have had more experience in forming body panels from aluminum sheet alloys, although magnesium alloys are hot formable at about the same temperature ranges as aluminum alloys and offer further reductions in weight.
At the present time the forming of magnesium alloy sheet metal body panels requires forming the sheet metal at elevated forming temperatures. The specific hot forming practice used depends largely on the complexity of the shape of the panel product; i.e., the severity of the deformation required to be introduced into a magnesium alloy sheet metal blank. Some panel shapes, like engine compartment hoods, may be formed by hot stamping magnesium alloy sheet blanks between facing, complementary heated forming dies without preheating the workpieces. Other, more complex panel shapes may require that the workpieces be preheated for hot blow forming. Magnesium alloy vehicle lift gates and door panels often require hot blow forming temperatures and practices to deform the sheet material into a functional and streamlined panel shape.
Hot blow forming of magnesium sheet metal typically involves heating of a sheet metal blank to approximately 450° C. in a preheat furnace, robotically transferring that sheet to a position between facing dies which are also heated to approximately that same temperature, clamping the periphery of the sheet blank shape between die halves to establish a gas-tight seal, and then applying gas pressure to one side of the heated sheet to blow it into a facing die cavity and against a forming surface to form the desired shape. Then the gas pressure is released, the die is opened, and the formed panel is removed and allowed to cool. Alternatively, in some cases, instead of using a preheat furnace, the sheet may be heated by the hot die before or during forming. In either case, the sheet is typically heated to approximately 450° C., and then held at that temperature for a short time to assure a suitably uniform temperature prior to application of the forming pressure.
In forming by hot stamping, the magnesium alloy sheet material is usually preheated to a temperature below about 350° C. and stamped between heated, complementary forming dies carried on opposing press platens and maintained at a specified forming temperature. Upon press closure, the heated sheet is contacted by at least one die surface which rams and stretches the sheet against a facing surface. As in hot blow forming, the sheet workpiece and the hot stamping tools are at a specified hot stamping temperature before deformation of the workpiece begins.
These hot forming practices are well developed for aluminum sheet alloys and the fully preheated workpieces are formed readily into body panels of complex shape. But the application of such hot forming practices to magnesium sheet alloys has generally been slower and more easily applied to the forming of articles with lower shape complexity.

Recovery heat treatment to improve formability of magnesium alloys


The invention provides a bendable thermoplastic reinforcement for a profiled seal or profiled molding of a vehicle, such a profiled element including same and a method for producing the reinforcement. The reinforcement of substantially U-shaped cross section, has a central portion and two arms, each arm having over its length a series of limbs separated from one another by slots. Over at least one part of the length of the reinforcement, each limb has laterally an asymmetrical geometry and an area greater than that of each adjacent slot. The reinforcement is produced by extrusion of a thermoplastic material via a die of U-shaped profile formed between an extruder head and a receiving member for the material being discharged from the head which is provided with a hollow cavity designed to form directly said central portion, the slots and limbs, so that the extruded material progressively covers the receiving member.

Also disclosed in the document EP-B1-1 093 902 in the name of the applicant is a method for manufacturing a bendable thermoplastic reinforcement of U-shaped section, for example, for such profiled seals, said reinforcement having a central portion and two arms each comprising a series of symmetrical limbs which are separated from one another by slots. Said slots are obtained exclusively by calendering (i.e. without a post-forming operation) by the passage of the thermoplastic material between an engraved male wheel along a hollow cavity (i.e. defining the "negative" shape of the profiled reinforcement to be obtained) and a female wheel which tangentially covers said male wheel and which is driven in synchronous co-rotation therewith.
Calendered reinforcements set forth in this document provide satisfactory results. However, experience has shown that said calendered reinforcements do not always allow the profiled elements incorporating said reinforcements to be provided with sufficient clamping values to be held on the rebate, in contrast to a profiled element with a metal reinforcement. It is thus necessary either to increase the thickness of the limbs of the reinforcement or to modify the geometry thereof. Moreover, the profiled elements incorporating said reinforcements may have an overall appearance of "dog ribs" i.e. an unequal covering of the arms of the reinforcement by the coating material extruded on said reinforcement, thus impairing the appearance of the profiled element. Moreover, the cost of the material of the covering is high and greater than that of the material of the reinforcement.

Thermoplastic frame for a sealing or wheel cover profiled element of a motor vehicle, production method thereof, and profiled element comprising same


A current mirror comprises reference and output devices (21, 22), and an amplifier (23) for sensing the drain voltages of said devices (21, 22) and applying a control signal to their gates via a normally-closed switch (33). The output current of a circuit (not shown) feeding the reference device (21) may change if the voltage across it becomes too small. The amplifier (23) attempts to force almost identical voltages on the output electrodes of the reference and output devices. If the output voltage (at OUT) of the current mirror approaches an extreme of the output voltage range, the current feeding the reference device may change, and the output current will be incorrect. Also, if at start up the output voltage approaches this extreme, the circuit may "lock up". Comparator 31, in response to the output voltage reaching a predetermined level, opens switch (33) and closes a normally-open switch (32), whereby the circuit reverts to the normal diode-connected mode, keeping the drain of the reference device (21) at a suitable voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to current mirrors.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional current mirror has an input or reference device, which is usually diode-connected, and an output device. For increased accuracy the diode connection may be replaced by an amplifier which senses the voltages on the output electrodes of the reference and output devices and provides an output to the control electrodes of the devices. Under some circumstances the output current may be incorrect because the circuit that feeds the reference device is usually imperfect. The output current of such a circuit may change if the voltage across it becomes too small. The amplifier attempts to force almost identical voltages on the output electrodes of the reference and output devices. If the output voltage of the current mirror approaches an extreme of the output voltage range, the current feeding the reference device may change substantially, and the output current will be incorrect. Furthermore, if at start-up the output voltage approaches the said extreme, the amplifier may force the output electrode of the reference device to a similar voltage, and the circuit may "lock-up" in this undesired state with no current flow.

Current mirror for preventing an extreme voltage and lock-up


Provided is a waveguide slot array antenna apparatus having a polarized wave plane in a direction oblique to a tube shaft of a waveguide, in which an excitation distribution of opening portions for radiating or receiving electromagnetic waves is appropriately attained. The waveguide slot array antenna apparatus includes a waveguide slot array antenna formed of a rectangular antenna waveguide which has a rectangular section orthogonal to a tube axis, in which: the rectangular antenna waveguide has one end side thereof in a tube axial direction serving as a feeding port and another end side short-circuited; the antenna waveguide has a plurality of slender rectangular opening portions for radiating or receiving an electromagnetic wave arranged at intervals of about λg/2 (λg is an intra-tube wavelength) along the tube axis on a first wide plane of a pair of wide planes that are parallel to the tube axis; the plurality of slender rectangular opening portions each have the same predetermined angle with respect to a center line parallel to the tube axis of the first wide plane; the opening portions adjacent to one another are alternately arranged at opposite positions with respect to the center line; the opening portions located on one side with respect to the center line of the first wide plane each have a length longer than about λf/2 (λf is a free space wavelength), and the opening portions located on another side each have a length shorter than about λf/2.

There has been known a waveguide slot array antenna apparatus in which a large number of slots parallel to the tube axis are alternately arranged at intervals of about ½ intra-tube wavelength with respect to the center line of a waveguide wide plane in the tube axial direction of the waveguide. Because an electric field is generated in the width direction of the slot, the polarized wave plane of the antenna is orthogonal to the tube axis.
Meanwhile, a waveguide slot array antenna having the polarized wave plane in a direction oblique to the tube axis of the waveguide is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. In the waveguide slot array antenna, slot elements are alternately arranged at intervals of about ½ intra-tube wavelength in the tube axial direction across the center line of the waveguide wide plane, and the respective slot elements are inclined at given angles with respect to the tube axis, to thereby radiate linearly polarized waves in a direction oblique to the tube axis.
Patent Document 1 discloses an arrangement position of the slots and the inclined angles of the slots, but neither discloses nor suggests the selection of the length and width of the slots. In particular, the length of the slots influences the resonance characteristic and the excitation distribution of the waveguide slot array antenna, and its selecting method is important.
Patent Document 1: JP 9-64637 A    Patent Document 2: JP 2001-196850 A (FIG. 4, FIG. 5)


The voltage measuring device includes: a light source; a polarizer polarizing light emitted from the light source; a grounded conductor provided apart from a high-voltage conductor; a crystal end face electrode being out of contact with the grounded conductor and the high-voltage conductor; a Pockels cell transmitting light from the polarizer; an analyzer transmitting light reflected by the Pockels cell; a photodetector detecting light emitted from the analyzer; an intra-crystal electric field measurement unit converting voltage output by the photodetector into intra-crystal electric field; a bias electrode being out of contact with the crystal end face electrode; a bias supply; a bias supply control unit controlling the bias supply to keep internal electric field of the Pockels cell at zero; and a measurement voltage calculation unit obtaining voltage of the high-voltage conductor based on results output by the intra-crystal electric field measurement unit and the bias supply control unit.

With regard to long-distance power transmission, high-voltage direct current (hereinafter referred to as HVDC) power transmission, which is a DC power transmission technique, is attracting worldwide attention from the viewpoint of power transmission efficiency and cost, and technological development is underway in each country. It is necessary to constantly monitor DC voltage for control, protection, and measurement of a power system at an AC/DC converter station and a frequency converter station. The AC/DC converter station is for linking a DC transmission system to a conventional AC transmission system. The frequency converter station uses DC power transmission for connection between AC transmission systems with different frequencies so as to link the AC transmission systems.
The DC voltage to be monitored in the transmission systems, the AC/DC converter station, and the frequency converter station is generally a high voltage of several hundred kV, so that it is difficult to directly measure the DC voltage. Therefore, a method using the linear electro-optical effect called the Pockels effect has been proposed as a method for measuring voltage.
The linear electro-optical effect is a phenomenon in which when an electric field is applied to an electro-optical crystal, a refractive index changes linearly in proportion to the intensity of the electric field, causing birefringence. Birefringence refers to the following phenomenon. When an electric field is applied to an electro-optical crystal, a refractive index only in a specific direction changes and the electro-optical crystal thus has a refractive index anisotropy. In the case where light passes through the inside of such an electro-optical, an optical phase difference is caused by a difference in transmission rate between two orthogonal components in the electro-optical crystal, resulting in a change in polarization state. The optical phase difference is hereinafter referred to as polarization phase difference. In the example of birefringence, when linearly polarized light with a predetermined angle enters the electro-optical crystal to which the electric field has been applied, elliptically polarized light is emitted. In the Pockels effect, which is the linear electro-optical effect, the polarization phase difference is proportional to the electric field applied to the electro-optical crystal. Thus, it is possible to obtain the electric field applied to the electro-optical crystal, that is, the potential difference across the electro-optical crystal by obtaining the polarization phase difference by measurement.
Therefore, the following method has been conventionally used. The voltage of a DC system is temporarily lowered to a voltage that can be easily handled, by use of a voltage divider including a plurality of resistors. Then, the voltage is applied across an electro-optical crystal having the Pockels effect for measurement (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). In addition, there has been a method of measuring the voltage of a high-voltage conductor of a DC system in a non-contact manner by using an electric field sensor utilizing the Pockels effect (see, for example, Patent Literature 2).

Voltage measuring device and gas-insulated switching apparatus


An apparatus which is attachable at a first end to the upper portion of an automobile steering wheel, and an second end which rests upon the dashboard of the automobile. The apparatus further includes an extended body member extending between the steering wheel and the dashboard. At one end of the body member there is defined a U-shaped section into which an upper member of the steering wheel is engaged, so that a standard padlock can be positioned between the end of the U-shaped section extending past the steering column and through the member of the body member so that the steering column is engaged therewithin. On the face of the U-shaped section there is included a first transverse body member extending across the upper stance of the steering column with each end of the body member engaging a portion of the column approximately thirty (30.degree.) to forty-five (45.degree.) in radial diameter. On the second end of the principal body portion there is included a second transverse body member resting upon the dashboard, along its length. When in position, the apparatus function to serve as a means for preventing the rotation of the steering column with the relationship of the first and second transverse body member serving to prevent the rotation of the column as the body members make contact along their length with the forward face of the steering column and the upper face of the dashboard, thus resisting the turning of the steering wheel.

1. Field of The Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to security in vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus mountable to the steering wheel of a powered vehicle, and which functions in relationship to the dashboard for preventing the turning of the steering wheel for maintaining the steering wheel inoperable while the apparatus is locked into position.
2. General Background
In the art of rendering a powered vehicle such as an automobile or the like secure from theft, many attempts have been made to accomplish this end. Other than the standard door locks on powered vehicles, in recent times, for the most part, vehicles have been further secured with a mechanical lock within the steering column of the automobile, so that when key of the automobile is removed, the steering wheel is locked into position and cannot be turned.
However, the mechanisms for accomplishing this end are somewhat fragile, and a thief, once he has gained entry into the automobile, quite easily is able to pry his way into the mechanism, and render it ineffective. Thus, he is able to operate the steering once the automobile has been "hot-wired", and it can be driven away.
Therefore, there is a need in securing automobiles to provide a mechanism or means for assuring that an automobile is rendered undrivable after the owner has left the automobile. One of the areas which has been found to be promising is to render the steering wheel inoperable, with the use of an apparatus other than the internal locking mechanism previously described. There have been several patents in the field which address the securing of automobiles, the most pertinent being as follows:
______________________________________ PATENT NO. PATENTEE TITLE ______________________________________ 3,190,090 Zaidener "Anti-Theft Device For Road Vehicles" 3,348,391 Barnwell "Steering Wheel Lock For Automobiles" 3,828,593 Bolton "Anti-Theft Device For Vehicles" 4,103,524 Mitchell "Theftproof Steering Wheel Lock" 4,134,282 Callahan "Motor Vehicle Anti-Theft Device" 4,304,110 Fain "Steering Wheel Lock Bar" 4,444,030 Dausch "Device For Theft-Proving Vehicles" 4,738,127 Johnson "Automobile Steering Lock" 4,829,797 Wu "Steering Wheel Lock" 4,882,920 Wu "Steering Lock For Automobile" ______________________________________


An optical fiber connector includes a main body, lens portions, and optical fibers. The main body includes a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface. The main body defines a cavity between the first and second side surfaces, and a number of accommodating holes extending through the first side surface and communicating with the cavity. The cavity includes an inner surface. The lens portions are positioned on the second side surface, and each lens portion is coaxial with a corresponding accommodating hole. A focal plane of each lens portion overlaps the inner surface. The optical fibers are fixed in the accommodating holes. An end of each optical fiber is fixed at the focal plane of a corresponding lens portion. The main body includes a bottom surface and defines a through hole in the cavity. The through hole passes through the bottom surface.

An optical fiber connector generally includes a female connector and a male connector each having a main body, at least two optical lens portions protruding from the main body, and at least two optical fibers. The main body defines a plurality of accommodating holes, such as blind holes. Each of the at least two optical fibers is fittingly fixed in a corresponding blind hole for optically coupling with a corresponding lens portion.
Mold cores for forming the accommodating holes are usually thin and long. It is difficult to precisely fabricate the blind hole using injection molding. Each lens portion must be precisely coaxial with the corresponding optical fiber to avoid transmission loss.


The invention provides a portable memory medium with a memory area and a memory management system for managing the memory area, wherein different options for access to the memory area are provided. The memory management system comprises a configuration command, the execution of which causes an activation of one of at least two different activatable memory configurations.

Memory media in the sense of the invention are used for holding ready various data, for example applications for various areas of use, or also media data such as photographs or films. The memory medium is designed to be portable and can have an exterior design as a flat card or alternatively as a token.
The memory medium has a memory area (mass memory) and a memory management system, e.g. a memory controller or a system of several coupled memory controllers through which the memory area is managed. The data are stored in the memory area. The memory area can be structured in partial memory areas. The memory management system provides a set of commands containing a plurality of pre-defined commands by means of which the tasks of the memory management can be carried out, such as, for example, reading (READ) or writing (WRITE) in the memory area, opening of parts of the memory (OPEN), or setting and canceling a write protection for the memory area. Some commands are kept free as reserved commands for possible tasks of the memory management that are to be configured later.
In principle, the memory area can be realized in any suitable—preferably electric—memory technology, in particular as a flash memory, but also as RAM, ROM or EEPROM.
Specific commands are specified, for example, in different interface standards that the memory medium meets. Examples for interface standards for memory media are SD (Secure Digital Memory Card), MMC (Multi Media Card), USB (Universal Serial Bus), SCSI (Small Computer System Interface). In the following, a memory medium is examined in part with reference to the example of the interface standard SD. The same applies analogously to memory media according to other interface standards.
Memory media according to the SD interface standard are described, for example, in "SD Specifications, Part 1, Physical Layer Specification" (http://www.sdcard.org) (hereinafter referred to as "SD-Spec"). The SD memory medium comprises a set of pre-defined commands. They permit the manufacturer, for example, to set write protection bits (commands CMD28, CMD29, CMD30) in order to protect data against being deleted. The SD memory card can be locked by a host by means of a "card lock" with the command CMD16. The lock can be disabled again with a password. A mechanical write protection tab offers another option for protecting data against deletion.
According to the SD-Spec, some commands, e.g. CMD60 et seqq., are reserved as so-called "manufacturer specific commands".
Frequently, commands are divided into a command type part, an argument part (sometimes also referred to as address part) and a data part. The data part contains a data body part (body) and optionally a routing information part (header) usually preceding the data body part.
In a conventional command such as, for example, write, the command type "write" is implemented in the command type part, the argument part (address part) specifies at which logical address in the memory area the write access is to be carried out, and the data part, more specifically the data body part, specifies what is to be written.
Optionally, the memory medium has a microprocessor, the task of the memory management optionally being carried out by the microprocessor. Examples of such portable memory media are smart cards equipped with a microprocessor and memory cards equipped with a memory controller. If the portable memory medium is used, for example, in the field of mobile radio, the portable memory medium can be designed, for example, as a smart card with a security module for using a terminal device (e.g. mobile phone) in a mobile radio network, or be integrated into such a smart card. The smart card is, for example, a SIM card for the GSM system or a USIM card for the UMTS system or a similar smart card. Optionally, the portable memory medium is designed as a pay-TV card for using pay TV, or is integrated into such a pay-TV card. Optionally, the portable memory medium is a secure flash card with an integrated smart card or a smart card integrated into a secure flash card, with the secure flash card comprising, as a memory management system, a flash controller superordinate to the smart card.
The portable memory medium can be read and written into by means of a terminal device. For example, a PC (personal computer), a mobile terminal device for a mobile radio network, e.g. a mobile telephone, PDA, smartphone etc., or a set-top box for pay TV is provided as a terminal device. In the case of a portable memory medium designed as a secure flash card or smart card integrated into a secure flash card, a mobile terminal device such as, for example, a mobile telephone, PDA or smartphone etc. can be provided as a terminal device. The terminal device has an operating system, for example a PC operating system or an operating system for mobile terminal devices, such as, for example Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Linux, Symbian or the like.
It can be desirable, especially for partial memory areas in the memory area in which applications are stored, that a user of the memory medium is unable to make any modifications so that applications are not inadvertently deleted, for example. However, it may be desired that other data are also protected against inadvertent or intentional deletion or modification.
Many PC operating systems make it possible to create different partitions in order to divide memory areas and to thus create, in the form of protected partitions, partial areas protected against the deletion of data. In many mobile terminal devices, the operating system does not offer the option of creating partitions on a memory medium used therein.
WO 2008/058741 describes a method for access to a memory medium with a memory area and a controller for managing the memory area in which data streams containing routing data are transmitted to an additional module, for example, a specially protected microprocessor or partial area of the controller.
Document WO 2008/058705, which is considered the closest state of the art, describes a memory medium with a memory area, and a memory management (controller) for managing the memory area, wherein different options for access to the memory area are provided. In the case of an access to the memory area via the memory management, specifying an address in the memory area, the memory management, in accordance with the address, forwards the access directly to the memory area, or to an additional module, which is a smart card microcontroller, for example. Different options for access are thus provided depending on the address specified during the access.
In the memory medium from WO 2008/058705, the corresponding addresses or address ranges compulsorily lead to an access being redirected to the additional module.
In some cases, a more flexible configuration of the memory management would be desirable, which would permit, for example, the creation of partitions on the memory medium irrespective of the operating system of a terminal device used for reading or writing on the memory medium, in order thus to protect data against deletion.
Conventionally, the memory area of a memory medium can be switched between two different memory configurations, i.e. "write access permitted" and "write access not permitted" when the write protection is set (enabled) and canceled (disabled) by means of a pre-defined command, e.g. in accordance with the SD Spec. In this case, the write protection comprises the entire memory area, or optionally partial areas, if the operating system of the terminal device in which the memory medium is operated supports a partitioning of the memory area.

Memory medium having different ways of accessing the memory medium


Apparatus for energy-efficient conductive-gap membrane distillation includes a feed-liquid source and a distillation module. The distillation module includes a feed-liquid chamber in fluid communication with the feed-liquid source. The feed-liquid chamber includes a selectively porous material that allows a component of the feed liquid to pass through the selectively porous material and exit the feed-liquid chamber in vapor form but not in liquid form. The distillation module also includes a conductive-gap chamber adjacent to the selectively porous material on an opposite side of the selectively porous material from the feed-liquid chamber; a heat-transfer surface maintained at a lower temperature than the feed liquid in the feed-liquid chamber, wherein the heat-transfer surface is in thermal contact with the conductive-gap chamber; and a thermally conductive material extending across the conductive-gap chamber.

Membrane distillation for desalination involves the passage of hot salt water (as a feed liquid) over a microporous hydrophobic membrane that allows pure water vapor through while retaining the dissolved salts in solution by establishing a temperature-driven vapor pressure difference between the feed and permeate sides of the module. The hydrophobicity of the membrane ensures that liquid water does not pass through the membrane and thereby ensures nearly complete elimination of non-volatile impurities.
Depending on the design of the condensing/permeate system on the other side of the membrane, membrane distillation is categorized into various types, as described below.
In direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD), a cold pure water stream flows on the other side (i.e., the permeate/condensate side) of the membrane from and counter-current to the feed; and the water vapor condenses into the cold pure water stream, transferring heat into the cold pure water stream, when the water vapor leaves the membrane. Because the hot and cold streams are separated only by a thin membrane, there is significant sensible heat transfer. This heat transfer, in addition to being a loss, also adds to temperature polarization in the streams. The heated pure water stream then goes through a heat exchanger where energy is transferred into the incoming feed to preheat it, thereby recovering part of the condensation energy.
In the case of air gap membrane distillation (AGMD), there is an air gap across which the vapor diffuses before condensing on a heat-transfer plate maintained at a low temperature by a coolant stream. Consequently, sensible heat loss from the feed is reduced since air has a lower thermal conductivity. The evaporated water has to diffuse through the air gap and reach the film of condensate on the cold plate, which becomes one of the rate limiting steps.
In liquid gap or permeate gap membrane distillation (LGMD or PGM), shown in FIG. 1, the air gap of AGMD is replaced by a pure water column 16, which can be relatively stagnant and which fills the entire region between the membrane 14 and the heat-transfer plate 12. Vapor passing through the membrane 14 can condense immediately into water column 16 upon leaving the membrane 14. Feed liquid 18 is circulated via a pump 24 and flows through chambers 30 and 32 on opposite sides of the membrane 14 and heat-transfer plate 12 and is heated by a heater 28 when passing from the first chamber 30 (where the feed liquid serves as a coolant via heat transfer through the heat-transfer plate 12) to the second chamber 32, from which the pure water is removed from the heated feed water through the membrane 14. Pure water product 20 is extracted from the bottom of the liquid gap, while the brine 22 remaining from the feed liquid 18 is extracted from the bottom of the second chamber 32. In other embodiments, the pure water product 18 is extracted from the top of the liquid gap. The gaps in AGMD and LGMD systems have also used a spacer material, typically made of non-conductive plastic to hold the membrane 14 in place.
Sweeping gas membrane distillation (SGMD) utilizes an air stream that flows on the permeate side picking up the incoming vapor and becoming humidified as the stream moves along the module. Generally, the temperature of air also increases along the module. The hot humid air is then cooled in a condenser where produced pure water is recovered.
Material gap membrane distillation (MGMD) is a recent configuration where sand, which has a low thermal conductivity (i.e., acts as a thermal insulator), is used to fill the gap [see L. Francis, et al., "Material gap membrane distillation: A new design for water vapor flux enhancement," 448 Journal of Membrane Science 240-247 (2013)].
Other configurations include the vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) system, which has been adapted into a multi-stage configuration and is being marketed commercially by Memsys of Singapore and Germany [see Zhao, K., et al. "Experimental study of the memsys vacuum-multi-effect-membrane-distillation (V-MEMD) module." Desalination 323 (201.3): 150-160].
The difference in performance between these systems is a consequence of different transport resistances on the condensing side.

Energy-efficient conductive-gap membrane distillation


A semiconductor device manufacturing technique measures simultaneously a plurality of points on a sample to realize a high-speed three-dimensional shape measurement and reflects it to setting of a processing condition in a semiconductor device process, thereby making it possible to realize stable device manufacture with high precision. A three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus loaded on a processing apparatus such as an etcher, a coater-developer, a baking machine, or a lithography machine measures a plurality of points (500) on a sample (300) at high speed by arranging a plurality of measurement heads (100) for measuring a three-dimensional shape of the sample and by combining it with movement of an loader/stage (200) loading the sample (300). By using this measurement result, feeding back for correcting a processing condition with respect to the subsequent sample (300) and feeding forward for correcting a processing condition in the next step are realized.

According to examination by the present inventors, in a recent semiconductor device manufacturing process, width of a pattern on a semiconductor is measured by a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) to control its process condition, and results of the measurement are fed back to process control parameters to control the process with high precision. This control is called APC (Advanced Process Control). As the pattern size of the semiconductor is reduced 100 nm order or less and a processing margin is smaller, not only a two-dimensional shape (shape viewed from right above) but also a three-dimensional shape of the pattern has to be measured and need to control the process with high precision is increased.
In contrast to this, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-173984) discloses a technique of controlling an etching condition by combining an etching device and a sample surface evaluation system. Also, a device for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the sample include: a method called Scatterometry which measures an angle distribution or wavelength distribution of scattered lights to estimate the shape; a laser microscope which narrows a laser beam and do a scan to acquire height information from the brightness information of the detected beam; a confocal microscope which makes an illumination and detection through a pinhole to acquire height information from the brightness information of the detected light; and an interference microscope which detects a microscope image of an interference of a measurement beam and a reference beam to acquire height information from the brightness change information of the image.
There is also a method of an AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) which scans the surface by a minute probe with a very weak force. Or, there are methods of a stereo SEM which acquires depth information from a plurality of SEM images generated by varying the illumination direction of electron beams, a FIB-SEM which digs a cross-sectional surface by a FIB (Focused Ion Beam) to observe it from an oblique direction by a SEM, and an electron beam holography which re-construct a three-dimensional shape of a sample from a electron interference pattern.

Three-dimensional shape measuring unit, processing unit, and semiconductor device manufacturing method


A telecommunication system that carries out telecommunication functions between multiple parties as initiated by the user interaction with a social network application, while maintaining privacy of the device identifiers (phone numbers or static IP addresses assigned to devices) of the participating parties.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to social network applications that are connected to online social networks. More particularly, this invention relates to providing advanced telecommunication services to users of such social network applications.
2. State of the Art
An online social network service is a web-based service that provides a means for users to interact over the Internet in order to build social networks and provide social interactions between such users. Online social networking services allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks. Popular online social network services in North America include Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn. Other online social network services are popular for other geographic regions.
Some of the online social network services provide a framework that allows independent software developers (as well as developers of the service itself) to develop software logic (referred to herein as "social network applications") that is connected to the given service such that the application can access user profile data maintained by the service. The social network applications typically provide a means for users to interact over the Internet in order to carry out desired functionality. For example, Facebook employs a framework utilized by a large number of social network applications, including games (such as "FarmVille" by Zynga, "Texas HoldEm Poker" by Zynga, "Café World" by Zynga, "PetVille" by Zynga, "Mafia Wars" by Zynga, and "Treasure Island" by Zynga), media content sharing (such as "Mobile" by Facebook), dating services (such as "Zoosk" by Zoosk, Inc.) and others. The frameworks provide a mechanism for authenticating a particular user. The frameworks also provide a mechanism that allows individual users to authorize a particular social network application. Once a user is authenticated and the particular application authorized by the user, the application can access profile data of the user. Typically, a permissions scheme is implemented to provide a mechanism for granting access to certain types of user profile data. For example, Facebook employs a permissions scheme with a default state whereby the authorized application can access all of the public data in the user's profile, including name, profile picture, gender, and friend list. Access to certain types of private data is managed by extended permissions. For example, if an application seeks to incorporate a user's photos, the application, you would request the "user_photos" extended permission. A long list of extended permission types are described at http://developers.facebook.com/docs/authentication/permissions, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. During the authorization process, the user is presented with a UI in which the user can authorize your application to access that specific part of her profile.
One of the problems that challenge user of online social networks as well as social network applications is the inherent inability of the current systems to provide for voice communication amongst users unless the users' phone numbers are known.
For example, the SkypeMe application has been developed that allows a SkypeMe/Facebook user to add specific Facebook friends to a list of SkypeMe/Facebook users and provides for voice and chat services to the list of SkypeMe/Facebook users on the Skype network. The services provided by the SkypeMe application are limited in nature as the voice calls and chat requires Skype-enabled end-point devices. Moreover, the SkypeMe services associates a Skype user ID (or online identifier) with a particular Facebook user ID. The Skype user ID identifies the Skype user and does not correspond to any particular end point device. Instead, the Skype user ID is used in conjunction with Skype software executing on any Skype-enabled end-point device to dynamically login to the Skype network to establish a connection between the Skype-enabled end-point device and the Skype network for communication to the Skype user. Finally, from the point of view of the SkypeMe/Facebook user, the SkypeMe service is limited to specific friends (i.e., only those in the users list of SkypeMe/Facebook users).
In another example, social network applications have been developed that include Call Me functionality that interface to the Google Voice platform. The Call Me functionality includes a call widget associated with a particular user. The call widget is made accessible to other users executing respective social network application. The other users can click the call widget and enter their respective phone number. The social network application communicates a message (POST/voice/call/connect) to the Google Voice platform that specifies the phone numbers for the parties of the call. The phone number for the calling party is the phone number entered by the user via interaction with the call widget. The phone number for the called party is the phone number of the particular user associated with the call widget. Importantly, the Call Me functionality of the social network application and the Google Voice platform requires that the parties expose their phone numbers for use by the social network applications. The core issue is that a user's phone number is private in nature and there are many instances where a user would like to maintain the privacy of his or her phone number. Such instances are commonplace in social network applications such as games and dating application where users have little personal knowledge of the other online users. Moreover, it can be cumbersome for the calling party to enter his or her phone number and user input errors can cause failures in properly setting up the call.
Similar problems exist for SMS messaging between users of online social networks and social network applications associated therewith social network users.
Thus, there remains a need for means of voice, SMS as well as other forms of communication amongst users of online social networks and social network applications associated therewith where a user can maintain the privacy of his or her phone number with respect to the social network application that is used to trigger the communication all as well as to the other parties of the communication.

Telecommunication service employing an electronic information repository storing social network user information, developer information, and mobile network operator information


A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) is provided and includes a base substrate. The base substrate includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of fins formed on the semiconductor substrate, and an isolation structure formed on the semiconductor substrate and covering portions of side surfaces of the plurality of fins. The dynamic random access memory further includes an interlayer dielectric layer formed over the base substrate and covering top surfaces of the plurality of fins and the isolation structure; and a memory structure, formed in an opening passing through the interlayer dielectric layer and each of the plurality of fins, the opening extending to and exposing a top surface of a portion of the isolation structure. The memory structure includes a first conductive layer, a memory medium layer on the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer on the memory medium layer.

Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) often includes a memory cell, including a memory capacitor, and a transistor connected with the memory capacitor. The memory capacitor is used to store data; and the transistor is used to control the data storage of the memory capacitor.
The working mechanism of the DRAM is as the following. The word line of the DRAM is electrically connected to the gate of the transistor in the memory cell to control the "on/off" of the transistor. The source of the DRAM is electrically connected to the source of the transistor to form a current transport path. The drain of the transistor is connected to the memory base substrate to store and/or output data.
Currently, in the commonly used DRAM, the memory capacitor is often designed to be a trench capacitor, or a stacked capacitor. The trench capacitor is buried in a semiconductor substrate. The stacked transistor is stacked on a semiconductor substrate.
However, the fabrication process of the existing DRAM is complicated. The disclosed methods and structures are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems in the art.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Shanghai) Corporation

Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation


A rotor blade of a wind turbine including an aerodynamic device which can be actuated pneumatically by the use of a pressure supply system is provided. The pressure supply system includes a pressurized air supply system, a pressurized air transmission system with pressure lines for transmitting the supplied pressurized air from the pressurized air supply system to the aerodynamic device, at least one pneumatic actuator for activating the aerodynamic device, and a safety system to protect the rotor blade from damages caused by overpressure in the pressurized air transmission system and/or the actuator. The safety system includes means for discharging pressurized air from the pressurized air transmission system and/or the actuator. Also provided is a wind turbine for generating electricity including at least one such rotor blade.

It is known to use aerodynamic devices for wind turbine rotor blades in order to influence the aerodynamic properties of the rotor blades. Examples of aerodynamic devices are flaps, slats or spoilers. These aerodynamic devices may increase the lift of the rotor blade for wind speeds below the rated wind speed of the wind turbine and/or may reduce the lift (and thus the load) of the rotor blade for wind speeds above the rated wind speed of the wind turbine. In this context, the rated wind speed of a wind turbine is referred to as the wind speed at which the wind turbine reaches its nominal output power. For industrial modern wind turbines the rated wind speed is regularly between eight and twelve meters per second.
Such aerodynamic devices may change the profile of the wind turbine rotor blade passively. This means that due to a smart and careful design of the aerodynamic device the change of the profile of the rotor blade is realized when a certain threshold value relating to a predetermined parameter, e.g. the wind speed or the wind pressure, is reached or exceeded.
Alternatively, aerodynamic devices may work actively. Examples of an actuation mechanism for activating an aerodynamic device is a pneumatic, mechanical, electrical or hydraulic mechanism. Advantages of an active actuation of the aerodynamic device is the greater versatility of the aerodynamic device. Furthermore, actively working aerodynamic devices can in principle be used more selectively as the activation of the aerodynamic device is not necessarily depending on reaching or exceeding a certain external parameters such as the wind pressure or wind speed. Instead, an actively working aerodynamic device may also be activated depending on other working conditions of the wind turbine or just "on demand" by a person controlling the wind turbine.
The particular use of a pneumatic actuator for activating or deactivating an aerodynamic device of a wind turbine rotor blade has not yet been investigated or described in detail so far.

Safety system for an aerodynamic device of a wind turbine rotor blade


Control information for controlling a method of using data is generated by a reception side, the data being wirelessly transmitted and received by the reception side, and the control information is added to data to generate data-with-control-information. A method of using data is controlled on the basis of control information included in data-with-control-information for controlling the method of using data, the data-with-control-information being acquired by adding the control information to data, the data-with-control-information being wirelessly transmitted, and data whose use method is controlled is output on the basis of the control information.

For example, in a wireless transmission/reception system that wirelessly transmits/receives acoustic data such as music via Bluetooth (registered trademark) or the like, a transmission side that transmits acoustic data and a reception side that receives the acoustic data include respective buffers for temporarily storing the acoustic data in preparation for retransmitting the acoustic data.
Specifically, on the transmission side, acoustic data is stored in the buffer before being transmitted because the acoustic data is retransmitted in the case where transmission/reception of the acoustic data has failed, for example.
On the other hand, on the reception side, acoustic data from the transmission side is stored in the buffer and output of the acoustic data from the buffer is started after the storage amount of the buffer (amount of data stored in the buffer) reaches a certain level to prevent output of acoustic data and then output of sound from being interrupted in the case where transmission/reception of acoustic data has failed, for example.
The storage amount of the buffer of the transmission side and the reception side is changed in the case where transmission of acoustic data has failed and the acoustic data is retransmitted.
Further, the storage amount of the buffer of the transmission side and the reception side is changed in the case where processing on acoustic data is not in time on the transmission side when high-load processing is performed on the transmission side, for example.
Further, in the case where transmission/reception of acoustic data is temporarily stopped due to deterioration of the condition of a transmission path, for example, the storage amount of the buffer of the transmission side is increased and the storage amount of the buffer of the reception side is reduced. Then, after that, the storage amount of the buffer of the reception side is increased in the case where the condition of the transmission path is restored, transmission of the acoustic data is resumed, and a large amount of acoustic data stored in the buffer of the transmission side during stopping of the transmission/reception is successively transmitted.
As described above, in the case where the storage amount of the buffer of the transmission side and the reception side is changed (increased, decreased), a buffer overflow or underflow occurs in some cases. The buffer overflow or underflow on the transmission side and the reception side causes output of acoustic data on the reception side to be interrupted. As a result, sound break occurs.
In this regard, a technology for preventing sound break on the reception side due to the buffer underflow on the transmission side from occurring has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

Data processing apparatus, data processing method, and program


The present disclosure discloses a preparation method for 4-phenylthio-benzenethiol. The preparation method comprises the following steps: subjecting phenyl sulfide as a raw material to a halogenation reaction to obtain 4-halophenyl sulfide; subjecting the 4-halophenyl sulfide to a sulfhydrylation reaction to obtain a 4-phenylthio-phenylthiolate; and subjecting the 4-phenylthio-phenylthiolate to acidification. The preparation method of the present disclosure avoids the use of materials such as thiophenol which pollutes the environment, and realizes efficient recycling of the reaction materials, solvents, water and the like. The preparation method of the present disclosure is a green process for the synthesis of 4-phenylthio-phenylthiol without organic waste, waste acid and waste water discharge.

As publics have become more aware of environmental concerns, regulations governed in halogen in all countries are become more stringent, and among them, Europe stipulates that the content of bromine and the content of chloride contained in materials used in the electronics industry are less than 900 ppm, respectively. Nowadays, 70% of polyphenylene sulfide (hereinafter referred to as PPS) products are applied to the electronics and electrical industries as well as the automobile industry. However, due to limitations of the sodium sulfide method, PPS contains a large number of chloride terminal groups, which causes conventional PPS resin is products are barely up to the requirements for current regulations governed in halogen.
Cited Literature 1 discloses a method for preparing PPS having low chloride content by using p-thiophenoxy thiophenol (hereinafter referred to as PTT) as a blocking agent; as compared to known blocking agents, the PTT has the following significant advantages: because of an addition of a substituent —S—C6H5 to the para-position, the activity at the para-position increases, such that the PTT has a superior effect of reducing the chloride content in PPS to currently reported blocking agents; and after blocking, the structure of the terminal group of the polymer is similar to that of the molecular chain of the PPS, so the blocking has little to no effect on properties of the PPS resin.
Nonetheless, there are few studies on methods for synthesis of PTT in the prior art.
Cited Literature 2 publishes a method of synthesis of PTT as a blocking agent, and its synthesis route is described below (a process of synthesis of 4-phenylthio-benzenethiol). In this method, thioanisole as a starting material reacts with liquid bromine in acetic acid at 100° C. to generate 4-bromothioanisole, and then reacts with thiophenol in a mixed solvent of quinoline and pyridine at 160° C. in the presence of Cu2O as a catalyst to produce 1-methylthio-4-(benylthio)benzene, to which 5% parts by mass of sodium 1-propanethiolate is added with DMF as a solvent, and reacts for 2 to 3 hours at 160° C. to give 4-phenylthio-benzenethiol having a yield of 93%.

In this method, the preparation process is complicated, solvents are different in each step, while atom utilization of bromine is low, and thiophenol is used as a raw material in step {circle around (2)}, which easily leads to environmental issues in the preparation process.
In Cited Literature 3, the method for introducing a phenyl mercapto group is shown below (the reaction mechanism of converting hydroxyl to sulfhydryl). This method is costly due to use of an expensive fluorine-containing compound and a ligand palladium catalyst.

In Cited Literature 4, a halogenated aromatic compound used as a raw material reacts with thiourea in the presence of a nickel-based catalyst to prepare corresponding aromatic thiol. This method not only results in a great consumption of catalyst, but also a low yield of only 55% approx.
In Cited Literature 5, disulfide is used to prepare a thiol compound. This method uses Mg as a catalyst and a methanol as a solvent, so the yield is very high. However, this method can only be suitable for simple aromatic thiol compounds, but it is not applicable to PTT.
In conclusion, although synthesis methods for PTT have been reported, the improvements over cost control, yield, environmental friendliness and other aspects are not sufficient, and it is difficult to meet higher requirements for large scale production in industry.

Preparation method for 4-phenylthio-benzenethiol

Zhejiang NHU Special Materials Co., Ltd.


An electric machine including a housing, and a stator mounted relative to the housing. The stator includes a body including a first end portion that extends to a second end portion and a plurality of stator windings that extend between the first and second end portions. A sleeve member is mounted to the stator and covers a portion of the stator windings at one of the first and second end portions. The sleeve member is configured and disposed to guide a coolant over the portion of the stator windings to remove heat from the stator.

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of electric machines and, more particularly, to an electric machine including a stator having a stator sleeve.
Electric machines utilize various fluids for cooling internal components. In certain cases, air is passed through a housing of the electric machine to cool internal components. In other cases, a liquid coolant, typically an oil, is passed over various internal components of the electric machine. The oil is sprayed onto end turn portions at an upper region of the stator. The oil runs/drips under force of gravity through the end turn portions from the upper region to a lower region of the stator. The oil is collected in the lower region, often times cooled, and re-introduced to the electric machine at the upper region of the stator.

Electric machine including a stator having a stator sleeve and method of cooling a stator