This invention relates to the isolation of thermophilic phytase-producing microorganisms, method for producing phytase using such microorganisms, phytase obtained therefrom, and usage of the phytase to hydrolyze phytic acid or phytate. In particular, this invention relates to phytase-producing microorganisms, which belong to Streptomyces sp., Pseudonocardia sp. or Microbispora sp., and which produce phytase available for recovery in an efficient and practical manner.

Phytic acid (myoinositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis dihydrogen phosphate) is known as one of the major component of plant-derived food. It is the primarily source of inositol and the main storage form of phosphorus in plant seeds that are used as animal feed ingredients (oilseed meals, cereal grains, and legumes). Approximately 75% of the total phosphorus in cereals, legumes and seeds exist as phytic acid phosphorus. When one or more of the acidic protons of the phophate groups in phytic acid are replaced by a counterion, the compound is usually referred to as a phytate salt. The name phytin is used for the calcium-magnesium salt of phytate derived from plant seeds (a discontinued product of Ciba-Geigy).
Phytic acid plays an important role in the dormacy and germination stages of plant seeds. It was believed that phosphorus was liberated on germination and incorporated into ATP. Recent studies have established the role of inositol phosphate intermediates in the transport of materials into cells and their role in transport as secondary messengers and in signal transduction in plant and animal cells is a very active area of research.
There are many applications of phytic acid, including industrial use as a corrosion inhibitor on metals, a rust remover and an additive to lubricating greases, use as a food additive, and medical applications, including use in the prevention of dental caries, use as an imaging agent for organ scintography and an X-ray enhancement contrasting agent, use as a hypocholestromic agent, use to reduce gastric secretion for treatment of gastritis, gastroduodenitis, gastric duodenal ulcers and diarrhea, use as an antidote for toxic metal absorption, therapeutic uses in the prevention and dilution of calcium deposits associated with various diseases and for reducing calcium concentration in urine (thus checking the formation of renal calculi), use as a preventive agent against severe poisoning with pressurized oxygen and preventing thirst during exercise, use as a taste-improving agent in orally administered antibiotics, and use in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,959 issued to Robert Sabin). For further discussions of industrial applications of phytic acid, see Graf, JAOCS 60, 1861-1867, 1983.
Phytic acid may be prepared in pure form from various plant sources, such as wheat, corn, soybeans, sesame seeds, peanuts, lima beans, barley, oats, wild rice and sunflower seeds, and it can be extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid at room temperature, precipitated with various reagents including ferric chloride, bicarbonates, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide or alcohol. It is then further purified by conventional chemical techniques. Hydrolyis of phytic acid and phytates may be carried out by partial acid or basic hydrolysis or by hydrolysis using phytase, and the resultant products include phosphate, inositol and various inositol phosphate intermediates.
Phytic acid phosphorus has anti-nutritive properties as it is essentially poorly metabolized by monogastric animals, such as pourltry and swine, because these animals produce little or no phytase in their digestive tracts. In addition, phytic acid forms complexes with proteins and divalent cations, such as calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, copper and molybdenum. Phytic acid also binds to starch and influences the digestibility and solubility of starch. Phytic acid excreted in the manure of feed animals is enzymatically hydrolyzed by soil and water microorganisms. The released phosphorus is transported into rivers and lakes and if introduced in high quantities causes eutrophication. The anti-nutritive properties and its valus as a possible phosphorus source, have stimulated researchers to develop a method to remove phytic acid in a manner that is economically competitive with mineral supplementation.
Hydrolyzing phytic acid is thought to be a useful way of increasing the nutritional value of many plant foodstuffs. The enzymes that catalyze the conversion of phytic acid to inositol and inorganic phosphate are known as phytases. Phytase is found to be distributed in the seeds and pollens of plants, and also some microorganisms. The mass production of phytase from plant origin is not economic since preliminary treatment is necessary and the production procedure becomes time-consuming, troublesome and expensive. Therefore, the production of phytase from microbial origin is of greater potential in development. The feeding of microbial phytase to monogastric animals alter the phytic acid complexes and increase the bioavailability of phosphorus, calcium and probably proteins to monogastric animals.
The research of phytase spans more than 87 years from its discovery by Suzuki et al. (Tokyo Imp. Univ. Coll. Agr. Bull., 7: 503-512, 1907) until its commercialization in Europe in 1993-1994 by Gist-brocades. The international Union of Biochemistry (1979) lists two phytase: a 3-phytase, EC 22.214.171.124, which hydrolyzes the ester bond at the 3-position of myoinositolhexakus phosphate to D-myoinositol 1,2,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate+orthophosphate, and a 6-phytase, EC 184.108.40.206, which first phdrolyzes the 6-position of myoinositolhexakus phosphate to D-myoinositol 1,2,3,4,5-pentakis phosphate+orthophosphate. Subsequent ester bonds in the substrate are hydrolyzed at different rates. The 6-phytase dephosphorylates phytic acid completely, whereas the aforesaid 3-phytase does not hydrolyze the phosphomono ester.
Currently, phytase-producing microorganisms include bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli; yeasts, such as Saccharomyces cerevisias and Schwannoiomyces castellii; and fungi, such as Aspergillus niger, A. oryzae, A. ficuum, Penicillium simplicissimum.
Yeasts produce phytase intracellularly and, hence, it is difficult and less efficient to recover phytase with a high yield.
Of all the microorganisms surveyed, Aspergillus niger (syn. A. ficuum) NRRL 3135 produces phytase extracellularly, and the phytase produced thereby is known to be most active and has been commercialized. The microorganism is subjected to solid state fermentation (SSF) together with cereal grains, legume beans or foodstuffs so as to substantially remove or reduce phytic acid therefrom.
A thorough review of the research and development of phytase is provided by Rudy J. Wodzinski et al., in "Phytase," Advances in Applied Microbiology, Vol. 42, p. 263-303, 1996, and other relevant documentary references are cited in the Reference List accompanying the Specification.
However, since during fermentation, the temperature within the fermenter normally will rise to 55.degree. C. or higher, the efficiacy of removing phytic acid by microbial fermentation using non-thermophilic microorganisms is significantly decreased. In addition, fungal cells grow slowly and hence, it takes longer time (about 10 days) for the fungal cells to produce phytase having high enzymatic activity.
There thus still exists a need to produce phytase by a phytase-producing microorganism which is thermophilic and which maintains the ability to remove phytic acid during solid state fermentation. The industrial application of such a phytase-producing microorganism is promising as the phytase produced thereby is thermostable and fermentation using the same is efficient and energy saving.

Phytase-producing bacteria, phytase and production method of phytase

Food Industry Research & Development Institute


An apparatus and method for delivering a vessel plug into a wound or incision in a living patient are described. The apparatus includes an expandable porous mesh mounted at the distal end of an elongate catheter. The expandable mesh may be positioned within a blood vessel or a target organ and expanded. When the mesh member is in an expanded condition, the mesh can be positioned adjacent the opening within the vessel or organ and a vessel plug can be inserted into the wound. The expanded mesh prevents the advancement of the vessel plug into the vessel or target organ, thereby avoiding possible thrombosis or stenosis within the vessel at the wound or incision site. Occlusion of the blood vessel during treatment is avoided by providing the expandable mesh with a porous construction which allows blood or other body fluids to flow therethrough while the apparatus is being used within the body of the patient. Non-thrombogenic materials can be used to treat the apparatus to prevent significant coagulation on the device during its use.

Medical procedures such as balloon angioplasty and other catheterization procedures require the insertion of an instrument into a blood vessel through a conventional catheter introducer. When inserted within the blood vessel, the catheter and the catheter introducer are manipulated by the physician or other qualified medical personnel in a manner which can cause further enlargement of the incision. The specific size of the opening can vary depending upon the type of procedure and the size of the catheter used. But, regardless of the size of the catheter, some bleeding is usually associated with the removal of the device from the blood vessel. Bleeding from the wound can be more severe for some patients and the application of external pressure to the incision may not be sufficient to prevent a hematoma or an unsightly bruise.
Various devices and procedures have been proposed to resolve the above-discussed problem. In use, these devices are typically inserted into the incision or wound to dispense a clotting agent or a closure member. While it is generally preferred that at least the distal portion of the device extends into the blood vessel, the use of such prior art devices has resulted in at least a partial occlusion the vessel during the procedure. In some devices, the vessel remains at least partially occluded even after the device is withdrawn.
Several prior art devices dispense an expandable closure member or plug directly into the blood vessel. The closure member is affixed to a filament or suture which is used to secure the closure member against the inner surface of the blood vessel at the puncture sight to thereby seal the vessel and prevent further bleeding. Such closure members, however, are typically positioned within the vessel in a manner which results in the closure member not being contiguous with the inner lumen of the blood vessel and, consequently, the closure member can partially occlude the blood flowing through that area of the vessel. A potentially serious consequence of this is the deposition of plaque and thrombus formation. By way of example, the use of closure members or plugs is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,744,364; 4,890,612; and 5,061,274 to Kensey and U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,059 to Kensey et al.
Other devices dispense a clotting agent into the wound area. However, the clotting agent is typically dispensed as a viscous liquid which then must solidify. When in a liquid state, the clotting agent is capable of entering the blood vessel. Possible stenosis can result should the clotting agent solidify with a portion thereof protruding into the blood vessel. The use of clotting agents is exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,129,882 and 5,221,259 to Weldon et al.
Other devices have attempted to prevent the intrusion of the clotting agent or plug into the blood vessel by providing a device adapted to partially extend into the blood vessel to form a surface contiguous with the inner lumen of the vessel around the incision. A vessel plug can be inserted into the wound the device prevents the overadvancement of the vessel plug into the blood vessel. One problem of such a device, however, has been that the portion of the device positioned within the vessel will at least partially occlude blood flow while the vessel plug is being positioned within the wound. Exemplary of such a device is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,421 to Fowler.
The art has generally failed to provide an apparatus which effectively closes a puncture in the wall of the blood vessel and which also avoids occluding the vessel either by the device itself when in use or by the vessel plug or other material used to seal the wound. The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art by providing an apparatus and a method for inserting a vessel plug into a wound or incision wherein neither the apparatus nor the plug significantly interferes with the flow of blood through the vessel.
The apparatus of the present invention includes an expandable porous mesh mounted at the distal end of an elongate catheter or shaft. The apparatus is configured for insertion into a wound or incision through a sheath introducer to properly position the expandable mesh within the blood vessel or target organ. A control wire is connected to an inner surface of the expandable mesh and extends through the attached catheter where it is connected to a suitable actuating mechanism. The device is constructed so that a pulling force exerted on the control wire will cause the mesh to expand. The device can then be positioned in the wound with the expanded mesh against the inner surface of the blood vessel and contiguous with the wound or opening therein. A clotting agent or vessel plug is inserted in the wound and advanced along the shaft up to the expanded mesh. The mesh prevents the further advancement of the plug so that the distal end of the plug is substantially coextensive with the inner lumen of the vessel, thereby avoiding intrusion of the plug into the blood vessel. Once the plug is in place, the mesh can be relaxed again to assume a narrow profile and the apparatus can be removed while the plug remains in the incision to prevent additional bleeding and assist in coagulation.
The expandable mesh is manufactured with a porous network of fibers which allow blood to flow therethrough while the apparatus is positioned within the blood vessel. Additionally, the expandable mesh and the attached catheter may be treated with a non-thrombogenic substance to prevent significant clotting along the device and to permit free movement of the device within the plug after coagulation has started. Once the device is removed from the vessel, the plug will permit coagulation to take place at the puncture site while avoiding possible stenosis or thrombus formation which might result if the plug were to protrude into the vessel.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for inserting a vessel plug into the body of a living patient.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned improved apparatus to include an expandable porous mesh which can be inserted directly within a blood vessel without significantly interrupting blood flow through the vessel while the apparatus is in use.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide the aforementioned improved apparatus and method for its use wherein the expandable mesh can assume one orientation during insertion and withdrawal of the apparatus and another orientation when a vessel plug is being inserted within the wound or incision to thereby prevent the plug from entering the blood vessel.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by those skilled in the art following a consideration of the remainder of the disclosure including the drawings, the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.

Apparatus and method for delivering a vessel plug into the body of a patient


A multi-zone process for the production of low sulfur diesel and aromatic compounds wherein C9+ hydrocarbons are hydrocracked to produce low sulfur diesel and a naphtha boiling range stream which is reformed and transalkylated within reforming and transalkylation zones to produce an aromatics-rich high-octane stream containing xylene and to balance hydrogen needs.

This invention relates to a process for the conversion of a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce low sulfur diesel and aromatic compounds including xylenes. More specifically, the invention concerns the selective hydrocracking of multi-ring aromatic compounds contained in the hydrocarbon feedstock to produce low sulfur diesel and naphtha-range aromatic compounds via integrated reforming and transalkylation zones that produce the most desirable xylene isomers and balance hydrogen demand.
It has been recognized that due to environmental concerns and newly enacted rules and regulations, saleable products must meet lower and lower limits on contaminants such as sulfur and nitrogen. Recently new regulations require the essentially complete removal of sulfur from liquid hydrocarbons which are used in transportation fuels, such as gasoline and diesel.
The xylene isomers are produced in large volumes from petroleum as feedstocks for a variety of important industrial chemicals. The most important of the xylene isomers is paraxylene, the principal feedstock for polyester which continues to enjoy a high growth rate from a large base demand. Orthoxylene is used to produce phthalic anhydride, which has high-volume but mature markets. Metaxylene is used in lesser but growing volumes for such products as plasticizers, azo dyes and wood preservers. Ethylbenzene generally is present in xylene mixtures and is occasionally recovered for styrene production, but usually is considered a less desirable component of C8 aromatics.
Among the aromatic hydrocarbons, the overall importance of the xylenes rivals that of benzene as a feedstock for industrial chemicals. Neither the xylenes nor benzene are directly produced from petroleum by the reforming of naphtha in sufficient volume to meet demand; thus conversion of other hydrocarbons is necessary to increase the yield of xylenes and benzene.

Multi-zone process for the production of diesel and aromatic compounds


A semiconductor structure includes a substrate having a first region and a second region, a first source/drain disposed on the substrate in the first region, an interlevel dielectric (ILD) disposed on the source/drain, and a first gate disposed on the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a first contact trench within the ILD extending to the first source/drain, a first trench contact within the first contact trench, and a first source/drain contact trench extending to the first trench contact. The semiconductor structure further includes a cross couple contact trench within the ILD, and a cross couple contact disposed in the cross couple contact trench in contact with the first gate and the first trench contact. The cross couple contact couples the first source/drain and the first gate.

An integrated circuit (IC) is an electronic circuit formed using a semiconductor material, such as Silicon, as a substrate and by adding impurities to form solid-state electronic devices, such as transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. Commonly known as a "chip" or a "package", an integrated circuit is generally encased in hard plastic, forming a "package". The components in modern day electronics generally appear to be rectangular black plastic packages with connector pins protruding from the plastic encasement. Often, many such packages are electrically coupled so that the chips therein form an electronic circuit to perform certain functions.
The software tools used for designing ICs produce, manipulate, or otherwise work with the circuit layout and circuit components on very small scales. Some of the components that such a tool may manipulate may only measure tens of nanometer across when formed in Silicon. The designs produced and manipulated using these software tools are complex, often including hundreds of thousands of such components interconnected to form an intended electronic circuitry.
A layout includes shapes that the designer selects and positions to achieve a design objective. The objective is to have the shape—the target shape—appear on the wafer as designed. However, the shapes may not appear exactly as designed when manufactured on the wafer through photolithography. For example, a rectangular shape with sharp corners may appear as a rectangular shape with rounded corners on the wafer.
Once a design layout, also referred to simply as a layout, has been finalized for an IC, the design is converted into a set of masks or reticles. A set of masks or reticles is one or more masks or reticles. During manufacture, a semiconductor wafer is exposed to light or radiation through a mask to form microscopic components of the IC. This process is known as photolithography.
A manufacturing mask is a mask usable for successfully manufacturing or printing the contents of the mask onto wafer. During the photolithographic printing process, radiation is focused through the mask and at certain desired intensity of the radiation. This intensity of the radiation is commonly referred to as "dose". The focus and the dosing of the radiation has to be precisely controlled to achieve the desired shape and electrical characteristics on the wafer.
Many semiconductor devices are planar, i.e., where the semiconductor structures are fabricated on one plane. A non-planar device is a three-dimensional (3D) device where some of the structures are formed above or below a given plane of fabrication.
A Field Effect Transistor (FET) is a semiconductor device that has controls the electrical conductivity between a source of electric current (source) and a destination of the electrical current (drain). The FET uses a semiconductor structure called a "gate" to create an electric field, which controls the shape and consequently the electrical conductivity of a channel between the source and the drain. The channel is a charge carrier pathway constructed using a semiconductor material. A fin-Field Effect Transistor (finFET) is a non-planar device in which a source and a drain are connected using a fin-shaped conducting channel (fin). Generally, a finFET is fabricated as a multi-gate device in which two or more gates are coupled using one or more fin structures.

Transistor with recessed cross couple for gate contact over active region integration

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


Method of making an electrotransport device containing an analog of a parent polypeptide having one or more amino acid residues substituted relative to the parent polypeptide with an amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of proline, glycine and asparagine.

Transdermal (ie, through the skin) delivery of therapeutic agents affords a comfortable, convenient and noninvasive technique for administering drugs. The method provides several advantages over conventional modes of drug delivery. For example, variable rates of absorption and (eg, hepatic) metabolism encountered in oral treatment are avoided, and other inherent inconveniences--eg, gastrointestinal irritation and the like--are eliminated. Transdermal delivery also allows a high degree of control over blood concentrations of a particular drug and is an especially attractive administration route for drugs with narrow therapeutic indexes, short half-lives and potent activities.
Transdermal delivery can be either passive or active. Many drugs are not suitable for passive transdermal drug delivery because of their size, ionic charge characteristics and hydrophobicity. One method of overcoming this limitation is the use of low levels of electric current to actively transport drugs into the body through intact skin. This technique is known as "electrotransport" or "iontophoretic" drug delivery. The technique provides a more controllable process than passive transdermal drug delivery since the amplitude, timing and polarity of the applied electric current is easily regulated using standard electrical components. In this regard, electrotransport drug flux can be from 50% to several orders of magnitude greater than passive transdermal flux of the same drug.
Electrotransport devices generally employ at least two electrodes. Both of these electrodes are positioned in intimate electrical contact with some portion of the skin of the body. One electrode, called the active or donor electrode, is the electrode from which the therapeutic agent is delivered into the body. The other electrode, called the counter or return electrode, serves to close the electrical circuit through the body. In conjunction with the patient's skin, the circuit is completed by connection of the electrodes to a source of electrical energy, eg, a battery, and usually to circuitry capable of controlling current passing through the device.
Depending upon the electrical charge of the species to be delivered transdermally, either the anode or cathode may be the active or donor electrode. In this regard, if the ionic substance to be driven into the body is positively charged, then the positive electrode (the anode) will be the active electrode and the negative electrode (the cathode) will serve as the counter electrode, completing the circuit. On the other hand, if the ionic substance to be delivered is negatively charged, then the cathodic electrode will be the active electrode and the anodic electrode will be the counter electrode. Alternatively, both the anode and the cathode may be used to deliver drugs of appropriate charge into the body. In this case, both electrodes are considered to be active or donor electrodes. In other words, the anodic electrode can deliver positively charged agents into the body while the cathodic electrode can deliver negatively charged agents into the body.
Existing electrotransport devices additionally require a reservoir or source of the therapeutic agent that is to be delivered into the body. Such drug reservoirs are connected to the anode or the cathode of the electrotransport device to provide a fixed or renewable source of one or more desired species or agents. Examples of reservoirs and sources include a pouch as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,878 to Jacobsen; a pre-formed gel body as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,529 to Webster; and a glass or plastic container holding a liquid solution of the drug, as disclosed in the figures of U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,726 to Sanderson et al.
Of particular interest herein is the transdermal electrotransport delivery of peptides, polypeptides, and proteins because of the problems encountered with more common drug administration routes such as oral delivery. Polypeptide and protein molecules are highly susceptible to degradation by proteolytic enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract and are subjected to an extensive hepatic metabolism when taken orally. Polypeptides and proteins usually require parenteral administration to achieve therapeutic levels in the patient's blood. The most conventional parenteral administration techniques are hypodermic injections and intravenous administration. Polypeptides and proteins are, however, inherently short acting in their biological activity, requiring frequent injections, often several times a day, to maintain the therapeutically effective levels needed. Patients frequently find this treatment regimen to be inconvenient, painful and with an attendant risk of, eg, infection.
Much effort has been expended to find other routes (other than parenteral injections) for effective administration of pharmaceutical polypeptides and proteins. Administration routes with fewer side effects as well as better patient compliance have been of particular interest. Such alternative routes have generally included "shielded" oral administration wherein the polypeptide/protein is released from a capsule or other container after passing through the low pH environment of the stomach, delivery through the mucosal tissues, eg, the mucosal tissues of the lung with inhalers or the nasal mucosal tissues with nasal sprays, and implantable pumps. Unfortunately, these alternative routes of polypeptide/protein delivery have met with only limited success.
Transdermal electrotransport delivery of polypeptides and proteins has also encountered technical difficulties. For example, water is the preferred liquid solvent for forming the solution of the drug being delivered by electrotransport due to its excellent biocompatability. The skin contains proteolytic enzymes which may degrade the polypeptide/protein as it is delivered transdermally. In addition, certain polypeptides/proteins, particularly those that are not native to the animal being treated, may cause skin reactions, eg, sensitization or irritation.
A number of investigators have disclosed electrotransport delivery of polypeptides and proteins. An early study by R. Bumette et al. J. Pharm. Sci. (1986) 75:738, involved in vitro skin permeation of thyrotropin releasing hormone, a small tripeptide molecule. The electrotransport flux was found to be higher than passive diffusional flux. Chien et al. J. Pharm. Sci. (1988) 78:376, in both in vitro and in vivo studies, showed that transdermal delivery of vasopressin and insulin via electrotransport was possible. See, also, Maulding et al., U.S. Statutory Invention Registration No. H1160, which discloses electrotransport delivery of calcitonin in minipigs.
Several approaches (other than simply increasing the applied levels of electrotransport current) have been used to enhance transdermal electrotransport flux of polypeptide and protein drugs. One approach involves the use of flux enhancers such as ionic surfactants. See, eg, U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,726 to Sanderson et al. Another approach uses cosolvents other than just water to enhance electrotransport flux. See, eg, European Patent Application 278,473. Yet another approach involves mechanically disrupting the outer layer (ie, the stratum corneum) of the skin prior to electrotransport delivery therethrough. See, eg, U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,023 to Lee et al.
Further approaches to enhancing transdermal electrotransport drug flux involve creating a prodrug or an analog of the drug of interest and electrotransporting the prodrug or modified analog. For example, WO 92/12999 discloses delivery of insulin as an insulin analog having a reduced tendency to self-associate (apparently associated forms of insulin present in conventional pharmaceutical compositions reduce transdermal delivery of the insulin). The analogs are created by substituting aspartic acid (Asp) or glutamic acid (Glu) for other amino acid residues at selected positions along the insulin polypeptide chain. WO 93/25197 discloses delivery of both peptide and non-peptide drugs as pharmaceutical agent-modifier complexes or prodrugs wherein a chemical modifier (eg, a charged moiety) is covalently bonded to the parent pharmaceutical agent. The covalent bond is broken after the agent is delivered into the body, thereby releasing the parent agent.
Despite the above approaches, some polypeptides still exhibit poor transdermal electrotransport flux. In particular, peptide hydrophobicity is known to negatively impact electrotransport flux in vitro. Various parameters contribute to hydrophobicity, including the primary structure of a protein, ie, the amino acid sequence of the molecule, as well as the secondary structure of the protein, namely, the regular, recurring arrangement of the polypeptide chain along three dimensions. Such conformation can take the form of helical structures, such as an .alpha.-helix, or a more extended, zigzag conformation, known as the .beta.-conformation.
The .alpha.-helix has approximately 3.6 residues per turn of the helix. The R groups of the amino acids extend outward from the helix and intrachain hydrogen bonds are formed between the backbone carbonyl oxygen of each residue and backbone hydrogen atom attached to the electronegative nitrogen of the fourth residue along the chain. The basic unit of the .beta.-conformation is the .beta.-strand which exists as a less tightly coiled helix, with 2.0 residues per turn. The .beta.-strand conformation is only stable when incorporated into a .beta.-sheet, where hydrogen bonds with close to optimal geometry are formed between the peptide groups on adjacent .beta.-strands; the dipole moments of the strands are also aligned favorably. Side chains from adjacent residues of the same strand protrude from opposite sides of the sheet and do not interact with each other, but have significant interactions with their backbone and with the side chains of neighboring strands. For a general description of .alpha.-helices and .beta.-sheets, see, eg, T. E. Creighton, Proteins: Structures and Molecular Properties (W. H. Freeman and Company, 1993); and A. L. Lehninger, Biochemistry (Worth Publishers, Inc., 1975)
The Zimm-Bragg parameters, s and .sigma. (B. H. Zimm and J. K Bragg J. Chem. Phys. (1959) 31:526-535), and Lifson-Roig equations (S. Lifson and A Roig J. Chem. Phys. (1961) 34:1963-1974) are conventionally used to determine the stability of a helical segment in a given polypeptide. S represents the helix-coil stability constant and a is the nucleation factor. Based on these parameters, the likelihood of certain regions of polypeptide molecules to form .alpha.-helices and .beta.-sheets can be predicted using various calculations and computer programs. See, eg, Finkelstein, A. V. Program "ALB" for protein and polypeptide secondary structure calculation and prediction (1983). Deposited at the Brookhaven Protein Data Bank, Upton, N.Y. and at the EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany; Finkelstein, A. V. Biopolymers (1977) 16:525-529; Finkelstein et al. Proteins: Structure, Function and Genetics (1991) 10:287-299. Furthermore, Chou-Fasman probabilities (Chou, P. Y. and Fasman, G. D. Ann. Rev. Biochem. (1978) 47:251-276) have been used to assess the propensity of a particular amino acid residue to favor or disfavor .alpha.-helical and .beta.-sheet formation.
However, these principles have not been previously applied to alter the hydrophobic properties of a given polypeptide in order to increase the electrotransport flux thereof.


Examples relate to a current sensor and to a method for sensing a strength of an electric current using two groups of magnetic sensing probes. The current sensor includes a first group and a second group of magnetic sensing probes. The current sensor comprises sensor circuitry coupled to the first and the second group of magnetic sensing probes. The sensor circuitry is configured to determine a first differential magnetic field measurement of a magnetic field using probes of the first group of magnetic sensing probes. The sensor circuitry is configured to determine a second differential magnetic field measurement of the magnetic field using probes of the second group of magnetic sensing probes. The sensor circuitry is configured to determine a strength of the electric current based on a difference between the first differential magnetic field measurement and the second differential magnetic field measurement.

A Hall Effect sensor (or Hall sensor) can sense a magnetic field by generating a voltage that varies in response to a magnetic field. However, the accuracy of a Hall sensor can be influenced by interference of a stray magnetic field, which may be caused by a conductor being arranged in proximity of the conductor carrying the current to be measured.

Current sensor and method for sensing a strength of an electric current


An Fr turn lamp that is a vehicle lamp includes a first light guide and a second light guide. The first light guide is disposed in front of a light source in the direction of an optical axis. The second light guide has a connection end connected to a vehicle width direction outer side surface of the first light guide and extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the connection end. The first light guide has a reflecting surface configured to reflect a part of incident light from the light source toward the connection end of the second light guide.

Conventionally, it is known that a light guide is connected to a vehicle lamp such as a headlamp and is caused to emit light by a part of light emitted from a light source, thereby improving design (decorativeness).
For example, in JP 2015-103362 A, the directivity of the light distribution of a light source is converted by a reflector (for example, the irradiation range of light emitted from the light source is expanded), and the converted light is emitted forward in the direction of an optical axis. An introduction portion of the light guide is provided on the side of the reflector; that is, at an end portion in a left and right direction. Further, a part of light emitted from the reflector is incident on the introduction portion. In addition, in JP 2002-324418 A, a notch portion is provided in a reflector and leakage light from the notch portion is sent to a light guide.


Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer having a first region with a first device and a second region with a second device; a device isolation pattern provided in the first semiconductor layer and electrically separating the first device and the second device from each other; a drain provided on a lower surface of the first region of the first semiconductor layer; and a second semiconductor layer provided on a lower surface of the second region of the first semiconductor layer.

The invetive concept disclosed herein relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to smart power IC bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) devices and methods of fabricating the same.
Semiconductor devices included in various electronic devices such as home appliances are important components determining the quality of electronic devices. According to the trends on the large capacity, multi-function, and miniaturization of electronic devices, semiconductor devices having improved reliability and other characteristics are demanded increasingly. In order to meet such demands, various techniques for improving the characteristics of semiconductor devices are being introduced.
Recently, smart power ICs in which various power device functions are integrated into one chip emerge as a new high-growth area. The smart power ICs are typically used for implementing a high frequency and high voltage information communication system such as an automotive power IC and a DC/DC converter. A typical bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) type power IC uses a VDMOS device generally but this may increase on-resistance and deteriorate driving capability.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A method for estimating accuracy of an on-chip temperature sensor is provided. A representative power supply waveform having noise is input into a simulation of the on-chip temperature sensor and the accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor is estimated from the simulation. A computer system for estimating accuracy of an on-chip temperature sensor is also provided. A computer-readable medium having instructions adapted to input a representative power supply waveform having noise into a simulation of an on-chip temperature sensor and estimate accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor from the simulation is provided.

To increase processor performance, clock frequencies used by microprocessors, often referred to as xe2x80x9cCPUs,xe2x80x9d have increased. Also, as the number of circuits that can be used in a CPU has increased, the number of parallel operations has risen. Examples of efforts to create more parallel operations include increased pipeline depth and an increase in the number of functional units in super-scalar and very-long-instruction-word architectures. As processor performance continues to increase, the result has been a larger number of circuits switching at faster rates. Thus, from a design perspective, important considerations such as power, switching noise, and signal integrity must be taken into account.
Higher frequencies and data throughput cause a processor to consume increased power and run at increased temperatures. Extreme temperatures can slow the speed of transistors that may cause some CPU activities to be incomplete at the end of a cycle. The effect may lead to loss of data in a CPU or incorrect results; therefore, on-chip temperature sensors are employed for monitoring. The availability of temperature information allows the CPU to reduce the number of activities and/or slow the operating frequency. If scaling the number of activities does not alleviate the condition, a standby or power down mode may be entered to protect the CPU. Accurate temperature information is important to prevent over heating or unnecessary reduction in CPU activities.
Higher frequencies for an increased number of circuits also increases switching noise on the power supply. The switching noise may have a local or global effect. Circuits that create large amounts of noise may be relatively isolated; however, they may also affect other circuits, possibly involving very complex interactions between the noise generation and the function of affected circuits. If the components responsible for carrying out specific operations do not receive adequate power in a timely manner, computer system performance is susceptible to degradation. For example, on-chip temperature sensor accuracy varies with power supply noise. Thus, providing power to the components in a computer system in a sufficient and timely manner has become an issue of significant importance.
FIG. 1 shows a section of a typical power supply network (10) of a computer system. The power supply network (10) may be representative of a single integrated circuit, or xe2x80x9cchipxe2x80x9d, or equally an entire computer system comprising multiple integrated circuits. The power supply network (10) has a power supply (12) that provides power through a power supply line (14) and a ground line (16) to an impedance network Z1 (18). The impedance network (18) is a collection of passive elements that result from inherent resistance, capacitance, and/or inductance of physical connections. A power supply line (22, 23) and a ground line (24, 25) facilitate power supply to a circuit A (20) and circuit B (26), respectively. Power supply line (23) and ground line (25) also supply circuit C (30) through another impedance network Z2 (28) and additional impedance networks and circuits, such as impedance network Zn (22) and circuit N (34). The impedance network and connected circuits may be modeled so that the designer, using a simulator, can better understand the behavior of how the circuits interact and interdependencies that exist.
Still referring to FIG. 1, circuit A (20), circuit B (26), circuit C (30), and circuit N (34) may be analog or digital circuits. Also, circuit A (20), circuit B (26), circuit C (30), and circuit N (34) may generate and/or be susceptible to power supply noise. For example, circuit C (30) may generate a large amount of power supply noise that affects the operation of both circuit B (26) and circuit N (34). The designer, in optimizing the performance of circuit B (26) and circuit N 34), requires an understanding of the characteristics of the power supply noise.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for estimating accuracy of an on-chip temperature sensor comprises inputting a representative power supply waveform having noise into a simulation of the on-chip temperature sensor and estimating accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor from the simulation.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer system for estimating accuracy of an on-chip temperature sensor comprises a processor; a memory; and software instructions stored in the memory adapted to cause the computer system to input a representative power supply waveform having noise into a simulation of the on-chip temperature sensor and estimate accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor from the simulation.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions executable by a processor, the instructions adapted to input a representative power supply waveform having noise into a simulation of an on-chip temperature sensor and estimate accuracy of the on-chip temperature sensor from the simulation.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

Method for simulating power supply noise in an on-chip temperature sensor


An image reading apparatus, which reads an image on an original, including: a light source extending along a main scanning direction to illuminate the original; a plurality of line sensors configured to receive light reflected from the original and to output light intensity signals; a storage unit configured to store reference data; and a determination unit configured to obtain determination data regarding hue based on a light intensity signal output from one of the plurality of line sensors that receive light reflected from a reflective reference member illuminated by the light source and a light intensity signal output from another of the plurality of line sensors that receive light reflected from the reflective reference member illuminated by the light source and to determine a hue balance of the light source based on the determination data and the reference data stored in the storage unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus in which a hue balance of a light source is determined.
2. Description of the Related Art
General image reading apparatus include an original illuminating light source (hereinafter referred to as a light source) configured to illuminate an original so as to read an image on the original. The light source extends along a main scanning direction, and illuminates a reading target portion (line) of the original in a linear manner. Conventionally, a rare gas phosphor lamp typified by a white xenon lamp has been used as the light source. Nowadays, an LED array having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arrayed in line at regular intervals is used as the light source in order to achieve higher power efficiency and downsizing of the light source. The LED array is disposed so as to keep a distance from the surface of the reading target original within a predetermined range.
In recent years, there has been an increasing need for higher color reproducibility of the image reading apparatus. Matters regarding image quality are mostly attributed to the light source. Further, abnormality or deterioration of the light source may largely influence the original reading performance. Therefore, many technologies have been developed to solve the problem of the abnormality and deterioration of the light source. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-148003 discloses a technology of determining whether or not there is any abnormality in lighting-up characteristics of an external electrode xenon lamp. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-148003, a light intensity signal output from a CCD line sensor during a period from the start of lighting-up to the reading of a predetermined line is held in a line memory as image data of a plurality of lines in the main scanning direction, and the held image data and reference data are compared with each other. Based on the comparison result, it is determined whether or not there is any abnormality due to removal of part of a tape electrode of the xenon lamp.
Meanwhile, when an accumulated lighting-up time of the xenon lamp exceeds 500 hours, the xenon lamp has a stable light intensity level and RGB output balance. However, in the early stage immediately after the xenon lamp is replaced, the light intensity level output from the CCD line sensor may largely decline and the RGB output balance may largely change. In view of this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-144988 discloses a technology of preventing deterioration in color reproducibility due to the change in characteristics of the xenon lamp resulting from the replacement of the xenon lamp. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-144988, initial light intensity levels of RGB line sensors of the xenon lamp are detected, and based on the change in light intensity levels, it is determined whether or not the lamp has been replaced. When the lamp has been replaced, a color correction coefficient is initialized. After the initialization, the color correction coefficient is selected from a read only memory (RAM), to prevent a hue imbalance in the early stage after the replacement.
Incidentally, there is a kind of LED that is combined with a phosphor to emit white light. An LED generates a large amount of heat, and, though there is a difference depending on whether or not a heat dissipation measure is taken, deterioration of the phosphor is accordingly likely to occur. The deterioration of the phosphor may result in a color imbalance among red (R), green (G), and blue (B) of the white LED. When the RGB output balance is lost to a large extent, even if the image data is corrected in image processing, the quality of the reproduced image may decline.
In the light source, chromaticity changes because of deterioration over time. The use of the light source deteriorated over time may lead to a problem of a hue imbalance of the read image. In the technology of detecting abnormality of the light source by comparing the light intensity of the light source with the reference data, and in the technology of determining whether or not the lamp has been replaced based on the change in light intensity levels of the RGB line sensors, there is a problem that the hue balance of the light source cannot be determined.


The invention concerns a windshield wiper (10), comprising: a blade (20) for wiping a windshield (2), and a body (30) supporting the blade (20); wherein the windshield wiper (10) comprises a plurality of pistons (40) distributed all along the blade (20) for pressing the blade (20) against the windshield (2). The invention further concerns a motor vehicle comprising at least one such windshield wiper (10), and a method for operating such a windshield wiper (10).

Classically, a windshield wiper comprises a blade for wiping a windshield, a body supporting the blade, and an articulated arm connecting the body to the vehicle frame.
In the technical field of windshield wipers, some developments seek to improve pressure distribution of the blade on the windshield. Indeed, an uneven pressure can lead certain areas of the windshield to be poorly cleaned in comparison with others.
EP0825077, DE4243133, GB1425568 U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,592,110, 5,172,449 and EP0280149 disclose various examples of windshield wipers, comprising elastic means for pressing the blade against the windshield. Such elastic means are subjected to fatigue wear in operation. Furthermore, as the pressure on the blade is higher where the elastic means are located, they do not provide a uniform pressure distribution.
FR1298483 discloses another example of windshield wiper, comprising magnetic means mounted inside the body and on the blade. However, such magnetic means are more expensive and more complex than elastic means.
Commonly, most windshields are slightly curved. Nowadays, windshields with more pronounced curvature are developed to improve aerodynamics of vehicles, in particular trucks, and to propose new designs of vehicles.
However, common wipers are not designed for cleaning windshields with important curvatures. That can lead to unwiped areas, in particular close to the periphery of the windshields.

Windshield wiper, motor vehicle comprising such a wiper, and method for operating such a wiper


There is provided an integrated control method for eliminating a low frequency ripple in a power conversion system for a fuel cell, more particularly, a control method of a power conversion system capable of eliminating a low frequency ripple, controlling a DC link voltage, and controlling an output power and a system using the same control method. A power conversion system (PCS) that converts an output of a DC power supply received from an external power supply includes a converter that converts a voltage of the input power supply; an inverter that converts an output voltage of the converter into an AC voltage; and a converter control module that outputs a PWM signal for controlling a switch of the converter, and after receiving a power instruction value, the converter control module generates the PWM signal for controlling the converter based on the power instruction value.

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in an environment-friendly power generation method due to an increase in power needs caused by a rapid industrial development, and concerns about an environmental pollution grown out by global warming and about an exhaustion of fossil energy.
The environment-friendly power generation method includes a fuel cell power generation method, a solar photovoltaic power generation method, a wind power generation method, and the like. In particular, the fuel cell power generation method is a representative example of the environment-friendly power generation method in that conditions for generating the fuel cell power are not much restricted as compared to the solar photovoltaic power and the wind power. Further, the fuel cell itself is environment-friendly, and little noise is made at the time of generation of the fuel cell power. An output power of the fuel cell is converted to be suitable for a load and supplied to the load or an electric power system line. Such a process necessarily requires a power conversion system (PCS).
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional fuel cell system.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional fuel cell system is made up of a fuel cell 100, a power conversion apparatus 110, and a load 120. The power conversion apparatus 110 includes a DC/DC converter 111 (hereinafter, referred to as "converter"), and a DC/AC inverter 115 (hereinafter, referred to as "inverter").
As described above, the power conversion apparatus 110 receives a power from the fuel cell 100, suitably converts the power, and supplies the converted power to the load 120.
In this process, the DC/DC converter 111 boosts and outputs a DC voltage generated from the fuel cell 100.
Then, the DC/AC inverter 115 converts the DC voltage outputted from the DC/DC converter 111 into an AC voltage and applies the AC voltage to each load.
In order to supply the output power of the fuel cell having a low voltage•high current output characteristics to a general electric power system, a boost-type DC/DC converter and a single- or three-phase DC/AC inverter are necessarily required. However, the single-phase inverter and the three-phase inverter inevitably generate low frequency ripple components having a frequency of about 120 Hz two times higher than an output fundamental frequency and a frequency of about 360 Hz six times higher, respectively, due to a rectification effect caused by the configuration of the inverter, and the low frequency ripple components are reflected and returned to the fuel cell.
FIGS. 2A to 2C are graphs showing voltage and current values measured between the fuel cell 110 and the converter 111, between the converter 111 and the inverter 115, and after passing through the inverter 115, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 2A to 2C, it can be seen that before passing through the converter, a voltage of the fuel cell is a low voltage but it is boosted into a high voltage through the converter and converted into an AC voltage through the inverter.
As shown in FIG. 2C, the output voltage and current are converted to have AC components through the inverter, so that the power calculated by multiplying a voltage and a current has a frequency component two times higher than a frequency of the voltage and the current. Generally, a DC link voltage is controlled to a constant value, so that a DC link current momentarily has the same value by the principle of the conservation of energy, thereby inevitably containing the AC components. The power is the same in the above-described three sections and resultantly has a form of an alternating current like the current as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
That is, it can be seen from the FIG. 2A that as for the conventional power conversion apparatus 110, an input current of the converter is not constant and has an AC component (such a current will be referred to as "low frequency ripple current" hereinafter) and such a low frequency ripple current has a bad influence upon the fuel cell connected to a front end of the converter.
When the current is not constant in this manner, the fuel cell is seriously affected unlike other general apparatuses. The ripple current reduces a life span of the fuel cell and deteriorates a performance of the fuel cell. Further, as the ripple current is increased, the life span of the fuel cell is greatly reduced and the performance of the fuel cell is greatly deteriorated, and sometimes, over current may cause a malfunction, such as an emergency stop of the fuel cell system.
The present disclosure is conceived to solve the above-described problems and provides a power conversion system capable of eliminating a low frequency ripple current generated by an inverter and having a very quick response characteristics to a rapid change in a load without any overshoot or undershoot, and a control method thereof.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a power conversion system (PCS) that converts an output of a DC power supply received from an external power supply. The power conversion system includes: a converter that converts a voltage of the input power supply; an inverter that converts an output voltage of the converter into an AC voltage; and a converter control module that outputs a PWM signal for controlling a switch of the converter. After receiving a power instruction value, the converter control module may generate the PWM signal for controlling the converter based on the power instruction value.
Further, the power conversion system may further include a first sensor module that measures a voltage value and a current value. The converter control module may calculate a current instruction value by using the inputted power instruction value and the voltage value measured by the first sensor module, and generate the PWM signal for controlling the switch of the converter based on an error value between the current instruction value and the current value measured by the first sensor module.
Furthermore, the power conversion system may further include an inverter control module that outputs a PWM signal for controlling a switch of the inverter. After receiving a voltage instruction value, the inverter control module may generate a current instruction value based on the voltage instruction value and generate the PWM signal for controlling the inverter based on the generated current instruction value.
Further, the power conversion system may further include a second sensor module that measures a output voltage value of the converter and a third sensor module that measures a output current value of the inverter. The inverter control module may control an error value between the inputted voltage instruction value and the voltage value measured by the second sensor module to be zero and calculates a first current instruction value which makes the error value zero, obtain a feed-forward term by dividing the power instruction value received from the converter control module by a load voltage value and multiplies the feed-forward term by an estimation phase of a general electric power system, thereby obtaining a second current instruction value, and generate the PWM signal for controlling the switch of the inverter based on an error value between a third current instruction value obtained by adding the first current instruction value to the second current instruction value and the current value measured by the third sensor module.
Furthermore, the first sensor module may be installed between a fuel cell and the converter. The measured voltage value and current value may serve as a converter input voltage value and a converter input current value, respectively. The current instruction value may serve as a converter input current instruction value.
Further, the first sensor module may be installed between the converter and the inverter. The measured voltage value and current value may serve as a DC link voltage value and a DC link current value, respectively. The current instruction value may serve as a DC link current instruction value.
Furthermore, a voltage value measured by the second sensor module may serve as a DC link voltage value, and a voltage value measured by the third sensor module may serve as a inverter output current value.
Further, the external power supply is a fuel cell.
Furthermore, the converter may take any one of various forms such as a boost-type converter, a boost converter, a half-bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, and a push-pull converter so as to boost a low DC voltage to a DC voltage having a predetermined voltage level.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control method of a power conversion system (PCS) including a converter that converts a voltage of an input power supply, and an inverter that converts an output voltage of the converter into a AC voltage. The control method includes: receiving a power instruction value; and generating a PWM signal for controlling the converter based on the received power instruction value.
Further, the step of generating the PWM signal for controlling the converter may include: measuring a voltage value and a current value for controlling the converter; calculating a current instruction value by using the inputted power instruction value and the measured current value; and generating a PWM signal for controlling a switch of the converter based on an error value between the current instruction value and the measured current value.
Furthermore, the control method may further include receiving a voltage instruction value; and generating a PWM signal for controlling the inverter based on the voltage instruction value and the current instruction value which is calculated using the voltage instruction value.
Further, the control method may further include measuring a voltage value and a current value for controlling the inverter; calculating a first current instruction value for allowing an error value between the inputted voltage instruction value and the measured voltage value to be zero; obtaining a feed-forward term by dividing the inputted power instruction value by a load voltage value, and multiplying the feed-forward term by a estimation phase of a general electric power system, thereby obtaining a second current instruction value, and generating the PWM signal for controlling the switch of the inverter based on an error value between a third current instruction value obtained by adding the first current instruction value to the second current instruction value and the measured current value.
Further the measured voltage value and current value may serve as a converter input voltage value and a converter input current value, respectively, and the current instruction value may serve as a converter input current instruction value.
Furthermore, the measured voltage value and current value may serve as a DC link voltage value and a DC link current value, respectively, and the current instruction value may serve as a DC link current instruction value.
Further, the measured voltage value may serve as a DC link voltage value, and the measured current value may serve as an inverter output current value.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a program stored in a computer-readable storage medium that executes a control method of a power conversion system (PCS) including a converter for converting a voltage of an input power supply, and an inverter for converting an output voltage of the converter into an AC voltage. The program includes: receiving a power instruction value; and generating a PWM signal for controlling the converter based on the received power instruction value.
Further, the step of generating the PWM signal for controlling the converter may include: measuring a voltage value and a current value for controlling the converter; calculating a current instruction value by using the received power instruction value and the measured current value; and generating a PWM signal for controlling a switch of the converter based on an error value between the current instruction value and the measured current value.
Furthermore, the program may further include receiving a voltage instruction value; and generating a PWM signal for controlling the inverter based on the voltage instruction value and the power instruction value.
As described above, in accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a new control method of eliminating a low frequency ripple current in a power conversion apparatus.
According to the present disclosure, if a control method of the power conversion apparatus is changed, it is possible to completely eliminate the low frequency ripple current without any additional hardware or cost.
Further, a converter controls a current and an inverter controls a DC link voltage and an inverter output current by means of an input power instruction instead of a conventional algorithm for controlling a current and a voltage in a converter.

Power conversion system for eliminating low frequency ripple current and control method thereof

Sungyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration


A sensor signal transmission system includes: at least one wireless sensor disposed in an equipment package and configured to sense at least one type of information; a gateway configured to receive the at least one type of information sensed by the at least one wireless sensor in a wireless manner, and convert the received information into at least one communication signal; a controller configured to control the equipment package by collecting the at least one communication signal input from the gateway; and at least one wireless power supply configured to supply power to the at least one wireless sensor in a wireless manner.

1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to a sensor signal transmission system using a wireless sensor network system and wireless power.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is difficult to individually wire gas turbines, compressors, etc. in which a large number of sensors are installed in a narrow space.

Method and system for transmitting sensor signals


An information processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same include/use: a storage unit that stores user information; a timer that clocks a time; a storing unit that stores retention period information indicating a retention period of the user information; and a saving unit that saves data of a job input by a user. The user information stored in the storage unit is deleted in accordance with a current date and time obtained from the timer, the retention period information stored in the storing unit, the user information, and a save status of the data in the saving unit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a method of controlling the same, and a storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
Multi-function peripherals (MFPs) are known that have a scanner, a print function, an image saving function, and a communication function to perform copy, print, and scan operations, fax transmission/receiving, and the like. Some of these MFPs further have functions of information processing apparatuses, such as a document file saving function and a user authentication function.
Realization of a user authentication function on an MFP requires management of users of the MFP. Management of the users involves processing of, for example, generating pieces of user information in one-to-one correspondence with the users of the MFP, and deleting user information of a user who no longer uses the MFP. Such deletion of the user information of the user who no longer uses the MFP is performed to avoid a decrease in convenience caused by the unnecessary presence of the user information remaining in the MFP. The decrease in convenience could possibly occur when, for example, a user logs into the MFP by designating his/her icon on a login screen that displays a list of icons corresponding to the pieces of user information. In this case, if many unnecessary pieces of user information remain in the MFP, many icons are displayed, and thus the user may need to go through the trouble of looking for his/her icon.
Furthermore, although it is preferable that user information on an MFP be actually managed by a dedicated administrator, many small-office environments do not have such a dedicated administrator to reduce operational costs. To place priority on convenience rather than security, some of these small-office environments identify a user but do not perform identify confirmation (so-called user authentication) when the user logs into the MFP. Under such environments, each user generates user information by him/herself.
Meanwhile, user information may be deleted by a user him/herself, or may be automatically deleted by an MFP. For example, according to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-134797, user information of a user who has not logged in for a certain period is deleted.
A problem with the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-134797 is that a user who has not logged into an MFP for a certain period can no longer log into the MFP, and no longer use the functions of the MFP that are provided on the premise of a login. For example, assume a case in which a user transmits a print job from a PC and stores the print job to the MFP, with an intention to print the print job afterwards. In this case, if the user does not log into the MFP for the certain period, the user can no longer log into the MFP, and the print job saved in the MFP cannot be executed when the user wants to execute the print job.

Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and storage medium


A skin sanitizing composition includes an effective amount of an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms for providing sanitizing activity to the sanitizing composition as well as an effective amount of at least one moisturizing agent having opacifying properties for both making the sanitizing composition uniformly opaque when mixed and reducing water loss from the skin. The composition also includes an effective amount of a polymeric thickener for providing a viscosity of from about 1000 to about 65,000 cps and water.

Skin disinfecting or sanitizing compositions have become increasingly popular in the health care industry as well as with the general public for providing antimicrobial effectiveness to the skin without irritation. Generally, these skin disinfecting or sanitizing compositions, which should be distinguished from skin cleansing compositions such as soaps, shampoos, and detergents which typically include surfactants, abrasives, or other active ingredients used to physically as well as microscopically cleanse the skin, include alcohol as the active ingredient in killing any microorganisms which may be present on the skin, particularly the hands. Unfortunately, several misconceptions have evolved with the use of these skin disinfecting or sanitizing compositions. For instance, one common misconception is that these compositions will kill all bacteria or microorganisms instantly. In actuality, many of these skin disinfecting or sanitizing compositions require that the user maintains the alcohol-based composition on the skin for a period of time in order for the alcohol to effectively kill the bacteria or other microorganisms which might be present on the skin. Typically, it is recommended that the compositions not be removed from the skin for at least ten to fifteen seconds in order to allow the antimicrobial agent, e.g., alcohol, sufficient time to kill the microorganism.
Another misconception is in determining the amount of skin disinfecting or sanitizing composition needed for a thorough and effective disinfecting of the skin, particularly the hands. An effective amount of the antimicrobial composition will enable the user to spread the alcohol via rubbing together of the hands to completely cover the entirety of the hands. Oftentimes, a user will only obtain enough of the composition to disinfect a portion of the hands, leaving other areas of the hands still potentially infected with the bacteria or other microorganisms. This is particularly true where the sanitizing compositions are translucent and clear because it is virtually impossible for the user to determine whether or not the skin has been effectively covered. Moreover, given the relatively careless handwashing procedures used by individuals, particularly children, today, it is believed common for the user to miss entire areas of the skin where bacteria or other microorganisms might live on the skin.
On the other hand, too much of an alcohol-based composition is rough on the skin. Although alcohol is generally recognized as a very effective antimicrobial agent and is often noted as being relatively "mild" to the skin as compared to other active antimicrobial ingredients, continuous use of alcohol-based compositions, without protecting the skin, will ultimately dry out the skin, causing it to chap or crack.
Therefore, it is believed important to provide moisturizing properties to the skin, preferably at the same time the alcohol is being utilized. The defatting nature of alcohol to the skin requires that moisturizing agents or other skin conditioning agents be used to reduce water loss from the skin. Thus, moisturizers are sometimes used to provide skin conditioning benefits and improve mildness to the skin. Oftentimes, emollients are used as the moisturizers which essentially impart a smooth and soft feeling to the skin surface, but may or may not reduce water loss. Emollients also can refat the skin to reverse the defatting nature of alcohol.
At present, there are essentially two, and possibly three, ways of reducing water loss from the skin. One way is to deposit on the skin surface an occlusive layer which reduces the rate of evaporation. This method, however, often leaves an undesirable film on the skin.
The second way is to add non-occlusive hygroscopic substances to the skin which will retain water and make this water available to the skin to alter its physical properties and produce a cosmetically desirable effect. Non-occlusive moisturizers may also function by improving the lubricity of the skin.
A potential third way is to reduce the rate of evaporation from the skin by improving the barrier function of the skin. This potentially could be done through the use of agents to change the physical structure of the skin.
Thus, the need exists for an alcohol-based sanitizing composition which includes at least one moisturizing agent capable of not only reducing the water loss of the skin but also-serving as an opacifier for the composition which will effectively make the composition opaque such that the user of the composition will readily be able to determine the amount of sanitizing composition deposited on the skin and to determine when the composition has been completely spread over the entirety of the skin. An opaque sanitizing composition will also enable the user to determine how long the composition has been on the skin before wiping the composition away or having it evaporate.
A number of patents have cited the use of alcohol as an active ingredient for providing skin disinfecting properties to a skin cleansing composition. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,629,006 teaches a skin disinfecting formulation comprising alcohol and a surfactant-like block copolymer, namely a polyalkylene oxide/polydimethylsiloxane copolymer. This patent also discloses the use of thickeners such as celluloses, carbomers, pluronics, etc., and preservative antimicrobial agents such as p-chloro-m-xylenol. However, neither these patents nor any other known patent which includes alcohol as an active disinfecting or sanitizing ingredient teach or suggest which also functions as an opacifier.
There are, however, some patents which include opacifying agents as an optional ingredient in their cleansing compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,243,021, 5,250,652, 5,385,685, 5,389,279, and 5,698,183 each disclose personal care products such as facial or body cleansing compositions which also include moisturizers to provide conditioning to the skin. It will be appreciated, however, that each of these personal care products include necessary cleansing surfactants and do not suggest using opacifiers. On the other hand, opacifiers discussed in these patents for light duty liquid detergent compositions where moisturizers are wholly unnecessary and which are not used directly on the skin. Thus, it has not been heretofore suggested that an opacifier be used that also functions as part of the moisturizing system of the composition.


The present invention provides a method of stabilizing the gain of spectroscopy equipment using the actual measured spectrum of the formation of interest and thereby eliminating the need to use external radioactive calibration sources. The gain is measured and adjusted using spectral fitting techniques. In these techniques, an energy spectrum of the radiation from an earth formation is measured. The measured spectrum is compared to a standard spectrum or composite spectrum. As a result of the comparisons, deviations between corresponding features of the two spectra are determined. Gain correction signals are calculated based on the determined deviations. The gain of the spectroscopy equipment is adjusted based on these calculated correction signals.

The major objective of well logging is to obtain quantitative and qualitative information related to hydrocarbons in earth formations surrounding a well. In many nuclear well logging techniques the formation and borehole are irradiated by energetic nuclear particles such as neutrons and gamma rays. These particles may either be scattered in the formation or the borehole or they may undergo a nuclear reaction which results in the creation of a new particle or gamma ray. The scattered particles or newly created particles can be detected at one or several locations and by one or more detectors. The number of energy particles detected and their energy levels generate signals that contain information about the irradiated earth formation and the borehole. During the logging process, various processing techniques can be applied to these signals in order to get the desired logging information from the signal. One of these processing techniques is comparing features of these signals with other known data to make certain determinations about the information contained in the signals.
Many of the nuclear well logging techniques compare the measured signal with additional information. Many of the techniques compare the measured signals with other data based on spectral analysis of the measured signal. As stated earlier, these signals are sometimes gamma rays that result from interactions of atoms with neutrons emitted from a downhole radiation source. Such gamma ray signals are representative of certain atoms of the lithology of the formation (i.e. the matrix or the formation fluid) or of the borehole. In one example of spectral analysis, the energy spectrum of gamma rays resulting from the capture of the neutrons is decomposed into contributions due to individual formation elements, usually called "elemental yields". These elemental yields reveal information concerning the presence of earth formation elements such as hydrogen, silicon, calcium, chlorine, sulfur and iron. Important petrophysical parameters such as porosity, matrix lithology and water salinity may be derived from the elemental yields. An example of a capture gamma ray spectra analysis is depicted in U. S. Pat. No. 3,521,064 to Moran et al.
In Moran, a measured gamma ray energy spectrum, representative of a formation of unknown composition, is compared with a composite spectrum constructed from individual laboratory derived standard spectra of the constituents postulated to comprise the formation. This standard spectrum is composed of standard responses from certain formation elements. The different element responses of the standard spectra (elemental yields) which give the best fit to the measured spectrum when weighted by each element sensitivity (i.e. the ability of an element to emit gamma rays and be detected) represent the relative proportion of the constituents of the formation. "Fit" can be thought of as the closeness of the match between corresponding points of the measured and standard spectra. (If the signal was superimposed over the other signal, how close would the signals match/fit). In other well logging techniques, the calibration of the signal equipment is very important to the measurement of the signal. In these calibration processes, reference signals are used to align the measured signal with certain time or energy parameters. If there is not an adequate alignment between the reference point and the appropriate feature of the signal, an adjustment of the signal amplitude may be necessary to align the signal with the calibration reference. In addition, an adjustment of the signal amplitude may be needed to provide an adequate signal for measurement.
Since the alignment of features from the measured spectrum with features of a standard spectrum may be crucial in these techniques, it is important to guard against drifts and other variances between the measured spectrum and the standard spectrum. Any drifts that occur along the signal chain during the course of the measurement can cause peaks in the measured spectrum to broaden or become otherwise distorted. If this occurs, the proper fit may not be obtained and measured information could be lost. These drifts can develop through changes in temperature of the detector or associated electronics, gradual changes in voltage levels, or variations of the gain of the various active elements in the signal chain. Despite the best efforts to control temperature and other environmental conditions, spectra taken over long periods of time with high resolution detectors often suffer an apparent loss of resolution due to these drifts. In some detectors, large changes in counting rates can also lead to apparent gain changes over fairly short periods of time.
One parameter that is important in controlling measurement drifts and adjusting signal amplitudes is gain. The gain is the change in the signal power or amplitude necessary to keep the signal at an appropriate amplitude level. In gamma ray or particle energy spectroscopy it is important that the gain of the system be known and constant at all times. If the gain is unknown it is difficult or nearly impossible to analyze the spectrum for its components. Small variations in the gain during the spectrum measurements will lead to a degradation of the spectrum resolution. If the gain variation is large the spectrum can no longer be analyzed and the information is lost.
During the detection of gamma rays, gain regulation for energy dispersive gamma-ray detectors in general and for scintillation detectors in particular has been done in many different ways. If the environmental conditions of a system, including the gamma-ray flux, can be kept constant it may be sufficient to do periodic calibration of the detectors at intervals of hours or days using radioactive sources. This requires that signal drifts due to temperature or equipment component changes be almost imperceptible.
One example of the importance of gain regulation is seen using scintillation detectors and photomultipliers (PMT). Many gamma ray detection systems use scintillation detectors and photomultipliers. The gain of a PMT can change due to small changes in the surface conditions of the electrodes in the interior of the PMT. These changes can occur as a consequence of tube start up or during long operation due to the constant electron (and ion) bombardment of the electrodes which are responsible for the amplification process in the PMT. The properties of scintillators do not change rapidly unless a catastrophic failure (breakage or chemical change) occurs. The light emission however depends strongly on the temperature of the crystal. If the temperature can be kept constant it is possible to stabilize the gain of the PMT by the use of a highly accurate light pulser which sends known constant amounts of light to the PMT. The gain of the PMT can be adjusted so that the light pulse always generates the same amplitude. This adjustment can be achieved by analog or digital techniques. However, this method does not correct for any changes in the scintillation light output.
In addition, in well logging the temperature of the tool in the wellbore is known to change dramatically from the surface (about 25.degree. C.) to the bottom of the hole where the temperature can reach 150.degree. C. and more. Under these circumstances the gain of a scintillation detector and its associated PMT can vary by a factor of two or more, therefore constant adjustment of the gain is necessary. Many applications require that the gain be kept constant to much better than one percent. Even if the detector is kept in a dewar the temperature changes are usually large enough to generate intolerable gain changes.
The main method of gain stabilization in this situation consists of using a radioactive source, the characteristic gamma-ray ray of which is used as a reference signal to stabilize the gain. This has the advantage that the gain of the entire system, including the preamplifier and ADC can be kept constant. However, in many applications the extra signal from the stabilization source is adding significantly to the background and therefore impeding the measurement of interest. This can be alleviated by using a gamma-ray source with a gamma-energy which is outside of the range of interest and/or by using various coincidence techniques. In the case of a neutron induced gamma-spectrum, the count rates in the gamma-spectrum are very high. At the present, this necessitates the use of a strong gamma-source for gain stabilization. This source however can be detrimental to parts of the measurements for which the count rate of interest is much lower. For example, the precision of the measurement of the formation capture cross section is strongly affected by a large number of background counts.
Although current methods of gain stabilization exist, there remains a need for a method which in the presence of a sufficiently high gamma-ray flux allows stabilization without the use of a strong calibration source or with no calibration source at all.

Method of gain regulation for downhole spectroscopy tools without using a calibration source


A refrigeration apparatus includes a multistage compression mechanism, a heat-source-side main heat exchanger, at least one heat-source-side sub heat exchanger, a usage-side heat exchanger, a switching mechanism, an expansion mechanism and a refrigerant piping group. The refrigerant piping group connects the multistage compression mechanism, the switching mechanism, the heat-source-side main heat exchanger, the heat-source-side sub heat exchanger, the expansion mechanism and the usage-side heat exchanger so that during the heating operation, the heat-source-side main heat exchanger and the heat-source-side sub heat exchanger are connected in series.

There is conventionally used a refrigeration apparatus that carries out a multistage compression refrigeration cycle, being a refrigeration apparatus provided with means for cooling intermediate-pressure refrigerant in the course of compression. The refrigeration apparatus described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2010-112618 has a heat source unit provided with an outdoor-side heat exchanger and an outdoor-side intermediate cooler. In the cooling operation, the outdoor-side heat exchanger functions as a gas cooler, and the outdoor-side intermediate cooler functions as an inter-cooler that cools intermediate-pressure refrigerant discharged from a preceding stage compression element and sucked into a subsequent stage compression element. Improved operating efficiency is realized in this refrigeration apparatus as intermediate-pressure refrigerant is cooled in the course of compression.


Provided is an electronic device including a memory storing identifiers of a plurality of access points (APs) and position information associated with the plurality of APs, at least one communication circuit, and at least one processor operatively connected with the memory and the at least one communication circuit. The electronic device may be configured to receive an AP list including information on a plurality of first APs using the communication circuit, obtain a representative position corresponding to at least a portion of the plurality of first APs based on positions corresponding to the plurality of first APs stored in the memory, and update position information of at least one second AP of the plurality of first APs stored in the memory based at least on the representative position if a position of the at least one second AP is a specified distance or more away from the representative position. In addition to the above, various embodiments identified through the specification are possible.

With the spread of mobile devices capable of recognizing positions, various position-based services are being provided. For example, the mobile device may obtain its position information based on a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Since GPS-based positioning is performed based on satellite signals, it may be difficult to accurately measure the position of the mobile device indoors.
Various methods are being studied to supplement the limitations of GPS-based position-based services and perform more accurate positioning. For example, the positioning of the mobile device may be performed using a signal transmission device having a fixed position. The mobile device may obtain a wireless fingerprint (e.g., information on a beacon, access point (AP), or cell), and transmit the obtained wireless fingerprint information to an external electronic device (e.g., a server). For example, an external electronic device receiving the wireless fingerprint from the mobile device may estimate the position of the mobile device by using a database associated with the wireless fingerprint.

Method and electronic device for tracking position of access point


A low temperature process for making radiopac materials is disclosed. The process utilizes industrial/agricultural waste as raw materials and includes mixing 11-88% w/w of the industrial/agricultural waste materials, 11-88% w/w of an alkali or alkaline earth metal compound and 7-15% w/w of a phosphatic binder to obtain a homogenized mixture. The homogenized mixture is compressed at a pressure in the range of 100-300 Kg/cm2 to obtain compacted green material samples. The compacted green material samples are baked for 1-3 hours in an Air oven in the temperature range of 90-130° C., and are sintered at a temperature in the range of 920 to 1300° C. for a soaking period of 1-3 hours under air environment in a muffle furnace to obtain the radiopac material.

Generally the sheets of lead metal are used for X-ray radiation shielding. The other metals which are capable of shielding X-ray radiation include copper, aluminum, titanium (http://hpsorg/publicinformation/ate/q1742.html), iron/steel, chromium, magnesium and barium etc.(Quan Lin et al, Polymer 41 (2000) 8305-8309). Concrete is also often used as shielding material (P. Soo and L. M. Milian, J. Mat. Sci. Letters 20, 2001, 1345-1348). Polymers containing heavy metals in polymeric chains (Jpn Kokai Tokkyo Koho, 157092, 1985 and Jpn Kokai Tokkyo Koho, 98765,1986)) or metal oxides dispersed in polymer matrix also have radiopac properties (European Patent appl.19121). The lead/rare earths (Ching—hwa lee and Chi—Shiung His, Environ. Sci. Technol., 200,36,69-75 and firstname.lastname@example.com) and barium (J. A. Griggs et al, J. Mat. Sci. 37, 2002, 2017-2022 and (Narottam P. Bansal, Mat. Sci. & Enginnering A342, 2003, 23-27) containing glasses made from oxides of silicon/aluminum/zinc etc. also exhibit X-ray radiation shielding properties.
The drawbacks in the processes of making above mentioned X-ray shielding materials are as follows:                I. The processes for making X-ray radiation shielding materials based on lead metal, lead bearing glasses or lead compound dispersed polymer composites suffer due to toxicity of lead and/or poor strength and hardness. Further, the lead bearing tiles/sheets/bricks are significantly heavy in weight as the density of lead is 11.34 gm/Cm-2. Another drawback of the lead bearing materials is that their melting points are low (melting point of lead is 325° C.), which prohibits their use at high temperatures.        II. The use of concrete for shielding X-ray radiations suffers on account of a gradual decrease in its mechanical strength with the period of exposure and inability to withstand high temperatures.        III. The processes of making barium alumino-silicate glasses suffer from the disadvantages of utilizing (a) non replenishable natural resources such as quartz and feldspar (b) the quartz and feldspar required in powder form are hard materials (hardness values of 7 and 6 respectively on the Moh's scale) and hence require very high grinding energy (c) require high sintering energy as the sintering is carried out for long durations (four hours to four weeks) in the temperature range 950°-1600° C. depending on the characteristics and chemical compositions of various constituents (Kuo-Tong Lee et al Mat. Chem. & Physics 71, 2001, 47-52).        IV. Processes utilizing oxides/fluorides of rare earths such as yettrium, Lanthanum, Cerium and Dysprosium etc. suffer from the drawback of (a) requirement of sintering at high temperatures and (b) utilization of costly and scaresely occurring Rare Earths the resources.

Low temperature process for making radiopac materials utilizing industrial/agricultural waste as raw material

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research