A packing sleeve for use with a safety needle that automatically covers a tip of a needle following removal of the needle from a patient includes a generally hollow body having a longitudinal axis and a distal end and an open proximal end. The body surrounds at least a portion of the safety needle and has at least one track having an activation leg and a releasing leg. The at least one track is in sliding engagement with at least one member of the safety needle such that the motion of a portion of the safety needle relative to the body is dictated by a path the at least one member follows along the respective at least one track. The safety needle is in an initial position when the at least one member is proximate a first end of the activation leg and in an intermediate position when the at least one member is proximate a second end of the activation leg. The releasing leg extends from the second end of the activation leg and allows the at least one member to be slid toward and then removed from the proximal end of the body.

This invention relates to a safety needle, particularly a safety needle for automatically covering a needle following removal of the needle from a patient and a packing sleeve for setting the safety needle in a ready-to-use configuration by the act of removing the packing sleeve.
Needle stick injuries carry a significant risk of spreading infection, such as HIV and hepatitis, and are commonplace among healthcare workers. The United States of America has led the way in introducing legislation that obliges healthcare providers to use the safest devices when giving injections, intravenous drug administration and similar invasive procedures. Other countries are following and, even without legislation, the ever-present risk of litigation has alerted pharmaceutical companies and health authorities to seek suitable safe devices.
As a result of the heightened awareness of needle stick injuries, there have been a large number of medical devices directed to concealing or otherwise protecting the user and/or patient from an inadvertent needle stick. Such medical device often take the form of a protective sleeve which covers the tip of the needle after the injection has been given, or means for retracting the needle rapidly into the syringe barrel. Such safety needles are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,693, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,940 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,384.
What is desirable is a safety needle that automatically covers a needle following removal of the needle from a patient. Further, it is desirable that the safety needle reliably slide into a locked position following removal, be securely retained in the locked position, indicate whether or not the safety needle is in the locked position and have a sufficiently spring biased slidable sleeve.
Additionally, medical devices used to deliver a drug to a patient, will often need to be activated or repositioned from an initial storage or shipping state to an intermediate, activated or primed position before use. Safety needles for example, often require for the tip of the needle to be visible prior to giving the injection because frequently a small amount of drug must be aspirated to clear out trapped air, and the volume must be corrected after drawing up the drug from a bulk container. Also, two of the most common types of injection given are intradermal and intravenous, and both require that the tip of the needle be at least partially visible to ensure that the tip of the needle is inserted into the tissues or vein bevel-side up. Because safety needles often utilize a spring force to extend a cover over the needle following injection that may creep or lose its resiliency over time, the safety needle is desirably stored in an initial, extended position with little or no force on the spring and then, during preparation of the medical device prior to use, the spring is compressed or otherwise activated. Because a protective cap may be removed prior to activation, needle sticks may occur while attempting to activate the device.
What is desirable is a packing sleeve covering an injection device that activates the injection device through the removal of the packing sleeve from the injection device.


A SiCr microfuse, deletable either by electrical voltage pulses or by laser pulses, for rerouting the various components in an integrated circuit, as where redundancy in array structures is implemented, and the method of fabricating same, at any wiring level of the chip, by utilizing a direct resist masking of the SiCr fuse layer to eliminate problems of mask damage and residual metal adjacent the fuse.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the fabrication of microfuses within a semiconductor structure and, more specifically, to the structure and process of fabricating a SiCr microfuse within an integrated circuit (IC) which would be deletable by either a low voltage electrical pulse or a laser pulse. Such fuses are typically used for rerouting the various components of the IC, especially where redundancy in array structures is implemented.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Microfuses have been receiving considerable attention and gaining popularity in ultra large scale integrated (ULSI) circuit fabrication for implementing redundancy, particularly in the areas of bipolar and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BICMOS) field effect transistor (FET) semiconductor chip manufacturing. Conventional microfuses presently used in the industry are deletable only by laser, and no electrical blowable microfuses integrated within ULSI circuits are known to exist.
In the early stages of SiCr fuse development work, a SiCr resistor fabrication process was used for the SiCr fuse fabrication, but major difficulties arose in using this approach. In the resistor fabrication process, Al was used as the mask for the reactive ion etching (RIE) step of the SiCr in a batch reactor. In transferring this resistor fabrication process to a fuse fabrication process, in which single wafer RIE systems are used, defects were observed in the Al mask that were replicated in the SiCr. These defects appeared to be caused by electrical discharge in the single-wafer RIE system. In the resistor fabrication program, the final metal layer (LM) was wet etched. Wet Al etchant does not attack SiCr, and no provision is needed to protect SiCr during etching of the LM layer. This particular fabrication method requires delineation of LM by RIE in a chlorinated plasma which attacks SiCr; therefore, an etch stop layer is added to the fuse material stack to protect the SiCr during the final stage of LM RIE. Another major shortcoming of the resistor-like process that uses an Al etch mask is that, for some unknown reason, cones of residual Al-based metal were left routinely adjacent to the SiCr fuses if LM is etched by RIE, but none were seen in the sub-etched area when this particular fabrication process is used to fabricate the SiCr fuses.
The major deficiencies encountered in the prior art are that the known microfuses are deletable only by laser pulses, and in the fabrication process, damage to the AL mask invariably occurs during the RIE step and residual metal (Al) remains next to the fuse.

Structure and fabrication of SiCr microfuses

International Business Machines Corporation


An angioscopic system includes image processing so as to determine the dimensions of an unknown dimensional feature within the field of view of the angioscope. The system is calibrated by placing a series of known images at known separation distances from the tip of the angioscope and measuring the size of the image which is produced upon a video monitor. This provides a series of data indicating the relationship between the actual size of the feature, the apparent size in pixels on the image, and the known separation distance from the tip of the scope to the feature plane in which the dimensional feature is disposed. Collection of this data allows one to generate, by curve fitting techniques, a functional relationship such that the size of an unknown dimensional feature may be determined when the angioscope is used upon an actual patient. The coefficients generated by the calibration technique are stored in the computer and called up during the measurement process which involves viewing a scene from several different points and using a Newton-Jordan or other minimization technique in order to generate the actual area or other dimensional aspect of the feature of interest. A modified system uses a stereoscopic angioscope in order to provide depth information with respect to an image without the necessity of moving an angioscope tip. A calibrated guidewire may be used to orient and stabilize the tip of the scope. Markings on the guidewire allow one to determine the amount of change in position of the tip.

This invention relates to quantification of dimensional features appearing in an angioscope. More specifically, this invention relates to an angioscopic dimensional analysis system for determining the actual size of any feature within an angioscope image. Additionally, this invention relates to a method of calibrating an angioscopic dimensional analysis system and a method of using such a system.
Angioscopes have been used for viewing various features within the cardiovascular system of a patient. The angioscope is a fiber optic instrument which is inserted into the patient. Generally, a light source is provided to illuminate the part of the patient just beyond the tip of the fiber optic cable and a camera may be attached to the end of the fiber optic cable which is remote from the tip. The camera provides an image to a CRT such that a doctor may view the inside of the patient.
Although prior angioscopic systems have been useful, they have generally been unable to provide accurate information about the size of various features. For example, if a patient has a partial blockage in an artery, prior angioscopic systems have been unable to provide the doctor with accurate information as to the size of the blockage.

Angioscopic system and method for dimensional measurement including measurement of the distance from angioscopic ends to designated planes


A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium having instructions to attach to a user device, wherein the network device provides wireless access coverage in a cell area or a sector area of a first network; detect whether the network device is in a congested state; generate a message that indicates that the network device is in the congested state when the network device is in the congested state; and transmit the message on a control or signaling channel for receipt by user devices attached to the network device in the cell area or the sector area. The user device scans the control or signaling channel before initiating a session and determines whether the network device is in the congested state. When the network device is in the congested state, the user device performs a switchover to a second network. The user device has multimode capabilities.

Due to resource limitations, a wireless node, such as a base station, can experience congestion. For example, when the network load is such that network resource limitations cannot be relieved for an extended period of time, a congested state is reached. However, since the coverage of the radio access technology (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) is still good, a mobile device won't search for another RAT to obtain service. As a result, a mobile device that is attached to the base station may not be able to obtain service. For critical, real-time services, there should be a way for a multi-RAT user device to find a service in the underlying radio access network for alternative services.


Provided is a high-light transmittance zirconia sintered body, prepared by processing and forming a material for the high-light transmittance zirconia sintered body, and then performing high-temperature sintering in the atmosphere under normal pressure. The material for a high-light transmittance zirconia sintered body is prepared from zirconia powder and α-aluminum oxide as raw materials, wherein the molar percentage of yttrium oxide in the zirconia powder is 4-6%. The high-light transmittance zirconia sintered body can be used for preparing a fixed dental prosthesis. The zirconia sintered body has a grain size of 0.1-0.7 μm, and due to the dispersion and toughening by aluminum oxide, the zirconia sintered body has a higher strength and toughness. Pores in the zirconia powder can be eliminated by adding aluminum oxide. The zirconia sintered body has a higher light transmittance, and the prepared dentures are good in texture, good in jade-like appearance, and closer to the human teeth.

Zirconia ceramic is a new type of biomaterial with good biocompatibility and excellent mechanical properties, which has become the focus of dental ceramic development.
CN104016677A discloses a light-transmissive zirconia sintered body and preparation method therefor. The zirconia for dental use prepared by the method has a relatively low transmittance, poor overall texture and jade-like appearance, is not aesthetically pleasing, and has certain limitations in application. ZL201010604330.3 discloses a dental high-transmittance zirconia material and preparation process thereof, which adopts a dry mixing process to prepare zirconia, prone to cause uneven distribution of strength and low strength of zirconia, and the ceramic sintered body is prone to cracking when applied.

High-light trasmittance zirconia sintered body, preparation method therefor and use thereof

Shandong Sinocera Functional Material Co., Ltd


The invention relates to covalent modification of proteins through their conjugation with other proteins. More particularly, the invention relates to the modulation of such conjugation involving the protein NEDD8. The invention provides compositions and methods for detecting and/or modulating the activation and/or conjugation of NEDD8, as well as compositions and methods for discovering molecules which are useful in detecting and/or modulating the activation and/or conjugation of NEDD8. The present invention arises from the purification and characterization of novel NEDD8 activating and conjugating enzymes.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to covalent modification of proteins through their conjugation with other proteins. More particularly, the invention relates to the modulation of such conjugation involving the protein NEDD8.
2. Summary of the Related Art
Covalent modification of proteins through their conjugation with other proteins is an important biological mechanism for regulating protein metabolism and biological activity. Hershko and Ciechanover, Annu. Rev. Biochem. 61: 761-807 (1992) discloses conjugation of ubiquitin, one of the most conserved eukaryotic proteins, to other proteins through an enzymatic mechanism, as well as its role in protein degradation. Rock et al., Cell 78: 761-771 (1994) discloses that ubiquitination of protein antigens is required for processing of such antigens. Murray, Cell 81: 149-152 (1995), teaches that ubiquitination of cyclin is involved in cell cycle regulation. Scheffner et al., Cell 75: 495-505 (1993) discloses that ubiquitination of p53 is involved in degradation of this tumor suppressor.
The enzymatic pathway for ubiquitination has been reasonably well defined jentsch, Annu. Rev. Genet. 26: 179-207 (1992) discloses that ubiquitination requires initial activation of a conserved C-terminal glycine residue by the ubiquitin activating enzyme, E1, through formation of ubiquitin adenylate in an ATP-dependent process which liberates PPi, followed by thiol ester formation at a thiol site in E1 with release of AMP. Ubiquitin is then transferred to a thiol site in ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, E2, through formation of a thiol ester bond. Ubiquitin is then transferred to an epsilon amino group of a lysine residue in the target protein through an amide linkage, usually with the involvement ofubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase, E3. Hopkin J. Natl. Inst. Health Res. 9: 36-42 (1997), teaches that target specificity is regulated by the particular combination of E2 and E3 protein with more than 30 E2 proteins and 10 E3 proteins being known at present.
Ubiquitin is not the only protein which is used to modify other proteins through covalent linkage, however. Kamitani et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272: 14001-14004 (1997), discloses the sentrin, a ubiquitin-like protein, appears to be processed similarly to ubiquitin, but has a smaller target protein repertoire than ubiquitin. Okura et al., J. Immunol. 272: 4277-4281 (1986) teaches that sentrin protects cells against anti-FAS and tumor necrosis factor-mediated cell death. Loeb and Haas, J. Biol. Chem. 267: 7806-7813 (1982), discloses that ubiquitin cross-reactive protein (UCRP), which contains two ubiquitin domains, is conjugated to a large number of intracellular proteins. Kumar et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 185: 1155-1161 (1992), discloses another ubiquitin-like protein, called NEDD8, for Neural precursor cell-Expressed Developmentally Down regulated. Kamitani et al., J. Biol. Chem. 272: 28557-28562 (1997), teaches that NEDD8 is predominantly expressed in the nucleus and is conjugated to target proteins through a mechanism analogous to ubiquitination.
These proteins, which covalently modify other cellular proteins, are important components of biological regulatory processes. The nuclear expression pattern and developmental regulation of NEDD8 make it a particularly compelling candidate as an important regulatory molecule. There is a need, therefore to understand the role of NEDD8 in biological regulation. Unfortunately, the lack of understanding about the specific proteins involved in NEDD8 conjugation has resulted in a lack of effective tools to probe the role of NEDD8. There is, therefore, a need for better tools to utilize in elucidating the role of NEDD8 in biological regulation. Ideally, such tools would allow modulation of the activation and/or conjugation of NEDD8.
The invention provides compositions and methods for detecting and/or modulating the conjugation of NEDD8 and/or its transfer to a target protein, as well as compositions and methods for discovering molecules which are useful in detecting and/or modulating the conjugation of NEDD8 and/or its transfer to a target protein. The present invention arises from the purification and characterization of novel NEDD8 activating and conjugating enzymes.
In a first aspect, the invention provides purified NEDD8-activating protein beta subunit (NAE1-beta). The primary amino acid sequence of a preferred embodiment of such NAE1-beta protein is shown in FIG. 1.
A second aspect, the invention provides NAE1-beta expression elements Such elements include, without limitation, isolated of recombinant nucleic acid sequences encoding NAE1-beta or nucleic acid sequences specifically homologous or specifically complementary thereto, vectors comprising any such nucleic acid sequences and recombinant expression units which express NAE1-beta, or, antisense transcripts or dominant negative mutants thereof.
The purified protein and its structural information provided herein enables the preparation of NAE1-beta-binding molecules (NAE1BBMs). Thus, in a third aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying NAE1BBMs. One preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises screening for NAE1BBMs by contacting purified NAE1-beta according to the invention and populations of molecules or mixed populations of molecules and determining the presence of molecules which bind specifically to NAE1-beta. Another preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises rationally designing molecules to bind NAE1-beta based upon structural information from the purified NAE1-beta protein provided by the invention and determining whether such rationally designed molecules bind specifically to NAE1-beta. This aspect of the invention includes NAE1BBMs identified by the methods according to the invention.
NAE1BBMs can be used in conventional assays to detect the presence or absence, and/or quantity of NAE1-beta, NAE1 heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample. Thus, in a fourth aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the presence or absence and/or quantity of NAE1-beta, NAE1 heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample. Such methods comprise providing a detectable NAE1BBM to a biological sample, allowing the detectable NAE1BBM to bind to NAE1-beta, NAE1 heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex, if any is present in the biological sample, and detecting the presence or absence and/or quantity of a complex of the detectable NAE1BBM and NAE1-beta, NAE1-heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex.
Nucleic acid sequences specifically complementary to and/or specifically homologous to nucleic acid sequences encoding NAE1-beta can also be used in conventional assays to detect the presence or absence of NAE1-beta nucleic acid in a biological sample. Thus, in a fifth aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the presence or absence and/or quantity of NAE1-beta nucleic acid in a biological sample. In preferred embodiments, such assays are nucleic acid hybridization and/or amplification assay, such assays comprising providing to the biological sample a nucleic acid sequence which is specifically complementary to NAE1-beta nucleic acid.
In a sixth aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying modulating ligands of NAE1-beta. Some NAE1BBMs are capable of acting as antagonists or agonists of NAE1-beta. Thus, the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing NAE1BBMs to an assay system for NAE1-beta participation in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway, and determining whether such NAE1BBMs interfere with or enhance the ability of NAE1-beta to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. The NAE1BBMs are preferably provided as a population of molecules (most preferably rationally designed molecules), or as a mixed population of molecules, as for example in a screening procedure. This aspect of the invention includes modulating ligands of NAE1-beta identified by this method according to the invention.
In a seventh aspect, the invention provides modulating ligands of NAE1-beta. Preferred modulating ligands are NAE1BBMs which act as antagonists, interfering with the ability of NAE1-beta to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. Other preferred modulating ligands are NAE1BBMs which act as agonists, enhancing the ability of NAE1-beta to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. In certain embodiments, such NAE1BBMs preferably interact with NAE1-beta to inhibit or enhance the formation of NAE1 heterodimer, the formation of NEDD8 adenylate, the formation of a thiol ester bond between NEDD8 and NAE1, and/or transfer of NEDD8 to NEDD8-conjugating enzyme.
In an eighth aspect, the invention provides methods for modulating the activation and/or conjugation of NEDD8. One preferred embodiment of the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing a modulating ligand of NAE1-beta or a recombinant expression unit which expresses NAE1-beta or an antagonist thereof to a biological system in which NEDD8 is conjugated to another protein.
In a ninth aspect, the invention provides oligonucleotides that are specifically complementary to a portion of a nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 1. Preferred embodiments include hybridization probes and antisense oligonucleotides.
In a tenth aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying NAE1-alpha binding molecules (NAE1ABMs). The present inventors have identified the alpha subunit of the NAE1 heterodimer (NAE1-alpha). Surprisingly, it has an amino acid sequence which is substantially identical to a protein previously identified as amyloid precursor protein binding protein 1 (APP-BP1; see Chow et al., J. Biol. Chem. 271: 11339-11346 (1996)). One preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises screening for NAE1ABMs by contacting purified NAE1-alpha and populations of molecules or mixed populations of molecules and determining the presence of molecules which bind specifically to NAE1-alpha. Another preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises rationally designing molecules to bind NAE1-alpha based upon structural information from the NAE1-alpha protein identified by the present inventors and determining whether such rationally designed molecules bind specifically to NAE1-alpha. This aspect of the invention includes NAE1ABMs identified by the methods according to the invention.
NAE1ABMs cn be used in conventional assays to detect the presence or absence, and/or quantity of NAE1-alpha, NAE1 heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample. Thus, in an eleventh aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the presence of absence and/or quantity of NAE1-alpha, NAE1 heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample. Such methods comprise providing a detectable NAE1ABM to a biological sample, allowing the detectable NAE1ABM to bind to NAE1-alpha, NAE1 heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex, if any is present in the biological sample, and detecting the presence or absence and/or quantity of a complex of the detectable NAE1ABM and NAE1-alpha, NAE1-heterodimer, or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex. In preferred embodiments, the method according to this aspect of the invention is used to detect the presence or absence, and/or quantity of NAE1 heterodimer or NAE1 heterodimer/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample.
Nucleic acid sequences specifically complementary to and/or specifically homologous to nucleic acid sequences encoding NAE1-alpha can also be used in conventional assays to detect the presence or absence of NAE1-alpha nucleic acid in a biological sample in which NEDD8 conjugation is suspected. Thus, in a twelfth aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the presence or absence and/or quantity of NAE1-alpha nucleic acid in such a biological sample. In preferred embodiments, such assays are nucleic acid hybridization and/or amplification assays, such assays comprising providing to the biological sample a nucleic acid sequence which is specifically complementary to NAE1-alpha nucleic acid.
In an thirteenth aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying modulating ligands of NAE1-alpha. Some NAE1ABMs are capable of acting as antagonists or agonists of NAE1-alpha. Thus, the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing NAE1ABMs to an assay system for NAE1-alpha participation in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway, and determining whether such NAE1ABMs interfere with or enhance the ability of NAE1-alpha to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. The NAE1ABMs are preferably provided as a population of molecules (most preferably rationally designed molecules), or as a mixed population of molecules, as for example in a screening procedure. This aspect of the invention includes antagonists or agonists of NAE1-alpha identified by this method according to the invention.
In a fourteenth aspect the invention provides a purified complex of NAE1-beta and NAE1-alpha, or of NAE1-beta, NAE1-alpha and NEDD8, or a purified complex of portions thereof.
In a fifteenth aspect, the invention provides modulating ligands of NAE1-alpha. Certain preferred modulating ligands are NAE1ABMs which act as antagonists which interfere with the ability of NAE1-alpha to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. Other preferred modulating ligands are NAE1ABMs which act as agonists which enhance the ability of NAE1-alpha to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. Preferably, such inhibition or enhancement is specific, as described above. In certain embodiments, such modulating ligands preferably interact with NAE1-alpha to inhibit or enhance the formation of NAE1 heterodimer, the formation of NEDD8 adenylate, the formation of a thiol ester bond between NEDD8 and NAE1, and/or transfer of NEDD8 to NEDD8-conjugating enzyme.
In a sixteenth aspect, the invention provides methods for modulating the activation and/or conjugation of NEDD8. One preferred embodiment of the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing a modulating ligand NAE1-alpha or a recombinant expression unit which expresses NAE1-alpha or an antagonist thereof to a biological system in which NEDD8 is conjugated to another protein.
In a seventeenth aspect, the invention provides alleic varients of NAE-1 alpha. This aspect of the invention further includes NAE1-alpha allelic variant expression elements. Such elements include, without limitation, isolated or recombinant nucleic acid sequences encoding NAE1-alpha, or nucleic acid sequences specifically homologous or specifically complementary thereto, vectors comprising any such nucleic acid sequences, and recombinant expression units which express NAE1-beta or antisense transcripts or dominant negative mutants thereof.
In a eighteenth aspect, the invention provides methods for modulating auxin response in plants. The present inventors have discovered that NAE1-alpha shares 39% identity and 61% conserved residues with Aux1 in A. Thaliana, which is involved in signal transduction in the auxin response in plants. This suggests that antagonists of NAE1-beta and/or NAE1-alpha should down-regulate the auxin response, and that expression of NAE1-beta and/or NAE1-alpha should up-regulate the auxin response. One preferred embodiment of the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing a modulating ligand of NAE1-beta or NAE1-alpha or a recombinant expression unit which expresses NAE1-beta or NAE1 or an antagonist thereof to a plant that is under auxin treatment.
In a nineteenth aspect, the invention provides methods for modulating the biological role of APP and/or beta peptide accumulation in a biological system. The present inventors have discovered that NAE1-alpha is substantially the same protein is amyloid precursor protein binding protein-1 (APP-BP1). This suggests that antagonists or agonists of NAE1-beta and/or NAE1-alpha should modulate APP function, including its role in beta peptide accumulation. One preferred embodiment of the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing a modulating ligand of NAE1-beta or NAE1-alpha or a recombinant expression unit which expresses NAE1-beta or NAE1 or an antagonist thereof to a biological system.
In an twentieth aspect, the invention provides two new purified NEDD8-conjugating enzymes and allelic variants thereof. The primary amino acid sequence of a preferred embodiment of a first such NEDD8-conjugating enzyme (NCE1) is shown in FIG. 2. The primary amino acid sequence of a preferred embodiment of a second such NEDD8-conjugating enzyme (NCE2) is shown in FIG. 5.
In a twenty-first aspect, the invention provides NEDD8-conjugation enzyme expression elements. Such elements include, without limitation, isolated or recombinant nucleic acid sequences encoding NCE1 or NCE2 or dominant negative mutants thereof, or capable of expressing antisense transcripts thereof or nucleic acid sequences specifically homologous or specifically complementary thereto, and vectors comprising any such recombinant expression elements, preferably expression vectors.
The purified protein and is structural information provided herein enables the preparation of NCE1 and NCE2 binding molecules, respectively NCE1BMs and NCE2BMs. Thus, in a twenty-second aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying NCE1BMs and NCE2BMs. One preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises screening for NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs by contacting purified NCE1 or NCE2 according to the invention and populations of molecules or mixed populations of molecules and determining the presence of molecules which bind specifically to NCE1 or NCE2. Another preferred method according to this aspect of the invention comprises rationally designing molecules to bind NCE1 or NCE2 based upon structural information from the purified NCE1 and NCE2 provided by the invention and determining whether such rationally designed molecules bind specifically to NCE1 to NCE2. This aspect of the invention includes NCE1BMs and NCE2BMs identified by the method according to the invention.
NCE1BMs and NCE2BMs can be used in conventional assays to detect the presence or absence, and/or quantity of NCE1 or NCE2, or NCE1 or NCE2/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample. Thus, in a twenty-third aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the presence or absence and/or quantity of NCE1 or NCE2, or NCE1 or NCE2/NEDD8 complex in a biological sample. Such methods comprise providing a detectable NCE1BM or NCE2BM to a biological sample, allowing the detectable NCE1BM or NCE2BM to bind to, respectively NCE1 or NCE2, or respectively NCE1 or NCE2/NEDD8 complex, if any is present in biological sample, and detecting the presence or absence and/or quantity of a complex of the detectable NCE1BM or NCE2BM and NCE1 or NCE2, or NCE1 or NCE2/NEDD8 complex.
Nucleic acid sequences specifically complementary to and/or specifically homologous to nucleic acid sequences encoding NCE1to NCE2 can also be used in conventional assays to detect the presence or absence of NCE1 or NCE2 nucleic acid in a biological sample. Thus, in a twenty-fourth aspect, the invention provides methods for determining the presence or absence and/or quantity of NCE1 or NCE2 nucleic acid in a biological sample. In preferred embodiments, such assays are nucleic acid hybridization and/or amplification assays, such assays comprising providing to the biological sample a nucleic acid sequence which is specifically complementary to NCE1 or NCE2 nucleic acid.
In a twenty-fifth aspect, the invention provides methods for identifying modulating ligands of NCE1 or NCE2. Some NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs are capable of acting as antagonists or agonists of, respectively NCE1 or NCE2. Thus, the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs to an assay system for NCE1 or NCE2 participation in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway, and determining whether such NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs interfere with or enhance the ability of NCE1 or NCE2 to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. The NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs are preferably provided as a population of molecules (most preferably rationally designed molecules), or as a mixed population of molecules, as for example in a screening procedure. This aspect of the invention includes modulating ligands of NCE1 or NCE2 identified by this invention according to the invention.
In a twenty-sixth aspect, the invention provides modulating ligands of NCE1or NCE2. Preferred modulating ligands are NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs which act as antagonists, interfering with the ability of NCE1 or NCE2 to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. Other preferred modulating ligands are NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs which act as agonists, enhancing the ability of, respectively NCE1 or NCE2 to participate in the NEDD8-activation/conjugation pathway. In certain embodiments, such NCE1BMs or NCE2BMs preferably interact with NCE1 or NCE2 to inhibit or enhance the formation of a thiol ester bond between NEDD8 and NCE1 to NCE2 and/or transfer of NEDD8 to its target protein.
In a twenty-seventh aspect, the invention provides methods for modulating the conjugation of NEDD8 or its transfer to a target protein. One preferred embodiment of the method according to this aspect of the invention comprises providing a modulating ligand of NCE1 or NCE2 or a recombinant expression unit which expresses NCE1 or NCE2 or an antagonist thereof to a biological system in which NEDD8 is conjugated to another protein.
In a twenty-eighth aspect, the invention provides oligonucleotides that are specifically complementary to a portion of a nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 5. Preferred embodiments include hybridization probes and antisense oligonucleotides.

Human proteins responsible for NEDD8 activation and conjugation


A tin-nickel alloy containing not less than 75 wt % and less than 100 wt % of tin with the balance of nickel. The alloy is used, for example, for formation of a surface treatment layer of an electronic component which is to be soldered onto a substrate with the use of the surface mount technology. The surface treatment layer preferably has a thickness of not less than 0.1 .mu.m and less than 0.5 .mu.m. The electronic component preferably further includes a nickel deposit layer as an underlying layer interposed between a base of the component and the surface treatment layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tin-nickel alloy and a component surface-treated with such an alloy and, more particularly, to an electronic component to be soldered on a substrate surface with the use of the surface mount technology.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical methods for mounting an electronic component such as a connector on a surface of a substrate include a dip soldering method and a surface mount technology (SMT).
In the dip soldering method, leads and the like of an electronic component are preliminarily inserted into holes formed in a substrate, and the substrate is then dipped in a solder melt in a solder bath. Thus, the solder adheres only onto desired portions to achieve electrical and mechanical connection between the electronic component and the substrate.
In the surface mount technology, a solder paste is preliminarily applied onto electronic component connection areas on a surface of a substrate, and then an electronic component is mounted on the substrate with its joint portions being in contact with the solder paste. Subsequently, the substrate and the electronic component mounted thereon are put in a hot air reflow oven, and maintained in an atmosphere at a peak temperature of about 250.degree. C. for a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds to 120 seconds), whereby the solder paste is fused. In turn, the substrate is taken out of the hot air reflow oven and cooled for solidification of the solder paste. Thus, the electrical and mechanical connection between the substrate and the electronic component is achieved.
An electronic component such as a connector which includes a copper alloy base or an iron base, for example, is in some cases subjected to a surface treatment such as plating for improvement of the appearance thereof. In this case, a surface treatment layer (e.g., deposit layer) should have a certain level of solder wettability (particularly, solder wettability after the lapse of a predetermined time from the surface treatment) for easy mounting of the electronic component on a substrate.
Particularly where the surface mount technology is employed, the surface treatment layer should also have a heat resistance sufficient to withstand a treatment at a high temperature.
If the surface treatment layer has an insufficient heat resistance, the layer is melted so that it cannot maintain its good appearance. That is, the surface treatment layer becomes less lustrous, and is roughened or flaked off upon solidification thereof after the melting thereof. The roughening and flaking of the surface treatment layer impair the solderability of the electronic component.
Where an electronic component is mounted on the substrate with the use of the surface mount technology, a palladium deposit layer, which has a higher melting point (1550.degree. C.) and a superior solderability, is conventionally employed as a surface treatment layer.
However, palladium is a very expensive metal, and it is therefore not economical to employ palladium for the formation of a surface treatment layer. Besides palladium, gold and silver are known to have high melting points (1064.4.degree. C. and 961.9.degree. C., respectively) and a satisfactory solderability, but are very expensive. Therefore, gold and silver also have the same drawback as palladium when they are employed for the formation of a surface treatment layer.

Connector surface-treated with a Sn-Ni alloy

Japan Solderless Terminal Mfg. Co., Ltd.


Styrenic resin composition comprising a rubber modified styrene maleic anhydride copolymer and polybutene. The resin is prepared by several methods including adding polybutene into the reactor, or adding polybutene to the syrup exiting the reactor and prior to entering the devolatilizer, or compounding polybutene into the polymer in an extruder after the polymer exits the devolatilizer. The polybutene ranges from 0.1 to 8% by weight and has a number average molecular weight from 900 to 2500. The rubber ranges from 4% to 20% by weight and has a particle size from 0.1 micron to 11 microns. The resin can be extruded into sheet and thermoformed into an article or can be coextruded to produce a laminated article, which may be a container for packaged foods that can be heated in microwave ovens and which container has improved toughness, elongation, and heat distortion resistance properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a styrenic resin composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a styrenic resin composition comprising a rubber modified styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer and polybutene; to articles of manufacture, e.g. thermoformed containers suitable for packaged foods that are to be heated in microwave ovens, that are produced from the styrenic resin composition and having improved properties, e.g. toughness, elongation, and heat distortion resistance; and to related methods for producing the styrenic resin composition.
2. Background Art
It is known to copolymerize styrene and maleic anhydride. Such processes have been described at length in the literature, especially in Baer U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,939 and Hanson U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,804, and beneficially as a solution as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,336,267.
It is known in the art to modify styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymers with rubber. Generally, these copolymers are referred to as "rubber modified styrene/maleic anhydride copolymers". It is known that the rubber component provides increased impact resistance and that the maleic anhydride component provides a high heat distortion temperature. An improved method for preparing styrene/maleic anhydride/diene rubber composition suitable for extrusion and molding and having a high heat distortion temperature and desired impact resistance is disclosed in Moore et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,191,354 (The Dow Chemical Company), which was issued on Nov. 11, 1975.
Hathaway et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,628 (The Dow Chemical Company), which was issued on Jun. 15, 1993, discloses a multi-layer container for use in the microwave cooking of food. The container comprises a substrate layer of thermoplastic polymer that is not suitable for contact with the food, and an inner layer comprised of a blend of styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer and a polymer selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, rubber modified polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, rubber modified polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, and mixtures thereof. This patent also teaches that rubber modified styrene/maleic anhydride copolymers may also be used, but are not preferred.
It is known to produce various shaped articles from foamed and unfoamed thermoplastic materials such as polystyrene sheet or impact modified polystyrene sheet (i.e. high impact polystyrene sheet) by thermoforming methods. Many such articles are containers used for packaged foods.
Chundury et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,696 (assigned to Ferro Corporation), which was issued on Apr. 21, 1992 discloses and claims a thermoformable multi-layer structure for packaging materials and foods. A polymer composition for a first layer of the structure comprises: (A) 49% to 90% by weight of a polyolefin, i.e. polypropylene, polybutene; (B) 10% to 30% by weight of a copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride; (C) 2% to 20% by weight of a compatilizing agent, i.e., a starblock, diblock or mixtures thereof of a copolymer of styrene and butadiene; (D) 0 to 5% by weight of a triblock copolymer of styrene and butadiene; and (E) 20% by weight of talc. The second layer of the structure is made of polypropylene.
It is known to improve the environmental stress crack resistance (ESCR) of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and other impact modified styrenic polymers, such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastic (ABS) and methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene plastics (MBS), with the addition of polybutene. U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,461 assigned to Novacor Chemicals (International) S.A. discloses a rubber modified graft thermoplastic composition comprising: 1) 99 to 96% by weight of a rubber modified thermoplastic comprising: (a) 4 to 15 weight % rubbery substrate, preferably polybutadiene, that is distributed throughout a matrix of the superstrate polymer in particles having a number average particle size from 6 to 12 microns and (b) 96 to 85% by weight of a superstrate polymer; and 2) 1 to 4% by weight of polybutene having a number average molecular weight from 900 to 2000. Claim 10 of this patent recites that the superstrate polymer may comprise 85% to 95% by weight of styrene and from 5% to 15% by weight of maleic anhydride. The ESCR of the impact modified styrenic polymers is attributed to the large particle size of the impact modifier, i.e. 6 to 12 microns and to the use of the low molecular weight polybutene. Such thermoplastics find a fairly significant market in housewares, which are subject to chemicals that tend to cause environmental stress cracking (ESC), such as cleaners and in some cases, fatty or oily food.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,461 discussed in the preceding paragraph discloses in the background section that the thermoplastic having the best ESCR is Chevron's HIPS grade 6755. This Chevron product contains 2 to 3 weight % of polybutene and has a dispersed rubbery phase with a volume average particle diameter between 4 and 4.5 microns. This Chevron product relates to high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with ESCR properties and not to a rubber modified styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer.
A number of process designs are disclosed in the patent literature involving polymerization techniques, reactor configurations and mixing schemes that are used to incorporate maleic anhydride in a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer. Examples include Tanaka et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,327 assigned to Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd., Meyer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,906 assigned to Stamicarbon B. V., and the above Moore et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,354 assigned to The Dow Chemical Company.
The latter document, i.e. U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,354 discloses an improved styrene/maleic anhydride/diene rubber composition suitable for extrusion and molding and having a high heat distortion temperature and desired impact resistance. The process for the preparation of the polymer involves modifying a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer with diene rubber by polymerizing the styrene monomer and the anhydride in the presence of the rubber. More particularly, the process involves providing a styrene having rubber dissolved therein; agitating the styrene/rubber mixture and initiating free radical polymerization thereof; adding to the agitated mixture the maleic anhydride at a rate substantially less than the rate of polymerization of the styrene monomer; and polymerizing the styrene monomer and the maleic anhydride. The polymer contains rubber particles ranging from 0.02 to 30 microns dispersed throughout a matrix of polymer of the styrene monomer and the anhydride with at least a major portion of the rubber particles containing occlusions of the polymerized styrene monomer and maleic anhydride. This patent teaches that the polymers are suited for extrusion into sheet or film, which are then employed for thermoforming into containers, packages and the like. Alternately the polymers can be injection molded into a wide variety of components such as dinnerware and heatable frozen food containers.
However, polymers as those disclosed in the above U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,354 are generally brittle, and therefore, capable of breaking even though these polymers have the thermal properties to withstand temperatures above 210° F., which temperature is generally used in heating food in a microwave oven.
It is desirable to have an article such as a container that is suitable for packaged foods and that could withstand the temperatures needed for heating foods in a microwave oven without the container breaking, especially upon removal of the container out of the microwave oven.

Styrenic resin composition and articles produced therefrom


An article holder for holding a cylindrical article in a packaging container includes an upper face, a lower face, an inner face on a center side in a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical article, and an outer face on an outer side in the longitudinal direction, and at least one first article receiver formed in the upper face of the article holder to support a lower side of the end portion of the cylindrical article. The first article receiver includes a first recess semilunar in vertical cross section, forming, a semilunar opening in the inner face of the article holder as well as a rectangular opening continuous with the semilunar opening in the upper face of the article holder, and a first arc-shaped projection projecting from an inner circumferential surface of the first recess, having a radius smaller than a radius of the first recess.

Linear fluorescent lamps for room lighting are being replaced with linear light-emitting diode (LED) lamps to save energy. There are linear LED lamps that have an identical electrode to that of linear fluorescent lamps and can be attached to lighting apparatuses instead of the linear fluorescent lamp without modification.
For storage or transportation of cylindrical linear fluorescent lamps, various packaging items have been proposed. For example, linear fluorescent lamps are often packaged in single-side corrugated cardboard sleeves, respectively. Additionally, JP-2005-263302-A proposes a box including nets or mesh sheets provided around the outer circumferential sides for containing multiple linear fluorescent lamps. A horizontal net or mesh sheet is provided in an upper portion of the box whose upper side is open, and linear fluorescent lamps are inserted vertically in holes formed in the horizontal net.
Further, JP-2011-001078-A proposes a packaging container that includes multiple intermediate bumpers and a pair of longitudinal end bumpers for containing linear LED lamps arranged laterally. The intermediate bumpers support sides of the respective linear LED lamps, and the pair of longitudinal end bumpers supports both ends of the linear LED lamps.
Typical linear LED lamps have a base that is longer in the longitudinal direction thereof and smaller in diameter than that of linear fluorescent lamps. Therefore, the linear fluorescent lamps cannot be contained in the packaging container for containing linear LED lamps because the base of the linear fluorescent lamp do not fit a base-supporting recess of holders for supporting the linear LED lamp in the packaging container. Thus, when linear fluorescent lamps are replaced with linear LED lamps, separate packaging containers are required for the linear LED lamps brought in and the linear fluorescent lamps taken out.
For example, if the size of a base-supporting recess is designed to accommodate linear LED lamps, the base-supporting recess cannot accommodate the base of the linear fluorescent lamp because the diameter thereof is larger than that of linear LED lamps. By contrast, when the diameter of the base-supporting recess is designed to accommodate the linear fluorescent lamp, the base of the linear LED lamp cannot be kept in position because the diameter thereof is smaller and play is excessive.
Additionally, when the base-supporting recess is designed for the base of linear LED lamps only, the linear fluorescent lamp might slip off the base-supporting recess due to impact during transportation because the base of the linear fluorescent lamp is shorter. In such cases, it is possible that the glass tube is damaged, resulting in leakage of mercury from the fluorescent lamp.
It is to be noted that, when the base-supporting recess is made longer than the length of the base of the linear fluorescent lamp and extended to the grass tube, the area to receive the fluorescent lamp is excessive relative to the mass of the lamp. Therefor, it is necessary to design the base-supporting recess to contact the lamp partially to reduce deformation of the recess upon impact, thereby alleviate the load to the lamp.
If there are common packaging containers for linear LED lamps and the linear fluorescent lamps so that the used linear fluorescent lamps can be contained for transportation in the packaging container in which the linear LED lamps have been contained, the packaging container is not wasted, saving the cost and resources.

Packaging container and holder used therein


A flavor-enhancing product that consists essentially of fish sauce blended with anchovy paste. The blended product exhibits elevated umami taste intensity and improved flavor characteristics over those exhibited by fish sauce or anchovy paste individually.

This invention is directed to a flavor-enhancing product that exhibits a heightened umami sensation compared to the umami sensation of individual components within the product.
Umami is a relatively new term to North American food producers although Asian cultures, especially the Japanese, have recognized for many years that "deliciousness" is a unique and specific human taste. Domestic food producers use the general term "savory" to describe several umami characteristics in food products.
Recently the first real proof of this fifth taste sense possessed by humans, umami, has appeared in the scientific literature. Closely associated with tastes derived from various marine and meat products, umami is the taste of protein. It also tends to reduce the perception of sourness and bitterness and increase the perception of saltiness and sweetness. The resulting taste perception has been generally described as "delicious." Molecular biology studies have confirmed the physical presence of human taste receptors that respond to umami substances which are responsible for the delicious protein taste.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the nucleotides inosine monophosphate (IMP) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP) are commonly recognized flavor enhancers. Current FDA regulations require that these chemical compounds be specifically identified on product ingredient statements. Many food producers will not use these compounds in their products because they believe consumers have a negative opinion of them. The industry continues to seek highly functional flavor enhancers with "clean" labels.
Most recently, IMP has been shown to greatly amplify the umami response of the taste receptor in the presence of various free amino acids and glutamate. When viewed in the light of these recent molecular biology studies, it is apparent that the careful selection and blending of common food products can create a wide range of exceptionally savory ingredients.
A large body of literature shows that many common natural foods contain free amino acids (especially glutamate) and nucleotides. These publications infer that the chemicals were responsible for the umami character of the food. Trained sensory panelists have been able to correlate the intensity of the umami taste with the actual content of individual umami compounds in a statistically significant manner.
Flavor enhancer manufacturers have promoted the concept that blending MSG and nucleotides increases the functionality of the blend. In other words, you can use less MSG when combined with a small amount of IMP or GMP, and even less MSG when combined with an IMP/GMP blend. The literature documents this synergy through sensory studies. There are no known references in the literature to blending natural products that contain these substances to achieve umami synergy.
There is a need or desire for a flavor-enhancing food additive made up of a blend of natural products that achieves umami synergy.


Systems and methods for providing accurate and independent control of reverberation properties are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system may include a reverberation processing system, a direct processing system, and a combiner. The reverberation processing system can include a reverb initial power (RIP) control system and a reverberator. The RIP control system can include a reverb initial gain (RIG) and a RIP corrector. The RIG can be configured to apply a RIG value to the input signal, and the RIP corrector can be configured to apply a RIP correction factor to the signal from the RIG. The reverberator can be configured to apply reverberation effects to the signal from the RIP control system. In some embodiments, one or more values and/or correction factors can be calculated and applied such that the signal output from a component in the reverberation processing system is normalized to a predetermined value (e.g., unity (1.0)).

Virtual environments are ubiquitous in computing environments, finding use in video games (in which a virtual environment may represent a game world); maps (in which a virtual environment may represent terrain to be navigated); simulations (in which a virtual environment may simulate a real environment); digital storytelling (in which virtual characters may interact with each other in a virtual environment); and many other applications. Modern computer users are generally comfortable perceiving, and interacting with, virtual environments. However, users' experiences with virtual environments can be limited by the technology for presenting virtual environments. For example, conventional displays (e.g., 2D display screens) and audio systems (e.g., fixed speakers) may be unable to realize a virtual environment in ways that create a compelling, realistic, and immersive experience.
Virtual reality ("VR"), augmented reality ("AR"), mixed reality ("MR"), and related technologies (collectively, "XR") share an ability to present, to a user of an XR system, sensory information corresponding to a virtual environment represented by data in a computer system. Such systems can offer a uniquely heightened sense of immersion and realism by combining virtual visual and audio cues with real sights and sounds. Accordingly, it can be desirable to present digital sounds to a user of an XR system in such a way that the sounds seem to be occurring—naturally, and consistently with the user's expectations of the sound—in the user's real environment. Generally speaking, users expect that virtual sounds will take on the acoustic properties of the real environment in which they are heard. For instance, a user of an XR system in a large concert hall will expect the virtual sounds of the XR system to have large, cavernous sonic qualities; conversely, a user in a small apartment will expect the sounds to be more dampened, close, and immediate.
Digital, or artificial, reverberators may be used in audio and music signal processing to simulate perceived effects of diffuse acoustic reverberation in rooms. A system that provides accurate and independent control of reverberation loudness and reverberation decay for each digital reverberator, for example, for intuitive control for sound designers may be desired.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Various embodiments of systems and methods for REST interface interaction with expectation management are described herein. A message request is received for accessing content of a resource. Further, a check is made to determine whether the message request includes a structure-expected in a header of the message request. Also, a check is made to determine whether the structure-expected matches with a structure of the resource if the message request includes the structure-expected. Furthermore, the message request is executed if the structure-expected matches with the resource structure. Then, a message response is returned with a structure-resulted in a header of the message response based on the execution of the message request. If the message request does not include the structure-expected, the message request is executed and the message response is returned with the structure-resulted based on the execution of the message request.

Typically, representational state transfer (REST) interface is more widely used than other well defined interfaces such as Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), Remote Procedure Call (RPC), and the like, because of its simplicity. The REST interface includes just few instructions such as POST, PUT, DELETE and GET to perform different operations on contents of a resource, also known as a server system. Resource can be defined as a structured representation of data. However, the REST interface instructions (e.g., POST, PUT, DELETE and GET) do not clearly address an expected structure of the resource.
In existing methods, accessing the resource using a GET request has to be evaluated item by item in the resource to determine whether the request corresponds to the requested resource structure. Further, if the resource is handled as an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document, no instruction defines the permitted structure of the resource. Therefore, resource structure verification is an issue in the REST interface interaction as it would be required to obtain the entire resource in question to verify a successful execution of the request.

Rest interface interaction with expectation management


An integrated cooling apparatus for actively cooling one or more electronic components in an electronic device such as a computer is provided. The cooling apparatus includes a radiator and a pump integrally mounted on the radiator. The pump can include a pump housing having a first pump housing member attached to the radiator and a second pump housing member detachably securable to the first pump housing member. The apparatus includes a flow inlet and a flow outlet for attaching hoses or conduits to the radiator for actively moving a liquid coolant to and from an external or remote heat exchanger via tubing. An external heat exchanger can be fluidly connected to the integrated cooling apparatus via two or more tubes and thermally attached to the electronic component to be cooled, such as a computer graphics card, microprocessor or other circuit component.

Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to active cooling systems and more particularly to liquid heat exchanger systems for removing heat from electronic components and devices.
Background Art
Consumer electronic devices such as personal computers commonly utilize microprocessors and other circuit components that generate heat. Such circuit components can include for example central processing units, video graphics processing units, chip sets and memory modules. During use, heat generated within these circuit components must be removed to avoid both damage to the electronic device and reduction in device performance.
Conventional active cooling systems have been developed to extract heat from circuit components in electronic device applications such as personal computers. Such conventional active cooling systems can include the use of fans mounted on or near a circuit component to force air across the circuit component or across a heat exchanger mounted to the circuit component. Forced convection can transfer heat away from the circuit component in these conventional systems. Another conventional active cooling system includes the use of a closed-loop fluid circuit including a cooling fluid, a fluid reservoir, a pump, a heat exchanger or radiator and a contact block. The contact block generally includes the region where the cooling fluid engages in thermal contact with the heat generating circuit component, i.e. a central processing unit, microprocessor, graphics card, etc. Also, in such conventional systems, movement of the cooling fluid through the closed-loop system is provided by an external pump.
In many applications, the space surrounding the circuit component to be cooled inside the electronic device does not provide adequate room for a closed-loop active liquid cooling system. Thus, it may be necessary to position one or more cooling system components outside the electronic device housing where there is sufficient space. This type of system can be referred to as remote cooling.
One problem associated with conventional active remote cooling systems of this nature involves the use of numerous individual components. For example, some conventional systems include a pump coupled to a reservoir, a heat exchanger, and a contact block engaging the circuit feature to be cooled, wherein each system component is connected by one or more conduits or hoses. This type of system requires at least three connection hoses—an outlet hose extending from the heat exchanger to the pump, a delivery hose extending from the pump to the contact block, and an inlet hose extending from the contact block back to the heat exchanger. Each hose end must be securely connected to a system component, leading to at least six hose connection locations. Such conventional designs requiring three hoses and a standalone pump undesirably add complexity and potential leakage locations to the active cooling system.
Another problem associated with some conventional active liquid cooling systems for electronic devices includes the placement of the inlet and outlet orifices in the heat exchanger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,240 to Cheon teaches a fanless cooling system for a computer having a reservoir with an inlet opening generally positioned at a higher elevation than the exit opening. By positioning an opening in the reservoir at a relatively high elevation on the electronic device, such conventional devices create an enhanced possibility of damage to circuit components if a leak should develop at the elevated opening position during use.
Another problem associated with conventional active liquid cooling systems for electronic devices is placement of all cooling system components inside the electronic device. Such internal system component placement can require disassembly of the electronic device if replacement, repair or alteration of any individual component is necessary. Disassembly of the electronic device in such instances can be time consuming and costly and can increase the likelihood of damage to other system components or the electronic device itself during disassembly.
What is needed then are additional improvements in the devices and associated methods of actively cooling circuit components in electronic devices using closed loop liquid circulation systems.

Radiator with integrated pump for actively cooling electronic devices


Example embodiments relate to drag and drop application launches within a user interface (UI). In example embodiments, a command is received by which a UI object currently displayed in a window of a first application is dragged from the window and dropped onto a home screen of an operating system. A second application suitable for displaying an object type of the UI object is then identified. Finally, the second application is launched in a new window in response to the drop of the UI object on the home screen, such that the new window displays the UI object.

A typical user of a computing device relies on a significant number of applications running on the device for both business and personal tasks. For example, a user of a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop may utilize different applications for writing email, creating documents, browsing the web, listening to music, viewing images, and performing various other functions.

Drag and drop application launches of user interface objects


A flexible radio frame structure for both FDD and TDD is proposed. Under the flexible frame structure, each radio frame consists of a plurality of slots, and each slot within a radio frame has a flexible slot type. As a basic scheduling unit, each slot can be configured by the base station via physical layer signaling. The slot type can be changed dynamically based on current system needs to support different DL/UL ratios and latency requirements. With the support of different slot types and asynchronous DL/UL HARQ operation, HARQ operation for DL/UL can share the same HARQ timing to simplify the system design and reduce implementation complexity.

In wireless communication systems, such as defined by 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE/LTE-A) specification, user equipments (UE) and base stations (eNodeB) communicate with each other by sending and receiving data carried in radio signals according to a predefined radio frame format. Typically, the radio frame format contains a sequence of radio frames, each radio frame having the same frame length with the same number of subframes. The subframes are configures to perform uplink (UL) transmission or downlink (DL) reception in different Duplexing methods. Time-division duplex (TDD) is the application of time-division multiplexing to separate transmitting and receiving radio signals. TDD has a strong advantage in the case where there is asymmetry of the uplink and downlink data rates. Seven different TDD configurations are provided in LTE/LTE-A systems to support different DL/UL traffic ratios for different frequency bands.
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) illustrates the TDD mode UL-DL configurations in an LTE/LTE-A system. Table 100 shows that each radio frame contains ten subframes, D indicates a DL subframe, U indicates an UL subframe, and S indicates a Special subframe/Switch point (SP). Each SP contains a DwPTS (Downlink pilot time slot), a GP (Guard Period), and an UpPTS (Uplink pilot time slot). DwPTS is used for normal downlink transmission and UpPTS is used for uplink channel sounding and random access. DwPTS and UpPTS are separated by GP, which is used for switching from DL to UL transmission. The length of GP needs to be large enough to allow the UE to switch to the timing advanced uplink transmission. These allocations can provide 40% to 90% DL subframes. Current UL-DL configuration is broadcasted in the system information block, i.e. SIB1. The semi-static allocation via SIB1, however, may or may not match the instantaneous traffic situation. Currently, the mechanism for adapting UL-DL allocation is based on the system information change procedure.
In 3GPP LTE Rel-11 and after and 4G LTE, the trend of the system design shows the requirements on more flexible configuration in the network system. Based on the system load, traffic type, traffic pattern and so on, the system can dynamically adjust its parameters to further utilize the radio resource and to save the energy. One example is the support of dynamic TDD configuration, where the TDD configuration in the system may dynamically change according to the DL-UL traffic ratio.
The Next Generation Mobile Network (NGMN) Board, has decided to focus the future NGMN activities on defining the end-to-end (E2E) requirements for 5G. Three main applications in 5G include enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Low Latency services (ULL), and massive Machine-Type Communication (MTC) under milli-meter wave technology, small cell access, and unlicensed spectrum transmission. Specifically, the design requirements for 5G includes maximum cell size requirements and latency requirements. The maximum cell size is urban micro cell with inter-site distance (ISD)=500 meters, i.e. cell radius is 250˜300 meters. For eMBB, the E2E latency requirement is <=10 ms; for ULL, the E2E latency is <=1 ms. Furthermore, multiplexing of eMBB & ULL within a carrier should be supported, and TDD with flexible uplink and downlink (UL/DL) ratio is desirable.
Under the existing LTE TDD frame structure, which subframe can be UL or DL is fixed within a radio frame. As depicted in FIG. 1, the latency for HARQ-ACK is 4˜6 ms. Also, there is up to 9 ms latency between UL sounding and DL transmission. Even under dynamic TDD configuration, the TDD configuration can only change every 10 ms (one radio frame). Such latency performance obviously cannot meet the 5G requirements. A new flexible frame structure is sought to meet the 5G requirements.

Flexible frame structure for OFDM systems


A vehicle security system includes a controller being switchable to a valet mode based upon determining a plurality of successive activations of a valet switch with each activation comprising at least one operation of the valet switch, and based upon determining at least one change in ignition switch position between successive activations of the valet switch. The security system also preferably includes at least one vehicle sensor, an ignition monitor for determining whether a vehicle ignition switch is in an off position or an on position, an alarm indicator for indicating an alarm, and all of which are preferably connected to the controller. The controller may be switchable to an armed mode in which the controller is capable of generating an alarm responsive to triggering of the at least one vehicle sensor. The controller when in the valet mode prevents generation of an alarm responsive to triggering of the at least one vehicle sensor. The controller may be switchable to the valet mode based upon determining the ignition switch being in the on position during each activation of the valet switch. In addition, the at least one change in ignition switch position may comprise a change to the off position. A pseudorandomly coded remote transmitter may be used to switch the controller between armed and disarmed modes.

Vehicle security systems are widely used to deter vehicle theft, prevent theft of valuables from a vehicle, deter vandalism, and to protect vehicle owners and occupants. A typical automobile security system, for example, includes a central processor or controller connected to a plurality of vehicle sensors. The sensors, for example, may detect opening of the trunk, hood, doors, windows, and also movement of the vehicle or within the vehicle. Ultrasonic and microwave motion detectors, vibration sensors, sound discriminators, differential pressure sensors, and switches may also used as sensors. In addition, radar sensors may be used to monitor the area proximate the vehicle. The controller also typically operates to give an alarm indication in the event of triggering of a vehicle sensor. The alarm indication may typically be a flashing of the lights and/or the sounding of the vehicle horn or a siren. In addition, the vehicle fuel supply and/or ignition power may be selectively disabled based upon an alarm condition.
A typical security system also includes a receiver associated with the controller that cooperates with one or more remote transmitters typically carried by the user as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,242 to Sassover et al. The remote transmitter may be used to arm and disarm the controller in the vehicle or provide other remote control features from a predetermined range outside the vehicle.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,867 to Stouffer and U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,215 to Drori, the controller may include features to store and compare unique codes associated with a plurality of remote transmitters, each remote transmitter having its own unique code initially programmed therein. Transmitter codes may be added or deleted from the controller corresponding to the number of remote transmitters desired by the user. Unfortunately, a would-be thief gaining access to the controller may readily enter the programming or learn mode and install the code of an unauthorized remote transmitter. The owner would thus be unaware of such activity, until the thief returns with the unauthorized remote transmitter to disarm the security system and steal the vehicle.
A vehicle security system sold by Clifford under the trademark INTELLIGUARD 900 includes random code encryption of messages sent by a remote transmitter. Accordingly, a would-be thief who records a transmitted code cannot simply retransmit the same code to gain access to the vehicle. Rather, a different code is sent with each transmission of the remote transmitter. In other words, the security system is somewhat resistant to being disarmed by a code grabber or a code scanner. However, the security system simply ignores signals other than properly encrypted signals.
In addition, a typical security system includes a valet switch, for example, to permit the system to enter the so-called valet mode, wherein the alarm functions are disabled. The valet mode permits authorized use the vehicle by a technician or valet without concern for the vehicle alarm inadvertently being triggered. Typically, the valet switch is positioned away from plain view in the vehicle. A vehicle security system sold under the mark VIPER included the ability to enter the valet mode via a remote transmitter. The remote activation disabled security features of the system, but left convenience features still operable.

Vehicle security system having enhanced valet feature and related methods


A computer-implemented method of generating a presentation including a plurality of slides, the method comprising: storing a first slide and a second slide, each slide having one or more content elements; selecting, based on the one or more content elements of the first slide or the second slide or both, a slide transition from a set of slide transitions, each slide transition in the set of slide transitions defining how display of one slide changes to display of another slide; displaying the first slide; and, subsequently changing display of the first slide to display of the second slide in accordance with the selected slide transition. An electronic device and computer program product are also provided.

Typically, when designing a presentation using conventional presentation tools, the author will design the presentation using a standard slide transition for each slide. The slide transition defines how the display one slide changes into the display of another slide. For example, the author may choose that the content of the slide animates into the slide from the left.
Although this slide transition may be appropriate for some content types and sizes, this transition may look ugly and cumbersome for others. When designing the presentation manually, choosing an appropriate slide transition may be frustrating and time-consuming. This problem is exacerbated on portable electronic devices where the user input and interface is limited in functionality such that manually defining the slide transitions becomes even more awkward. If design is automated, it may not be appropriate to select a slide transition for all slides of a presentation.
It is desirable to improve the readability of a presentation and its appearance to an audience and therefore improve audience enjoyment, understanding, interest and participation.

Method and device for generating a presentation


A method for grouping algorithms included in a program into groups and thus for assisting in analyzing the program. The method includes the steps of: converting each of the algorithms into a directed graph; judging, as to each representative directed graph stored in a storage unit of a computer system, whether or not the directed graph obtained by the conversion is similar to the representative directed graph; and determining a group to which the directed graph obtained by the conversion belongs from among groups stored in the storage unit in accordance with the similarity judgment. A computer system for performing the above method and a computer program for causing a computer system to perform the above method are also described.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, a computer program and a computer system for assisting in analyzing a program.
2. Description of Related Art
As program size has increased, a desire for further performance improvement of a program has arisen. To analyze the performance of a program, developers use a method of visually examining frequently executed methods. However, due to the increase in size of recent programs, it is often the case that programs include no exceptionally frequently used method. In addition, one of the problems of the analysis method is that a developer examines a program on a method-by-method basis.
In this regard, there are methods of performing an optimization analysis by collecting similar codes of a program. Similarity of program execution characteristics is determined in one method of analyzing similar codes of a program. The program execution characteristics are, for example, CPI (Cycles Per Instruction), the number of instructions, and branch characteristics.
Another method is based on source code characteristics. The source code characteristics are, for example, the number of lines, the number of variables and the number of operators.
An example of the method based on source code characteristics is a method of dividing source code into tokens, converting user-defined names and constants into certain symbols, and then detecting matching parts. A typical example of such a method is CCFinder.
In CCFinder, source code is judged on a token-by-token basis, and this makes it possible to handle a difference in parameters such as name and constant value. See Toshihiro Kamiya, "Identifier Variation Analysis Using Code Clone as Template", May 30, 2008, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
However, CCFinder cannot handle a difference in logics. For example, in CCFinder, if a program written using for loop statements is rewritten using while loop statements, the two programs are treated as different logics.
When a developer analyzes the performance of a program, expected effects are not always obtained by performing the analysis on a method-by-method basis. Such being the case, desired has been a method which enables detection of similar logics based on a context of the program.

Method, computer program and computer system for assisting in analyzing program

International Business Machines Corporation


There is provided an imaging device including: a signal processing unit configured to cause a series of picture data being continuously acquired to be temporarily stored in a buffer memory area in a signal processing process, read out the series of picture data from the buffer memory area, and perform a subsequent signal processing; and a control unit configured to perform control for deleting at least a part of the picture data stored in the buffer memory area, on a basis of detecting a predetermined operation while the signal processing is being performed on the series of picture data by the signal processing unit.

An imaging device having a function of continuously performing still picture imaging as so-called continuous shooting imaging is widely known. Particularly, in the case of an imaging device capable of high-precision picture imaging, it takes a relatively long time to complete writing of a large number of picture data obtained by continuous shooting on a recording medium. Because of this, in a signal processing unit in the imaging device, processing is progressed while a series of picture data is temporarily saved in a buffer memory.
Techniques related to an imaging device having a continuous shooting function is disclosed in PTL 1 and PTL 2. A technique in which imaged pictures obtained by continuous shooting is temporarily stored in a buffer memory for display such that pictures selected by a user are continuously saved in a recording medium and the remaining pictures are deleted is disclosed in PTL 1.
A technique in which a preliminary area is provided as a buffer memory used for continuous shooting and, according to circumstances, the preliminary area is used to deal with high-speed continuous shooting is disclosed in PTL 2.


According to one embodiment, there is provided a writing method. The method includes setting potentials of a plurality of word lines to a first potential. The first potential is a potential to allow memory cells corresponding to a selective bit line to be in on state. The method also includes setting potentials of non-adjacent word lines to a second potential while maintaining potentials of adjacent word lines at a potential which allows the memory cells corresponding to the selective bit line to be in on state and setting a potential of a selective word line to a third potential. The second potential is a potential which is determined so as to allow the memory cells corresponding to the selective bit line to be in off state. The third potential is a potential where data is written in the selective memory cell corresponding to the selective bit line.

In a memory cell of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, for example, at the time of writing data, charge is added in a charge storage region from a semiconductor substrate through a tunnel insulating film. Further, for example, at the time of erasing data, the charge is removed from the charge storage region onto the semiconductor substrate through the tunnel insulating film. However, whenever the charge passes through the tunnel insulating film, stress may be applied thereto, which may deteriorate the tunnel insulating film. Therefore, it is required to improve the reliability of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device.

Writing method of nonvolatile semiconductor memory device


The electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device are enhanced. In the package of the semiconductor device, there are encapsulated first and second semiconductor chips with a power MOS-FET formed therein and a third semiconductor chip with a control circuit for controlling their operation formed therein. The bonding pads for source electrode of the first semiconductor chip on the high side are electrically connected to a die pad through a metal plate. The bonding pad for source electrode of the second semiconductor chip on the low side is electrically connected to lead wiring through a metal plate. The metal plate includes a first portion in contact with the bonding pad of the second semiconductor chip, a second portion extended from a short side of the first portion to the lead wiring, and a third portion extended from a long side of the first portion to the lead wiring.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device and in particular to a technique effectively applicable to a semiconductor device including a power supply circuit.
In recent years, the frequencies of power MOS-FETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) used in power supply circuits have been more and more increased to accomplish the miniaturization and high-speed response of power supply circuits and the like.
With respect to CPUs and DSPs of desktop and notebook personal computers, servers, game machines, and the like, especially, there is a trend toward increase in current and frequency. To cope with this, technological development has been promoted with respect to power MOS-FETs, which construct non-isolated DC-DC converters for controlling power supplies to CPUs (Central Processing Units) and DSPs (Digital Signal Processors), so that they can accommodate large currents and high frequencies.
A typical DC-DC converter in widespread use as an example of power supply circuits is so constructed that a power MOS-FET for high-side switch and a power MOS-FET for low-side switch are connected in series. The power MOS-FET for high-side switch has a switch function for controlling the DC-DC converter and the power MOS-FET for low-side switch has a switch function for synchronous rectification. These two power MOS-FETs are alternately turned on/off in synchronization, and thereby convert power supply voltage.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-217416 discloses a technique in which a power MOS-FET for high-side switch and a power MOS-FET for low-side switch are housed in one and the same package, and the efficiency of voltage conversion between the power MOS-FET for high side and the power MOS-FET for low side is thereby enhanced.
Further, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-25239 discloses a technique for reducing noise that poses problems in a DC-DC converter constructed of a control circuit, a driver circuit, and a power MOS-FET packaged in one chip, by a resistor and a capacitor.

Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same


A method comprises the steps of submitting at least one comment regarding an editorially-controlled content to be published with the editorially-controlled content. The published comment is authored by a contributing member of an online community. A rating of the published comment is entered. The rating is determined by at least one reviewing member of the online community. Points are assigned within a predefined range for ratings of the published comment that exceeds a predetermined level. The points are assigned to the contributing member by an editor of the online community in which the points identify subject matter expertise for the contributing member. Awarded points are received in which the awarded points received by the contributing member comprise the points capped by a maximum number assigned to the editorially-controlled content.

The Internet has made access to content anywhere in the world only a click away and new technologies, known as Web 2.0 technologies, have changed how content is created. Instead of being created by a restricted number of people and then edited and highlighted when deemed important by an editorial staff, control over content is now often placed in the hands of the community of people actually using the content.
Digg, Facebook and Myspace are all examples of web sites providing access to community-controlled content. Digg is generally focused on extending content that one would find in a newspaper or magazine, while Myspace and Facebook are more about providing a place for community members to share information amongst other people with whom they wish to interact.
Another widely used example of community-controlled content is Wikipedia, which provides an online dictionary by leveraging what is commonly referred to as Wiki technologies. Wiki technologies not only enable users to create their own content like Digg and the other community web sites previously mentioned, these technologies also enable users to make changes to the content created by other users.
Forum technologies and Wiki Technologies are similar and the line between them continues to fade, but Forum technologies generally do not allow community members to change content created by other community members like is allowed in Wiki technologies. Both Wiki and Forum technologies are also becoming more popular as a method for companies to extend more control over content to staff and external users of the content.
With limited resources and tight budgets, this transition of control over the content to community members can have many advantages. In addition to the potential cost savings of outsourcing the role of authors and editors to inexpensive and generally free community members, the actual users of the content are in the best position to surface relevant content and in aggregate to determine what content is the most important and deserves greatest visibility.
Community-controlled content has proven to be very effective in cases where no one directly or indirectly is held accountable for how accurate the content is or how well it is written. No one thinks lesser of the owners of these community-controlled content sites for bad articles, and the only matter that these companies are truly held accountable for is to take steps to control content that a material number of community members would find offensive.
Conversely, other content on the Internet is directly attributable to an organization, and readers of the content should and do hold the content owners accountable for their content. As an example, content about a product or service that is used by content users to make decisions clearly must be accurate and understandable. Even content that only voice an opinion should be a clear reflection of an organization's brand and may impact consumer perceptions of the organization owning the content. Content of this nature, with these accountabilities and significant implications to an organization, typically must go through editorial controls enforced by people authorized by an organization for being a representative of said content. Unlike community-controlled (CC) content, editorially-controlled (EC) content must be subject to varying degrees of editorial controls that are commensurate with exposure associated with said content before being made available for consumption by the community of people using the content.
Currently, technology does not exist that enforces the necessary editorial controls while facilitating and motivating members of the community to interact with each other and relevant authorized content editors to continually evolve and improve EC content. Without community participation to continually and actively evolve EC content, the vast majority of content does not remain effective or relevant over time to the people using the content. Common problems with content not subject to active community involvement for evolving the content include, without limitation, the content becoming outdated, not containing all relevant considerations for the user of the content, not including content important to the people using the content, and having errors in format, grammar, and content accuracy.
Other existing technologies do nothing to facilitate and motivate community evolvement toward the evolution and improvement of EC content. Existing technologies often facilitate community conversation, and community members can award points to people for the value of their insights shared. However, no existing technology enables community members to work with content editors to improve and add to EC content.
A known solution to maintain the quality and accuracy of content is commonly referred to as knowledge bases. Knowledge bases are a part of knowledge management technology, which generally provides editorial controls over the content. However knowledge bases do nothing to facilitate open collaboration among community members using and editing the content to improve the EC content, and knowledge bases do not motivate people using the content to participate in improving the EC content.
Another current solution is described as an Internet system assisting and motivating a population of users interested in information about certain categories of subjects to automatically maintain the database content and to improve the usefulness and quality of the database information without any substantial management by the website owner-manager. However, this solution does not help pre-defined editors responsible for maintaining EC content. The present solution awards contribution points. However, the solution does not facilitate editors and other community members in awarding contribution points within pre-defined ranges commensurate with the value of the contribution in improving the EC content as perceived by the content editors and other community members using the content.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved techniques for extending the metrics and supporting management tools to motivate, facilitate and identify communities of people, both internal and external to an organization, to participate in directly improving and creating content that by its very nature and usage requires editorial controls beyond what can be provided by the community of people using the content itself.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Method for information editorial controls