A composition for coloring keratin fibers comprises, a physiologically acceptable medium and an efficacious quantity of at least one coloring material precursor selected from the compounds containing at least one aromatic ring having at least two hydroxyl groups borne by two adjacent carbon atoms of the aromatic ring, an efficacious quantity of at least one oxidation base of the para or ortho type selected from the aromatic amines, and an efficacious quantity of a catalytic system comprising a first constituent selected from the group consisting of salts and oxides of Mn(II) and/or Zn(II) and their mixtures, and a second constituent selected from the group consisting of alkali hydrogen carbonates, alkaline earth hydrogen carbonates and their mixtures. Keratin fibers may be colored by the application of this composition thereto.

The present invention relates to a colouring composition for keratin fibres, a process for obtaining such a colouring composition and its use for the coloration of keratin fibres.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a colouring composition for hair, which after application to the latter, gives an original colour tint and makes it possible to increase the retention of the colour on the hair.
In the field of the coloration of keratin fibres such as hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and bristles, the use of dye compositions containing oxidation bases such as p-phenylene diamines and ortho- or para-aminophenols to dye the keratin fibres, in particular human hair is well-known.
It is also known that the tints obtained with these oxidation bases can be varied by combining them with couplers, also called coloration modifiers, such as aromatic meta-diamines, meta-aminophenols, meta-diphenols and dihydroxyindole derivatives.
The revelation of the coloration of these compositions requires the use of an oxidising agent selected from, for example, hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, alkali metal bromates, persalts, such as the perborates and the persulfates, hydrogen peroxide being particularly preferred.
Enzymatic catalysts are also used to activate the coloration of colouring material precursors. Thus, the coloration of polyphenols is activated by oxidation in the presence of natural polyphenol oxidase. As an example, catechol in the presence of natural polyphenol oxidase gives an orangeish yellow colour and dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) gives melanine. The principal advantage of these enzymatic catalysts consists in the production of colour pigments and original tints without the use of oxidants. However, the major disadvantage of this coloration process lies in the severe limitations to the use of enzymes on account of fears raised as to their harmlessness, their stability in the compositions, their reproducibility, their price and their often necessary immobilisation.
These compositions give results which are not totally satisfactory as far as retention and colour are concerned.
It is hence desirable to have available dye compositions which, as hair colouring materials give excellent results from the point of view of both colour and retention and for which it is possible to do without the use of conventional oxidising agents, in particular hydrogen peroxide or the use of enzymatic systems for the revelation of coloration.
The applicant has found, quite surprisingly, that it is possible to attain this goal with a composition which comprises a colouring material precursor selected from the compounds containing at least one aromatic ring having at least two hydroxyl groups borne by two adjacent carbon atoms of the aromatic ring, an oxidation base of the para or ortho type selected from the aromatic amines, and a chemical catalytic system comprising a first constituent selected from the salts and oxides of Mn(II) and/or Zn(II) and their mixtures, and a second constituent selected from the alkali hydrogen carbonates, the alkaline earth hydrogen carbonates and their mixtures.
Thus, the chemical catalytic system present in the composition of the invention behaves like a pseudo-oxidase capable of mimicking the oxidase activity without the disadvantages associated with the use of an enzymatic system.
In particular, this coloration composition, designed in particular for the coloration of keratin fibres, does not require the presence of enzymes or hydrogen peroxide.
The present invention also relates to a process for revealing the coloration of a slightly coloured or colourless base composition comprising at least one colouring material precursor by oxidation and at least one oxidation base to tint the coloration obtained which consists of adding to the base composition a purely chemical catalytic system and of placing the base composition supplemented with the catalytic system in the presence of a medium containing or generating oxygen.
The present invention also relates to a coloration process for keratin fibres using a composition such as that defined above.
Finally, the present invention relates to packaged and galenic forms of the colouring composition or constituents of the colouring composition according to the invention.
The composition for the coloration of the skin and/or keratin fibres according to the invention comprises, in a physiologically acceptable medium, an efficacious quantity of at least one colouring material precursor selected from the compounds containing at least one aromatic ring having at least two hydroxyl groups (OH) borne by two adjacent carbon atoms of the aromatic ring, an efficacious quantity of at least one oxidation base of the para or ortho type selected from the aromatic amines, and an efficacious quantity of a catalytic system comprising a first constituent selected from the salts and oxides of Mn(II) and/or Zn(II) and their mixtures, and a second constituent selected from the alkali hydrogen carbonates, the alkaline earth hydrogen carbonates and their mixtures, the proportions of the first constituent and the second constituent being such that:                     [                  M                                xe2x80x83                                          n                                      (                              I                                                  xe2x80x83                                                I                            )                                      ]                    [                  H                                xe2x80x83                              C                                xe2x80x83                                          O            3                          ]              ≤          1                    xe2x80x83                          with                          xe2x80x83                [                  M                                xe2x80x83                                          n                                      (                              I                                                  xe2x80x83                                                I                            )                                      ]              ≠    0                      [                  Z                                xe2x80x83                                          n                                      (                              I                                                  xe2x80x83                                                I                            )                                      ]                    [                  H                                xe2x80x83                              C                                xe2x80x83                                          O            3                          ]              ≤          1                    xe2x80x83                          with                          xe2x80x83                [                  Z                                xe2x80x83                                          n                                      (                              I                                                  xe2x80x83                                                I                            )                                      ]              ≠    0                      [                              M                                      xe2x80x83                                                  n                                            (                                  I                                                        xe2x80x83                                                      I                                )                                              +                      [                          Z                                            xe2x80x83                                                          n                                                  (                                      I                                                              xe2x80x83                                                            I                                    )                                                      ]                                      [                  H                                xe2x80x83                              C                                xe2x80x83                                          O            3                          ]              ≤          1                    xe2x80x83                  with                    xe2x80x83            [                        M                                xe2x80x83                                          n                                      (                              I                                                  xe2x80x83                                                I                            )                                                      xe2x80x83                                          and                                      xe2x80x83                        [                          Z                                            xe2x80x83                                                          n                                                  (                                      I                                                              xe2x80x83                                                            I                                    )                                                      ]                          ≠        0
where [Mn(II)], [Zn(II)] and [HCO3] respectively represent the molar concentrations of Mn(II), Zn(II) and HCO3 in the composition. In general, the ratio       [          M                    xe2x80x83                          n                          (                      I                                      xe2x80x83                                    I                    )                      ]        [          H                    xe2x80x83                  C                    xe2x80x83                          O        3              ]
varies from 10xe2x88x925 to 10xe2x88x921, and preferably from 10xe2x88x923 to 10xe2x88x922 and is typically of the order of 5xc3x9710xe2x88x923.
In the case where a salt or an oxide of Zn(II) alone is used, the ratio       [          Z                    xe2x80x83                          n                          (                      I                                      xe2x80x83                                    I                    )                      ]        [          H                    xe2x80x83                  C                    xe2x80x83                  O3        ]
is usually of the order of 10 to 100 fold higher than when a salt or oxide of Mn(II) alone is used.
Typically, this ratio is 10xe2x88x924 or more, preferably 10xe2x88x923 or more, and preferably of the order of 5xc3x9710xe2x88x921.
In the case of a mixture of Mn(II) and Zn(II), the ratio usually varies from 10xe2x88x925, to 10xe2x88x921, preferably 10xe2x88x923 to 10xe2x88x922, a higher ratio being selected when the proportion of Zn(II) in the mixture is increased.
Usually, the molar concentration of Mn(II), Zn(II) or Mn(II)+Zn(II) in the final composition varies from 10xe2x88x923 to 10 mM/l, and preferably from 10xe2x88x922 to 1 mM/l.
When one or more salts or oxides of Mn(II) only is/are used, the molar concentration of Mn(II) in the final composition is typically 10xe2x88x923 to 10xe2x88x921 mM/l, and preferably from 10xe2x88x922 to 10xe2x88x921 mM/l.
Preferably, when the catalytic system contains one or more salts or oxides of Zn(II) only, the concentration of Zn(II) in the final composition is 5xc3x9710xe2x88x922 to 10 mM/l, and preferably from 5xc3x9710xe2x88x921 to 1 mM/l.
Of the salts of Mn(II) and Zn(II) suitable for the present invention, mention may be made of chloride, fluoride, iodide, sulfate, phosphate, nitrate and perchlorate, carboxylic acid salts and their mixtures.
As examples, mention may be made of manganese chloride, manganese carbonate (for example rhodochrosite), Mn(II) difluoride, Mn(II) tetrahydrate acetate, Mn(II) trihydrate lactate, Mn(II) phosphate, Mn(II) iodide, Mn(II) trihydrate nitrate, Mn(II) bromide and Mn(II) tetrahydrate perchlorate and Mn(II) sulfate monohydrate.
Particularly preferred salts are MnCl2 and ZnCl2.
The carboxylic acid salts also include hydroxylated carboxylic acid salts such as gluconate.
Of the alkaline and alkaline earth hydrogen carbonates, mention may be made of the hydrogen carbonates of Na, K, Mg, Ca and their mixtures, and preferably sodium hydrogen carbonate.
As previously indicated, the chemical catalytic system according to the invention constitutes a specific pseudo-oxidase which makes possible the oxidation of ortho-diphenols in the presence of oxygen as certain natural enzymatic catalysts having a polyphenol oxidase activity would do;
On the other hand, the catalytic system according to the invention has no pseudo-catalase activity in the sense that it does not cause the dismutation of 0.3% by weight hydrogen peroxide (i.e. 1 volume of oxygen).
The colouring material precursors of the compositions of the invention are compounds or mixtures of compounds containing at least one aromatic ring, preferably a benzene ring, containing at least two hydroxyl groups (OH) borne by two adjacent carbon atoms on the aromatic ring.
The aromatic ring may be a condensed aromatic ring optionally containing one or more heteroatoms such as naphthalene, tetrahydronaphthalene, indane, indene, anthracene, phenanthrene, indole, isoindole, indoline, isoindoline, benzofuran, dihydrobenzofuran, chroman, isochroman, chromene, isochromene, quinoline, tetrahydroquinoline and isoquinoline.
Preferably, the colouring material precursors according to the invention can be represented by formula (I):
in which the substituents R1 to R4, identical or different, represent hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, carboxyl, alkyl carboxylate, optionally substituted amino, optionally substituted linear or branched alkyl, optionally substituted linear or branched alkenyl, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, alkoxyaryl, the aryl group being optionally substituted, aryl, substituted aryl, optionally substituted heterocyclic radical, a radical containing one or more silicon atoms in which two of the substituents R1 to R4 form together a saturated or unsaturated ring optionally containing one or more heteroatoms and optionally condensed with one or more saturated or unsaturated rings optionally containing one or more heteroatoms.
The optionally condensed saturated or unsaturated rings may also be optionally substituted.
The alkyl radicals are usually C1-C10 alkyl radicals, and preferably C1-C6 alkyl radicals such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl and hexyl.
The alkoxy radicals are usually C1-C20 alkoxy radicals, such as methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy and butoxy.
The alkoxyalkyl radicals are preferably C1-C20 alkoxy C1-C20 alkyl radicals such as methoxymethyl, ethoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxyethyl, etc.
The cycloalkyl radicals are usually C4-C8 cycloalkyl radicals, preferably cyclopentyl and cyclohexyl radicals. The cycloalkyl radicals may be substituted cycloalkyl radicals, in particular by alkyl, alkoxy, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, amine and ketone groups.
The alkenyl radicals are preferably C2-C20 radicals, such as ethylene, propylene, butylene, pentylene, 2-methylpropylene and decylene.
The radicals containing one or more silicon atoms are preferably polydimethylsiloxane, polydiphenylsiloxane, polydimethylphenylsiloxane and stearoxydimethicone radicals.
The heterocyclic radicals are usually radicals comprising one or more heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, preferably O or N, optionally substituted by one or more alkyl, alkoxy, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, amine or ketone groups.
Of the preferred heterocyclic radicals, mention may be made of the furyl, pyranyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, pyridyl, thienyl groups.
Also preferably, the heterocyclic groups are condensed groups such as benzofuranyl, chromenyl, xanthenyl, indolyl, isoindolyl, quinolyl, isoquinolyl, chromanyl, isochromanyl, indolinyl, isoindolinyl, coumarinyl, isocoumarinyl, these groups being possibly substituted, in particular by one or more OH groups.
The preferred colouring material precursors are:
the flavanols such as catechol and epicatechol gallate,
the flavonols such as quercetin,
the anthocyanidines such as paeonidin,
the anthocyanines, for example oenin,
the hydroxybenzoates, for example gallic acid salts,
the flavones like luteolin,
the iridoils like oleuropein,
these products being possibly glycosylated (for example glucosylated) and/or in the form of oligomers (procyanidines),
the hydroxystilbene, for example tetrahydroxy-3,3xe2x80x2,4,5xe2x80x2-stilbene, optionally glycosylated (for example glucosylated)
3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and its derivatives
2,3-dihydroxyphenylalanine and its derivatives
4,5-dihydroxyphenylalanine and its derivatives
4,5-dihydroxyindole and its derivatives
5,6-dihydroxyindole and its derivatives
6,7-dihydroxyindole and its derivatives
2,3-dihydroxyindole and its derivatives
dihydroxycinnamates such as caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid
hydroxycoumarins
hydroxyisocoumarins
hydroxycoumarones
hydroxyisocoumarones
hydroxychalcones
hydroxychromones
anthocyans
quinones
hydroxyxanthones
1,2-dihydroxybenzenes
1,2,4-trihydroxybenzenes
1,2,3-trihydroxybenzenes
2,4,5-trihydroxytoluene
5,6-dihydroxyindoline, and
mixtures of these latter.
When the colouring material precursors exist in D and L forms, the two forms can be used in the compositions of the invention, as well as the racemates.
The quantity of colouring material precursors in the final composition must be sufficient to produce a visible coloration. This quantity may vary within wide limits as a function of the nature of the precursor and of the desired intensity of coloration.
In general, a suitable coloration is obtained when the colouring material precursor represents at least 0.001% by weight of the composition.
By varying the nature of the different colouring material precursors and their proportions in the composition, it is possible to vary the colour of the final composition. In this way a palette of colours is obtained.
For example, with a 1/10 ratio of chlorogenic acid and catechol, a light ibrown colour is obtained and with a 1/1 ratio a mahogany colour is produced.
The polymers formed in particular with catechol, gallic acid and their derivatives (tannins) have antimicrobial properties by imprisonment of the micro-organisms during the polymerisation. These tannins also have valuable astringent properties for the skin.
The colorant precursors may be extracted from plants, fruits, citrus fruits, vegetables and mixtures of these extracts which contain many polyphenols such as previously defined.
Of the plant extracts mention may be made of rose and tea extracts.
Of the fruit extracts, mention may be made of apple, grape (in particular grape seeds) and banana extracts.
Of the vegetable extracts, mention may be made of potato extract.
It is also possible to use mixtures of plant and/or fruit extracts such as mixtures of apple and tea extracts and mixtures of grape and apple extracts.
Depending on the parts of the fruits used, for example pulp or seeds of the grape, the coloration obtained is different.
The oxidation bases of the para or ortho type are compounds which are not themselves colouring materials but which form a colouring material by a process of oxidative condensation, either with themselves or in the presence of a coupler or modifier. They bear functional groups, either two amino groups or an amino group and a hydroxy group in a para or ortho position to each other.
The nature of these oxidation bases is not critical. They can be selected in particular from the ortho and para phenylenediamines, the double bases, the ortho and para aminophenols, the heterocyclic bases as well as the addition salts of all of these compounds with an acid.
As para phenylenediamines, particular mention may be made of the para phenylene diamines of the following formula (II) and their addition salts with an acid:
in which:
R5 represents hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl, C2-C4 polyhydroxyalkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkyl substituted by a nitrogen-containing group, phenyl or 4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl;
R6 represents hydrogen, a C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl or C2-C4 polyhydroxyalkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy C1-C4 alkyl or C1-C4 alkyl substituted by a nitrogen-containing group;
R7 represents hydrogen, halogen such as chlorine, C1-C4 alkyl radical, sulfo, carboxy, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl or C1-C4 hydroxyalkoxy, C1-C4 acetylaminoalkoxy, C1-C4 mesylaminoalkoxy or C1-C4 carbamoylaminoalkoxy;
R8 represents hydrogen, halogen or C1-C4 alkyl;
R5 and R6 may also form with the nitrogen atom which bears them a 5 or 6 membered nitrogen-containing heterocycle, optionally substituted by one or more alkyl, hydroxy or ureido groups.
Of the nitrogen-containing groups of formula (II) abov, particular mention may be made of amino, C1-C4 monoalkylamino, C1-C4 dialkylamino, C1-C4 trialkylamino, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl amino, imidazolinium and ammonium.
Of the nitrogen-containing groups of formula (II) above, particular mentionmay be made of amino, C1-C4 monoalkylamino, C1-C4 dialkylamino, C1-C4 trialkylamino, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl amino, imidazolinium and ammonium.
Of the para-phenylenediamines of formula (II) above, particular mention may be made of para-phenylenediamine, para-toluylenediamine, 2-chloro-para-phenylenediamine, 2,3-dimethyl para-phenylenediamine, 2,6-dimethyl para-phenylenediamine, 2,6-diethyl para-phenylenediamine, 2,5-dimethyl para-phenylenediamine, N,N-dimethyl para-phenylenediamine, N,N-diethyl para-phenylenediamine, N,N-dipropyl para-phenylenediamine, 4-amino-N,N-diethyl-3-methyl-aniline, N,N-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl)-para-phenylenediamine, 4-N,N-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) amino-2-methyl-aniline, 4-N,N-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) amino-2-chloro-aniline, 2-xcex2-hydroxyethyl para-phenylenediamine, N-(xcex2-hydroxypropyl)-para-phenylenediamine, 2-hydroxymethyl-para-phenylenediamine, N,N-dimethyl-3-methyl-para-phenylenediamine, N,N-(ethyl, xcex2-hydroxyethyl)-para-phenylene-diamine, N-(xcex2-xcex3-dihydroxypropyl)-para-phenylenediamine, N-(4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl)-para-phenylenediamine, N-phenyl-para-phenylenediamine, 2-xcex2-hydroxyethyloxy-para-phenylenediamine, 2-xcex2-acetylaminoethyloxy-para-phenylenediamine, N-(xcex2-methoxyethyl)-para-phenylenediamine, 2-methyl-1-N-xcex2-hydroxyethyl-para-phenylenediamine, and their addition salts with an acid.
Of the para-phenylenediamines of formula (II) above, para-phenylenediamine, para-toluylenediamine, 2-isopropyl-para-phenylenediamine, 2-xcex2-hydroxyethyl-para-phenylenediamine, 2-xcex2-hydroxyethyloxy-para-phenylenediamine, 2,6-diethyl-para-phenylenediamine, 2,3-dimethyl-para-phenylenediamine, N,N bis-xcex2-(hydroxyethyl)-para-phenylenediamine, 2-chloro-para-phenylenediamine, and their addition salts with an acid are very specially preferred.
According to the invention, double bases signifies compounds containing at least two aromatic nuclei bearing amino and/or hydroxyl groups.
Of the double bases which can be used as oxidation bases in the dye compositions in conformity with the invention, particular mention may be made of the compounds corresponding to the following formula (Ill) and their addition salts with an acid:
in which:
Z1 and Z2, identical or different, represent a hydroxyl or xe2x80x94NH2 radical which may be substituted by a C1-C4 alkyl radical or by a linking arm Y;
the linking arm Y represents an alkylene chain comprising from 1 to 14 linear or branched carbon atoms which may be interrupted or terminated by one or more nitrogen-containing groups and/or by one or more heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen atoms, and optionally substituted by one or more hydroxyl or C1-C6 alkoxy radicals;
R9 and R10 represent hydrogen or halogen, a C1-C4 alkyl radical, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl, C2-C4 polyhydroxyalkyl, C1-C4 aminoalkyl or a linking arm Y;
R11, R12, R13, R14, R15 and R16, identical or different, represent hydrogen, a linking arm Y or a C1-C4 alkyl radical; it being understood that the compounds of formula (III) only bear a single linking arm Y per molecule.
Of the nitrogen-containing groups of formula (Ill) above, particular mention may be made of amino, C1-C4 monoalkylamino, C1-C4 dialkyl amino, C1-C4 trialkyl amino, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl amino, imidazolinium and ammonium.
Of the double bases of formula (Ill) above, more particular mention may be made of N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl) 1,3-diamino propanol, N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl) ethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl) tetramethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl) tetramethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-methyl-aminophenyl) tetramethylenediamine, N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(ethyl) N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-amino, 3-methylphenyl) ethylenediamine, 1,8-bis-(2,5-diaminophenoxy)-3,5-dioxo-ocatane, and their addition salts with an acid.
Of these double bases of formula (II), N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) N,Nxe2x80x2-bis-(4xe2x80x2-aminophenyl) 1,3-diamino propanol, 1,8-bis-(2,5-diaminophenoxy)-3,5-dioxo-octane, or one of their addition salts with an acid are particularly preferred.
Of the para-aminophenols, particular mention may be made of the para-aminophenols corresponding to the following formula (IV), and their addition salts with an acid:
in which:
R17 represents hydrogen, halogen such as fluorine, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy C1-C4 alkyl or C1-C4 aminoalkyl, or C1-C4 hydroxyalkyl C1-C4 aminoalkyl, and
R18 represents hydrogen, halogen such as fluorine, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohydroxyalkyl, C2-C4 polyhydroxyalkyl, C1-C4 aminoalkyl, C1-C4 cyanoalkyl or C1-C4 hydroxyalkyl C1-C4 alkyl
Of the para-aminophenols of formula (IV) above, more particular mention may be made of para-aminophenol, 4-amino-3-methyl-phenol, 4-amino-3-fluoro-phenol, 4-amino-3-hydroxymethyl phenol, 4-amino-2-methyl phenol, 4-amino-2-methoxymethyl phenol, 4-amino-2-aminomethyl phenol, 4-amino-2-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl-aminomethyl) phenol, and their addition salts with an acid.
The ortho-aminophenols which can be used as oxidation bases in the framework of the present invention are selected in particular from 2-aminophenol, 2-amino-1-hydroxy-5-methyl-benzene, 2-amino-1-hydroxy-6-methyl-benzene, 5-acetamido-2-amino-phenol, and their addition salts with an acid.
Of the heterocyclic bases which can be used as oxidation bases in the dye compositions in conformity with the invention, more particular mention may be made of pyridine derivatives, pyrimidine derivatives, pyrazole derivatives and their addition salts with an acid.
Of the pyridine derivatives, more particular mention may be made of the compounds described for example in the patents GB-1026978 and GB-1153196, each of which is herein incorporated by reference, like 2,5-diamino pyridine, 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)amino-3-amino-pyridine, 2,3-diamino-6-methoxy pyridine, 2-(xcex2-methoxyethyl) amino-3-amino-6-methoxy pyridine, 3,4-diamino pyridine and their addition salts with an acid.
Of the pyrimidine derivatives, more particular mention may be made of the compounds described for example in the German patent DE-2359399 or Japanese patents JP-88-169571 and JP-9110659 or patent applications WO 96/15765 each of which is herein incorporated by reference like 2,4,5,6-tetra-aminopyrimidine, 4-hydroxy-2,5,6-triaminopyrimidine, 2-hydroxy-4,5,6-triaminopyrimidine, 2,4-dihydroxy-5,6-diaminopyrimidine, 2,5,6-triaminopyrimidine and the pyrazolo-pyrimidine derivatives such as those cited in the patent application FR-A-2 750 048, herein incorporated by reference, and of which mention may be made of pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-3,7-diamine; 2 ,5-dimethyl-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-3,7-diamine, pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-3,5-diamine; 2,7-dimethyl-pyrazolo-[1 ,5-a]-pyrimidine-3,5-diamine; 3-amino-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-7-ol; 3-amino-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-5-ol; 2-(3-amino-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-7-ylamino)-ethanol; 2-(7-amino-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-3-ylamino)-ethanol; 2-[(3-amino-pyrazolo-[1 ,5-a]-pyrimidin-7-yl)-(2-hydroxy-ethyl-amino)-ethanol; 2-[(7-amino-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidin-3-yl)-(2-hydroxy-ethyl-amino)-ethanol; 5,6-dimethyl-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-3,7-diamine; 2,5, N7,N7-tetramethyl-pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidine-3 ,7-diamine; 3-amino-5-methyl-7-imidazolylpropylamino pyrazolo-[1,5-a]-pyrimidine; and their addition salts and their tautomeric forms, when a tautomeric equilibrium exists and their addition salts with an acid.
Of the pyrazole derivatives, more particular mention may be made of the compounds described in the patents DE-3843892, DE-4133957 and patent applications WO 94/08969, WO 94/08970, FR-A-2 733 749 and DE-19543988, each of which is incorporated by reference, like 4,5-diamino-1-methyl-pyrazole, 3,4-diamino-pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-(4xe2x80x2-chlorobenzyl)-pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1,3-dimethylpyrazole, 4,5-diamino-3-methyl-1-phenyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-methyl-3-phenyl pyrazole, 4-amino-1,3-dimethyl-5-hydrazino-pyrazole, 1-benzyl-4,5-diamino-3-methyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-3-tert-butyl-1-methyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-tert-butyl-3-methyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl)-pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-ethyl-3-methyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-ethyl-3-(4xe2x80x2-methoxyphenyl)-pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-ethyl-3-hydroxymethyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-3-hydroxymethyl-1-methyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-3-hydroxymethyl-1-isopropyl pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-3-methyl-1-isopropyl pyrazole, 4-amino-5-(2xe2x80x2-aminoethyl) amino-1,3-dimethyl pyrazole, 3,4,5-triamino pyrazole, 1-methyl-3,4,5-triamino-pyrazole, 3,5-diamino-1-methyl-4-methylamino-pyrazole, 3,5-diamino-4-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) amino-1-methyl-pyrazole, and their addition salts with an acid.
According to the present invention, the oxidation bases preferably represent from about 0.0005 to 12% by weight of the total weight of the composition and even more preferably from about 0.005 to 8% by weight of the total.
The physiologically acceptable medium is a solid or liquid medium not harmful to the colouring properties of the precursors nor to the catalytic effect of the catalytic system.
The physiologically acceptable medium is preferably a medium which dissolves the colouring material precursors.
Of the solvents for the precursors suitable for the formulation of the compositions according to the invention mention may be made of water, alcohols, polyol ethers and their mixtures.
Of these solvents, mention may be made, as examples, of the C1-C4 lower alkanols such as ethanol and isopropanol; the polyols or glycol ethers, such as 2-butoxyethanol, ethyleneglycol, glycerol, propyleneglycol, diethyleneglycol monoethylether and monomethylether as well as the aromatic alcohols like benzyl alcohol or phenoxyethanol and similar products or their mixtures.
The solvents are preferably present in proportions included between 1 to 40% by weight, and in particular between 5% and 30% by weight, of the total composition.
The solvents are preferably lower alkanols (C1-C6) such as ethanol and isopropanol and the alkane diols such as propylene glycol, glycerol and pentanediol.
The physiologically acceptable medium preferably consists of water (in particular distilled or demineralized water) or a water/alcohol mixture, in particular water/ethanol.
The quantity of alcohol in the water/alcohol may represent up to 80% by weight of the water/alcohol mixture, and preferably 1 to 50% by weight and, better still, 5 to 20% by weight.
The ready-to-use dye composition in conformity with the invention may contain one or more couplers selected from those conventionally used in oxidative dyeing and in particular from the meta-aminophenols, the metaphenylenediamines, the meta-diphenols, the naphthols and the heterocyclic couplers such as for example indole derivatives, indoline derivatives, sesamol and its derivatives, pyridine derivatives, pyrazolotriazole derivatives, pyrazolones, indazoles, benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles, benzoxazoles, 1,3-benzodioxoles, quinolines and their addition salts with an acid, these compounds being different from the ortho dihydroxylated compounds of the invention.
These couplers are selected more particularly from 2,4-diamino-1-(xcex2-hydroxyethyloxy) benzene, 2-methyl 5-amino phenol, 5-N-(xcex2-hydroxyethyl) amino 2-methyl phenol, 3-amino phenol, 1,3-dihydroxybenzene, 1,3-dihydroxy 2-methyl benzene, 4-chloro 1,3-dihydroxybenzene, 1,3-bis-(2,4-diaminophenoxy) propane, sesamol, 1-amino-2-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxy benzene, xcex1-naphthol, 6-hydroxyindoline, 2,6-dihydroxy 4-methyl pyridine, 1-H 3-methyl pyrazole 5-one, 1-phenyl 3-methyl pyrazol-5-one, 2-amino 3-hydroxypyridine, 3,6-dimethyl pyrazolo-[3,2-c]-1,2,4-triazole, 2,6-dimethyl-pyrazolo-[1,5-b]-1,2,4-triazole and their addition salts with an acid.
Usually the coupler(s) preferably represent(s) from approximately 0.0001 to 15% by weight of the total weight of the ready-to-use dye composition and even more preferably from about 0.001 to 10%.
The oxidation bases and the couplers constitute oxidation colouring materials. The addition salts with an acid of these oxidation colouring materials are selected in particular from the hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, sulfates, tartrates, lactates and acetates.
According to a preferred embodiment, the dye composition in conformity with the invention may in addition contain one or more direct colouring materials in particular for modifying the tints by enriching them with highlights. These direct colouring materials may in particular then be selected from nitro, azo or anthraquinone colouring materials, neutral, cationic or anionic colouring materials in a weight proportion of about 0.001 to 20% and preferably from 0.01 to 10% of the total weight of the composition.
The dye composition may also more particularly contain at least one surfactant, and preferably a non-ionic surfactant, in the proportion of at least 0.01% by weight. The surfactants may be selected from anionic, cationic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants or their mixtures, and preferably from nonionic surfactants.
Of these surfactants, mention may be made of the alkylbenzenesulfonates, the alkylnaphthalenesulfonates, the sulfates, the ether sulfates and the sulfonates of fatty alcohols, the quaternary ammonium salts such as trimethylcetylammonium bromide and cetylpyridinium bromide; the ethanolamides of fatty acids optionally oxyethylenated; the polyoxyethylenated acids, alcohols or amines, the polyglycerolated alcohols, the polyoxyethylenated or polyglycerolated alkylphenols as well as the polyoxyethylenated alkylsulfates.
The quantities of surfactants present in the composition according to the invention may vary from 0.01 to 40% and preferably from 0.5 to 30% of the total weight of the composition.
The thickening agents that may be added to the compositions conforming to the invention may be selected from sodium alginate, gum arabic, cellulose derivatives, acrylic acid polymers, xanthan gum. It is also possible to use mineral thickening agents such as bentonite.
These thickening agents are preferably present in proportions included between 0.1 and 5% and in particular between 0.2 and 3% by weight of the total weight of the composition.
These compositions may also contain other cosmetically acceptable adjuvants such as, for example, penetration agents, perfumes, buffers, etc.
The compositions according to the invention may also contain any conventional adjuvant, in the usual proportions, which is not harmful to the desired properties, in particular to the colouring effect, of the compositions.
The colouring composition may also contain an efficacious quantity of other agents, moreover known to the prior art of oxidative coloration, such as various common adjuvants like UV filters, waxes, volatile or non-volatile silicones, cyclic or linear or branched, organo-modified or not (in particular by amine groups), preservatives, ceramides, pseudo-ceramides, vegetable, mineral or synthetic oils, vitamins or provitamins like panthenol, opacifiers, etc. . .
These organic UV filters may also be selected in particular from cinnamic derivatives; dibenzoylmethane derivatives; salicylic derivatives, camphor derivatives; triazine derivatives such as those described in the patent applications U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,390, EP-0.863.145, EP-0.5 17.104, EP-0.570.838, EP-0.796.851, EP-0.775.698, EP-0.878.469, EP-0.933.376 and EP 0.893.119, each of which is herein incorporated by reference; benzophenone derivatives; xcex2, xcex2xe2x80x2-diphenylacrylate derivatives, benzimidazole derivatives; bis-benzoazolyl derivatives such as those described in the patents EP-0.669.323 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,463,264, each of which is herein incorporated by reference; methylene bis-(hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole) derivatives such as those described in the applications U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,071, U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,355, GB-2303539, DE-19726184 and EP-0.893.119, each of which is herein incorporated by reference; p-aminobenzoic acid derivatives; the dimeric derivatives of xcex1-alkylstyrene such as those described in the patent application DE-19855649, herein incorporated by reference; the hydrocarbon polymer filters and the silicone filters such as those described in particular in the application WO 93/04665, herein incorporated by reference. It is also possible to use pigments or even nanopigments (mean size of the primary particles; usually between 5 nm and 100 nm, preferably between 10 nm and 50 nm) of coated or uncoated metal oxides such as for example nanopigments of the oxides of titanium (amorphous or crystallized in the form of rutile and/or octahedrite), iron, zinc, zirconium or cerium which are all well-known UV photoprotective agents as such. Conventional coating agents are moreover aluminium and/or aluminium stearate. Such nanopigments of metal oxides, coated or uncoated are described in particular in the patent applications EP-0.518.772 and EP-0.518.773, each of which is herein incorporated by reference.
Naturally, the specialist skilled in the art will take care to select any additional compounds previously mentioned, such that the advantageous properties intrinsically attached to the dye composition according to the invention are not or not substantially impaired by the addition(s) envisaged.
Preferably, the compositions according to the invention are free of chelating agents of the Mn(II) and/or Zn(II) salts used because these agents tend to inhibit the oxidation of the colouring material precursors.
The dye compositions of the invention preferably have a pH which varies from 3 to 12, and preferably from 6 to 9 and is typically of the order of 8. This pH, close to neutrality, associated with the absence of the use of peroxides makes it possible to use these compositions for the coloration of sensitive scalps. This pH is adjusted by the use of acidifying or basifying agents well known in the state of the art of dyeing keratin fibres.
Of the basifying agents mention may be made, as examples, of ammonia, the alkali carbonates, the alkanolamines such as the mono-, di- and triethanolamines as well as their derivatives, sodium or potassium hydroxides and the compounds of the following formula (V):
in which:
R is a propylene residue optionally substituted by a hydroxyl group or a C1-C4 alkyl radical; and
R19, R20, R21 and R22, identical or different, represent hydrogen, a C1-C4 alkyl radical or C1-C4 hydroxyalkyl radical.
The acidifying agents are conventionally, as examples, mineral or organic acids like hydrochloric acid, orthophosphoric acid, carboxylic acids such as tartaric acid, citric acid, lactic acid, or sulfonic acids.
In order to reveal the coloration of the compositions according to the invention, it is sufficient to place the composition containing at least one colouring material precursor and one oxidation base and an efficacious quantity of the catalytic system according to the invention in the presence of an oxidising medium such as a medium containing oxygen (for example the oxygen of the air).
The compositions according to the invention are useful for the coloration of keratin fibres such as hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and bristles.
For the coloration of keratin fibres, different processes of application of the compositions according to the invention can be used.
According to a first process, a composition containing all of the ingredients of the composition of the invention is applied to the keratin fibres in the presence of oxygen, for example the oxygen of the air.
According to a second process, it is possible in the first place to apply to the keratin fibres a first composition of one or more colouring material precursors in a physiologically acceptable medium, then to this first composition, is added a second composition containing the catalytic system in a physiologically acceptable medium which in the presence of oxygen will reveal the coloration, the oxidation base(s) being contained in one or other of the compositions.
Quite obviously, the order of application of the compositions can be reversed.
The compositions can be applied by any known means, in particular by spraying.
The coloration of the composition can be determined by the choice of the colouring material precursors.
The compositions according to the invention are available and are packaged in different forms.
According to a first embodiment, the compositions according to the invention can be packaged in the form of an aerosol in a single compartment in which are located the composition containing the colouring material precursor(s), the oxidation base(s), the catalytic system and a conventional inert propellant gas such as nitrogen, a saturated hydrocarbon like isopropane or a halogenated hydrocarbon.
In a second embodiment, the composition according to the invention can be packaged in the form of a kit comprising two distinct containers, one for the base composition containing the colouring material precursor(s) and the oxidation base(s), the other for the catalytic system, the base composition and the catalytic system being mixed or applied successively at the time of use.
In a third embodiment, the composition according to the invention can also be packaged in the form of a kit comprising two distinct containers, one for the base composition containing the colouring material precursor(s), the other for the catalytic system and the oxidation base(s), the base composition and the catalytic system being mixed or applied successively at the time of use.
In a fourth embodiment, the composition may be contained in a one-compartment pump system without intake of air or in a two-compartment pump system, the colouring material precursor being in one compartment and the catalytic system in the other, the oxidation base(s) being contained in one or the other of these compartments.
In a fifth embodiment, the composition according to the invention is available in the form of one or more sachets impermeable to oxygen. This or these sachets will advantageously be sachets made of aluminium.
If the composition according to the invention is available in the form of a single sachet, this latter will contain the colouring material precursor(s), the oxidation base(s) and the catalytic system.
If the composition according to the invention is available in the form of two sachets, the first sachet will contain the catalytic system and the second sachet will contain the colouring material precursor(s), the oxidation base(s) being contained in either the first sachet or the second sachet.

Coloration composition, process for obtaining the same and its use for the coloration of keratin fibres


A scaffold ledger providing a raised support surface of the elongate structural member with the opposed ledger heads being downwardly and outwardly offset. Each ledger head includes cover flaps that extend the raised support surface above the ledger heads in a cover position. The scaffold ledger cooperates with scaffold posts and scaffold planks to allow for a continuous work platform above an intermediate scaffold support post and/or across supporting ledgers.

Scaffolding systems having releasable ledgers are well known and there are several different mechanical fastening arrangements are used to connecting the ledger heads to a securing member of a scaffold post. One of these fastening arrangements utilizes securing rosettes on scaffold posts, in combination with the ledger heads, have a securing slot and displaceable wedge for engaging rosettes. A further popular system is a cup fastening system where a portion of the ledger head is received in a cup fastener of the scaffold post.
With these systems, scaffold ledgers are easily connected and disconnected from scaffold posts using connecting components fixed to the scaffold posts at predetermined points in the length of the scaffold post.
In many scaffolding applications, it is desirable to provide a continuous work platform that is not interrupted by intermediate scaffold posts located below the work platform. In continuous work platforms, a portion of each ledger along a side of an adjacent scaffold plank may be partially covered by a projecting edge of the scaffold plank. This arrangement reduces gaps and trip hazards associated with intermediate ledgers immediately below the work platform.
The present invention seeks to overcome problems associated with existing systems in providing a continuous work platform.
One of the problems associated with existing scaffold ledgers is with respect to a fastening wedge which is movable downwardly through the ledger head to engage and fasten the ledger head either side of a securing rosette. The wedge can be moved to a release position allowing the ledger head to be placed on or removed from a securing rosette. The wedge is movable downwardly through the ledger head to a locked position securing ledger head on a rosette. With this conventional arrangement, the wedge in a locked position projects above the upper surface of the longitudinal member of the ledger. The projecting top portion of the wedge, in the locked position, presents a trip hazard with respect to the work platform that is ultimately defined by scaffold planks supported on the ledgers.

Modified ledger and modular scaffold system with continuous work surface


Provided herein are chimeric nucleic acid sequences encoding chimeric polypeptides. Also provided herein are chimeric polypeptides. Further provided herein are methods of treating a subject with or at risk of developing a cancer. The methods comprise selecting a subject with or at risk of developing a cancer, and administering to the subject an effective amount of the chimeric polypeptides provided herein.

Active agents used in the treatment of diseases and infection are often administered systemically at higher doses. Such systemic administration often has profound side-effects, which can be toxic or poorly tolerated. Local administration, however, is not always feasible because such administration is invasive or the targeted location is poorly defined or widely dispersed.


An apparatus and method for making a self-supporting fiber optic cable (40) having a messenger section (42) and a core section (44). The messenger section (42) and core section (44) include a jacket (47) that are interconnected by a series of webs (48) spaced by longitudinal gaps. The core section (44) includes a slotted core (45) having at least one slot with at least one optical fiber ribbon (46). Jacket (47) includes a substantially uniform cross sectional thickness. A method of making self-supporting fiber optic cable (40) comprises the steps of drawing the messenger wire (43) and the core (45) through a melt cavity including a molten jacketing material therein. Messenger section (42) and core section (44) are then defined by coating the messenger wire and the core with the molten jacketing material. Webs (48) are formed intermittently between the messenger and core sections (42,44). During the jacketing process, the pressure of the molten jacketing material is regulated so that the thickness of jacket (47) is substantially uniform along the length of self-supporting fiber optic cable (40).

Fiber optic cables include at least one optical fiber that can transmit data, computer, and telecommunication information. Self-supporting fiber optic cables are designed for aerial applications and typically include a messenger wire and a core section having conductors therein which may be solely optical, or a combination of optical and electrical conductors. Self-supporting fiber optic cables of the "figure 8" type may be characterized into two general categories, namely, self-supporting cables with a core section having no excess length relative to the messenger wire, and self-supporting cables having a core section having an over-length, typically about 0.2%, relative to the messenger wire. Examples of known self-supporting cables having no core section over-length are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,012, U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,983, U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,176, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,371,823. Examples of known self-supporting cables having a core section over-length are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,712 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,671.
When installed in a self-supporting application, self-supporting cables may experience a high degree of tension. The messenger wire bears most of the tension, thereby supporting the core section, and protecting the optical fibers in the core section from high tensile forces. As tension acts on the messenger wire, however, the messenger wire tends to elongate which results in an elongation of the core section. Elongation of the core section of a self-supporting fiber optic cable not having an over-length may cause attenuation losses in the optical fibers in the core section. On the other hand, where the core section of a self-supporting cable having a core section over-length is elongated, the elongation is, up to the amount of existing over-length of the core section, advantageously taken up by the over-length in the core section whereby the core section in may be elongated without potentially causing strain and/or attenuation in the optical fibers.
Several methods of manufacturing self-supporting fiber optic cables having a core section over-length have been developed, for example, by sag formation, thermal/tensioning, and speed differential methods. In the sag formation method, for example, as is disclosed in JP-8-136778 and JP-8-211260, the core section is given an excess length in the form of sagged portions and then the messenger and the core section are bound together at spaced intervals by a wire. As an alternative to binding with wire, plastic clamps may be over-molded about the messenger and the core section, for example, as is disclosed in JP-61-29811, U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,671, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,712.
The thermal/tensioning or speed differential methods can be used to create the over-length. An example of the thermal/tensioning method for forming the over-length is disclosed in JP-9-54232, wherein the core section over-length is created by a heater disposed between a capstan and a brake. The heater heats the messenger wire and causes it to thermally elongate while the capstan and the brake simultaneously apply tension to the messenger wire to mechanically elongate the wire. The elongation created in the messenger wire is therefore the sum of the incremental elongations made by the thermal and mechanical elongations of the messenger wire. Alternatively, the speed differential method as disclosed in JP 8-75969 can be used to create the over-length. This method requires the core section to have a slightly faster speed as compared to the messenger section as the jacket material is extruded thereover. The difference in speed creates the over-length in the core section.
When practicing the thermal/tensioning or speed differential methods of over-length formation, a cable jacket may be simultaneously extruded about the messenger wire and the core section with intermittently formed webs connecting the messenger wire and core sections. Prior art FIGS. 1-3 show an exemplary self-supporting cable 10 that can be made by, for example, the thermal/tensioning or speed differential methods. Self-supporting cable 10 includes a messenger section 12 having steel wires 13, and a cable core section 14 having a slotted core 15, optical fiber ribbons 16, and a water absorbent tape 19 wrapped therearound. Cable core sections 12,14 include an extruded jacket 17 having a web 18 that connects the messenger and cable core sections together. Cable core section 14 can have an over-length of about 0.2% relative to messenger section 12 whereby cable core section 14 can have at least one undulation between webs 18 (FIG. 3).
The extruder used to manufacture self-supporting cables with intermittently formed webs may include a plunger, e.g., as is disclosed in JP-46-38748 and JP-8-75969. As disclosed in JP-8-75969, for example, the extruder head includes a melt cavity with a molten jacketing material therein. With reference to the manufacture of cable 10, as the messenger wires and core translate through the melt cavity they are coated with the molten jacketing material. As the messenger wires and core exit the extruder head, a die orifice determines the peripheral shape of the cable jacket therearound, and the orifice includes a web-forming area for the formation of webs 18.
The plunger operates by moving into a blocking position in the die orifice between cable sections 12 and 14, and physically blocking the molten jacketing material from forming web 18. FIG. 1 is a cross section of cable 10 where the plunger blocked the jacketing material and a corresponding longitudinal gap exists. The plunger is reciprocated in and out of the blocking position so that webs 48 are formed intermittently, spaced by longitudinal gaps. FIG. 2 depicts a cross section of cable 10 as made when the plunger was in a retracted, non-blocking position whereby web 18 was formed.
The present inventors have discovered a problem with the use of plungers that is not addressed in the foregoing background art. Namely, as the plunger is reciprocated between the blocking and non-blocking positions, the pressure of the molten jacketing material in the melt cavity can fluctuate about 50 p.s.i. or more. The pressure fluctuation in the melt cavity causes an uneven application of the jacketing material about the core section, resulting in the formation intrusion zones 17a (FIG. 1). The intrusion zones are formed in the lengths of cable corresponding to the existence of the longitudinal gaps, and the intrusion zones virtually disappear when the plunger is in the non-blocking (web-forming) position (FIG. 2). Intrusion zones 17a can be characterized by the disadvantageous reaction of the molten jacketing material to the pressure fluctuations, i.e., the jacketing material is pushed toward the slots of core 15, and possibly forces the waterblocking tape against the ribbon stacks. When this occurs, forces acting on a ribbon stack can warp and/or disintegrate the stack structure as shown by disheveled stacks 16a (FIG. 1), and can cause undesirable microbending or macrobending of the optical fibers in the ribbons. The presence of intrusion zones 17a can negatively affect the optical performance of the cables in the final product. Moreover, after the cable is installed in the field, optical performance losses can be increased by temperature cycling and mechanically induced stresses by forcing the intrusion zones deeper into the slots. The intrusion zones can potentially counter any built-in stress avoiding benefit of the core section over-length.

Self-supporting fiber optic cable and an apparatus and methods for making the same


A codeset identifier for an infrared codeset that is compatible with an electronic device can be determined without requiring the user to manually input information about the electronic device. The user points an infrared device that is configured to control the electronic device at a computing device and presses a button, which causes the infrared device to emit an infrared signal that encodes a command representing the button that was pressed. Because the infrared device is configured to control the electronic device, an infrared code associated with the emitted infrared signal is part of the codeset that controls the electronic device and can be used to identify other infrared codes that are also compatible with the electronic device. The computing device extracts the infrared code from the received infrared signal and sends a query based on the infrared code to a server, which accesses an association table to find the codeset identifier corresponding to the infrared code.

1. Field of Art
The disclosure generally relates to the field of infrared communication and more specifically to determining command codesets for electronic devices based on infrared signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional remote-controlled electronics, such as stereos, televisions, set-top boxes, and DVD players receive commands via infrared signals. Typically, a user uses a remote control to send an infrared signal to an electronic device. Remote controls are typically designed for use with a particular model of electronic device or model families of electronic devices and may not be compatible between different models or brands of electronic devices. For example, a remote control designed to control a television cannot be used to control a DVD player, and a remote control designed to control a SAMSUNG television may not be able to control a SONY television. However, users can now control multiple electronic devices using a single computing device (e.g., a smartphone or tablet) that acts as a remote control. Current computing devices can require the user to manually input a model number for an electronic device before the computing device can be used to control the electronic device. This process can be cumbersome for the user, especially in cases where the computing device is a smartphone with an on-screen keyboard that is difficult to use.

Performing queries to determine command codesets for electronic devices


A method for preserving an aluminium-salt adjuvant during freezing or drying comprising freezing or drying an aqueous suspension or solution comprising: (a) an aluminium salt adjuvant; (b) a compound of formula (I) or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof or a compound of formula (II) or a physiologically acceptable salt or ester thereof; and (c) optionally, one or more sugars.

Aluminium salt adjuvants are currently the most widely used adjuvants for human and veterinary vaccines. Aluminium adjuvant compounds include aluminium salts such as aluminium phosphate (AlPO4) and aluminium hydroxide (Al(OH)3) which are generically referred to in the field of vaccine adjuvants as "alum". To provide adequate immunogenicity, it is thought that antigens must be adsorbed onto the surface of the adjuvant. It is believed that alum adjuvants act as an immune system stimulus as well as providing a depot of antigen at the site of administration (e.g. by injection) thereby providing a gradual and continuous release of antigen to stimulate antibody production. Aluminium adjuvants in their natural form are commonly known as gels, which are particulate suspensions in aqueous media.
The storage and transportation of alum-adjuvanted vaccines is problematic. Freeze-drying (lyophilisation) is a process frequently used to improve long-term stability of various protein preparations. Nevertheless, commercial vaccine compositions containing aluminium salt adjuvants cannot be freeze-dried without causing damage to the adjuvant structure. Freeze-drying causes the collapse of the gel structure of the adjuvant resulting in aggregation and precipitation of the adjuvant salt on resuspension in water. The effect is to significantly reduce the immunogenicity of the vaccine.
WO 01/93829 describes a method of preparing an adjuvanted vaccine comprising spray-drying or spray freeze-drying an aqueous solution comprising:    (a) from 0.1 to 0.95% by weight of an aluminium salt or calcium salt adjuvant having an antigen adsorbed therein;    (b) from 0.5 to 6% by weight of a saccharide;    (c) from 0.1 to 2% by weight of an amino acid or salt thereof; and    (d) from 0.02 to 1% by weight of a colloidal substance.
WO 2008/118691 describes a method of preparing an immunologically-active adjuvant-bound dried vaccine composition comprising (a) combining at least one aluminium-salt adjuvant, at least one buffer system, at least one glass-forming agent and at least one antigen to create a liquid vaccine formulation; (b) freezing the liquid vaccine formulation to create a frozen vaccine formulation; and (c) lyophilizing the frozen vaccine formulation to create a dried vaccine composition. The glass-forming agent is preferably trehalose.

Method for preserving alum adjuvants and alum-adjuvanted vaccines


A composite substrate 10 is formed by bonding together a piezoelectric substrate 12 and a support substrate 14 that has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the piezoelectric substrate. The support substrate 14 is formed by directly bonding together a first substrate 14a and a second substrate 14b at a strength that allows separation with a blade, the first and second substrates being formed of the same material, and a surface of the first substrate 14a is bonded to the piezoelectric substrate 12, the surface being opposite to another surface of the first substrate 14a bonded to the second substrate 14b.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composite substrate, an elastic wave device, and a method for producing an elastic wave device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, for the purpose of improving the temperature characteristics of elastic wave devices, a composite substrate formed by bonding a thin piezoelectric substrate onto a support substrate having a low thermal expansion coefficient is used. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a composite substrate having a structure formed by bonding together a LT substrate (LT is the abbreviation of lithium tantalate) serving as a piezoelectric substrate and a silicon substrate serving as a support substrate via an adhesive layer formed of an epoxy adhesive.
Production of elastic wave devices with such a composite substrate has the following problems. First, since the composite substrate warps considerably in response to changes in temperature, during production processes for elastic wave devices at various process temperatures, the patterning accuracy is degraded or it becomes difficult to automatically handle the composite substrate. Second, the composite substrate has a low strength and the substrate becomes cracked during a heating process in production of elastic wave devices.
In order to overcome these problems, increasing the thickness of the support substrate in the composite substrate in Patent Literature 1 may be considered, for example. By simply increasing the thickness of the support substrate, the rigidity is enhanced and warpage of the composite substrate is suppressed. In addition, damage due to warpage of the substrate is also reduced. It has also been proposed that, in Patent Literature 2, a compensation layer that has substantially the same thermal expansion coefficient as a piezoelectric substrate and that has a thickness similar to that of the piezoelectric substrate is formed on a surface of the support substrate, the surface being opposite to another surface of the support substrate bonded to the piezoelectric substrate. In such a composite substrate, the piezoelectric substrate and the compensation layer similarly expand and contract in response to changes in temperature and hence warpage of the composite substrate is suppressed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Composite substrate, elastic wave device, and method for producing elastic wave device


Circuits, methods, and apparatus that reduce the amount of data transferred between a graphics processor integrated circuit and graphics memory. Various embodiments of the present invention further improve the efficiency of blenders that are included on a graphics processor. One embodiment provides for the storage of a reduced number of subsamples of a pixel when the storage of a larger number of subsamples would be redundant. The number of subsamples that are blended with source data are compressed, thereby reducing the task load on the blenders increasing their efficiency. These methods can be disabled to avoid errors that may arise in certain applications.

The present invention relates generally to graphics processing, and more particularly to improving the efficiency of various circuits and methods used by a graphics processor integrated circuit.
In typical computer systems, graphics processors generate images for display on a monitor. The displayed image can be as static as a text document or as dynamic as the latest computer or video game. In the latter application, the demand by users for increasingly realistic images has become insatiable. In an attempt to appease this appetite, the performance of graphics processors has been rapidly improved.
As the performance of graphics processors has been improved, the workload has become particularly burdensome on a few specific circuits. For example, the amount of data transferred between a graphics processor and its memory, which is referred to as a graphics memory, has increased dramatically. So much so that now, the performance of some graphics processors is limited by the available bandwidth or data transfer capacity between the processor and its memory. Blenders, which are circuits that combine or merge colors of overlapping structures in an image, are similarly overworked.
In general, there are two ways to improve the performance of a circuit such as a memory interface or blender in a graphics processor. Specifically, the processing capacity of the circuit can be increased, for example, by increasing the clock rate or number of circuits. Also, more efficient use can be made of the available circuits.
The clock rate for memory interfaces and blender circuits can be increased, but their clock rate tends to be limited by the process technology used in the manufacture of the graphics processor or memory integrated circuits. Also, more blenders can be added, but these tend to be very large circuits that consume significant die area and thus increase device cost.
Thus, it is desirable to increase the efficiency of data transfers between a graphics processor and its graphics memory. Also, it is desirable to increase the efficiency of the blenders on a graphics processor integrated circuit.

Optimized alpha blend for anti-aliased render


A system comprising cultivating tables as well as an irrigation device for supplying a liquid medium to cultivation products being cultivated on the cultivating tables, a special feature being the fact that each cultivating table comprises an inlet and an outlet for the medium, with the inlet and/or the outlet comprising a coupling for detachably connecting adjacent cultivating tables.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system comprising cultivating tables as well as an irrigation device for supplying a liquid medium to cultivation products being cultivated on the cultivating tables. The liquid medium is in particular water, which may or may not contain nutrients for the cultivation products, whilst the cultivation products themselves are usually potted plants or the like. It is noted that the invention is not limited to a specific irrigation method. Thus, the irrigation device may operate according to a so-called ebb-and-flow system, in which the cultivating tables are cyclically inundated to a certain level during a flow period and allowed to run completely dry during an ebb period so as to prevent in particular root rot and fungus occurring at the bottom side of the cultivation products. According to another irrigation method, the water is applied to the cultivation products directly or in drops above the cultivating tables.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a system operating according to the aforesaid ebb-and-flow system, comprising ten to twenty cultivating tables, for example, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,618 (Pedersen). In this known system, water is supplied as the irrigation medium in a central inlet pipe under the cultivating tables, in which a magnetically actuated main valve can open the central supply of water during a flow period and shut it off during an ebb period.
One drawback of the system that is known from the aforesaid US patent publication is the following. Nowadays it is usual to position cultivating tables side-by-side (i.e. without aisles) in a greenhouse in order to optimally utilize the space in said greenhouse. The cultivating tables roll on rails installed in the greenhouse in that case. Thus it is possible to move a cultivating table (via an automated system) to an adjoining space, where a manual operation (for example pruning or harvesting) of the cultivation products being cultivated on said cultivating table is to be carried out. Staff present in said adjoining space are thus not exposed to high temperatures and/or polluted air in the greenhouse. The known system is not suitable for this kind of use, since it concern a system of stationary cultivating tables.

Method and apparatus for irrigating products on cultivating tables


A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, wherein the solid-state imaging device comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photodiodes that are formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to be arranged in an array form; and a light shielding film, provided on or above the surface of the semiconductor substrate, that has a plurality of openings in correspondence with respective ones of the photodiodes, the method comprising: laminating, on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, lamination layers including the light shielding film; opening through holes in the lamination layers, respectively, at positions corresponding to the photodiodes to form the openings in the light shielding film; forming a low refractive index material layer with a predetermined thickness isotropically on a side wall surface of each of the through holes; and filling a remaining hole portion of each of the through holes with a high refractive index material to form an optical waveguide for guiding incident light to each of the photodiodes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device in which a light-shielding-film opening is provided on a light receiving surface of each photodiode for constituting a pixel.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 9 is a schematic surface diagram of a CCD-type image sensor which is an example of the solid-state imaging device. In this solid-state imaging device 1, a multiplicity of photodiodes (PDs) 3 are formed on the surface of a semiconductor substrate 2 by being arranged in the form of an array, i.e., in the form of a square lattice in the illustrated example. In addition, a vertical transfer path (VCCD) 4 for receiving and transferring signal charges accumulated by the photodiodes 3 in correspondence with the amounts of light received is provided on a side of each row of the photodiodes. A horizontal transfer path (HCCD) 5 for transferring the signal charges received from the vertical transfer paths 4 to an output stage is provided at a lower side of the semiconductor substrate 2, and an amplifier 6 for outputting voltage value signals corresponding to the amounts of signal charges is provided at the output stage of the horizontal transfer path 5. A light shielding film, a color filter layer, and a microlens layer, which will be described later, are provided on the surface of each photodiode 3.
FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line X-X in FIG. 9, and illustrates a section of one photodiode portion. In addition, FIGS. 11 to 15 are diagrams illustrating the procedure for manufacturing this related-art solid-state imaging device. Hereafter, a description will be given of the procedure for manufacturing the related-art solid-state imaging device.
As shown in FIG. 11, a p-well layer 11 is formed in a surface portion of an n-type semiconductor substrate 2, and an n region 12 is formed in a surface portion of the p-well layer 11 to thereby form a photodiode. An embedded channel 4a for constituting a vertical transfer path 4 is formed near a side portion of the n region 12, while a p+ diffusion layer 13 for suppressing a dark current is provided on a surface portion of the n region 12.
The outermost surface of the semiconductor substrate 2 is covered with a gate insulating layer 14, and a transfer electrode 4b for constituting the vertical transfer path 4 is laminated on the embedded channel 4a with the gate insulating layer 14 disposed therebetween. The semiconductor substrate 2 is further covered with an insulating layer 15, and a metallic light shielding film 16 formed of tungsten or the like is laminated thereon. An opening 16a of the light shielding film 16 is open at a position above the light receiving surface of the n region 12.
As shown in FIG. 12, a flattening layer 17 is laminated on the light shielding film 16. Then, as shown in FIG. 13, a through hole 18 which penetrates the flattening layer 17 and the insulating layer 15 is formed by the photolithographic process. This through hole 18 is provided such that its side wall is spaced apart from the side wall of the light shielding film opening 16a.
Next, as shown in FIG. 14, a high refractive index layer 19 is laminated by using a film forming method such as plasma CVD or by a coating method to fill the through hole 18. As a result, an optical waveguide 20 made of a high refractive index material is formed in the interior of the through hole 18. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, an upwardly convex inner lens 21 formed of a high refractive index material is laminated on the optical waveguide 20. Furthermore, a flattening layer 22, a color filter layer 23, and a top microlens layer 24 are laminated thereon, as shown in FIG. 10.
In the solid-state imaging device manufactured by the above-described manufacturing procedure, the incident light is focused by the microlenses 24 and 21, is guided into-the optical waveguide 20, passes through the interior of the optical waveguide 20, and enters the n region 12. As a result, photoelectric charge is generated and accumulated in the n region 12.
It should be noted that, for example, JP-A-2003-60179, JP-A-2003-224249 and JP-A-2005-116841 are known as relating to the related art.
In solid-state imaging devices in recent years, attempts have been made to increase the number of pixels to millions of pixels or even higher, so that the diameters of the optical waveguide 20 and the light shielding film opening 16a have come to be microfabricated on the order of the wavelength of the incident light.
If the optical waveguide 20 and the light shielding film opening 16a become very fine, new problems which hitherto did not constitute problems emerge. One of them is the loss of light energy due to an evanescent effect. Namely, this is a problem in that when the incident light passes through the interior of the optical waveguide 20, if the evanescent light oozing out from the side wall of the optical waveguide 20 to the outer periphery is shielded by the light shielding film, the loss of energy increases sharply, causing a decline in sensitivity.
To avoid this problem, it suffices if the optical waveguide 20 is formed with a diameter sufficiently smaller than the microfabricated light shielding film opening 16a, but since the optical waveguide 20 itself is formed with a small diameter, the decline in sensitivity still results. In addition, in the related-art manufacturing method, there is no guarantee that the optical waveguide 20 can be formed just in the middle of the light shielding film opening 16a, and there is a possibility that the optical waveguide 20 is offset in the light shielding film opening 16a owing to process variations, and becomes very close to the light shielding film 16.

Method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device


A valve body and a float body are coupled so that the valve body is allowed to move in a direction along a central axis of movement of the float body, and the seated valve body is unseated when the float body descends. On a central axis side of the movement of the float body, a pair of guide members is provided, and when the valve body tilts, the valve body and the float body contact each other on a lower side of a tilt of the valve body and the float body ascends, so that the guide members correct the tilt. Also, when the float body ascends, the float body and the valve body do not contact each other in a rest of a portion.

As for a liquid-level control valve of the fuel tank, there is one, as shown in FIG. 16, in which a valve member 101 engages the upper part of a float 100 so as to be relatively movable. Also, by a projection 100aformed in the middle of the upper part of this float 100, the valve member 101 is pushed upward, and the valve member 101 abuts against a seat portion 103 provided in a ventilation path connected to a canister. In this abutted state, such ventilation path is blocked. (See Patent Document 1)
However, as for such a control valve, firstly, although the valve member 101 is supported by the projection 100a, when the float 100 ascends, if the valve member 101 inclines, the float 100 first contacts the seat portion 103 on the upper side of the tilt of the valve member 101. Then, in this case, although the lower side of the tilt of the valve member 101 is eventually raised and the posture of the valve member 101 is corrected, this correction is accomplished by contacting an inner face of the projection 101a positioned on the lower side of the tilt of the valve member 101 and a marginal portion 100b of an upper head portion of the float 100 far from the center of the float 100. As a result, in this case (FIG. 16), a force required for completely contacting the valve member 101 with the seat portion 103 excessively increases.
Also, secondly, if the liquid level descends from a state wherein the ventilation path is blocked, the float 100 descends, and at this time, the marginal portion of the upper head portion of the float 100 is caught by the projection 101a of the valve member 101. Accordingly, the valve member 101 is pulled away from the seat portion. However, if a force for sticking to the seat portion 103 is acted on the valve member 101, such as that the inside of the fuel tank has a high pressure, and the like, it was difficult for the valve member 101 to be immediately pulled away from the seat portion 103 due to the descent of the float 100, and for the ventilation path to be unblocked responsively when the liquid level descended.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H07-279789


A personal Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system includes a plurality of IVR servers communicating personal IVR service node information in a network and a plurality of personal IVR service node clients coupled to the plurality of IVR servers communicating the personal IVR service node information. The plurality of personal IVR service node clients have a client-server relationship with the plurality of IVR servers. The personal IVR system further includes facilities for managing transmission of the personal IVR service node information using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.

The present invention relates generally to computer telephony, and more particularly to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology in a telecommunications network.
An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is a software application that accepts a combination of voice telephone input and touch-tone keypad selection and provides appropriate responses. An IVR system is usually a part of a larger application that includes database access.
An IVR system uses an embedded software application and has been in commercial use for several years. For example, banks often use an IVR system to allow customers to perform fiscal transactions such as updating the bank account using a telephone or Internet connection. Large businesses routinely use IVR systems in call centers to route incoming calls. Typically in a call center IVR system, to resolve a product issue, a customer dials a customer care telephone number and enters a sequence of touch-tone keypad inputs. After obtaining relevant information regarding the issue, the call center IVR system either presents an issue resolution, or simply logs the issue for further investigation. Additionally, movie theaters use IVR systems for selective information lookup such as finding movie schedules, theater locations etc.
Conventional IVRs require specialized architectures to support large applications, and databases containing records for thousands of application users. Consequently IVRs have been implemented in the existing telecommunications network to handle only large applications. Hence, domestic users and small businesses have been unable to enjoy the benefits of an IVR system due to unavailability of a small scale and low cost IVR system.
The small scale and IVR system service node was unavailable because the conventional IVRs employed the long-established Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for information transmission. Under PSTN circuit-switched calls, a communication channel was exclusively dedicated to a conversation for its duration, hence the 64 kbps connection could not be used for any other conversation regardless of whether the caller or the called party talked or remained silent.
As a result, the telephone service provider had to bill the calling party for the use of the line for the entire duration of the call. Hence, IVR systems were too costly for domestic users or small business. Realistically, if a small scale IVR system was introduced under the conventional PSTN system, each domestic user would have blocked a channel of communication for the duration of a call, which was not feasible since the number of potential domestic users far exceeded the number of available communication channels.
Therefore, a problem is presented in that a personal IVR system must be provided for the benefit of small businesses and domestic users. It is also required that the personal IVR system avoid using the PSTN for signal transmission, since using the PSTN for signal transmission is likely to result in bottlenecking the existing communication channels. What is needed is a node provisioning system capable of offering the benefits of conventional IVR systems to domestic users and small businesses that will use the network resources only when needed. What is needed is an alternative mode of information transmission that can offer the preferred capacity of using the bandwidth of a communication channel only when needed.

Voice over IP method for developing interactive voice response system


A system and method for alerting a healthcare provider to ineffective prescribed medications is provided. A laboratory system receives test results with genetic markers for a patient, queries a database containing medications known to be ineffective in persons having particular genetic markers to determine whether any medications prescribed by, or likely to be prescribed by, a healthcare provider to the patient are known to be ineffective in persons having the same genetic markers as the patient, and transmits an alert containing such information to a healthcare provider system for the healthcare provider.

A person visiting a doctor may present with one or more symptoms. Based on the symptoms presented, test results, or underlying conditions or diseases diagnosed, the person may be prescribed one or more medications by the healthcare provider as part of a treatment program. The medications prescribed may be selected based on the historical effectiveness of such medications for treating the symptoms presented by the person and/or the underlying disease or condition diagnosed by the healthcare provider. Traditionally, the prescription of medications is, at least initially, based on historical effectiveness. Individual prescriptions may be altered through a trial and error process following the initial prescription. For example, alternative medications or dosages may be prescribed where the prescription of a medication causes a side effect or allergic reaction in a patient. Over prescription or dosing of medications may cause side effects. Under prescription or dosing of medications may bring ineffective results or side effects.
A person's genetic makeup affects how the person responds to certain medications. For example, a person's genetic makeup may cause some medications or dosages to be wholly or partially ineffective. Prescription of medications to a person who has a genetic makeup that makes the medication wholly ineffective may waste resources and unnecessarily expose the person to the risk of side effects. Similarly, prescription of medications to a person who has a genetic makeup that makes the medication partially ineffective may result in less that desirable therapeutic effects or require a larger dosage to be effective. In some cases, alternative medications or dosages are available for use with the same, or similar, therapeutic effects.
For example, without limitation, a blood thinner may be known to reduce the risk of embolisms and may be prescribed to a person following stent placement. However, individual genetic makeup or physiology may alter the effectiveness of the prescribed blood thinner. For example, without limitation, the blood thinner may have a reduced effectiveness in persons carrying specific genetic markers. It would be desirable to substitute alternative medications or adjust the dosage of prescribed medications for persons having a genetic makeup which reduces the effectiveness of the prescribed medication. As a further example, again without limitation, the prescribed blood thinner may be wholly ineffective in persons carrying specific genetic markers. It would be desirable to substitute alternative medications, or find alternative treatment options, for persons having a genetic makeup which renders the prescribed medication ineffective. Therefore, what is needed is a system and method for determining the effectiveness of medications using genetics.
These disclosures provide a system and method for determining the effectiveness of medications using genetic data. A user's visit information may be reviewed to identify applicable tests. For example, such tests may indicate the presence or non-presence of genetic markers which may indicate a genetic makeup for a patient that may have a bearing on the effectiveness of one or more medications prescribed, or likely to be prescribed, to the user. The system may determine whether identified tests fits certain billing parameters. For example, the system may be configured to determine whether the identified tests are covered by the user's insurance. If the test for one or more markers does not fit the billing parameters, then the next genetic marker(s) may be considered. If the test does fit the billing parameters then the option to order testing may be presented to the healthcare provider. If selected, the appropriate marker(s) may be added to a testing device and the genetic testing may be performed.
To perform the testing, genetic material may be removed from the user. A testing device may be created to test for the specific genetic marker(s) ordered by the healthcare provider. The genetic material may be sequenced using the testing device and the presence or non-presence of the tested genetic markers may be determined. The results may be analyzed and ineffective medications may be identified. In exemplary embodiments, for each medication prescribed or likely to be prescribed, the presence or non-presence of a genetic marker may be compared against the medications known to be effective or ineffective in the presence of the given marker. Effective medications and/or dosages may be flagged. Alternatively, or additionally, ineffective medications and/or dosages may be flagged. For those medications and/or dosages determined to be ineffective, alternative medications, dosages, and/or treatment options may be suggested. Regardless, the testing results may be returned to the healthcare provider's system. For example, treatment of a particular disease may normally first begin with medication. However, if the person has a genetic makeup which would make such medication ineffective, a surgical option may instead be suggested.
The results may be returned to the healthcare provider in the form of an interface for display on an electronic display. The results may be displayed in a fashion which provides the clinical consequences of prescribing the medication. The interface may further provide indications of particular conditions and generate alerts when particular conditions are met. For example, without limitation, executable software instructions may be provided which configure the electronic display to display an interface comprising an explanation of the results, alerts, abnormal ranges, ineffective medications, potential interactions as understood in view of the analyzed genetic information, and other clinical information. This information may be transmitted with the results in a single file. In exemplary embodiments, these results and alerts may be integrated into the healthcare providers' electronic medical record system (EMR) by way of a single file. This information may be further transmitted to any number of healthcare provider facilities, such as but not limited to hospitals, by way of one or more healthcare information exchanges. For example, information may be transmitted to all healthcare providers treating the user. The results may also be stored for use by, and selective transmitted to, future healthcare providers.
Further features and advantages of the devices and systems disclosed herein, as well as the structure and operation of various aspects of the present disclosure, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures.

System and method for determining the effectiveness of medications using genetics


According to an embodiment, a biological component estimating apparatus includes a first acquiring unit and a first estimating unit. The first acquiring unit acquires a scattering coefficient distribution image having each pixel specified with a scattering coefficient of a measurement target region of a biological body for light including a wavelength range in a near infrared range. The first estimating unit estimates an amount of change in a biological component based on the scattering coefficient distribution image.

For patients with diabetes or abnormal glucose tolerance, monitoring of the blood glucose level is indispensable. A representative method among the known methods for monitoring a blood glucose level is a method using a blood sample obtained from a biological body. The method involves reacting glucose in the blood sample with an enzyme such as glucose oxidase (GOD) or glucose dehydrogenase (GDH), for example. This process generates electrons corresponding to the amount of glucose in the blood. With this known method, a voltage is applied to the blood so as to use the resultant current level for monitoring the blood glucose level.
The amount of a biological component such as blood glucose may change successively in the biological body. In order to measure the amount of change in the biological component, it has been conventionally necessary to draw blood from the subject repeatedly by needling. From the viewpoint of pain reduction and infection prevention, for example, there has been a demand for a non-invasive approach for measuring a change in the blood glucose level. Known non-invasive approaches for measuring a change in the blood glucose level include a technology for estimating the blood glucose level using the absorbance spectrum of skin, and a technology for estimating the blood glucose level using a tomographic image obtained with optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Biological component estimating apparatus, biological component estimating method, and computer program product


A stand-alone multi-band antenna includes an antenna ground plate, a shielding metal wall, a first radiating unit, and a signal feed-in source. The first radiating unit connected to at least one side of the antenna ground plate and located above the antenna ground plate is an antenna structure generating the fringing-field. The first radiating unit provides a first operating band and a second operating band. The shielding metal wall is connected to a plurality of the adjacent sides of the antenna ground plate, and the height thereof is larger than or equal to that of the first radiating unit, therefore limiting the fringing-field of the first radiating unit within the stand-alone multi-band antenna. The signal feed-in source has a signal feed-in point and a ground point. The signal feed-in point is electrically connected to the first radiating unit, and the ground point is electrically connected to the shielding metal wall.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to an antenna, in particular, to stand-alone multi-band antenna.
2. Description of Related Art
Most of conventional embedded antennas are designed to be planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) or monopole antenna, and these two-type antennas must have corresponding ground plates to radiate, such that the antenna can have the good impedance matching and the good radiation performances. Generally speaking, the antenna ground plate is usually the system ground plate of the electronic device, and the system ground plate is used for the layout of the electronic elements. When the displacement of the electronic elements on the system ground plate is changed, the dimension and the shape of the system ground plate may change as well. In other words, the impedance and radiation performances of the antenna will be influenced corresponding to the system ground plate.
For the antenna designer, he or she not only designs the antenna pattern, but also takes the other factors, such as the dimension and the shape of the system ground plate, into the design consideration, such that the design complexity of the antenna is increased dramatically. In the development of the current antenna design, it is understood that stand-alone antenna is gradually applied in the electronic device of the network communication field. The advantage of the stand-alone antenna is that the stand-alone antenna can generate the required operating band without any additional antenna ground plate. However, the stand-alone antenna is easy to be affected by the ambient environment, and in particular, when the metal element exists nearby the stand-alone antenna, the impedance and radiation performances of the stand-alone antenna would be affected dramatically.
Some stand-alone antennas with multi-band operation have been published. Taiwanese Patent No. M377714 disclosures the PIFA-typed stand-alone antenna with multi-band operation having dual paths. Furthermore, the conventional multi-band antenna has the simple structure, and therefore the conventional multi-band antenna is easy to be implemented. However, according to the properties of the planar inverted-F antenna, it is known that the current distribution on the terminal end of the resonant path is weaker than that on the other location, in other words the electrical field on the terminal end of the resonant path is larger than that on the other location, and therefore the fringing-field effects will be generated. When the object (especially, the metal object) is nearby the conventional multi-band antenna, the fringing-field of the conventional multi-band antenna and the nearby object are mutually coupled to each other, and therefore the impedance and radiation performances of the conventional multi-band antenna are dramatically affected. Due to the properties of the conventional multi-band antenna, the arrangement location of the conventional multi-band antenna is limited by the inner environment of the electronic device, and the practical application value of the conventional multi-band antenna is thus reduced.