The present invention disclosed isolated nucleic acid molecules (polynucleotides) which encode NHL, a putative DNA helicase. The present invention in turn relates to recombinant vectors and recombinant hosts which contain a DNA fragment encoding NHL, substantially purified forms of associated NHL, associated mutant proteins, and methods associated with identifying compounds which modulate NHL, which will be useful in the treatment of various neoplastic disorders. Both a genomic clone containing regulatory and intron sequences, as well as the exon structure and open reading frame of human NHL are disclosed.

Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates in part to isolated nucleic acid molecules (polynucleotides) which encode NHL, a putative DNA helicase. The present invention also relates to recombinant vectors and recombinant hosts which contain a DNA fragment encoding NHL, substantially purified forms of associated NHL, associated mutant proteins, and methods associated with identifying compounds which modulate NHL, which will be useful in the treatment of various neoplastic disorders, given that this gene is located at 20q13.3 and immediately adjacent to M68/DcR3, which is involved in tumor growth. Also included within the present invention is a human genomic fragment representing this portion of the human genome, along with three additional genes (M68/DcR3, SCLIP, and ARP).
Naumovski et al. (1985, Mol. Cell Biol. 5:17-26; Reynolds et al. (1985 Nucleic Acid Res 13:2357-2372) and Weber et al. (1990 EMBO J. 9:1437-1447) disclose members of the RAD3/FRCC2 gene family of DNA helicases.
It is known that several chemotherapeutic agents inhibit helicases, including actinomycin C1, daunorubicin and nogalamycin (Tuteja, et al., 1997, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 236(3):636-640), and a prostate cancer drug, C1-958 (Lun, et al., 1998, Cancer Chemother. Pharmacol. 42(6):447-453). In addition, some topoisomerases have been shown to have anti-cancer activity.
Despite the identification of the aforementioned helicase-encoding genes and chemotherapeutic agents, it would be advantageous to identify additional genes which reside within chromosomal regions associated with a disease state such as cancer as well as a gene which encodes a type of protein which may be associated with that disease. The present invention addresses and meets this need by disclosing a DNA molecule encoding a DNA helicase with a chromosomal location suggestive of association with cancer.
The present invention relates to an isolated or purified nucleic acid molecule (polynucleotide) which encodes a novel mammalian DNA helicase.
The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule (polynucleotide) which encodes mRNA which expresses a novel human DNA helicase, NHL.
A preferred aspect of the present invention relates to an isolated or purified DNA molecule which encodes human NHL, the nucleotide sequence as set forth in FIGS. 1A-B and SEQ ID NO: 1.
The present invention also relates to biologically active fragments or mutants of SEQ ID NO: 1 which encode a mRNA molecule expressing a novel DNA helicase, NHL. Any such biologically active fragment and/or mutant will encode either a protein or protein fragment which at least substantially mimics the biological properties of the human NHL protein disclosed herein in FIG. 2 and as set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2. Any such polynucleotide includes but is not necessarily limited to nucleotide substitutions, deletions, additions, amino-terminal truncations and carboxy-terminal truncations such that these mutations encode mRNA which express a functional NHL protein in a host cell, so as to be useful for screening for agonists and/or antagonists of NHL activity.
The present invention also relates to recombinant vectors and recombinant hosts, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, which contain the substantially purified nucleic acid molecules disclosed throughout this specification.
The present invention also relates to a substantially purified form of a human NHL protein which comprises the amino acid sequence disclosed in FIG. 2 and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2.
A preferred aspect of this portion of the present invention is a NHL protein which consists of the amino acid sequence disclosed in FIG. 2 and set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2.
Another preferred aspect of the present invention relates to a substantially purified NHL protein, preferably a human NHL protein, obtained from a recombinant host cell containing a DNA expression vector comprises a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and expresses the respective NHL protein. It is especially preferred is that the recombinant host cell be a eukaryotic host cell, such as a mammalian cell line.
The present invention also relates to biologically active fragments and/or mutants of a NHL protein comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, including but not necessarily limited to amino acid substitutions, deletions, additions, amino terminal truncations and carboxy-terminal truncations such that these mutations provide for proteins or protein fragments of diagnostic, therapeutic or prophylactic use and would be useful for screening for selective modulators, including but not limited to agonists and/or antagonists for human NHL pharmacology.
A preferred aspect of the present invention is disclosed in FIG. 2 and is set forth as SEQ ID NO: 2, a respective amino acid sequence which encodes human NHL. Characterization of one or more of these DNA helicase-like proteins allows for screening methods to identify novel NHL modulators that may be useful in the treatment of human neoplastic disorders. The modulators selected through such screening and selection protocols may be used alone or in conjunction with other cancer therapies. As noted above, heterologous expression of a NHL protein will allow the pharmacological analysis of compounds which modulate NHL activity and hence may be useful in various cancer therapies. To this end, heterologous cell lines expressing a NHL protein can be used to establish functional or binding assays to identify novel NHL modulators.
The present invention also relates to polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies raised in response to either the NHL or a biologically active fragment of NHL.
The present invention relates to transgenic mice comprising altered genotypes and phenotypes in relation to NHL and its in vivo activity.
The present invention also relates to NHL fusion constructs, including but not limited to fusion constructs which express a portion of the NHL protein linked to various markers, including but in no way limited to GFP (Green fluorescent protein), the MYC epitope, and GST. Any such fusion constructs may be expressed in the cell line of interest and used to screen for NHL modulators.
Therefore, the present invention relates to methods of expressing mammalian NHL, and preferably human NHL, biological equivalents disclosed herein, assays employing these gene products, recombinant host cells which comprise DNA constructs which express these proteins, and compounds identified through these assays which act as agonists or antagonists of NHL activity.
The present invention also relates to the isolated genomic sequence which comprises SEQ ID NO: 1, a 115 kb genomic fragment set forth herein as SEQ ID NO: 3. As especially preferred aspect of this portion of the invention is the region of the genomic fragment of SEQ ID NO: 3 which comprises the regulatory and coding regions of human NHL, as well as intervening sequences (introns). This 115 kb fragment contains at least the coding region of four genes, NHL, M68/DcR3, SCLIP and ARP. As discussed herein, it has been shown that this region of chromosome 20 is associated with tumor growth. Therefore, an aspect of this invention also comprises the use of one or more regions of this 115 kb genomic sequence to identify compounds which up or downregulate expression of one or more of the genes localized within this 115 kb region, wherein this up or down regulation results in an interference of tumor growth. For example, a transcription element of one of these four genes may be responsible for M68/DcR3 (and/or NHL) overexpression in tumors, and if M68 or NHL overexpression in tumors has a caustic role, blockage of M68/DcR3 or NHL overexpression in tumors by interfering with this transcription site will be useful.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an isolated nucleic acid molecule (e.g., SEQ ID NO: 1) which encodes novel form of human NHL, or fragments, mutants or derivatives of human NHL as set forth in FIG. 2 and SEQ ID NO: 2. Any such polynucleotide includes but is not necessarily limited to nucleotide substitutions, deletions, additions, amino-terminal truncations and carboxy-terminal truncations such that these mutations encode mRNA which express a protein or protein fragment of diagnostic, therapeutic or prophylactic use and would be useful for screening for selective modulators of human NHL activity.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the mammalian, and especially human, NHL proteins or protein fragments encoded by the nucleic acid molecules referred to in the preceding paragraph.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide recombinant vectors and recombinant host cells which comprise a nucleic acid sequence encoding mammalian, and especially human, NHL protein and biological equivalent thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a substantially purified form of human NHL, as set forth in FIG. 2 and SEQ ID NO: 2.
Is another object of the present invention to provide a substantially purified recombinant form of a NHL protein which has been obtained from a recombinant host cell transformed or transfected with a DNA expression vector which comprises and appropriately expresses a complete open reading frame as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, resulting in a functional, processed form of NHL. It is especially preferred is that the recombinant host cell be a eukaryotic host cell, such as a mammalian cell line.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for biologically active fragments and/or mutants of mammalian, and especially human, NHL, such as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, including but not necessarily limited to amino acid substitutions, deletions, additions, amino terminal truncations and carboxy-terminal truncations such that these mutations provide for proteins or protein fragments of diagnostic, therapeutic and/or prophylactic use.
It is also an object of the present invention to use NHL proteins or biological equivalent to screen for modulators, preferably selective modulators, of human NHL activity. Any such compound may be useful in screening for and selecting compounds active against human neoplastic disorders.
As used herein, xe2x80x9csubstantially free from other nucleic acidsxe2x80x9d means at least 90%, preferably 95%, more preferably 99%, and even more preferably 99.9%, free of other nucleic acids. Thus, a human NHL DNA preparation that is substantially free from other nucleic acids will contain, as a percent of its total nucleic acid, no more than 10%, preferably no more than 5%, more preferably no more than 1%, and even more preferably no more than 0.1%, of non-NHL nucleic acids. Whether a given NHL DNA preparation is substantially free from other nucleic acids can be determined by such conventional techniques of assessing nucleic acid purity as, e.g., agarose gel electrophoresis combined with appropriate staining methods, e.g., ethidium bromide staining, or by sequencing.
As used herein, xe2x80x9csubstantially free from other proteinsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csubstantially purifiedxe2x80x9d means at least 90%, preferably 95%, more preferably 99%, and even more preferably 99.9%, free of other proteins. Thus, a NHL protein preparation that is substantially free from other proteins will contain, as a percent of its total protein, no more than 10%, preferably no more than 5%, more preferably no more than 1%, and even more preferably no more than 0.1%, of non-NHL proteins. Whether a given NHL protein preparation is substantially free from other proteins can be determined by such conventional techniques of assessing protein purity as, e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) combined with appropriate detection methods, e.g., silver staining or immunoblotting. As used interchangeably with the terms xe2x80x9csubstantially free from other proteinsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csubstantially purifiedxe2x80x9d, the terms xe2x80x9cisolated NHL proteinxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpurified NHL proteinxe2x80x9d also refer to NHL protein that has been isolated from a natural source. Use of the term xe2x80x9cisolatedxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpurifiedxe2x80x9d indicates that NHL protein has been removed from its normal cellular environment. Thus, an isolated NHL protein may be in a cell-free solution or placed in a different cellular environment from that in which it occurs naturally. The term isolated does not imply that an isolated NHL protein is the only protein present, but instead means that an isolated NHL protein is substantially free of other proteins and non-amino acid material (e.g., nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates) naturally associated with the NHL protein in vivo. Thus, a NHL protein that is recombinantly expressed in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell and substantially purified from this host cell which does not naturally (i.e., without intervention) express this protein is of course xe2x80x9cisolated NHL proteinxe2x80x9d under any circumstances referred to herein. As noted above, a NHL protein preparation that is an isolated or purified NHL protein will be substantially free from other proteins will contain, as a percent of its total protein, no more than 10%, preferably no more than 5%, more preferably no more than 1%, and even more preferably no more than 0.1%, of non-NHL proteins.
As used interchangeably herein, xe2x80x9cfunctional equivalentxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbiologically active equivalentxe2x80x9d means a protein which does not have exactly the same amino acid sequence as naturally occurring NHL, due to alternative splicing, deletions, mutations, substitutions, or additions, but retains substantially the same biological activity as NHL. Such functional equivalents will have significant amino acid sequence identity with naturally occurring NHL and genes and cDNA encoding such functional equivalents can be detected by reduced stringency hybridization with a DNA sequence encoding naturally occurring NHL. For example, a naturally occurring NHL disclosed herein comprises the amino acid sequence shown as SEQ ID NO: 2 and is encoded by SEQ ID NO: 1. A nucleic acid encoding a functional equivalent has at least about 50% identity at the nucleotide level to SEQ ID NO: 1.
As used herein, xe2x80x9ca conservative amino acid substitutionxe2x80x9d refers to the replacement of one amino acid residue by another, chemically similar, amino acid residue. Examples of such conservative substitutions are: substitution of one hydrophobic residue (isoleucine, leucine, valine, or methionine) for another; substitution of one polar residue for another polar residue of the same charge (e.g., arginine for lysine; glutamic acid for aspartic acid).
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cmammalianxe2x80x9d will refer to any mammal, including a human being.

DNA molecules encoding human NHL a DNA helicase


What is provided is a folio having at least one set of interleaved attachment tabs hingedly formed at the folio spine, comprising a first tab and a second nested tab, where both tabs share the same spine axis, and where each tab provides a means for attaching a leaf thereto, whether by providing a surface for fixedly attaching a leaf to or by providing a structural support for attaching a leaf thereto.

This invention relates to portfolios and in particular to portfolios with a spine that provides for means for attaching additional leaves thereto.
The invention relates to portfolios that offer attachment means for providing a plurality of leaves which may be removably or fixedly attached to a spine of a host portfolio and alternatively turned as leaves of that host portfolio.
The invention relates particularly to a highly efficient means for adding multiple leaves to a portfolio spine that eliminates the need to add additional spine attachment strips, offers the highest packing density of attachment tabs for a length of spine, and eliminates the need to put separator material between spine tabs.
Tanged file folders have been available. Such file folders provide for two or three tangs on one or both covers. Additionally, tanged strips are a feature of many file folders, stapled into the spine or folded as a part of the spine. The placement of tangs in any one of the above mentioned devices can be replaced by the combination of a hole and a spreadable clip and represent the basis for commercially available products and known art.
This invention relates to filing products intended to offer a hinged tang without requiring an additional strip for offering the hinging facility. Further, this invention intends to provide for at least two opposing hinged tabs of differing tab base widths, substantially coterminous one with the other for allowing the attachment of independent leaves, each hinging on one or the other of the tabs.
The limitation of attaching a leaf directly on a cover is that the leaf directly attached thereto does not hinge and swing freely. For example, the limitation of an additional hinged strip with tangs is the cost of stapling or gluing in the tang strip. This is a manufacturing and cost limitation.


A system and method for controlling the operation of a steam condenser in a power plant which includes a steam turbine, the condense having: a steam flow path including a steam inlet connected to receive turbine exhaust steam from the turbine steam outlet, a condensate outlet and a heat exchange region located between the steam inlet and the condensate outlet; a cooling water flow path having an inlet and an outlet and heat exchange elements for conducting cooling water through the heat exchange region, and a non-condensible product removal path having an inlet communicating with the heat exchange region and an outlet located outside of the heat exchange region. Control is effected by: measuring fluid flow at the steam inlet, the condensate outlet, the cooling water inlet and the cooling water outlet; providing a computer model of the condenser in its normal operating condition, supplying the model with representations of the measured flows at the steam inlet and the cooling water outlet, and producing, in the model, indications of the flow at the condensate outlet and the cooling water outlet when the condenser is in its normal operating condition; comparing the indications from the producing step with the measured flow at one of the condensate outlet and the cooling water outlet from the measuring step; and effecting a computerized analysis of the result of the comparing step for providing an indication of the probable cause of differences between the compared indications and flows.

The present invention relates to the control of a condenser in a power plant steam generation system.
The condenser of a steam power generation system acts to condense steam exiting from the system output components, particularly the steam turbines, under such conditions that a low pressure is maintained in the steam leaving these components.
Proper operation and maintenance of the condenser have a significant influence on the effective operation of a steam power plant. For example, if the condenser does not create the optimum backpressure for the turbine outlet, the power output of the plant will be reduced. Thus, in a typical plant, a backpressure value which is 2.5 cm of Hg greater than optimum can reduce plant output by 1 percent; 5 cm of Hg greater than optimum can reduce plant output by 3 percent.
In addition, faults and breakdowns in the condenser systems of existing power plants are responsible for significant losses in plant availability each year.
Heretofore, it has been the practice in industry to monitor a number of condenser operating parameters, notably pressure and temperature, and possibly flow rate, at the inlet and outlet of the various flow paths in the condenser and to display the measured values to an operator who would then determine whether any corrective action, such as maintenance, repairs, or a flow adjustment, should be made.
However, it is frequently difficult for an operator to determine, based on the available data, the correct cause of a nonconforming measured value. In addition, a slight change in a measured value indicative of a deviation from optimum operating conditions can often be missed.
On occasion, even if the operator should correctly identify the cause of a problem, the time which this requires can result in damage being caused to the system before the appropriate corrective action has been taken.


A presentation device for generating a virtual screen used for performing a pointing operation, has a photographing section of which an angle of view can be adjusted by operating a zoom function and a pan-and-tilt mechanism, a monitor for a presenter, displaying an image photographed by the photographing section, and a control section. A mark for generating the virtual screen is set on a photographing range of the photographing section or the monitor, a virtual screen area having a predetermined size is set within the angle of view of the photographing section based on the mark, and the control section generates XY coordinates of the virtual screen on the virtual screen area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a presentation device which is advantageous for giving presentations in which a presenter explains the content of materials such as manuscripts and photographs to an audience while the materials are displayed on a display device such as a screen or a monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lectures, explanations of goods, educational presentations, etc., are given while images of materials are displayed on a screen. These kinds of performances are called "presentations" hereinafter. In these presentations, a presenter indicates specific parts on images of materials projected on the screen by performing a pointing operation. Laser pointers emitting laser beams have generally been used in pointing operation methods. However, the laser beams are dangerous.
Therefore, the Applicant of the present invention previously proposed a presentation system in which a virtual screen is generated near a presenter, a camera photographs the state in which the presenter virtually performs a pointing operation on the virtual screen using an indication mark, and a point image is displayed at the position on an image projected on the screen, which corresponds to the position of the indication mark on image data, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-108305. In this proposal, there is no danger from the laser beams, it is possible to suppress shaking by image processing, and it is possible to vary the shape of the point image. In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-17184 proposed by the Applicant, not only the presenter, but also, members of the audience may perform a pointing operation by using a virtual screen.
On a virtual screen, a presenter virtually performs a pointing operation by using the indication mark in the above manner, and XY coordinates are generated. The indication mark is composed of light emitted by a light pen. When an arbitrary position on the virtual screen is indicated by the indication mark, the position of the indication mark on the XY coordinates is calculated based on image data obtained by a camera photographing the indication mark, and a point image is displayed at a position on the screen, which corresponds to the calculated position. The method of generating the virtual screen is as follows. For example, a camera photographs the state in which light is emitted at two diagonal points. A rectangular virtual screen area having a diagonal line connecting two diagonal points to each other is zoomed in the camera angle of view. XY coordinates are generated on the virtual screen area, whereby the virtual screen area is set as a virtual screen.
In the above method of generating the virtual screen, the position of the presenter is not restricted, and it is also possible for members of the audience to perform a pointing operation, whereby the presentation can be made more flexible and other effects can be obtained. The size of the virtual screen is made to fit the size of the presenter or the audience. However, this method of generating the virtual screen is troublesome. Due to this, it is necessary to teach the audience the method in order for the audience to perform pointing operations. As a result, the presentation may not be performed smoothly. To overcome this disadvantage, it is thought that the virtual screen should be set so as to be fixed before the presentation. In this case, however, the size of the virtual screen cannot be changed, and it is troublesome to set the position of the fixed virtual screen, and it is thereby difficult for the presenter to use a fixed virtual screen.


A method for operating an electric control device for at least one power unit of a motor vehicle, an operating temperature range being assigned to the control device, and the control device being automatically switched off if its temperature exceeds the operating temperature range. A switch-on of the automatically switched-off control device may be implemented only if its temperature is within the operating temperature range. Furthermore, a corresponding electric control device.

It is known to switch off electric control devices during operation if they become too hot. This occurs when the temperature of the control device exceeds a permissible temperature range, i.e., the operating temperature range. The switch-off prevents damage within the control device to heat-sensitive components of which the control device is made up. If the switched-off control device is switched on again, it will be uncertain whether the control device is still overheating or has cooled down sufficiently until the temperature has been recorded. If it is overheated, then the brief operation until the temperature has been detected, and an associated renewed switch-off of the control device can damage or destroy the control device.
German Patent No. DE 197 12 445 describes a system for controlling and/or regulating operating sequences in a motor vehicle using an electric circuit. If the temperature of the electric circuit exceeds one of a plurality of threshold values, then an action assigned to the threshold value will be implemented. This measure may consist of restricting the functionality or deactivating the electric circuit.
There is a need for a method that reliably protects the control device from damage and destruction by overheating following a switch-off.

Overheating protection of an electric control device


Highly porous synergistic combinations of silicon and carbon materials are provided, along with articles that incorporate such materials and processes for producing the materials. The compositions have novel properties and provide significant improvements in Coulombic efficiency, dilithiation capacity, and cycle life when used as anode materials in lithium battery cells including solid state batteries.

Lithium ion batteries represent an important class of rechargeable energy storage in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode to the positive electrode during discharge. First proposed in 1972, lithium ion batteries have become widely used in the portable consumer electronics and have been extended into electric vehicles as well. Lithium ion batteries are popular for several reasons including their light weight when compared to most other rechargeable batteries and the fact that they have high open-circuit voltage, low self-discharge rate, reduced toxicity and lack battery memory effect.
In a lithium battery under load, the lithium ions stored on the anode migrate from the anode through an electrolyte medium to the cathode creating an electrical current. During the charging process the lithium ions migrate back onto the anode. Currently, graphite is often used as the anode material. While not necessarily the optimal anode material, graphite's high availability and low cost currently make it an attractive solution. When carbon is used as the anode, and LiCoO2 as the cathode, the reaction on a Li-ion cell is given as: C+LiCoO2LiC6+Li0.5CoO2. The reactions at each electrode are given as:                At the cathode: LiCoO2—Li+−e-Li0.5CoO2143 mAh/g        At the anode: 6C+Li++e-LiC6372 mAh/g
One alternative to graphite as an anode material is silicon. The Li—Si anode system has one of the highest possible gravimetric capacities of all the elements. Further, unlike carbon based anode systems, silicon does not suffer from solvent co-intercalation breakdown. Silicon shows these advantageous properties due to the chemical structure of the Li—Si system—a single silicon atom is able to bind to 3.75 lithium ions, whereas it takes 6 carbon atoms to retain a single lithium ion. When silicon as an anode material is compared to graphitic carbon, the theoretical capacities differ by an order of magnitude. For a range of x from 0 to 3.75, the theoretical specific capacity of pure silicon is 3580 mAh/g, far greater than the theoretical capacity of 372 mAh/g for graphitic carbon. The full reaction is written as: 4Si+15 Li++15 e−Li15Si4=>3580 mAh/g.
While the above-noted properties seem to make silicon an ideal anode material, one consequence of silicon's enhanced lithium ion interaction is a large increase in volume dilation (>300%). This volume dilation results in the silicon anode structure being subjected to high stress levels and mechanical breakdown. Additionally the breakdown can occur because the anode loses contact with the electrode due to detachment, resulting in heterogeneous current density across the electrode. This breakdown means that traditional silicon anodes are unable to go through the multiple charge/discharge cycles necessary for commercialization. Hence, a critical unmet need for the use of silicon as a viable anode material is find a way to structurally stabilize it against multiple volume expansions.

Method and material for lithium ion battery anodes


A method and apparatus include directing an article to a receiving device; transferring the leading portion of the article to a folding device; transferring the leading portion of the article to an oscillating device while holding the trailing portion of the article on the receiving device; reversing the oscillating device; folding the article by overlaying the leading portion of the article on the trailing portion of the article to define a folded state while continuing to hold the trailing portion of the article on the receiving device.

The field of the present invention relates generally to apparatus using vacuum rolls and conveying means for holding, controlling, transferring, folding, winding or otherwise handling flexible materials and products.
One known type of vacuum roll includes a rotatable outer cylindrical wall defining an interior space and a plurality of apertures extending through the cylindrical wall and in fluid communication with the interior space. One or more stationary vacuum manifolds are disposed within the interior space and operatively connected to a vacuum source. Vacuum can be selectively applied to one or more of the vacuum manifolds by operating the vacuum source.
In another known type of vacuum roll, each of the vacuum manifolds is rotatable with the outer cylindrical wall. For example, a first plurality of apertures in the cylindrical wall is in fluid communication with one of the manifolds and a second plurality of apertures in the cylindrical wall is in fluid communication with another one of the manifolds. Vacuum can be selectively applied to the first plurality of apertures and/or the second plurality of apertures at any location about the rotation of the outer cylinder by regulating the vacuum applied by the vacuum source to the respective manifold. Regulation of the vacuum source is most commonly performed using one or more valves (e.g., solenoid valves). In other words, the vacuum applied to each of the manifolds can be selectively turned "on" and "off" by opening and closing a valve.
However, there remains a need for a folding apparatus capable of handling materials or products at high line speeds using vacuum rolls and conveying means with stationary vacuum manifolds and constant vacuum profiles.

Method and apparatus for folding a product


Disclosed is a charger including a first rectifying portion that rectifies an alternating power and outputs the rectified power to a neutral point of a 3-phase motor; a second rectifying portion/inverter that charges output power of the first rectifying portion in a high-voltage battery in a charging mode and drives the 3-phase motor by switching the charged power of the high-voltage battery in a drive mode; a high-voltage charging controller that controls the first rectifying portion and second rectifying portion/inverter so as to charge the high-voltage battery in the charging mode; and a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) that controls the second rectifying portion/inverter so as to drive the 3-phase motor in the drive mode, and controls the high-voltage charging controller so as to charge the high-voltage battery in the charging mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a charger that charges a high-voltage battery and a low-voltage battery, the high-voltage battery providing a 3-phase motor equipped in an electric vehicle with a driving power, the low-voltage battery providing electronic elements and a lamp device equipped in the electric vehicle with an operating power. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a charger that charges the high-voltage battery, charges the low-voltage battery using the power charged in the high-voltage battery while controlling a power factor of an input commercial AC (alternating Current) power at about 1 by operating a buck-type single-phase rectifier, a 3-phase motor and an inverter in a buck-boost operation, and can combine control and communication using one DSP (Digital Signal Processor) with an advantage of wiring by combining an inverter, a high-voltage charger and a low-voltage charger.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an electric vehicle includes a high-voltage battery in which a high-voltage of about 72V is charged, for example, a 3-phase motor which is driven by power charged in the high-voltage battery and drives the vehicle, and an inverter which drives the 3-phase motor.
However, the method has a limit to drive the 3-pahse motor with the charged power of the high-voltage battery, that is, it is not possible to drive the 3-phase motor any more when the power charged in the high-voltage battery is discharged more than a predetermined power level.
To obviate some or all of the prior art disadvantage, the electric vehicle includes a high-voltage charger that charges the high-voltage battery with its output power.
Further, the electric vehicle includes electronic units, lamp devices and different kinds of loads using a low-voltage power such as 12V power, as well as the 3-pahse motor, which has a low-voltage battery to operate loads which use the low-voltage power and a low-voltage charger to charge the low-voltage battery with a low-voltage power.
However, since the inverter, high-voltage charger and low-voltage charger are included separately with one another, it takes much time and labor to design an electric vehicle having each of the inverter, high-voltage charger and low-voltage charger mounted thereon.


The image processing apparatus is provided with a subject movement data creation unit that detects the movement of subjects in a plurality of partitioned blocks that partition a screen area of moving images, and creates subject movement data that specifies a partitioned block where there is movement in the subject and the movement of the subject in that partitioned block; a still image acquisition unit that acquires still images; and a still image processor that causes the image of the still image blocks corresponding to the partitioned blocks specified by the subject movement data to move in accordance with the movement of the subject specified by the subject movement data, on the still image acquired by the still image acquisition unit using the subject movement data created by the subject movement data creation unit.

As this type of art, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2008-182374 discloses art in which through reproduced still images the main subject image is successively overlaid and displayed in chronological order showing the position tracking data on the basis of position tracking data of the main subject recorded during photography.
However, with the art disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the main subject image successively overlaid and displayed on still images is a still image of a portion cut from the still image as a whole. Consequently, the art disclosed in Patent Literature 1 had the problem of being unable to express movements of the subject itself owing to movements of the position of the main subject.

Image processing apparatus and storage medium


Nanoparticles may be formed on a substrate by mixing precursor solutions deposited by an inkjet printer. A first solution is deposited on a substrate from a first inkjet print cartridge. Then, a second solution is deposited on the substrate from a second inkjet print cartridge. The solutions may be printed in an array of droplets on the substrate. Nanoparticles form when droplets of the first solution overlap with droplets of the second solution. In one example, the nanoparticles may be gold nanoparticles formed from mixing a first solution of 1,2-dichlorobenzene (DCB) and oleylamine and a second solution of gold chloride trihydrite and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The nanoparticles may be incorporated into optoelectronic devices.

Nanoparticles, and particularly gold nanoparticles, have unique physical and chemical properties. These properties have increased interest in improving nanoparticles synthesis and creating commercially-feasible processes. Conventionally, nanoparticles are deposited using physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods, such as co-evaporation and co-sputtering.
These processes are complex and result in low yield of nanoparticles with the desired composition, size, and size distribution. Further, operation of PVD processes is expensive and generates relatively low throughput. In particular, PVD processes operate in vacuum environments. Loading substrates into chambers and evacuating air from the chamber to lower the pressure into the operational range for the PVD process requires time, which reduces throughput. Further, the deposition process is relatively uncontrolled and may result in wasted materials. For example, in a co-sputtering process, the materials are deposited across an area much wider than just the substrate. Thus, if the materials are expensive, such as when gold nanoparticles are deposited, the wasted material may represent a large expense.
One conventional solution for improving nanoparticles deposition processes is printing the nanoparticles with an inkjet printer or other printer. An advantage of inkjet printing is the lack of requirement for a vacuum environment. The conventional process involves preparing a stable ink solution of nanoparticles in a solvent through wet chemical synthesis. The stable solution is then printed on a substrate with the inkjet printer. However, this process has several disadvantages. For example, the preparation of the stable ink solution is difficult and requires significant preparation time and purification before printing the ink with the inkjet printer. Moreover, infiltration of a porous medium is limited to the size of the nanoparticles used.

In situ synthesis of nanoparticles on substrates by inkjet printing

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology


A method includes receiving, by a server via a network, transaction information descriptive of a money transfer transaction initiated at a point of entry device. The transaction information includes information that identifies a location of the point of entry device. The method includes determining, by the server, receipt information to be included in a receipt for the money transfer transaction. The receipt information may be determined based, at least in part, on the transaction information, and at least a portion of the receipt information included in the receipt satisfies regulatory requirements associated with the location of the point of entry device. The method includes generating, by the server, the receipt that includes the receipt information, and transmitting the receipt from the server to the point of entry device via the network.

Government regulations mandate that receipts include certain information, and may periodically ask businesses to prove up compliance with these regulations. Failure to comply with such regulations may result in fines or loss of business licenses. It is becoming increasingly common for transactions to be executed across multiple locations, each having different regulatory requirements. For example, in a money transfer transaction, a sending party (e.g., a party sending funds in connection with the money transfer transaction) may be located in a first location (e.g., a first city, a first state, or a first country) and a receiving party (e.g., a party receiving funds in connection with the money transfer transaction) may be located in a second location (e.g., a second city, a first state, or a first country). The first location and the second location may be associated with different regulations that impose different requirements on the content of receipts. Localized generation of receipt content (e.g., at the location where the money transfer transaction originated) may result in creation of a receipt that is provided to a party, such as the receiving party, that may not be compliant with the relevant regulations. This may lead to fines or loss of business license for the operator of a money transfer entity operating the first location, and possibly even an operator of the second location. Additionally localized generation requires multiple locations to each track and implement different rules as well as have each location accountable for compliance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A hand held terminal for optically scanning coded information has an electronic housing with a major axis, an intermediate axis and a minor axis. An optical scanning device is mounted at a first longitudinal end of the terminal with respect to the major axis. A multi-line information display is arranged on a top surface of the housing such that the display is facing in a direction corresponding to the minor axis. The terminal further has a handle with a handgrip extending outwardly from the housing at a second longitudinal end. The axis of the handle forms an angle of approximately 0 to 45 degrees from the major axis and is perpendicular to the intermediate axis. An operator control is arranged on said top surface adjacent the second end of said housing such that the control can be operated by the thumb on a hand grasping the device.

The present invention relates to devices for optically acquiring data, and in particular to optical bar codes scanning devices.
Hand-held scanning devices are well known and used typically in connection with checkout stations at supermarkets and other retail establishments for reading bar codes on products being purchased by a customer. Such devices are also useful in connection with taking inventory and in connection with warehousing, shipping and storage of products. The assignee of the present application, Symbol Technologies, Inc., currently markets a Personal Shopping System wherein customers of a retail establishment can check-out individual product scanning devices, which are portable. During the customer""s visit to the store, the customer scans products being purchased as the products are placed in the shopping basket. Product information acquired during the customers shopping is either stored in the portable terminal to be read out when the terminal is returned or relayed to a store computer by local area radio. When the customer has gathered all desired products, itemized check-out is not required since the products have already been scanned, and the device or central computer can be used to prepare a full list of the customers purchases and the price to be paid by the customer.
Currently used terminals for the Personal Shopping System tend to be rather large and bulky because of the inclusion of computer circuits, a bar code scanner, batteries, and in many instances a local area radio. In order to promote greater utilization of the Personal Shopping System and improved customer and merchant acceptance thereof, there is a recognized desire to provide hand-held terminals that are smaller in size, lighter in weight, more easily held and used by the customer and provide greater functionality. The present invention provides an ergonomically designed hand-held terminal which uses more compact and light-weight electronics and provides an improved and more comfortable shape for use by the customer. In addition, there is a desire to provide a convenient mounting receptacle at which the customers receives the terminals upon entering the store and an accessory for holding the terminal while shopping. The present invention, provides a new and improved cradle for receiving and dispensing hand-held terminals to customers.
In accordance with the invention, a hand-held terminal is provided for optically scanning coded information. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the terminal includes an electronic housing having a major axis, an intermediate axis and an minor axis. An optical scanning device is mounted at a first longitudinal end of the electronic housing with respect to the major access. A multi-line information display is arranged on a top surface of the electronic housing, facing in a direction corresponding to the minor axis. A handle is provided comprising a handgrip having a handle axis and extending outwardly from the electronic housing at a second longitudinal end thereof. The handle axis forms an angle of approximately 15 to 40 degrees from the major axis and approximately 75 to 50 degrees from the minor axis. The handle axis is perpendicular to the intermediate axis. An operator control is arranged on the top surface adjacent the second end of the electronic housing for operation by the thumb of a user. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hand-held terminal is provided with a transverse rest stand on an end of the handle remote from the electronic housing. An electrical connector may also be provided at the remote end of the handle. The display is preferably recessed in the top surface to prevent damage thereto in the event the terminal is dropped. To further prevent damage to the terminal, the exterior facing surfaces of the electronic housing may comprise a resilient, impact-resistant material. An indicator lamp can be provided on the top surface of the electronic housing. A trigger is preferably provided on the handle adjacent the intersection of the handle with the electronic housing. The operator controls on the top surface may comprise buttons or in one embodiment, may comprise a touch pad or, in another preferred embodiment, a touch screen with software defined activated keys.
In accordance with the invention, there is further providing a cradle for receiving a hand-held terminal. The cradle includes a rectangular base having first and second side walls and a rear wall. A front wall comprising a concave cylindrical mounting surface, is arranged between the side walls. A pocket extends outward from the mounting surface for receiving a handle of a terminal with a housing of the terminal partially surrounded by the cylindrical mounting surface. In a preferred arrangement, the pocket is arranged at an angle with respect to the cylindrical mounting surface corresponding to the angle between the handle axis and the major axis of the electronic housing of the terminal. The pocket preferably includes an electrical connector for engaging an electrical connector on the handle of the terminal. The pocket preferably comprises an open upper end for receiving the handle and an substantially closed lower end. An opening is provided in the lower end for allowing debris to fall out of the pocket. The pocket may additionally include a locking member and there may be provided a locking circuit connected to an electrical connector in the pocket. The electrical locking circuit responds to an unlock signal provided to the electrical connector by a terminal. In one arrangement, at least a portion of the front wall is fabricated of translucent material and one or more lamps are provided behind the front wall, arranged to be activated by a lamp signal provided to the electrical connector by the terminal. This translucent wall may consist of a replaceable insert which may be modified to include location specific markings such as store names, location identifiers and/or product advertising. The cradle may further include a member extending outwardly from the concave cylindrical mounting surface and facing the pocket for supporting a optically readable label and for receiving a single card reader member.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for providing self-service terminals to shoppers in a retail establishment. The method includes inserting a terminal in a cradle, which cradle includes a locking circuit and an electrical connector for supplying power to the terminal and for receiving data communication from the terminal. The cradle preferably includes an optically readable label. The terminal is operated to read the label and communicate label data to a central computer by radio. In an alternative preferred embodiment, the method includes reading customer provided identification at either a customer station or at the terminal and communicating identification data to the central computer. The central computer is operated to verify the customer identification and to select a terminal for use by the customer. Thereafter a radio signal is sent from the central computer to the terminal and the terminal is operated to send data communications to the cradle by the connector, the data communications operating the locking circuit. The customer is notified of the selected terminal.
According to one method, the customer may be notified by illuminating a portion of the cradle. Alternately, or in addition, a message can be provided on a display screen and/or an audio signal may be activated.
In accordance with the invention there is provided an electronic assembly for the hand-held data acquisition terminal. The assembly includes a lower housing member having an upper opening and an upper housing member arranged to close the upper opening and including a display window. A chassis is arranged to be mechanically mounted between the lower and upper housing members. The chassis has upper and lower recesses, such that a display can be mounted in the upper recess of the chassis facing the display window and a first circuit can be mounted in the lower recess of the chassis. A second circuit is mounted to the chassis covering the lower recess and the first circuit mounted therein.
In a preferred arrangement one of the housing members includes a window at a longitudinal end thereof and an optical scanner is mounted adjacent to said window on a support bracket carried by the chassis. The support bracket may be mounted to the second window and include a non-conductive spacer. An antenna can be mounted on the non-conductive spacer on a side opposite the second circuit.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided an accessory for a handle on a shopping cart. The accessory comprises a body member having a receiving portion arranged to receive a hand-held terminal. The accessory further includes a clamping member connected to the body member and arranged to provide clamping action with respect thereto. The body member and the clamping member define an intermediate bore for receiving the handle. Within the base there is provided an interchangeable cylindrical clamp spacer having a periphery corresponding to the cross-section of the bore and an internal cylindrical hole with a cross-section selected to closely surround the handle.
In a preferred arrangement the intermediate bore is circular and comprises semi-circular cylindrical recesses on the body member and the clamping member. The clamping member can be pivotably connected to the body member at a first side of the intermediate bore and connected to the body member by a clamping screw at a second side of the intermediate bore. The clamping spacer may include an axial slot.
In a preferred alternative embodiment, the terminal is provided with additional modular accessories such as a keyboard, mag-strip reader, a heads up display including audio speakers, microphone and/or video; electronic surveillance tag deactivators, smart card reader, touch sensitive display and/or voice over IP capability. These peripheral devices provide additional functionality for the terminal so that they may provide additional terminal functionality. For example, the terminals may function as inventory terminals, a checkout register, terminal assistants to shoppers who may be blind, hard of hearing or have other disabilities, or function as a manager""s assistant terminal for retrieving audio/visual information from external locations. These peripherals, also referred to as a companion device, could be coupled directly through a communication port on the terminal or include a battery and transceiver to communicate with the terminal. In a further embodiment, the companion device includes a transceiver which is a radio which communicates directly with the same host network to which the terminal is coupled, but which is xe2x80x9cassociatedxe2x80x9d with the terminal by activating the peripheral device to communicate with the network scanning a special bar code on the peripheral device and thereby associating data entered on the peripheral device to the terminal.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects, reference is made to the following description, taking in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope would be pointed out in the appended claims.


There are provided a zoom lens system comprising, in order from a more distant conjugate point, a first lens unit of a negative refractive power, a second lens unit of negative refractive power which moves during zooming, third, fourth and fifth lens units, and at least one diffraction optical element.

The present invention relates to zoom lens systems, and more particularly a zoom lens system suitable for a projection lens for magnifies and projecting an original image formed by an image-forming device, such as a liquid crystal panel. The present invention is suitable, for example, for a zoom lens system including five lens units or more and using a diffraction optical element.
Along with recent increasingly improved fine and miniature liquid crystal projectors, a projection optical system for use with the liquid crystal projectors is required to exhibit higher performance. In particular, a strict requirement has currently applied to a correction to the transverse or lateral chromatic aberration, which dominantly controls the image quality.
Various optical systems have conventionally been proposed as a solution for the above problem. Recently, a diffraction optical element having a diffractive operation has been proposed as a means for correcting the chromatic aberration, in particular, the lateral chromatic aberration for use with the projection optical system.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-19400 proposes a zoom lens system that uses a diffraction optical element for the zoom lens system for a projection in a liquid crystal projector. The zoom lens system includes, in order from a more distant conjugate point for a zoom lens system, a first lens unit of negative refractive power, a second lens unit of positive refractive power, a third lens unit of negative refractive power, and a fourth lens unit of positive refractive power, and a fifth lens unit of positive refractive power, and introduces a diffraction optical element into the zoom lens system. This prior art provides, when properly arranging the diffraction optical element in the zoom lens system, a zoom lens system with reduced astigmatism and distortion, which is so compatible with a fine liquid crystal that it may sufficiently correct the lateral chromatic aberration.
However, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-19400 cannot sufficiently reduce a moving amount of the second unit as a zooming unit from the less distant conjugate point to the more distant conjugate point during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, thus is disadvantageous in that the entire lens system does not have a sufficiently reduced size.
Accordingly, it is a primary but exemplified object of the present invention to provide a zoom lens system suitable for a projection lens in a liquid crystal projector etc., which may correct a wide variety of aberrations including the chromatic aberration (in particular, the lateral chromatic aberration), while miniaturizing the entire lens system sufficiently.
In order to achieve the above object, a zoom lens system of one aspect according to the present invention includes, in order from a more distant conjugate point for the zoom lens system, a first lens unit of a negative refractive power, a second lens unit of negative refractive power which moves during zooming, third, fourth and fifth lens units, wherein said zoom lens system further includes at least one diffraction optical element. The zoom lens system is a system for arranging two conjugate points in a conjugate relationship. This zoom lens corrects, when properly arranging the diffraction optical element, a wide variety of aberrations including the chromatic aberration (in particular, lateral the chromatic aberration), while miniaturizing the entire lens system sufficiently.
Preferably, the third, fourth, and fifth lens units have positive, negative and positive refractive power.
The zoom lens system may further include a sixth lens unit, wherein the fifth lens unit moves during the zooming.
The zoom lens system may further include a sixth lens unit of positive refractive power.
The zoom lens system may further include a stop movable during zooming. The zoom lens system may further include stop between the third and forth lens units. The stop may move with the third lens unit. The diffraction optical element may be located closer to a less distant conjugate point than the stop. Thereby, the axial and lateral chromatic aberrations can be simultaneously corrected.
The diffraction optical element may be located in the fifth lens unit, thereby preventing lowered diffraction efficiency caused by an angular difference relative to a tangential direction at each incident position on a lens surface of each of the axial and non-axial rays as well as the deteriorated diffractive optical element at the outermost lens surface due to the dust and heat from a light source.
A conditional expression xe2x88x920.50 less than fw/f1 less than xe2x88x920.01 is preferably satisfied where f1 is a focal length of the first lens unit and fw is a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle end. In this conditional expression, when the ratio exceeds the lower limit, the negative refractive power of the first lens unit becomes excessively strong, and the curvature of field is undesirably generated at an excessive side. On the other hand, when the ratio exceeds the upper limit, the negative refractive power of the first lens unit becomes excessively weak. Thereby, it becomes difficult to provide the entire system with a short focal length, and undesirably causes a long projection length to project an image.
The fourth lens unit moves from the more distant conjugate point to the less distant conjugate point during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.
A conditional expression 0.05 less than d3W/d3T less than 0.60 is preferably satisfied where d3W is a separation between the third and fourth lens units at the wide-angle end and d3T is a separation between the third and fourth lens units at the telephoto end. When the ratio exceeds the upper limit, the entire lens system and thus the back diameter undesirably increase. When the ratio exceeds the lower limit, a position of an exit pupil undesirably drastically fluctuates during zooming.
The second lens unit preferably moves from the more distant conjugate point to the less distant conjugate point during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.
A conditional expression 0.05 less than |M2/M4| less than 1.0 is satisfied where M2 is a moving amount of the second lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, and M4 is a moving amount of the fourth lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end. In this conditional expression, when the ratio exceeds the upper limit, the front diameter becomes undesirably large. When the ratio exceeds the lower limit, the predetermined zooming ratio cannot be undesirably maintained.
A conditional expression 0.01 less than |M3/M4| less than 1.0 is satisfied where M3 is a moving amount of the third lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, and M4 is a moving amount of the fourth lens unit during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end. In this conditional expression, when the ratio exceeds the upper limit, the lens span becomes undesirably long. When the ratio exceeds the lower limit, a predetermined zooming ratio cannot be undesirably maintained.
Preferably, the lens units at both ends do not move during zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end.
Preferably, the second lens unit includes one positive lens and one negative lens, or only one negative lens. Preferably, the third lens unit includes one positive lens. Preferably, the fourth lens unit includes one negative lens.
Preferably, the first lens unit includes, in order from the more distant conjugate point, three lenses of a positive lens, a negative lens and a negative lens, or a positive lens, a positive lens and a negative lens.
Preferably, the diffraction optical element includes one diffraction grating so as to enhance the diffraction efficiency of the diffraction light near a designed order or stacked layers of diffraction gratings so as to enhance the optical performance (or diffraction efficiency).
The diffraction optical element is formed by combining two diffraction gratings having the same grating thickness and facing each other so as to make flat a surface of the diffraction optical element. Such a diffraction optical element""s surface as does not form a grating shape facilitates assembly work of the diffraction optical element, and provides a dustproof and inexpensive optical system.
The diffraction optical element may be formed by combining a plurality of diffraction gratings or a plurality of diffraction gratings facing each other via air.
An image-forming device of another aspect of the present invention includes the above zoom lens system and projects an original image to a subject surface, the image being located at the less distant conjugate position for the zoom lens system. The original image is a liquid crystal panel.
An image pick-up device of still another aspect of the present invention includes the above zoom lens, and uses the zoom lens system to project an image of an object onto a photosensitive body located at a less distant conjugate position for the zoom lens system.

Zoom lens system, image projecting and image pick-up devices using the same


Provided is a safety scanner capable of obtaining uniform optical performance for a view angle of 180° or more. The safety scanner includes an optical rotator that emits detection light from a light source to a detection area and causes the detection light to perform scanning in a circumferential direction, a light receiving element that receives reflected light from an object within the detection area through the optical rotator, a casing that houses the light receiving element. The casing includes a canopy part, a bottom part facing the canopy part, and a coupling part that couples a rear end of the canopy part to a rear end of the bottom part. The protective cover includes a window formed in a circular arc shape, corresponding to an optical path of the detection light and the reflected light, having a central angle larger than 180° with respect to the rotation axis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety scanner, and more particularly, to an improvement of a safety scanner that optically senses an intruder into a protection area.
2. Description of Related Art
An optical safety sensor is an area monitoring device which optically senses an intruder such as a person intruded into a protection area and outputs a safety control signal for emergently stopping a machine such as a machine tool or an industrial robot (e.g., JP 2009-296087 A and JP 2009-294734 A).
For example, a safety scanner is an optical scanning area monitoring device provided with an optical rotator which emits detection light from a light source to a detection area and causes the detection light to perform scanning in the circumferential direction, a light receiving element which receives reflected light from an object within the detection area through the optical rotator and generates a light receiving signal, and an intruder determination section which obtains a distance measurement position corresponding to a distance to the object and a scanning angle of the detection light on the basis of the light receiving signal and compares the distance measurement position with a predetermined protection area to determine the presence or absence of an intruder.
Typically, a safety scanner is provided with a casing which houses a light receiving element and an intruder determination section, and a protective cover for protecting an optical rotator. For example, in a safety scanner that covers an optical rotator with a U-shaped metal casing and a protective cover, the protective cover is attached to the metal casing from the front side thereof. Further, maintenance of the optical rotator and the like is required or the protective cover is required to be replaced when damaged. Thus, the protective cover is required to be detachably attached to the metal casing.
In a conventional safety scanner, the cross section of the protective cover taken along a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the optical rotator is formed in a circular arc shape on the front side with respect to the rotation axis and in a linear shape on the rear side with respect to the rotation axis to ensure the view angle of 180° or more. Thus, the curvature of the protective cover differs between the front side and the rear side with respect to the rotation axis, which disadvantageously changes the optical performance depending on a scanning angle of detection light.
In a safety scanner that covers an optical rotator only with a protective cover, the protective cover is attached to a lower casing from the upper side. Thus, the above technical problem does not occur.


Systems and methods relating to making a physical copy at a remote storage device of data on a local storage device in response to a command from a backup application operatively associated with the local storage device are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises replicating the data from the local storage device on the remote storage device. The method also comprises copying the data replicated at the remote storage device to a physical medium operatively associated with the remote storage device in response to a command from the backup application operatively associated with the local storage device.

Storage devices commonly implement data replication operations, e.g., for data archiving and recovery. Data in virtual libraries may be replicated in another virtual library at a remote site. However, the backup application is not allowed to "see" the virtual library at the remote site because the backup application typically is not configured to handle two or more copies of the data (e g., having the same name, barcode, and/or contents, etc.) Accordingly, the backup application cannot access the remote virtual library.
Enterprise customers often desire to backup data at the remote site on a physical medium (e.g., a backup tape). The physical medium serves as a "carved-off" physical copy of the virtual library, and may be saved for use as an archive, test tape, etc. Because the physical medium is different from the virtual library (e.g., perhaps having a different barcode, size, cartridge type, retention time, or contents, etc.), the backup application needs to be used for copying the data from the virtual storage to the physical medium. Specifically, a virtual tape cannot be replicated on a physical tape if the virtual tape and physical tape have different characteristics (e.g., different sizes, different barcodes, and different contents). For example, multiple 100 GB virtual tapes may be copied onto a single 800 GB physical tape, and therefore the backup application must be in control. In other words, the virtual storage cannot simply be replicated to the physical medium. But since the backup application cannot handle both local and remote virtual libraries, other solutions are needed to copy a remote virtual library to a remote physical medium.
A virtual library may be used for "tape stacking" where multiple virtual tapes are copied onto a physical tape. But the physical tape cannot be restored directly by the backup application since the "stacked tape" is a custom format created by the virtual library, and thus would have to be "de-staged" back onto the virtual tape library store before restoring the data.
Another copy of the backup application may be installed at the remote site. This copy of the backup application can be used to access the remote virtual library and make copies to the remote physical medium. However, there requires multiple instances of the backup application to track both the virtual libraries and the backup on the physical medium. This approach also requires that the customer license separate backup applications.

Making a physical copy of data at a remote storage device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention relates to a method of prophylaxis or treatment of systemic diseases in cats, wherein the method comprising administration of a therapeutically effective amount of angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT-1) antagonist (sartan) to a cat in need of such a treatment.

The prevalence of renal disease is high in aged cats, whereas chronic renal failure is considered the most important one. The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats is reported to reach up to 20% with 53% of cats were older than 7 years (Lefebre, Toutain 2004, J. Vet. Pharm. Therap. 27, 265-281; Wolf A M North. Am. Vet Congress 2006). Survival in cats with mild to moderate azotemia and extrarenal clinical signs (IRIS stage 2 & 3) ranged from 1 to 3 years. Early management and therapy is considered to successfully influence prognosis for CKD (Wolf A M North Am. Vet Congress 2006)
Chronic renal failure (CRF), at least in its final stage is, regardless of the underlying causes, characterized by irreversible structural lesions of the kidney. Thereby, progressive irreversible lesions initially localized to one portion of the nephron (e.g. glomeruli, peritubular capillaries, tubules or interstitial tissue), are eventually responsible for the development of lesions in the remaining, but initially unaffected portions of nephrons due to their functional interdependencies. New nephrons cannot be formed to replace others irreversibly destroyed by disease. In a study of biopsy findings in cats with primary renal azotemia, tubulointerstitial nephritis was observed in 70%, glomerulonephropathy occurred in 15%, lymphoma in 11% and amyloidosis was observed in 2% of the samples. CRF is recognized by reduced kidney function or the presence of kidney damage (Polzin, Osborne, Ross 2005 in: Ettinger S J, Feldman C E (eds.) Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 6th, Vol 2. Chapter 260, 1756-1785).
Angiotensin II plays an important part in pathophysiology, particularly as the most potent agent for increasing blood pressure in humans. It is known that in addition to its effect of raising blood pressure Angiotensin II also has growth-promoting effects which contribute to left ventricular hypertrophy, vascular thickening, atherosclerosis, renal failure and stroke. In small animals, inhibition of the effects of Angiotensin II, via either ACE inhibitors have been shown to exhibit renoprotective effects through their simultaneous capacity to decrease blood pressure and control proteinuria.
Current therapy aims to delay the progression of the disease in cats by improving renal function, especially glomerular function by maintaining glomerular perfusion. This includes dietary protein restriction, modification of dietary lipid intake, phosphate restriction and treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (P. J. Barber (2004) The Kidney, in: Chandler E A, Gaskell C J, Gaskell R M, (eds.) Feline Medicine and Therapeutics, 3rd edition, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK).
ACE inhibitors, especially enalapril, benazepril, imidapril and ramipril, have been initially developed in small animal medicine to control chronic heart failure (CHF). Based on the pathophysiological role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in progression of chronic heart failure and in progression of renal damage, these agents have been shown to be useful in the treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in order to delay progression of disease and reduce morbidity and suffering in small animals, including cats. Sound evidence for this is probably the recent approval of benazepril in Europe for the treatment of feline CRF (Lefebre Toutain, 2004 J Vet Pharm Therap 27, 265-281). However, the renoprotection of ACE inhibitor was likely mediated by the effect on proteinuria rather than by blood pressure reduction. This has been shown for ramipril, since the effect on blood pressure was comparable to that of placebo while the proteinuria was reduced (Remuzzi et al., 2006 J Clin Invest 116, (2) 288-296).
From a clinical point of view, ACE inhibitors are not the preferred target to block the RAAS because of the lack of specificity for Angiotensin I and the "angiotensin escape" phenomen; where alternate enzymatic pathways such a cathepsin, trypsin or the heart chymase can also convert Angiotensin I. Moreover, during long term treatment with ACE inhibitors, ACE activity is upregulated and Angiotensin I levels are high due the stimulated renin secretion (Burnier & Brunner 2000 The Lancet, 355 637-645).
Thus, one objective of the present invention consists in providing a new therapeutic approach for the treatment or prophylaxis of cats against chronic kidney disease.
A further more general aspect of the present invention consists in providing a new therapeutic approach for the treatment or prophylaxis of cats against systemic diseases; preferably against systemic diseases which are related to Angiotensin II or associated with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS).

Angiotensin II receptor antagonist for the prevention or treatment of systemic diseases in cats


A collapsible sunshade according to the present invention has a panel comprising a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, the frame member defining a periphery for the panel with an interior space inside of the periphery, a meshed material covering the interior space defined by the frame member to form the panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation, and a shade fabric having at least a portion thereof removably attached to the panel so that the shade fabric can assume a first position in which the shade fabric completely overlies, in a planar manner, the meshed material, and a second position where the portion of the shade fabric that is removably attached to the panel is disengaged from the panel to expose a portion of the meshed material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible structures, and in particular, to collapsible sunshades that can be used for multiple purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Collapsible sunshades have been well-known for some time, as illustrated by the sunshades shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,024,262 (Huang), 4,815,784 (Zheng), 5,732,759 (Wan) and 5,553,908 (Shink), among others. All of these sunshades are provided solely for the purpose of blocking sunlight at a window or windshield when the vehicle is parked. None of these sunshades are capable of being used when the vehicle is in motion.
There are other sunshades that are adapted for use when the vehicle is in motion. While these sunshades can provide partial shade to the occupants inside a vehicle, these sunshades are not effective in blocking heat and sunlight.


The present invention relates to a plum tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a large size, vigorous, and medium productive tree, which requires cross pollinization. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in early August, with first picking on Aug. 3, 1993, and is uniformly large in size, semi-freestone in type, very dark red in skin color, oblong in shape, deliciously sweet in flavor, and firm in texture. The variety was developed as an open pollinated seedling of an unnamed seedling.

In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of nectarine, peach, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of plum tree, which has been denominated varietally as "Bradprune". Each year we grow a large number of seeds from selected seed parents that have been hybridized by selected pollen parents. We also grow a large number of seeds from selected seed parents that were open pollinated by unknown pollen sources. The present variety was developed by us in 1982, and the resulting seedling was planted in a cultivated area of our experimental orchard at Bradford Farms near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). Specifically, this seedling was originated by growing an open pollinated seed of an unnamed plum seedling. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of plum tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects.
The present variety is most similar to the Grand Rosa (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,756) plum by producing large, semi-freestone, red fruit that matures in early August, but is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon by producing fruit that is darker red in skin color, that is smoother in skin texture, that is oblong in shape, that is less susceptible to growth cracking, and that is substantially sweeter in flavor.


Methods of removing a fluid from a well bore with a chemical wash composition, and more particularly, methods of using chemical wash compositions comprising water, a sulfonated lignin, and a taurate are provided. In one embodiment, a method of at least partially removing a fluid from a well bore surface is provided that comprises: providing a chemical wash composition comprising water, a sulfonated lignin, and a taurate; and contacting the well bore surface with the chemical wash composition to thereby at least partially remove the fluid from the well bore surface.

The present invention relates to removing a fluid from a well bore with a chemical wash composition, and more particularly, to chemical wash compositions that comprise water, a sulfonated lignin, and a taurate. These chemical wash compositions may be used to remove or substantially displace a drilling fluid from a well bore.
Fluids are often used for a variety of purposes in subterranean applications. For instance, a variety of drilling fluids have been used in drilling subterranean well bores. As used herein, the term "drilling fluid" may refer to any of a number of liquid and gaseous fluids, and mixtures of fluids and solids (as solid suspensions, mixtures and emulsions of liquids, gases and solids) used in operations to drill well bores into subterranean formations. In some instances, a drilling fluid may be an aqueous-based fluid that comprises clays and/or polymers. During the drilling of a well bore in a subterranean formation, a drilling fluid may be used to, among other things, cool the drill bit, lubricate the rotating drill string to prevent it from sticking to the walls of the well bore, prevent blowouts by serving as a hydrostatic head to counteract the sudden entrance into the well bore of high pressure formation fluids, and remove drill cuttings from the well bore. A drilling fluid may be circulated downwardly through a drill pipe and drill bit and then upwardly through the well bore to the surface.
As the drilling fluid is circulated, a layer of solids referred to as a "filter cake" is formed on the walls of the well bore. The term "filter cake" as used herein may refer to the residue deposited on a permeable medium when a slurry, such as a drilling fluid, is forced against the medium under a pressure. Filter cake properties such as cake thickness, toughness, slickness and permeability are important because the cake that forms on permeable zones in the well bore can cause stuck pipe and other drilling problems. Reduced oil and gas production can result from reservoir damage when a poor filter cake allows deep filtrate invasion. A certain degree of cake buildup usually is desirable to isolate formations from drilling fluids. In openhole completions in high-angle or horizontal holes, the formation of an external filter cake is preferable to a cake that forms partly inside the formation. The latter has a higher potential for formation damage. The filter cake and gelled or partially gelled drilling fluid mixed therewith reduce or prevent additional fluid loss as the well is drilled.
Once the well bore has been drilled to a desired depth, the drill string and drill bit may be removed from the well bore, and a pipe string (e.g., casing, liners, etc.) may be introduced into the well bore. After the pipe string is introduced into the well bore, the well bore may be conditioned by circulating the drilling fluid downwardly through the interior of the pipe string and upwardly between the annulus of the exterior of the pipe string and the subterranean formation. The purpose of this conditioning, generally, is to remove as much of the filter cake and gelled or partially gelled drilling fluid from the walls of the well bore as possible. Unfortunately, however, oftentimes at the end of this conditioning process, the drilling fluid and filter cake remain on the surfaces of the well bore and on the pipe string. This can create problems with subsequent processing, such as in primary cementing operations, inter alia, because the cement composition is generally not compatible with the drilling fluid and/or filter cake. This incompatibility may result in a lack of bonding between the set cement composition and the surfaces in the well bore. This, in turn, may lead to the loss of zonal isolation, as well as other undesirable consequences.
To mitigate the above-described problem, chemical wash compositions containing surfactants and other chemicals have been introduced into the well bore between the drilling fluid and the cement composition. Chemical washes (also called "preflushes") and spacer fluids perform the same functions. The terms "chemical wash" and "chemical wash composition" as used herein may refer to a fluid, usually water-based, to thin and disperse mud in preparation for cementing. The chemical wash may be pumped ahead of the cement composition to help ensure effective mud removal and efficient cement placement. As the drilling fluid is displaced, the chemical wash contacts the drilling fluid remaining on the well bore and pipe string surfaces to at least partially remove the drilling fluid therefrom. Additionally, the chemical wash should also at least partially remove the filter cake as well. Other specialized chemical washes may be used in the remedial treatment of scales or paraffin deposits in production tubulars.
To mitigate the above-described problem, chemical wash compositions containing surfactants and other chemicals have been introduced into the well bore between the drilling fluid and the cement composition. Chemical washes (also called preflushes) and spacer fluids perform the same functions. A difference between the two, however, is usually recognized in that a spacer fluid is normally densified by adding a material with a fairly high specific gravity such as barite, while a preflush or wash is not so densified. As the drilling fluid is displaced, the chemical wash may contact the drilling fluid remaining on the well bore and pipe string surfaces to at least partially remove the drilling fluid therefrom. Additionally, the chemical wash should also at least partially remove the filter cake as well.
A problem associated with current chemical wash compositions is that due to the chemistry of the compositions, it must be prepared as a liquid, which becomes expensive to ship to remote locations. The current compositions may not be dried because they have a low ignition point, and may readily catch fire if the composition is dried.

Methods of using chemical wash compositions for removing drilling fluids


A riders helmet for a motorcycle or the like having a rearward facing auxiliary brake lamp secured thereto spaced from and connected by an optic or sonic link to the brake light operating system of the motorcycle. The auxiliary lamp is caused to illuminate with the illumination of the brake lamp of the motorcycle.

The invention relates to safety head gear for motorcycle riders and more particularly to a helmet mounted auxiliary break lamp positioned substantially in the direct line of sight of drivers of vehicles following behind motorcycles with the operators thereof wearing the brake lamp equipped motorcycle helmet.
Present Federal law requires that all new automobiles have a centrally positioned elevated auxiliary rear stop lamp. No such law presently exists for motorcycle riders as there is no elevated means on the structure of the motorcycle for positioning such an elevated light thereon. There is an obvious safety advantage for having an elevated auxiliary stop lamp for a motorcycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,586 teaches a harness or cable connection between the stop light and a helmet attached lamp. This teaching has principle disadvantages in the rider via the interconnecting electrical cable is tethered to the motorcycle whereby intentional or accidental dismounting from the motorcycle without disconnecting the motorcycle attachment could cause injury to the rider or damage the electrical connector or vehicle lighting system to which it is attached or the rider may forget to connect or reconnect the cable rendering the auxiliary stop lamp useless.
The following U.S. Pat. Nos. teach various lighting, radio transmission and interconnection methods of the prior art that can be utilized between the electrical system of a motorcycle and an auxiliary helmet positioned lamp or lamps: 3,474,451; 3,835,454; 4,186,429, 4,559,516; 4,559,586; 4,631,644; 4,641,127; 4,660,528; 4,760,373.
The following German Patents teach interconnection between the electrical system of the motorcycle and the light system of the helmet via wireless radio: 23,619,947 and 2,726,322.
The obvious disadvantage to radio interconnection means for controlling an auxiliary helmet positioned stop lamp is the natural interference which occurs due to the low elevation of the transmitter located on the motorcycle and the helmet contained receiver. Signals are periodically interrupted, distorted by the surrounding traffic, interference between other motorcycles in the immediate vicinity which are similarly equipped, etc. Power consumption requirement is large, particularly the helmet portion of the system. These and other problems continue to exist in minipowered radio communication systems.
There is a continuing need to provide improved safety devices for riders of motorcycles and it is particularly important to improve the visible recognition of a motorcycle and rider at night by the drivers of automobiles following in the near rear vicinity of the motorcycle and rider. The improved elevated stop lamp of this invention would advance the safety of night motorcycle riders by providing an elevated stop lamp, helmet mounted, which is not attached in any way to the motorcycle or interconnected by wireless radio.